Puppy love and other paintings

I just realized how long it had been since I'd written a blog post.  I've got a ton to write about, I really do.  I've just been overwhelmed with all the real life things I should be accomplishing....like the presentation I have at the hospital in 2 weeks that I haven't started on....but I digress.  

I thought I would start my return to blogland with holiday stuff before it seems ridiculously late.  So first off, Christmas presents, then when I get my SD card working, actual Christmas photos.  My friend Darby had big plans for me.  She knew exactly what she wanted.  Her mom and her step-mom are pet lovers and happen to both have amazingly cute pups.  Darby sneaky snapped some photos for me and away we went.  The top painting is of Tina's boxers.

The bottom is of Sherry's two yorkies and a sweet old hound.

I loved these.  Both of them.  I hear they were a hit around the Christmas tree too, which I was thrilled about!

The next three are done for an old friend named Debbye.  She has a running tradition with her 3 girls.  Each year they get a special present that says "believe."  This year, she asked me to do 3 paintings of the bell from Polar Express and work believe into them.  Ask and ye shall receive!

I tried to make each one unique and let the girls pick which one they dig the most.  

My Christmas paintings have sent me a rush of more work.  I think I have 2 for a lady named Ann, 1 for Annie, 1 for Maggie, 1 for my cousin Ali, and 2 for a coworker of my friend Darby.  I just gotta get on it!  I have been sick however and spent a fair amount of time trying to scrape myself off the couch.  It's not been going well as of now.   Here's to hoping I'm back on my game by Wednesday, I've got work to do!

Hair today, gone tomorrow

I did it again, I went a little crazy.  Like making random drastic changes to my appearance crazy.  I told my mom and sisters for a long time that I was growing out my hair to donate it.  I've done it before and was about to donate it a second time when Mag and I ruined that opportunity.  She was fresh outta cosmetology school and her friend had told her about a new way to roll a perm that created big loose waves.  She asked if she could try it, I said sure.  

Mistake #1:  Trying a new way to roll, when you don't know how to unroll it to check the set.

Mistake #2:  Listening to your sister, the chiropractor, when she says "Well, how long can a perm stay on?...let's just leave it the full 20 then." 

Mistake #3:  Freaking out when you have ramen-noodle hair and then immediately shampooing.

Mistake #4:  Leaving the salon with said ramen hair.  

Luckily mom's friend from high school was one of Mag's instructors from cosmo school so she was happy to look at it to see how it could be fixed.  Unfortunately, there was nothing to be done.  I believe her words were, "Oh Abbie....Oh...I don't know.  It's pretty bad."  Or something to that effect.  I chopped it all of.  When in doubt, scrap it and start over.  

Since then, I've been a little more protective of my hair.  I kept growing and growing.  I really had intentions of cutting it sooner, but kept it just like a kid clingin' to a baby blanket.  I wrote my dear friend Lauren a letter.  I told her I was debating the hair cut (damn you pinterest) and told her by the time she got the letter I would have decided whether or not to man up.  

But then again, that was precisely the problem.  I did not want to look like a man.  

Zac was not so encouraging.  When I asked him if he would love me just as much with short hair he answered, "well, I guess I kinda have to."  Not exactly the support you are looking for, but I figured he could suck it up.  (it has grown on him....he said so, without me even asking)

So in to the salon I went.  I decided that there was nothing wrong with looking just like my mom and sisters and that I would not look man-ish.  Mag asked how short she could cut it.  She really wanted to take it up to my shoulders.  I said no way, if it's getting cut, we were cutting to donate.  It took us 45 minutes to come up with the courage to whack it off.  The other girls in the salon wouldn't leave for lunch until it was cut.  It was quite the event. 

This is where I started. 

We sectioned it, Maggie cut off the ponytails, then I looked this good. 

That was attached to my head.  Weird right.  And somehow, after it is removed from my head, I find it creepy and gross.  It was even creepier when it rode around in the console of my car for weeks until I actually mailed it to the donation center. Ewww.

This is my new do. 

Mom says it makes my eyes look pretty.  I would argue that they have always been pretty.  I look just like my mom and sisters now.  

Case in point.

