KC Thanksgiving trip

I love that I get to spend my Thanksgiving week in Kansas City.

It is a wonderful place filled with great coffee and great people. 

I never end up seeing everyone that I want to see and I always

end up eating way too much junk. 

Some highlights were having friends over to meet Barry, 

going to Pitt St. to watch my little brother Jon play football, 

going with Barry and my brother Nate & his wife to see the Plaza lights, 

watching home videos, Thanksgiving day with my family, 

and being able to spend some great one-on-one time 

with some of my favorite people.

K.C never lets me down in terms of friendly people, great thrift stores & 

yummy food.

And, I also noticed that about 80% of the population was wearing some 

sort of sports team memorabilia. I guess the equivalent of a blue button down here in D.C is 

an MU pullover. Go Tigers! 

My weekend!!!

This is a picture of our drive this past weekend to Idaho. 

I honestly didn't think people lived there. 

We went to see one of B's friends get married. 

The wedding was outside & it started snowing as the guests arrived.

We had a fabulous time and it was so fun to meet all of B's closest friends. 

Then.

He proposed!!

(Not at the wedding. duh)

Here

at this gorgeous lake in McCall. 

So now my hand looks like this:

Yep. 

He got down on one knee in the snow. 

We went into town to grab coffee after the wedding and he insisted we walk 

down to the lake (it was pretty much across the street from the coffee shop). 

I was freezing and wearing heel booties with no socks and since we went to 

the lake the day before, I really didn't want to go.

So I said no.

And he said,"Let's go!"

And I said no again.

And he said,'We are going.'

So I went.

We talked for a few minutes ( I say it was like 5-10 minutes and he says 2)

and I asked again if we could leave. 

He said, "Alright. I better do this then."

He set his drink down in the snow, got on one knee and asked

if I would spend the rest of my life with him.

So sometime soon I will be Mrs. Chang. I can't wait to have his name. 

I am going to be Asian. 

He is moving out to the D.C area and we will go on adventures forever. 

And that was my weekend. 

NYC

SoHo 

I spent this past weekend in New York City. 

I had an amazing time. My love planned the trip and it was perfect. 

We:

~at ice cream at Momofuku Milk bar

~walked around Chelsea & SoHo

~went to Cirque du Soleil at Radio City  

~spent a good 4 hours in Bergdorf Goodman

~took a stroll through Central Park

~ate gelato at Bryant Park

~spent some lovely time in Brooklyn overlooking the city

The trip was short and sweet. We fell in love a bit more and I can't wait to see the world with this man.

Next stop:

San Francisco (again:)

I can't wait!!

San Francisco

Next month. 

I will be there. 

It is said to be the 'asian capitol of the US' that is ironic considering I am going to visit an asian friend. 

I will be there for 5 days. 

I have never been to the WestCoast. 

I hear it is magical and that I won't want to come back. 

Things I want to do in SanFran:

-rides bikes across the golden gate bridge

-eat at some great places

-play in the water a bit

-go to the 4-story Anthropologie

What else to do? :)

The Journey

Where are you going and what do you need to get there?

Coffee talk...Nashville Airport

This might be the best coffee talk ever. 

I flew into Nashville Airport this morning and have pretty much all day free. As I was wondering what I was going to do in this lovely city, I took a stop at the Starbucks near terminal C. To my viewing pleasure, I saw what appeared to be a man with headphones setting up his drum kit. In the AIRPORT! So I got excited. 

Then comes another man with a little black case which was holding the most perfect of trumpets. 

Then this super tall fellow wearing a white Kangol comes on the stage. 

The quartet is completed with a crazy haired Samoan lookin guy carrying an upright bass.

And all is well with the world. 

I just love airports. This might be my favorite airport experience. My favorite is walking past each gate and seeing where the folks are headed. 

Destination: Orange County

-60yr old white woman wearing Hermes with a 30 thousand dollar face.

 I mean...this lady. Is she serious? Does she think she really looks younger???

Destination: Dallas Fort Worth

-1 pink cowboy hat, 1white one, 3 brown.

-8 pair of cowboy boots; one pink

-Camo

-Carharts

-The most lovely of cowboys

Destination: Albuquerque 

-Turquoise earrings; four pair

-2 dreamcatchers

Destination: Any place in Florida

-Tommy Bahama polos

-worn out flip flops

Destination: Any midwestern town

-sweatpants and children

This is a great day. Listening to this amazing music makes for a great start to the weekend. I love watching the people tap their toes to the beat some are even tapping off beat. how does that happen? I love that a little boy grabbed a chair and pulled it up right next to the piano and sat so confidently. My ears are thankful for this time here in the airport. Thank you Nashville! 

