Once a month Jennie and I leave work for about an hour to go deliver Meals on Wheels. On weeks like this week, it's nice to get out. The weather was beautiful and the break was welcomed. Generally we take turns driving and running but there's this one house...
Jennie was the runner last month and we had a new house added to our route. Seemingly no big deal, unfortunately we're dealing with downtown Topeka. Most parts of Topeka that I have been in are less than stellar. (Picture downtown Ogden but somehow older-looking and dirtier.) Jennie gets out of the car to deliver the meal and I'm staring at everything going on around me. There are two bike cops hanging out at the corner questioning some random drunk, the pink house that we delivered to had shutters barely hanging on, and the surrounding houses are not in any better shape. As Jennie comes back, a random stranger is following a little too closely behind. She hops in, unaware of her pursuer) and I quickly lock the doors and speed off. Thank goodness the cops were still nearby. We were seriously a little freaked out. As we were leaving, Jennie informs me that she's never letting either of us go in there alone again. She described this woman's living conditions and honestly, it just made me sad.
Have you ever seen an episode of Hoarders? So this week rolls around and this house is on our list once again. I park the car and we walk in together. I open the door (the woman can't get up so we take it to her) and immediately am overcome with the smell of smoke and filth. I look around to find where she's sitting which is difficult to do as she's shorter than some of the surrounding piles. She notions for me to put the meal on a stack of who-knows-what and then we turn and head out. As I leave that neighborhood, I am overcome with gratitude that I was able to be raised in such good living conditions. Thank you to my parents who worked to keep me out of that kind of neighborhood, even if it was just north of that kind of neighborhood. ;)
On that note, seriously Kansas? Topeka is the state capital? Fail.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Days Go By.
I figured since it's been almost a year since I've blogged, we're about ready for an update. In the past year I've experienced some of the most entertaining events in my life thus far. I dated, fell in love for the first time, and ultimately broke up with a guy who will forever have left a mark in my life. Survived a tornado (well mostly just a tornado siren but still.) Took somewhat spur of the moment trips to Miami and Utah. Went through the St. Louis Temple to receive my endowment. Saw Josh Groban in concert. Tried new foods including Indian, Middle Eastern, Cuban, Caribbean, Greek, etc. Bought a car! Moved to a lame college town but moved in with an amazing roommate. Met my newest niece who is not only adorable, but thrilled to be around other people. Planned and attended numerous ward activities including a Pinewood Derby. And really the list goes on and on. I don't really have pictures to share right now but maybe one day I'll upload some. Here are a few details of the experiences listed above.
-I had the humbling experience of going through the temple for the first time to receive my endowment. My friends Liz and Jodi came from out of town and I am forever grateful that they were here to be with me. I had several friends from KC travel up with me-Ben, Jarrett, Sarah, Brittany, James, and Marta. We made a little day journey to St. Louis and had a great time. I am so lucky to have made the friends that I have. I have been so lucky to have the opportunity to attend a temple each month ever since I've gone. I've been to St. Louis, Winter Quarters (Omaha), Nauvoo, Bountiful and Salt Lake. On my year anniversary, I will actually be able to attend the Kansas City temple which will open on May 8!
-My friends Amy and Hollie came out here to visit and go to a Josh Groban concert, something I never thought I'd do. :) Joshie was great but the girls were even more fun to spend time with. While they were here, we made our way up to the Winter Quarters Temple. They were such troopers to travel three hours to the nearest temple. Being from Utah, they most they have to travel is about 30 minutes! The good news is we had that time to catch up on one another's lives and it was as though we hadn't been separated for the past 7 years. I'm so glad they got to come see the joys of living in KC!
-Ben and I had several adventures while he was here including visiting his entire family in small-town Kansas, going to his medical school graduation, watching Brian Regan live, eating at his favorite (all new to me) restaurants in KC, seeking shelter (and stopping for slushies) during tornado sirens, packing him up and saying goodbye. He moved to Florida and we did long distance for a couple of months before we realized the distance just wasn't going to work for us. I learned and continue learning a great deal from that relationship.
-I bought a car! While Amy and Hollie were visiting my car door kind of broke in the fact that it wouldn't open from the outside anymore. After all of the many minor issues I had, that was the last straw. I went to several dealerships and ended up with a KIA Sportage. After I signed my life away, I walked out feeling accomplished. Then a few hours later I realized 100 different things I could have done to get a better deal. Ha! I'm so sure I could have been such a great negotiator.
-I moved to Lawrence, Kansas, home of the Kansas Jayhawks. The good news is that I moved in with a K-State Wildcat! She (along with several other of my favorite coworkers) has made me a fan too. Inasmuch as I'm a fan of any sports team. She and I made a trip to Utah in October to visit my family. I introduced her to the Park City outlet malls, Cafe Rio, LaVell Edwards Stadium, General Conference, and my wonderful family. She fell in love with them, the mountains, and my dad's Harley. It was a wonderful vacation.
