Valentine's/Galentine's

Just for some weekend/Valentine/Galentine fun, here are some things I'm loving:

~Taylor covered her own song... it. is. perfection. I've been listening to it on repeat since lunch. 

~This fun list of 3 Fun and Totally Normal DIY Projects.... The first one especially made me LOL.

~My craftiness itch needs scratching, so I'm looking at a project like this for my kitchen cabinet doors {they are glass and my tolerance for them has been slowly decreasing for the past 18 months}. While I've seen many "frosted" glass projects using contact paper, I was thrilled that the afore-linked DIY-er used spray paint! Please and thank you!

~A humorous picture of my weekend plans:

~This post on love by Sarah Bessey has been gliding around the interwebs, so if you've seen it already, it's ok - read it again. And if you haven't seen it yet, you're welcome. 

Have a wonderful weekend with those you love, my friends!

Finish This: Week Forty

Holy smokes, 2014 is almost over! 40 weeks into a 52 week year... my math brain doesn't want to work, but I'm confident that's a fraction that almost equals 1. Wow.

As is Wednesday's habit, I am linking up with the wonderful hostesses of Finish This: Nicole at Three 31, Jen at The Arizona Russums, Becky at The Java Mama, and Lisa at Coastlined.

I can change the world by glorifying Christ in my life. Jesus is the most amazing Person ever - He doesn't sweep into life dramatically {ok, the manger thing might have been a little dramatic} and turn it upside down; He moves into a heart and slowly but surely life is different.

The best career advice I ever received was dress for the job you want, not the job you have.

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I first fell in love with my bosom friend's son when I held him the morning he was born. Read about that {and my dog sitting adventure} in this post. 

That's all, folks! Leave some comment love, and see you next Wednesday. 

Not Alone Series: Marriage

Welcome, friends! Today's link-up is brought to you by Jen at Jumping in Puddles and Morgan at Follow and Believe. If you want to join the fun, add your post to the link collection!

Most of us feel called to the vocation of marriage, but what exactly are you attracted to? What have you seen in others' marriages that you would embrace or would do differently {from married friends or parents}?

Continuing with the honesty theme, I'm just gonna let it all out. Marriage appeals to me the most because it means there's always someone with me. Hi, my name is Bek, and I'm a 9.5 out of 10 on the Extrovert Scale. Plain and simple, having a forever-partner sounds delightful, and I'm excited for that season of life to start.

When I first read today's prompt, what came to mind was favorite aspects of my friends' marriages. If it's not too cheesy, I'd like to share some favorites with you now.

First, the marriage that has directly affected me the most: my parents'! Mom and Dad have been married for almost 27 years, and what I love about their marriage is how they respect and honor each other. My sisters and I complain sometimes about how often we'd hear "go ask your mom" and "go ask your dad" after already speaking to the other parent. Frustrating as a kid when you want to go ride bikes, but as an adult, I realize how much my parents wanted {and still want} to prefer one another.

my cute parents

My paternal grandparents were married for 60 years and a few weeks before my grandpa passed away. I wrote about their marriage on what would have been their 61st anniversary, and I'll summarize my favorite part of their marriage was how they took care of each other. Grandpa always was looking out for Grandma, even when the Alzheimer's took away much of his understanding. And of course Grandma took care of Grandpa as his mind was further and further lost. What incredible examples!

My maternal grandparents just celebrated their 61st anniversary this year {my grandparents were all married the same year, actually only a month apart!}, and I've shared some of their hilarity from when I lived with them. What I love about their marriage is that they are always laughing with each other. After 61 years, my grandparents still flirt with each other and amuse each other. I'm looking forward to laughing with my husband someday.

My bosom friend AJ and her husband D are pretty awesome. I basically lived with them on the weekends for a couple years, and what I love about their marriage is how they really enjoy being together and doing things together. Whether it's going to Wally World or playing Skip-Bo, AJ and D really love being together; they are really good friends as well as spouses.

These are just a few things I admire about my friends' and family's marriages, and once I get married, I'll probably do a post about faves from my own marriage :)

Not Alone Series: Goals & Lent

Linking up with Morgan from Follow and Believe and Jen from Jumping in Puddles.

