Hi,
My name is Amanda Wallis.
I'm (apparently) a workaholic.
Ok, not really - but when there's work to be done and limited time in which to do it, something's gotta give right?
I didn't REALLY think I'd go a month without blogging when I joked 'see ya April 15!' But I'm glad I warned you because it came true. No excuses really, just the general 'not enough hours in the day' song and dance.
But we're one month closer to April 15 so that's good. Also means we're one month closer to DISNEYLAND!!!
Mark your calendars, this California bucket list item will be marked off April 18. I couldn't be more excited!!! I think Austin and I will enjoy it far more than William. He'll love it - but we'll love it for ourselves AND we'll love it for him. I can't wait to see his eyes when he sees mater, or eats a snack at the cozy cone motel, or goes to mickey's house. The magic through a child's eyes...I'm getting anxious just thinking about it. If nothing else good were to come out of our time in California, a trip to Disney would be enough to make it worth it.
I've got so much more to say. I still have lots of thoughts on grace, feelings about Brian being deployed, thoughts on inner reflection...don't think that in my absence my brain quits blogging. It's always blogging. It's just generally in the shower or the car or as I'm falling asleep at night. We just need to find time for pen to meet paper. (Or fingers to meet keyboard)
Let's hope it happens before April 15 yeah?
Thanks for your patience :)
Feb 28, 2013
Feb 7, 2013
(No) More Meat Please
Have you ever been to a Brazilian steakhouse? Fogo de Chao...Texas de Brazil...I know there are more whose names have escaped me...
They are a meat lovers paradise. For anyone who has never been to one, I'll briefly explain. After you are seated you are offered an endless salad bar. As far as salad bars go, it is top notch. Quite possibly the best salad bars in the world! Except no person in their right mind spends more than 2 seconds at the salad bar because you're not paying $50/person to eat lettuce - you're paying for meat! So, you get a modest plate of lettuce and cheeses, enjoy them quickly, and then you're off to the races.
Endless meat.
Each person is given a card of some sort that has red on one side and green on the other. When you need food you flip your card to green and gauchos (a fancy, perhaps Brazilian, word for servers) flood you with meat. You want the chicken? You want the pork ribs? You want the filet? You want the house special? You want sausage? ...
You can hardly answer one before the other is cutting off a piece of their slab of meat for you as well.
Then, when your plate is full and you are sufficiently overwhelmed you turn your card over to red to indicate that you have enough for the time being and need no additional food.
Sometimes they listen, but sometimes they don't. They seem to try to anticipate when your plate MIGHT be getting low, or when the person next to you has an empty plate, or when the plate across the aisle is empty...or when no one has an empty plate but they have a big ol' rack of ribs they just haaaaave to distribute.
Oh let's face it, green or red, you are essentially always fair game for the gaucho party.
And thus is the life in busy season in public accounting!
I got back to work on Tuesday after three days off and my usually-baren mail box was stuffed full of returns waiting to be prepared. My heart felt a little hint of happiness as I was not forgotten on my long journey to foreign lands. A couple of hours into my day, though, those returns had seemed to multiply and while I was spinning around endlessly in my chair trying to organize, scan, copy, enter, delegate and review I was also fending off the gauchos.
Can you prepare this return?
Do you have time for this one?
Do you have a lot on your plate right now? You do? Well can I add this one?
Can you check this one for me?
Do you have time for a quick little check?
Hey - do this.
Here.
dump.
The gauchos don't seem to see the red card that I know must be blazing atop my head.
Or maybe it's not.
Public accounting is a big game of time management, and I'm good at nothing if I'm not good at time management. So to the gauchos, I say bring it on. As for the endless plates of meat, I'll have to decline. Sedentary days at the desk are bad enough on the love handles.
Yikes.
See ya in April!
They are a meat lovers paradise. For anyone who has never been to one, I'll briefly explain. After you are seated you are offered an endless salad bar. As far as salad bars go, it is top notch. Quite possibly the best salad bars in the world! Except no person in their right mind spends more than 2 seconds at the salad bar because you're not paying $50/person to eat lettuce - you're paying for meat! So, you get a modest plate of lettuce and cheeses, enjoy them quickly, and then you're off to the races.
Endless meat.
