Millie Anne Shipe

Me and my stud muffin made a mini-muffin. Well, it’s still baking in there. I must say I’m more excited then I realized. In fact I was feeling pretty badly about my attitude until this last doctor’s visit - but come on! When you’re ill 24-7 for 6 weeks you’d hate life too.  Anyway, as I said I’m excited although I don’t think my eyes sparkle nearly as much as the young moms often asking me. Although, see, when I think about the baby I never just think about the blissful side of it. I immedietly think of the great responsibility of it all and the amazing amount of liquids I will be cleaning off of said child multiple times a day. So I’m excited in a practical way - although I will say I can’t wait to see what features this baby will have, watch it’s firsts, and learn its personality.

And am I worried that this will affect my career - most certainly, but if I let it consume me I’ll end up giving up one or the other instead of just embracing both. All things change.

I am having fun dreaming up of a small, sensible, non primary colored, DIY nursery full of second hand finds. I hope to buy little new as possible. Gifts are welcomed  (feel free to check out our Baby Registry at Amazon!), but I would like to be sensible in this, plus it’s better for the environment.

Yes, some big changes are coming, but perhaps, and unwelcomed change has been the sudden surge of invites to “Baby and me playdates.” I mean, I’m flattered to get the invite, but considering I’m not even showing yet, and that I have strong suspicions that the invites are followed by unspoken thoughts of “Good, now you can help me watch me children and get practice for your own while I socialize.” Now, I’m all for watching people’s children when asked directly or I’ve offered…but I don’t want or feel I need to be “practicing.” I’m going to be getting plenty of practice in a few months with my OWN squirmy/leaky bundle of love and I’m going to enjoy it for all it’s worth. But right now I’m LOVING my last few months or peace, rest, and darn it I’m going to be selfish and protect this time.

And I don’t feel bad what-so-ever for saying that.

My other pregnant pet peeve. People have foot-in-mouth syndrome when it comes to talking to a pregnant woman. I don’t want to hear how bad I look - I already feel lousy. I don’t want to hear your horror stories. I don’t want you to only tell me I look cute on the days I wear makeup (which is the only time people say it these days, other then my studly husband - he’s safe). I don’t want you telling my name choices are weird. It’s my baby not yours - go impregnate yourself if you want to have an opinion. AND I DON’T want you to tell me I’m having “Stupid brain” instead of calling it a “pregnancy moment/pregnant brain.” The other terminologies are fine, but “Stupid brain?!” How can that not be interpreted as insulting. I had someone tell me that and I was livid. I know they didn’t mean to offend, but I’m not a stupid individual, and frankly, I’m old fashioned and miss the days of yore when people only were polite and didn’t speak unless they had something nice to say. I’ve never been so insulted so frequently in my life. Granted my hormones are peaked and you breathing loudly is enough to offend.

All in all, I have a new respect for you Mom’s out there, and I’m definitely re-evaluating even my own relationships to my parents. After all they went through to bring me in this world…I should treat them better.

I just lost my blog post thanks to firefox crashing.

Anyway: I read a post involving what people are dying to buy but won’t cough up the money for and one woman mentioned this $700 mirror. However, you could make this yourself for about $250 or less depending on what you had lying around and what deals you could score, how large of mirrors do you want to use, as well as how big do you want your own mirror to actually be. I would first figure out, approx how big do you want this piece to be first. Then purchase the mirror tiles that fit that size as well as give you the look you’re aiming for - you can find them online, at Walmart (usually near candles), Michaels, Joanne’s, and other craft type stores - this will be the bulk of your cost. Then purchase a piece of wood, plywood, mdf, old door, sturdy backing in a large enough size to give you adequate spacing of mirrors. Stain/paint your backing. Use tile spacers (or something that will help you get the negative space in between tiles you desire). Use a mirror adhesive to glue mirrors down. This picture also has little medallions placed sporadically in between mirror corners - You can do that (stain or paint them accordingly) or neat nail heads, be creative, or do nothing.

I might tackle this one eventually, myself.

We made two Stinkin’ cute Message boards for ourselves last year that I’ve been meaning to share.

These really aren’t the best photos of them, but it gives you an idea.