Remember the first NAS post this year? How are the goals that you set going? Regardless of how those goals are going, how are you utilizing Lent to continue to strive for those goals?

In short, my goals at the beginning of this series were to grow in friendships, seek new dreams, increase my love capacity, and keep on writing. Now let's get down to business and evaluate!

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I think that my friendships have definitely grown. My friend Rebecca and I keep each other entertained {seriously, I'm pretty sure God lets us hang out together just so He gets a good laugh}. I've gotten to know Cami better, which is fantastic because she's fantastic. Some Notions friends and I have started hanging out more regularly outside of Notions. I'm so grateful for all the wonderful people with whom the Lord has connected me. 

Dreams...the song from "Tangled" comes to mind...

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I don't know about anything specific, but I do think the Lord has renewed my vision. In late January, I talked with my parents about some goals and dreams, and then in February, Samara and I went on a retreat with Jesus. The conversations from these times have encouraged me to keep going in life, and while I can't see the end of the road, I can see the next step, and that's becoming enough.

For the love capacity goal, I think that the first two answer the third. Always, always, always there can be more love, and the Lord can keep on increasing my capacity. Has He already? Absolutely.

Last but not least, there's the writing goal. I've not written any more about Edna Walters yet, but I've been participating in several link-ups and overall have been writing a bit more. One of my goals coming out of my Jesus retreat was to both blog and journal more frequently, and that's been good. Some of my writing has come up at Notions, and some of it is just going to stay in my journal, and it's all good. 

My Lenton goals {shared in these 7QT} are going well. It's so challenging for me not to read at night {especially since I'm in the midst of three excellent books}, but I know that this is a good exercise for my self-control muscle. And it's been quite wonderful, actually, to write encouraging notes to people. It's fun to ask Jesus who needs some encouragement, and then trust Him for the right words to write. If you'd like a note, send me your mailing address and I will add you to my list! I've got some pretty awesome stationary, if I do say so myself :)

Thank you, Morgan and Jen, for hosting this wonderful link-up each week! It's so encouraging to hear from other women in similar processes, and I really love reviewing what God has done in our lives so far this year. 

Ask My Bookshelf: A Challenge

I've been tagged by Samara, who was tagged by her British friend Hannah, and so now you get to learn a little something about life via books. The moral of the story is that there are 16 questions that I have to answer using titles of books - how fun is that!

Now, Samara got to fudge a little bit and use poetry titles also; I'm going to fudge and only use books that I've read {but don't necessarily own}. Here we go!

Are you a man or a woman?
Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her {Melanie Rehak}

Describe yourself.
Blessed Child {Ted Dekker}

What does life mean to you?
Kisses from Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption {Katie Davis}

How are you doing?
Not Afraid of Life {Bristol Palin}

Describe your current home.
By the Shores of Silver Lake {Laura Ingalls Wilder}

Where would you like to travel?
London Refrain {Bodie Thoene}

Describe your best friend.
Full Tilt {Neal Shusterman}

What is your favorite color?
The Black Stallion {Walter Farley}

What is the weather like right now?
A Tale of Two Cities {Charles Dickens}

What is the best season in your opinion?
Fahrenheit 451 {Ray Bradbury}

If your life was a tv series, what would it be called?
Is It Just Me? {Miranda Hart}

What is your romantic relationship like?
A Comedy of Errors {William Shakespeare}

What are you afraid of?
Pandemonium {Lauren Oliver}

Aphorism for the day.
Just Enough Light for the Step I'm On {Stormie Omartian}

What advice would you like to give?
One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are {Ann Voskamp}

How would you prefer to die?
Millionaire Women Next Door {Thomas J. Stanley}

Tags: Laura and Rachel and anyone else who wants to jump on this awesome train!

Not Alone Series: Bucket List {Before My Singleness Dies}

Linking up with Jen at Jumping in Puddles and Morgan at Follow and Believe for today's post.

What are the things you want to do before you get married {or enter the religious life}? Is there anything that you're excited to do, accomplish, etc., before engagement, marriage, and babies come along? Even if you feel you've done everything you wanted pre-marriage, dig deeper and see if there isn't anything else you'd like to do!