Each person is given a card of some sort that has red on one side and green on the other. When you need food you flip your card to green and gauchos (a fancy, perhaps Brazilian, word for servers) flood you with meat. You want the chicken? You want the pork ribs? You want the filet? You want the house special? You want sausage? ...
You can hardly answer one before the other is cutting off a piece of their slab of meat for you as well.
Then, when your plate is full and you are sufficiently overwhelmed you turn your card over to red to indicate that you have enough for the time being and need no additional food.
Sometimes they listen, but sometimes they don't. They seem to try to anticipate when your plate MIGHT be getting low, or when the person next to you has an empty plate, or when the plate across the aisle is empty...or when no one has an empty plate but they have a big ol' rack of ribs they just haaaaave to distribute.
Oh let's face it, green or red, you are essentially always fair game for the gaucho party.
And thus is the life in busy season in public accounting!
I got back to work on Tuesday after three days off and my usually-baren mail box was stuffed full of returns waiting to be prepared. My heart felt a little hint of happiness as I was not forgotten on my long journey to foreign lands. A couple of hours into my day, though, those returns had seemed to multiply and while I was spinning around endlessly in my chair trying to organize, scan, copy, enter, delegate and review I was also fending off the gauchos.
Can you prepare this return?
Do you have time for this one?
Do you have a lot on your plate right now? You do? Well can I add this one?
Can you check this one for me?
Do you have time for a quick little check?
Hey - do this.
Here.
dump.
The gauchos don't seem to see the red card that I know must be blazing atop my head.
Or maybe it's not.
Public accounting is a big game of time management, and I'm good at nothing if I'm not good at time management. So to the gauchos, I say bring it on. As for the endless plates of meat, I'll have to decline. Sedentary days at the desk are bad enough on the love handles.
Yikes.
See ya in April!
Feb 5, 2013
2013 Say What???
My baby is 3??? Maize is married?! It's been 15 years?!?!?!
What a crazy busy wonderfully blessed amazing whirlwind weekend we had - my head is still spinning in circles absorbing it all. I've thought all day about what I'd write...I kept trying to think of a cute way to start by saying "Do you know what my favorite part of weddings is?" and then segue from there into the entire weekend but I just can't think of a FAVORITE part of weddings...its EVERYTHING! I love weddings. Have I said that before? I must have. I hope so! I love them!!! But it makes it hard to write a post in the manner I had it mapped in my head - because I just don't have a favorite part. So I guess i'll just start on Thursday?
Oh, that's a GREAT place to start! I left you last time as William had just advised us that we should go to Chick Fil A before the airport in San Jose, and we were silently thanking ourselves for already having carved out the time for that. Well, do you ever have days where you think you're just soooooo funny? Like, you sit and think "I might be funny every day but TODAY i'm REALLY funny"? I imagine William must have thought that Thursday because he was on a roll! After our breakfast at Chick Fil A we went to the parking lot where we caught the "airport bus" to take us to the airplane. (or something like that). When we were all seated on the bus, about 10 of us, William said, "Driver?" "Yes little boy?" "what's your name?" "oh I'm adam" "hi adam!" Everyone laughed and then he announced "ADAM! I see a red light!" He looked over at me and said, "What do we do at red lights mommy?" I smiled and said, "Do you want to teach everyone on the bus?" He got excited at the thought but the light turned green before we got there. One passenger joked that we were leaving her in suspense. But, her curiosity didn't kill her because we caught the next light red and William's arms shot up in the air. And wouldn't you believe - about 10 seconds later there were 7 strangers with their hands up in the air. 7! Only one passenger was too cool to sit with his hands up, and his teenaged daughter let him know how un-fun he was! We were cracking up.
The rest of the travel went well - William loved seeing all of the planes, touching our plane, picking our seats, taking off...the usual excitement of a day of travel. And - again - his behavior did not disappoint. I think he's been on 12 trips by plane, so 24 flights (technically more if you count layovers as 2) and he's only been a monster on one. So really, I think the argument could be made that he is his best when he's flying. I'll take it! And, lucky for us, he does pretty darned well in whirlwind weekends too. He's more adaptable than I'd EVER except my own offspring to be.
