monogrammed life

I stopped off at Starbucks yesterday morning on the way to work. Even though we have the convenience locally now, I only find myself clutching that familiar cup about once or twice a month. But yesterday... the coffee at home was less than perfect since we were out of creamer... and I thought I'd treat myself. Instead of a high dollar/high calorie latte, I just got a simple iced green tea. Then came my favorite thing about Starbucks: they asked my name and wrote it on my cup. I honestly believe it's the monogrammed cup that gives me the strong attraction to Starbucks. They know me by name.

If I get right down to it, that's part of my pleasure in living in a small town... just about everywhere I go, I run into someone who knows my name. I like that. AND... because everyone knows everyone, people behave with a sense of accountability... because if they don't know you, they likely know "yer mama'n'em". We are seriously, usually only two degrees of separation from everyone we see. You're less likely to get cut off in traffic (not just because we don't HAVE traffic except on the weekends when the tourists hit town) because the person you cut off just might be your Sunday School teacher... or your client... or a friend.

Except for that fancy car with the South Carolina plates that stopped in the DEAD CENTER of the intersection at the town square yesterday during "rush hour" as I was trying to get home from work. He was apparently lost and thought stopping under a green light and tying up traffic coming from two directions was better than pulling over in the parking lot RIGHT BESIDE him to ask for directions. People would have helped him if he had behaved appropriately. As it was, because we're such a nice community, he only got two gentle "beeps" to encourage him to go boldly forward.

I read a very popular blog, Kellys Korner www.kellyskornerblog.com written by a charming lady in Arkansas. Kelly just recently had her second daughter and both girls are almost constantly dressed in clothes that have either their monograms or their names on them. She loves her childrens' names and loves to see them in clothes with their names on them. I feel the same way about my boys' names... they were carefully chosen... and I always loved seeing them in their little (and then big) ball uniforms with their names on the back.

Anyways... back to my monogrammed Starbucks cup... some people like anonymity... I, obviously, based on the fact that I blog every day, appreciate recognition. I'm not a shy person. I'm a bit of an unsociable extrovert in that I like my private time.... but I love walking into a local business and being known by someone there. It makes me feel important.

I think, for me, that's part of the draw of Christianity... the belief that God knows me. I've been working on memorizing Psalm 139 this year which begins with "You have searched me and you know me." He knows my name. He knows the name of all of my ancestors that came before... and He know the names of all the descendants that will come from me. I think that's awesome.

When I start to pray, I don't have to remind Him who I am... "are you there, God? It's me, Margaret... I mean, Heather"... He knows. And He knows what I need. Just like I know when Austin is out of something that he wants or needs most of the time but I still like to hear him ask. I think God wants us to ask too... and acknowledge that He is the one from who all blessings flow.

I have a monogrammed life and I love it.

So... in the past twenty four hours... I accomplished everything on my to-do list yesterday. I think I'm going to try to hit the grocery store with Austin TONIGHT rather than having to depend on him to cooperate tomorrow. We are down to a fridge with only condiments. I had scrambled eggs for dinner last night. It's time to go on a major food shopping trip. I didn't go last week because Austin didn't cooperate... I didn't go the weekend before because we went out of town for the reunion. I won't be able to go next weekend because of my injection... so we have to shop this weekend. I'll stock up on frozen chicken breasts and stuff that will get us through next weekend too.

In other news... my cuticles are dried out and peeling off so my fingers look a mess... my brother has volunteered to take me for my injection next Friday... we're short staffed at work today so it will be busy and hectic, likely, which will hopefully make the day fly by... never heard from my girls if we were going to the movies tonight... so I will just plan to head home and do the aforementioned major food shopping trip.... there's a facebook group that has been started for the church I went to as a child, from about age 2 to age 11 and it's odd how many of those folks I actually remember. It's the church where my brother and I were baptized so it has a lot of great memories for me... I wasn't as upset as most people about the person eliminated from American Idol last night. I'm personally a Lauren Alaina fan and the rest of the folks are just sorta ok for me. My criteria is based on whose cd I would spend money on... I would vote for Donald Trump if he ran for president. I'm not keen on his morals but it's obvious that he knows how to run a business and the U.S. IS a business.... we need to stop voting in "community organizers" and lawyers and those who don't have a clue about budgets... speaking of budgets, I cancelled my Weight Watchers membership. I intend to still behave myself but obviously, as long as I'm being medicated in this way, I'm not going to lose weight and I can't afford $40 a month to stay exactly the same... I might as well just burn $40 a month in the front yard.

And that's my story for the day... hope you all have a fabulous Friday and a wonderful weekend!

love and hugs!