Author / Bethe

by Bethe

A White Christmas… and years past

Today was Dallas’ first white Christmas in 87 years. I could have sworn it happened one time back in high school, but my memory must be failing me. I hear that happens with old age.

We had an amazingly lazy Christmas Eve. I learned how to play Rummy Cube (and won two of three games), watched a couple of Christmas movies, knitted on my latest blanket, and ate a humongous dinner. Oh, and we played in the snow. My how beautiful it is.
But Christmas always makes me wax sentimental, so here are some memories from past Christmas blog posts:
Who could forget last Christmas, when I set my hair on fire at the candlelight service at church? (a personal favorite)
Also, a little Christmas video I threw together from last year.
There was Christmas of 2007, the year that I decorated cookies again. and again. and again. It turned out to be one of my all-time favorite Christmas memories, and yet… I also realized that I do not have a future as a professional cookie decorator. Man, it’s hard.
There was the Tacky Sweater Christmas of 2005. The one where we didn’t tell our extended family our plan, just showed up in tacky sweaters and never said anything about them. It was wonderfully awkward, the elephant in the room where nobody wanted to ask us about our tacky sweaters, for fear they were legit. I think this is one of the greatest things about my family–they’re not afraid to look stupid.
As I lie here in my old bedroom at my parents’ house, I’m recounting the many ways God has blessed me in 2009. I hope you and your family also experience, recognize, and give thanks to God for his blessings this Christmas season. He really is good, isn’t he?
by Bethe

Almost Christmas and other stream-of-consciousness

It’s almost Christmas and there’s so much I still haven’t done. I haven’t wrapped ANY presents yet. That’s right, not a one. I haven’t driven around to look at Christmas lights. I haven’t decorated Christmas cookies. I haven’t watched very many Christmas movies. I haven’t worn all my red sweaters. I haven’t even eaten a single candy cane! (although I’ve got one swimming around the bottom of my purse, waiting for a weak moment when I will cave and devour it, most likely right before supper, thus ruining my appetite and yet making me quite content).

But I’m not that worried about it. The gifts will be wrapped… soon. The cookies will be made… although it might be January. The lights may not get seen. But I decided that this year, I’m not going to stress out about what needs to be done for Christmas. I’m just going to enjoy spending time with my family, continue to catch up on sleep, and relish the fact that life will go on if I don’t check every item off my to-do list.
As my family likes to say… “good enough.”
I am quite excited about my other Christmas tradition though–using my time off from work to lie around my house and breeze through novel after novel, catching up on the wonderful stack of books that have been calling my name for months. I’m a good ways into Wuthering Heights, and I love it, but I’ve got a Pat Conroy novel waiting in the wings, and a Barnes & Noble gift card burning a hole in my pocket.
I should save that candy cane for one of my leisurely reading afternoons.
In other news…
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The number one question I get, now that I’m finished with grad school, is “Now what?” Apparently the proper thing to do after one finishes a masters degree is to change jobs. Nobody wants to hear my answer: “I don’t know. I sure do love my job. I love my boss. I find my work to be incredibly interesting. I love the enormous amount of vacation time I get. I love that I get to help people. And I love that my commute is super easy. So yes, someday I may change, but I’m quite content where I am today.” I’ve decided that I’m extremely A.D.D. when it comes to hobbies/projects/after-school activities, and yet when it comes to my job and my church, I am loyal and enjoy the stability that comes with staying in the same place for several years (6 years at one, 5.5 at the other). I’m not sure what that means… the psychoanalzation will have to continue for a bit longer. But I do wish folks would stop asking me the “now what.” That, and the “What do you want to be when you grow up” question. Because I honestly don’t know. I have some inklings, but telling someone you want to stay home and write novels while sitting on your back porch in your pajamas, drinking coffee out of a giant thermos, sort of sounds frivolous.
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I had a blind date tonight. I really shouldn’t go on these, as they never turn out, but blind dates are a gold mine for funny stories that I can tell for years to come. Tonight’s was disappointingly uneventful–other than a giant pimple that popped up on my forehead about three fateful hours before the date, there was no drama, no tragedy, no humiliation. It was simply a nice dinner, some pleasant conversation, and the quick realization that there would be no need for a second date. But I did have the most AMAZING flour-less chocolate cake for dessert. So totally worth it.
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I am officially in half marathon training mode. I squeezed in a run tonight between work and the date. I should know by now that even after I finish running, my face will continue to look like a red, sweaty tomato for several more hours. Yet I so easily forget this minor detail, so I was still a tad red/sweaty for the date. I’m clinging to the hope that my redness was mistaken for a tan… and not some horrible disease. I guess in either case, it really doesn’t matter. Oh… but did I mention that chocolate cake? (sigh)
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I’ve got a month off from teaching Sunday School, so I have time to study something that’s just for me. I’ve decided to hang out in Hosea for awhile, and let me tell you, my Bible Commentary is definitely my friend. This book’s a challenge, but challenges are good.
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Off to bed… Christmas Eve launches in just a few hours, and I have some wrapping to do! Merry Christmas, and God bless.
by Bethe

Review & other various things

I was looking back on some of my old blogs today, and it was quite interesting. Of course, a major theme over these past two years that I’ve kept this thing is how nutty my life has been, juggling school and work and the rest of life. What I also noticed, however, was that every few months I would write a “cocoon” blog where I would talk about hiding out for 24-48 hours, being quiet, recharging my batteries, and then reemerging more energetic than before.

