still. pictures.

Waterproof Mascara

2012-02-12T15:00:00.000-06:00

Thursday was my first day back at work after a fabulous 12-week maternity leave.

And it was hard.

Really hard.

Even though my best friend was staying with Moo at our house,

and even though I was going back into teaching at a perfect time as far as the curriculum goes,

and even though I knew this day was coming,

I still cried most of the way to work.

Good thing I wore my waterproof mascara.

But then I got there

and things got so busy that I didn't have time to think about it too much

and teaching felt like riding a bike--so natural.

And my students were excited to see me.

And I was asked things like, "Mrs. Johnson, do you like your kid?"

and that made me laugh.

And then I came home and got to love my child for lots of hours and that made me smile.

And then I did it all over again the next day.

And the next day was hard.

But not first day hard.

And I'm still fighting guilt and uncertainty and change

but God is meeting me there

and sustaining me

and I'm grateful.

Date night

2012-02-03T21:21:00.000-06:00

Nope, not the movie with ~~Michael Scott~~ Steve Carell and ~~Liz Lemon~~ Tina Fey. I'm talking about the actual date that Phil & I went on last night. First one in two and a half months--much-needed.

Long story, but we were at my parents' house for a few days and my mom and dad offered to watch Moo for us one night. Yes please. So, we went to a movie and then dinner. We saw the new Sherlock Holmes movie (something we'd been wanting to do since it came out). Apparently, 6 p.m. on a Thursday night with a movie that's about to go out of the theatre is the time to go--we had the entire theatre to ourselves. I'd be lying if I said we didn't take advantage of that. ;)

Then, we went to dinner at one of our favorite Chattanooga restaurants, The Terminal Brewhouse, a hundred-year-old hotel-converted-restaurant. We enjoyed some local brew, delicious food, and uninterrupted conversation. Soooo wonderful.

Best of all, in the midst of a month where Phil works so much that I only see him an hour max a day, several hours together was absolute bliss! Many thanks, Mom and Dad!

Scratch that.

2012-02-03T21:06:00.000-06:00

Remember that allergic reaction I had in my eye even though I'm not allergic to anything, my eye wasn't itching, and it felt like something had scratched my eye? Well, it wasn't an allergic reaction.

I woke up the following morning after starting on steroids and found that I was extremely light sensitive. Like I had all the blinds closed and the lights off and I still couldn't hold my lid open--that sensitive. I'm sure I looked hilarious driving to the grocery store with sunglasses on top of regular glasses, the visor down, AND my hand up to my forehead blocking the sun and holding open my eyelids at the same time. That's right: holding them open. Not exactly a shining moment in my driving career. On top of all of that, my eye was throbbing from the back forward and felt like it was expanding in my socket. Not exaggerating. Bleh.

So, I did what I hate to do again: I went back to the doctor for a second opinion. This time, I saw someone more competent who said I did not have an allergic reaction but a pretty sizable corneal abrasion (a.k.a. scratch on my eye). He had no idea how the person before could have missed it, and all the light sensitivity and swelling was a reaction to the steroids I'd been prescribed. Wish I had known that before I spent $45 on steroids that not only didn't work but made things worse. So, I got off the steroids and onto antibiotics and began a week of wearing glasses.

Now, a week later, I'm happy to report that I am wearing contacts again, am fairly pain free, have the blinds open, and will always go with my gut and get a second opinion when I need to.

Seriously?

2012-01-26T15:01:00.001-06:00

I wasn't planning on going to the eye doctor today. Rain was coming down in sheets, and--oh, that's right--my eyes were in perfect condition. Until 4 a.m., that is. When I woke up to feed the boy, my eye was stinging every time I blinked, like I had a scratched eyelid or a foreign object in my eye. After trying every trick in the book (rinsing with water, swabbing with a Q-Tip, and pulling my top lid over my bottom lid), I was still left with a very painful eye that left me weepy and my nose running.

So, I did something I hate to do: I went to the doctor. Little did I know that my eyelid has a ton of huge bumps all over it and I have an allergic reaction to something that's caused an eye infection. Who knew? The doctor said that you can get infections like this from touching pretty much anything, so there's no telling what caused this, but I'm on steroids now and should feel some relief in the next few days. Until then, the CVS folks know me by name by now (thank you, Moo, for taking all my nutrients and antibodies), and I'll be donning glasses, which makes people look more intelligent, no?

At least I wasn't in a tornado this week. No room to complain. But I guess I just did. Oops. Still working on that New Year's resolution, apparently.

Great Expectations

2012-01-25T21:17:00.000-06:00

Before having Moo, I thought I'd have gobs of time during my maternity leave to accomplish GREAT THINGS, to check off some long-term to-do's, and did I mention accomplish things? That's right, I did. Because I love to accomplish. Oh, how motherhood is redefining that word! Throw in a child who only naps 45 minutes at a time during the day (I'm not going to complain too much, though, because he sleeps 8 hours at a time at night!) and there's just not as much time to accomplish as I anticipated. Probably good for this productivity addict.

Today's project was something I've been wanting to try for a while but could never get organized enough to do it: making a dinner menu next month. Woah. A friend of mine used to do this for all three meals a day and I was always amazed that she could think ahead far enough to plan meals for A MONTH. Woah again. So, one of my long-term to-do's was to try this monthly meal calendar and after spending little bits of time on it all day long, I finally finished! Check! (One of my greatest loves: checking items off a list. Yes, I'm a first born.)

Basically, I sat down with my recipe binder and started filling in blanks on a calendar that I printed, making sure to write in pencil in case I changed my mind. Here were my parameters:

No cooking on Sundays
Once a week: meatless meal
At least once a week: fish
Once a week: leftover day or freezer/crockpot meal
Every week: varying mexican, Italian, and kinds of meats so that I didn't have two beef dishes back to back, for example
As much as possible, choosing recipes that would use common ingredients so I don't waste food (Example: a bag of apples could be used on Monday night's chicken salad on greens and Tuesday night's pork chops and applesauce.)

I'm pretty excited about it. It should make creating my grocery list easier, and, while I'm sure I won't stick to every single meal, it's nice to have a plan and have items on hand. We'll see how it goes. For now, it looks all expectant and promising hanging on the fridge. :)

A few winter recipes...

2012-01-15T16:23:00.000-06:00

The most helpful thing people did for me when I had Moo was bring me meals for weeks after he was born. Absolutely incredible. It was so nice not to have to spend any energy thinking about or making dinner, and we loved having people come to our home on a regular basis. However, after six weeks of not cooking, this home chef was ready to get back to creating! So, I've been cooking lots lately. Well, I've been crockpotting. (Not a word, you say? Oh, but it is.) And does the period go inside or outside the parentheses? This English teacher forgets the rule, and it's okay, right, because I have three more weeks before I return to the world of grammatical correctness. I digress.

Back to the recipes. Here are a few I've made recently that are oh-so-easy AND oh-so-delicious. Love that combo, don't you?

Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo (Cooking Light)
My two cents: this dish is delicious (so delicious that I made it two weekends in a row), but it's even better with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice on top.

Herb Biscuits (Real Simple)
My two cents: this recipe calls for a ridiculous amount of butter. Just embrace that fact because the result is mouth-wateringly wonderful. Ever had Bojangles biscuits? It's like that with herbs. Yum! Next time, though, I think I'll try it with half the butter and see what happens. Also, this made 14 rolls for me instead of 12. Will definitely make these again!

Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice (myrecipes.com)
My two cents: this recipe will make you want to lick the air in your house all day because every room will smell like cajun deliciousness. Also, I halved the red pepper, which gave it just the right amount of kick. My theory: you can always add more kick, but you can't usually take the kick out once it's in.

Crockpot Creamy Potato Soup (compliments of my dear friend, Sarah)

5-7 potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes

1 can cream of chicken soup

Chicken broth (about 32 oz--you could use vegetable broth instead if you wanted)

1 carrot, diced (I added a little more)

1 celery stalk, diced (I added a little more)

1/2 onion, diced

salt & pepper to taste (I omitted salt and put about a teaspoon of fresh ground pepper in)

1 (8 oz.) block of cream cheese, cut into chunks (I used fat free, but any kind is fine)

Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Bacon bits (optional)

Combine all ingredients except cream cheese in crockpot. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours. During the last hour, add the cream cheese. Also, smash some of the potatoes on the side of the pot, making the soup thicker (I used an immersion blender instead so that it was lightly pureed, which I like, leaving a few potato chunks--also a great way to sneak in veggies because you can't really see the chunks of carrots and celery once it's pureed). Serve after cream cheese is melted. Top with cheese & bacon.

Makes 8 servings

I vouch for the yumminess of all four of these recipes; they're the kind of meals that make you actually look forward to leftovers! Enjoy!

PediCURE

2012-01-07T10:00:00.000-06:00

I'm not one of those people who gets a pedicure on a regular basis...or one of those people who call it a "pedi," for that matter. For one, I can't afford it, and for another, I'm just not that girly. BUT every once in a while, I do love (and I mean love) a pedicure. And until this past week, I'm pretty sure I've never had a pedicure in the winter because, let's be honest: who really sees your feet in the winter anyway?

Having seen my swollen, pregnant ~~ankles~~ cankles several months ago, my friend Christen was so sweet to give me the gift of a pedicure for Christmas, now that I have my ankles back. So, earlier this week, we began 2012 with a wintertime pedicure, and it was a gift in more than one way.

First, I was able to leave Moo with the hubs and have some time to myself where I didn't have to be "on." I wasn't listening for noise on a monitor or watching the clock to see if it was time for the next feeding. I was able to be fully present in a moment instead of somewhat distracted. *Sigh* Second, I got to spend quality time (my love language!) with a dear friend. I was also able to have my feet and legs massaged, which never gets old; my feet felt like they had lost years when I left! Finally, I've discovered that a wintertime pedicure is the gift that keeps on giving. Every night when I take off my wool socks to hop in the shower, I forget that I have beautiful toes and it makes me smile. After feeling so utilitarian lately with my body, it's nice to feel pretty and to feel like a woman (am I right, Shania?).

So, even if you end up wearing flipflops on a 30-degree day, the wintertime pedicure is the way to go. It's going to need to be an annual event for Christen and me. Or at least for me. What do you do in winter to lasso a little bit of happy?

Resolved

2012-01-01T21:33:00.002-06:00

Resolve.

Re-solve.

To figure out again.

Each year, we begin with resolutions thinking we have an answer for making life better--and there's nothing wrong with that. I'll be making resolutions again this year, too. But here's the thing about resolutions: they have to be re-done each year (if not before) because we're ever and always in the process of becoming. So, last year, I made my 30 before 30 list, and it has served as a great motivator for me, but this year, I'm in another place. I need something different. I need to re-solve this life of mine.

So, this year I have ONE resolution: look to the good. Not look for the good, which implies that it may or may not be found, but look to the good, because it's there--always--in some way.

God has sense of humor, of course. Today, as I'm typing this, my child has decided not to nap. As in not at all since sometime this morning. He's miserable but won't sleep so it's been a looooong day for all of us. As in I'm completely at the end of myself (and it's taken me the entire to day finish this post). On top of that, I have a few other personal struggles going on and it's just so dang easy to complain. To be angry. To be frustrated. To feel overwhelmed. To wish today could just end and tomorrow would be guaranteed to be better.

BUT

in the midst of all the inconvenience, disappointment, frustration, and heartache,

there is GOOD.

I have a healthy child.

He has been happy most of the day.

Phil has been home all day and has been a huge help.

We have a warm house on a cold night.

You get the picture.

There's reason to be grateful and that's where I need to be--not denying the difficulty of the moment or day or season, but not dwelling there either. This is my re-solving, my becoming.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Phil. 4:8)

Christmas and viruses and New Year's--oh my!

2011-12-31T12:51:00.001-06:00

You read that right--viruses. Plural. As in today was the first day in three weeks that I have not had to take medicine for something. First it was mastitis, then pink eye, then a GI bug the day after Christmas that had the entire Johnson clan down for the count, and then laryngitis the day after that.

Thankfully, I'm on the mend except for a lingering cough and a very ~~scratchy~~ sultry sounding voice. Sigh.

Apart from the virus attack, our Christmas was fantastic, spent with both sides of the family. Lots of laughter, good food, traveling, and general good cheer, as it should be. Best of all, Phil was off for five days straight. I'm considering a petition for our country to give both parents paid leave at the same time when a child is born. So. much. easier. And Moo does love his daddy!

Speaking of Moo, he has some new tricks now that he's 6 weeks old and all:

smiling
cooing
sucking his thumb
making a motorboat sound (I'm pretty sure this is on accident, but it's still pretty cute)

See him all grown up in his Christmas outfit? This is his "Yes ma'am?" face. As in, I just called his name and he said, "Yes ma'am?" That's what I'd like to think, at least.

And my most recent favorite picture of him:

Don't you just love those dimples?

Since Daddy is on call, that little handsome and I will be ringing in the new year together--hopefully by sleeping peacefully through it. :) New Year's resolution(s) to come...

Advice

2011-12-22T13:26:00.000-06:00

A friend recently asked me if I had any parenting/baby advice (good or bad) to pass along since she's due with her first in a few weeks. Prior to having a child, I would have been replete with advice, but now I'm reluctant to give it. Every kid is different. Every family has its own challenges and circumstances.

So here's my advice--two things:

ONE: Let yourself be human. In other words, let yourself NOT have all the answers, not have all your ducks in a row, not have everything in your life "together." The first weeks after having a baby is not about having things together; it's about admitting that you don't and getting help when you need it. I'm learning this one still. Learning that it's okay if I don't have time to put my contacts in AND people are coming over, okay if my carpets are dirty a little longer than I'd like for them to be, okay if my clothes don't fit quite right yet. These things are simply HUMAN. No room to judge because, let's be honest: who really has all their "stuff" together?

TWO: Look to the good. Every stage of parenting has its challenges and blessings, and in the midst of sleep deprivation, spit-up, not getting anything (not even a smile!) in return, eating struggles, infections, and whatever else might come your way, it's easy to focus on the challenges instead of the blessings. I'm learning to focus on the good--on the sleeping baby on my shoulder, on the sweet noises he makes when he eats, on how healthy he is, on the marvel that is the washing machine. Looking to the good makes for such a more joyful life, and that's the one I want to lead.

So, that's it. That's all I've got. Take it or leave it.

Aaaaand, I'm back!

2011-12-13T11:39:00.000-06:00

Let me introduce you to my favorite little guy on the planet:

For privacy purposes, we'll call him "Moo," but let's just say that Phil & I are absolutely in love with his name and what it means.

He made his debut on November 16, weighing in at a whopping 8 lbs., 1 oz., and measuring 22 inches long! As my grandfather would say, "He's a long drink of water." Love those sayings, don't you?

Since then, we've had our ups and downs, but we're figuring this whole parent-kid thing out and it's pretty incredible.

AND guess what's back??

That's right, my ankles are back! (Please ignore the lovely spider veins, sock imprints, unpainted toenails, and random scrape). And my rings fit me again. Ah, the little joys! Remember these?

Adios!

Little Moo doesn't like to take very long naps during the day, so when I do have the spare 20-40 minutes while he's down, I'm deciding whether to:

Get dressed
Eat a meal
Take a nap
Get the mail/load the dishwasher/start laundry/or any other household chore

You can see why "blogging" hasn't quite made it to the top of the list. But I have a bunch of posts up in the 'ole noggin, so be on the lookout!

Until then, here are a few more pictures to leave you drooling over:

Latest reads

2011-11-11T14:56:00.001-06:00

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

I know I'm a little behind the craze with this book, but WOW--what an incredible read! I'm always impressed when someone's first novel is as riveting, well-written, and well-developed as this one. I loved its fictional (but all-too-identifiable) peek into Southern culture, its delicate yet firm handle of race, its character development, and its perfect amount of mystery at the end of each chapter that leaves you wanting to read more. I also liked how each chapter was told by a different narrator, allowing the reader a more complete view of the story. Despite my sympathies for the other characters, I still found myself identifying most with the main character, Skeeter.

I stayed true to my policy of not watching a movie before reading the book, so now I'm just waiting for the movie to come out in our dollar theatre or at Red Box so I can see it. I've heard only good things! If you're behind the times like I was, it's time to pick up this book. Prepare yourself for some late nights of reading complete with tired eyes in the morning--well worth it!

The Grace of Silence by Michele Norris

My friend, Jessica, recommended this book to me after reading it with her book club. Now, I've listened to Michele Norris on NPR for years and have always found her to be an engaging host and have always assumed (why?) that she was a white woman.

So, when Jessica told me about Norris's memoir and about how it focused on race relations in the South--particularly in Birmingham--where her father, a black man, was shot by a white police officer, I was hooked. What was this woman's story? I had to know.

A week and half later, I finished the book. I admit that I went into reading the book with expectations that it would be politically charged and have a tinge of racial bitterness. What I discovered was a book that takes a very honest and unbiased look at the South during segregation, almost entirely omitting politics, and focusing rather on personal, human experiences, which are always interesting.

What I found most interesting (and humbling) about the book was how black men like Norris's father fought in WWII for social justice overseas and then returned home to severe discrimination and danger in their own home towns. Makes me want to find war veterans everywhere and thank them for their service--both abroad and at home--appropriate for this Veteran's Day.

Mentioning familiar places like Ensley and Crestline Village, the book took on a local feel, although Birmingham's racial past is nothing to be proud of. In fact, I was appalled that in the memorable past such things happened as Norris describes in the book. I haven't been to our Civil Rights Institute in years, but this book has inspired me to go back soon, if nothing else to pay homage to those who lived through such horrific times and to remind myself that issues of race in the South are still present in more subtle ways.

Somebody Told Me by Rick Bragg
I recently discovered Rick Bragg, a Southern author who has written for a series of big newspapers, including the New York Times, in addition to writing memoirs. Somebody Told Me is a compilation of some of his best news stories, covering all sorts of injustices and human interest stories from the '90s. I have to admit that I skipped the chapter on Susan Smith (I just couldn't stomach them with a child on the way), but the rest of the stories were fabulously written. The chapters are divided by topic (race relations, aging, school-age children, etc.) and each chapter has a handful (or two) of 2-3 page stories, making it easy to slip in a quick story any time of day. I highly recommend this book, although beware: most of the stories are sad ones and some will make you downright angry.

