Dreams, and Dogs.

I love my dreams.

Since my skiing helmet came in the mail about one month ago (it's seriously been that long!!) I dream about skiing all the time.  My dreams involve me doing crazy Olympian things.  I also have many dreams where I am skiing in deep, deep powder.  So deep that it goes up to my neck and I end up nearly buried, stuck under the snow..But I don't mind, because it's powder.  I think I very may well have caught the "powder flu".  

Last night, I dreamed of Icees (the best slushies ever) and chugging cherry coke.  I wish that was real life.

So last week, I turned down this crazy, amazing opportunity to go to Thailand.  I got as far as buying the plane ticket, and then turned it down last second because I didn't want to get in trouble with work (I would have had to call in sick four times in a row, which is one time too many).  Reflecting on that, I realized I must really love my job.  And the verdict is in.  I really, really do love it.  I love the kids.  A lot of the time it's hard to muster up the energy to go to work.  But it really is so rewarding.  So rewarding that I wouldn't risk a runaway trip to Thailand for fear of losing it.

Also.  By the end of next week, I should have a dog living with me, permanently.  His name is Taz.  I'm sure you know him...As I have so affectionately referred to him as my boyfriend for the past few years.  He loved me so much, he decided to hitch a ride across the country for me.  That's true love.

Random Amy-ness.

It's just one of those days where I'm contemplating my life and laughing at how crazy it is,

but in a good way.

If that makes any sense at all.

I wake up at 12:30 pm, after the best 4 hours of sleep I've ever had.  I was so tired after my night shift last night.  Extremely tired.  Usually I need more than 4 hours (at least 10) but for some reason I wake up feeling so great.

I go brush my teeth, and it looks beautiful outside.  Of course since I'm so smartphone-reliant, I go to look at the weather on my phone.  52 degrees and sunny?   Sounds lovely.  I get on some clothes and go outside.  I hear this little girl literally singing her heart out.  It sounds like this is a make-up-the-lyrics-as-you-go kind of song.  She's probably six years old.  She is with her dog alone on her balcony and I'm pretty sure she thinks no one can hear her, but she makes my day absolutely fantastic.
It reminds me of when I was a little girl and used to go into my backyard and sing at the top of my lungs -  Now I'm a little embarrassed, and laugh about how I've probably been caught many a time doing the same thing.

Next, I shower.  I'm listening to spotify.  After the shower and while I'm getting dressed, some amazing dance music comes on.  I'm dancing my heart out in my room, in a towel.  I start practicing my twerking and just start laughing at how ridiculous my life is.  Doesn't every girl practice twerking in the mirror though, or is it just me?  And why is twerking showing up as incorrectly spelled?  I need to update my computer spellcheck.

If you've stuck with this amazing narrative so far, you're in for a treat of a story.  A story that is totally irrelevant to you, but so relevant to me.

When I was little, I used to ask my mom why she named me 'Amy'.  I thought names were fascinating. Say your name ten times in a row, and suddenly it doesn't seem like your name anymore.  It's weird.  My mom could have gone with the fact that her mother's name is Amy, and I was named after her because she is an angel (she really was the most wonderful woman).  But no, my mom swears up and down that I am not named after her mother -  I am named after a song.

It's a beautiful song, and I remember listening to it when I was little and thinking that it was written just for me.  As a little girl, I pictured, and this was not creepy at all at the time, a group of 3 guys (think Uncle Jesse and Uncle Joey on Full House) at my house, singing to me "Amy, what you wanna do?" like they're asking me, what do I want to do?  Play dolls or watch Sesame Street?

Now I listen to the lyrics and think it's so fitting of my life right now in general.  

Whoever wrote the song seems equally as confused as me in life, and he really doesn't know what he wants.  He doesn't know if Amie is really a keeper or not, but he thinks it'd be fun to just hang out and see what happens.  I think we'd be a perfect fit.

Olympic Games.

It's that time again, you guys.

The Olympics.

I have quite the history with my love for the Olympics.

However, only my family truly knows how much I love the Olympics.

Let's rewind back to 1996.  That is the year I fell in love with the Olympics, everything about it.  I was obsessed.  Shannon Miller, Dominique Moceanu, Dominique Dawes, Amy Chow, Jayci Phelps, Keri Strug, Amanda Borden.  The Magnificent Seven.  They were so magnificent that I remember all of their names, first and last...And I even got re-tweeted by Dominique Moceanu during the 2012 Olympic Games (I cried).  Not trying to brag y'all.

I remember watching the Atlanta Olympics so vividly.  My days those two weeks comprised of going into my backyard or the basement to practice my moves, going into the pool to pretend I was an Olympic swimmer, and going back to the television again to watch primetime/highlights that night.  Those were the days.

Nagano 1998: I fell in love with Tara Lipinski in Nagano, but who didn't?  She was precious, and at the age of 10, figure skating sounded like the coolest thing on earth.  So I tried it, and I sucked at it.  Surprise.

Fast forward to Beijing 2008....The year of Michael Phelps.  So, my dad planned this great vacation to Disney World during the Olympics.  But I just had to watch all EIGHT of his events, live.  No five star restaurants that trip - only places that had televisions mounted so that I could relish every second of his Olympic glory.  And it was glorious...Worth every second.

Vancouver 2010:  So I have to admit...As a huge summer Olympic fan, I would kind of shrug off the winter Olympics.  Until this year.  I found myself coincidentally flipping the channel to Shaun White winning a gold medal in snowboarding, and then the National Anthem played, and I started crying  Red, white and blue American tears (they weren't literally, but they were..you have to understand).

London 2012:  I began these games watching in Mexico (of course I had to make sure I didn't miss it)...And oh boy, I put my heart and soul into that Olympics.  I was a basket case full of emotions alongside those athletes (or at least I felt like I was right beside them).   So my most vivid memory of the 2012 Olympics was watching the All-Around Women's Gymnastics finals with my sister.  Except it became less vivid as the night went on....We dyed each other's hair, and when Gabby Douglas won I was apparently bawling my eyes out and kept saying "DID YOU SEE THAT?  OUR GIRL GABBY WON".  Over and over again.  In case no one could hear me the first time.

Taz and I watching the Olympics.

So there was my Olympics: Amy's Life timeline.

Let the games begin!

Me, two days ago.  Sochi '14.  (In my dreams)