*Addendum to top 40

#41. Go on a game show.

An unfortunate oversight when creating my list, because this is actually more like top 5. I really wanted to go on Fear Factor when it was on, and do it with my sister, but they had an age limit, of which I was one year short before they went off the air. It's dumb, because I think I could have really dominated. Other current options to be considered include:

*Cashcab, *Ninja Warrior, *America's got talent (if I had a talent), *101 ways to leave a game show, *Wipeout, *Wheel of fortune, *Survivor (is that still on??), *That one that Tyler likes where they have to travel...Amazing Race?, and maybe the marriage ref so we can talk about Everett's baseball card collection :)

Pumping gas

It's been a while since I've pumped gas. Living in Oregon the last three years, some buddy outside always does it for you, and when we travel, Everett is always a gentleman and does it. Even the one time I was without him, my sweet sister in law did it for us.
Well I had to do it today. Fortunately, it's a skill not easily forgotten. I even remembered which side the tank was on! As I was washing the windshield and checking the oil, I was remembering a time when someone went above their "pay grade". It was the first time I was tasked with pumping my own fuel, and had no idea what I was doing. I had just gotten my license, and was on my way home from class.
I'm the kind of person that hates to ask for help. I learned from my Grandma Jessie that, "if anyone can figure out how to do [it], I can too". It gives us pride to be able to be self-sufficient and independent; but this was scary to me. I knew from >plenty< of experience how flammable gasoline is, and had just learned in drivers' ed. that apparently static electricity is potentially enough to cause a spark, leading to an explosion. Yikes. So here I was with a dichotomy: make my grandma proud and figure it out how to do it risking explosion, or have "no spine" and ask for help for something I know is stupidly easy and risk looking like an idiot.
Well, I went against my nature, and with my chin sheepishly buried in my chest, I slowly marched into the mini-mart and solicited the attendant to walk me through the process. I knew what he was going to say (after he laughed, of course). It would be something he would probably regret saying, because it would highlight the fact that this otherwise normal looking high schooler was a complete waste of skin and didn't even know how to put a nozzle in a hole.
You all already know where this is going, though. I know my veil is thin. He didn't say anything like that. As soon as I opened my self-conscience mouth, he jumped from his stool, and smilingly said, "Well! Let's get you some gas, Young Lady!" He lead me out, and graciously showed me how everything worked, affording me every detail. Then, of course, I felt daft for having been so afraid of simply asking for instruction.

I say all this because this is one of those moments that changed my life. That restored my faith in humanity, if you will - that without judgment, I was helped. There have been a few times when people have quietly supported me and encouraged me, when I didn't ask or expect them to. And this is the type of person I want to 'grow up' to be. Sure, it wasn't anything big, and I'm sure I could have easily figured it out on my own. But I want to be the person in the crowd that listens and engages when there is opportunity. Shoot, just to be able to recognize those opportunities!

The Bucket - current top 40

In no particular order, except for #1.

1. Make the Gospel attractive to my daughter & any future children
2. Bungee jump
3. Helicopter ride. Especially if it means a Heli-hike
4. Swim with dolphins somewhere tropical
5. Hot air balloon ride
6. Visit New Zealand
7. Hawaii
8. Para glide
9. Para Sail
10. See Josh Groban perform
11. Have one "specialty" dish that everyone likes
12. Visit the Mayan Ruins
13. Own a newer Mustang, Charger, or Camaro.
14. Learn to enjoy reading/being quiet
15. Get a hobby. Hopefully one that isn't expensive
16. Learn to do my hair well
17. Learn to dress stylishly
18. (maybe 17 1/2) Learn to dress stylishly on a budget
19. Skydiving.
20. Ride an Elephant, Giraffe, Ostrich, Water buffalo, Yak or Camel
21. Take a real trip through another country by train. And read a newspaper on it.
22. Dive a cool shipwreck with my daddy.
23. Experience zero gravity
24. Play in one of those people-sized hamster balls
25. Water ski
26. Try Trapeze
27. Juggle. Well.
28. Get Motorcycle License
29. Buy a house.
30. Have a successful fruit tree or two at said house
31. Safari
32. Legit White Water Rafting
33. Walk the Wall of China
34. Adopt.
35. Go to the Pawn shop in Vegas featured on 'Pawn Stars' and meet Rick
36. Go to the Kentucky Derby and wear a big hat
37. Celebrate 50th anniversary.
38. See the Eiffel Tower
39. Spin the globe, point to a destination, go. That week.
40. Use a working Jet Pack.

