So last week I rushed to finish my work and get home to finish packing for our trip to MD. I loaded up the car and after going over my checklist in my mind (about 18 times), I headed to Old City to pick up Chris. And then we were on the road. I drove half way and then Chris the rest of the way. It was good to be home.

On Thusday, my 25th birthday, we first grabbed breakfast at a local bagel shop. Chris always complains about there not being enough "mom-and-pop" businesses where I'm from. And to some extent it's true. The newly developed areas are all full of chain restaurants and big national stores. You seem to find the smaller businesses in older parts of the county. I grew up in a part of the county which is about 30 years old. So it's not new or over developed, but it's not old. So anyways, we grabbed breakfast and then headed into the District.
 
We had a lot of time to kill, so we did some souvenir shopping and visited the National Portrait Gallery. One thing I love about DC is that so many of the museums are free. So when it's hot and you have 1.5 hours of free time, these are great to explore. I intend to go back, b/c there just wasn't enough time to see everything. We primarily went to DC to visit Chris' former co-worker. He now works for a studio which produces Around The Horn and PTI for ESPN. The technology is amazing. I know a bit about the broadcasting industry. I learn so much from the hubs. But this was crazy! I would love for Chris to have an opportunity to work for someone like that. It would be a great chance for him to be on the cusp of the industry. Well we met Tony and after our tour, he let us sit in on that day's taping of PTI, which was amazing, since it's my favorite sports show!!!

We got to meet Tony Reali (host of Around The Horn). He was such a nice guy. Really funny. I hope he doesn't mind that I sat in his chair.


And after the PTI taping we met Tony Kornheiser. I'm so sad that he's no longer doing Monday Night Football. I count myself very blessed to have been able to be there. I'm sure a ton of people get their picture with him as he tours the country for different sports events. But who can say that were in the studio with him?? Not many. At least I don't think so.

The other host of the show, Mike Wilbon, was in NYC for the NBA draft so we didn't met him. Still it was an awesome birthday present!!
We hopped the train and met my family for dinner at Mongolian. YUM! Went home for cake and presents. Wonderful, wonderful day. I was really looking forward to turning 25. And now that it's over, I feel old. Hard to explain.

Friday we went hiking and then out for drinks with my two best friends from high school. Saturday we had a wedding to attend and then I met my mom and sister and headed to Wolftrap to see Riverdance. I wasn't looking foward to it. But it was really good and I'm glad I got a chance to see it. I hear this is the last year they are touring. And Wolftrap is an amazing venue. If you ever get the chance to go, take it! And lastly, on Sunday we went to church, before going home. I always like going back to my home church. But it is starting to feel more and more not like my church. I have amazing friends there. If we ever get back to the area I think this is definitely where we would end up. But I must say that I have truly enjoyed the great teaching at our current church.

I grew up in a Christian home. My mom taught a weekly bible study for kids in our neighborhood called Good News Club. I attended church and Sunday School every week. Did camps, VBS, mission trips in the summers. I was saved at the age of 3. Jesus has always been a part of my life. So it's often hard for me to get anything out of sermon that I haven't heard before. So when we started attending a church here in Philly, and the pastor started peeling back layers of meaning, I soaked it all up. So when I go home, I find the teaching a bit dry. I think if we were to ever move back, I'd want to get involved in a more intense Bible study.

Sorry, little tangent there. All in all it was a great weekend.
Please pray for me if you think of it this week. I don't get much of a holiday weekend. I'm working a full week, and possibly Sunday. Everything has been ok so far. I will get a better idea of how the week will turn out when I see the prelim numbers this afternoon. *sigh* I hope everything turns out the way I thought it would. If not it could be a long long long rest of the week.

I am a terrible blogger. I have been absent for near a week. In my defense, work has been crazy!! Honestly, when isn't it crazy. And since I'm only ever on-line while at work, it means that sometimes I go a week without an update. Part of the reason why I refuse to be online at home, is the ancient machine we call our home computer. We are in the process of "upgrading" to Chris' desktop. But the transition has been slow. We mainly use our home computer for photo storage and personal banking. It's the banking software that is the issue. I need to go out soon and get a new program to load on the "new" computer so that the transition is complete. Then perhaps, we'll reformat my hard drive and use it as a backup? Not sure. At this point I don't care. College screwed my computer. Of this I am sure. A laptop is being discussed for us as well. The plan would be to use the desktop for storage and banking, but ultimately unplug the internet. And use the laptop for internet use.