-My sweet little niece Rylee Mae was born in August and I took a quick trip to see her in September. She is such a doll! I got to hold her and cuddle her and love her. I wish like crazy that I was around my girls more often. Wouldn't it be nice if my family all just moved out of Utah? Let's put our heads together and come up with somewhere wonderful to live. Deal?
-I was "blessed" to receive the calling of Ward Activities Committee Chair which basically means I'm in charge of entertaining 30+ people once a month. In October we headed to a corn maze, November was the American Jazz Museum/Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, December we went ice skating outdoors at the Crown Center Plaza, January was small group dinners at the bishopric's homes, and last month we had a Pinewood Derby. We had about 16 cars participate so I'd say it was a success! Jennie's dad let a few of us girls come by to play with his tools. He showed us how to properly use some tools and I mostly inhaled sawdust. It was a blast.
And that sums up the past 12 months or so of my life. There are a few humorous dating stories and some seriously embarrassing wipe outs that have both literally and figuratively left scars all over my body, but those stories will be for another time. Maybe a time when I don't have oodles and oodles of other adventures to catch you up on.
-I had the humbling experience of going through the temple for the first time to receive my endowment. My friends Liz and Jodi came from out of town and I am forever grateful that they were here to be with me. I had several friends from KC travel up with me-Ben, Jarrett, Sarah, Brittany, James, and Marta. We made a little day journey to St. Louis and had a great time. I am so lucky to have made the friends that I have. I have been so lucky to have the opportunity to attend a temple each month ever since I've gone. I've been to St. Louis, Winter Quarters (Omaha), Nauvoo, Bountiful and Salt Lake. On my year anniversary, I will actually be able to attend the Kansas City temple which will open on May 8!
-My friends Amy and Hollie came out here to visit and go to a Josh Groban concert, something I never thought I'd do. :) Joshie was great but the girls were even more fun to spend time with. While they were here, we made our way up to the Winter Quarters Temple. They were such troopers to travel three hours to the nearest temple. Being from Utah, they most they have to travel is about 30 minutes! The good news is we had that time to catch up on one another's lives and it was as though we hadn't been separated for the past 7 years. I'm so glad they got to come see the joys of living in KC!
-Ben and I had several adventures while he was here including visiting his entire family in small-town Kansas, going to his medical school graduation, watching Brian Regan live, eating at his favorite (all new to me) restaurants in KC, seeking shelter (and stopping for slushies) during tornado sirens, packing him up and saying goodbye. He moved to Florida and we did long distance for a couple of months before we realized the distance just wasn't going to work for us. I learned and continue learning a great deal from that relationship.
-I bought a car! While Amy and Hollie were visiting my car door kind of broke in the fact that it wouldn't open from the outside anymore. After all of the many minor issues I had, that was the last straw. I went to several dealerships and ended up with a KIA Sportage. After I signed my life away, I walked out feeling accomplished. Then a few hours later I realized 100 different things I could have done to get a better deal. Ha! I'm so sure I could have been such a great negotiator.
-I moved to Lawrence, Kansas, home of the Kansas Jayhawks. The good news is that I moved in with a K-State Wildcat! She (along with several other of my favorite coworkers) has made me a fan too. Inasmuch as I'm a fan of any sports team. She and I made a trip to Utah in October to visit my family. I introduced her to the Park City outlet malls, Cafe Rio, LaVell Edwards Stadium, General Conference, and my wonderful family. She fell in love with them, the mountains, and my dad's Harley. It was a wonderful vacation.
-My sweet little niece Rylee Mae was born in August and I took a quick trip to see her in September. She is such a doll! I got to hold her and cuddle her and love her. I wish like crazy that I was around my girls more often. Wouldn't it be nice if my family all just moved out of Utah? Let's put our heads together and come up with somewhere wonderful to live. Deal?
-I was "blessed" to receive the calling of Ward Activities Committee Chair which basically means I'm in charge of entertaining 30+ people once a month. In October we headed to a corn maze, November was the American Jazz Museum/Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, December we went ice skating outdoors at the Crown Center Plaza, January was small group dinners at the bishopric's homes, and last month we had a Pinewood Derby. We had about 16 cars participate so I'd say it was a success! Jennie's dad let a few of us girls come by to play with his tools. He showed us how to properly use some tools and I mostly inhaled sawdust. It was a blast.
And that sums up the past 12 months or so of my life. There are a few humorous dating stories and some seriously embarrassing wipe outs that have both literally and figuratively left scars all over my body, but those stories will be for another time. Maybe a time when I don't have oodles and oodles of other adventures to catch you up on.
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