The Crazy Life of an American Crazy Person

The thing about being a crazy person, is that while your reality may seem quite the norm to you, to everyone else you just look plain nuts.
I feel like that's pretty much what sums up the entirety of my epic summer experience of 2011. Maybe I'm just used to it, things not working out the way I want, like, ever. Maybe I've dropped all expectations of anything and so therefore they can never be failed. Whatever it is, it's kinda nice to be on a roller coaster and not even realize it.

So here's the story.

Once upon a time,

Jennifer really really enjoyed this summer.

We started it out with a fantastic trip to Italy, and I faced my fear of flying over the ocean. On top of that there was also a super high risk to travel due to the whole Osama Bin Laden dealio and the outbreaks in Lybia. I have always been afraid of flying over water anyways ever since I saw the movie "Cast Away" and ever since 9/11 flying when the government was recommending that you don't has always been scary. But the trip was awesome so the fear was worth it.

We got back to America and then found out that there was a ton of family drama with the in-laws. Parents were moving, now they're not, now brother and sister are moving, debates about who should and shouldn't stay in the business, pissed off about desk placement and how close we all have to be, hurt feelings and we were all pretty much sick of seeing each others faces every other day. It was a mess.

But communication is a blessing. After barely being able to get across was I was trying to say in Italy I was more than willing to listen when I could understand every English word that was coming out of their mouths. I took a hold and sure learned a lot about myself and situations that I thought I had no control over but, in fact I had the ability to fix it all if I put aside my pride. So I did.

A few days later we decided we needed a break so we went to a rock crawling competition to get away for a day. It was SO fun! But I got the worst sunburn of my life. So bad it blistered.

Then to make myself feel better I dyed my hair. Which all around was just a good thing. No bad story here, thank goodness. That one had potential.

Friendships grew and I was getting to know some pretty fun new people, camping, jet skiing, and spending late nights with good friends.

And then my cat gets sick and could need a $1200 surgery.

So after the stress of trying to decide what to do with that, I thought now was the time to do something fun, so I joined a hip hop dance class.

And then, while helping plan my dear friends wedding, serious drama erupts among bridesmaids. Again. That's a long story but let me just say, that sucked. I just wanted to fix it and make it all better, but there was nothing I could do except be there for the bride during the ridiculousness.

Then at a jr high event at church, I got to pray with a girl to invite Jesus to come into her life and her heart. Hallelujah what a blessing! That made my day.

And then our car breaks. And it costs $1100 to fix it. Poop.

So we take my Miata to the Tognottis Car Show instead. Ha! SO fun.

We got to go to Hot August Nights this year finally and that was pretty awesome being able to see the sweet cars, but the drag racing that the show promised was a bust.

And then, on a Saturday morning I woke up doubled over in pain from my right ovary and have to be rushed to the hospital by my sister in law since Angelo had to be at the shop. I got to have some pretty awkward embarrassing unique bonding time with Candice though. Haha.
After a few days of testing and stressing out that I was never going to be able to have kids the verdict was that I had a common condition and that I would be fine. Whew!

Then I find out that my birthday weekend is going to be super busy so our plan to stay for a weekend in Napa to go wine tasting for my 21st wasn't going to happen. This was rather disappointing.

But then my mom surprises me with a day at Marine World and I overcome my fear FINALLY of riding roller coasters without panicking. I was free to just enjoy it. No anxiety?! It was a miracle.

We then got to spend a weekend away with our church youth staff at Woodleaf which was a lot of fun and Melissa and I learned how to FISH! This brought us so much joy.

Then my birthday comes and I got to spend the whole day with my husband. I wouldn't have had it any other way. :) We went out to see a movie, went out to lunch, went on a hike, went to dinner and danced the night away.

And then, a few nights later we get called to the shop at 2:30am because someone had tried to break in. Freaking out the whole drive there, we waited to see the damage. And luckily, there was none. Thank you Jesus.

Then we get the news that the Brother and Sister in law were not leaving us after all! And that she got a job at a yarn shop! Yippee!

The summer ended with a secret Bachelorette party for Melissa, and on Saturday our best friends got married!

And all was well.

"This was the best summer ever!" Jennifer said.

The End.




Wow.