Thankful Thursdays 04/25/13

Music: Come With Me - The Del-Vikings




The SUN is shining!!!! For those of you who don't live in Northwest Montana, you may be saying "So. What. Boring." Well, for your information, a bright sunny day in April up here is about as rare as a purple polka dotted rhino. So this is pretty dang exciting! All my NW MT peeps, em' I right? Holla!

Ooookaaay, enough of trying (and failing spectacularly) to sound hip...let's get back to our regularly scheduled programming.

1. My mountains. I don't climb them. I don't bike them. I don't even really hike them, but I love them all the same. I've lived my whole life next to this portion of the Rockies, so to me they're a symbol of home. Seeing them on the horizon after I've been away on a trip is almost a relief. Kind of like crawling under your favorite blanket after a rough day. That's what my mountains are to me.

(How could you not love them?)

2. Crystal. My Chiquita Bonita (for more info why I call her this shoot me a comment). I've been blessed to call her my friend for almost fifteen years. We were roommates for three years...until some boy came by, swept her off her feet and made her his bride...pssshhhttt, boys...Hi, Justin! We've gone on mission trips together. Endured the heat of the Gorge Ampitheater to see numerous Creation festivals. We've done Harry Potter and Disney cartoon marathons (yes, we're still 12 years old at heart). We've laughed and cried...sometimes both at the same time.We have almost completely opposite personalities (she was a cheerleader in high school, and I was and always will be a nerd), but it works for us. She can always cheer me up when I'm feeling blah, and I hope that I can do the same for her. I love ya, Crystal!

(Miss Gorgeous Perma-tan and Miss Wonder Bread)

3. BBC period dramas. I LOOOOOVE them. Pride and Prejudice, Emma, North and South, Persuasion, Jane Eyre, Cranford, Sense and Sensibility, Wives and Daughters. The empire waist dresses, the grand estates, the rain and mist, the sweeping vistas, the repressed emotions, the brooding heroes, and spirited heroines...siiiiggghhh...

Remembering Nannie...

It was a year ago today that we lost my grandma, and I just wanted to share with you guys some of the things that made my Nannie so wonderful and what I miss about her.

1. Geraniums and petunias were always on your patio no matter if you lived in Washington, Montana, or Utah.

2. Having sleepovers with you and Poppie in the motor home.

3. Airstream trailers

4. Jean Nate After Bath Perfume.

5. Being wrapped in your soft arms (you always had the softest skin, Nannie).

6. Swedish pancakes bathed in butter and lemon juice with as much sugar as we wanted sprinkled on top.

7. Praying with a scared seven year old while her mommy was in the hospital giving birth to her little brother.

8. The Wind Beneath My Wings

9. Our trip to Disneyland.

10. You calling me "Mandi Honey" "Mandi Dear" or even just "Hey, baby" (You were always one of the very few that could call me "baby" without driving me nuts).

11. The absolute joy you took in playing us Happy Birthday on that little keyboard of yours.

12. Your amazing party planning skills. You made everything a celebration.

13. Your tap dance routine.

14. San Diego

15. Your meatloaf. Try as we, might Mom and I have never been able to replicate it.

16. Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. You put on some epic holiday dinners.

17. Even when you were so sick and in excruciating pain, that was still no excuse not to have your hair done,  lipstick applied, nails painted, and best Alfred Dunner ensemble on when you went to your doctor's appointments.

18. Your adventurous, gypsy spirit. You could never stay in one place for very long. Pretty soon your feet would start itching, and you and Poppie were off in your motorhome! Branson, MO, Mitchell, SD, Nova Scotia, Catalina Island, Philadelphia, PA, Yellowstone, and so many more places than I can remember right now.

19. Your smile and laugh.

20. Your love for all your kids, kids in laws, and grandkids.

Nannie, you helped shape me into the woman I've become. Because of you I love to cook. I'm a little bit of a clothes horse. I CANNOT leave the house in less then jeans and decent shirt. I'm proud of my Swedish/German heritage. I have a slightly itchy pair of gypsy feet, and a deep, deep love for my family.

I love you Nannie, and miss you still...

