Observation #2

This week, I have had 4 friends tweet OMGFacts as though these realizations were their own and they are informing me and the rest of the twitterverse for the first time. Do they not realize enough people follow OMGFacts to not be impressed with their knowledge because it's probably the second or even third time we've read it? Or do they not realize you can just retweet the OMGFacts tweet? I'm curious. 

If you've been guilty of this, let me in on your thought processing.

I Call Her "Aims"

It's 12:45 PM on the second Friday of the month. You know what that means! It's Frienday here at Do A Little Dance! And since, I'm sure, you're dieing to know about more amazing people that do exist in this world, I am here to tell you about my dearest friend, Aims. 

One of the smartest, beautiful, down-to-earth, playful, and admirable young ladies I know, Amy is my real-life Rory Gilmore. Our colorful dialog unfolds like a bolt of fabric, each crease linking topics by wit. I can't get enough of her when she is in town. We have had an ongoing email thread for over a year now, and every time I see it bold, I'm eager to read the humorous play-by-play of her life. This girl never ceases to astound me with her focus and ambition organically tempered by her ability to thoroughly enjoy life. Amy is only a sophomore in college but is already signed up for an LSAT course this summer. A course that she, herself, is paying for. Are you kidding me?! What a woman! 

She loves the Lord, doesn't compromise who she is, and passionately pursues life. My life is richer just in knowing her.

Is it odd how excited I get for other people?

Have you noticed how much I like to brag about other people's happenings? Is that odd? I think its odd. I genuinely get outrageously excited when I witness the dreams of others coming true. 

I met Meagan from a little seed, a little water, this summer. And very briefly. But she was a blogger and I was a blogger so it was instant camaraderie! I found out her passions and pretty well knew she'd do well on the path she was headed. When I saw that Once Wed was looking for an intern, I immediately forwarded the information her way. Apparently loads of her other friends thought the same and her g-mail adverts are, no doubt, reflecting photog internships galore. Well, guess what?! She will now get to work with the skilled people of Once Wed. And it's super exciting to me! Why? Because she's talented, a hard worker, and genuine. Check out her design and photography.

perhaps this is more of a tweet than a blog post

BUT

I really want to explain how and why I love this girl's blog (in more than 140 characters). I don't really know her. I've met her. I liked her when I met her; but I don't think we exchanged more than 5 words. She was the photographer at a wedding I was in, last May. 

I don't know what exactly it is that has me reading every word of one blog over another. I keep thinking there is some particular topic or approach that I am drawn to more than others. But I'm pretty sure that it's more my appreciation for creativity and authenticity that causes me to light up when I see a new post on certain blogs. Sure, the perception of both those things may be nothing more than opinion. So, in my opinion, this girl seems simply authentic, not to mention she is clearly a very talented photographer. 

If you're into being inspired by practical vulnerability (an area in which I think the church has dropped the ball), you should read her love story and the prequel. Just peek around her blog, she's so real and without an agenda. I absolutely admire it. And look at those kids! Are they not the sweetest things you've ever seen?! 

That is all. 

But stay tuned, I'm about to go hog-wild posting pictures and stories of 

my new niece with whom I will be spending the entirety of next week!

Just Like The Garden

Some of you may find my monthly Frienday posts a wee bit "too personal" or boring... and I'd apologize, except it wouldn't be sincere. So, I'll skip the disingenuous courtesies and skip straight to bragging just a little bit more about a friend of mine with whom you are already quite familiar. My friend, Liz. 

Man-o-man. Where to begin... I commonly refer to my friendship with Liz as "irreplaceable". Aside from the throne of God, it is rare that one finds themselves in an environment that allows them to bare their soul, shadows and all, and yet be fully received with gentle, truthful, all-encompassing love. I believe what distinguishes our friendship is how she, too, bestows the same trust in me.

If you were to observe most friendships, I'd say you'd see a very uneven yoke.

Each person investing a different amount of themselves. 