This question is kinda funny. I really like Jen's answer {linked above}, because everything that's on my bucket list are things that could be done married or single. They're probably easier to do without young children, but so are lots of things. Like Jen, I want to live life to the fullest, no matter what stage I'm in. I'm going to compare my wonderful, full, awesome "now" with a radical, amazing, busy possible "later" that involves a TDH and offspring. I want to give my all to both.

This list is just some activities that I enjoy, and while I'd love to continue them for as long as they're enjoyable, my focus is people. These activities are not bad; they are priorities that will be adjusted when my family grows.

Right now, I'm probably staying up later than I should just because I can; later in life, I'll be up later because babies need fed or kids are puking.

Right now, I'm reading tons of books on a wide variety of subjects; later, I don't think my passion will change, but maybe the amount of time I can devote to reading will adjust and I'll have to prioritize my reading list.

Right now, travelling to visit friends or new places is an exciting adventure that is just a few decisions away; later, trips will take much more planning, coordination, and energy.

Right now, blogging is something I do frequently, and I'm able to read lots {and I do mean lots} of other blogs; later, time for blogging may be limited.

No matter what I'm doing in life, I want my priorities to be in order and my energies to be thoroughly devoted. I want my family and friends to know how much I love and adore each of them, and I want us to do fun things together. That's my bucket list for life.

Blog Every Day Feb: Day Twenty-seven - Fave Blogs

Linking up with Bailey Jean on our second-to-last day of February! Can't believe we're almost done.

People, I read a lot of blogs. Like, 50 blogs. I know. It's obsessive. And by that, I mean that I'm obsessed. Admitting that you have a problem is the first step to healing, but I don't think that this is a problem...

Anyway, picking favorite blogs is so so so hard! How do I choose!? Okay, here are a few faves, but please don't hold me to these favorites forever and ever amen, because they will change. That is a promise.

As much as I would love to write a brief and witty description of each of the blogs listed here, that would take days and days and would still not accurately or entirely capture what I love about them. So I'll give you the jist and you can check them out on your own time. Without further ado:

Camp Patton - mommy blog, hilarious dry humor, kid quotes

The Arizona Russums - life, Jesus, teaching and studying, cute baby!!

Wait + Hope - books, art, Kingdom perspective, and happens to be written by my bestie :)

My Drop in the Ocean - pro-life, college, loving people, singlehood adventures

Jen Hatmaker - I've written about Jen before, and she never ceases to shake up my mentalities. Can't get enough!

I could go on and basically list every blog I read, because I only keep reading the ones I really love, but 5 seems like a good number on which to finish. Plus, 5 is the number of grace, so I will extend grace to you and not list every. single. blog. that I read. You're welcome. 

Note: I keep scrolling through the blogs I follow to make sure I've listed the ones I want to, and I'm not sure at all! There are so many great blogs I love, but I'm forcing myself to hit publish and not bombard you with my entire reading list. But if you want some more suggestions, you know who to ask ;)

Blog Every Day Feb: Day Twenty-three - Blogging

Linking up with Bailey Jean for this challenge

Some of the joys of blogging include:

• joining in a community with people from every part of the country (or world!) and every walk of life.

• processing life in a way that may never be the same, but can be remembered via the talent of the 'net.

• the ease with which your sisters can stalk you.

• participating in link-ups like this that promp you to share what you never would have otherwise.

• comments from kind readers! (This is a compliment to you, not puppy dog eyes!)

What do you love about blogging?

Not Alone Series: Masculinity

Linking up with Jen at Jumping in Puddles and Morgan at Follow and Believe.

Who is a great example of masculinity in your life {father, brother, uncle, priest/pastor, etc}? What do you love about them?

I don't know if I've ever said this explicitly on the ol' blog before, but I don't have any brothers. I have an awesome dad, an incredible mom, three amazing sisters, and no hermanos. Sometimes I've felt like I was missing some crucial element of life, but now I recognize that there are definitely huge parts of my growing-up years that I wouldn't change, even though they would be totally different if I had a brother. For example, my sisters and I all shared a room for a couple years. Yes, your math is correct - four girls, two sets of bunk-beds, two dressers, and a huge population of Barbies all occupied one room.

