Tuesday, November 9, 2010
This might seem shallow to you, but in the interest of keeping it real around here, I thought I’d share.
I have this problem…a shopping problem. I just adore pretty, cool, or unique things. I also adore fun, quirky, bright, shiny, cute, interesting things. And by things, I mean shoes. And bracelets. And shirts. And skirts. And shoes. And sweaters. And earrings. And scarves. And shoes. And boots. And hats. Oh, and shoes. See, it’s a problem.
Let me explain it just a little further, so I can really feel ridiculous. Lately, in order to curb my shopping impulses, I have sort of made a law unto myself that I can only shop at thrift stores. Because, really, not only are they generally cheaper, but let’s face it: it’s hard to find stuff that fits properly, doesn’t have any stains or rips, and that I actually “love”. {I fall in love very easily with clothing items.} Plus, when I do find something that meets the aforementioned requirements, it is usually way cooler and more unique than anything I would find in a regular store.
But wait, let me define my normal, when it comes to stores. I don’t shop at Macy’s or Bergdorf {not that we have that in OKC}, or even the mall. I used to venture into the mall sometimes, but then I discovered Ross…and Burlington Coat Factory…and Marshalls. And all the lovely, cheap-o stores that perfectly fit my desire to hunt and find treasures at a really low price. Almost as good as thrift stores. Oh, except that it is waaaay too easy for me to find things I “love” at stores like Ross.
Here’s a perfect example…A few weeks ago, I allowed myself to go to Burlington, because I needed to get a flowy black vest. {This is false. I don’t need anything when it comes to clothing.} And I did find and purchase a flowy black vest, for a great low price. I also found and purchased a cream colored vest, a green vest, a black sparkly hat, a black fedora, and a purple hat. Oh, and a pair of earrings…or two. Seriously. And I didn’t even let myself look at the shoes, because I was terrified of what gems I would discover that I couldn’t live without.
As much as I joke about this little problem of mine, it has actually been a big problem. My lack of self control when it comes to buying, has led to financial struggles. I drive an ancient, crappy car…because I buy shoes. So, I am using this post to test the theory of “admitting you have a problem is the first step to overcoming it.” Now I’ve put it out there for all the world {okay, for my twelve readers} to see. I feel exposed and a bit ashamed.
But wait, I can’t leave it on that note. I want you all to be proud of me. Because yesterday, I resisted temptation. I went into the evil place of temptation Ross on my lunch break to buy a birthday present for a friend. And what do you know, I found an adorable animal print fedora and some snuggly-looking clogs that would look oh-so-fab with the fedora…What’s that you say? You didn’t know that clogs could look snuggly? Well, they can and these ones did. Look, I have proof…

I loved these so much that I just had to…..take a picture of them. That’s right, friends. I set them on this shelf, snapped this photo on my phone, and walked away. See, aren’t you so proud of me now?
And yes, I know that I should have returned the hat to it’s little hook at the front of the store, but I was secretly hoping that some fabulous girl, who wears a size 8 shoe and could rock an animal print fedora, would come along after me and scoop them up and give them a happy home. Together. Forever.
Did I mention I have a problem?
I’m working on it…
~abi~
I must confess that never before had I been a spectator of any marathon, but I imagine that this particular one would be difficult to top…The Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC, on Halloween day. Even though I enjoy writing, and sometimes feel that I do an okay job expressing my thoughts and feelings, some things are just better told through images. So this post will consist mostly of just that. And I dare you not to experience goosebumps, smiles, and maybe even a lump in your throat while viewing…
The night before, Betsy pinned Nate’s bib number on the front of his shirt…..and a photo of my brother Jack on the back…

Betsy and Toryn created a sign to hold for Nathan. The morning of the race arrived early and chilly.

After riding shuttles to the Pentagon parking lot, everyone made their way over to the runner corrals and the starting line. As the start time drew near, this man right next to us reenlisted in the Marine Corps before running the marathon. Awesome.

One last hug from Betsy before joining the other runners waiting to start.


Did I mention it was Halloween?

Even without a costume, this guy stood out to me in a sea of runners heading toward the start line…


The course of the marathon was amazing…It began at Arlington and ended at the Iwo Jima Memorial, after winding through the heart of DC. Betsy and I had decided to make our way first to the 10 mile mark, behind the Lincoln Memorial, to try to see Nathan there. On our walk there, I took a few photos that captured the beauty of the race day and scenery. After seeing the runners, I was caught up in the excitement of the race, and I didn’t take any more “scenery” images. But these will give you an idea of the setting.




