Where I Come From

The last few weeks have been busy writing papers for grad school and lesson plans for 1st grade. (I should be writing a paper right now. Sheesh.) However, we did get a little chance to take a break from the academic writing to write a little "I Am" poetry that stemmed from a book we read in class. Thought I would share mine...

I am from the South where we draw out our words, sip on sweet tea, pretend everything is alright, and show hospitality.

I am from a broken family with many parents, many siblings, and many lessons learned.

I am from a childhood that felt like raging seas, but was anchored by a God that pursued me.

I am from hopes, dreams, and the desire to rise above.

I am from an education that showed me what servant leadership is and that numbers do not matter.

I am from a country that is consumed by materialism, but surrounded by a people that are called to something different.

I am from heartbreak, love, quirkiness, and old-souls.

I am from a place that is a home-not a building, but a life.

Where I am from helps define me, but does not constrain me.

I am going places.

Yummy Lunches!

Sandwiches and Lean Cuisines get old after awhile so I am always on the lookout for new things to try. Thanks to Oh She Glows (via Pinterest) I have found one of new favorites for lunch (or dinner)!

Quick Avocado-Lime Black Bean Salad

Ingredients:
•Two 15-ounce can black beans

•1 lime, juiced

•1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

•2 small shallots, diced

•1/2 tbsp olive oil

•3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

•1/4-1/2 tsp Kosher Salt, to taste

•Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

•1 large avocado, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces


Directions: Drain the beans thoroughly and rinse. In a large bowl add the beans and toss with lime juice, cilantro leaves, diced shallot, olive oil, and ground cumin. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Peel and slice an avocado, and serve the beans at room temperature, with chopped avocado on top or mixed throughout the salad. Note that I did not have any cilantro on hand, but it still tasted delicious! Makes 3-4 servings.


Do you have any recipes you think I should try?

A Song and Request For This Sunday

I heard this song for the first time this morning. Powerful.



This weekend has been tough. In the midst of grief and stress, it is not been easy to focus on the meaning of the day. Thankfully, I serve a God who loves me through all of my struggles and even in my moments of doubt and darkness.

Tomorrow, I will once again be going to the doctor for a lump in my left breast. While it might be nothing, it has been something before and it is hard to not worry. At this point, I will have them removed if anything is amiss. It does not make it easy though. I have had some little spells of vertigo this weekend which is probably stress related. To make matters worse, I hurt someone that I love very dearly. It was a terrible, horrible mistake and I am so, so sorry, but now all I can do is pray that I will be forgiven and that the hurt will be healed.

If you could say a prayer or two or three tonight, I would be so grateful.

30 Days

Well my friends, in 30 29days I will turn 3-0. What?!?!!

In order to mark the occasion, I will be sending 30 letters of thanks (one a day) to people who have played a key role in shaping my life.

I am thinking 30 is worthy of an amazingly fun celebration, but not sure what yet. Thoughts?

Meet Firefly

I have always dreamed of traveling from place to place in a camper, picking up work along the way, and writing a book about my experiences. (Cliche maybe, but it is a dream of mine.) However, the dream has gotten one step closer this spring break...

Meet my Firefly...

She is a 71 Fan camper with huge potential. (Yes, I mean potential as in needs some work, but not so much that I have to put quotations around potential like when parents use the word. ex- "You are not living up to your full "potential"" aka- get a job.)

I have named her "Firefly" because she puts a smile on my face and a gleam in my eye like the first signs of firefly season. Plus, she is sweet, fun, and hopefully will flutter from place to place.

Family members may stop freaking out now. I have no intentions of quitting my wonderful teaching job  to go meandering around the US in my new beauty while I write and not live up to my "potential". However, I hope that we can make at least one adventure in her.

J and I plan on putting some TLC in Firefly and then selling her for a profit. (That is unless I can talk him into keeping Firefly just for fun.)

Won't she look great with the Vespa and Linus the bike at the beach?!?!?!

We will post updates and before/after pictures so you will be able to see her achieve full potential.