Now I rock the short do.  I like to give a little faux hawk too.  My patients dig it.  Even the older ladies with their perma-perms.  They think it is really cute.  I love them for that.  I think they need faux hawks.  So that's my hair today, gone tomorrow story.  Hopefully you feel inspired.  Hopefully you will grow and donate to people in need!  Hopefully you look good with short hair....... :)

Being bold

This post has been a long time comin'.  For those of you who don't know, I love my church.  My family and I attend New Hope.  If you are ever in our neck of the woods, I highly suggest you check it out.  Back in May, Pastor Van (PV as he calls himself) did a series called the Eleventh Hour and I continually think about those 3 sermons.  So much so in fact, that I requested copies of all 3 and have given them to my friends.  The point of the series was of course, to discuss the end times, or the events leading up to the return of Christ.  It really helped me to gain perspective.  The end times have already begun.  We really do have a limited amount of time with which to share our faith, to develop our relationship with God, and to find salvation through Jesus.  Now, if you are not a Christian, these things may seem like ridiculous notions to you.  

I am a Christian.  I have been for years.  I have also been a very poor example and have not exactly been a winner of people to the cause.  Religion is a very personal experience and it is very easy to show up, to say the buzz words, to judge others because of an elevated idea of Christian morality without ever fully understand what it's like to truly LOVE GOD and to live a life FOR HIM.  There is no big blinking sign over our heads that say "this girl is the real deal."  It is easy to fake.  I am not any better which is why I wanted to write this.  I lie, I disobey, I blatantly ignore, I judge, I refuse to forgive, I skip church to sleep in.  For a long time, I pretended to be what I was not and I was comfortable in doing so.  I am a work in progress.  I frequently fail.  But I am a Christian.  This is what all Christians are, whether or not we want to believe it.  We fall short.  We disappoint.  We are hypocritical.  

We are ALL in the same boat, it's just that some of us have life preservers.

Pastor Van, at the end of the Eleventh Hour series did a sermon about being bold.  He didn't mean spiky hair and over-done make-up.  He didn't mean asking out the person you have a thing for or singing karaoke.  He specifically talked about being bold in your faith.  That means putting it out there for others to judge, to make fun of, to scrutinize, but more importantly, putting it out there to be a beacon to others that might otherwise NOT know or care.  People that may have NEVER been interested, that are, just because it is coming from YOU.  I took this to heart.  That night I went home and wrote a few emails to my friends.  This is what I sent to a boy I attended chiropractic school with....

I've been thinking a lot about you lately, mostly as you had posted on facebook about re-reading the God Delusion. We never sat down at school, or anywhere really, and had a discussion about religion. I am a Christian and, while I may not be most the well read or the most highly informed, I have considerable faith and try my best to support my faith with reason. I know that sounds a little like an oxymoron as most people would assume that no thinking person could believe in creation with so much scientific proof of evolution, but I do. Sometimes in life I find there are things I just KNOW. And then it becomes a matter of finding proof...like the fact that fossils can form in tens of years instead of hundreds of thousands and the fact that carbon-dating is fallible. 

With that being said, I offer whatever info or debate I can to you. I know you are probably not interested, as you've stated that you don't like to discuss religion, and that's ok, but you and your faith have been on my mind and I wanted to at least offer. I believe the world would be a different place if Christians took the time to talk about they whys of what we believe and discuss without judgement. After all, I can't expect anyone to live by my standards if they don't have the same belief system I do. So, I'm not sure what you believe, but there are far too many people out there, calling themselves Christians, but living for/in pursuit of the wrong things. If you have even an "seed" of faith (matthew17:20), I'd like to help you to find the room to grow in it. That's my offer. 

ps..keep in mind that I'm a student of faith and there are people out there far more qualified to answer your serious questions with a perfect explanation. I'm just going to try to do my best.

He never responded.  In fact, he simply stopped responding to every message I sent him.  I don't care that I might have ruined a friendship.  I didn't quit.  It's just that now, instead of sending him a message when I think about him, I say a prayer that God might give him ears to hear.  That's my new effort.  

In trying to share what I believe, I have noticed a big shift in me.  It's not really how I act necessarily, because I have always been are pretty "good" person (...I know, I know, "not by acts") but in how I pray mostly.  Instead of asking God to change, I ask for him to show me HIS will.  I make an effort to turn over my problems and let HIM sort them out.  I have been given in return some of the most clear and undeniable directions I've ever received, and that my friends, does nothing by strengthen my faith and cement my beliefs. 

So I challenge all of you, in the spirit of the holiday season, to be bold in your faith.  To share it with others.  It is intimidating and can be uncomfortable, but comfort is not WHY you are doing it.  Just keep that in mind.  We grow the most as individuals, as Christians, when we are UNCOMFORTABLE.  You may be rejected, you may lose a friend, but you may also change someones heart and you will definitely change yours.  