The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan

My friend, Christen, recommended this book to me, and, while I'm typically a writing snob when it comes to Christian literature, I have to say that this one was actually fairly well written. Unfortunately, I read this book several months ago and since I borrowed it, I didn't get the chance to underline and interact with the text like I usually do, so my memory of this book is in broad strokes at best and won't do it nearly enough justice.

As the title suggests, the book is about theSabbath, but more than just the day-of -the-week kind of Sabbath; it's about slowing down life, taking time to gain perspective, carving out moments for various kinds of rest, taking time to see God in the moments of our lives. Buchanan steers away from a do's and don't's list for what a Sabbath should look like and instead asks this question: is what I'm doing life-giving or life-sucking? If it's life-giving, then it is a Sabbath (day or mindset) activity. So, what might be life-giving to me (writing) could be life-sucking to another. Or what might be life-giving to my husband (yard work) might be life-sucking to me. I liked taking time to contemplate what in my life is life-giving and finding so many different ways to experience Sabbath rest.

So, that's what I've been reading. What have you been reading lately? Any books I need to add to the stack on my bedside table?

Miracle.

2011-11-09T12:38:00.001-06:00

I SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT LAST NIGHT.

Like I didn't get up once.

Not even to go to the bathroom.

Not even to cough.

Not even because I was uncomfortable.

Not even to roll over.

EIGHT. UNINTERRUPTED. HOURS.

I don't remember the last time that happened.

It probably won't happen again for a very, very long time.

But it happened last night.

And I'm thankful.

Hurry up and wait

2011-11-08T22:06:00.001-06:00

Last week at this time, I was told that I'd probably be induced tomorrow because of my swelling. So, mentally I prepared to be a patient in a hospital this week: I ran around all weekend trying to get all my errands done and I worked late hours to make sure all my sub plans were in order.

Cue Monday's doctor appointment.

The good news: both my blood pressure and weight are down, which indicates some improvement in my swelling.

The bad news (but ultimately really good news): I won't be induced unless he hasn't come by next Wednesday.

So, today was MY LAST DAY OF WORK FOR THREE MONTHS. So wonderful! It's like running a marathon and seeing the finish line. My students were so sweet and brought me diapers and told me how much they'd miss me. Seriously, they are why I love my job so much.

The nursery...we've since hung a few things on the walls.

BUT I'm ready to be off. And now I have some unexpected down time and I'm trying to figure out what to do with it since I wasn't prepared for it. The nursery is done (see pictures). The groceries are bought. The clothes are washed. The floors are...kinda clean. The car seat bases are in the car. We are ready!

His crib...

Phil's now "vintage" football pennants that he's had since he was seven!

These two framed wonders are now hanging over the crib. We'll call it an early education. :)

SO...

Any suggestions on how to spend my last few days sans baby? Obviously, sleep is on the agenda already and a pedicure is out of the question because of the swelling (although a pedi is definitely in the postpartum plan!).

We're still crossing our fingers for an 11/11/11 birthday, but we'll see. Can't wait to meet the little guy!

Typos

2011-11-02T21:31:00.000-05:00

Got this in the mail this week--apparently a reminder about Phil's upcoming dentist appointment...or something like that. :)

Not pictured: the return address that read "* Philip Johnson" and a stamp pretty much in the middle of the postcard. Quality.

Where I've been

2011-10-24T20:21:00.000-05:00

Grading? Yes, lots.

Nesting? I guess, a little.

But mostly, I've been hiding behind these lovelies:

Need to see a close up? Thought so. Here ya go:

For the record, I did not pull these pictures off the internet; those are actually my cankles, my swollen legs, my nonexistent knees. Thank you, Baby Boy Johnson.

I went to the doctor today and her exact words were, "I mean, they're not the worst I've seen, but they're in the top ten. (Pause to look again) Maybe the top eight." Nice. And then this:

Me: "I mean, they don't even look like my feet!"

Doctor: "They don't even really look like feet!"

You don't even want to know how much weight that much water retention translates into. I'm hoping it will translate into losing a lot of weight quickly when all this is over. I mean, I might be the first woman to get stretch marks on her feet. There's no explanation for this kind of water retention; I'm just one of the lucky few. :)

While all this edema isn't bad for the baby, it is elevating my blood pressure and, obviously, giving me quite a bit of discomfort. I'm having to go in to the doctor a couple of times a week to monitor it. In fact, my doctor recommended several days of bed rest this week, but I don't think I'm going to take her up on it because I'm really feeling fine and I don't want to burn my sick days now just sitting around. She said the baby is healthy and measuring perfectly, so it was up to me. Honestly, it's just easier to be at work than to make sub plans, so I'm sticking it out for now. I might take off a week earlier than planned, but for now, Baby Boy is healthy, in good position, and ready to enter the world whenever he decides!

Until then, I'm wearing pants exclusively to protect innocent eyes everywhere. See how cute and normal I look when my legs are covered?

You can imagine how many pairs of shoes fit me these days: exactly two. One is a pair of flip flops and the other is a pair of black clogs that are really too tight but I make them work. So, with the cold front and several more weeks of work ahead, I was lucky to find these at Ross this weekend:

Super cute. Ugg brand (who knew they made clogs?). Most importantly, they fit AND they're comfortable. I'll be living in them, thank you very much.

So, THAT'S out there. Let's just say I'm learning about sacrificing for my child already. :)

Husband points (again)

2011-10-24T19:35:00.000-05:00

Two weeks ago.

In the throws of a grading frenzy.

Fighting bronchitis. For the third week.

It was only Monday.

Came home to these:

And to groceries bought and put away.

Best. Husband. Ever.

Most resilient flowers ever: $10 at Walmart

(This picture was taken today, two weeks after they were bought!)

Media fast: Part III

2011-10-04T01:52:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend, I found myself thinking, "I can't wait for this fast to be over so I can watch my favorite shows and have some brainless down time again." Clearly, my heart still needs some work, so the fast is still on. In fact, this paring down of media--especially during the week--may just become a new norm. I like the simple, the time to reflect, the time with others, the slowing down, and as hard as it is not to crave brainlessness, there are more meaningful ways to unwind that surfing channels or the Internet--at least for me.

In an effort to avoid the easy temptation of legalism, Phil and I have watched some shows lately, but only when we've planned on it and when we've agreed to turn it off after one episode; we're done with killing time by just seeing what's on TV; we're done with distractions...or are trying to be.

With that said, I feel like my heart has a long way to go before it's longing to use that time to really commune with God, but, in His gentle and gracious way, God has met me this past week. Here's a preview:

As strange as its sounds, God has allowed me NOT to sleep well or much this past week, but those wee hours have been some of the best reading/journaling/reflecting I've had all week. Tonight's one of those nights.
Thanks to God speaking through Ann Voskamp's book, 1000 Gifts, I'm learning to find the beautiful and redemptive in the ugly and mundane. I'm struggling with nights like tonight when I'm awake at 1:45 a.m. and am learning to not let go of that moment until I meet God in it. It's such a discipline and goes against my natural tendency to complain, but I'm learning to replace complaining with gratitude, and it's been transforming.
I'm learning more about my prayer life. Someone in Sunday school recently asked, "What dominates your prayer life?" My answer was two-fold: 1) praying for others and 2) praying for results. Neither of these is sinful in themselves, but they have the tendency to become so. For example, praying for others can become a way for me to avoid coming before God myself, avoid confession, avoid listening, avoid really opening myself up to Him changing me. Instead, I feel really good about myself for praying and praying for others and leave my time of prayer with a pat on the back but little actual communion with God. In the same way, praying for results ("Lord, heal ______'s marriage," "Lord, change _____'s heart," "Lord, help _____ go smoothly") causes me to miss the journey and the mess of the process, which is where God is. I miss the gifts and guts of now by praying for positive outcomes only.

In addition to more direct time with God through reflection/prayer/scripture/writing, I've also been able to enjoy life-giving activities like hanging pictures on the wall of baby boy's room (anticipation is such a gift), multiple walks with friends on late autumn afternoons, trying new recipes, finishing books and starting new ones, and dinners on the back deck with the hubs. Good things going on over here. I have a long way to go and my heart is still resistant, but I'm learning. And it's good.

Media Fast: Part II

2011-09-28T21:57:00.000-05:00

So, here's the thing about this media fast: it's not so much that I cut out the distractors as it is what I do with all that extra time. While I'm using my time more intentionally, the idea of a fast is to gain perspective, to turn to more eternal things, to spend time with God. And to be honest, I can't say that I've spent that extra time pursuing the eternal.

I've gotten a lot more grading done, which makes me feel accomplished and on top of things. I've cooked every night this week, which makes me feel accomplished and on top of things. I've exercised every day, which makes me feel accomplished and on top of things.

But fasting is not about feeling accomplished and on top of things. It's been a nice perk & I've certainly reaped the restful benefits of a simpler schedule, but feeling like my ducks are in a row is not the point. Not at all, really.

So, my challenge to myself for the second half of our media-free week is to spend the excess time on more life-giving endeavors. Now, yes, I'll still have papers to grade, but I don't want extra free time to translate into me becoming a workaholic.

I want to see God, and to see Him I have to seek him, and to seek Him I have to make time for him, to create space, and to use that space for study, reflection, writing, being outdoors, reading, prayer, creating, being in community with others--anything that points me to Him and is life-giving rather than life-sucking. Rather than seeing my extra time as an opportunity to pare down my to-do list (oh, how I love my control!), I want to see it as time to slow down long enough to gaze at God--however that may look.

Media fast

2011-09-26T17:06:00.000-05:00

Do you ever feel like life is whirring by you so fast that you can't really grasp onto anything, can't take in anything? It's been a little like that over here lately.

And in the middle of the whir, I find myself living for my down time, for 8:00 or whenever it is that I am home and finished with all my obligations and lists for the day. And I find myself spending that down time in the most brainless ways possible because, let's be honest: it's the end of the day and I'm tired and I need to be distracted from life for a little while. So, I watch an hour of TV or check websites. And it hits me: these are the things I'm living and longing for? These are what I live my hours looking forward to?

So, on the heels of a challenging conversation with our small group last night and some quality discussion together, Phil & I have decided to take a week-long media fast. For us, that means no TV, no Facebook, no reading blogs, no online TV watching, and minimizing how often we check our email. Basically, we're cutting out the "distracting" parts of media and trying to spend that time more intentionally.

Don't get me wrong; there's nothing wrong with enjoying TV shows & using the Internet, but they've become what I live for & what I look forward to & they've been keeping me from more worthwhile ways of spending my time, so for me at this time, they're causing more harm than good.

We don't watch that much TV anyway, but when we get to the end of the week and think, "I didn't have time to ________ (insert something that takes 30 minutes or less)" and then realize that we've spent at least that long watching a show or checking websites, we can see how the minutes of media here and there add up to hours and keep us from doing what is more important.

Like blogging.

I've put off so many blog posts because I don't want to do the work of writing. I don't want to be disciplined and creative and have to think at the end of the day; I'd much rather veg in front of the TV and let my mind wander. So, here I am on a Tuesday afternoon with TIME to write and I'm doing it because I've eliminated the distractions that normally keep me from it.

And it feels good--in an eat-more-vegetables kind of way. It feels healthy and new and difficult and refreshing all at the same time, and I have to say that I'm enjoying the simplicity of being unplugged. I'm looking forward to catching up on cleaning, reading, recipe-finding, relationships, letter-writing, and lots of little loose ends I've been avoiding because I "don't have time." I'm looking forward to slowing down and paring down and giving my mind and heart S P A C E to see--really see--life deeply.

Latest Reads

2011-09-06T12:21:00.001-05:00

I'm always in the middle of multiple books at once to satisfy whatever mood I'm in, and in the last couple of months, I've finished two of them and recommend them with mixed reviews.

Upon the recommendation of several friends, I read The Red Tent by Anita Diamant, which turned out to be unlike any other book I've read. It was a Biblical fiction piece, taking the story of Dinah, Jacob's only recorded daughter, and imagining what her life would have been like during Bible times. The novel focuses on women and the cycle of life and death both through the monthly cycle (hence, the title) and the life cycle itself.

I'll start with the positive: my favorite part of the book is the way the author made me think about the reality of the culture during that time. Diamant is either Jewish or has significant knowledge about Judaism because, for example, she would write about meals that were prepared and refer to foods and ways of cooking that we know nothing about today. It's easy to read the Bible and overlook the more minor characters like Dinah, so placing her in a culture and making her the hero brought to life a time in history that I wouldn't have understood as well otherwise. I also thought the theme of life--bringing life into the world, longing for it, and going through the cycle of it--and of female friendships were poignant and touching--especially to a female reader.

While I genuinely enjoyed the book, I also can't say that I'd read it again. For one, the idea of Biblical fiction is a hard one for me. The author makes it clear that she's not trying to rewrite history, but I had a hard time separating what I knew to be true from the Bible with the story she wove throughout the book. On that note, the book, while such a beautiful statement on women's relationships, had quite a feminist bent. Only a handful of men (if that) had any integrity, which rubbed me the wrong way since so many of those men (Dinah's father and brothers), while glaringly imperfect, were also cornerstones of the Christian faith. In an effort to highlight women, who are often overlooked in the Bible, Diamant swings to the other extreme and completely annihilates men's positive characteristics.

After reading that bit of fiction, I was ready for some nonfiction, so I picked up a book my mother-in-law recommended called The Tender Bar by J.R. Moehringer. It tells the story of Moehringer, who grew up without a father and who was essentially raised by a group of men at the local bar. The book is well written (Moehringer has experience writing for the New York Times and has been a reporter for various newspapers) and uses intentional memoir tactics like showing instead of telling, ending chapters with punchy sentences, and inviting the reader into the story, making his writing lively and powerful. The bar becomes a family for him, a refuge, and yes, he would say, even a sanctuary--a holy place where he is accepted, celebrated, and understood.

I have to say that I really enjoyed the read (although beware of some language if you choose to pick it up). However, I did find the undercurrent of alcoholism sad. He never comes out and says "I was an alcoholic," but he doesn't have to; he lives at the bar night after night, describes the absent state of his mind, the hung-over-trying-to-work experiences the next day and we don't have to wonder. But I do feel sorry for him. Sorry that his life was so difficult. Sorry that he became so dependent on alcohol. Sorry that his father was absent. Sorry that he had to be raised in a bar. I imagine Moehringer wouldn't want me feeling sorry for him for all (or any) of those things. He would say his time in the bar was his growing up, his education on manhood. I just wish he could have gotten his education another way. That being said, I absolutely recommend this book if you like nonfiction. The story is easy to read, well written, and compelling.

On my bedside table:

The Help by Katheryn Stockett
Baby Wise by Ezzo & Bucknam
One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

Weekend getaway

2011-08-29T21:10:00.000-05:00

Call it a babymoon if you want, but Phil & I took a little trip to Atlanta a few weekends ago just to get away together and it met & exceeded our expectations! We vowed to see no family and not over schedule our time and we stuck to it, making it one relaxing weekend.

Many thanks to my sister-in-law for the heads up about a Living Social deal, we scored a two-night stay at the Artmore Hotel in midtown, which meant we drove a maximum of 10 minutes to the rest of our destinations that weekend. The hotel was chic & modern--a young look in an old building. Because they were so full that weekend, we ended up staying in a "studio," which meant that our bedroom was upstairs and our living room was downstairs. Was that alright with us? the concierge wanted to know. Um, yes. The hotel room was honestly the size of our apartment two years ago in Chattanooga and decorated with some of my favorite colors: red, black, & white. Indulgence!

After checking into the Artmore and picking our jaws off the floor exploring our weekend studio, we headed to what would be one of the best Braves games I've ever seen. It was Bobby Cox night, so we got to see all the old players from the 1990s AND McCann broke the record for most hits in a season AND the Braves hit five home runs to take the win. It made me want to tomahawk chop with the best of them.

Saturday, we enjoyed sleeping in and a complimentary breakfast before heading to Atlantic Station to wander around a bit. Not needing or wanting to buy anything in particular, we grabbed some lunch and headed back to the hotel, deciding to spend the rest of our afternoon at the High Museum of Art. In fact, our hotel was so close that we just walked to the museum and enjoyed a few hours of AC and stunning art.

After all that walking, my ankles had become cankles and needed a little elevation, so we spent no less than two hours with our feet up watching "cable"--another indulgence since we don't have cable at home. We're convinced that shows on A & E & TLC are put there just to make viewers feel more normal about their own lives.

We ate dinner outside at Park Tavern, looking over Piedmont Park. The weather was pleasant, the food delicious, and the company the best!

Sunday's brought us to Ikea as we looked for a new chair for our living room. Never having been there before, Phil just about drooled when he saw how affordable and well-laid-out the store was. Thankfully, we found just the chair, enjoyed oohing and ahhing at various home decor, and ate lunch in the cafe before heading home with a chair crammed in the back of our Honda.

We're counting down the weeks until our family becomes three, but we're also enjoying these last weeks of being just two, and the Atlanta trip was the perfect pre-baby getaway!

Last day of summer

2011-08-27T10:50:00.000-05:00

By my absence in cyberspace lately, it's probably pretty clear that the school year has begun. BUT before I started back, I took full advantage of my last official day of summer, a Wednesday, & Phil just happened to have the day off as well, so double wonderful!

The day began with an hour-long walk with my friend Jessica. It was early enough that the heat didn't scorch us and we enjoyed an easy sway of serious & silly conversation.

Next, Phil & I barely made it to V. Richards for brunch before they started serving lunch only. We'd actually never been there before, but had heard rave reviews from lots of friends, and we were not disappointed! I ordered the Greek omelette (spinach, tomatoes, feta), which came with toast, fresh fruit, and cheese grits, and Phil ordered the eggs benedict, complete with grits & fruit. The decaf coffee finished off the meal nicely and we enjoyed a leisurely conversation in the tiny diner, which has since become one of our favorite places in town to eat!

After brunch, we decided to avoid the heat by watching a movie (because we could). We were hoping that Redbox still had Jane Eyre, but they didn't, so we landed on the most recent Narnia movie. Not the best, honestly, but it I don't remember the last time I watched a movie in the middle of the day, so that made up for any lack in the movie itself.

Next, we hit up the UAB gym & enjoyed getting a little activity in our day, and I followed that by going to coffee with a friend and having one of those God-ordained conversations. Love those.

The evening held slow hours spent watching So You Think You Can Dance and reading one of the four books I'm in the middle of.

All in all, not a bad way to finish off the summer--especially our last kid-free summer. It felt good to relax and slow down, and it's made the first two weeks of school more restful as well because I've had something to give. How would you spend your last day of summer?

