Feel Good Friday and Letters of intent

http://www.thegirlnextdoorgrowsup.com/

(And if you're here for my letters of intent or Dear So and so, just scroll down. You'll reach it eventually!)

So welcome to Feel Good Friday- where I have the opportunity to talk about some of the things that are making me feel good. Usually, I use the first prompt and make a list of 5 things that I'm happy about. But today, I'm going to do a different prompt and write about something that I love dearly and that always makes me happy.

Ever since I was young, I have collected charms. My mother collects charms too, and has many many bracelets, some of which are not her own, but were purchased at antique stores. I have also started charm bracelets for my daughters, and a pin collection for my son, as charms are kind of feminine.

My charms are nearly all from my life experiences, if they were gifts, trips, or just purchased. They almost all have something to do with me. I have over 70 of them, and have had at the very least 15 fall off and be lost forever. When I was about 10, I wore a bracelet somewhere, and lost that one too. It had over 20 charms on it. I still mourn it's loss. Two of the charms were one-of-a-kind.

As I have so many, I won't talk about all of them, though every single one DOES have a story. But I'll show you a good many that mean something to me.

(These are in no particular order, as I don't really keep them in order on my bracelet. It's just wherever there happens to be room.)

This SUN was given to me by my husband on the day I gave birth to our SON, Mahone.

My mom and dad gave me this charm as a gift after I was in a musical at my high school. The pacifier represents Lilly's birth.


In high school, I was on an Irish Step Dance performing team. The gillies are correct (middle) they're the Irish soft shoe, but the dancer is actually a Scottish Highland dancer- I didn't do that. Still, she's pretty and unique. I bought the shoes after a performance at a Scottish festival, and my mom gave me the dancer. The goblet was also given to me by my mom because I went to ren faires a lot, and she thought it suited.

The little diamond girl represents my youngest (at the moment) daughter Scarlet. The knight in shining armor-well, I was a real romantic back in the day. He was handsom at the mall kiosk...so I bought him. The guy in the middle is actually an LDS missionary. My mom (she bought me a lot of these, you will see.) sent him to me in college, because most of my friends in high school were boys who, instead of going straight to college went on LDS missions. At one point, I was writing to 12 of them. So, he represents them all.

Obviously, from my parents on Graduation day. And the key is an antique charm I bought at a flea market because I also collect keys. 12 of the charms on this bracelet are keys of some sort.

My husband bought me the moon when we were dating, and I bought the cards when we were in vegas, after we were married just before we found out we were expecting Lilly. My first real boyfriend bought me the dice because we used to play Dungeons and Dragons (okay...I still DO play. But not with him anymore.) Though they would be more appropriate if they were 20 sided.

This may be one of my favorites. When I was pregnant with Scarlet, we lived in Alabama. For Christmas, we took our kids, Lilly- then 2 and Mahone, then 17 months to Disneyworld and met my parents and my brothers and sister there. I bought this CInderella's castle there. Isn't it breathtaking? It was expensive too. Platinum. My WHOLE souvenier allowance. LOL.

Yes- from my parents when I turned 16. In Utah. LOL .

ANother of my favorites. This charm was purchased in Disneyland when I was pregnant with Lilly. Brandon had gone off to Boot Camp for the Air Force in Texas and my mom had whisked me away with our family and some good family friends to Disneyland.

The Statue of Liberty. I bought her at the store on Liberty Island where the statue stands. Brandon's first station was at McGuire AFB in New Jersey and my Sister In Law came to see us for her birthday. We took her to New York. I was pregnant with Mahone.

Camera, phone...both from my mom.

The bell was a gift for Christmas one year, and the palm trees were purchased in Jamaica on my honeymoon. Yes, the little sign says "calif." but our plane was leaving and I didn't really think about it until after the fact. Oh well. It's a story to tell. The little boat under the bell is a charm Brandon bought me from Maryland when he was on a TDY (temporary duty) there.

Brandon bought me the dog, because I wanted a dog, but our first apartment didn't allow pets. I bought the armadillo in texas when I went to see him graduate from Boot Camp while still pregnant with Lilly.

I got to visit Texas again when we drove back to Utah after I had Scarlet from our second Station in Alabama. We stopped to visit our best friends and I bought this there.

COmputer, heart, cowgirl...I think the boot is actually Lilly's...it's also from Texas.

Dear My Uterus,
I see you have received my last letter with grace. And gracefully, I am here to encourage your journey over the next 9 months. I imagine you pink and plush inside, full and fertile like a mother should be. Cradle my precious baby, please, until i can cradle the little thing his/herself.

Sincerely,
Dearly Thankful

********************************
Dear Baby,
You must always know that you are very severely wanted. Not just by me, your mother, your grail, but a numberless slew of people who envision you in their mind's eye already. Your oldest sister will be your biggest fan, as she is already practicing changing diapers on your other older sister. Your brother will be your protector. He is our Superman, and he hopes that you will be a boy so that he will have a Batman to run around with. And our Scarlet- well, she will have well meaning intentions, but I will have to protect you from her curious fingers and teeth, and keep you out of the way of her chronically tripping feet.
Hang on sweet baby. Cling to me, and stay with me. I want you. Always.
Affectionately,Your mommy.

*********************************************
And for some comic relief before my over active emotions get the best of me and I short out my little laptop with the weight of my many exaggerated tears....

Dear Vacuum,
I hate you.
You advertised yourself as a vacuum meant specifically for shedding pets. "Up to 3 animals!" the box shouted, letters inflamed in in a spiky cloud as though it were a comic book. You boasted pictures of two long haired cats, and an English Sheep Dog.
So, why is it that, from the first day I vacuumed, I have had to unclog the tube every single time I vacuum a room? Not every time I vacuum my HOUSE, but every time I vacuum a ROOM? And I'm not talking things like wads of toilet paper, or marbles, or a pair of underwear (Which my last vacuum survived) or one of Brandon's ties (which is what ultimately ruined our last vacuum and made us purchase you.) I'm talking dog hair.
Now let me tell you a little about us. I am a little bit obsessive. I'm not obsessive COMPULSIVE. My house isn't spotless or sterile, but I am a little bit of a freak about it being clean. Particularly the carpets because I have 3 (4) small children who play on said carpets. I also have a 2 year old who, apparently, has not outgrown the oral stage. she puts everything in her mouth. So, needless to say, I vacuum most of my house almost every day.
We also have a dog. ONE dog. He is a Brittany Spaniel, and he sheds. His hair is medium length and his shedding is very minimal.
So, comparing our lifestyle: I vacuum every day, and we only have ONE dog (which implies very little hair when it's cleaned up every day)
to your advertisement: "For up to 3 animals!" surrounded by two cats and a dog (which implies a HECK of a lot of hair, especially if you're like most of the world and you vacuum once, twice, maybe 3 times a week as opposed to every day.) well, it kind of gives me the feeling that you are a lying sack of goat cheese.
Well, I take that back. You don't have a sack. You're one of those awesome kinds with the little clear tube that unlocks and you just dump it into the garbage.
Oh right! I don't do that...because it's rare that anything makes it there, due to your inability to suck dog hair all the way through your blessedly transparent tube ('cause at least I can SEE where the clog is), or any of the three places that tubes connect to filters, 'bag', or the spinney brush thingy underneath the vacuum where it sucks stuff up.

The company said on the phone that I either have too many pets, my dog has too much hair, or I should vacuum more often. ~Wry look~

So, please, because I mean this in the nicest possible way, don't be offended when i say: You don't suck.
May I suggest a disclaimer: "Works best with hairless animals and those that don't shed!"

Cordially,.......I have no clever alias, I'm so ticked.