the story of we

A visual tour of 2011

2012-01-15T19:40:00.004-05:00

So, here's a quick recap of the last year, in pictures, because I'm lazy.

Spent a week in Washington, DC. I heart museums!

Met Martha Stewart. (Um, so awesome!)

Finished up my job at McCallie School at the end of July. Promptly got a Kindle and started to catch up on years' worth of leisure reading.

Went on a all-expenses paid trip to the Bahamas with the bestie, courtesy of Arbonne!

Built an incredible team of Arbonne ladies! So proud of them!

Spent some time with another bestie in one of my favorite places - Los Angeles, California!

Wrapped up the year with a quiet Christmas at home and added a new dish to our yearly "must-haves" - Figgy pudding! It was so good!

It was a busy year and very full year, but in a good way. Can't wait to see what God has in store for us in 2012!

And then it was 2012

2012-01-15T18:58:00.006-05:00

So, years ago, I was a writer. I blogged. I wrote for newspapers. I wrote for websites. I wrote long, boring papers for grad school. I blogged some more.

And then I ran out of words.

But after I ran out of words, I discovered I was good at other things, too. I started my own business, and then I ran out of time, too, because I was working really hard at two jobs. But after about a year, I got to quit my desk job, and work from home, just running my little business.

And then I stopped writing altogether. I kind of forgot how. And why.

And suddenly it was 2012.

I don't really believe in new year's resolutions, so I'm not going to resolve to start blogging every day again or anything. But I've got some fun crafty ideas to share, and maybe some theological discussions, a few fun trips to take this year, and perhaps even some business ideas to hash out. And so, if anyone cares and would like to join me, please do! I'd love to do life together with you, even if just in a small, shallow, internet-based sort of way.

Here's to discovering new places, new things, and new ideas together in 2012. :)

life as we know it

2010-09-17T13:01:00.006-05:00

I've been a bad blogger. Life sort of got in the way, which is ok, of course, because we all know life is more important than the internet.

*crickets chirping*

Don't we?

Anyway, here's what I've been up to lately:

Mostly, working two jobs. I started working as an Independent Arbonne Consultant in July, and it's been a lot of fun. If you don't know what Arbonne is, it's basically natural, botanically based skincare & wellness products that rock your face off. Well, not your face, really, just your wrinkles. Anyways, it's awesome, but starting any new business is certainly time-consuming. If you want some great products that work & aren't going to kill you with chemicals, I can hook you up.
Enjoying the (slightly) cooler end-of-summer outdoors. Until the ragweed ruined everything. I'm hoping fall gets here soon.
Watching Firefly. I went through the whole season and the movie in a couple of days. How did I not know about this sooner? I have some serious geek love for this show.

Aaand that's about it. Work has taken up most of my time. When I do have a few blissful moments of free time I want to sit and veg, not expend more creative energy.

Speaking of creative energy, these are the blogs I've been loving lately:

http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/ So much amazing fashion inspiration.
http://www.newdressaday.com/ This girl makes me want to sew.
http://www.clothedmuch.com/ A minimalist, Mormon fashion blogger.

Notice how all of these revolve around clothes? I seriously think I missed my calling. Is it too late to switch my graduate degree to fashion design? Oh, I wish.

And just to avoid posting a blog with no pictures. . .

do yourself a favor, and go watch this.

(you can find it on amazon.com, or netflix instant)

Summer of Stories: Marshmallows & the Eternal Flame

2010-07-20T11:46:00.003-05:00

In addition to the snowball incident, my friends Rachel and Anna and I had more than our share of adventures. There was the popcorn incident. There was the goldfish swallowing incident. There was the time Rachel passed out on me in the student union. One of the most memorable adventures, though, was the night we roasted marshmallows over the Eternal Flame.

Our school mascot was/is the Flames. As in fire. It's supposed to be all pentecostal and charismatic, I guess, but I've always thought it to be lacking. I think we used to be the Vikings back in the 1950s, but I guess it was too violent. Or too Nordic. I don't know.

So, because of the mascot we had this fountain with a gas-lit "eternal" flame in the middle. Only it wasn't eternal, because I think it blew out more often than it was actually lit. Anyway, on one particularly cold night, Anna and Rachel and I observed the fact that we had an extra bag of marshmallows, for whatever reason. We also observed that, if we bent a couple of metal clothes-hangers, we'd have the perfect equipment for roasting said marshmallows.

And thus it began.

The eternal flame was right across the street from our dorm, so we bundled up, slipped on hoodies for anonymity, and strolled nonchalantly over to the fountain. It being below freezing, the fountain had been emptied and was quite dry, so we proceeded to climb inside and begin roasting our 'mallows. Now, this sort of adventure was highly frowned upon by campus security, so every time a patrol drove by we had to lay down inside the fountain to avoid detection.

We successfully roasted and consumed several petroleum-flavored marshmallows, upping our carcinogen levels for the next few weeks. We figured that we didn't smoke or drink, so a marshmallow or two probably wasn't going to overwhelm our bodies defenses.

There may have also been a few Native American-style fire dances around the flame. To stay warm, of course.

As a refresher, here's the three of us, pre-roast:

Summer of Stories: The "Snowball Incident"

2010-07-06T12:29:00.004-05:00

Rachel, Me & Anna, incognito.

My friends Rachel and Anna and I were destined to be friends in college. We all entered our college experience as members of the Freshman Honor Corps, a group of study-focused individuals (read: nerds) that spent the semester taking challenging courses together and participating in crazy team-building activities. Rachel and I became fast friends and became known as "the Rachels" (I miss you, other half!), and Anna frequently joined us on our adventures.

And we had many adventures, or rather, adventurous mishaps. The most infamous of these was the Snowball Incident of 2003, which began with us innocently enjoying a particularly heavy January snowfall, sliding around in the parking lots and making snow balls out of the fresh piles accumulating on commuters' cars. This progressed to a full-on snowball fight, after which, in a rush of pink-nosed giddiness, we decided to take our snowball fight into one of the dorms and ambush our friend Jackie.

So, we began the journey from our current parking lot across campus to Jackie's dorm, carrying our carefully-packed snowballs. Attempting to outdo the rest of us, Rachel kept rolling her snowball into each patch of fresh snow we encountered. The snowball was the size of a tennis ball, then a softball, then a small cantaloupe. Right before we ran into the dorm, she took advantage of one more undisturbed spot of snow, primly located in the dormitory's landscape area. The snowball was now rather bowling ball-sized; it was no longer white, but was covered in a fresh layer of mulch and dirt from the landscape area. A slushy landscape ball, if you will.

The three of us ran up the stairs, knocked on Jackie's door, and waited. She opened the door, hair freshly washed and dried and a clean outfit on. Anna and I threw our dainty snowballs. Splat. Splat. We all kinda giggled. We looked at Rachel, and she threw the monster. SPLOOSH.

It landed on Jackie's head and kind of slid down the side of her face. And then we feared for our lives, so we ran.

Jackie didn't speak to us for weeks. It took lots of apologies and "please forgive us" cards before we could be friendly again. We even volunteered to come shampoo the dirt out of her carpet.

I've never laughed so hard in my entire life. I haven't seen or talked to Jackie in years, but as for Anna and Rachel and I, that snowball cemented our friendship.

Summer of Stories: Old friends

2010-06-29T14:12:00.006-05:00

Allison, Sarah, Jessica, & me, circa '91-ish (my chubby, toothless stage). :)

I have several amazing, lifelong friends, a blessing of providentially epic proportions. It is something which I have taken for granted nearly my whole life, and am only now beginning to realize the full weight of.

Jessica and I like to say that we've been best friends since before we were born, since our mothers were best friends, and our grandmothers were also good friends. We lived down the street from each other until we were about 4, when her family moved to Texas, and then to Florida. From then on we faithfully drew each other colorful stick-figure pictures, progressing to chicken scratch-covered postcards, which eventually blossomed into real letters. They visited Tennessee over the holidays; we made the trek down to share in steamy Florida summers and whirlwind trips to Disney World. Somehow the states between us (ok, state - Georgia is HUGE people) didn't seem to matter.

(awkward much? yeah, we were)

I think I took having Jessica for a best friend for granted, because she was just always there, writing letters, calling, loving me for who I was, even though we are really different in a lot of ways. When it came to friendships, she put Jesus skin on and lived in it.

I was overjoyed when Jessica transferred to my college, and we got to share my senior year & her junior year of school. She also stuck around after school for a while, so we got to live in the same city once again. Now that she's moved back to Florida, it's harder to keep up with each others day to day lives, and I'm sure I'm back to taking her for granted all over again.

Sarah and Allison were my daily companions, my playmates, my partners in crime. We held Barbie yardsales, had birthday parties for our stuffed animals, built forts in the backyard, and did all of this in layers of dress up clothes. Our visits became more infrequent as we got older, and we lost touch when we all went our separate ways to college. Then, I was at an Irish pub with friends a few years ago, and the server that came up to our table to was Allison. I jumped up and hugged her; I think she kind of stared at me with her mouth open for a second. We discovered the three of us were all in Chattanooga, and now we get together fairly regularly for dinner or a cookout.

It's a wonderful thing when you're around old friends. It's just comfortable. I don't worry about my hair being frizzy or the dishes in the sink. Old friends know exactly who you are, and somehow still want to be around you.

The most recent childhood friend I've reconnected with is Emily. Emily also spent a lot of time at our house when were kids. Fun loving and accident-prone, she was the instigator of many of my childhood injuries, like the time we played golf with a broom and I ended up wearing a pirate-like eye patch for three weeks. After her family moved to Michigan, Emily and I were also regular pen pals. Between Emily and Jessica, I probably wrote more letters in my pre-teen years than most people do in a lifetime.

Em, her husband, and their three kids recently moved back to Tennessee. Although we hadn't seen in each other in a decade and hadn't even spoken in years, it was so easy just to pick up conversation, to catch up and reminisce.

I wonder if, when time ends and we meet Jesus face to face, if it will be like reuniting with an old friend. I imagine he'll tell us how much he's missed us, how glad he is that we're finally there. And then we'll sit down together, and he'll tell us about how he hung the stars, and why he had so much fun creating sea turtles, and we'll rejoice together that everything has been made new and right again.

Yes, I think it will be a lot like that.

Summer of Stories: New memories

2010-06-25T08:35:00.013-05:00

Even while we're remembering the past, we're forming new memories.

