also, a necklace, which i adore.

when the going gets tough, the tough get crafting.  i made myself some earrings tonight.  they're simple, but they're awesome and, although you can't see it so clearly in the super high-res photobooth picture above, they are turquoise, so i am, of course, in love.

(also, this is a pretty excellent photo of the damage the animals have done to our living room blinds.)

sad face.

i'm about to begin the third week of winter quarter, so i'm having to work even harder at staying positive and present.  the past year and a half has taught me that the least healthy thing i can be doing right now is try to see into the future, because that makes me panic about where i'll work, how i'll make this worth it, when i'll finally be able to contribute financially to our lives, when we'll be able to buy a house, etc. etc. etc.  obsessing over this makes me feel guilty about going back to school, because i feel like it put our lives on hold and incurred new debt for essentially no reason.  i have to remind myself that i'm only 25 and, regardless of how horrible this limbo period feels, it's completely acceptable for me to still be working on my life.  still, though, bllllargh.  i'm over it.

luke and i have spent the weekend lazing around, mostly.  i caught up on all the reading i've been avoiding for a while and luke is currently still trying to jam all our hundreds of dvds into genre-coordinated cases.  i've been in a bit of a fog for the last few days - just really not feeling up to being a big ball of sunshine.  nothing is particularly miserable.  i'm just ready for the next phase, i guess, and hopeful that this glorious next phase will include some clarity and a paycheck.

photo phun.

because i am always about two to three years behind technologically, i got my first smartphone just last december (as in, 2010), which means i've been taking photos with my cell phone for about a year.  i've decided that another good way of focusing on the positive would be to catalog all the good stuff associated with last year through pictures i took on my fancy mobile device.*

things i love (and therefore photograph):

a) the husband.

b) the dog.

c) huck.




















d) abe.

e) siblings.

f) my parents (i had no cell phone photos of them, so i cheated.  they had to make the list!)

g) my grandparents, these gorgeous people.

h) this place.

i) babies.

j) backyards.

k) california.

l) this.

m) mariachis.

n) fun times.

this is by no means an exhaustive list, obviously.  however, it does make me realize i am a pretty lucky duck.

*there was probably a much better, more eloquent way to phrase those two sentences, but i'm tired and fighting a migraine and that'll do pig.

daily affirmations.

things to keep in mind:

a) you are almost finished.
b) you are so close.
c) the people who count will help you.
d) you are not alone.
e) you will make it worth it.
f) you are almost finished.

think i can keep this up for six more months?