Here’s how we assembled these bad boys: Found antique frames and painted them from ugly gold to crisp white (spray paint). If frame doesn’t come with backing (which would be easier if it did - ours didn’t), we bought thin backing at local hardware store. Measure and mark where you want the mirror to lie. Place self adhesive cork board (or use an adhesive) on to backing (allowing space on the backing for frame to lie flush and a blank spot where you marked out the mirror as it needs to attach directly to the backing). Use fabric spray and attach fabric with pre-existing whole for mirror placement (the whole should be smaller then mirror so no backing shows through). Smooth out wrinkles as necessary. Using mirror glue on backing place mirror in it’s designated spot. Allow drying time. Put backing in frame. All in all the pair cost us about $50 total - I think we could do it cheaper next time by buying the mirror at a different location, making the piece smaller, and finding a frame with a back already attached. BUT we love our pieces and can use a dry erase marker on the mirror to make notes about how to pray for the people on our boards…or just leave a love note to each other. The best part is we can change out the fabric and frame color as our moods change.

I think I’ve finally been able to put into words the most effective way to go into therapy.

I’m not currently in therapy, but I have gone on numerous occasions with little prompting from others and wouldn’t hesitate to do so again if the need arises again. Why? Because everyone needs to hear about themselves from a non-biased third party person because we are never perfect - ever.

So how to have affective therapy sessions according to me:

You have to go into therapy knowing that they are going to tell you something about yourself that you’re not going to want to hear, that you may even disagree with or be offended by and frankly it’s going to suck a little or alot. And you need to think about what they said and attempt to better yourself. In fact I would even go so far as to say even if you disagree with their statement at least attempt to improve yourself in this area regardless - chances are you still have room for improvement. And even if you aren’t fully the problem…you can’t go into therapy WITH another person and expect them to have a radical change in heart - it’s not your job to fix them or analyze there issues. It’s your job to be praying for them and working on your own personal behavior because chances are you’re still part of the issue. In the end you are never off the hook and the only responsibility and power you have is over your own self. So stop pointing fingers at others and how you’ve been wronged and start pointing the finger at yourself and realize that you’re not sin free, never have been or will be - and realize that you need to change, improve regardless. I mean it’s called a lesson because it sucks. I hated doing homework, but did I learn from it? Yes. I hate be reprimanded because it sucks - but I learn from it.

Like Gandi said - YOU have to be the change you wish to see…always. Stop waiting for others to do it. It’ll be hard but it will be the most rewarding experience and you’ll get through therapy and grow at a much faster rate. I once had a therapist say to me, “Why are you coming in? You already know what to do. You come in aware that you have a weakness and with a game plan on how to improve that weakness. I have little more to offer other then approval. Frankly, I wish I had more clients like you.” But he really wouldn’t have because then he’d have no clients. Now I didn’t say that to brag. I was truly caught off guard by his statement and kind of irate at the time because I wanted affirmation on how to handle certain situations and personality types. But in the end he truly affirmed a deep lesson. I went into therapy aggressively - I wanted to see improvement in my life and I knew I needed to change and step outside of my comfort zone. And I did. I sucked it up and was a man about it. I didn’t whine or blame others, I forgave and then began to work on forgiving myself. That occurred over the first semester of my Junior year at college and every single person I knew prior to that, on their own accord, made statements about how radically different I was in a few short months - and for the better. I no longer hated myself and valued myself and quality of life enough to aggressively change some things - and at the heartbeat of all of that was that I had finally connected to Christ on deep and personal level. I could truly call Him friend.

I speak from experience on this. I have seen many of my relationships change for the better because I changed MY behavior, attitude , habits (etc) - even though therapists and others would agree that the greater issues were within the other individual (don’t get me wrong - at points I was wholly to blame). But I’m not responsible for that other person. I’m responsible for me. And frankly, no matter how much I’ve been hurt by others I’ve grown so much realizing that I’m still a part of the equation because I was involved with the incident/relationship  and I’ve seen the other individual positively change as a result too. Why? Probably because I stopped treating them like heartless individuals, I started respecting myself and knowing my boundaries, or learned that I was in, fact, causing most of the problems.

So face it. If you go to therapy don’t be surprised when they tell you something you don’t want to hear. Embrace it (get a second opinion from another therapist if you need to) and work on the issues. Don’t be embarrassed either. God is good and we’ll still love you through the process. But stop making yourself and others miserable around you, because I’m tired of hearing people say they’re a victim or that they went to therapy with another individual and nothing improved OR that they called you out on things but that therapist is a quack (hence get the second opinion).

