Not Alone Series: Friendship {freebie!}

Linking this "freebie" topic with Jen at Jumping in Puddles and Morgan at Follow and Believe!

"I'm so grateful for you two!" was a frequent refrain last weekend as my two best friends and I played by the sea. I love that my friends and I are able to express gratitude for each other to each other. We all live at least an hour from each other, but through group texts and phone calls and weekend getaways, we are able to stay connected, and I think through our physical separation, we are more aware of and grateful for our close friendship. {To read and see the highlights of our weekend, check out Samara's great post!}

In 8 days, I'll be back in the Bluegrass State with my bosom friend and the rest of the family in my Other Home. My friendship with AJ is another sweet, sweet gift. She and I text regularly and talk as often as the three-hour time difference allows. One of the best part of our relationship is that we tell each other that we're thinking of each other, missing the other, and grateful for our friendship - I love that!

Another grand adventure is about to start next month - my sister is moving in with me! I am beyond thrilled that the sister with whom I begrudgingly shared a room through our childhood and adolescence is now {voluntarily!} moving into a grown-up living situation with me. There is a point in time where you begin to hang out with your siblings because you enjoy their company, not just because they live with you, and then there's a point where you want to hang out with your siblings while not living with them, and now we are at the point where we want to hang out AND live together. Grown-up sibling relationships are so wonderful.

NAS Community, you add joy and color and encouragement to my day, and I'm glad that we are virtual friends. I'm grateful for you!

7 Quick Takes: Oils and Anniversaries

Linking up with Jen at Conversion Diary for this week's Takes!

1.  First of all, our hostess Jen has an amazingly crazy schedule, yet she still makes time to host this link-up every week. Thanks, Jen!

In case you didn't know, Jen has written an awesome book {that adjective comes from countless blogging friends who have read it and loved it} and I'm excited to get my hands on it {come on, library!} and share my thoughts on it. Stay tuned!

2. Okey dokey, what's up with the oil? A couple months ago, Samara and I purchased Young Living's Premium Starter Kit {it's the best value, peeps, for realz!}, because we'd been reading about essentials oils from Emily and Jami and Natalie {oh, and Heather just started a series, too!} and we wanted to try it. It's been awesome. So awesome that these oils are the subject of the next few Takes.

3. The premium kit comes with a diffuser and oh. my. gosh. I am in love with this thing! It's so easy to use and it smells wonderful and makes me feel like I'm in a spa and hello, it's also adorable!

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People come over to my house and say, "What's that egg thing?" and I usually respond with, "It's my baby stop judging I'm in love here let me show you," and then there's no jumping off this hippie train {right, Natalie? ;) }.

4. Golly, Bek, that sounds cool and all, but what do these oils do?!? Oh, my friend... essential oils are awesome! So I may have mentioned a while ago that I had some health yuckiness {and some super horrid bills to pay}, and on Tuesday, I went to the hospital and had a minor surgery and got everything taken care of. I think the side effect of sedation, though, was a head cold, because a) who gets head colds in July?? and b) I started having symptoms only after the procedure. But I will take a head cold over puking aaannnnyyyy day, so glory be.

I woke up Wednesday feeling super congested, and thought, maybe I should try some oils and stuff. Thieves is the mother of all immune support, and since I didn't have time before work to diffuse it, I just unscrewed the bottle and inhaled a whiff. Just one breath. And then I got dressed. And by the time I was completely dressed, my nose was completely cleared up. It's true. It's magical.

5. Later Wednesday evening, I was showing our oils to some dinner guests, and I read that peppermint can help with sinuses and headaches, so I put a drop on my finger and rubbed it onto my temples and sinuses. Ohhhh my goodness, people. Peppermint is a cool oil, and my face started tingling where I had applied the oil. My headache disappeared. 

And when the directions say to "avoid eye area," I suggest doubling the size of whatever you consider the "eye area" because peppermint is strong and your eyes will sting a bit. But that was a small price to pay for no more headache! I slept like a baby that night. 

6. On a non-oily note, yesterday was my bosom friend's parents' anniversary, and she wrote a beautiful post about them! They are my pastors in Kentucky as well a part of my "Kentucky family" and I think they're super cute!

7. Speaking of anniversaries, today is my parents'! They've been married for 27 years, and aren't they adorable!?

with my sister Jayna

the whole fam!

Happy anniversary, Mom and Dad! Thank you for the awesome example of a fun and dedicated marriage. You're the best!

Finish This: Week Twenty-four

Linking up with Jen at The Arizona Russums, Nicole at Three 31, Lisa at Coastlined, and Becky at The Java Mama. There's a special treat happening next week, so tune in and link up!