If you give a mouse some coffee...

2011-08-07T17:00:00.000-05:00

Every city has its must-go-to coffee shops, and one of Chattanooga's is Niedlov's. They're known for their homemade breads, but their lattes hit the spot too.

The other week, I had the opportunity to go to Niedlov's with a dear friend and just as we were sitting down to our coffee, I looked down and in the corner only FEET away from us was a mouse. Eek! Actually, there was no screaming. I'm not one to scream at rodents, and this one was particularly cute and moving slowly, so he (she?) wasn't creepy at all. However cute he was, a mouse in a coffee shop isn't that cute, so we moved to the other side of the shop &, not wanting to alarm any other customers, I discreetly told the girl behind the counter about our furry friend.

If you're tempted never to go to Niedlov's right now, keep reading! It gets better--promise.

About 30 minutes later, the mouse found us again and I decided it was time to take matters into my own hands. So, I grabbed a water cup and trapped the little guy under it. Then, I told the behind-the-counter people that I had it trapped & did they have a dust pan so we could send him on his way. Yes, they did, and one of the guys working there took him out to the freedom of the great outdoors.

As a thank you for my service to the cleanliness of Niedlov's, the workers insisted that I take home a loaf of bread on the house. And since they insisted, I had to accept, right? It was the easiest way I've gotten something free in my life! Their bread is some of the best I've ever tasted, and I'm quite the bread connoisseur. So, I left with a beautiful sliced loaf of Chattanooga Sour Dough and my friend (for being a very loyal accomplice) went home with a bag of sugar cookies. The bread was gone in less than a week--no lie. Of course, we shared some with friends, but I would find a mouse a day if I could get a loaf of bread like that out of it.

Before you judge a place like Niedlov's for having a mouse, I'm pretty sure that every bakery has a little mouse war going on, and at least this one wasn't back where they make the bread. And really, if you could just taste their bread, you'd know it'd be completely worth a mouse siting. My mouth is watering for you.

Lost in time

2011-07-26T08:28:00.003-05:00

Watch out, people. I'm about to get all "Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock" on you. Or, if you prefer a less poetry-nerd example, I'm about to get all "Seasons of Love" on you. Confused? Sorry. Just read.

Sometimes, life is measured in minutes, counting down until the bell rings, the timer goes off, the alarm sounds, the phone vibrates.

Other times, life ticks by in hours, anticipating time to accomplish a task, what I will do the second half of the afternoon, when I will meet someone for coffee--always how I will get this done now so I can do that then.

Then, it can fly by in whole days, planner filled, calendar marked up, sometimes-busy, sometimes bursting-at-the-seams-wonderfully-full days that blur if I'm not careful, if I don't slow.

Or be doled out in weeks, gulps of time that "fly" even though we've lived every second of them.

Sometimes, I see life in months: months 'til school starts, 'til the babe comes, 'til we go on that trip, 'til Christmas!

And once in a while, life looks like years, experiences bracketed off by milestones, age, growing-up. Experiences only bracketed after enough time has passed to see the markers, to see years of life piled up into recognizable seasons.

I even imagine life as a lifetime, a whole living, breathing, individual-but-communal experience full of every stage of life as we know it. Can you imagine? Living through every stage? It's glorious! And scary. And overwhelming. To think of a lifetime of experience wrapped up in one person, a person whose unique print on the planet is so easily forgotten.

Which is why I also know life to be eternal, a life longed for that weds all that is beautiful and good in this world with the perfection of the next. It's not locked by time. It's unimaginable, mysterious, frightening, tremendous, exciting, Divine, and what makes my moments & minutes matter (they're eternal)...and not matter (they're temporal) all at the same time.

Does time's slipperiness ever baffle you, flying and slowing all at once?

Psycho(analyzing)

2011-07-26T00:22:00.000-05:00

I recently took time to label my blog posts, mostly for my own convenience since I tend to post things like recipes here and forget to print them out. Maybe you noticed the new labels along the right side of the landing page?

Anyway, I was surprised by how many (or few) posts fit into certain categories and am wondering what it says about me.

For example: the vast majority of my posts fit into the "deep thoughts" or "funsies" categories, which either says that I'm confused about whether to share deep or silly things on here, or that I like them both and am both. I'm going with the latter. (Of course, those who know me know that I'm way more on the "deep" side than the "funsy" side, but I'm workin' on that).

Another example: Second runners-up: books and food/recipes. No surprise there. Two of my favorite things. My labels have got me pegged.

My husband ranks around third, but at least he's in the top three, right?

Surprisingly low number of labels? Music, adoption, travel, & teaching--some of my greatest loves. Well, truth be told, music isn't one of my greatest loves. I'm more of a I-love-to-sing-and-play-instruments kind of music lover more than a band-groupie-concert-going music lover. But the rest of them are LOVES of my life, so why am I not writing about them more often? Lots of reasons, but mostly, I think it's sometimes most difficult to wrap what you love into the confines of words. It's also probably why there are a lot of "funsy" posts because "funsies" are easy to write about.

Now it's your turn. What do my labels say about me that I've missed? So much unplowed territory. Knock yourself out.

And the burning question: how do I label this post???

Midnight snack

2011-07-18T22:49:00.000-05:00

I have grand plans to write something of a little more substance on here soon, but for now, the world needs to know about the greatest midnight snack (possibly in the history of midnight snacks):

WHEAT THINS

dipped in

CREAM CHEESE

dipped in

CINNAMON SUGAR

People, the salty-sweet combo is perfection in your mouth. I'm warning you, though: ration the ingredients. A full box of wheat thins plus a full tub of cream cheese plus an endless supply of cinnamon sugar = the inability to stop eating all that savory goodness! Not that I've tried it, of course.

Go ahead. Try it. And let me know what you think. Do you have any delicious snacky food combos? I'm almost out of cream cheese and need a new idea for tomorrow night's indulgence...

Summer reading

2011-07-05T08:08:00.001-05:00

Summer reading is so much more enjoyable as an adult, isn't it? Here's what I've been reading:

My Losing Season by Pat Conroy
A fellow English teacher recommended this nonfiction work to me, and it isn't a book I'd normally pick up because at first glance, it's a story about college basketball. But it's not just a sports book, which is what I found out, so don't discount it too quickly. Prior to reading this book I knew of Pat Conroy in name only. What I discovered was that he was a self-proclaimed mediocre basketball player for the Citadel back in the 1960s, although his life and his game are anything but mediocre. It was at the Citadel that he realized his ability to write, recognized the damage his abusive father had done, and learned revolutionary lessons that clung to him into the present. While there is, admittedly, a lot of basketball in the book, basketball is really just an avenue for him to write, and the story--basketball details and all--is absolutely riveting. In fact, I'll share a few longer quotes from the book in a different post because they're just that good. The actual mechanics of his writing are tight and have a down home feeling, but the concepts communicated in conjunction with those mechanics are the mark of a true artist. I highly recommend taking a chance on this book. I'm looking forward to reading his novel, Lords of Discipline, next, which is a fictional account that mirrors more of his experience at the Citadel.

The Mine and the Well by Gin Phillips
Another gem of Southern literature! I read this for a summer book club and had never heard of Birmingham native Gin Phillips before. Bottom line: It's a must read. Like Conroy, Phillips' story as well as her language is beautiful and compelling. The novel begins with a mysterious woman tossing a baby into the family well, and the rest of the book explores the ramifications of that incident and builds suspense as you join the characters in trying to figure out who did it and, what we really want to know: why. The story is told by five narrators with unique perspectives--all members of the same Alabama family in the 30s--so the story never has a lull. The father is a coal miner (where the "mine" part of the title comes in) and it's beautiful the way Phillips expresses the mine and the well as symbols of both life and death simultaneously. At less than 300 pages and exploring ideas about poverty, racism, family, and small towns, the book is a quick read and one that will leave you wanting more of Gin Phillips' writing.

Th1rteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher
No, that's not a typo in the title; it's the kind of title you see in adolescent literature, which is what this book is. I try to read at least one adolescent novel every summer and another fellow English teacher recommended this one, which I enjoyed. Compared to the other books I've read recently, this was definitely "brain candy"--much more plot and character driven with less focus on language. That being said, the story was well-crafted, interesting, and had me turning pages so fast I finished in days. The novel tells the story of a girl, Hannah Baker, who commits suicide and leaves tapes for 13 individuals who in some way contributed to her desire to end her life. The narrator is one of those 13 people, and he was in love with Hannah, so it makes her reason for including him in the tapes even more mysterious. My only critique is that with 13 different people whose lives intersected, it was sometimes hard to remember who was who and I found myself having to look back at previous chapters. That being said, it was an easy book to read and tackled difficult issues like suicide, rape, and bullying without being remotely cheesy. The message, that you never know how your decisions affect the lives of those around you, is certainly one that's relevant to teenagers today. Because of the content, however, I'd recommend this book to older teenagers and adults only.

Next up:
The Red Tent by Anita Diamont
The World According to Garp by John Irving

Healthy Homemade Fish Sticks

2011-06-30T16:47:00.000-05:00

Phil grew up eating fish sticks on a weekly basis, and he still loves them. However, frozen fish sticks are a little less appealing now that I'm an adult, so I haven't made them in all the years we've been married. SO, when I saw this recipe in the June issue of Cooking Light, I knew I had to try it (website has helpful step-by-step pictures). Don't be deterred by the long ingredients list. Most of them you have on hand, and if you don't you can omit or substitute easily (see my changes in green). Also, I was a little skeptical of the red pepper flakes, Cajun seasoning, and cumin, thinking that it would be too spicy, but it wasn't spicy at all and would even be kid-friendly. I served the fish sticks with steamed broccoli, fresh tomato slices, and homemade squash casserole. I'll definitely be making these again!

Fancy Fish Sticks

YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: about 3 fish sticks, 2 tablespoons sauce, and 1 lime wedge)
HANDS-ON: 25 MINUTES
TOTAL: 40 MINUTES

Ingredients

1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1 tablespoon Creole mustard (such as Zatarain's) I used Dijon b/c I didn't have Creole mustard
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning I used Tony's because it's what I had on hand
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup lager-style beer
1 1/2 tablespoons creamy mustard blend (such as Dijonnaise) I used a blend of mayo & dijon
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
2/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) I used crumbled Ritz crackers
1/3 cup unsalted pumpkinseed kernels, toasted I omitted and added more crackers
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper I used a dash of red pepper flakes
1 pound halibut or other lean white fish fillets (such as cod or pollack), cut into 4 x 1-inch pieces (about 12 pieces) I used tilapia and it worked great
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 lime wedges

Preparation
1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Cover and chill.
2. Preheat oven to 425°.
3. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray, and spread evenly with oil; heat in oven 12 minutes.
4. Combine flour and black pepper in a shallow dish. Combine 1/2 cup beer, mustard blend, lime juice, egg whites, and egg in a shallow dish; stir with a whisk until foamy. Place panko, pumpkinseeds, cumin, and chipotle pepper in a food processor; pulse 20 times or until coarse crumbs form. Place panko mixture in a shallow dish.
5. Sprinkle fish evenly with salt. Working with one piece at a time, dredge fish in flour mixture. Dip in egg mixture, and dredge in panko mixture until completely covered.
6. Remove preheated baking sheet from oven; place fish on pan, and return to oven. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork, turning once. Serve immediately with sauce and lime wedges.
Sustainable Choice: If Pacific halibut is not available, you can use Alaskan pollack and U.S. Pacific cod as alternatives.
Sidney Fry, MS, RD, Cooking Light
JUNE 2011

30 before 30 update

2011-06-29T11:10:00.003-05:00

It's been 6 months since I made my 30 before 30 list, so it's time for a little update:

Read through the Bible (or at least be in the process of doing so). In progress. I'm still in Exodus, but am only a couple of chapters away from Leviticus and I've taken lots of detours along the way. I'm okay with it.
Publish something I've written. Hoping to get on this sometime this summer.
Take another big trip with Phil Done...sort of. Probably won't happen with Phil, but I did go to Boston with my Aunt in April, so I'm counting that. :)
Work up the guts to sing karaoke in public. Not counting on this happening, but we'll see...
Journal weekly. Hasn't been weekly, but has been regularly, so I'll take it.
Plant a vegetable garden in our back yard. Done. See the updated picture. I ate raw green beans and cherry tomatoes this week! Still waiting on the peppers & cucumbers to come in.
Roll my own sushi. Done.
Finish typing my grandfather's WWII letters to my grandmother. Also in the plans for the summer.
Learn to change a tire. Not yet.
Donate platelets. Not gonna happen for a while since I'm preggo.
Find some new teenage girls to invest in since all mine are graduating this year. Done. Have some amazing girls from Samford that I get to hang out with about once a month!
Take more pictures. Working on this. Still a struggle...
Invest in a bookshelf for our bedroom. Done.

Our new reading nook!

Volunteer. Done. Helped with VBS this summer. Not that I'm done for the year, but it's a start!
Go to a Broadway show (doesn't have to be in NYC) Hoping to see Les Miserables (my favorite!) when it comes to Bham this fall!
Actually use my yoga videos. Um...yeah. Hasn't happened. Should probably get on that.
Shop at Whole Foods from time to time. Not yet.
Try at least 4 new restaurants in Birmingham. Done.
Invest in at least one more piece of art crafted by a friend or family member. Hoping to make this happen at Christmastime...
Snorkel. Another one that probably won't happen. Oh well.
Get a massage. Or two. Not yet.
Dance at wedding reception (call me crazy, but I hate dancing in public). Done! I slow danced with my 12-year-old brother at my other brother's wedding. Taught him the box step and he was a natural! I have to admit that dancing was his idea, though. :)
Watch a sunset. Or two. Sad that I have to put that on a list. Done. Phil and I spontaneously pulled over at a lookout with our takeout food in hand last weekend. A little taste of heaven.
Play volleyball. Not yet.
Go camping again with Phil. Not yet.
Ride my bike. Not yet.
Help a stranger. Not that I remember.
Write a letter to someone who has greatly influenced your life who has no idea the impact they've had. Not yet.
Cook a five-course dinner using all new recipes. Not yet, but several of you have offered to do this with me, so let's get going!

Thank you, Craigslist!

Paint our bedroom a color I like. Done. Changed this one. I decided I was fine with the color, but have been doing a little makeover on the room. Added a bookshelf & chair for a reading nook, moved around some furniture, and hung some pictures. Love it!

So, lots still in the works, but it's nice to have some of them checked off! Let me know if you want to join me for any of them!

Really Big Thing #2: my new niece!

2011-06-24T15:45:00.001-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, my brother-in-law and sister-in-law brought home their daughter, Finley, from China! She has been longed for and prayed for and loved for so long and it's surreal to have her here. I had the privilege of spending some time with them this week, and it's remarkable how natural she is in their home, to see her smile, to watch her smitten older brothers play with her. She is funny, beautiful, playful, and sweet, and I pray she will know how loved she is by her family, community, and heavenly Father. Welcome home, sweet Fin!

Belated BIG news!

2011-06-22T17:35:00.001-05:00

I was on vacation last week, which, for me, means vacation from blogging too, so I'm officially back now and it's time to catch up on some really big things!

Really big thing #1: We're pregnant & just found out this week that we're having a boy! "Most definitely a boy," according to the sonographer. :) Glad it was clear, and it dispelled any irrational fears that our child would be a hermaphrodite. We all have those irrational fears. That was (one of) mine. The ultrasound was amazing, though. Seeing him move around (he's very active), suck his thumb (or pick his nose...it was kind of hard to tell), and have a healthy report made him so much more real to us and we were all smiles leaving the room.

Here are a couple of 4-D shots of him from the ultrasound. Makes it hard to wait to meet him!

Top right is his head w/ eyes, nose, & mouth. Not sure where his hands ended up, but I promise he has arms & hands somewhere too! Phil says it looks like his baby pictures. If so, we're in luck because he was one cute baby!

His boxer pose (and evidence of his arms and hands)! Check out his little foot too!

You might be wondering: why is Cara just now blogging about this really huge thing in her life when she's already halfway through her pregnancy? Good question. I have several answers for you.

Pregnancy is overtly public and intensely personal at the same time. Most of the thoughts I have about being pregnant and being a mom I'm writing in my pen-and-paper journal, for my eyes only. It's just too deep and too intimate to include in a blog like this for the world to see.
The purpose of this blog was to help me write more frequently and to give me an audience (a.k.a. a little motivation to write), and I want to guard against this becoming a blog exclusively about my son. While I'll love him fiercely and will probably want to write about him all the time, I really want to preserve the varied nature of this blog, so you'll probably see frequent posts about him, but not exclusive posts about him. (Disclaimer: for those of you who blog exclusively or often about your children, I think that's wonderful and I love reading about your kids and what you're doing! Keep it up! Also, I may find blogging about my child irresistible once he's in the world, so I'm not making any promises, just sharing my intentions).
I honestly couldn't figure out a way to put "We're pregnant" into what I'll call "writer words." In other words, "We're pregnant" sounded too boring for the miracle and mystery of new life, so I was paralyzed as a writer, copped out, and wrote nothing.

On to what you really want to know:

Due date: 11/11/11 (best. due date. ever.)
Yes, I'm showing, but not that much. Since people have a strange curiosity about preggy pics, I'll include one here, but it's not that exciting. Promise.
Names: We have no idea, but when we do, we won't share it until he's born. We're open to suggestions, though, so bring 'em on!

Oh, and here's what my mom gave Phil & me for Mother's Day and Father's Day. We were thinking about wearing them on a date soon to see if we can get a free dinner out of it. :)

Really big thing #2 coming later...

Banana-chocolate chip muffins

2011-06-06T17:29:00.001-05:00

It's summer, and that means that I'm engaging in a little cooking therapy since I'm a free woman for a couple of months. Always a sucker for new recipes, I found one this weekend for banana chocolate chip muffins that now has a permanent place in my recipe box. I was making them for our college class, and I demanded the following of my recipe search: 1) it must take 30 minutes or less start to finish, and 2) I must have all the ingredients on hand. Check and check. This recipe is quick, easy, and oh-so-delicious!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
(shamelessly taken from allrecipes.com)

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, combine the egg, oil, yogurt and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in bananas and chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Serve warm with butter.

I didn't have any plain yogurt on hand, but I did have vanilla yogurt, so I substituted that and omitted the vanilla extract and it tasted great!

