Rewind The Best Part

wedding bells and tales to tell.

2011-07-17T17:33:00.057-04:00

There's something that's almost intoxicating about air that's filled with anticipation. Especially anticipation that surrounds the wedding day of one of your dearest friends.

There was a buzz around the bridal boutique, as bridesmaids and friends alike floated around from room to room with mimosas in hand and and their hair done up. The bride looked beautiful without any makeup; her skin tanned by the summer sun, and topped with a wedding day glow. Our Linds could have rolled out of bed, walked down the aisle, and still been able to gather whispers of how stunning she was, because she really is that beautiful.

Having the opportunity to be a part of the wedding day of a dear friend is something to be cherished. They're days filled with victory. Where true love has won, and God is at work, solidifying another piece to the puzzle of life. Being able to witness such an event, and share in the joy and commitment that is so meaningful to the people involved, gives my heart the opportunity to beat in its fullness.

I've been a part of a lot of day 1's. Where euphoric smiles are passed around from family to friend to pastor to bride. Where bridesmaids and groomsmen stand tall in support of their loved ones, and where two people who have found the love of their life become husband and wife. I've seen each marriage take its own unique path, yet each from the same starting point of faithful vows, and a "you may now kiss your bride". Each route with both the expected and unexpected. With times that really test the strength of two becoming one, and times with newfound joy, that not even the best of dreams could stir up.

I've always been a rather experience driven person. Always looking forward to the next event that has the power to break up the day to day. It can be a spontaneous outing on a week night, a week long trip with my best friends - 10 years in the making, or in this case, celebrating a momentus day with my dearest friends. I thrive on promise filled events. Weddings are always filled with hope. Always a celebration. and Always give back more than you give. And when you mix that into wedding days that belong to your nearest and dearest friends, you can't lose. I want to call it bittersweet. But there's not too much about them you can really claim as "bitter". I think it's moreso the realization that with a limited amount of close friends, means a limited amount of the monumental celebrations that weddings are. So the anticipation of those weddings build for weeks, and months, and even times years; to play out in these individually cherished days.

For Linds and Zach, all us girls from college watched their relationship grow from afar. And as time passed, Linds made sure to bring him alongside her on trips back home, and shared with him, her love for all things Michigan... especially 240.

And as we celebrated with the newly defined, Mr. and Mrs. Mosayebi, we took it all in. It's amazing really, what happens between the day to day that creates a moment like a wedding. Because even though they had a trip to Hawaii, shared experiences with TFA, owned a house, and already had a godson together, it was all those little inbetweens that made them what they had become that day. Husband and wife. Toasts were given by family and friends. Moments were discussed of interesting emails and first encounters. And in the midst of it all, loving glances went back and forth between bride and groom, as the lines of their love story were retraced for all to hear.

dances were danced, and glasses tipped. And as the bells that were rang for the new couple to kiss chimed less and less frequently, and people started to filter out of the beautifully decorated canery, a new antisipation started to build. This big night was ending, but the celebration of husband and wife, and what that meant for the next chapter of their love story was just beginning. The travels they would take, the challenges they would meet, the family they would grow! A future together so big, you couldn't successfully predict it if you tried. So as the clock struck midnight, and the last of the party goers were guided out the doors, we sent them off with a glowing multitude of sparklers...

almost as bright as their future as husband and wife.

ambitious.

2011-05-17T20:44:00.014-04:00

When Sunday turned out to be half as warm as Friday's mid-80's, it might have been slightly ambitious to make the seasons first trip to the Silver Dairy...

But there are some things that even double jacket cold weather can't ruin.

like chocolate dipped chocolate ice cream.

"our boys".

2011-05-11T15:51:00.002-04:00

That's what Audry and I affectionately call our favorite players on any given Detroit sports team. Last night, the phrase was used to speak of our beloved boys in red. When we got in the car post game, Jay-Z's, "On to the Next One" was appropriately playing; and after exchanging a set of smiles that beamed with satisfaction, we headed home. "Our boys did it", Audry said through an unfading grin, high on the victory of a team that tied up a playoff series 3-3 after being down 3 games to 0. Our boys lived to see another day, and it was food for our Detroit sports loving souls.

I've always liked playoff hockey. I love the confidence that's seemingly infused in a team like the Red Wings. I love that it's assumed we'll be in the playoffs yearly, because no matter how much you might love any other team more, the numbers don't lie. It's a fact that our boys current 20-year post-season streak, gives them the longest active run of any team of the four professional sports leagues... Now that's impressive. I love when the Joe is packed with painted faced kids and pompon shaking parents. I love hearing echoed chants of, "let's-go-red-wings!" in the background as Mickey Redmond keeps the outside world updated on the happenings down on the ice. And I love playoff beards [even if the baby-faced captains of my lifetime never seem to be quite able to grow them :) ].

You know I love my city, and you know I believe that life is filled with things that are worth celebrating. Which probably explains why my heart is filled with equal parts optimism and grit when the playoffs roll around. Because like a lot of things in this city, the celebration of victory requires a hard fight.

I'm a sucker for nostalgic commercials. There's one on TV now that shows highlights from the teams of yesteryear as they went on to win the Stanley Cup. Awesome goals, skating that defies physics, and the ultimate sight... the hoisting of the cup. And at the end of it, there's a shot of confetti raining down over a victory parade with the words, "history makes a mess" across the screen. It gives me chills every time. I've skipped school and work to be at those victory parades. I have vivid memories of Scotty Bowman giving a celebratory speech in Hart Plaza, while a giddy team smiled behind him as they eyed the thousands that joined their party. I remember seeing our boys drive by in red Corvettes and thinking that my Detroit boys looked so good in those Detroit designed cars. And I remember what it felt like to walk those streets with other fans and feeling the closest I'll ever get to being a crack addict... because I just wanted more.more.more.

So it shouldn't come to much of a surprise to you that when I find myself amidst the playoffs, there are a lot of feelings and emotions that race through me. I love the anxiety of the opposing team being too close for comfort to our goalie. I can't control the, "get that out of there!" shouts, and deep sighs as one of my boys clears the puck down center ice. I even kind of like the rawness of the way I bristle a bit when one of my boys gets tripped or an elbow to the chin. How I won't back down until they get the justice they deserve, and someone gets thrown in the penalty box. But how I can always justify when a Wing throws off their gloves to punch someone in the face... because I mean, seriously... would you just stand there?!

I love throwing on my Wings shirt and red shoes, I love hoping that Bertuzzi will start a fight or that someone from the other team will find out what it means to be "Kronwalled", but most of all, I love this...

photo borrowed from bleacherreport.net

The hockey smile.

I mean it... It's one of my all time favorite things. In the time it takes for a tiny puck to cross over the goal line, an entire game goes from being in the big leagues to feeling more like the pee-wee leagues. You don't see celebrations after scoring like that in any other professional sport. The high-fives, the hugs, and man oh man... those smiles. Sirens blast, fans cheer, and my boys light that place up.

photo borrowed from Freep.com

I love it when my boys succeed.

I love that that success is reflected in gap filled smiles, skips on skates, and arms raised high. This time of year, one more "W" for my boys really is the best part. I'm sure that sometime tomorrow there will be a youtube link in my inbox that will take me to a Red Wings highlight clip. And in the message box will be something pertaining to our boys needing us to be fired up for them going into game 7. And we will. Because after all they are our boys. And when they're doing what they can do to raise not only that cup, but our city... we will do what we can to rise to the occasion as well. Red shoes and all.

Go Wings!

EACH.

2011-04-17T23:38:00.038-04:00

I've been a part of a lot of memorable things in downtown Detroit. I've been to a block party in front of Michigan Central Station, I've seen a friend debut his art at a gallery showcase off of Michigan Ave., and I was one of thousands that cheered Justin Verlander on to his no hitter at Comerica Park in June of 2007. My heart swelled with pride when I walked the streets of Detroit in 2009 as NCAA fans from all over the country came for a visit to cheer on their teams in the Final Four at Ford Field, and I've been in awe of everyday people who've run marathons along the Detroit River.

You see, moments like that fill me with an energy that is unmatched by anything else. Moments where I get a glimpse of the potential of the city. Moments where streets are filled with people, and restaurants have waits to get in, and where life is pumped into the veins of a city that is too often dismissed as dead.

Saturday was a day that I'll add to that list of things that happen in Detroit that make me proud.

Aud eyed the skies as we drove down 75 to meet up with the other EACH walkers Saturday morning. "I wonder how many people are going to decide not to come because of the rain", I said. It was dark, cold, and windy. The wipers were on, the skies were grey, and we were both armed with rain jackets and umbrellas. Chances were it wasn't going to be comfortable, but we were committed to walking in prayer for the city and its people. And with the walk scheduled to go on at 9am, rain or shine, turning back wasn't really an option.

EACH (Everyone A Chance to Hear) is a movement taking part in the Detroit area. In a nutshell, it's a commitment from over 500 churches in Metro Detroit to spread the gospel, and to do our part to rebuild the city. The walk on Saturday was dedicated to prayer, but the full vision of the EACH mission goes far beyond that. In addition to prayer, believers in Metro Detroit are committing one million man hours to physically build up Detroit between Easter of this year and 2012. It's amazing.

Some might have shrugged it off to coincidence that by the start time of 9am the skies had cleared and the sun stretched its long rays all the way down to the parking lots in front of Comerica Park, but I know better. And as Audry and I waited to meet up with friends, we heard one elderly gentleman say to another, "look at the heavens opening!". Umbrellas were closed, and with a joke by one of the pastors about how it was helpful to have a local weatherman on the planning team for the walk, the events carried on as scheduled. And not one drop of rain fell on the group as we worshiped together.

There was a lot of representation from different churches, as pastors from all over the area stepped up to the mic to share greetings, scripture, and what their encouragement and vision was for EACH. It was powerful stuff, and mixed between the songs of worship were words of truth. Truths that reminded us of the following:

* The ground we were standing on was holy.

* There was healing happening in Detroit.

* Our city will rise. Because if Jesus is powerful enough to rise from a tomb, what makes you think He can't take a city like ours, and bring it to life?

As emotional and spiritual as it was to be worshiping with upwards of 20,000 believers in a parking lot in Detroit, my favorite part of that time probably had to do with a lone man in a red shirt. As voices were echoing the chorus of "How great is our God", I noticed a man standing in the window of an apartment, many stories up. He had the window open, and after taking a few pictures, was just standing there... watching. Watching because I'm sure it was the first time he must have been woken up on a Saturday morning, in the city of Detroit, to 20,000 voices singing praises to our creator. And trust me, it was an awesome sight. I had chills, I had watery eyes, and most of all, I was filled with thankfulness for all the people gathered, and their partnership in doing something positive, in the name of Jesus, for the city of Detroit.

Attorney Shannon Holmes, Director of Detroit's Human Resources Department shared the following scripture in the words she delivered to those gathered, "... if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves to pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive them their sin and will heal their land" - 2 Chronicles 7:14. And so with that, the appointed thousands took to the streets, and prayed for our city to be healed.

The walk was 1.6 miles. It went from Comerica Park, down Woodward to Jefferson before turning around and back to where we started. There were praise bands from different churches on random corners, filling the route with music; and as far as the walkers went, the group included verbal praisers, scripture readers, singers, silent prayers, and more impressively, one body of believers.

There are days when I get discouraged with what's happening in Detroit. Days when I'm disappointed, and am not sure what the answer to my question of, "what is going to make this better?" is. But shortly after the walk, the scripture from Matthew 9 came to mind, "the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few"... And I thought, "20,000 people doesn't exactly sound like a few". I know the work to be done in spreading the gospel and building up a crumbling city isn't going to be easy. But, I also know that it does something for your confidence in movement actually happening when you know you've got at least 19,999 other people wanting the same thing. and showing up.

I was encouraged by the turnout, and for the most part found myself thinking, "I'm so glad this is how we're reflecting Jesus today". I can't tell you how proud I felt seeing person after person thank Detroit police officers for not only coming down that day, but for being willing to serve daily in our city. These were people I was proud to walk alongside on Saturday, and it left me inspired about the year of service to come. Detroit is going to be transformed.

I'm excited that I've been chosen to be a part of something like this. I'm excited for the events that are yet to come in the name of this movement. I'm excited to sign up to do my part in chipping away at those one million hours for our city, and I'm excited to see what it will look like to have us Christians bring more Heaven to Detroit in the coming year.

For more information on what's going on with EACH, check out their website @ eachtoday.com .

Remembering where I hid the baby.

2011-03-10T21:52:00.004-05:00

It's common knowledge that Audry is the family baker. But when time got short on Tuesday night, I had to step in to help the baker finish her Mardi Gras masterpiece.

Aud: "you know, this is what it would be like if we had our own bakery."

Me: "slaving away over frosting and pounds of cream cheese at night?"

Aud: "yup."

And so there we stood. Opposite each other at the kitchen counter. While the neighbors were going to bed, and as the clock struck 11pm, we were only getting started.

Audry worked hard to kneed the dough, and I created the filling (that when looked at as a whole was rather excessive - 2 pounds of cream cheese?!!?). So work we did. I manned the hand mixer, casually wiping away any sugary cream cheese that propelled its way onto the counter, and Audry rolled and stretched the dough, occasionally asking, "does this look 36 inches yet?"

If you're wondering, Yes, there was meaning to our "burning the midnight oil: bakery edition" madness.

The reason is tradition. When my cousin Teri joined our family years ago, she brought with her stories of growing up in New Orleans. All over her house there are fleur de leis', she loves talking about NOLA's streetcars, and you can bet that when the Saints won the Superbowl, she was telling everyone about how much she wished she could have been down there for the celebrations.