I could spend all day in my pajamas, taking turns reading and talking with friends. If you've seen me in my pajamas, you've probably come over to my house after work, because basically as soon as I get home, I'm in my pjs. And in case you wondered what I'm reading these days, check out the stack of books that I'm working my way through :)

My primary and most essential goal in life right now is to finish the aforementioned stack of books before they're due back at the library! Also to discern God's will for me... got some ideas and changes and dreams rolling around in my head, and I want to be sure it's God before I act.

You might be surprised to learn that I would pierce my nose in a heartbeat, if it would be appropriate for work. And now that I'm journeying towards a more independent career, I'm thinking that another piercing is in my future... :)

My favorite place in the world is wherever loved ones are. When I'm with my family, that's my favorite. When I'm in Kentucky hanging with the coolest people ever, that's my favorite. When Samara and I are sitting on the floor of the hallway at 11:45pm talking about life and church and redemption, that's my favorite. When I'm at Notion Club listening to the brilliant words of incredible friends, that's my favorite.

I wish I had known sooner that I don't have to be like anybody else. SO many bad habits of comparison could have been broken sooner had I known {or accepted} that no one else can be me.

Thanks for joining! Next week, there is a prize for participating in Finish This, so come on back and link up, yo!

Finish This: Week Nineteen

Joining the link-up fun with Nicole at Three 31, Jen at The Arizona Russums, Lisa at Coastlined, and Becky at The Java Mama.

A lesson I learned from my mom is always unplug the curling iron or straightener. I can't tell you how many times my family has been driving away from the house but had to stop so one of us could run inside and double-check the curling iron. Mom had this thing when I was growing up where, uh, she didn't want the house to catch on fire. Idk if any of your moms were like this, but it was important to my mom, so now I am a double-checker and unplugger of my hair straightener.

To burn calories, I head to a Zumba class! I've branched out and tried aerobic dance {my favorite! I'm now a regular attendee} and a circuit training class. Or if there are no classes happening, I'll put on my walking shoes and head down to walk out on the dock near my house. If I'm really dedicated/know that I've been lazy, I'll do this ab workout, but that's only when I've got a death wish pumped myself up for it.

My best hair day was in May in Kentucky - the humidity there is perfect! I know lots of girls fight the whole humidity thing, and while I don't like sweating in it, at least my hair looks fabulous!

I am grateful for one thousand things! For my parents, sisters, friends, church, home. For a car that runs. For living in one of the largest library systems in the world. For the ability to walk, move, dance. For freedoms and rights and the ability to initiate change. For favorite sweatshirts. For yoga pants. For nail polish. For Target. For new journals and old journals. For Jesus Who died for me.

Thanks for joining the fun! The hostesses requested that participants invite another blogger to partake, so today I'd love to invite Ashley! If you are not Ashley and you'd like to join, all you gotta do is add your post to the link-up or answer the prompts in the comments. Done and done. See ya next time!

Surprise!

Alright, here it is! The promised post of How Bek Surprised Her Bosom Friend For Her Birthday, or I Can't Believe Bek Kept Her Big Mouth Shut For Six Weeks, or Golly, Bek Travels A Long Way to Dye Her Hair. Any of those titles are appropriate, so please feel free to pick your favorite and keep that in mind as you read. Also, I'm sorry this is so text-heavy, but since it was a surprise, I didn't trust myself to take any pictures.

The general scheme was that I would go to Kentucky to surprise AJ for her {early} birthday. Her husband and I messaged on Facebook concerning dates, and then he brought Rachel into the loop as back-up. In the middle of January, I bought my ticket. Great flights, great price, and a great challenge in terms of keeping my mouth shut. As Sherlock would say, the game is on!

Right after I bought my ticket, our office saw a sprinkling of snow. Ugh. I mean, snow is pretty and everything, but not when you're at work and can't go out to enjoy it. Or when you know that nobody knows how to drive in the snow, so traffic will suuuuuuck. So I texted AJ "is your guest room ready?" Her response: "Do not do this to me. Yes it is ready anytime." I laughed like a maniac and texted her back "it's snowing here, so I thought I'd just come to visit. Or we could just meet in Mexico." Hardy har har, Bek. Cruel and unusual.

A couple weeks later, we had a phone date. Greatest challenge ever. But my maniac persona was back, and when AJ told me that they'd had snow on the ground for the past 4 weeks, I proclaimed, "And that is why I don't visit you in February!" I know, my friend-card should be revoked.

Finally, a few days before I left for the Bluegrass State, I texted AJ that "I think I know what I'm going to get you for your birthday" and "I should have it in the mail this week!" Such. A. Tease. But at least I wasn't the only one, because AJ's husband had started hinting at a surprise later in the week.

February 20th started early-early for me, but thankfully everything went smoothly. I gate-checked my bag, so I only had to worry about my backpack. Besides the bouncy guy next to me {whom I promptly told him where he could move his leg...in a really kind voice, I promise}, the flight to Detroit was uneventful. Once I landed, I had a couple hours to walk around and get lunch before my next flight. I got a phone call from an 800 number, but didn't want to deal with whatever they were selling, so I ignored it. Turned out it was the airline telling me my flight to Lexington had been cancelled. Ugh.

