tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28442360119436372352011-04-21T20:39:10.649-05:00jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.comBlogger741100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-73973544347257978452009-03-16T19:25:00.003-05:002009-03-16T20:18:45.206-05:00

I'll start with blood work. Mine came back from the lab today. I have good news and bad news, so let's go with the good first.My cholesterol is perfect and I don't have Diabetes (yet, at least). My thyroid, both kidneys and liver are normal. Yay for good news.Now for the bad - I have mono, strep and a UTI. All at the same time. The mono actually tested positive for a past outbreak and it's not

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-65466791800843060552009-03-14T11:28:00.002-05:002009-03-14T11:50:39.224-05:00

While the beginning of this week started out on a pretty poor note, it ended better than I could have ever expected. Minus the weather ... and still being under the weather ... there are many reasons to smile today.1. We found out about an amazing opportunity to install a solar array on our administrative building in Houston on Tuesday from a company that is owned by a board member of a

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-1181931102100646252009-03-10T20:30:00.005-05:002009-03-10T22:26:36.925-05:00

Let me start on a positive note. Today's typical 2-hour all staff meeting at the administrative offices was made a full-day all staff open space session at camp.About 70 of us met to discuss "how we can better communicate with our membership" and it seems as though some good ideas have come about. I guess the real test is whether any of those ideas come to fruition, but the process, interacting

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-87344600264469115522009-03-06T19:20:00.001-06:002009-03-06T19:20:44.294-06:00

Now, here's what you're supposed to do...and please do not spoil the fun. Create a new note, copy and paste this message, delete my answers and type in your answers. Then tag a few good friends and family INCLUDING the person who tagged you. The theory is that you will learn a lot of little unknown things about your friends and family. Have FUNTHREE NAMES I GO BYThe not-so-creative ones:Jessica (

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-75000417573013500232009-03-02T20:09:00.001-06:002009-03-02T20:12:56.244-06:00

You Are Peanut Butter Sandwiches / Do-si-dosYou are easy going and naturally happy. You don't need a lot to make you smile.You genuinely care about people and are a great friend. You're always doing your best to make the world a better place.Even though there isn't an immature bone in your body, you still are like a big kid sometimes.Why make life complicated when the best parts are actually

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-14492708951019587292009-02-17T22:51:00.002-06:002009-02-17T23:14:35.366-06:00

Apparently the BBC reckons most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books here.Instructions:1) Look at the list and put an ‘x’ after those you have read.2) Add a ‘+’ to the ones you LOVE.3) Star (*) those you plan on reading. 1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen X+2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling5 To Kill a Mockingbird -

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-30732572174118269252009-02-10T20:48:00.000-06:002009-02-10T21:13:12.500-06:00

In a few weeks, I'm "running" my first 5k with a small group of ladies from work. Running is in quotes because I started training - yes, training, I'm not even close to being a runner, so a mere 3.1 miles requires some effort - at the end of January, disobeying doctors orders to not wear close-toed shoes while a toe injury healed. In my defense, I listened until it no longer hurt to wear tennis

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-32087165664881158882009-02-04T15:09:00.002-06:002009-02-04T15:29:22.113-06:00

Two days ago, I started feeling pretty awful at work. Chills, then sweating, the chills, then sweating. And everything ached - my head, my legs, my back. It started around 3:00, bu I pushed through it thinking if I just focused on projects and kept drinking my water, it'd get better. Knowing this likely meant I was running a fever, I took my temperature as soon as I got home -- it was 103.