The problem lies with you, friend.

If we all started to become more responsible for our own actions first…there would be alot less issues. So even if you feel like you were wronged greater then the other offending person - get over it. Go work on yourself. Did you ever stop to think that maybe God trusts and believes in you enough to put you in a hard situation because He believes you’ll make the right choices or choose to grow from the experience? That He loves you because He disciplines you? Read Hebrews 12: 4-11 - awesome stuff!

I praise God continually for my Husband. Our arguments are quickly resolved not because we’re lucky but because both of us are quick to go “You know I’m probably wrong in some way shape or form…what can I do to change this.” We die to ourselves to fight for our marraige - to save it every day. And in that dying of ourselves we find more life and freedom then we found before.

Just like salvation. We thought we were alive before Christ, but once we die with Him, on the other side of death (ie: salvation) we experience Life Abundantly and realized how stale our lives were prior.

Is God going to hold the other person/events accountable for your actions on judgment day - or you?

I say all of this out of love. Everyone of you deserves a life to the fullest - go out and claim that for yourself! Fight for it!

And if this post made you angry - good.

**Disclaimer - Men (if I have any male readers) if this is an uncomfortable topic I encourage you to skip to the paragraph labeled for you. But you should be aware of the products out there so you can be supportive and helpful to the women folk in your life (stepping off soap box) — and I think they’d like to know about this product . ***

I just purchased a new package of maxi pads that I was particularly excited to use - and frankly, I’m never THAT excited to use them so the word excited is a relative term. However, I was indeed slightly above apethetic this time around for a number of reasons.

Brand: Always clean  + wipe

1) These maxi pads don’t have the velcro tabs that help keep the pad in place - those inevitably cut my triangular thighs. I’m already uncomfortable please don’t make my life more miserable right now.

2) These pads have a wipe attached to the outside packaging of each individual pad -  and I have had the hardest time finding these since they did their test run on the market a few months ago - I was sold on the first one! Now if you don’t care to use a tampon (which sometimes, frankly, I don’t) I have the freedom to feel clean and fresh during a time when no girl ever does. Ever. I’m less self conscious…I’m less embarrassed…I can focus on other things again.

BUT here’s where my excitement budded to a new level followed by research on google.

MEN SAFE PARAGRAPH (not that the rest wasn’t safe but…): Again, discussing the product Always clean+ wipe.

I was looking for perforated lines on the packaging of the overall product to open it when I noticed this statement  (which I never read the packaging on these peeps - I mean come on!),  “Your support of Always helps give girls in Africa the feminine protection and puberty education they need to stay in school during their period.” AS IF I WEREN’T ALREADY SOLD ON THE PRODUCT (thanks to the amazing wipes - life changing!) now they go and tell me that my buying of a supply I HAVE to buy anyway is helping other girls who have it far worse then me? I mean really, you had my life long loyalty at Wipe…but now I just want to high-five myself for not hitting menapuase unseasonably early.

So if you aren’t sold or indifferent on your feminine care products check out Always Clean + Wipe. I think you will really enjoy the added feature and you will be helping support those who are helping those girls in school in Africa.

For more information check out: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/12/giving/12GIRLS.html

**I am not endorsed, affiliated , nor have been approached by Proctor and Gamble - I just know what I like. **

2 new facts I’ve learned about my faith:

1) My job is a tool. It doesn’t define my identity - and Lord knows if it did I’d go crazy since sometimes what determines if I get a job is whether or not I look like someone’s ex-wife. Great. Anyway. My job is a tool - it’s the one tool that the Lord said, “This is yours so that you can be around the people I want you to love and share love with.” It’s not so that I’m glorified - and I never get the jobs that will simply glorify me - I ONLY get the jobs that have a story related to Him somehow. When I lose sight of why  I do what I do I need to retire. So yes, it’s  a tool, an avenue, a vehicle to be with the people He wants me to be with - and what a fun tool it is! And when I keep that perspective I don’t stress anymore about the job and when the next one will come along - obviously He wants me there - it will happen!

