Sunday, October 3, 2010

These Days

Currently, I am...

…back from an unintentional blogging break. It wasn't ideal to be away from my creative outlet and all of you for so long, but it just sort of happened. Life picked up, and the more overwhelmed I felt, the more I tucked inside myself and retreated to a quiet, introspective place. I'll never stop writing, but sometimes, a break is a necessity.

…caught in a vicious cycle of not finishing what I start. Now I face the challenge of finishing the heaping stack of projects left undone.

…dodging curve balls thrown by life. There is always something, be it an unforeseen expense, an unfortunate occurrence, or an unnecessary hassle.

…a new contributing author at Blissfully Domestic. I'd love to hear your thoughts on my first article, which delves into the benefits of eloping.

…filled with pride over my husband's recent accomplishments. In September, he graduated from Naval Nuclear Power School and received the Personal Excellence Award in recognition of his hard work, dedication, and professionalism.

Leo's Graduation

…embracing the beginning of fall and the coming of winter. As much as I'd like to rewind summer, I am warming up to the idea of cooler weather, darker colors, piping hot lattes, cuddling under covers, delving into my fall wardrobe (Why hello, scarves and boots!), and welcoming the holiday season.

…shedding a bit of my shyness and learning to speak my mind, especially when it comes to inadequate service.

…enjoying our weekly trips to the SPCA. The tradition started a few months ago when my husband started throwing the phrase "Let's get Molly a friend!" into practically every discussion. Realistically, neither of us wants the added expense and responsibility of welcoming a second dog to our family, so we started channeling our love for animals into weekly visits to the local SPCA. We arrive armed with treats, and we play with and walk as many dogs as we can. It's a good feeling to use our free time for a good cause, although occasionally, I leave a little brokenhearted because I get too attached!

What's on your mind these days?

32 Comments:

  1. Welcome back! Congrats on your new writing gig.

    I love that you guys volunteer at the SPCA. After my marathon I really want to start volunteering more and the SPCA is the obvious choice for me because I LOVE animals!!

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  2. Congrats to your hubby and you for making it through Power school! My hubby and I were not married when he went through Power school but we were dating. It is very stressful what they go through, so good for you guys for sticking through it and really coming out on top! I hope many more achievements and public recognition of good works are in your future!

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  3. Yay! A post! :)

    I really love that you volunteer at the SPCA and take the dogs around, because they just need that attention! Although I would find it SO HARD to leave them!

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  4. Amber: Thanks! You definitely should! It's so rewarding to help out the animals.

    Kelly: Thank you so much! Power School was definitely a challenge; he put in so many study hours, but in the end, all his hard work and sacrifice was worth it. I'm beyond proud of him, as I'm sure you were of your husband!

    Stephany: Over the weekend, I completely fell in love with one of the little puppies! (The one in the photo with me.) Every time I'd bend down to pet her, she'd roll over on her back and just lay there while I rubbed her belly. It was the cutest thing ever. It was SO hard to leave... I really wanted to take her home! I told Leo that I never want to go back. (Although, I know we will!)

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  5. Congrats on coming back! I really liked your first article as well! Good job!

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  6. 1. Yay, you're back! :)
    2. Congrats to your hubby!
    3. Loved the article over at Blissfully Domestic. My hubby and I actually eloped almost three years ago and we wouldn't have changed a thing!

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  7. Thanks girls! I really enjoyed writing that article. My hubby and I eloped, and although I know it's not for everyone, it certainly has it's perks. :) We wouldn't change a thing, either!

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  8. Good to see you back, and congratulations to your husband!

    I love that you all are volunteering at the SPCA. Once we get back to the States, I hope we can do the same. I know we can't handle another dog right now, but we just love animals so much! John used to go to the animal shelter every week before church. That might have to become a family tradition.

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  9. I'm so happy to see you're back! That's absolutely amazing about your husband, too, and I love reading about your SPCA visits. I'd love to volunteer at ours but it's SO far away and not on any bus routes :( I'm proud of you for speaking up, too! :)

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  10. oh how life takes us elsewhere.....congrats to your husband!:) how proud! vising these animals is awesome...u guys are doing a great thing...don't stop!:) glad to hear from you:) xoxo

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  11. Sarah: It would be a great family tradition; we certainly enjoy it!

    Emily Jane: That's too bad it's so far away! We have three SPCA's in our area, and the one we go to isn't the closest. It's about 20 minutes away, but it's a nice drive. Oh, and I'll be writing a post on the "speaking up" issue! I'm quite proud of my progress. :)

    Vic: How true. Life takes me elsewhere quite often!

