To 2011 and hoping a lot of the things that we have been working toward become a reality. 2010 has been a difficult year and I'm not sad to see it go. We have been through some big changes and I cannot, as of yet, weigh in on my feelings about all the things that have happened. It's too soon for me to put how I really feel about our new home, Josh's new job and Oklahoma in general into words and I'm afraid that the newness, scariness, sadness, and emptiness that goes along with so many epic changes will make a fair assessment impossible. So, I will not go there. Not yet.
As always, I am thankful that we have our health and that our boys are healthy, happy and well-adjusted. I look up to them in so many ways and they inspire me to to be a better mom, wife and person every day. I appreciate the love and support that my husband gives and try to understand that he is just a man who loves a woman who is insane. The sane part of me wants to wrap him up in all the love I have and be thankful that he hasn't entered the Witness Proection Program and disappeared into oblivion. The insane part of me wants to wrap him up in cement and throw him off a bridge. Fortunately, he is a lot bigger than me and I wouldn't make it very far in my insane plot.
I miss my family and friends. Some days, I'm perfectly happy to be miserable on the couch. There is a physical symptom of homesickness that I was unprepared for. Some days the knots in my stomach and emptiness in my chest are as noticeable as a headache that threatens but never quite shows up. Other days, it is like a migraine that rocks my world and throws everything off-kilter. I keep telling myself that this is just a part of adjusting to being so far away and that this will pass and everything will get better in time. I hope I'm right. Time will tell.
There are many things to look forward to in 2011 and I can't wait to share them with you all. Josh and I will celebrate 10 years of marriage and I will be turning (gulps) 30. We have trips both back home and to far away places that we are looking forward to. Because of all the good stuff ahead, I will be drawing a line at midnight tonight -
All things 2010: DO NOT CROSS THIS LINE!!
Love and hug to all.....until we see each other again,
Aub
Friday, December 31, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Hi....I'm Aubre
But you can call me Aub. If that'd be easier for you. I realize that Aubre is difficult (?) and not the traditional spelling of the name, so please, please call me Aub if that's what it will take to not have to see you call me:
Aubrey - Okay, this is the traditional spelling of the name and I let this one slip and don't let it bother me as much when people type this. Technically, it IS the correct spelling of my name just with a little something extra. I like to pretend the "y" is a pretty little decoration at the end. A gift of sorts. I suppose if you must misspell my name, this is acceptable.
Aubree - Close, but not quite. This reminds me of all those people out there that are adding letters to the ends of words and thinking it's.......cute? Clever? I don't know what they think, but here's my opinion: annoyinggggggggg. Stop. Please, just stop right now. Is your finger falling asleep? Are you having a stroke? No? Then, please don't do this and please, don't call me Aubree.
Aubrie - Nope. Not gonna fly. Don't go there. I don't even know what kind of moronic spelling this, but it makes me think there should be an extra syllable, like Aub-ry-ee. Yuck. Don't.
Abury - Are you drunk? This makes me think of a gross guy walking up to me in a bar, spilling his drink all over me and slurring out "Abury" like it's taking every last bit of concentration to say my name....and not vomit on my shoes. I'm not even sure why I had to include this one in the list, it's so ridiculous, but just two days ago I received an email confirmation with my name spelled like this. After I spelled it out for the woman. Twice.
In closing, dear friends, I want to assure you that although "Aubre" goes against the way traditionalists would have the name spelled and consequently, society's mandate on how it should be spelled, it is in fact, the way I spell my name. So, be assured that I did not misspell my own epithet on facebook. Don't feel the need to correct it by posting your version of it. It's Aubre. Always has been and always will be. If that's too difficult, call me Aub.
Love and hugs to all......until we see each other again,
Aub
Aubrey - Okay, this is the traditional spelling of the name and I let this one slip and don't let it bother me as much when people type this. Technically, it IS the correct spelling of my name just with a little something extra. I like to pretend the "y" is a pretty little decoration at the end. A gift of sorts. I suppose if you must misspell my name, this is acceptable.
Aubree - Close, but not quite. This reminds me of all those people out there that are adding letters to the ends of words and thinking it's.......cute? Clever? I don't know what they think, but here's my opinion: annoyinggggggggg. Stop. Please, just stop right now. Is your finger falling asleep? Are you having a stroke? No? Then, please don't do this and please, don't call me Aubree.
Aubrie - Nope. Not gonna fly. Don't go there. I don't even know what kind of moronic spelling this, but it makes me think there should be an extra syllable, like Aub-ry-ee. Yuck. Don't.
Abury - Are you drunk? This makes me think of a gross guy walking up to me in a bar, spilling his drink all over me and slurring out "Abury" like it's taking every last bit of concentration to say my name....and not vomit on my shoes. I'm not even sure why I had to include this one in the list, it's so ridiculous, but just two days ago I received an email confirmation with my name spelled like this. After I spelled it out for the woman. Twice.