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-18502345507345041422009-01-31T23:00:00.003-06:002009-01-31T23:44:43.096-06:00

So here is a fun survey for you all to read:1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?I don't believe so -- but there certainly are enough people with my name in the world.2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?Just a little this afternoon -- Fozzie got loose and ran 6 blocks away. I chased him but he'd take off again as soon as I got close to him. Luckily, he heard another dog barking behind a fence and

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-72811010357765782252009-01-15T21:52:00.006-06:002009-01-15T22:30:42.603-06:00

I've been a bit introspective the past few weeks, which leads to personal posts as opposed to public ones... I guess at times I just need to think about what I'm doing and where I am .. and where I want to be. This generally leads to an internal struggle over whether to go back to school, and if so, what to study. And then there is the big question - when do we want to have kids. Ultimately

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-85519969031097802052009-01-05T21:06:00.002-06:002009-01-05T21:10:54.373-06:00

I-O!GO BUCKEYES!! BEAT TEXAS!!! ;)

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-14823800465528219402009-01-02T21:07:00.004-06:002009-01-02T21:37:20.168-06:00

I haven't posted since Thanksgiving, but I promise there's good reason(s):1. We complete all of our holiday shopping and had gifts in the mail by December 13.2. We made 100 Christmas cookies (and iced them with homemade buttercream frosting+sprinkles), 100 buckeyes, a tray of peppermint bark and a tray of almond bars. An assortment of goodies for a few friends made it in the mail by December 19.3

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-79691405711402005502008-11-30T12:26:00.002-06:002008-11-30T13:00:30.073-06:00

The past 3.5 days have gone by much faster than I had hoped they would. My family from Dallas has come and gone, our friends are back in Virginia for the next month and my grandpa and mom head back to Ohio tomorrow. They're leaving behind and taking with them some fabulous memories, but I do wish the weekend wasn't coming to a close so soon.Thanksgiving on Thursday went off without a hitch, with

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-37667933260570177822008-11-26T23:13:00.006-06:002008-11-27T00:31:42.611-06:00

Today has been one of those wonderfully bittersweet days. My mom and my grandpa arrived for their visit around 2:30 this afternoon, and like so many other looks I've received in my life, I will never forget the way my grandpa's face lit up when we made eye contact as I came bounding down the stairs at baggage claim. Even in a crowded space full of strangers cramming around a conveyor belt anxious

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-46485733450337800812008-11-25T22:00:00.003-06:002008-11-25T22:21:46.545-06:00

I've spent the past two days under the weather -- quite literally I think, as I'm pretty sure the change in weather the past few days is the reason for my flu-like symptoms. It was in the 50s most days last week, and in the 30s and 40s at night. On Sunday the high crept to almost 80 with nearly 100% humidity. On Monday, I went to the gym for my regular weekday workout and left early after getting

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-87951783484917657472008-11-23T21:26:00.003-06:002008-11-23T22:07:44.074-06:00

I am more excited about the holidays this year than I have been in awhile. In the midst of a crumbling economy, worries about the future of our country and the non-profit sector, and very long days of work, I am taking time to enjoy what really matters this holiday season: quality time with family and friends.My grandpa and my mom arrive in Texas on Wednesday for their first visit since we've

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-76348925686452333402008-11-04T19:55:00.003-06:002008-11-04T20:11:23.962-06:00

I've been avoiding updating the blog because I've been very tempted to blog about the politics, and while I'm open to discussing my views with close friends and family, I don't feel the need to make this information available to the entire free world. I will proudly say that I pick my candidates on my personal beliefs and ideals and do not vote by party. I'm blogging right now because the below

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-62059250582835976102008-10-07T12:54:00.005-05:002008-10-09T18:38:33.561-05:00

Hurricane Ike was an interesting storm that will be studied for some time, I think. While only a Category 2 storm in terms of wind strength, Ike brought a Category 4 storm surge (which was still not as bad as some expected it to be) and completely destroyed several coastal areas here in Texas.We fared wonderfully, and while I have no idea how we were so blessed, I'm definitely grateful. Portions

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-68936364932641008172008-09-10T18:46:00.004-05:002008-09-10T20:12:23.756-05:00

