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i wrote this on a chalkboard wall i found at the yogurt shop tonight. then i found it on my laptop. i heard it in a sermon as well on my walk tonight. such sweet words. they were not meant to be thought alone – but to be said. outloud. very loud. so very sweet.
beginnings
my two days of hermitage is going quite well. oh wait, back the train up. i’ve been to arizona, kansas, and colorado in the past 3 weeks…nonstop fun & enjoyment of course. however, like all great things – they MUST end…i mean come to an end. therefore i do love days when the only thing i have to get up for is to turn the coffee pot on & make my kashi oatmeal.
new years eve. moments passing before the start of a new beginning. isn’t that an oxymoron though? new beginning? aren’t all beginnings new? until this past one that is. i was at a friends house going thru her bookshelf & i find this book that intrigues me. it talks about the proverbs 31 man. that’s right – man not woman.
it happens to be written by one of my favorite authors – michelle mckinney hammond. she’s not only a good author, but she’s also an amazing single person to look up to.
anyway, as i was going thru this book i realized that last new years i did a study on my own about what a biblical husband looks like thru proverbs 31. i feel like this past year has been nothing less than interesting in my dating life so it made me laugh thinking that this ‘new beginning’ really wasn’t that new. in fact, it’s the same thing i did last year – which is what i also did the year before that! have you heard the definition of insanity?
insanity: doing the same thing over & over the same way yet expecting different results.
nice. the past two years – in regards to dating – have led me to the same men resulting in the same heartbreak. i’m insanity dating. yay. me. no no no…that bus stops in 2011 – it’s not moving into 12.
so here we are the new year. the newness of leaving the past behind and moving forward. new beginnings. it’s a double positive. there will be something new. there will be a beginning.
however, 2011 was the highlight of my travel career. i couldn’t keep up with crossing things off my bucket list & also just plain crazy adventures: hot air ballooning over napa valley, touring napa as i did to sonoma the year before, going to the beaches of jacksonville, breaking into prison (not out of), driving down to monterrey to see my best friend & new niece, two nieces being born!, lifegroup multiplying, biking in minnesota, seeing God’s country in la crosse, being able to spend dinner with my grandma on her birthday for the first time in years, going to hawaii – and ALL that that entailed (paddle boarding, hiking bamboo forest, sea turtles, north shore, hanauma bay, surfer dudes, kona coffee, etc), st thomas for thanksgiving, arizona for warmth in december, and finally a very white Christmas in pueblo. oh my gosh it was a thrilling year!! plus all my very adventurous dates…
so 2012, though i don’t have a clue as to what you will be like – i do know that you will be different. for there are only a few things that stay the same: what brand of hair products and deodorant i buy is one…however, above all else, the grace & love of God…every year, no matter what insanity i bring to the table, He unconditionally lavishes His love on me.
sweet
i’ve been on the road now for a week already. yes fabulous. (oh, btw, fabulous is my word this week).
so since last week, i’ve been in one of the most amazing weddings, flown in the most gorgeous storm, and enjoyed the most fabulous hotel and rental car. love love love it.
kr & jph’s wedding was fabulous. the bridesmaids & i had a fun trip up – stopping only for the best: DQ. yes, dairy queen. yummers. hot. caramel. sundae. ughhhhh…marry me now…mmmm…
oh yes, and then the wedding, was fabulous. fantastically fabulous. it almost made me want to do the same.
i’m currently watching the friends episode where chandler proposes to monica. the one where nothing turns out the way any of them thought. i’m pretty sure that’s my life in a nutshell – and i’m ok with that tonight. here’s to what’s ahead.
birthday week
this is my birthday week. it has been pretty fantastically fabulous. i turned 26 – again – for the third time. (ie: i may possibly be 29 if you are one of those math fanatics). i flew back from my undisclosed destination (after beach sitting, dolphin gazing, sunset viewing, and wine tasting) to have the most delicious birthday dinner with some amazing female friends – truly possibly one of my favorite birthday memories in addition to the small group that celebrated with me last year at g&d’s. ang & i celebrated with a delicious quiche on friday morning too…yummm. she’s an amazing chef & friend. oh yes, and then last night lg surprised me with a balloon throne & cake & a banner – they are beautiful. all 50+ people that were there – just beautiful. point blank: i have the best friends a girl could ask for.
