Catching Up

I must apologize for not being very good about blogging lately. Either school is busy, I can't think of a single fun thing to write about, or I'm hopelessly caught up in the love of my life. :) So here's my little "catch up"!

Two weeks ago, I started taking my first tests of the semester. Some went extraordinarily well, while others were just "ok" according to my standards. For once in my life, I can honestly say that I am not worried about things right now. Everything will come around and my grades will be just fine in the end. One test or homework assignment doesn't define you!! It has been a bit challenging getting back into the "swing of things" after being off all summer. I'm thankful for the many breaks during college, but it also is a challenge getting all of my ducks in a row after so much time off. I guess it's hard to please everyone, huh? ;)

That weekend my brothers had a football game against Grygla/Goodridge in Grygla. It was cold, windy, and rainy. As soon as I jumped in the car to ride with my parents to the game, I thought to myself, "Why am I even going to this? It's crappy out and I'm really not in the mood to get rained on and then sit in wet clothes for an hour ride home." Boy, am I happy that I went though! It was a matchup between the then #3 and #4 state seeds. So many emotions rushed through me during those two hours: frustration, joy, panic, anxiety, excitement, anger, happiness, etc. It came down to the final play (which had to be played twice!), and we came out on top....this time. I'm sure they will see them again down the road, though!

 The boys and I after all of the excitement

G/G had the traveling trophy, and since they beat them, they now have it! YAY!

Last week went pretty quick for me, I guess. Monday night was homecoming coronation in Lancaster, where my brother Drew was a candidate. I went home for the evening to take part in the festivities and it was well worth my time (and gas). As there is only one girl in their class, the four students elected to the homecoming court, were escorted by their parents. It was a fun sight to see and will probably go down in history as the only one of its kind. Fun stuff!

 All of the Lancaster candidates and their moms or dad

 Mom and Drew walking up

A typical family picture for us.

My love :)

And now, for what you all have been waiting for I'm sure-Mark's column. :) I will fully admit it to the world, I am absolutely smitten by and in love with this man. There's something about the way that he can make me laugh when I'm upset, the subtle compliments and hints that he drops and the sparkle in his eyes after I come home from a long week of being gone, how he makes a point to tell me that he loves me every time I walk out the door, and his drive to excel in life and optimism that keeps me pushing forward with all of this college fun (sarcasm on the fun part of that) that keeps me falling for him more and more each day. He always tells me, "We've got forever. Why rush?" Most of the time I take it in a different direction, but today, right this very second, I can't help but smile and shed a tear or two, because I know that he is right. Yes, I said it. He's right more than I am I'm sure! ha He's so perfect that I can hardly stand it.

I am the luckiest woman in the entire world that's for sure. Saturday night we went to the lake and spent all of Sunday there. After a little tinkering and playing around, we got the boat in the water and ready to go. We left from Mom and Dad's (Zippel Bay) and went all the way around to Rocky Point to run an errand and visit with some friends. As always, it went a little longer than I expected, but the fun visits, good food, and Vikings WINNING made it completely worth it. We thought we would try fishing a little bit, but three foot waves are a little too large to be considered a good Walleye chop, so we took off for Zippel again and made it about 2 miles from shore when the boat died. I looked at Mark and thought "Oh he must just be stopping to fish or something." Nope, we had run out of gas! Thankfully we had a full gas can with us, so we put some in and kept going. THEN, we made it to the outer edge of the bay when the boat died, again. I thought we just put gas in!?!? Evidently, the boat burns more fuel than I thought. Mark filled it up once again and we did make it all the way back, this time. 

I think he was being sarcastic, but when we were almost back, Mark asked if I could back up the trailer so that he could just stay in the boat and drive it right on. OF COURSE, I had to prove myself to him and make sure he knew that I could do it! So, I hopped out, jumped in the pick-up, and went to town backing the trailer into the water. It took a little bit longer than I had hoped, and I needed some direction, but I did it! He drove it on and then I hooked it up and pulled it all the way up onto the trailer. What would he do without me, huh? ;) Just kidding! Then, our Sundays just aren't complete anymore without making a stop or trip in Roseau to see Bob, Carmen, and Mary. What was supposed to be a quick drop off turned into a couple hour visit and a nap-fest for Mark. We both enjoyed it I think, though. :) 

This morning it was back to school for me, bright and early! The alarm went off at 5:21, and I was on the road by 6:20. With one class left, I cannot wait to get back to the apartment to lay down for a little snooze. All of this college information has my brain fried by the end of the day! I hope you all have a great day! Make it wonderful!

P.S.-The shop is coming along well! Mark got it all sheeted up last week and they were going to start putting steel on the roof today. Praise God for the nice weather they have to work in today!