Here are a few pictures from our recent Florida trip. I want to remember the beach this way, before the oil came and blackened the pure white sand. It'll be beautiful again someday, but it's going to take a long time.

Summer of Stories: Beach trips

2010-06-21T13:34:00.004-05:00

I love this picture of me and my grandmother. I'm not sure who was more wary of getting in the water, and I think we both feel the same today. :-)

I grew up going to Florida nearly every year with my mother, grandparents, aunt, and cousins. Grandma grew up in Pensacola, so we would go down to visit family and play on the beach. My memories from those trips consist of happy nights snuggled in homemade afghans at Aunt Marylou's house, playing in the red dirt of her fire-aunt infested backyard, and picking up seashells on the beach. Most of my beach memories include my cousin Melody.

For visual reference, Melody is on the left, next to Harvey.

For many years, we would go to Pensacola to see family, then head over to Panama City for our relaxing beach time (this was when it was just starting to become an airbrushing, go-carting tourist trap. don't judge). I have great memories of Melody and I playing in the surf for hours, building sandcastles, getting eaten alive by sand fleas, and even dancing around in our matching grass skirts. Our annual trips got more infrequent as all of us grandkids got older, and the long car rides got to be too much for my grandfather.

My grandfather passed away several years ago, but my Grandma still likes to go back to Pensacola every couple of years visit her nieces, and be reminded of the place she and Grandpa met, I think. Last week my mom, aunt, and I had the privilege of joining her on such a pilgrimage.

I'd had high hopes for the trip, because of all those wonderful memories. But wasn't everything I'd hoped it would be.

Grandma was sick, and wasn't quite herself. In between coughing fits, she was bossy and irritable. I probably would have been, too, if I was 80 years old and felt as bad as she did. Mom and my aunt were both stuffy and snoring, so no one slept a whole lot. Melody wasn't there, neither was my little brother. Neither was Grandpa. I had no desire to collect shells, because they didn't match my house's decor (snooty, huh). This trip was just different. I wasn't a kid anymore.

There were many really good things about the trip, too. The beach was beautiful and clean, still unspoiled by the coming oil slick. The weather was perfect. The hotel was great, with a nice little pool and a great view. We saw amazing sunsets. We got to visit with family. I got to talk with my aunt a lot, which I don't think I've been able to do it years. I think I had the most fun of the whole trip when mom and I went out to the beach by ourselves on our last evening, walked along collecting shells for a craft project she wanted to work on, watched the sunset, and entertained ourselves by setting the camera's timer and attempting the perfect jumping-in-the-sand photo.

We can't get the past back, obviously. But the present can be good, too. And I'm so grateful for such wonderful grandparents, who took the time to share their past and present.

And, in case you're wondering, our timer photos were hilarious, if unsuccessful. :)

Summer of Stories: Slip n' slides and whipped cream

2010-05-28T12:04:00.006-05:00

(Sarah, me, & Allison, circa early 90s?.)

I had a wonderful childhood.

I have nothing but good memories of my early childhood and elementary years. This is mostly thanks to my wonderfully creative, stay-at-home mother. I was an only child until I was eight, but my friends Allison and Sarah, and often two or three other kids, were our house every day. While we had plenty of free reign, it was my mother that helped orchestrate, and often joined in, our grandest adventures.

Summer was the best of all. We constructed elaborate slip n'slide set-ups in the back yard, where we'd tack tarps onto the end to make it longer, and still ruined the grass and our stomachs from overzealous sliding. My dad would bring refrigerator-sized boxes home from work, and we'd cut and color and open our own drive-through restaurant in the driveway. Bicycles were the vehicles of choice, and the "food" was usually tacos made from magnolia leaves. Sometimes we'd even schlep the plastic play food outside. Super Soaker water fights were a common occurrence, as were trips to the library and the public pool.

But the day that stands out above all the rest, the one that we still talk about as adults, was the day my mother

let.
us.
have.
a.
pie.
fight.

She even bought the supplies. She was that cool.

I don't know where the idea came from, probably Bugs Bunny or Nickelodeon, but we got it into our heads that slopping whipped cream pies into other people's faces had to be the epitome of a good time. Maybe because you just don't see people walking down the street, slapping whipped cream at others' heads, I dunno.

So, mom went to the store and bought a carload of Cool-Whip and pie tins. We donned our bathing suits, laid the pie tins on a picnic table, and began divvying up the Cool-Whip. We had amassed quite a few more kids at that point, I think, so this was a big deal. Everyone got two or three pie plates full, so you had to aim wisely. Our backyard was immense (at least it seemed to be back then) and full of shrubbery. Trees and bushes became fortresses, globs of whipped topping met would-be invaders.

I'm sure the fight lasted only minutes before our supplies were depleted, the grass was coated in corn syrup and hydrogenated oil, and we were sticky, dirty messes. So my mom did what any reasonable mother would do.

She broke out the slip n' slide.

(That picture up there really makes me want a Little Mermaid t-shirt.)

What do you remember?

2010-05-26T15:40:00.002-05:00

I love Donald Miller. His latest book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, is really profound and incredible in so many ways. I recommend you read the entire book, but this post is going to be about a paragraph in the very first chapter.

Miller notes how little of life we actually remember - only a tiny fraction of a fraction of all the minutes and days we live. He says that his friend, Bob, writes down everything he remembers. Every minute detail, and Bob has filled more than 500 pages with his memories.

"He's the only guy I know," writes Miller, "who remembers his life. He said he captures memories, because if he forgets them, it's as though they didn't happen; it's as though he hadn't lived the parts he doesn't remember."

How much of life do you remember? Sure, you remember the big things, like major birthdays, weddings, trips to Disney World. But life is made up of thousands of small moments, of seemingly meaningless choices and habits and routines. Why are you the person you are now? It seems that we are made up of memories, and if we forget, we won't know who we really are.

One of my greatest regrets in life is not writing down my Grandpa's stories when I had the chance. Now I have to try to remember them on my own. That is why I'm going to start blogging about my memories this summer. Let's call it the Summer of Stories. I'd like to say that I'll write one every day, but I'm trying to be realistic here, so let's just say I'll try to post as often as possible. No memories are off-limits, whether they be childhood adventures or moments of teenage angst. I'll try to make sure there's some semblance of a point to everything. Please join in the fun by posting your own memories in the comments section.

As Miller continues, "The thing about trying to remember your life is it makes you wonder what any of it means. You get the feeling life means something, but you're not sure what. Life has a peculiar feel when you look back on it that it doesn't have when you're actually living it."

I'm looking forward to looking back. Hehe. :)

Reprieve

2010-05-21T13:59:00.003-05:00

Summer is almost here. I can tell because the days are getting warmer and more humid, my second semester of grad school is officially over, and the sun is staying up nearly as long as I am in the evenings.

I am so grateful for the reprieve that is summer.

I received very, very good news this week. I am not allergic to any foods, much less the entire food pyramid. Apparently skin testing (which I had done this week) is much more reliable than blood testing (what I had done a couple weeks ago). As in, blood testing has a 50/50 reliability rate, while skin testing has a 95% reliability rate. I wish I had known that before, but I don't regret cutting all that stuff out of my diet for a few weeks. I diversified my food repertoire quite a bit. I've added everything back in except wheat and dairy, and I think I'm going to stay away from those for a while just because I feel better.

I decided against taking summer classes this year, just because I need a break and some time to finish settling into our new home. I'm excited to (finally) unpack that last room full of boxes, to paint my kitchen and bathroom, and to hang things on the walls. Time at home that doesn't involve sleeping or doing homework will be a good thing.

Summer hours start in two weeks. I love working at a school.

I hope you find rest and reprieve in at least some small way this summer, even if your work is not dictated by the school calender.

A nightmare

2010-05-07T09:09:00.004-05:00

Have you ever woken up, and thought, maybe for just a split second, that perhaps yesterday was just a nightmare?

I did that today.

After a scary weekend of allergic reactions to an unknown substance, I went to the doctor this week and had some blood work done to see if I was allergic to anything. I got the results yesterday, and they're not good. In fact, I feel like someone has suddenly taken away any shred of freedom and independence I may have had.

According to that blood test, I am allergic to dairy, eggs, wheat, soy, corn, peanuts, walnuts, and sesame seeds. I was expecting maybe one or two things, but everything?

At first, I thought I could handle it. I eat very healthily anyway, so I'll just make substitutions, right? That worked until I realized I was allergic to the substitutions as well. Anything that's made gluten-free (without wheat) is usually made with at least some corn flour, but I can't eat corn. Anything made without eggs usually involves corn starch. Anything without dairy usually has soy in it. Even packaged dressings and condiments have corn syrup and soybean oil in them.

I literally cannot eat anything from the grocery store.

I have to make everything from scratch.

Now, if I stayed at home all day, this would be somewhat feasible. I could carefully control my food intake. This isn't possible, though, because in addition to a full time job, I'm also a grad student. I barely have time to take a shower in the morning and water my garden in the evening, there's no way in hell I have time to whip up a vinaigrette from scratch every time I have a salad.

But the thing is, I have no choice.

Yesterday, I was really sad. I cried a lot. Today I'm angry and bitter.

Think about how many things in our lives revolve around food. Birthday parties, nights out with friends, weddings, parties, church events. I can't participate in any of it, because there's no way of telling what's in something or how it was prepared. I can no longer eat at any of my favorite restaurants. I can't eat at any restaurants.

My two favorite things to do are to cook and to travel. Cooking has lost all of its joy, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to travel because I will never be able to eat anywhere.

I have an appointment with an allergist that's supposed to help me sort all this out and do some further testing, but it's not for three more weeks. There's a chance that I won't always be allergic to all of these things, but there's no way to know.

And in the meantime I have to somehow focus on work and finishing the semester of grad school.

I'm sorry this post is so depressing. I know I should be cheerful and chipper, determined to overcome and beat this, but I'm not. I'm just overwhelmed. And defeated.

So very defeated.

5 Easy Ways to Celebrate Earth Day

2010-04-22T09:03:00.003-05:00

Want to do something good for yourself & the environment? Try adopting a few easy habits to celebrate Earth Day this year.

1. Recycle, recycle, recycle! It may seem obvious, but I'm amazed at how many people still don't recycle. If you live in Chattanooga, go to http://www.recycleright.org/ to sign up for free bi-weekly recycling pick up. You don't even have to sort it!

