No joke - they're only off by 23 years...
On a happier note, we got sheetrock today!!! So let the walls begin!
Friday, May 28, 2010
Seriously?
I would just like to take a moment to thank the company who has made my month even better , so THANK YOU AARP, for sending me, Ms Amanda Broughton, a membership card - that's definitely what I needed!
No joke - they're only off by 23 years...
On a happier note, we got sheetrock today!!! So let the walls begin!
No joke - they're only off by 23 years...
On a happier note, we got sheetrock today!!! So let the walls begin!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Amanda 2000 vs. Amanda 2010
On May 22, 2000, my wonderfully thoughtful junior English III teacher had us all write a letter to ourselves 10 years in the future - to Amanda 2010. During the flood clean-up, I stumbled across this letter, all soggy and muddy on the outside, but somehow, the letter survived - it must have been all of that gel ink I was so fond our back then.
It's full of interesting little tid-bits of information - like who I went to prom with, who I had just started dating at the time, how old my brother and sister were, my favorite classes and teachers, who my best friends were, what I did in my spare time, and how much gas was ($1.35 a gallon, for the record).
We were also supposed to write about where we thought we'd be in 10 years, and what would have happened during that time - and that's the most interesting part! I predicted that I'd go to A&M or OU - which were the schools I ruled out first the summer after my junior year. I wanted to be a graphic designer, so I guess I wasn't too far off there, although graphic design is the only part of web development that I stink at... I thought I'd be married by now according to the letter, and I was smart enough to realize at the time of writing the letter that I hadn't met that person yet. I planned on having a kid by now, but I am glad plans have changed. We do want kids in the not too distant future, but I thank God that we don't have a child going through this experience with us. In the biggest surprise, I wrote, "I hope I get to move back to Denison because I think it would be an awesome place to raise my kids!". While I do think Denison was a great place to grow up, I'm not sure I can see myself living there again, and I am definitely sure Patrick would have something to say about that move!
I'm not a big believer in fate - I generally think we get where we are by our own actions, but I have to wonder about this one. I honestly have no idea where this letter was in the house - it could have been a yearbook that was ruined and fell out as it was thrown on a trash pile, it could have been in a box of papers from college that disintegrated, or it could have been in any number of other things that the pack rat in me deemed a necessary part of my life, but it ended up in a wet, crumpled mess on my front yard. If there was no flood, I most definitely wouldn't have read this letter anywhere near May 22, 2010.
But I did. And I needed it. This sounds cheesy, but I read it at the right time in my life. It made me realize that - in spite of the flood and losing so much that Patrick and I had worked so hard for (me for the past 10 years, really), that I am very, very happy with my water-logged life. You could not have ever made me believe in 2000 that I would end up married to an amazing guy from Tennessee who would have been able to convince this Texas girl to move here, but I love where I have ended up (especially the Patrick part). And I would never have guessed that I haven't spoken to either of the two people who were my bestest friends in high school in well over a year, but I guess we all have different futures. And I never would have guessed that I would be dealing with a '1000 year flood' in my living room, but I wouldn't be dealing with it if I weren't who I am now, and I truly can't imagine where I'd rather be. And I suppose there's a reason we can't predict the future - and I am certainly glad that Amanda 2000 couldn't.
So, thank you Mrs. Terry - where ever you are - for knowing that a 27 year old might need a little perspective from the 17 year old version of them self. (And I'm certain there's a comma splice in here - that was always my weakness...)
It's full of interesting little tid-bits of information - like who I went to prom with, who I had just started dating at the time, how old my brother and sister were, my favorite classes and teachers, who my best friends were, what I did in my spare time, and how much gas was ($1.35 a gallon, for the record).
We were also supposed to write about where we thought we'd be in 10 years, and what would have happened during that time - and that's the most interesting part! I predicted that I'd go to A&M or OU - which were the schools I ruled out first the summer after my junior year. I wanted to be a graphic designer, so I guess I wasn't too far off there, although graphic design is the only part of web development that I stink at... I thought I'd be married by now according to the letter, and I was smart enough to realize at the time of writing the letter that I hadn't met that person yet. I planned on having a kid by now, but I am glad plans have changed. We do want kids in the not too distant future, but I thank God that we don't have a child going through this experience with us. In the biggest surprise, I wrote, "I hope I get to move back to Denison because I think it would be an awesome place to raise my kids!". While I do think Denison was a great place to grow up, I'm not sure I can see myself living there again, and I am definitely sure Patrick would have something to say about that move!
