Merry Christmas Eve!

Merry Christmas! I'm trying to finish packing and shake my recurring "travel mood"......in time to get a few hours sleep, wake up at 3am, and leave at 4am for the airport! We're headed to Alamogordo, New Mexico, where Julian's mom and stepdad live. It honestly doesn't feel like Christmas Eve to me right now.....probably because our Christmas Day is going to be spent in airports, in the sky, and then in a rental car as we drive 1 1/2 hours from the airport in El Paso to Alamogordo. We're going to be doing "Christmas Eve" on Saturday, after Julian's sister and her husband arrive from California, then doing Christmas the next morning. Hopefully those days will feel more "Christmas-y."

Poor little Eden has been having a few diarrhea issues...so I've been trying to feed her some apples and get her to drink water a little more than she wants to right now. I really hate having to leave her tomorrow morning.....but thank goodness she's in the capable hands of Ericka, my downstairs neighbor/walking & pilates buddy/friend. It's still hard to leave the girls, though.

I'm really looking forward to keeping up with this blog on a regular basis.....and I'll hopefully have lots of fun stories from our trip to write about once we return home on New Year's Eve!

My AMAZING husband!

So I need to brag on my sweetie a little :) In spite of all the time I spend making fun of him, calling him names, and being silly with him in general....he's awesome! He just had his annual review today and it's confirmed.......he's totally the golden boy who does AMAZING work! (And his bonus reflects it!). He is so intelligent, extremely hot & sexy, he's an incredible writer, and he is SOOOO sweet to me......even when I'm in a yucky mood! He's going to make a great dad some day.......if we ever warm up to the idea of being parents!! He always takes out the trash, he does the dishes/loads the dishwasher, helps with dinner, and vacuums......all on his own initiative! He's a GREAT doggy dad (Esther's totally a daddy's girl ;) He's also SUPER supportive of me and my dreams!

Julian, I love you! Eharmony totally hooked me up!

Twisted Peppermint

It's getting close to bedtime, but I thought I would post something quickly about my PAINFUL experience last night. Anyone who knows me knows I'm a Bath & Body Works FREAK! I love the shower gels, the bubble bath, the wallflowers, the soaps, the buy 2-get-1-free's, the facial care.....everything! I especially love the "limited edition" scents......namely, the holiday scents! So I purchased all things Twisted Peppermint (the shower gel, the hand lotion, the bath parfait).....LOVED the lotion....and then tried the shower gel. In a word......OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!! The burning/tingling feeling didn't go away until the next morning! It sure will wake you up......but then your whole body will be on fire!!!! Oh, and you know that tingly mint sensation that makes anything you come into contact with EXTRA cold after you've felt something minty (mouthwash, a peppermint, anything)? BRRRRR!!!!!

Had a GREAT pilates class tonight! I love this little Pilates studio -- West Annapolis Pilates -- all three teachers are great, and I come away feeling like I've gotten a great workout (i.e. -- MAJOR soreness!). In January I'll be doing the same Saturday morning Pilates class with the "neighborhood girls", but I'm also adding this Wednesday night class (and blocking off my session times to allow for it)! I'm loving this whole exercise schedule -- walking Monday through Friday mornings at 6:30am with Ericka (my downstairs neighbor), then Pilates once a week (soon to be twice a week). The greatest thing is that I don't notice what I'm doing to exercise -- it's such a natural part of my life at this point.....and it's been going on for a little over a month!

So I have to give everyone a little look at my husband.....old school style. These pics are ones that an old girlfriend of his posted on facebook......from his blue or bleached-hair, spiked dog collar-wearing punk days. PRICELESS!!! He thought he was the hotest thing ever.......I prefer the current Julian!!


On another note, I will probably be changing this blog address after I find the perfect layout. I think I want to save this "therablog" title for a blog that would actually be more therapeutic in nature..... NOT for this one, where the goal is to not be "therapist-y."

Stay tuned.....

Will this be the day?

Hmmmm.......will this be the day I actually start......AND continue blogging? Blogging would probably relieve my sweet husband of having to hear my "vents" at the end of the day (both good and bad).....at the very least by filtering them! Today I'll include several random items in no particular order that have no relation to each other......except that they're all rolling around in my head right now.

1) Today I'm feeling very blessed to have the friends I have.....past and present. Facebook has been a GREAT way to get in touch with people from all points in my life. I've struck gold with finding ALOT of friends/acquaintances from high school and being able to catch up with them without the stigma of social groups/cliques that were present back in the day. So many people I lost touch with at some point along the way.....now getting the chance to find out what they've been up to! SO Fun!

2) I'm going to actually put one thing in writing, for myself more than anything/anyone.......2009 is going to be the year I actually finish my dissertation! (It has to be, but I need MAJOR encouragement to get it done since the very thought of it makes me want to curl up in a ball and block out the world :)

3) I LOVE LOVE LOVE my profession......getting to know so many different people in so many different walks of life.....and having the honor of being able to walk with them through the present tense of their lives. One negative thing about being in private practice during this time of year, though, is that you have to expect MANY cancellations and reschedulings....just one of those things about this time of year. It's a challenge to my own anxiety (financially!)......but is also a good faith challenge, too.....believing that God will always see me through (and feeling a little more secure that my husband brings in the same amount with each paycheck!)

That's all for now......time for my 7pm client. So now, we'll all just wait and see if this whole deal continues.........