So there's...

So there's a 4 inch cockroach on the floor. Actually, he's not there anymore because I just swept him out the front door. I'll be honest. I can't kill them. The crunch sound they make makes me throw up. And I would like to verify that the ugly thing really was 4 inches because I had never seen such a large insect in all my life so I measured it. I hate that thing. That was really rude of him to disrupt my decorating.

Speaking of decorating, there are pumpkins on the table, pilgrims in the window sill, and 60 degrees outside, but the tree is up! We're all kinds of confused in this house right now.

Happy Everything!

I just found out that one of my friends is having a GIRL! She just found out today. I can't even imagine the shopping spree I would feel like I needed to go on after finding out I was having a girl. Yikes. The nice thing about babies? They look good in everything so you could buy absolutely everything you thought was cute because that little nugget would look like a dream boat in even the ugliest patterns and weirdest styles. That would be nice.

Hopefully the next post will showcase a fully Christmas-ified house! I'd better get to work because we have visitors coming coming into town TOMORROW! This Thanksgiving/Christmas deal will just not do.

Dear Journal,

Let me tell you what I've learned during this wonderful week in the land of my childhood.

1. I think my parents are perfect. I have no idea how they do what they do. Their house is always spotless. It never smells like yesterdays dinner. Their bed is always made. Their countertops are always 409'd. The laundry seems to always be caught up on. I am telling you...I have got some serious learning to do. Apparently the schedule that Mom got us on as children has never changed and everything is cleaned either on Saturday during the day, or Friday after school. She never misses and because of it, her house is a dream. Dear Annalece, you need to get on a schedule.
2. Family is the best thing ever. As if having one family that is awesome wasn't enough, I married the coolest foreigners in the world. I'm telling you. I totally scored.
3. Eating is a problem in my life. Actually, it's really great and I love good food but after this little vaca it is time to get back to the fruits and veggies.
4. No matter how far away we live some things will never change. I still love teasing my brothers. I still like being sick when my Mom is nearby. I still like singing with Dad the very best. Mom's cooking is still the best in all the world. My nieces and nephews have to be the smartest and best looking children that have ever been created. And finally, I will always feel guilty sleeping in in my parents home...it's like I should be up at 5 am practicing the piano or something.

Happy Thanksgiving. It's been a good one.

I'm grateful. I'm serious.

I'm seriously grateful that I've been working 13-14 hours days all this week and I get to do it again tomorrow.  Do you know why I'm grateful for that?

2 things.

1. It means I have work and things to do. (Even though it means that I haven't seen my husband AWAKE in more than two days.  I wonder how he's doing?)

2. Most importantly, it means that this week is FLYING by and I will get to go see all the family and friends in Utah in 35 short hours.  I know we usually say "but who's counting?"  

Well, I'M COUNTING!

White Chicks

As the day began school in my 4th grade class this happened:

Child: "Are you one of those girls from "White Chicks"...you know...the movie?"

Ladies and gentlemen let me tell you a story.  "White Chicks" is about two BLACK MEN who go undercover as WHITE WOMEN.  

Let me give you a visual.

&

Apparently I should have spent a little more time getting ready this morning.

Ouch.

(Side note: why is a 4th grader watching that movie?  It really was unfortunate I couldn't get that 5 minutes of my life back...you know the 5 minutes before I realized that there were millions of other better things to do than watch that movie.)

Today is really...

Today is really happy and really sad.  It is happy because this child:

has returned from serving his mission.  He is the closest thing I have to a little brother.  He is hilarious and I love him lots.

Today is really sad because I'm still stuck in the Land of Enchantment away from the excitement of Colton's return.

BUT today is really happy because I got completely caught up on the laundry AND the ironing.

But it's really sad because the family is eating at my favorite restaurant right now..Old Spaghetti Factory.

But it's really happy because today I received an email from Expedia giving me my "final flight plans" for Saturday Morning when I will fly home and wake the sleeping missionary bright and early with my charming smile and loud voice.

But it's really sad because probably the next three days are going to take FOREVER.  

But it's really happy and it's mostly happy.  It's not really that sad at all because days like today, the sad parts get overshadowed by the happy parts and there's just alot of happy.

Mama said there'd be days like this.

For the sake of being a realistic blogger, and especially because this little piece of the web is my real-life journal, I am going to tell you how we really feel around here.

This has possibly been the worst week of our lives.

Every day brought more and more bearers of bad news.  As if two or three terrible things happening each day weren't enough (because apparently they weren't) we just kept getting pounded.  It has been a winner of a week.

It's really hard to explain all that went on especially because I believe in privacy and I believe that you all don't need to know every detail of our lives but between health, bills, problems and work, more health problems, and our schedules making it so that the only times we see each other is when the other one is asleep, it has been a real doozy.

BUT, I will not fail my gratitude streak so here goes (with a little sarcasm, because lets be serious, I'm Annalece Boothe Misiego.  Sarcasm was my first language.)

