merry.happy.

sometimes things dont work out the same way in real life as they do in my head.
what! really?
shocker, i know, but its true. i am not always in control.
am i talking about school? you might ask.
for once, i am not.

a couple years ago (as in maybe ten) i got really into Chicken Soup for the Soul books. ive always liked cheesy inspirational or meaningful books and cards. really, many an afternoon ive sat on the floor of barnes and noble (or hallmark) reading these. this is one thing that makes both me and zach equally happy (although we are never found in the same section, not even for a minute do i go to the history blah blah or motocross or music- blah).

one story in particular (that may or may not have been in a Chicken Soup for the Soul book) was about a young couple. they had just bought a new house and were, of course, very excited. they still had many of their belongings in their car, but after a long day of moving, just wanted to relax for a bit. when they came out to finish unloading, their car was gone. they frantically did everything they could to track it down, filing a police report and all, but an hour, two hours went by with no word. and being stressed and discussing each and every piece of cargo in there didnt help the situation. they started arguing about who left the keys in the car and who put the fishing poles and photobooks in there in the first place. then, the husband (maybe, probably, wife) sat down and put his arms around his little crazy wife and said, "we can be ticked off and miserable, or we can choose to be happy, either way our car is stolen. it's out of our hands now, and i choose to be happy."

i "read" this story many, many years ago, and with my memory, i may have made the entire thing up-except the principle of it. this story probably seems dumb to you, but honestly, i cannot tell you how many times this little phrase has popped into my head and made things ok. z tells me things like this, too, except more in zach words like, you just need to take it easy, which mostly just makes everything in my body tense and want to hurt someone, but then i remember it's probably true because very few things should cause you to tighten every muscle in your body (maybe the only thing is when you're a cheerleader in high school and four girls your size are holding you in the air and you already gave one of them a concussion from the last time you fell).

so... next time you want to freak out or just break down (am i the only one who does this?) - remember that you have a choice.

or you can just call me- i hear i am better at other people's lives than my own.

p.s. if you have seen my neck warmer/infinity scarf/gray first-knitting-project-that-took-longer-than-it-should-have-but-was-made-with-love/best friend that went with me everywhere until a couple days ago, please let me know. not that i miss it or am depressed about losing it or anything. thanks!


and this pics has nothing to do with the post. other than that i want to eat those cheeks.