The drive

There is a place that I am trying to get to. I have no clue how to get there..I just know that I am suppose to be there. 

If you have ever had the opportunity to drive from, say, Missouri to Colorado, then you can understand my pain. 

Kansas has some great basketball and people but the drive...oh..my..boring. 

And not just boring but hours and hours and hours of boring. It feels like you are never going to make it and you think about turing back often. 

There is a place that I am trying to get to. The only way to get there is to keep going and to ask for directions along the way. 

Have you ever felt like you have been driving and driving yet you still can't see the outline of the mountains? 

Peace

This picture does something to my spirit. This week has been..I can't think of a word to describe it. Life...oh sweet painfully beautiful life.

 I am so thankful to be spending another month in my apartment. I don't know what March will hold nor shall I fret about it. I feel like I am in a catapult and I am being pulled back a little bit further only to get released.

 I thought that I had reached the max on how far the Lord could stretch my soul but come to find out, we can handle a little bit more that what we think. 

It is amazing to look at where I was a year ago today and see all the Lord took me through and how I never thought I would make it out of that season. 

The sweetest thing in it all is that it is just a season. Our job is to trust and rest in the truth of our God. 

The seasons of my life are changing. 

As I watch the snow melt and feel the warmth of the sun heat my face, I can't help but be peace. I know big changes are ahead. I have no clue what they are 

BUT..

I know that whatever these months hold, they are necessary for my story. I am committed to the story. As difficult or as sweet as it maybe, the pages must be written.

With that said, I feel a trip to TN here in my very near future. Maybe a stop in Charlottesville on the way. 

Thank you for reading my story.

What if you viewed your life as a story to be written and read later on in life..would you live it differently?   

Dream car is a brown Discovery

I am packing up the lies and the doubt and the fear. They will not be allowed in this year. I am gonna try something new this year and I will be sure to let you know how it plays out. I am 'just' going to trust my God for this year. No agenda, no more 'picturing' what my life is going to look like. Simply eyes on the LORD.  I am gonna take some serious risks, go on a few adventures, hit up a pub in Europe and then go watch a futbol match while singing "Forever Blowin Bubbles' (maybe not that last one), love on some people, share my story, go to the Northwest US, do some bikram yoga, get a phone with internet..wait. I need to put this in list form so that I can check things off. (Love checking things off the list)

1. Serious risks

2. Few adventures

3. Pub in Europe

4. Futbol match while singing

5. love people

6. share my story

7. Northwest US

8. Bikram Yoga

9. Fancy Phone

(just a few more..you can call these resolutions if you want)

10. Skydive

11. Roadtrip with a friend with the only purpose being coffee and thrifting

12. Philly

That is good. Keep me accountable. I will let you know when I cross things off.

Foreshadowing 2011

Oh 2011! You are nearly here!!!! My soul rejoices. There are so many things I look forward to in this coming year:

I WILL go to Europe!!

I love these brothers so much and look forward to watching them grow (obviously not taller.sorry jon) in the LORD

My business, Breeze Styling, WILL take off and I will be changing lives one closet at a time http://bresfittingroom.blogspot.com 

I love this little girl and can't wait to share this year with her!

My debt is going to get paid off..somehow

Europe.....

Maybe my Prince will come? 

The LORD says, "I am about to...."

My soul waits on HIM. 

Small girl and white dwarf

Once upon a time, there was a small girl. This girl lived in a small village between the tallest mountain and the deepest ocean. She lived in a quiet home with a tiny white dwarf. One day, the gatekeeper told the small girl that she had thirty-four days to get out of her peaceful home or else they were going to kick her out on the dirty streets with all of her stuff and the white dwarf. The townspeople were in shock by this and kept asking the small girl where she was going to live. But the small girl had no clue.  With no place to go and no clue what the next chapter had in store for her or the white dwarf, the small girl did only what she knew. She worshiped her GOD, sought HIS face and trusted that HE would once again come through for her, as HE has done time and time again. She knew that her GOD would somehow make a way when there seemed to be no way.  That although she could not yet see over this mountain, she must keep walking and that soon, and very soon, she would see over the mountain and then, and only then, will she and the white dwarf be ready for their next adventure.

Missouri loves company

Someone stayed up way too late getting blog ideas and business ideas. I feel like death right now but got really inspired and overwhelmed and encouraged and tired. I want to get away. Oh lucky me! I get to go on "vacation" in two days!! I can't wait :) I put it in quotes because is going to see your family in Missouri ever classified as a vacation? Hawaii- vacation. Norway with lover, vacation. Spain with girlfriends, vacation. Missouri to visit family,...

