Mercy

I do my best praying in the shower and the car. Consequently both are places I don't use my phone or iPad and don't watch TV. Hmmm.

Tonight's prayers were said in the shower. 

I was thanking God for the people in my life and all of the mercy shown to me. God shows me insane amounts of mercy daily and I have no idea why he loves a sinner like me and I'm SO grateful.  Wow have I been shown mercy and the fact that I'm alive says it all. This girl has made it through the M's. Mono, Malaria, and MRSA and in the last two weeks the non-M's of food poisoning and Strep throat and I'm still ticking. I just wanted to recognize the people that help me stay ticking.

-Tonight I was praying for the nameless cab driver in Celebration Florida. 1 year ago I was staying in the Bohemian Hotel there for work when I became really sick (with what I later found out was MRSA). I ended up giving in and realizing something was taking over my body and I should listen to my fever and get help. I called down to the front desk for a cab to take me to the emergency room. The hotel sent me in a Town Car driven by a hotel employee whose name I unfortunately do not remember. This guy was so merciful. He was so worried about me on the drive over. He gave me his cell phone number and told me that even if the hotel's car service was done for the night to call and he'd be sure to pick me up after I was done at the hospital. I went to the emergency room scared and alone. When I was finally done I called him. He came back and picked me up and drove me to CVS and waited an hour while my many prescriptions were filled and I limped around buying bandages, hand sanitizer, and ice packs. He told me he'd been studying for his paramedic exam while he waited for my call and that nobody supported him in going to school for something that didn't pay well like that. I often wonder how the exam went and hope that he hung in there. When we got back to the hotel he refused to let me pay him for any of his services that night (or the next day when he drove me to the airport when I went home sick). He was one of the most merciful people I've ever met and I thank God for him. 

-I had a nurse in the emergency room that night who held my hand and listened to me sob while they cut open and drained several spots on my body. She tried to distract me and started talking to me. Somehow it came out that my doctor was from Africa and knew the orphanage that I'd stayed at there and she was from Colombia and was asking all about my Colombian best friend. I appreciate her mercy and letting me scream and taking the time to know me still!

-I came home to my parents house from that trip. My mom had to give me sponge baths. My dad had to practically carry me in to the doctors office because I had so many sores I couldn't walk. I kept them awake with my crying and moaning until the doctor's finally found the right combination of pain medications. My parents are SO merciful. 

-2 weeks ago I was on vacation from work and went out to eat with my boyfriend. I got food poisoning. Within hours I was throwing up. He insisted on being there for me holding back my hair, offered to brush my teeth for me, put me to bed (with a bucket, no less), and slept downstairs to make sure I was ok through the night. When he heard me get up and get sick again he was there for me. The fact that I found a man as merciful as my father, that nurse, and that cab driver is amazing to me. 

These acts of mercy make me self reflect on the mercy and kindness I've shown to others. I doubt anyone across the country is thinking back on something I've done for them and thanking God for me tonight. It makes me think about who I want to be and I thought I'd put this ramble down in print. 

I also want you to know that no act of kindness goes unnoticed. Someone across the country could be thanking God for you tonight, so keep doing what you're doing. You never now who could really appreciate it! 

(PS. Sorry again for the loooong delay in posting!)

A Peek Inside My Drawers

Remember when I told you about cleaning out my closet and finding my Africa letters? Since starting my new job, home organization has been on my mind a lot. I think most people that know me would say I'm incredibly organized. I love planning and organizing every aspect of my life! I need to simmer down actually. So imagine my surprise when I realized that I'd gotten comfortable. I'd moved in to my house, stuck stuff in places, and never addressed it again. I started opening some drawers and getting a little uncomfortable. 

These two drawers have no official purpose in my kitchen. One is my coupon drawer. The problem with a drawer is that stuff expires and stays here forever. The other is my coffee filter, lunch bag, plastic silver wear, ant trap drawer. I have no idea how this even came to be. I just know it needs to change!

  This is my tool drawer. It also is my "I don't know where this should live" drawer. As a result I have tanning goggles (I haven't gone tanning in like 7 years), air freshener, thread, and pens living in here with my crowbar and hammer. 

 This is my long silver wear drawer. And my lids for cups. Rolling pin. Chopsticks. Chip clips. Measuring cups. It needs addressed!

This was my shining star of organization (and proof I go through a lot of forks since there aren't any!)

 But every time I shut the drawer this happens. Talk about wasted space. 

This is my baking and spice drawer. There's always a near collapse of spices whenever I get one out.   

   This is my baking stuff. Mixing bowls, beaters, etc. And my cooler. Why?! I don't even remember the last time I used a cooler. 

 This is my breakfast and on the go shelf of my pantry. Also proof that I really like Cheerios, almonds, and oat meal. The whole pile on the back of the shelf is a big mess. 