Long tedious story {involving several phone calls, barely containing tears of frustration, waiting in line for half my life, running back and forth across the Detroit airport, frantically texting several friends, and trying not to raise my voice} short, I ended up flying into Louisville instead of Lexington. A nice older gentleman offered to share a cab with me {and pay for it all, might I add!} to the Lexington airport, and Rachel the Superhero picked me up there.

Several hours after I had originally planned to be heading to AJ's house, Rachel and I were on our way. Just outside of town at a quarter to 10, I texted AJ: "Hey, are you still up?" Of course she was - her hubs was keeping her up so that she could be surprised! Via text, I asked her if we could have a quick phone date because there was "a situation" I wanted to talk over with her.

Rachel turned off her car's lights and parked in front of AJ's house. I jumped out of the car and tried to keep my voice calm and quiet, even though I was totally shaking with excitement. I pressed the call button. Here is our conversation, word for word, according to my adrenaline-infused memory.

AJ: "Hey, what's up, friend?"

Bek: "Hey, well, I've got this problem. I've had a really, really long day {true!} and I was wondering if you could do me a little favor..."

AJ: "Sure, I'll try." {I'm sure she was wondering what on earth she could do for me 2,500 miles away!}

Bek: "Could you come open your front door?"

briefest of pauses...

AJ: "WHAT?!?!!?" and I hear her running across the living room. Her hubs got this picture of the action.

The front door flew open and AJ was crying and laughing and asking "Why are you at my house?!?!" It was a glorious moment.

so happy to have arrived and to actually surprised my bosom friend!

{please note the furry dog head in the bottom-right corner...I don't just carry around towels for kicks}

There was much rejoicing and Ale-8 drinking and laughing, and even though we tried to wake AJ's oldest, he was just too deep in his REM cycle to be bothered with saying hello. He told me in the morning, though that "I wanted to say hello, but my body didn't want to!" So precious.

While in Kentucky, AJ and I went shopping both with and without her kids; we dyed each other's hair {it's a tradition}; we baked cookies, stayed up way too late, went to church, zumba'd in her living room, visited her sister, started a new tradition of beer cheese nachos, and generally had an awesome time being in the same state.

It was a most wonderful visit, and I'm so glad that I was able to go and that it was a real live surprise {lots of people, myself included, doubted whether or not it would be a surprise}. Happy birthday, AJ! You are the best bosom friend ever, and I love you lots!

7 Quick Takes: End of February

Joining Jen at Conversion Diary for today's 7 Quick Takes.

1. First things first: the reason I didn't join the link-up last week was because I was in Kentucky surprising my friend! :D Twas a glorious and too-short visit, and I chose to enjoy being with my bosom friend and her kids {who happen to be four of my favorite children in theee whooole world}. There is a post on this surprise visit forthcoming.

2. I really loved this post by Emily at Chatting at the Sky. Making your blog really truly your blog is supposed to have some flexibility perks, right? On that note, there are a few blog posts that I've promised {like the one above} that I haven't yet written and I do want to actually write those. Since today is the last day of Bailey Jean's Blog Every Day in February challenge, look for these promised posts in March.

3. Also in March, you'll be seeing this blogger at a couple different blogs. What! That freaks me out just a teensy bit. But yeah, I agreed to write a post for my lovely friend Victoria, and then my friends Catherine and Yvonne and I are doing a blog swap/hosting each other/guest post thing in the middle of March. So yeah, that's gonna happen and it's gonna be great. I'm speaking in faith, obviously, but let's all agree together and amen and amen.

4. Did you take part in END IT? Thursday, February 27th was the day that people all over the country and world decided to Shine A Light on Slavery. Check out END IT's website as well as other resources like Made In A Free World.

5. Ok, maybe my OCD is getting the better of me, but even when "blogging experts" tell me to promote la blog on ye ol' Facebook, I can't do it. When I go on Facebook, I want to see people; when I go on Bloglovin', I want to see blogs, and hopefully ne'er the two shall meet. Am I crazy? I am feeling slightly crazy because the line from "The Quiet Man" is running through my head: "When I drink whiskey, I drink whiskey, and when I drink water, I drink water." {If you have never seen "The Quiet Man" then please don't even bother finishing the last 2 Takes because that is a John Wayne-Maureen O'Hara classic and it will add to the quality of your life and maybe even affect your definition of masculinity because hello it's John Wayne...end rant.}

6. This morning I totally thought I had my life together {hair looked good, chai was made}, but when I got to work, I found that only one earring had survived the journey from my bedroom to the office. Sigh. I don't know if I forgot to put in one earring because I was also choosing my socks for the day or if I put it in and it wormed its way out. This is a question that will haunt me until at least 5:30 pm today when I get home to check my dresser.