Here are a few photos (the only ones really) from my ‘sabbatical’
my feet in the sand
wine cellar
on the way to the sea
this week is also one of my lovely friends, KR, wedding. yes, i am in it. yes, it’s my 19th wedding to be in. to be fair, i think it’s only my 9th bridesmaid though. yes, i do love the dress. no, i don’t want to hear about how i only have 8 more to go to be ‘just like the movie’. if i’m in more than 20, i’m going to need to start charging people. sorry, but we’re in a recession people.
i think back to april when kr & i toured the california coast then went thru napa. it was beautiful. the whole trip we talked about this boy – her man. how she was in love with him & yet he just wanted to be friends. what do i do being the good friend that i am? tried to talk her out of it. that’s right. i mean, he liked her as a friend, but if he wasn’t going to pursue her then i wanted her to protect her heart & move on. after i dropped her off at the airport (as i stayed for my conference) she called me the very next day saying jph wanted to go to dinner & talk. she said she thought this may be something special. praise God she didn’t listen to a word i said. praise God jph played the ‘man up’ card & brought it. love these two amazing souls.
so, 28 was supposed to be my favorite age – i’ve been dreaming of it for more than 10 years to be honest. i don’t know, it was just in my mind. in reality, it was one of the most exhausting years to endure for numerous reasons. 29 seams so blah. like the ugly duckling. as i took off over the ocean tuesday morning & the mountains back to what i call home i was refreshed believing in fresh starts & reminded of the amazing people i have in my life. 29 – you’re going to be phenomenal.
sunset from the penthouse
no exception
so i love, love, love the movie ‘he’s just not that into you’. i know there’s a book, but the movie satisfied me so i don’t really feel the need to read the book.
although i might now thinking how very surface that comment is. moving on…
so there’s there this quote by gigi in the movie:
Anyway, all my friends used to tell me about how things might work out with these guys because they knew someone, who knew someone, who dated a guy just like mine. That girl ended up getting married and living happily ever after. That’s the exception and we’re not the exception we’re the rule.
i work at a very amazing & unique place – it’s not so much what we do that makes it this way it’s the people who i work with. they are 4 married women with 2-3 kids each & even one with grandkids. they make me laugh as they are dying to get me married off. they are always, especially my boss, trying to set me up with random men (ie: the mail man & ups guy along with their old college buddies - yes i know). they are always telling me about someone they knew that dated this guy or liked this guy & then one day it just clicked with him & they are living happily ever after. so they think that’s the way my life is going to work out too. except - this is where gigi comes into play & is spot on – those women – they’re the exception – not the rule. i’m the rule. i like a guy, he doesn’t like me, we don’t date. that’s the rule. i run into a great guy & say he’s a catch – the next thing i know my co-workers are telling me the girl he’s engaged to will probably not work out & he’ll realize how great i am. because they knew someone who knew someone who that happened to.
well dears, she’s the exception – not the rule. me? i continue on still thinking that guy is great & embrace his fiancé because that’s what normal healthy people do – not obsess over things that can’t/won’t happen.
as we were having our morning coffee & i told them how great the guys are in my life & they just went off on how any one of them these days is just going to ‘wake up & smell the coffee’ & come knocking on my door. hahaha…ok so it may happen that way, but seriously? let’s not go overboard here. don’t get me wrong i’m so excited to live out the love story God has designed for me – but since i can’t ‘out-dream’ God – i’m going to actively wait & live out my adventurous life with no exceptions…one day at a time.
#17
now, if you decided to actually do it you would know it is a bit lengthy. my cousin is a very intelligent woman, but asking an okie to read a lengthy speech during the most important memory (thanks to video – remembered forever) is a tad odd to me – gave me a laugh actually. nonetheless, i was so honored that she would even ask me as she has so many friends.
this was wedding #17 that i was in. you would think i would be tired of weddings at this point. however, they do keep getting better and better. this one was like an ensemble of past weddings. i was a guest book signer, usher (which honestly never been in a wedding before only on sunday mornings do i play that role), cake cutter (first time to drop the cake – yet i did still serve it – oh yes, as well as caught the flowers of it on fire, yet i digress), reading of scripture, gift guarder, and much more. the most memorable moment was when i was asked to be a groomsman though.
i was sitting in the auditorium, waiting for the rehearsal to start, when my cousin said they were missing a few groomsman. would i step in? of course! oh my oh my! it was hilarious. i was high fiving the guys (one of them being the other ‘stand-in groomsman’ of 6 yrs old.) they said i was the best stand-in groomsman ever. i agreed.
i think the wedding planner was a bit new in her position as when it was my turn to read she suggested i just turn around from my groomsman spot to grab the microphone. i smiled, secretly laughing, and politely mentioned that i wasn’t really going to be standing there during the ceremony. seriously? a 6 yr old boy & a 28 yr old girl as groomsman?? she must have been to some fun weddings in her day.