Last year, to bring a bit of home to Teri during Mardi Gras, Audry made her a Kings Cake. It's a Louisiana tradition, that is basically a cake where the colors of New Orleans (in sprinkles!) are used to decorate it, and a tiny plastic baby is hidden inside. There's more to it, but for not.boring.you.with.the.details purposes, I'll keep moving on. What you need to know is that whoever finds the baby in their piece is supposed to make/bring the cake to the next celebration. See. It's a fun tradition!

watch out... baby on a mixer!

Anyway, last year you would have thought someone surprised Teri with a member of her family when Audry walked through the doorway with that cake in hand. Teri's face lit up, her mouth dropped open, and an exclamation of, "you made a Kings Cakeeeeee!" sounded from her mouth. She loved it.

To have a family tradition exist, someone has to start it. So with 2010 being the inaugural year, 2011 had expectations of a Kings Cake being at the first family dinner after Fat Tuesday. I love the thought of Teri bringing our family that tradition. It's doubtful we would have ever had it without her, and because she packed it away to bring with her when she moved North, my whole family gets to share in the fun of the Mardi Gras season! We love it.

and if you were wondering, my mom left Audry a message tonight, "don't worry about who got the baby. Last night when I was cutting a piece for Nic to take home, it fell out and i just squished it back in for them". So I guess another year worked out nicely. Looks like mama Moiseeff is off the hook, and Ms. New Orleans herself will be providing the cake next time ;)

Snow Day.

2011-02-02T15:26:00.000-05:00

They are the two words that held the power of instant bliss during my school age years. And today, those very words rang true for the first time as an adult. And I'm convinced I loved them just as much.

I love Winter. I really do. Sure, part of it was making a conscious decision to love it, but it worked, and now I embrace it. If it's going to snow, I want a huge blanket of it. I want every inch of nasty brown grass to be covered with fresh, white, crunchy snow! I want there to be shovels out and plows on the road. And if it so happens that every ten years I get a snow day... I'll take it.

The day has been full of things I daydream of when I'm at work. For starters, I actually got to watch the Today show. I sat on the couch in my PJ's with a hot cup of coffee, and watched Al Roker report from Chicago, 17" deep in what "Snowmagedon" left behind. I was snuggled up with the house blinds open, while the white flakes danced past the window. They blew left to right, and then in sudden gusts, plunged to piles of others just like them on the ground. It was pretty near perfect, and exactly what I like to see Winter looking like.

I had decided last night, that if given the day off, I would spend it in appreciation. So, when lounging time was over, Aud and I bundled up, put Walter in his dog sweater, and we went outside. The air was cold, but not bitter, and the feeling of snowglobe was all around! I just loved it. I loved the contrast of the intricate white flakes on my black sleeves, the quietness of outside as most people were still tucked away in, and the realization that Winter IS breathtaking.

The day has been lovely. It really has. And for now, it's time to focus on the movie we just started watching. Because this scene too, is a beautiful thing. All 3 of us at 2239 have the bonus of this snow day. So today, we're going to watch in the midst of each others company.

In the meantime, enjoy the day! Delight in the gift and beauty of snow, but most of all be safe! Including you, neighbor who is shoveling his snow as we speak... err... type/read.

Peace.Love.and Snowflakes.

Katy Perry and Zygotes.

2010-12-01T16:19:00.000-05:00

I knew what I was getting myself into when I drove home from work yesterday. I got a call from my dad at 5:02pm, and he said that he still hadn't heard from my mom or uncle. Which in turn meant that they still hadn't spoke to a doctor regarding my granny, which meant Hannah would be waiting for me at home.

I walked in the door to find Audry making pizza sauce (yes, making), and Hannah asking her if "zig" was a real word. I stepped into the conversation, and as I washed my hands (re: the impending cold), I said, "I think it might be, but I'm not entirely sure I've ever heard it NOT paired with zag". So she got her dictionary, I got my laptop, and we sat down to find out.

I love my time with Hannah. I say it all the time, but it's true. Her face lights up upon every greeting, and she's such a fun, witty, well behaved girl. And who doesn't appreciate that in an eleven year old? She finished her homework before dinner, and as we ate, we discussed Hannah's love for learning about rocks, hypothesis' on why the cookies she and Aud made were mushy in the middle, and whether Katy Perry is actually a good singer (I voted no).

It's night like that, where it's cold and dark by 6, but inside, all is merry and bright, that I love the motions of life. day to day life. I didn't mind discussing scattered topics while Demi Lovato's newest song played for the 4th time, and I explained what I knew about zygotes. I didn't mind because I love her, and I want to be a part of her growth. I love seeing her get smarter, and funnier, and more beautiful.

Her time at the house ended in a way we both love. She let me snap a few pics of her in front of the Christmas tree, and then a few more of her with Walter the dog. And when I wasn't feeling up to dancing around like a lot of pre-teens do, she opted to dance by herself. And dance she did, with a "do you know the difference between the Jerk and the Reject?" and a "hey! I think I just made up a new dance move!" [don't worry. I didn't know there was a dance called the "reject" either]. Eventually, Audry joined in with her dancing. After all, they both have hair that is great for a good swing. And both of them put it to good use.

And so I snapped away. And I captured the moment. And when her dad called to say he'd be there to pick her up in 15 minutes, she stopped abruptly and asked if that was enough time to get a double French braid. Because apparently, the kids in her class love talking about her hair when it's wavy. And what female doesn't just love a good hair day? So I put my braiding skills to work, and knocked out the cutest of French braids on my favorite model. And took a picture of it, of course.

honey... oh, sugar sugar.

2010-11-30T19:42:00.000-05:00

It started around 2 o'clock.

you never really think about your throat until it hurts. And it just crept up on me. It always does. all the sudden, it was there.

At first I thought that it could be cured with a peppermint. That's the optimist in me. The optimist that thought, "it could just be dry. I could just need a drink of water... or a peppermint". and then, after the second one, I started to panic. not a lot, just a little. Because that's what you do when you realize that no matter how deep you dig your heels, you're going to get pushed off the edge into sickness. what a drag.

Getting sick is never convenient.

My brain starts wandering. What if I go to bed, wake up, and feel worse? What if it's so bad that I have to call in. I can't call in. I have patients tomorrow. I can't. I mean, I could. I just shouldn't. and how did I even get sick? and why do I think that I'm more important at work then I really am? but how did I get sick??!? great. I had a massage yesterday. I bet they didn't change the sheets before me. that's nasty. No... I know. great. I was in a hospital yesterday. I probably picked it up from some germ infested visitor. Either that, or it's my roommate that's sick with a URI. great. that's not what I have... is it? it's not. I may be sick, but starting now, I choose NOT to be a hypochondriac. It's probably just a cold. or bird flu.

The real issue is that it's my throat. That's kinda the worst, and I just wanted to complain. I mean, "the worst" until I have the stomach flu or a migraine that won't quit. Then I'll redefine, I'm sure.

And as I sit here on the couch, in a warm house with a glowing Christmas tree, I've decided to take it easy tonight. Relaxing, while I send up selfish little prayers of "please make me better before Friday" between additional prayers for Granny and all the while, catching up on Glee.

I'm going to stay here for now, while I recover and continue to drink tea with my head tilted to the right. This way, the honey can coat the spot that aches when I swallow.

Hopefully filling my sick quota early... that's a real thing, right?

you guys...

Grandpa Ivan.

2010-10-26T11:46:00.000-04:00

There's a unique feeling you get when you hear someone has died. For me, it feels like my insides have been flushed. My heart goes to my stomach, and starts searching for a way to get back.

It's an entirely different feeling to be told someone has died, then that they haven't... then that they did. A true roller coaster of emotions.

That's where I spent Monday night, with the news of my grandpas passing. My grandpa had been battling bladder cancer for years, and when he noticed a new pain in his hip last week, my dad took him to the hospital to get it checked out. Come to find out, his hip hurt because there was a fracture. There was a fracture because cancer had spread, and made his hip weak. The doctors were optimistic, and they started treatment. The plan was to stay 14 days at a step down facility while he had chemo, then go home. He was used to this routine, as it was the norm, but this time he didn't make it. But go figure that man didn't go down without a fight. My dad found him dead, then paramedics got a pulse, and for 45 minutes we felt relief. Relief because for a brief time we weren't sure if "grandpa died" actually meant he was dead. We didn't know if our grieving was premature. Because that man had always been a tough Ruski, and to be honest, my family couldn't be too surprised if he opted to fight death with a resurrection. And I found myself thinking, "that man would try to come back from the dead".

But ultimately, his time was up.

His heart couldn't do it anymore.

His fight was over.

I didn't have a "crawl up on my lap" or "sneak you some candy" grandpa. I had a grandpa who lived in the ghetto, let me and my sisters ride in the back of his van with no seat belts (let alone seats), and encouraged me to shoot guns. He started off rough around the edges, but was softened by sugar and spice, and everything else 3 granddaughters bring into a mans life.

My grandpa was always a fighter. Born in communist Russia in 1920, he grew up in an era I'm thankful is history. He fled Russia after refusing to serve in Stalin's army, changed his birthday by 4 years, and successfully covered the tracks that could have led to his instant execution. Upon leaving his homeland, he found refuge, and a wife in Belgium. Within a few years, and 2 small boys later, my Grandpa became hell-bent on getting to Hollywood, CA. It was a land of palm trees, sunshine, and streets paved in gold (so he heard). He wanted a part of it. And when the US wouldn't let Europeans in, they went to Canada first, and entered the states from the North. And they made it. They had the dream, the family, the 1955 Pontiac Star Chief convertible, and an address right off of Sunset Strip. But it seems like my grandpa never had to wait long before it was time to fight again. Times got hard, and when word got out of jobs available for auto mechanics in Detroit, they sold the car (in 1 day), and headed East.

Detroit had a lot of ups and downs. It was a long move, but there was work. It was the place where my grandparents ultimately divorced, but also the place where my dad was given the opportunity to meet his high school sweetheart. my mom. The furthest I've ever moved from home is 60 miles. and it was for the most part, painless, convenient, and low stress. My grandpa had to fight with every one of his. From moving across the world, to being set on staying put in Detroit while the neighborhood around him lost families and gained drug dealers and neglect.

My grandpa wasn't always a good Father or Grandpa or Father-in-Law. There was reason he was called "Ivan the terrible" at times. There was a time I walked away from him in a courtroom in Detroit, when I thought that I would literally never speak to, listen to, or see him again. I had decided that I would remember my childhood memories of stomping grapes in his backyard, ice fishing, playing with the litters of Lab puppies that came around every few years, and package that up as who my Grandpa Ivan was.

A few years later my Dad showed by example (the way only the best dads do) what forgiveness and redemption in action looks like. Day by day he and my grandpa repaired, and rebuilt. And out of that came a new relationship I thought would never exist. When my dad lost his job in March of '09, a new one came up right away. But the new job didn't pay a dime, and yet he didn't turn it down. The job was tending to his ailing Father. And almost every day for the past two years, my dad made the trip from Farmington Hills to Detroit to spend time and care for his dad. Or "Pops", as he called him.

Thanks to Gods gracious intervention, Audry and I went to see our Grandpa the day before he died. He was sleeping when we got there, but popped up with a smile on his face when he saw it was us. In the midst of conversation, he shared with us about how our dad saved his life. And as much as in a lot of ways I knew that was true, I also knew that he wasn't just talking about the days added to his life, but the life added to his years as well.

Life can be a mess. In a lot of ways, it feels that way today. But I'm always thankful for seasons. I'm thankful for joy and for sadness, and for the peace I have knowing that God always knows what He's doing in timing.

An old roommate from college emailed me tonight and said that maybe the whole job loss thing with my dad was what needed to happen in order for the two of them to really be able to spend significant time together. And as hard as the last few years have been financially for my parents, I know that when my dad came home Monday night with tears falling down his face, it was because he lost the man he had grown to know and care for in the last two years.

So tonight, I sign off in peace. The last conversation I had with my grandpa was a deal for me to bring him some bright orange mums, and a friendly argument of who loved who more. I still plan to buy him the mums, but I've found it hard to put into words in this post about the freedom in forgiveness and choosing love. I've found myself taking a lot of deep breaths the last few days. Deep breaths that are filled with realizing I'm not sure what step to take next, but exhaled knowing that I got the chance to close this chapter in a way that was done right. With love.

With the heart of a thankful granddaughter,

E.M.

240love.

2010-10-22T12:55:00.000-04:00

There were 7 of you in 1 house?

I think that's the question we get asked most often. Usually followed by a pause... a pause of people waiting to hear about the time so n' so stole the others boyfriend, when what's her name said she hated someone, or when everyone didn't talk for weeks because there is NO way that so many woman could live together under one roof, and not leave hating each other.

But that was never 240.

I was excited for this week because it meant that almost all of us (6/7) would be together again on behalf of our most recent 240 bride, Lindsay. She flew up to Michigan for a mere 36 hours to find a wedding dress, and invited the 240 entourage along. And everyone managed to make that Tuesday afternoon work. Even upon leaving the bridal salon, the manager complimented our group. Admitting he cringed a bit when he saw all these woman walk in for 1 bride, seeing as usually it turns out to be an opinionated mess. But we were an exception.

An exception because there's a reason why we call it 240love.

Because we weren't just your run-of-the-mill college roommates. We had our moments of not seeing eye to eye, but even those times were seasoned with love. We were unique because even though we were all figuring it out, the tie that bound us was being rooted in Christ. We grew from that, together. And when it came time to move out of our great little house with mushrooms by the toilet in the bathroom and cracks on the ceiling, we cried. I never remember feeling as low as I did the days after graduation, when 1 by 1, 6 of my closest friends moved out, and wouldn't be returning the following Sunday night as I was used to.