7. Today is the last day of February which means it's the last day of Bailey's Blog Every Day in Feb challenge, which is both awesome and sad. It's awesome because hello, a bunch of people just blogged for 28 days in a row! And it's sad because it's over.... but it's also just a teensy bit awesome that it's over because all good things must come to an end and this was definitely a good thing :) But seriously, this was a fabulous challenge and it was so fun to link up with Bailey and the gang every day.

That's all, folks! Have a happy, happy weekend!

Blog Every Day Feb: Day Twenty-one - Home

Linking up with Bailey Jean for February's blogging challenge!

The meaning of HOME. Well, once again Bailey has perfect timing, because by now the surprise is done: I'm in Kentucky, my Other Home! My bosom friend AJ's birthday is next week, so I flew out to surprise her. This really deserves its own post, but since the subject is home, I thought I'd share :)

Home is wherever you're a part of a family. I consider Seattle my home because my biological family and church family are here; I consider Kentucky my other home because my non-biological family and church family are here.

Home is where you are welcome no matter what time and no matter what situation. Home is the place of unconditional love and acceptance. Home is the anchor that keeps you grounded and in the right place.

Home is wherever the Lord has called you. Home is where there's grace. Home is where there is rest.

Blog Every Day Feb: Day Seventeen - Five Favorites

Linking up with Bailey Jean for five favorites today!

1.

This may come as a shock to you all {oops, some sarcasm dripped on the floor!} but I really, really love Doctor Who. Well, really I love a lot of British television, but Doctor Who is at the top for the vast majority of the time. I know I sound like a crazy fan-girl, but I'm gonna be loud and proud and say that it's my favorite. Doctor Who is pretty darn awesome. 

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2.

You may officially and permanently put me into the "weird girl" category in your head after this one. I love cleaning and doing housework. Laundry, dishes, vacuuming, dusting - these are a few of my favorite things! I enjoy keeping and having a clean house. The only cleaning task I avoid is cleaning the fridge, but I've tried to embrace being a grown-up and do it little by little so it doesn't get too intimidating. 

3.

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Kentucky is a favorite! I've already written about my love for the Bluegrass State {and already used this image, apparently}, and I'll say it again: if the Lord told me I could move anywhere for a season, I'd have my bags packed and ticket booked before you could say "Kentucky Derby." 

4.

Especially after Valentine's Day, sangria is a favorite. If you have not any yet, let me know and I will have you over and make some for you...but in reverse order, since it needs to sit for a couple hours before enjoying. One of these days I should post the combination of recipes I use, but only after you come over to try it!

5.

How to describe this final favorite.... Crafting sounds way too organized and planned out for the activities I do. "Pinterest-inspired actions" is probably the most accurate. I love crocheting {just bought yarn for my Doctor Who scarf!}, following recipes for various soaps {dry powder only - I know my limits}, painting household items, reusing and repurposing, etc. One day when it's not February, I will do a craft round-up...maybe. We'll see. 

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Not Alone Series: What I Know Now

Linking up with Jen at Jumping in Puddles and Morgan at Follow and Believe for the Not Alone Series!

What would you tell your former self about being single if you had the chance? What have you learned that you wish you could tell your younger self?

To make things consistent, I'm just going to pick an age and address my younger self at that age. 19-year-old Bek, here's what I wish you knew:

I wish you knew that you are fearfully and wonderfully made and that not just any guy {as my dad would say, "we don't want someone just converting oxygen into carbon dioxide!"} is worth your time, effort, or thoughts. There will be guys who are cute, guys who are kind, guys who love Jesus, and guys who convert oxygen into carbon dioxide. You are worth more. Enjoy being friends with guys, but hold your horses and wait for God's best.

I wish you knew that you can be honest with your girl friends. You're all fighting similar battles, and it makes life so much easier knowing that you're all on the same side and rooting for each other. Get vulnerable, be honest, and encourage one another in your journeys. You're going to have to ignore both your comfort zone and the "judge a book by its cover" thing you've got going on in order to meet and make some quality friends, but they are worth it.

I wish you knew that while your body changes size, your character remains constant. Yes, take care of your body: go to Zumba classes and limit your ice cream intake. But also take care of your soul: spend time with friends who build you up, read books that teach you about others and about yourself, and don't take yourself too seriously. Be fun while you get things done, and remember that relationships with people are far more important than completing a to-do list.

I wish you knew that while Kentucky may not be the most obvious or even logical choice, it really is the perfect place for you, and you're going to make lifelong friends at school and at church. While it hurts to leave home for 2 infinitely long years, it hurts even more leaving Kentucky. And that's good, because it means you fully gave your heart to your new family, that you invested and sowed and built relationships, and you will see them again. Trust me. Many times, though it's never enough times.