The second reason I don't go on-line at home, is simply because I'm on-line all day at work. I schedule time out of my day to get my personal things done on the internet, so that when I'm home, I'm home and it's one less thing that takes my mind from my family (read my husband and me). I have enough to do when I go home (laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc). Cutting the internet out of my night and weekend life, means I have so much more time to go on walk with the hubs, guiltily watch Grey's Anatomy, and bake cookies.

Speaking of guilty pleasure TV shows - I have made an important decision. Well I should say, my husband offered some wise words and I think acting upon them is best. For 2 years I have been a devoted follower of a reality TV show, about a large family. The kids were/are adorable to watch. I was encouraged by the values the family seemed to portray. Though recently tabloid rumors have taken over and gossip is spreading faster than the swine flu. A wedge has been driven between this family. I'm sure you all know what show I'm talking about. On the season premiere, I cried like a baby. I honestly hurt for this husband and wife that have become strangers to one another. This Monday's episode, wasn't a surprise, but again I cried. I don't know why. I guess now that I'm married, I hold marriage so sacred and special that I understand how it must hurt to lose it.

I hate that as a nation we care more about who's cheating on who, how much so-and-so celebrity weighs, or what designer purse people carry. Since when is it ok to make millions of dollars off selling pictures, stories, rumors, lies to the tabloids and gossip magazines. It's disgusting! And I realized how much I'm encouraging the activity by watching this show. Will the network miss my viewership? Probably not. They won't even notice. But if continuing to watch the show is only going to upset me each week and callus my heart more and more, it's not worth the cuteness of the kids. Last night, while at Barnes & Noble I was reading a magazine and I turned the page to see a centerfold story about the family. I read the headline and turned the page. On Sunday I would have read the article. I'm a gossip. I know it. I'm not proud of it. I'm learning how that part of my needs to change.

I think the thing that depresses me the most is this; does America not think that a marriage is worth fighting for?? I don't know these people. Perhaps they fought for their marriage. I don't know. But the editing on the show leads me to think that they didn't. That they laid down and let Satan weasle his way in and slowing and slyly tear them apart. My marriage is of supreme important to me (second only to God). But marriages are fragile. They need to be surrounded by sturdy walls. Walls that protect against outward assalt and keep conversations private, eyes from straying, and build trust. What is your marriage worth to you? Is it worth fighting for? I earnestly hope and pray that it is.

It has not been a good week. Tuesday I had jury duty (yay no work). But when I got home I got onto the computer and then everything started going downhill. Our computer is ancient. It’s terribly slow. We know NOTHING about computers. Long story short, there were raised voices and tears. I hate that I expect my husband to be Mr. Fix-It. Why do I put such high expectations on him? Any why do I also no communicate these expectations. Life would be easier if I would say, “Honey I want you to do this.” And then when he doesn’t and I get upset, he knows why. Instead I expect him to 1) read my mind, 2) accomplish said mental instructions, and 3) know why I’m mad when he doesn’t accomplish said mental instructions. Dumb Kristin!!!

 

In the world today I’m lucky that I have a job. But today I just have not appreciated it. We received the month end calendar today. It’s the schedule of events surrounding the month close (when things are due, when numbers will be sent out, etc). Because July 4^th falls on a Saturday, it’s being observed on Friday, July 3^rd. As of right now I will be working on the 3^rd and the 5^th, forfeiting my holiday weekend. I’m really glad that we had nothing planned.

There are a few times during the year when we have to work on weekends or be on call. Most often it’s during the end of the year, when we need to get the numbers in because it’s the end. I understand that. I hate that I don’t really have a Christmas vacation but I guess I’m used to it. It just depresses me that more and more of my time is being spent at work and not with people I love. It’s things like this that makes me want to pop out a dozen kids so I can finally quit this job. But that’s another story, too long to post. Ugh. The chances of me being able to stay at home are highly unlikely and that depresses me more.

