Just one highlight from the Diamond Dogs game today...

God bless Alabama fans. They were more fun to watch at times than the game itself. I really wish this picture could provide the full effect but unfortunately there is no audio with still shots.

Reading is FUNdamental!

Ok, who here remembers Book It? You know...the reading incentive program in elementary school where if you read a certain number of books, you got a personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut? Let this image serve as a reminder in case your memory regarding absolute random and useless information isn't as sharp as mine is.

So I absolutely loved Book It! whenever I was growing up. I was totally the geeky bookworm who earned her blue button plus all of her yellow stars for it too. Truth is, I'm still a geeky bookworm, but I no longer get free pizza as a reward. One of the things that I have been doing since the beginning of the spring semester is counting down the days until recreational reading could begin during my summer break from classes. I've been composing my summer reading list since January. Well, the first book I read did not disappoint. Earlier this week I finished reading The Kite Runner. Holy smokes, I love this book. I'll be honest, I'm completely ignorant to the culture in
Afghanistan. Not only is it an interesting perspective of life in old Afghanistan prior to Russia's invasion of it, it was written in 2003 so there are modern day references to the Taliban as well. I definitely learned so much about the culture and history in that country. I'm not going to lie. It's sad. Like, tears being shed as I'm turning the pages sad. But so very well written. (unlike much of this post) If you haven't read it and you're looking for a good read then run, don't walk to your local library or bookstore and pick up a copy for yourself.

Her children rise up and call her blessed

Mothers. We all have them. I happen to have an amazing one who I love very much. It is no secret that when I was a little girl, I was a total mama's girl. To this day I am reminded by family members how I wouldn't go anywhere without my mama or if I did, I was usually in tears because she wasn't there. Don't get me wrong, I love my whole family, but did they lug me around in their bellies for 40 weeks? I think not. It's only fitting that my loyalty lie with the person who brought me into this world. Mom and I have always had a good relationship. Even during the tumultuous teen years. Well, I think that we have...perhaps she should weigh in on the matter too. I can only remember getting a spanking once. Actually it's not so much the spanking I remember at all, it is the homemade icee's (Sprite and Coke) that she made for me afterwards. Sure, there are times when we have differences of opinions and that has always been the case (see picture below...I wasn't so sure that curly hair was as fitting for her as it was for me). However I give her credit for my rather fierce independence and somewhat opinionated personality. She has raised me to have a mind of my own and for that, I am very thankful. But while I was encouraged to always think for myself, she instilled in me the importance of being kind to others even if they have different views. So I attribute my sense of compassion to her as well.

I do believe that the good Lord knew that I would need a mother with the kind of personality that mine has. She is one of the most laid-back persons I know. Sometimes I envy that about her. Why didn't I inherit that trait?!? Whether I was upset because there was a thunderstorm raging outside or I was stuck in a tree with seemingly no way to get down, Mom was always right there to calm me down and protect me when I was little. I can't imagine how difficult it is for mothers to watch their children grow up and let them go knowing that there are much bigger things in the world that they must be protected from. This is where faith is so important. Mom's faith is one to be admired. She has always taught me that God is in control and that we must trust in Him in all things.