I wish you knew that if a guy doesn't pursue you properly, he isn't worth it. And if he does pursue you the right way, it still may not work out, and that's not a poor reflection on either of you. Remember Pastor Trout's words: the right person in the right way at the right time. I'm still believing that God's story is going to be more amazing than whatever I can imagine.

Blog Every Day Feb: Day One - My Story

Welcome to February and the Blog Every Day in February challenge! Here's the link from Bailey Jean so you can add your own {hint hint}.

Let's start at the beginning...waiting for the chorus of "the very best place to start" to ring out from the hills. See what I did there?

Like most children, I was born. :) And then my sister was born. And then my next sister was born. And then my next sister was born. And that is how the Fabulous Four came to be. Watch out, Washington!

My parents homeschooled us and I was also involved in a co-op for a few years. Childhood consisted of ballet lessons, bike riding, and book reading {wow, alliteration *pats self on back*}. The summer before 6th grade, my family moved to an island. This was a challenging time for me, as is common for adolescent girls. I didn't know too many other girls experiencing this, though, since after a couple of years on the island, the friends I thought I'd made turned out to not be true friends. 

Cue lifelong best friend. Enter Samara. Yes, we've been best friends since 6th grade :) 

After a couple more years of homeschooling, my parents heard the Lord that we were supposed to move back to the mainland and enroll in my church's private academy. In my teenage wisdom, I refused. And in my parents' wisdom, they ignored me. 

I entered 10th grade awkwardly. Samara was the only person I knew beyond a name-only basis, although I had grown up in Sunday School with the majority of my classmates. Also awkward: there were 2 other girls besides Samara and me, and then 8 guys. Culture shock, anyone? {For those doing the math, yes, that is a sophomore class of 12 students. Did I mention that this school is really small?}

However traumatic those first few months were, I survived. High school eventually became fun and enjoyable, and those stranger-classmates became good friends. Yes, there were ups and downs, but I think that there were more ups. 

senior ladies with just one month before graduation!

Senior year required a thesis paper {25+ pages} on "God's calling for your life." Gulp. I've always been the person who loves a schedule, a plan, the details spelled out. If God and I could sit down and He could tell me the story of my life, I would fill out my calendars in permanent marker and then go on living happily. Unfortunately for us Type As, that's not always how it works, and so I wrestled and cried and struggled and prayed and cried some more. And then God gave me an answer, and so I wrote my thesis. 

Ballet had still been a part of my life throughout this time, and I wanted to keep dancing, but in a different capacity. The answer to my thesis question and the direction of my life at the time was to go to school for physical therapy and then use ballet as therapy for children. This encompassed all my loves of dancing, children, and running a business {and it filled twenty-five pages quite nicely}.

Before I started college, though, I wanted to solidify my relationship with Jesus. My church offered the Master's Commission as a discipleship, leadership, get-to-know-Jesus 11 month school, and I filled out the application nervously. I'd seen "MCs," as students were affectionately referred to, all my life, and I was anxious about what would actually be in store for me.

MC Class of 2007-08

My year in Master's Commission was one of the hardest and best of my life {up to that point}. My 23 classmates and I grew to love Jesus in new ways, and we also grew to love each other. We toured the country in the summer of our year, and that trip is still one of my fondest memories. 

After Master's Commission, I started college. My first two years were spent at a community college {that turned into a four-year college while I was there}. Instead of taking the route of many of my friends and classmates and transferring to the University of Washington {or U-dub as it is called by locals}, I chose instead to go to Berea College in Berea, Kentucky. 

Berea was amazing. My roomie and I really hit it off, and we actually compiled a list of reasons God made us room-mates. Catherine and I chose to stay roomies for our second year, and I'm so grateful for our time together. She and I were both transfer students from out of state, had both been homeschooled, and were both older than the huge flock of freshmen with whom we went through New Student Orientation. 

old people surrounded by freshmen

While attending Berea, I went to church in a nearby town. My church back home was connected to a local church, and so there were a few families who adopted me on the weekends and let me get out of the dorms and back into a family structure for a few days, and I am so, so grateful for both the chance to get off campus and for the relationships with those wonderful people. AJ is my bosom friend from Kentucky, and her family considers me one of their own. So blessed by all of them!

some Kentucky family!

Class of 2012!!

After earning my B.S., I moved back home to Seattle. My parents wanted to hire me at their company, but wanted me to get some experience first. So after a summer at home, I flew to the Frozen Tundra to live with my grandparents and work at an internship. Laurie is my wonderful friend from that experience, and she and I have had some wonderful adventures together {including the thrill of being in the same ice skating rink room as Kristi Yamaguchi as well as the joy of seeing The Lion King on stage.}.

In March 2013, I finished my internship and moved back home again.And then in July, after travelling to Nicaragua, I moved into my own condo! Samara is my flat-mate and the past 6 months {our six month anniversary is on the 3rd!} have been awesome. 