The friendship I have with Liz is always balanced, always real, and always enjoyable. Our friendship is invaluable because it reflects the Garden. yes, of Eden. We (humankind) were intended for complete vulnerability before God. Having relationships, here and now, that reflect this are nothing short of a blessing. 

I am so proud of Liz as I've mentioned here, here, and here... and here. This girl has so much talent and so much life inside of her heart. Because of her authenticity and trust in me, I have watched her turn struggle into triumph more than anyone else I know. And it is absolutely awe-inspiring. Motivation is a byproduct of knowing this girl. My friendship with her is irreplaceable. 

Granola

I'm sure you're sick of me going on and on about my friend, Liz. But seriously? I can't help that she is so sweet. And look at her fabulous stationary! And that homemade granola! It is so yummy! How wonderful a feeling it is to get a package!

Spreading Even More Love

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears....

My dearest friend, Liz, is giving away even more love! This little set of love includes tons of beautiful ways to let those you care about feel your presence. 

I think this giveaway series was a brilliant idea and I cannot wait 'till she uncovers her new branding! This was such a clever and fun way to build up to her big reveal! You will be impressed and want to use her for all your photog needs. Trust me. Her work is infused with all of those intangible yet powerful feelings that are contained within a memory. It's rather indescribable; so go check it out here. Then, go here to enter the giveaway by telling her some of your favourite things. 

In case you're wondering what my favourite things are- candles and music. Send me either. Any time.

'F' Words

During everyone's celebratory welcoming of the new year, I had a brilliant idea. I was going to take the first Friday of every month in the new year to celebrate a different friend of mine. I figured, "Surely I have at least 12 friends upon whom I would love to dote." . . . then, I realized the first Friday of January had come and gone. I figured, "I'll just start in February." . . . woa! wait- The thought of taking February's first Friday for friend flattery just seemed like way too much fun. Consequently, I have decided to deem the second Friday of every month Frienday (cheesy, I know) here on my blog! So, happy Frienday! 

Why? Why would I do such an awkward thing? Because at 25 years of life, I cannot get over what a privilege it is to treasure some of the most amazing people in the www (whole wide world). And I am proud to call them friends. 

Without further ado, I would like to introduce you to my friend, Efe.

Efe (pronounced like the letters 'F' and 'E', consecutively) is one of my heroes. We met my sophomore year of college and I was immediately smitten by her fervor. Like any good relationship, we had our share of conflict (two strong-willed women are bound to butt heads a time or two). Her depth of love for God, her grasp of His holy presence in her life, and her ardent prioritizing of helping others experience His very real desire for them are, to say the least, awe-inspiring. She has the biggest heart I've ever encountered. Her words of encouragement are some sort of transcendent gift that penetrate right down to the bowels of your soul. Her friendship never fails to remind me of just how real God and the spiritual world are. This girl knows how to live in and aware of this world, but passionately anticipative of another. I love her deeply.

Not to mention, she can make a mean margarita.

Efe is a missionary. She was here, but is now taking this fire to Orlando. If you're interested in supporting her financially, let me know. If you're interested in supporting her with prayer, by all means, do it. 

Spreading More Love

Happy Monday!

Fun fact? I love Mondays. 

And not just 'cause Mrs.LizCook is announcing a giveaway every Monday this month. 

Since ever (I like that better than 'ever since') I became a full-time working woman (circa 2003), I have loved Mondays. It didn't take long for me to learn that almost every full-time employee absolutely despises the first day of the work-week. However, the underdog and I have always enjoyed each other's company. I think it's the anti-social tendencies of my personality that enjoy a day where most people are grumpy and don't really care to small-talk when they come into work. Which, ironically, results in a more friendly and amiable Emily. 

Speaking of Mondays, are you stressed? You probably are. It is Monday. You do have a lot riding on you this week. You need a chance to unwind, put your feet up, soak... You need help relaxing. I know it. and YOU are in luck! Liz is giving away a  Spa Kit. Just LOOK at that picture! Enter by telling her how you enjoy relaxing. Then, spread the love to be re-entered!