Friday my mom and I were officially in wedding mode around 9am and Austin did an amazing job being on single daddy duties. I did my best to be helpful in the times when I was with them, but really I'd say he was in single daddy mode for nearly 48 hours. I can only imagine how thin his patience wore, but he didn't lose it so that's the blessing here :) William and Evan (the flower girl) were both WAY more rambunctious during the rehearsal than the actual wedding (yay kids!) and they did amaaaaaaazing during the wedding. They walked down the aisle perfectly...more like little comatose kids than anything else...and sat through the service with very few little peeps. Austin and I sat towards the front of the church because I did one of the readings and I really think William's good behavior had a LOT to do with the absence of his parents. We all know how that goes! He was just such a little angel and we were so proud of his wedding behavior. Then at the reception he was a BLAST! It was hard to determine if he was chasing the photographer or if the photographer was chasing him, all I know is I'm definitely going to need to see the proofs of their pictures because there must be a thousand of William on the dance floor. He loved dancing, running, eating cake (and cake and more cake) and dancing. He's quite the little dancer, and Casey said it must be his Wallis genes. Guess the Wallis boys both love to dance at weddings! He was having SUCH a blast and he was so very angry when it was time for him to leave. He talked about it all the next day!
But, enough about William...let's talk about ME! First and foremost - I think I definitely need to hire Alexis to do my shopping because I don't think I've gotten more compliments in my life as I did in the 8 hour span of time when I was wearing the dress/jewelry/nail polish/shoes she picked for me. The shoes were the key, but the rest was so cute and well coordinated...I wanted to take credit for my ability to put all the pieces together so well, but I think my previous posts about my style shortcomings would prove me to be a liar. So, I can only thank Alexis for the dozens of times i was told how hot and amazing and cute and stylish I looked. And if you want to tell me again, I won't mind hearing it!
In addition to the rock star treatment, I got to be wedding coordinator for the day. I had the privilege of telling the photographers where to go, who was who, grabbing people to get in line for their pictures, threading needles to fix buttons on coats, telling the house party what to do at what times - and that was just before the wedding! After the ceremony was over I raced over to the reception where I got to boss around the event manager at the reception site (helps that he was under qualified to run an event being that it was his first and was a last minute fill in) I got to keep the DJ in the loop, arrange for the cake cutting and first dances and get people seated and situated and make sure the bars were open on time...I ran back and forth (in the previously mentioned 6 inch heels) and barely got to sit down before 9pm. And you know what? I absolutely loved it. At one point someone said, "Are you the wedding coordinator?" as they were looking for a contact person to whom they should ask questions and I beamed with pride as I responded, "YES!" I got to see for 2 days a glimpse of what it might be like to be a wedding planner...and if I got an accurate picture, then I think it's safe to say I'd love it. I had the best time. And the PEOPLE - oh, the people - the people really make a case for being my favorite part of weddings. People the bride and groom love the most in the world are all in one place at one time, which generally means if you're close to the bride and groom (or have been at some point in your life) you get your own mini-reunion and get to see some of the people YOU love most in this world. And then - THEN - you get to meet people who COULD be people you love most in this world. Maybe your paths would never cross if it weren't for this wedding, and maybe they never will again, but they are people that you probably have a lot in common with and are at least slightly compatible with. After all, you both adore the same bride right? I got to see so many people who watched me grow up, who I looked up to, who I baby sat...so many people I love dearly. I met someone - Cayte - who Jan has told me for years is like my long lost soul mate. (who i've been cyber-stalking for years) I met Maize's sweet, sweet friend Lara who I think I could have been best friends with, and got to see her other friends who I've met before and equally adored. The people really make the wedding!
But, on the more serious note of my personal experiences, Maize asked me a couple of months ago if I'd read one of the readings for the wedding. Gladly! Up until 2 weeks ago, though, I didn't know what I"d be reading. I text her a week before we were supposed to leave to ask what my scripture was and she said "Song of Songs...I think chapter 2? I'll get back to you". But, I already knew exactly what she'd have me read. We had her read the same passage at our wedding. And my dad had the same passage read at his funeral. My first thought was, "how in the world will I make it through this scripture on THIS day?" February 2. 15 years later. THIS scripture. It's times like this when I find it hard to believe in the word "coincidence".
I made it through - just a few choke-ups, one mess up, and a handful of tears. But I made it. And I loved looking over at Jon and Maize as they held hands and were deeply reading and absorbing the words I was saying.