Warning: this Chex mix IS addicting

2011-06-06T17:14:00.001-05:00

I have lots of big, exciting things to blog about, but for now, I leave you with one of my favorite easy recipes--perfect for a crowd or just to have around to munch on for a few days (if you can last that long). The best part: it takes 15 minutes or less, start to finish! Can't beat that.

Enough stalling. Here's the recipe, straight from my mama's kitchen. While she didn't make up this recipe, I have no idea where it came from, and since I've eaten it from her kitchen my whole life, it's now "hers."

Mom's Chex Mix

8 cups (1 box) Quaker Oat Squares cereal

1-1/2 cups thin pretzel sticks

1-1/2 cups peanuts

3/4 cups butter or margarine

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1-1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

In 4-quart microwavable bowl, microwave butter/margarine on high 1 to 1-1/2 minutes or until melted; stir in cheese and seasoning. Add remaining ingredients, stirring until well coated. Microwave on high 6-7 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. Spread on wax paper to cool. Store in tightly covered container or 1-gallon Ziploc bag.

We don't love peanuts at our house, so I usually just add extra pretzels and omit the peanuts. The combination of sweet and salty is perfection! My mouth is watering just thinking about this stuff. I made some this weekend for VBS...only half of it made it to church today. :) Enjoy every delectable bite!

Guest room makeover

2011-05-25T21:22:00.002-05:00

I realize that the "rules" of a makeover involve both a before and after picture, but I was so excited to get the new duvet cover on the bed that I completely forgot to take a before picture. And if you've ever wrestled a down comforter into a duvet cover, you know it's not something you want to do twice. So, just imagine a very beautiful, but very old & stained off-white duvet cover with some eyelet detail. It blended into the wall too much. The room was boring. I had no idea what to do for curtains. The whole scene needed some help.

After about 45 minutes of Internet research and some jaw-dropping prices later, I found this little puppy for (you're never going to believe this): $39.00. While it's not the most luxurious material, it doesn't look cheap either and, hey--it's a duvet cover. It sits on top of a bed. How sturdy does it really have to be? And, more importantly, I was on a budget for redoing the guest room. So...yeah. This was the one. Isn't it just a little bit of happy? Perks the room right up. Curtains to come sometime this summer...

Cilantro-lime Salad Dressing

2011-05-16T21:11:00.001-05:00

For some reason, I decided to grow cilantro in my herb garden. It's not like I make homemade salsa every weekend or anything, but I think I like the smell of it, and the availability of it. You know, just in case I did want to make salsa. So, since it's growing quite...heartily, I found this little gem that will change your summer salad making:

Cilantro-Lime Salad Dressing

This dressing is particularly good on a grilled chicken salad.

Originally from The Treasury of Creative Cooking

Karen Haigh & Rob Driskill

2 cups

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons vinegar

1 cup olive oil

1 small bunch cilantro

1 clove garlic

2 green onions

salt and pepper, to taste

Pour lime juice and vinegar into food processor or blender. With processor on, slowly pour in olive oil. Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth.

I paired this dressing with spinach, fresh oranges, fresh strawberries, sliced almonds, parmesan cheese, and boiled chicken. The chicken didn't even need any seasoning because the dressing did all the work.

Note to self: store-bought salad dressing is out. Making your own is just way too easy. And more delicious.

I have to warn you, though: the lime will probably make you want a margarita. Bad. Or some tortilla chips with a hint of lime, which I'm currently addicted to. Enjoy your summer eats!

Book Review: The Memory Keeper's Daughter

2011-05-13T22:55:00.002-05:00

This book has been on my list for years. I've even given it as a gift to someone and still haven't read it myself. So, when I saw it in my grandmother's library the other week, I snatched it up and had it read within two weeks--Romeo & Juliet papers to grade or not. Waaaay to many late nights reading "one more chapter" until the words ran together, but definitely worth it.

Kim Edwards' novel tracks Dr. David Henry from his youthful marriage to Norah to his middle-aged life without her. His marriage, begun on the impulsive wings of romance, takes an unexpected turn early on when his wife gives birth to boy-girl twins. When he discovers that his daughter, Phoebe, has Down Syndrome, he makes an irreversible decision that haunts him the rest of his wife and drives a wedge in his marriage. David hands the girl to his nurse, Caroline, and tells her to take the child to a facility for the mentally ill. And that's just chapter one.

What makes the story so compelling is how the chapters yo-yo from the David-Norah story line to the Caroline-Phoebe story line, always leaving you hanging just enough to have to read the next chapter and keep you out of a plot rut.

In addition to a compelling story, the writing is well crafted and has a nice balance of accessibility and depth. Set in 1964, the story explores the hardships of raising a child with Down Syndrome, the consequences of a life stained with guilt, and the question of whether or not life's momentary choices can ever be captured.

Alabama tornadoes: sitting with the questions

2011-05-03T22:37:00.001-05:00

Nearly a week ago, tornadoes ravaged the South, devastating parts of Birmingham. Nearly 400, 000 people lost power in the state of Alabama alone. Hundreds lost their lives. Hundreds have yet to be found. Many weren't found whole. And families are broken. Towns erased. Lives a mess.

And, by just a few miles, I was not one of them.

It's too soon to try to make sense of it all.

Nothing about this can be tied up in a bow. Nothing about it can be smoothed over with words even--especially not cliches, which tend to spill out of our mouths in times of grief. Even if "things like this bring out the best in people," it's still overwhelming and awful, and I can't get over that right now. Shouldn't get over that right now.

But there will be a time--weeks, maybe. Months. Maybe years--when people will want to piece things together, will be ready to question why God would allow such a thing (and ready to hear the answers), ready to open ourselves to hope again.

But for most people in Alabama right now, it's shock. And grief. And brokenness. And humility. And a feeling of helplessness. And absolutely the promise of hope. But not hope itself. Not yet.

All I know is that I'm increasingly grateful to have been spared, increasingly grieving over others' losses, and increasingly convinced that deep devastation needs time to heal, time before things can make any semblance of sense.

My gardening debut

2011-04-30T18:28:00.001-05:00

Perk #1 to planting a vegetable garden:

(Hopefully) I'll have lots of yummy, fresh food to eat this summer!

Perk # 2 to planting a vegetable garden:

I got to be outside with my husband all afternoon on a beautiful day!

Perk # 3 to planting a vegetable garden:

One more thing to cross off my 30 before 30 list!

We started with these...

Best Basic-to-advanced gardening book! Favorite part: LOTS of pictures on every page!

The goods.

Phil's addition during our Lowe's run. Yum!

Here's a before shot of our garden area:

Then we added a stone border, tilled some soil, and put topsoil on top of that:

And finally, voila!

Notice the small shrine Phil built around his blackberry bush in the back of the picture. And yes, I realize the bed is slightly crooked. I'm blaming the bend in the grass.

It took a little over three hours from start to finish, not including time at Lowe's, and we planted:

cherry tomatoes

slicing tomatoes

cucumbers

bush beans (the only seeds we planted--hence, what looks like a blank area)

green & red bell peppers

We'll see how well they do. Worst case scenario: the veggies fail and I end up with a nice flower bed on the side of my house. Best case scenario: the veggies thrive and I get to eat them and share with friends! It's a win-win.

Boston Marathon 2011

2011-04-24T20:03:00.002-05:00

Let's get one thing straight: I did not run the Boston Marathon. My 45-year-old aunt, however, did, and she invited me to come along for support. Of course, I wasn't going to turn down the opportunity to spend extended time with one of my favorite people, take off two days of school, go to a new city, and experience the Boston Marathon from the sidelines!

You have to know that my aunt has struggled with an auto-immune disease, aplastic anemia, for ten years now and she's a cancer survivor. Keep that in mind when I tell you that she finished in the top 10% of all runners, the top 5% of all women, and 79th in her age group. Boo-yah!

The trip was full of highlights (not the least of which was the fact that there were over 100 Dunkin' Donuts stores within a 5 mile radius--no kidding). BUT the best part for me was watching my aunt in her element, watching her do what she's passionate about, seeing her on her turf. I really don't know much about running. In fact, I probably learned more about running in a 72-hour period than I had in the rest of my life combined. But there's something about seeing a person do what they love--whether or not I understand it and whether or not I share their passion for it--that gives me JOY. I was overcome with emotion watching her run toward the finish line, knowing that this was probably the most memorable moment of her running career, knowing how hard she'd worked to be there and knowing what she'd overcome in the last decade.

I get a similar feeling when I watch my friend Lauren sing, or when I see my brother play baseball, or listen to my sister tell me about her artwork. There's something unspeakably sweet about seeing people do what they were created to do and it makes me gush joy.

My aunt, running in pink!

Eric Liddell, an Olympic runner and Scottish missionary, famously said, "When I run, I feel His glory," and while I don't quite feel that glory when I run, I feel it when I write, and when I see His glory in others as they use their gifts, I get the glow of glory as an onlooker.

So, Boston was enjoyable, Dunkin' Donuts' chocolate cake glazed donuts (let's be honest: I ate more than one) were delicious, but the sweet spot of the trip was really the glow of glory I felt watching my aunt do what she was created to do: run for His glory.

Four new Birmingham restaurants--already!

2011-04-04T17:53:00.001-05:00

I actually knocked out this 30 before 30 goal back in January, but I'm just now getting around to writing about it. Apparently, I set my bar low for how many new restaurants I could try in a year. I forget that I hate eating at the same place twice. :) Anyway, here's where I went:

Over Easy
My friend Kara and I went here for brunch one morning, and despite a bit of a wait because it's one of the most popular breakfast places in town, and despite them mixing up our order and making us wait way too long for our food, the food and atmosphere did deliver. Its retro colors and design made for a happy tone and the food was varied and delicious! They even had a healthy/organic part of their menu, which I ordered from not because I was trying to be particularly healthy, but because it sounded good. Egg whites, toast, fresh fruit (and not the apples and melon kind either), and turkey bacon. Yum! The best part: the meal doesn't break the budget. With coffee and milk, I still came in under $10. Check out their menu here.

DeVinci's

If you're looking for a mom-and-pop authentic Italian place, DeVinci's is a great choice. Their pizzas and calzones are delicious, although I made a mistake by branching out and ordering the chicken parmesan. Honestly, it didn't taste any better than what I could make at home. That being said, I still love the place and enjoyed eating some of Phil's calzone. The atmosphere is cozy and casual, and almost feels like you're sitting in someone's living room. While their prices are really reasonable, they're even better because they're on restaurant.com! To whet your appetite, here's their menu.

5 Guys

I know, I know--it's a chain. BUT I'd never been there before, so it counts. I went with my friend Camille and her brother and I got the small burger (with almost everything on it) and the three of us split an order of oh-so-delicious fries. Yes, they give you that many fries! It was your typical burger joint, but it was delicious, and if you have a hankering for a burger and fries, 5 guys will hit the spot! Apparently, Americans everywhere agree because they sell 350, 000 burgers a day! Sheesh!

Pianeta 3
This is a new restaurant in Mountain Brook, and I ended up trying it with some colleagues on one of our teacher work days (a.k.a. the days we actually get to go to lunch somewhere instead of work through it). I was excited about this swanky little Italian place, but it turned out to be quite a disappointment. Not only was the food overpriced, but the amount of food was far too conservative. I ordered a couple of slices of pizza and a salad ($9.00), which wouldn't have been too bad of a price if the pizza had been hearty, but it was thin, had very few toppings on it, and was luke warm. Ehh. While I'd be willing to give Pianeta 3 another chance, I probably won't choose to go back; there are too many other restaurants that I haven't tried yet! In case you're curious, here's their lunch menu.

Book Review: Calm My Anxious Heart

2011-03-28T16:22:00.001-05:00

I'm cynical about Christian self-help books. A few authors have kept me from giving up on the genre altogether, but on the whole, the books in Lifeway Christian Bookstores scare me a little. Call me a book snob, but it's hard to find Christian living books that aren't oozing with cheesy comments and cliche quips. See? Told you I was cynical.

Enter Linda Dillow's Calm My Anxious Heart. My sister-in-law and mother-in-law had been talking about it for months on the heels of a Bible study they did and I had actually heard of the book several years back. So, for Christmas, my sister-in-law gave me a copy of the book and I took it as an opportunity to disprove some of my cynicism and work on my anxiety issues.

What I discovered was surprising.

While the book still had a few eye-rolling sentences (sorry--the writer in me can't help it), it was also full of deep, theological ideas that overshadowed them. And what I found most surprising--more surprising than the quality of the words--was the fact that this book wasn't about anxiety at all; it was about contentment. Anxiety is just an outward manifestation of discontentment--a connection I had never really made before. Dillow talks about the "diseased" statements that we ask ourselves, which lead to discontentment: "What if?" (anxiety/discontentment about the future) and "If only"(discontentment about the past). Either way, we're missing the present, missing the NOW.

Perhaps the most meaningful lesson I learned (and am learning) is that contentment is desiring to be where God is. Today, God was in me feeling sick and having a damaged bookshelf delivered to my house. These aren't things I would want or pray for, but it's what was; it's what was His will. My prayer has changed more and more from "Let my life be easy (fill in the blank with however I want to do that)"to "Let me be where you are."

It's been transforming, really, but this lesson of contentment is no easy one. I'm still fighting it, still learning to rest, but it's worth the battle, and when you catch a moment of feeling really, genuinely content, there's nothing like it.

Ground Beef Gyros

2011-03-12T09:13:00.001-06:00

This is one of my favorite recipes, and the best part is that it's ready in 30 minutes or less! Woo hoo!

Yogurt Sauce:
1 carton (8 oz.) plain yogurt
1/3 cup chopped seeded cucumber
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon sugar

Filling:
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt, optional
3/4 teaspoon pepper
4 pita breads, halved, warmed
3 cups shredded lettuce or spinach
1 large tomato, chopped
1 small onion, sliced (we omitted because there was already a lot of onion flavoring in the meal)

Directions:
In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Cover and refrigerate. In another bowl, combine beef and seasonings; mix well. Shape into four patties. Grill, covered, over medium-hot heat for 10-12 minutes, turning once (you can also cook them in a pan for the same amount of time). Cut patties into thin slices; stuff into pita halves. Add lettuce, tomato, and onion. Serve with yogurt sauce.

Enjoy!

Fondue? Yes please.

2011-03-11T21:44:00.001-06:00

Several years ago, we began a Valentine's Day tradition of having fondue at home. It was a less stressful, more intimate, slower way to enjoy the day and one another, and this year was no different. Here's the spread:

We started with a warm cheese baked with wine--perfect for dipping breads & veggies.

Next, we moved on to the main course of chicken & steak cooked in oil and served with two homemade dips.

We finished off the evening with chocolate-dipped strawberries, bananas, pretzels, and marshmallows.

Mmmm, mmm. I'm getting hungry all over again just thinking about it! The best part: fondue takes almost no time to prepare since everything is raw. We went from groceries to a meal in 30 minutes. Love it.

Do you have a one-a-year meal?

My sweet birthday

2011-03-02T17:20:00.005-06:00

It was supposed to be an uneventful day. Work. Grade some ~~#@%~~ research papers. Go out for frozen yogurt with some friends tonight (Phil's on call). But today--my birthday-- has felt anything but blah, thanks to loving friends and family.

It all began last night when I got home from work. I walked in to a delicious onions-and-garlic smell and saw my sweet hubs standing at the stove. "What is this?" Phil had found one of my favorite recipes (will post later) for beef gyros, gone to the store to buy the ingredients, and had made them for me. Best. Husband. Ever.

But it gets better!

After dinner, he brought out a gift bag. Now, I'm pretty good at figuring out my gifts ahead of time, but I had no idea on this one. To my surprise, he had gone to Express and bought an outfit for me that was both cute and fit (see picture). Wow. I mean, I can't even find pants that fit for myself when I'm shopping, so the fact that he bought me pants that fit is a small miracle. I think I see a date night in the near future...

Today, I started my morning with a mocha frappe from McDonalds. Yes, I've taken up caffeine again. Headaches or not, it's the only way I'm going to make it through grading the research papers. AND, they're half the cost of a Starbucks frappuccino and taste like dessert at 6:50 in the morning. :)

At work, there were numerous renditions of happy birthday sung by off-key teenagers, a surprise batch of cookies brought to 3rd period by a student who shares my birthday, a surprise gift card to Panera from my co-workers, a lunch visit from my friend, Melissa (who brought me a huge slice of cake from Olexa's = delicious!), a surprise appearance by my sister-in-law, Ashley, who came bearing a dozen delicious cupcakes and precious handmade cards from my nephews, 75+ Facebook wishes, a few pieces of REAL mail (!), and more texts and voice mails than I usually receive in an entire week--or maybe two. Whew!

Suffice it to say, this girl feels VERY loved today. Thanks to all who spent any small part of your day making mine a happy one! Oh, and if you need a sugar fix, I have quite the stash now. :)

Perspective

2011-02-23T22:08:00.001-06:00

A quote from Andrew Murray:

In time of trouble, say, "First, He brought me here. It is by His will I am in this strait place; in that I will rest." Next, "he will keep me here in His love, and give me grace in this trial to behave as His child." Then say, "He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lesson she intends me to learn, and working in me the grace He means to bestow." And last, say, "in His good time He can bring me out again. How and when, He knows." Therefore, say, "I am here (1) by God's appointment, (2) in His keeping, (3) under His training, (4) for His time."

I am here

by God's appointment

in His keeping

under His training

for His time.

Love is a real good thang

2011-02-12T10:42:00.000-06:00

Valentine's Day started early for me this year. Yesterday, I walked in from work and found these waiting for me:

Major husband points there.

Today, I found this on my doorstep (unopened, of course):

Major mom points there.

Since college, I've been guaranteed mail from my mother at least one day a year, and that's Valentine's Day. She sends me a care package full of silly dollar store goodies, and this one did not disappoint--complete with Valentine's Day cups, socks, napkins, hot chocolate, candy galore, a little mini-rose growing pot, some of my favorite hand lotion (Gold Bond Ultimate Healing, anyone?) and even this little surprise:

I mean, it's not Valentine's Day without a pair of 21X9-inch inflatable lips! Can't wait to hang those from the chandelier.

Seriously, though, I feel most loved when there's thought behind how someone shows it. Flowers are great, but what I really appreciate is the fact that Phil took time this past week to order them and have them ready for me when I walked in the door. Even something as goofy as inflatable lips make me feel loved because my mom took part of her day to go to the store, fill a box with goodies, and make the trip to the post office. These things take time, and when someone takes time on my behalf, spending any part of their life considering me, I feel humbled and loved.