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  12. Hi there, We're both in the Skunk tribe on SITS. Just wanted to stop by and say hello, congrats to your husband too!

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  13. Came here from SITS. Loved the article on eloping. Back in my hometown (Portland Oregon) there was a coffee shop that would host last-minute weddings, and they were a blast.

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  14. Thank you, Cheyla and Rachel! And I have to say, I think I'd LOVE getting married in a coffee shop!

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  15. Volunteering with animals is a great thing to do. Yes, we may leave sad, but those animals are happy for us being there.

    Congrats to your hubs and writing the article. Yes life gets busy and things get put on hold, but it seems as though you are still doing amazing things.

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  16. First off, HELLO! I'm Cheryl. I can relate to all that you posted about. Chin up chica! Second, you must be so proud of your hubby. I would be too. Nuke Power School is a long road. I was married to a Naval officer who was a nuclear engineer. We moved alot so that he could finish. That's wonderful. Thirdly, congrats on your position at Blissfully Domestic. You should be proud of yourself. That's saying something that they wanted you to be a writer there. And finally, I enjoyed reading some of you blog:) I am now a follower and don't forget,we all here in blogland make some of the fiercest friends around. Don't ever hesitate to ask any of us for help or a listening ear, because more than likely we know what your'e going through. Tis life sometimes.

    Cheryl@My Own Snug Fireside

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  17. congratulations to your husband! it's great that you guys visit the SPCA not just because it's the SPCA but because it's also time spent together :)

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  18. Wow. You sound so super busy! I LOVE that you go to the SPCA and volunteer. That made my day brighter : )

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  19. Yankee Girl: That's exactly what my husband says to me! :)

    Cheryl: Thank you so much. I really appreciated your comment; it's always nice to come across someone who can relate and is nice enough to lend an ear if needed!

    Kym: You just gave me another reason to cherish the SPCA visits! I really do love that we do it together.

    Life with Kaishon: Aww, thank you!

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  20. As a poster child for doggie rescue (I have a 3-legged Australian Shepherd and 3 dysfunctional dachshunds), I applaud your efforts!

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  21. Congrats to both you and your husband and I loved your first article on Blissfully Domestic. It's a great article and I'm looking forward to reading more.

    I'm now following you blog and visiting you from The Sits Girls Skunk Tribe: Military Life Bloggers and loving your blog. I hope you will stop by and visit me sometime as well. Looking forward to reading more.

    Diary of a Chic Mommy
    http://www.diaryofachicmommy

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  22. What a great idea to volunteer at the SPCA! I hope you get to enjoy lots of steamy lattes this fall; sounds like you're super busy!

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  23. I just came back from a 2wk break from blogging and it was so refreshing! We all need a break from time to time don't we! I'm going to check out your article too! Congrats!!!!!

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  24. re: your comment... it's true... i used to live in Hong Kong and their McDonald's restaurants there are fancy! Complete with fireplaces and everything! haha!

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  25. I found your blog from SITS, and I'm glad I did.

    I'm happy you find so much fun in your days, especially I like SPCA! And of course, big congrats to the husband too, you must be proud.

    I have only work in my mind these days, but it's normal in pre-Christmas season.

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  26. Sounds like you have a lot going on. A lot to be thankful for, too. Congrats to your husband on his incredible accomplishment! I am very thankful for his (and your) sacrifices and dedication!

    Stopping by from SITS!

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  27. Visiting from Sits. We often think about "adding a friend" to our family as well. Then we realize just how unrealistic it is with our already crazy schedules. What a great idea to spend time at the SPCA. I don't know how you help yourselves from leaving with a new dog though.

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  28. Congratulations! Great achievement by both you and your hubby. How old is Molly?

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  29. Stopping by from sits and I wanted to tell you that I love your blog :) I am always toying with the idea of rescuing a dog from the SPCA but always end up wanting to take them all home. What a great idea to visit/ walk them whenever you get a chance. You've inspired me to do the same !

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  30. Hi Samantha!
    I just wanted to say hi! I'm on the SITS tribe and stopped by your blog. LOVE IT!!
    I loved your article- I wished we had eloped!
    Have a great day!

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  31. Samantha,

    After I read your post at BD I wanted to pop over and say, 'hi'. I'm also a military brat & was a military wife for four years until my husband transitioned to civilian life. Welcome to BD - your post was timely & thoughtful--that's always a tough one.

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  32. LOVE your blog :D I'm a fellow Navy fiance! Congratulations to your husband thats a great accomplishment!

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