Live From Panera Bread...

I just dusted off a bowl of Broccoli Cheddar and an Orchard Harvest Salad.  I absolutely love "You Pick Two."  Now, I'm cruising along online courtesy of Panera's free wi-fi.  It doesn't get much better than this, really.

I love Panera but it's just not really convenient in my current universe.  I really bonded with Panera when I lived in Pittsburgh - it seemed like there was one on every corner!  When I first moved to Pittsburgh, I ate at the Panera in Monroeville almost every night.  It was a nice chance to get out of the marijuana-smelling Extended Stay where I spent a month of my life in early 2006.

I ate A LOT of Broccoli Cheddar soup and Cinnamon Crunch Bagels!  I remember driving to Panera in the snow!!  Scared to death.  See, Panera has helped me through a lot.

So, it's nice to be back.  I'll be here a while.  They're replacing my windows in my apartment today so Brokaw and I had to get out.  I dropped him off at PetSmart, where in this very moment he's probably chasing some Cocker Spaniel or Lab around in circles, loving it.

This blog is going to be heavy on words, light on pictures.  Sorry about that.  Suzie Snapshots just hasn't been very snappy lately.

I spent the weekend saying goodbye to my dear friend, Ann.  It was an amazing weekend!  God is unbelievably good.  Well, maybe not unbelievably, you should still believe - He is God.  But for real, it was an amazing time.  Ann is leaving soon to go onto the mission field in Thailand.  (I hope I'm blessed enough to visit her at least once so I can get me some REAL Pad Thai!!)  Saturday, I helped her have a Yard Sale and although it was raining and our marketing campaign wilted over in sadness on the sides of the road, we made out with three digits - so that's not bad, right?  Then it was dinner at the Grooms house.  Man, that place just feels like home!!  I think back on my Roanoke days with such a smile.  It was a great time for me.  Coming of age.  My first job.  First apartment.  A lot of firsts there, just being Dana.  The Grooms family was like a family to me - I even spent Christmas opening presents there!  It was great to be back at that "home" and to be at Rainbow Forest Baptist Church Sunday morning.  I am so encouraged to see some of the girls who were just teens when I was a youth leader there -  doing so well - and stepping into leadership roles themselves.  It's incredibly rewarding.  I saw one who is now leading a Sunday School class.  Another who is a new mother.  Another who is completing medical school.  I am amazed to watch their lives unfold - I am incredibly proud of them - each and every one.

Sunday morning, Ann went to the front of the church to be commissioned.  I went up there and knelt beside her to pray for her and man, someone seriously turned on my water spicket!!  The tears ran down my face and just splashed in my lap.  I am so incredibly honored to have a friend who is willing to give up all that she has to do what she truly believes she was made to do.  Ann, I will miss you so much.  I promise to pray for you each day.  And I expect some form of contact on a regular basis!!  

Hopefully Ann will live up to the challenge and blog about her adventures in Thailand!!!

Please keep her in your prayers as she goes.  She leaves for training October 19th (also known as my birthday) and leaves for Thailand in January.

Unfortunately, we didn't take ANY pictures this weekend. (I know - would you believe that??)  Not even a bad one.  But this post needs SOMETHING so here you go:

Today my honorary nephew, Baby Roland, is three weeks old!!  I can tell that he is really growing his own little personality and I am pleased to report - Baby Ro and I already have a lot in common.

I present to you the following examples:

 

He likes the beach.

 

He likes to take self portraits with Courtney.

 

And look how he is laying with his hands under his head... 

That is exactly how I sleep!

(side note: look at his lips, don't you just want to smooch him up??)

Another completely random blog... buckle up.

I am really regretting cutting my own bangs a few weeks ago, because now they're growing out all weird.  I guess that's why we should leave such things to the professionals.  Maybe soon I will be able to afford to get my hair cut again.  I will have to walk in, all ashamed of my self trim and self highlights.  Helen will undoubtedly take me back, though, because she's marvelous like that.  I can't wait!  One bad hair day is one thing, but bad hair day after bad hair day means that something needs to be done!

I am still searching for the perfect grocery store.  I miss Giant Eagle.  I miss the "fuel perks," because at least if I was paying $5.00 for a gallon of milk, it was going to help me get 10 cents off my gas.  I tried another store yesterday, but it's just as expensive as the other one!  The only store that's cheaper is the one that sells the expired stuff.  UGH!

Now, let's talk about birthday stuff.  Mom, I know you're reading this, so what do you want for your birthday? Hahaha.