Obviously, my home has always been a female-dominated house {even our dog was female!}; my mom did an excellent job of teaching my sisters and me what femininity looks like, and my dad was pretty much my sole guide for masculinity.

{That was a really long introduction to sharing what I love about my dad. Bear with!}

I love that my dad...

• loves the Lord
• is strong
• holds my hand
• talks to me about anything
• takes care of me 
• loves and dates my mom
• expects me to succeed
• plans and dreams with me and encourages me to dream bigger
• is comfortable working behind the scenes
• reads a variety of books
• does his research and then chooses to follow God
• has a special relationship with each of his daughters
• is a spiritual father to other girls who have entered our home
• has never made me feel weak or inferior for being a girl
• always reminds me that my husband will be God's best, not just someone who "can fog a mirror"
• is passionate
• is respected by other men
• has discernment
• is a go-getter

...that's a good start. I don't know if this really answered the masculinity question, but it does answer the "what do I love about" question, so there ya go. 

Dad and me on the Christmas merry-go-round 

Not Alone Series: Valentine's Day

Linking up with Jen at Jumping in Puddles and Morgan at Follow and Believe.

What are your thoughts on Valentine's Day? Do you enjoy it? Loathe it? Not even realize it's a special day? Do you celebrate it in any way?

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My parents have always been the best at giving valentines and chocolate, and I so appreciate the standard and example they have set for me. I walked into work on Friday and found chocolate and a card on my desk {see, there are some great perks to working with your parents!}. And this Valentine's Day, my bestie and I had made plans in advance and so I was looking forward to an evening spent with some fun girls. We hit up Happy Hour at a great Italian place and then went to see "Winter's Tale." And then we may or may not have gone back to the Italian restaurant for their second Happy Hour... what can I say, sangria is my valentine!

Because I knew my plans in advance, I was able to approach this Valentine's Day with excitement for a great evening with "all the single ladies." Did I wish I was on a date that evening? No, actually; it was really great to spend time with friends and I don't wish that away. Do I wish that next year I'll have a date? If that's God's timing for me. I'm sure that whenever God brings me into a relationship, we will celebrate Valentine's Day, and I'm looking forward to those celebrations. But I'm really glad that my single friends and I could go party hearty.

There were a lot of articles going around the internet about "showing love after you've been in the trenches together" and stuff like that, and while it's good, it doesn't apply to me right now. Honestly, I don't want to be told that Valentine's Day is not that special, that every day with your spouse is special, blah blah blah. Right now, I'm still waiting for my first "special" Valentine's Day. I know that not every Valentine's Day will be the most romantic thing since "The Princess Bride," but I'm hoping that at least one V-Day will be! *end rant*

For my big finale, I present to you a photo taken at the end of our Valentine's Day celebration. We were definitely aiming for blurry...or we were laughing too hard at each other to hold still. I'll let you use your discernment to figure out the truth ;)

Blog Every Day Feb: Day Sixteen - A Hard Lesson

Linking up with Bailey Jean for the February challenge!

I am not perfect. I am going to fail. Failure is not the end of the world. Failure does not affect God's love for me.

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This multifaceted lesson has taken me most of my life to learn, and even now sometimes I have to stop and remind myself that I'm still learning and that I need to practice what I've learned.

There's no brilliant story of a great revelation or a giant screw-up with tears and restoration. This lesson took me several years to fully accept, and even now sometimes I fall back into old patterns of thinking. What has changed over the years is how quickly I remember that God's love for me doesn't change, and that lesson is worth every screw-up.

Finish This: Valentine's Edition

Linking up with Nicole at Three 31, Jen at the Arizona Russums, Lisa at COASTLINED, and Becky at the Java Mama. If you want to join the fun, finish the sentences below and add your link to one of these fine ladies' blogs.

I celebrate Valentine's Day by sending kiddie valentines to my friends {and my friends' kids!}, buy chocolate on sale, laughing with my fellow single ladies, rolling my eyes at my parents, and avoiding the Hallmark channel.

