Kickin' Up My Feet!

Today has been the longest, craziest, busiest day we have had in such a long time.  As I've stated before, things tend to get nuts right before anyone on our team goes out of town.  And this is no different -- my mom is headed out to Arkansas for the weekend with my dad to visit his best friend; and my little brother is surprising them in Arkansas! Wish I could be there.


But this afternoon and tonight I am going to just kick up my feet and relax.  I'm going to revel in the fact that I got an approval letter on a short sale that has just been a pain in the butt.  I'm going to celebrate my friend Eric for putting together an amazing $438,000 deal.  And I'm going to give all the praise for this busyness to the Lord above.  He is always good and when you rely on Him and trust in His plan, He is faithful.  And boy is he ever faithful!  Looking forward to more craziness, we're thankful to be busy.


The only thing missing right now is a dirty Arnie in my hand!! Any one want to make a delivery?! ;)
<3

blessed

These are my parents - and they're pretty awesome.

I know I've talked about them before, but when there's something I love I'm prone to write about it frequently.

I had a much needed conversation with my mom today - I've been carrying thoughts and feelings for a long time that I probably should have talked about with her a while ago.  But honestly, it's sometimes scary bringing things up with her because of how much time we spend together; often things get taken wrong or mis-interpreted.  Today was a different day however.  I really tried to be mindful of the words I chose when we were talking and to keep "I" statements in the fore front of my thoughts, rather than "You" statements that often come up accusatory.

My dad is really impressing me lately.  He made it his New Years resolution to improve his relationship with my eldest sister.  And he's been doing his best to do his part.  And as a result of her meeting yesterday he & my mom have volunteered to step up should anything change with my sister & my niece.  This would never have happened in the past.  But I'm proud of my dad for the ways that he is trying to step up and be there as best he knows how.

All in all a good conversation that will hopefully bring good results as well.  And warm feelings about my dad. 

Through it all, good or bad, they're pretty stellar parents.  I'm thankful

<3

Stoked!

It's not often that I post anything good or "exciting" about work -- but today I feel super stoked! 
Despite the fact that a short sale deal almost nearly died, I was able to communicate clearly with our negotiator and get them to approve it -- even with increased closing costs! Huzzah! Go me! Pat on my back!

And even if the seller didn't seem quite as enthused as I was about the prospect of getting this bad boy sold -- I didn't let them squelch my excitement!

That aside...picking up mom today at the airport - and we'll finally be able to get back in to a normal work routine.  She doesn't take her next trip until May.  So we've got some time to work work work!

And tonight brings lots of events - Wyldlife club(be thinking of me...I'll be speaking tonight, and I'm not entirely sure how it'll all pan out...), and then Mo Mo's place for games, friends, fun, & early birthday celebration for the lady!
Good way to start my weekend!  I'll be working tomorrow at the bridal store & running an 8K on Sunday (Shamrock Run) - super fun!
What are your plans this weekend?

<3
p.s. fill in the blank friday will be done tonight! pinky promise! :)

The Simple Things

Boy life is good & sweet right now...

I'm relaxing, our groceries are put away, and I'm listening to my hubby practice his set for worship on Sunday.

Life is good...and I've been in need of some real goodness after the past few days.

<3

Tax Returns!

May I just say tax returns kick BUTT!  Waking up to find our federal tax return deposited already (a little under 2 weeks after our filing) kicks major BUTT!  Putting half of that tax return to Isaac's school loan --- KICKS GIANT SIZE BUTT!  

I think Mr. Dave Ramsey himself would be quite proud of us for our commitment.  

Eek - I get to see him in April! So stoked! Nerd much?? ;)

Way back in September, hubby & I made a deal that half of whatever our tax return was (whether it was $500 or $5,000) would be put towards the car loan.  This was before we learned of getting the loan forgiveness...which moved the school loan to being our smallest debt.  So we will be putting half of our return towards that puppy this next week! HUZZAH!  And all of that beautiful money will be going straight to principal -- loves it!  Boy it feels good to be getting closer & closer to have all our debt paid off.  Once the school loan is gone it'll be time  to get aggressive with that car.  And then, with the exception of our house, we'll be DEBT FREE! Soooo close! We've been super aware of where we're spending our money the last few months - with paying on the loans & putting money away for the two wedding trips we have coming up.  Basically - all this to say that currently the Parkers are kick butt savers! The other half, you might be asking, will be used for those wedding trips, the office makeover, finish a fencing project hubby started...and maybe a couple other fun things.

