4.29.2014

Spring Quiet


Spring Quiet

Gone were but the Winter,
Come were but the Spring,
I would go to a covert
Where the birds sing.

Where in the whitethom
Singeth a thrush,
And a robin sings
In the holly-bush.

Full of fresh scents
Are the budding boughs
Arching high over
A cool green house:

Full of sweet scents,
And whispering air
Which sayeth softly:
“We spread no snare;

“Here dwell in safety,
Here dwell alone,
With a clear stream
And a mossy stone.

“Here the sun shineth
Most shadily;
Here is heard an echo
Of the far sea,
Though far off it be.”

--Christina Rossetti (from Verses, 1847)



4.27.2014

100 Days of Happy

 
 
A full update will resume next week!
 Until then, a nice video my sister sent me to remind us of what brings true happiness to our lives.
 
:)
 

 
 
 
Hope you are all had a week full of happiness!
 


4.21.2014

Army Wives--umm yes please.



I was searching through Netflix a few months ago, looking for a new show to, as my husband puts it, rot my brain.  I came across Army Wives.  I had heard about it but never seen any episodes.  I dove right in and was instantly hooked because, well, its a lifetime drama soap opera!  

I'm addicted and totally ok with it.  The funny thing is I think my husband is secretly getting hooked as well. 

:)

Husband: I can't believe you are watching this show.  They're the worst actors and its not even realistic.
Me: mmmhm.

10 minutes later...standing in the doorway

Husband: So...who is that guy?
Me: That's the dark haired lady's son.
Husband: Oh....and is that the baby that went to the hospital? And her dad is the psychologist?

hooked.

4.20.2014

100 Days of Happy : 22-28


I hate to admit it but I did not have an over abundance of "happy" moments to sort through this week.    But I dug around and found one for at least every day.  Its the small things, right?

:)

22 : Sunday
Fitting back into these pajama pants definitely put a smile on my face!  While my weight loss journey is still far form over, its these little goals that make me keep going!

23 : Monday
The nights are getting longer and my favorite part of the day is seeing the sun set at 8pm.  

24: Tuesday
4:44 on a Tuesday I was happily taking an afternoon nap with my husband :)  While the reason for me coming home early was not so happy (taking a very sick co-worker home) I took full advantage of a few extra hours home.

25 : Wednesday
I had the whole lab to myself Wednesday afternoon.  I turned up my ipod, listened to my favorite songs, and enjoyed the rare moment of time alone!

26 : Thursday
The rain is back.  When I first moved here, someone told me that there would be days where I longed for the rain.  I remember silently scoffing- thinking there was no way I would ever get used to the downpours and constant summer thunderstorms.  I realized this week as I watched the rain pour from the afternoon sky and the thunder shake the window panes that I had missed the rain.  I sat on my porch and watched puddles form and listened to the gush of waterfalls slide off the gutters.

27 : Friday

I came down with a silly cold and fever on Friday.  Luckily I already had the day off from work, and got to catch up on my netflix and drink my most favorite tea!  Have you had it before?  Its delicious :)

28 : Saturday

Another cute moment with the neighborhood baby ducks that made my heart happy!

What made you happy this week?
:)

4.15.2014

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In a few weeks I will be making a work trip up North.  There I will be meeting with a museum to transfer cultural objects back to the Tribe.  Myself and another co-worker will then be driving everything back down to Florida on a six day journey along the east coast.  Books on tape suggestions anyone?
I've been thinking a lot about the trip -- all the logistics and planning -- and realizing that I'm not really nervous about the travelling part.  I'm more apprehensive for the final leg of the trip --you see, we will be re-interring the objects back to their final resting place.
This will be my first time participating in a reburial.  I've observed it in other museums I've worked at, I've learned about it in school and I've been working with this particular project for almost 2 years.  But I've never physically participated.  I'm just not sure what it will be like or how I will feel.  I know other colleagues who have talked about their feelings of sadness along with great satisfaction of knowing objects are being returned home. I'm sure I'll feel similarly.   

