Do you ever look at your faith and wonder? Wonder if it would be strong if you didn’t “live a pretty little life.” Wonder if it will survive the really hard times. Wonder if it is wrongly based on the assumption that your life, as a Christian, will only get better, it certainly can’t get worse.

I guess it goes without saying that I do. I struggle with this. A lot.

Because my faith has not truly been tested. Sure, my life hasn’t been perfect. I have been through terrible break-ups. I have been betrayed by some of my best friends. I have had to bury three grandparents, two dogs, and several friends. I have been sick. And at thirty years old, I have to sit and wait for biopsy results knowing that my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was thirty-one.

I have experienced loss. I have experienced fear. I have felt alone.

But I look at the trials and tribulations of others. And I remember that I have no idea. (more…)

I think relationships between sisters are always complicated.

My Sister Marcie and I (and Baby Kate with the cheeks)

They are like taking the already complicated friendships between women and putting them on steroids. Because you are innately alike, but also innately different. Because you have to share the time and attention of your parents, and sharing doesn’t always come naturally. And because you are dependent on one another, forever linked by DNA.

So, as sisters, when your relationship is bad, it’s horrid. And in turn, when it’s good, it’s great.

At least that has been my personal experience. There are five years and six grades between me and my sister Marcie. To say that while growing we had our differences would be an understatement. (more…)

I go through each day not acknowledging that THESE are the moments that make up my life, RIGHT NOW. These moments, not tomorrow, and not yesterday either. I wake up each day not actively, intentionally, writing the story of my life.

I approach things like I am waiting for my life to begin. Waiting until I have met a man. Waiting until I have kids. Waiting until I have lost fifteen lbs. Waiting until I am a success professionally. Waiting until the summer is over and I am not out-of-town all the time. Waiting until I have reconciled with an old friend. Waiting until 5 o’clock. Waiting until everything is in order. (more…)

Today I had to go to the dentist to get a cavity filled. Not to be all dramatic about it BUT, I have DREADED this appointment all day (actually make that all week.)

As long as I can remember, I have had this “intense dislike” (my mom told my I should avoid use of the word “hate”) of dentists. It is not that I don’t like them as people. I know several who are fine people. It is that I have no appreciation for their chosen profession.

The following is embarrassing, but unfortunately true. (more…)

This summer has been A COMPLETE WHIRLWIND. I have been traveling non-stop and loving every minute of it. But I am worn out. And my life and my house are in disarray.  (Seriously can’t remember the last time I changed my sheets. I think it was sometime last week but I’m not quite sure.)

With all this traveling, another thing that has been neglected is my blog. So this is a quick play-by-play with some of my favorite photos, of course. (more…)

Or maybe I just know what I want? Or maybe I have no idea what I want? Or maybe I am content with where I am right now? Or maybe I am seriously afraid of change or of just putting myself out there? But in my defense, I have no fear meeting new people, confessing my deep dark secrets on my blog, or sharing what I think about the latest loser on the Bachlorette on Twitter. It just doesn’t make sense.

Oh, I just realized I haven’t given you a clue of what I am talking about. Well, here it is…

(more…)

I told you early this week that I am working on being “real.” So here it is, I am usually A TOTAL SLACKER when it comes to remembering Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Sure, I always pull through with the day-of phone call, but I never quite get the card in the mail in time. Who is with me? (Okay, maybe you all are better children/grandchildren than me.)

In typical fashion it is the Thursday before Father’s Day. I’m in Tennessee, my dad is in Texas, and his card is still at Walgreen’s. So I started playing on Smilebox. And I whipped together something hopefully my dad will love. Here it is:

Make a Smilebox greeting

I hope he likes it, and more importantly, I hope he knows how much he means to me. He really is the best dad in the world.

I love you, Dad. Thank you for your love, support, and encouragement.

Lately I have been “trying” to be “real.”

Not So "Real"

I would never go so far as saying that normally I am fake, but sometimes when situations are tough, sometimes when relationships are frustrating, sometimes when life isn’t fair, I can be fake-ish. (I know, I know, that really isn’t a word, but why don’t you just give me a break?) (more…)

I am going to Bonnaroo tomorrow afternoon with a friend. As we bantered back and forth about what we’d need for the weekend, she asked me if I was going to bring a “book bag.” I said, “a what?” wondering why in the world I would take a bag full of books to a music festival. I work for a publisher and love books but that just seems WEIRD. She quickly clarified that she meant a “backpack.” She just grew up some backwards place where they call “backpacks” “book bags.” She preceded to tell me that she calls a “trunk” a “boot” which threw me for a total loop.

"Backpack" or "Book bag"???

This confusing conversation got me thinking about how regionally people use different words to describe basic things. The most common would be the whole “soda”, “pop”, “Coke” thing. (Be sure to check out this map that spells out the most common name for soft drinks by county.) But here are some others that just make me giggle: (more…)

Way back when, during my time in the Brownies (the pre-Girl Scout society) we used to sing this song: “Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other’s gold.”

Allison, Sarah and I - Jordan Vineyard, Sonoma Valley, Memorial Day 2009

I never had much of a singing voice (actually I never had ANY of a singing voice) but those lyrics sung over-and-over again in a round stuck with me. But I am not sure that I understood what they meant until now. I never understood how important it is to value both old and new friends, because each are precious treasures. (more…)