Home

Home is where the heart is, but you first have to actively choose to place your heart there. As a small girl I dreamed of my grown-up life--one full of acres of land scattered with horses, a wrap-around porch skirting my crisp white house, and beautiful dark wood furniture ornamented by brightly colored fabrics. I imagined feeding babies and teaching little hands how to catch a ball. I had it all figured out. Not sure being 25 constitutes as being a grown-up, but I am technically an adult now. Horses exist in my dreams, my porch is a 4x6 foot concrete slab sitting above busy streets, and my furniture is worn with character and love. Life isn't as imagined, but it's still home. That place we return to at the end of a long day, where we can feel safe and secure. Where we create fond memories with those we love. Home--whether it's on Jimmy Ann Drive or Lincolnia Road, as long as we rest our hearts there, we can create our home. And perhaps someday our hearts will find themselves amidst a pasture of horses and a wrap-around porch. Until then, I will place my heart here.

Becoming the It Girl

The past few weeks at work have been extraordinarily busy. As the end of the fiscal year approaches, contracts are awarded and people are running through halls with their heads burried in folders utilizing every inch of time. My experience isn't much different. It's a miracle if I get a restroom break, and the phone always rings when I sit down for lunch. I'm even considering changing my name to Mrs. Andrew Gomer. When my boss leaves on business trips, it's my responsibility to keep business running. Not just running...but running smoothly. He's now been gone for two weeks, and I may just have to stick my head in a paper bag to prevent hyperventilating. No matter the issue, I must take care of it. I communicate with other CEOs, Colonels of every military branch, and even girlfriends. Professional or personal--I'm the It Girl. My boss brags to his colleagues and friends that they "need a Heather." I told him, "I even need a Heather!" No, I don't have the most difficult position, but it's difficult enough. I decided today that multi-tasking isn't just doing several tasks at once, but rather it's doing everything for everyone with a smile on my face. The smile is the most difficult part. At the end of the day, as I forward my desk phone to my cell in case of emergencies and close the Agenda Book, I just hope I did everything to the best of my ability. When attending college, I never imagined I'd be an executive assistant, but I can see how I've slowly been prepared for this position. Each day offers a new challenge, and each day God provides the strength to tackle it. So, as my first six months in this position come to a close, I can honestly say I'm thankful for this job. This position is my mountain, and I'm climbing it. I may stumble a bit or even bruise my knee on the rocks, but I'm climbing.

Wing Wednesday

As mentioned earlier last week, Bentley hasn't been feeling well since we moved here, and she seems to be deteriorating as the days pass. We decided to try yet another remedy. This time involving nests. Kolby has been attempting to "seal the deal" with Bentley for quite a while, and though we're not sure he's been successful, she's definitely loving her little male friend.

Nest-making material for Bentley. So far, they are just afraid of the crazy looking ball of grass, but we're hoping they will figure all of this out. Her nest box is in the background...

Problem Solved

Living in the city has its pros and cons. There are plenty of restaurants to fill any craving known to man, and there is always something entertaining happening to prevent any sort of boredom. If you asked me what is a drawback to city life, I'd say the pace people are moving. Ask Jesse the same question, and he'd say the lights outside our apartment at night. When it's time to go to sleep, we turn of the lights, close the shades, and we still could read a book by the light shining through. While I don't mind light (in fact, I prefer it), Jesse finds it difficult to get good sleep unless it's pitch black. This past weekend I decided it was long overdue to solve the light issue and figure out a way to hang curtains. With the dilemma of a window butting up against a wall, I figured out a way to hang a rod. Wualllah--he has dark!

Letting Go

Everyone has something in their life to which they hold dear and refuse to give away. For some people, it's dried up rose buds from past bouquets of memories. For others, it may be every single t-shirt they've ever owned. But for Jesse, though he does insist upon keeping more t-shirts than he'll ever wear in a lifetime, it's a pillow. There's no mistaking that this feather pillow has been loved beyond its years. I'll refrain from creatively describing what it looks like in fear that you may grow a scowl on your face or spit out whatever food is in your mouth. With a trip to Ikea, I convinced Jesse it was time to let go. "You can get a new feather pillow," I assured him. He responded with doubt, "But it's been my pillow since I was nine." Though I'm not an advocate of allowing things to go to waste just because a new and better version is available, I do have my limits. Let's face it--some things just have to go.
Jesse saying good bye to his pillow.

Hello to two NEW feather pillows!!! He really is happy, believe me. That frown on his face is just a drop of drama for camera's sake. At least I think so...

Northwest Dreamin'

It was originally planned that I'd be travelling to Seattle, Washington this month, but with some last minute changes, my flight was cancelled and hopes dashed. Okay, so it's not that bad, but I was looking forward to seeing some northwest beauty. Those who still went on the trip this week have been emailing me photos throughout the day. Guess they now believe me that the northwest is one of the most beautiful places on earth.