Is there ever enough time?

This weekend went by so fast....too fast. Isn't that how everything seems to go in today's world, though? We never have enough time or it isn't the right time. It's time to do this or it's about time that you did that.

Why does everything need to revolve around time? 

I know that I get caught up on time just as much as everyone else. Often, I wish that my time at college was over and that I could spend my days working in the yard, cleaning the house, thinking of creative ideas, etc. Yes, I know, I am very weird. I actually enjoy doing all of those things. (Maybe I am a little Type A) Would I fast forward time if I could? I can now honestly say, no. I think these are the minutes, days, months, and years that are going to make me tough, strong, thankful, humble, and knowledgable to an even greater extent.

I think as humans, we tend to focus on tomorrow rather than today. I'll admit, I DO! Mark will be the first to tell you that I already have places and events that we need to be at for the weekend before I even get home on Friday afternoon. He actually just told me this weekend that sometimes we wishes that people didn't like us as much so that we didn't get invited to so many events, so that we had more time to relax and enjoy each other. He was just kidding, though! We love that so many of you invite us to fun occasions and wish for us to share in that time with you! :) (We really do love just taking the time to relax and lay around all day though, too. We can still do that, right? ;) haha)

Speaking of Mark, time has been of the essence for him to finish the slightly large (ok, ABSOLUTELY GINORMOUS) shop that he started building at the beginning of August. It is 120'x60' with a 40'x40' section off of the main shop. (I could very well be wrong about these measurements, by the way.) There doesn't seem to be enough time in the day for him to get everything done that he hopes for, so the days have been long. He normally starts at 7 AM and goes until dark. So, around 8:30ish? I cannot imagine how grueling that must be. I think that I have it rough starting classes at 8 and going until 2? Good joke, Megan, good joke. Last night we spent three to four hours prepping for the rafters to go up today. He marked out where all of the rafters would go on the walls, while I cut boards to 20'. I only had a couple that were too long, but they were all easy fixes and I didn't get fired so it was ok. :)

He works so hard, and I know that he doesn't mind doing carpentry now, but I hope that someday he will take the time to begin machining, instead. It is his first love, and it won't be as hard on his body. Trust me, it's not fun getting phone calls while I'm away at school telling me that Mark is in the emergency room or Mark got hurt today at work. Ahhhhhh! Will the madness ever end? haha ;)

Someday, the time will come when I can be at home doing what I love, with my love, and looking back it won't seem like it took that much time. Now, we will begin taking the time to do things that we enjoy and break away from the chains that sometimes hold us to something. Time is of the essence people, and unfortunately, we don't have alot of it. Take the time to live, laugh, and love with those near and dear to you, because I guarantee you will not regret your time well spent. :)

Drew: My Inspiration

My inspiration for today comes from my younger brother Drew. For those of you that do not know him well, at first glance he may come off as shy, quiet, and boring. Although, one will still find him very handsome! :) Unfortunately (I say unfortunately, because sometimes I wish that were all true), he is not even one of those things. He is: sarcastic, hilarious, witty, smart, talkative, outgoing, charismatic, hard working, and HUMBLE.

This morning, I received text messages from both of my parents telling me to look at an article in the sports section of the Grand Forks Herald. Dad said, "I think it will be worth your time." I quickly went to read it and they wrote heavily about my brother and his team. They explained how they have outscored their opponents 91-0, been able to choose from a wide variety of players, and the struggle it may be to stop them.

As I read it, I couldn't help but visualize the ear-to-ear grin that must have been on Drew's face as the reporter was interviewing him. He's never been one that's good at hiding his excitement from others. If he's happy about something, you'll know by the large smile on his face and the twinkling of his bright blue eyes.

But why did I put extra emphasis on the word HUMBLE in the first paragraph? Drew is quite possibly the most humble person that I have ever met. He will never come home and say, " wow, did you see that awesome play when I threw the ball 50 yards to Nick?" "I had such a good run. Nobody could touch me out there tonight!" Rather he will walk in the front door and say, "did you see that awesome catch that Fernando made right over top of that guy?! That was so cool!" or "The line sure did good tonight. They were giving me a lot of time back there."

This morning (as I'm told), he subtly set his iPod in front of my dad at the kitchen counter with the article already pulled up for him to read. He quickly said, "you might want to read this" and walked away not waiting around so that he could get praise. If he hadn't done this, they probably wouldn't have even known about it!