Thankful Thursdays 04/11/2013

Music: Wanna Be Startin' Something - Michael Jackson

           Take On Me - A-Ha

Yes, I'll admit it. I slacked off, and didn't do a post last week. In my defense, last Thursday I was packing and girding my loins for a ladies retreat in Billings. Yes, I said "girding my loins", what? The girding of the loins was for the eight hour drive in the backseat of a fifteen passenger van. Since I don't get car sick (there's a suspicious number of ladies in our church who do get car sick ... not saying that it's not true, just suspicious...love you, ladies!), I always volunteer/get nominated to ride in the back. It's really not that bad, but after a while even someone who is on the short side tends to get cramped legs and loses all feeling in their tuchus (rear/bottom/butt/gluteus maximus (and mine is maximus!) ). Okay, sorry, that was a rabbit trail. Back on topic. So that was my excuse for not posting anything. Now on to the thankfulness. 

1. Ladies retreats. To quote Sheri Rose Shepherd "We laughed, we cried, we ate too much, and slept too little."  What a fantastic time! I was part of a trio who were asked to do a series of skits. I learned two new favorite quotes, "Don't compare your journey with someone else's." and "Don't compare your behind the scenes feature with someone else's highlight reel." One of the speakers was a vice principal at an international school in the United Arab Emirates, and she put on a traditional Emirate tea for us (the cardamom coffee was awesome!). I re-learned that grown women can have the sense of humor of a twelve year old boy (complete with jokes about gas). We saw a ballet concert! I met up with dear friend whom I haven't seen in over a year. I laughed until my face hurt, shed a few tears, got very little sleep, but oh, was it worth it!

2. My sweet friend, Chelsey. Here is a girl after God's own heart. She is one of the most genuine people that I know. She truly cares about others, and if she says that she'll pray for you, she will. Her fervor to know more about the Lord is incredibly inspiring. She's in the Word daily. She challenges me to listen more and talk less...which is kinda hard, sometimes. She's the best at getting me off the couch, and heading outside to do something. She cares about me and my health so much that she took the time to set up the "13 Week Coffee Bean Walking Challenge!" (if you're curious about this, shoot me a comment below) all so I can get ready to walk my first 5K in June. She's the biggest peanut butter and chocolate fiend that in the world. No. For reals. Seriously, she is. Also, her love for Switchfoot and Jeremy Camp knows no bounds. She's always up for a some new adventure whether it's trying a new restaurant, going on a road trip, or hiking a new trail. I'm completely blessed to have her in my life. Chelsey, my friend, you are a jewel!!

3. 80's pop and rock. Whether it's Poison, Tears For Fears, Bon Jovi, or The Police, this genre is my not so guilty pleasure...Madonna and Culture Club, you're not invited to the party, though. Sorry. 

Thoughts On Turning 31...

Music: Another One Bites the Dust - Queen
          I Got Rhythm - Bobby Darin
         Hospital Beds - Cold War Kids

I'm going to take a week off from the "Thankful Thursday" posts and write some thing a little different for this Thursday. Just to reassure you all, this post is not to try get more people to tell me "Happy birthday". I just wanted to share some thoughts and reflections on gaining another year.

Welp, ladies and gents, I'm officially in my 30's. Now, I know some who are no longer in their 30's are saying, "Oh gosh, she's still just a baby!", and others who are not may be saying, "Good gravy, Miss Mavie! She's so old!" (For some reason, I'm imagining them saying this with the Sultan's voice from Aladdin...don't know why...). I remember someone telling a while back that one of their friends had a really tough time turning 31. Not 30, but 31. The reason being is that now they were in their 30's and all that that implies. When they first told me that, I was all "Pssshhhtt, what's the big deal?!" Now I can kind of understand what they were saying. For me, it's not about growing older. I could care less about that. Some of the most awesome people I know are in their 40's or older...much, much older. No, it's just that I never expected my life to turn out the way it has back when I was 18, which is kinda weird, rather terrifying, but super cool all at the same time.

At 18, I think most people have this whole plan laid out for themselves about how the future is going to go for them. I know I did. I thought that I was going to go to school to become either an English teacher or a youth counselor. I thought that I would have traveled to Europe by now. I thought that I would be working in one of my planned professions. I thought that I would be married with possibly a little rugrat or two... Instead life to date has turned out pretty much the exact opposite of what I planned. Heavy emphasis on the "what I planned" here. I had my plans, but the Lord had His plans. His, as always, prevailed, and for that I'm extremely grateful.

