He turns 30 today. We wont talk about that too much!

Hope you have a wonderful day filled with ice cream cakes and good guys night!

Jason bought me a big bran new camera bag! Its a present for shooting my first wedding, so I’ll feel professional – isn’t that sweet?

Da front – notice the two pockets in the front? Oooooooh ahhhh

Opened up – but wait, where its the storage? Just those two pockets?

The real inside! More oooooohs and ahhhhhs

IT COMES OUT! Oh my goodness, this bag is so awesome.

Check out the back of this bag! Room for Marla too!

I had Owen in the empty spot and took photos with my point and shot but then I couldn’t find the connecting cord for it… so Owen too this blurry photo becasue I packed the flash and hate his default flash. I have so much room to grow! The tri-pod fits on the side too! Such a fun bag! Thank you, Jason.

Yep, three years today! For those of you who follow my flickr and saw this photo your day has come. In May Jason and I went to his coworkers home for a BBQ (or to grill as they tell me). As we drove home we realized were near the part of the highway that we thought “our” Burger King was on. It was on the very exit that his coworker lived off it! All this time we never thought that BK really existed, since we never could find it. It was a lot of fun for us to park the car in the very spot we stood three years ago tonight. For those of you who dont know what we are talking about, Jason posted this on his blog shortly after we started dating. I thought Id post it along with the BK photo to celebrate today.

Jason: I have a friend from college name Kari. Kari and Alisa are friends through a fan message board for the band Caedmon’s Call. After following the link from Kari’s blog to mine, Alisa asked Kari about me and Kari told her to email me to say hi. Alisa tried to be mysterious and coy about who she was but I had seen pictures of her (gorgeous!) from Kari and knew immediately who she was. We emailed for about a month, then decided to talk on the phone. We spent six weeks emailing and calling, marvelling at all of the things we had in common and making each other laugh profusely. Alisa lives in Alabama but had already arranged to meet up with some friends in Charlotte, NC, for the weekend of June 12th. I was really excited at the thought of meeting her, having fallen for her charm, intellect, and sense of humor. I had made only one other friend on the web and had never met them, so the thought of meeting her was strange. The weekend before the trip, my feelings got stronger and stronger for this girl whom I had never met and I stayed up all night Saturday night thinking about her and praying for guidance. Sunday morning came and I called her before church, my stomach in knots.

Alisa: Well, one Sunday morning (which was odd to me because we always talked at night), he called me saying he needed to talk to me about a girl. I was thinking ‘I don’t want to hear about another girl’ but listened cause we had become such good friends and I cared about him and what he was going through and enough trust in me to talk to me about something important. And he goes on to say how great she is da da da and I said “You’re not giving me enough to go on to give you advice.” He went on a little more about her and I’m like, ‘This sucks I don’t want to hear this but I will cause we are friends but apparently my crush on this guy needs to go away.’ then THEN he said “Alisa, you need to know, I’m talking about you.” I was a bit speechless. (And he keeps doing that to me, leaving me speechless.)

Jason: While I’m glad she was speechless, her silence was deafening. She sort of hinted that she might have possibly felt the same way, but didn’t say much. We spent the next week talking a little about dating but never coming to a conclusion, mostly due to the fact that we had never met. We were both excited about seeing each other that Saturday. When the next weekend finally did roll around, I met up Saturday morning with Alisa and her friends Sarah and Brandon, the most awkwardly touchy-feely- couple on the planet. They left to run some errands and Alisa and I sat in a Barnes & Noble talking and finding our rhythm, which came quickly. We spent the whole day off and on with Brandon and Sarah, having a lot of fun with them, but I was dying to hang out with Alisa alone and talk more about our feelings for one another. I didn’t want to do it in a Barnes & Noble or a restaurant or anything like that, and as dinnertime rolled around and we waited for a table at PF Chang’s, I was getting a little frustrated.

