Snapshots and Snippets

Naptime - This is the part of the day where I get a little me time…a little break from the unstoppable force that is my munchkin.  Whether it is spent reading, messing around on the computer, digital scrapbooking, or watching TV, it is always a breath of fresh air.  Ahhh…naptime how I love thee…

Nature - I love nature…I love the colors, flowers, sights, smells…the creativity is so beautifully expressed in nature.  It’s when I have a chance to reflect on such things that God becomes so obvious, His thumbprint so apparent.  I love enjoying this world.

Nicknames - I’ve always been a part of a nickname kind of family…my dad had nicknames for everyone, and it seems as though I have followed in his footsteps.  Once you become a good friend, it is most likely that there will be a nickname that bubbles up at some point…and it will stick…at least with me.

Night time - I love night time…I like having time with Jeff to watch some of our favorite shows, talk, play games, etc.  It’s usually the time when Jeff and I go grocery shopping together (after E goes to sleep…Mimi stays at home with him)…it’s nice to feel the day winding down…and it’s nice to have the family together.

M&Ms:  I love M&Ms…but my favorite are the PEANUT BUTTER ones…I could go through a 1 lb bag in one sitting I think…but we won’t talk about that.

Moweaqua:  My hometown…it is tiny…and no, you’ve never heard of it.  But that town has a heart the size of the moon.  It’s where I grew up, learned about serving your neighbor, and was the recipient of such love.  I have a family in Moweaqua and although I don’t get back there as much as I would like, I still feel a connection to the people who played such a role in my childhood.  I miss the small town mentality…you know everyone (or their parents) and everyone knows you.  And when you’re in a tight spot or are dealing with something hard in your life, there are 40 some people barreling down your door to help you out.  It’s a great place…and I am grateful for their role in my life!

Mom:  I have the best Mom ever…seriously.  She is patient, kind, loving, says pretty funny things, and is steadfast in her love and relationship with Jesus.  She has always been there for me, has always been encouraging, and will always love me…no matter what.  She’s awesome and I love her.

Love:  One of the greatest things in the world…the love of close friends, family, but most importantly the love of God…it’s unbeatable and unfathomable!

Lilies:  One of my favorite flowers…soooo beautiful…I love asiatic lilies…there are so many varieties and the colors are so dramatic and lovely.

Ladybugs:  Not only are they cute and pretty, they are AWESOME for your garden…they eat all kinds of unwanted bugs, but most importantly they feed on aphids.  Pretty AND aggressive…gotta love it!

Laughing:  In the words of Lola of Charlie and Lola (yes, children’s shows are my life)…Laughing is my favorite and my best.  I LOVE to laugh…I love to make other people laugh.  I love when you’re with close friends and your expecting that at some point in the visit you will be laughing so hard you can’t breathe…priceless.

Kisses:  I love getting kisses from my boys…when Ethan comes up and wants to give me a kiss, it just melts my heart.  It reminds me that there are at least 2 people in the world who love me without condition.

Karaoke:  Just. plain. fun.

Keyless Entry:  Just one more thing for us lazy folks to get excited about, right?!?!?!  lol

Kids:  I love hanging around with kids…I’ve always been a babysitter, youth leader, camp counselor, or something.  Kids are fun!

Jeff…

I figured that my amazing hubby was worth his own post here.  Jeff truly is the best match for me and I am so grateful to have him in my life.  He is the best partner, the most loving father, a fabulous musician, a smarty-pants (this will come in handy when Ethan brings home calculus and I run and hide in the closet)…I could go on and on.  He is loyal, patient (thank GOD…one of us has to be), understanding, and just the best person to do life with.  We have so much fun and there is no one I would rather spend the rest of my life with.

Thanks for being who you are and for helping me be a better person.  I know life is crazy sometimes and things can be stressful, but you help keep the family steady and I am forever grateful.

LOVE YOU!

Ice Cream:  I love ice cream in all forms…in a dish, cone, between bananas, topped with stuff, by itself, blended, in a cake, etc.  I LOVE IT!  Now, I would have said before that Graeter’s is some of the finest ice cream…but after this weekend, I must say that Jeni’s Ice Cream is the best I’ve had.  You can find it in Columbus!  Jeff and I were there over the weekend and went there TWICE because it was so amazing.  My first round was one of their seasonal flavors…Goat Cheese with roasted red cherries.  Oh. My. Gosh.  Better than great.  The second time I had the salted caramel which is one of their signature flavors and it is fabulous, too.  Jeff had the seasonal Riesling Poached Pear the first time visiting, and on his second visit he had the Cherry Lambic (AMAZING) and Lemon with Blueberry.  Needless to say, we will be going back there AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!  It’s necessary to go back there when they change up their seasonal flavors, that’s for sure.  Wow…so good…

Iced Tea:  In the summer, there is nothing better than iced tea (mixed with lemonade for me).  When it’s all hot and humid outside, it just cools you down like nothing else can.  We’ve tried to cut down on soda and make more iced tea at home, so we always have some in the fridge.  And if you haven’t already tried it, you must try the Tazo Passion Fruit tea with lemonade.  You can get it from Starbucks, or just make it yourself.  GREAT!

