Misses...

There are lots of things and people for that matter that I miss...Just last night, Mike and I HAD to see our beloved dog Channing...so we called up his parents (whom he is staying with for the week) and asked if we could G-chat. If you know anything about new age technology, which is freaking awesome these days, you don't have to be anywhere close to the person (or dog in our case) to be able to SEE them...coolness! So if you have Skype or G-mail (you can g-chat or video chat if your computer allows that), you can keep up with loved ones far away...so we did...we got on the video chat and totally acted like "those crazy people" talking to Channing, who seemed to want nothing to do with us and also seemed confused that he heard us, but clearly wasn't seeing our bodies.

We also chat with Mike's sister, Laura, who is living in England and finishing up business school. I think we both miss her a lot. But...we are fortunate that we get to take a week long trip to England this summer in order to celebrate her graduation and do really fun things! (which hopefully will be planned out before we get there, I know I have NO idea what to do...but since Laura is there along with her BF and his family, I am sure we will be dazzled!)

As of recently (this past weekend), I am also without grandparents...they have all passed on and are hopefully looking down on me and feeling proud of the young woman that I have become. My Uncle is up there too. Looking back on things, I wish I could have gotten more out of my relationships with them...but when you are young you tend to be overcome with so many things that learning about your grandparents, their heritage, their struggles, their history and what makes them who they are isn't a top priority...but I wish it had been in my case. Now I can't just ask them how they managed through the Great Depression, or how they have seen society and the world change so vastly from the time they were little girls and little boys. These memories are lost in time for me and I can try my best to piece things from pictures or through stories from my parents, but it just won't be the same. I guess instead of trying to bring on the pity party, I want to express that if you are lucky enough to still have these wonderful people in your life, that you take the time to visit them, call them, find out who they really are and gain all the knowledge you can...I can guarantee it will be worth it in the end.

Ok, enough of the super sadness (as I wipe my tears...) I miss other things too...

I miss not having enough time in my day to get the bajillion items I want done (although I did pretty good yesterday...and almost got all my little addictions in too...sushi dinner with the husband, cleaned 1/2 the house, tv junkie at bed time...still no soda...ugh!)

I miss not being able to spend enough time with family...and by family, I mean my parents/sister/her husband and kids and Mike's parents (and sister, but that comes this Summer!!)...I think not being in the same town doesn't really help, but I am such a HUGE family oriented person. I look forward to beach trips and ski/snowboard trips to Smugg's...even just hanging out for the night...I yearn to have family time and be close. I feel like I have missed out on my "Aunt" duties by not being so close....every time I see the munchkins they are taller, can talk more, know more stuff than I do and are loosing front teeth to that darned tooth fairy! I also miss not having spent lots of time with my 2 cousins and their wives (and the adorable new baby Matthew!) and my Uncle Tom and Aunt Sue...

I miss not spending more time with my amazing friends! Whether the friends are close to me now or living in WV (shout out to my E$), I really wish that I felt I had more time to just be around them...even if during the week...which I know can be crazy since with work and dinner and working out, when do you fit in "fun" time with friends...that's what the weekends are for, right? But I want more...lots more...luckily I was able to spend some great time with a few friends for a ski trip out in Canaan Valley this past weekend. What more could you want: friends, food, yummy beverages, a HUGE house, and a HOT TUB...awesome...let's do it again next year!

I also miss my what I consider to be "crafty days"...way back in high school I actually took multimedia art class, stained glass class...and maybe some other things. I also learned in college from my teammate and assistant coach how to MAKE purses by using a sewing machine and buying cloth at the store...I felt so creative, like I was letting out some untamed beast that just wanted to make crafts...I felt pretty good at it too...but then I got "busy" (school, work, etc...you name the excuses...) and completely forgot how to do it...boo hiss...I have received instructions, but I think I am too chicken to try it again and mess up-get super frustrated-and give up with a mess of fabric and knots all over the place and have me stomping around the house with a pouty face (it would SO happen...) I guess I feel the urge to be creative since a lot of my friends are into making jewelry and all lately...and they are gorgeous...check out these (made by my friend Erin) and also these lovely little clusters(made by my friend Marisa)...SOOOOO pretty!


I miss the fact that my body keeps feeling so OLD...I still play volleyball (which my sister got me into at a young age...funny stories about that I will share later)...but I have always had back problems...so while I regularly play sports and work out, I also regularly see a chiropractor for my aching back...

I miss days without stress...I am pretty sure I live in a stress bubble (just ask Mike). I have that type A personality where everything has to be done YESTERDAY...it's horrible, but I have tried to fix this and I seem to get no where-Mike helps me to just chill out (thank goodness!) or I would in all likelihood just flip out on a moment's notice. My mind is always rambling with things to do...which can range from work, to working out, to finances and paying things, to what are we doing for dinner tonight and where are we going this weekend...it's a constant buzz up there...I wish I could just dump it out and feel the peace and serenity that I know I could if I would just mellow out a bit...which is why I think I need to start some kind of yoga practice or meditation...to fully open up my mind and release all these little demons wreaking havoc on my mind and body...it's time!

I miss the days of college, in the fact that when I go out and party like a rockstar these days, I sure DO NOT feel like a rockstar the next morning, or even afternoon...sometimes not even for a couple days! I have no clue how I managed to live back then! Even though I was a D1 collegiate athlete, we found time to go out mid-week and on weekends...I can remember one time I went out with my at the time roomie (Candice) and our other "party pal" (CJ) to our favorite bar for some drink specials on a Wednesday night (I think)...I remember thinking...I have to get up really early for lifting (as in heavy lifting of weights/workout) at 7 am....yes, 7 AM...so I partied all night and probably got in after 2 (when the bar would close down) ...pass out smelling like smoke (thank goodness for no smoking bars in VA now)...groggily woke up, got myself together in time to scramble to weight lifting...and I proceeded to do my workout! (ok, karma may have gotten me that day...I was doing box jumps on the tallest box, totally missed, and scraped off most of my shin onto this lovely black box of death...didn't feel too amazingly rockstar-ish after that one...went to get bandaged and came back to finish the workout...)...what I wuldn't do to be able to handle myself the next morning...instead I am a glob of a person, laying in bed and feeling completely worthless to all...don't even ask me to do anything, it's not happening til after 5 pm...for serious!

Well, enough jibber jabber from this gal, Happy Thursday (it's almost Friday...be optimistic!)