These days, I feel blessed to be able to look back on those years together with fondness, and full of nostalgia. I had a unique college experience, and woven intricately into the fabric of it, were the women of 240. We laughed together, cooked together, rode to class together, danced together, and even raised a puppy together. There's a reason we'll always love hearing about "science projects", and always have a soft heart for the maintenance man that called Dasha, "hotshot".

Those memories from college keep getting further away, but we just value them more and more. And when we have to plan months in advance for reunions these days, it's an automatic priority. When we thought about the location of the 240, 2010 reunion last month, Cincinnati made sense. It's just about halfway between Detroit and Nashville (our two furthest points). And it wasn't until we were back home that Sunday that it was brought to my attention how good we have it. We went to pick up Walter from one of Kristen's friends homes, and when we were telling her husband about the trip, he said, "so 5 of you drove all the way to Cincinnati because 1 person is in Nashville?.... you're good friends". And I thought to myself, we literally never gave a second thought to where we would meet because the important part was to have everyone together. and when you have great friends, it's easy to be a good friend.

So that weekend, every member of 240 found ourselves in Cincinnati late Friday night, and with cupcakes and wine in hand, enjoyed being in our PJ's, under one roof again. Krista tapped into her hospitality roots, and scored us an awesome suite, so we could literally spend every minute of the weekend in each others company. Saturday found us walking in a park, going to the Cincinnati Art Museum, and wine tasting. When that walk we started got too hot to continue, we found retreat in the AC of the art museum. And when we realized that we were not great at appreciating fine art, the culinary type was right up our alley, and we dined in the museums courtyard. Wine tasting turned out to be the dark horse of the trip. Our little known thing, that emerged to prominence. We walked into Cincinnati's, "Wine Merchant", and walked out about an hour later having had some great wine and even better laughs. Our return to the hotel met us with a serious case of the giggles, and when we got around to finally toning it down a bit, engaged in conversation with depth, thanks to Kelsey's good game planning. We made it downtown for a late dinner at Cincinnati's "Nada" restaurant, and when we were told of a long wait, we simply enjoyed margarita's outside and the warm air of an Indian Summer. Since one of the ties that binds us all together is our love for {the only colors} green and white, it wasn't too shocking that when mocked by wolverines at the restaurant, our natural defense was to bust out our fight song. voice volume, high. obviously. and we laughed. Because as inappropriate as it was, at the same time, it seemed very appropriate. We finished the night at a bar called, "Cattle Ranch". It was just as fun, and random as I thought it would be. The 7 of us played the nonexistent bachelorette party card, and got in free. And without consuming one ounce of alcohol there, managed to dance it up, crack up, and get thrown off a bull.

I've said it once, and I'll say it again. I love us. I love how we got dealt the best cabbies in the city, I love the mix of conversations, and I love how we've got a past, and security in the future.

I'm thankful to have friends that ask how my family is doing, who let me know how they miss sharing shoes with me, and who constantly show me how to be generous, by the way they live.

And when we parted ways on Sunday, after eating ice cream instead of lunch, we all looked spent. But those faces told a story of what we packed into one weekend. A weekend of great new memories, lots of laughing, and both good and tough love alike. These women gave structure to the roots I have today, and I love my/our story because of it.

240love.

on your mark, get set, go.

2010-10-19T10:53:00.000-04:00

I've never enjoyed running. But I really like the idea of it. I think it's because it's simple in theory. You don't necessarily need a gym or weights, and it's really good for you. When I was in middle school, I ran track. But even that was because I wanted to do the high jump. But in order to do that, you had to run at least one event. I was always in the second heat, and only did a relay. I wasn't good.

As much as I wasn't made for the sport of running, I love watching a good race. For the last 3 years, I've made it down to the Detroit Free Press Marathon, and I love it. This year, I didn't personally know anyone running in it, but a friend did, and I jumped on the opportunity to go watch. There were 19,749 people there who ran the race, and represented 49 states!

First off, I'm amazed that people can run 13.1 miles at a time, let alone 26.2! It's mind blowing for me to think about running for 5 hours straight. But standing on the sidelines as a cheerleader has always been a place I've felt comfortable. I saw shoeless runners, and some in costume. I saw old men and women, and very young children. I saw a dad get re-energized at the site of his 5 year old son on the sidelines. I watched him take a brief break to kiss his entire family, before taking off with more pep in his step, somewhere around the 12 mile mark (I'm guessing). His son looked on with his big blue eyes opened wide, and a huge grin on his face. His dad was a part of something big. His dad was running a marathon. There were funny shirts, costumes, and shirts that marked tribute to those that had their lives stolen from Cancer, MS, and other selfish diseases.

I had too many favorite parts to list them all. But I loved the 3 people running the race holding hands, the group of women dressed up as the Wonder Women that they are, the mother/son team, and the sign one spectator made that said, "I knew you could do it". Because where we were standing at the half marathon/marathon split, I'm sure all 19,000+ found that reminder helpful.

Each runner is given the option to have their name listed above their race number. Whoever first thought of that idea is genius. As a spectator, I felt valued as I yelled, "you're doing it, Anna" or "Keep up that pace, Dan". People I didn't even know, that I was given the opportunity to personally encourage. It's nothing short of awesome. Especially when you get eye contact, a tired smile, and a "thank you". I think I love it so much because both sides, the runner and the cheerleaders echo Biblical truth.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off anything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Heb 12:1

It's not uncommon to find sports as a symbolism in describing the faith of life. Especially with running. There's a start, a finish, rules, obstacles, drop outs, and victory celebrations! In both situations, the great cloud of witnesses reminds us that the race in winnable! That many have already won, and there are many more victories to come! I love the visual. The work, the effort, the cheers! It's inspiring and encouraging, and invigorating all at the same time! Most of the runners don't stop. They may change pace, but few don't finish, and none change directions. So on days when I'm feeling negligent on faith, and downright lazy, I think back on these races. It may not be easy, or enjoyable, but it's always rewarding to cross the finish.

here, kitty kitty.

2010-09-24T15:43:00.000-04:00

Growing up, my sisters and I had a cat named Whiskers.

A very fitting name for a cat, seeing as his original name, Elephant, was up for debate on appropriateness. 3 year old Sara knew her animals and colors well, and seeing as the cat was grey, and well... an animal, her witty little self tried "Elephant" on for size. And when days passed by, and it didn't quite fit, the change to Whiskers it was. (an obviously practical change, that to this day, kinda blows my mind that I haven't met another)

There are lots of stories about that cat. "That cat" kinda speaks a lot of the general opinion on him. He wasn't a cuddler, but rather, a hunter. He didn't tolerate 3 little girls putting bonnets on him, but would rather kill (bunny) rabbits, and display his prey to our dad on the front porch. My mom, and 2 sisters were allergic to him, and when those itchy noses would act up, to the basement he would go. My sisters and I were horrified when we discovered that Whiskers turned our outdoor sandbox into a "champagne wishes and caviar dreams" sized litter box; and when he would wander away for days at a time, nobody seemed to bat a lash. It's not that we didn't care for him, we did. We just never got super attached. Because let's be honest... who likes cats?!

I can't help it. I'm a dog person. I want to like cats, but I just don't. And judging by the history, neither did my family.

or so i thought.

until I met this kitten.

Readers, this tiny creature of cuteness is the kitten that my sister found outside a bar in Chicago named, "The Money Shot". And since Sara has kept that same wit sharp all these years, Penny was deemed an appropriate name for the kitten, and so it was. Penny went back to Glenlake street with Sara that fateful night, and has been home ever since.

Audry and I went to visit Sara a few weeks ago, and subsequently, the kitty-kitty too. I have to admit, preconceived opinions are hard to break. Sure, she was cute, I mean, she IS a tiny animal, but a cat nonetheless. But I admit, even with multiple swings of her tiny cat paws, and heart startling pounces, she managed to start a slight change of heart in me, one snuggle and kitten stretch at a time.

Sara still has her allergies, yet no basement... and even though she's talked of giving the kitten away to her friend in the apartment above her, I think she'll just keep that idea as a permanent back up plan. A plan that she can find rest in on days when her throat is itchy and nose drippy... then pop some Claritin.

Penny is just the cutest. At least for now, while she's small.

[I think I'm kidding]

But for real, I'm glad they have each other... and that Sara has never been one to pass on collecting spare change from the sidewalk.

when the sun goes down.

2010-09-23T09:31:00.000-04:00

A conversation I had with a 75 year old woman yesterday.

Me: "okay, it looks like the doctor wants to see you back in about a month for a follow up. How does October 26th at 1:45 work for you?"

Lady: "oooooh boy, don't you have anything earlier?! It starts to get dark early in October, and I don't like to drive in the dark!"

Me: [dumbfounded...thinking] wait. are you kidding?! I said 1:45, as in AFTERNOON, as in, you know we always run on time, as in, where is the hidden camera?

I literally just stared at her.

Me: "well, we don't have anything open earlier right now, but how about we keep the 1:45, and I'll put a note for someone to give you a call if something opens up."

Lady: (hesitantly) "okay."

Autumnal Equinox!

2010-09-22T22:34:00.000-04:00

Well, it's here. The first day of Fall has arrived! The great thing about weather in Michigan is that it keeps you on your toes. Weeks ago, while up north for Labor Day weekend, it was as cold as mid-November, yet trees were full of green! Then yesterday rolls around, the eve of the great Autumnal Equinox, and Summer stubbornly dug her heels into the dirt, and refused to leave without a fight. 85 and sunny. That's Michigan for you.

Now that I'm years out of school, I'm never too sad to see Summer leave. Fall is my favorite, and though I'll acknowledge that Summer is far too short, Fall is shorter. Before I know it, the days of scarves, college football and pumpkins will be replaced with Winter coats, shovels, and starting my car 5 minutes early.

Yesterday, I celebrated the coming of this day of hemispherical symmetry (today the sun finds itself directly over the equator, making for 12 hours of sunlight!) with a farewell to Summer, and step into Fall. Before the new shows started (welcome back Glee!), Audry, Walter and I took a nice long walk around the neighborhood. I enjoyed the warm breeze, and noted all the signs of Summer that will soon be gone. Boy 1 pulling boy 2 around on a bike, the neighbor watering his lawn, and the multiple porch sitters. When I got home, I made a batch of green bean soup. I had the ingredients from the inaugural attempt last week, and it turned out just as great! The house continued in that limbo between Summer and Fall for the rest of the night: It smelled great, good T.V. was on, but it was still too hot. The air was on all night, as Summer literally went out with a BANG. A storm so loud it even woke me, the deepest of sleepers. And with that, 85 and sunny turned into mid 60's and rainy.

So it seems as stubborn as Summer is about leaving, Fall is ready to make it's appearance. But knowing Michigan, this battle could go on for weeks :)

Fall blessings!

Blog Monday: that's so you.

2010-08-30T22:45:00.000-04:00

Name 3-4 objects/things that when seen by others, make them think immediately of you.

ponytail.holder: A few months ago, I put a new picture on the desktop of my parents computer. I thought they would like having a picture of the family to look at on a daily basis, rather than blue. So, being the resourceful daughter I am, I dug up a picture from Easter 2010. As expected, my mom loved it. Come to find out, she stared at the photo so much, she mastered details that would normally get past any casual glance. When I was over for a visit, she said, "look at that picture and tell me what all you girls have in common". Lacking enthusiasm, I boringly guessed, "brown hair?" to which, with a frown, my mom said, "no", then added with a proud bit of pep, "If you look closely, it's like a where's waldo. You all have a brown ponytail holder on your wrist." And you know, she was right. It might not be something anyone would look at, and think of me, but my mom knows that it's something her girls have in common. and she likes it.

Dirty Martini: I've never seen the show "Mad Men", but my friend Dana watches regularly, and told me that part of its appeal is that it's the only thing that's ever tempted her to smoke cigarettes. Dana is one of the last people I can think of to pick up the cancerous habit, but I get it. Shows like that shed some "it.might.cause.early.death.but.it's.so.cool.and.therefore.worth.it" light on both smoking and drinking. especially martinis. There has always been something about Martinis that are glamorous. I mean, Rita Hayworth would drink a dirty martini over a PBR any day. am I wrong? They're classy, sassy, sophisticated, and swanky. and let's be honest, who wouldn't want to be any of those things? well that, and I like salt. When most of my friends order Mai Tai's and Pom-Tini's, the Dirty Martini just keeps drawing me back. So I'll keep ordering them, and letting my friends try them, then laugh at the faces of disgust they make upon first (and only) sip. Maybe one day they'll like it. But for most of them, probably not. and I'm okay with that. but I'll still have my signature cocktail... and with gin please, no vodka. [ I realize this part of the post indicates that I've failed at not giving into and believing the "cool" image that drinking alcohol gives people. sorry mom, dad, and PSAs]

Faith.Rings: At some point during my multiple trips to YL camps in college, I bought, and put on 2 rings that I have seldom taken off since. They are at home on my right hand, and have a familiarity I love, and are the reminder I often need. When outfits are changing, they stay the same. The one on my pointer finger is an Ichthus symbol, and the one on my ring finger simply says, "faith". I love them, because beyond anything else I talk myself into buying and wearing, these rings remind me of where I started from, and always go back to. They remind me that though I tend to define myself from the things I own, or the experiences I've had, that ultimately all I need to be is someone who has been forgiven. Plus, they have their fun bonus too... they do the best job of keeping track of my summer sun. Because what's better than a ring tan line to prove your logged hours outside?