The whole idea surrounding repatriation is very sad.  Its something most of us have a hard time grasping, especially when it comes to understanding the breadth of damage previous actions have caused to tribes.  I honestly can't even imagine how I would feel if my ancestors had been taken from their resting place and stuck in a museum storage room.  And then on top of the emotional and cultural struggles, to have to swim through years and years of paperwork and red tape to get everything back.  
The severity of past actions is tremendous, but slowly progress is being made and relationships are being mended back together.  A few weeks ago I met with one of the elders and medicine men of the tribe and he told me and my co-worker that he trusted us to repatriate the material. 
I walked away from the meeting feeling honored and even more nervous!
This has been a huge learning experience for not just my career but for myself and its something that I've appreciated being a part of.  Even with my most introverted self I am able to be a part of the fight for human rights and this experience will be something I take away with me forever.




4.13.2014

100 Days of Happy : 15-21








15 : Sunday
A sure sign of Spring!  16 baby ducks have been running around our complex. This week Aurelia finally got to see them and ran from window to window trying to catch a better glimpse!


16 : Monday

My twin sister and I Skype a few times a week and usually there is an appearance from my cutie patootie niece.  I love this time so much and each time I see them (even if it is only over the computer screen) makes me so happy!


 17 : Tuesday

Part of working in the Everglades means visits from wild animals.  Ellen the Red Tailed hawk came by to visit this week.  One of my co-workers (who is basically an animal whisperer) rescued Ellen after she had fallen out of her nest when she was only a few weeks old.  She is beautiful, strong, and she even let me pet her!
18 : Wednesday

Had the opportunity to photograph this artifact at work.  Its not everyday we come across something as beautiful and rare.  A decorated bone pin that dates between 3,000 - 5,000 years old.
19: Thursday
 
Sometimes the only thing that gets you through the day is knowing there is a delicious meal for dinner.  One of my most favorite things to eat is macaroni and cheese -- homemade of course!  My mom has the best recipe and every few months I get the craving!
{I didn't even take a picture because we ate it all!}

20 : Friday
Date night with my husband.  Always a wonderful thing. :)
21 : Saturday

{Excuse me for the awkward, grainie "selfie"}
Dinner with some girlfriends at the Pub and realizing that I may have found a lipstick that I actually like = a good night! 


What made you happy this week?
:)





4.12.2014

Premier Night

Finally got around to posting these photos from the premier of Miami Boheme a few weeks ago!

Over 300 hundred people showed up to support the documentary and bands and overall it was a great and successful night! We feel so blessed that Bobby was able be a part of such a wonderful project!


The directors gave a nice shout out to Bobby when they were on stage introducing the documentary and his name pops up on the opening credits (how exciting!!)


Miami Boheme will be aired on national PBS in the upcoming months and I'll be sure to let you all know when.





4.06.2014

100 Days of Happy | 8-14


8
{2012}
Every Sunday my sister Elizabeth and I have a phone date and I look forward to it every week.  Sometimes its short and sweet, sometimes we talk for 45 minutes, and sometimes its chopped into multiple phone calls back in forth due to the mishaps of a two year old or hungry newborn!  My twin sister and I always look to her for advice and she always is willing to give it-- in a kind and helpful way.  I always walk away from our conversations with a smile and feeling lucky to have such an amazing sister!

9
Monday morning I received this e-mail.  I had applied for a week long program being held at UC Berkeley and I was officially accepted!  I'm really looking forward to the sessions and being able to meet others who work with tribal collections!

10
{photo source}
Tuesday afternoon I saw my friend the Roseate Spoonbill flying over the Glades.  Whenever anyone in my carpool sees him flying around, they make sure to point him out to me because they know how excited I get.  Who wouldn't get excited seeing a giant, bright pink bird in the sky?  {also think I saw a Flamingo flying around the other day!}

11
 I found this beautiful photo perfectly that captured what I saw on Tuesday morning.  There is something eerie yet peaceful about these foggy mornings and I love watching the Everglades slowly appear through the early morning mist.

12
A bit of a spontaneous date night with my husband Thursday night.  We went to see a band he really likes down in Miami called Aaron Lebos Reality.  They were great!  I could barely get up the next morning, but it was a fun night!

13
My sister sent me this photo, along with a few others showing their spring snow storm (brrrr). How could this not make my heart happy?  Mr. Oliver is coming up on 2 months and I can't believe how much he has grown since I saw him!