It's apparent that the Guys like the Gulf. Edouard. Gustav. Now Ike. I'll just assume Dolly was a tomboy. We've watched all of these storms with a bit of unease, but now we're done just watching. Last night, we boarded up our house, took in our patio furniture and started making plans. This morning when I left for work, we'd decided it would probably be best just to stay in town and wait out the

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-60224049248202634442008-09-06T16:30:00.004-05:002008-09-06T22:57:27.063-05:00

My grandpa hosts an annual golf tournament every Labor Day weekend; this year was his 43rd. Nearly 70 of his closest friends come to town for a late night of boozing and good eats (when I was about eight, I became quite the entrepreneur filling beer cups for a quarter each), the guys (yes, the game is limited to guys only, even in the 21st Century) tee off early Sunday morning, and then most of

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-34445219368204490532008-08-25T07:22:00.003-05:002008-08-25T07:30:05.095-05:00

This morning, I am headed to GS Camp Texlake with three of my colleagues for a development/communications staff retreat. All Texas Council's are participating in a sharing of "best practices." I'm really looking forward to meeting other fundraisers for the Girl Scouts, taking away some new ideas and sharing what I've learned through my experiences and the couple of training classes I have taken.

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-13441908097028996302008-08-22T22:03:00.025-05:002008-08-22T23:20:22.692-05:00

The sun did come out today. Not for long and I certainly wouldn't call it shining, but out it was. My wrist is sore after a very long swiffering of our floors, so I'm making this a PhotoBlog for the evening. Enjoy!Mike and our "furry kids" :)Kirby is our newest addition. He's 9lbs and my little cuddle bug!Forever friends. Not sure what I'd do without these two!Gramps and the dozen homegrown eggs

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-8904362425623499592008-08-21T19:31:00.003-05:002008-08-21T19:52:56.304-05:00

I must admit it's interesting to drive, type, eat and sleep with an orthopedic brace on your dominate hand. I've all but given up writing by hand, as it looks as though I'm five again. My wrist is actually more sore right now than it has been, but I think that will go away after a few days. I start my five day steroid treatment tomorrow with six doses of the medicine. Day 2 is five pills, day 3,

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-86845529163982221592008-08-19T19:50:00.002-05:002008-08-19T20:06:35.035-05:00

It turns out I'm not too bad at self-diagnosis. For awhile, I was afraid I might have carpal tunnel in my right hand, but the other night I read up on a few hand ailments and decided against it. The burning sensation I'm feeling is located in my thumb/forearm, not any fingers or the underside of my wrist. It sounded a lot more like tendinitis, Mike agreed and my new doctor confirmed. He

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-77554090451019356222008-08-16T23:20:00.003-05:002008-08-16T23:38:45.150-05:00

After taking the past four months or so off from blogging, I feel like I should attempt to update everyone on the things that have been occupying my time. However, I believe most of the folks who read this blog already know that I've moved from Virginia to Texas with my husband, spent nearly a month putting our house together (or at least most of it ... we still have that list of improvements

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-84546156937834991842008-07-02T15:11:00.004-05:002008-07-02T15:22:14.745-05:00

Article courtesy of armytimes.comMilitary spouses’ career sacrifices deserve notice by Rebecca Noah Poynter Recently, I enjoyed a margarita and a good laugh with a longtime college friend, and fellow military spouse, as we recalled a military-life moment. For each of us, there had been a tough move to a new location. With her young children, leaving family saddened her. Losing a good

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-27925423565744316542008-05-20T22:51:00.003-05:002008-05-20T23:37:57.572-05:00

Life has been so hectic lately that I haven't had a chance to update. For similar reasons, I have no idea where to start with this update.... but where I left off would probably be good!Most of you know we've made it back from Texas safe and sound after finding a house in Texas. It was a long (or not so long, really ... just 6 days that seemed to last an eternity!) and grueling process that

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-3305940839864827322008-04-19T16:47:00.002-05:002008-04-19T16:54:01.855-05:00