As I type all of this up, I realize that there are so many more facets that could be included, like my passion for the preborn and my volunteering at a crisis pregnancy center, or the way I crochet like an old lady, or my obsession with British television, or that time I dyed the lower half of my hair purple-that-turned-pink, or the way that my sisters and I get together and sit around the table and just laugh the night away. But since this post is already one of the longest I've written, I guess more of this story will have to come later. Feel free to do some stalking reading of earlier posts, and do please say hello if you're here from Bailey Jean's link-up. Until tomorrow!

On Being a Grown Up

First off, the inspiration for this post is coming from two places: Miranda Hart's book Is It Just Me? for the humorous parts and the beginning of this post from Samara. Hat tip to both of you ladies.

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Or bow-tie-in-hair tip to you...whatever works.

Let's be real. Being an adult has its perks. For example, you can stay up as late as you want reading awesome books {like the aforementioned, hint hint} or you can put vodka in the fridge and not worry about a) your sisters drinking it {ha!} or b) your grandma finding it. You can also have people over when it works for the both of you, without having to check with the rest of the household {or you do check with the rest of the household and since it's only one other person, it's really fast}.

But there are some...shall we say challenges. When you're making your own decisions, you have to actually make your own decisions. Ironic, isn't it? Or is it just reality? Anyway. There's no one making decisions for you; you have to determine what's a priority, and then you have to make it happen.

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This can be a plus. For example, I made the very mature decision to not listen to Christmas music until November 1. Now that it's November, I have executed that decision by selecting the Christmas station on Pandora. Grown up points abounding here.

But sometimes this can be a negative {or minus, if I were to continue the literary devices consistently}. For example, I'm dying to go visit Kentucky again. It doesn't help that I just missed a dear friend's wedding, nor does the fact that my dear family in Nicaragua are in the States this month. So the question is, do I visit now while they're not abroad and while it's been 7 months since I've been in the Bluegrass State? Or do I wait and visit Kentucky in May for AJ's son's 2nd birthday {I was there at birth and his first birthday-good tradition!} and also go to Nicaragua in July? Can I even afford that? Will I be able to get the time off work?

These are grown-up decisions that need to be made, and like Samara's post discusses, priorities have to be made and then acted upon. The challenge is prioritizing and making decisions that will keep you moving in the grown-up direction you want to be going. Which of course presupposes that you know the direction you want to go. Sigh.

But that's why we have Jesus and parents and disciplers and friends... and Miranda. :)

31 Days of Writing: Day Eight "Wild Card 2"

Samara and Pandora inspired this wild card prompt. Pandora plays ads that are more appropriate for when I created my account, when I was at school in Kentucky. And Samara said that she wants to visit Kentucky to attend the Derby, so here is my prompt: describe Samara and my future trip to see the horses run.

The plane has left the runway, and we are on our way! Our bags have been properly stowed above and beneath our seats, our seat-belts our fastened low and tight across our hips, and everyone sitting in the exit row is ready to save our lives in the event of an emergency. In just a few hours, we will be landing in the Bluegrass State, and then we are off to the races!

We purchased our tickets months ago, and then went to work on picking out our outfits. Because, hello, it's the Kentucky Derby and you need to have the right outfit.

Anyway, after our plane ride {during which we talked the. entire. time.}, we headed to our hotel to check in. Praise the Lord for Dad's hotel points - upgrade! Score for us.

Since our outfits have been decided for weeks, we are ready rather quickly. Off to the races!

The gate-people are quite nice, as the vast majority of Southerners are. We are directed to our seats, but decide to stop by the bar first. Two mint juleps, please and thank you. That's one for each of us, in case you were wondering.

Aha! An announcement is made- the first race is about to begin. We hurry to our seats, being careful not to spill our over-priced but well-worth-it beverages. Just in time, we make it to our seats, but there is not time for sitting. Races are only properly observed on one's feet.

After cheering for the several "warm up" races, we notice the stands have been filling up rapidly. It's almost Derby time!

Horses are announced and welcomed to the track via loudspeaker. Everyone is already on their feet, cheering as their favorite enters the track. Samara and I have picked different horses, of course- gotta throw some competition into the mix!

All the horses are lined up in their gates and all viewers hold their breath. The gun goes off. There is a mass of horseflesh racing in front of us. I look at Samara. Samara looks at me. In sync we cheer, "Come on, Dover! Move your blooming arse!" We erupt with laughter as the crowd roars. Neither of our favorites has won, but we are at the Kentucky Derby having the time of our lives.

**linking up with Victoria. Join us here!**

Funny Friday...Not

I'm sitting here working on a mind-numbing task, searching in my brain for something funny I can share on Friday, and sometimes you just gotta give up the goat. Don't ask me where the goat comes from or where it's going once you give it up, but just give it up. Let that goat go.

and now we're into awkwardness....

