Picture overload: Graduation Edition

Now that I FINALLY have my camera (*Jim Gaffigan voice* "Enough with the camera already") I have been reunited with pictures from my graduation and our church history trip. Woohoo! I am going to channel this giddiness into a severe picture overload. SO heeeeeere we go!

GRADUATION

My rockin' hood
What was with those SLEEVES??


My studly husband


My sweet mom


My Awkward Hands
My Penguin Skills
(too lazy to turn it up-right. Sorry.)

Eureka!

Remember how I repeatedly complained about how I lost my camera on our trip to Seattle from two months ago? Well, guess what I found last night!!!

C'mon, guess.

My camera! It was in JORDAN'S DUFFLEBAG....from the Seattle trip (yes, it had yet to be unpacked in two months....not that I blame him. Isn't unpacking the worst?) I decided last night that I had enough of the big ol' sports bag in the corner of our room and started rummaging through it. Next thing I know I pulled out my lovely camera! I was so excited I started dancing all over our apartment and forced Jordan to accompany me. I was also too excited to get frustrated at the fact that the camera was a mere few feet from our bed this whole time, waiting to be discovered. How sad.

So Jordan thinks I put it there, which of course I deny. I accused Jordan of putting it in his bag, which he claims to be untrue. Our only other conclusion is that one of our little photographers who were playing with it at Andy's house thought it would make sense to put the camera away in Uncle Jordan's bag. Whoever did it (*cough* JORDAN *cough*), it really doesn't matter. I'm just happy to have it back.

Say it with me. Soooooo.....

Dear Oklahomans
CC: The Universe

Overall, you have made me feel at home in your state. I appreciate your friendliness and your plethora of Dollar Trees. However, there is one issue that remains unresolved between us, and it is driving me craaaaazy...

Please learn how to pronounce my name correctly. I am starting to believe that this is a practical joke played on me. I've heard you all say phone and home correctly, so what is so difficult about Sone-ya? I can accept you thinking it's SAWN-ya when you first read it (although I don't know why), but I don't understand why you immediately call me Sawn-ya RIGHT AFTER I introduce myself as Sone-ya. Furthermore, I can't wrap my head around how even after I politely correct your pronunciation of my name you still insist its Sawn-ya, as if my pronunciation is was an optional suggestion. No, really.....why do you do that?

For example, at my MSW graduation, when I handed one of you my name card and whispered, "it's SONE-ya". Did you say it right? Nope, you simply announced in the microphone "SAWN-ya Jo ..." You said Jo correctly....why not my name? WHY?

Hollywood does not seem to help at all. In State of Play, most of the characters pronounced the murder's victim's name as SONE-ya, yet Rachel McAdam's called the poor girl SAWN-ya throughout the entire show. And no one in the movie corrected her once! It was as though she was saying the same name as everyone else. Not cool, McAdams. Not cool...(or should I say Maac-Odams. How do ya like THEM apples?)

So in conclusion, I beg you to take the microscopic amount of effort to move the shape of your mouth into an "o" and call me by my actual name, please. If this behavior persists, you leave me no choice but to begin referring to your state as "AWk-la-HAWM-a".

Sincerely,
SONE-YA!

p.s. Thank you to those who do say it correctly. Keep up the good work!

Poor boy...or girl?

Remember two posts ago where I wished that Jordan was a woman (for conversational purposed ONLY!....yeah...) Well, my wish almost came true today!

I was filling out paperwork for my job with an HR representative this morning when she came across my benefits packet.

HR lady: "Ok, so your dependent is Alma...is that your daughter?"

Me: "Uh, no. That's my husband."

HR lady: *confused* "OH!...ok"

Me: "Yeah...he goes by Jordan."

That reminds me of a doctors appointment I had several months ago. The receptionist took my insurance card (which read that I was a dependent of Alma Jordan at the time) and asked, "Is Alma your mother?"

Poor boy. In Mormon culture his namesake is a courageous hero. To everyone else, it's just a girl's name.

It begins....

I start work tomorrow Not just a job- a CAREER! With benefits and paid time off and limited vacation days and a (modest) salary. The whole thing is making me feel so old.

I got the job offer back in mid-May. They set the start date to July 12th. Since then, it has been HEAVEN. I have read and listened to books, tried my hand at sewing, watched the entire series of Arrested Development, experimented with cooking, made hair bows and other crafts, and drove around town searching for goodies. Oh- AND went to Washington and Arizona. It's been so fantastic to have nearly two months all to myself- and it was even better not having to worry about the job during this time, knowing that one happily awaited me. Never once did I think, "I'm so bored. I want to start working again." I could have had another 6 months of this easily.

Now July 12th is only a few hours away. I am excited to begin a new journey in life as a child therapist, but I am also going to miss all the me time. Siiiiiiigh. Goodbye, me. Se you occasionally on Saturdays...

I need a woman

Jordan and I are best friends, but when it comes to conversations we often clash. Not on conversation topics, but on how to have a worthwhile conversation in general.

