I am exhausted...

     I had grand plans of making this last, Who am I?, post about some of my amazing ancestors and where I have come from.  But guess what? January has been the longest ten years of my life and I am just tired.  I think crazy March teacher tired has already set in and I am exhausted.  

    I think I felt this exact way last year.  It was around the time our cherished Papa passed away.  Basketball made me tired and I also was just stuck in the routine of teaching day in, day out.  I got grumpy.  I didn't know exactly where to put all my sadness.  I went dark for a few weeks.

    So, this time around, I think I am going to battle the dark.  I am going to a movie on Friday with Reub.  I am also starting a project tomorrow.  

    I have always wanted a cruiser type bike, I began searching for my birthday present to myself(of course you have to start early).  I have always been obsessed with all things old, especially from the late 50s and early 60s.  So, it just seemed right to buy an old bike to fix up and make amazing.

    So, you may hear about those adventures here and there in the future on this here blog space.  Because I bought this: 

1961 Women's Schwinn Traveler

    And the man who sold it to me, really wanted this to go along with it:

1961 Men's Schwinn Traveler

    So, I guess I have two projects to do.  I am planning on starting this endeavor tomorrow.  Something real good is about to come out of this winter.

    So, 

I am tired

I am in a funk

I am in need of a project

        (or two)

I love bikes

I love old things

I will now be a restorer of old bikes

I always have purpose

(and so do you!)

    

I am a hat person.

 January Theme: Who am I? 

The hat collection(well part of it)

    

    I only have one head, but I probably own close to fifty hats.  My dad used to say something about having only one head so why did I need more than one hat.  Of course he would also always ask if my shirt was waterproof, and then proceed to tell me: "Well, it should be because that hat sure is a pisser!"

    I am pretty sure my obsession with hats happened when I was tiny.  See, I have very Scandinavian skin;  I am very white.  With skin like mine, I have always joked that I just think about the sun and I get sunburned.  My parents always had a hat on me to prevent such problems.  I think I got used to it and it became a comfort to me.

    If I am not working, I am wearing a baseball hat.  I think partly this is due to comfort, but it also helps tame my naturally crazy(or curly) hair, and to be honest, I am lazy.

    Why not wear it at work?  Well, I can get away with it seeing I am the Physical Education teacher, but I still feel that I look a bit more professional when I am hatless.  I often do wear one on Fridays when it is a more casual dress day.

    While dating Reuben, he noticed all my hats hanging on the wall of my tiny living room.  He asked: "What's up with all the hats?"

    "I like to wear hats."

    "Why don't you wear them then?" (He had never seen me with a hat on)

    "Well, I didn't think it was cool for dating, I was trying to impress you."

    "You should wear the hats."

    And that was that.  Reuben appreciated the fact that I am very, very low maintenance.  I liked that he didn't care that I wasn't the girliest girl in the land.

    He also bought and hung these fancy hat hangers.  It is true love!

    Each different section is a different type or category of hat.  I am not that organized of a person, but I do like my hats (semi)organized.

    There is the Dodger section(my favorite baseball team):

There is the baseballism.com hat section:

    There is the hats from the baseball stadiums I have visited(My life goal is to get to all the MLB stadiums):

There is the hats from Wisconsin section(plus a random San Diego hat!):

Then lastly there is the important to me, but doesn't fit into the other categories section:

Home is where you hang your hat, you know.  Good thing I have so many hats so that I can be at home wherever I may go!

                                                                                                                                                             

I am a Letter Writer.

 January Theme: Who am I? 

I decided to demonstrate that I am a letter writer.  Enjoy...and seriously....I will write you a letter, if you get me your address.  I promise.

My Rocketbook...cover made by my awesome friend, Cassie!

The famous box of letters on my shelf.
Great treasures.

It was a treat to read these letters from my Grandma tonight.

The binder of letters from 2015's a letter a day.

I am a Spiritual Person...

 

January Theme: Who am I? 

I said a prayer before I coached the basketball game today. I asked for safety for both teams. I also asked for my team to play well and that both they and I could remain calm.

I am a spiritual person. I may not always show it on the outside, but I have always been spiritual. When I was young, I would often ponder about being so small in a huge universe yet I would reflect on how this big universe just seems to work.  The rotation of the planet, the things that grow upon its surface..it just all works miraculously well.  At a young age, I just knew we weren’t just some strange accident or coincidence hurling through space.  I sometimes felt insignificantly small…yet I never lost sight of how miraculous my working body is or how I must be around for a purpose.