Alisa:When we met, I spent the whole day SO unable to read him. I thought he saw me and changed his mind, to be honest. Brandon and Sarah couldn’t read him either. I was upset during our hour and half wait to eat at PF Changs because I was tired and hungry, so my emotions were even more so out of wack. I, who can’t flirt to save my life, flirted as much as I knew how to flirt that day. Nothing. I didn’t know what to do. He even asked me what was wrong at one point and of course I wasn’t going to say, “Well apparently I’m not what you want, so I’m dealing with that”. I kept thinking how awesome he was, even if I was at a friendship level, I’d be blessed to have him in my life. After dinner he drove with me (two cars) to Susan’s, where I was staying that night, which was about 1 hour and 1/2 away from where we were. And we got lost, we pulled over to call Susan and relook at the directions. We pulled over off Hwy 311 in the middle of nowhere (so it seemed) NC. In that Burger King parking lot at 12am, something happened. He was worn out. We both were. He leaned against my trunk the look more closely at the directions and I rubbed his back, my only thought being to know how to help him feel better. We just stood there for a while, talking a little. He asked if I was cold. I said yes. I leaned on his shoulder. We stood there for a while then he pulled his arm out from under my leaning on it, which made me fall into him and he put his arm around me and then we just stood there in a hug for a long while.

We finally realized it was the wee hours of the morning and Susan was waiting. We made it to Susan’s and talked to her for a little bit then Jason, who still had to drive 45 minutes to Greensboro, got up to leave (after Susan making some PMS comment). I thought it might one of the last times I saw him (I didn’t know what the plans were for the next day) and so I walked out with him. We talked, hugged and stood there for a while. Made plans for the next day to hang out. Then we were just looking at each other. He said “You have three seconds to tell me not to kiss you.” I just smiled at him… his 10 seconds of a 3 second count down was SO cute. And then he kissed me…

Jason: Then I kissed her. It was the kind of kiss poetry is written about. The kind symphonies are composed about. The kind a thousand ships are launched for. The kind that sends chills up your spine, curls your toes and makes you forget that you’ve ever kissed another person.

Alisa: It wasn’t bad.

Jason: There’s the story! I’m very happy and can’t wait to find out what the future holds. Commence commenting.

My family never really celebrating Halloween. Sure when I was really little I remember dressing up as Dorothy (sparkly red shoes and all) and a Bride another year. But usually my parents would ask my brother and I “Would you rather go Trick or Treating or go to Disneyland?” We were not dumb kids, we picked Mickey most every year. I remember my parents being on a kick on how evil Halloween was for a few years but nothing that really scare me from the holiday. As an adult, I haven’t really gathered my thoughts completely on what I think of it. I like the idea of dressing up for a fun night, but sure the real meaning behind it I don’t really, well, get behind. Get back to me next year on that.

This year was Jason and I’s first Halloween together, and over two years together I still didn’t know Jason’s take on it till last night. He doesn’t like the holiday, really much at all. Yet we still were at Target picking out candy and good candy at that. I asked why if he didn’t like Halloween why he was getting (good) candy? He didn’t want to be a Scourge to the kids just because he didn’t. Fair enough. With me spending the evening at his place (not dressed up as Pam as I had hoped) we made a new game. Unofficially, its called Friends-Trivia-Loser-Answers-the-Door. I had gotten a Friends trivia book earlier that day and wanted to try out our knowledge of show. Whoever had the most wrong answers when the door bell rang was who answered the door. Simple enough right? I was apparently rusty on my Friends facts because I found myself answering the door a lot last night. Cutest kid of the night, a two year old superman who when asked “What do you say?” by his mom said “CANDY!” I think this whole trivia game for door answering duties is a good tradition to start. And I’m also looking forward to left over candy in my mint ice cream tonight.

Now, I know I get teased about how crazy my drinks at Starbucks sound. Especially to Jason who sweetly goes and gets a coffee for me time to time. Well, I have found his “Starbucks” because this is how he likes his McDonald’s hamburger prepared:

We are so even with my complicated drink order at the ‘Bucks if he get to order his hamburger this way (tee hee). I guess McDonald’s is where Jason gets to have it his way.

Jason and I have been eating at McDonald’s a little more than healthy. Actually, sometimes just for a diet coke because, Monopoly is back. I always like playing this game but never get that into it. I have now collected every piece from each color of properties cept one. This is where you come in. You just have to get a medium (or larger) drink or a premium sandwich (which I got for the first time this past week, I wouldn’t of guessed it was from McD’s) which also comes with a Best Buy buck. Im looking for the following pieces and would be really fun if yall would want to help me out on this. And of course, we’d share the prize money. So keep your eyes pealed (no pun intended) for: Pennsylvania Avenue, Ventnor Avenue, Kentucky Avenue, Tennessee Avenue, Virginia Avenue, Vermont Avenue, Mediterranean Avenue and Boardwalk.