We've arrived safe and sound in Texas ... pretty much problem free (my ears won't pop -- which was pretty painful for about 40 minutes and now it's just annoying! other than that, it's been smooth sailing!)It's about 80 and sunny right now. Feels like Florida! And there are palm trees!The highway system leaves a bit to be desired (I'm rather fond of zoning laws now that I see what not having them

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-61582758250549504412008-04-13T22:55:00.004-05:002008-04-14T00:02:41.930-05:00

I'm hopping on the iTunes bandwagon a bit late, to say the least. I had a Sony MP3 player until about a year ago when I lost the cord that charges it. I was pretty devastated, but made do with the radio and my favorite CDs. For Christmas, Mike got me and iPod and, not knowing what songs to put on it, I have yet to take it out of it's box. It's not that I don't like it ... quite the opposite

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-25274873596301512052008-04-04T19:20:00.004-05:002008-04-05T10:00:01.007-05:00

DIRECTIONS:1. Go to http://www.photobucket.com/2. Type in your answer to the question in the “search” box.3. Use only the first page.4. Insert the picture into your Blog.1. What is your relationship status?2. What is your current mood?3. Who is your Favorite Band/Artist?(ie: my favorite always changes)4. What is your favorite movie?(ie: anything with her in it)5. What kind of pet do you have?6.

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-79869895060099283582008-04-03T21:31:00.006-05:002008-04-03T21:38:06.109-05:00

Brianne Marie was born today! She weighed 6 lbs 12 oz, was 20 inches long and had more hair than I've EVER seen on a baby:I seriously cannot wait to get to Ohio soon to visit the little gal!!!! :)

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-57496441756162569442008-04-03T19:07:00.004-05:002008-04-03T20:02:51.652-05:00

I've been tagged by Andrea and Tiffany (at some point I need to meet the third sister!)Here's how you play: Once you've been tagged, write a blog of ten weird, random things, facts or habits about yourself. At the end, tag five more people, listing their names and why you chose them. Don't forget to leave them a comment "tag you're it" and to read your blog. You can't tag the person who tagged

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-72702632307154793102008-04-01T23:55:00.003-05:002008-04-02T00:24:12.793-05:00

First and foremost ... I recently changed my blog comments to require my approval. Not sure why, I guess I was craving a bit of control in my life that suddenly feels completely out of my hands? Haha, at least that's what I'm going with. However, every time I visit my site, I forget that I have to "moderate" my comments. I just realized I had 7 comments to okay (or deny.. I ok'd them all though).

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-42581236897167286132008-03-04T06:20:00.003-06:002008-03-04T06:25:57.303-06:00

i read this yahoo news article this morning about how americans are working harder on less sleep than ever. while i can't claim to work more than a lot of people i know, i certainly have been pulling some very late nights, early starts and long days this year. i've also been more tired and more sick than in any other year of my life, i'm pretty sure. and it probably also means i get paid about $5

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-38351271005969337532008-02-22T12:20:00.001-06:002008-02-22T12:22:35.293-06:00

My desk calendar at work today tells me:"The greatest thing in the world is to know how to be self-sufficient." It's a quote by Michel de Montaigne.And in light of several things I've witnessed over the past few months, I can't agree more. I'll leave it at that.

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-17482445103086152062008-02-15T15:22:00.005-06:002008-02-15T15:57:47.902-06:00

I need to find a way to prevent myself from getting sick. I've been that way all week :( I've eaten nothing but chicken noodle soup, saltine crackers and cheerios since Monday, with the exception of the pork chop I ate last night. I shouldn't have. My beverages of choice have been water (lots of it) and gatorade (the red kind). My activities? Sleeping, reading, browsing the internet and wishing I

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-51714959854987960262008-02-14T14:03:00.005-06:002008-02-14T14:10:41.881-06:00