Ice Wine:  I am not the biggest fan of wine overall…it’s just not my thing.  I might have a glass of a sweet white every once in a while, but given the choice I would much rather have a fruity mixed drink.  :)  However, ice wine is a completely different thing.  You can read about the process here.  Basically, it’s the sweetest kind of dessert wine you could ever have…which makes it perfect for me.  It’s like NECTAR!  SO YUMMY!  You must try it if you’ve never had the pleasure.

Intuition:  I follow my gut most of the time, and most of the time it steers me right.  I have a pretty strong intuition…I think part of it is a spiritual gift and part of it is a personality trait.  I trust my intuition, because even if I don’t listen, it seems to be that I should have listened.  Jeff has learned that my intuition is pretty strong, too…especially when it comes to BIG decisions.  I prayerfully consider what my gut is telling me when those big decisions are involved, though…because I figure any gift given to me by God (in whatever form) needs to be partnered with God to be operating the way it should.

Identity:  My identity is important to me…it’s ever-changing, I think…although the fundamentals are the same.  But I believe it’s important to know who you are and what you’re all about in order to have a full and balanced life.

I am firstly, a child of God…this is the foundation of my identity.  Everything else in my life is centered around this fact.  I am a wife, mother, sister, daughter, and friend…in other words, I am relational and those I am in relationship with are important to me.  And lastly…I am a singer…I am happy when I’m singing…and it is my #1 spiritual gift.  Without that creative outlet, I would be a completely different person.

Jeff and I took an impromptu trip to Columbus overnight, so I was unable to blog about h or i over the weekend.  I’ll do both of them today and I’ll probably fill J in tonight.  :)

So without further ado…

Holidays:  I LOVE the holidays…Thanksgiving and Christmas are my favorite.  There’s nothing like that time between the two holidays…I love the Thanksgiving day parade, the family getting together to eat insane amounts of food, I love Christmas music so much I usually listen to it in the summer (when my heart is longing for the holidays to come again), gift-giving, decorations, I love it ALL!

Hugs:  My family have always been huggers.  I love hugs!  There’s nothing like a much needed hug after a hard day…from your spouse, munchkin, mom, brother, friend, whomever.

Harry Potter:  Before I embarked on the Harry Potter journey, I was quite skeptical of the tween sensation that was sweeping the entire world.  I figured it would be too young for me to really enjoy and anything that was so stinking popular probably wasn’t for me.  BOY WAS I WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  From the moment I picked up the first book, I was hooked…although I wasn’t obsessed until I finished Goblet of Fire.  I read the entire book…all 636 pages of it (I had the paper back) in ONE NIGHT.  I literally could NOT put it down.  I started it in the evening, read the entire night, and finished it between 7 & 8 the next morning.  Insane, I know, but that is how much I enjoyed them.  I have been a complete fan girl since.  I have read every book (several times a piece), seen every movie soon after it was released, and have been there for the release parties of the last 3 books in the series.  It’s such a fantastic blend of reality and fantasy…the classic struggle between good and evil, teens angst, and the process of growing up make for an amazing story from beginning to end.  I can’t WAIT for Ethan to be old enough to read them.  I will, for sure, read along with him!!!

Humility:  I really don’t like arrogance in any form.  I appreciate a humble spirit…I appreciate that to be a Christian requires humility.  If it wasn’t for Jesus, I COULDN’T be in a relationship with God and because of that, there is no room for arrogance.  Even without the grace factor, arrogance goes against everything I believe in.  I believe in open minds, I believe in open conversation, and I believe that I can learn something with every experience I have…  If I’m arrogant and close-minded, I could never experience the world like I can if I’m open-minded.   I am really turned off by a smug attitude and I would NEVER want to put that vibe out.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t have this figured out all the time…and I have my moments of arrogance…but I really do try, because it’s very important to me.

Harmony:  There is nothing like a tight harmony to send me straight to the moon.  I LOVE singing and listening to strong group with a great sound.  And when it comes to worship…a beautiful, introspective ballad with three part harmony will almost always succeed in bringing me right before God.  When it’s done right, harmony is beautifully balance, pure, and amazing.