Little over a month ago Jason called me at work and said to request the night of the 30th off. I was in work mode, didn’t ask questions and put it down on the request off calendar. I asked later what it was for and he said it was a surprise. I left it alone because he hates it when I try and figure things out.

Couple days ago he asked me a question about the 30th. I hadn’t thought much about it (to avoid trying to guess what it is) but then starting poking for hints. He wouldn’t give any up much to my dismay.

This afternoon I was looking through the music pages on myspace to see if anyone had some new songs for me to download. I’m trying to not spend money right now, save money for new house things. I clicked on Peter Bradley Adams’ page to see what was new with him and saw that he was coming to Charlotte really soon. Peter Bradley Adams is one of the few artists that Jason and I both love (which is a very rare thing). I call Jason up, not even thinking just so excited that PBA is playing outside of LA (he doesn’t really). the phone call goes something like this:

*ring ring*

Jace: “Hey.”

Alisa: “JASON! Guess what! Your friend Peter Bradley Adams is playing in Charlotte on the 30th!”

Jace: “We are busy that night remember ?”

Alisa: “Oh yeah. OH! OH! Is THAT what it is?!”

Jace: ….

Alisa: “OH! I’m sorry! I wasn’t even trying!”

Jace: “You so owe me.”

I ruin surprises even when I don’t try! This is why I am a horrible girlfriend. Now I’m off to do a happy dance because I get to see Peter Bradley Adams.

Over the two bowls sitting beside me (one bacon and green beans and other pineapple, how healthy is that!) I will tell you the Great Tale of the Tire Hero.

This afternoon shortly after my manger left the store she rang to tell me that my rear passenger side tire was very low. So low in fact she recommended not driving on it. This was not something that brought me anything but saddness. Another thing to have gone sour with Gwen, no surprise here. The thought of getting a new set or even just one tire didn’t strike me well. I just paid a lot of bills being close to the start of the month. Tire money is not really something I wanna do at the moment. I call Jace to share with him my damsel in distress situation in hopes he’d come and fix my tire.

Shortly after five I see a blue polo shirt enter my store. A smile spreads across my face as I hand over Gwen’s keys. As I cleaned an espresso machine, Jace worked on seeing how big the hole actually was in my tire. Not only did he go out and get a hole-in-tire-kit (unsure of its offical name) and gauge, but he filled up the rest of my tires so they are all nice and full now.

Cost to fix my tire: $6
Reward of Starbucks drink and muffin: $1.08
A boyfriend who is my hero when it comes to my car: priceless

Weddings make me happy. Weddings with two of the celebrations events held outside does not make “men of girth” so happy. One of the four “men of girth” that Jace is so proudly apart of got married this past weekend. Besides the heat, think anyone who attend this wedding would tell you what a fun and joyful day to be apart of. I know mostly thought stories that Jason has told me and a whirlwind trip to the airport right after they got engaged.

I was an on looker for most of the weekend. My face behind a camera wanting to capture sweet moments for Graham and Nicole. I saw Jason enjoy the reconnection of his close friends. Stepping back and watching others something I don’t do often enough. Soaking up the joy that was in that place brought warmth to my heart. And I hope that a silly grin that was on my face for most of the weekend reflected that.

Yesterday, Jace (aka, best boyfriend ever) sent me a beautiful bouquet of gerber daisies. Red, pink and white – all he picked out himself, just for me. It was such a sweet surprise which was such a bright point in my week. Past few days has been very over cast and muggy, nothing like a spring day should look like. I get to look over at my pretty flowers from a man who cares for me, to brighten this ugly spring day. The card reads “You deserve flowers” which I don’t know if its true, but maybe if I read it often enough I might just believe it.

(Oreo was smelling them. He thinks they smell pretty. And dont mock me for my chick-lit, lol)

I remembering sitting in Red Lobster with my parents. I don’t believe we got lobster or why that was the restaurant I had chosen, but I remember what we talked about. My parents where giving me what has been known in the Christian circle as a “purity ring”. It was a small silver ring my mom and I had picked out at the Christian bookstore a few weeks back for this night. My mom had typed out on pretty paper a commitment to go along with the ring. The understand of what purity means in God’s eyes, what the symbol of this ring was to me and how it can be a helpful reminder to me. I was thirteen and three years away from the legal age (according to my parents) that I was allowed to entertain young men as boyfriends. Safer to get before me those silly week long or summer camp romantics turned into something real I suppose.