1. I'm grateful for weekends.
2. I'm grateful that yesterday when I threw up while teaching 4th grade, there was a garbage can nearby.
3. I'm grateful that Javi has the patience of Job because I would quickly punch some people in the face if they had done to me what they have done to him.
4. I'm grateful that despite the fact that it looks like we will NOT be home for Thanksgiving (lets not talk about it) even though we bought plane tickets months ago, we will have each other to celebrate the lonely/familyless holiday with.
5. I'm grateful for my in-laws because talking with Jose and Mali on speaker phone this morning and hearing Mali get super mad about this week pretty much made my day.  I couldn't stop laughing.
6. I'm grateful for my parents because I've done a large amount of complaining to them this week and they were very good listeners.  Great work, guys.
7. I'm grateful for flu shots that give you the flu.  Awesome.
8. I'm grateful that this week we found out that we have to move out of our house and then we found out that we don't have to move until after Christmas.
9. I'm grateful that when a pit-bull came running into the library when my class was having library time, the two girls that got attacked weren't TOO injured.
10. I'm grateful for the greek yogurt that is the first thing in three days that has stayed in my body.  Here's to hoping it decides to make itself comfortable.
11. In all seriousness I'm grateful that today I've been able to clean the house and that it now smells like Pine Sol rather than sausage from last nights Young Womens activity.  I really love it when my house smells clean and I REALLY hate it when it smells like yesterdays dinner.

How's that for gratitude?

Homes and Dreams

I'm sure you thought that I probably typed the Post Title wrong.  It's supposed to be Hopes and Dreams, right?Nope.  Not today.  Today I'm very, very grateful for homes and dreams.

Lets start with Homes.

Today while I was teaching a voice lesson in my cozy house, a man came to the door asking for money to pay for a hotel for the night.  He went on for more than 5 minutes in this huge monologue about his daughter attending college and his 7, 4, and 2 year old kids.  He talked about how he used to teach Sunday School for the Christian church over a few streets.  He kept talking about how women are more Christian than men.  He kept saying how women understand the circumstance he's in because women have compassion on children.  He even cried real tears as he was giving us this speech.  Now, I have no idea if he was for real or not.  I don't know if this was all rehearsed and he does this every day and he actually lives in a house here in town.  Maybe he does.  But maybe he doesn't and even if he doesn't, it reminded me of how many people don't have homes.  Lots of people don't have a roof over their heads to keep the rain, that is currently falling, from soaking them through.  Lots of people don't have an extra pair of socks to keep their feet dry and warm.  Lots of people don't have a refrigerator to open up whenever they want.  Lots of people don't know what it feels like to be locked up in your house with the curtains drawn and a cozy blanket to snuggle up with.  So, whether Ron was for real or not, I'm grateful for today's reminder of how huge of a blessing having a home is.

Onto Dreams.  

Today I taught 3rd grade.  The teacher left about enough material to fill about an hour and I had the students for 3 hours.  There was a lot of improvisation going on.  Anyway, we read a story about Ron McNair who was one of the astronauts killed when the Chellenger space ship exploded.  In his youth, he had been refused by a librarian to check out a book because of the color of his skin.  He decided that day to work for his dreams.  He wanted to be a pilot, and a pilot he became.  He then, obviously, because an astronaut.  

So, the conversation went like this:

A: Ok class, lets close our eyes and think very hard about what our very biggest dream would be.  Once you've decided your very biggest dream I want you to make a plan of how to achieve that dream."

We then went around the class and each student stood up and told us their biggest dream and how they planned to achieve it.  Naturally we had lots of Professional Soccer Players and several Doctors.  One of the boys wants to be a Kindergarten Teacher and another student wants to fulfill her dreams by becoming a Vet.  Finally, it was Ailin's turn.  She stood up and said:

"My biggest dream is to become a cleaning lady like my mom."

Bless her little, sweet soul.  I hope she achieves that dream and many, many more.

So, I'm grateful for dreams and that I was encouraged to dream the wildest dreams.

Yesterday I was grateful for...

Yesterday I was grateful for technology.  I hadn't seen or talked to my brother Ross and SIL Michelle in a really long time and we were able to skype yesterday!  Ethan even managed to count backwards for us starting at 10.  He's a pretty smart 2 year old.  I'm pretty sure if there weren't ways to stay close in contact with family, I never would have agreed to leave Utah.  It's amazing how close the family can seem with cell phones and computers.  What a blessing.

Isn't it about time?