Your Candy Heart Says "Get Real"You're a bit of a cynic when it comes to love. You don't lose your head, and hardly anyone penetrates your heart. Your ideal Valentine's Day date is all about the person you're seeing (with no mentions of v-day!). Your flirting style is honest and even slightly sarcastic. Romantic expectations and "greeting card" holidays turn you off. Why you're hot: you don't

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-32547434649094065842008-02-07T19:39:00.001-06:002008-02-07T19:41:12.147-06:00

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-46675288110757254552008-02-03T19:50:00.000-06:002008-02-03T20:50:37.849-06:00

i love trips. day trips, road trips, week-long vacations. by myself, with mike and the dogs, with my family, with friends. i think it's fair to say that three of my biggest passions in life are enjoying time with the people i treasure in life (and meeting new people to treasure), traveling and exploring. my "ideal day" combines all three. i realized today that there are quite a few people i

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-16348655124310580252008-01-29T21:38:00.001-06:002008-01-30T07:08:38.881-06:00

no, not mine. at least, i'm 99.9% that i'm not joining the ranks. a wise friend told me the other day, never say never. her advice is too good not to take.after a whirlwind wedding extravaganza last spring, i wondered how 2008 could live up to the excitement of 2007. i don't necessarily need a lot of amazing things happening directly in my own life, but i do like to see the buzz of happiness

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-2232214726081920972008-01-27T20:52:00.000-06:002008-01-28T00:37:49.576-06:00

After an emotionally draining weekend, it seems fitting to recap the day this way.Blessing for today:1. Despite what may happen in the next 6 months, I still have a job and a wonderful home. I need to stop letting the "what if" of the future impact my happiness in the present. We'll have several relocations in the coming years, but I can't live my life between each of those dreading the next

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-62368317419157711742008-01-26T14:02:00.000-06:002008-01-26T14:29:46.695-06:00

Photos taken Christmas Eve, 2007i'm not really sure what my grandma would want me to do today, the day that marks the 6th year since her passing. what i do know is that i can't have what i want more than anything: a big hug from my grandpa. i don't have it in me to elaborate on the details of that day or my feelings on this day, more than to say time has not healed my wounds. my mom often accuses

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-38500963113441978062008-01-24T21:43:00.000-06:002008-01-24T22:39:50.519-06:00

My friend Amy (her blog is linked in the left-hand column) created a post tonight that included 15 blessings or bright spots in her day. I often find myself focusing on what I perceive to be problems in my life, searching for solutions and trying to become an overall better person. I don't often sit down and consciously ponder all of the good things I have, although I usually do offer a quick

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-52142957636842493242008-01-22T21:20:00.000-06:002008-01-22T23:16:24.632-06:00

For the past few months, I've been thinking about what I want out of life. This could be a post about my personal life, as I've been sorting through some thoughts there too. But this post is going to focus on my education and my profession. It's something that has been on my mind for --- well depending on how you look at it, either a few months or many many years.The past ten months have been

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-71212136163199522612008-01-16T19:48:00.001-06:002008-01-16T20:07:51.602-06:00

You Are An ESFPThe PerformerYou are a natural performer and happiest when you're entertaining others.A great friend, you are generous, fun-loving and optimistic.You love to laugh - and you like almost all people equally.You accept life as it is, and you do your best to make each day fantastic.In love, you are a smooth talker and incorrigible flirt.While you get into relationships easily, you

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-24739933521833814472008-01-04T22:37:00.000-06:002008-01-04T22:44:32.015-06:00

and doing quite well, just busy!my quick summary: our trip home was amazing. short and sweet, it should have been much longer. i already miss everyone too much. we had a great visit with adam and sherri while they were here over new years --- although i find it a tad humorous that we made it to three malls in their three day stay! now we're back into the swing of things, awaiting transfer news

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-80084786384811827922007-12-13T21:23:00.000-06:002007-12-13T22:13:04.355-06:00

