Friday Facts

I am going to interrupt my Wish List posts for some Friday Facts... the continuation of my Wish List will be back next time.

Fact: I love Fridays!  I know everyone loves Fridays, but here is why I love them:

a) I let my self “sleep in” til 7 a.m. instead of my usual 6 a.m.

b) I get to wear jeans to work.

c) The promise of the weekend is ahead!

Fact: I’m obsessed with piano music lately… it’s all I want to listen to.  My favorite?  Hymns.  I know that makes me sound like a 90-year-old woman, but I don’t care.  The other day I admitted to loving these dishes:

So if you take into consideration my love of hymns, my desire to own these dishes and the fact that cardigan sweaters make up roughly 40% of my wardrobe… one might think I need to go join the Red Hat Society at my local senior center.  And I will… just give me another 50 years.  They are some classy ladies those Red Hat Society members. 

Fact: I don’t curl my hair.  Everyone seems to think I wake up at an ungodly hour of the morning to curl my hair each day.  That is false.  A hair dryer and round brush is all I use. 

Fact:  “Oh the Places You’ll Go” by Dr. Seuss may be my favorite book. You should read it... people think I'm kidding, but I really, really love the message of this book.  I think it was secretly written for young adults. 

Fact: Speaking of books I’m currently reading a biography on the Royal family.  Embarrassing as it is to admit, the Royal Wedding sparked my curiosity about these people.  Months before the wedding when it was all over the media, I was completely irritated that everyone cared so much what Kate was wearing, who was invited and what flowers they selected for the church… but then once I watched the wedding, I realized what an interesting, historical event it was, and wanted to know more about the family’s history.  So I checked out a couple library books.  They’re very interesting!  Although I will say I’m surprised by the amount of drama in that family…

Fact: I have been spoiled by free manicures every two weeks for the past couple months.  My friend Jenn’s family owns a nail polish company, and I get to be a product tester for them, so that means free manicures!  I love it.  I do not look forward to the day it ends.

Wish List: Simplicity and Growth

In continuation of yesterday’s wish list, today I’m going to write about two more things that I want in life. 

#2 I want to live a simple life.

I don’t want to be attached to a blackberry, I care very little about having the “latest thing” whatever it may be, and I would be perfectly content without a TV in my home.  I want to read lots of books and have lots of meaningful conversations… I want to take long walks (I suppose I’d have to relocate out of Cincinnati for that one…), I want to wake up early and watch the sunrise and I want to laugh a lot.    

#3 I want to always continue to learn and grow.

Whether it’s learning to cook new recipes, learning to play the piano or reading lots of medical articles and freaking myself out…  I always want to be expanding my knowledge. 

Wish List

Over the next several posts I’m going to write about things that I want.  Not things that I want in a demanding or selfish way, but more like things that I strive after in life.  I wrote a list in my journal of 10 things that I hope to have, do, or continue to do over the course of my life and I will introduce them one or two at a time over several blog entries.  They will be in random order… not in order of importance whatsoever, lest anyone think my priorities are out of line. 

#1 I want to see the world

I have had the privilege of visiting several countries outside the US.  One was for a study-abroad trip and the other two were for missions trips. But that only left me wanting to see more! I want to see more or Europe, I want to go to New Zealand, I want to hold orphans in Africa, I want to go to Israel and walk the streets that Jesus walked, I want to float in the Dead Sea, I want to go on a Mediterranean cruise, and I want to lie on the beach in Belize.  I dream of seeing/doing these, among so many other things, and I want to do them alongside people I love.  Unrealistic?  Possibly… but a girl can dream…

Blue and White

I am currently obsessed with all things blue and white.

Like these dishes:

And this bedding:

and this dress:

I want a house so that I can decorate a room entirely in blue and white.  I want to fill my closet with blue and white clothes... although I'm sure I'd regret that one as soon as this phase ends... 

I had an extremely fun weekend.... which I will post pictures of as soon as I steal them from Jenn. Tonight I'm having dinner with some relatives from out of town and I'm looking forward to it. It will be a bright spot on this cold and rainy Monday.  

Friday Facts...Again

I think I like organizing my thoughts in list form on Fridays.  I've had very busy, full weeks lately and making a list at the end of the week is easier than trying to write a whole post that flows together nicely.

Fact: I am extremely excited to spend this weekend celebrating Adrienne and Nick's upcoming wedding!  Tomorrow afternoon is Adrienne's wedding shower, and tomorrow evening is her bachelorette party.  I can't wait to celebrate with a number of my favorite girls.  I won't give away any of the details on here in case Adrienne is reading... but it's going to be fun :)

Fact: I am spending my Friday night doing laundry and could not be more thrilled.  I have been so busy... I cannot explain to you how wonderful it is to spend the evening in sweats, organizing the craziness of my living space.