2. BYOB - Bring your own bag! Plastic bags take hundreds of years to break down in a landfill. Most European stores eliminated complimentary shopping bags years ago. Many grocery stores now offer reusable bags for purchase, or round up all the old freebie canvas totes you have around the house. I keep a pile of them in the trunk of my car, so I'm always ready for a grocery run.

3. Shop thrift or consignment first. Before you buy a brand new item of clothing, see if you can find what you need in a thrift or consignment store, or on Ebay. You'll lessen your environmental impact, and the impact on your wallet. If you need some inspiration, you can read about my year of no new clothes here and here.

4. Ditch the dryer. If it's nice out, hang your clothes on a clothesline outside. It's that easy! You'll save energy and extend the life of your clothes. We lived without a dryer for more than a year when we first got married, and I didn't really miss it much at all. Now, we just use it when it's raining or we're in need of clean undies, stat.

5. Drink tap water. We have the safest drinking water in the world, so ditch the bottled water, folks! All those bottles just create most waste, and studies have shown that the chemicals in plastic water bottles can leach out into the water. Use a water purifier or filter if you're concerned about taste. Carry your water to-go in a stainless steel (not aluminum) bottle, or make sure whatever bottle you're using is BPA-free.

I could go on, but I promised these would be easy! Let me know if you have any questions, or need more suggestions. The best thing you can do on Earth Day is go outside and enjoy it!

"The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it."
~ Psalm 24:1

The Story of We

2010-04-12T15:08:00.006-05:00

My grandpa told stories. Action, romance, mystery – I was captivated by them all, even those I could quote by heart. He told stories of his life, his adventures in the Navy, how he met my grandmother. She used to come in and tell him to leave me alone, that I’d heard all the stories before. I’d grin, and wait for grandpa to continue. I wanted to hear them all again and again, because not only were the stories special, so was the storyteller.

As humans, we understand our lives by telling and listening to stories. We relate to each other through these narratives, not cold, hard facts. This is the essence of Walter Fisher's Narrative Theory, the theory that prompted me to pursuit a graduate degree in Mass Communication. Sometimes, when deadlines are looming both at school and at work, it is easy to forget the bigger picture, to get so caught up in the details of this specific sentence and chapter that I forget where the story is headed.

When I step back, I realize the point of the story is I have a new life in Christ. His story tells of his never-ending love and faithfulness. It's beautiful and intricate and breathtaking. If I lose sight of that, and forget to share that story, then the little chapter I am focusing on and laboring over so intently is not going to make much sense. No one will have any idea what the story is all about, and I'll miss out on the amazing stories others have to tell.

This week, I encourage you to consider your story. What is its theme, its purpose? Perhaps, like me, you become so focused on the syntax that you forget the plot. Remember and share your story, and pursuit the stories of others. You may be surprised at the epics we take for granted.

My other blogging home

2010-03-01T10:07:00.003-05:00

Hey guys! Sorry I haven't posted here in a while. I've become a regular contributor for http://thebudgetfashionista.com/ , so I haven't had much time to write anything else. If you like fashion but don't like spending a lot of money, you should check it out! :)

Disadvantages of Adulthood

2010-02-02T12:56:00.003-05:00

(source)

Some days, I don't like being a grown-up much.

Sure, there are certain advantages. You get to stay up as late as you want (and pay for it at work the next morning), eat whatever you want (and bulge out of your jeans), or watch TV as long as you want (and generally turn into a pudgy sloth with no social life).

We’re in the process of buying a new house, and selling our current abode. It has been a great little house (emphasis on little) for the first two years of our marriage, but we’re ready for more space and a big, fenced-in yard for our behemoth dog to run free in.

I’ll be honest, buying a house while working full time and attempting to get through grad school is a little bit insane. Some days, my brain just doesn’t want to work anymore. Big, adult decisions like house-buying are scary. There’s no one else to blame if you make a mistake. What if you buy the wrong house and get stuck with a money pit a la Tom Hanks? What if we lose our jobs, or incur huge medical bills, or encounter any number of ruinous circumstances that leave us financially screwed and we can’t pay our mortgage?

If I take a deep breath, I realize that I’m overreacting. We already own a house, and owning a slightly bigger and more expensive one won’t be all that different. We’re careful with our finances, but what it really all boils down to is that God is sovereign, no matter if we have money to spare or if we’re financially ruined. We’re called to be good stewards with what we have, something I take very seriously, but the moment I start worrying and fretting and trying to hold onto money is the moment I miss the point completely.

So I’m crossing my fingers, praying, and hoping all grown-ups don’t end up like Hanks’ Walter Fielding.

Project Rewear: Recap

2010-01-05T13:44:00.001-05:00

I did it.

I successfully went a whole year without buying any new clothes. Shocked?

I am a little bit, too.

Last year, when the presents were unwrapped, the bubbly uncorked, and people were resolving to be thinner, wealthier, and better-looking (or something like that), I decided to challenge myself to buy no new clothes for the entirety of 2009. “New” is really the key word here – I bought clothes that were new to me, just not new to the rest of the world.

I like clothes. A lot. Legend has it that I began to pick out my daily attire at age two, because something my mom had chosen for me didn’t “mats” (I was apparently aware of the color wheel long before I had enough teeth to say “ch”).

I treat clothes like souvenirs. I like to buy them when I travel, bringing a little piece of the world home with me. Currently, my closet holds shirts from Dublin, scarves from London, a skirt and sunglasses from L.A., Cubs shirts from Chicago. . . it’s kind of like World Market, without the well-coordinated décor, edgy music, and off-brand Nutella.

And, being a good, thrifty Presbyterian, I am also highly susceptible to the “itsareallygooddeal” disease. This illness can strike suddenly and without warning, usually within a tight radius of the Gap clearance racks. And no matter how cute that $12 Target bargain is, those add up fast, and were leaving my closet too full and wallet too, well, empty.

I also stopped buying new clothes to lessen the environmental impact of all those clearance rack spending sprees. If I don’t buy a new sweater, it means someone has to make one less sweater, and those materials and energy aren’t used. The consignment shop sweater has already been made, it’s already “out there” in the world, and by reusing it, I reduce my resource consumption, albeit by a very, very small percentage. While one sweater isn’t going to make a very big difference (or for that matter a whole year of clothes purchases) it is still something I can do, and in the end has changed by buying habits.

The rules of my experiment were simple. No buying new clothes. Consignment stores, thrift stores, garage sales, Ebay, and Craigslist were all were acceptable clothing sources. In an effort to learn a new skill, I was also allowed to wear anything I could sew myself (which sadly turned out to be, well, nothing). I could wear anything given to me as a gift, because I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings (and I have a rule to never, ever turn down free J. Crew. Just sayin.’).

Surprisingly, my year-long experiment was much, much easier than I expected it to be. Probably the most difficult was when I traveled to L.A. and had to deal with the candy-shop assortment of colorful boutiques laid out before me. I bought accessories (not forbidden) and sought out some cool thrift stores and consignment shops. I didn’t get to clear out the H&M as I would have liked, but my shopping need was well satisfied. For the rest of the year, I found a few key thrift store jewels, and got creative with how I put the rest of my wardrobe together.

If I had to summarize everything I learned this year in one word, it would be this: Ebay.

No, seriously.

I never knew what a treasure trove of fashion awaited me in cyberspace! Ebay-ing for books, electronics, and Christmas presents was old hat, but clothing was a new challenge. One that takes patience, proper measurements, and some more patience. In order to be a successful Ebay clothier, you need to know your measurements and stick to brands you know and trust (for me it’s the ever-lovely J. Crew). I would scour Ebay for the particular item I was looking for (most of the time jeans or boots), add a bunch of items to my watch list, watch as most of them went out of my desired price range, bid on a couple, and maybe win one. It took me about two months before I finally found the tall, brown boots I was looking for (new shoes weren’t off limits, just more than I wanted to spend), and I had to buy two pairs before I found one that fit (after a few forlorn sighs, the other was promptly re-listed). But in the end I ended up with a great pair of brand new $300 boots for $60, that I wear almost daily. Jeans are a bit tricker, but if you find a brand and style you love, keep scouring Ebay for them. I bought two gently used pairs of (J.Crew!) jeans for under $12 each, and that is so much more satisfying than buying the same jeans out of the catalog for $80.

I ended my retail-fashion-fast on New Years Eve by stopping at an outlet mall somewhere in Indiana. Or maybe it was Kentucky. (We were driving home from Wisconsin on our Christmas adventure across the Midwest, and I’d spent so many hours in the car at that point, I wasn’t even sure what state I was in.) All I know is, while we were chugging along I-90, my sweet husband suggested we stop and stretch our legs and let our dog relieve her ever-patient bladder. And then we pull up in front of the J.Crew factory store. Yes, folks, my husband loves me.

All that to say that one pair of cargo pants, corduroys, and a sweater later, my fast is over. And while it will be really nice to walk into a store and buy a white dress shirt if I need one, rather than scouring every thrift store in town, I don’t think I’ll be returning to my old shopping habits any time soon. I still plan to turn first to Ebay whenever I’m looking for a new pair of jeans, and thrift stores can more than satisfy any hint of “itsareallygooddeal” disease that may come my way.

And for all of you who stopped reading five paragraphs ago because this post is so damn long, here’s a recap: I didn’t buy any new clothes for a year, I survived (thrived, even!), and you should try it too.

I threw that last little encouragement in there for good measure. If you’re thinking of giving up new clothes for a while and need some pointers, let me know.

In the meantime, I’m going to try to figure out something to resolve for this new year before I blink and it’s 2011. Any suggestions?

This sweet doggy needs a home!

2009-12-10T14:33:00.003-05:00

We have corralled a very friendly, adorable stray that has been wandering in our neighborhood for a few weeks. He's so sweet, and climbed right into my husband's truck as he was getting ready to leave this morning! He tried to take the dog to McKamey Animal Shelter, but they wouldn't be able to take him without an appointment, and the soonest one they have is a week from tomorrow! We have no place to put the dog until then, but hate to put him back out on the street.

Would you be willing to foster this dog for one week? The workers at McKamey loved him and said he would be very likely to get adopted if we bring him in next week. If you would like to offer him a permanent home, that would be great, too! :)

Look how cute he is! You know you want him!

Project Rewear: October edition

2009-11-14T11:26:00.002-05:00

I realize that not only is it not October anymore, it's halfway through November. Oops.