2) I have a hard time praying for the lost. I think it’s because I know so many. And I think it’s because I care so deeply for them that it brings me anguish to even think of them as estranged from the greatest source of love and joy - it’s easier to just shut that off - it’s safer. And as if my prayers will be the ones that determine their fate - that’s the gravity I approach it with - which is wrong. I mean it’s grave but nothing I can do will be the determining factor in someone’s journey. I really need to learn to love deeper and less selfishly.

Hello Friends,

I thought I would pass on some of my favorite blogs to you faithful few. I’m very much into home decor but on the DIY scale - if I had all the money in the world I would decorate my house something like Hollywood Regency. Currently, it looks uncannily similar to I Love Lucy’s apartment.

The first blog I follow is called: Young House Love and they are based out of Richmond, VA…they are savvy, green and  thrifty! Best yet they’re about my age so I feel like we’re aging together here. They are great for DIY projects as well as decorating on a dime: http://www.younghouselove.com/

The next one is similar to the first  but with a slightly different flair: http://allbowerpower.wordpress.com/page1/

And finally for today’s list I bring you Knock off Wood which is a lady in the middle of nowhere Alaska who sees furniture via the computer in ads for various high end popular furniture stores and posts the plans for them so you can make your own version for MUCH cheaper…MUCH CHEAPER. Cool stuff. Check her out at: http://knockoffwood.blogspot.com/

So there you go…three really fun blogs to check out and get addicted to - just like me!

Sorry I’ve been leaving you hanging folks. Life has been a bit busy what with my play (currently performing the part of Edith in “Blithe Spirit” by Noel Coward - it’s hysterical) and not being at home currently. I kind of feel like Dracual in the sense that I’m up and working when most people are winding down or even going to bed.

Anyway, had the opportunity to pass on some “wisdom” or “some of us had to learn the hardest way possible…” : In talking to a dear one in my life I found myself saying with true conviction and humility that if a person you are in a relationship with gets upset with you for something you can’t control (things you weren’t exposed to, didn’t know, never heard of…etc) might be putting you on a pedestal. And by might I mean IS. They have false expectations of you and are dissapointed when the real you shows up. In a relationship that may lead to marriage it’s imperative to look at each other honestly and NOT put the other on a pedestal because you aren’t allowing them the freedom to be themselves. And that’s not an act of love. The other negative result of that action is turning that individual into a false savior - which of course - is bound to be a failure.

So yes. Take a good look at each other - because the flaws aren’t going to magically disappear and who wants to marry a complete stranger?

In other news: I still have dreams where I’m desperately searching for my husband because I know I’m supposed to be married to him and he exists somewhere out there. As my fellow cast member said I am “very married.” And very happy about it.

So I work for Disney World.  I am a sub for one of the stage shows there. Luckily, I play a character who’s pretty awesome, and then after the show I have even more fun by doing a meet-&-greet with the kiddos (and parents who are often more stoked then their kids).

Usually, it’s loads of fun and a very smooth, easy day. This past Saturday was not and I’m fairly sure someone will post one of the shows on youtube as the worst show ever - but it happens, and it least it wasn’t my fault. I mean I can’t control the crowd…it’s not my fault some parents think it’s a BRILLIANT idea to put their ONE AND A HALF year old on the stage. Oh and when I stopped the show because said small child was about to fall off the ledge of the stage did Momma decide to then take small child back with her to her seat? Oh no she just picked her up and put her back on stage. Brilliant. Or I had the child who played the hero of the show (it’s every parents dream that their small child play this role in our show) who wouldn’t hold hands with anyone, talked the entire time, interrupted the show, overall horrible (with a bad hair cut to boot) - and did that parent regret that she had said her child would be perfect and behave well up there - I sure hope so. I. sure. hope. so.  It was just a bizarr day. Every show was packed - no one wanted to be in it. Parents chasing me down to get autographs when I just said that I would be coming out momentarily to do so….so awkward. Parents, if you don’t listen, your children won’t learn how to either. I say all this with a sense of humor though. I enjoyed the challenges and laugh at the ridiculousness of people. I’m also extremely grateful for understanding managers who saw that the problems didn’t lie with me or my assistants but the crazy people in attendance.