Sometimes we don’t notice a pattern in the midst of our actions, but it takes reflection… some context… to realize we’ve been there before. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with hiding out for a day or two (much better in my opinion than spiraling into a depression, which is absolutely NOT what I do when I rest), but it also serves as a neon flashing arrow that points to times in my life when I am overdoing it. And I tend to overdo it, because I don’t want to miss out on any of the fun that’s there to be had. I want to do it all, to live a full and meaningful life. But I have to continually force myself to slow down a bit. Those cocoon times are some of the sweetest times for me, because they’re so rare and different. I thoroughly enjoyed last week, where I went to bed early every night, read lot’s of my book (Wuthering Heights… loving it), and didn’t really talk to anybody except for work folks and my family. By Friday’s Christmas party, I was rearing to go! I’m back with the living, and back with a renewed zeal. Heck, I’m even working out again! I decided to jumpstart those New Year’s resolutions about three weeks early.
So enough of that. Tonight I worked on my Christmas cards. I’m about a week behind in all of my Christmas activities, but I suspect everybody else is too, and I’m choosing to employ our famous family motto of “good enough” on this one. People will be getting cards, signed with love, and it won’t matter much that they may arrive just a few days before Christmas. I figure anything that hits homes before Dec. 31 totally counts.
Speaking of family mottos… my family has the best family mottos. And we sure have a lot. Here’s just a few that you probably hear me throw down in casual conversation on a regular basis:
Good enough
definition: Stop being an overachiever!
Get over it!
Emphasis on the OVER… usually accompanied with a snap or head bob. We usually say this in reference to other people outside the family.
Don’t waste the pretty.
definition: Giiirrrl, time to get over him, because either (a) you need to dump the poor boy because he’s no good for you, or (b) he’s just not that into you, he’s never going to date you, so move on to someone else! You can imagine my euphoria when I found out last week titled Don’t waste the pretty. Awesome.
Let it go, and let it flow.
definition: Similar to “good enough” but also means that it’s time to stop trying to control something and just let things happen as they may. Contrary to popular belief, this has nothing to do with going to the bathroom.
Keep hope alive.
(this is always, always accompanied by a fist pump)
Mama’s gotta eat.
A term used when you have to do something you don’t love at work, but you keep on keeping on because you want to keep said job.
I can sell you ugly, but I will not sell you dumb.
This one doesn’t really need defining.
Stupid boy.
This is one my dad likes to sing to us whenever any guy does anything wrong… quoting the Keith Urban lyrics. Just one of the many reasons why our dad is absolutely adorable.
So that’s it. When the six of us get together, we spout these babies off every other sentence. The more head bobbing and snapping the better.
by Bethe

Almost recharged

Man, what a crash! My body has been aching for sleep… I feel like I am soaking it up like a sponge. Two nights ago I slept for ten hours… on a work night! That’s only possible when you’re asleep by 8:30… something I haven’t done in years.

And it was wonderful.
I’m almost fully recharged… just a few more days of rest and I’ll be
by Bethe

Cocoon

It’s so odd, I should be feeling tons of relief right now. And I am, but I’m also experiencing the aftereffects of a 3 1/2 year adrenaline rush. I have had to go-go-go for so long, and now that it’s over… I have experienced a huge wave of exhaustion. I’d really like to go hide under my comfortable electric blanket for a few days and simply read novels and avoid most of civilization. But in reality, I’m just going to try to take a few nights off to rest and recharge. If you don’t see or hear from me… you’ll know where to find me. Buried under my covers with a good book.

But I promise I won’t stay there for long. You know me… I get my energy from being around others… so just give me a few days and I’ll be back to my normal, energetic self. Only I’ll be better rested.
But first… off to pick out that novel.
by Bethe

Insert sigh of relief here

Did you hear that?