My heart goes pitter-patter for anything {or anyone!} British. Shocker, I know. Also, used bookstores have been known to raise my heart rate. Holding babies make me feel warm and fuzzy, but technically it feels like they slow my heart beats, so idk what's up with that.

When looking for romance, my best advice is laughable, since I am not a romance expert. Wine and chocolate are always winners, I hear, and if you smell good it's a plus.
Seriously, though, if you're looking for romance, I'd advise you to talk to Jesus about it. He knows your heart {He made it, so that helps!} and He knows your story beginning to end. His version is always the best version.

My favorite love story (real or fiction) is/are too many to list properly! My list includes Anne and Gilbert, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, Anne and Captain Wentworth, Hazel and Augustus, Grace and Bob, Isaac and Rebekah, Sybil and Tom, Rahab and Salmon, Miranda and Gary, Elinor and Edward, and Buttercup and Wesley. Awesome Points if you can identify each couple's story.

The best relationship/dating advice I ever received is from my mom. She told me "Be with someone who's crazy about you, and that you're crazy about." Another piece of advice has stuck with me over the years {and I don't even know where I heard it} is that if it comes down to it, my husband should choose God over me and I should choose God over him.

There you have it! Add you link or finish these statements in the comment section. Happy Wednesday!

Blog Every Day Feb: Day Two - What Fires Me Up

Linking up with Bailey Jean for the Blog Every Day in February challenge!

Golly, where do I even begin? Bailey Jean created a beautiful collage to share her passions; Laura focused on an overarching theme. I could make a list, but it would be a) really really REALLY long and b) incomplete no matter the length. So... here's a hybrid :)

First of all is Jesus. He made me and He made the things that I'm passionate about, and He made me passionate about them. He's the best. 

Secondly, my family gets me fired up. This is both in the positive way and negative way, but that's the beauty of family, right? :)

The pro-life movement gets me fired up. I volunteer at a crisis pregnancy center, and my four hours there are the highlight of my week. If we're friends on Facebook, you may notice that I share more pro-life articles than actual status updates, and I have to remind myself to share my passion gently with people, instead of bursting with facts and information and solutions. Still working on this :)

Those are the big three, I think. And now in no particular order, here are more fire-starters:

• friends
• mojitos
• travel
• books
• Hans Zimmer
• birth stories
• cleaning
• education
• dancing
• children
• British television 
• baking cookies
• hosting {parties, visitors, overnight guests}
• showering
• laughter
• Zumba
• playing card or board games

...and sharing these with other people. I'm definitely an extrovert, plus I love people, so whenever I can be with someone, that's where I am. Being with people fires me up!

Wanna join the February blogging challenge? Here are the prompts; you can still join!

Not Alone Series: Another Engagement

Do you struggle with balancing the sting of hearing about yet another proposal with genuine excitement? What emotions come into play? What virtues do you enlist to deal with it all?

Am I happy for you and your TDH's {Tall, Dark and Handsome} engagement? Yes, absolutely.

Am I thrilled to bits for you and wish you the very best? Of course.

Will I help you in anyway you ask or need? What are friends for!

Is your ring the prettiest, sparkliest diamond ever? It's divine.

Does your TDH know how to bless you via the way he proposed? You are blessed, friend.



Do I wish that I was engaged? Or even dating? Hell yes!


I think the hardest part about responding to a friend's newly-announced engagement is recognizing that you may feel both genuinely happy for them and bummed for yourself. One emotion does not cancel out the other, and that is where my struggle lies. I wrongly believe that if I am happy for my friend, I won't feel any sadness for me, or vice versa.

I don't think that sadness for your own situation cancels out your joy for you friend. However, the Lord tells us not to envy {Exodus 20; 1 Corinthians 13} and He tells us to be content {Psalm 131:2; Matthew 5:5; Philippians 4:8-14}. Sometimes it feels like I am grieving what isn't {a relationship}, and while in the moment it may seem appropriate, it doesn't proclaim a trust in God.