I would like to direct your attention to the 2 runners right behind this car. Just over 50 minutes into the race, they had already passed the 10 mile mark. Did you hear me?? They had run 10 miles in about 50 minutes!!! I was astounded!

I was in awe of some of the runners, like this lady on the right below. And okay, I was in awe of all the runners!

This guy’s awesome hair was real…

This guy’s was not. But he was running in a kilt!

“To infinity…And beyond!”

Oh, hello, Marine Corps One.

Lady Gaga and The Mario Brothers were there.

My favorite…

These guys were awesome.

And this guy deserved mad props.

This was our first glimpse of Nate, 10 miles into the race. I was all, “Really, Nate?!? Really?? You’ve been running for 10 MILES, and you wave and smile and stick your tongue out??? How do you do that? How do you manage to look as though you are actually enjoying this?” I was impressed, to say the least. Of course, these were all just my thoughts, since he didn’t stop to chat. :)


After that, Betsy, Toryn and I found a good spot somewhere between the 15 and 16 mile mark. There, we saw this crazy guy…He earned himself a spot in the Guiness Book of World Records by running the entire marathon while wearing a gas mask. Seriously.

And then, before we knew it, Nathan was happily jogging by again. Insane. He still looked like he was feeling great.

From there, we made our way to somewhere around 20 miles. The Washington Monument stood as a backdrop for the runners. Nathan was cruising right along until our yelling caught his attention, and he ran over to say hello.

A hug and a kiss, and he was on his way again, down the final stretch.


We hopped on the subway to make our way toward the finish line.


But alas, this was the closest we would get to the finish line. I guess when you have 30,000 plus runners and 100,000 plus spectators, it can become a mob scene at the end.

So, we made our way to the predetermined meeting spot and waited patiently for Nathan. There was lots of laughing and hugging when he found us!


You did it, Nate!!!

I was so very impressed, Nathan! You made it look so easy running your first marathon. I am so proud of you, and I am so incredibly happy I could be there to watch you run and cheer for you and congratulate you in person. Thank you for running in memory of Jack. That meant so much to me and my family. You know Jack would have been impressed by your training and your run.

As I mentioned before, the entire trip was an amazing experience that I will never forget. I want to thank God for blessing me with friends who have become family, and for precious times spent with them.
~abi~
We arrived in DC after dark on Friday night. Even driving through the city at night, you can feel a charge in the air…the intoxicating excitement of being in a big city, a place where important people make big decisions that affect our very existence as Americans. I had previously spent brief amounts of time in Washington, DC, and was thrilled looking forward to the next couple of days there.
Saturday morning, we made our way to the Washington Convention Center so Nathan could pick up everything for the run. The building was packed with runners and their friends and families, and the atmosphere was one of anticipation and excitement.
I have to give a shout out to Toryn, Nathan and Betsy’s 7 year old daughter, for taking the pic on the right. :) Betsy’s laugh and my peace sign make me smile here.

A little decor inspiration from inside the convention center…

From there, we set out for a bit of walking and sight seeing. The one mandatory destination for the day was the Lincoln Memorial. Toryn adores Old Abe, and was super excited to see his statue.
I apparently adored the Washington Monument, as I took at least 50 pics of it on our way over to see Lincoln. These were some of my faves…






Off in the distance, people were gathering in front of the Capitol for the Restore Sanity/Fear Rally that was going on there that day.

More random sights from around town…





People-watching always enthralls me. I noticed both of these couples and was impressed by how cool they were in very different ways…

Looked how overjoyed Toryn was to be there at her hero’s feet.

He is pretty impressive.

After spending some time ogling Abe, we took this shot of ourselves on the steps in front of the memorial.



The Vietnam Wall. Wow. Words cannot do justice…


Sobering and unreal…

There were some gorgeous fall colors on display around DC…

So beautiful!

I love-loved this building!

