::NoT mE mOnDaY::

Welcome to another entertaining Not Me! Monday post, originally hosted by McMama, my all time favorite blogger. Ever.

Not me...

I so did not go out with my hubby, brother/sister-in-law and our friends on Saturday night and I definately did not have a teensy bit too much to drink.

Along the same line, that evening did not find me singing karaoke or flirting with a 60-something-year-old bartender in the hopes that I'd get a couple extra cherries in my drink. Nope, not me at all.

I swear I didn't spend almost an entire Sunday watching the Packers and Brewers games while dishes piled high in my sink and the bathroom begged to be cleaned. Eww, dirty. Not my style at all.

I guarantee I did not "throw a fit" when hubby suggested we flip our matress...and today my back is not sore because of said flipping.

Today, I am not going to treat myself to a delicious cappuccino or a chocolate chip muffin and I am also not going to skip out on work early tonight...just like I am not posting this from my desk. At work. Nope.

*Falling*

I LOVE FALL!

Can you believe Mark and I have been married for 11 months (tomorrow)? It's so strange for me to think of it that way. Yes, we've been married almost a year but we've been together for much longer.

Though we have our problems, it seems most days I find yet another reason why I love him. It's like I'm falling in love with him all over again! Awesome!

Just had to drop by and say that.

Through the View Finder

Sunset in a corn field

Trusty, Rusty Farm Truck

Posing?

Basketball - a staple at the Breckheimer Homestead.

Garden Goodies

Memories on the Farm

Have you ever been Hockneyized?

Let me just say that this must be a record - two posts in one day! Be sure to read my other, more serious post before enjoying this fun one.

So here's my question - have you ever been Hockneyized? No? You should try it. Go on! It's fun and you'll definately come up with some pretty unique creations!

Choices

Today I've been thinking about choices. There are so many in life.

We get the opportunity to choose a path for our future, choose to accept what fate hands us. We choose how we handle and react to stressful/happy/upsetting/disturbing situations. We are so lucky to have choices.

Lately I've been considering my choices more and more as a means to deal with my feelings. For instance when yesterday turned into a rather stressful and exhausting work day, I chose to think positively. I thought to myself, "This too shall pass. Tomorrow is another day." Good choice, I'd say as it helped me re-consider one particular stress and just get through it.

Later in the day, I was feeling rather cranky and lonely waiting for my husband to return home from coaching. When he strolled in at 11:30 p.m., instead of demanding an explanation for his tardiness and acting on my anger impulse, I chose to kiss him and ask how his day was. Another good choice.

This week as I contemplate our misfortune in having lost the opportunity to buy the house we so desperately want and lament the fact that after nearly six months of not trying to not get pregnant (more on this later), I have yet another choice to make.

I could feel sorry for myself. I could feel envious of every mother I see, every couple I know that is fortunate to have homes and families. I could wallow in self pity.

Or, I can choose to believe that fate will play it's hand and things will work out for us in the way they are meant to. I much rather prefer the later choice...it offers so much more to look forward to.

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Today marks six months of our not trying to not get pregnant. Long ago we decided not necessarily to "try" to get pregnant (meaning we wouldn't keep track of ovulation cycles) but we would no longer use "precautionary measures" to prevent a

I know there are lots of opinions out there on birth control, but I'm not trying to start a debate here. Each couple has their own views and are certainly entitled. I'm simple stating that we have been taking a sort of wait-and-see attitude toward pregnancy for the last few months.

It seemed like a good compromise because I really, really, really want to start a family and while Mark certainly wants kids he wasn't completely ready. Somehow, I'd convinced myself that it would just happen, without really having to try.

I know all the statistics. I know that some couples really struggle concieve and often surgery and fertility treatments are considered. I know all that and knew not to get my hopes up, but somehwere along the line those sneeky hopes jumped way up there. So, now I feel a bit disappointed when I realize each month that the hope wasn't realized.

Again, I think it's all about choices. For now I chose to be happy with our relationship. I chose to relish our time together and be happy to live in the moment. Because, hopefully (in the not too distant future) our time will be further divided by a blessed event.

Hope you all make good choices today and always remember "things look much brighter in the morning."

Jinxed

Well it seems I've jinxed myself in writing this post as it turns out I've got an un-announcement to make.

Last week Mark and I were very excited, after more than six months of searching, to find a wonderful house that we immediately fell in love with. We toured the home three times last week before deciding to call the realtor and meet with her Sunday to put in an offer.

We've been through this before and knew that we could expect a counter offer, but we never dreamed that the current homeowners would be unwilling to budge even a measly $100 from their asking price! We were shocked to see the counter offer was dollar for dollar, their asking price!

We counter offered their counter offer with a number that was a teensy bit higher than our original offer and the homeowner rejected that one too.

This is so very disappointing as I feel this was our last chance, before winter, to find a home. I'm also upset because I know that the homeowner has already taken a job in a city more than an hour away from ours and he is currently shuttling his family between two homes.

I suspect that he must have a high mortgage to pay as well as rent in the apartment they're staying in and gas money to drive back and forth between the two properties...I guess what I'm saying is that I'll be praying for them.

I hope that they find something that works for them and whether they decide to re-consider our offer or not, I hope they find a buyer for their house. I hope and pray too that we will find a place to call our own. I want so badly to move forward from this "rut" we seem to be in.

Sigh. I guess it just wasn't meant to be. In any case, praying for God's wisdom...hoping He'll show us the direction we need to go. All in His plan.

Not me! Monday

McMama, over at one of my favorite blogs has challenged her readers to do a "Not me! Monday" post. Go on over to her site to read more about it.

Here's my Not Me! Monday list:

Last weekend I did not bake a pan of brownies and then proceed to eat an entire row while standing at my kitchen counter. Nope, not me.

I also did not yell at a bunch of hooligan teenagers who were screaming outside my bedroom window at 1 a.m. because that would mean I'm a crazy person. And I'm not. Ok?

This morning I did not hit the snooze button three times and I did not stroll (rush) into my office at 8:04 a.m. I didn't. Really.

I am not, at this very moment, writing this post while I'm supposed to be working and I am definitely not drinking a Wild Cherry Pepsi because it is not 10:48 a.m.

Tonight I will not leave work early to make sure I'm home to catch a new episode of Jon&Kate + Eight because, of course, I am not addicted to that show.

Your turn! Send me a comment so I'll know to check out your "Not Me!" Monday post...how fun!