What a crazy busy wonderfully blessed amazing whirlwind weekend we had - my head is still spinning in circles absorbing it all. I've thought all day about what I'd write...I kept trying to think of a cute way to start by saying "Do you know what my favorite part of weddings is?" and then segue from there into the entire weekend but I just can't think of a FAVORITE part of weddings...its EVERYTHING! I love weddings. Have I said that before? I must have. I hope so! I love them!!! But it makes it hard to write a post in the manner I had it mapped in my head - because I just don't have a favorite part. So I guess i'll just start on Thursday?
Oh, that's a GREAT place to start! I left you last time as William had just advised us that we should go to Chick Fil A before the airport in San Jose, and we were silently thanking ourselves for already having carved out the time for that. Well, do you ever have days where you think you're just soooooo funny? Like, you sit and think "I might be funny every day but TODAY i'm REALLY funny"? I imagine William must have thought that Thursday because he was on a roll! After our breakfast at Chick Fil A we went to the parking lot where we caught the "airport bus" to take us to the airplane. (or something like that). When we were all seated on the bus, about 10 of us, William said, "Driver?" "Yes little boy?" "what's your name?" "oh I'm adam" "hi adam!" Everyone laughed and then he announced "ADAM! I see a red light!" He looked over at me and said, "What do we do at red lights mommy?" I smiled and said, "Do you want to teach everyone on the bus?" He got excited at the thought but the light turned green before we got there. One passenger joked that we were leaving her in suspense. But, her curiosity didn't kill her because we caught the next light red and William's arms shot up in the air. And wouldn't you believe - about 10 seconds later there were 7 strangers with their hands up in the air. 7! Only one passenger was too cool to sit with his hands up, and his teenaged daughter let him know how un-fun he was! We were cracking up.
The rest of the travel went well - William loved seeing all of the planes, touching our plane, picking our seats, taking off...the usual excitement of a day of travel. And - again - his behavior did not disappoint. I think he's been on 12 trips by plane, so 24 flights (technically more if you count layovers as 2) and he's only been a monster on one. So really, I think the argument could be made that he is his best when he's flying. I'll take it! And, lucky for us, he does pretty darned well in whirlwind weekends too. He's more adaptable than I'd EVER except my own offspring to be.
Friday my mom and I were officially in wedding mode around 9am and Austin did an amazing job being on single daddy duties. I did my best to be helpful in the times when I was with them, but really I'd say he was in single daddy mode for nearly 48 hours. I can only imagine how thin his patience wore, but he didn't lose it so that's the blessing here :) William and Evan (the flower girl) were both WAY more rambunctious during the rehearsal than the actual wedding (yay kids!) and they did amaaaaaaazing during the wedding. They walked down the aisle perfectly...more like little comatose kids than anything else...and sat through the service with very few little peeps. Austin and I sat towards the front of the church because I did one of the readings and I really think William's good behavior had a LOT to do with the absence of his parents. We all know how that goes! He was just such a little angel and we were so proud of his wedding behavior. Then at the reception he was a BLAST! It was hard to determine if he was chasing the photographer or if the photographer was chasing him, all I know is I'm definitely going to need to see the proofs of their pictures because there must be a thousand of William on the dance floor. He loved dancing, running, eating cake (and cake and more cake) and dancing. He's quite the little dancer, and Casey said it must be his Wallis genes. Guess the Wallis boys both love to dance at weddings! He was having SUCH a blast and he was so very angry when it was time for him to leave. He talked about it all the next day!
But, enough about William...let's talk about ME! First and foremost - I think I definitely need to hire Alexis to do my shopping because I don't think I've gotten more compliments in my life as I did in the 8 hour span of time when I was wearing the dress/jewelry/nail polish/shoes she picked for me. The shoes were the key, but the rest was so cute and well coordinated...I wanted to take credit for my ability to put all the pieces together so well, but I think my previous posts about my style shortcomings would prove me to be a liar. So, I can only thank Alexis for the dozens of times i was told how hot and amazing and cute and stylish I looked. And if you want to tell me again, I won't mind hearing it!