I wish that I could be more like him in that aspect. Always looking to build someone else up before yourself or being ok without receiving praise for all of the good things that you do in life. I try so hard to always find the good in people, give others the credit when you were just as much a part of it, and be a leader when it isn't always the easiest to do. I'm not at the level that he is at though. Maybe I need to take the time to stand back and watch his actions more and let everything soak in that he does. Maybe I need to actually sit down with him and ask him how he does it.

He's one in a million and I don't know what we would all do without him. He's the "good child" in our family, never getting in trouble from Mom or Dad because he actually listens all of the time, but he is also my inspiration not just for today, but for life. :)

I believe..

Ok, this is just a quick one! (mainly for my grandma, because I know that she is going to be looking for a blog from me today haha)

I am absolutely DETERMINED to get done with school as quickly as possible! I have spent the last hour (I have a two hour break until my last class for the day) going back and forth, trying to figure out if it is even possible that I can finish a little bit early. Guess what?! I think it is possible!!! I am going to talk with my advisor soon to see what her thoughts are on the subject, but I am very optimistic for now.

I miss Kittson County. More specifically, I miss my little towns of Orleans and Lancaster. I know everyone says that I need to cherish these years and appreciate what I have now, but to be quite frank, I'm ready to be a full blown grown-up now. I'm ready to have a job that I am responsible for, money to keep track of, bills that need to be paid, and for what little college debt (I am so thankful for this!) I have to be paid off.

Some will think that I am crazy, but I just like to think that I am ready for what the world has to throw my way. High school was the time of my life. College in the city where I'm a complete stranger to nearly everyone is not the lifestyle I enjoy. Will I put up with it for now? Heck yes! Without my education, I am not as useful as someone with a degree to businesses or employers. I am fully aware of this fact. Although, it does sadden me though that so much of our lives revolve around money. Either receiving, spending, or saving it, too much emphasis is placed upon it in my eyes.

I think that there are more important things in life. Call me old fashioned, but I believe in raising your own children, rather than sending them to a daycare for 9 out of 24 hours each day. I believe in children attending school with their friends and building relationships that will last a lifetime. I believe in husbands and wives working together to make things work even better when times get tough. I believe in work, whether it be house work, homework, outside work, etc. It builds character. I believe in small towns and the camaraderie and spirit that lives within each one. I believe in life out in the country, the sound of quiet, and the stars shining brightly at night. I believe that God has a plan for each and every one of us and that my plan isn't the one that so many wanted for me. "Get out of here!" "Go do something with your life!" "You can always come back years down the road. Kittson County isn't going anywhere." "There is nothing here for you."

My thought on the last couple phrases is, if Kittson County is so bad, why do you live here still? Maybe YOU want to advance your life or come back years down the road, but that has never been my dream. My dream is to raise a family someday the same way that I was raised. I knew that I could come back whenever I wanted to and not be judged. My family actually encouraged it and I will be forever grateful of that. Kittson County is my home.....and I don't just believe that, I know. :)

Bountiful Blessings

It's been a long, long, long, stressful day today. Between Mark's hand still being sore, swollen, and utterly useless, and Matt trying to get all of his hay and straw up and back home, we have made many trips to and from. Today was one of those days when I needed to just sit back and think about all of the good things that I have in my life and count my many blessings, instead of dwelling on the stressful and worrisome things that were beyond my control. 

This is the top ten list that I came up with:

10. I am thankful that I have a wonderful set of parents that are willing to help me out and step up whenever I need them. Last night Dad helped with Clifford while I made supper, and today Mom visited with Adina for a long time. They will make awesome grandparents. (someday, but not TODAY! ;) ) haha

9. I am thankful for the nice weather we have had lately. It has been nice enough for the guys to continue working in the fields, so that they can get things done quicker, and it has allowed Mark to put in even longer than usual hours on the shop he is building.

8. I am thankful for vegetables from the garden. (way off topic, I know.) They make every snack, meal, day just a little bit brighter. :)

7. I am thankful for new friends and old friends. Without them, today would have been a complete whirlwind!

6. I am thankful for a vehicle that gets good gas mileage. We put many miles on today, and I didn't even need to fill my tank up! 1/4 of a tank left still! woohoo!!!

5. I am thankful for the gorgeous scenery in Kittson County. To take a break from all of the chaos, Mark took me up on top of a pile of straw bales at Matt's tonight to just relax for a moment. The combination of trees and cows, with frogs croaking in the background was absolutely perfect. I couldn't have asked for a sweeter moment. He's perfect, I know. :)

4. I am thankful for a good set of jumper cables. In the last two months, I think that I have had to use them about ten times to get either a vehicle or lawn mower started. See, I'm smarter than you guys think!

3. I am thankful that we live in a town where people are willing to help each other get their work done. Sometimes, it is just too much for one person to handle, and it is so nice to know that there are still people willing to help a neighbor in need.

