Jill Victoria

Twenty-five days and counting down till Christmas Day! Honestly, the more I think about it the more it seems that it was only July last month. Time has flown by and yet dragged on for me this year. When I think of the time I’ve been with David it feels like we’ve been together a lot longer than just nine months. Yet when I think of the rest of our lives together and then past that, it seems like there isn’t enough time in this world or the next for us to be with each other. I suppose time really does exist so everything doesn’t happen at once.

I suppose I always start reflecting on time towards the end of each year. At least I’ve reflected on it for as long as I’ve kept a written account of my life, so therefore about ten years. Wow, ten years of writing about my life. Sadly, I burned my whole high school diary because of some of the pain it held. It was rather a cleansing experience. It was as if I could take my past and destroy it. Too bad it didn’t work quite like that. I’m still carrying around some wounds left over from what I experienced, but nothing like it used to be. They say time fixes everything, but only if you actually work to fix it.

Strange I decided to write a bit about this right before I was asked to write “my story”. I did take the time to do that a short while back. I would like to share my story with people. I always love to read people’s stories, or their blogs, or anything else they want to share. Autobiographies are really fascinating. You get this glimpse of a person you may never meet, or may even know, and learn something about them you may otherwise never found out. And like Andy said: Everyone has a story.

OK, let’s talk about today…

So far I’ve been at work and can’t get more than a few minutes worth of work done at a time. Apparently Kris and I have the same problem today. I’ve done MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, online shopping, played on Pogo and gone to lunch. At least I have done everything that my boss has asked me to do today. As long as I have done what he wants me to do then I feel that I have accomplished something.

When I leave here I plan to go to Stonecrest Mall and hopefully get David’s Christmas present. One of them anyways. I have an idea for one gift and want to get him something else as well…just not sure what. At least I finished for everyone else today except David and my brother. I think those two are the hardest to shop for!

I’m just glad I am able to buy gifts for the people I want to give to this year. I was so worried about not having money for it before I got this job. I enjoy giving to people and seeing their reaction. Hopefully everyone gets something they like from me. I worry about that at times.

OK, I need to finish this and get out of here. Almost quitting time!

I officially consider Thanksgiving to be at an end now that Sunday is closing. That means I don’t have an excuse to over indulge anymore. I’m sure that all the leftovers are eaten, Black Friday shopping is done and Christmas music is playing on every station (except the rap ones). Decorations are going up everywhere! I really do love to see the outside lights people put in their yards and on their houses. Icicles are a favorite of mine and I’m glad that David and I plan on putting some up at his house. They wouldn’t look as good on mine. I need to figure out if I’m going to decorate the outside of my house this year or not. I usually do it with Matthew.

I’m actually really excited about Christmas this year! The only thing that would make it even better is to have my brother home. Sadly, I know that won’t happen. Matthew being home would make this Christmas perfect.

Maybe it was the fact that it has been rainy weather ever since Friday, or maybe it’s just that all the hardcore shoppers go out early in the morning on Black Friday. Either way shopping this weekend wasn’t that much of a hassle. My mom rescued me from the Georgia/Georgia Tech game Saturday afternoon and we went to lunch and shopping. It honestly wasn’t any more crowded in the stores we went to than any other Saturday would be. But like I said, it was rainy.

At least I am done with Christmas shopping other than David and Matthew. I’m really not sure what to get either of them. David has given me ideas, now it’s all a matter of deciding what to get him. Matthew is totally indecisive so I know whatever I get him will be a shot in the dark. He won’t even get it till after Christmas is over. I hate that he won’t be here for the holidays. Another first.

I had a really good long weekend with David. Even with four days together it still feels like there is never enough time. We seem to get pulled into doing things with family or friends and sometimes it feels like we’ve lost our time in that. Not that I’m not happy to spend time with family or friends…just that I like David time alone too.

Saturday night Krista and Spencer came over for dinner and then we watched a movie. Well, David and I watched a movie and Krista and Spencer left half way through. They were tired though and it’s not fun driving back to their house in the dark.

Right now I’m trying to prepare my mind for work tomorrow. It seems like I’ve been gone for forever and I got used to sleeping in way too easily. I’m sure it won’t take long to get used to the routine of work again. I just hope that I get the money I was supposed to get last week tomorrow. I need gas and food money badly and I’d like to get David’s present done with…as soon as I choose between the two main things.

I hope all the readers here had a lovely Thanksgiving day/long weekend. I also hope that you get the Christmas spirit soon if you haven’t already!