 

I am currently on a conference call for my new job. I presented my data for the first 40 min. Now I’m just listening to everyone else. How did my part go??? I’m sure it’s not as bad as I think, but I feel like a failure. I have been in this job about 4 months now. But I don’t seem to be learning anything. I get asked these questions, and don’t know how to answer. I feel like everything I presented had errors in it. I had to fight back tears. I don’t know how to fix the problems. At this point I know how to update the reports, how to work the formula’s, etc. I don’t know why numbers are going up and down. What assumptions do I make? How can I know if that’s an appropriate assumption or not? Am I being too conservative or liberal in my forecast? I know that this will all come in time (hopefully). After all, the guy I’m replacing had been doing this for 10 years. That’s a lot of experience and knowledge! I feel like there is a lot of pressure on me in this job. I’m not yet 25. I’m in a high profile position. My managers have all noticed the great work I’ve done as an FA. But it’s not that I wonder if I bit off more than I can chew.

 

I need retail therapy. Or chocolate!

This past weekend we went to our first Phillies game of the season. My parents and brother came up for the weekend and we spent most of our time walking/shopping around the city. We took them down to Pat’s / Geno’s for cheesesteaks and let them choose which of the two places to visit. Those who have never been to Philly, the two most famous cheesesteak places are on opposite corners from one another. Everyone has their own opinion about which is better. Chris and I are fans of Pat’s. That’s where we all ended up. After eating, we headed down to the game. It was a great opener. A home run was hit to the third tier. But then I think Citizen’s Bank Park has the most home runs hit in it than any other major league ball park. I could be wrong, but the park is one of the smaller ones. I know this b/c my husband watches ESPN 24/7. It was only a matter of time before some trivia sunk in.

On Sunday we went to church and then I napped. In the afternoon, my husband obliged me and took me on a date to see “Up!” The moment I saw this movie advertised, I knew I had to see it. Best $12 I spent in a long time! It was fabulous. There was a section of the credits dedicated to all the “Up Babies.” This movie was in production for over 5 years!!! There were about 30 kids born, whose names were all in the credits, to parents working on the movie during this time. I have to say that the hard work paid off. I didn’t think I would enjoy the 3-D aspect of it. I mean, they have had 3-D glasses since the 50’s. And the technology has changed little. Still unrealistic and hardly 3-D. This was the best I’ve seen, and I didn’t go cross-eyed. WOW! I won’t spoil any of the movie. Just go see it. If you’re like me, bring tissues! I cried 3 times!!! You thought Lion King was sad….this is 10 times worse. There, you’ve been warned. My poor husband sat there comforting a sobbing wife in a kids movie. He should get an award for drying the most tears. I’m such a weepy woman!

 

This week is already stressing me out. It’s close…obviously. Also, I have jury duty next week. And a meeting that was supposed to be on the 13^th got bumped to the 11^th. So this means that I have to do most of the prep work this week, since I’ll lose a day next week. Please pray that 1) jury duty only takes up one day and I’m not called back and 2) that I make it through this week alive. We have company coming this weekend and all I really would like to enjoy our time with them and not worry about scheduling the entire time. I’m a worrier. A weepy, worrying, woman!

*Disclaimer: I'm perfectly ok, however over-dramatic the story below may seem*

Last night I fell down the stairs.

Those who have been to our apartment know, that our staircase is a lovely spiral. Oh and it's metal! So I'm walking up the stair in my bare feet, when I turn around to say something to my husband. At which point, my left foot missed the next step and down I tumbled. In the process I scraped the bottom of my left foot, banged my left knee, scraped and banged by right shin, and my right forearm.



More than anything it scared the crap out of me! I didn't cry (shocker!), but I wanted to. In reality it was only about 4 steps and aside from all the banging of appendages, I kind of hopped down onto solid ground.

Of course my mom calls just after this (as in, I'm still on the floor trying to catch my breath)...and after assuring her that I was ok, she laughed at me. Let me explain, I'm notorious in my family for being clumsy/blonde. They all make fun of me. Chris and I then went out for some dessert. I limped most of the way. A rather large bump developed on my knee. And then the worry set in.

My mom was hit by a car when she was little and developed water on her knee. She used to tell us how dangerous this could be if not treated. So the fact that it still hurt, and I had a goose-egg lead me to call her again. She assured me that I was fine. The pain would be enough to limit my walking, and the whole knee would swell. *whew*

When we got home, the knee has swollen some more, so I iced it. The swelling went down a great deal before I went to bed and is completely gone now. I have another bump on my shin. I'm not limping but man-o-day, when i bump my knee it KILLS!

So long story short, I'm a clumsy wreck. But I have the best husband in the world for taking care of me. And for endearingly calling me gimpy. I suppose the worst part of this story is that I don't have any visible bruising. If I have to make an idiot of myself, I at least want something to show for it.