When I was in college, some of my friends thought it was so bizarre that I talked to Mama on the phone as much as I did. Perhaps it wasn't so much the frequency that they thought bizarre but the time of day in which we had most of our conversations. I usually never called before 11:00 at night. More often than not, it was much later than that. In fact it's 11:06 pm, and I'm on the phone with her right now. The habit of talking to her on the phone started when I was very young. I stayed with my grandmother, Mumu, after mom went back to work and each day I would talk to her on the phone. As I was going through my photo albums to find these pictures this is only one of many with a phone stuck to my ear. No doubt about who was on the other end of the line if it was taken at Mumu's house. I'm so thankful that I have a Mama who has never put parameters on when it was too late to call home or made me feel like I can't bother her by calling while she is at work. She has always put her children before the important things like sleep and work and always made it clear that we are our first priority. It probably helps that she has the uncanny ability to fall back to sleep in less than 1/10 of a second too. Err...when I call during the middle of the night...not while she's at work! Rarely a day goes by when I don't talk to her. Even if it's just for a minute or two. I'm completely grown but I don't think that children ever outgrow the comfort that results from knowing that they have parents who are always there for them.
My relationship with Mom has changed throughout the years but that is to be expected considering I have grown up into adulthood. I no longer get in trouble for talking back (ok, well, maybe I do sometimes) nor do I cry when she isn't in my direct line of vision. Thank goodness I outgrew that one. However there are some things that have not changed...she is still my constant cheerleader and always a voice of reason. We have always had fun together. She's the fun one in the family so it's only natural that I have fun with her. One of my favorite memories from childhood is when dad would go hunting, she and I would have girls weekends. She let me do her hair, nails and make-up and we would have slumber parties in the living room. We've even gotten to travel to some pretty fun places together, Boston and Vegas, over the past few years. I value the relationship that I have with Mama more with each passing year. When I hear people talk about how they never see their mom or don't have a good relationship with their mom, it makes me all the more thankful for the good one I have been given. Although I was a good kid by most accounts, I know that raising me probably wasn't the easiest task in the world. As an adult I can see how during the times when my little world was falling apart (let's be honest, little girls are just mean to each other) and I was crying to her, I'm sure her heart was breaking even more than mine was. Yet she never let on because she had to be strong and tell me that it would be ok. And you know what, she was right. It was.

I believe that a mother's love for her children is the closest humans will ever get to unconditional love. Only God can love us unconditionally, but a mama's is pretty close. I think this ability that mothers have to love their children so much is also one of the things that makes their job so hard sometimes. How heartbreaking when a child disobeys or makes a poor decision. How scary when a child breaks a bone or goes off to college. But how rewarding when a baby lights up upon seeing his or her mom enter the room or when something great happens and she is the first to know. How proud moms must feel when their children show kindness and love towards others or scores the winning run in a ballgame. I pray that one day I will be given the opportunity to have and raise children of my own. It is my hope that I will be the kind of mother to them that mine is to me. She is such a good example of all that a good and loving mother should be, and I'm so thankful that she is mine! Happy Mother's Day.

Say

Since I love music so very much it seems that I have a new favorite song each week. This week the title of 'Favorite' is bestowed upon John Mayer's latest release "Say". In case you don't know what song I'm referring to, please scroll to the bottom of my blog and take a listen. Generally I'm not the biggest John Mayer fan on the block even though a few megabytes of memory are hopelessly devoted to him on my iPod. And seriously, what is up with him and Jennifer Aniston these days? I digress...

Today in the car was the first time that I really paid attention to the lyrics and for whatever reason they really struck a chord with me. Well, not all of them, but some of them. Allow me to share a few:

"Take all your so called problems/better put them in quotations"
How true is that. Of course we all have problems. Every single one of us does, and unfortunately some have much much bigger ones than others do. But I wonder what would happen if we took the time to stop and think about how much worse our problems could be...or better yet, think about all the good in our life. Perhaps those problems would seem more like molehills instead of mountains. For example: "I can't believe that I have to spend so much money in rent every single month. I would be able to do so much more if I didn't have to shell out so much just to live." Definitely deserving of quotations. Instead, I should say what [I] need to say which is "I am so fortunate that I have a job where I earn enough money to live in a nice and safe apartment that I can call home." I know, I know...you think I'm being lame. But seriously, I have a job. I have a pretty nice apartment with a gate and a pool for crying out loud. I should be thanking Jesus for those things everyday.

"Living up the same old moment/knowing you'd be better off instead/if you could only... say what you need to say"
Am I the only one who replays scenes over and over again thinking "gah, if only I had said ______, then I would feel so much better or things might have turned out so differently." If I had a dollar for every time I've thought that or something similar I would be independently wealthy before age 30. Why don't we say those things? For one, the reason why I don't always is because I'm such a thinker that I need time to process something before responding. Hence the reason you'll never see me in a presidential debate. However more often than not, I don't say it because I worry (ugh, curse word) how the other person will react. I certainly don't believe in saying something simply to have the last word. That is not saying what you need to say. That's saying what you want to say. And I have found that having the last word often leads to unpleasant situations.