What makes you feel most loved? What's the most thoughtful thing someone has done for you...or that you've done for someone else?

Sushi. Check.

2011-01-31T17:27:00.001-06:00

In lieu of going out to eat for a date night this weekend, Phil and I decided it was high time we attempt to roll our own sushi. Our adventure started at Publix as we bought all our ingredients. A little tip: don't be afraid to look like a dork and ask the deli person where the smoked salmon is. (And for those faithful Publix-goers, the smoked salmon is across from the sushi area on the end of an isle with other seafood delicacies). Somehow, our smoked salmon didn't make it in the ingredient picture--oops.We opted for a phili roll with salmon, cucumber, avacado, & cream cheese--one of our favorites!

Ingredients: cucumber, wasabi, wine (not actually a sushi ingredient, but key to a great date night), sushi rice, sesame seeds, cream cheese, avocado, & seaweed)

Next, we made the rice. This was actually the most surprising part of the process because it involved extremely wordy directions in paragraph form on the back of the box and over an hour of prep & cooking time. However, the results were perfect, sticky rice, so the madness worked! While I worked on the rice and sipped my wine, Phil worked on his project: hand making a sushi rolling mat (I'm sure there's a word for it, but I don't know it). The mat allows you to compress the roll as you roll it so that it's tight and stays together. Since we didn't have one and didn't want to buy one, my innovative husband improvised with some wooden skewers and duct tape. Not bad, huh?

Next, we chopped up all the ingredients and had the assembly line ready to go:

And then we were ready to roll

(and I in no way mean that in the Alabama sense):

I told Phil he had to roll the first one since he made the rolling mat, so here he is in all his proud "I-made-something-from-scratch-and-it-works" glory:

In a matter of minutes, we made four rolls:

And they were DELICIOUS!

Now, Surin's Yummy Yummy and Super Crunch rolls are hard to beat, so they weren't quite that good, but they were fresh and flavorful and tasted a lot like sushi we eat out, which I think is pretty great, especially considering it was our first attempt.

We're thinking it'd be fun to have a bunch of people over for "roll your own sushi night." Any takers? Also, this is my first official item to cross off the 30 before 30 list, so I'm hoping my other goals will be met with as much success!

Ashley

2011-01-17T22:08:00.001-06:00

Since Ashley was the winner of the "replacement goal" contest, here is my tribute post to her. Far from her self-described "boring ole self," she's a fascinating woman that I can't wait to introduce to you!

Writing about Ashley is a little like writing about a lovely place you've visited. While we went to college together, I only knew Ashley from afar, and, to be honest, she was so beautiful and put together that I assumed she was snobby. I should know better than to assume, but I did. Her husband, Daniel, has been one of my husband's biggest supporters through college, medical school and now residency, so they actually knew each other much better than Ashley and I ever did.

Right before they moved far, far away, we had dinner with Ashley & Daniel, and it was really the first time I was able to have extended time with them. And can I just tell you, my assumptions about Ashley couldn't have been more wrong! She was so down-to-earth, funny, honest, and sincere--qualities I value most in my friendships. Weeks later, they moved away. Years of friendship-by-association and one dinner later, I found that I was missing a friendship that never had time to develop.

Thankfully, I've continued getting to know her through her blog, which is such a precious chronicle of her life with her husband and daughter. So, without further ado, here are my

Top Ten Reasons to Love Ashley (in no particular order):

She's an amazing photographer and should totally consider doing children/family photography on the side at some point in the future.
She's creative. I always look forward to seeing their Christmas card and/or reading about the latest innovative idea she has.
The girl can throw a party! I admire her attention to detail, her efforts to make her home welcoming, and her ability to make each guest feel honored. Check out pictures from her daughter's birthday party here. Absolutely amazing. Ashley, can you come to my house when I have kids one day?
She is an incredible mom. If there's one thing their daughter knows without a doubt, it's that she's loved. Ashley and Daniel are such admirable parents in their patience, discipline, fun, and creativity. While it isn't always easy, they genuinely enjoy parenthood, and it shows.
She has a heart for adoption. We share this passion, so I love hearing anything she has to say about it.
She's a model wife. If their daughter thinks she's loved, she don't have nuthin' on Daniel! Ashley's support, commitment, encouragement, prayer, and JOY in her marriage are qualities I've always admired.
She loves Jesus. Right now, I see this most in the way she's teaching her daughter about Him, but I also see it in her humility, her decisions, and the way she leads her life. She makes me want to be more like Him.
She has a great sense of style. Seriously, I have yet to see something on her that I don't like. Do tell, Ashley, where do you shop?? (And feel free to put more pictures of yourself on your blog!)
Her writing is fun to read. After years in the marketing industry, she knows how to tell a story and tell it with humor!
Speaking of, she has a quirky sense of humor. And by "quirky," I mean all the good stuff that comes along with that word: a funny-witty-cheesy combo that brings lots of smiles my way.

Thanks for your friendship, Ashley. One day when we don't live quite so far apart, I look forward to picking up on our face-to-face friendship. To tide us over, though, we may just have to plan a trip to Oklahoma soon!

And the winner is...

2011-01-16T22:13:00.002-06:00

On the night of the Golden G's, it's only appropriate that I give the award for "Best Replacement Goal" to...

(insert swelling, emotional music and beautiful women in ~~breasty~~ beautiful

dresses and outlandish hair walking onto the stage)

Ashley!

with her suggestion to:

"Write a letter to someone who has greatly influenced your

life that has no idea the impact they've had."

I'd like to thank Ashley, the Hollywood Foreign Press, and my most faithful blog readers, Melissa, Molly, Christen, Erin, & Virginia for all their inspiring ideas and kind comments. I'd also like to thank any blog-followers that I may have forgotten as well as all list-makers everywhere. Ashley, be on the lookout for a glowing review of YOU in the near future!

In case another goal on the list becomes unattainable, I did choose a runner-up, which is...

Molly's intimidating but inspiring suggestion to

"unplug for a weekend"

(which I took to mean unplugging from the TV, computer, phone, etc.).

Now that that's taken care of, I can get on with those goals! I'm off to a slow start, but have started reading through the Bible and am planning to journal tomorrow. Who knows? Maybe I'll even write one very special letter.

Ousted.

2011-01-11T14:32:00.001-06:00

Remember that 30 before 30 list? Well, I really tried to make it realistic, but I'm thinking that "learning to snow ski" might not actually happen before March 2012. Don't get me wrong--I hope it does, but the chances are pretty slim considering where we live and how little off time we have.

SO, I'm in the market for a replacement goal. And I need your help.

What should I add to my 30 before 30 list that's more realistic? If anyone gives me an idea that I actually use, I'll write a blog all about YOU (don't worry--I'll write about only the good stuff!).

Let those suggestions fly!

Movie marathon

2011-01-02T22:06:00.002-06:00

I spent the weekend catching up on several movies--all recommendations from my friend, Jessica. I had to get them in before starting work again tomorrow! They were all outstanding films, and, of course, the special features (my favorite part) did not disappoint.

Then She Found Me (2007) With a star-studded cast (Helen Hunt, Matthew Broderick, Coin Firth, Bette Midler), this movie was surprisingly enjoyable and unpredictable. Helen Hunt directed, produced, and starred in the film, which is about a woman (Hunt) who finds herself "on the other side of the biological clock," whose husband (Roderick) leaves her, and who meets an equally undone person (Firth). It's the story of betrayal, trust, and longing, and includes a really positive commentary on adoption, which I love. Beautifully written and powerfully performed, this film is a must-see!

Last Chance Harvey (2008) Starring Academy Award winners Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson, who are friends in "real life," this movie had depth and a human quality that was particularly appealing. In his interview in the special features, Hoffman claims that he and Thompson acted as much like themselves as possible, giving them an accessible quality rather than an unattainable ideal that so many actors leave us with. This film tells the story of two people who have given up on love and find it, by chance, in an unexpected place. While the story line is a bit far-fetched, the script is smart and meaningful and the acting, of course, brilliant. Another winner.

{Proof} (2005) I had never heard of this movie before, and discovered that it's a film adaptation of a play that Gwyneth Paltrow also starred in. The movie version also has a strong cast including Gwyneth Paltrow, Anthony Hopkins, Jake Gyllenhaal. Hopkins plays a mentally ill former math genius whose mind is reduced to gibberish in his later years. His daughter (Paltrow) shares his genius as well as his tendency toward mental instability, and she quits school to care for him in his final years. In the process, she meets one of her father's students (Gyllenhaal) who provides her great love and great pain. The title has multiple meanings--something that becomes clear as the movie progresses. Don't be intimidated or turned off by the math part of the movie; it's minimal and serves as a perfect backdrop for the deeper themes of doubt, belief, relationships, loyalties, and sanity. A phenomenal movie!

30 before 30 List

2011-01-01T10:37:00.002-06:00

Inspired by a new year and the fact that I'll turn 30 in 14 months, I've decided to list 30 things I'd like to accomplish before age 30. Here goes (in no particular order):

Publish something I've written.
Read through the Bible (or at least be in the process of doing so).
Take another big trip with Phil
Work up the guts to sing karaoke in public.
Journal weekly.
Plant a vegetable garden in our back yard.
Roll my own sushi.
Finish typing my grandfather's WWII letters to my grandmother.
Learn to change a tire.
Donate platelets.
Find some new teenage girls to invest in since all mine are graduating this year.
Take more pictures.
Invest in a bookshelf for our bedroom.
Volunteer.
Go to a Broadway show (doesn't have to be in NYC)
Actually use my yoga videos.
Shop at Whole Foods from time to time.
Try at least 4 new restaurants in Birmingham.
Invest in at least one more piece of art crafted by a friend or family member.
Snorkel.
Get a massage. Or two.
Dance at wedding reception (call me crazy, but I hate dancing in public).
Watch a sunset. Or two. Sad that I have to put that on a list.
Play volleyball.
Go camping again with Phil.
Ride my bike.
Help a stranger.
Learn to snow ski.
Cook a five-course dinner using all new recipes.
Paint our bedroom a color I like.

Items that I almost put on the list out of guilt/obligation but didn't because I don't actually want to do them:

Run a marathon
Learn to sew
Make homemade pasta
Sky dive
Eat vegetarian/vegan for any amount of time

Consider this 30 before 30 list a little preview of some of my blog topics for the coming year. Happy New Year!

Once Upon a Christmas Card

2010-12-22T11:02:00.000-06:00

For those who are checking out this blog as a result of getting our Christmas card, thanks for reading, and I'm sorry. What, you say? Sorry for what? Maybe you didn't notice, but our Christmas card was actually more like a life update card with nothing on it about Christmas. Not even a Bible verse reference. Did you know you were friends with such self-absorbed heathens?

In our defense, we had the great idea to send a postcard this year, but found that with a limited word count came limited information. Okay, so we probably shouldn't have taken the Christ out of our Christmas card, but the idea was that you'd go to my blog and read this Christmas post that would make up for the lack of Christmas in our actual card. So, here are the elusive Christmas reflections you've been waiting for:

I've been thinking a lot about these two verses lately (italics mine):

"The word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness..."

(Luke 3:2)

AND

"There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit"

(Isaiah 11:1)

In my over-familiarity with these verses, I've completely missed the significance of the locations where God shows up. The "wilderness" and the "stump" have been overshadowed by more hopeful lines like, the "word of God" and the "shoot coming forth." I prefer the hopeful, happy parts of those verses rather than the deadness of the wilderness and the stump. Do you ever do this? Skip the parts of the Bible that sound negative?

Stumps and wildernesses are desolate, lifeless places. They're so lifeless that I wouldn't even dare to hope for life there. But God dares. Oh, He dares. Out of the stump of Jesse--the dead, useless stump of Jesse's line--comes the unexpected shoot of Jesus, growing so strongly that it bears fruit. In the wilderness, a place dry and sucked of life, comes the Word of God. And while we were dead in our sins, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8), offering eternal life.

It's not just a nice Bible-thought either. I've seen it played out in friends' lives recently. Seen inexplicable healing in circumstances that seem irreparably broken. Heard stories of hope in places that are saturated with despair. Witnessed life in the midst of deep, deep darkness. And I'm learning that these two truths exist simultaneously: Life is hard, dark, often hopeless, and disappointing AND God is good, sovereign, perfect, wise, and gracious. He is in the business of giving us the "treasures of darkness" (Isaiah 45:3), the greatest of which was the treasure found in a stable on a dark, unsuspecting night when angels lit up the sky for shepherds and Jesus entered the world wrapped in flesh.

This Christmas, I'm thankful for a God who dares to bring hope and life to given-up-on places and people. And hopefully, you haven't given up on me, even though our Christmas card was, admittedly, a bit un-Christmasy this year.

Fashion 1.0

2010-12-21T16:08:00.000-06:00

I am not a trendy person. Classy, definitely at work. Plain, yep, especially on weekends. But not trendy. I'm too practical for that. If something's been around for a few years (right around the time it's probably going out but I don't realize it), then I'm willing to buy it. Really, I try to only buy clothes that seem classic and timeless so that I don't have to keep on buying new clothes all the time because I'm one of those rare female breeds who doesn't enjoy shopping.

It's not that I don't know what's in. Working with teenagers all day ensures that I know the latest styles. The problem is that I don't think I can rock the looks (and, more importantly, I don't want to look like my students). Oh, and I like to be comfortable. Like jeans and fleeces comfortable.

So, recently, I've taken the plunge. I've invested in some skinny cords and a long short-sleeved sweater. Honestly, the sweater doesn't make any sense to me. Why would you want to have a short sleeved sweater? And why should it be so long? Is it a dress or a shirt? If the sweater didn't have the $12.99 price tag (which reflects the lack of faith I have in this look sticking around for a while), I wouldn't have even tried it. It's still too trendy for me. But the skinny cords have been around long enough that they've earned "classic" status in my mind, although when they first came out, I thought we were bringing back all the worst parts of the 80's. I'm now the owner (I'm not quite ready to say "proud" owner) of some skinny cords, which I actually love, and a long short-sleeved sweater, which I also actually love. Next up: leggings and/or boots to wear outside my pants. Not there yet. Might not ever be there. But I'm thinking about it.

My jeans and fleeces aren't sure what to think of this fashion takeover just yet, but they're my Velveteen Rabbit; they aren't going anywhere.

Regardless of my (lack of care for) style, I'm pretty sure that we'll all look back at our 2010 selves and wonder why we ever thought wearing ________ (fill in the blank) was cool. If nothing else, I'm giving my kids one more reason to make fun of me in the future. Your welcome.

Books, a smattering

2010-12-21T10:19:00.003-06:00

Can you tell I've had another round of essays to grade? Just assume any blogging hiatus is a direct result of the amount of weeks I spend grading essays. It's Christmas break now, though (*sigh*), so here's what I'm reading these days. On my bedside table, all partly read or at least glanced at:

Reason for God by Tim Keller. My sister-in-law gave me this book last Christmas and I'm just now taking time to read it. I used to read Christian living books all the time, but for some reason have gravitated away from them for the past several years. At the end of the day, the last thing I really want to do is deeply investigate my heart, but it's often what I need to do, so in a very tangible effort to move back into a more challenging, growing relationship with Jesus, I'm slowly making my way through this book. The good kind of slow that means it's sinking in, not the boring kind of slow. That being said, I highly recommend this book. Full of Truth and not overly complicated. Just how I like it.

All Over but the Shoutin' by Rick Bragg. My colleague recommended this book to me after learning of my love for nonfiction. He said that it would, and I quote, "Blow [my] mind," so I'm looking forward to devouring this memoir over the next few days. Haven't read more than the first paragraph, but oh, can Rick Bragg can write! After all, he did win a Pulitzer Prize for journalism. I'll write again about this once I've read it, but it's safe to say that it's a worthwhile read, if not a mind-blowing read.

Stuff Christians Like by Jonathan Acuff. I was given this book by someone who knows the reality of my relationship with Jesus and also the reality of my snarkiness, and let me tell you, I have laughed out loud on so many occasions while reading it! Basically, Acuff, a Christian, pokes fun at both himself and the general Christian public for all the "Christiany" things we do that are really pretty funny. Like mission trip loving people (boyfriend at home playing Wii vs. guy on mission trip serving the poor: boyfriend doesn't stand a chance). Or using "I need to pray about it" as a euphemism for "no." In the midst of all the hilarity, he manages to throw in some one-liner, convicting zingers that make Truth unavoidable. He's a sarcastic, witty, humorous, strong writer, and he doesn't take himself too seriously, which I appreciate (and need to learn). I'd love my writing to look more like his. If you don't want to buy the book, just head over to his website/blog and prepare to be entertained!

Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss. Admittedly, this is a bit of a nerdy English teacher book, but if you like to write and you enjoy a sassy, snarky writing style that actually makes punctuation entertaining, then this is a book for you. This book makes me feel good about myself because it justifies my insatiable desire to fix improper punctuation. Did I mention the author's British? Enough said.

Husband Points

2010-12-20T22:18:00.002-06:00

If marriages were to function on a point system (I'm pretty sure that's in 1 Corinthians 13 somewhere), my husband just had a personal high score this past weekend. It was our FIVE year anniversary and he surprised me by taking me back to the bed & breakfast where we spent our wedding night! Major points.

He also made reservations at Alleia, one of the best restaurants in Chattanooga, if not on the planet. We'd been meaning to go there the entire year we lived in Chattanooga but never got around to it. My mouth is watering just thinking about how delicious their food is! More husband points.

Best of all, we had hours of uninterrupted, undivided time together, which, even after five years,

never

ever

ever gets old.

December begins

2010-12-01T23:22:00.000-06:00

I've always loved the first day of a month. It's like a mini New Year that gives me that fresh start, extra-air-in-my-lungs feeling that makes even a Wednesday have the freedom of a weekend. And today isn't just the first day of any month; it's the first day of my favorite month, December.

Mostly, I like December for Christmas:

for the remembering that comes with Advent,

for family,

for seasonal music,

for high spirits,

for lights on trees,

for a chill in the air,

for laughter and food and parties,

for time off work,

for anticipation of togetherness

(both in this world and the one to come).