Spreading the Love

Look, don't hate. I know I haven't blogged in a while. 

I actually have an exciting 

new project I'm working 

on, so it'll be 

worth

the

wait!

(If

you're into simplifying your life

and

meeting other people's needs).

Right now, I'm here to tell you about this giveaway. I'd like to take a moment to brag about how a dream I had (literally- a dream I had) is what pushed this girl's career into forward motion. No, I am not responsible for any of her skills- she was born with those. But! I did wake up one morning after a fantastic dream starring Liz as my wedding photographer... and, there, her ball went rolling. She, too, has exciting things happening this year. I have loved watching her career unfold. She has been an exceptionally great steward of her talents and has thus, been entrusted with much.* 

To enter in this drawing, just tell her about someone with whom you'd love to go on a coffee-date. I told her I wanted a coffee-date with cjane. (In my dreams, I know). But, I figured I would avoid sucking up by reminding Liz of all the wonderful coffee-dates we've had... in person... long distance through the interwebs... and even on the phone... tehehe. Liz and I have the most wonderful of coffee-talk. An-y-who, I'm sure you're eager to go enter. So, GO GO GO! Enter, and spread the love to be re-entered. (btdubs, how clever; she's giving away a coffee set this week). GO!

* Luke 16

The Most Beautiful Thing I've Ever Heard Anyone Ever Say

"I absolutely am in love with the Bible"

- my friend

Time and time again, when the presence of God infiltrates my pride, I am consumed with an ardent desire for others to experience the same. This transcendent realization prompts my spirit to pray things like "God, let my future children love you as much as more than I do right now." So, to see this beautiful and genuine proclamation from a friend is warming to my soul.  

In love with the Bible. I love it. 

The Faith Essays, Part II

Whattup friends?! Hope the Christmas season is suiting you nicely! We've had a whirlwind of guests and I've loved every minute of it. I hope my home is always a sort of resting place for people traveling, visiting, or just wanting a change of scenery. 

So, you know how ages ago I was hoping to get some friends on board for contributing essays about faith to my little blog, here? You know, to spark discussion? And it went nowhere? (cooperative friends I have, eh? be jealous.) Do you remember that? Ya, well, I confronted a kind friend on the fact that he totally wrote a (what I, now, refer to as) faith essay. And did not submit it to me?! How dare he?! He repented of his selfish ways and told me to please publish it as the second faith essay to my series! So, maybe he didn't exactly ask me to "please publish it"... perhaps I had to manipulate him into letting me use it... and promise that I wouldn't link to his blog. (lame). But, that little hurdle did not deter this series! True to my narcissism, I decided, for the sake of the series, of course, to extend forgiveness to my friend and use his faith essay. (In hopes to encourage you and spark discussion...we'll see how that goes.)

Without further ado:

exiled or lost? (the life of a spy)

I must confess.

I have been totally and completely unmotivated this semester. The summer came and went and in its wake left me in a sort of rut.

I slept too much.

I ate too much.

I worried about myself.

I didn't really read.

I didn't really work.

I was visually annoyed at most things.

Anytime I tried to pick myself up and get some motivation for the future, it appeared to always come with some resistance. Nothing came easy. That feeling of resistance kept me paralyzed. I wasn't sure where to go. I really was annoyed because nothing seemed to be going the way I wanted it to. God was not working in my life. He wanted to me to do and be things, that I didn't want to do or be. So, I gave up.

I felt lost.

One of the most interesting things about motivation, is that it is almost always paired with ambition; and ambition always looks to the future. Most of the time you can interchange the words, motivation and ambition. Those two words seem to be in a sort of marriage. Of course they have different personalities, but, lets be honest, they really mean the same thing.