Alright enough tooting our own horns. It's just so fun to think about & see happen right before your eyes...hard work, dedication & sacrifice DO pay off!
If you're getting a tax return, how are you using it?
<3

Wee Bit Wednesday + No voice!

Here we are again -- Wednesday, or hump day as some like to refer to it as.  Link up & follow along with LeighAshley

one - what is your favorite breakfast food?

Strawberry Belgian Waffles & bacon from OPH...delish!

two - how many pairs of shoes do you currently own?

   I should probably be ashamed by this...but hey, shoes always fit, so I always buy them

at least 30-35 (flip flops included)

three - city or country?

country...no question

four - what is your favorite part of your job?

the flexibility of working with family - i.e. if hubby & I get stranded in Hawaii when we fly standby, I don't worry about getting fired! Phew!

five - what is your favorite junk food to snack on?

Um, probably cheese quesadilla with gooood guacamole & salsa YUM!

six - have you ever been mentioned in the newspaper?

does an engagement announcement count?

seven - do you use post-it notes?

yes - for work; otherwise no

eight - do you have freckles?

yes...I joke that in the summer I don't really get tan, I just become one giant freckle!

nine - is it ok for men to wear pink?

absolutely!

ten - when was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper?

goodness -- I don't even know. Ages ago.  I want to do that more though

Well I'm on day 3 with no voice - and let me tell ya, it makes work a bit of a challenge.

That aside - I'm so thankful for good friends these days.  Monday night after hanging out at a basketball game with honey Isaac, we stopped by our good friends Monique & Chris' place to visit.  What a blessing to have great friends at this stage in our lives.  And Friday night I'll be hanging with my great friend Kathryn...that said, think good thoughts for her! I may have made a potentially great love match between her & another friend of ours.  It'd be fun to see if they really jive & match! Yahoo!

<3 

MIA

Sorry I've been MIA over the last few days.  But it's kind of been a whirlwind for myself & my family.  As I posted last week my Gran went in to the hospital and was awaiting open heart surgery to replace a valve in her heart.

Her surgery was postponed a couple of times - primarily in order to give her a time to rest, prepare, and let her kidneys get back to a normal functioning state before they could perform the surgery.
On Friday I took the train up to Olympia to meet up with my mom & aunt...I think they were happy to have some fresh blood around, to lighten things up as much as possible and bring some humor.  Honestly, it was surreal seeing my Gran hooked up to monitors & IV's - heck it was weird seeing her in a hospital in general (she's never had any hospital stays with the exception of having her children...and she's 81!).  But it was good to be there with my family & be able to support my mom & aunt.
Saturday brought a chance to get away to my Gran's cabin in Ocean Shores - a beloved respite for us all.  So after checking on Gran in the morning & meeting her nurse, we made our way west.

A blessing while Gran was in the hospital was how responsive she was even in her sedated state - she'd wiggle her toes for me, open her eyes for us, smile & nod in agreement or raise her eyebrows in disapproval.  My stubborn, tough Norwegian Gran was still in there no matter what!

Monday was an extremely long day - and brought with it so many emotions.  Started the morning off bickering with mom (it's usually how we handle stressful situations in the beginning), visiting Gran, dealing with my mom's psychotic sister (I do not claim her as family after this entire situation) who tried every way she could to try & distract us from Gran, laughed & played cards with my family, anxiously waiting for updates from surgery (we only got 3 the whole time..grr), and then listening to Gran's cardiac surgeon talk about how it all went & what to expect and/or be prepared for.
But Tuesday morning brought good signs of recovery for Gran - which is great news!