October's Project Rewear could be alternatively titled, "Things I've bought on Ebay." If you have no interest in shopping on Ebay whatsoever, feel free to skip this post. Really, I won't mind. I know it's long. :)

Ebay can be a wonderful resource for previously-owned merchandise, if you know how to use it.

I bought a nearly new pair of J.Crew jeans for $7.99. You would never know I didn't buy them in the store, and I saved 70 bucks. I also recently scored a chocolate brown J. Crew silk party dress, new with tags, for less than $12. Can't wait to get that one in the mail. Other Ebay sundries I acquired last month included a flapper dress and fake cigarette holder for Halloween, and a ballet skirt for the ballet class I'm taking.

I did discover the perils of purchasing shoes on Ebay. Before you bid, make sure you know what size you are in that particular brand. Remember that cute pair of vintage boots I posted about a couple of months ago? Sadly, when they arrived they were way too small. I tend to be a 6.5 in almost every shoe I try on, but apparently vintage shoes tend to run pretty small. So, I re-listed them on Ebay and got most of my money back. At that point I decided Ebay probably wasn't the best place to find shoes, and proceeded to visit every shoe store in Chattanooga looking for what I wanted - brown, real leather, no heel, and affordable. Apparently those things do not coexist in a boot anywhere in Chattanooga (at least not one under $200. Blech.), so I was soon back to stalking Ebay.

And there they were.

New, J.Crew (notice a trend?) brown, leather (leather soled, too!), flat riding boots. These were $300 boots last season, so I knew they'd probably end at a price way too high for me, but I brought my computer to small group one Sunday evening (yeah. . . ) and bid at the last minute. And I got them, for $67. I've worn them nearly every day since, with jeans, dresses, dress pants. And the best part is that since they're leather soled, if I keep them clean and repaired, I can resole and wear these babies 'till I'm 80.

So, a few words of wisdom if you decide to buy shoes or clothes on Ebay:

1. Stick to brands you know. I tend to stick to J. Crew or the Gap since I know what sizes fit me in those brands.
2. Search for something specific. Otherwise, the sheer volume of clothes on Ebay can get overwhelming. Figure out what you need, search for it, and put anything that comes close to what you're looking for on your watch list. If an item goes out of your price range before the bidding is over, delete it from your watch list and keep searching.
3. Don't bit until the last minute. You have to be one of those last-minute-swoopers that everybody hates to get the best deals. Know what you're willing to pay, wait until the last minute of bidding, enter your price, and hold your breath. Someone may have been willing to pay more than you, and if so you'll have to keep searching, but at least you had the element of surprise so no one had time to up their bids.
3. Be patient!! Really, if you're not willing to be patient, watch 50 items, bid on 5, and maybe win 1, then Ebay is not for you. If you are willing to be patient, though, you just might get some great deals.

Happiness is a warm puppy

2009-11-14T11:11:00.006-05:00

And a box of kleenex.

I've been wiped out by a bout of bronchitis for the past several days. It has been . . . boring. I tried to do some homework, but really all my brain could handle was sleep, a few episodes of Chuck, and occasionally cheering on the college week contestants on Wheel of Fortune (I was sick ok? It's not like I watch it all the time. . . well, ok, maybe I do.)

I think the highlight of my three days on the couch, though, was my dog. Normally, if I'm home and not playing with her enough, she likes to steal shoes, tissues, socks, or dishtowels in an effort to initiate a game of chase. Fun for her, not so much for me. When I'm sick, however, she knows. It's like she goes out of her way to be a really good dog. I think she's only stolen one shoe and a couple of kleenex all week, and I haven't even been able to take her on any walks. She just understands. She spends most of the day next to the couch, laying her head on my lap, or curled up on the doormat keeping an eye on me.

Keeping guard.

Whatcha doin' mom?

Maybe you need a little kiss?

Or maybe we could cuddle? I'd be happy to get on the couch with you.

Shluuurrrpp. Feel better now?

I love her. :)

For my own satisfaction. . .

2009-11-10T16:05:00.003-05:00

The flag pole picture from my previous post. Minus the flag pole.

Photoshop, I love you.

New Blog!

2009-11-10T16:01:00.002-05:00

I've started a new blog about Chattanooga. If you live here or plan on visiting, check it out at

http://chattatravel.blogspot.com/

Read my new post on Rembrandt's coffee house, and enjoy a warm beverage on this cold day. :)

My favorite season

2009-11-03T13:22:00.009-05:00

Fall is most certainly my favorite season. It is one of those times I am very grateful to live in Tennessee, especially in Chattanooga. If I ever have to live somewhere that doesn't get to experience fall in all its colorful glory, it will be a sad day. In case you didn't get to experience fall this year, or you weren't able to get outside and enjoy it, here are a few pictures I took on campus at McCallie last week.

(If that flag pole wasn't in the way it'd be even prettier. :-))

(The view from Missionary Ridge is beautiful.)

(The iconic McCallie chapel)

We have a few more good days of fall left, then most of the leaves will be gone. I'm trying not to be sad about it, and just soaking up the beauty as much as possible.

God likes fall, I'm sure of it.

Project Rewear: September edition

2009-09-28T12:24:00.006-05:00

Wow, it's been a while since I've blogged. Sorry, folks. I started grad school in August, and quickly learned that a full time job + part time school is waaay harder than full time school alone. For about a month it seemed like all I did was work all day, come home, cook dinner, study all evening, go to sleep, and repeat. I think I'm getting the swing of things, now, though, because it's getting easier. School is still a lot of work, but I don't feel like I'm drowning anymore.

Anyway, enough about me! Onto the clothes . . . or lack thereof. I haven't posted anything about project rewear yet this month because there hasn't been anything to post. I was too busy to go thrift shopping or ebay hunting or sew anything, and well, I didn't need a thing. But this weekend I did my part to help the economy, and, using a gift card my fabulous mother-in-law gave me for my birthday, I hit up Hancock Fabrics and loaded up on sewing supplies. I bought several beginners patterns, some fabric, and various sewing accoutrement. I plan to try my hand at a skirt first, and bought some really soft flannel make it out of. It doesn't have a zipper, so it should be pretty easy. I'll post pictures once I get around to sewing it.

I also bought some boots on ebay this weekend! Technically, shoes aren't included in the project rewear, and I could buy retail if I wanted to, but who would want to when you can buy these puppies?

And for 20 bucks!

Now that fall is creeping in, I'm excited to wear these to work with a skirt or dress. Because I've really decided that I don't like pants. Dresses are far superior, but can get chilly.

Which reminds me of that flannel skirt I need to make. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Project Rewear: August edition

2009-08-12T09:40:00.008-05:00

The end of July was a very satisfying time for Project Rewear, mainly due to a kick-ass clothes-swapping party I held at my house. I invited a bunch of friends to clean out their closets and come over to have dessert and trade clothes. We were so busy digging through the mounds of clothes, however, that we never really had time for dessert, nor did we have time to take pictures. So the only photos I have to show you are of the loot I ended up with.

The dress on the left is the super cute strapless number from J.Crew that I found on ebay for $14. Then, we have my clothes swap finds: a black cashmere sweater, a brown leather purse, a stretchy and silky dress (new with tags!!) for fall, and a sleeveless purple button-down. And I completely forgot to take pictures of the two pairs of summer-y dress sandals I ended up with. May I remind you this was all free?

Everyone that came to the swap ended up going home with something, which made me really happy. And afterwords, I took seven or eight bags of clothes and shoes to the Northside Neighborhood House thrift shop, and organization that is doing awesome things for our neighborhood. It was certainly a win/win, and I think the clothes swap might become a yearly event. You should host one, too!

On another fashion note, I will leave you with a bit of eye candy. I made this corsage belt with a couple of silk flowers, a few scraps of chiffon, and an old sash, and I love it. I might make one in every color family.

Stories of a life well lived

2009-07-29T14:06:00.000-05:00

I attended a funeral visitation yesterday to be with a longtime friend whose father passed away this week. He had suffered from pancreatic cancer for several years, so it wasn’t necessarily unexpected, but it was still heart-wrenching for those left behind to mingle memories and tears. I think the hardest part for me was dealing with the fact that he missed getting to meet his newest grandson by three weeks – my friend is 8 ½ months pregnant with her first child.

As I sat on a rather ornate settee waiting for the visitation to begin, a chatty, heavily-bearded gentleman began to tell me stories of my friend’s father. They had worked together, fished together, hunted together. The stories were all humorous and lighthearted, and all were told with a smile and twinkling eye. I don’t think he was trying to make light of a sad and serious situation, rather, he was communicating the only way he knew how that this man had lived. He had lived, and was to be celebrated.

And whether he knew it or not, this kind gentleman was making sense of his friend’s death – or more so of his life – by telling stories, and helping me make a bit of sense of it all, too.

Thank you, sir. May you live well.

Project Rewear: July edition

2009-07-22T08:21:00.002-05:00

If you happen to be swearing off retail clothes for a year, ebay can be your best friend.

I've been keeping an eye out for a J. Crew strapless sundress for, well, forever. And a couple of weeks ago I found one on ebay. $100? nope. $50? nope. $14.99? You betcha.

I've scoured the internet trying to find a picture of the dress to show you, but I don't think J. Crew is making them this season, so I'll have to take a pic of the dress on me soon and post that. Stay tuned.

Project Rewear: June edition

2009-06-26T13:26:00.011-05:00

One of the stipulations of Project Rewear is that I can wear any new clothes that I sew myself. A talented seamstress I most certainly am not - curtains and pillowcovers are about as far as I can go. One Saturday, though, I decided to practice my skills (or lack thereof) on an old bedsheet, so I took a simple tunic/dress out of my closet and tried to copy it. I turned it inside out, marked the outlines on some thick paper we have leftover from one of our remodeling projects, and called it a pattern.

Here are a few long-overdue pictures from my pattern-less dress-making adventure:

First, I cut out my tracing.

Then, I cut the fabric to match.

Whoops. I think I got a little spray bottle-happy while ironing.

I basically just sewed the sides together, gave it a hem, and sewed the fabric under at the neck and sleeves. The neckline was the hardest part. It didn't turn out so great.

And, ta-da! Please excuse the lack of makeup and the rediculous pose. While I wouldn't leave the house in it, my bedsheet housedress is pretty comfortable. Hey, it's practice people. Everyone has to start somewhere -- do you think Martha was born with a perfect slipstich? Well, probably, but not all of us are that lucky.