So very thankful that I continue to live the dream...

Can't Get Enough

Oh Jimmy and Justin.... I can't get enough of you. ;)

Sunday Morning Music

He is playing for free at Grimey's on Tuesday.

An Adult Saturday

Today, I...
-watched the snow spittle
-made breakfast (oj and bagel)
-showered
-ran errand for Amy
-went to Parent Teacher Store
-watched my dad coach his basketball team
-got lunch
-cleaned part of my room
-worked on an exam that is due Monday morning
-tried several times to read a book called Alternative Approaches to Second Language Acquisition (real page turner... that is if you turn the page back to what you just "read")
-got distracted with the thought of possibility of seeing my fave guilty pleasure in concert this summer
-went for pizza with roommate
-kicked myself for forgetting that Yann Martel was speaking at library today (author of Life of Pi)
-worked on taxes
-freaked out about taxes (considering I am going have to pay about double what I normally get back!)
-tried to read book again
-gave up reading book
-worked on exam some more
-completed lesson plans for Monday and Tuesday
-double checked taxes to make sure everything was correct
-worked on budget and debt snowball
-gave up all hopes of seeing guilty pleasure in concert due to lack of funds
-called boyfriend
-set up/installed printer
-wrote checks
-made list of things to do tomorrow
-blogged
and hopefully soon I will go to sleep.

Whatever happened to Saturdays of cartoons, big wheels, ice cream, and books for fun?!?!

Here's to hoping that tomorrow is more fun/restful/productive in a no freak-out sort of way. :)

 

Adventure: Chattanooga

A few weeks ago, J and I got to spend a whole weekend together. We went a month with not seeing each other which was zero fun, but we thankfully had a fun weekend to make up for it. We decided to head to Chattanooga for a quick little adventure.

Hotel: The Chattanoogan- Booked through Priceline's name your price site. Great location and nice room.
Restaurants: Northshore Grill- Nice view of the river in back room, but nothing special
                    Stone Cup coffeehouse- Again nice view, but nothing special
                   The Terminal brewery- AMAZING! J's birthday dinner. Probably the best combo of
                              food and beer I have had a brewery. Their flights were very reasonably priced.
                              Great service too!
                   Blacksmith's- Most disappointing brunch I have ever had. I ordered shrimp and grits,
                       but it was in a BBQ sauce that was too overpowering. J got salmon benedict which
                       was a great idea of a dish, but one really should cook eggs well when making a
                       benedict.
Shops: Blue Skies- Couldn't be any cuter! Gift shop.
           Rock Creek Outfitters- Great local outdoors store. Apparently, there are several locations
                and went to a different one than we meant to, but still enjoyed our little stop in drooling
                over kayaks and canoes.

We also took a little drive around Lookout Mountain before heading back to Nashville. While we did not do the typical tourist thing, it was so nice exploring a city and just being together.

Isn't he just the cutest?!!?

Happy Birthday, J! 

You helped me reach some of my dreams in my 29th year and I hope that I can do the same for you in your 29th year.

KidSpeak #1

One of the most enjoyable things about 1st grade is the creative thinking. ;)  

 

Will You Pray With Me?

Prayers for Emily Ryan today as she leaves to work in Uganda.

I have just taken Emily's position as a 1st grade teacher. I feel so blessed to be taking over a classroom that is already full of love, great routines, organized, and a room where I can feel the Spirit present. Emily is a truly wonderful teacher and Light-bringer. She will do the same wherever she goes.

3 Years

3 years today. (Officially anyways.)

3 years of Vespa rides, moves, Cracker Barrel, smuggles, texts, changes to hair, pet adventures, car repairs, dreams, beers, late nights, late mornings, chaotic Christmases, kisses, repeated movies, pep talks, Snow Patrol concerts, midnight arrivals, good luck, bad luck, game nights, best days ever, tears, football rivalry, projects, organizing, dinners together, surprises, debating where to go for dinner, and most of all...
Love.