Guest Post: My Mama Bear (AKA Dawnie)

Hey guys it's Jessie here! For a couple weeks now, I've been begging my mom to guess post on my blog and she has finally given in to my demands. My mom and I are best friends and I am so blessed by her every day. As you will see, she is a pretty awesome writer and she's basically showing me up...but I don't care because I LOVE it! So enough of me, I'd like to introduce my Mama Bear!

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Jessica has always asked lots of questions.  I have always had a love/hate thing going with that trait of hers.  But she is like a pit bull and will not let go until you give her an answer – and it can’t be a fluff answer, it has to be a real answer, or she won’t let go.

Right now my most favorite thing is doing anything mindless, playing mahjong on the computer, reading young adult books (so I don’t have to sift through too much junk), or half watching whatever is on the tv - anything to give my thoughts a rest from the stress of a new job, planning a wedding, college shopping and whatever else in currently on my plate. 

Jessica is taking a child development class, so I get the following texts, “Was I hard to potty train?”, “Did I have a lot of friends as a little kid or more by myself?”, “I wasn’t a big temper tantrum kid, right?” and my favorite, “So what did I do that was weird?”  This is where the hate part comes in - I would prefer to mindlessly play candy crush, but instead I have to think.  Here is where the love part comes in…

When I want to retreat in, Jessica constantly pulls me back out.  I would rather plan her wedding without thinking about our relationship.  Don’t get me wrong, I want it to be the most spectacular day for her and Johnathan, but it would be easier to think of it as just another event than for me to really stop and think about my baby being a grown woman.  Her texts made me remember when she belonged to just me and her dad.   I can’t speak for her dad, though I am sure he shares my feelings. 

She was not hard to potty train – two days is all it took - her prize – 3 m&ms.  Thus her love for chocolate began. Jessica could occupy herself for a long time.  She loved sitting at her little table and writing, coloring, reading or doing puzzles.  Yet, when she was with other children, she would play with anyone – a bit on the bossy side.  I would not say she had a lot of friends, but Jessica was a very loyal friend.  She gave everything of herself and she still has that same way of approaching friendships.  Jessica did not have temper tantrums.  She was a very compliant child – so when she did get really mad it usually made us laugh.  (Sorry J – but you know we did laugh). What did she do weird? She would talk until she lost her voice – not once, not twice, but all the time, throughout the years…  She still plops herself down, usually on top of me, and says, “Come on mom, tell me something.” and wants to talk.  I couldn’t wait until I picked her up from school every day because she would literally talk the entire ride home.  I often reminded her to take a breath.

I have so many moments that I love to bring to mind.  But I would be lying if I didn’t admit to it bothering me that when I see her sitting in the rocking chair in our family room, her feet touch the floor, and I want desperately for her feet to dangle again.  I handled it fairly well, when she was 14 and I had to start sharing her with Johnathan.   But in 2 months, that all changes, I will no longer share her with Johnathan.  Johnathan is going to have to start sharing her with me.  

Interview With the Roomie

Hello to my favorite people! 

Today is a cold, dreary day here in Salisbury but I am in a good mood! I'm in a good mood because it's blogging day!

I've decided that it is time for you all to meet the people I live with. This will be split up into two posts to leave you all in suspense. I'm forcing you all to come back and read. I rule the world. 

Today you will be meeting my roomie, Kendra. 

Ain't she cute! 

Kendra and I have been living together for two years now and we have become very close friends. I love her to pieces! And you will too, I promise.

I interviewed Kendra while relaxing on her bed with her doing homework (she is always doing homework). 

1. Kendra, how old are you? (this questions is still appropriate because we are little babies)

20. 

2. What is your major?

Nursing.

3. What is your dream job? (the worst question to ask a college student. Sorry, not sorry)

                Oh no. Right now I want to work in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). But that could always change. 

Why the NICU?

                    Because my cousin had a baby and he was really early, he was in the NICU.  Now he is perfectly fine and you can hardly tell that he was premature. I've also shadowed nurses there and it was pretty cool.

4. What's your favorite part about living with me? (Basically this interview is all about me. It's my blog, so there!)

 Oh nooooo! Nothing. Just kidding. There’s so many. Because you are crazy and you have so much energy and you come and roll around and attack people. You’re very entertaining. 

(just to be clear my attacks are all out of love)

5. What's your least favorite part about living with me?

* blank stare* My least favorite part about living with Jessie…you and Becky (other roommate) go to bed so early and I have nothing to do! Phew that was a good one. *Whispers* "good job Kendra".

6. What's your weirdest fear?

      My fear of windmills. Make sure they know it’s the big, big, white ones not the little toy ones. I’m not that crazy. I had a nightmare one time that I was about to get my head chopped off by the blades and people were laughing at me. 

7. What's a question you hope I don't ask you?

            I’m not answering because then you’re going to ask the question!! Ok fine, don't ask me how many TV shows I watch. It's a lot.

8. Who's your favorite roommate?

No.

9. What are the names and social security numbers of all your patients?

NOOOOOOO! No!

        There you go! Now you know all the deep dark secrets of one of my roommates. She is part of the glue that holds me together. I love you, Kendra! 

Thug Life

Moving forward from last week I knew I needed to get my act together. I started this blog for many reasons and I needed to put more effort into taking care of it. 

So I hit the internet! What better place to learn about blogging than its birth place =) 

The biggest thing for me was trying to figure out how others always found something interesting to write about. The one message that stuck out to me was to live my life to the fullest. If I'm living a fun, exciting life then how could I possibly run out of things to share here? I then realized I wasn't living a life that I would call fun (boo hiss). I was going through the motions; school, work, eat, school work, sleep. So the only thing I could write about would be what I eat on a daily basis (cereal) and what school work I'm working on (aerobic and anaerobic systems of the body). Riveting! I know!

