Holy Crap!

(I like to say Holy Crap. If you don't know what I mean, you really need to go to Homestar Runner...)

Holy Crap it's been forever since I posted! And I don't really have that much to say (do I ever?) except hello from Wisconsin, land of cows and cheese. Moo, indeed.

I think I'll sum up the events of the last month in the fun things I've collected. From New Mexico, I brought back:

1 bag of Valencia peanuts
2 peanut patties (one of which Kennan ate when I wasn't looking)
3 jars of salsa
1 jar of green chile sauce
6 cans of green chiles
a "spoonula" (Wal-Mart has the weirdest kitchen gadgets)...

even though it was Mother's Day and my Mom's birthday, so I had to take a lot of presents with me from Atlanta to New Mexico, I still came home with way more than would fit in my suitcase. Go figure.

Upon my return home, I had my first run-in with a celebrity! John de Lancie came into work, and I was the only one who recognized him as "Q" of Star Trek: The Next Generation fame. Sometimes being a nerd does pay off. From that meeting, I brought home:

a wild story
an invitation to the opera, Tosca, that de Lancie was in town directing
his signature on my program

It was awesome to meet him and accept his invitation to sit at the tech table, 4 seats down from him, in the best seats we'll ever get to have for the opera. It was a beautiful show and we had a fun date night!

We also celebrated our 5 year anniversary at the beginning of the month. Whoo hoo! From that celebration, I got:

a new palm! which is why I can even remember where I've been for the past month
a great trip to Nashville with my best friend
fun times with Chris & Kara
the yummiest candle ever---pineapple, mandarin & ginger

The following couple of weeks flew by in a blur of work, friends, family and our cats. Then came a national holiday here in ChandraLand: my birthday! From that day, I took home:

a belly full of ice cream from the Vermonster we got at Ben & Jerry's and a hamburger & fries from the Fudd
the buckety-tub thing from the Vermonster, which is large enough that I think we'll use it as a spare bedroom
fun memories from seeing several of my favorite people all getting to meet each other/enjoy each other's company
sweet and/or funny cards, beautiful flowers, and a new piece of Tech decor that is the COOLEST THING EVER
Derek, Sandra & MPJ tunes all still floating through my mind from the concert
Derek, Sandra & MPJ tunes for our computer (I'm listening to Throwing Punches in the Dark right now, and it's mah-velous!)
a wireless mouse for my laptop, Football for Dummies (gotta brush up---it's less than 80 days until football season starts!), 2 of my favorite Star Trek novels that I've already devoured (burp. spit out book spine. repeat.), a new puzzle, etc. etc. Lots of good loot.

... and, most importantly, a sense of immense gratitude and joy at the friends and family God has given me. I was so overwhelmed with joy Saturday night that I couldn't really sleep. (I'm sure an unholy amount of sugar and excitement didn't help, either...) I love gifts, it's true, but not just because I'm a materialistic mess. I felt so loved and appreciated that people would spend money, time & effort to show me that they care. I couldn't get over the number of people who drove quite a distance to be a part of my little celebration. I was humbled to have people give me generous hugs and sweet birthday wishes, even when I can be so snarly and stressed out, all too often.

And as I was lying in bed that night, listening to Kennan snooze happily beside me, I was in awe that part of my worship unto the Lord is to love these people, these good gifts, these memories that God has given me. What joy I have in knowing that enjoying these gifts is part of enjoying God. What a God we have to create us in His image and give us the ability to love and care for each other.

It's been a great month. Heck, it's been a great 28 years!