August 30, 2013
Hey Dad
So I had the best dad in the whole wide world who never let me forget to say my prayers and we said it every night. He taught me respect, hard work, perseverance, baseball, confidence, moderation, how to love, and how to have fun. He had one of the biggest hearts (metaphorically, speaking, of course; his real heart is actually what killed him) and everybody loved Rod. And today he would have been 62. It's hard to believe he's been gone for going on five years now. And although there's so many things I wish I could share with him, I'm very thankful for the things he taught me and the times we had together. Overall I think he'd be proud of the *adult* daughter he never got to see. And he'd still love my James. <3
August 27, 2013
August 26, 2013
Like a Boss
I had a friend tell me once, "Mondays suck for everyone, I can't imagine what they are like for a manager..."
Busy, chaotic, hectic, rewarding, fun. Long. You know, it's Monday.
5:05 a.m. Alarm goes off. Snooze.
5:15 a.m. Procrastinate getting up by checking some emails, replying to some texts, catching up on Facebook. A few last cuddles from Sassy and Jasmine and a huge good morning hug to James...
5:20 a.m. ...and I am out of bed. I set out my clothes and attached my tzit tzits the night before. I turn on Pandora. I brush out my hair (that is getting so long!! :)) and change my clothes.
5:30 a.m. James has made it into the bathroom for his morning cigarette. I'm brushing my teeth when Matt, our maintenance guy texts me to ask when I get to work. I swype "twenty minutes" while I'm slipping on my shoes, overlooking my nametag (thanks, Matt) while I'm collecting my car keys, purse, and water supply (fluoride causes microscopic holes in your brain)...
5:35 a.m. I'm pressing time while I make my final sweep of the house, seeing that everything is well, I'm not forgetting anything...love ya mom, bye kitty kitties, kiss my beloved goodbye. I lose a moment in my spider-resistant hesitation, then immediately rush past a mammoth web to my car while making a mental note to research how to keep spiders off the porch.
5:59 a.m. I swing into the parking lot and immediately assess: the store stood up well for a busy weekend; moderate morning crowd, mainly regulars, ya know it's Monday. Pick up some plastic by my car and a lottery ticket off the sidewalk, Ornery and I have our regular rushed morning exchange by the newspaper stand and I hold the door open for I-wonder-where-his-wife-went-but-scared-to-ask.
6:01 a.m. Lots of "good mornings" as I rush through, start a pot of coffee, Stephanie's in a good mood and the hotbox looks great. I click "clock-in." I proceed to check my email and read a few notes left from the weekend.
6:20 a.m. My easy reports are printed/ sorted/scanned/pulled, Everything but deposit and charge slips are done and I'm updating pricebook, off to fix the carwash.
8:01 a.m. Matt has to come fix the carwash. I address the notes from the weekend, answer any of Stephanie's questions (they come today, he comes tomorrow, the supplier quit carrying it...) Christi's clocked in starting bone-in. Lottery is counted, my Monday emails are taken care of, paperwork is fully submitted, a bunch of numbers are fully reviewed, my desk is neat and filed, I zoom through a shift change and am pushing Stephanie towards the clock.
12 p.m. Deposit is at the bank, stocked for change for the week. Everyone (Matt, Christi, Bank, Moi) got donuts for breakfast (thanks, Shipley's), carwash is fixed (thanks Matt), store has had a once over and is fronted and faced, hotbox is full (thanks Christi), cigarettes are counted, and Monster, Coke, Frito Lay, and Coleman have all been checked in, reviewed, revised, and submitted. I scarf down some barbecue chicken (thanks, Christi) for lunch and proceed...
3 p.m. Deli is counted, fountain is counted, invoices are all submitted, trash is done, ice is done, kitchen is in progress, store has had a second once-over (twice-over?), an interviewee is waiting on me at the tables and I'm zooming through my second shift change.
3:15 p.m. Sit down, Hi, my name is Shannon...and Harrison (big truck) pulls in...