If we were going to parse the word (yes, the one word version) ambition and motivation. Maybe draw it on a white board. Or let them get busy, and have children, I think you might see two polarizations. (their children would be bipolar). On one side, there might be all of the verbs that business articles love so much.

hard work

dynamism

change

innovation

But, on the other side you might see all the things that those same business articles do not care to bring to light

egocentrism

greed

narcissism

indifference

pride

I stayed confused. I didn't want to be prideful. I didn't want to be narcissistic. or create indifference.

I stood still.

I kept hearing,

"Hey Chris, you GOT to be more ambitious"

I wasn't sure what that meant at the time. But I knew I didn't have it.

I think I wanted to be lost.

I wasn't sure who I wanted to be, so I decided I wanted to be lost instead. I wanted to wander. Life was better for other people, so, it made me question my relation to the God that I tried so hard to understand for years. I wanted to be exiled into the wilderness because the thought of conquering Canaan was too hard. I felt like one of the spies that came back from the promised land, and said, no, I can't do this; conquering life looks too hard. I would rather be lost in exile.

Why did God even want me to go to the states for school anyway? Why did I take religion? Why didn't I take something that I would come out with a kickass job? Why did God bring me to this place of uncertainty?

"If only we had died in Egypt! or in this desert!

Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?...

... And they said to each other 'we should choose a leader to go back to Egypt'"

I wanted to go back.

I wanted to make different choices.

I wasn't sure why I was in the place I was.

I felt ill-equipped to do any of the thing I wanted to do.

I think if the Israelites could have, they would have sat down in a car on top of a large hill, listening to Dashboard Confessional, writing in their journals saying 'life sucks', at that point in their history. They wanted to go back in time, they didn't like where they were, and thought, things were better back then.... if only it was a few years ago.... sure it wasn't perfect, and we complained back then, but, heck, it was better then this!

The Israelites didn't have faith.

The Lord said to Moses

"How long will these people treat Me with contempt?

How long will they refuse to believe in Me,

in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?

I love this quote by Jerry Seinfeld:

To me, if life boils down to one thing, it's movement. To live is to keep moving.

Movement is essential.

Faith is paramount.

Those are the two words that I think should be coupled together. I think Movement and Faith should be the words that come together in marriage.

Don't get me wrong, I still like, Motivation and Ambition.

But, I'd pick Movement and Faith any day of the week.

I think if you married movement and faith, you'd get:

Forward motion

Hard Work

Ambiguity

Trust

*My own emphasis added, with our friend's approval, of course.

I love how he couples faith with movement. They need each other. I think it's key to realize that without an element of faith, we would move nowhere. Faith is essential to life itself! Just think of the implications!

The Most Comfortable Place In The World Is Where You Feel At Home

People who are uncomfortable with themselves make me uncomfortable. 

I have this extensive value for raw/open/transparent/genuine/authentic relationships. To me, it is only when these traits are the main ingredients of a relationship that I am at home and, subsequently, consider myself in the presence of a friend. To me, a friendship is a place where apprehensions do not exist.

I like a home with a card-covered table; face-up, unprotected, unassuming cards. When this is not the case, I am apprehensive to make myself at home.

Perhaps the biggest flaw in my personality is that I tend to direct my efforts towards the real and away from the superficial1.  I have this fierce unspoken demand for authenticity from those I call "friend". My strict definition of lying bearing false-witness could drive anyone mad. And I am notably intolerant of the disingenuous. I want to be spared nothing. I am in it for the all-natural, organic, blemished, untreated, raw-state of the soul. 

Remember in the Garden? When Adam and Eve walked around naked? No reservations? I want that kind of comfortable. No hiding. No sparing each other. No worries. No shame. No self-preservation. Sheer comfort in facing what really exists, rather than what we'd prefer others to think exists....

footnotes:

1. Naturally, (because deep down we all know "real" is good and "fake" is bad) you read that and think "that is not a flaw". But let's be honest, considering how much more of the human population lives life in a perfunctory pattern, I am directing my efforts away from a considerable amount of people. Which we all know, isn't Christ-like. Thank God His Spirit takes over and is strong where I am weak. But that's a different post for a different day.