What an exhilarating city to see! I loved every minute and only wished we had a bit more time. But the marathon was the next morning, and we couldn’t keep Nathan out walking all day. We headed to get some rest in preparation of an early morning and long day.
Monday, I’ll share photos of the marathon.
Have a good weekend, all.
~abi~
{Welcome to my new and sort of improved blog. I had a need for change, so I chose an unpretentious blogger template. I am happy with it for now.}
There are some pieces of my lifetime that are burned into my mind and thoughts forever. Maybe not each detail, because my memory capacity is a bit pathetic; but rather, the feelings and emotions of certain times are seared into my brain. I might encounter a sight, a scent, or a sound; then, close my eyes and be transported back to a place and time, a few days, a week…a collection of memories. Last week, I took a trip that I will remember forever. Nothing huge or earth shattering happened, but it was a sweet and special time spent with dear, lifelong friends.
I flew out of Oklahoma City on Tuesday, October 26, and landed in Jacksonville, FL. As I stepped off the plane, I felt the hot, heavy air surround me. Even at the end of October, Florida and Georgia were engulfed in an oppressive heat wave. My friend Nathan picked me up from the airport, and from there we drove over an hour to his home in Georgia. Nathan had just recently returned, October 4th, from yet another deployment to Iraq. The date of his return happily coincided with his wife Betsy’s birthday. I’m sure the Georgia heat didn’t phase him when he arrived at home, after his many months spent in the Middle East.
I have known Nathan and Betsy for most of my life. During our early teen years, we formed a tight and enduring friendship after meeting at a church youth conference. We are actually part of a group of friends…fondly referred to amongst ourselves as Our Group. {There’s a photo of Our Group under my About Me section.}
The first couple of days of my trip were spent relaxing in Georgia. Just catching up with each other; staying up late talking; and, best of all, sleeping in late in the mornings. Except for Betsy, who watches a couple of babies for some friends during the day. {Sorry, Betsy, for keeping you up late, even though you had to be up early.} I didn’t even take any pictures while in Georgia, which shows you how truly lazy and relaxed I was.
The plan was to leave Thursday evening and drive through the night to Washington, DC, where Nathan would be running the Marine Corps Marathon on October 31. Yep, halloween morning. {Don’t worry, I’ll do a post on that.}
We hit the road Thursday evening, and made a brief stop in Savannah {one of my favorite cities in the US}. After a spur of the moment change of plans, we ended up stopping again later to spend the night at Fort Bragg, NC. My brother Jack’s name is on a memorial wall there. He was killed September 29, 2009, while on a mission as a Green Beret in the Philippines.
I bought some white lilies to leave for him at the memorial wall. I texted a photo of the wall with the flowers to my family, and my mom pointed out in her reply that it was 13 months to the day from when Jack was killed.


My family has been extremely blessed by getting to meet and spend time with Jack’s brothers from his Special Forces team and their families. Several of them are now at Fort Bragg, and I was fortunate in getting to catch up with a couple of them during our brief stop there.

I can’t really articulate how meaningful it was for me to be there at the wall with Nate and Betsy.

One of the biggest things that has brought me comfort since losing Jack, is just seeing and hearing people remember him…to know he is not forgotten, and that he made an impact and a difference here on this earth.
This is just the beginning of the photos I have to share from the trip! Next up, DC.
Check back in a bit.
~abi~
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by Abi Ruth
hahaha
oh girl you just said what i've never been able to admit…my problem is more with online shopping…i just can't help myself! i have even gone as far as having things shipped to my office so stephen doesn't find out….my goodness, that's a problem.
well maybe we can have a support group…
I am the SAME WAY with Ross girl. It's scary! I'm so proud of you and DO believe that admitting to it IS the first step. You can overcome anything through HIM IN YOU! Like I said…loving your blog- please continue! :)
Omg!! I love em! What Ross did u find them at?! U have to get em! Or I'm going to get them for u!! :) I know this doesn't help ur problem but…. U really need em!
Love, ur best friend that wishes she was as fabulous as u!,
~Cassie
I'm giving up shopping for 30 days! You should try it. :) It's like detox.
Yea, I've notice that gals are addicted to Ross. I've been in there twice and it looks like a garage sell with bright lights and registers. There seems to be no order to things and an overall organized clutter of items.
Abi, you do have a problem. As I remember, you had more clothes, shoes, etc than a Super Walmart when I used to be your next door neighbor… and your telling me its worse now? I will pray for my dear friend:)
You had me laughing the whole time. Although I know this is quite serious, I can't help but crack a smile. Can I be your support leader/person/counselor? You can call me anytime and I will tell you to get out of there right away, don't even look at another item… and I'm heading there to pick you up immediately. Feel temptation – just call me. ;) I love you girl and think you are pure fabulousness!!
oh Abi…if this is your problem you and I could have so much fun together! I am addicted to clothes and shoes and shopping! I cant stop. Truth be told…Im ok with that! You come my way and you gotta let me know. WE ARE GOING SHOPPING! WHOO HOO
hahahahahahaha, im dying!! i read this when you first posted it, tho i never commented. but going from crying to literally LOL in a matter of 2 minutes.. i just have to share that with you.