So thanks for all the thoughts & prayers! They are so appreciated!  We're probably looking at a long recovery, but regardless we probably have more time with Gran now!

<3

Days of Gratitude - Day 11

In Honor of Veterans Day....Today I am more than thankful for our Veterans!

 

 Raising of the Flag at Iwo Jima (Oorah Marines + 1 Sailor)

 Tomb of the Unkown Soldier - Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, D.C.

I mentioned yesterday that I'm incredibly proud & thankful for the Marine Corps.  And today falls right in suit with that.  The veterans who have served this nation are often the most soft spoke people you will ever encounter, not likely seeking the spotlight or recognition.  For them they have done their duty & their job in protecting this nation.  What they have given is more than anyone can ever fully know. 

Three years ago my mom & I were able to spend some time in D.C. - my first time ever.  One of the most significant places I wanted to see was Arlington National Cemetery.  I'm the product of veterans, and there is no better place to pay respects & honor those who have gone before.  We were able to watch the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  If you have never experienced this...GO!  Those 10 minutes were some of the most moving of my entire life.  The Honor Guard march proudly, day & night, thru hail, thunderstorms, snow, & heat protecting that tomb. There is symbolism to every piece of the guarding of the tomb.  21 steps each way in front of the tomb (in reference to a 21 gun salute). But the most memorable piece of this entire experience is that the only sound coming from that place - is the steady, dependable click of the Honor Guard's heels as he reaches the end of his 21 steps, does an about face and returns another 21 paces.

It is serious, it is honoring, and it will make you proud to be a citizen of this great nation - where so many have laid down their life.

Be sure to thank a Veteran - don't expect a boisterous response, it's not in their nature.  But rather be humble and thank them for their sacrifice and for protecting our freedoms.

Thank you

<3

Days of Gratitude - Day 10

Today I am grateful for: The United States Marine Corps

 

 

Today I am thankful for the USMC - for all that this branch of the military has done to protect our freedoms, from the very inception of our nation.  Every man & woman who chose to willingly serve & those who were called -- to them I am thankful.

I am specifically grateful for my Mom & Dad -- both proud former Marines (my mom was discharged when she was pregnant with me, and my dad retired from the USMC Reserves when I was about 13).  

Both joined the Marine Corps and left for basic training right after they graduated.  And they would not be the people they are today had they not joined.   My dad came from modest means to say the least and was given a place where he could succeed of his own merit, be rewarded for a job well done, travel, have strong male role models, & create life long friendships (my dad's best friend in the world, his "wingman" is my "Uncle" Bud).

My mom also went off to basic training right after graduation - except she went to North Carolina.  She learned how to be self reliant, how to put her nose down & work, and how to succeed in an otherwise male dominated environment (something she ROCKS at!).

This is how my parents met - and I am eternally grateful.

These two people were forever changed by the United States Marine Corps - which in turn forever changed the course of my family. 

Happy Birthday United States Marine Corps!

<3 

Days of Gratitude - Day 5

Today I am thankful for wonderful mentors.

I have been blessed with being able to meet with 3 women over the course of my life that & guided me thru so many  events.
#1: My mom -- easy enough.  She's one of the smartest people I have, and likely will ever know in my lifetime.  She speaks truth and has an incredible talent of always being aware of the big picture.
#2: Debbie -- she would host our weekly Young Life dinners, and started letting me come over before hand to visit & talk about life.  Debbie is probably one of the few people who can look at me and know when I'm BS'ing (I have a good talent of covering it up...) and always directing me to the Lord.  She challenges me to always seek the Lord in all things, to be aware of how Satan is trying to attack & exploit me, and to always lean not on my own understanding - but to trust in Christ thru all things.
#3: Julie -- I asked her to be my mentor when I was a sophomore in college.  She is much different than the previous two.  She is more gentle and soft spoken - she challenged me in a different way than my mom & Debbie. She brought out the softer side of me, encouraged me be honest, be real, and be vulnerable with the more soft pieces of me.  She encouraged me in my wait for my husband, encouraged me in my relationship with Isaac and gave so much praise when we got engaged.  She was & is a soft place for me to this day - and I just love her.
And I asked her to share a prayer for Isaac & I at our wedding - to which I was so thankful at the heartfelt words she ushered to heaven on our behalf.


