I'm IT.

* i actually did this the Saturday of Easter weekend - but for some reason have not posted until now *

my buddy JJ tagged me with a little quizzie-quiz, and here are the breathtaking and mind-numbing results...

10 years ago I was...

on Spring Break during my freshman year of college, (I went skiing with my pals the Twindigs in CO) and was spending Easter with their family. Their cute mom even gave me an Eater basket. (how's THAT for 10 years ago down to the day??)

also, my friend Andy had just decided to not return to Belmont the following year so that he and his band could tour full-time. I lectured him and my friend Cason endlessly on how I thought it was a dumb idea. Things seemed to turn out OK.

5 things on my "to do" list today:
1. drink coffee.
2. clean out Sadie's closet, which was previously Ella's closet...and contained MANY a thing that neither girl have used in a very long time.
3. go on a walk.
4. go to the grocery store.
5. enjoy the fact that my husband is home on a weekend.

Things I would do if I became a billionaire:
1. pay off our mortgage, plus some other people's mortgages too
2. travel
3. have a maid
4. and a cook
5. and a personal trainer
6. and a stylist
7. and do selfless things, too
8. then use them as tax write-offs. heh heh.

3 of my Bad Habits:
1. I burp. Loudly and often. This was even mentioned by my pal Andrew Peterson in the Rabbit Room ...still not sure how I feel about that.
2. I'm a total hypochondriac. Is that a bad habit? I guess your mind can get into the habit of thinking you've got the latest and greatest disease (remember the SARS craze?).
3. apparently I'm a bed-hog.


Places I've Lived:
1.Durham, NC
2.Nashville, TN
ok, since that list is miniscule (and I'm bored), I'll sub-categorize within Nashville.
*Belmont Univ. campus for 4 years
*little apartment off of Thompson Ln. for 6 months post-graduation with 2 friends.
*cute house in Crieve Hall for 10 months with those Twindigs and another girlfriend until I got married.
*Berry Hill (for our first year of marriage) in a really random neighborhood that had twice-a-week trash pick-up that was AWESOME. what was Not awesome was the fact that our house practically touched our next-door neighbors' house and he was a bitter old man who sat at home and called the police whenever people played drums in the middle of the day.
*our current locale in Crieve Hall. we bought our 60s ranch 5 years ago this summer, and have loved being here. interestingly, it is just a few houses away from the rental where I lived before marital bliss.

5 jobs I've had:

1. Medical Filing Clerk at my dad's office. I was 15-turing-16, and spent all day in a dank basement re-labeling patients' file numbers. They had been relegated to the basement if they had not been there in a long time or were dead. I listened to Jewel, and was grateful to get all the missing/dead people filed so I could move upstairs. I still have the Jewel songs stuck in my head.
2. Abercrombie and Fitch. again, with the Twindigs. (they are a recurring theme in my life) we basically spent all the money we made there on their clothes.
3. Coordinator of Volunteers for the Nashville Rescue Mission. Rewarding. Eye-opening. I ate a lot of fried chicken that the cook named Major would make especially for me.
4. YMCA before/after-school care. When I wasn't traveling with Andy, it was good to be home making some cash. So I joined up with (are you ready?) The Twindigs and my friend Adrienne - making kids smile all over Williamson County. Am I right, girls?
5. Bible proofreader. I prefer not to explain. It's that much better. All I will say, though, is that my co-horts were (you guessed it...) THE TWINDIGS!!!! (p.s. this is not their real name, although it would be awesome if it were)

Things that most people don't know about me:
1. I have a really keen sense of direction. Which is good because Andy still gets lost in Nashville.
2. I can say The Lord's Prayer from memory. In French.
3. I'm left-handed? I mean, I am - I just don't know if that's a fact not a lot of people know. For the record, I love being left-handed. It was especially "handy" (I'm sooooooo funny) playing high school basketball. The defense didn't have a clue what was coming!!

Glad tidings

Christ is risen.
He is risen indeed.
Alleluia!

four days later

first peek...


i wish this hoodie came in my size...


this one would live outside if we let her..

march morning

home sweet, snowy home...


delicate and vibrant...


outside my kitchen window...


tree and mailbox shadows...


galoshing through the snow...


barren birdfeeder...


pondering...

let them eat cake

Among the endless reasons I love my husband is that he bought me this movie.