For Jordan, it's all about the big picture. Just cut to the chase and give the punchline. For me, I like details detail details. Who was all there? What EXACTLY did they say? What was the weather like, etc. This tends to reek havoc on our daily chitchat.

This is a typical conversation that takes place when Jordan is sharing an acedote.

Jordan: So then the girl started talking smack to me! And-

Me: No WAY! What was she saying?

Jordan: You know, smack talk.

Me: Yeah, but what did she say to you?

Jordan: Uh...just stupid rude stuff. So then I-

Me: c'MON! Tell one thing she said!

Jordan: I don't remember, she was just talking smack.

Me: So...you recall a girl talking to you and you remember it was smack talk, but you DON'T remember a single thing she said?!

Jordan: Right.

Me: *Napoleon Dynamite sigh*

And then there is poor Jordan with his text messages. I'm not a jealous psycho; I'm just curious about what he and his friends talk about. This does not mesh perfectly with big-picture-Jordan. We have this talk frequently:

Me: *seeing Jordan read a text* Who was that?

Jordan: Jared.

Me: What did he say?

Jordan: He said, "That's cool"

Me:Oh....what's cool??

Jordan: Huh?

Me: What did you say that made him say "that's cool"

Jordan: Uh..I said we're watching The Office

Me: Huh. Did he say what he is doing right now? What's he doing right now?

Jordan: Um, he's studying.

Me: Oh.... .... ...What are you going to text back to him?

Jordan: *Napoleon Dynamite sigh*



It's moments like this where I wish I had a wife. Am I the only one who is like this, or is Jordan right when he tells me I'm a weirdo?

An AZ Education

I just returned from a great week vacation in Tucson where I visited my brother and his family. It was the first time that I saw my new niece, Sadie. The week went by quickly and was way fun. It was also quite educational. I came back to Tulsa with a wider knowledge of various things.

During my time in Arizona, I learned...

1) Tuscon heat seems waaaay more manageable after living in Tulsa humidity

2) there is never a wrong time to eat an otter pop...or 12 otter pops

3) any dreams I ever had of professional wake boarder were unrealistic

4) the entire musical score the Barbie Island Princess movie

5) I will never get past level Evil on Snood

6) it is NOT a good idea to feed a baby a bottle and then hold her up over your head...this results in a shower of puke (luckily, I learned this lesson from observation - poor Troy)

7) even with bumpers, I still suck at bowling

8) slip 'n slides are still crazy fun at age 24

9) you can measure the cuteness of an infant by the number of her chins



10) Jordan and I turn into pathetic lovesick teenagers when separated

Then there were the lessons I specifically learned from my niece, Erica.


She taught me...

1) the proper pronunciation of Princess Aurora is A-whoa-wa (I can't believe I've been saying it wrong this whole time!)

2) it is socially appropriate to break out into song mid-sentence

3) alternative lyrics to Disney songs

4) anytime I go to the bathroom I should be given an award (c'MON, Jordan...hand it over!)

5) when the toilet is too far away, the kiddie pool that your aunt is swimming in will suffice as a place to relieve yourself (shudder)

6) you are entitled to eat anything that anyone else is eating as long as you kindly ask, "Can I share with you?" or you can just skip the small talk and open your mouth really wide while staring at the person's treat

7) the trick to bowling is to tap dance and roll on the floor in between your turns.

8) there's never a bad time to wear a tutu



9) the word MOM is really spelled E-R-R-O-N-E-B....

10) swimming lessons are apparently a form of torture in Arizona


The main take home lesson I learned in Arizona was.....

I LOVE BEING AN AUNT!!!

(Ok, I already knew this, but it was reaffirmed during my trip!)

Happy Birthday (yesterday), Nancee

I have an excuse for being a day late on this post. On Nancee's actual birthday I spent half the day with her, and the other half flying back to Tulsa. Still, Nancee is cool, turned 32, and needs a birthday post!

Nancee joined our family in 2003 when she married my awesome brother Troy.


Nancee is great to have in the family because she has reduced my need for a mirror. We have been told countless times that we look alike. Most people think we are sisters rather than in-laws, and many people have awkwardly mistaken us for one another. For example, I once had a one minute conversation with Troy followed by him holding my hand and asking, "What time is it, Nance?" Haha. Luckily, you can tell Nancee apart from me because she is in better shape.

Nancee is also great to have around because she is a friggin smarty pants. She graduated high school at the age of 16, graduated college at age 20, and finished law school before she was 26! She also passed the California Bar on her first try, and has passed two other state bars. Go Nancee!

Nancee is also athletic. She and my other totally-in-shape sister-in-law (way too many hyphens) and brother finished the Salt Lake marathon. She also wakeboards, snowboards, and chases a 2 year old around.

Lastly, Nancee is great because she and Troy brought two adorable nieces into my life who I can't get enough of. Thanks for the princesses!


Happy Birthday, Nancee!