Anticipation. That's the key, really. The key to me liking December so much, yes, but also the key to living joyfully in this life. It's not a rejection or dismissal of the gifts of this world but a holy dissatisfaction with them that sets me on tiptoe, looking for more, looking for Jesus--even in the midst of the wilderness, the valleys, and the uneven ground of this life. We were made for fresh starts, clean slates, and wrongs righted; we were made for heaven and for Him.

Isaiah 40: 1-5

1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.

3 A voice cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.

5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

This is how we do it

2010-11-16T19:48:00.000-06:00

Phil and I went camping last Wednesday night.

I love everything about camping but the sleeping part.

I'll pee in the woods.

I'll build a fire.

I'll chop wood.

I'll cook in a fire.

I'll forego a shower if I must.

But my sleep is precious.

And when I camp, my sleep is either cold or uncomfortable.

Enter my heroic husband, who said his goal for me was to be warm and comfortable all night.

I had my doubts.

BUT

the following made my camping experience...not bad:

5 layers (tank top, short sleeved shirt, thermal long sleeved shirt, fleece, & jacket)

Smartwool socks

Numerous hand a toe warmers--including several that we threw into our sleeping bags

A zero-degree sleeping bag

A fire that I (proudly) made

An air mattress (thank you very much)

No wind

A very attentive husband

I must say, there's something about unplugging and getting away from the zing of life, something about turning off the phones and not even reading a book, something about slowing down and staring into a fire and talking for hours about things that matter (or not). This yawn of life every once in a while is irreplaceable in our marriage. And that is why I agree to camp--even if I do sacrifice some sleep.

Thanks, Panera!

2010-11-16T19:33:00.001-06:00

Last Thursday, I was out and about, trying to run a bunch of errands on my rare day off, when I realized that I was insatiably thirsty and hadn't actually had any fruit or vegetables all day. Nice. So, I decided to go to a nearby Panera to try one of their "real fruit" smoothies. That counts as fruit, right?

While waiting for my drink, I notice a sign for the new cherry vanilla bagel, and since I'm always thinking of new food combinations, I asked the ~~very fine looking~~ guy at the register if he had tried it. I thought it sounded good, but I was having a hard time envisioning those flavors in a bagel. He had tried it, but felt the same way, that it was an odd flavor for a bagel. (Insert our conversation about how great cinnamon crunch and asiago cheese bagels are). "Do you want to try a cherry vanilla bagel?" he asked. I just looked at him with "do-I-have-to-pay-for-it?" plastered all over my face. "I'll let you try it," he said. And of course, I let him give me a free bagel--toasted.

So, here's my review of the cherry vanilla bagel, which boasts that it's "flavored with cherry chips, dried cherries and cranberries, vanilla, honey and brown sugar": It's just okay. It smelled divine, like homemade cake, but I think the flavors would go better in a muffin or something that's lighter than a bagel. I couldn't decide if it needed to be more sweet or if it was too sweet, which I realize sounds like a paradox, but I'm pretty sure cream cheese would have solved whatever flavor problem there was (I didn't want to push my luck by asking for free cream cheese). Bottom line: I was glad the bagel was free. After all, it's hard to top the cinnamon crunch and asiago cheese bagels.

P.S. I just learned that the cherry vanilla bagel is the "Pink Ribbon Bagel" honoring breast cancer. While that information doesn't make the bagel taste any better, I love that Panera is joining the cause in their own way.

Frequency

2010-11-08T21:19:00.000-06:00

I'm a quality time person. I love long, deep conversations, thinking until my head hurts, and asking thoughtful questions.

In fact, I'm such a quality time person that I've often poo-pooed the quantity time folks who prefer gobs of time--shallow or deep--instead of the time concentrate I prefer. Of course, having the hubs in medical school and now residency has made me appreciate quantity time as well.

So, quality time? Absolutely worthwhile. Quantity time? Still a lesser time form in my skewed view, but valuable. But frequency of time? Had never really thought about it.

Enter my friend, Adam, who recently said, "People really underestimate how far a few phone calls a week at two minutes a piece can go for a friendship." Checking in often but briefly. So simple. I often let months go by without contacting (or hearing from) a friend and then I feel obligated to have an hour-long conversation with them so that I can catch up on a month's worth of information. Usually, I don't have an hour, or my hour doesn't line up with their hour, so this concept of contacting people more often but less intensely really started to make sense.

But it went against everything I believed in: quality time needed time in order to go deep. How deep can you go in two minutes?

I threw (my) logic to the wind and started small by sharing with my best friend the plan to contact (call/text/email) her often but briefly. She was in. While we actually only talk about once a week, I feel more connected to her than any other friend right now. I realized that frequency creates a sense of connection, even if it's a tiny sound byte of time. In fact, when I think about who I feel closest to at this moment, it's the people I communicate with most--not necessarily most deeply, but most often.

A couple minutes here and there also don't seem so intimidating to accomplish. I have time in the car, a minute while I unload the dishwasher, a few moments while I'm eating lunch to send a text. It's made me think about others more, about how my time can be shared with them, which is a pretty quality thing if you ask me.

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-01T21:57:00.001-05:00

Happy Halloween!

From your friendly neighborhood aviator police pumpkin, known to the locals as simply "Stache" (Phil's and my tribute to my stache-sporting dad), "Jack" (evidence of my sister-in-law's mad carving skills) and "GT" (my brother wasn't quite adept enough to carve the Georgia Tech yellow jacket, Buzz).

And while no kids came knocking on our door for candy this year,

I can't say I'm all that disappointed.

I'm pretty sure our ~~dwindling~~ bowl of Butterfingers and Reeses will be put to good use.

Quortes

2010-10-26T22:47:00.001-05:00

No, the title is not a typo. It's a tribute to my hursband, who enjoys joining me in adding unnecessary r's to words. Why text someone when you could terxt them? Oh, the potential that little extra "r" has! In case you were wanting to incorporate the extra "r" into your vocabulary, as a rule, adding the "r" works best in words with long vowel sounds in the middle of them and in words that don't already have an "r" in them. For example, "plant" easily becomes "plarnt" but "chair" doesn't work because it already has an "r" in it.

Now, on to some quortes I just had to share:

The funny:
The FOX News weatherman referring to the 100% humidity outside tonight: "The air is juicy out there."

The sweet:
A groomsman to the groom at the rehearsal dinner of the wedding I was in this past weekend: "I hope you love her the least tonight."

The sentimental:
Me: "I miss Chattanooga." (Said to myself after going to Chattanooga for the wedding and seeing all the BRILLIANT leaves at the peak of autumn, driving by the Tennessee River, driving through mountains, and seeing my precious family.)

Pray, please. Part II.

2010-10-18T21:05:00.000-05:00

Baby Joseph went to be with Jesus this morning. Please pray for Joe and Melissa. I don't even know how to ask you to pray, but pray, please.

Pray, please.

2010-10-16T10:46:00.000-05:00

Our friends, the Denticis, gave birth to their firstborn son, Joseph, this week. They were only 23 weeks along when he was born. I started to write about this earlier, but my friend Melissa did such a perfect job of capturing the Denticis' story on her blog that I'm sending you there to read about it. Please take a moment to read their story and to pray pray pray for baby Joseph.

Cooking Therapy

2010-10-15T18:33:00.000-05:00

After the last post, I had yet another I-can-barely-keep-my-head-above-water week. Last weekend was the first time, maybe since school has started, that I actually enjoyed my weekend and didn't work straight through it.

I take that back.

I did have a painting day with a bunch of 7th graders for about 3 hours on Saturday, but at least I wasn't grading essays until the words ran together.

I wanted to write. I really did. But my brain was too spent and too overwhelmed to even think about making any flying thoughts sit up straight and make proper sense on paper. So, instead, I cooked.

I made homemade granola, homemade bread, stuffed shells, sweet potato fries, and probably a few other things I'm not remembering. I tried new recipes, adjusted old ones, and actually planned out our week's meals. It was as if all the weeks' (and months') stress and pent up energy came out in one big flurry of creative cooking that actually made me feel more sane. Strange? Maybe. But it gave me space to think, to process, and to think up blog topics for when my brain was ready to put them on paper. So, for now, here's the stuffed shells recipe. Enjoy!

Spinach and Ricotta-Stuffed Shells
(from Real Simple, May 2010)

20 jumbo pasta shells (about half a 12-oz. box)
1 24-oz jar marinara sauce
2 15-oz. containers ricotta
2 cups baby spinach, chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 oz.)
Kosher salt & black pepper
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Set an oven rack to the highest position and heat oven to 400. Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and run under cold water until cool.
Spread marinara sauce in bottom of a large broilerproof baking dish.
In a bowl, combine the ricotta, spinach, Parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spoon the mixture into the shells and place them on top of the sauce. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and bake until the shells are heated through, 10-12 minutes.
Increase heat to broil. Broil the shells until the cheese begins to brown, 2-5 minutes. Serve with green salad.

My weekend

2010-09-25T11:25:00.001-05:00

The joys of teaching...

It pays to be a Georgia fan

2010-09-22T23:19:00.000-05:00

Remember a few weeks ago when this had me shedding rare tears? Well, today I went to court over it. I've never been to court before, so for this rule-follower who almost never got in trouble as a child, going to court and publicly acknowledging my fault was about the worst thing I could be asked to do. I woke up an hour early this morning worrying about what I would say, what would happen if I showed up late or if the judge made a snide comment toward me and I had to bite my tongue and simply say, "Yes, your honor."

I hate not knowing what to expect.

A little backstory: I went to the Municipal Court last week to set my court date. While scheduling my date, I asked if I could be moved to the front of the docket since I was a teacher and only had limited time off during the day. To my surprise, the woman said that it'd be no problem.

Back to today. When I arrived, I was one of about 30 people who were all there for "lunch court." I had to go up to the clerk to sign a waiver and while I was there, I decided to check and make sure that I was at the front of the lineup for the day. I was not. So, I relayed how I'd been told I could be one of first, and the woman said, "Who told you that? We don't do that here." And to the lady next to her: "Did you hear what she just said?" To me: "Say it again." Me: "I was told that I could go toward the front of the line today since I'm a teacher and need to get back to my class." Mean clerk with eyes rolling: "I'll see what I can do, but we really don't do that." Me: "Okay, thank you."

Thankfully, they called me first. I walked up to a table in front of the judge's seat where a pleasant and knowledgeable prosecutor was sitting. After explaining my situation to the woman, she quickly agreed that driving school was a fine option and as we were walking up to the clerk's desk to get the paperwork processed, the prosecutor (or so we'll call her since I don't know her actual title) made an off-hand comment about the University of Georgia. I looked at her incredulously. "You're a Georgia fan, I take it? We're few and far between in this state." She returned my amazed look. "You go for Georgia too? (Short pause) Well, what can I do for you?" As I contemplated whether or not to say "Drop my charges" out loud, she beat me to the punch. "I tell you what. I'm going to dismiss this case."

I have never loved Georgia football as much as I did at that moment.

While she filled out new paperwork for the next minute or two, we cheerily talked Georgia football. It wasn't quite the courtroom experience I had imagined. Minutes later, after speaking with the judge and being officially aquitted, I had to approach the mean clerk one last time for my paperwork to be processed. "You're case is dismissed. Have a nice day," she said without looking up. "So, do you need any paperwork from me before I go?" Without looking up again, she repeated, "Have a nice day." With that, I turned around and walked out--hopefully for the last time.

I put two Georgia t-shirts on my Amazon Wish List today. I figured with the $180.00 that UGA saved me today, I owed them at least my t-shirt allegiance.

me, lately

2010-09-18T16:09:00.001-05:00

What I've been reading...

Connie May Fowler's novel, Before Women Had Wings, Language Network grammar book, Real Simple, Cooking Light

What I've been listening to...

José Gonzàlez, sermons from LMPC, and Pandora

What I've been eating...

Virginia's recipe for BBQ ribs, Edy's Slow Churned French Silk ice cream, the last of summer's produce (tomatoes, peaches, strawberries, and blueberries).

BBQ Ribs: Buy a rack or two of ribs. Boil them for 40-45 minutes in a large pot and allow to cool. Place in large Ziploc bag and pour in a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce. Marinate overnight. Grill 3-4 min per side to heat through.

Where I've been...

Chattanooga for Labor Day weekend and Atlanta another weekend to see Phil's family, Pepper Place Market, junior high football games, friends' houses, delicious restaurants, two different churches

What's on my to-do list...

Fold laundry, dust, tackle that last stack of boxes from our move, organize my files, exercise, read for fun, call my aunt, grade 67 essays, check the mail, write letters, ~~blog~~ (done)

Deep things I've been thinking about...

Church denominations, women in the church, being a working mom (NO hint about a baby here, just something I've been thinking about), whether to keep our current church community that's 25 minutes away or start over with a church community closer to where we live, how to streamline our lives so that we have a balance of giving our lives away and resting. These could all be blog entries of their own!

What I've been watching...

Confesssion: Glee. I'm blaming my sister-in-law for introducing me to this show.

the most perfect memoir I've ever read

2010-09-07T17:48:00.001-05:00

I dare you to take longer than three days to read Jeannette Walls' The Glass Castle. My guess is that you won't be able to put it down, that it will keep you up at night, that you will neglect work/children/exercise/dinner to turn as many pages as you can before you get so tired the words blur together and your eyes hang heavy.

Walls tells the story of her bizarre, tragic, and unique childhood, growing up with parents who preferred to run from the law rather than obey it. Her life story is so unusual and unbelievable that I kept forgetting that the book wasn't a piece of fiction. After each chapter, I wondered how the rest of the book could be any stranger, but each chapter brought with it new and bizarre episodes of Walls' life. Despite her alcoholic father, living conditions so bad that she had neither heat/air nor indoor plumbing nor a refrigerator, the book isn't as depressing as you'd expect.

Walls makes a brilliant move by writing the memoir from her perspective as a child, so many of her experiences, which adults would understand as awful and wrong, were simply normal to her as a child. The story, then, has an innocence and resilience to it that gives hope and redemption to an otherwise heartbreaking childhood.

From the first sentence to the last, I really don't think I've ever read a more perfect memoir. I read a lot of nonfiction, so for me to say that this is my favorite is really saying something. If you've read it already, I'd love to hear what you think! If not, pick up a copy as soon as you can. I promise you won't be sorry.

Steal of a Deal

2010-09-02T19:18:00.001-05:00

Perhaps you remember my recent raving post about ALDI.

Here's one more reason to love it:

That's right. We bought a 7-piece patio set at a grocery store!

Patio furniture was way down on our list of home items to purchase, so I'd given up looking until I saw this little wonder.

You'll never guess how ~~much~~ little we paid for it.

It all began four weeks ago when I saw the box leaning up near the checkout. Price tag: $200. A great deal, but I just wasn't ready to drop that kind of cash.

Three weeks ago, it was still there, marked down to $139. Still not ready to commit, but secretly hoping no one else would take it either.

Two weeks ago: price slashed to $100. Phil is with me. We seriously consider it, realize we have no way to transport it, get busy the rest of the day, and accidentally forget about it. I pine after the table and chairs all week, which tells me this isn't just an impulse.

Last week: We return for our weekly grocery run, fully expecting the patio furniture to be gone. Surprise! Still there, and they're practically giving it away!

Get this:

$75.00!

We drove home, put away the groceries, and then took full advantage of our new and generous neighbor who owns a truck (remind me never to buy a truck). When Phil and our neighbor returned to ALDI to buy the furniture, the manager came out and practically hugged Phil. We should have talked him down to $50.

So, just in time for fall, we now have a place to sit outside on our deck. You know where to find us during dinnertime for the next several months!

Busted.

2010-08-30T21:45:00.000-05:00

Hypothetically, if a 2-year-old who doesn't know any better keys your car in order to make a "pretty picture," the punishment would be a stern talking to, not a spank-your-butt-so-hard-it-hurts-for-days punishment. But, if an 8-year-old who knew better did the same thing, you'd better believe his ass would be hurting. I'm the two-year-old, I promise.

After a long week and an even longer Friday, I was driving home from work around 4:45 p.m., taking the back roads route I've driven for the past five years. What I didn't know for the past five years was that from the hours of 4-6 in the evening, this particular left turn that I make every day is illegal. So, naturally, I made the turn, even seeing the cop sitting in the nearby parking lot. I guess he's just taking a little break there, I thought. Oh no. Not a break. Not at all. The moment I drove past him, I saw him whip out and turn on his lights. Busted.

Since I'd never seen the sign, I had no idea why I was being pulled over, and politely told him so.

That turn wasn't legal?
   No ma'am. There are three signs posted there.
I've lived here for five years and have made that turn every day and have never known that.
   I understand. Several people who live around here have said the same thing but I've written them up.
   It's a dangerous turn at this time of day.
I completely understand that, and I know you're just doing your job. I'm not going to try to talk my way out of this ticket, but I just wish I had known.

So, I'm now the owner of a ticket and a court date, both of which have yet to be processed. And you'd better believe I'm going to court over this. Even if I have to take off work. I'm guilty as charged, but I'm not going to have this go on my otherwise-squeaky-clean driving record and jack up my insurance premiums without a fight (or at least a respectful plea). I didn't know any better, but I'm getting punished as if I did. I'm sure he could make the argument that I should have known better, but if that turn is so dangerous and if people living around it all the time don't even know about the sign, then maybe the sign needs some flashing lights or something. And there's ONE sign, not three, but who's counting, right?

I cried all the way home. Twenty-eight years old and I still hate getting in trouble and feeling like I got worse than I deserved. I don't remember the last time I cried, so I'm pretty sure the crying was about a lot more than the ticket, but it felt good--the crying, not the ticket.

*big sigh* I feel better now. Thanks.

Apparently, clean really IS just a smell...

2010-08-24T21:34:00.000-05:00

Do you ever have "human moments"? Moments when you trip over nothing while people are watching (like I did last week at work), or moments when you put your foot in your mouth (like I did tonight*), or moments when you rave about a new detergent that really turns out to be fabric softener?

That's right, folks. Snuggle only makes fabric softener, not detergent, which means that the pair of underwear I was so fondly sniffing the other morning wasn't actually...clean. (Sheepish grin) In my defense, I never use liquid fabric softener, so it didn't even occur to me to carefully read the labels when I was in the detergent isle. I was so focused on finding the "he" symbol on the bottle that I missed the fact that I wasn't even buying detergent. I'm sure there's a sermon in there somewhere.

Only a true friend would point out my error, so many thanks to Melissa for setting me straight and preventing me from "washing" more than a couple of loads in straight up fabric softener. No wonder my clothes smelled so good!