In other news, I've had two phone dates with two different friends this week, and as usual, it's so great to talk to my friends! AJ and I got to chat this past weekend, and golly do I miss her! While it was good to see my Kentucky friends in Nicaragua, it made me miss her even more!!!

Last night, Laurie, my friend from the Frozen Tundra, and I had a great talk. She's going to Colorado this week, so I got to tease her about smoking weed. Payback for all those references to Washington's pot laws! But all pot aside, Laurie is a great friend, and I'm so grateful for her. Hopefully she can come out for a visit in a few months, which will be magnificent and awesome.


Didn't I promise you a review of "Warm Bodies"? I've been listening to the soundtrack for a few days {really, a great soundtrack!} and am feeling inspired both to watch it again and to write about it. So here goes, with full disclosure: it's been a while since I've seen this film.

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I like that this film is pretty clean. There's maybe two gruesome scenes, and they don't last that long. And then for the *ahem* scenes, I think the previews showed the most graphic part, and it wasn't bad.

Again, the soundtrack was pretty awesome. There are a few songs that I just keep listening to over and over, because they're just fun. Oh, and did I mention that R has a record player? Totes awesome.

The sarcasm and humor in this film is so perfect. My sisters and I were cracking up basically the whole movie.

I don't do zombies, and this was not a zombie movie. They explained things pretty well for us non-fans-of-zombies {not like there was a ton to explain}.

Love story? Check. Humor? Check. Cute actors? Check {this one varies depending on which sister you ask, but hey, I'm writing this!}.

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Anyway, this was a cute movie. If you're not convinced, come over after 9pm some night and watch it with my sisters and me.

Speaking of movies, November is shaping up to be pretty awesome, entertainment-wise! Let's review:

• Catching Fire 
• Ender's Game {which I promise I will read before I watch, Samara!}
• 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who
• Danny Boyle's Frankenstein {as a film, sadly} comes to my city

Pretty hopping!

I wish I had an appropriate conclusion, but I don't. Approaching drop-off zone. Ready. Go.

Happy Friday!

True Confessions/Obsessions on Thursday

Some days, you just gotta spill your guts. These are not deep and intense thoughts; these are silly, random, obscure thoughts that just keep popping into my head at work and need to be shared somehow while not disturbing productivity. So here we go.

• Since returning from my beloved Kentucky, I've been unable to bring myself to wear "real" shoes. Sandals or nothing. Seriously. Oh, and here in the great Northwest, it has been raining almost constantly and has warmed up to a mediocre 65* average. But sandals it is!
• Have you guys heard of Veggie Straws??? They are made by Sensible Portions and I l o v e them. They give me the salty and crunchy fix that chips provide, yet they are made from vegetables and one serving size is 38 straws. Yep. Crunch away, friends! These things are delish. I'm in love.
  
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• Can we talk about Call the Midwife again? Butforrealztho. My mom and I just finished the first season {her first time seeing it} and we are ready to begin Season Two! So exciting! Some friends have said that "something big happens" and I'm really excited/nervous to watch.
  
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• And while we're on the subject of British shows, have you heard of "Miranda" before? Seriously one of the funniest shows out there. "Chummy" in CTM is played by Miranda Hart, a comedian and writer of this "semi-autobiographical" show. She is hysterical. Her sense of timing, her awkwardness, her comical situations- they all fit into this adorable show.
  
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  Warning: "Miranda" has some innuendos and/or conversations that are not suitable for children. But it is not the focus of the show, and it is conversation only. {Exception: one episode in S2 tries to be inappropriate, but again, it's conversation and intent only, and it's played for laughs.}
  Anyway, she is so funny; the females of my family squish onto the couch and watch it from a laptop and would be rolling on the floor laughing if we weren't wedged onto the couch so well. Def a fave.
• Save the Storks. I love everything about this group. Their tactic is to first offer help to abortion-minded women, and then provide them with information and resources. It's wonderful. Check them out at the link below the picture.
  
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• Confession: I watched "Star Trek: Into Darkness." Yes, I'm a nerd. But not for the reasons you're thinking. I watched it because of Benedict...*swoon* Confession: I'm obsessed. Seriously. Cheekbones. Gah. {And yes, that is a Sherlock reference too...see what kind of a nerd I am!?!?} There are probably dozens of other pictures I could have posted, but I will use self-control and only post one.

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Is there anything that can follow up after Benedict? Nope. So I will leave you with the image of Ben...

Funny Friday-Kentucky Children Edition

Now that my love for Kentucky is public knowledge {as in, written down. I don't think you can talk to me and not know that I love Kentucky}, I thought it only appropriate that today's Funny Friday showcase some of my favorite Blue Grass kids. So here goes.