We are all familiar with Jeremiah 29:11, Proverbs 3:5, and Psalm 23. I want these verses to go in me deeper than just recitation. I want my default to be trust in the Lord. I want to hear of a friend's engagement with joy for her and a trusting peace for myself.

I love the scripture that Natalie at Here I Am shared. In fact, I love it so much that I'm going to conclude this post with it. His thoughts are not my thoughts, and for that reason alone I trust Him to direct my life in ways that I could never see possible.

Isaiah 55:8-9 ~ "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts."

Linking up with Jen at Jumping In Puddles and Morgan at Follow and Believe. Join us!

Not Alone Series: Getting Outside My Comfort Zone

Hey friends! I'm excited to share with you a lovely link-up called the Not Alone Series. Jen and her friend are the hosts, and I found them through Laura. Since one of my resolutions with Rachel is blogging well, I thought this link-up would be perfect. I'm a few days behind {I think the link-up happens on Tuesdays}, but better late then never, right? So here we go!

Topic: In what ways can you grow and stretch RIGHT NOW that could affect the whole of 2014?

Right now, I want to grow in my friendships. I want to stretch past old limits of being hospitable. I want to grow out of old, small circles of relationships. I want to speak more thoughtfully and listen more fully. 

Right now, I'm choosing to trust God and ask Him where He wants me to be, what He wants me to be doing. I'm asking Him for direction and for new dreams, and right now I'm choosing to trust that He knows what He's doing and that He'll guide me.

Right now, I'm asking God to grow my capacity for love. I read an article that basically said that humans have a limited capacity for relationship and that's why some friendships fade away after a move, because you build relationships where you're at and you can't handle maintaining all relationships. I don't want that. God is bigger than research and findings from experts. I'm crying out for God to expand my relational capacity.

Right now, growth can happen in my writing. In the next couple of weeks, you'll probably see more of Edna Walters, since my Writing Guild goal was to have "a day in the life" for her. You'll also see some more link-up participation. I don't know what God is going to do with the words that flow mind to fingers to screen, but I know that He has called me to be a good steward of His gifts, so that's what I'm going to do. 

There you have it! Check out other Not Alone Series links here, and join us for next week for a discussion on beauty. 

Unity

Tonight my church and our two "sister churches" will be coming together for a night of worship and prayer. I have been looking forward to tonight since they announced it several weeks ago. When the Body of Christ comes together in worship, big things happen. It makes sense; Jesus told us that when we are gathered together in His Name, He is with us {Matthew 18:20}. So today, with this evening in mind, I'm praying for unity.

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I'm praying specifically for my church families tonight, that we would honor and love one another. I'm praying that relationships will be strengthened and hearts joined.I'm praying for Holy Spirit to move powerfully and direct the worship leaders. 

Also, I'm praying for unity in the Body of Christ. No matter if you're Baptist, Evangelical, Presbyterian, or Lutheran, or if you are Catholic or Protestant, our Church needs to grow in unity so we can grow our witness. 

Jesus told His disciples that the world would know us by our love, and unity is one of the fruits of love {so is poetry, of a fine stout love...sorry, P & P reference!}. I'm praying that believers can walk more closely with each other. 

I'm not saying that we don't need to discuss theology or that anything goes; I'm saying we should try and focus on the things upon which we agree. Let's let Jesus be our standard and guide. 

31 Days of Writing: Day Six “Open Letter”

Write an open letter to anyone.
Dear Cute Couples,

I’m happy for you, I really am. You guys are in the beginnings and middles of your stories together, and it’s so cool to watch how God orchestrates things.

My story with someone hasn’t begun yet. Most of the time I’m ok with that. I’d rather be single than in relationship with someone who is not my someone. But some days, like today when you Cute Couples sit in church around me on every side, it’s hard not to wish for my someone to show up… like, yesterday.

However, you Cute Couples remind me that there are things worth waiting for. You remind me that when relationships start at the right time, in the right way, with the right person, there really is a holiness and wonder in being an us. And that makes me excited, both to wait for and to meet someone. So I guess what I’m trying to say is this: thanks for being a Cute Couple.

