Every Day is Not a Joy Ride.

Let me start by telling you that I am now a Copperhead expert.

I met our lovely neighbors yesterday evening. I'm not sure if they're lovely because they're lovely, or if they're lovely because our previous neighbors downright sucked. I think it's a little of both.

Well, to continue on with this story, I chit chatted with the neighbors for about an hour and they casually mentioned the Copperhead sightings. It wasn't just like "Oh, there's Copperheads in the neighborhood." It was more like "Oh, there's Copperheads in your yard."

Panic set in.

For the record, ignorance is bliss.

Never Google Image Copperhead bites. Just don't do it. It was not my smartest moment. Now I'm gonna have nightmares that Otis will get bit by a snake and will swell up like a balloon, as was the case with this poor dog:


Four hours of intense online reading, and now I am an expert on all things Copperhead.
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On a completely separate thought, as indicated by that line above, I stumbled across this blog post yesterday. It's worth the read. I don't know this blogger, but I can already see so much of myself in her honest writing. I can place myself in her shoes because just a year ago I was not married, I lived with my parents, and I was relying on a plan that involved dental school (ha!).

At the time, I felt sorta lame. I saw all these people on Facebook posting pictures of their engagement rings, their pregnant bellies, their nice houses, their exotic vacations, and I was sitting there thinking that my life is mediocre. I kept thinking "If only Brian would marry me..." or "If only I had my own house..." or "If only I made more money..."

Well here's the truth -
Marrying your best friend and the love of your life is great. Buying a big house is great. Landing an awesome job is great. Stressing over money simply because we can't afford a bigger driveway for our five cars is great. I mean, it's literally great. I get upset because I don't have unlimited funds to afford a nice grill, a kegerator, or my Pottery Barn furniture, but how wonderful is it that these are the things I find stressful in life? I am truly blessed. Looking back, I was equally blessed when I was single, living with my parents, and feeling sorry for myself.

Sometimes when I post pictures on Facebook or my blog, I feel like it may come across as self-promoting. Here's the happy couple at the Biltmore. Here's the happy couple and their dog. Here's Kelly's nice house. Here's Kelly's wonderful life. 
I cringed recently when a friend of mine wrote on my Facebook wall "looks like things are going well for you." It was a a nice comment, but I couldn't help but wonder if I'm making my life look like something it's not. I fear it's like those family Christmas letters you get in the mail that make you want to gag. (OK, maybe I'm the only one gagging, but I hate those Christmas letters).

Anyways, this rant is to basically say DON'T BE FOOLED. I have this theory that everyone's personal level of happiness always stays the same. It's actually not my theory, per se. It's already known in the Psychology world as the Set Point Theory. But your happiness may go up for a day, a week, or a month, but ultimately it will come right back down to it's normal level. Even if you get married. Or buy a new house. Or win the lottery.

Genuine happiness can only be found in the Lord.

So even though my life via my blog may look picture perfect, just know that it's far from it. Brian and I still get in terrible moods. I occasionally yell and scream at Otis. I still feel overwhelmed and exhausted at the end of most days. I mostly just look at my "Power of a Praying Woman" book sitting on the nightstand, instead of actually praying. And I may or may not have cried this weekend when my washing machine flooded the laundry room floor.

My life is far from perfect, but I have everything I ever dreamed of.

I had it then, and I have it now.

Only now I have Copperheads in my yard.

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