I'm not a big believer in fate - I generally think we get where we are by our own actions, but I have to wonder about this one. I honestly have no idea where this letter was in the house - it could have been a yearbook that was ruined and fell out as it was thrown on a trash pile, it could have been in a box of papers from college that disintegrated, or it could have been in any number of other things that the pack rat in me deemed a necessary part of my life, but it ended up in a wet, crumpled mess on my front yard. If there was no flood, I most definitely wouldn't have read this letter anywhere near May 22, 2010.
But I did. And I needed it. This sounds cheesy, but I read it at the right time in my life. It made me realize that - in spite of the flood and losing so much that Patrick and I had worked so hard for (me for the past 10 years, really), that I am very, very happy with my water-logged life. You could not have ever made me believe in 2000 that I would end up married to an amazing guy from Tennessee who would have been able to convince this Texas girl to move here, but I love where I have ended up (especially the Patrick part). And I would never have guessed that I haven't spoken to either of the two people who were my bestest friends in high school in well over a year, but I guess we all have different futures. And I never would have guessed that I would be dealing with a '1000 year flood' in my living room, but I wouldn't be dealing with it if I weren't who I am now, and I truly can't imagine where I'd rather be. And I suppose there's a reason we can't predict the future - and I am certainly glad that Amanda 2000 couldn't.
So, thank you Mrs. Terry - where ever you are - for knowing that a 27 year old might need a little perspective from the 17 year old version of them self. (And I'm certain there's a comma splice in here - that was always my weakness...)
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
Flood Pictures, Finally
I finally got a card adapter, so here are some pics of our mess. And lots more can be found here.
And how things look now - except a little cleaner...
And most of all...
to every single person who has helped us, loved us, hugged us, fed us, prayed for us, and thought of us in the past 10 days. You really have no idea how much you mean to us.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
One less thing to worry about...
The Keurig made it!!!!! The big mixer did not...
It's the small victories these days, folks! Anyone want a cup o' coffee??
It's the small victories these days, folks! Anyone want a cup o' coffee??
Monday, May 10, 2010
BF to AF
In the past week, our life has completely changed. It has been one of the most devastating, the most trying, and the most rewarding times, all at once. They say people are their best when they are at their worst, and we have definitely seen that.
42 inches of water is a lot. Especially when it is in your new house with everything you own. But as the cleanup process began, and the stuff went to the curb, we could see that we have much more than the stuff.
I am amazed by our families, our friends, and the people of Nashville. In the last 8 days, we have...
Since the flood took my camera cord and my card adapter, I don't have any AF (After Flood) pictures to show you yet. But, I do have some BF (Before Flood) moments that I was already planning on showing you before our lives completely changed - when things were a little more normal.
This is our Abbey now that she has alittle lot more personality and energy:
I was also planning my first recipe post BF, so my guacamole recipe will be coming in the next couple of days...depending on how the contractor-lining-up process goes.
Thank you all for your love, support, and prayers; we definitely need it all now, and we know we'll make it through this, and when we do, we can only be stronger, right?
42 inches of water is a lot. Especially when it is in your new house with everything you own. But as the cleanup process began, and the stuff went to the curb, we could see that we have much more than the stuff.
I am amazed by our families, our friends, and the people of Nashville. In the last 8 days, we have...
- found a gracious new home - we're staying with Patrick's parents (and I'm not sure that Abbey the pup is going to want to go back to living with just us...)
- completely gutted our new house from the 5 foot line and down with the help of old friends, new friends, and people-who's-first-name-I-only-know
- had a visit from my parents and brother/sis-in-law who made a very quick long trek from Texas for mostly emotional support
- been offered more help than we know what to do with from complete strangers - Tennessee has shown exactly why it is the 'Volunteer State'
- slept on the floor of a stranger's house because we were trapped in our neighborhood - and met the most wonderful people you can imagine.
- been fed every single day by gracious restaurants and more volunteers - more help than you can imagine
- had complete strangers tear up and drag out disgustingly wet and muddy carpet and sheetrock for us
- learned exactly how fortunate we are to have the jobs we have - and why InfoWorks truly is a Best Company to Work For
- cried
- had every single piece of our stinky river clothes - every piece of clothing we own -washed by amazing amazing friends.
- laughed - thanks for the slightly inappropriate songs-about-rain filled CD, Beth
- cried
- prayed
- cried
- and hugged a lot of people.
Since the flood took my camera cord and my card adapter, I don't have any AF (After Flood) pictures to show you yet. But, I do have some BF (Before Flood) moments that I was already planning on showing you before our lives completely changed - when things were a little more normal.
This is our Abbey now that she has a
I was also planning my first recipe post BF, so my guacamole recipe will be coming in the next couple of days...depending on how the contractor-lining-up process goes.
Thank you all for your love, support, and prayers; we definitely need it all now, and we know we'll make it through this, and when we do, we can only be stronger, right?
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