P.S.  If I have offended you, I don't care.  If you have questions or are exploring religion, I extend to you the same offer I did to my friends.  I am no expert, but I have "ears to hear" and will do my best to help in whatever way I can. 

So...

a tornado slept in my bed last night.  (It also opened my bedside table drawer....and left it open with lotion bottles all hangin out and stuff.) 

With such restful sleep is it any wonder that I have a stiff neck and sore hip.  Yep, turns out I am old enough for that.  Watch out Maggie...your mid-20's are the new 60+.

Random Facts, Volume 3

I love to multitask!

Actually, I'm just a little ADD.  I start a project, then jump to another for 10 minutes, then back and forth and forth and back.  I do get stuff done, don't get me wrong.  I like to call it multitasking.  Zac thinks I just can't sit still.  Hard to say who is right.  Well, actually, Zac is never right. :)

This is a picture snapshot of what my last Wednesday off looked like.  First, I changed the sheets and started the laundry.

While the laundry was rolling, I prepped dinner and then washed up all the dishes.

Since dinner was prepped, I started trying to get stuff done for our Ethel Edith show.  First, I painted..

Since paint takes some time to dry I would stop mid-painting and sew...

Since sewing takes forever, I'd take breaks, paint more, then sew while it dried, and switch the laundry around.  Then I got a little inspired by my christmas glitter and silver and decided it was time to paint one of my side tables.  Outside he went....

Coat him once, come inside, paint more, sew a row more.

I am a whirling dervish.  This is me everytime I have a day off.  I swear, I just have a never ending list of stuff to get done.  Here's to hoping I stop trying to do it all in one day, all at once! 

Random Facts, Volume 2

I decided that I should share with you lovely blog readers a little bit more about Zac and I.  I told you a little bit in this post here....  but we both have little habits, and they are not pleasant.   I have issues with closing drawers and doors.  It's true.  Case in point, my bedside table.  

It's messy.  I know.  Don't judge. I drive Zac crazy with this, only because he has no spacial awareness of his head, and will run it into a half open cabinet door.

My dresser.  Yup.  That's all me.  Can't blame Zac. 

Now, lest you think Zac is normal, he can't stand when bars of soap get too used.  

Exhibits A, B, and C.  No, your eyes don't deceive you.  That is 3 bars of the same soap in 3 different stages of use.  

Now don't you feel like you know our idiosyncrasies a little better?   You can read about a few more of them here.  And to look at us, you'd never know :)

Harry Potter and Pizza Hut

If you have been reading my blog for any amount of time you know that I frequently write about my husband, the Zacman.  He is my best friend.  He is hilarious, or at least I think so.  Zac is a little bit sneaky funny.  He's also sneaky dirty (like surprise pile of dirty clothes hidden in his closet sneaky dirty).  If you aren't paying attention, you don't catch his comments.  He can keep up with me and my wit and he gets me.  My last post was about the inadvertent funny things he says.  I am always cry laughing trying to get myself together.  Last night was no different.  He invited me on a stay-at-home date night.  We had made plans to watch the last of the Harry Potter series and eat pizza.  We are awesome....so is Harry Potter.  It is in no way dorky, by far and away better than Twilight.  Harry Potter is all about courage and facing your fears, fighting the good fight, whereas Twilight is all about the importance of having a boyfriend.  I digress...

We set down all Pizza Hut'd up, and Zac told me all about the crazy old lady that was in front of him at Pizza Hut.  Apparently she came in with an attitude, with the opening comment "Is my pizza gonna be cold already?", demanded to see her pizza before she left, then said it didn't look right and complained until she got her $10 pizza half off.  I threw out the "watcha looking at ya old bitch!" quote from Bridezillas and then we got to watchin the movie.  As the previews ran I told Zac, "Do you know what's happening now, cause I really don't remember the way the last movie ended?"  He said, "Awww man, shit went dowwwntowwwn! (pause for 3 seconds)  I don't remember."  Hahaha!  That got me!

After the movie, Zac cleaned up the plates as I finished furiously painting for our Ethel Edith holiday show.  I made a comment about how long it had taken to get the pizza.  I jokingly said "I just wasn't sure if you were gonna come home with a pizza that was cold already."  He said, "I had to wait for it to finish cooking so I knew it was hot."  I replied, "I know, I was kidding. I was bein the bitchy old lady." To which Zac muttered, "Soon enough."  

I snorted.  Like I said, sneaky funny.  And probably correct :)  

Now, for those of you that may have missed it, the "old bitch" comment from Bridezillas for your viewing pleasure.

Maggie took to saying this for a few months and it got me everytime!