I've come to realize that I always get sick at the most inopportune times. I know, there really isn't a good time to get sick ... but let me explain.Last winter, I spent all of Christmas day wrapped up in a blanket on a couch. I skipped a delicious dinner with all of Mike's family in favor of saltine crackers and ginger ale. I did say hello to everyone and chat a bit, but spent considerable

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-91150329055058743672007-12-04T21:46:00.001-06:002007-12-04T21:57:22.799-06:00

i feel a tad like a machine ....i'm in charge of a 7,000 letter annual campaign at work and after a few delays, it's finally time for stuffing. we received all these letters at the office yesterday around 1:45pm and i dropped 2,271 (yes, i counted them -- because i had to) at the bulk mail post office at noon today. five of us stuffed up a storm yesterday afternoon and i managed to get about 400

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-16918431928469513532007-11-17T23:37:00.000-06:002007-11-18T00:30:46.180-06:00

I'm actually going to start with a doctor's appointment I had a few weeks ago. As most of you know, I'd been having bad headaches for quite awhile and decided to make an appointment to see my doctor after I missed a few days of work and the headaches spread to my neck and upper back. He prescribed Topamax (yes, the same thing Tiff was taking --- I asked her!) in a low dose and since I started

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-21053393454092034182007-11-09T22:41:00.000-06:002007-11-10T08:38:05.450-06:00

mike's watching the cavs play the kings. i still have a headache and a neck ache, but i'm braced up on comfortable pillows and under a cozy blanket. here are my answers to a fun survey i've found:I give you money and send you into the grocery store to pick up 5 items. You can only pick one thing from the following departments.. what is it?1. Produce: golden delicious apples ... my favorite!!!2.

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-84473819463320628782007-11-05T21:29:00.000-06:002007-11-05T21:58:07.430-06:00

who is willing to listen to your ranting and complaining, even if it's something he or she has heard many times and really can't change.i'm almost positive i spent approximately 2 hours doing just that tonight. some things have me so frustrated that i could probably rant for hours a day --- luckily (for everyone who knows me), i try to keep these thoughts bottled up most of the time. while it's

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-44625381053312280022007-11-04T14:44:00.001-06:002007-11-04T14:56:44.002-06:00

our weekend plans didn't go through as smoothly as i'd hoped. mike called me at work on friday, around lunchtime, to say that he was going to be sent home around 2pm to rest up because he might be going out on a response around 7 or so. we decided to wait to cancel our dinner plans at eat: an american bistro until we knew more. we ended up ordering pizza around 8 because we still hadn't heard

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-13897238189491299492007-11-01T19:48:00.000-05:002007-11-01T20:56:41.530-05:00

Bark in the Park, October 2007Chesapeake, VAI'm not feeling so great (again) today, so I thought I'd post this picture of the family at Bark in the Park. You can't tell from our choice of clothing, but this was an extremely hot day at the beginning of October. There are dozens of booths set up at the event --- shelters have booths with a few of their adoptable dogs on hand to play and potentially

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-9391430317649225832007-10-30T18:41:00.001-05:002007-10-30T19:08:20.406-05:00

my generation of women grew up expecting they could, and would, have it all. a loving husband, 2.5 kids, a dog or two, a white picket fence, a solid education, a rewarding career. not to mention leisure time for travel, shopping, volunteering and other hobbies. but is it possible to have it all, at the same time and genuinely feel happy with life?