Now that Thanksgiving is actually over, I can get into the Christmas spirit. I just can’t seem to start thinking of anything Christmasy beyond who I want to shop for before the turkey has been eaten. Holidays in my opinion should be defined and separated. I heard Christmas music on the radio the day before Thanksgiving! Maybe it’s just me (and David) that it frustrates this much.

Thanksgiving was very good this year. David and I started off at my grandparents’ house for a Thanksgiving lunch with my family and some visitors. My Aunt Donna brought a friend from Emory who is originally from China named Hipong. At least I hope that’s how you spell her name. Of course my grandmother made excellent food and I tried not to pig out on it since I knew round two was coming. We spent time together, talked, shared memories, looked at pictures and enjoyed each other’s company. Around 2:00 David and I had to leave to get to his parent’s house for their Thanksgiving dinner.

There were a lot more people at David’s parent’s house. I think we had 24 in all. It was crowded and fun and even though we ate later than planned, the food was excellent. I brought deviled eggs and my grandmother’s homemade pickled okra. Both were a big hit. David made Coke Salad (not as weird as it sounds) for my family and his. It was a great time.

Today David and I went and saw Twilight. I have heard mixed reviews from fellow fans of the books and was glad that I actually enjoyed it. I thought they did a good job of following the book and keeping it true to what happened. No big liberties were taken with the storyline like some movies-made-from-books do. David liked it too.

After the movie we went and got Christmas decorations from David’s parent’s house to use at David’s house. We also went to dinner and I had a really yummy steak. Yeah, I don’t eat ground beef and until recently I hadn’t touched red meat at all. As long as it’s free of the nasty fat on the sides, I’ll eat the steak.

Sadly tomorrow I will have to suffer through the University of Georgia -vs- Georgia Tech game. Anyone from Georgia knows that this is one of those games that “matters”. Everyone (it seems) takes a side and it’s a bloody battle to see who prevails. I’ll probably spend that game time alone and on the computer. Ah well, at least I had today with David.

Maybe tomorrow I’ll have a more in depth blog to write here.

I used to think it was rather stupid to list everything you are thankful for on Thanksgiving. That feeling probably stems from being forced to do it in school so many times throughout life. There were honestly times I just didn’t feel very thankful, or maybe I just didn’t’ realize what I had and why I should feel thankful.

This year though, I feel more thankful than others. I have a lot to thank God for today and every other day of my life. But, since this is the day when we share our thanks openly with people, I thought I might make a list of things I am thankful for today and every day of the year.

I am thankful for my family. I have a very large family when I count my grandparents, aunts, uncles, great-aunts, great-uncles and all the cousins I have. Maybe it’s just me, but I grew up thinking of family being more than the people I lived with or the ones who sent me cards on my birthday. Having been a child of Shingleroof Campmeeting my whole life, family seems like an essential life source. I have more cousins than I will ever be able to count and I love that! I am most thankful for the ones I see most and hold most dear to my heart. I had to grow up away from my first cousins seeing as they lived in France with my missionary aunt and uncle. I was lucky enough to at least make a bond with Joel the summer of 2002 and then again in 2003. I’m so proud of him and Nate both becoming Marines. And I’m proud of my older cousin Rachel on being such a fantastic wife and mother to her six children. There for a while it was expected for Rach to have a baby every year and for a while it happened that way. Lucie, Jack, Joey, JJ, Lilly and Jacob are beautiful children.

I seemed to have skipped right over my immediate family. My parents have done more than their means allow them to at times for my and my brother. They love us and have bent over backwards many a time for both me and Matthew. I feel very fortunate to have been able to go to Disney World as a child as many times as we did. My mom and dad just want what is best for both me and Matthew and sometimes I think we disappoint them at times. They still love us and support us. And Matthew…I miss him so much right now. This will be the first time in 20 years that I don’t have my baby brother around for the holidays. It’s a hard lump to swallow. I’m so proud of him though for becoming a MP in the Army! He’s serving in South Korea and I’m sure him being there away from his whole family is harder for him than us having to be without him today. I’m also so thankful for his life being spared after that asshole ran him off road on his motorcycle last September. My heart stops every time I think of what life would be without my brother in it at all. He’s all I will have left once our parents are gone.

My grandparents, especially my GranMar, have been a big part of my life. Some of the happiest times in my life include them. I’m so thankful to have had them in my life to love and support me as I grew up. And I’m so thankful for my grandmother having been able to remember so much about our family and our link to each other. She can sit on the porch at Campmeeting and tell you who is related to who and how. She is a wonder to me.