Next time, I think I'll use a real pattern.

Pretty Things

2009-06-03T12:35:00.007-05:00

In the category of "Odd things I would collect, if I had the room."

Cake stands.

Like these:

(source)

Or these:

(source)

Or these gorgeous stackables:

(source)

Don't they make the cake look even yummier? Lovely.

Yada Yada Yada, spring edition

2009-05-22T11:52:00.004-05:00

Sorry, folks, it's been a while. The semester has been drawing to an end, work got busy, and yada yada yada, the usual excuses.

I never posted an April edition of Project Rewear, but I'm not really sure that I bought or made anything. I'll wrap up a May edition soon after I finally remember to get pictures off of my camera, but here's a teaser - it involves a bed sheet and a showing machine, and a successful consignment shopping trip.

Apart from swooning over each J.Crew catalog that comes in the mail (mmm. . . beautiful and soft vintage prints . . .drool), my year of non-retail shopping has been easier than I'd imagined it would be. I think I'm going to throw a fashion swap party sometime this summer, where everyone is invited to clean out their closets and bring clothes, purses, shoes & accessories to swap. We can donate whatever isn't claimed at the end of the evening. So ladies, start digging through the back of your closests - if you're anything like me, there's a ton of stuff in there that either hasn't fit in 5 years or you've just never really liked anyway. . .

In other life news, one more week until summer hours begin - woo hoo! While I'm still jealous of my teacher friends that get the entire summer off (seriously, what was I thinking majoring in journalism??), it is really, really nice to get an extra hour and a half to each weekday during the summer. That extra time makes a big difference when it comes to walking the dog in the morning, and getting dinner ready at night. It's nice.

I booked a ticket to LA this week! I'm going to go see a dear, dear friend in June, and I'm so excited! I've never been to LA (ok, I went to Disneyland when I was 6, but that doesn't count), and I probably wouldn't choose it as a vacation destination if my friend didn't live there, but she's a local I'm hoping she'll know all the cool places to visit, eat, etc. Maybe I'll have to look up some cool consignment shops while I'm there. . .

I like eplipses . . . :)

My summer projects are going to include art (I hope to work on some more pastel drawings, at least), learning Illustrator (I found some good tutorials online, I just need to make the time to do it), and . . . applying to grad school! Well, at least getting ready to apply to grad school. If I can get my thoughts gathered enough to write a kick-ass statement of purpose and application, I may apply for the fall semester, but otherwise it might have to wait 'till spring. I'm hoping for fall - I want to get started as soon as I can, since Im just going to try to take one class at a time (online) while I continue to work. I took the GRE about two years ago and I'm trying to avoid taking it again. I didn't do as well as I would have liked, but I'm not a very good test taker. I studied for the stupid thing for months, but the longer I studied, the most anxious I got. When I finally went to take the test, I didn't do nearly as well as I should have because it just freaked me out. So, I'm not sure it's worth it to put myself through that all over again. I hope the admissions people understand, and my GPA helps make up for it.

Sorry for the stream-of-consiousness post, kids. I just had to get something out there in the bloggosphere, before I gave it up all together.

My Constant Companion

2009-04-14T15:21:00.005-05:00

Yep, somehow I managed to get poison ivy on the first yard work day of the spring. And I even kept myself busy potting herbs while Lee and some helpers did the dirty work of pulling out a bunch of old fence and brush, just so I wouldn't touch any of the stuff. But still, it found me, via Lee or the dog or some clothes. Ridiculous. I spent most of Easter weekend on ice like an oyster, cleaning and slathering my wounds with Caladryl in an attempt to avoid a doctor visit and the inevitable steroid shot (overused immune system suppressent! aak!). My avoidance turned out to be in vain, though . . . after I started to swell up like a balloon and could barely move, I gave in, and am now altering between jittery from the 'roids and sleepy from the copious amounts of benedryl i've had to take. Fun. Times.

Oh well, I'm started to heal today. As much as I like to forgo traditional meds in favor of natural alternatives, sometimes it's helpful.

Project Rewear : March Edition

2009-03-27T12:00:00.003-05:00

I figured I had better add a March installment of this series before March is gone completely, so here it is.

Avoiding retail clothing this month was quite simple, mostly because my sweet and thoughtful husband gave me a J.Crew gift card for our first anniversary (that's right folks, 1 year!). I happily shopped the J.Crew sales (remember, gifts are ok) and made out like a bandit with a super cute navy cotton taffeta skirt, a salmon-colored cardigan (one of my 2 favorite colors), and a black sleeveless sweater with chiffon rosettes (I love J.Crew's embellishments).

In other "non-retail" shopping news, I have been on the lookout for a pair of brown/tan gladiator-style sandals that wouldn't break the bank (actually not hard to find in this economy, as cheap fashions are popping up everywhere), but would also be good for my feet. Enter Dansko!

Now, I nursed a mild hatred for the famous clog company for some time. You see, I think clogs are ugly. Clunky. And hard to walk in. And even though Danskos were supposed to be marvelous for your feet and back and such, I figured there had to be cuter ways to take care of yourself. Then, I discovered that Dansko made other things besides clogs! Who knew! In fact, they made some very cute non-clog footwear. Now, there was comfort I could get behind. I found my first pair of Danskos, black strappy sandles with a slightly chunky heel, on a clearance table at a local shoe store. Cute? Check. Comfy? Check. Cheap? Check. Tongue tied? Yep. Then, I found the illusive cute and good-for-me gladiators a couple of weeks ago on ebay. Score! Here are the beauts:

(photo couresty of ebay seller theshoemart)

So, if you're in the market for some shoes, can't spend much, but still want something a little more durable than Payless, try ebay. These were one of last season's styles, but, um, really, who's going to know that? And they were less than half of the retail price. The moral of this story? Don't be afraid to look for clothing and shoes through venues you normally wouldn't think of (ebay, craigslist, etc.). You might be surprised at the selection and price, and you're preventing the needless manufacturing of an item that may already be out there floating around someplace.

Coming up next month: New outfits, old clothes.

2009-03-10T10:11:00.006-05:00

Ok, a fun waste of time for the not-quite-lunch-yet-no-time-to-start-a-new-project boredom.

As discovered on Lyndsay's blog.

1) Choose the 4th folder where you store your pictures on your computer.
2) Select the 4th picture in the folder.
3) Explain the picture.
4) Tag 4 people to do the same.

No cheating (cropping, editing, etc.)

It's us, at a fabulous pre-wedding shower thrown by Crystal & Lyndsay and other fabulous friends. We're surrounded by mounds of white tissue paper. I mean, I'm a wrapper paper saver/re-user, and I could only think of so many uses for this stuff. The recycling center probably thought it snowed later that week.

I'm not going to tag anyone, but if it looks fun and you're bored, do it.

Just for fun, here's another one from the shower.

Chubby bunnies, anyone?

No, I have no shame.

Disney World, Part 2

2009-03-06T13:50:00.021-05:00

Ok, so where were we.

Let's see, we'd had an amazing dinner at Marrakesh, and, happy and full, we wandered around some of the other countries for a bit while we waited for the fireworks show. Here we are dancing in Italy.

And attempting to take no-flash pictures in China.

The fireworks show was great (sorry, no pictures), but as soon as that was over, we took our weary feet back to the POPS Century (our Disney hotel) and got a good night's sleep.

Next, onto the Magic Kingdom! While all the Disney parks are wonderful, there will always be a special place in my heart for the Magic Kingdom. You know, it's the one with the Dumbo and Peter Pan rides, and of course Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion. So many good ones! :)

The quintessential castle/crowd shot.

I think I was tired at the Magic Kingdom (it was day 3 after all), because I didn't take nearly as many pictures. It was also threatening to rain most of the day, so maybe I was afraid of getting the camera wet. To make up for the lack of pictures, I'll post a couple of videos for you.

We got to Magic Kingdom early, before it opened, which is great because Mickey and friends come out, and do a song a dance for you before they open the park. It's all very fun. We did all the popular stuff early (Buzz Lightyear [my favorite ride at MK!], Space Mountain, teacups, Haunted Mansion, Pirates), then headed back to Hollywood Studios in the afternoon (when MK got super crowded) for the Indian Jones Stunt Show (we didn't have time to see it the day before). It's a great show, so we were pretty excited.

A little clip from the show:

A funny story at this point in the day: on our way out of the park, Lyndsay and I were pulled aside by a cast member doing customer satisfaction surveys. We got to fill out this little online survey about the quality, price, etc. of the food available. The funny part was that I had waited in not one, not two, but three lines that day, trying in vain to buy a snack, all of which sold out just prior to me reaching the snack stand. I was able to tell the survey "your food is great but please, have some more of it!", and was rewarded for my efforts with a Disney pin, which is happily perched on my dresser at home. :)

Ok, from there we headed back to POPs for some pizza, rest (us girls), and pool time (the boys). We needed to be refreshed for our late-night Magic Kingdom adventure!! That day happened to be Magic Hours, which basically means that anyone staying in a Disney hotel gets to stay later than everyone else. We could stay till 3 a.m.! We put on our rain jackets and hit the soggy but brightly-lit park.

We particularly enjoyed Tomorrowland, with the People Mover and the spaceship ride - the view was great. I loved the glowing castle, as evidenced by the 100 + pictures I took from various angles around the park.

You get the idea. My favorite new MK attraction was the Monsters Inc Laugh Floor, an interactive show where the cartoons talk back to you. Somewhere, somehow, there's gotta be someone holding a mic. It's awesome. It's a hard one to take pictures of, though, because it's on a screen, so here's one of the waiting area.

Another highlight of the evening: Lee's "extreme" version of the Tea Cups. While each cup spins around the big circle automatically, there's also a little wheel inside the cup you can turn to spin in little circles as well. The harder you turn, the faster you go. Terrifying, and super fun! :)

By this point, we were getting tired. This is our "I'm soo sleepy but I do not want to leave!" face.

Ultimately, Lee and I only made it 'till about 1 a.m. I think the Slatens made it till 2 or 2:30. Even though I've been to Disney many times, being in the Magic Kingdom at night was something I'd never gotten to do before, and it was a blast!