Greyhounds:  They are seriously the best breed of dogs, ever!  I rescued Donny when I was still single and living in an apartment with my roomie, Laura….who graciously agreed to let me get a big doggie.  :)  I have always been a big dog person (although I love all puppies).  But living in an apartment with a busy life, I needed a dog that would be fairly low maintenance.  The greyhound was my choice.  These dogs are bred by the hundreds in order to make money through racing.  They are treated very well through the racing process (as far as care is concerned), although the racing itself can be quite dangerous.  But as soon as they stop winning, their usefullness is gone…and unless a rescue organization comes to pick them up, they are often killed at no more than 3-4 years old…and the figure is more like 1-2 years old.  A greyhound’s life expectancy is more like 12-14 years.  So many sweet doggies lives are cut short!  That’s why I got Donny.  And then we got Marie.  Yes, our dogs names are Donny and Marie…it’s a long story.  In any case, they are great dogs…and funny…and our lives wouldn’t be as interesting or fun without them around.

Games:  I love board games!  I love playing all kinds of games with my friends.  I find that it’s a great way to get to know people and see their personalities come through.  My favorite is Apples to Apples.  FUN!

Groups:  I so enjoy being in groups with other people.  In a group, I come up with more creative ideas and do my best work.  I believe that the strongest force is a well-balanced group that has come together for a common purpose or goal.  In order to lead effectively, I HAVE to be a part of a team.  It’s just the way it is.

God:  What can I say…the One who loves me, shelters me, blesses me, has plans for me, the One who forgives me, wants me, calls me, waits for me, sent His Son for me, and who fills me up every day.  He’s the reason I have a purpose to live and it is because of His plan that I will be reunited with Him again.

Friends:  Being the extrovert that I am, I could never live the fullest life without my friends…they are essential to my happiness as much as other basic life needs.  I cherish my friends so much and am so blessed to even have friends from high school that I call and get together with on a regular basis.  God has blessed me in a big way.

Family:  Again, I was pushed to the front of the line when God was handing out families.  :)  My family is quite simply the best…and it’s not just my immediate family…it’s my extended family…aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins, great aunts and uncles, etc.  And it’s not just MY extended family…this list also includes my in-laws.  Jeff’s family is fabulous…mom, dad, brother and sister in law, aunts, uncles, cousins…I am so blessed to be a part of these families!

Facebook:  This goes along with the friend thing…I LOVE facebook.  It is such a great way to keep up with those you are in contact with on an every day basis…and it’s a fabulous way to catch up with those you’ve lost contact with.  It’s also so encouraging to know that so many people out there are interested in what you’re up to…and they have a word of encouragement or advice if you post an update about how frustrated you are or sad you are.  It’s a powerful thing, social networking…and I am totally bought in to it!  lol

Food Network:  I love cooking…and because of that, I’m obsessed with the Food Network.  I love making stuff I see…and I love that I am educated about something whenever I turn it on.  But my favorite shows are the ones dedicated to giving kudos to restaurants and/or cooks/chefs in different places around the country.  Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives…Throwdown with Bobby Flay…etc.  I love to hear about places where I can experience good food!  Jeff and I often look up these places when we’re going to be in the area so we can try out some of what we’ve seen…and it’s super fun!

France:   Jeff and I had the chance to travel to France a few years back (prior to little man) and it was such an awesome experience.  I could talk about it forever…and not all of it was “fun” per se…but it was a fantastic trip.  We were there to encourage and support one of the missionaries we partnered with at Journey’s Crossing…we took a band and hospitality staff to put on a coffeehouse to reach out to the students in the city.  There was so much that happened both good and scary…but in the end we all learned about how God goes before us…and how God moves in people to make things happen…and how demons possess equipment.  :)  Apart from that, it was such a breath-taking country…and the beauty of the cities, countryside, and people will forever be imprinted in my heart.

Ethan:  He is SO HILARIOUS…and annoying sometimes…but mostly HILARIOUS.  :)  Ethan is such a gift…I am amazed at how God put so much ability, energy, and fun in to one kid.  But He did, and that’s my E!  We are constantly challenged by him (in the good and bad ways) as he is always seeking new information and more explanation for how the world works.  I can’t wait to see what he turns out to be!  Jeff and I are so blessed to be his parents!

Email:  How in the world did we ever live without email???  Seriously.  I love that I can keep in touch with everyone easily and have all correspondence in one place.  You can write a quick note, you can write a catch-up novel…and your hand doesn’t hurt afterward.  You can even include pictures or send documents.  It’s a lovely thing…

Excitement:  I love to be excited about something.  There’s nothing like the anticipation you feel all fluttery in your tummy and the perpetual smile that extends from ear to ear when you’re excited about something.

Evening:  I love it when Jeff and Mom get home and we all enjoy dinner together.  It’s a nice family time almost every night.  I know sitting around the table together is a lost art, but we enjoy it.  Then I get to watch some of my favorite shows on tv with mom and Jeff…and Jeff is in charge of bedtime!  YES!

Earth:  I really do love where we all get to live…it’s so beautiful…the clouds, the blue sky, the green grass, the stars, the sun, the moon…I love the changing seasons…I love the colors.  I just really love this place and I am trying my best to start doing things that will help preserve it.  I hope that I can continue to more and more so I can do my part…