kapachino

Blog

  • Day Off?

    I worked all weekend, then had a frantically busy day yesterday. Last night I was tired through and through, but could I rest? No, there were cake consultations to attend and invitations to design. Luckily I had today off, so I could get rested (or so I thought).

    Despite being an emotional wreck for most of the day, I did manage to accomplish some things. First, I got fitted for undergarments at Nordstrom and OH MY WORD if you haven’t done that, go. It will change your life. Purchased all my underwear for the wedding and then some.

    Second, I finally found a paper store that had what I wanted: plain white, smooth finish, thick paper without a watermark. You would think that such a product would be easy to find, but you would be wrong. The store is FasClampitt and today I am in love with it. We also got envelopes there.

    Third, went shopping with my mother-in-law-to-be and found her a beautiful outfit to wear to the wedding, then took it to be altered.

    Fourth, to kill time I stopped by Old Navy and bought a cheap swimsuit for our honeymoon.

    Fifth, I met David at the jewelry store where he bought my engagement ring and discussed wedding band options. It seems that if I want the band to fit against the ring and look like a set I will have to get it custom made, which will cost $400-500. If I don’t do that, I will be wearing two mis-matched rings. What would you do?

    Finally, David and I had dinner at Mama’s Cafe, and it was very good. And when I said goodbye to him (since we were in separate cars) I almost cried because we hardly ever get to see each other, and I have another looooong day of work and errands tomorrow. That would have made about the tenth time I cried today (only slightly exaggerating). See? Emotional wreck.

    It’s not my impending marriage that is doing this to me, though – it’s the combination of hormones (the perfect scapegoat), wedding planning, and above all: MY JOB. Are there any new nurses out there who can empathize with me? I seriously love it and wouldn’t want to be doing anything else, but I just can’t explain how physically and mentally draining it is. I know I’ll get used to it, but I haven’t yet.

    Anyway, if I’m going to be asleep by 8 p.m. I better get going.

  • Tokens of Affection

    In the past couple of weeks Cleo has started to do something really cute. Every time I leave for awhile (to work or if I’m gone in the evening), she will go upstairs and bring down one, two, or even three of my shoes. I find them in the places where she likes to rest: on her bed, on the couch, by the rug behind the couch, or under the computer table. She doesn’t chew the shoes; I think she either likes to have the smell of me nearby, or she’s trying to show me that she misses me. It’s adorable because she doesn’t even like going upstairs and will only go if I’m calling her up for the night. My dad has tried to catch her in the act of bringing the shoes down, but she is sneaky.

    Today my cleat was behind the couch:

    And my flip-flop was on her bed:

    I cannot imagine not owning a dog. Cleo definitely increases my quality of life!

  • Kisses

    kisses

    Cleo and I have been bonding lately. She’s so wonderful when she’s the only animal in the house!

  • I Don’t Know What I’d Do Without Him

    David: Kathleen, have you figured out all the flowers and favors for the wedding yet?

    Me: Well, I don’t have every detail together yet, but I’m working on it. There are only so many things I can do at once.

    David: But you do know that we need all that stuff?

    Me: Yes David, I am aware.

    ***

    How cute. He overheard women at his office talking about wedding details the other day, and before that he didn’t realize that we needed things like flowers and favors for a wedding. He thought that maybe I didn’t know either.

  • Death and Life

    David’s aunt Sue died on Friday night after almost three years of battling pancreatic cancer. It’s a very close family so if you have a moment, please say a prayer for them: her husband Ralph most of all, her two sons Brian and Michael, David’s father Bill, her brother, and the rest of the family. I will be singing at her funeral on Wednesday morning. I’m honored to do it, and also quite nervous. I can get emotional.

    I was telling this news to one of the “seasoned” nurses on my unit today who has worked oncology for 21 years, and has had a lot of experience with grieving families. She asked, “Was she a Christian?” I replied that she was, and then her face lit up. She said, “I always use this analogy: When a baby is born the process is very ugly, painful, messy, and hard. But the end result is something beautiful and alive. For a Christian, death is the same way. The process of dying to this world is sometimes painful and ugly, but on the other side is peace and joy. And those that are left here can take comfort in knowing that they helped her make it there.”

    When I heard that Sue had died, what I felt was sadness for her family. The more I think about it, the more I hate death. But God hates death too. In the story of Lazarus being raised to life, Jesus arrives to the home to find the dead man’s family grieving. They say to him, “Why didn’t you come sooner? If you would have been here he wouldn’t have died!” They are mad, frustrated, saddened, and confused. This is followed by the famous verse, “Jesus wept.”

    Many times people interpret this verse to show how Jesus empathizes with us and knows what it’s like to feel all of the emotions that we feel. I believe that is true, but I see this verse differently. I believe that Jesus wept because there he was, physically in their midst, the resurrection and the life, and yet they are grieving! He is saddened at their lack of trust in him, because he is ALL ABOUT LIFE!

    I don’t mean to say that grieving is bad. I think it is good and necessary. But hope. Hope and trust in God. And praise Him that we don’t have to live forever in these imperfect bodies, in this sinful world. Praise Him for his power and goodness and His perfect plan working out perfectly for those who love Him. Praise Him for newness, praise Him for redemption. Praise him for joy ever-increasing forever. Praise Him for life!