Maryland

There are few places I don't ever want to live.
#1. India

I spent today in Maryland for a photo shoot. I went by McDonald's for a quick bite after my little commute. I was greeted at window #1 by a I had to do a double take and check for a bra girl. A female. I would not call her a woman. She had female parts the parts I could see.  She has a freshly shaved head and her brown arms were covered with tats. Not like pretty girl tats but like thug tats. Like she has seen some thangs. Like she has popped a few caps in an ass or two. I got scared. I gave her my 2.11$ for my cheeseburger and small fry and rushed to the second window......BUT...I think her twin was working the second window. Another black female with a shaved head. Is there some new dress code at Maryland McDonald's?? This female was scarier than the first and she had a cross tattoo under her eye. WHO DOES THAT!!!!! I will tell you who does that....that chick at McDonald's in Maryland does that. So she gives me my bag of goodness but I really wanted a water. My voice cracked as I asked her, in the most suburban voice ever, if I could get a water too. I was nervous. She gave me a look as though she was about to make a value meal out of me by ripping my heart of my chest, putting it on a sesame seed bun, adding fries and a red drink. Fortunately, I made it out alive. My fries were not good but I was not about to take them back.
#2. Maryland

coffee talk

It seems like forever since the last coffee talk. Did I mention that I love this coffee shop? I have been here everyday this week so far. Today I decided to try the Strawberry Almond scone. That was a good decision.   Another good decision I made today....doing stairs at the high school. My legs will be mad tomorrow for sure. Nothing like hitting the stairs hard going up and doing squats on the way down. :) Sweet torture.

Alright. Coffee talk. Here is my scene:
Well, I just moved seats. I just sat in that seat to take the picture and the girl that you see in the pic behind me kept looking at me like I was taking a picture of her. Narcissist. The scene has changed a bit since I took that pic. We now have 8 folks outside. There is a girl at the table in front of me who has a funky haircut and color. It has orange (bright orange) and blonde and brown. It is short but a bit of it is pulled back in a little bun. She has on cool yellow shoes and is eating a scone. Her left nostril is pierced.   She is ready a book called Twelve Ordinary Men (maybe disciples???) and her sunglasses are on her head. She seems to be waiting for someone.


Who else..
The guy who has the wrap thingy on his head. It is dark green. He is drinking Pelligrino and seems to be writing or drawing. He is drawing. He keeps looking at me. I wonder if he is drawing me. Narcissist. He had good scruff and is wearing a black v-neck. Dark jeans and Adidas shoes. He is thinking a lot. I wonder what he is drawing......
There are 2 girls eating grilled cheese. Well, one is. the other just has a latte. There is an older woman close to me who is just on her phone. I think she is waiting for someone.

Digress...I love when people look around as they are waiting for someone. It is as if they want to make sure that everyone knows that they are not at a coffee shop by themselves. The look to the left. A quick glance to the right. iPhone check.  A quick fumble in the bag and repeat.
 The other people have left. That is it of the coffee talk.

Can I talk about the road this week?
 Ummm. I guess it's a holiday weekend and everyone from all the other states decide to come here. I am desperate to see a Virginia license plate. I wish there were a manual for all those not from Virginia/D.C  so that cars would move a bit more smoothly when times like this occur. Oh the out-of-towners. They just crack me up. They stick out like a...well...they just stick out like crazy.  They slow down our busy little world. They order slow. They drive big huge vans. They have lots of children. They don't know what to do when the toll plaza comes up. They panic when a decision on the road needs to be made. They are the least efficient people. And they should be. Right? They are entering a new world by coming to our crazy metropolitan area. I am not mad at them, I just suggest that they get a manual when they cross states lines so they know what to do in situations like ordering a latte and how to pay at one of the Pay-to-park spots.
So...are you suspecting that someone drove really slow in front of me or someone took way to long fixing their coffee or someone took an eternity to pay at the parking spot? Yes. all of these happened today. Maybe we Nova/D.Cers need to use this time with the "foreigners" as an opportunity to learn some patience....
But maybe we don't.
Maybe we need to welcome the Michigan and Carolina plates with open arms and be gentle and kind.
But maybe we don't.
Every time that I have gone to a foreign country, I am first given lessons in the culture and I get a booklet of the do's and don't. I am told in Cambodia to not show the bottoms of my feet and not to look men in the eyes and I am warned, when going to Mexico, to not drink the water and not travel outside of the home by myself. SO....why not get prepped for travel to our area?
It does seem like a foreign country to those who are from small towns and we have do's and don'ts.
Until legislation passes the bill to have booklets passed out at the "borders", I guess I will just have to use the situations that I am presented with as teaching opportunities. I will extend grace to the man who takes up the entire counter to "doctor up" (that is what my dad says) his coffee and squeeze in, showing him that, the space that 1 "foreigner" takes up is equivalent to 4 spaces for us locals.
It's my birthday month.