To conclude this Disney World adventure recap, let me say that if you ever have the chance you should so go to Disney World! I would recommend that you wait until small children are at least 7 or 8 years old, or their experiences will be limited, and probably forgotten. And if you don't have kids, go anyways! You may be surprised at how much fun you have. :)

Disney World, Part 1

2009-02-25T13:25:00.014-05:00

Nearly two weeks ago, we went to Disney World for a long weekend. It was amazing. We went with the Slatens, some dear friends of ours, and had a fabulous time. The weather was great, the food and service exceptional. Disney, my friends, knows how to do a good time.

So, without further ado, here are a few photos from our trip, and some Disney recommendations.

Sadly, I somehow managed to not take any pictures at our hotel. We stayed at one of Disney's value resorts, and it was great. The rooms aren't much to write home about (just your very standard hotel room), but the pools were great, the cafeteria was handy, and the atmosphere was just really fun. Most importantly, you get the outstanding Disney customer service, and free transportation to each and every park all day long. We would hop a bus to a park in the morning, hop another in the afternoon to go back to the hotel or to another park, and hop a bus back to the park in the evening. It's really worth whatever the price difference is.

The first park we went to (tired and exausted after getting into Orlando at 3 a.m. the night before) was Animal Kingdom. Lee quickly found a bike, but much to his dismay it was just for decoration, and was bolted down.

Animal Kingdom is really fun, but if you're trying to cram 4 parks in 3 days like we were, you probably don't have to spend a whole day there unless animals are really your forte. They have a really neat safari ride where you actually drive through a wildlife preserve of sorts.

There's a quite-large-but-not-nearly-to-scale reproduction of Mount Everest in the background. It looks really cool, and houses Disney's most intense roller coaster.

One of my favorite Animal Kingdom attractions is the Bug's Life interactive show. Disney has lots of really cool "4D" shows, where in addition to the 3D animation you are sprayed with water or squirted with air or scents. Lee's favorite part was the glasses.

We grabbed some tasty stir fry at Animal Kingdom (Disney has so many tasty food options, albeit expensive), and headed over to Hollywood Studios for the second half of the day. I quickly made friends with a life-sized monkey from a barrel as we were standing in line for the Toy Story ride. Best. Ride. Ever. Seriously, the lines were like 3 hours long if you didn't get in early. Definitely fast-pass this one early in the day.

Hollywood Studios is also super fun. Lee couldn't stop talking about the Tower of Terror (I refuse to go on that one), but my favorites were the Star Wars ride, the Muppets 3D film, and the Indiana Jones stunt show. And, of course, the previously lauded Toy Story ride. The evening lights/fireworks/video/character show is really good, too, but get there early and bring a sweater - it gets chilly in the evenings.

The next day we went to Epcot (much better rested). I was trying to get into the spirit of things, but Lee wasn't so sure. I really can't decide whether Epcot or Magic Kingdom is my favorite Disney park. Epcot's newest fabulous ride was called Soarin', and you're basically "hang gliding" in from of a big, half-sphere screen. SO cool. The best part of Epcot, though, is the world showcase. Basically, there are a dozen (or more?) countries recreated (well, tiny little condensed villages of those countries) around the paremeter of a giant lake. There are shops, restaurants, and attractions in each country, and the "cast members" (the term for anyone who works at Disney) are all from those countries.

Here's Lee lounging in Morocco. We ate our fanciest dinner (it was Valentine's day) at the Marakesh restaurant in the Morocco section of Epcot. The food was tops. Here's my salmon and hummus (I'm salivating just thinking about it):

After dinner, we bought some chopsticks in Japan, had crepes for dessert in France, and the boys got margaritas in Mexico while we were watching the fireworks show. It was a good, good day.

More recaps to come!

The Happiest Place on Earth

2009-02-19T15:42:00.003-05:00

Disney World: perfect.
Parks visited: 4.
Miles walked: ridiculous.
Friends: incredible.
Food: tasty.
Pictures: coming.

"I love Jesus, but I drink a little"

2009-02-06T11:11:00.001-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83JDXXKzOXg

Ok, so I can't figure out how to embed a YouTube video in blogger, but this is a fabulous clip from the Ellen show. Go watch it. Laugh.

Oh, J.Crew

2009-02-06T11:01:00.005-05:00

(source)

Oh, J.Crew. Why do you have to tempt me so, with your 30 percent off sales on yummy, candy colored cardigans?

Who can resist?

I can.

But I can still look, right?

Bellisimo!

Yep - Friday Afternoon

2009-01-30T14:54:00.003-05:00

Please, please, please go click on this:

http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/

If you don't see something you find tremendously funny at first, keep reading. I'm laughing so hard tears are streaming down my face.

Project Rewear: January Edition

2009-01-26T10:25:00.004-05:00

Project Rewear has been a breeze so far. Coming off of some serious December pre and post-Christmas sale shopping, I haven't been lacking much fashion-wise. I did, however, make my first non-retail clothing purchase - off of Craigslist.

Craigslist is a thing of beauty. We've furnished 1/2 of our house from Craigslist (the other 1/2 is from Ikea), and generally remain Craigslist stalkers for those "too good to miss" deals. The actual Craigslist purchasing transaction often feels like a shady drug deal (ok, all drug deals are shady). Sometimes you go to the seller's house to pick up something you're going to purchase, like a couch, but sometimes, if the item is small, you'll meet in a central (well-lit) spot.

So, I met this gal, with her convertible Victoria's Secret dress, at my favorite grocery/deli/hang-out spot. After standing in the brutal cold for a few minutes, I saw someone looking equally as lost/guilty as I was, and we made the swap - my $25 for her super cute red dress. The deal was done, I hopped back in my car and shivered home.

So basically I bought this.

(source)

Fun, huh? Supposedly you can wear it in a bajillion different ways, but I've only discovered three so far (and I've only worn it as a skirt. It's waaaay too cold right now for a sleeveless dress). I'll try to figure out some more soon a post a couple of pictures.

I discovered this dress on VS's web site about a year ago, but wasn't about to fork over $100 for it. I am quite happy with my $25 version.

I think the first non-retail adventure of the year was a success. For those wishing to ditch "the Man" themselves and join me on Project Rewear, the moral of this story is: Shop Craigslist.

Changes in Freezing Temperatures

2009-01-21T16:38:00.007-05:00

It's been cold. So much so that I've stopped wishing for snow (well, at least cut back) and I'm ready for spring. Our pipes froze this week even though we left a faucet dripping. We hoped and prayed for two days (during which the temperature hovered at or below 20 degrees), and when it finally got above freezing again, the pipes thawed nicely with no bursting. Whew. Hot water is wonderful, and I take it for granted. All that and no snow. Sigh. Maybe I'm not quite over it yet.

It was a frigid day in Washington D.C. yesterday, but that didn't stop more than a million people from gathering on the national mall to catch a glimpse of President Obama's inauguration. No matter what your political leanings, you have to agree that it was a historic and significant occasion, not only for us in America but for people around the world. Now, when we tell a child that he can be anything he wants when he grows up, even the President, it's actually true.

Now Launching: Project Rewear

2009-01-09T16:22:00.007-05:00

I only made one real resolution this new year's. Actually it's not really a resolution as much as it's a challenge. For the whole of 2009, I will be attempting to avoid buying any clothes at a retail store. Before you gasp and say, "What?! That's impossible!" - let me explain further.

I love clothes. Oh, how I love them. Particularly anything to do with J.Crew, the Gap, and cute vintage finds. I am also extremely budget conscious, which means I shop for bargains like it's an Olympic sport. Most of the time, finding deals is a very good thing, but that also means if I find something I like that's on sale, whether I need it or not, I'll buy it, because it was "such a good deal." And as my closet gets fuller and fuller, I keep on shopping, and keep on packing it in, because I enjoy it so.

But all those little "finds" add up, not exorbitantly or anything, but to more than I need to be spending on clothes I don't need. Plus, new clothes come with an environmental price tag as well - it takes a lot of energy and resources to make those jeans, and the list of clothing companies that could be qualified as environmentally conscious is still pretty small.

So, this year, I will not buy a single piece of clothing at a retail store. I will, however, continue going to thrift shops and consignment stores occasionally, because I don't really want to give up shopping cold turkey. I've also been attempting to further my sewing skills, so any clothing I can sew is fine, and will be a fun challenge (and you can't really impulse-buy patterns and fabric). Underwear, socks and PJs are exempt from the no-retail rule, for obvious reasons (thrift shop undies? I don't think so).

I hope to keep my thoughts and progress logged here, at least every couple of weeks, throughout the year. I'll also keep you supplied with pictures of anything I attempt to sew, or especially cute items I pick up thrifting. Feel free to comment and share your own thrifting or sewing tips!

I can feel the creative juices flowing already.

Gettin' all Martha Stewart-y

2008-11-10T09:52:00.004-05:00

I am in love with all things Martha Stewart. It's kind of like our wedding (and all of the DIY crafts and projects that went into it) switched on some part of my brain that had been dormant for a long time.

I've always been artistic and rather crafty. I owe that to my fabulously creative mother. I remember making pine cone turkeys, clay Christmas ornaments, and cotton-ball snowmen not long after I could walk. So I suppose it's only natural that I should catch the crafting bug again, even if it's been a decade or so since our regular rainy-day craft dates.

Thus, I have plunged myself deep into the world of holiday craft-y-ness. Nearly all of the Christmas gifts we are giving this year are at least partially homemade. And, boy, is it fun. It's been a great way for me to pass the time while Lee is out of town for the ridiculously busy fall sales season. Yesterday afternoon, while sipping hot tea and listening to Vince Geraldi Christmas jazz, I made this:

It's our holiday wreath! I know it's only November 10, but when you're making all of your holiday decorations, you've got to start early. Now, I know what you're thinking: "How did you make this glorious holiday creation?" I'll tell you!

First, I cut a giant cardboard "G" out of a big, sturdy box that was awaiting our recycling bin. Then, I went to walmart and bought $10 worth of red fake poinsettas. With five blooms on each $1 stem, I got 50 flowers for really cheap.

Then, I took a screwdriver with a very small head (maybe 1/8 inch), and poked holesin the cardboard. I pulled each bloom off of the poinsetta stem and stuck it in a hole. after I had covered the whole G, I went back in with the blooms that were left and tried to fill in any sparse spaces I could see cardboard through.

And, ta-da! I could have hot glued each flower in, and I might if I decide to keep the wreath for consecutive seasons, but the screwdriver and bloom stems were so perfectly sized, the flowers fit well and don't seem to want to fall out. You could also paint the cardboard the color of your flowers if you don't want to risk a bit showing through.