Remember those commercials for the Church that said "Family...isn't it about time?"  So, come to find out, it actually is about TIME.  Today I'm really grateful for the TIME that my cute husband and I could spend together.  What did we do?  Nothing really.  Actually, that's not true.  We cleaned the church.  We watched Captain America.  We went for a Sonic run.  We took a rest.  We cleaned the house.  We went to Marshall's and bought him two more ties.  (We are drowning in ties around here.  I will personally be purging the tie collection this week.)  And then we walked around the mall.  We used to love to just walk around the mall and people watch and just talk.  Oh ya...and the most important part...we kissed.  In a parked car.  Just like when we were dating.

So, the day wasn't really full of crazy excitement but it was wonderful for us because we got to spend TIME together.  TIME is my love language...come to find out.

As we look forward to the next month and a half, we are so excited for the TIME we are going to spend with our families and friends.  We miss our families and friends so much and we're realizing the importance of this TIME that is fast approaching.  We can't wait.

Actually, I'm so excited that I have butterflies all the time...and our first trip home isn't for another 2 weeks!  This is going to be a long two weeks of butterflies!

Grateful for Prayer

Today, after 25+ hours of training, I finally got my clearance to start substitute teaching in Albuquerque!  Subbing in Utah basically just took a desire and a little bit of knowledge but subbing in Albuquerque takes more than 25 hours of trainings and meetings.  I learned a huge amount but I am really grateful to be at this end of it.  It was an especially great miracle because we were told in our final training yesterday to not expect to be cleared until NEXT Friday, meaning a whole week away.  This morning I woke up and prayed to Heavenly Father that by some miracle, my clearance could come today so that I could start working 5 days a week at the school, continue 3 days a week nannying, and 2 days a week of teaching voice.  When the phone call came, only a few hours after my prayers, I probably sounded overly excited to be receiving my clearance and employee number but I wasn't just excited to receive those things, I was also excited to remember that God does answer prayers and that He answered mine today.

So today I am obviously grateful for Prayer and that Heavenly Father still listens to mine.  He's never stopped listening to mine, it's me who sometimes stops listening for Him but I'm grateful He never gives up on me.

Also today I got to talk to my dad.  He delivered, as usual.  As I ranted about a number of things he reminded me of the imperfections of us all.  He reminded me that even people who live in wholesome, near perfect environments still mess up and so I should have lots of patience for my sweet little Young Women who don't have any support from family at home and the only thing pushing them towards the gospel is my friend Magaly and myself.  How would I be doing if I only had two people encouraging me in everything?  How would I be holding up in everyone in my family was discouraging me from the things that make me the most happy?

Patience, Annalece.  Patience.

So again, I'm grateful for Prayer because last night as I went to bed...and ranted to Heavenly Father...He once again provided an answer to what I needed to hear.  That answer came through my good daddy.

So, once again, thanks for prayer and thanks for listening.

Thank Ya! Day 3

Today I'm grateful that I'm going to have my OWN children and raise them how I WANT TO.  Note to my children...I will not put up with attitudes, cry babies, or ungrateful people.

Can you tell what kind of a day it was at Young Women's and Nannying?  Yep.  Good One.

Ok but seriously, I'm grateful for the miracle of parenthood and family and I'm really excited about it for someday in our lives.  I just think it's the most amazing opportunity ever.  Can't wait.  

Not kidding about the attitudes, cry babies, and ungrateful people thing though.

Thankful Day 2

Today I'm especially grateful for jobs.  I'm grateful for jobs for two reasons.

1. Without jobs we wouldn't have money to pay the rent, do the grocery shopping, have cars, pay for heat and electricity, and do fun things.
2. The other reason I'm grateful for jobs is because I believe that idleness is the worst thing in the world.  I am so grateful for a reason to get up in the morning, get ready, and get out of the house and interacting with people.  Jobs are great.  I'm especially grateful that Javi and I have jobs right now in this difficult time in the world's economic history.  What a blessing.

Thank you for jobs.

Gratitude Day 1

Usually I keep a gratitude journal but I usually lose it before the end of the month so I'm going to keep this year's gratitude journal here on my online journal.

Day 1:

I'm grateful for people.  I don't know where I'd be without the people in my life.  Husband, Mom, Daddy, Oldest Brother, Middle Brother, Sisters-in-law and two babies.  Misiego family - Mali, Jose, Brothers-in-law and Sisters-in-law and all the nieces and nephews.

I'm grateful for the people I've been able to meet through my education.  BYU and my new friends at UNM.  Also the people who are still apart of my life from Spanish Fork High School, Middle School, and Park Elementary.  

I'm grateful for the people I've met through shows, Young Ambassadors, and other performing opportunities.  We have memories that will last forever.

I'm grateful for the people that I've met because of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I'm grateful for the family that all of my wards have become to me.  Wards and Branches in New York, Wyoming, New Mexico, and in Utah.  Thank you for still being apart of my life and being my family.

I'm grateful for those very best girlfriends who sometimes I don't talk to for a long time but who I know still love me and care about what's going on in my life.

I'm just so grateful that Heavenly Father gives us PEOPLE to surround us and make our lives full and happy.

I love you people.