Highlight of the day though: In the last show I picked a dad to play the one adult character in the show. I described his blue polo shirt and baseball cap, yet the man behind him in a brown plaid button down shirt jumped up eagerly -thrilled to be chosen - except that I didn’t choose him…awkward? So then the two dads are standing there offering their part to each other (both secretly wanting it - it was obvious) and since it had already been a rather weird day I just stopped and looked at them as they awaited my decision and said “I don’t know? Paper-Rock-Scissors?” To which they both eagerly played a quick round and Plaid shirt Dad won. To which we all laughed at and he proceeded to play his part excellently. I wonder if he regretted winning when it came to the part where he had to dance in front of everyone.

So in the midst of all the chaos that occurred on stage I really didn’t break character, surprisingly. The time when I almost did was during the meet-&-greet when I saw a woman in a shirt I had just bought. I almost said, “OH I have that shirt - I love it!!” which would have been incredibly awkward when you saw me in costume…at Disney World…pretending to be a princess. Yes. Not smooth. But luckily I bit my tongue.

All this to say: I love the job! It’s incredibly rewarding, downright hysterical at times, and I have some of the greatest co-workers on that show too.  Have a magical day.

Hey friends.

I just posted this on facebook, but let’s do it again!

Husband and I have moved. Oh, wait, you didn’t know we were moving. Well, PS we moved and downsized in the process to get Captain Studly closer to work. We love it! We can walk to amazing restaurants and shops without the stress - it reminds me of my 6 week stint in London except missing some seriously attractive accents.

In the process of the move we lost space and storage. Insert sadness and chaos here. While we have found a happy home for most things (sometimes that means selling it) we have been left with the dilemna of storing our bikes against the back of our island/counter. So their in plain site in our living room essentially. Our current plan is to hide them with bookshelves.

So we bought this plain 3 shelf bookshelf from Target for $20. However, it looks likes every other bookshelf and is ugly. And since we really can’t shoot for fancy shmancy shelves right now we knew we had to work with what we got! So we marched down the wrapping paper aisle and Husband found a cool blue and brown wrapping paper (wedding colors anyone?). So here is our brand new bookshelf that looks pretty spiffy for an even spiffier price!!

Mmm. Pardon the fact that it’s on its side…oops. I can’t seem to rotate the photo on here.

I’ve been reading Daniel recently. I’m a pretty big fan of his. That man went through some C.R.A.Z.Y. stuff. I mean, seriously, his life events are kind of ridiculous.

He’s most known for his lions escapade, but really that was just the tip of the iceberg with this guy. I’ve been pretty impressed with how much “end times” related visions he had. And I don’t blame the guy - I’d be a bit freaked if I had those visions myself.

Now I can be a bit wary of End Times related hub bub (other then what’s written in the Good Book). I have a dear relative who’s pretty big into that topic. We generally warn newcomers to the family that when they meet this individual expect that topic to come up - that and really bad knock-knock jokes (if you pretend they’re funny - that individual will seek new ones out to impress you at the next family function - honesty is the best policy). We’ve even asked this family member to tone it down around certain new people too, until more familiarity occurs. This individual LOVES that topic though and we get email alerts pretty regularly on how best to prepare ourselves for the impending end.

Back to the topic at hand: As I was reading the last chapter today of Daniel I was thinking about Heaven a bit and the thought passed across my brain - how many people “become saved” for the free ride into Heaven. I must confess I was thinking that because alot of verses dealing with the end times discuss how not everyone is going to the big pearly gates - even alluding to some self-proclaiming Believers. SO, naturally, I’m thinking “Oh man, I totally don’t want this to all be for not, I need to step up my game. I’m not pursuing actively/genuinely enough.” Which is true. But I thought all this BECAUSE I want to go to Heaven.

Now that last sentence may have slipped right past you unnoticed - and for so long it has with me, but there is a huge flaw int that last thought. I need to step up my game because I’m in love with a Man who came and drank my cup of sin for me. Which I like to visualize that sometimes. I really hate watching reality tv shows where people drink nasty things and start gagging. I gag with them. So for me I really am grateful and horrified that He’s drinking my stank. So really stepping up my game because I want to go to Heaven, is just a big slap in His face.

It’s as if I’m just dating Him for the perks of Heaven, not so interested in Him, but doing a pretty good job of pretending like I am so He’ll keep giving me money and buying me pretty things. Jesus is my suger daddy?

What selfish creatures we are.