"You better know that in the end/it's better to say too much/than never to say what you need to say again"
Is is really better to say too much than keep something that you really feel bottled up inside? I think so. With discretion. Fortunately (or unfortunately, sometimes) for me, if there is something that I need to say then I will eventually do it. Sure, I can keep it in for a little while but then it just reaches a point where I feel like I'll explode if I don't say it. Like...I can't go to sleep at night without getting it off my chest first. And I'm not one to lose sleep. This little component of my personality has elicited a few late night phone calls and conversations over the years. But why do we so often keep it inside? Usually I do it because I'm afraid that I will make someone mad... or hurt a person's feelings... or become vulnerable by doing so. Which is ridiculous I know. For instance if I'm genuinely worried about a friend due to the decisions that he or she is making, what kind of friend am I if I don't say anything because I'm afraid it will make them upset with me? What kind of friendship is it if we can't be totally open and honest with each other? Not a very solid one. There was a point in my life a couple of years ago when I prayed for vulnerability. Warning: Think long and hard about praying for vulnerability before you do it. God certainly answered my prayer and there were times when I probably said too much, but that's really just my pride talking when I say that. I learned so much during that time. One thing being we can't take it for granted and assume that we will get another chance to say something so it's best to use the opportunity when it presents itself.

Words are powerful (contrary to the whole "sticks and stones" rhyme). They have the ability to change lives. Imagine what could happen if became conscious of how we used them on a daily basis.

Are you saying what you need to say?

If I could be anywhere in the world right now...

I choose here

Currently I'm in the process of choosing a vacation destination in order to meet my goal of traveling to at least one new place per year. So while on my "smoke break" at work I decided to look through my old vacation pictures for inspiration. And I stumbled across this picture of Nubble Lighthouse in Maine. What a beautiful COLD place! Fun fact: When I was a little girl, it was my dream to live in a lighthouse. Funny fact about the fun fact: I hated the ocean as a child. Hum.

Anybody got any suggestions about where I should go?

Blah Blah Blog

Hello friends. I apologize for the lack of information being posted to this little blog o' mine. Life has been quite busy with work and finishing up with school for the semester. I know, I know...no excuse. Really, I have none whatsoever especially when I read blogs written by brand new mothers. Seriously, stay-at-home moms, take a nap or something. You all deserve it. The truth is, I would much rather learn about how everyone else is doing than go on and on about myself which is why I am not the greatest blogger in the blogosphere. That's not to say that my own life doesn't have newsworthy events...things are quite great and exciting right now! For your reading pleasure I've posted a few random ramblings. But enough about me...I'm off to read about all of you...

Ode to 101 Ash Avenue

During my last semester of college/first semester of working at a college I lived in a house with 3 incredible ladies. I really wish that I had a picture of this house complete with vinyl siding and ginormous picture window. I affectionally referred to it as The Money Pit because seriously, is it normal to have a water bill well over $100 dollars? I think not. But we did once, thanks to this home sweet home. I think it's safe to say that the picture window was not composed of double-paned glass...or whatever it's called to make it more energy efficient. Anyhoodle, I'm not here to lament about the dollars spent on the utilities. I'm here to talk about my time living with these 3 girls. Let's be honest, I was kind of a random last-minute addition to the roomate dynamic but what a blessing in my life it turned out to be. Although I'm a bit fuzzy on the details, I'm pretty sure that it was decided I would be joining Jennifer, Allison and Renee in Ash house while on a bus trip from the markets back to our hotel in Cancun, Mexico during a spring break mission trip. Yesterday on my way back to Athens from Allison's baby shower, I was thinking about all the fun times we had during that year as a group of 4 and then those I had with them individually as well. Oh what fun it was to deck the halls during Christmas and then travel to Disney for the weekend in the spring. While Jennifer majored in the arts, I think that the rest of us earned at least an honorary minor for that one project involving pipe cleaner! Jenn and I would stay up well after the other two had gone to sleep to talk about love, life and other mysteries (thanks Point of Grace for that phrase) and then I so enjoyed the early morning walks that Renee and I would take on occasion. Allison is one of the few people in the world who truly gets my sometimes raw and quirky humor. I always knew that she was gifted. :) The four of us haven't been back together since moving out at the end of that year but I truly cherish each time I get to see these girls.