Rocket.Dog.Shoes: My friend Katie told me the other weekend that Rocket Dog shoes make her think of me. There's a reason for that, and I'll let the picture do the talking for itself.

Now, am I slightly embarrassed that I have enough versions of the same shoe to create a beautiful shoe flower? absolutely. I may have went a little overboard on finding something I like, and embracing it. But they work. They're cute, and functional. The flats are perfect for work, and the heels are not only adorable, but surprisingly comfortable. So when everyone else was shoeless on the dance floor at the wedding I attended over the weekend, I was doing the Cha Cha Slide in that cute brown pair. ;) and yes, I am on my second pair of black ones. Because I really do like them that much. and they're sooooooo me.

granny dinner.

2010-08-26T16:00:00.000-04:00

Wednesdays have always held a lot of weight in my family.

They are the day dedicated to family. Ever since my granny moved to Farmington in the 90's, it's been expected for every family member who is in town, to be there that evening for a meal. We gather, we eat, we talk, we watch "wheel" followed by Jeopardy, and grow as a family.

Those of you who know my family well, know that the last few years have proven to be increasingly difficult when it comes to dealing with Granny. Years ago, when she crossed the line into being a senior citizen (girlfriend's 91 now! she's been there a long time!), though she spent a lot of time caring for my Grandpa, she really seemed to enjoy her golden years. We've gotten to the point though, that it's unsafe for her to live by herself. Her mind has really started to decline, and the family decided that moving her into an assisted living facility was really the best option.

Although I agree my family made the right decision, this post is a bit of a lament. Because it seems that in the midst of all the chaos of sorting out details, and planning the move, my family seemed to glide over the fact that yesterday was the last "granny dinner" as we know it. I'm sad because I love my family, I love tradition, and I'm not quite sure what's going to happen next Wednesday night. But I do know it won't be at Granny's house on Longwood, the place we've gathered at for years. And I can tell you that it's doubtful we'll all join granny at her new home, and spend the $13/meal it costs to eat with her. Who knows, maybe (hopefully) I'm being dramatic about the situation, and the tradition will continue, just looking a little different. But just let me pout for a bit, readers. Let me be a little sad that an era started years ago has come to an end as I know it.

Even as I write this, I know it's not from my family appointed seat of optimist. It's just that Granny's house is so broken in, and comfortable. The change happened quick, and I think I'm mad at myself for not seeing it get here so fast.

So. I end it here. A little sad, but relieved that Granny is getting around the clock care. And I'll keep reminding myself of that, and remain thankful to have a family that takes care of each other. Which I know also means, there's a good chance someone will be looking to have dinner with me come 6:30 Wednesday night.

c'mon, here, i love you.

2010-08-24T09:23:00.000-04:00

you guys.

I saw this video last night posted on a friends Facebook, and had to share it.

It's the most adorably funny little clip i've seen in... possibly forever.

Marcel The Shell With Shoes On.

enjoy watching, and re-watching. Because it is that good.

she used to babysit you.

2010-08-23T19:33:00.000-04:00

They say a good friend is hard to find.

for me though, that hasn't really been the case.

For starters, it's a bonus when God starts off your life with a best friend in a wombmate. But it just gets better when I think about all the careful crafting that went on to land me the friends I have.

I returned home Sunday from our second annual fill.in.the.blank.palooza. This year, it was held in Grand Rapids at the Veenstra household. With the collection of high activity, time in the sun, and nights out late, logically, it should have added up to an exhausting Monday morning. But that's not the case either. This morning, I started off work energized. I probably slept more total hours on Sunday night then the previous two nights combined, but even beyond that, it just felt good to be me today. Over the weekend, I'd wake up after our short sleeps, and want to get up right away. Like Christmas morning. I just couldn't wait to spend more time with my friends. I spent the weekend with women who have known and loved me for years. With women who it's still kinda hard to even call, "women", because most of the time, we laugh so much together that it still feels like we're school girls.

Times change, people move, some marry, houses come, jobs change, and in the midst of it all, we love being with each other all the same. We have a warehouse full of memories we've created, and when we're together, we run up and down its aisles and pull out the good ones, dust off the old ones, re-share the best ones, and store up some new ones. It's the best. For those who are married, the husbands come too. And it works out so well, because these are the men who married these women because they realized the gems that they are, and they get us. they do. and I love them for loving my friends. I love that Bryan constantly handed out DC's because he knew Katie and the bangles love them. I love Ryans generosity, buying our hostess dinner out, and drinks all around. and I loved Jeff on the beach, making us literally laugh out loud by telling us about buying Sarah computers and bags of turkey for their anniversary, because those are the things that she really loves.

Each girl... or woman, whatever, is so unique yet so comfortably predictable. It was no surprise that Sarah wanted to play volleyball, that Aud would make sitting on the beach look glamorous, that Emily would dance with an elbow winding groom, that Katie would make sure we always got coffee [home.starbucks.AND.church], or that I'd fall for a piano player because he could rap.

We talked about life, ate good meals, planned for disney, passed drinks full circle, danced amongst strangers, missed deepa, sang while we walked like Egyptians, didn't bring her into it, slept little, laughed lots, shared secret recipes, watched a chicken dance, made a pact to buy watches if it rained, and when it didn't, we ate blueberries on the beach instead. we spent more time laughing about "wits 'n wagers" than actually playing it, sat on the porch, talked too much about Urine Vandersloth, took pictures, bbq'd, and did one thing after another because we just know what makes each other laugh.

We loved it. every minute. and we'll do it again next year, and the next, and the next. And we'll keep doing it forever, really. Because we know that for many people, a good friend is hard to find. And somehow, we managed to find good ones a long time ago, and with seemingly little effort. And at the end of the day (or any palooza weekend), we know that something this good needs to be held onto tight. so we will. because when we say 4L, we mean it.

B4L love.

Pepe.

2010-08-18T16:43:00.000-04:00

Most beautiful summer days when I'm stuck at work, I can't wait to get outside. I'll run a paper next door, I'll get the door for patients, shoot, I'll even take out the trash. My favorite thing to do though, is to take lunch outside. If I bring it, I'll park my car under a shady Oak, and with the windows down, either read a book, or listen to the current happenings on NPR while watching squirrels play tag.

On the common occurrence that I'm planing to buy lunch, options are not that vast. Seeing as eating establishments are pretty slim pickins' around here, repetition happens frequently.

Today though, I had a first.

i.became.a.regular.

Whenever I walk into Jimmy Johns, by habit, I look at the menu. Honestly, it's because I can never remember that the ham sandwich is called "pepe" or that it's "#1". But today, the girl who is always (wo)maning the register said to me, "a number one?". My first thought was, "wait. am I really that predictable?" To which those exact words muttered their way out of my mouth (slightly under my breath, mind you). My attitude was off. I mean, here I am, someone who takes pride on being flexible with food. For real. I like, liking, just about everything. And I've been called out on being a sandwich eating, creature of habit, ordering ham and cheese for lunch. again. So, feeling strangely defeated, I responded "yes", and watched her smirk in satisfaction with the fine tuning of her prophetic skills.

After thinking it over for a bit, I realized that I should not have been offended by being known. I read it as being predictable (as if that was a bad thing in itself) vs. being noticed. The bottom line is it's good to be known. Even if it's boring, and for the type of sandwich you order.

I've decided to like it. Next time, I'm just going to have my money ready, and get the same combo I love so much (with diet coke and jalapeno chips!).

That's not to say, however, that I won't try to beat her at her own game, and give her my punch card before she even asks for it. ;)

Wheelhouse Detroit

2010-07-23T13:52:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday, I went with a group of friends on a true adventure.

We went downtown, and checked out what Wheelhouse Detroit is up to in the city. Wheelhouse is a small business started by 2 friends who love Detroit, and their bikes. Together, they've developed a great number of tours, all within Detroit city limits, that are headed up by knowledgeable locals. I can't encourage you enough to have this experience for yourself. I learned a lot, saw many cool things, and had a blast. The 6 of us took the Urban Agriculture tour, and rode bikes up and down the riverfront, side streets, and obviously, urban gardens. The ride was 2 hours, with frequent stops and +/-15 miles of covered ground.

The group learning about what EarthWorks is doing in Detroit neighborhoods.

The Earthwork gardens provide food to neighborhood residents, as well as local restaurants, like Motor City Brew Works and Foran's!

Area churches are doing their part, and creating new gardens around the city.

This is our group learning about a new farming project that's in development near Eastern Market.

Krista during our break at Supino Pizzeria near Eastern Market.

Our whole gang, back at the Wheelhouse post tour!

Blog Monday: I'm going out to play.

2010-07-20T09:44:00.000-04:00

This weeks Blog Monday got inspiration from the fact that Tuesday, I rode bikes with friends in Detroit. Growing up, I swear I spent at least half my waking (summer) hours outside, and half of those on a bike. We had hills, and trails, and neighborhood boys to run away from. So this week, we take a step back, and share:

"As a kid, what are 4 things you used to love to do/play"

DoYouWantFriesWithThat: It should come to no real surprise to America, that one of my favorite games to play as a kid was "drive thru window". It's not like I grew up thinking McDonalds was one of food groups, but I was just like every other kid, and I loved the stuff. I probably got it once a week, and supplemented for any additional desires by creating my own eatery. My parents have a kitchen window that overlooks the front porch. Basically, one person stayed inside, and everyone else went out. Anyone outside would then wait in (the drive thru) line, place their order, and wait for the food to be passed out the window. Shockingly, I never worked in a food establishment in all my years. Perhaps I worked way too many hours in the industry as a child... and didn't even collect minimum wage.

ManPoweredVehicle: All it took was one TV show about rickshaws to spur my sisters and I onto another long lived adventure. If rickshaws were originally designed for the social elite, and dad had a big wheelbarrow out back, obviously we were going to get in on that. It's funny how being pushed or pulled in something make you feel a part of the elite! Pull me in a wagon! push me in a chair! common demands of children in the upper class, presumably! Well yes, my dad had a huge wheelbarrow. It was enough to fit 3 kids comfortably across on the inside, which was enough weight to put the puller in danger of exhaustion with such weight (just like a real rickshaw!). We didn't usually pack it full, instead we took turns 2 riding, 2 pulling (b/c surprisingly, dad didn't want to be a part of this type of event)... and yes, up and down 9 mile. It barely fit on the sidewalk, but it was close enough, and always a ton of fun!

PuddleJumper: My parents didn't have a paved driveway until I was in high school. Before then, we called it "rock", although honestly, it was mostly dirt. And with dirt, you get holes, and with holes, you get puddles. Sometimes after (or during) a good rain, we would go outside and splash! We'd jump, and squeal, and love every drop of it.

DakotaYachtsAndBarnaby: A fact about the Moiseeff family: my parents didn't get cable until I was in college. With that, a lot of my childhood was spent with public tv and vhs tapes. 3 movies in particular (for reasons I can't quite figure out) made a constant rotation. The Family Band, Overboard, and Babes & Toyland. Those 3 combined, probably made up 50% of my movie watching for a good chunk of years. I still don't really get it.

The salty man in pepper pants.

2010-07-15T14:08:00.001-04:00

2 facts for today.

1. I had a great birthday this year.

2. Moiseeffs, although great, have slight issues in timing (and denial?).

I remember being young, and hearing my uncle respond to an invite from my mom with, "is that in real time, or Moiseeff time?" To which upon further questioning, I discovered that Moiseeff time = 10 minutes late. This isn't something I'm proud of, it's just fact... and seemingly genetic.

So it wasn't too much to my surprise when a birthday gift showed up from my sister, 49 days late.

As if one can even start to get upset about getting gifts, no matter when, where, or how! And this gift may have been well worth the wait. It(he) is unlike any other gift I've received. Complete with the tagline, "the most fun you can have with your pants on!", I introduce to you, the best salt and pepper shaker I've ever been given.

And because I know you'd want to see him with his pants off, but may have been afraid to ask.

Blog Monday: anticipation!

2010-07-15T10:22:00.001-04:00

As a general way of life, I always try to have things on my calendar to look forward to. It can make all the difference on a dragging Thursday to know that fun waits on the other side of 5 o'clock, with Happy Hour at Ronin. ($2 edamame and $4 spicy salmon crunch rolls!)

This weeks blog monday involves anticipation, and more specifically: what are 4 things/events you're anticipating on your calendar? These could be things you are excited about, nervous for, dreading, or simply waiting for.

drum roll please.............

WhatToDoWithGranny: I'll get the stressful/anxious anticipation out of the way first. Granny came home on Tuesday afternoon after spending almost 3 days in the hospital. She had a fall late Saturday night which landed her there (not literally). Anyway, physically she's healing up, but mentally, she's in need for support. Assisted living homes are pricey. very pricey. And honestly, nobody really wants to take on the daunting task of having her move in with them. For the time being, we're taking turns as a family spending time with her. It's comforting to know she now has someone with her 24/7, but it's already proved to be a big test on my family.

IHopeItsMostlyDownhill: On Tuesday the 20th, I'm going with 5 friends to tour Detroit. I've been excited about this plan for months. I want few things more than to see Detroit thrive as a city again in my lifetime. The coolest thing about this tour though, is that we're going to do it on bikes! There is a business downtown called Wheelhouse Detroit (http://www.wheelhousedetroit.com/) that does different themed tours all over the city. The one we are signed up for is called, "Urban Agriculture Bike Tour", and will take us through local Detroit foodways. We will visit local farms and gardens, and end where this food reaches the consumers forks!