7:55 p.m. After surprising my mom and beloved with donuts, I finish blogging, visiting, and procrastinating, turn on Pandora, and start to cook dinner.
I survived another Monday. :))
Busy, chaotic, hectic, rewarding, fun. Long. You know, it's Monday.
5:05 a.m. Alarm goes off. Snooze.
5:15 a.m. Procrastinate getting up by checking some emails, replying to some texts, catching up on Facebook. A few last cuddles from Sassy and Jasmine and a huge good morning hug to James...
5:20 a.m. ...and I am out of bed. I set out my clothes and attached my tzit tzits the night before. I turn on Pandora. I brush out my hair (that is getting so long!! :)) and change my clothes.
5:30 a.m. James has made it into the bathroom for his morning cigarette. I'm brushing my teeth when Matt, our maintenance guy texts me to ask when I get to work. I swype "twenty minutes" while I'm slipping on my shoes, overlooking my nametag (thanks, Matt) while I'm collecting my car keys, purse, and water supply (fluoride causes microscopic holes in your brain)...
5:35 a.m. I'm pressing time while I make my final sweep of the house, seeing that everything is well, I'm not forgetting anything...love ya mom, bye kitty kitties, kiss my beloved goodbye. I lose a moment in my spider-resistant hesitation, then immediately rush past a mammoth web to my car while making a mental note to research how to keep spiders off the porch.
5:59 a.m. I swing into the parking lot and immediately assess: the store stood up well for a busy weekend; moderate morning crowd, mainly regulars, ya know it's Monday. Pick up some plastic by my car and a lottery ticket off the sidewalk, Ornery and I have our regular rushed morning exchange by the newspaper stand and I hold the door open for I-wonder-where-his-wife-went-but-scared-to-ask.
6:01 a.m. Lots of "good mornings" as I rush through, start a pot of coffee, Stephanie's in a good mood and the hotbox looks great. I click "clock-in." I proceed to check my email and read a few notes left from the weekend.
6:20 a.m. My easy reports are printed/ sorted/scanned/pulled, Everything but deposit and charge slips are done and I'm updating pricebook, off to fix the carwash.
8:01 a.m. Matt has to come fix the carwash. I address the notes from the weekend, answer any of Stephanie's questions (they come today, he comes tomorrow, the supplier quit carrying it...) Christi's clocked in starting bone-in. Lottery is counted, my Monday emails are taken care of, paperwork is fully submitted, a bunch of numbers are fully reviewed, my desk is neat and filed, I zoom through a shift change and am pushing Stephanie towards the clock.
12 p.m. Deposit is at the bank, stocked for change for the week. Everyone (Matt, Christi, Bank, Moi) got donuts for breakfast (thanks, Shipley's), carwash is fixed (thanks Matt), store has had a once over and is fronted and faced, hotbox is full (thanks Christi), cigarettes are counted, and Monster, Coke, Frito Lay, and Coleman have all been checked in, reviewed, revised, and submitted. I scarf down some barbecue chicken (thanks, Christi) for lunch and proceed...
3 p.m. Deli is counted, fountain is counted, invoices are all submitted, trash is done, ice is done, kitchen is in progress, store has had a second once-over (twice-over?), an interviewee is waiting on me at the tables and I'm zooming through my second shift change.
3:15 p.m. Sit down, Hi, my name is Shannon...and Harrison (big truck) pulls in...
7:55 p.m. After surprising my mom and beloved with donuts, I finish blogging, visiting, and procrastinating, turn on Pandora, and start to cook dinner.
I survived another Monday. :))
An Help Meet
I am so blessed with and thankful for my husband. I love how we are always on the same page. I love how I can tell him anything. I love how we can read each other's minds. I love how we see eye to eye. I love how we always get along. I love how we support and oppose the same things. I couldn't imagine life any other way. Perhaps I could, but the world has taught me very quickly that I would really rather not.