Bek

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


***Update 10-7-13: it was brought to my attention that this is a potentially awkward topic {gee, Bek, why didn't you think of that? Because it was 11:30pm when I wrote this...sigh} and that some people might react in ways that I did not intend.

My heart in this open letter is to let you know that sometimes it's hard to be single when you're seemingly surrounded by Cute Couples. I think almost everyone would agree with me that at some point in their single life, they sighed and threw up their hands and said "woe is me!" I raised my hand just now. But I don't want to stay in the "woe is me" stage, and the Cute Couples around me help build my anticipation for my someone as much as they frustrate my singleness.

The point of this letter is this: right now I'm a unicycle in a bicycle world, and I'm doing fine. Cute Couples, please don't feel weird or conspicuous around me. I love you dearly, and I'm happy to be a part of your story. Single friends, let's not mope around in our unicycle season. Being a unicycle is fun and challenging, but so is being a bicycle. Let's enjoy the season we're in and not try to take over the bike shop.

31 Days of Writing: Day Three "An ode to an article of clothing"

Berea College sweatshirt, how do I love thee? Shall I count the ways?

Your acquisition was an adventure a year ago this day:

As the school climbed the Pinnacle to celebrate the "mountains."

I had to answer a question and in return won you into my possession.

Your warmth I embraced after the sun had set,

and even when some girl in the dorm almost stole you from my grasp,

I did not believe that your would be a one-time hug.



Our love is strong, as is your fabric.

Our love is warm, like the fuzziness that covers your interior.

Our love is clean, like how I keep you {by not taking you to Family Camp}.

Our love is deep, like your front pocket.

Our love is secure, like your place in my closet.

Our love is long, like the history of the College.

O, Berea College sweatshirt, how I do love thee!


**linking up with Victoria's 31 Days of Writing Challenge. Join us here!**

Funny Friday, and Life Is Going Onward

I'll be home in 11 days, and boy am I going to miss living with my grandparents! Or Ding and Dong, as I affectionately refer to them :) They laugh harder than I do when I call them this, so don't think I'm being disrespectful. Anyway, these two keep me amused {and they keep themselves amused pretty well too!} and I hope that my stalker sister is up to the challenge of making me laugh each day :)

Scene: last night, Grams and Grandpa are sitting in the living room watching a movie. I couldn't tell if it was a Hallmark movie {Grammie's} or a cowboy movie {Grandpa's} but they were both watching it so I figured it was a cowboy drama or something.
On-screen, an older man is riding a motorcycle.

Grandpa: He's an old man and he's riding a motorcycle. Why can't I ride a motorcycle?

Grammie: Because you're too short. You wouldn't be able to steer it.

Grandpa: Well, I'll get a little one then.

Yes, friends, this conversation actually happened. And today is their 60th wedding anniversary. What a legacy of love and laughter.

Well, life does go on, doesn't it? Part of me has gone on like nothing's different: I've gone to work, laughed, gone to see The Lion King on-stage {marvelous! Post coming on that soon!}, and gone shopping. But another part of me is still in shock. Actually, I think I've entered the denial stage, because even though I know Grandpa is in Heaven, I keep thinking that I'll return home in a couple weeks and both Grandma and Grandpa will be in their apartment when I go visit them. But that is not at all the case.

L and I are doing a Bible study by Margaret Feinberg, and she has a little mantra for when life is overwhelming. "Breathe in. Breathe out. God is good. God is still on the throne." And that's what I've been repeating to myself. God is good, all the time, and all the time, He is good.

Something Sweet

So I meant to post a sweet something on Saturday, thereby rocking the alliteration club, but alas. Here's what went down last week: mi madre arrived in the Frozen Tundra to help celebrate my grandmother's 80th birthday! The big party was Saturday and then Mom went home Sunday. So here we are at work on Monday.

The sweet something is two-fold. One will be posted about later {with a picture!} but for today, here's what you get:
On Friday, Mom and Grammie and I went to the mall and were in a jewelry store. The man being helped before us was picking out a ring...that he was going to propose with. :) It was so cute to see him grinning and to hear him say "I'm going to talk to her dad and then ask her to marry me." He was probably in his 40s or 50s, which made it even cuter.

Alright, that's your sweet something today!