In case anyone is making a list for me... All I really want is my man (he gets here in 23 days, but who's counting, right?) I could use some new candles because I've been rocking the tealights inside my candles for months now... and Kenny Chesney has a new CD coming out!!

Check out his new video here.

That's all for now.  Thanks for reading!  Y'all come back now, you hear?

Fall!

Happy first day of Fall to you!  I am not a head-over-heels Fall lover like some of my friends (Becky & Christin!) but I'm friends with Fall.  There are things I really love about Autumn - like all things Pumpkin flavored, football, hoodies, MY BIRTHDAY, the beautiful leaves changing, having the windows open...

But there are things I don't like, too... socks, losing my tan lines, fruit becoming more expensive... um, I guess that's about it, really.  So, see?  Fall is my friend.  I DO NOT like Winter at all.  I don't want to get started on that, trust me, you don't want that either... it's QUITE A RANT.  I'll save it for November.

Today for some reason, I am really, really, really longing for a normal life.  I hate that I completely lack cultural context because of my sleep schedule.  I hate that I didn't say goodbye to Yankee Stadium, watch the Emmys or any NFL football yesterday.  I hate that there's another small group I'd love to join at my church that starts tonight, but I know I won't be able to do it.  Bleah!!! Waaaa!!!

Side note... this is the 3rd Monday in a row (that I've been counting) that Morning Joe has (at least in part) been live out of Washington.  Why, I ask?  What's going on?  It would be awesome if they split the show and did it half out of DC, no?  That would be SO COOL!  Even better if they wanted to hire me... but... I don't know... I may be just over this shift enough to even say no to Joe!?!

You feel me?  I'm exhausted.

No title for today's post.  No plan for it either, really.

Free flowing thoughts in 3... 2... 1... (contact!)

1.  I can't stop watching this.  I think I've watched it at least 5 times.  I even found a way to sneak a bit of it into yesterday's morning meeting.

2.  I just ate a bowl of Chef Boyardee's dinosaurs.  I don't think any of those pieces of pasta looked anything like a dinosaur.  One looked kind of like a menorah, but not a dinosaur.  I do think Michael Phelps is semi dinosaurial, though (on a completely unrelated note)

3.  Yesterday I registered for a half marathon.  Today, I'm scared.  And secretly hoping the ipod that's been in my gym bag that's been in my car for 2 weeks, isn't dead.

4.  Nope, sorry.  No number 4.  I don't have it in me.  Only three thoughts for today.  Cheers!

Oh, Baby!

I am just back from seeing a special little man.  Roland IV.  Sounds like a king, right?  He pretty much is royalty as far as I'm concerned.  It blew my mind to see Courtney (who part of me still pictures as a 15 year old girl in a 17th street sweatshirt) as a mom.  But it was awesome!  I'm so proud of this new little family!

 

Courtney and Baby Ro.

 

The peanut handoff.

Auntie Gretchen falling in love with the latest model of Gehweiler.

Look at him!!! He is so incredibly sweet, I can't even deal.

 

Smiling in his sleep.  Doesn't he have the most adorable hair?

The "mommys." HAHAHAHAHA.

Courtney, thank you for your service as a surrogate, HAHAHAHA.

Making our dreams come true!

(the real) Mama and baby.

He has a funny look on his face here.

Like, "What you talkin' 'bout Willis?" or something.

 

Kisses from Daddy.

Have you noticed his boxing gloves yet?

 

Retro.  See?  This is why I really need a good Digital SLR camera.

To capture such moments.

Argh.  Why can't my mom hit it big in Atlantic City?  Please.

 

My turn to hold baby Roland.

And of course he's SCREAMING.

(but looking darling in the onesie I bought him when he was in utero!)

 

He just wanted to walk around.  He settled right down.

I think he likes me because he feels safe, you know, low to the ground and all.

:)

 

This one is fuzzy, but I like it because you can see just how tiny he is.

I know he will grow up so fast.

Then, I'll be at his high school graduation, and because I'll be pushing 50, I'll be needing to make myself feel better...

And I'll tell all his friends about the time he pooped and I changed his diaper and I saw him pee in his own face.

He is beautiful.  Amazing.  I can't wait to get to know him.  CONGRATULATIONS COURTNEY & RO!!!

Catching Up

Yet again, I'm titling a week-late blog post, "Catching Up."  I'm so tired of being so tired all the time!!  I can't wait until ONE DAY when I have a "normal" life again and I'm not exhausted and loopy and unmotivated all the time!

Sigh.  Thanks for listening.

Now, ancient convention pictures, so we can move on and see super cute baby pics from this most recent weekend...