First, my plans to teach or counsel. Those did not pan out. Nope, they didn't pan out at all, and it's good that they didn't. I'm not cut out to teach in a class room setting. Lord bless all of those of you who do. I learned this through a few years of VBS, Children's church, and Sunday school. I enjoyed teaching in those capacities, but I've found that I much prefer one on one interaction with people. "So, why didn't you go into counseling if you like working with one person at a time?" you might ask. Well, I really did think for a while that was the direction that the Lord was taking me, but He had another idea for me. He, instead, put me in the job that I still hold to this day. As most people know, I'm an optician, and have been for almost eight years. This is a job that I never thought I would have. It's a technical job, filled with math and bits of science and engineering. In school, I never liked any of the practical studies. Give me a Shakespearean sonnet, a Peloponnesian war, or jambalaya recipe any day, but...I love my job. I get to work with tons of different people. Sometimes, some of my patients do open up to me and share their troubles and struggles. I get to encourage them, pray for them, and help them. Talk about a blessing.

Second, Europe. Oh, Europe. I've wanted to travel that continent for as long as I remember (especially the British Isles!). I haven't made it there, yet, but hopefully one day I will. While I haven't been to Europe, I have traveled around all of the western US. That's pretty awesome, I must say. Especially, when I have peers who haven't even left Montana! So yes, Europe is still a far off dream, but in return I've seen some spectacular landscapes across our country.

Third, marriage and family. This one is a tender subject, and probably my greatest struggle at understanding the Lord's plan for my life. It's very hard being single and being one of the few in my circle of friends that isn't in a relationship. I'll be honest. I've shed a lot of tears over this. It hurts always being alone. I ache at times for that intimate relationship with another person that my married friends have. I'm not just talking about sex. There is so much more to a married relationship than sex. I'm talking about those shared glances, the inside jokes, curling up to next to each other watching a movie, deep conversations, nerding out over a favorite television show, sliding your arm around the other's waist as you walk down the sidewalk, holding hands as you stroll down the aisle at Target, or the soft kiss given as you pass the other in the kitchen.

Now, yes, I realize that marriage is not sparkles, butterflies, and caramel kisses all the time. I know there are times that your spouse drive you nuts, and if he/she snores all night long again your pillow over their face is a tempting, tempting thought. It's hard work, but if you're willing to put the time into it, it can be one of the most beautiful things God created. I do so long for the man the Lord has for me, but I've come to realize that I have to wait on Him. I cannot rush ahead of Him just to soothe my heart because in the long run that wouldn't soothe anything. The hurt I could do to my heart and someone's heart by not waiting is not worth it. I had a dear friend tell one me time, "Why settle for just okay, when God has something great for you? You just can't see it yet." Wow. Talk about throwing the breaks on the pity party bus! Those two little sentences helped change my view of singleness. It made me decide to wait on God. Yes, I know that I'll still have those late night cry fests (sometimes, a girl just needs a good cry, mmmkay?). Yes, seeing a cute couple holding hands will make me look away and sigh with longing, but I know that I just need to wait a while longer. God's got me in the palm of His hand. Where else would I want to be?

Okay, there's my thoughts to date on turning 31. Anyone else out there with thoughts on growing older? I would love to hear them!

Manda

Random Outbursts 03/25/13

Music: As I'm Leaving - David Gray

I was told over the weekend by one of the brothers who shall remain nameless (but his name rhymes with Ick) that I'm getting mushy in my old age. Thanks, bro. So to compensate, I bring you a little snark.

WARNING: If there are any guys reading this, you will not understand my first item. You just won't. Trust me.

1. Underwires. AAAAAARRGGGGHHHHH!!!! Girls, am I right?! I had two go this weekend on two separate bras...TWO!! I'm all like what do you guys conspire in my top dresser drawer? Does Bra One say to Bra Two, "You know what would be like sooo much fun?" Bra Two: "What?!" Bra One: "You have one of your underwires burst forth from it's casing and poke Manda in the side all day long. Then the next day, I'll have one of mine snap in half while she's out in public!" Bra Two: "O.M.Y. (Oh My Yes) Let's totes do it! She'll be furious! So fun!" Both Bras: "MUAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!(evil maniacal laughter)"Yes, I realize that my underwear can't talk, but just go with the madness...mmmkay... Seriously, ladies! There's nothing worse than bra shopping. I hate it more than jean shopping, and that's saying a lot. Yeesh.