Fact: Next week I am going to the Children's Hospital Celestial Ball. I think it's going to be a good time. What girl wouldn't be excited to wear a beautiful dress and be taken to a ball?

Fact:  For memorial day weekend I am going to Nashville.  This month has been amazing so far, and is only going to get better with all of these exciting things to look forward to.

Fact: As proud as I am of myself for refusing to ever go to a tanning bed again... sunless tanner is just not the same.  Not. the. same.

Fact: My parents celebrated their 26 anniversary this week.  I am very grateful to have parents who still love each other after 26 years.

Fact: I think Anthropologie has the greatest catalogs.  I don't even particularly like their clothes (although I do like the eclectic dishes and house-ware stuff they have)... but I LOVE their catalog.  The pictures are awesome and the writing is even good.  There was a page that I ripped out and hung in my cubicle that was a painting of abstract, summery things, with this quote on it:

"If I could dream up the perfect summer day, it would be a combination of time and place. I would be able to move around from Long Island Sound to Harlem, from when I was younger to now, with people who are here, and those who are no longer."

I think I agree with whoever said that... well, excluding the Harlem part... Harlem probably wouldn't be included in my perfect summer day... but the combination of time and place... absolutely.  I think I could write an entire post about this quote detailing exactly what times and which places would be a part of my perfect summer day.  I think I'll write that post one of these days.


Well, there's this weeks facts.  I'm off to put in another load of laundry and then probably go to bed.  I'm wild tonight. Simply wild.

Mended

Every so often I hear a song that really moves me.  I was listening to my go-to Pandora station (Kari Jobe) this week while I worked, and I heard this song by Watermark. It's called Mended and the words really spoke to me.  I wish I could post a video so you could hear the song, but it isn't on youtube.  It's worth posting the lyrics though. I bolded some of my favorite parts. 



You repair all that we have torn apart and
You unveil a new beginning in our hearts and
We stand grateful for all that has been left behind and
All that goes before us

You've got all things suspended
All things connected
Nothing was forgotten
'Cause your love is perfect
You are our healer
And you know what's broken
And we're not a mystery to you
to you, oh Lord, to you

We will dance 'cause you restore the wasted years and
You will sing over all our coming fears and
We'll stand grateful for all that has been left behind and all that goes before us

You've got all things suspended
All things connected
Nothing was forgotten
'Cause your love is perfect
You are our healer
And you know what's broken
And we're not a mystery to you
to you, oh Lord, to you
Lord, you mend the breech
And you break every fetter
You give us your best, for what we thought was better
And you are to be praised
You are to be praised 

You are to be praised
You are to be praised
You are to be praised

You've got all things suspended
All things connected
Nothing was forgotten
'Cause your love is perfect
You are our healer
And you know what's broken
And we're not a mystery to you
to you, oh Lord, to you

Meet My Best Friends

I figured since I talk about my friends in a lot of my posts, I should formally introduce them to those of you who don't know them.  I have to start by saying that I am blessed with more wonderful, close friendships than any one girl deserves.  I have way more than my fair share in the best friend department.  First, we have RAAWKS. I realize that RAAWKS is about as cheesy an acronym as you can get... but that's entirely the point.  We are Renee, Adrienne, Allison, Kristen (me), Whitney, and Shannon.  Anytime we go out to dinner together we tell the hostess that the last name is Raawks, and try to do it with a straight face.  I can never do it without laughing.  Allison and Shannon are champs at keeping their game face on. I have known most of these girls for over 10 years, because we went to elementary, middle and high school together.  We have remained close since high school graduation, despite being scattered around the country.

This is all of us at Renee's wedding shower about a year ago.  From left to right we have Shannon, me, Renee, Adrienne, Allison, and Whitney. 

Next, we have my college friends. We were roommates and all in the same sorority.  Basically these girls have been my family for the past five years... living together bonds you in a way nothing else can.  Between the 9 of us, we had two residences, but we went back and forth between the two constantly.  We did everything together and had the time of our lives during our college years.  We're scattered all over the country... well globe really...in December we were scattered to four different continents!  Keeping in touch isn't always easy, but it's worth putting the effort into to keep these friendships alive.  

(Left to right: Amy, Alyssa C, Savannah, Becca, me, Laci, Alyssa S, Elyna, & Danielle)

This is us at Thanksmas.  A holiday we made up that takes place between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Since we all had to part ways for holiday breaks, the week between Thanksgiving break and Christmas break, we cooked a giant holiday dinner and exchanged gifts.  It may be my favorite holiday.  

So there they are!  My beautiful best friends :)