Julie and Julia

First of all, before I say anything negative, you should know that I loved this movie. Loved it! Totally lived up to being "feel good" and Streep was fantabulous, as expected. That being said...

Someone should've warned me that it was an old people movie! We walked in the theater and the entire place was full of old people -- and not like a little old, but the senior discount crowd.

The biggest reason this matters is that old people get to the movie early. And by early I mean at least 15 or 20 minutes. So when we rolled in at our normal five minutes early we were, well, late.

And had to sit towards the front. Crazy! Who knew people got to a movie so early?!

The other great thing about the old people (note: sarcasm) was that they, on this celebratory birthday movie outing, reminded me that I, too, am now ancient of days.* Because a normal young 20-something wouldn't go see a movie frequented by old people. Whoo boy. I am old.

*Abigail has ownership of this phrase.

Also, the move theater folks should take a peeksy into the theater before choosing the previews. Because today's were totally inappropriate to the audience. Horror movie? Disaster [space like] film?! What were these people thinking ...? Know thy audience.

But like I said the movie = great. Norah Ephron sure knows how to make 'em. I'll be seeing this one for sure again when (if) it plays on post, and probably buying it. Because it made me feel that good. Plus now I feel inspired to cook delicious things!

.... Or maybe just eat delicious things. Tomorrow: a trip to the French restaurant with Abigail. Excellent.

Stupid Spa Day

Friday was supposed to be our (much anticipated) wonderful spa day! But alas, the stupid spa people let their dryer catch fire and now they canceled our appointment.

Dumb smoke damage.

(I'm really tired so this is going to be really negative).

I was REALLY looking forward to that. Hmph.

Holy Thoughts

I'm blogging this from PWOC... Just some Holyish thoughts that I don't want to forget.

The speaker this morning talked about her vocational training. She said she could never have imagined how God would later use it for his kingdom.

And so I'm sitting here wondering and thinking about my journo days. There are times, many times, when I so miss it. I wish I was back in the thick of it. I wonder whether it was a waste of time.

That it could be used in crazy awesome ways for God is not a new concept to me. But this morning I find myself wondering afresh how it will happen and what/when it will be.

Let's not be picky

The Army changed its mind.

Or, rather, the guy in charge of Luke changed his mind.

This is bad on one front: Luke's R&R got pulled completely. He may still get to take it, but sometime after September. I'm not holding my breath.

And this is very good on another front!: The mind changing was prompting by the "official" decision that Luke is coming home in January as Rear-D!!!(!!!!)!!!(!!)

Woohoo! Best day-before-birthday-gift ever! (The other good thing was actually ON my birthday, so we are still good).

Now to pray that THAT doesn't change as well.

My adorable baby woke up happy and is playing with himself in his bed. It's cute. I think I'll get him before he starts crying.

But one more thing: it is now freezing in this apartment. Washington, where is your happy medium?!

(Or, I like the perfect temperature. All of the time. Why is that so hard!?)

And we have a date

September 21. The day I get back from D.C. ...

And the day(ish) that Luke will leave Afghanistan to come see me.

*cue trumpets of joy*

Yay!!

Meanwhile, I will be crazy busy until then. Since this is the week of my birthday I have many, many plans including lunch on Thursday (my birthday day), a spa day Friday and kayaking on the Sound (!!!!!) Tuesday. Woo! So exciting. A week from Saturday Im spending the day in Seattle with my sister in law and a friend at said friend's wedding. Then Monday morning Im flying to California to go to Sardine Lake (!!!!!!!)... and then a week or two after that Im going to D.C. for more than two weeks ...

And THEN(!) Luke is coming home. Bam! Just like that.

Ok, going to go get stuff done in prep for the craziness.

(maybe!! excellent!!) Army Drama (skepticism. lots of that.)

What's a new month in the Army without so drama?

But this time -- this time it may actually be in my favor.

First of all, please note my tone of really-fantastic-excitement-that-Im-trying-bed-down-with-sarcasm. I hate even having to point it out, but Im really kind of tired right now and I'm afraid it may not show itself the way I think it should. Actually, I'm just going to take a deep breath before writing anymore and see if I can get it to come up again.

....

.....

......

Yeah. There.