It's Official

Look what was waiting in the mail for me this morning! If Better Homes & Gardens has published their autumn issue, then I think I can finally claim it's officially fall. No headache, sore throat, or itchy eyes could keep a smile off my face this morning with this little gem in my hands. :)

Mt. Vernon Adventure

We had great plans to roam the grounds of Mt. Vernon on Saturday. With our annual passes in hand, we set out to enjoy a peaceful afternoon amongst history and the gardens. We didn't plan on there being no parking places, hundreds of clueless tourists, and a Fall kick-off event. Needless to say, we changed plans quickly. Just outside George Washington's property, the town of Mt. Vernon rests quietly on the Potomac River. There is a perfect bike trail that starts in DC and continues all the way along the river on the Virginia side. We walked a bit of this trail and enjoyed the quiet surroundings. There's nothing like escaping sirens, honking, and people people people.

Blunder of a Bath for Bentley

Bentley has continued to act oddly since moving to Virginia back in January. Perhaps the jostling in the Penske truck was too much for her, or maybe she simply misses being a boy. Whatever the reason, she's not well. With some guidance from a pet shop worker, I decided to soak her in a tub of warm water in case an egg was indeed stuck inside. After just three minutes of forcing her into the warm water, Bentley decided she'd had enough. While I don't like her to suffer, I do want to keep the skin on my fingers. The whole ordeal did nothing but leave her looking like a wet mess and hardly looking like a bird at all. We set her in the window sill to keep her warm as her feathers dried, and we couldn't help but laugh at how pitiful she looked. These photos actually make her look a whole lot better than she really did.

Girl Time

When Jesse leaves on business trips, I usually try to take advantage of this time by catching up on chores, tackling neglected projects, and skipping dinner all together. This time around, I never did get around to anything I "was supposed" to do. Instead, I watched movies--movies I know Jesse doesn't particularly enjoy. Pride & Prejudice, Mamma Mia, Notting Hill. You name it, I watched it. Not only did I sit down in from of Mamma Mia the movie, but I've been blasting the soundtrack in the car as well. Sometimes it's nice just being a girl. :)

Morning Reminder of God

As the deer panteth for the water, so my soul longeth after thee. You alone are my heart's desire, and I long to worship thee.

Simple Things

The simple things in life are what create deep satisfaction, cause a smile to grow, and fill a heart with warmth. Coffee cake and tea, anyone?

Weekend Wrap-Up

Other than taking an adventurous walk through the "forest," we also did a fare bit of cleaning this past weekend. Before my fall decor could grace the apartment, I felt the need to do some deep cleaning. That I did, which turned out to be more tiresome than I imagined it might be. Jesse caught me taking a quick break. Apparently he finds it odd that I don't like to sleep conventionally on the bed for napping.

Sunday Afternoon Walk

We may live in the city, but just a little less than a mile away, a whole other world can be discovered.

Stumble Upon Memory Lane

I made a big mistake this evening--I took a nap after dinner. Thus, here I sit in front of the computer with not a yawn in me. In my search for something to do, I stumbled upon some photo files Jesse had saved a while ago. Thought I'd share some of the fun memories...
Jesse showing off his new Oakleys from Christmas 2008. This was the year we opened all of our gifts early and then flew off to Minnesota on Christmas Eve...also the year I was a brunette, but I'll save you from seeing those memories!

Me laughing in Lake Diaz, knowing not what else to do since I couldn't get the hang of wake boarding. Despite Lynn and Jesse's insistence that I could do it, there I sat.

This is an especially funny memory--one we don't speak of much. That black Mercury Mariner to the left is a vehicle we owned for less than 24 hours. Yes, everyone makes mistakes. God really got us out of this one...this is me talking on the phone to my dad as I grab everything out of the car before returning it to Carmax.

Whenever the Camelbaks are out, you know it's hot. Look at Jesse's long hair! This was a Field family visit back in 2008.

Memory lane wouldn't be complete with a little visit to NASCAR. This was our first race experience in January of 2008. Our beginning to the sport...

Loving Fall

Autumn already had its debut on our blog, but I'm still stuck on it. There's just something striking about waking up to a chilly 53 degree morning with the sun rising in its pink, orange, and purple glory. The transformation from summer to fall occurs almost instantaneously. One day we're sporting sunscreen and sandals, while the next we're bundled in a sweatshirt trying to prevent an ambush by goosebumps. The colors turn from bright greens and pinks to mature oranges and reds. The sun hangs low followed by a soft cool breeze. Need I say more? This season is one I've missed out on, and I'm not taking it for granted. It's absolutely lovely!

Early Mornings

Since signing up for 5K event, one thing has been on my mind: MUST RUN. Each morning, 5:15 flashes on my clock, and the only thing I want to do is snuggle deeper in the sheets. That's when I hear, MUST RUN, and I force myself out into the chilly air to throw on some running clothes. In a sleepy state, I trudge down to the gym, hop on the treadmill, and quickly wake up as I try to beat my time.
While running this morning, I began to wonder why my motivation to train for this race is so much stronger than my motivation to train for a more important race. Quiet times with God come few and far between, and my excuses come rampant--I'm tired, I'm busy, I'll get to it tomorrow. Yet tomorrow never comes, I'm always tired, and I'm especially always busy. Somehow I've stopped listening to the voice in my head saying MUST READ and MUST PRAY. Perhaps 5:15 is going to turn into 4:45 so I can start my day off right. After all, that race is going to take some much heftier training!

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