It's kind of a odd week for me, at least in comparison to the previous.
I mean, I went from working 8 days straight to a resting period of 5 days straight.
From a financial standpoint, I'm definitely a little irked..perturbed...ect., Because let's face it, some extra hard-earned paper would be nice. (Yes, you heard me, I did say paper). But at my workplace, summer technically hasn't started. And when summer kicks in there, that is when the REAL party begins! Some frequent overtime would NOT be bad at all...
(And Jenny, lets be reminded that money is material and not eternal. So stop feeling irked and perturbed!)
From a physical wellness standpoint, my body is rejoicing! FINALLY, some sleep! It feels so good to sleep past 5:50 AM again. And let's talk about my legs and feet, shall we? They are feeling normal again! No more aches and pains. Yay!
I have definitely spent the brunt of this week diving into my stay-at-home-housewife role. It feels so good to cook, clean, and organize the apartment at my own ---snails pace--- again. (And why does it feel like this place ALWAYS needs to be organized? Just WHERE do all these papers come from?)
Confession: Our kitchen counters were just piled with every single bowl, plate, utensil, pot, pan, ect. that we owned. It was absolutely sinful having that many dirty dishes on the counter. We even ended up having that age-old conversation:
"You know, we could just throw all of these dishes away and just buy new ones...they're old anyway..."
"Hmmm...you do raise a good point..."
We then sat in like 5 minutes of silence trying to decide what to do.
It was soooo tempting to toss them all, but yesterday evening, even though Jarryd and I agreed we'd do them together, I conquered ALL of those dishes. And the only thing that got me through them was listening to the Focus on The Family Daily Broadcasts. It was honestly the most fun I've ever had doing the dishes. There was much laughter and tears and it left my heart feeling so full (and my hands so prune-like) after. I seriously suggest you listen to them!
Also, I've been able to spend more time with Jarryd which makes my heart so happy! And with Memorial Day last Monday he had work off, so we were able to spend the whole day together, as well as with some friends and family!
It was my very first Memorial Day as a U.S. resident, and it is a big deal out here. It's a day dedicated to remembering the fallen soldiers who served in the U.S armed forces. I was curious as to how it exactly came to be, so I watched a short History video on it. Long story short, it was originally called "Decoration Day" as town stores and business would close for an entire day to decorate the graves of soldiers with American flags and flowers.
Memorial Day is unlike anything I'm used to. Yes, in Canada we have "Remembrance Day" on November 11th, but I was raised in a community that formed long ago as a result of pacifism (families running away from war and persecution). As in, I can only think of one person from my hometown who fought in a war. Whereas in the community I currently reside in, I think it's safe to say that everyone's grandfather/great grandfather served in wars or a war. It is almost like culture shock to me! mean, my mother-in-law grew up with a Dad suffering from PTSD as a result of his time in the war. His funeral even included the Three-Volley-Salute (3 shots fired from rifles). Jarryd's great grandfather was sent to Pearl Harbor after the 1941 attacks to fix radio equipment there. (And those are just two examples within my in-law family history. I want to tell you more but I'm not confident enough in my knowledge of the exact facts to lay it all out on here).
The Armed Forces play a huge part in the history of this community in Maryland, and also a huge part in its present time. I recently befriended a woman who is, as they say, an"army-wife". Her husband is currently on a ship somewhere in the world and I can't even imagine living life in her shoes! She is incredibly strong.
Another example is that America's oldest Army proving ground, APG is 30 minutes from where I live (that place is absolutely HUGE). At least everyday I see military helicopters and planes flying above my apartment.
(I seriously want to make it a goal to learn as much of America's history as I can!)
Alot of people view Memorial weekend as just an extra day to "party", but as I just explained above, it is so much more than that! It's about remembering the ones who died to give you your freedom. And one of the best ways to do this is to spend the day with family, which is what Jarryd's family does every year! A good old fashioned American cookout. Haha!
The photos below weren't even taken this past weekend (I actually didn't take any photos this weekend), but I love them enough to show them to y'all anyway. Enjoy!!
Look at those little ratpaws. So cute. :) don't be deceived by the pacifists apathetic manner. they are extremely patriotic, its just not as visible or talked about much. They're a silent Stoic bunch. :) just imagine the ridicule they would have received for staying home. They would've been viewed as selfish and cowardly. Not something you want to be known for. I think they were incredibly brave for standing up for their beliefs and helping the war efforts in their own way. They say its easier to stand up against your enemies than it is to stand up against your friends.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, our troops deserve to be remembered every single waking moment. They need to be honored for fighting when we couldn't, or wouldn't. They have sacrificed far more than any of us could ever imagine and they need to be celebrated for making that choice.
Love the short- shorts - you also look very happy in these photo's :)
ReplyDeletealso I am still jealous of that hair.
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