jungle fever

this is Broadway New York...and you will not understand how this relates to my post in the slightest for a few paragraphs. happy reading!!! :)

I feel like I've used this as a blog title before...hmm.

Anyway, I'd love to tell you about my roller coaster week. Just briefly I promise (but keep in mind that my definition of brief varies greatly from a solid 80% of the world's population).

Due to a certain celebration of America's laborers, my week did not officially start until Tuesday...yippee!

p.s. I LOVED sleeping in on Monday btw...it is rare that Parker and I ever get to be cuddle-bugs in the morning. If I'm being honest, most the time it's because he's awake before I am. I learned, this week, that it is hard to leave the house with your spouse looking so sweet and sleepy and in desperate need of being cuddled (k maybe that was just MY read on the situation. nevertheless...). I finally understand why he's not a fan of his lonely mornings...poor baby boy.

ANYWAY...so Tuesday. I started the day off with my internship and MAJOR stress over my news story. I originally signed on to report on Wednesday, failing to realize that I did not have the time on my internship/work-ridden Tuesdays to go and FILM pictures to go along with my words (I know...I should know by now that I work in broadcast T-E-L-E-V-I-S-I-O-N. duh Chels). Luckily I am innovative and thought...well, what if I just bumped to a different lab day later in the week? It'd be a much better long-term move AND resolve my issue of having to show up to the TV newsroom with a story sans video. So, I turned that thought into action and, what do you know, I now report on Thursdays. Lovely!

With that stress out-of-sight--out-of-mind I allowed myself to enjoy my morning internship (I work on with 2 feature shows now...what isn't there to love?). I even helped write the show this week!!! I'm growing up so quickly, I know. Post-internship I flew to work and then came home to pound out my story script. Despite my writing capabilities (do not use the blog as a sample of said skill or you will think i lie), these are quite the chore for me. I am way too much of a perfectionist when it comes to writing a minute-thirty (1 min. 30 sec.) broadcast script. How I love my major!

The next day...hell-o craziness! Oh my. I spent the ENTIRE day in Provo running from class to interview to film site to class again. Mind you, this ain't no elementary school. BYU's campus is MILES wide! And I strolled back-and-forth with this 50-pound camera, a backpack, laptop, purse...NONE of which would stay on my shoulders for more than 10 paces. By the end of the day I had HAD it.

I called Parker and played the role of wife-zilla telling him how DONE I was with it all...my major, my commute, my life (ok maybe not the last one. broadcast classes just have me in the habit of writing lists in sets of 3. it's an effective writing tool I guess...). Parker tried to console me with talk of all the fun we had ahead of us this weekend, but that didn't help the irrational, crazy girl who felt it all seemed SO far away still. When I told him that didn't help, he went quiet for a moment. The thought that my phone had decided to go ahead and die and take away my one hope for happiness in the midst of all this madness just about sent me over the edge. Then I heard his voice.

"I'm sorry sweetie. I'm trying to find the right thing to say to make you feel better and I'm just not sure what it is. I wish I could fix it."

Oh I about cried. I promised him at once that it had helped and apologized again and again for my little (more like MAJOR) vent session. I'd get through it. I was tough. I knew what I signed on for for this semester and was ready to see it through. Still, I'd made him feel inadequate for that one little second...made him feel like his attempt to be my comforter had failed...and I felt awful for it. Bad wife. Bad, bad wife.

I cruised over to my friend Nicole's. I'd originally condemned myself to an entire night of editing in the newsroom, but seeing my friend brightened my day. She has so many wonderful things happening in her life right now and seeing her so happy just lit up my day. We chatted and laughed and my best little buddy made my burden light (like the church reference there??? it's so exactly how I felt) by hucking my camera in her backseat and driving me back to my own car. By the time we'd finished blabbering our faces off I'd decided I didn't want to even LOOK at another camera. I just wanted to get home to another face I love so much. So I did (after a quick pit stop to Kneader's to pick up one of his favorite sugar cookies as a sorry for being such a little pill...I buy people's love, I know).

Wednesday night ended perfectly. But of course, falling asleep in Parker's arms on a rough Wednesday night meant waking up to an even crazier Thursday morning.

I rolled out of bed before the sun rose. My eyes didn't want to open after just 4 hours of sleep, but they really didn't have a choice. I shot a few last clips for my story and then hustled out the door to hop on the road to Provo. I showed up to the newsroom just minutes after the doors open and started in on my story when my little heart broke to pieces...literally. The film that held every bit of video for my story snapped. My entire day's worth of preparation now meant nothing. No video. No story. No grade. Awesome.

Luckily we have an amazing technical director who works miracles. Truly. He fixed my tape!!! Granted, the quality of the damaged film left something to be desired, but with a bit of hard work and the million mouse clicks I invested into finding tiny windows of what good video remained, I had a STORY. I did mess up my lines on camera. I nearly missed my moment on the set altogether. But I had a story. Thank goodness.

After what felt like a forever long shift at the bank (I could barely keep my eyes open), I hustled home to find my in-laws in our front room. Kristy came bearing gifts from New York (just wait 'til you see the pictures of my super-classy purse and glasses...she so spoils me!!!) and before I knew it we were off to see Broadway's The Lion King at the Capitol Theater as an early "happy birthday" to me. (All that keeps going through my mind is the Toy Story aliens' "We're not worthy. We're not worthy!" My in-laws are so beyond generous. I really feel too lucky. The people that are supposed to be the worst part of my marriage are, in reality, one of the very best. I love them!)

I know there's no need to say this...but I will. The show was SPECTACULAR! The costumes were insane. The voices were spot on. The singing gave me the chills. I spent three dollars on a bottled water Parker disapproved of and my family made me laugh and smile so much that I absolutely forgot about everything I'd suffered through to make it to this moment. I guess, in a way, Parker's consolation on the phone that day had been spot on. My amazing weekend (still more to come) really did make up for my crazy week. Thank you baby for always knowing what I need to hear...

Loving life right now...

Let's hope the same holds true come Monday :)

Have a wonderful Sunday everyone!