Art&Drafts: This weekend is the Farmington Founders Festival, and next week welcomes the Ann Arbor Art Fair. Between the 2 of those, I plan to get my fill of strolling past tents, and purchasing food and drinks with tickets. The FFF brings back fond memories of growing up. From participating in the Parade every year in high school, to even dealing with one of my first disappointments. Merely rolling past the festival in the R.V., glad to be going on vacation, but sad to be missing the water balloon yoyo's and honey sticks. This year, I'm going to try to get my hands on an Art Fair poster. They're so cute! Totally, "vintage meets happens to match the color scheme in my room."

It might be fate. :)

PaloozaParty: I promise not to wish July away. However, with that being said, I'm possibly too excited about this palooza. Last years first annual got us started out on the right foot. And from the preliminary plans of it, this one will not disappoint. The only problem, is that it's shaping up to be too short (Bangles, remember it was 3 days last year!?). No matter if we end up on the beach, at loft, or on the driving range, I know we're in for a blast. Friends, food, and fun is how life should be celebrated. I can't wait!

Blog Monday: playlist.

2010-07-07T14:21:00.000-04:00

What are the top 4 songs you play on repeat now, and why?

It's summertime, and with sunshine and warm weather, music just sounds better. I'm going to tie into my blog title with this one, and list my top 4 by the best part.

YouDon'tGetAnotherChance.LifeIsNoNitendoGame: Love The Way You Lie, Eminem feat. Rihanna. In the past few weeks, I've become increasingly more excited about the fact that on Sept. 2, I will be joining 11 of my friends to the most epic Detroit concert of the year. Shawn Carter and Marshall Mathers. I've had The Blueprint 3 for months, and have agreed with Mariah since the heartbreaker days... simply loving just about everything Jay say, Jay does. Eminem, is vulgar. He loves Hailey (and Laney). He hates his mom (we get it). And as much as many of his lyrics make my skin crawl, I can't help it that I've always been someone who pushes for the hometown guy. Add that to a good backbeat with creative lyrics, and you've got yourself a fan. And I have to say, that ultimately, he proved himself to me as a performer, securing my favorite MTV-VMA performance of possibly all time when he brought out all those slim shadys!

WhatUpOprah: Billionaire, Travie McCoy. This song has recently been on replay for that simple part in the song. It's funny, right?! you don't have to answer. I know it is. First off, it's funny how much he talks about Oprah in the song, but secondly, it's pretty hilarious when that background guy gives her a shoutout towards the end. What up, Oprah!

FineFreshFierceWeGotItOnLock: California Gurls, Katy Perry. All I can say is that this is my summer jam. It's everything poppy I want to be listening to on the beach, or in the car. It makes me want to wear my cut-off jean shorts with a bathing suit underneath... and further confirms that I should probably look into owning a jeep. I love Snoops intro into the song, and Katy Perrys bubbly reply to his questions {uh huh!}. I'm loving it while I can, b/c inevitably, it will be thrown into the "once great, but now overplayed" pile. Until then, play on!

INeedNoPermission.DidIMention.Don'tPayHimAnyAttention: Single Ladies, Beyonce Knowles. This is slightly dated, but still a goody. A goody, as long as the setting is not at a bouquet toss at a wedding. I've never been a fan of those. The story as to why this song recently has resurfaced includes a cross dresser, karaoke night, and 8 slightly out of place patrons. The story is better in person, but I'll tell you that sadly (and by sadly, I mean thankfully), the ladies never got the opportunity to perform in public.

Wits and Wagers.

2010-06-29T14:35:00.000-04:00

12:38am.

that's what time I checked the clock on my phone Saturday (technically Sunday, I suppose) night. It wasn't to see how much longer I had to wait to go home, but instead, a wishful glance in hope for time to stand still. I was out on the town in Cincinnati with some of my oldest, and dearest friends, and I literally didn't want the night to end. Almost always, I enjoy being out with friends, but it's been a while since I felt that specific way.

So today, I'm thankful for old friends who are willing to put the effort into maintaining relationships. Friendships that move along with life's changes, and successfully cross state lines. Knowing people well adds a whole new dimension to friendship. And the older I get, the more and more I appreciate it.

In front of Sarah and Jeff's house! Ready for dinner @ the Montgomery Inn.

Hanging out at our first stop of the night, Monks Cove, in Mt. Adams!

blog monday: crushed ice and green trees

2010-06-28T14:53:00.000-04:00

what are 4 things you like about living where you do?

CrushedIce: my all time favorite ice is the kind that seems as if it was molded in a straw. The tube-like ones. I just love it. Growing up, we never had an ice maker, and instead, made our own tray ice, and more often than not, ended up buying the big bags of ice. It's just not the same when you have to pull an 8 pound bag of ice out of the freezer, and pound it on the kitchen floor, before using your hand to retrieve a sufficient amount. Having an ice maker now, is probably my favorite thing about living where I do. I love pushing the crushed ice option. especially to couple with DC.

Disclaimer: fridge actually produces water.

{i love it anyway}.

WashingWhites: I think i'm one of the few people who actually enjoys doing laundry. you might have already known this about me, but I love the process of dirty to clean, and hate the process of putting away. One thing I really like/appreciate about where I live is that along with city water, I no longer have to do my whites at grannys due to fear that the rust in the well water would prematurely ruin my whitest whites!

GreenTrees: Probably my favorite thing about my street are the trees that create a bright green canopy leading me home. It's a similar feeling to when I was a kid and would get excited to drive through the tunnels on I-96. My dad would prep us girls from the front seat, and as we would pass through, we would all oooh and ahh over the yellow box lights. It's fun to revisit those feelings of, "this is so neat to drive through"

SquirrelGrey: This is the color that I've painted my room. It's not quite what I had in mind when I picked it out (mainly b/c it's not that far off from the previous color), but I love it! Walking into my room is calming. And despite being grey, when paired with my white duvet cover and bright red pillows, is rather cheerful! I've still got some work to do on the place, but the walls are set, and already the perfect backdrop for a #5 favorite thing (that will sneak its way into this post), the wonderful artwork my friend Erin Sweeney created just for me (and my color scheme!)

love!

20.huge.bagels.

2010-06-24T14:53:00.001-04:00

Costco does everything big.

Even Bagels.

Earlier this week, Audry bought a huge bag of 'em, and after failing to pawn some off to our parents, returned home with roughly 20.huge.bagels.

Today was the first day I had one for breakfast. It was asiago cheese, delicious, and filling. So much in fact, that I ended up throwing the last quarter of it in the trash. This in turn created a predicament that I don't often face... When 12 'o clock rolled around, my stomach wasn't hungry. So, I stayed at my desk, and as each subsequent half hour mark passed, I became more and more (irrationally) concerned with the fact that lunch hours were fleeting, and I was now creeping into that weird in between time separating lunch and dinner.

Finally, I came up with the only logical answer for my situation. I opted to have frozen custard. Raspberries in vanilla with chocolate chips, to be exact. So, up to now, I'm 2 for 2 on good meals for the day. I can't wait to see what dinner will bring, I have a feeling I'll be hungry early this go around :)

looks like there was just enough room for it to all fit after all.

blog monday: what's that you smell?!

2010-06-22T21:40:00.000-04:00

Cesar Millan, the infamous dog whisperer, says that the reason dogs like to stick their heads out car windows, is due to their keen sense of smell. He says they love to smell everything that's going by them, and my pup is no exception.

That's Dasha on her way home from the groomer yesterday, enjoying anything and everything that passed her little, wet nose. Which brings me to the topic of this weeks blog monday:

What are 4 of your favorite smells?

ThanksgivingMorning: I don't even love stuffing, and I hate seeing that gizzard thing floating in the gravy the morning of. But the overall smell of Thanksgiving morning is the gateway to all things I love about that day. Growing up, Thanksgiving was always the one day a year I would wake up (early, even) to the most delicious combination of smells. I'd make my way downstairs to find my mom and dad working together to create all the staples of the meal. The turkey, potatoes, cranberry sauce, bread, and yes, gizzard gravy.

CampFire: This is my F.A.V.O.R.I.T.E. Anytime I smell it, it's more likely than not, to hear an, "mmm" or a, "campfire! my favorite!" from, yours truly. Interestingly enough, although "fresh" (for lack of a better word) campfire is my all time favorite, "day after" campfire is one of my absolute LEAST favorite smells. It's such a disgrace to the real thing. Am I wrong?!

MomWasHere: This one is a flashback. way way (way) back when, when I was a little girl, my granny used to get me and my sisters up for school. Granny never lived with us, but with 2 working parents out the door before 8am every morning, she stepped in to fill the gap. As sleepy as I was, it was always comforting to walk into the downstairs bathroom. I knew my moms routine, and the last thing she would do before she left the house was spray on her perfume in that very place. Sometimes I would stand there, in hopes that some of that leftover mom scent would find its way onto me. The thought of that memory still warms my heart, and give me much appreciation for a working, loving, and good smelling mom.

AudrysBakery: fine. so she doesn't have one yet. But, if her bakery smells anything like our kitchen did tonight (baking both classic and gluten free chocolate chip cookies), yesterday (making chocolate croissants), or how it will tomorrow (making cherry cream scones), there is no way it will not be one of my favorite smells!

Blog Monday: Accomplishments.

2010-06-14T17:53:00.001-04:00

What are 4 things you'd like to accomplish by Friday?

finish.the.book: Sometimes I'm too tired to read before bed. I'll think I want to, then I find myself reading the same paragraph a couple times over before I tell myself, "this isn't fun". Forced reading is never fun. However, most of the time, I enjoy reading a little before I fall asleep. I only have a few chapters left in my latest read, Love Walked In, and in hopes of taking a new book to Grand Haven with me this weekend, I'm going to invest some time in finishing that up! It's also a little incentive when today, a new patient came in with a Sparks book i've never read, and recommended another... assuring me that the main male character in one is the epitome of a true romantic... swoon.

correct.the.bad.dog.mom.status: Even though Dasha spends these days with my parents, I still consider her my pup. In recent weeks, it's been brought to my attention {multiple times} that she's in dire need of having her nails trimmed. When they get too long, she bites them. and an 80 pound dog biting her nails, isn't quite the same as one of those pixie dogs. I should add that part of my hesitation in taking her in lies in my most horrific "dog mom" moment to date. A while back, I thought I'd save time and money by clipping her nails myself. Good idea turned to bad idea in one snip. Dasha yelped, I winced, blood everywhere. I started crying because I hurt my dog baby, and then I felt like a losebag for crying over a dog(s toenail?!). Well, after bandaging up her foot {in an over protective motherly fashion}, I vowed never to walk that path again. To this day, it's still hard for me to know that I'm subjecting her to the same possible torture every time i drop her off at the groomer. All I can say is, God help my future children... and I'll call Petsmart tomorrow.

get.over.the.shock: I think you guys might know this already. I sold my older nikon, and updated to a newer one. I'm so overwhelmed with my new toy, that I've found myself a little scared to use it. It's like I have a 1959 Corvette Stingray in the garage, and I won't drive it! Okay, so maybe that analogy isn't quite comparable, but kinda. It's beautiful, and does so many things I'm excited about; but the multiple lenses, and added features are overwhelming me! This week, I need to just take a deep breath, and start with step one: read the manual {and stop using the box as a nightstand}. In the meantime, let me know what photo shoots I can sign you guys up for. say cheese :D

visit.granny: A few months ago, my family set up a schedule where someone would be stopping by to spend time with granny daily. In all honesty, I haven't made my Thursday granddaughterly duties a priority. This week I will. Can someone make sure that I do?

Monday Blessings!

The proof is in the pudding... or cinnamon.

2010-06-10T10:35:00.001-04:00

Last night, we celebrated birthday week at granny dinner. My family has 3 members with birthdays within 4 days of each other, and it's not me and Aud!

As part of the celebration, Audry made 2 cakes. One for Cory, and one for Teri. She is mindful on the subject of: 2 birthdays= 2 cakes.

Audry has established herself as family baker, and as if she needed any more incentive to open her own bakery, this statement may have sealed the deal.

Lucas (my cousins 7 year old son upon tasting the cinnamon bunt cake): "this is my favorite cake! It's better than chocolate!"

yes. you read that right. better.than.chocolate.

and from a 7 year old.

place your orders now, folks.

Blog Monday :)

2010-06-07T22:35:00.000-04:00

For todays blog monday, we (Krista, Katie, and I) are taking a few minutes to remember what made us smile today.

Superfan: Today at work, I explained to Melissa how Tom was in fact one of the superfans that went to see New Moon at midnight on opening night. The part that really had me smiling/laughing was the part I may or may not have made up... where Tom dressed up as Jacob. If you could imagine that scenario, you'd be smiling too.