Getting a purity ring seemed to be the thing to do in my youth group. I remember being one or the first in my circle of friends. We had the same ring and it was a topic in the youth group. Our small group leader would ask us how we are sticking to our commitments, which for most of us was rather easy since we weren’t allowed to date. After the hype of it fell, I remember wanting a new ring. Not because I didn’t like the one I had or had changed my mind on this whole purity thing. With so many of my friends “into it” and having the same ring, some of what made it special was gone to me. I don’t remember when exactly, but I bought myself a new ring (my parents were only willing to pay for one that they thought was the first was still just as good) and sealed the deal again with a Frappuncino (I was like 14, the right age for drinking a Frappuncino). Somewhere over the years, I lost that ring I had bough, probably because it was a 6 and way too big for my finger but was that was the only size they had. So, in high school I searched again for the right size and a fitting ring for me. My original purity ring sat (and still sits) in my small jewelry box too small for my finger. It wasn’t till I was near the end of high school or out of it I found a circle of hearts I wanted as my third purity ring (sounds so wrong). It was again a little big, so it stayed on my middle finger to help not lose it. And I still to this day have it, but a couple of days ago it had to be taken off my finger.

This past week when I was at work in the afternoon I was doing a very common afternoon cleaning of the cold beverage station. Part of that is moving the blender, cleaning behind and under and the actual blender. Well, when I was putting the blender down from moving it, slammed down on my finger. I saw it happened but I didn’t feel anything but then my finger started to feel tighter. I realized my ring had caught the blow instead of my finger. But being not the most expensive ring, it smashed into a flat shape cutting off the flow to my finger. I started to pull it off and reshape it so it wouldn’t hurt, but it wouldn’t move. It started to hurt and turn my finger colors and panic started to come over me. I tell my manager what is happening and she says “just put butter on it and it will slide right off”. I put butter all over it, which didn’t make it budge at all. My finger,now covered in butter, has now turned to a dark shade of red/purple color. I ask my manger for something, anything to get this off my finger. She finally finds a pair of pliers and squished back into a circle shape and off my finger it came. One of my coworkers, totally oblivious to my panic asked why my finger was all red. His reply? “I hope it wasn’t a ring you really liked” I told him “Well, I did like the ring, but I like my finger more.”

So here I am once again without a purity ring. Wonder if workman’s comp covers such things?

I know that we are not to be dependent on other. But the joy I found in spending time with pieces of people who live scattered around the country in Nashville last week – was more than I ever expected. I didn’t go to get filled the way I did. I went for this beautiful tradition known as “Behold the Lamb of God” Christmas show Andrew Peterson put together years ago. As Scott said, its now turned into seeing a group of close friends getting together once a year to play music. Brought together by the telling of the true tell of the coming Christ. A story we all so well, at the same time don’t even start to know or understand.

Feeling disconnected at work and even youth group, it was wonderful to feel some warmth of connection in chilly Nashville. It was a long over do smile sealed on my heart. The dozens of hugs I was given warmed my soul deeper than I ever thought I needed. Fellowship is something that God designed us to be apart of. We feel it when we are alone, its a gloomy place to be. But as Don Miller said, God created us with this need. Adam felt lonely before the fall and none of the animals he named could fill this hole in him. God knew Adam’s need provided Eve; provided fellowship.

Now, after the remains of the weekend this great group of people I was with are reminiscing about their favorite moments. I’m horrible at recapping things let alone putting my finger one moment that was a high. It could of being watching Narina with the girls and feeling comfortable enough to let my tears fall watching Asian sacrifice his life. The long over due cup of coffee over conversation with close friends. The sharing this Christmas tradition with Jason for the second year in a row while watching him have wonderful guy time. Small amount of time to get in so many conversations with people you see far too little. Like Kathleen Kelley, “All these nothings mean more to me than so many somethings.”