In addition to the rock star treatment, I got to be wedding coordinator for the day. I had the privilege of telling the photographers where to go, who was who, grabbing people to get in line for their pictures, threading needles to fix buttons on coats, telling the house party what to do at what times - and that was just before the wedding! After the ceremony was over I raced over to the reception where I got to boss around the event manager at the reception site (helps that he was under qualified to run an event being that it was his first and was a last minute fill in) I got to keep the DJ in the loop, arrange for the cake cutting and first dances and get people seated and situated and make sure the bars were open on time...I ran back and forth (in the previously mentioned 6 inch heels) and barely got to sit down before 9pm. And you know what? I absolutely loved it. At one point someone said, "Are you the wedding coordinator?" as they were looking for a contact person to whom they should ask questions and I beamed with pride as I responded, "YES!" I got to see for 2 days a glimpse of what it might be like to be a wedding planner...and if I got an accurate picture, then I think it's safe to say I'd love it. I had the best time. And the PEOPLE - oh, the people - the people really make a case for being my favorite part of weddings. People the bride and groom love the most in the world are all in one place at one time, which generally means if you're close to the bride and groom (or have been at some point in your life) you get your own mini-reunion and get to see some of the people YOU love most in this world. And then - THEN - you get to meet people who COULD be people you love most in this world. Maybe your paths would never cross if it weren't for this wedding, and maybe they never will again, but they are people that you probably have a lot in common with and are at least slightly compatible with. After all, you both adore the same bride right? I got to see so many people who watched me grow up, who I looked up to, who I baby sat...so many people I love dearly. I met someone - Cayte - who Jan has told me for years is like my long lost soul mate. (who i've been cyber-stalking for years) I met Maize's sweet, sweet friend Lara who I think I could have been best friends with, and got to see her other friends who I've met before and equally adored. The people really make the wedding!
But, on the more serious note of my personal experiences, Maize asked me a couple of months ago if I'd read one of the readings for the wedding. Gladly! Up until 2 weeks ago, though, I didn't know what I"d be reading. I text her a week before we were supposed to leave to ask what my scripture was and she said "Song of Songs...I think chapter 2? I'll get back to you". But, I already knew exactly what she'd have me read. We had her read the same passage at our wedding. And my dad had the same passage read at his funeral. My first thought was, "how in the world will I make it through this scripture on THIS day?" February 2. 15 years later. THIS scripture. It's times like this when I find it hard to believe in the word "coincidence".
I made it through - just a few choke-ups, one mess up, and a handful of tears. But I made it. And I loved looking over at Jon and Maize as they held hands and were deeply reading and absorbing the words I was saying.
My beloved spoke and said to me,
Arise my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me
See, the winter is past
The rains are over and gone
Flowers appear on the earth
The season of singing has come
The cooing of doves is heard in our land
Fig trees form its early fruit
And the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come my darling, my beautiful one, come with me.
Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm
For love is as strong as death, It's jealousy unyielding as the grave.
It burns like a blazing fire, like a mighty flame.
Many waters cannot quench love, rivers cannot sweep it away
If one were to give all the wealth of one's house for love, it would be utterly scorned.
Maizeanne and Jon have one thing very, very special that their marriage is being founded upon: a deep love for Jesus. I've been a part of a lot of weddings and I've witnessed a lot of couples who I truly feel are blessed to have each other. I've loved special aspects of each relationship and have truly enjoyed watching their marriages form and mold around their special traits. But to see marriages that are formed around a love for Jesus is such an added blessing. To look over and see their faces as the scripture was read was a gift that I can't explain, and one I don't think I can thank them for enough. Their faces were such a treat and made reading the words that much more valuable.
Maizeanne is the first person I've known from birth to wedding (with the exception of my cousin who was born far before I can remember) and to watch a life unfold in the way I have watched Maizeanne's has to be one of God's sweetest gifts to us. Not only have I had the privilege of being a part of it, but it has been such a beautiful life to witness. I am just so thankful that despite the turns my life has taken and despite some of the obstacles we have been able to maintain our close family units.
As I walked away from the bridal party at one point Saturday night I heard someone ask Robert, "Is she your cousin?" and he replied, "No, I don't know what she is. SHe's just...we're just super duper close or something". Maybe not the most eloquent response, but I'm with Robert - I don't know what I am. Not a sister or a cousin. Not just a babysitter, not just a friend. He's right - we're just super duper closer. Super super duper. And I'm so blessed that's the case.
15 years ago I couldn't even imagine waking up to see one more day. But as the years go, February 2 gets sweeter and sweeter. It will always be hard. It will always sting in a way words can't describe. But God's plans and blessings shine through, and to experience that is better than anything else I've described.
Thank you Lord for this crazy, tragic, sometimes almost magic, awful beautiful life.
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