BadGuys: I've never hunted so many bad guys on a lunch break in my life. explanation: With Katie and Bryan still being in town from Mr. Stolmans 60th birthday bash (additional reason to smile), they invited me and my namesake Em (stevenson) over for lunch. After a chatter filled lunch, I had a duty to live up to, seeing as Katie had leaked information to her nephew on my bad guy catching skills. Of all the brilliant conversations that can go on between a 27 year old woman, and a 3.5 year old boy, the moment that gave me the biggest smile, wasn't due to conversation at all. After hunting behind Nana and Papas shrubs, ICS turns to me, says, "let's go hunt somewhere else", and then with the ease of his turn, puts his tiny hand out for me to hold on to. :) At that moment, I decided that there couldn't possibly be any more enjoyable form of hunting than this.

rollin.with.my.homies: As I was driving home from work, I was already in a good mood. Seeing as work was over for the day, a monday nonetheless, and I just heard Kid Rocks new "country" song on the radio, I was actually feeling really content to be in that moment. I switched lanes on Greenfield, to find myself behind a red honda civic, packed 4 deeps with friends that were also glad to be where they were on that monday afternoon. The windows were down, the music was up, and arms were out each window, grabbing after each beat as it left that car. They were embracing that moment, and loving on life. There is a big difference between listening to music, and feeling music. There is no doubt where these guys fell. As I passed them up the road, they were nothing but smiles. I couldn't help but be the same.

free.ride: There's a reason why the mice are still at the pet store. who wants a mouse? I mean, besides to feed it to another animal. Which, yes, is a little sad... but not really when you stop to think about the food chain, and the fact that it's a mouse. With that being said, I still squatted down by the little tank to watch this tiny white mouse on his tiny yellow wheel, get wayyyyy more exercise than me today. The best part is that he would run so fast. like seriously fast. and that wheel would crank, and those four little mouse feet would go! and all the sudden, he would STOP. and keeping his feet on his tiny yellow wheel, he would take a ride on that wheel until he almost flipped over! it was so funny, and I can't help but think that if mice could smile, he'd be doing so.

Sunday Truth.

2010-06-06T12:39:00.000-04:00

"Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you" - Jeremiah 32:17

whatever may be worrying or stressing you this morning, I pray that you find peace in this truth.

Have a blessed Sunday.

Blog Monday: weekend snapshot.

2010-06-01T20:31:00.000-04:00

Today's Topic: If you had a camera at your side 24/7 this weekend (Friday night through Monday night), constantly taking pictures of your every moment, what were your most favorite "snapshots"?

channel.the.inner.diva: Friday night, I had the opportunity to do something that actually made me want to get my picture taken. For the first time in years, I went to a make up counter at the mall, and asked them to do my eye makeup. I knew I'd be going out to celebrate a friends bday, and figured it was a good excuse to have this kind of fun. Kristen, Audry and I went to Nordstroms, split up to 3 different counters, and let the artists show their skills. It was great, and I felt maaaarvelous. I could get used to that. Ironically enough however, no pictures were taken of the finished product.

out.of.work.early: Need I really say more? There is something about getting out of work unexpectedly early, on a Friday nonetheless, that creates feelings of bliss. These feelings, if bottled, would be stored and shelved right next to "last day of school". You're excited, and energized, and the world that confined you, has now set you free! It was brilliant. I vacuumed, cleaned and washed my car, shopped for bday cards, scrubbed the bathroom floor, walked the dog, took a shower, and 3 pronged my hair all before 5pm. ahhh, to steal time back from the man. a perfect start to an already long weekend!

beautiful.lake.beautiful.food: Saturday, I spent most of the afternoon on a dock at Pine Lake. It was wonderful, and exactly what I wanted to be doing with the entirety of my being at that very moment. I feel like moments like that are few and far between, and I was constantly thankful to be living it then. I took a ride on the boat, swam with the dog, caught up with friends, lounged on a raft, read my book, and ate cheeseburgers with side dishes of fresh mango and cheddar and sour cream potato chips. It couldn't have been better!

not.letting.selfish.desires.win: Sunday was a morning that I really didn't feel like getting up for church. I felt selfish, and that I deserved to get extra rest. I mean... it was a holiday weekend. I wanted it to be okay to sleep til noon, b/c I made the decision to celebrate with friends, and not go to bed until 3am the night..errr. morning before. But I pulled myself out of bed, and went. I love the days when sitting in church {even if watching at a table from the lobby} that God props you up in the midst of the message. I struggled with understanding the entirety of it, but I was glad to be there to hear it, and let it work at me. Sometimes we all need reminders of what we are not expected or can't do, but God can.

loving.my.country: I'm probably one of the most least political people I know. I don't like talking politics, and I didn't even register to vote until I was well into college. I have a hard time believing that I matter in the scheme of the entire country. but for real. However, I love and am proud of my country. I love how I feel when I see an American flag, and the words "God Bless America" on display just about anywhere. I'm a sucker for patriotic packaging, and I buy red white and blue sprinkles to put on cupcakes, b/c I think my country deserves to be recognized. even in dessert. I, by chance, ended my Sunday/started my Monday by watching the moving "Brothers". If you haven't seen it, I recommend it. It shows a side of war that a lot of people don't talk about. It's one of the most intense movies I've seen in a long time, but I went to bed thinking how thankful I was that I live in a country that is full of men and women braver than I'll ever be. Men and Women who endure hellish conditions, and no promises of return, in order to defend our country. These brave heros leave their homes, in order to keep us the land of the free. I think I would literally be scared to death if I had to stand on those lines. With that being said, I went into memorial day with tremendous thanks for those who have, are, and will serve to protect not only me, but my country. God bless, and Happy Memorial Day.

you've got (birthday!) mail.

2010-05-27T10:00:00.000-04:00

This year, I will be better at writing birthday cards.

Sunday, I had a birthday, and I came to the realization that these days, the cards really are the best part. I've always enjoyed my birthday. I think a big part of it used to be that, in being a twin, there was always extra to celebrate! My family always did a good job in not lumping Audry and I together as "the twins", and instead, focused on the fact that we were two babies born at once. Therefore, twice to celebrate! I used to get burst after burst of excitement as family members and friends would walk into our birthday parties with two gifts each! What could they be? would they be the same? different color? why is one gift small, and one circle?! it didn't even matter. there were 2. and being of the same gender, we both really scored big. we really both got twice as much. But see, even in those days, beyond the gifts, was the tradition of the cards. I'm not sure when it actually started, but as long as I've known how to read, I've been sharing my cards with an audience. In our family, each card is read aloud. The tradition has a slight resemblence to storytime in a kindergarten classroom. The birthday person shows off the card, and then proceeds to read it. The process is then repeated with every card brought to the party.

The older I get, the more I can appreciate a good card. This year was the best of them all. I got cards at home and at work, some hand delivered and some via snail mail, some outright hilarious, and some that truely touched my heart. They are the best. Each one from a person that loves me enough to write me out a card. A card that gave me a little boost, and made me feel appreciated, loved, and best of all, known. I even solidified my consistency as a granddaughter, seeing as both my granny (moms mom) and grandpa (dads dad), got me identical cards. So, I vow to be better at it. I want to be more like the people that love me. It may not come naturally to me, but those I love deserve to hear it. Especially on the anniversary of their birth!

Here is one of my favorite funny ones. It's from Deepa.

I'm holding her to it!

what have you been watching?!

2010-05-24T22:53:00.000-04:00

Welcome to "Blog Mondays". What can I say, i've hit a few bumps here while trying to master consistency... but I'm back!

for now.

(i think).

Anyway, with the encouragement of fellow friends, and bloggers, Katie and Krista, I've been re-inspired! And to get the entries rolling on our old/new blogs, we're starting "blog mondays". Basically, they're going to be a short, themed question each week, for us to answer in as much or as little detail as we want. I hope you find them enjoyable!

Todays question: What were the last 3 movies you saw?

I'm not going to try to do some in depth reviews, b/c frankly I don't think I'd do that well. When it comes to movies, I'm pretty predictable. If it's a rom-com or a suspense movie, chances are it will be a worthwhile viewing in my book. But here we go! the last 3 movies I watched!

It's Complicated:

With a roommate that has a Netflix account, I'm slowly catching up with movies I've let slip by in recent years. A few weeks ago when the little red envelope showed up, I was hopefully optimistic about having this rom-com to watch. Surprisingly, however, my favorite thing about the movie, was the bakery that meryl streeps character owns in it. I'll fill you in on why at a later post, but until then, google it! it's amazingly inspiring!

The Back-up Plan:

No surprise here, another rom-com! Every other Wednesday, a group of my friends uses going to the movies as an excuse to spend time with each other. With this habit, we get a lot of new movies seen, but our beloved chick flicks end up taking priority. This one was surprisingly better than I thought it would be. Again, it's predictable, but I figure that I paid my $5 to be entertained, and i was.

Babies:

It shouldn't be much of a surprise to anyone that knows me, that I'd want to see this movie. For one, I'm often pulled into documentary type shows. I'm definitely a visual learner, and there's just something about getting to peek into the lives of other cultures that is truly fascinating to me! and two, it's babies! I love 'em. With no dialog in the entire movie, it still managed to be remarkably entertaining! Each baby had his/her own charm, and their little personalities just made my night. It did make me think how it's amazing how protective some parents are of their littles. If they could only see the way kids are Mongolia are still managing to make it to adulthood when their parents merely hold them on the back of motorcycles as infants; Or the animal mouths that some babies stick their hands in, it's pretty amazing. It's reassuring to see that at the end of the day, the thing all the babies had in common were nurturing parents, that were taking care of them the best they knew how. and with love.

It's good to be back.

for now.

X's, O's and blog mondays!

Wedding Day Rewind.

2009-09-10T15:48:00.000-04:00

July of 2008 held one of the most unique and fun weekends of my life. Over three days, some of my closest friends and I got to be part of, and celebrate the wedding of David and Deepa. The joining of cultures of these two families was such a rare pairing, that it's even featured in the movie, "27 Dresses" as an example of a far out wedding. Dancing behind Indian horses, and standing alongside a Jewish chuppah, I was a part of my first, and perhaps only ever, Hin-Jew wedding (that's the actual name lovingly labeled by bride and groom).

In the midst of so much excitement, and details, and fun, a minor detail slipped through the cracks for the bride and groom... outdoor wedding pictures. For months, the B&G made comments about how it was the one thing they wished could have been different, and for months, I thought, "we should just do something about it!" A year and some odd change later, we did. It may have been traditional; bride and groom only, white dress - black tux, local park... but it happened.

The Sunday of Labor Day weekend, I got to expand on one of my passions, photography, with two willing photo subjects! We had a beautiful day filled with sunshine and white clouds on a blue sky! exactly what Labor day weekend is supposed to look like in my book :) Enjoy some pics of the lovely couple, a year later, and happy as ever to have each other!

same person. same place.

2009-07-09T20:40:00.000-04:00

Often, the hardest part of the day for me is getting out the door by 8:20am. Chances are if you read this blog, you know that me and mornings don't mix. With that being said, the good news is that for the most part, things get easier after that. I have a short commute.... approximately ten minutes +/- 2ish depending on how the traffic gods are working with me on any given morning. I take the same route every day, but a different one to than from. The thing I like best about the drive to work, is that more often then not, I see one of the most interesting couples i've ever seen. When I first noticed the pattern of our continually aligned paths, I was struck by the fact that this guy is faithful to the same walk, every morning. This guy is older, I'd say in his 60's... or at least weathered to the point of looking 60. He's got a bald head, but the hair that grows from his chin more than makes up for it. My guess is that his gray beard has grown to somewhere in the neighborhood of 8-12 inches. When the weather is nice, he wears faded jeans and a black t-shirt, with what I'm sure must be one of his favorite band or a great deal he picked up at sal-val. His shirt fits on top, but hugs his mid section too tight. See, part of the reason he's so curious to me is that he's one of those men that has a tight pot belly. Odd, I know. But seriously, it's is, and I'm not sure how else to explain it. You'll notice next time you see one, and you'll understand. Anyway, it looks like he jumped off a motorcycle in 1985, never changed his clothes, and just to add a unique twist, decided to just walk from there on out. This guy is NEVER in a hurry to go anywhere... he kind of operates in a stomping like stroll. One that is at such a sedated pace that it's sometimes hard to believe he's even moving at all... until you see his buddy. His buddy is a tiny dog. Again, another addition to the scene that forces a double take. With a guy like this, you expect to see a german shepherd, or a big bull dog... but not this. This dog is small. and fat. I thought for a while she was pregnant. but that was more than a year ago, and as little as i know about the gestation period of dogs, I'm guessing that she's just plain fat. It's always interesting for me to watch that as slllllow as this man walks, he's always still pulling the dog! I don't get it. I can't imagine they walk far. My guess would be around the block.... maybe a few. But just enough to say they went on a "walk", but not really enough to do much of anything. In any case, I like them. I like the peculiar duo that they are, and am glad that as hard as it is to get out the door by 8:20, I know that my punctual timing has the possibility to be rewarded by one of my favorite morning observations.

Maybe next time i'll tell you about the barefoot lady I see on the drive home.

youch.

2009-05-27T22:20:00.000-04:00

I got an email from my friend kristen this morning.

word for word as follows:

"Youch.... hope you laughed, is it time to go on vacation yet?"

So much in so little. three reasons the shortest email received today was in fact the best.

1. we returned from vacation less than 12 hours earlier.

2. kristen is one of those people that really gets my humor.

3. it's all about a little youtube video, that kept us laughing way longer than in should have. it's awesome. chances are you've seen it... and even better chances that you won't think it's AS funny as we did... but no doubt, worth your time.

I hope you enjoy! and take note of around 1:13... youch.

The Grape Lady

three digit goodbye.

2009-04-22T21:49:00.000-04:00

I would argue that most goodbyes are hard. Let's be honest. The only ones that are okay, are the ones that for one reason or another, alleviate stress, or are the first step in taking you back to a place you've missed more.

Last week Audry and I said a goodbye to the most recent of our loved and fondly reflected upon, 3 digit houses. If we kept record, 3 digits are all we would need for some of our favorite addresses. Sure, there was 275, 309, and 240... all numbers that I will look back on lovingly in the 517 area code... The two latter of which, will never make me look at that time on a clock, the same way again. In fact, it's guaranteed that if i find myself in the presence of any former roommate, and that time chimes (3:09, 2:40), an honorary announcement, and acknowledgement will be made. It's a bond we share. and we love it.

