This Me Me Nostalgic

Paul Harvey Writes: 

 We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I'd like better.

 I'd really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches.. I really would.

 I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated.

 I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car.  And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.

  It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.

  I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.

  I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother/sister. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.

 When you want to see a movie and your little brother/sister wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him/her.

 I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.

 On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.

 If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.

 I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.

  When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.

 I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a boy/girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what ivory soap tastes like.

 May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.

  I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandma/Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle.

 May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.

  I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.

  These things I wish for you - tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.

  Written with a pen. Sealed with a kiss. I'm here for you. And if I die before you do, I'll go to heaven and wait for you.

Family Matters

My good friend Rosie told me once that as I grew older I would start to have less friends but more meaningful relationships.  I looked at her like she was a nut bag.  (To be fair she is a nut bag but I really like nuts).  I have always been a social butterfly, put me in a public place of 50 people and I probably know 30 of them, some better than others of course.  But I have to admit as time has gone by Rosie's prediction has been proven to be true.  Although I am a big believer in make new friends but keep the old, a person only has so much time in their day, their life for that matter, and I have realized, by the not so subtle encouragement by my boyfriend, that I am also supposed to make time for myself, something I am very very bad at doing.

As I realize that I have made a home in the community here in Nashville, my friendships are becoming more meaningful.  For the first time in my life I shy away, to some extent, to making new friends, and I find myself to be more selective.  A new friendship feels a bit exhausting now and unless I have some major commonalities or characteristics I can relate to with the new individual I think I am starting to want to stick with what I've got.  I feel the need to protect my time like never before.  I want to reserve it for those I want to be with the most.  I think in terms of quality instead of quantity like never before.  Especially within my romantic relationship.

Family, I am realizing more now than ever, is where I want to be so much of the time.  With the arrival of my niece, Elizabeth Claire, so much of the world looks sunnier and bright.  I want to be there for her.  I want to see her smiles, giggles, and even tears.  She is the best dancer I know.  When I look at her I don't just look, I gaze.  I knew she was going to be something special to me but the magnitude of my feelings for her were completely unexpected.  She has also done so much for our family in bringing it closer.  We all have something in common to celebrate and it is her.  God has shown me his love so much more through her arrival than just about any event in my life.  I am forever grateful.

I learn a lot more from my family now than I did before.  My Aunt Melody is an incredible inspiration.  If you want to know how just read THIS.  Vote for her if you feel inspired.  You will be making the lives of many many people better in doing so, as she has.  Many other people in my family inspire me everyday and if I wrote about all of them it would be a book.  All I can say is I will never understand why God chose to bless me in this way, to put me amongst such special people, but I am so unbelievably grateful that he did.

Life is a series of scenes, colors that whisk by so fast the past seems blurry.  I wish I could hold on sometimes just to take a look around.  I try to do that, breath deep, breath it all in, hold onto the memory like it was tangible.  Experiences are the name of the game my friend.  Who knew one of my favorites would be at a one year old's birthday party.  God blesses you when you least expect it.

Tennessee - Mindy Smith says it better than I could have...

Tennessee:

Tennessee, you've been good to me
Yes, I've come to believe you're where I wanna be
You may not be what everybody needs
but Tennessee, you're good enough for me

I can see stars shining in your night
Your daytime seems like Cash and Patsy Cline
They may not be what everybody needs
But they touch my soul
That's good enough for me

It's been ten years now, and I'm rooted in your soil
I am rooted in your soil
Give me ten more years, I'll be rooted in your soil
Right here in your soil

You may not be what I will always need
But I call you home
If I can call you home
Then you're good enough for me

Sometimes Thankfulness is the Purpose of the Day...

...Or isn't it always? I was thinking about life to today and how I am so grateful to be where I am. It's not that my life doesn't have it's own set of challenges (would it be worth living if it didn't?) but after another amazing weekend with my closest friends, a memorable memorial day with my loving boyfriend, an unforgettable wedding, massive amount of dancing, a good random shift at Maf's, and a new (and great deal!) TV things are looking bright and sunny! Thank you Jesus! I love life, love Nashville, love summer! Today thankfulness is the name of my game.

We are starting to plan I'm Still Beautiful again and there are a lot of other fun events and trips on the horizon. How did I ever get to be so blessed?