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-3270480011890747382007-10-29T17:22:00.001-05:002007-10-29T19:06:05.740-05:00

my typical commute to work leaves a lot to be desired. i take two interstate highways, and they'realways jammed with thousands of cars going both directions. it's a very rare day that i enjoy the drive without at least one traffic jam. i routinely thank God that i have been free from accidents. *knock on wood*today, however, i had a pleasant surprise. cruising along in an area where i merged on

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-25686766508655420442007-10-27T22:40:00.000-05:002007-10-27T22:51:30.911-05:00

in fact, there will be very few words. mike and i watched the ohio state vs penn state game tonight (that's a given of course, what else would we do on a saturday?) and one of the announcers had me laughing through most of the entire fourth quarter. my three favorite comments:"well this has turned into a black out" -- the penn state student section followed the standard college custom of "

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-24849729637401783942007-10-20T14:05:00.000-05:002007-10-27T01:22:19.816-05:00

warning: very long. high odds for rambling sentences. i hope i actually got to the point by the end ;) oh, and ps, i will update on what we have actually been up to shortly!the serenity prayer has always been one of my favorite theological writings. regardless of my age, my surroundings or various events taking place in my life, i have always found great meaning in the prayer's words. they've

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-64438285217648365622007-10-11T13:13:00.000-05:002007-10-11T13:19:21.920-05:00

i don't really feel expanding on this much more than that. maybe in a few hours.

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-49783906384838711242007-10-03T20:15:00.000-05:002007-10-03T20:41:13.841-05:00

i see the rolling blue ridge!my hotel is *kind of* up the side of a mountain, so when i peer out the window, i look down over liberty university. it is nestled at the foothills of the blue-ridge and i will enjoy having a "mountain view" for the next two or three days.the trip here was pretty smooth. i filled up at a bp station right near my office and that got me all the way here. i didn't stop

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-21098916065736902592007-10-01T19:02:00.000-05:002007-10-01T19:21:39.558-05:00

i'm looking forward to the end of this week. and, no, i don't mean the weekend. (though i'm looking forward to that as well.)on wednesday afternooon i'm driving to lynchburg, va for a two day "afp first course," it's been awhile since i've been to the mountains and i can't imagine a better time of year to visit. the leaves will be colorful, and hopefully the air crisp and cool. the weather

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-56725534839825728772007-09-30T13:42:00.001-05:002007-09-30T15:35:21.119-05:00

ask almost anyone who knows me very well and they'll tell you i'm not one to slow down for much. i'm not a fan of "doing nothing" on the weekends and usually have a pretty lengthy lists of projects to do, books to read or new recipes to try. my grandpa claims i'm not happy unless i have a calendar full of people to see, meetings to attend and deadlines to meet. he also says i live mostly for

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-33299919427737538252007-09-18T19:35:00.001-05:002009-01-03T23:40:36.544-06:00

Outgoing is a word used to describe me only by my closest of friends. I prefer one-on-one conversations to a large get-together and am typically rather shy around strangers. It takes some time, and many one-on-one conversations, for me to open up. I discovered recently that this is a character trait I want to overcome.

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-68153268892706901362007-09-15T21:04:00.001-05:002007-09-15T22:43:07.869-05:00

For as long as I can remember, fall has been my favorite season. I was one of those strange kids who looked forward to the first day of school, usually because the dog days of summer had gotten boring by the middle of August. September meant the start of football season, my grandpa's homemade chili and crisp autumn air. Pumpkin carving, Halloween costume parties, leftover turkey sandwiches and

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-29676189863871319482007-09-06T18:10:00.000-05:002007-09-06T19:26:01.330-05:00

I spent most of my younger years either living with my grandparents or gleefully packing up a bag to spend the weekend with them. Most of my free time was spent mixing cookie dough, baking pies, doing various crafts, reading and playing UNO. I didn't pay much attention to the large Samoyeds in the back yard. They were old and they had lost their pristine white fur. I remember the day we put the

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-39417735320504147492007-08-18T19:06:00.000-05:002007-08-18T19:28:54.962-05:00

After the whirlwind year we had, I've really enjoyed the past 2 months. We've left the state of Virginia for a grand total of zero times since the end of June, breaking our very consistent pattern of going to Ohio or another mid-western state at least once a month since June 2006. 13 months full of travel. I guess planning a wedding can do that to you. In all honesty, I had a great time --- I

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-37705197470295610142007-08-12T07:20:00.000-05:002007-08-12T08:47:28.151-05:00

