July Randomness

I would like to take a moment to capture some random thoughts that I've had over the month of July:

1. Kauai truly IS much prettier than the other islands of Hawaii.
2. It IS possible to re-connect and re-ignite a friendship with someone after a two-year hiatus if you two have enough in common to substantiate a reunion. Yay Meg-O! Love you!
3. It is NOT okay to lightly graze a coral reef with your ankle. You will suffer consequences in the form of burning flesh, scabbed skin, and a scar that looks akin to a laser-corrected tattoo.
4. It is okay to NOT want to eat sushi with a group of 12 when you are still sitting in your wet swimsuit and are dehydrated.
5. It is okay, and quite possible awesome, to meet someone on an online dating website as long as you two take it slow and really relish the dating process as if you met at the grocery store, dog park, or the DMV.
6. It is okay to suffer a 5% decrease in salary as long as you STILL HAVE A JOB.
7. It is okay to feel overwhelmed with graduate school, work, a new relationship, family, friends, etc., as long as you recognize you have a FULL, ABUNDANT, life that warrants such worries.
8. It is okay to drink a little at lunch as long as it is 1/2 off margaritas and you were just told about your 5% decrease.....oh, and you aren't driving!
9. It is okay that you failed to lose any weight despite paying a personal trainer exorbitant amounts of pre-5% decrease-salary, because SOMEDAY it won't matter what you look like.
10. It is okay to let go of some of the friendships that have left you stymied and stagnant. We all need to surround ourselves with the people who edify us and continue walking alongside us in our times of need. We need proponents, advocates, waterboys, teachers, mentors, confidantes, and cheerleaders as our friends.

As you can see, I have had a very "different" July. I'm okay with different. In fact, I'm okay with difficult as long as I see light at the end of the tunnel. God has blessed me in ways I still cannot comprehend. For now, I rest in that knowledge.

I'm not in Kansas anymore....

Nope, I'm in Yuma. 4th of July weekend sans San Diego's gorgeous weather and a gaggle of my nearest and dearest friends, can be described in two words: not fun. However, I felt a strong desire to ditch SD and get home for some mama-time. Mama-time is typically spent shopping, eating, watching Lifetime for Women or TLC, and beautifying (yes, girlfriends, I will share my beauty loot with you!). This weekend has been no exception to the mama-time rule. I traveled the desert (on a horse with no name, but in a truck with awesome brakes!) on Friday and am now deep in thought. Okay, not deep thoughts, but somewhat consistent with blogging material. And here it is....drumroll......

I love my mama. We have an interesting story (well, to me). I moved to Yuma the middle of my junior year in high school. It was a transition, even thought I only trekked across the Colorado River from El Centro. But, living under new rules, meeting new friends, and trying to carve out a place of my own (again) was difficult. Now, when I come back to visit, I realize that I really don't know that many people here. Yes, occassionally I'll run into a high school acquaintance, or someone who I'm acquainted to within 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon-style, but I still feel the anonymity I've come to enjoy during my mama-time visits. You see, visiting my mama is a treat. Not just because of the shopping and the other rituals (although those ROCK), but because this is my era of getting to know her. This is my opportunity, since she didn't raise me, to feel edified, nurtured, and advised on life matters. In fact, my mama is one of my very best friends (calm down, Ames).

I really feel like everyone should have someone in their family that they can lean on for support. If it wasn't my mama, I think I'd probably shanghai (sorry, not PC) someone else into the role. I just really value this relationship, and hope, if I ever have the begrudging privilege of being a worn-out, pissed-off, sleep-deprived mother, that I will be just like her. Minus the big ole jewelry.

Love you mama!