Two Beautiful Cousins
the day after the wedding was the best though. i discovered what my next adventure would be (hot air ballooning). this will happen in the next year. the newlyweds invited me over to my aunts house for some time with the immediate family of opening gifts. it was so sweet. i then went to spend the morning with my grandmother in the rehab home, and off to the wild, wild west fest with my parents and other grandma. we had so much fun. my parents and i went to have chips & salsa just before i flew out for a few hours which made my weekend. i love me & mom & dad time.
Hot Air Balloons Against Sangre Di Cristo Mountains
Wild, Wild West Fest Duck Races!
Too Cute!
alright, have to go now. we just found a mouse in the office. ewwwwwwww!
portland
portland was awesome. ok, quadruple awesome & then maybe you’ll get a glimpse of just how awesome it was. i feel like i had a week of memories shoved into two days. i’m still floating on cloud 9.
as amy and i were talking on the plane ride back, there were many memorable moments and quotes. i don’t have enough room for all of them, but here are a few:
“i’m so oregonian.” ~ bc
“i bet he was a hot dad. you know, cause you had friends that hot dads. yep, he was a hot dad.” ~ aj
“i know my husbands hot. i have a hot husband’ ~ grooms mother in response to our two days of laughter from the above
“ma’m, this is illegal. you can’t buy liquor before 7am” ~ old mean lady at 6:52 am (trying to buy cute bottles of wine for the newly weds)
“sorry, i’m from oklahoma.” ~ bc
“this is OREGON”. ~ oml…thank you for the clarification, i was confused“so, what do i search for on google maps in my iphone? ” ~ hss looking for bachelorette stuff
“what does that mean?!” ~ bbh
marionberry. enough said.
“come up & visit me! it’s rodeo season & we have good looking young men. you can sleep in my horse trailor!’ ~ groom’s 75 yr old gma. i’m hopping on my trusty steed now.
the unknown hoops & yoyo card of congratulations given to the bride on the morning of the wedding. it said congratulations when i opened it, but a lot more hilarious things to the bride!
seeing my best friend in her wedding dress & knowing this was right.
“so funny story, i went to the bathroom at 2:30am & locked myself out” ~ hss due to our ‘european style lodge’
“what would you like for breakfast?” ~ waitress at mothers bistro
“what’s the special? ~ bc
“eggs benedict with crab crakes” ~ waitress
“yes, yes, i shall have that” ~ and that completed the second best vacation ever
things
so i feel like i’m doing this out of ‘holiday order’ buuuut oh well.
here are the most noteable things in my life in no particular order for 2009:
- went to the beach (alot)
- ran 6.2 miles many times
- first time to ride in an ambulance (not because of the above either)
- drove over the bay bridge (one of the last few)
- drove over the golden gate bridge
- found a way cool app called quadcam from lauren chandler of which I find myself just dying to capture God’s beauty & yet can only show you a glimpse of what i get to see from the air
- prayed and wept for a friend to become prego – she’s due jan 12th
- whitewater rafted with my lg
- two stepped many times -yeppers
- layed on the beach & thought ‘this is where all those magazine pics are taken’
- had a famous football player keynote one of my conferences & he signed something which what my bro is getting for christmas/bday. i can’t wait to see him smile.
- booked a ticket to portland
- saw lives changed at lifechurch.tv
- watched my kids (niece/nephew) grow up a little bit more.
- didn’t mean to, but kinda stalked matt trying to get a job – guess i’ll just enjoy the grape juice instead of serving it. ha!
- hanging out with my two best guys – justin & aaron.