14
Sanibel Island here we come!  We booked a long weekend in celebration of our 2 year anniversary.  Come May, we will be laying on the beach, soaking up the sunshine, and remembering fondly our last time on the island!
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+
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What made you happy this week?

4.04.2014

And Where She Stood, She Stood Tall


Do you ever have those moments where your brain is so full its hard to wade through everything?  Like  maybe I need to just slice open my head, do a little bit of reorganization, some recycling, and maybe empty the rest into the waste basket and then stitch it back together.  

One of the reasons why I started this blog was so that my family and friends back in Colorado could keep in touch.  The second reason is so I could spill my innards out.  But sometimes my brain is so full I don't even know where to start typing...  

So much has been going on at work and just with myself internally that its hard sometimes to keep it all straight and to truly know how I am feeling or why I am feeling what I'm feeling.  I've kind of been on an emotional roller coaster the last few weeks and I just need someone to come and yank me off the wild ride and tell me to sit still and breathe.  

Its hardest when I come home from work.  I work really really hard to pull it together for everyone else.  

Keep smiling, keep encouraging, keep listening, keep doing. Repeat.

I sometimes feel that I give the best part of myself to the rest of the world and then those that matter most to me get the left over, ugly me.  Its something I'm trying to work on.  I mean really trying because its just one of those thoughts in my brain that is rumbling and rattling around and is most likely the cause of the stress that is now causing the giant pimples all over my face.

I have anxiety.  I have for forever.  My husband would probably say that I'm always anxious but I think I'm learning to control it {well except when I'm driving on the highway from hell --a.k.a. I-95}.  But sometimes it still gets the best of me and the past few weeks it has taken a strong hold.  The worry and "what ifs" creep in and become this overbearing and dark cloud.  They get caught in the folds and wrinkles of my brain.  Even when I've filled up on inspirational and beautifully designed Pinterest quotes those pesky anxious thoughts make an appearance.  A slow and painful growing period, yet there are days that are I can honestly look at myself and say, "you got this under control".

Its interesting to see myself now compared to myself 4 years ago.  My how I've changed-- mostly because of my environment-- but also because I have become more honest with myself, more confident in myself, and most importantly more courageous.  I don't take those changes lightly and I don't throw them up to some magical journey I've been on where I've been trying to "find myself".  Its just me growing up.  Its just me allowing myself to become more transparent to the world.  

Maybe all of this recent foggy and muddled brain activity are some good ol' growing pains.  Just when I feel like I have myself all figured out, I realize I don't know anything and I still have an incredible amount to learn.  The past few weeks I have faced some unexpected detours and challenges.    It at times has caused my anxiety to sky rocket.  Its caused me to unleash my stress on innocent bystanders.  And even though my brain is acting like a hoarder {holding onto countless emotions, thoughts, repeating conversations I've had, repeating conversations I wish I'd had}, I realize that the me 4 years ago would not have been able to handle this as well as the me today. 

So while sometimes I feel like I'm flopping around like a fish out of water and having an abnormal amount of brain spasms, I am learning and growing for the greater good of myself. Its not always easy to see the growth in ourselves until we are faced with unexpected situations.  And what I'm learning through it all is that I'm doing just fine. 

   




4.02.2014

Things that make me giggle.

I snapped a few of these photos over the last few weeks and each one made me giggle for one reason or another 
(apologies in advance for the extremely poor photo quality)

:)

  A co-worker brought in some real cuban bread.  All you need is some flour, water, salt, yeast...oh and Lard and you have some delicious bread! {I had no idea people still cooked with lard!}

I kept wondering why on earth this box was left on my co-workers chair and if there truly was a live, caucasian baby inside! 

 The green bean truck!  Sometimes we get stuck behind this truck on the way home from work.  There are millions of green beans that bounce around the grated bed and rain down on our windshield or fall into the road.  Even when we aren't stuck directly behind him, we know when he's been on the road because of the trail of green beans left behind.

People like to bring in their old magazines to share for lunchtime reading.  This day in particular there was a National Geographic, Smithsonian magazine, and this one.  Just some light reading on soviet weaponry...no big deal.

And I saved the best for last:

Bobby and I came across this the other day in a parking lot and had quite the giggle fest in front of the Olive Garden.

Oh Florida-- how you make me chuckle.