This is my recycling cabinet. I get too lazy to walk it outside and just pile around the can. You can see I've enjoyed some takeout, a new pair of Tom's, and more Cheerios. 

  I just had to show a "good" cabinet to try and redeem myself a little!

This is my solution in the bathroom to no medicine cabinet. Pretty organized. 

But before I get too cocky, this is my "random stuff" bathroom drawer. 

I was just sad looking at the mess I had. I needed some storage bins, organizers, etc before this would get better. But, I needed to feel instant gratification. So, I tackled my closet and my guest room closet. 

My life has changed a lot in the last year. I had a job that required me to wear all black business suits for 7 years. I had a lot of black suits! Then I went to a job where I had to wear dress clothes for year. So I have lots of different colors of dress pants, sweaters, and dresses. Now I wear jeans and tee shirts to work (so strange and awesome!). My closet full of suits and dresses wasn't working anymore! 

This was the left side/the main side I use. It was pretty dark:

 This was the right side. This is most of the random or casual stuff I never touch:

 This is my guest room closet. The box on the top shelf was where the Africa letters were. I have a bridesmaid dress, some sweaters that I have no idea why I kept (but had the presence of mind to not unpack them into my closet):

I also had a vacuum (this is the only carpeted room in the whole house), a Christmas pillow, the clothes I wore when I painted the room 2 years ago, an emergency bag that goes in my trunk during the winter (with boots, gloves, extra food, etc), a painting I inherited from my great grandma, some shelves, and a painting I bought in Africa. Basically nothing logical. 

 Oh and a light that had never worked. When the house was shown it was out. I've been that lazy that I've never changed the bulb. I'm so ashamed! 

 I use the drawers in this room for hats and scarves, bathing suits, and extra sheets. 

 Somehow extra picture frames, candles, and scrapbook paper found their way into them though? It's like the house is haunted. I started out by moving that all to the proper place. Then the spare sheets in the closet went into the dresser. 

 Then I went through my clothes. I had done my dresser not too long ago and ended up with this to donate:

After I did the left side of my closet I had this:

 And all of the junk on my right side was just that... Junk. 

 I wasn't ready to part with my black suits yet. I moved them all to my guest room with my very formal dress clothes that I probably wouldn't need more than once a year. Then I used all of my freed up hangers to hang clothes from my dresser that I frequently wear:

 The right side of my closet is again my less exciting side. This is where all of my dresses, dress clothes, and very wintery stuff went to live:

Here is the mafia widow closet. All black! The vacuum lives in the basement now and everything else has been given a home:

I forgot all about the painting I'd bought in Africa. The last time it hung was in Springfield. It works really well with the black and whites in the living room, but doesn't have any shadows. It looks great in the hallway:

  

 I was able to pull 2 trash bags of just closet clothes together to donate. 

So, I was able to make a dent in my closets! Last month I also did my office and attics. Stay tuned for bathroom and kitchen drawers, another closet, and the pantry! 

The Journey...

Oh Pinterest I love the quotes and graphics you introduce me to!

Mid-week last week my journey became a lot more fun... I finished up at the school and won't be starting with the new top secret retailer until the 16th. I have a little EJ time!

And Zulu time...

We started running again... Ugh!

I got proof that my gardening strategy worked!

The only problem is that somehow only yellow tulips are growing on the left and red on the right!

 I started eating healthier:

I don't like yogurt and tried these guys from Pinterest. Pretty good and a lot like Dippin' Dots for way less calories! 

My daddio had a birthday:

The 3 generations of women in my family proved that genetics run deep enough to influence what color you show up to Easter wearing! 

All I Need is Furniture

I know I just revealed my square project to you. Anytime I go near paint it unleashes this inner-paint lover/crazy person! Only painting squares in the basement wasn't enough for me! 

I had found love. This paint sample captured my heart:

This post had me inspired:

You remember my empty basement: 

I decided to add a splash of color and do something bold to this wall. The room is so long that I was hoping darkening this wall would make it seem smaller and less rectangular: 

I filmed a cool time-lapse video of me painting the whole thing but it's ten minutes long and I can't even manage to sit through it and think it's cruel to ask you to! So... let's just hop into the after pictures!  

 This is the color up close. It looks so navy blue in all of the pics. It's very aqua. This is my aqua pillow against it to try to prove my point:

 See the big black frame on the left? That's the other free frame I got from my former job. It's still got the school's artwork in it. I'm shopping around for something new:

I'm thinking about this one but I'm so cheap that I can't get past the thinking phase:

Doesn't everything just pop now? The black mirrors are from Ikea. They've been green and white already. I'm not sure if I should change up their color again...

I'm still waiting for a bookshelf, or high top table. I also want to hang the mirror that used to live in the dining room somewhere in this area:  

 This is the best shot of the actual color that I can come up with:

  

Now all that I need is furniture...