Why don't these things have remotes?

And I thought getting married would magnify my sin.

As I was sitting in the nursery at church this Sunday (instead of being in the actual service due to my relentlessly crying infant), irony hit me like an...iron fist. It was my sin. My hurt feelings. My attitude. I was angry. Elsie didn't seem to realize how much I wanted to be in the service; how I had carefully scheduled the entire day leading to the 5pm service so that all her needs would be freshly met going into the service. No interruptions. But of all the places to lose my patience, and of all the reasons to lose it, and of all the things to lose it with: this precious gift from God.

It wasn't really until Cameron came out after me that I realized how sick my heart was. He came with no reservations asking if he could take her so I could go in. Volunteering to give up what I was so shamefully lusting after. What I was so bitter about. Ugh.

Lord, forgive me for my impatience and ungrateful, sick heart. Remind me that I am not in control, and that it is okay not to be. Thank you for revealing my sin - please reveal yourself to me in spite of it.

Recap

So, I'm sitting here with a recently grumpy, but currently sleeping baby on my chest - so we'll see how long this lasts. It's been a long time since I've had two free hands to myself. Hmm, already awake again...but calm. Nope. Grumpy again. Darn. This'll have to wait.

Okay, take two.

Well, I've been meaning to get back into blogging for a long time now. The last time I was diligent about it was immediately after we got married and I was at home job hunting. Now, after just having had a baby, I do a lot of talking to myself anyway so I might as well be writing again.

It's been an interesting couple of months for me. On May 4th I had my final day at Wells Fargo. I (believe it or not!) had a hard time leaving. I was excited to not have to sell home equity accounts anymore, but sad to be leaving what I knew for what was totally unknown. And I knew I would miss my coworkers, too. Shoot I missed them over the weekends.
On May 5th, with the help of Cole and eventually some folks from our amazing church, Grace and Truth, we got our Uhaul loaded up with most of our things. With a few slight miscalculations, we weren't able to fit everything we wanted; giving our TV, and even my strawberries the boot for lack of room. At 37 weeks pregnant, we drove from our home in Forest grove to Sunnyside for the weekend. Homeless, we went to Matt Horsley's wedding in the Valley. So fun to see our friends from school!
May 8th, after church at Lower Valley and a tour of our home in progress, we finally hit the road for Reno with Mom and Dad Boboth in tow. Along the way, we stopped at a cute little pet-friendly hotel in a town with a surprisingly upscale steakhouse a few blocks away. Arriving the next day, we were greeted with 90* temps, and an interesting apartment manager names James. We knew right away it would be best to avoid conversations with him if we wanted to have any day left over afterwords. Sweet guy. Long-winded.
The next few weeks Everett and I had some time to play and explore our new tromping grounds. We saw the casinos, my doctor, and discovered Sparks Marina, which became an instant favorite and long-term memory. All except Hanson and Caroline have had their shot at it. And we know Winston loves it!
May 22nd, Sheri drove down here to be with me, because August 23rd Everett started his first day at the Sierra Nevada VA. He was nervous, and slept poorly, but quickly became acclimated to the pace and style of the practice. Mom and I visited the Marina very nearly every day thereafter, usually doing it twice which came to just about 4 miles a day. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to help Elsie come any sooner, but it did get me in shape in a hurry. That lady doesn't mess around! The next 3 weeks were full of a lot of Settlers games, too. A few of which I won. It was so fun having her company and getting to know her better. We really hadn't ever had that much time together alone before.
The first week of June my sister flew in, tagging it to the end of business trip in California. I picked her up just after midnight, and we of course stayed up even later trying to keep our giggles down to not wake Sheri. The three of us, as expected, hit the lake. A little later, my parents got tired of waiting for the call, and just decided to come down. COOL! We hit Scheels outdoor shop during that week, and mom and Jess got themselves tickets for the indoor ferris wheel. What rebels! Then that Thursday, Fred flew in. Ok - everyone's here...except Elsie. Where IS that baby?! I get fashionably late, but c'mon! You're giving Grandma Connie time to find other things to do, and levers to pull :)