With that said, I decided to make some changes. I needed to quit work and quit school!!! HA I'm just joking with you! But I did happen to get off of work this Wednesday and I took full advantage of it. The fiance took me shooting! Like a real gun with real bullets! 

After class, we headed to a friend's house where we could shoot and not bother anyone. I got to wear the super cool earmuff thingies..I couldn't hear a thing! 

This was only my second time shooting. The last time I went with my dad and he taught me how to shoot a rifle. This time, I got to learn the ways of a hand gun. Johnathan taught me all the basics: how to hold it, don't get your thumb in the way of anything, and don't shoot him. Ok, I think I got it...but I still made him go first.

He's so chill. Look at me, I'm a man. I shoot gun. =) Ok, I'll admit, it's pretty sexy.

This is the poor man we were shooting at. I didn't feel too comfortable shooting at a person (even though he was paper) but John says, "Hey! He's shooting back it's totally fine!". Well alright then, BAM BAM BAM!

*The thug life chose me*

I was pretty slow. Nervous about the kick back and I also loathe loud noises. But it was fun! 

And I did pretty dang good if I say so myself! 

The ones square in the face. Yea, that was me! I'm really sorry Mr. Paper Man..

At least I know that when John gets me my German Shepherd I'm going to be living in the safest house ever! Don't mess with my cop, dog and shooting skills! 

I like living a fun life! I love living a fun life with Johnathan! 

What do you guys do for fun during your work week? 

5 Things

As a lot of you may know, this semester isn't going the smoothest for me. And as my brain gets more and more full of school work, "to do" lists and random crap, my blogging inspiration is suffering. Big time. 

I sit in front of my computer Thursday mornings and suddenly my brain shuts down. Literally not an idea in the world. Now I'm sure I'm not the only blogger that has or is suffering from a blank mind but I am becoming super discouraged about it. This blog is only a few months old! It can't be dying already! What do my fellow bloggers do when they have nothing to write about? I don't want my posts to turn into boring nothings that no one cares about. 

So today I've decided that you will be forced to learn about me in my new segment, 5 Things about Jessie! 

That's me! This is the first time my dad took me shooting. So of course I had to wear my moose hat! 

1. I am marrying my high school sweetheart on January 10, 2015! We have been together for over 5 years now and I love him more and more each day! And according to my friends, one day we are going to make redheaded Asian babies. Not sure how I feel about it, but if they look anything like Johnathan they are going to be freaking adorable! 

2. My dream job is to work in rehabilitation with our veterans. Specifically, I'd really like to work with amputees. My dad has been begging me since I was born to enlist (he just wanted to get rid of me I'm sure) but I always knew that wasn't the route for me. I don't know, I guess we will see where I end up.

3. In third grade, a kid named Michael asked me to be his girlfriend. I made an awful face and immediately told him, "ewwwwww no!". In art class that day he tripped me and I got a bloody lip. He told the principle that I tripped on a chair...liar!

4. I'm terrified of open water and fishies. Evil freaking fishies! I don't know how you people eat those things...they are so creepy! I'm not exactly sure where this fear came from, maybe from a time I fell off a sandbar and didn't know how to swim. Plus, fish are hideous. As a result of this fear I am extremely deficient in Omega 3's, so basically fish are going to be the death of me anyway. 

5. I am a goal setter. I have many many goals. I have daily goals and monthly goals and yearly goals. I have goals for other people, They probably don't even know about the goals I've set for them. I have goals for my marriage, for my future family and for my career. I have goals that I don't even realize I've made until I've accomplished them! Having so many goals makes it very hard for me to accept failure or change. Goals can be good and bad I guess. 

Ok so if anyone has any good strategies for coming up with post topics please let me know! I'll take all the help I can get! 

Hey Oh!

I thought this week I'd catch you all up on what's happening in my oh so interesting life. I know you all are so curious.

Well this semester is kicking my butt! I'm a little nervous I'll go into an exhaustion coma and miss my wedding. That would be a plot twist! 

Last weekend was one to remember. 

1. Johnathan and I were at Chili's with some friends of his from back home. We had just ordered our food when I get a phone call from a very frantic, Kendra (roommate). All I could make out was "carrots, cut, knife, finger". Well crap! So I jump into John's truck (it's freaking huge!) and speed home. I walk in to find carrots and blood everywhere and the worst part....a tip of a finger!! To the hospital we go! Kendra survived, but the tip of her finger not so much. I have a picture. It's horrid. Don't worry I won't show you. 

GAHHH!!!! no I tricked you. That's a carrot. You freaked out though.

That really is the tamest picture possible from that scene...it was a mess.

2. We finally made it to church for the first time this semester. I am really enjoying John's church, the people there are pretty great =) And John became a member!! He was too handsome standing up at the front. I love my man! 

Then the week started.

Tuesday mornings I have a class at 8am. That morning I roll over to check the time and find that I have 9 minutes until I have to leave! Man did I move fast! I get to class to find that I had a homework assignment due that I had absolutely no idea existed. Nope I was done. Let the tears fall!

Later Tuesday I get a call from the Health Department telling me that I don't have rabies. I was a little confused until I remembered that a week ago a little pitbull puppy decided my hand was a chew toy. Phew! 

Wednesday, my mom calls to tell me that she just booked our DJ. It's the same company that did my parents wedding! So cool! 

Today, my little sister had surgery on her shoulder. Y'all should send her some love! From what I've heard she did great! 

Alright I think you've had enough. Thank you so much for reading! It really means a lot to me =) 

Here's to this weekend being awesome! I'm puppy-sitting! Too much happiness in my heart!

I challenge my readers to have a better weekend than me! Doubt you can since I get a puppy, but still go ahead and try!