Not to leave out the short time spent in North Carolina after the busy weekend. Things went a little hay-wire but turned into me able to spend time with Jason’s brother, sister and new brother-in-law. I love growing closer to them, developing my own relationship with them. To see the loyalty they have to Jace and this acceptance of me with little knowledge is touching. Also seeing my circle of friends in Greensboro for far too little of a time just draws me closer to that state. It seems in all I say or write since returning has had a smile at the end of it. When asked how my trip was I simply reply “Wonderful”. Wonderful because it was in a city I know and love with people whom I feel loved by. In the mist of it all, I knew the presence of Jesus there. Weather in the goofing off or the sweet words exchanged He was there.

After Farmers Market, Jason got a message from Kate wanting to hang out. I surprised Kate (she did not know I was in town) by returning the phone call to her. We made plans to hang out after Jason and I went and saw “Just Like Heaven” (I know I have the best boyfriend ever who willing goes with my to chick-flicks). Kate called to say she was bringing Starbucks. I knew I liked this girl, after all, she was the one who turned me onto americanos. After chatting over Chinese food with Jason’s room mate Tim (no match making here… but wed like to find a nice girl for Tim…any takers?) I told Kate my idea of rearranging the boys living room. Thus the night of late night decorating begun!

The guys moved into their apartment a few months ago and didn’t really ever finish settling in. To them, if its not broken then don’t fix it. They didn’t see anything wrong with all their furniture leaned up against the walls making the couch and Stevie (the TV) a hundred feet from one another. Okay so it wasn’t hundred feet, but close. I told Kate my suggestion to put the couch at an angle. We started moving things around much to the boys protest. Realizing we needed a couple key pieces to make this come together was dashed (literally) off to K-Mart and Wal-Mart. I now know why men do not decorate. I knew Jason would kill me if I brought anything back anything close to being girly. It all was girly! Not even a dark forest green curtain for his room like he wanted. Martha Stewart needs to do something about that. So we dashed over to Wal-Mart (can I just tell you its amazing how many people are there at 11 at night?!) and were still disappointed but did not leave empty handed. We found a modern-chic looking black coffee table and two end tables. Lugging the box in an awkward cart up to the check out picking the shortest line (we had been gone too long for the boys comfort). Don’t ever pick the shortest line because when you do, something always happens to make it no longer the quickest way out. The lady in front of us had a trash can that rang up as 9.83 and she was arguing its only 8.88. After arguing her pricing point and having the guy walk to where the trash cans are I was so close to handing her a dollar so she’s move right along.

Arriving back at the apartment Kate and I were welcomed back by a newly rearrange living room. No, not how we left it but the boys decided to be funny (as they usually are) by putting the couch on its arm, the bookcase upside down with a pumpkin on top, the dining room chairs stacked on one another… you get the idea. As we praised them for their creative we set up our new purchase of tables (all four of us, it was really quiet sweet). We set up the new pieces, stole a lamp from Jason’s room (in exchanged for one the end tables for a new bedside table) living the room not looking quite so bad. We still need to hang the photos they have on the wall, though the room still needs some color. Much to do in so little time. I think I have been watching to much TLC since being here.

When I moved into my first apartment my youth pastor caught wind of this change in my life. He gave me one piece of truth, that I would learn a lot about myself. This being the good and bad things that I posses that others (in this case my room mates) will point out to me in very different ways than my family who’s known me my whole life would think nothing of. Jace and I are after a year and a few months are setting into the comfortable part of our relationship and I like it. This isn’t to say that we know everything about each other or even try to pretend we do. Over these past days we learned bits about each other we didn’t know or rather notice before.

We went to Maritime Museum that is made up of five historic ships. Jason saw this place on the Discovery channel or something and wanted to see the ships (there is another battle ship we didn’t get a chance to see, next time.) We learned new things about each other in a big way. First, we decided to go on the submarine. In front of it was a model of a hole you have to go through four times. As we tested to make sure we could to do that Jason asked if I was claustrophobic. I never thought about it before, but I started to get a bit freaked out. We head toward the entrance of the submarine anyway and after getting through the first whole I feel fine. I turn around to a very sweating Jason asking to turn around because he cant breathe very well. Aw, my boyfriend is a bit claustrophobic! We made it through (quickly) the sub just the same. Going onto the next ship which was a museum of sorts. I’m not a fan of mannequin dressed up in period clothing that was worn by the ships sailors. They freak. me. out. So I made Jason walk in front of me, searching each room for scary mannequins. We left that part of the ship quickly. Onto the bottom floor of the ship we looked around not near each other (I was taking a pictures and Jason looking at stuff). I turn a corner and see a body standing perfectly still and gasp a little like I did with the mannequins. Nevermind its Jason with a red shirt on, it scared me. We did not that play that game anymore (he felt rather bad for scaring me when I was already a bit freaked out). Boy who doesn’t like small spaces and a girl who doesn’t like mannequins (especially in historic things), interesting combo now isn’t it?