Random ponderings #2.

Oh sleep. I just can't seem to do you right now. The ol' noggin is too full of dreams to take part in you.  I wish I could. I tried for an hour. You were so tempting too with your awesome duvet, down comforter, down pillows, king size/cherry wood/sleigh bed. I really do love you. What makes it even better is that there is a cute little baby somewhere underneath all of those covers keeping my spot warm while I blog and as soon as I am ready for you, I will move her aside and gently take the warm spot without her even knowing. Is that wrong. I think not. Maybe it is but I will do it anyways.  

I have been sick with a cold this week which has be NO fun. Bailey has done a great job of taking care of me though. The place is a wreck but who cares. She took care of her momma. I love her. I have one more busy weekend of work and then it is off to Kansas City MISSOURI for all you goof balls who don't know. Now you KNOW! I am really pumped about that trip. I am taking a road trip to STL with my bro's, going to a wedding, have 2 photoshoots and lots of folks to see in just one week. I am glad this trip is going to be a busy one. I feel like most of the time I am there I gain 5lbs and watch a lot of tv. This trip will be different. 

I am feeling like this is going to be another Random blog. It is.

I have been watching the futbol matches like they are going out of style. I have a HUGE respect for the game and just love how the world can come together for a few weeks. I love that I can go up to any decent male and ask if they watched the game and they say yes. And I actually know what they are talking about because I too watched the game. And yes, I did say decent male. It is great for my job and it feels good to be a bit knowledgeableI have never typed the word knowledgeable but it looks different than what i pictured and there are much more letter than i expected about the most popular sport in the world. Its about time bre. It is just because being a Thomas you kinda do wrestling, football, track or baseball or all the above. I didn't really know soccer was a sport. I like to call it futbol. I sound more cultured that way and then I always get the respond, "where are you from"  and then I get to reply with "Missouri" and then I get that confused look. It is SO worth that look. Then I get, "No. what nationality are you". Then I reply with, "my dad is black and my mother is white". Then i get that look again. Then I smile, knowing that those exact things were going to happen. 

I have a really sweet friend G. who brought me food today. And it was good food. Thank you G. Thanks for hanging out a bit. 

A guy told me tonite that he doesn't like girls who have short hair. You know what.......dude....I have been trying to think of a come back that wasn't TOO rude but just mean enough to get you...so, I am still thinkin. Wait...Not a fan of dudes with bum socks. There. I hope I got you.

I really don't know how women can go around with chipped fingernails and toes. I just really don't get it. It looks so bad and only takes minutes to correct and not a lot of money. I want to walk around DC one day with a bucket of cotton balls and a Camelbak of polish remover and do some healing. 

Yes ladies, if you put polish on your nails and you have a job or do anything, you will probably have to touch up your nails on a weekly basis. Maybe even a few times a week. But...it is so worth it. Its like this...if you can't tip, don't go out to eat. If you can't keep your nail polish on, then don't put it on. Was that harsh? Did i get my point across?

I want some Gates BBQ. Beef on bun. And some Jackstacks. I love how people out here on the east coast talk about BBQ, like they know. And they will argue that Carolina has the best and Memphis. blah blah. KC. All day. 

I am thinking a lot about Norge. I will go to that country one day. Maybe next year? As a gift to myself after I am officially single again. Yeah. Sounds like a great idea to me. Oh, Norge is Norway. The Kingdom of Norway. It just sounds cool. Where do you live? the US. Where do you live? The Kingdom of Norway. Okay. Much cooler. ps. the shot below is Norge. 

I am really trying to embrace summer. It isn't AS terrible as I predicted. I have embraced the shorts and swimming suit. Still would rather wear clothes but I am dealing with it. I still hate that hot feeling but it is fun to take Bailey to the pool and drink a really cold drink and eat more ice cream and crank some Dave in the car. 

Who has actually made it this far in the late nite ponderings of me? I wonder about who reads this blog. It always makes me laugh and/or smile when I find out someone really does read it. I really don't know if you read this unless you clicked on the FOLLOW button and even then I am not sure. So click the FOLLOW button if you haven't so I know who knows all these random details of my life. 