This post may be significantly less insightful than the previous, but I realized it had been about 2 weeks since I last updated and a lot has happened! Here's the scoop!About three Sundays ago, Mike and I made our way to a rest area just off of I-64 in New Kent. It took about an hour and 20 minutes to get there, but the trip flew by: we were going to meet a little guy we were interested in

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-62291329122406204232007-07-26T19:20:00.000-05:002007-07-28T16:26:17.095-05:00

I work at an art museum. A contemporary art museum to be specific.This interests a lot of people who know me because I am by no means artistically inclined (ask my best friend about a 7th grade "drawing" I made of a rubber duck and she'll confirm this ....) and have only taken one art class since I turned 12. It was an ancient art class at Ohio State.I suppose I like art, especially photography.

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-47002607468363155982007-07-16T16:49:00.000-05:002007-07-16T18:48:35.188-05:00

Mike and I have decided that Molly needs a friend.Or we have decided to pursue the idea of getting her a friend, at least.About a month ago, we made a trip to PetsMart to pick up a Sherpa bag so that Molly could travel along with us while we run errands. We realized that we spend a lot of Saturday mornings and some evenings throughout the week running around and felt bad because she spends the

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-13433807618341977352007-07-11T18:49:00.002-05:002007-07-12T19:38:39.778-05:00

When I was growing up, I wanted to be exactly like my Grandma.She made excellent pies, the best hot sausage soup I've ever tasted and could knit, crochet and needlepoint with the best of them.More importantly, she loved to read.Especially about the civil war.I remember being so excited as a 7th grader to take the civil war class offered at the local high school, just so I could talk about class

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-37830918352867179062007-07-04T22:40:00.000-05:002007-07-04T23:45:43.477-05:00

I seem to be on a cycle of updating this once a month. My sincerest apologies to my dear friend Tiff ... I do keep up to date on reading yours, if that is any consolation for always missing your phone calls (today I was sleeping or outside with Molly .... and now that it's nearly midnight and I just received your voicemail, I've decided it might be best to update this and call tomorrow).I think

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-50454248693702695192007-06-06T22:20:00.000-05:002007-06-06T22:42:50.638-05:00

Time to head home!Wheeling, West VirginiaMay 2007Dancing the night away!Wheeling, West VirginiaMay 2007Us at our friends' wedding!Wheeling, West VirginiaMay 2007A little hard to see ... but Molly had a ball with Sammyat Tiff's graduation party!Suffolk, VirginiaMay 2007Loved the white sandy beaches!Siesta Key, FloridaMay 2007The Egret that hung out on our patio.Yes, that is how far we were away

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-16065927359495835712007-05-25T12:35:00.000-05:002007-05-25T12:54:04.885-05:00

These past 9-5, what kind of life is this for me?I've gotta break out of my grind!!Gotta be set freeeeee ....Wanna go ..... wanna go ..... wanna go .... AWAY!I'm ready for the weekend!!_Five_Bucks_ShortFive Bucks Short was a favorite band of mine in my early days of high school. They're still great! At least that song is, today especially. Work has completely drained that youthful energy I had

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-14548570175029685832007-05-20T21:10:00.001-05:002007-05-20T21:11:12.908-05:00

I encourage everyone to reaffirm their love for venn diagrams.

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844236011943637235.post-320247176228475962007-05-14T22:10:00.000-05:002007-05-20T22:20:43.761-05:00

so, we (or rather, I ... Mike's been watching the Cavs tonight) have decided to jump on the bandwagon and create a blogspot. If we're lucky, I will treat this the way I treat "Facebook" and update regularly. ;-) Otherwise, it'll fall into my giant cyberspace blackhole and join the likes of "MySpace" and "Xanga." Only time will tell, I suppose.Right now, I'm tired. I'm going to save our first real

jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04538857078569119632noreply@blogger.com3