Well, last weekend, 644 joined those rankings... From here on out, you'll find it in the chapter of "Friends 3 digits we miss". And so here is her goodbye... a tribute to a classic.

today we say goodbye to the lovely miss 644 Union. As our great friends leave her, she will be left behind with the good, the bad, and the ugly... as all of us are. We will all be a little better off to part ways with that d@mn side door, that freezing living room at night, and the bathroom with no fan and the window that doesn't open (ick). As all good friends are though, her strengths always surpassed her weaknesses. We will miss the confidentiality of her walls, and the way that we could defy physics, and (almost) always surpass the weight limit on the pullout couch in her living room. Let's also not fail to remember one of my favorites, the summer day where we sat on her awesome porch, ate chocolate chip pancakes, and took the time to take in the surroundings. We will miss all the primping that went on there... whether it was for New Years, dinner, or a trip downtown. But no less will we miss the days of sleeping too late, and laughing out loud, but never too loud. I will miss the artwork on her walls, and the sounds that lived there. A little 50, mixed with classic rock and some over the rhine... see, it's hard to imagine how such a mix could be so good! but trust me, it always was :) We will miss the tv watching that went on there... the discovery channel specials on anything from the rain forests to odd cults (yes, sometimes intriguing)... and the movies watched on that couch (honorable mention to blue crush for the perfectly lazy day it blended so well on a DWYWW - and P.S I love you, which was always intended to be watched there, but never was). She will not be left in bad company. With this next move, she joins the likings of 711 Hawthorne and 588 Notre Dame. both classics in themselves.

So today I leave you with a glimpse into the welcoming arms of a house that was lived in, in an unparalleled way to most of her neighbors on any given Saturday throughout the year.

xoxo 644. we'll miss you.

Sunny with a high of 75

2009-04-02T21:16:00.000-04:00

I'll be the first to say that one of the top reasons I love living in Michigan is because of the four seasons... no, not as in Frankie Valli and his boys... although ever since I saw the movie Heart and Souls, I will forever love with the song "Walk Like a Man" :) It was one of the first movies to ever stir emotion in my heart... I think I was ten, maybe twelve when I first saw it.

Anyway, back on track... I love the seasons. I love the gifts that each one brings, and honestly, feel bad for people who don't get to experience all of them in their glory! I still look forward to the first snow every year. My heart is refreshed with joy when I see the first little flower poke its way through the soil (and am thankful that God continues to be faithful in bringing Spring again!). I love driving with the windows down, and sometimes air on too, because life is too short to not experience something so close to perfect! And I will always look forward to crunchy leaves, and hearing the weatherman prep his viewing area on when colors will be at their peak! See... I really do love them all :)

Although, today, when I was looking at some old pics on my dads computer, I couldn't help but get excited for Summer to get here... I'll post the pictures and explain why.

This picture is one of my favorite summer pictures. For an obvious given, it's one of my favorite people :) But I love so many things about summer in this picture.

* I love that you can tell it's the end

of the day by the shadows that are being cast... and that it doesn't matter, because it's still beautiful enough to be outside.

* I love the green... all the shades of beautiful green!

*Short sleeves and rosy cheeks!

* I love that it makes perfect sense to drink coca cola out of a yellow, plastic goblet.

* I love how Hannah's hair tells the story of how much playing was done that day.

* and most of all, I love thinking back to the conversations that were had between Audry and our little Han. Oh yeah... and the other pictures we took, that I guarantee will be duplicated her senior year of high school (I know... I would )

This is another great summer shot. It's from our trip out to Krista's family cottage in Canada. It's perfect because...

*we all were able to clear our busy schedules to spend a few days together.

*it was perfect weather for popsicles or cold beer.

* our (un)scheduled event was to watch God's glorious sunset...He never messes those up.

I love this shot. It's not frame worthy, but it captures family summer parties. And one more set of reminders on why summer is welcome back with open arms.

*you can sit on the back porch, and be entertained by all the outdoor activity.

*bare feet.

* Dasha being tired from running her little heart out in the backyard... but still willing to take a stroll with her buddy :)

* First base not quite being tagged, but I think that's okay when the other team is all facing the opposite direction.

*slip n' slide.... need I say more?!?

how great is it that we get to experience it all!?! I'm sure i'll eventually be back with my Winter, Spring, and Fall highlights too :) but until then... tell me why you're looking forward to welcoming back summer?!?!

come on with the rain.

2009-03-10T18:29:00.000-04:00

"into each life some rain must fall" - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

It's been raining here for 4 days straight. On my way to meet a friend for dinner, I saw an entire front yard underwater, an orange sign advising of potential street flooding, and a jogger with proper reflective gear, but no umbrella. Yes, I understand that an umbrella hinders full workout potential... but as I drove by, I thought, "man, he is SO wet"... and all that on a ten minute drive. I guess I should back up, and say that last Friday was gorgeous. Around here, we tend to have a good understanding of what "in like a lion, out like a lamb" really means for March. Friday was the exception. Friday was the tease that people will cling to, and remark in a wishful fashion, "I hope this weather sticks around!" inevitably, it doesn't. And so, like i said above, the rain came... and hasn't stopped. Instead, people are answering greetings like "how are you?" with, "oh man, wet!" and saying goodbye with statements like, "stay dry!"

Since the rain, I've missed a block party, used the word "hibernate" to describe my saturday activities, and avoided wearing my new shoes for fear that they would be prematurely ruined by the rain/dirt combination... blah. My granny called twice yesterday... both times, worried about the potential of the pooling water in her backyard finding it's way into her garage. Which in turn, lead her train of thought to the basement... and what company should she call to get all that (hypothetical) water out?!?! It's soggy. There are puddles. And maybe, blow drying your hair this morning was borderline pointless. People are moving a little faster... scurrying from house to car. car to building. hoping that by running into the rain, you get less wet then the rain falling onto you. After all, rain can't touch what rain can't catch... can it???

Everybody's talking about it, and everybody is experiencing it. But I can't help but think, that everybody (myself included) isn't appreciating it.

"Snow not enough to help western NV with drought"

"California could suffer Australia-like drought"

"Drought conditions worry farmers"

All are titles of articles that were in today's news.

Thankfully, I have a dad that's good at reminding me of all the gifts we should be thankful for. When I made some inessential comment about the weather, he said, "Em, you know there are people in this world that would fall to their knees in thankfulness for this rain? rain is good." And that was it. It wasn't meant to make me feel bad, but rather to put the puddles into perspective. We are a blessed people.

So today, when the biller stopped by our office, and responded to "how are things with you?" with a "good, but it could stop raining!" I kept my thoughts to myself, but gained appreciation of my new perspective on the weather.

Yes, I know... too much rain can be bad too... but you won't find me singing, "rain, rain, go away..." anytime soon. Plus, the good 'ol weatherman says that tomorrow will be party cloudy, which also equates to mostly sunny... and until then, i'll just wear my rain boots and follow Gene Kelly's lead :)

peanut butter and pine cones.

2008-12-14T22:20:00.000-05:00

There is always something about this time of year that stirs up an extra bit of nostalgia.

Last week when Hannah was over, we made hot chocolate, and put up the Christmas tree. Every once in a while, Aud and I would be putting up an ornament, and go.. "ohhhh remember this one?!?" and then share a memory about it, and tell Hannah why it was special. Even our mom popped in the room and said, "oh... I love that bunch of grapes at the top of the tree, it always reminds me of my dad" :)

Well, if you're wondering if that Picture is our Christmas tree... it's not... But... it does carry it's own bit of significance. You see, spending pretty much your whole life in the same city does heighten the probability that your tri

ps down memory lane will increase.

That's the tree outside the police station in downtown. Every year around Christmas they have a special tree decorating party. Growing up, my sister and I would go with our girl scout troop (handmade ornaments in tow) and go for the celebration. Saturday, Aud and I were running some errands and saw this years decorations. You see, WAY WAY back in our day, we would spread peanut butter on a pine cone, dip it in bird seed, and it was an ornament. On our way back from the bank, we decided to stop and admire this years tree trimmings. The one to the right is the one that caught my eye @ first glance... and rightfully so :)

We walked around for a few minutes and admired, laughed, and tried to figure out the thought process of developing some of the unique gifts on the tree. See, every ornament on the tree is made of edible items for animals (who probably look forward to it as much as the kids). Some had already fallen to the ground, but it just added to the character of it all :) It was heartwarming to see the layout of this masterpiece. All, and I mean ALL the ornaments were all set yay high... as in not any higher than my eyesight... just high enough for the little ones reach :) it's awesome.

what are your favorite Christmas memories?!?

p.s. - please enjoy the pic below of what we have lovingly named, "The Christmas Sloth". It resides out front the apartment across the way from my friend Andrea. I'm sure it will not be a forgotten holiday memory for that family...

going organic

2008-12-08T22:35:00.000-05:00

no, i haven't given up potassium benzoate ( the ingredient that "protects taste" in diet coke)... but i've begun to see a new twist on the importance of going organic... especially this time of year.

I'm attempting to make the leap this Christmas. I'm going organic. I'm working on getting rid of the unnecessary additives. I'm making a point to remind myself of the main, pure, nourishing part of Christmas: Jesus.

It struck me yesterday in church, and then again earlier this evening when I was watching Charlie Brown Christmas. It was an issue in 1965 when the t.v. special first aired, and continues to captivate us today. I'm not sure how many times i'll be able to say this... but I've got the same concerns as Charlie Brown. Commercialism vs. Christmas creates conflict in me.

Now i'm just as guilty of the next person to get swept away with Christmas... I enjoy santa, his reindeer, cookies, ornaments, stockings, candy canes, and the fake snow that gets sprinkled around our Christmas village... but thanks to pastor Chris and Charlie, I have become refreshingly aware of where I can choose to focus my attention this Christmas.

I hope that you celebrate with purpose this Christmas season... That you acknowledge the gift of Christ, and that you have friends like Linus to remind us of what Christmas is all about.

Charlie Brown Christmas

I hate those pants

2008-06-10T17:30:00.000-04:00

I had an, "I hate those pants" day... are you familiar?

It started with waking up @ 8:28 on a Monday morning. A Monday morning where I was supposed to be at work by 8:30.... supposed to be.

Now those of you who read this blog most likely know that I don't like mornings. I wish I did... but when you get down to it... i just don't. Alarms going off send an adverse reaction through my body. I purposely set my alarm early so i can take it to the clock and hit snooze as if to show it up (and yes, it does makes me feel a little better). Well those days when the alarm mysteriously "doesn't go off" (i'm often the number one skeptic of that excuse)... sends a whole new series of feelings... panic, confusion, shock, frenzy, anxiety... and often leads to the perfectly, imperfect day.

no snooze for you... instant jump out of bed... check yourself out... do i wash my face? will it be worth it to save time if i just put my make up on now? what about my hair? does it really need to be brushed?reality check. you deal with people all day... wash you face, brush your hair (and teeth).... BUT FAST! oh great... patient @ 9... move faster! grab the first clothes you see... i hope they match.... one leg... then the other... man... I hate these pants. shirt. hair in a pony. i look good enough. man, i still hate these pants... The first good thing of the day is the cup of coffee that meets me at the door... the good thing about the ride to work is that it's always going to take as long as it takes... enough to enjoy the coffee :)

8:48. amazingly, not that late. I understand, it's relative... and I've even been trying to be more intentional about arriving actually on time instead of a few minutes late... but considering that a mere 21 minutes ago i was still in a deep slumber... I'm impressed... disheveled... but impressed. I walk down the hallway, apologize to my boss, and get to work... man, I still hate these pants. These pants fall into the category of "should still be good"... they are a reputable brad name, have yet to show wear, and for all practical purposes... should still be ok... but they're not. They're a hair too small... and just short enough for me to feel self conscious about. i hate these pants. every time i use the bathroom, I go through a repeated ritual that is as predictable as Sean Casey up to bat... I pull up my pants... high. I button them just shy of my belly button, place my hands in my pockets and spend the next few seconds wiggling them down as far as the waist will take them. I hate those pants. I then check the cuffs, make sure they are past my shoes... take a deep breath and leave. i hate those pants. That's the story of the day... those darn pants. Every time i get up, sit down, walk fast, or sit still... it doesn't matter what you do, they just never make you feel, or look right.... they were on my mind until 5:11 when i returned home to put on my favorite pair of jeans...

... and put the pants back in the closet.

Call me Kobayashi.

2008-04-14T17:31:00.000-04:00

okay... so don't really.

maybe I should have titled it, "you could have almost called me kobayashi"... it just wouldn't fit in the title bar... and it's pretty much like trying to claim, "I almost ran marathon"... it doesn't really count if it didn't happen... right?!?

I went to Chicago this last weekend on a slightly spontaneous trip, and in the end, it was well worth it, as almost all spontaneous trips are... mainly b/c of the sandwich eating contest i almost entered. To preface my story I will tell you my flight was delayed into chicago (yeah, i was big league-in' it) and since it had been nearly 8 hours since my last meal I got a slice of pizza, a diet coke, and a cookie... obviously being intentional about having a sample from each food group... I was basically on the verge of paranoia that they would board me on the plane and then make me sit on the runway for 3 hours, as a storm that, "covered all of wisconsin" took it's time passing over... and i figured I needed to keep my "on board" time focused on praying that the plane didn't get struck by lightning or that the wind wouldn't flip it @ 15,000 feet, rather than using my thoughts to convince myself that my stomach lining was eating itself. Coming to find out it was a wise move, seeing as our plane landed at 8:06 pm :)

Sara picked me up soon after... fresh from a hit and run.

not what you expected. I know. She was the hit(ee) not hit(er)... and they were both in cars. Don't worry, the best part about the story is that when she saw him flee, she chased him down. yes she did. potentially dangerous? yes. Did he switch 3 lanes? yes. Did she? yes. Did he take her down side streets? yes. But is it something any of the Charlie's Angels would do in a heartbeat... absolutely yes. and for that (and the good outcome of the story) I am proud... and yes, she turned that sucker in. He had it coming.