I really hate when people curse all the time. Like that guy who drops the F bomb after every other word. He could get to the point much faster if he left those out. It just sounds stupid after a while. Like he is stuttering. There are only 2 F bombs that I agree with in song. #1 is by far Damien Rice in the song "Rootless Tree". I have never heard that word sound so beautiful. And #2 is Lil Wayne in his lovely yet direct song titled, "F today". That song came in handy a few times this year. Just so honest. So pure. 

I think that is all I have for tonite. I am still not sleepy, I still feel sick and my eyes are still itchy and burning. I might go eat some sort of carb and have some water. Goodnite. I hope you are well. 

I want...

There are so many things I would love to do now. Not now but in the near future. The first thing that keeps popping in my head tonight is going to Europe. I think I have been listening to way to much Lisa Hannigan and Damien Rice but I want to go. I don't really care which part. Norway would be in the top 5 and Ireland sounds lovely. I mean, the accent sounds lovely. I am sure it is breathtaking. I LOVE ACCENTS. I love that there is a story behind them. They, whoever has an accent, so everyone to someone, are from somewhere else, if the accent isn't my own, and they have a story. I lean more towards the European accent any day though. I pick up accents and languages fairly quickly so I am sure that wherever I go, I will come back talking like a local. I love that.

I want to skydive. Why? Because I am deathly afraid of heights. I am deathly afraid of water too. Big water.  A month ago, I walked on this random, crazy scary little bridge out over some crazy body of water. I was scared but knew if I fell in that J. would first laugh then jump in and help me out. I really was scared about that. Gotta face your fears right? I thought I faced my water and heights fear when I went cliff jumping in Jamaica. That was the dumbest thing I could have done. I am not a great swimmer either. It was one of those things that when you are in mid air, you realize what the heck you just did and start to panic but before your sympathetic nervous system can kick in, you are hitting water and better figure it out. So dumb. So scary. I would never do that again. Not on purpose anyways. So skydiving. Sounds crazy and dumb but I am up for it just once. Why not..

I want to take a roadtrip with my brothers. We shall do that this summer when I go to K.C to visit. I want to go to St.Louis. Not too far but far enough being in the car with my bro's. We should go to a show and eat a lot and listen to lil wayne or one of them lil's.

I want to go to a restaurant and have them teach me how to cook. For example, my favorite Thai place is Grand Thai. I became friends with the owner because I used to go there so much and he and the sushi chef said I could come in sometime during the week when they were slow and they would teach me about sushi. I love food. I love to cook. I love to learn. Perfect.

I want to fly somewhere by myself. Maybe this could be Europe or my beach trip that I am praying for. Every time I fly, I am entertaining a child by myself. I am always jealous of that chic who has her book and her headphone and neck pillow. She always has good snacks that I want in her little bag. I have crayons and gold fish. Just me and a book and my ticket. ( I am sure I will get placed near the screaming baby though)

I want peace in my day and a few great companions who are gonna walk with me thru the pages of my story. I said on facebook today that I feel like Frodo. Frodo Baggins of the Shire. It is time to return the ring and all that the ring symbolizes. I am carefully picking those few who will battle with me. I know there will be good days and bad days and lots of lonely days but it is not about just me. There is a story to be told. A story that will impact the characters in the later chapters. I don't know the next chapter. I don't even know the end of this page. I do know its an adventure. A friend of mine, G. said that God invites us to go on the journey. We don't have to. He just simply invites.

My bags are packed. Let's go! (maybe I should update my passport :)

the darkroom

Have you ever been to Cambodia? I have. For 2 months. It was great. The air was terrible. We only noticed how hard it was to breathe when we first arrived but we quickly got use to it. By the end of the trip it was like normal. We had no clue what that polluted air was doing to our little alveoluses and bronchi's. We got so used to it being 130 degrees that we actually covered up at night to go to sleep but not until week 4 or 5. We had to get used to it. And we did. When you are in the dark for so long, you begin to see a bit. It takes a while but you get used to it. It becomes your normal. Until you go back to life before. Until you feel 80 degree weather with a cool breeze. Until you smell jasmine and breathe in the fresh air of Hawaii and feel a clean spring rain. Until you step out of the darkroom and into the light. The light being so bright that you can hardly stand it. 

I have been in such a dark room for so long. My heart has grown accustom to the abuse. To the neglect. To the anger. It is so great to be out but for a bit I need to get used to the light. That is going to take a while, but I will not go back..........