In closing, dear friends, I want to assure you that although "Aubre" goes against the way traditionalists would have the name spelled and consequently, society's mandate on how it should be spelled, it is in fact, the way I spell my name. So, be assured that I did not misspell my own epithet on facebook. Don't feel the need to correct it by posting your version of it. It's Aubre. Always has been and always will be. If that's too difficult, call me Aub.
Love and hugs to all......until we see each other again,
Aub
Sunday, December 19, 2010
What Goes Up...
It's so funny how a great feeling and good mood can be followed by a sense of feeling flat line or even a little sad. Really funny. Ha. Ha ha. Ha. Ugh. We were so excited and happy finalize the sale of the house. Yep Closing day came. And went. But not without drama.
Before every good closing a final walk through takes place. Mind you, I haven't seen the place since November 5th. Since I left, the heating went out.....during the home inspection. Yeah, it sucked and was pretty scary, but it was only the pressure switch and it was an easy fix. No worries. Until...the final walk through. When they showed up, the house was forty degrees. FORTY. The heat wouldn't come on. Would not budge. That's a phone call I wasn't expecting. I called the heating people and she pulled a guy from a job to rush over to the house and address the issue (CHA-ching!). Turns out, the intake valve was covered in snow. The furnace kicks off and won't turn back on because of a safety feature preventing it from exhausting into the house. Good furnace. Here's a treat. Good boy. The heating guy shoveled some snow, cleared it away from the valve and the heat came on. Good furnace. Here's another treat. Then the heating and cooling people charged us $95. BAD FURNACE!!! NO. NO!
So there was nothing to keep us from closing. We were home free (pun intended) and anxiously awaiting the call from our agent that everything went off without a hitch. Except......there was a hitch. Our home buyer showed up 40 minutes late to his own closing and didn't call for the wire transfer of his part of the funds in time for the closing company to get it. Yep. Awesome. While they were able to do all the paperwork, they were unable to transfer the deed until the next morning when the wire cleared. It was still our place for another 16 hours. Oh well. What's another night? We didn't have to celebrate on Thursday. We could wait another night. Right? Right? Read on...
Our agent asked if we were "opposed" to giving him the keys to the house at closing since it was technically still ours. Of course we weren't. This guy has been cool about everything with the furnace and we're just so happy he bought it, it wasn't really a big deal that he take the keys. Except for when he went over to the house it was forty degrees again. BAD FURNACE. BAAAD. When our agent called us at like 8 that night to inform us, I thought for sure she must be joking. So here we were so close to getting rid of that place and yet I found myself calling the heating people and pressing "1" for "if you have a heating emergency." I spoke with the woman, the owner's wife. She was very sweet and really wanted to help us. She said she would send her husband over there to check it out immediately and offered to pray with me over the phone. It was a sweet gesture, but I declined. I just wasn't in the mood. Forgive me that. It was a loooong day. Turns out, it was just the pressure switch acting up again. He was able to "give it a jiggle" (whatever the crap that means) and the furnace kicked on. Good furnace. Awesome furnace. Please just work for 12 more hours furnace and then I don't care what you do.......furnace.
By Friday morning, when our agent called, told me the funds had cleared and we were officially D-O-N-E I didn't even feel giddy. Honestly, I felt a little cheated. We didn't get the feeling of relief that we wanted. We had to work for it up until that very last second. The cause was the same, but the effect wasn't at all what it was supposed to be. Maybe over time I'll stop being bitter, but probably not. I'm cynical. I'm resentful. I'm Aub. Have we met?
And with that, this one's for you 138 Brighton Lane. Hopefully you're as big of a pain in the rear to the next guy as you were to us.
Love and hugs to all.....until we see each other again.
Aub
Before every good closing a final walk through takes place. Mind you, I haven't seen the place since November 5th. Since I left, the heating went out.....during the home inspection. Yeah, it sucked and was pretty scary, but it was only the pressure switch and it was an easy fix. No worries. Until...the final walk through. When they showed up, the house was forty degrees. FORTY. The heat wouldn't come on. Would not budge. That's a phone call I wasn't expecting. I called the heating people and she pulled a guy from a job to rush over to the house and address the issue (CHA-ching!). Turns out, the intake valve was covered in snow. The furnace kicks off and won't turn back on because of a safety feature preventing it from exhausting into the house. Good furnace. Here's a treat. Good boy. The heating guy shoveled some snow, cleared it away from the valve and the heat came on. Good furnace. Here's another treat. Then the heating and cooling people charged us $95. BAD FURNACE!!! NO. NO!