Oh and here are the links to photos of the day:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/coffeestainedpages/sets/905978/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/coffeestainedpages/sets/906108/

Jason comes tomorrow. Besides the excuse to bust out well laid plans, I’m very happy to see him. I’m not one to gush in public, despite Jason’s pleas for a little. I think I’ve burned myself too much in the past with doing that. But I am thrilled to spend time with him this weekend, discovering new parts of San Diego with him, apartment decorating at IKEA, sitting with him over coffee, and hanging out with my favorite people – all with him. Things normal relationships take for granted, the everyday things we don’t get in a LDR. We both have an ultimate outcome of this weekend – to enjoy each others company. He wishes I not plan things, or expect things to go in some sort of order. Were as, I wish he love my very planned days organized on index cards. I think we give each other a good balance in that area. Same outcome, very different ways of getting there. Ah, isn’t that the difficult truth of all male and female relationships though?

I want a hold.

Jason and I have been teasing each other about having our foots in our mouth in conversation with each other. My mom asked my dad’s foot was tasting the other day and he said “Be better with salt.” Now its all fun and games till you get of the teasing zone and actually stick your foot in your mouth. Which of course I did today, there are few more awkward places to be.

While at camp Jace sent me a very caring care package. One of the things in it was Don Miller’s reprint of “Prayer and the Art of VW Maintenance.” It was only appropriate that he give it to me since he gave me a copy of the first print of this book when we first started dating (the day after actually). Its on my to read pile (more so shelf) since I was told there are new additions to this story. Did anyone know it was coming out? I was surprised to see it still there in the box with other fun things. Don’t spoil the fun for me if you have read it and know the new things.

We are not going to talk about the fact I was scheduled to close last night (10:45pm) and then open today (4am) and my manger pretty much did nothing about it. I con my way to switching so I left at 9:30pm. Still having to get up at 3:15am I was very very sleepy. I knew I need a little boost to get some life into me, though I am not dependent on caffeine (I go plenty of days without it just fine), I had a tall with an add shot (total of 3) toffee nut americano (espresso and water) with a splash of half and half. It was one of the best I’ve had in a while, so I made another. Yeah 6 shots wasn’t the best idea especially since I hadn’t eaten breakfast yet. So I was a bit shaky until lunch which I ate some rice and chicken and my body started to act normal (as normal as my body can be on 5 or so hours of sleep). On top of that, an espresso machine broke, leaving me sharing the bar with a tech guy who was right in the way of my milks and calling position. This is where I announce that September 9th there is a new Starbucks opening up and I have been asked to move there, with a promotion. First being told this, I was very sad to leave my cute beach store and people I enjoy working with. But as the days go on, the sadness is turning into excitement for a change in scenery.

Other highlights include two evenings last week. Wednesday I ditched youth group and I drove down to San Diego to see my beloved band, Caedmon’s Call. I met up with a .netter and a friend of his to enjoy the show with. It was nice to be around a southern gentleman again, I miss what that’s like (not to say Jason isn’t a gentleman he just isn’t southern). Still makes me smile but at the same time feel like a bit of a freak that the band knows my name or face. Needless to say, it was good to catch up with them a little. Then on Friday my coworker Meghan, her boyfriend Timmy and I went to see the play The Music Man. An ex worker of Meghan and It’s who still comes into Starbucks everyday on the way to his office job was in it and invited us. I’m learning I am more of a play go-er than I ever expected. I very much enjoyed the play and Guys and Dolls has always been a favorite movie after seeing it on the local college. It did my little heart good to hang out with some friends a couple nights in very different settings. I missed it more than I realized in its absence. Though now I have the itching to wanting to do something on most free evenings now.

Not that I think I’m like Lorelei (besides talking fast and drinking lots of coffee) but I do think there are a lot of Luke moments that remind me of Jason. So yes, Jason is my Luke. With that, I present Gilmore Girl quote of the day (don’t expect these daily):
Lorelei:”I think its going very well, you and me. Do you think its going well?”
Luke: “I have very few complaints.”