OK! Now, as you all know Luke is in Afghanistan. Unless you've been on a different planet where there are no blogs and that sort of thing you've probably noticed that this fact is not my most favorite thing ever. I'm going to go ahead, actually, and stick in the least favorite thing ever category. It's that stupid.

So, now that we've established that it's pretty safe to assume that my most favorite thing ever would, in fact, be him coming home. Preferably soon. Actually, preferably tonight but as that is not likely we'll just stay with "soon."

Now we all know the Army is a big fan of messing with minds and making people excited about things that may not ever actually happen. Things like having your husband be sent home after six months so that you can move to Georgia. Things like that. And then extra special love taking things away after they've dangled them in front of your face in super nonchalant ways that make them seem like NOT a big deal when they actually are.

And it is with THAT little reminder that I say this ... Luke is probably going to come home on leave in October. And he is probably going to come home after six months to be the guy in charge of stuff at home for all the people who are deployed.

!!!!!!!!(!!!!!!!!!!!!)

The feeling I had when he told me that can only be likened to the feeling I had, oh, this week two years ago actually. (Man, this is historically a GREAT week!) It can only be described as feeling completely topsy-turvy-need-to-throw-up Im so happy. That feeling of absolute disbelief when words you've been dreaming about hearing for so long are actually uttered. I think that's how I'd feel if I won the lottery. It's the feeling of answered prayer. It's the feeling of faith answered by a "yes" that could only have been orchestrated by God. It's the feel of hope answered.

And so if this actually happens Luke will be home with me for a few weeks in October and then back from keeps (or as keeps as it gets in the Army) starting in January. And then at some point we'll move to Benning.

October is so soon! I can't even wrap my mind around how soon that is! And it is extra special soon since Ill be occupied for one full week this month by running around California ... and more than two full weeks in September with running around D.C. In fact, by the time I get from D.C. October will only be a 9 days away! That is CRAZY.

Like I said, I can barely fathom how happy this makes me.

But then there is the part of my mind that says "wait Amy, it's not for sure. Nothing is ever for sure in the Army no matter how for sure it seems. Even it was "for sure" it wouldn't be For Sure."

That little voice is tainting my joy, spoiling my faith in answered prayer. I hate that little voice. In a way, however, he is right ... nothing is ever for sure.

But (with the help of my Wise Friend Abigail) I've decided that, yes, the voice may be correct but it shouldn't stop me from being happy. Because you know what? God wouldn't have given this whole thing to me if He didnt want me to be happy about it, at least as long as it lasts. And if it gets taken away I'll have a really good (looooooong) cry, and then move on. (Or die. Either one). But I'm going to embrace the joy while I've got it.

Man alive October is soon.

Chill Pill

For the last several days I have been chilling out -- literally! -- at our friend's house in Dupont. Boy, am I glad we moved there for the last week because as hot as it was on Monday and Tuesday it was even hotter on Wednesday.

Hotter as in the hottest day here ever -- as in EVER ever -- since people started writing down the hottest days.

That hot was about 103 degrees. Holy cow.

But I was totally OK with that being the hot. In fact, I was kind of excited to be a part of extra hot history ... from the comfort of my friend's air conditioned house. Hahaha.

I've realized many things this week. Chief among this is just how truly lonely I've been. It hit me that never in my whole life, except for the one month Luke was at NTC, have I lived alone. There was those few months at Verity that I did not have a roommate -- but all I had to do was open my door to find people.

Now that Luke has been gone 9 week tomorrow, I have been alone longer than ever before. And it's making me sad. I really do NEED people -- I thrive on having someone to share life.

So maybe I will periodically come stay at these people's home (heat wave or not) just for the company. They said they'd be happy to have me.

~~~~~~

Sardine Lake time is coming up mighty fast. The bad news is that my shorts still dont fit the way one would hope. Redistribution. Evil.

~~~~~~~~~~

I've been extra special productive these last few days. I've gotten loads and loads down for PWOC, organized myself for the board meeting next week, worked on course stuff, read ... and all sorts of crazy wonderfulness. Happy Amy. Also, Im not dead tired all of the time anymore. This could be because there is a Starbucks around the corner ... or maybe it's that Ive taken a chill pill that isn't so literal and, with a little company, found some me time where someone else holds the baby. Maybe I've been far more stressed than I realize.