I didn’t make any big resolutions for this new year.  I did promise to do better at reading scripture everyday.  My church (churchofjesuschrist.org) is studying The Old Testament of The Bible this year.  This past week we have been been studying about the creation.  Lots of concepts have been eye opening and mind blowing.  Genesis talks about that very concept of how everything just works and how our planet helps humankind thrive and survive.  From our water system to our atmosphere to our food, we are connected to our home planet.  

I've been thinking about how amazing that is but I've really been fixed on how beautiful the planet is. Not only does our planet provide safety and nourishment for us, but it also brings joy in the beauty of freshly fallen snow or brilliantly bright sunsets. The variety in landscape often is breathtaking.  The Creator is amazing. And how wonderful it is to be able to reach out and have little moments with Him like the time I had during that prayer today.

Win or lose, when I pray, peace is always given to me. Life is a gift. I hope you are enjoying your little slice of time on this planet today.  You are here on purpose.  May each of us find our purpose and also find joy on the journey to find that purpose and may we also have a peaceful journey. I am a spiritual person!!!

Genuine Generosity: An Amazing Christmas Gift For This Sports Fanatic

As I think about a new year, I always look a little inward.  Who am I?  What am I doing here on this large rock floating through the solar system?  What do I want to do differently?  I have thought a lot about failing at writing regularly here, so I have come up with a theme for all twelve months.  I hope you enjoy this journey as I attempt to post weekly: 52 posts in 2022.  Happy Reading.

January Theme: Who am I? 

 I AM A PACKER FAN!

I rarely cry because of sports.  I remember only two times, in fact, where I cried at a sporting event, believe it or not.  I have yelled, I have swore, I have jumped up and down and have felt a palate of emotions, but only twice have I ever cried over sports. (Side Note: Well, it was two times until recently, hence a blog post.  I know....you are now in suspense.  That is a writing trick btw!)

The first time crying at sports was at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.  For those of you that may be non-sport people, that is where the Green Bay Packers professional football team plays in the National Football League. Going to Lambeau was like going to Mecca, well my very religiously toned down version of Mecca, that is.  I have always been a Packer fan.  I often joke that when you are from Wisconsin, they will kill you if you don't cheer for the Pack. That my not be true, but it is true that watching and cheering for the Packers is part of most Wisconsinites' DNA and to each of us, it is a little spiritual.

The second time I cried at a sporting event was at Wrigley Field and I won't shed much light on it here.  It would make other Wisconsinites judge me.  It was about baseball history, not the Cubs, I promise my people.

It's fitting that the last and most recent time I cried about sports was just about a week ago when I opened a Christmas present at a gift exchange with my "adopted" family.  My "Brother from Another Mother," Caleb, had drawn my name.  I have known Caleb a long time: I was in high school and good friends with his oldest sister, when he was sneaking Superman t-shirts under his church clothes and in kindergarten, when we met. We have always been good friends, in fact, I consider him one of the little brothers I never got to have in my own biological clan.  The Packers have always been a big part of our friendship!  Without me, I don't think he would have had a much of a chance of becoming a Packer fan because his parents were Wisconsin implants and not into pro football at all.  But Caleb liked to watch with me and he still tunes in each week.  In fact, he may even be a bigger Cheesehead than I am.

As I took the present from his hands and jokingly said "It's a puppy," I had no idea what was in that package and when I ripped off the decorative paper, I was in utter shock.

In the front of me was a folder with the words: The Legacy is Yours."

As I opened to the inside of the folder, I instantly knew what was purchased for me, I was in complete shock.  

                    "What the.....? This is expensive"

Caleb responded:  "We all did it!"

I looked around at these wonderful humans, these people that were friends but more they are the family that I have chosen to be in my life.  The ones who always make me feel that I am welcomed and a part of all their family functions.  I instantly, in that crazy-surprising moment, had tears streaming down my face and was speechless....then I had to pee because I also was laughing at myself for crying over one stock in Green Bay Packers, Inc.  It really is just a 300 dollar piece of paper...yet...it really isn't...I am a part of the team. I can go to the yearly shareholder's meeting with the thousands of other "owners."  I am part of something big.  See, no other sports team on the planet is owned by it's fans, usually teams are owned by one rich owner.  

That isn't the only thing that was cry worthy though.  See, that gift exchange has a max of $40.  And guess how much a share of the Packers was going for?  $300 dollars.  These kind and wonderful humans pooled their money to buy me this amazing present.  Definitely cry worthy.

Well, so there you have it.  66% of the times I have cried over sports have been over The Green Bay Packers.  So, I guess there is just only one thing left to say: "GO PACK GO!" Oops, and thank heavens for friends who are chosen family, that is important too!