Last day in Greensboro. Only reason I’m looking forward to go home is to get away from this humidity. How quickly I forget how it feels like to walk in air that’s wet. Or that my bangs don’t appreciate humidity at all. I don’t remember how I lived with it, oh wait, yes I do. I stayed inside all the time with the air on. But I do miss the nights here. Like last night Jason and I were walking the streets of downtown Greensboro and it was a lovely feeling. Not too hot, not too cold, just right.

I’m pulling my third shift at the Green Bean today. If you are ever in the area of downtown, I recommend this quant coffee house. It’s a wonderful place to spend the day because how different it is from every other coffee house I’ve been in. Plus a buck for the internet, you really can’t be that. I think they might recognize me by face now. Then I will leave and next visit it will start all over again. Or will it?

We got an application from the new(er) Jr High pastor for all us as leaders to fill out so he can see where we are at with the ministry. I hate things like this, not because it’s longer than the Amazing Race application, but that I have to talk about myself. I hate doing that, especially when asking spiritual questions. I wouldn’t think I was the best judge of such things. So, I’m gonna work on it a little at a time. Hopefully keeping the same color of ink as I go.

Jason, Tim and I went to the “big” farmers market on Saturday. I bought the best tomato ever. I ate it just like you would an apple. Jason said he should appreciate a women who would do such a thing. I also got NC jar presents for my family and Jason’s parents. Tim bought lots of food to make a fresh dinner with. So that was fun, until it got really hot and we all were miserable. But my spirits where lifted when I saw funnel cake. I don’t know if yall know about my love for funnel cake or not, but I do love it so. (And cucumbers) So I get myself some hot funnel cake on a hot day then get into the car with the air on. Lets just say powder sugar + air conditioner = messy Alisa

Some of you know that I hate odd numbers, which is why Jason and I stake claim to the 12th of June to be our anniversary (of dating). Our relationship was officially started on the 13th (really early am) so really, it was the night of the 12th so it isn’t really lying. I just didn’t want any of you to think I was, so Im clearing the air. I have had this craving for ribs lately and so asked Jason if we could get some for our anniversary. North Carolina is in the south, youd think it would be thriving with BBQ rib places, but no. They are actually few and far between. But I still got them and they were yummy. To stick with the whole BBQ theme Jason bought us tickets to see a play. I like seeing plays despite my lack of visiting a theater. I wish I went more often, so I was delighted to be able to go to one at a very pretty theater. It was a fun show and lovely day.

I’m flying out this afternoon on Southwest, which Im so glad for. It was so weird flying another airline. But I will be back with my comfort in the sky, even if I have to drive to Raleigh to do so. I just hope I get to have some nachos before I do so. I think NC brings on strange cravings because I felt like Ive been eating or wanting to eat all weekend. Back to the land of soy and low-carbs.

Last weekend I was up in Orange County at the mother ship of all malls, South Coast Plaza. I was meeting someone there to go shopping with but we hadn’t made a set time or place to met. She just told me to call her once arriving and we’d met up. Sounded good to me, so shortly after regaining myself from being overwhelmed with this amazing mica of stores I dialed her number. Instead of her voice, a message blared in my ear saying the number I had dialed had been disconnected. Well, that’s strange. My first thought I had programmed the number wrong in my cell phone. I copied it down from an email she had sent me and so I called up my mom to assist me in rereading the number to make sure dyslexia hadn’t kicked in. After my mom assuring me I had written down the right number I asked her of all the years we had been coming to my Grandparents (only 20 minutes away) why she hadn’t brought me to this mall. She said “I didn’t think you’d like that sort of thing.” Little does she know! But then again my mom is the type of shopper that has a mission and stays focus on that mission when out in a mall. I on the other hand have no problem walking aimlessly for a hour or two just looking at all there to be seen. Basically, I’m her worse nightmare.