27 Dresses

I have made 11 trips down the aisle in dresses that I will only wear once. So naturally the movie, 27 Dresses, seemed like it would be one that I could relate to, right? Besides, what better way to celebrate the end of the spring semester than adding this movie to my collection. And like most other girls in the free world, I'm a complete sap when it comes to a good love story with a happily-everafter ending. And as anticipated, the movie delivered a happy ending so all-in-all, I'm glad that I made the purchase. However what I enjoyed most was thinking back on all the fun memories that I have made and been able to be a part of by being in so many weddings myself. It is actually quite humbling to know that there are people who think so much of me to they wanted me standing beside them on one of the most important days in their lives. I loved each one for different reasons and I'm so very thankful that I have had the opportunities to share in such a special time with dear friends and family members who I care about so much. I have joked many times that when it's my turn to wear the white dress I'm just going to hand the dress that I wore back to the respective bridesmaid and have them alter it for my own wedding. Needless to say I was a little perturbed to see that Hollywood stole my idea and did that for the end of the movie so I guess I'll just have to come up with some other creative idea. Perhaps patchwork dresses...

I really wish that I had pictures on my computer from all the weddings because it would make this post so much better but 4 out of 11 is better than none! The first one is from 2001 when Shelley got married. Holy cow...I can't believe that she has been married 7 years this August. Crazy!

Jenn's Wedding in June 2004. This is Wedding #2 of 4 over a period of 6 months. What a fun season!

Suz's Wedding in August 2004. Interesting fact: until this dress, nothing in my closet was baby pink...now I have more baby pink shirts hanging in my closet than I could ever need.

Mag's Wedding in October 2004. Too bad you can't see the super fab flip-flops that she made for her bridesmaids to wear at the reception.

Just Call Me Flo-Jo

...Ok, not really. But I am happy to report that since my last post (eons ago), I successfully completed a half-marathon. And I'm even happier to report that I ran all but about 8 or so minutes of the 13.1 miles. Honestly that was much better than I was anticipating considering that the farthest I had run in training was 10.6 miles and that was 4 weeks before the ING. The last 4 weeks of "training" I devoted to writing papers for class and eating chocolate chip cookies so all things considered, I am very proud of my accomplishment! I will definitely do another one. I think that I've got one half-marathon in me a year and I will probably try to run other ones outside of the ATL so I can incorporate another favorite past-time (travel) into the fun. I'm thinking that the Country Music (Half) Marathon in Nashville is sounding good for next year. Now, please don't get me wrong, I'm no fitness buff now or anything crazy like that. My body hurt in ways that I did not even know it was possible to hurt afterwards, but it was worth it in the long run. (Ha! Long Run...I crack myself up.) I now have such respect and admiration for those people who take running so seriously. It does a number on the body. I don't understand how the marathoners do it because I'm pretty convinced that I would totally be that girl you hear about on the news who keeled over just short of the finish line at mile 26.1 if I ever tried a full marathon. I'm content with letting the lead marathoner pass me when I'm 1:36 into the half. Yes, that happened...he had been to Decatur (on foot) already when he passed me...over-acheiver. Basically the satisfaction for me came from setting a goal and then accomplishing that goal. The burned calories didn't hurt either...

Happy Birthday, Sluzy-Q!

Ok, I'm a sucky blogger. I'm aware of this. I actually started a post in honor of my dear pal, Suzanna's, birthday when it was actually her birthday...one month ago today. However by the time I made it back to Athens from her kickin' party at Frontera Mex-Mex Grill and the after party at Trice Manor, I was too sleepy to finish it. Nonetheless the point and purpose of the post was/is (err...) to celebrate Suzanna. There are so many things that I could go on and on about Suzanna and her friendship but one of them is her love for birthdays. She truly celebrates people and makes them feel so special on their special days (like, birthdays) and I want her to know that it does not go unnoticed. This world is a much better place because she is in it!
PS...I'm happy to report that she had the lung capacity to blow out all the candles at once and the City of Norcross Fire Department was not called during the festivities.