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?

PLEASE PLEASE vote for my friend Gracie!!

Hey Guys,

My friend Grace Clayton is auditioning for Oprah's next talk show host contest. Please watch her hilarious video (the end is my favorite) and vote for her! CLICK HERE! She is at about 2,000 votes but the leader is at like 400,000! Woah! Can you help? Vote a lot!

Lots of love,
Libby

Good Friday - Stations of the Cross

I, being raised as a Catholic (operative word here is raised), was asked by my Father last night to try to go through The Stations of the Cross today on this Good Friday. Since I do believe in the Ten Commandments I decided to "honor thy father" by doing just that, here on The Libspot. I do think it is important to always be mindful of what Jesus did for me, for anyone willing to accept him, and I am forever grateful.

The Stations themselves are usually a series of 14 pictures or sculptures depicting the following scenes (Wikipedia):

1. Jesus is condemned to death
2. Jesus is given his cross
3. Jesus falls the first time
4. Jesus meets His Mother
5. Simon of Cyrene carries the cross
6. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
7. Jesus falls the second time
8. Jesus meets the daughters of Jerusalem
9. Jesus falls the third time
10. Jesus is stripped of His garments
11. Crucifixion: Jesus is nailed to the cross
12. Jesus dies on the cross
13. Jesus' body is removed from the cross (Deposition or Lamentation)
14. Jesus is laid in the tomb and covered in incense.

Although not traditionally part of the Stations, the Resurrection of Jesus is sometimes included as a fifteenth station.

I realize this is the doom and gloom of the Gospel, Catholics tend to focus on this portion of Jesus's life. I like to celebrate the lessons Jesus instilled more than anything. The life he lived was extraordinary and the price he paid for my freedom from sin is astonishing. On this Good Friday I say THANK YOU.

I'm in a Southern State of Mind

"Growing up Southern is a privilege. It's more than where you're born, it's an idea, a state of mind that seems imparted at birth. It's more than loving fried chicken, sweet tea, baseball, bibles, and country music. It's being devoted to screen porches, magnolias, coca-cola, and each other. We don't become Southern, we're born that way."

A lot of you give me a hard time about where exactly I am from. I always feel a lot of pressure to claim a territory, explain my upbringing, etc. The problem is that often nobody really understands and so, today, I want to set the record straight. I read this quote today, no idea who wrote it, but it inspired me. I think it really represents how I truly feel in my heart. My gratitude to have the privilege of living in the South again is palpable. I get down on my knees and thank the Lord for it.

I was born in the heart of the midwest, St. Louis at Barnes Jewish Hospital. Not a very Southern start to say the least. My first three years were surrounded by Midwesterners, aside from my parents. After that I was moved to the South, deep South, just outside of Mobile, Alabama for another 3 year stay.

Truth be told I moved north at the young age of six and primarily lived there until 22. IL became my home but I never really felt happy there. Being a part of a very Southern family made living in the midwest, and the north in general, feel very unnatural to me and I always harbored a feeling of displacement. I have southern in my blood as the majority of my family is from Lafayette, Louisiana, Mississippi, and throughout Alabama.

I spent every summer, from 8 years old to 14, soaking up the culture of the Gulf Coast. My Daddy, being a born and raised Louisiana man, brought me up on crawfish, chicory, beignets, and as many types of fried seafood fare we could get our hands on. Needless to say oyster po-boys and boudin are staples of our diets. I ran around barefoot many a summer with my toes in the Gulf Coast sand, sneaux ball in hand, and peach juice running down my chin from the local farmers market. Skinny dipping was not out of the ordinary, as most people would understand if they felt the sweltering heat of the Gulf summers.

My summers were split between all the towns along the coast. Daddy lived in Jackson for 6 years and we would drive south and head across between Mobile and New Orleans. Road tripping, stopping at little dives along the way. I'm sure people would look at Dad funny when he would bring us into a local bar to meet one of his old buddies (I being only 10 years of age as the time or so) but all I remember was learning about the kindness of good down home people and how fabulous Shirley Temples tasted when the maraschino cherries were stacked from the bottom of the glass to the brim.

When I hear a song about the Delta my heart yearns for Spanish moss and the hazy heat of a late Gulf Coast Summer. I get home sick for a lot of places, Chicago, Vienna, Mississippi, etc. But I have a Louisiana soul, and I know this because only other Louisianians understand, and no one else can understand why that makes me proud.

Sometimes you just want to blog!

The weather here in Nashville is depressing. It's wet and gloomy. I miss sunshine, flowers, dresses...ugh, maybe I just need a vacation. The weight loss journey is going well (7 lbs down and hopefully 9 by Monday) but I have to consistently stop myself from going on a crazy ass binge at McDonald's.

What a weekend we have planned. Ben and I have the impressive talent of filling up every last second of every weekend. This is the downfall of obsessive planners, something I am proud to say that we are, albeit a blassing and a curse.

This is a special weekend though because it's Ben's 25th birthday (he's a baby!). I can't even begin to tell you how nice it is to finally have a guy that loves to celebrate his birthday. I love birthdays, probably my favorite thing ever. It's a perfect opporunity to make someone feel special and show them how much you love them. Tonight we are going to dinner at City house with Umphrey's McGee's percussion (gotta love Pearl), heading to their show at the War Memorial, then headed to Hard Rock for Ben's gig, come out if you can. Needless to say I can't wait to get off work.

We will be celebrating tomorrow with black light bowling and birthday cake at the adult Chucky Cheese. Tons of fun! Of course Sunday (the actual b-day) is THE SUPERBOWL!! SAINTS vs. colts. I'll let you guess who it is dat I want to win...(Geaux football!) Bring on the Superbowl parties.

I love my life, I love those around me God has blessed me with, I love the opportunity to recognize it and serve.