I decided to walk around to see if maybe I can just run into my lost shopping friend. She mentioned the Jimmy Choo store so I passed down the section of the mall it was on. Upon my third time walking past Jimmy Choo my cell phone rings, my hopes where raised she was calling me. To my great surprise another friend I was trying to met up with was calling. We had played really bad email tag that past week in trying to met up while I was in his neck of the woods. After exchanging thankfulness of getting hold of one another we agreed to met at the malls one and only Starbucks (I was surprise there was only one since this mall was really a small city). I got myself an iced drink and waited for him to arrive. He thought it would be fun to surprise me, or as it really went down, scare me. Little note to all males out there, do not walk up behind a young women and “surprise her.” Especially me, who jumps at anything and is in a strange city. We shared conversation over my coffee and his tea until he had to leave, leaving me alone in the sea of stores wondering where my lost friend was.

After getting blisters in my cute shoes (they went well with my cute new skirt. not the best outfit for wondering the mall but cute none the less) I called Jason very sad that I could not find her. Jason dives into action to help out his tired, blistered and sadden girlfriend. He has the great idea of tracking her down via the internet. I tell him where to find the lady who she’s with name and he finds the office number of where she works. He calls and says he needed to get a hold of her to get a message to the person she is with. The assistant he’s speaking to is kind enough to place him on hold while contacting her. Jason calls me back with “I got her cell phone number.” I asked how he pulled that off and he said “You apparently don’t know who your dating. I’m just that smooth.” We compared numbers to see I had an 8 where a 7 should be. I thank Jason so much for his crafty work in helping me then called her up with her sweet cheerful voice on the other end. Finally!

After meeting up with her I told her the story of my wondering around trying to find her and then Jason saving the day by getting a hold of her. Her friend whom she was with wondered how he got a hold of her office. I explained the wonders of the internet and how if she googled her name her company popped up with the information needed to get a hold of her. Then of course there’s always Jason’s charmed that over powered the assit and she did whatever Jason asked. So much in fact that he charmed the pants off of her and she would have given him her daughter’s hand in marriage if he’d asked. But all she for him was call her up to help this crazy person trying to get a hold of not her boss but the person her boss was with. My friend apologized for the mixed up numbers and officially dubbed Jason hero of the day. I couldn’t agree more with her.

I like comfortable relationships. Scratch that. I absolutely adore them. I have two of them in my life that I take for granted far too often.

Before my trip to Alabama last week Carla and I discussed what we wanted to do with the time. At one point she said “Some time at Starbucks reading and writing as a break from one another would be good.” I wasn’t offended at all by this comment. I could see some friends thinking: but we could never get sick of one another! We don’t see each other often enough! As true as that may be, space is good. I appreciated Carla ever more so when she mentioned this, because she was doing the right thing for our friendship. That’s being comfortable in a big way. Its saying, I love you and want to keep loving you so we need to have some personal time. We used to do it all the time as room mates, go down to Crimson Cafe and sit at the same table, every once and a while talk, but for the most part keep to ourselves. Our relationship is to a degree that we can disagree on something and not have anything weird lingering afterwards. She’s one of the few who can call me on something and I’ll actually listen, despite my stubborn pride sometimes.

Ive come to a point where I feel pretty comfortable around Jason. I know, 10 months into this relationship, lets sure the heck hope so. But give me some credit, the flow of a long distance a relationship moves a little different than a “normal” one. When we first started dating Id get completely and totally uncomfortable during silences, especially during meals. As a good Christian girl Id remember that the guy should be the one to brake such silences (where I read or hear that I cant recall now. I just kept thinking that). I tired, really I did, but I had to say something, even if just for my own comfort. I now can sit through a silence and wonder less if something is wrong (sure at times I still do it, but rarely). I refused to sing in front of him at the start of our relationship. For very good reasons of he can sing and I can not. If he didn’t know how to sing Id probably be more incline to sing off key with the radio. When I did sing along one day when we were driving, it made his day. Then I asked if I could sing back up with him. He shuffled his words to avoid an answer. Ive only had this comfortableness once before in a romantic relationship and always wished to find it again. Now I have and its wonderful.

Comfortable relationships are few for a handful of reasons, I’m simply glad for the ones I have been blessed with. Not to say I don’t have others, I do, just these have been constant on my heart of the comfortableness I didn’t realize I had till spending time with them both recently. Strange, usually its you realize what you miss once its gone. Where as with this, it isn’t till I’m in the mist of feeling the best feelings in the world do I soak it up. I don’t have to try to win them in any way. I know I can screw up and they will still love me despite of it all. My heart is comforted by that very thought.