I have only seen Marie Antoinette once - in the theater - but ever since I have had frequent desires to watch it again. While it may not be the most historically (shall we say) thorough, it is a visually stunning movie. The opulence of the French court in that era is fascinating.

Sophia Coppola, in my opinion, came at the story in a completely fresh way. I love that 80s songs are part of the soundtrack (with even a brief glimpse of some blue Chucks). With Andy leaving today (for the 3rd weekend in a row, might I add) I know what I'll be doing with my Friday night.

over and over

A dear friend of mine sent me the following quote...and despite its reference (and i obviously resonate with that) this can be applied to anyone's monotonies:

Kathleen Norris talks about the cyclical quality in creation: morning and night, the work week and the Sabbath, the earth revolving around the sun, and the seasons. So much of what God has created is repeated yearly, weekly, daily, over and over - like laundry and liturgy and “woman’s work.” God’s attention is indeed fixed on the little things, making life more accessible to us as patterns are repeated. We may choose to see these things as drudgery or an opportunity for experiencing the sacred.
In reference to The Quotidian Mysteries, Laundry, Liturgy and “Woman’s Work” by Kathleen Norris

I believe I will be tracking down this book.

checklist for flu-ish babies going outside

* pajamas
* fur-lined coats
* shoes
* runny noses
* sweet smiles

poor bloggy

So neglected. So alone. Maybe this'll cheer her up...







(courtesy of my pal Adrienne's new MacBook!!!)

where we've been

We got home this morning. It was AMAZING. For many, many reasons. Those reasons will be written about shortly. Not tonight, though. I'm busy finding deals on ebay for princess dresses...

ushering in

a true Southern girl

Last night my friend, Emily, came over to hang with the babes and me. Emily and I are both from the South, so I'm positive the ever-appropriate and convenient "y'all" was thrown around quite a bit. While we were talking, Ella "plugged" in her microphone - obviously getting ready to perform.

Sure enough, she turned to us and inquired, "Can I sing for yah?"

She's listening. She's learning. She's almost there. Her daddy will NOT be happy to read this post. And I am more than happy to post it.

Yes. Yes she is.

note to self

Make most certain that the child-locks to my lower cabinets really do keep my two year old out of them. Otherwise she may go into the kitchen while you blissfully remain in the living room. When you realize her (relatively) lengthy absence (accompanied by strange clinkings), you will call to her and ask what she's been doing. After a few seconds of rustling, she will peek her head around the corner and announce she's been eating. "Eating syr(ee)up."

And you will then go into the kitchen not quite sure what to expect. The lower cabinet door will, indeed, be open (remember, you have GOT to double-check those locks) and sitting neatly on the shelf will be two little Cracker Barrel syrup bottles. One completely empty. The other on its way to being so.

You will look on the floor. Not a drop. You will look on your child's face. Just a hint of it around her lips and a dot at the base of her throat. You will realize she really, truly drank all of that syrup in the span of about six minutes (taking the time to put the caps back on when you summoned her).

There will be only one solution in your panicked mind. Make her run laps around the house. NOW. And for the next twenty minutes straight. Your only thought will be to ward off the oncoming rush. To beat that sugar to its maniacal punch. For the most part you will.

But if you DON'T want to deal with all of that, just check the locks for goodness' sake.

tip for tuesday

Whilst flipping through a magazine, I ran across some hair-washing tips. Not that I get to wash mine all that often (something about running after children all day), but I always love a good insight into the ways of follicle upkeep.

* Before you wash, brush your hair from root to end - this loosens the dead skin and hairs. (ummm, disgusting)

* When scrubbing, use the pads of your fingers, not the fingernails. This can scratch the hair cuticle, making it dull. (oops)

* During your shower, don't pile your hair on top of your head - apparently this can dry out the ends. (I don't understand that at all. Plus, I ALWAYS put mine up , because I have long hair, and how else can I wash my shoulders with ease?)

