Get Carried Away

I REALLY shouldn't read the OC Register online. Not only because it eats up precious time, but it's just as bad as the nightly news with story after story about car accidents, dead people, murders, and injured children. And that's just about the last thing I need to be thinking about.
Actually, come to think of it, I feel the same way about watching Jon and Kate Plus 8. I was a HUGE fan of that show. In the beginning, the lure of the insanity that sextuplets brings was irresistable. Then I loved watching each of the babies with their own distinct and adorable personality grow into even cuter toddlers. But now, it's evolved into watching the demise of a family, and I just can't do it anymore. More on this later.
Reading (and watching) all of it brings me to this reflective, introverted place. It's uncomfortable for me, as I usually see myself as pretty extroverted and positive. But these sad, sad stories seep into a place in my heart that consumes my thoughts.
With that, comes the thought, "What the F*** (please excuse the awful language, it's my introverted personality, which apparently has a potty mouth!) am I doing with my life?"
For example, and not to drag you down into the depths with me, but over the weekend an 8 year old girl was killed in a car crash in Lake Forest. A BMW clipped the front of a truck and the truck lost control and wrapped around a light pole. The 8 year old was sitting on the side of the truck that hit the pole. Her aunt's boyfriend was driving and the little girl died at the scene.
Beyond the absolute, total and immense heartbreak that this family must be going through right now, my selfish streak thinks, "OMG, what would I do if it were MY family, or, God forbid, my 8 year old?"
And the first thing that came into my head was, "I would wonder why I spent so many hours away from my baby working."
(Editor's note: I changed "spent" in the above paragraph from "wasted.")
I could go on an on about WHY I am working, the logical reasons that I am required to be away from the A-girl for 40+ hours a week. They include, but are not limited to, money and healthcare. Pretty darn good reasons.
I also know that living life IN CASE something awful were to happen is a horrible motivator. There is a difference between living life to the fullest and living life as if everyone around you is a milligram from death's door. I am just having a hard time figuring out what that difference is, and how it should affect my choices.
Sorry to be a blogger bummer, but this is just where my heart and mind are at right now. Anyone else hop on the Bummer Bus every once in a while?

Here you go people!
My recommendation- pop a bag of kettle corn, turn the lights down low, and prepare yourself to be giggled into oblivion.
There is nothing more classic than the pure, crystal, innocent laughter of a child. It reinvigorates my spirit and makes me want to be a better (and funnier) person.
Plus, laughter is the best medicine.

I've been such a flaky poster lately, but an avid blog reader. So I'm up to date with everyone else's life, but no one knows what's up with the Braun-a-licious-ess (say that 5 times fast:)
Life has been VERY good to us lately. Let's list all the wonderful things that have been happening... and go ahead and cue the "my life is so wonderful" barfing... you'll need it...
*My job has officially crossed home plate and is SAFE. What's that? You didn't know my job was in jeopardy? Yea, well, to be honest I didn't want to write about it because the entire possibility freaked me out, and the second it's typed it becomes very very real. So I avoided, both here and in my head. Luckily, turns out there was nothing to avoid. Long story short, one of my coworkers who went on maternity leave in December decided not to return to work (wait a second, I think she's the lucky one here!) and so my position is no longer being eliminated. Joy to the World! C'mon, sing it with me- and sing the nice version, not the one where you "barbequed his head."
*We went into escrow on a condo yesterday! It's a small, attached, two bedroom place in Lake Forest that we both absolutely fell in love with. Get this... it went on the market Thursday, we saw it Thursday morning, offered yesterday afternoon and went into escrow last night! How insane is that? AND there were 6 other offers on the place all in the span of 1 1/2 days. Total craziness. Now, the fun begins. We're TRYING not to get too attached until we have the hard metal of the keys pressing into the flesh of our palms, but it's just so darn awesome that it's hard not to jump the gun!
*I've joined Weight Watchers at Work and it's totally rocking! I've lost 15 lbs since joining in January, and I'm pretty excited about it. The weight is coming off slower than it ever has, but the needle keeps moving in the right direction and I'm now only 10 lbs away from where I was when I got pregnant.
*A-girl is growing up faster than we can even blink. Every night when I get home from work, I look at her and think, "What the heck did Nick feed her today- Miracle Grow?" She is quickly learning how to pull herself up onto everything, and is developing the most classic giggle that I've ever heard. I've got two awesome videos to get up- one of her giggling like a maniac, and one showing off her newly developing sign language.
So, that's the summation of what is turning from a pretty crappy start of a year to a lovely, calm, hope-filled middle. Can't wait to see what's around the next corner!
Hate to leave without a picture or two, but I promise those videos and more pics very soon.