Thoughts...

So much of life is spent waiting.

Waiting to be old enough to play with the big kids.


Waiting for summer.


Waiting to drive.


Waiting to date.


Waiting to graduate high school.


Waiting to leave home.


Waiting to find "the one."


Waiting for that elusive bachelor's degree.


Waiting to go on a decent honeymoon.


Waiting for the puppy to be potty trained.


Waiting to pay off those loans.


Waiting for the right time to buy a house.


Waiting to start a family...

Why can't we ever be completely satisfied with what we have? I have reached a point in my life where I am happy with my marriage, I am so lucky to be surrounded by friends and family who love me, and yet somehow all I can think about sometimes is the future. I wish I could look into a mirror and see myself 5 years from now... and the funny thing is, I remember thinking the very same thing when I was in high school, single, bored, and waiting to break free. I just knew that adulthood would be filled with constant excitement, and most importantly... freedom. But in life, cruise control isn't an option. Everything takes work, and that is what makes the milestones so special. If everything was handed to us on a silver platter, we wouldn't appreciate much of anything. Life is short, so we might as well enjoy what is happening now, in the present, and leave the rest to God.


"Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." -Proverbs 16:3

The Case of the Missing Cell Phone

Disclaimer: The following story is based on true events. The overdramatic nature of this tale is due to lack of sleep, excess amounts of caffeine, and extreme boredom at work.

* * * * *

Wednesday morning, I got in the car to go to work, and all of a sudden the thought occurred to me: I didn't have my cell phone! After a quick rummage through my purse, I ran back into my apartment to search for the object of my panic. I checked every room, but didn't have much time, so after a few minutes I gave up and headed to work sans cell-phone.

* * *

Fast forward to that afternoon. It was about 5:30 pm, and I had just returned home from work. I arrived to find Justin sitting on the couch, and after giving him a "hi, sweetie" and a kiss, I asked if he had seen my phone. He said he hadn't. We searched the apartment together, looked underneath the couches, and in every nook and cranny. No cell phone. I walked around the house with Justin's phone, calling my number over and over again, listening closely for the chorus of "So Small" by Carrie Underwood (my current ringtone) to play. Then, suddenly, I had a thought... I pictured our fluffy off-white down comforter... that's it! Hadn't I thrown my cell phone onto the bed that night as I was getting ready for bed? Yes! I ran to the closet and shook out the down comforter that had been stuffed inside the night before. There it was! It all rushed back to me. Tuesday night, it had been too warm for the down comforter so we had thrown it in the closet, forgetting that my cell phone was still on the bed, waiting to be hooked up to the charger beside the bed. The fluffy comforter was so billowy that the phone got lost in it. The mystery was solved!

* * *

In other news...

I have been enjoying days without class this week, but since I have spent 8 hours at work every day, I must say that this spring break has not been much of a vacation so far! Don't get me wrong.. there is a lot to be said about being on campus 8 hours instead of the usual 12, but still. I need to get away! Oh, well... I will probably be singing a different tune after I get paid tomorrow. Oh, and I have a fun dinner planned with some coworkers tomorrow as well! I will post another update soon.

Love and Lattés,

Katie

It's been a while....

I have been sooo swamped with work and school for so long, that I'm happy to announce...

I'm on spring break!Myspace Scrolling Text Creator

That's right, folks. Next week I will be picking up extra hours at work, not to mention getting some reading and paper-writing done (I have 2 due after the break) but right now I am looking at 10 full days (including today) with NO CLASS! I'm thrilled! :)

Not too much to report besides that, other than the fact that I had a super fun ladies' night out at San Jose the other day with friends Jess, Melissa, Jessica, and a new acquaintance named Kira. It was so much fun to blab about life with these girls and I look forward to doing it again!

My niece is doing great, as always. She is cute as a button and can hold her head up for pretty long periods of time at 1 month old! What a little genius. ;) I should also mention that baby Savannah, my "honorary niece," is also quite the little whiz kid.. at 5 months, she is sitting up all by herself! Way to go, girls. haha!

Well, I'm off. Gotta grab a shower before we head to the in-laws. More to come!

Love and Lattés,

Katie

Well, Dad didn't win the "Who Do You Love" competition. But that's okay- he got lots of comments from friends, family, and even strangers praising him for being such a good daddy. :) Congrats to the winner!

In coffee related news, I have been enjoying my Starbucks Tassimo pods this week. They. are. so. good! I especially love the café Verona blend, which surprises me because I haven't always been a big fan. I think my tastes are changing because I'm all about some bold coffees these days!

Gotta run. More to come!

Love and Lattés,

Katie

Vote for my Dad!

A friend of mine has a photography business, and for the month of February, Smith Gallery held a competition where people could nominate someone they love or who has shown love to them. I nominated my dad, and it just so happens he is one of four finalists! If he wins, he will get a free photo shoot. You can help sway the judges by commenting on this blog:


http://www.smithgalleryphotography.blogspot.com/


I'll keep everyone posted when the winner is announced.


Thanks guys!


Love and Lattés,


Katie

Foiled Again!

Yesterday, my coworkers and I pranked our boss by covering everything in his office with tin foil. :-) It made for a fun-filled day at the office, that's for sure! It was a bonding experience, and the boss reacted very well- he was so impressed that he left it like this all day long!

In other news, my niece is doing splendidly! Her birth parents have turned over their parental rights to Tim and Shannon, and now we are all just waiting on some more paperwork! Once the adoption is final, I'll be able to post some photos!

Also, how can I not mention that today is Valentine's Day? Unfortunately, I have so much on my plate today that I won't be home until after 7, but this morning I got a sweet "I love you, and just want you to know how beautiful you are" followed by a kiss from my hubby. That in itself was a great gift! But that's not all.. I've been told that my actual V-Day gift will be a big shipment of Starbucks coffee that should be here sometime this week. Not bad, Justin! :-) You know what I like!

Speaking of coffee, let me put in a plug for a local coffee shop for a moment. I tried out a little place called Cafe Corner on the Northeast side of Columbia last week, and had a great experience! The service, ambiance, and coffee are all top notch. Go check 'em out!

Well, I should probably get back to work - is it bad that the only time I have to blog these days is at work? Yeah.. this crazy schedule is about to drive me nuts! Tomorrow will be a nice break from the norm- to celebrate Valentine's Day, my darling husband will be taking me to the world's largest aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia! I'm so excited and will share photos when we get back!

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Love and Lattés,

Katie

One Life Ends, Another Begins...

On the night of Sunday January 27, 2008, Leila Vaughan passed away. Her funeral was Wednesday afternoon, and though it was an emotional event, we had a nice time afterward with Justin's extended family.

And just when we needed some cheering up... we got some great news.

Timmy and Shannon, Justin's brother and his wife, who have been trying to start a family for several years, got a call from their social worker and were informed that a newborn little girl was available for adoption, and they were #1 on the list! Of course, they were absolutely overflowing with excitement, as were we! And so, I am proud to announce that on Monday, February 4th, Tim and Shannon will be bringing their new baby home, and I will officially be an aunt! My niece-to-be was 6 lbs, 2 oz. at birth, and besides a little bacterial infection that will be easily cured by antibiotics, she is healthy. I am just so thankful that Tim and Shannon's dreams are finally coming true, and that all the prayers have paid off. It is just an unbelievable circumstance; they had only been in the "available to adopt" category for two days, and when they got the call, they thought it couldn't really be happening this soon. They have wanted a baby for so long, and now it is finally happening for them! I will update soon with photos of little Emily Grace.

Love and Lattés,

Aunt Katie