James and I have been together since we were two crazy kids, meeting (and very much falling in love) at the tender ages of 14 and 15. Both of us came from "broken" homes and neither of us really new what a "healthy" relationship meant. We simply knew that we loved each other and that that was all we needed to take on the world. And take on the world we did, learning some tough lessons along the way.
Fast forward eight long, rewarding years.
Professionally, I'm a free public therapist. In more casual terms, I manage a convenience store (gas station). I get to hear about births and deaths, weddings and divorces. And lots and lots of fights and break-ups. It turns out, a lot of people cheat. And for every person who cheats, I would venture to say that three more are accused. People openly admit lying to their spouse/significant other. Verbal abuse is no longer recognized in most of society because derogatory terms like "bitch" and "ass" are casually thrown into dinner conversations. I hear so often complaints about how unappreciated people are or how they don't get the love and respect they deserve and they are just gonna have to find better.
People have asked me for years how we do it and honestly, it's not that hard...
First and foremost, Yah (Psalm 68:4) is the head of our marriage. Secondly, my husband and I both read our Bibles. We embrace Ephesians 5:22-29, 1 Timothy 2:12, Numbers 30:6-8 in our relationship and we strive to be righteous. We love each other and we trust each other and we do what we do for each other because as husband and wife, that is our duty to each other. We build each other up when society fights so hard to tear everyone down. Quitting is never an option, cleaved together as one flesh, we're in it for the long haul, even it we don't ALWAYS like each other as much as we love. I hear so many women beating up on their husbands for being lazy or vice versa. And some even venture to question why I don't feel the same. My husband is disabled and I work. It doesn't make him lazy or stupid or any less of a man, it just means he can't work so I do. It's not a competition to see who does more, it's a team effort to have the best life that we can - together. It's been great so far. <3 a="" and="" as="" besides="" dull="" free="" i="" job.="" love="" moment="" my="" never="" p="" public="" s="" therapist.="" there="">
James and I have been together since we were two crazy kids, meeting (and very much falling in love) at the tender ages of 14 and 15. Both of us came from "broken" homes and neither of us really new what a "healthy" relationship meant. We simply knew that we loved each other and that that was all we needed to take on the world. And take on the world we did, learning some tough lessons along the way.
Fast forward eight long, rewarding years.
Professionally, I'm a free public therapist. In more casual terms, I manage a convenience store (gas station). I get to hear about births and deaths, weddings and divorces. And lots and lots of fights and break-ups. It turns out, a lot of people cheat. And for every person who cheats, I would venture to say that three more are accused. People openly admit lying to their spouse/significant other. Verbal abuse is no longer recognized in most of society because derogatory terms like "bitch" and "ass" are casually thrown into dinner conversations. I hear so often complaints about how unappreciated people are or how they don't get the love and respect they deserve and they are just gonna have to find better.
People have asked me for years how we do it and honestly, it's not that hard...
First and foremost, Yah (Psalm 68:4) is the head of our marriage. Secondly, my husband and I both read our Bibles. We embrace Ephesians 5:22-29, 1 Timothy 2:12, Numbers 30:6-8 in our relationship and we strive to be righteous. We love each other and we trust each other and we do what we do for each other because as husband and wife, that is our duty to each other. We build each other up when society fights so hard to tear everyone down. Quitting is never an option, cleaved together as one flesh, we're in it for the long haul, even it we don't ALWAYS like each other as much as we love. I hear so many women beating up on their husbands for being lazy or vice versa. And some even venture to question why I don't feel the same. My husband is disabled and I work. It doesn't make him lazy or stupid or any less of a man, it just means he can't work so I do. It's not a competition to see who does more, it's a team effort to have the best life that we can - together. It's been great so far. <3 a="" and="" as="" besides="" dull="" free="" i="" job.="" love="" moment="" my="" never="" p="" public="" s="" therapist.="" there="">
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