5 - 3 = 2

Oddest thing happened to me today!

Fifty-three weeks ago, I worked at a coffee shop. And at this coffee shop, I had "regulars"; people I could count on seeing every day and, every day, make them the same ol' thing. Regulars are the heartbeat of a coffee-shop. Well, like I said, fifty-three weeks ago, I had to bid farewell to my regulars as a bend in my adventure took me elsewhere. It was bittersweet, as are all the ends of chapters. Well, today, exactly fifty-three weeks later, I saw 2 of my regulars! At the same place! And I haven't seen either of them in over fifty-three weeks! And, no, they did not know each other; she was a morning regular, and he was an afternoon regular. I was delighted to see them both.

Who Is She?

Allow me to introduce you to The Matriarch. She and her husband (Grumpy) are my bosses. They opened this business 30 years ago and have been successful without letting the desire to go corporate take the fun out of being self-employed.

You could say I, somewhat, revere The Matriarch. If you met her, you would be surprised to hear she is 73. I thought she was in her 50s. She is fully capable and very healthy. She always knows what to do, she's never caught off guard, and she don't-take-no-crap. This woman is quick in wit and thinks on her toes. She always has a plan, works hard, and has no plans for retiring. Though she works more than full-time, runs the business, and her home, she is always a mother, always a grandmother, and loves to chat.

She is in a bridge club that plays regularly, has a lunch-bunch group that meets monthly, loves to tell you every detail of any story over and over again, and watches documentaries with her husband; she is an old lady.

She gardens, always makes a fresh lunch for herself and Grumpy, makes homemade jellies and brings them in for the entire office to enjoy. She takes her grandchildren on adventures planned just for them, tells me to take the day off and go to the museum, and she drinks wine at lunch; she is a young lady.

She has learned a million ways to make life easier and I love to learn from her. She can recite whole recipes off the top of her head, accommodate her entire family's food-needs (grand kids and all) for a two-week long vacation. She turns every day-time outing into some kind of lunch date with her daughters.

If you upset her, she tells you exactly why, but she never treats you differently. She treats everyone like family. She is passionate and educated. She is confident but approachable.

She is fantastic. She is my boss. She is The Matriarch.

This Will Change Your Life

Ladies and gentleman, (I'm pretty confident there is only one male who reads my blog)

I have news that will change your life forever. Remember this post? 'Turns out there is some sort of truth to my proclamation...

While we were in Canada, I joked about being allergic to running, when our friend, Luke, chimed in. Now, you must understand that Luke is a personal trainer- no, he's a magical personal trainer. He's the kind who can have you looking like a model faster than you can do a cartwheel. He's the kind you'd be scared of if you saw him in a dark alley. He's the kind who knows every segment of the human anatomy and could tell you how to work out muscles you didn't even know existed. The amount of anatomy he knows and understands is ridiculous...

Me: "Ewe, why would you go running?! It's vacation. I hate running. It hurts me. I'm allergic to it, you know?!"

Luke: "Well, the female body wasn't designed to handle running..."

Me: (all lit up) "Come again?!"

Luke: "Well, a man's body is pretty much a straight line. Whereas in a woman's body, her hips are set out wider than other parts of her body. This makes her femurs hit her knees at an angle. Your knees are directly under the middle of your body, where ours are more lined up with our hips. Your femurs hit your knees at an angle. This is unconducive to running. Do your knees hurt when or after you run?"

Me: (elated at how affirmed I felt) "Yes! Always!..."

The conversation continued to liberate me. We concluded that, considering the width of my hips (don't remind me), the length of my femurs (abnormally long), and the angle at which my femur and knee connect, I should stick with other forms of cardio. I am not meant for running! No more guilt! Yay! Freeeeeedoooooom!