- meeting random people on my trips
- running with angie (& lindz & timberly too)
- coffee dates all around
- girls night with jayci
- watching God develop our lg
- hanging out with the girls of lg
- sunday night dinners
- the wisdom of the dundees
- mexican with gwen
- realizing God has something more
- not owning a dog
- being single
- my parents moving back to the states
- coordinating the best conferences this association has had yet
- sushi in indy
- thursday afternoon ‘staff meetings’ at copelands
- being hugged by my niece & her begging to ride in my car
- a best friend becoming engaged
- 2 bf’s prego’s & marisa had jadeyn
- late nights with brie & cassie
- the rte 66 marathon relay – because i get to say the word marathon & i ran in the same sentence
- friends sharpening friends
- memorial day with nuni and mom
- sushi (and overall lunches) with malorie
- blackberry picking with amy & co
- riding a camel with lillie
- driving with my sunroof back
- singing hosanna at the top of my lungs while gazing at the sunrise on my way to work – just God & me times all around
i may add more later…these are just what were on the forefront. did we connect somewhere? what’s your favorite time together?
debs wedding
i’m actually writing this from 30,000 ft above ground. flying over the beautiful flat lands of nm & tx.
traveling back to tulsa from my aunts wedding. it was so lovely. and done in complete slovack/andrews fashion – parties everyday – all day.
i was the guest book signer. i’ve always enjoyed greeting people. since i sat down just before the bridesmaids walked in i sat towards the back. when the wedding march came on i guess i was expecting deb to come down solo or something – but i did not expect my uncle, who looks so much like papa, to be holding her arm. seeing them at that moment brought some tears.
the rest of the wedding was so meaningful & God given. my tears were mostly joy for them & 1% somber for myself.
i loved being with my crazy family too. i don’t know if it’s me growing up or what but family times keep meaning more & more as time goes.
Acts says that God foreknew the times and places the apostles were to be. i believe it’s true today for each of us as well. i am so incredibly blessed – beyond words – to live in tulsa. it becomes harder & harder though to leave my family with each trip.
while i’m where i’m at i want to accomplish all that God has for me. i don’t want to be dwelling in some fantasy of what could be. yet my desires are still here. i can’t ignore them or rationalize them. so i’ll do my best, because that’s all i can do, to do both – be & dream.
oh yes, and one more thing going for pueblo, i have more luck with the men there. yes, good trip all around. sempre fi.
weddings, love & all that jazz
Bethany B & Me @ Vintage - Eugene, OR
so I get this piece of mail (in an envelope & everything) from one of my bestest best bestestest friends ever, Ms. Bethany Brickman, yesterday. I open it up thinking it was a birthday card, but no, it was something better. It was a heart-felt, so-glad-you’re-my-friend, will you be my maid of honor card.
Generally, I don’t enjoy weddings. Not that I don’t think they are lovely, but there’s just something about them that makes me ancy. I once had a summer where only 2 weekends (April – Sept) were wedding free. I’ve been in 14 weddings (soon to be 17 by next May), been a bridesmaid 7 times out of that 17, and MOH (maid of honor) now 3 times out of that 7. I’ve been absolutely everything a girl could be in a wedding (minus the whole bride thing), and overall they are still lovely. I just get ancy.
Let me back up. I have quite a few best friends, but two of the ones that I call should my life fall apart are Bethany & Amy. You see, they give me two different reactions. I call Bethany if I need someone to shoot me straight & tell me the hard truth (like a good friend should). I call Amy if I need someone to help me rationalize the extremely poor decision I just made (also like a good friend should). I would literally give my life for either of these. Perhaps one day you’ll get to meet them.
So, I get this card (having a B on the front I thought it was so thoughtful of her to send it – then realized it was for her name 
) and honestly I was overwhelmed with joy but also a bit confused. You see Bethany had said there weren’t going to be any bridesmaids & such (even years ago!). No need to buy dresses so no one wastes their breathe saying ‘oh, and you can wear this over again!’, no having someone put green shadow on your face when obviously green has no business being a shadow color anyway, no need start praying months before that you don’t fall when walking down the aisle only to fall when standing on stage, and no need to stand on stage!
So I called Bethany & asked what was going on. She set me straight. She said it was just to honor me. That’s it. Nothing more. God bless this woman. But, Ms. Bethany Brickman, as MOH (or even if i wasn’t), should you need me to stand near you & hold your flowers or hold your dress while you go to the bathroom or start visualizing my aisle walk, or find coordinating dresses or slap that green eyeshadow out of your hand so there are no regrets – I will be here for you. Because you’ve always been here for me.