I am thankful for my friends. I have been lucky to have some of the best ones I can find. Emily has been my best friend for close to eleven years now, and that’s a record for me. We’ve had our moments of disagreement a time or two and yet we’ve made it through. We’re not the type to let the little things get to us.

And I have other friends who have been great to me. Jeremy has always made time to be my friend even though he’s off being an Airman now. I know I can always joke with him in ways no one else might be able to get and he’s always up for a good argument. It’s a sport to us.

Kris is such an amazing person! She’s been the most amazing mom to her beautiful son and handles life’s stress in a much calmer way than most. She loves to give and does it even when it bleeds her dry. She’s the type of person I want to be like.

Krista is one person I’m extremely thankful this year particular. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have met David. So, I have to give her extra thanks this year. Plus Krista is one of those people I clicked with right away when we met at work last year. She’s funny and gets me, plus she likes Ghost Hunters too! I’m glad my dad was another link in me meeting her.

Not to leave anyone else out, but I would be here all day if I decided to dedicate a paragraph to all my friends. I’m thankful for you all!

I’m more thankful than I can say for David. He is absolutely the best thing that has ever happened to me in my life thus far. He’s my best friend and the love of my life. David is a true Eagle Scout and always does what’s best. His heart is his best feature. He will do anything for anyone, even when the person is using him. I’ve had to save him from himself when it comes to this a few times.

When I’m with David, nothing bad can touch me. I love him with all my heart and I know he loves me with all of his as well. We fit so well together and we never fight. Granted, we’ve been a bit annoyed with each other at times, but still we’ve never fought. And his family has become like a second family to me. I’m glad his parents are as wonderful as they are and John is such a great guy. I’m lucky to be able to call them my family for real in the future. I’m lucky that both David’s family and mine mix well together. David values his large family like I value mine. He’s right, we could probably join forces and rule the world!

I’m thankful for my job. I searched so long and hard to find a new job and I have landed in one that I absolutely love! I actually have no problem getting out of bed each day to go and do my job. Honestly, life has seemed to have all come together for me after I started working at this job. I have my family, I have my friends, I have my David and and I have a job I enjoy. God has really blessed me!

Other things I’m thankful for are good food, road trips, Savannah, GA (yes, I’m thankful for a place), my car, my computer, Andy for making this blog website for me, beautiful babies, my TV shows (because I’d be bored otherwise), music, everyone serving our country in the military, Dots (so I can find cheap but cute clothing), makeup, art, photography, the Internet, the stars, the sun, the beach, my iPod, chocolate, sales, my Henry dog, gas prices dropping like woah, good books, talk radio, Neal Boortz, Sean Hannity, Herman Cain, the guys from TAPS, Coca-Cola, sweet tea, Starbucks, accessories, Chick-fil-a, shoes, Shingleroof Campground, cell phones, tatting, crocheting, gift cards, Pogo.com, history, storytelling, stuffed animals, knock off designer purses, jeans, hugs, kisses and blogs.

I hope you all have a very happy Thanksgiving and that this starts off a wonderful holday season! I will also say one more thing I’m thankful for: you reading blog! Please come back and read more. It makes me feel the warm fuzzies.

After a full day of trying to get this blog completed, it is done! Andy was able to get the background images to work and I figured out how to edit the My Profile part of the page which I will probably end up changing the title and picture again.

Now I’m going to break for lunch and get some more actual work for work done.

Today not only did I end up being a few minutes late because my car was transformed into a blue ice cube over night, but I was also delayed by turkeys in the front yard. Not because they were in my way, but simply because they were there. Again.

What better way to start off Thanksgiving than a flock of wild turkeys right there! Just seemed amusing to me. I’m easily amused.

So, here I am at work and I just know that this day will drag on and on because I’m off tomorrow and I have deviled eggs to make tonight. David is making a dish for my family Thanksgiving and I am making a dish for his. David is excited about his dish, called Coke Salad. Apparently it’s not as odd as it sounds. I decided to stick with the dish that won his family over on Easter; deviled eggs. I make mine with dill relish instead of sweet.

I heard that President Bush excused the White House turkey today. Both of them, actually. I’ve always wondered, does this mean they just don’t have turkey for Thanksgiving? Or do they find another non-presidential bird and eat him instead? Also, do they excuse the Christmas pig?

I’m just rambling now. Maybe one day I’ll have something better to blog about other than turkeys and pigs.

Here is my new blog that Andy was good enough to set up for me. I plan to do an actual blog later, but this is what I have time for while still tweeking the site and getting ready to go to lunch. Really, I should be paying more attention to work, but all I’m doing is looking up hotels in Atlanta. *yawn*