So there was nothing to keep us from closing. We were home free (pun intended) and anxiously awaiting the call from our agent that everything went off without a hitch. Except......there was a hitch. Our home buyer showed up 40 minutes late to his own closing and didn't call for the wire transfer of his part of the funds in time for the closing company to get it. Yep. Awesome. While they were able to do all the paperwork, they were unable to transfer the deed until the next morning when the wire cleared. It was still our place for another 16 hours. Oh well. What's another night? We didn't have to celebrate on Thursday. We could wait another night. Right? Right? Read on...
Our agent asked if we were "opposed" to giving him the keys to the house at closing since it was technically still ours. Of course we weren't. This guy has been cool about everything with the furnace and we're just so happy he bought it, it wasn't really a big deal that he take the keys. Except for when he went over to the house it was forty degrees again. BAD FURNACE. BAAAD. When our agent called us at like 8 that night to inform us, I thought for sure she must be joking. So here we were so close to getting rid of that place and yet I found myself calling the heating people and pressing "1" for "if you have a heating emergency." I spoke with the woman, the owner's wife. She was very sweet and really wanted to help us. She said she would send her husband over there to check it out immediately and offered to pray with me over the phone. It was a sweet gesture, but I declined. I just wasn't in the mood. Forgive me that. It was a loooong day. Turns out, it was just the pressure switch acting up again. He was able to "give it a jiggle" (whatever the crap that means) and the furnace kicked on. Good furnace. Awesome furnace. Please just work for 12 more hours furnace and then I don't care what you do.......furnace.
By Friday morning, when our agent called, told me the funds had cleared and we were officially D-O-N-E I didn't even feel giddy. Honestly, I felt a little cheated. We didn't get the feeling of relief that we wanted. We had to work for it up until that very last second. The cause was the same, but the effect wasn't at all what it was supposed to be. Maybe over time I'll stop being bitter, but probably not. I'm cynical. I'm resentful. I'm Aub. Have we met?
And with that, this one's for you 138 Brighton Lane. Hopefully you're as big of a pain in the rear to the next guy as you were to us.
Love and hugs to all.....until we see each other again.
Aub
138 Brighton Lane. The early days.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
An Epic Three Hundred and Sixty Five
This year has been nuts. When I stop and think about all that we've taken on and accomplished since January 1st, my head spins. I was being cute the other night and asked Josh if he thought this time last year that in a single trip around the sun, we'd be living in Oklahoma with him taking a promotion with a new company (Chesapeake, nonetheless). He just stared at me and said, "Now, you know the answer to that." Truth is, of course I knew the answer to the question. I asked it because I cannot wrap my mind around it sometimes. So many big changes. And we've handled them all in stride.
It feels like we've opened and closed so many chapters on this crazy ride that 2010 has been. Another big chapter closes tomorrow as we sever our final tie to our two years in Pittsburgh. We are closing on our house! And that will be...that. The Jacksons will officially have nothing left there, but the friends we've taken with us and continue to love and miss. For the first time in 5 years, we will also not own a home. It's a strange prospect for us. It will take some adjusting, but ultimately I think it's best to not get tied down to anything here just yet. I like Oklahoma and Josh's job is amazing, but our history has shown that every two years, we will pack up our things and say goodbye and for just once, it would be cool to walk away. No strings attached, you know? I feel liberated to be able to look at the responsibility of home ownership and say, "Nah, we're good. Not right now." Until something happens to make me think otherwise, OKC may just be another pit stop on this crazy, wonderful ride. After my initial question to my hubby, I followed up by asking if he thinks the next year will be as crazy as this one. He said, "God, I hope not. My heart may give out."
Truth is, who knows what 2011 will bring? I'm excited to find out! :)
Love and hugs to all.....until we see each other again,
Aub
It feels like we've opened and closed so many chapters on this crazy ride that 2010 has been. Another big chapter closes tomorrow as we sever our final tie to our two years in Pittsburgh. We are closing on our house! And that will be...that. The Jacksons will officially have nothing left there, but the friends we've taken with us and continue to love and miss. For the first time in 5 years, we will also not own a home. It's a strange prospect for us. It will take some adjusting, but ultimately I think it's best to not get tied down to anything here just yet. I like Oklahoma and Josh's job is amazing, but our history has shown that every two years, we will pack up our things and say goodbye and for just once, it would be cool to walk away. No strings attached, you know? I feel liberated to be able to look at the responsibility of home ownership and say, "Nah, we're good. Not right now." Until something happens to make me think otherwise, OKC may just be another pit stop on this crazy, wonderful ride. After my initial question to my hubby, I followed up by asking if he thinks the next year will be as crazy as this one. He said, "God, I hope not. My heart may give out."
Truth is, who knows what 2011 will bring? I'm excited to find out! :)
Love and hugs to all.....until we see each other again,
Aub
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