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That’s the sound of me NOT DOING HOMEWORK.
Scratch that. That’s the sound of me jumping up and down, doing toe touches and back flips as I think of all of the many things I will be able to do with my life that don’t involve research at the library (okay, so these days research in the library actually means remoting in from home while wearing my pj’s), writing horribly long and boring research papers, taking tests, and reading thousands of pages of stupid journal articles that nobody really cares about.
Okay, I’m sure SOMEBODY cares about the stupid journal articles. Like the moms of the authors. But maybe not. I have the most fantastic mother ever, and I don’t think she ever read the article I had published. I don’t blame here. It was 25 freaking pages! I wouldn’t want to read it either, unless I’m suffering from insomnia, and then it’s a surefire way to get some sleep.
But all that is over. Tonight I finished my VERY LAST HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT EVER. It was a simple 15-page term paper that I churned out in less than four hours. Just as I’m getting more efficient than ever at writing these silly papers… poof, it’s over!
And praise the Lord that it’s over!
I still have to defend my thesis later this week. And I still have to sit through three more classes. But I have no more assignments to turn in. They’re all finished. FINISHED I TELL YOU. And I am a very. happy. girl. Giddy, really.
So giddy that I may not sleep. Hopefully the Benedryl will take care of that.
by Bethe

Thanksgiving 2009

Overheard at today’s family Thanksgiving:

Me to my sister & her husband: You guys are so photogenic!
Other sister: You know that means you’re going to have ugly children. Pretty people always have ugly children.
My sister, the eternal optimist.
Me to my dad & brother-in-law (before taking their picture): Do something manly!
Dad & bro: (insert grunting noises and muscle flexing here)
We also engaged in a lively conversation about how next Thanksgiving, my new boyfriend (Tony Romo… he’s partial to blondes) and I will take on my sister Sarah and her to-be-named-later husband in a competitive game of flag football. This of course follows the assumption that (a) Tony and I are going to fall in love next year, and (b) my sister is going to meet a guy, fall in love with him, and marry him before November 2010. If this happens, I’m pretty sure Tony and I will annihilate them in flag football.
It was a wonderful Thanksgiving indeed.
by Bethe

Surprise! (and other various things)

So, they got me. I sort of thought everybody was too busy to remember my birthday, which is understandable since my birthday always falls right before Thanksgiving. As it turns out, my sweet friends were secretly planning me a surprise birthday party, and boy was I surprised. I fell right into their trap, thinking I was going to dinner with a friend from work, and then when our reservations fell through, good old predictable me convinced him to go to my favorite restaurant, which was conveniently next door. In we walk, and there in front of me were 30 of my closest friends. I was so stunned that it took me a minute to realize that it was MY party (for a split second I thought maybe my friends had planned some random get-together and just not invited me… it seemed to be the only reasonable explanation at the moment, as everybody stared at me and nobody remembered to say “surprise!”). But it ended up being a very memorable night, and I’m so thankful to have some very sweet friends and a wonderful middle sister who is also quite devious.
Some other various things:
  • I got the most amazing birthday present this year–one I’ll treasure for years to come. The girls in my Sunday School class each sent me their very favorite scripture, along with a fashionable flip book to keep my own favorites in (because a fashionable girl must have a fashionable scripture catalogue). I loved that when one of the girls asked my sister what I would like, she replied, “Bethe loves scripture! Get her some scripture!” IIt’s so true, and I love that they were willing to share their own little secret treasures with me. It’s so neat to know these girls, what they’ve gone through, what they struggle with, what they have overcome, and then to see what their go-to scripture is. I am so touched by their thoughtfulness.
  • I had a wonderful birthday dinner with my family tonight… including my new brother, added just this past June. I must say that as a gal who grew up in a family full of women, it’s quite fun to have a little brother (and I’m so thankful that my sister married one that we get along with so well). However, we’re at a total loss as to what to buy him for Christmas. We’re on a hunt for something manly and wonderful for him.
  • Not only did I have a birthday this weekend (the big 2-9… gulp), but I also got visited by the Asthma Fairy. It started on Friday and has now lasted four days. All of the meds and the coughing have caused me to almost completely lose my voice, making me sound like a boy in puberty… which is fitting, because my face looks like that of a hormonal teenager. I’m not sure what happened, but the Asthma Fairy was accompanied by her friend, the Pimple Fairy. I think both guests have overstayed their welcome. They need to leave and send their cousin, the Hot Christian Guy Fairy.
  • I turned in my thesis tonight. I’m not sure I’ve ever been giddy after finishing a paper before, but tonight as I left the communications building I felt like turning cartwheels. One more week and I’ll be completely finished with all assignments. Praise. The. Lord.
  • Did I mention I’m close to starting a book? It has been a life goal, and I have finally identified my story, named my main character, and worked out a good bit of the plot. I have much more to develop before I begin, but when I have free time, my mind is now filled with what-if’s and story brainstorming. This is one of my plans for 2010. You know, that life AFTER graduate school.
  • I saw New Moon Saturday night (happy birthday to me). I liked this movie much better than the first one, and even better than the book. I think the fact that there were so many shirtless boys running around on the screen might have tipped the scales in the movie’s favor. (sigh) This is one movie I may have to see again.
Must get to bed… the dark circles under my eyes from a lack of sleep will definitely not serve as a compliment to the pimples on my face. Oh, the joys of being a 29-year-old teenager.
PS–This is the two-year anniversary of this blog. Check out my other birthday posts here and here and here. Happy birthday to me.