So grateful for these women - I hope to be half the woman that each of them are.
<3

Taxes Suck

That's right I said it!
I wanna give the bird to the IRS and those crazies in Washington (and Salem too) who think that raising taxes is a good idea - even in this kind of economy.

Hey - it's about time to wake up & understand how it really hits the every day person!  Let me just tell you a little of my story from this month.  I work on salary basis, but have the opportunity for bonus each month.  Primarily stemming from working my arse off on working the short sales in our office.  My boss is very generous to offer a bonus for working these files - as they often take months of hounding banks to get them to work with us & approve the short sale.   I also have the blessing of receiving other opportunities for bonuses - again for which I work my butt off.
Now I about killed myself on about 3 files this month of our 7 closings - anticipating my paycheck to be about double what it normally is(base + bonus).  But nooooo....good ol' Uncle Sam took about 40% of that right off the top.  Rather than keeping more money in my hands to then circulate within my local economy, it goes right out the window, never to be seen again.  Where's the sense in that?
Don't get me wrong, I do not subscribe to the notion that having zero taxes is possible - there are things that need to be funded, but my goodness - let's live in reality and basic economics.  When the economy is down, raising taxes and taking more money from every day people will just worsen an already slumped economy.  It's pretty simple - when people have less money, they are less likely to spend that money on things other than essentials (food, utilities, mortgage, gas).
Argh....

One of those fun things you have to deal with when you're an adult!  But even in this situation I am thankful for being responsible, being married to a man who is also responsible & is also just as focused on us being debt free - so we'll continue to live like no one else so that later we can live like no one else (Thanks DR!)!

We're on our way
<3

Snapshots

Here are a couple photos from our weekend beach anniversary trip last week!

Friday Morning at Depoe Bay

Breakfast at The Red Door Cafe - Newport...DELICIOUS strawberry waffle!

The view from where we stayed

Inside Yaquina Head Lightouse...loooove this man!

Anniversary Dinner @ Tidal Raves, Depoe Bay... delicious!

Devil's Punchbowl - our last quick stop, & Mo's West before heading home

Like I said...a wonderfully relaxing weekend with Isaac. It was such a treat to get away and just relax together.  So nice.

And now we start gearing up for football season....year 2 for me as a wifey, we'll see how this pans out!  Things are changing on the horizon somewhat for Isaac at school.  Instead of teaching ESL math this year, he's likely teaching IB (international baccalaureate) math courses.  And rather than baseball...he might be coaching golf (which would be a big blessing...would help replace the baseball stipend with less stress & time commitment).  We'll see... We're just focusing a lot right now on how we should/can be spending our finances.  Those pesky dollars in & out each month can some times get annoying...but we know it's the "adult" thing to do to plan and be aware.  So that is what we are going to do... Plan, Stick to the Plan, Give, and Be Grateful.

<3

Anniversary Success!

Well this weekend was so much fun & so relaxing! It was such a treat to be able to spend an entire weekend together with my husband and celebrate our anniversary.  So bizarre to see how quickly this year has gone by; but it makes me excited to see what this new year will bring!  I love that man! We had such a great time, putzed around Newport on Friday - lounged like lazy bums on Saturday, and took our time on the drive home Sunday.  It was perfect - exactly what we needed as we head in to the busy football season.

I'll post some pictures in the next couple days to share.


But in the mean time -- could you pray for my friend Heather? She's having a tough time with her folks, they are not really supportive of her marriage to her husband Jim.  They're two of our greatest friends, and definitely one of our  go to couples.  She's staying with us for a little while (Jim's in the Navy & they're headed out to Hawaii in September).  Pray for healing & growth.

Glad to be back!
<3

360!!