Hello, my name is:
Last year, when AJ's daughter was 2, my name was "Bubekah" as opposed to "Rebekah." Now that this daughter is 3, I have graduated to "Ferbekah." Thanks, I'll be here all week.

Stop being cute!
AJ has twin nieces who are almost 3. They were playing outside and I was watching them, and I told them "D! L! Stop being so cute! Just stop it!" And they giggled and shrieked and said "No, you stop!"
Later I said, "D, you're being cute again!" and she responded "No, I'm not!"
Seriously, they just got cuter.

When you text your sister...
AJ's son A is pretty brilliant, and he is always coming up with future dialogues between me and my sister; he wants to make sure that I share these important phrases. Here's his most recent suggestion {quoted to the best of my memory}:
"When your sister texts you and when you're in Ohio {don't know when I'll be in Ohio, but just in case}, and your sister says 'let's go to the movies,' you should text her back and say 'okie dokie artichoke!'"


I'm sure there are more funny things that these adorable kids said, but I can't remember any more right now, so you'll just have to enjoy these stories. Happy Friday!

My Other Home

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People, I love Kentucky. Yes, there are stereotypes about the state and the people {what place doesn't have stereotypes!?}. Yes, there is humidity {I know, I'm a sissy}. Yes, there are street and city names that butcher their French origins {Louisville = "loo a vul" for example}. 

Seriously though, I would move there in a heartbeat. I love the people and the rolling hills and the cute little towns and the fun city and how close and how far everything is and the Ale-8 and the accents and even the humidity {sometimes!}. 

I guess you could say that I'm homesick.

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My friend AJ commented to me that I always get "Kentucky fever" when I visit, and it's true! My heart really is forever connected with Kentucky, and even if I never live there again, I will try and visit whenever I can. 

Guess that's all I have to say. Can't wait to go back again :)

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What a Week

Thank God for those brief respites where you can sit back and think, a heck of a lot just happened in {however many days} and I’m just gonna sit her for a second…

As you know, I went on a road trip with my bestie last weekend. Then on Tuesday, another friend and I left for Orlando. It was a red-eye flight, but something made it better- at our layover, we got to see a friend! He’s in the Army and was on his way home! It was sooooo good to see him; I had been bummed that we were missing him by a day. But God is good, and we got to hang out for almost an hour while we waited for our connections. Thank You Jesus for surprise encounters!

So I just got back from Florida Monday night (as in, Tuesday morning) and yesterday went to work. For an hour. Then I came home and took a nap. :)

Some of you may know that I was working on my application for a job in Wash. D.C. Well, I found out yesterday that the position has been filled. Yup. No job there. So my dad and I were talking about it, and I started crying and I was like, Dad, I just don’t know what I’m doing anymore!  And Dad, being the wise, amazing dad that he is, said, you miss the structure of school. That’s all. You’ll get into the structure of home pretty soon. That was reassuring, a bit. But at the same time, I’m still disappointed that the position filled before I even had a chance. And then I’m mad at myself, because my original goal was to apply by the end of June, and I wonder if I had actually done that if I would have had a chance. But oh well. Those are “what-ifs” and I try not to play that game any more.

Yesterday, in my depression and upset-ed-ness, I kept thinking, I want to move back to my Other Home!!! and while part of that is true, I know that it’s really just me wanting to run away from tough situations here, and that moving is not for right now. But friends in my Other Home, know that I miss you all like craaaaazy and am praying about the right time to come back. Because oh yeah, that internship nearby? Not a guarantee. And I’m the type of person who likes to write things on my Life Calendar in permanent marker, not pencil, so hearing that was like, really? is nothing for sure??? And that makes me nervous and frustrated, and sad, because I don’t know when I’m going to see my Other Families again, and I’d love to curl up into a ball right now and sob my eyes out. But I have to go to work today, so I shouldn't. But you understand, I’m sure. Everyone’s been here, or is going to be here in this position, so I know I’m not alone.

Thank You Jesus for my parents and their wisdom.

Well, I don’t really have a strong conclusion to this post. Pray for me if you think of it, please. I appreciate it.
Hopefully I’ll have news by the next post. 

home again

 Well, it’s true. I’m home. And it is wonderful to be back. Even my dog missed me, which is saying a lot because she’s not actually my dog, and I really didn't think to miss her! Ha. Good ol’ faithful pooch.

Before I left my other home, I wanted to buy a shirt, a sort of in memorium if you will. Well, I found that said what I wanted it to say, but didn't fit properly. It said “[this place] has my heart.” I thought it was true before I left… now that I've left, I know it’s true. My other home feels like home. I know, I’m getting all sentimental, and I know that there are no rules about having two (or more) homes, so just let me get it out and hopefully it will all be better. Also, remember that I’m jet-lagged, stuck home alone, and haven’t seen anyone besides my family and my BFF.

Anywho. Home, I’m glad to be here. Other Home, I’ll be back soon.