That's all for now! Next crafting/design project up: our dining/library/craft room. Now, back to my day job.

I've been waiting such a long, long time

2008-08-27T13:13:00.003-05:00

I'm not talking about some glorious achievement, momentous occasion, or life milestone.

I've been waiting for this:

(source)

And guess where we're headed in a matter of days? Chi-town!!

Cubbies, here I come!

The Dog Days of Summer

2008-07-22T14:35:00.005-05:00

Flipity, flipity, flipiteeee-whooooooosh.

It's one of those super-cheesy/dramatic movies, where the calender on the wall has just had its pages ripped off and blown away by a big gust of wind, and then you suddenly realize three years have gone by and you have to figure out what's happened in the interim.

I felt kind of like that this week when I looked at the calendar. What? Summer's almost over? School begins in a couple of weeks? When did that happen?

And I find myself wondering, what have I done with my summer?

I've been working, of course, so I can't enjoy quite the lazy summer days of yesteryear. Our workdays are shorter, though, so life has been a bit more laid back, things have seemed less harried. We've spent a lot of time working on the house, which has been good. I've discovered IKEA, and my life will never be the same. And we've actually discovered that we have a yard under all that trash in the backyard. Who knew?

Mostly though, I've been spending my time on this:

Enter my wonderful, energetic, exhausting puppy, Scout! I love her soooo much, and, just as we had expected, she's been a lot of work. It's been really fun though, watching her grow from a tiny, fuzzy little squirt, to a big, gangly teenage German Shepherd that can already drag me around even though she's only about half grown. She may knock you over unintentionally, but she will love and kiss you to death once you're on the floor.

Since Scout is going to be a ridiculously large dog, and I'm a relatively average-sized woman living in a really, really small house, it is crucial that we train her right now. There will be NO taking off down the road after cats or jumping on guests when she is 80 lbs, it's just not acceptable. So last week, we started obedience school. The verdict is still out on how well she's learning, but I'm sure getting in a good workout on Tuesday nights.

I'll keep you updated on how the obedience training is going, but so far she's doing pretty well with "leave it" - that one comes in handy when you accidentally drop a piece of chocolate on the floor, your favorite pair of shoes simply can't take another gnawing, or you don't have the strength to hold her back from that roll of paper towels she's just discovered on the kitchen table.

It's definately been a summer I won't forget anytime soon. :)

cullinary therapy

2008-07-10T14:18:00.003-05:00

(image source)

I am a firm believer in making soup.

Soup is the best, cheapest kind of therapy available. Eating it is great, but making it and then eating it is even better. Rainy day? Make soup. Feeling sick? Make soup. Budget tight? Make soup. In need of some comfort food? Make soup. Need to feed a lot of people? Make soup. While I tend to make at least a pot a week in the fall and winter, I'm usually less inclined to start boiling broth and chopping veggies when it's 95 degrees outside. But every once in a while we get a cooler, rainy day like today, and I can tune out the news, hum along to some Frank or Dean, and start tending to a pot of soup, and all is right with the world once more - for a little while.

This Old House

2008-06-26T14:49:00.005-05:00

(image source)

No disrespect to Norm or anything, but renovating an old house isn't nearly as glamorous as it looks. I always thought that I would love to buy a cool old house in a fun neighborhood, and restore it its former glory in an artistic, modern way. Our house isn't anything spectacular architecturally, but it is cute, and it's definately old. And I really do enjoy working on it - it's just that I would enjoy it a lot more if I didn't also have a full time job.

I've always been a person who tends to see the potential in everything. This is great when it comes to people - I tend to take someone for who they could be, not just for who they are right now. When it comes to home renovations, however, this has proved to be a shortcoming. I stand in my house, look around, and I see tons of potential - but no time, or adequate funding, to get it there. And once I start one project (say, sewing curtains for the living room) it makes me notice 20 other things that need to be done (those windows need cleaning - no, replacing!).

All this to say, it's slowly dawning on me that maybe, just maybe, fixing up our house isn't the be-all-end-all that it's become for me. That, while it's a good thing to want to create a comfortable place to live, maybe I need to take a step back and have a priority check. That maybe somewhere I stopped wanting to create something livable and homey, and started wanting to create a showpiece for the Home and Garden channel. That maybe I need to do some more talking with God about the idols in my life, and less thinking about color schemes and finding the perfect guest bed on Craigslist.

Just maybe.

The Simple Life

2008-06-17T14:34:00.006-05:00

(picture from kitchengardens.org)

Yesterday I hung a load of clothes out to dry on my front porch. I’m sure our house looked like redneck central, clothesline strung haphazardly between the porch posts and our socks and undies waving in the breeze at passersby. But I don’t care. I love it.

We do all of our laundry that way, actually. At first, it was because we had to – we had a washer but not a dryer. But now I keep putting off purchasing a dryer because I love letting the hot summer wind do the job for me. Maybe it’s nostalgia – I remember watching my grandmother do the same – but I get a small thrill whenever I haul a load of freshly-washed towels out the front door.

I like simple things. Summer makes me want iced tea (unsweet!) and lemonade. I prefer cooking to going out. I’d rather walk the dog than go to the gym. Now that I finally live in a house, I’ve planted some flowers and herbs, and I’m extremely proud of the baby tomatoes popping up on my three potted tomato plants. Next year I’m hoping to plot out a tiny garden in the backyard.

I’ve also recently become aware of the dangers of basic hygiene products. I grew up eating wheat bread, taking vitamins, and cleaning the house with vinegar, but who knew that toxic chemicals were lurking in my shampoo? And laundry detergent, and cosmetics, and toothpaste, and the list goes on and on (click here for a link to a great article on shampoo, and here for one on parabens). I’ve become an even more obsessive label-reader, and have switched my shampoo to Burt’s Bees and use aloe vera gel in my hair instead of styling products (I can honestly say my hair has never been happier). The all-natural mascara, on the other hand, is taking some time to get used to – it smells terrible in the tube, but it does work pretty well. And at least it’s not toxic.

The shampoo discovery was just the beginning of a massive greening effort that will probably take me some time. I’m grateful for a supportive husband, even if he’s not fully convinced of the dangers. He’s even switched to mineral-based deodorant and natural toothpaste, and that, my friends, is love. Seran wrap and Ziplock bags are next on my hit list. I’m about to purchase some giant stackable bins to expand my recycling effort. We’re also drawing up plans to build a permanent clothesline in the backyard, so our skivvies won’t be on display to the neighborhood.

lessons of the week

2008-04-01T16:00:00.002-05:00

Extra Hot Rotel is not an acceptable substitute for salsa. Though it may be suitable if you have misplaced your neti pot.

If you ever need help fast, call a friend, not the police department. Arrival time of Jason, Katie, Bryan, Ruth, & Cara: 8 minutes. Arrival time of Chattanooga's finest: 30 minutes. The PD's number will go into my phone, but the others just got promoted to speed dial.

The first few months of marriage aren't pie in the sky by and by. Those comments of "Oh, it'll all be glorious for a while, then reality will come crashing in" can be ignored. Reality has no grace period.

"Home" is a completely different concept to different people, even different generations. My grandmother's generation lived much more permanently than mine or even my parents'. Home to her is the specific house she shared with my grandfather for so many years, and she is grieving over the leaving of simple things like azaleas and forsythia bushes. My mother's ideal home is one with her children living nearby. And I'm just longing for a home with a little bit of stability, one that can keep me and my husband in the same place for more than a few days at a time. Really though, I think we're all yearning for the same thing. We were created for a better Home.

morning mercies

2008-03-11T08:41:00.004-05:00

(Hunter Museum of Art, from www.chattanoogachamber.com)

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end.
They are new every morning."

Lamentations 3:22-23

another notch on the cool-o-meter

2008-02-28T16:22:00.008-05:00

(me and my little brother)

Growing up, I really liked my initials.

A lot of the kids I knew had boring initials, like SKR or GFH, senseless combinations that spelled nothing. Mine? Mine were cool. Mine were relevant to the poofy-bangs, leggings and legwarmers, MC-Hammer-pants era in which we lived.

I was RAP.

I have never scored very high on the cool-o-meter, so I took what I could get.

In case you can't guess, we just got married. The wedding was a blast, and I'll post some more pictures as I get them. There are so many new things to get used to - living in a new house, figuring out what sort of toothpaste to buy and how we like our eggs. I was expecting all these kinds of things, but I hadn't really given much thought to the whole name-change process. I've only jumped through a few of the 27 flaming hoops required to become Rachel Gates, but it's started to dawn on me that, huh, I have a new name (there are so many theological parallels that I could go into here!!! That will have to be an addendum for later).

And changing my name is a good thing, something I've chosen to do, and I'm so glad that I have the privilege of being identified in name with my husband. But I can't help feeling a tiny twinge of second-grade nostalgia when I think that I will no longer be RAP.

Now? I'm RAG.

As I rock out to a little Police and Rick Springfield, I grin at my own nerdy-ness.

'Cause I think I'm still pretty cool.

a web-savvy, homespun Christmas

2007-12-14T14:10:00.001-05:00

I am a web-geek/granola/atrophying intellectual.

In recent weeks, I have completed a myriad of purchases online, from the mundane to the
“you’ve-gotta-be-kidding-me.” A selection:

A Sofa
72 votive candle holders
Paper and envelopes for 350 wedding invitations
99% of my Christmas gifts
Wedding dress (without even trying it on – take that, annoying wedding-dress salespeople! No commission for you!)
A camera
Bridesmaids Gifts
A veil
Music
Travel toiletries organizer (for all my giant bottles of liquid shampoo . . . oh, wait)
Hotel accommodations

Thanks to the world wide web, I have also:

Planned a family out of town Christmas gathering
Tracked down family and friends to send wedding invitations to
Researched presidential candidates (could I still be anymore unsure?)
Had my life changed by google calendar and google documents (if the internet ever goes down my organizational capacity is screwed)
Had Christmas gifts wrapped, signed and delivered to out-of-town relatives

I love the internet.

I know we haven’t even made it past Christmas yet, but my New Year’s resolutions are to phase out using plastic shopping bags in favor canvas or fabric ones, and to replace all of the light bulbs in my house with those energy-efficient swirly kind. I’m still a poser, but I cheered this week when Al Gore chided the U.S. on its lack of commitment to fighting global warming (never thought I’d use “cheer” and “Al Gore” in the same sentence), and I can’t wait to ride my 1972 Shwinn with the huge basket to the grocery store from our new house. Baby steps. I don’t want my children to have to ask “Mommy, what were polar bears?”

