aunt life

If We Were Having Coffee

This is a blog topic which has been floating around the blogosphere for a few years now. (I think I first saw it on Mr. Thomas and Me, but I know a ton of other bloggers have used it and I'm not sure if she was the first to!) I've always loved this topic and format to share some thoughts I've been having lately. 

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If we were having coffee... My drink of choice would probably be a blonde vanilla latte. Yup, I'm totally jumping on that Starbucks bandwagon with their blonde espresso. It's delicious.

If we were having coffee... I'd tell you how I'm still trying to figure out this blog. In some ways I'm really proud of it and where it's going. The layout is the best I've ever had because it looks professional while also reflecting who I am. I love how much more focused the posts are. But, I look at them and sometimes I think "I don't talk like that. Who talks like that?" As much as I want to be professional and talk about writing and books and everything... I want to be myself too. My favorite blogs are always the ones where I feel like I actually know the person who's writing. I want to be the same way. Even with my Flash Fiction Fridays I'm having doubts. I've really started to love writing these short stories, it's challenging me, and the characters I've been able to create are dear to my heart. My most recent story, has been one of my favorites and most personal to me so far. I'm so proud of it. But the amount of views it's had is rather sad. While I know it's not about the amount of views something has, it is discouraging. I'm not sure what to do about it. 

If we were having coffee... I'd talk about how truly awful online dating is. There are a lot of apps and websites who are working hard to improve things so people aren't getting unwanted messages as often. (OKCupid just updated their messaging system that I'm pretty happy about.) But, it still just sucks. First, you have the plain old jerks and creepers. Once you weed them out, you have the guys who have no clue how to hold a conversation. Once you weed them out, there's the ones who seem like good men... but soon you realize they're just jerks in disguise. I'm exhausted. But, I've had some fascinating conversations about all of this lately, that will probably result in some blog posts. So, at least there's that?

If we were having coffee... I'd share how my niece is already 2 months old, and still completely adorable. She's super "talkative" and always makes all of these noises like she wants to be part of the conversation. I love it! 

If we were having coffee... I'd talk about how I'm not sure what to do about church at the moment. The service I've been attending since college (regularly in college, then when I'd come visit the years I lived in Missouri, then officially joined as a member when I moved back to Chicago) closed it's doors December 31st. The "main campus" which hosted the service is still open, and my membership is there. I want to try to continue to go there because I love the congregation. But I also wonder if this is a sign for me to find another place to go. Particularly one closer to home. Yet, I do like the congregation, and I end up working on almost every Sunday morning anyway which prevents me from attending anywhere. So... maybe I need to just not worry about it. But I've never not had a "home base" for Sundays mornings before on the rare occasions I can attend. This is weird for me. 

If we were having coffee... My shallow and materialistic side would come out and I'd probably be gushing about the Pandora bracelet I got for Christmas. I'm slightly obsessed and am always paging through the catalog and website looking at charms. I know.. it's ridiculous. But I can't help it! It's just so pretty and shiny!

If we were having coffee... I'd talk about how finishing the rough draft of Vampire Snow White isn't going quite as I had hoped. I think my month-long break in December did more harm than good because now I can't get back into the swing of writing regularly. It's not like I'm not thinking about it or working on it. I am. I've done some brainstorming, world building, and had a couple break-throughs. All of this totally counts and is great! But, actual words on the page? Not so much. 

If we were having coffee, what would you order? What would you tell me about your life lately?


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I'm An Aunt!

Well, my friends, I'm sure you've seen this all over my Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and everywhere else, but I'm just going to continue to gush because it's all I can think about and focus on and... sometimes you just need an easy blog post.

I'm an aunt!

Okay... technically I've been an aunt my entire life. But that's another story for another blog post.

My sister had her first baby on Thursday, November 9 at 9:38pm. Her name is Elsie and is by far the cutest baby I've ever seen.

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Not that I'm partial or anything.

(YES, I'M SURE YOUR BABY IS THE CUTEST TOO.)

Originally, she was scheduled to have her c-section on Friday morning. So, you can imagine my surprise when I was at work Thursday evening and got a text saying that her BP was high and was going in at 9:30pm that night. 

Naturally, I started to freak out. Did I need to find someone to cover my shift? Was my sister okay? Did they need anything? Was this an emergency?

Thankfully, some friends who know far more about these things than I do, talked me down and I realized by the time all was said and done I probably wouldn't even be considered allowed to visit until at least midnight and my sister was going to be just fine. (They even had to explain to me that BP = blood pressure. Duh. You'd think I would have been able to figure that one out on my own.) So, my mom and I went over to the hospital right at noon the next day when they would let us in.

Elsie is adorable, happy, sweet, and sleeps a lot. My sister and brother-in-law are doing great, and everyone is ridiculously happy. 

So, if anyone asks me what's new in my life they'll be shown a bazillion photos of the baby that all look exactly like the other but I SWEAR THEY'RE DIFFERENT BECAUSE SHE'S CLEARLY MAKING A DIFFERENT FACIAL EXPRESSION IN EACH ONE. 

Yup. I'm that aunt and I don't care. 

Also, since we can nick-name her "Elle" you know I'll be buying her a stuffed chihuahua named Bruiser and a pink Harvard Law shirt because... obviously. 

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