2. Montanan Spring. Spring in the MT should just be called "Sprinter" (spring/winter) because one minute the sun is shining. There's a soft fragrant breeze tickling the ends of your hair, and you're thinking that maybe, just maybe you can put away the old wool pea coat when all of a sudden BAM. Blizzard complete with horizontal snow and hurricane gale force winds strong enough to blow over trees. Just lovely.

Okay. Rant over. Thanks for indulging me.

Manda

Thankful Thursdays 03/21/13

Music: I'm Gonna Be - The Proclaimers
           Sweet Dreams - Eurythmics

Time to belly up to the thankfulness smorgasbord!

1. First: I'm so thankful that the Lord has provided me with a job that provides steady income. Second: Not only has He given me a job he allowed me to stay there for what will soon be eight years! Third: Not only do I have a job that I enjoy, but I've also been blessed to work for an amazing couple and a co-worker that I count as a very dear friend.

2. My middle little brother, Nick. Nicholas, Nick, Nicky, No No Nicky, Nicky Poo, Brudder, Bro-her, The Second Member of the Dynamic Johnson Sibling Trio. When Mom and Dad brought you home, told me that I was a big sister now, and that it was my job to help take care of you, I was beyond excited! I have loved every minute of being able to say that I'm your big sister (Shane, you too. Don't want to leave you out.). I'm sure there have been times that I've...ahem...over stepped my big sisterly boundaries. The dress fiasco, the counter disaster, the Nicole embarassment...the list could go on for a while. In spite of those failings, we've had a lot of fun. Music swapping. Movie quote-a-thons. The never ending New Mexico and Minnesota drives. Forcing me to actually play a card game. Sandcastles in Oregon. The Reptile Gardens. Scaring you with mushrooms and clams. Listening to me vent. Putting up with my complaints. Cheerleading me to get healthier. Always telling me that I look nice, and sincerely believing it even when I'm sure I don't look so great (you have no idea how much that helps a girls viewpoint of herself.). Not to much that I am so absolutely, completely proud of the man you've become! I love seeing your thirst for the Lord, and your hunger to dive into His Word. Plus, you've gone back to school! How awesome is that! Kiddo, you burst my buttons! I love you, brother, and can't wait to see where the years take you!

(Gosh, I love being the big sister with all the cheesy pics...)

3. Cadbury Easter Eggs. Nothing more needs saying ;)

Thankful Thursdays 03/14/13

Music: Hosanna - Jason Morant
           Heart Still Beats - Brave Saint Saturn
           White Fences - Needtobreathe

1. Sometimes it just takes the smallest reminder that even when life seem bleak and dreary, hope can always be found. Take my little snowdrops, they're proof that the winters in our lives will always be pushed back by the spring.

2. My baby brother Shane. This kid. He never ceases to amaze me. He can make me laugh harder than anybody else can. He's one of the strongest Godly young men I know. He challenges me to strengthen my walk with Christ. He's a teddy bear, BUT can also teach stubborn to a mule. (You know it's true, Shane.) He's taught me the freedom that comes from letting your geek flag fly proudly. He astounds me with his musical abilities. Where he got those, heaven only knows... The goofy, goober grin he gets when he wants to tell you something exciting. The movie quote-a-thons at the dinner table that leaves the parents scratching their heads. "Nicey nice!" "High ho, Silver!" "Fantastic!" Our numerous road trips. Almost dying on Stevens Pass. His protectiveness (even though, I'm his BIG sister.). He's my fellow Potterhead and Whovian. He's my concert buddy and foodie comrade. Being able to say that I'm his sister is a blessing that words cannot express (I know it's sappy. Just deal, brother.) I love him.

(I will never apologize for using this dorky pic. Never.)

3. The Lizzie Bennett Diaries. If you're a Jane Austen fan, you need to check out this web series. Hi-larious! I cannot wait for Mondays and Thursdays because of this show! Love it!

Okay, thankful-bots it's your turn! GO.