So you're probably thinking, "and why should I still be almost calling you kobayashi?" well, when we finally made it to dinner, I was given a challenge. We went to a place in Wrigleyville called Lucky's. They are known for their sandwiches, and the fact that the french fries come on it (don't knock it til you try it)... As I was finishing my sandwich the bartender asked how I liked it, I told him it was great and (in typical emily - joking fashion) told him I was ready for my next one... Only to find out that there is a little competition at this restaurant where if you eat 3 sandwiches in one sitting, you get your name, picture, and a nickname on the wall. Um, Hello... the competitive wheels in my head started turning, and the fact that my sister was sitting beside me saying, "em, you could totally do it" and knowing there is yet to be a female represented on the wall was playing a crucial part in me trying to make my brain tell my stomach it could down two more of those bad boys... and momentum kept building... bets started coming down the bar... "i'll give you $20, forth row tickets to a cubs game, i'll buy one of the sandwiches..."

The dramatic climax to the story turns to a dramatic thud.

i didn't do it.

I told myself if i didn't have that darn pizza at dtw it would have been in the bag ;)

I haven't completely given up though... let me know if you want to carpool on my next trip to Chicago... I know this little bar with great sandwiches ;)

I heard it through the grapevine...

2008-03-31T22:11:00.000-04:00

i love naps. it's pretty evident. I mean, how much more official does truth get from a statement on your facebook profile? jk. nowadays though it seems though they are few and far between. I think the main reason for that is that my definition of a "nap" is a lot different than most people... in order for most to qualify it needs to get a time of at least 60 minutes/1 hour/ one 24th of a day... you pick it.... in fact, my definition sometimes borderlines "short sleep".

I think I had one today. And it was kind of like a movie. I came home from work hurting... physically. My back hurt, my shoulder hurt, and my emotions hurt from that MSU loss on friday... okay, so not really about the game... but a nap seemed like a good move. I went down for my nap at 5:40ish (can people under 2 1/2 use that phrase?)... and woke up @ 9:03... Now, I've done better. But this was supposed to be like a 45 minute, "i'm just going to shut my eyes for a minute" naps... ahh well... I woke up feeling good :) and the best part of the story isn't the minutes logged, no, it's what i woke up to... none other then "I heard it through the grapevine" blasting from downstairs... woofers on, volume up, and my guess... either "music hall" or "rock and roll concert" setting. Talk about one of those nostalgic songs... oh... I didn't realize you've never heard anyone classify that song as such... shocking. For some reason, when I was little, I had a collection of California Raisin figurines that traveled so well that they were a staple set of toys for quite a while. Needless to say, I got out of bed and followed the music, that if given the opportunity, might make the cut on the soundtrack of my childhood... The story ends even better... I found my dad in our t.v. room, lights dimmed, just listening to the radio. It doesn't seem like much... but people don't usually do that. People don't usually come home from work and do that. That sound system, or whatever it is, is my dads technological pride and joy. He loves it... the collection of dvd's he has that compliments it, and the woofers that give it the extra edge. It was one of those moments that just made me smile.... oh nostalgia... and dads that bring it back in a big way.

you might understand a little better if you watch this video... it makes my love for them so obviously understandable.

California Raisins Commercial

she was probably eating oreos...

2008-03-16T22:48:00.000-04:00

I remember thinking that my dad was always so clever when he told us girls that we would be the only 3 three in school that would be able to say we went to Lebanon, Paris, Sidney, and Toledo on Spring Break. We would be crammed 5 deep inside a car that barely lived up to its sedan title, but I still liked it. I liked knowing that his statement was true, and the thought of sharing it with my peers gave me as big a rush of excitement as any 8 year old stuck sitting middle on a 24 hour drive could get...

well this weekend aud and I took the drive down 75. and guess where I went?!?! jk... but not really... except this time... minus 3 people, no middle seat, and only a 4 hour jaunt. Although, as we passed some of those exits, my heart still smiled as I thought, hey... I spent part of my sunday passing by sidney :) oh life's little joys.

Aud and I made the overdue trip down to see our good friends sarah and jeff. They moved down to "cincy" a little over a year ago for Jeffs job, and have recently made the decision to stay down there indefinetly. Now, sarah and I grew up living maybe 3 minutes from each other, and although i often miss that former luxury, they are the type of people that allow you to pick up right where you left off... and it's great. While we were driving home today, audry said, "i'm leaving this weekend feeling re-energized".... and my thoughts were... ain't that the truth. Now don't worry, I didn't go losing my education in the south (if you can call cincinnati "the south"), but it was just so true. raw and true. We spent Friday night talking, and only caught about 30 minutes of Saturday morning due to the fact that we slept in until 11:34am. We didn't do much of anything all day. we watched parts of 3 movies, watched most of the make me want to pull my hair out State game, ate chipotle (i still say it's not as good as qdoba...non antibiotic chicken or not...), took a nap, and finally left for dinner in kentucky around 9pm. and it was fine, perfect, just as we didn't plan :) We ate great food, laughed, and had a drink at this charming pub on mt. adams. It was a hidden treasure (dana you would have loved it). Not only did you have to walk down stairs to a narrow, rocky/concrete tunnel to get to the place... but it let you out at what is a beautiful garden in the summer and what they keep attractive by means of a large fire pit surrounded by chairs in the colder months. And to get into the actual pub, you had to enter under a tarp and through some doors... and as much as I hate to say it... It felt very harry potter-ish. I mean, as much as I can assume it would be like to be a hobbit, or an of age ron weasly.... or whatev. But there we were... the most charming little pub i've ever set foot in... stocked full with regulars, eclectic decorations, and a live singer that was accompanied by her dad on guitar. it was great. On our walk back to the car sarah summed it up when she said, "I knew I could count on you guys to eat, sleep, and have a good time"...

Like I said... it doesn't usually take much. I look forward to weekends, just as much as anyone else... but there is something that makes them that much better when they allow you to reconnect with you best friends, and some of your favorite memories... and have them blend right together :)

welcome to the good life.

2008-03-04T16:54:00.000-05:00

I like kanye west. sure, i'm convinced that he's arrogant, conceited, and egotistical... all while, he's busy making more money in a month (probably week) than i'll ever see in my lifetime... but I still like him. He's got style... and there is something about his boldness that is so good at grabbing my attention. He is a talented man who is very good at what he does.

Now with that being said, he's not entirely what this post is about. My point in bringing him up is that he's got a song called "the good life" where he raps about things like being on t.v., ferraris, and vegas... this is his definition of the good life... and okay, sure all those things have potential to be fun and great... but taking a step back from the wanting and wishing is often refreshing.

case in point... On sunday nights, our yellow house takes a temporary jump in occupants, by means of an 8 year old beauty/comedian/dancer/angel... (impressive resume already, i know)... our hannah. She spends a few hours with us every week while her granddad goes to play hockey. Our time usually consists of making up games, doing crafts, eating pickles (did i mention she had excellent taste?), and finding the ground where 8 and 24 year olds meet. She is seriously a gift. I love it when God uses her to teach me things, show me stuff, and hug me :) Every interaction I have ever had with her, in her tiny, short, yet complex life has made my life that much better. This past week, the three of us (add an aud) decided that we would get a snack and watch whatever was on the disney channel while audry put french braids in her hair. Well, the request was made that the hair style session wait until after the snack was done... she just wanted to enjoy it, and apples take more concentration when you want to eat them whole, and you're small. And since it was a valid point, Aud got a big blanket and the three of us sat side by side (hannah sandwich on cousin) on the couch with our apples in hand. As we sat there, she looked back and forth between the two of us a few times. smiled. looked at the Disney Channel. smiled. snuggled back as she wiggled herself into place, and after a sigh of contentment, said, "ahh... this is the life".

It's true though right? I mean at the root of each of us is the desire to be loved. Sure, it's easier to love someone we know well, but most of the time that's incentive enough to know people better. right? For me to think that somewhere in the equation of couch+ apple+love+blanket+ time+... there was a line of fulfillment crossed, was not only rewarding for hannah, but for me as well. What a beautiful design. I love it when I am reminded of how God has really thought of everything! What a gift it is that we get to be a part of something SO big as showing people love... and receiving it.

Sure it can be tricky, confusing, tough, frustrating, intricate and take a lot of effort. But sometimes it's worth it for that kind of understanding of what the good life is really all about.

Tell Me Again.

2008-02-25T23:23:00.000-05:00

I've always liked stories... just not necessarily reading them.

I've been told I'm good at telling them... and bad... that sometimes I talk with my hands (but not as much as my sister)... and I often run off on tangents. I think that animated people tell them best, and details are essential... and a true gift is when our lives produce stories that are better than the made up...

My mom often listens to books on tape, and for the longest time i've been amused by anyone who has chosen their profession to be that of a professional story teller (how do you get to that point anyway?!?!). I always wonder about the reader and how he/she decides to differentiate the characters by voice... I mean how long do you suppose they actually spend on figuring those out? Some of my favorite storytellers (that I know personally) have the gift of character distinguishment in this way, and others (as I mentioned above) by animation.

I love it when I'm on the side of already having heard a good story and I'm about to hear it be introduced to someone else. I love watching people's faces when I know a highlight or punch line is coming up. They are the moments I would bottle up and keep if i could :) I love hearing my closest friends tell stories of their families, weekend memories, work stalkers, great games, memories of us, brilliant ideas, love interests, ice skating with middle school kids, things I swear never happen to me, taking their grandmas to the bathroom, and even on occasion... electricity and magnetism (if it's my dad talking about it, and I just sit back in amazement at the stuff he knows)

I've recently been more intentional with unearthing the treasures that my patients (most of them 60-70+) have tucked away up in their memories. Most of their stories, no doubt, have been told time and time again... where family members could probably recite them verbatim (don't we all have stories like that from our aged relatives?)... but to new ears, they are fascinating and entertaining. During the time i've spent at the office, i've interacted with a woman who drove a bookmobile in Atlanta during the civil rights movement, a man who worked on the Detroit CSX railroad for 48 years, listened to a lady's struggle with her bipolar, adult daughter, and the 88 pound, fragile, pistol of a woman who almost married a champion diver 8 years her senior when she was only 17... before he died of an unknown heart condition at 25... I like knowing that our DHL delivery man can't wait to ride his Honda motorcycle this spring...and our FedEx guy has a daughter named emily :) Some of the smallest stories I am told about, include... Shorty, Bella and Happy... dogs that are well loved (and talked about) by their owners... I look forward to take the Tigers with Clifton, and the Red Wings with Richard... And I loved hearing the story of a Grandpa who is lovingly referred to by his grandchildren as Duke... and therefore, often sports Blue Devil gear when he's in our office... Some of them bring stuff... candies, bananas, movies, books, great smiles, home brewed beer, and even souvenirs for the doctor from their vacations...

but my favorite are their stories :)

oh, I'm sorry... I'll be away on business...

2008-02-15T17:39:00.000-05:00

Yes, I was a business major in college... And to this day, one of my secret loves that comes with my job, is when I can utter the 5 words... "i'll be away on business"... It makes me feel like a grown up... in a good way. I like it. I like just about everything that comes with it... the good, the bad, and the ugly...

For one, it's a change of pace. It's different from the monotony that can establish permanent residency in our lives... and often creates opportunity for moments that make you think one of two ways... either, "this is great" or "did that really just happen?"

you can guess where they fall, in the last 48 hours i've...

packed 5 days into a carry-on. skipped lunch. sat inches from a man for 3 hours and 58 minutes who watched footage from 9/11 on his laptop at 35,000 feet. remembered what 73 degrees feels like. survived another cocktail hour (i hate those). had the option to choose one of two beds. sat on a patio. saw green. slept well. watched my first episode of hannah montana (to connect with my hannah of course). sat through 4 hours of power points (twice). drank coffee (often) with creamer and 2 pumps caramel. heard middle age women complain about being away for valentines day (eye roll). sat pool side with people magazine. had a mai tai. make that 2. tried spinach soup. missed 5 calls in one hour from the office. took a picture of a cactus. heard an 8 year old cry. read USA today. saw a white escalade. :) . thought about a trip to the spa, saw the prices, quickly forgot. ate valentines candy. had filet mignon. a waiter that looked like joe millionaire. appetizer, salad, meal, AND dessert. heard a man say his grandma referenced his bed as a workbench (she really wanted to be a great-grandma). checked my email. listened to live music. had a doctor from montana tell me "white folk need to reproduce to help prevent us falling to 1/3 the population by 20?? (clearly i was listening well) so we can prevent an act of war", yeah i still don't know. drank wine with 2 women from louisiana. heard one of them use the phrase, " I could sop him up with a biscuit". and I have full intention of bringing it home. got annoyed at the technologically challenged. ate a boxed lunch. sat by a fire. saw a man in a leather trench coat. heard a family of 5 say, "that must be richard pulling up in THAT car", maybe 6 times. experienced generosity... and i've still got time left.

so maybe now, the not-so-obvious has become a little more clear. what is not to like about an experience like this? Especially when you know it ends with going home again :) sometimes it's good to be forced to have a temporary change from the things in our lives we grow so used to...

but until I get home... I'm still away on business.