My life changed nearly a year ago... That's right - comin' up on the big 1 year anniversary...currently at day 360! It is so bizarre to think that one year ago today I was finalizing those last minute plans, making sure everything at work was organized & ready for the lady covering for me, & welcoming various family members & friends in to town who were to celebrate with us.

Isaac and I are spending a quiet weekend together at the OR coast - which I am so excited about! I even get to take Friday off!! (Yahoo!! Thanks Mom!)

Every day I learn something new about Isaac - how we work together, where we make each other better, where I need to bend, and so much more.  I love the life that he & I are building - creating our own rules for how our family functions & will function in the future.  I love that we are starting off our marriage right by being in tune with our finances (i.e. adios debt & credit cards!), I love that we are creating boundaries to protect our family & our time together, & I love that even in those times where we may not like each other too much...we still have an unrelenting commitment to the vows we exchanged.  Sure life is hard sometimes - and it doesn't always seem fair.  But in the end I would not change one thing.  We're making it on our own and making it in our way.  I can not wait to see how things progress for us in the coming years.

I'll try & be good about taking some photos this weekend (admittedly - this is an area that I want to grow in...capturing life's events as they occur) to share!  But for the time being....back to the grind!

<3

Be Sure To Thank A Veteran

The time has almost arrived for me to head to San Diego to pick up the little brother from
Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton

This is the building where my brother has been serving our country by caring for other military service men & women for the last 2 years.  We'll be driving back home Sunday where he'll get about a week & a half of leave.  After that he & my mom are headed back out on the open road - with Norfolk, Virginia as their final destination.
Allan (aka Alli-babah) received his orders about a month ago to report for duty aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt CVN 71.

I am proud of my little brother for his voluntary service to our nation.  He is such a noble, humble young man.
And for that matter - I'm incredibly grateful for my parents, who also both served this nation voluntarily - my dad specifically, who served in & during Vietnam, and also during the first Gulf War.  My father served as a Chief Warrant Officer 4 in the United States Marine Corps, handling the electrical for many jets, helicopters, etc.  My mom served as a Gunnery Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps as a dispersing clerk.  They both served and loved the military and how it changed/shaped their lives. Both my mom & my dad are proud of their service and love the Marine Corps and our nation more than words.
Their decisions to join and serve our nation have drastically impacted myself & my little brother - we are both so proud of parents and often don't even have the right words to express our gratitude to them for all that they did and continue to do.  


Don't forget to thank a veteran and any active duty soldier you know or encounter! They have sacrificed much for the freedoms we enjoy and often take for granted.  Whatever your opinion - they make a choice and make a difference, and for that - deserve our respect.

So say shake a hand, look them in the eye (they'll appreciate it), and sincerely thank them for all they have done.
<3

Yard Project

My wonderful handy hubby is working on transforming our backyard.  It's at the point where I'm not much help, he had to fix the fence...re-do the UG sprinklers....re-sand & re-paint our fire pit, etc.  But soon, There will be projects I can be more involved in.  He's even going to build a beautiful pergola for our deck.

I'm looking forward to a "new" backyard - it'll be so fun to be able to sit back there & relax together and enjoy the Oregon summer.
Question though -- our 1 year anniversary is around the corner (CRAZZZZY!) and we're trying to think of something to do that is special but cost effective.  Any recommendations out there??

Back to work I go!
<3

Empty Head

I so wish I had something pithy to say today... But I don't.
Hate when that happens.
Life is progressing, and I was woken up by my wonderful husband this morning with a sweet greeting of "Good Morning My Love"
And tonight I get to spend an evening with great friends going thru a study called "Shame No More" - super blessed to be a part of that great group of women & the two women who lead us.

God is good... I must always hold that near
<3

A Small Appreciation

I love sitting at home with my husband with most lights off and candles lit around us.  I so appreciate the warm glow, the slight flickers, and the soft aromas.  It's so comforting...  We're gonna have to buy some more candles soon - I've had then lit every night since Saturday night.  Makes me kind of slow down and appreciate more small things.  Like my husband getting home early from baseball.  Yummy dinners.  Hugs.  Conversation.

What makes you appreciate the small things?

<3