Happy Birthday To Me

I am glad I decided that this was the last birthday I would be celebrating. I mean, really, who needs to celebrate the day of their birth more than 25 times?! Perhaps, I'll celebrate again when I turn 70. My 25th year of life has been like spiritual boot camp. I will not be getting into that here. Not only can I confidently say that I have grow leaps and bounds in the last year of my life; so far, my 25 years of life have been commemorated 3 times by the most special people in my life who evidently are full of love for me as well. I am blessed.

Celebration 1:

A couple of days ago, in Canada, I was sitting around a bonfire enjoying the merriment of good friends and great conversations. Vacation is the best, more on that later. All of the sudden, "Happy birthday to you..." you know the rest... And I just joined in looking around trying to figure out whose birthday it was. Finally, I heard "... happy birthday, dear, Emily..." and it hit me. I'm a quick one. The thoughtful mocha cake was enjoyed by me as I contemplated being 25 and loved by friends whom I love. Then, I was treated to the ROM to see the Dead Sea Scrolls!! What a perfect birthday gift for a girl who has a quarter of a century behind her! My soul and brain were invigorated. There is nothing like a friend who is as charmed by academic imbibement as you are. I should apply to work at a museum.

Celebration 2:

We got home late Tuesday night/early Wednesday morning. I spent Wednesday cleaning the house for the arrival of my mother, 2 brothers, and sister who were driving through Atlanta. My husband prepared an amazing feast so we could celebrate with my most of my family. I wish I had taken a picture, because it was to-die-for-delish! Donned with love, fun gifts, and the news that I will be an Auntie Em to my sister's bundle of joy come February, I stepped back and again, contemplated being loved for the past 25 years. I enjoyed the familiar argumentative tones that emerged even over breakfast. I enjoyed having intelligible conversations with my used-to-be-little-brothers. It's odd to think they aren't little boys. I'm so proud of them. I enjoyed the sheer wit. The Anspach family has an unbeatable gift; my mum is the funniest person I know. Sibling dynamics make me laugh. There is nothing like family. I had a good time.

Celebration 3:

I arrive at work with my leftovers, packed by Mr.Fabulous, only to be told by my co-worker to save it for tomorrow because we are having a proper birthday party for me. And we did. Complete with a bright tablecloth, pretty napkins, food, wine, an ice cream cake, and tons of laughter. Mind you, the closest person to my age is 20 years older than I. Picture an Italian dinner, except lunch and not Italian food, and you'll have a very close picture of what went on in our office today at noon. The best part was when we heard my boss say "uh oh"... we turned to see that his new dentures had fallen out. What a cute grumpy old man he is. The three girls at the table just about peed our pants it was so funny. I cried every bit of makeup off my face. There is nothing like a good laugh.

The best memories are the kind where you walk away thinking "There is nothing like..." My 25th birthday has, without a doubt, been good enough to hold me over for the next 45 years.

"It is not good for the man to be alone..." -God

Have you ever seen Father of the Bride? I submit that it is the best wedding movie of all time. If you have not seen it, I advise you go straight to Blockbuster from work and pick it up.

My friends, Bethany and Travis, got married this weekend. And what a fantastically magical event it was! Both, my husband and I, were honored to be a part of their wedding party. I cannot express how much meaning there is in being part of the bridal party for a couple that you know have their priorities in line. It was so easy to be happy for them. Their love and adoration for each other is an obvious reflection of their understanding of God's love. I'm grateful to have had front row seats to their vows.

For me, all the fun started Thursday evening. As I got off the highway and turned onto Abernathy my phone rang. "Em, can you do me a really huge favor?" Pressed for time, I hesitate, "Sure, what's the favor?" "My dress is steamed and ready to be picked up from Bride Beautiful on Abernathy, are you, or will you be anywhere near there before 7 today?" I was starting at Bride Beautiful as she asked, I smile, "I'm staring at Bride Beautiful right now, I'll run in right now and pick it up." Excited, Bethany returns, "Thank you SO much!"... Now, I don't know what it is about bridal stores, but they have a tendency to be very pushy. I watched chaos bounce around that place, relieved that there were no decisions waiting to be made by me. Those girls looked so overwhelmed. They finally found everything that belonged to Bethany, and I left, happy I was able to help.