2. I am thankful for Mark. (Again? Yeah, I know. He's special though.) Even though we both get a little frustrated sometimes, he always knows when to pull back on the reigns and take time for just ourselves. Referring back to number 5, is that not seriously one of the sweetest things ever? I'll admit, I was a little scared at first, but it was totally worth it. He's just so cool. :)

1. I am thankful for a God that loves me even at my weakest point. More than once today, I had to stop and take a little break to lift a prayer up or ask for strength to carry on with what was happening at that given point in time. And guess what? It worked every time. :)

So, that's what I am thankful for today. It's been a long day. I'm hitting the hay folks. (not literally, though!)

P.S. I found this quote just a little while ago. This definitely rang true today for me. Maybe one of you can relate to it also. :)

If you don’t like something change it; if you can’t change it, change the way you think about it. – Mary Engelbreit

BFF...F!

Today, as I sat in my American Government class, my professor ranted and raved on topics ranging from Miley Cyrus twerking, to Jenny McCarthy convincing parents not to vaccinate their children for fear that they will potentially become mentally handicapped. In between these blows, multiple profanities were dropped and used in association with this topics.

Now, I know that I am not perfect by any means and I do curse here and there, but was this really necessary? In today's world, we complain that children and students are lame, inconsiderate, rude, etc.. If we have leaders that speak in such vulgar terms towards us, what can we expect though?

Granted, I think that I was raised differently than (most) others nowadays; lots of this has to do with my parents. They always got after us when we told each other to "shut up" when we were little and were good role models of how we should act in private and in public. I know of many other parents that were also like this, and I am proud to say that it is their children that I can now call my friends today.

In order to stay out of trouble and bad things, we need to surround ourselves with good people that strive for the same things that we do. I am lucky to say that I have had a great friend base since I was born, practically. Our idea of fun back in the day, was sitting around a bonfire, while Nature Boy told us hilarious stories or watching movies in Diamond's basement and trying to drink a case of Mountain Dew in one sitting. (Jacki (Mark's sister-in-law) and I have discussed how thankful we were to have friends like this that were on the same page as us on more than one occasion!)

Have I strayed from this path a little bit? Yes. I will admit it, I am by no means perfect. I have made my fair share of mistakes and done wrong, BUT it is through those occurrences that I have learned lessons that I would not have understood before. My friends have stood by me through it all and I am very lucky to have been blessed with such understanding, loving, kind-hearted people in my life. They are the ones that have truly made a difference. This type of friend is the one that will make the biggest impact on you during your lifetime and they will be the one that you can call your BFF (best friend forever).

These are just a few of the people that have been my true friends along the way...They are all AWESOME!

And that's how you find good friends in life folks. :)

Thoughts on Thoughts on Thoughts

Today marks the day of new beginnings for some, but many lasts for others. It's the first day of school in Minnesota! For me, it is just another day in my boring collegiate life, but scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed, I've seen many, many pictures of little tikes, elementary students, and teens expressing their excitement for the beginning of a new school year. I hadn't put too much thought into it, until I realized that it was my brother Drew's last first day. How could he be that old already? How could I be at this stage in my life already?

I think it has finally hit me that I am an adult now too. Paying bills, choosing which path I want to take in life, and not being surrounded by the constant chaos of my two younger brothers has done me in I believe. No, this is not my first year away, but I think it took a solid year for it to all sink in for me. Yes, I still go home very frequently. Am I ashamed of it though? ABSOLUTELY NOT! There is no place in the entire world like Kittson County, and their is surely not better people elsewhere either. Some say that I am not willing to step outside of my comfort zone to experience something different elsewhere, but I have tried going other places and taking in what they have to offer, and I can tell that I'm not meant to be there. It's so comforting finally understanding what you are meant to do with your life and where you are meant to be. (A special thanks to the Man upstairs for helping me out with the last statement.:) ) 

Time has flown by so quickly in the last five years. Where has it all gone? I know, people tell you all the time to appreciate it and enjoy it while you can, but do we listen? Most of the time, no. I, for one, admit that I have not always taken the time necessary to stop and appreciate the important things in life. I remember as a high schooler going to make pizzas before many games at my Great-Grandma Gloria's and always being in a huge rush to get back to the school so that I could hang out with my friends. I would give anything to go back to those days just to be able to sit at her small dining room table eating while, she sat in her chair with her feet up listening to Willie's Roadhouse on the radio. Those were truly "the days"!These memories come flooding back to me and I can't help but smile and replay some of them in my mind. 

So, here's to a good year for all, good ol' Kittson County, and taking the time to appreciate what we have! Praise be!!