* Rinse with cool/cold water. This causes your pores to contract, so they don't secrete as much oil. (Actually, I've known this for a while, but thought I'd throw it in. It's definitely an art form to get the water only on your head and not any other part of your body.)

There you have it, fellow hair-washers. While we're on the subject, might I add that I've been using Burt's Bees Very Volumizing Pomegranate & Soy Shampoo. I find it quite enjoyable, and am pleased with the results. I have fine hair, but a lot of it. And with each child it has become increasingly more wavy (not to mention darker). This seems to cater to both those things. Hooray for hair care!

Architect

The child LOVES to build towers. Or if she's feeling super-creative, she calls them "sandcastles." This one is definitely a sandcastle. It does her (Lego-loving) Daddy's heart good.





* She's wearing a babydoll in her sling (an old scarf of mine) ... when she's in the mood, that baby goes with her everywhere. She talks and sings to, feeds and pacifies that little baby - always making sure her charge is in the most comfortable of positions. It does her Mama's heart good.

11 months

Here she is. Eleven months old. The mitten? It's covering the gauze and tape that are wrapped around her fingers. Second-degree burns are covering my baby's three middle fingers as a result of a manual temperature test of steaming hot soup. After 90 minutes of screaming, writhing and sheer agony, the doctor-prescribed Tylenol (with some special sauce) finally allowed her to sleep.

She's been a trooper these last couple of days - what little time I've seen her. When she IS awake, she's been smiling through her drug-addled eyes, until it's time for the next dose and 4-hour nap which follows.

bugs

flower girl

It was a perfect day for a wedding. Dyer Observatory proved a beautiful spot - on top of a (what seems almost like a) mountain, Jason and Emily said their "I Dos" overlooking the city far below.

Decorated with pumpkins, mums and other tastes of fall, the outdoor wedding felt just right. There was a winding walk to the altar (a giant mound of rocks) and I love that bits of mulch and leaves clung to the bottom of Emily's dress.

Andy and my brother, Clay, were groomsmen. My sister-in-law, Sarah, was a bridesmaid. And my Ella was a flower girl. There are few times I have felt so honored to be asked anything. It is an Undeniable fact that Ella is in love with Jason and Emily. Both of them. Very much. And they asked HER to join them in the biggest day of their lives. Granted she's cute, and I wouldn't blame a complete stranger for asking her to be in their wedding just for pictures, but it's because Jason and Emily love her!



Jason met Ella when she was less than 30 minutes old. She hadn't even had her first bath! That night, he wrote a beautiful lullaby for her that makes me cry every time I hear it. I don't even know the title, but the first line is "Little hands, little feet, little Ella, go to sleep." I want to figure out a creative way to have the lyrics in her room, over her bed.

When Jason and Emily started dating, Ella was instantly smitten with Emily. We listen to Emily's record a lot around the house (especially when Andy's about to play a show with her and is brushing up on his guitar parts). Ella loves it, and requests it often. To this day, when she hears a female singer on the radio, she sometimes asks if it's "Em-ah-lee's song?".

As soon as Ella was told she would be a flower girl in their wedding, she couldn't stop talking about it. She didn't even know what one really was, but she knew she would "wear a pretty dress" and "sparkly shoes" and "sprinkle the flowers." If you know Ella, you can picture her arching her back in excitement, and the next second talking to you less than an inch from your face. When Jason presented her with the shoes, she started waving her hand in front of her face like she was about to faint from excitement.



She was given a beautiful garland and basket that Emily's mother had fashioned - reflecting October perfectly. The garland, with its oranges, whites, and dotted with tiny pine cones, was so delicate and breathtaking on Ella's gold-spun hair. Her dress made her look like a tiny bell, and the gold, sparkly shoes caught the sunset just right. There was another flower girl, Emily's cousin; she was the same height as Ella, with the same color hair (although she had more of it) and big blue eyes. They looked the perfect pair.



The processional started. Ben Shive was playing like only Ben Shive can. There was a a last-minute scramble as the wedding party reordered themselves (the wedding coordinator lined them up backwards). Emily's sweet tears had started as she held on to her father, and the flower girls were trying desperately to hold themselves back from sprinkling ALL the flowers before it was even their turn to walk down the aisle.



