i don't feel like i have a lot of new things to post about. working so much, same as aaron, just trying to keep the house clean and enjoy the limited free time we have! i am very excited for the concert tomorrow, mostly because we are staying in a hotel and will get to sleep in on saturday and go out to breakfast in tinley park. it will be a little mini-vacation and i'm hoping it will be relaxing for us both!

my girlfriend jessica is getting married in august and i am so happy for her! her shower was last friday and i will try to post pictures soon. i really miss wedding planning and crafting, so i offered my help and she finally accepted. she's coming over tonight and we're going to diamond-decorate her home made veil. i had so much fun planning the shower too, i think i missed my calling as a party planner!

i have used way too many ! in this post, which is not just annoying, but also scary since it's only 7:20.

free stuff?

i love to listen to the radio. i also love to try to win radio contests. some would say i win a lot of stuff, but for as often as i call in, i feel like i don't. one time when i was in college, i was on the radio station in toledo talking to the author of a book i don't remember the name of. when i told her i was a youth leader and we were using the book (it was a bible study on female friendships, title TBD) for our sunday groups, she sent me copies of other bible studys she had written. i didn't even try to win that, i just lucked out! i mean, she sent like 14 books! FOR FREE.

well, last night on the way home from dinner, i turned on the country station and was rocking out to taylor swift, when the dj asked for caller number 14 for tickets to see toby keith. i dug the phone out of my purse, called the number and heard "the number you are trying to reach is busy. please try again". press end. press send. and hear "U.S. 99". i say "i was trying to be caller 14 for the toby keith experience", and he says "you're caller 14" and then i start saying things like "oh, i'm so excited! my husband will love this! thank you SOO much!" and that's that.

2 backstage passes, front row tickets to see montgomery gentry and toby keith on friday, august 1st in tinley park. 2 t-shirts from his upcoming movie, 2 tickets to the movie, and a jam session with a new artist he just signed to his label.

i have the magic phone number dialing touch.

ouch?

writers block? no, of course not. typer's block is more like it. my left wrist has been hurting so much lately, and even more when i'm typing. i'm a gluton for punishment, apparently. my mom bought me a lovely black wrist brace that resembles something arvile lavinge or ashlee simpson would wear (see below) .

okay, so you get the point. i exude coolness.

i mean, having used a computer since "oregon trail" in the 5th grade, and working in the field i do, i spend so many hours in front of the computer each week, it's a wonder this didn't all start sooner! hopefully my rockstar brace (really, i do appreciate my mom, just to clear that up) will ward of problems, or at least give me enough time to get any surgeries done the same year i have a baby so i can meet my deductible and get the health care system for all it's (not) worth (i work with insurance, i can say that).

i would write more, but i can't. and you know why.

and the dog search continues. we've spent countless hours doing doggie research online, looked at hundreds of adoptable dogs online and at rescue shelters, and we've got nothing. we just haven't found the one that "fits". i mean, it's not like a pair of shoes you can try on and then return, or a tank top that you can hang in the closet until next year to see if you like it more then. it's a freakin' living thing, a PET, and it's going to be harder to keep alive than the stinkin' flowers in my front yard.

it's a good thing i don't have to pick out a baby, cause i'd never be able to decide on one.

speaking of babies, i have a really heavy heart for surrogacy. i know, crazy, right? but there are 3 couples at my work who can't have babies. it just breaks my heart. i would love to offer to carry children for them, but after much research, find that i shouldn't do it until i know i'm done having children of my own, and who knows when that will be. but this is not an impulse decision, i've been thinking about it for over a year now and am just making it (semi) public information (other than to my husband). i know it would be terribly hard, but so worth it. so, well, between not getting a dog and not having anyone's baby, i feel pretty free. and not in the way i want to be.

off to look for more dogs.