Let's start with the highlights of Thursday night:

 

I finally found a gift shop.  But I did not buy this hat.

 

I did see lots of creative hats, though!

 

I get the elephant.  But not the frog.

 

There were even hard hats. (and hard looks, too, apparently)

 

Flair.

 

I had several more Sarah Palin hair sightings...

 

All sorts of variations.  I'll spare you all of the pictures (there were many)

 

I'd say she was definitely the star of the convention!

 

Truth be told - I was much more interested in this man.

THE TOM BROKAW!!

He and Chuckie T were just one skybox away... chatting it up....

 

And eating pizza.... my friends, I'm going to let you in on a little secret... we in the media are just like you.

 

We eat pizza.

 

And watch football.

Yup.  The guys in the skybox were much more fixated on watching the Redskins than they were...

watching Mr. Red State, John McCain.

It was powerful stuff watching him give that speech, I must say.

 

At the end, the McCains and the Palins took the stage and the crowd went WILD.

 

Then it was time for the infamous balloon drop!!

 

I have never seen so many balloons in my life.

Note to my family and friends: I have a birthday coming up, you know.

And it's kind of a big deal.  A last hurrah, if you will.

I think it's the perfect occasion for a balloon drop!!

:)

 

So, after hours of sitting around watching politicans and football players... it was showtime!

 

Live shot city!

 

Live interview with Senator Brownback from Kansas. 

 

And that was pretty much a wrap.

Reunited

This morning I am sipping a Pumpkin Spice Latte!  (Shout out to Nikole for making a STBX run)  Yep, a PSL and it's just September 11th.  Oh, it's September 11th.  I'm not going to dwell on that. 

Back to my latte - now, it's earlier than I usually delve into the PSL world, but I think I'm ready.  Well,  maybe.  Kind of.  I would still go to the pool, though.  So, maybe I am still in summer mode?  I don't think I'd take the Pumpkin Spice Latte TO the pool... so definite diagnosis: I'm in between.

Which is perfect because Fall is kind of an in between kind of season, right?

I digress...

I would like to point out that on page 29 of this week's Newsweek, Sarah Palin is wearing my glasses.  The ones I have now.  She probably had them a couple of years ago.  I'm thinking she's out way in front of the opti-world, especially for Alaska.

So, maybe I'll have the glasses she has now, in a couple of years.

Mmmmmm... PSL, how I've missed our times together.

Scoopdate

Yes, yes, I'm behind on the blog.  I know this.  Sorry, faithful readers!  My blog is becoming the online version of my laundry basket.  It's piling up.  I just realized I still have convention pictures to post.  Yeah, yeah, maybe tomorrow - it's so much better posting them on Internet Explorer, so maybe after work in the morning...

Now, though, the final chapter to the Scoop Saga.

Scoop was returned to me, unharmed, the final night of the convention.  There was a knock on the skybox door.  I opened it, and scoop was in the hallway, with an American Flag.

He's such a patriot!

Unfortunately, Scoop's ultimate demise was yet to come.

After safely making it home to DC, he was blinded by a giant puggle.

Poor Scoop.

He is ever the inspiration, though.

Do you think this means Brokaw is a Democrat?

Hmmm..  political puggle.

We interrupt this blog to bring you a very important message:

BABY G HAS ARRIVED!!!!!!!

 

Isn't he the cutest little peanut ever?

I can't wait to squeeze him (gently) and kiss his little head!!

Courtney, I'm so proud of you, Mama!

Side note: Did they send out vouchers for babies in the mail like they sent the economic stimulus package payments?  I swear everyone I know is having a baby right now, or just had one... it's CRAZINESS.  So many babies!! 

2nd side note: If you are one of my millions of friends having a baby, or if you just had one, or if you need a baby gift - check out my mom's brilliant baby headquarters: www.rockabyebabyobx.com!

Save Scoop!

Scoop has been captured!

***UPDATE*** Scoop was returned to me, safe and sound. Eric has claimed responsibility.

Wednesday

The big highlight of Wednesday was Sarah Palin's tour of the stage and the podium.

Eric and I waved to her, so if you saw the video of her waving, let the record show, she was totally waving to us!! (this is our re-enactment)

I made Sally a diagram (I think I'm not spelling that correctly, but whatev) of the Palin family tree with regards to the Baby Daddy.

Scoop's last picture pre-capture. 

Our feature took us to a couple of interesting shops in Downtown St. Paul.

A look at the media village outside the X, and our Hearst trailer quarters. 

I ordered room service and it made me happy... until I received my first piece of Scoop propaganda.