It's back to the laundry detergent isle for me, and I guess I'll start using some liquid fabric softener in my loads for a while since I bought the 96-load bottle.

* Tonight, while on a walk, Phil and I were talking about how much we love our neighborhood and how safe we felt in it. Right after saying that, we saw three cop cars parked outside a house, but some trees were covering up the house, so I didn't see any people. "Maybe it's a stake-out," I told Phil, rather loudly. About that time, we walked right by the front of the house where police were talking to a man and woman who had apparently been in some kind of altercation. I chose the look-straight-ahead-and-keep-walking route after that foot-in-mouth moment. Oops.

Clean isn't a smell, but...

2010-08-23T22:28:00.000-05:00

Clean isn't a smell, but I sure do love the smell of clean! The naturalists out there will tell you that all the chemicals in over-the-counter cleaners are bad for you, your kids, your floors, your skin, your pores, your lungs, and your overall heath. All we need is vinegar and water.

And they're probably right.

BUT.

I LOVE the smell of clean! Honestly, I love every cleaner aroma: the indoor-pool smell of chlorine and bleach, the lemon smell of Pine-Sol, and most recently, the clean laundry smell that stays in your clothes for days. I've washed with regular, cheap Purex detergent for years, but we recently bought a new(ish) he (high efficiency) washer that can only take he detergent. So, I spent a good 10 minutes in the laundry isle at Walmart looking for he detergents and smelling them all. Snuggle (Blue Iris and Bamboo Silk) was a clear front-runner, and I must say, I absolutely cannot stop smelling my clothes!

It's really pretty funny. I kept getting wafts of that fresh linen smell all day long, and it had been several days since I had done laundry. Purex had nothing on this stuff. Confession: I even smelled my clean underwear tonight when taking it out of the drawer. Clearly, the brand lives up to its name when I'm nuzzling my underoos! I'm hooked!

Best. Homemade Lasagna. Ever.

2010-08-18T21:23:00.002-05:00

I can't take credit for this recipe because I got it from my sister-in-law who got it from her mom who got it from...Southern Living, I think. But let me tell you: it's delicious! So delicious, in fact, that my hand-written recipe card has stains on it because I've made it so much. While it's not my recipe, I have added a few ingredients to suite my tastes, so, without further ado, I present to you:

Bekah's Homemade Lasagna
10 lasagna noodles (I buy the oven-ready ones for simplicity's sake)
1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
1 small onion, minced (optional)
2 6-oz. cans tomato paste
2 16-oz. (or 1 28-oz.) cans diced Italian seasoned tomatoes, drained
24-oz. container low-fat (or fat free) cottage cheese
1 cup fresh chopped spinach (as much or little as you like)
1 small bag shredded parmesan cheese
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
4 Tablespoons parsley flakes
Basil, Oregano, Italian seasoning to taste (I usually put in at least a teaspoon of each)
1/2 tsp. black pepper

If using regular noodles, cook pasta according to directions on package.
In medium sized bowl, mix cottage cheese, eggs, parmesan cheese, chopped spinach and about 4 Tbsp parsley flakes and about 1/2 tsp. black pepper. Set aside.
In a large skillet, brown ground beef with garlic and onions, then drain. Return to skillet and add tomato paste, diced tomatoes, and seasoning (basil, oregano, Italian seasoning) to taste.
Spray bottom and sides of 13X9 pan with cooking spray. Lay 5 lasagna noodles across bottom of pan. On top of noodles, add 1/2 cottage cheese mixture. On top of cottage cheese mixture, add 1/2 mozzarella cheese. On top of mozzarella cheese, add 1/2 ground beef mixture. Repeat layering steps one more time. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
Bake at 350 45-60 minutes or until warm throughout.

* This recipe can be made a day ahead, put in the fridge overnight, and baked the next day.

**Other possible additions: chopped green peppers, mushrooms, fresh chopped tomato, fresh chopped basil, rosemary
***This makes a LOT of lasagna, so if you have a smaller family, consider inviting the neighbors over, or put half in the freezer for a night when you don't have time (or want) to cook!

Enjoy!!!

And so it begins

2010-08-17T06:35:00.000-05:00

This morning at 8:00 a.m., 21 9th graders will be staring at me for 54 minutes. They'll be staring at me, but their minds will be elsewhere--wondering who I am and when the new lockers will come, worrying about finding their next class and making it there on time, worrying about who they'll sit with at lunch, wishing they had gone to bed earlier last night, wishing they had don t their summer reading, wishing they could have their cell phones. They'll also be bringing all kinds of invisible relational baggage into the room--something I often forget. They'll be thinking about the fight they had with their best friend or how their dad didn't come home last night or how they don't have any friends or how they miss their mom who died last year.

And somewhere in the midst of all that, I'll be teaching them English.

This morning at 8:00 a.m., I will stand in front of those 21 9th graders and will talk about the 180 hours we'll spend together this year with great expectation and dreams of being an inspiration. I'm hoping the kids like me, find the content engaging, and are respectful and awake. I'll have my own set of worries: am I too strict or too fun? Did I forget to tell them something? Could I teach any of this better than I already am?

But right now--right now--is calm, joy, anticipation, knowing that God has so clearly called me to this and trusting that He will not give me more than I can handle. This will need to be a year of trust, of leaning on Him, and with that in mind, this is my prayer for the year:

May my teaching fall like rain

and my words descend like dew,

like showers on new grass,

like abundant rain on tender plants.

Deuteronomy 32:2

Movie recs

2010-08-16T07:01:00.000-05:00

Happy-Go-Lucky
My friend, Sarah, recommended this this me, and, as she described it, "It's British and it's a comedy, but I wouldn't exactly call it a British comedy." This 2008 gem stars Sally Hawkins who plays Poppy, a carefree elementary school teacher who constantly sees life as half-full. While the movie is upbeat and cheerful, it also has more serious side stories woven throughout, making the film a bit complicated to place in a genre. And, because it's British and has the happy-go-lucky feel, the movie has a slower pace, is full of odd quirks, and lacks a plot based on significant conflict. While I wouldn't say it was my favorite movie, it was definitely intriguing and one that I enjoyed and would recommend to others. If you like quirky foreign films that don't drain you emotionally, then this is a movie for you!

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
I can't say enough about this movie that Phil and I picked up at the Homewood Library the other day! Winner of the 2008 Golden Globe Awards Best Picture of the Year and nominated for four Academy Awards, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a must-see movie. It's based on a true story about Jean-Dominique Bauby, a famous editor for Elle magazine who suffered from "Locked-in Syndrome" after suffering a stroke. "Locked-in Syndrome" means that a person is physically paralyzed from head to toe, unable to do anything except blink. However, their mental capacity is in perfect condition: they can feel pain, hear, comprehend, think, and formulate sentences in their head, but they cannot communicate apart from blinking; hence, they are "locked in" to their own body. This fascinating movie tells the story of who Bauby was before and after his stroke, and how he went on to write a book from his locked-in state. It gave me compassion and insight into caring for people with disabilities and a new appreciation for my health, family, and my ability to communicate. An extremely powerful movie.

27 Dresses
A girly movie from beginning to end, but I love Katherine Heigl and thought it would be a good way to pass an evening with Phil gone. I give the movie a B. Definitely not a waste of time, but also one that I'm glad I didn't pay for. It's a cookie-cutter wedding/marriage chick flick complete with predictable scenes, a hopeless girl who finds the right guy in the end, and a guy whose perfection is the reason so many girls today have unrealistic expectations of men. That being said, it was a movie with lots of "aww" moments and one that I really liked. I enjoyed it the way I enjoy a beach read: shallow, indulgent, simple, but really entertaining and not a bad way to spend your time once in a while.

Age(less)

2010-08-15T22:22:00.000-05:00

Old. My sister turned 15 at the end of July, successfully got a permit last week, and is now on the roads making all her other 9th grade friends jealous and making me feel, well, old.

Young. One of my former students, who is now a senior in high school, was in my classroom this week and asked, "Mrs. Johnson, how old are you?" (I tell her). "Wow. I thought you were, like, 22 or something." (Do the math, sister. That would make me a senior in high school when I taught you.)

Old. Last week was Open House at school, and for the first time, I was closer to the parents' ages than the students' ages. Again, old.

Young. My neighbor: How long have you two been married?
   Me: Coming up on five years.
   Neighbor: Wow, I thought you guys were newlyweds!
   Phil: We still feel like newlyweds.
   Me: (high-fiving Phil) You definitely get points for that response, babe.

Vote for the Austin Hatcher Foundation

2010-08-09T23:09:00.000-05:00

Pepsi is giving away hundreds of thousands of dollars to charitable groups through their Pepsi Refresh Project, and my friend, Amy Jo, and her husband have submitted their foundation, the Austin Hatcher Foundation. The general public votes on which charities they want to support and Pepsi awards (in this case) $250,000 to the top charity. Out of thousands of applicants, Hatch's House of Hope is currently ranked #33 (!), and with voting ending on August 31, I'm trying to spread the word so they can make it to #1.

For those who don't know, Amy Jo and her husband started the foundation when they lost their son to pediatric cancer several years ago. Go here to learn more about their story. The foundation provides practically for the children and their families, and I encourage you to go to their website for more information.

I'm asking you to vote DAILY for the Austin Hatcher Foundation (it only takes a few seconds), and here's how:

TEXT 101703 to Pepsi (73774)

AND

GO ONLINE tohttp://www.facebook.com/l/23724NmXzsxp3yCOyW5S7ZyDROQ;www.refresheverything.com/hatcherfoundation

Thanks for partnering with me in helping hurting families, and thanks to Pepsi for such a generous funding project.

Embrace the paste

2010-08-05T22:12:00.000-05:00

There's a lot standing between me and the perfect tan. For one, 100-degree days keep me inside more than I'd like. For another, I have ~~fair~~ pasty skin. And I'm fine with that, really.

I'm also a sucker for funny and true news stories.

So, pasty white girl + love of funny news = THIS.

I love that Scottish scientists got 100 people to volunteer to have their buns studied...and sunburned. I wonder how that advertising went: "Show us your buns and we'll heat 'em up for ya," or, "Do you suffer from white-butt syndrome? Enter our study to find out if yours will tan!"

It was probably more like, "We'll give you cash if you'll let us expose your butt to dangerous rays."

And all those Scottish villagers were like, "Cash?!? Simulated sunlight?!? Yes please."

Honestly, though, who has a tan butt? Who? The only way to get one is to lie naked in a tanning bed (which grosses me out a little, although I'm a bit of a germaphobe), to wear a thong on the beach (eww), to do one of those spray tans (cha-ching expensive), or to use a self tanner (the safest). But even then, what's the point? The only person who sees most of our butts is our significant others, so do those significant others really care all that much whether or not our derriere is the same color as the rest of us? Chances are, their butts are white too.

So, here's to white rears, sun-deprived Scots, and anyone who wears a thong in public. More power to you.

Quick 'n Easy: Ranch Parm* Chicken

2010-08-03T22:47:00.000-05:00

Ranch Parmesan Chicken

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup Ranch dressing
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1-2 tsp ground black pepper
1-2 Tbsp melted butter

Marinate chicken in Ranch dressing anywhere from 30 minutes to overnight. Combine breadcrumbs, parmesan, and pepper in a shallow bowl. Coat marinated chicken in breadcrumb mixture and place in a greased 9X13 baking dish. Drizzle with melted butter. Bake uncovered at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until juices run clear.

Enjoy. each. delicious. bite.

*"Parm" = my Rachel Ray tribute. Love that lady's cooking, although this isn't her recipe.

facelift

2010-08-02T17:56:00.001-05:00

First of all, I'm not sure if "facelift" is supposed to be one word or two. A quick Google search reveals that both seem to be acceptable. (Nerd alert that I even took the time to look it up!) I'm going with one word, though, because it's more efficient and, well, it just looks right. I promise I'll explain grammar and vocab better to my 9th graders in a few weeks.

Anywho, procrastination often breeds creativity, which lead me to give my blog a little facelift over the weekend. It used to have a more of a subtle brown motif--very simple and kind of antique looking. Nothing wrong with it, but it left something to be desired. So, out with the old and in with color, background, and interest.

I'm no graphic designer or layout extraordinaire, but I like it.

And I hope you do too.

I hope you like it so much that your face is pulled taut in a permasmile like Joan Rivers' (sorry Joan).

It's been a while...

2010-07-28T21:18:00.001-05:00

since I got my hair cut.

Like four months.

And it was a bad cut with a stray middle layer
that I was too lazy to go back and have corrected.

My new hairdresser pointed out how bad it was.

Oops.

But today--today--I got a GREAT cut from this place that my sister-in-law recommended.

Short hair cuts start at $30 and long at $40
including wash, dry, style, and tip.

Whadaya think?

Pardon the photo booth lighting.

It's also been a while...

since I last dusted my blinds.

To tell the truth, I'm pretty sure I've never dusted any blinds

in any house I've ever lived in.

Quite a confession.

To my credit, I've only been in this house for a month

but

I'm pretty sure the people who lived here for 3 years before we got here

didn't dust either.

Shame on them.

So I went to trusty Bed, Bath, and Beyond today and bought an Oxo duster.

The best part? It goes in the wash.

Good thing, too, because halfway through dusting my blinds,

it needed to go in the wash.

1.5 hours and lots of coughing later (I'm not exaggerating):

my blinds pass the finger-swiping test.

I'm hoping it'll never be that bad again.

I've seen the error of my ways and will, from now on, be a duster of blinds!

Mine's not quite so crispy-white now.

And it's been a while...

since I've been hit on by a creepy guy.

I guess it's only been about a month. Remember this?

But today it was a face-to-face person.

In Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

I was standing there looking through a 21-page wedding registry

trying to decide what to purchase.

He was the third person to ask if I needed help.

He stared a little too long.

And was a little TOO helpful.

And smiled a little too much.

Despite my clear please-go-away signals, he lurked.

So I said thank you and walked away.

Then he walked up to my friend and I a few minutes later.

His words:

"I just want to let you ladies know that you are very beautiful women."

Insert fake smile and polite thank you as he walked away

followed by eye rolling and the word "creeper" coming out of my mouth.

Mean, I know. Really mean.

But seriously.

If he was that desperate, he should know to look for a rock on my left hand.

Maybe I should have been flattered, but I was just kind of creeped out.

Happy Wednesday to me!

Mel

2010-07-17T23:50:00.003-05:00

I'm terrible at remembering friends' birthdays. Really terrible. So terrible, in fact, that I spent an hour with my friend Melissa today before I realized it was her birthday (and only then because someone else wished her a happy birthday)!

Anyway, in honor of Melissa's life, I want to give her a blog-toast. Clink!

I like to give my friends nicknames, and anyone who's my friend knows that. Melissa (lucky girl) was dubbed "Mel" early on in our friendship, and whether or not she likes it, it pretty much stuck. So, here are a few things about Mel that I admire/am fascinated by/am blown away by/am intrigued by (in no particular order):

She is one of the most intentional people I know. For example, she decided that instead of getting a set of china, she'd like to have a piece from all her friends' sets to make a mis-matched collection that will remind her of the people she loves every time she uses them. She and her husband also only have art on their walls from people they know so that their house is full of unique talents applied & shared instead of generic pieces. Those are the kinds of things I love but would never think of.
She's creative. In addition to being a great writer (check out her blog!) and seamstress, she just comes up with unique ideas all the time. She's always working on interesting projects like this one to organize her jewelry.
She's confident. Not cocky, just sure of herself, of what she believes, of what she prefers. I like that.
She reads. A lot. I'm not just talking classics, here, although she reads lots of those too. She reads everything. Harry Potter, British poetry, children's books, Jane Austin, Twilight, cookbooks, magazines, modern novels. You name it. One of my favorite questions to ask her is "What are you reading?" because I can't wait to hear the excitement in her voice when she tells me about the books.
She's a great wife and mom. 'Nough said.
She asks good questions. Mel always seems to know how to ask good questions--questions that will get people talking, questions that will get people thinking, questions that communicate that she cares.
She runs...and likes it. Ever since middle school when the track coach tried to recruit me for the track team, I knew that I did not enjoy running. For practicality's sake, I do run (occasionally), but I really don't enjoy it (although a little "Soulja Boy" does give me a nice distracting beat). So, basically, I'm amazed by anyone who actually likes to run, which means Mel's love for running = an awe factor for me.
She's thoughtful. She's the kind of person who makes chocolate chip cookies every time we go over for dinner because she knows they're my favorite. She's the kind of person who does remember friends' birthdays. The kind of person who opens her home, buys random gifts, and texts because she thinks of you. I'm grateful to know that kind of friend.
She loves Jesus. And not just in a I-go-to-church way, but in a real God-in-the-grit-of-life way. She loves Jesus in a way that makes me know Him better.

So Mel, here's to you on your birthday! May you nap often, read much, and eat well! Cheers!

Ice Cold B's, Hot D's, and Base B

2010-07-13T20:20:00.000-05:00

Confused by the title? Read this and take a gander at the picture I've included and you should be able to put it together.

America is tuning in to its favorite pastime tonight with the All-Star game, so Phil suggested a traditional baseball meal: hotdogs and beer (with a few extras thrown in). To his credit, he also suggested the title of this post.

After a week of working 13-hour days and us adjusting to extremely limited time together, Phil got off unexpectedly early today (only an 11-hour day!), so we were able to slow down a bit and enjoy some relaxing time together. Nothing like baseball and watermelon on a summer night. Can I get an AMEN?

I have to admit, though, that it feels funny posting about something so whimsical when others in my life are going through much more serious and difficult events. I have a friend whose van was hit by lightning the other day (and she and her kids lived to tell about it), another friend who's spent the last three days at the hospital with her four-week-old, and two new friends who just moved to Birmingham from far away and know almost no one. So, by posting about baseball and beer, I don't mean to be insensitive to those in darker, more complicated places.

I've been there too.

But I'm learning that it's good to record the whimsy too. Good to remember that all days are not dark days, that sometimes light breaks through and the burden eases and simple pleasures like hotdogs and baseball still exist.

I adore ALDI

2010-07-09T08:34:00.001-05:00

I'm late getting on this boat. I know it. But give me a break--I've been out of the city for a year and where I was had one ALDI that was 40 minutes from my house. So yeah, I was an ALDI virgin until yesterday.