One of the things that I dislike most about this time of year is all of the useless crap that appears in stores. A rotating neck-tie holder? Why sure, everyone needs one of those! It’s commercialism at its worst. Charlie Brown thought it was bad 50 years ago.

Apart from shunning the mall and shopping online, we’ve tried our hand at a few homemade, meaningful Christmas projects. I’m attempting to relearn how to crochet. I think I’m finally getting it, though it’s looking a lot like those blobbish squares I used to crochet as a kid. We tried our luck at making homemade, naturally scented candles the other night. There’s a small run-off of cinnamon-scented wax every time I turn on the stove to fry an egg now, but the candles turned out great. And eggs over easy aren’t so bad with a hint of cinnamon . . . I’m hoping to have an almost completely homemade Christmas next year. Curling up with a ball of yarn and cup of hot chocolate (from scratch and all-natural, of course) is much more pleasant than dodging Santa, stressed-out soccer moms and crying babies at the mall.

And now for the atrophying intellectual part. (You thought I forgot, didn’t you?)

My brain is starving. Why?

1) The public library requires three proofs of residence, a drivers’ license with current address (mine’s like three apartments ago), a DNA sample and your firstborn child before you can get a library card. And I can’t bring myself to actually purchase a book without at least two recommendations and a few notable book awards. Your assignment? Send me a list of your top 5 favorite books of all time. Or your top 5 favorite as of late. Oprah endorsement is optional (though apparently not without value, especially if you are an Illinois senator running for president).

2) The only things I’ve written lately are grant letters and alumni gathering invitations. The newspaper business ruined me, and I’ve forgotten how to journal. This blog is the highest concentration of words I’ve produced for pleasure since . . . wow, I have no idea.

3) Lack of stimulating discourse. Let’s face it, my co-workers are great, but they’re spending their days figuring out how to boost our endowment and pay for financial aid. A discussion of the finer points and theological implications of baptism or the merits of Madeline L’Engles narrative theory isn’t something that happens too often.

To summarize:

If you want to buy me the perfect a Christmas present, send books. Recycled (used) ones. That you’ve bought online.

a whole new world

2007-09-14T15:07:00.001-05:00

Marriage, I am still firmly convinced, is an incredible thing. (Doctrinally, there is much evidence to support this). Weddings, however, are another matter entirely.

I am a newcomer to this strange, strange world, where everything gleams with taffeta and twinkle lights, and those involved have a shorthand slang to rival the most texting-savvy teens. “Like, OMG, my MOB sent 500 STDs!” – nothing to do with organized crime or infectious diseases. Baffling? I know.

Social etiquette and propriety run rampant in this connubial realm, and carry the weight of generations of tradition, customs and expectations. Combined with a lavish frivolity, selfishness and pettiness that seems to possess so many brides as their nuptials draw near, it all sort of makes want to run screaming to the nearest courthouse. Or vomit.

I’ll admit, the most appealing option, to me, is to elope on a mountain somewhere, and forget all of the pomp and circumstance (it still sounds tempting). But there are lots of people that love us, and want to celebrate this covenant with us, and I want to honor that and love them by allowing them to take part. Mostly, I really want those people to be able to slap me across the face 2, 10 and 40 years from now and say “you made a holy covenant! I was there!”

I want a marriage, not an event. But if that event is a part of cutting covenant before God and community, of proclaiming the gospel and celebrating grace, I’m ok with it. We will get married in a church, and have a reception in a large dining hall, but I’m not going to feel pressured to observe a tradition for tradition’s sake. I want to have fun. I want people to hang out and laugh and dance and have a good time. But I don’t feel the need to do anything big or impressive, and I’m sure as hell not going to let my parents empty their bank account.

Ask me again in about four months, and see if I feel any differently. But come to see the gospel, not a grand gala. If you’re into that sort of thing, you might be disappointed.

And please – no taffeta.

my 103 degree summer

2007-08-13T14:37:00.001-05:00

I'd forgotten what 103 degree days were like.

It's hella hot.

There are times, like in the middle of a cold spell in February, where you can't seem to remember ever being warm, and the thought of sunshine, hazy afternoons and static summer heat is a pleasant one. The moment those days actually arrive, though, I find myself longing for weather that doesn't constantly make me feel like I'm trying to jog in a steam room. I try to remind myself that we always what what isn't, and that by January I'll be longing for August (or at least May) once again. Relief will soon be here in the form of cooler September mornings, and I will spend some quality time with a bicycle.

Speaking of bicycles, remember this guy? . . .

. . . Yeah, I'm gonna marry him.
Crazy, this life is. Never would have guessed that a year ago. Turns out, God knows me better than I do. I am astounded by His grace.

Lee asked me to marry him last Sunday, August 5, on my birthday - having "officially" dated just shy of 8 months. It's funny, but I've never been so sure of anything in my life. He is for me, and I for him. The doctrinal ramifications of the whole thing are still blowing me away. . .
The proposal included a walk to a beautiful view over Chattanooga, a bottle of champagne hidden in the bushes, and little tiny notes tucked under mailboxes, lampposts and street signs all the way home. It was lovely. And he succeeded in surprising me, which given my ability to piece things together with incredible speed (I mean, I was a reporter, you learn), was quite a feat.

So now, I will spend the remainder of my sweltering summer days attempting to learn how to best build a life, plan a marriage, and host a celebration . . . daunting, but good . . . So many more thoughts to come.

war and peace

2007-07-12T12:46:00.000-05:00

Peace. We will never see peace.
We yearn for it. We pray for it. Fight for it. Die for it.
Yet it will not come.

God's children, his creation, killing each other in his name. We are hopelessly corrupted. There can never be peace.

But there will be. Someday.

In God's kingdom, there is hope, life, peace. Oh, how I long for it. But it seems so far off.
Father, redeem your earth. Fix our miserably broken lives.

I want to live in peace. I want to see beauty, to watch salvation and redemption overcome. I want to write books, listen to an opera, watch a sunset. To love, to raise a family. To live without fear.

Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief.

playing grown up

2007-07-06T13:28:00.001-05:00

I have a life now.

Yes, a life. I’d forgotten what it was like.

My new job is wonderful. Right now we’re working summer hours, which means roughly 8:30-4, Monday through Friday (no working on the weekend!). We actually get vacation days and breaks (fall break, thanksgiving break, Christmas break) . I almost dissolved into tears of joy when I learned the break schedule. I have new toys to play with (aka, a laptop and design programs). And this afternoon I have been sitting in Stone Cup designing a book cover from old yearbook photos.

I have evenings again. Evenings mean bike rides, playing outside, pilates, and cooking dinner. Actually getting to the bank before it closes. You know, normal people activities.

Plus, I actually enjoy what I do. Lots of design, which is really fun. Really cool people.

I hung a whiteboard on my door and started a word of the day. Everyone has come to enjoy it; I get complaints if I don’t get a new word up by 9 a.m. each morning. Contests then ensue to see who can write the best sentence on the board. It gives people a reason to stop by my office. And maybe the routine will bump me up a few points on the GRE . . .

I can definitely say I haven’t been bored. It’s been some adjustment, as all new jobs are; and lots to learn.

God is good.

God was good before, too.

I often feel like a kid playing “grown up.” I go to my office, where I can initiate projects, call meetings, make suggestions. And people listen to me. They like what I have to say. And somewhere inside I think “but I’m just a kid. Don’t you know I’m just pretending to be a grown up?” I think the same thing when yet another friend gets married, has a baby, makes some life-altering, very adult-like career move.

It’s making more and more sense.

forbearance

2007-05-21T09:31:00.001-05:00

I am learning a lot about patience, and grace, and bearing up under something, or rather I need to be learning these things. I got to work today and I wanted to cry again, on top of the impossibile and growing workload expected of us, I have a cold, I am tired, and patience is the last thing I want to practice.

It would be easy for me to shut down, tune out and just bide my time until I can get out of here. But i don't want to do that. I want to be able to treat those around me with respect and kindness, to remember the hope to which I am called and the One I am to be working for.

But I am human, and fallible, and rather selfish. If only I truly realized how great a loving Father I have, how much power is at His children's disposal.

Forbearance is not what we percieve to be "just." It is patience under wrongdoing, the delaying of what is right. I deserve to be treated much better at work. But I am not called to happiness, I am called to holiness. It's not that the two never meet, but that sometimes the latter is realized in the absence of the former.

I do believe! Lord, help my unbelief!

life stories

2007-05-04T09:15:00.000-05:00

It's kind of hard to believe that this time last year I was getting ready to graduate, no clue as to what I was doing with my life beyond the brief walk across a stage and some quality time with a backpack and the UK. It's a terrifying and exhilarating feeling. Amazingly enough I have not only survived my first year in the "real world" but have actually made some sort of a life here.

There are still many things I abhor about adulthood, the most predominate of these is the nearly inevitability of being sucked into Corporate America. If you want to eat and pay bills, you pretty much have to work for The Man. Even the tiny newspapers for which I work are being slowly eaten away by the black death of corporate gluttony. When going through the hellish experience of looking to purchase a car, I even considered forgetting the car, quitting my job and working at a coffee shop that I could bike to every day. I may get there eventually, but for now I pay off my loans and build my portfolio, and wait for my escape. It is coming.

I actually can't wait for grad school. It'll be another year yet, but I'm excited about being in an academic environment again. I feel at home there.

One thing that I've been continually reminded of during this diverse and evolving year is that life is always changing, moving, growing. There are no constants except my Creator, and that is a beautiful and comforting thing. The world is broken and disastrous, but God is redeeming it, and redeeming it through me. People are depraved and fallen, but God enables us to live in community that rivals even the best of college camaraderie. The life is messed up and hard but it is also creative and beautiful and breathtaking. Relationships change, but they are still good.

In the past year I graduated from college, traveled the world, set up life in a new city, got a job as a journalist, was blessed with a community of believers, found a beloved, lost a beloved grandfather, sold a car, bought a car, and generally established myself as a genuine adult in my community. And I have always, always been taken care of. Life is nearly as up in the air as it was a year ago, but it is not nearly so scary any more.

I named my blog thestoryofwe, because I am constantly reminded that life is a series of stories, and that they are all more interconnected than we could ever dream. Life is narrative, and art, tradgedy and comedy. It is a story I want to tell.