Friday morning, the bride's mother took us all to get manicures and pedicures, I haven't been that pampered since my own wedding. And this was no typical salon. The fun decor consisted of soft pink and silver striped walls, framed mirrors, gigantic crystal chandeliers, thick elegant drapes sectioning off the comfy pedi chairs, and no disgusting pictures of people with funky hair that match the way-too-long nails spanning the length of the photos. They handed each girl a mimosa and went to work so efficiently that we were all done at the same time! Skills, I say. (AND! They spoke English the whole time!)

Next, we hopped over to Crabapple Tea House for food and tea that was most delish. The bride made each of her girls an earring rack equipped with 5 pairs of funtastic earrings. How special that she personalized everything from the frames she used around the screen, to each pair of earrings that "looked like us". Special. Outside my watch and wedding ring, I don't really wear jewelry, but perhaps I will now that I have tons of fun ear-blings begging to be worn...

After all these sentiments, we went back to the brides house ran some last minute errands and watched My Best Friends Wedding. Then, we were off to rehearse followed by a "Southern Affair". I kid you not, each item was a southern staple and I hadn't had a single one of them before that night. I literally spooned a bite of each dish onto my plate. I enjoyed everything- even the shrimp and grits. Well done, family of the groom!

I wonder about rehearsals. In general, there tends to be one or two people that are so stressed out at the rehearsal... and then the wedding ceremony comes and things happen... not necessarily the line by line the coordinator may have hoped for- but the wedding party always makes do. Without losing it's reverence, I wonder if the ceremony couldn't be just a little more comfortable, natural, organic. I don't know. Just a side thought about weddings in general.

Then, D-day! We woke up to the smell of homemade bread, prepared by the mother of the bride! Then, the bride pops out of bed, heads straight to the kitchen and makes the ridiculously scrumptious strawberry concoction of goodness. YUMMY YUMMY IN MY TUMMY. And. We. Watched. Father of the Bride. Chill was the name of the game this weekend, and I was all about that!

The ceremony went fine. Honestly, I don't remember my ceremony... I was in a trance-like state. So focused on making sure I meant each vow; but so unaware of everything else said or done. I thought about that while I was standing up there this Saturday. I also eyed my husband as they shared their vows. We exchanged some reaffirming smiles and winks. It made my heart smile.

Bethany's dad died when she was younger, though we've never had more than one conversation about it, I teared at the mention of him. Her step-dad had the role of father and officiant. It was unique. He did a lovely job at respecting her father and eloquently speaking on love and marriage.

So, the reception (my eyes fill with wonder and a smile creeps across my face)... Now, this was quite the to-do. I have never in my life been in a bigger more elegant home. Unbelievable. This mansion was the perfect scene to make Bethany's dreams come true. Father of the Bride inspired, the backyard was lit up with magical candles hanging from trees, a canopy of twinkle lights cascading above the lawn, smiling people offering goodies on trays, and, of course, the bride and groom. The event was no less than enchanting.

Needless to say, we had a glorious weekend.

On Basil

My dinner last night was scrumptious! And I have my fantastic friend, Liz, to thank for it. My friend, Liz, is irreplaceable. She is one of the most fun and real people I know. It's so relaxing/refreshing to be with people who are honest about themselves and always ready for a good time. I love it, value it, treasure it!

Anyhow...

As our husbands bonded over video games, she and I were sent on a mission (which we chose to accept) to find organic beer. After realizing, TJs was closed (sad day), we hopped down to Whole Foods (bless their souls for working on a holiday- Oh! Happy 4th BTdubs). As we walked into the store, Liz picked up a basil plant and handed it to me.