To clarify any misunderstanding (which necessarily happens when you throw the word "virgin" into a sentence), ALDI is a small, European-style grocery store with huge knock-off prices, a "put in a quarter to get your cart; return your cart and get your quarter," we-have-our-own-brands-that-are-just-as-good-as-the-flashy-ones, bag-your-own-groceries, we-only-accept-cash-or-debit-cards kind of place. And did I mention the prices? Oh my.

So, ALDI fliers showed up in my mailbox this week, which made me wonder if, in the past year that I've been away, Birmingham made a good choice in the midst of all the bad ones (remember our brilliant ex-Mayor, Larry Langford?) by building an ALDI near my house. Turns out, ALDI is 2.91 miles from my house!

Here's a glimpse of the savings from my $30 (!) grocery bill yesterday:

$2.79 for 28 bottles of water
25 cent peaches, plums, and nectarines
$1.50 a pound for cherries (and they were already separated into 1-lb. bunches so you didn't have to guess how many pounds you were purchasing)
$1.00 salad dressings
$5.99 for a bag of about 6 frozen chicken breasts

Just a glimpse. I was so giddy leaving the store that I almost called my mom to have someone to celebrate savings with! I didn't need to buy any wine, cereal, fresh meat, or other refrigerated products this time, but I needed to save a little something for next time anyway. And there will definitely be a next time!

By the way, if the whole process of putting a quarter in your cart, etc. is a little foreign and intimidating to you, check out this link that explains how everything works and you'll look like a natural in no time.

My latest reads

2010-07-05T23:38:00.000-05:00

It's about time for another book post, and I squeezed in a little pleasure reading a few weeks ago on our Johnson family trip. Many thanks to my friend Andrew for letting me borrow from his oh-so-quality library. Here's what I've been reading:

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
by John Boyne
Since high school, I have been both fascinated and sickened by the Holocaust, so when this movie came out a couple of years ago, I really wanted to see it. I'm glad I didn't, though, because I like to read books first and this book was beautifully written. It's a quick read (I read it in a couple of hours), but the story runs deep with friendship, heartache, innocence, intuition, and creativity. For those who don't know the story, Boyne creates a fictional story about a childhood friendship between a German boy and a Jewish boy who is in a concentration camp. The most moving part of the story is the innocence that both boys maintain in the midst of what we know to be such a tragic genocide.

The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother
by James McBride

My non-fiction for the week. I saw this book years ago at Barnes and Noble and had heard wonderful things about it (it's a NYTimes Bestseller), but ended up not buying it. So, when I saw this on Andrew's shelf I knew I needed to read it, and I wasn't disappointed. As the subtitle suggests, James McBride tells his story, but also the story of his mother, interspersing actual conversations he had with his mother in the writing of the book. He tells of how she bore twelve children, all of whom went on to college and most of whom went on to earn other advanced degrees. He tells of her challenge being white woman in a black culture and of his own identity challenges being biracial. He tells of his family's poverty, his mother's unmoving trust in God and education, and of his own transformation from rebellion to what is now his livelihood (music and writing). It's a powerful story, and even more so because it's true.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
by Sherman Alexie
I read The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven when I was in college and was drawn to Alexie's unique writing style. So, when Andrew recommended The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian to me, I was in. It's Alexie's first young adult novel (although there are parts that I wouldn't want too young of an adolescent to read), and it was a quick read, complete with funny pictures that give it that diary feel--similar to Diary of a Wimpy Kid but aimed at an older audience. Not only was the story clever and full of emotion, but it was also beautifully written. Alexie has a way of writing phrases and sentences that I have never heard before, and I love that kind of ingenuity. He tells the semi-autobiographical story of Arnold Spirit, a goofy, made-fun-of 9th grader who struggles with finding his identity, struggles with friendships, struggles with his culture, struggles with girls, and struggles to be both part of his people and to distinguish himself from them. A great read!

Books I've barely started that are sitting on my bedside table and that I hope to read before the beginning of the school year:

The Discomfort Zone
by Jonathan Franzen
Really can't tell you much about this yet, but it's a non-fiction book that was given to me by a friend and the first chapter is interesting so far!

Jayber Crow
by Wendell Berry
I've become a huge Wendell Berry fan after reading Hannah Coulter last semester for one of my classes. He writes brilliantly, and I recommend any of his books for a book club because they always spark good discussion. I got this book from my sweet sister-in-law, Kari, for my birthday and began reading it back in May. However, after just a couple of days, I was derailed by school and moving and had to put it down until this week. So, because I can't remember anything about it, I'll be starting it over this week and can't wait! I'll write about it again when I'm finished reading it.

My first days back in Birmingham: the bad, the good, and the funny

2010-07-01T23:39:00.006-05:00

Not one, not two, but THREE truckers honked at me on our drive here from Chattanooga.

The bad news: Truckers between here and Chattanooga just aren't as classy as you'd hope they'd be.

The good news: I've still got it.

Three hours at the DMV.

The bad news: On top of seeing TWO of my former students (and having to remember their names, which I did after only a short delay), the printer was messing up and made my paper license look like a shiny cartoon. I was told that my official license wouldn't make me look orange. We'll see.

The good news: For the first time in Alabama DMV history, every employee whom I spoke with was kind and pleasant.

Our cell phones don't get enough reception at our house.

The bad news: We had to cancel our 7-year long loyalty to T-Mobile and our oh-so-cheap plan.

The good news: We have switched to Verizon, will not drop any more calls, have matching phones (his is black, mine is red--be on the lookout for a blog photo story to come), AND I am in love with my ring tone. It makes me dance. Makes me.

In an effort to "simplify, simplify, simplify," I'm parting with around 70 books.

The bad news: Parting with books is such (sweet) sorrow.

The good news: I'm hoping to sell about 25 of them on half.com. The rest will be part of our donation tax write-off.

Three days into being here, I absolutely MUST have Taziki's Friday Special.

The bad news: There's a good possibility that I will crave this every single weekend. Not good for the pocketbook or for variety.

The good news: I live 10 minutes from a Taziki's and, better yet, I can make the Friday Special at home (although it's never quite the same)

Exhale

2010-07-01T16:00:00.002-05:00

For the last year, I have written pages a day. Pages. And while the whole romantic notion of "being a writer" sounds wonderful, let me tell you that pages a day is not always wonderful. It's wonderful when you discover that your 6th draft is going to be the one that's "good enough" (a piece is never really "done"). It's wonderful when you turn a piece in. It's wonderful when you're writing about something you really care about. It's wonderful in those rare moments when you're in the zone and could write for pages and pages. And it's really, really wonderful when you no longer have to write pages a day. And as of Monday*, I am FINISHED with my Master's and experiencing all kinds of wonderful!

Huge exhale.

What I love and hate about being a writer is the discipline of it all. Hate that it rarely comes to you quickly. Hate that it's easier to do just about anything other than write. Hate how it isolates me for hours on end--all for the sake of a paragraph! But love how I discover myself. Love how the pages accumulate like layers of quiet snow. Love the feeling of moving people with words. And I couldn't do the love part without discipline, which I often lack as a writer.

As relieved as I am to be finished with the never ending deadlines, I'll miss them screaming at me to WRITE, WRITE, WRITE! like sergeants in my face. I won't have those writing deadlines this year and I'm afraid I'll start to slip into the ease of not writing.

For now, though, I'm enjoying the choice to write or not to write, enjoying the exhale.

*More on Monday's experience later

Watch out, Birmingham! The Johnsons are HERE!

2010-06-22T19:27:00.002-05:00

The goodbyes have been said, the hugs given.

The boxes have been packed. And unpacked. And a lot are still sitting there waiting to be unpacked.

The gigantic Walmart run to stock the fridge has been done.

Our nomadic life lands us in Birmingham for three solid years in a house that (as of a few hours ago) has a freshly mowed and weeded yard and (as of right now) has a grill fired up and ready for a celebratory dinner of bacon wrapped steak, corn on the cob, salad, and homemade bread. And yes, probably a little bit of alcohol too.

I can't say that I've missed the 95 degree weather or the c.r.a.z.y. Birmingham drivers, but we're so content to be here...mostly because we know the One who sent us here. And He is good and sovereign and faithful and gentle and kind and forgiving and wise and powerful and REAL.

This time next week (when I'm finished with my everything for the Master's degree) we'll be open for visitors!

Must-See Movie

2010-06-06T17:19:00.001-05:00

I'm a little late in seeing The Invention of Lying, which came out sometime in 2009. How I missed it, I don't know. Possibly because we don't watch a lot of TV, which means I missed the previews. Or maybe because it received poor ratings in several media reviews. But somehow, I missed this gem of a movie starring Ricky Gervais and Jennifer Garner with cameos by Jonah Hill, Tina Fey, Jeffrey Tambor, Rob Lowe, and Jason Bateman--some of my all-time favorite actors! If you like discussion-provoking, quirky, romantic comedies, then this movie is for you.

Without giving too much away, it's about a world in which everyone tells the truth...all the time (accounting for much of the hilarity of the film). However, when everyday loser Mark Bellison (Ricky Gervais) discovers that he can tell a lie, he learns the power (for good and evil) that lying affords. The movie raises questions about what a lie really is and when/if it's okay to lie, and it forces you to consider what it is that you're really thinking about when interacting with other people (mostly about how we compare ourselves to others and try to promote ourselves as the "winner" in any given situation). It also has a really interesting spiritual commentary that would be worth some discussion...borders on sacrilegious at times, but actually moves beyond it to some thought-provoking concepts.

Beware of an opening scene that involves Jennifer Garner's character talking openly (but not graphically) about masturbation (part of the "tell the truth all the time" fall out), but other than a few other off-color saying-what-they're-thinking moments, the film was a 10 for me. Phil, on the other hand, liked it, but didn't love it like I did.

While I'm about a year late watching this movie, the plus side is that I rented it for $1.00 at Redbox. Can't beat that and a little microwave popcorn (or pop c., as Phil would say) and some caffeine free Diet Coke!

Doo-Doot, Doot, Doot, Doo...I'm lovin' it!

2010-06-04T10:39:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, as I was on my way back from a less-than-24-hour trip to Birmingham, I decided to stop at my favorite gas station/Subway joint to fill up my car and my stomach. It was 1:30 and all I'd eaten all day was a handful of strawberries and a granola bar, so it's fair to say that I was ravenous. I walked up to the Subway door only to find that it was closed for Memorial Day (good for them, bad for me), so my brain started racing: Can I make a meal out of gas station food? Eew. No. Do I get back on the interstate and wait for the next Subway or Chick-Fil-A (my favs)? No. I might die of starvation by then. And so, I was left with option #3: the McDonald's that was in walking distance from the gas station. YES.

I'm a little anti-fast food if I can help it, so I honestly haven't been to a McDonald's for anything other than a McFlurry (love those things) since...gosh, I don't know. Maybe college? Anyway, I was actually getting pretty excited about a cheeseburger and as I was standing in line, I realized that I could buy my entire lunch for under $4.00. This is why people come here. For a mere $3.00 + tax, I got a cheeseburger, apple dippers (my attempt at being healthy...along with the fact that I don't eat french fries without ketchup and I couldn't do the whole ketchup-while-driving thing), a mocha frappe, and a cup of water. And let me just tell you: they were all delicious. Even the apple dippers, which was the part of my lunch I was least looking forward to. (Don't we all have those parts of meals that we just have to "get through" in order to get to the really good stuff?) I thought it was funny (but brilliant) that the apples didn't have the peel on them, and they were the perfect balance of not too crunchy-sour or too mushy-nasty. I highly recommend them. And the caramel dipping sauce didn't hurt either. The mocha frappe was yummy too, but definitely more like a dessert than a drink.

All this to say, I'm warming up to McDonald's again. The truth is, it'll probably be a few more years until I eat there again--mostly because I like to cook too much--but when I do, I'll look forward to it. So, thank you, Yellow Arches, for some low-cost yummy food in a time of need!

Update

2010-05-25T23:27:00.003-05:00

Thanks to those of you who wrote or called in response to my last blog, and especially for not trying to fix me or my circumstances. I'm a fixer, so I know how easy it is to want to swoop in save the day for someone, but more often than not, people just need to be heard and encouraged, so thank you. I hope I can return the favor.

A quick update, lest you think I've fallen into some anxiety-ridden depths of despair: I'm much better this week. While the anxiety issues go beyond just the circumstances, to be fair, I was kind of experiencing a lot at once last week, and now that some of those big changes are behind me, the pressure is off a bit.

I have more serious, silly, and downright ridiculous blog ideas in the queue, but for now, I'm just offering an update...and managing to use the words "swoop," "lest," (not to be confused with "lust" or "molest"), and "queue" in a single blog entry--without meaning to. Does that make me just a little nerdy? Probably.

Depleted, Anxious, and So Very Loved

2010-05-16T21:47:00.000-05:00

Do you ever have those days where you feel like you have nothing left to give? Nothing at all? Days when you're completely depleted and everyone who's in your life needs you to pray, needs your advice, needs your help, needs you to come over, and you feel like you're the needy one and you have no idea how you can help at all? That's been my week. And then in the midst of feeling so helpless to help, God shows up and is strong--even when we don't stop to ask Him to be strong. Even when we've been so ridiculously busy and anxious about all kinds of things that we can't control, and even when we don't even pray, He shows up. He's so gentle that way, isn't He?

My last week has been one big ball of anxiety. In fact, much of my life has been that way--something I wish weren't the case, but something that keeps me needing Him. I spent last week sleeplessly, waking up in the middle of the night and worrying about a gazillion things like:

The 50 good pages I need to crank out on my thesis in the next three weeks
Packing up all our stuff to move it to Birmingham this weekend
Moving in with my parents for a few weeks
Staying on top of the class I'm taking (in addition to the 50-page thesis)
Studying for my comprehensive exam in June (again, on top of aforementioned class & thesis)
Teaching a new subject next year and not having enough time this summer to prepare (or so I feel)
And then all the daily things that won't even make this list

So it's been a week of sleep deprivation, a knotted stomach, a body that wants to move all the time just so I feel like something is being accomplished. And in the midst of all that useless flurry, God shows up. He sends me a young woman who wants to know about the gospel. He sends me the words of a hymn. He sends me Psalm 121. He sends me perfect timing on moving out of our apartment (and having someone move into our house for the EXACT days we need someone to be there before we move down). He is so gentle. So undeservedly gentle. And I'm grateful.

The Truth/Grace Project

2010-05-05T20:35:00.000-05:00

I'm working on something that I've dubbed the "Grace-Truth Project." What is it? Glad you asked.

John 1:14, John 1:17, and Colossians 1:6 all use the phrase "grace and truth," and it's an odd pairing, really. When we think of grace, we think of mercy, kindness, compassion, second, third, ninetieth chances. But when we think of truth, we often think of judgement, exposure, hard honesty. Of course, that's truth's dark side; it's other side is a place of depth, confidence, authenticity, and value. Now, I love truth. Love it. I'm always looking for it, trying to live it, and appreciating it when I find it. I'm extremely discerning and so it's usually easy for me to know right from wrong, truth from deception, to "read" people, to tune in to motives. So, truth is my natural bent. But grace--that's a different story. As much as I love receiving it, I'm not the best at giving it out. It's much easier for me to be critical and judgmental concerning my own failures and those of others than it is to offer grace.

It seems that most people are heavy-footed toward grace or toward truth. Phil steps toward grace. He is one of the most non-judgmental people I know and he has a kind, non-accusing way of making his points. However, he hates confrontation and will often avoid it to keep the peace. I step toward truth. I don't shy away from necessary confrontation and I'm not afraid to speak up for what is right. However, often, I come across as harsh and judgmental, lacking grace.

So, the "Grace-Truth Project" is a way to remind myself that I need both grace AND truth. Sometimes just naming something makes it more real. So, there really isn't a "project" in the sense that I have a plan and specific goals and a blueprint of how to get there, but I'm working toward a more grace-filled life and calling it the "Grace-Truth Project" makes it more of a reality for me.

So, I'm wondering: for those of you whose natural step is toward grace, what are some ways that I can fill my life with more of that?

And for those of you who spend time with me, feel free to remind me of this project when when I'm displaying a bit too much truth!

Sold!

2010-05-05T20:04:00.001-05:00

As of last Friday, Phil and I are homeowners!

We got the classic picture in front of the "sold" sign (oh yeah, that's a self portrait):

And then we thought we might as well do some painting in the bedroom while there isn't any furniture in it. Let's just say that the "spun gold" color looked great on the swatch, paired well with the accent color, and then...it got on the wall. And it was, well, a little too sunny. So, sometime in the next few weeks, we'll be fixing that little problem and doing the whole room in the rust color (Martha Stewart's "Graham Cracker Crust," which I love). OR, instead of doing the whole room in the rust color, I could go back to a more neutral color and just have the one accent wall. Thoughts? If anyone needs a gallon of "spun gold," it's yours.

And here are a few pictures of the inside (staged by the seller's realtor):

Let the mortgage payments and debt begin!

Afternoon Tea

2010-04-27T07:47:00.000-05:00

Based on my blog entries this month, it should be clear how little free time I've had. BUT one of the best choices I made in the midst of all the crazy was to have afternoon tea at The English Rose with several friends from school. A traditional English tearoom (see pictures), it's one of Chattanooga's unique places run by two "real life" English women and the perfect place for all things girly.

After writing our party's name in chalk on the chalkboard to secure our place during a short wait, we had time to peruse the shelves and shelves of tea sets, teas, stationery, aprons, and other little trinkets that you really hope you don't knock over since you'll be paying for them if you do. Most entertainingly, we saw a group of about 6 elderly women decked out in all red--literally from head to toe. They all had on different red hats, and I'm pretty sure I overheard someone say that they come every week for tea at high noon. I wouldn't put it past them. And I secretly hope that I'll be having afternoon tea in a red hat when I'm 80+ years old!

We sat down and the first thing our server asked us was, "Would you like a pot of tea for the table?" Yes please! And oh, it was good! But when our finger sandwiches and cheese scones came out, the tea took a back seat. The cheese scone was especially delicious with all the buttery flavor of a scone without the dryness.

But better than the black tea (with cream, of course) or the "crumpets" was the conversation with friends who understand my life in grad school right now and that was the real treat.

If you ever have a leisurely afternoon in Chattanooga, I highly recommend the English Rose. In the above picture, our table was the one in the bottom left corner.

The Weepies: my new favorite band

2010-04-26T19:23:00.002-05:00

go to lala.com.

type in The Weepies.

brilliant!

(thanks to Katie for the recommendation!)