I was with Ella every step of the way down that long, mulch walk. The whole time I was coaching, prepping, encouraging, and praying that my sweet girl (who often becomes paralyzed and panicked in front of strangers) would make it down the aisle. "Go straight to Daddy, he'll be waiting for you up there," I said. She nodded, glanced at her petal partner, and seemed reassured.



The time came. I stepped into the background, holding my breath and snapped a couple of shots. Sure enough, about halfway down she turned around yelling "Mommy!!" I threw my camera behind a tree and crouched alongside her, holding her hand until she spotted the monkey. Yes, the monkey. Two stuffed monkeys were placed in front of the groom to entice the flower girls to complete their job. I guess it kind of worked.



Ella grabbed the monkey, jumped into Andy's arms, and stayed there for approximately 4 seconds. The rest of the ceremony was spent in my arms. After the ceremony, picures were taken and we whisked Ella up to the reception to enjoy the band a la "Oh Brother Where Art Thou" while she ate a plate of food.

Soon my parents and Sadie came to pick her up (whew!) and Andy and I enjoyed talking with friends, eating good food, making S'mores (yes!), looking at the moon through a GIGANTIC telescope, and dancing. OK, so Andy didn't dance all that much, but this girl certainly did! The only thing missing on the dance floor was LIZ (but since she's in South Korea I guess she couldn't make it).

It truly was a glorious night - crisp, clear, great music, friends, and best of all...Jason and Emily are married!!!

** Andy wrote a sweet post about the day, with a look back to my brother's wedding as well. You should look.

Purse Contents

Someone else did this, and I thought I'd record this morning's collection for posterity. I will list the items in the order of which I pull them.

* Fossil catalog, Fall 2007

* Baja Burrito receipt

* Packaging for an Elmo bathtime book

* Wild Oat's receipt

* my wallet

* a baggy with Sadie's green pacifier inside

* my white sunglasses that Ella likes to wear when it's sunny. they draw LOTS of attention

* Ella's Parent's Day Out payment reminder

* a dollar bill

* a card from our Neighborhood Fellowship Group, addressed to "The A Team"

* Border's receipt

* Burt's Bees Hand Sanitizer- Aloe and Witch Hazel (100% natural...hooray!)

* Zoo membership card

* CVS pharmacy receipt

* lip gloss

* a purple drug rep pen (we have lots around the house) for "Relafen - Nabumetone" ummm, I have no idea what that's for...Dad?

* Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm (ole Burt is from my hometown, you know)

* Strawberry Lip Smacker

* another dollar bill

* Canel's Chewing Gum - tutti-frutti flavor (from Baja)

* a really fun ring from Curious Heart Emporium (i think my favorite gift shop ever - but it took me forever to go in because I was scared of the aliens and spaceship and other odd-looking creatures in the front), and I literally just gasped aloud because I think it's broken. BOOOOO.

* another stick of Chapstick "Compliments of: allegra"

* a red pen

* 7 quarters

* 1 dime

* 3 pennies

* business card for my friend, a hair stylist at the Green Pea Salon

* Davis-Kidd receipt (my favorite Nashville bookstore)

* Neutrogena lip balm "Pink Splash" with SPF 20

* 2 Veggie Puffs (corn flavored, I believe)

* oooo, another penny

* some crumbs

What's in Your purse??

10 months

Sadie. I love so many things about her. Among the top of the list...

...When she smiles hard or laughs, her eyes become the shape of the moon when it's a tiny sliver. And the top of her nose has smile wrinkles in the shape of a triangle with the tip pointing down.

...Her laugh. She has so many different kinds. Amused, belly, I-want-someone's-attention, excited (usually turns into a shriek)

...Kisses. Especially when she initiates.

...The fact that she cannot listen to music without dancing.

..."Da-da" "Ma-ma" "El-la" "Dugga Dugga Dugga"

...The way she wants to be a part of Everything. It usually means pulling up on the object of her affection (mainly Ella) and getting as close as possible to the action.

...Books are the only thing that will keep her still. Especially if she's reading them herself.