"You need to buy this." She says. "You can have a garden... you don't have to wish anymore. You can start small... if you feel badly spending the 5 dollars on it, I'll buy it for you..." And she preceded to introduce me to the ease of taking care of basil (and other herbs). She told me how much money I will save, had me dreaming of yummy smells, homemade pesto and pasta dishes... Girls, this is the type of peer pressure you need! I am so stoked about my new plant! I call it Liz. Liz needs water and sun; she is so low-maintenance. She helps me with dinner and saves me money. What more could a girl want?!

Last night, I came home with some veggies from the garden at work (yes, my boss has this amazing veggie garden here I may or may not be blogging while at work). As my wholewheat pasta boiled, I cut up and sauteed 2 squash and 1 bell pepper with some EVOO, gutted? 3 tomatoes, and chopped up some FRESH basil! Tossed it all together with some S & P, and voila! One of the most exciting meals I've made all year!

Say "Hi!" to Liz:
Ignore that decrepit leaf. I've torn it off since the photo. Low quality picture, sorry! This pic just doesn't do her justice. She is much more green than she appears here.

Since being introduced to my new favorite cooking buddy, I have learned some very funny things about basil...

"...to the ancient Greeks and Romans the herb was a symbol of malice and lunacy. They believed that to successfully grow basil, one had to yell and curse angrily while sowing the seeds. In French, semer le basilic, "sowing basil," means ranting..."

I love it! What a perfect gift for one hormonal woman to give to another?! Read more here, if you'd like.

Tokens From The Weekend

The weekend started with a 7 hour and 45 minute road trip that only felt like 3 hours. My little-sister-in-law is the best car company on the face of the planet. The more I get to know her, the more I love her. I highly recommend taking her with you if you have any long road trips coming up. Accompanied by the Dixie Chick's Wide Open Spaces album, that we pulled over to buy at "The Walmart", we appropriately drove straight through to West Virginia. Ye-haw! The weekend was packed with all sorts of celebrations, a baby shower for my big-sister-in-law, a wedding for a dear friend of ours, catching up, and making memories. I'll admit, I had too much fun.

You've heard me say before that I'm somewhat socially handicapped. My close friends, usually roll their eyes when I make this claim. But this weekend has confirmed my theory. My social anxiety is only present when I sense that others feel the need to entertain me, or host me. It makes me uncomfortable. (remind me sometime to post on my intolerance for uncomfortableness). My husband, had such a tight group of guy friends from high school. They have all kept in touch over the years, have traveled great distances to be in each other's weddings, and have made each other's girlfriends/wives feel like part of the family. I love these guys! No exaggeration- from day one, when I met these guys, they treated me like they had known me my whole life, like I was their sister, like they knew me and loved me. Every time I see them, I am part of the family. It is the most comfortable socializing I have ever done with people I hardly know. Knowing my husband, I am not surprised he would have such fantastic friends. It is so sweet to see these good ol' boys together. If this weekend had been a movie, country music would have been the soundtrack.

My mother-in-law shared that she was learning about "emotional integrity". What a great phrase! I'm going to have to use it more often. I would say, in relationships, nothing frustrates me more than not having emotional integrity. I do not respond well when I pick up on the feelings another isn't admitting... it drives me nuts. In addition to learning that phrase, this conversation with my MIL brought about the joy of realizing, no matter how old I get, there will always be more to learn. I love learning. I love uncovering things about myself and humankind in general.

Image by tim.perdue via Flickr

Has anyone else ever wondered why when ice melts in your cup, the water level doesn't rise? Like if you had a full to the brim cup of ice water, it wouldn't over flow when the ice melts? Well, I was on the verge of falling asleep when I realized, this has to be because the ice displaces the same amount of water solid as it will when it melts and adds to the water in the glass. I did not google this to verify it I am correct because it makes sense to me. And that's all I needed. I just needed it to make sense so I could fall asleep. I think of things like this often.

My little-sister-in-law, comfortable socializing, emotional integrity, the lure of learning, and physics- these are the tokens from my weekend. How was yours?