.letting you in

I got a funny email entitled "Lecture" from my sister {whom I love} recently.

It read:

Amber! Mom mentioned Aaron was sick on her newsletter. Why haven't you told us? I even just caught up on your blog and there was no mention of it there. We need to be praying for him, sweetie. You need to let us know. We love you too much to not be part of your suffering too.

Love,

Big Sister

Gwen, you are one of the best sisters I've got! Thank you for looking out for Air and I. We love and miss you immensely! Thank goodness we can always count on Mom to divulge things about us to each other in the newsletter, can't we? ;) I hope it's OK if I reply to your email via BLOG?

--------------------------------

Some of you may have noticed that my hub has been very sick for a very long time.

Some of you who aren't around us a lot may not have had any idea.

Some of you same people, who see him every day, still might not have had any idea that anything was wrong at all. That would be because Air is a master of disguise. He amazes me every day with this skill.

So I guess I am obliged to just tell you whats going on...

Air is a very sick boy. He's been sick for so long I can't even give you a starting point {except for maybe on his mission}; but in the last 6 months or so he has been really sick. Really sick, as in he has hardly been able to leave the house. He gets nauseous and exhausted just walking up the stairs. His body is constantly aching and trying to throw up. He can't sleep and he can't stay awake, all at the same time. And well, there are still many more health issues that I know he wouldn't want me to share...

Anyway, I have a couple of reasons for never mentioning any of this on the blog. Here they are:

Reason #UNO is that I only like to document the happy and good things that are in our lives. When I look over my blog I only really enjoy reading memories of good times. Being reminded of how blessed our lives are and how happy we are. There are so many good things to document, I can't fathom spending my time writing bad things! That would be a waste of energy and a total downer to anyone who might stop by.

Reason #TWO is because we don't like to be negative or sound like we're complaining. We are seriously so blessed and happy, but for some reason, as soon as I say any remotely sad/negative comment people automatically assume that I am unhappy.

And reason #LASTLY, I haven't blogged about it because Air simply doesn't want anyone to know and worry about him. We don't know what's wrong with him yet and are getting tests done from a few different doctors. So far we only know that he does not have sleep apnea and his "triglyceride levels are through the roof". We really just need a really good doctor who will take this a little bit more seriously. But where can we find one who is accepting new patients?? I do not know that.

So with all of these awesome reasons for not blogging about it, you might be wondering why I am now, as we speak, blogging about it?

Simply stated, there is one reason: My sister Gwen made a very good point when she said, "We need to be praying for him". So if any of you love Aaron and me as much as my sister, could you please do us a favor and pray? Pray that he can feel better and get back to living a normal life, and work and finish school. Air and I need all of the help and support and prayers that we can get right now.

And if you do pray for Aaron, we thank you very much and love you too. If you choose not to pray for Aaron.... then I don't know, we'll probably pray for you ;)

.around here...

I was taking pictures of my footsies with the fire

and then Air came to snuggle

And then we took one in which Air’s foot looks gigantic! …or is it that my foot looks tiny? Both maybe.

Yikes right?

Then I shot the nativity we got from my Mom for Christmas last year {we love it}:

And our funny little crooked tree:

And the mantle decked out in Christmas:

It’s Christmas here already!!

Love, these dorks

What a pair! What. A. Pair.

.I find myself wanting

Its that time of year again. My wish list is growing ever speedily.

Here's a few:

I’ve had my eye on this pair of earrings for a while now:

And this blouse:

And I swore I’d never say these words, but my feet want some of these this winter (still can’t believe I’m admitting this):

Speaking of shoes. I still want all of these.

And now, for some of my more expensive (and therefore not happening) wishes.

These people are killing me by making a Kitchen Aid mixer in this color!! As if I didn’t already want one enough! (be sure to note the price at the bottom EEK!):

Air and I have been dying to go biking on the sweet trails here in Edmonton! This one is a beaut:

I want to get some things framed at my work. Sadly I have to pay the same price as everyone. So lame:

This baby:

Kinect for our XBox (so great for working out!):

And last, but not least…. Laser hair removal! Someday, guys. Some. Stinking. Day.

Oh, and hey friends and family in the States! It’s Black Friday, so you should probably go buy my gifts ASAP!

Thanks and Loves!!!

Ambs

.On Meditation and Distractions

I work alone mostly. If you come to the store where I work, you can find me in the shop at the very farthest back corner of the store. Working quietly alone. Unaware of everything going on at the front of the store. Who else is working. What their jobs are. How many customers are shopping and what their questions are. I couldn't really tell you.

When I'm alone in the shop I turn down the volume of the 'store music' and work in the quiet. In my thoughts.

I like it that way.

When I'm helping customers it's the most communication I have at work some days. We pick out mat colors, pick a frame, glass, talk about mounting and preservation. They pay. Done.

I go back into the shop and work.

assemble frames

cut glass. cut mats. cut foam core.

clean glass

mount the customer's picture

put all the parts together

step back and view the beauty of a finished product created by myself

smile, and enjoy the feeling of accomplishment

clean

wrap it up

This process almost always goes off without a hitch for me while I'm working in my "meditation phase". I don't like a lot of distractions, so you can imagine how it is on days when I'm not alone in the shop. My coworkers are often making mistake after mistake as they work with the music blaring, talking endlessly. Mostly about things that I can't really relate to--like what happened at the club last night with their drunk boyfriend who they can't stand because blah $#&%! blah %$@#$ blah. I smile and nod... and sometimes tell them things that they find shocking.

Like that I don't drink.

From my observations at work so far, I find that this is how things go wrong. Frames get messed up and customers get really angry, simply because of these girls being too distracted by themselves.

Distractions are often what cause problems in my life. Maybe I'm just a horrible multi-tasker; but I can easily get distracted from doing the things that are the most important to me by doing stupid things with my time. Being with my love and taking care of him while he's been so sick lately is most important to me. Studying the gospel and meditating is important to me. Staying in touch with my family is important to me. Friendships are important to me. Sleep is important to me.

Speaking of sleep...

.Ambs and Air Discover Antique Heaven

You wouldn't believe this place.

Isles and isles of rows and rows full of shelves and shelves of the best knick-knacks, odds and ends, fun finds, furniture, pieces, parts, tools, accessories, decor, books, memorabilia, clocks, appliances, toys. Any nostalgic object you can think of. It was there. I'm not even lying right now.

*view from the top floor looking down

I want to buy it all... but at the same time I don't want to buy hardly anything.

I’ve seen that show Hoarders, so I know where that can lead.

Then again, I really do want to buy it all.

These people are killing me!!! Who thought of this?

There I was, minding my own business when I asked Air to pull over to check out this place we’ve passed by a few times. And then BAM! I’m hooked, and life will forever be changed~!!!

Ok, I’ve saved a few of my favorite things for last. Ready??

Drum roll please.........

This adorable antique stroller with a fringe on top (like from Oklahoma)

An original Saturday Evening Post with a Norman Rockwell on the cover

This beautiful yellow/gold Victorian style sofa

In conclusion:

I need a bigger house to decorate.

And no, I’m no hoarder. Yuck!