The Day I Got A Note

Okay, I'm sure everyone here most likely sent notes and received notes when they were younger, it's something really nostalgic for me and I have a bunch in a shoebox somewhere that I kept. They were mostly from middle school which was the height of note passing for me and were usually folded into houses and triangle footballs.

Anyway, I was in 8th grade the day I got this particular note and was walking to the band room. One of my friends gave me this note and said they want me to read it by myself. So I walked down the hall a little ways and unfolded the note shaped like an envelope. On the outside it said: "Mariah Private". The note began with a "Dear Mariah" then went to talking how we'd been friends now for a while and how he'd really given this some thought. It said that in the beginning he liked me but then other people swooped in there and started dating me first. Then last night he had a dream where we were dating and it brought it all back. It ended with, and I quote: "So now I'll pop the question: Mariah, will you date me? Cause honey you must be tired you been running through my mind all day long." And it was signed with his name which will not be disclosed since many people reading this blog may know who he is! I randomly think of this note and it always makes me laugh! It's like a guy in a bar throwing out pickup lines, but so innocent since we were so young!

Isn't that note so middle school?
Did you ever pass notes?
Were you ever asked out in a note?

PPQ: Wise Words

For Attractive lips, speak words of kindness,

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people,

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry,

For Beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day,

For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.

People, more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed.

Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself and the other for helping others.

— Audrey Hepburn

No Luck Yet

So I didn't get that job I interviewed with last week (what's wrong with you people for not crossing enough limbs for me!?!? haha j/k), but the dentist did say it was between me and the girl he picked out of 5 people. He also said he gives everyone a 30 trial period so he may still be calling me if she doesn't work out. I'm not above being seconds!

I am sad I didn't get it, but it was good experience and leaves me with some hope! He also said I could use him as a reference anytime. I just feel like I let everyone down, even though they say I don't. I know Phil was wanting me to get this job so badly so we'd have some more money and get an apartment together quicker. And my parents like to analyze and over analyze every situation, so that just aggravates me. My time will come I believe and everything will be great!

I do feel good right now cause I just got finished working out! I'm starting this weightloss program at the Y so I hope that will get me where I want to be for now.

(Picture depicts how I am happy for experience and feel good for burning some calories, and sad I feel like I let people down, have messy hair, and ultimately do not have money. I promise I did not have a stroke.)

Happy Tuesday everyone - I want some soup!

Week #2

Week 2 of my pic-a-day challenge! You can see the first week here.

Day 8: The rainbow of lovely books at the bookstore! Now to pick which ones not to buy!

Day 9: This was the last pop I had left in my refrigerator and I'm not buying anymore... at least for now, but everytime I have them at home in my fridge, I drink way too much.

Day 10: This is where I spent most of Tuesday. I took a 3 hour nap and read my book forever right here! BTW that's Jambi in the plaid pjs!

Day 11: Mom and I went to Ashland today to visit with my babysitter I had when I was younger. This was the temperature it was... yuck!

Day 12: I had my very first interview as an RDH Thursday! Keeping my fingers crossed! I'll know Tuesday if I got the job but there were other people being interviewed.

Day 13: So, on my last trip to the drugstore I picked up some lovely new nail polish by Revlon in the color Minted. I knew I had to have it cause I've been looking through bridal magazines like crazy and ran across these shoes I only wish I had enough money to afford! They are Tiffany's/Audrey-inspired by Hey Lady and can be found here!

Day 14: Phil and I went to his grandma's house again this Saturday. We thought we were going to help her spread some gravel around her huge gorgeous fish pond, but she decided to do it herself during the week before. This is a picture of some of her ginormous coy fish... so pretty!

• Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend! Wasn't the weather awesome?!?!

The Day My Papa Passed Away

The day my Papa passed away I got 110% on my organic chemistry exam. Given, I had already taken the class two times before (3rd time's a charm, right!?) and it was the first exam of the semester, but I believe he had something to do with it too. Everyone in my family felt his presence around them the days following his death. My dad was going to get a suit for the funeral when all of a sudden his car honked at him. He was in the store and noone was in the car, but it still honked. And it's not a car with a car alarm on it. A little weird, but we like to think things like that are the people we miss communicating with us in little ways.

My Papa was unique in that he wrote his own obituary. Here it is for you to read. The last part my Aunt wrote. I'm hoping you'll be able to click on it to make it bigger so you can read it easier.

And in case you can't click on it to read it, I typed it out for you:

"I am 80 years of age today, I am still alive, and hope to live longer. However, I would like to leave a parting word, other than the usual words. I wish to speak about common sense (surely, there are people who don't think I have any), but I'm trying again to speak about common sense. When I was 20 years of age, just a few days from being 21, I was drafted to enter World War II. I had a job at the Nickel Plant making guns and other war materials. I didn't have to enter the war, but I wanted to stop Hitler. Enough said, I became a crew member on a B-24 Liberator Bomber, doing 24 combat missions before being shot down, having parachuted and losing 5 of my buddies (crew members) that day. The theme in those days was to stop Hitler! I was 21 and was sure Hitler was the cause. Slowly, over the years, my common sense finally began to awaken!!! It wasn't Hitler alone, because it takes many to create an abomination. Evil has no gender, nationality or race. It takes thousands, if not more, of evil people to band together to steal lands, enslave and persecute others. Let us hope today that we use our common sense to not become followers of evildoers. Evil is the absence of good. It is the void of light (knowledge) in the hearts of men. As I have told my children, God made billions upon billions of people, and each with a different brain. He wanted us all to be different. However, it takes the approval of a lot of people by silence or by actions to make evil... Malcolm"

HUGH MALCOLM HINSHAW became a prisoner of war for 14 months that day in World War II. He saw the sorrows, as did many young soldiers. Survived by his wife, Mary Rose Martin, they were married for 56 years. They had worked hard to build their first home together (he dug the basement by hand and she pushed the wheelbarrow), raised their three children Cheryl, Hugh and John, and loved their daughters-in-law Marcia and Sandy, and three grandchildren, Mariah, Nate and Zach. As he would like to say, he was a one-house builder until he joined forces with his sons to form a company. Retired at the time of his death, he continued to enjoy the gift of life. Funeral services will be conducted 2 p.m. Thursday, January 31st, 2002...

Cross Fingers, Toes, Anything You Can Or Will Try To Cross...

Soooooo... after being eligible for a job now for 2 months, I finally have an interview today at 2pm! I am so excited, nervous, and READY to get this job! I talked to the dentist on the phone and he seemed really nice. He also told me he had some interviews yesterday and will have one this morning before me. Please wish me mucho luck cause I gotta pay the bills some way people!

P.S. Happy Birthday Uncle Abbie!!!

PPQ: Feeling Summer

Feeling Summer

©Mariah Smile

Lightning bugs shared their glow

In the back yard that night

Blankets on the dewey grass

People scattered in my sight

Beautiful smell of the barbeque

Fireworks in the air

Laying on the ground, looking up

At the stars, my feet are bare

I felt your hand clasp in mine

But we didn’t say a word

The paper lanterns in the wind

Was the only sound we heard