May 26

What happened on your birthday? Go to Wikipedia, type in your birthday, but not the year, and select three events, births, and deaths that share that day with you.

Events (o.k., I couldn't pick)

1538 - Geneva expels John Calvin and his followers from the city. Calvin lives in exile in Strasbourg for the next three years. - John Calvin ... whoop, whoop.

1828 - Mysterious feral child Kaspar Hauser is discovered wandering the streets of Nuremberg. - Feral children are funny.

1865 - American Civil War: Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith, commander of the Confederate Trans-Mississippi division, is the last general of the Confederate Army to surrender, at Galveston, Texas. - Or so the North would have us believe ... Just kidding, I'm from a "Compromise State." I use a zip code (not a "Yankee Occupation Code").

1889 - Opening of the first Eiffel Tower elevator to the public. - Um, what did they do before the elevator?

2002 - The Mars Odyssey finds signs of huge water ice deposits on the planet Mars. - The possibility of aliens, even cooler than feral children.

Births

1907 - Rachel Carson, American environmental writer (d. 1964) - Silent Spring ... the tree-hugger in me loves this woman.

1907 - John Wayne, American actor (d. 1979). - The Quiet Man and McLintock are two of my favorite movies, where The Duke's genius is enabled by the fabulous (redheaded) Maureen O'Hara.

1971 - Matt Stone, American television producer. - South Park is one of the most brilliant commentaries on our contemporary culture (heck, they won a Peabody for it).

Deaths

604 - Augustine of Canterbury, Archbishop of Canterbury - Anglicans REPRESENT!

1995 - Friz Freleng, American animator (b. 1905) cartoonist for Looney Tunes. - I'm definitely more of a Disney girl than a Looney Tunes fan, but do you remember the short cartoon that used to run on Saturday mornings, between some of the Looney Tunes, about the circle, the squiggle, and the line? I loved that cartoon. The squiggle was all cool and played rock out music every time he'd appear, and the line was all boring, so the circle liked the squiggle better ... but you knew that the squiggle was no good and would lead her to a life of emotional abuse and hardship, never receiving the verbal affirmation she needed to achieve her hopes and dreams. And the squiggle would just sit on the couch and say that he was "an artist" and his free-spirit couldn't be squelched by a corporate job that might provide stability and happiness. So the circle works two jobs, including swing shift at a late-night diner, where she takes up smoking to allow for breaks, which pre-maturely ages her skin but doesn't fill the emptiness inside. So the squiggle takes her on Springer and confesses that he has fathered 7.5 children while she was working to support his lifestyle of Pabst and Cheetos (the .5 involves an unfortunate thyroid condition with #4 that has made him 120 lbs. at the age of 3), but he can't help being promiscuous, it is part of his "free spirit" ... he is a squiggle after all and that heavy metal music that follows him around can't help but encourage his ill behavior. Heavy metal music leads to a life of sloth and crime. It's science. So the circle leaves him, only to spiral into a pit of self-loathing and LSE (not London School of Economics, but low self-esteem), and ends up stealing spark plugs for the ceramic tips to use to smoke crack.
O.k. really, the line learns to bend and makes all of these cool geometric shapes that the circle can play in (he can surround her w/ his curves ... like a geometric hug, it is so sweet) and the squiggle gets a cramp and suddenly isn't so cool (plus, who wants all that messiness anyway, the line is so much more neat and orderly ... the metrosexual of the cartoon world). So the line gets the circle, even though maybe he should have kicked her to the curb for not seeing the potential in him all along? Although that is the thing about potential, we can only hang on to that hope for so long and then he's got to step up or step off (man, I should make t-shirts :).

1999 - Waldo Semon, American inventor (b. 1898), invented vinyl. - Like the pants? That's hot.

(Oh, and that's right, my 2nd Annual 29th Birthday is only 1 month away!)

The Anniversary

Well, by Dave's counting, Tuesday was our six-month anniversary. By my counting, it is next Monday. So we settled on celebrating last night. In similar fashion to my Valentine's Day invitation, I received an eVite letting me know that we were having dinner at the Melting Pot.

The first sweet thing Dave did was changing his clothes. Normally, this is would not be as endearing b/c he often changes out of his suit (which he looks extremely dapper in) and into his "World's Greatest Uncle" sweatshirt and track pants (not begrudging his greatest-uncleness ... just the sweatshirt :). I happened to see him a little bit before we left and his dress shirt and suit pants were horribly wrinkled from traveling and such. But for dinner he changed into a fresh shirt and pants. I know it sounds silly ... but it is the effort that matters. He thought ahead to dress in a manner I would find attractive (not that I don't find him attractive in his sweatshirt, b/c trust me, I DO :), but I appreciate that.

On the way to dinner, Dave presented me with this little bear from his trip to Nashville. If you can't tell, his t-shirt says "Snuggle With Someone From Vanderbilt." And I do ... and he's a bear ... so it is appropriate on a number of levels. Oh, and he also gave me a bar of dark Godiva chocolate (my favorite). I was in heaven and we weren't even at dinner, yet.

So we walked into the Melting Pot and it was pretty empty. He walked up to the host and gave his name for our reservation. I thought to myself "it doesn't look very crowded, you probably didn't need a reservation on a Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. ... but I'm actually rather impressed that he thought ahead to make one." (Again, appreciating the thought that went in to planning. You'll notice even the conversations in my head are long. :) Boy was I selling him short. They take us to this corner booth that is in a little cut-away (v. secluded) where there are BALLOONS at the table! One mylar w/ the Melting Pot logo on one side and "Happy Anniversary" on the other, and three latex (ha, I said "latex") balloons. AND they took a picture of us at dinner, printed it out, and had it in a little Melting Pot frame as a memento. It was all so wonderful. And the food was fabulous (I think Dave was able to enjoy it a little more than the first time we went, which was New Years Eve and he was so sick). It was also nice to just get to spend some time together since I had been out of town for the holiday, then he was out of town for work.

My favorite part of the whole evening, though, was when he said grace. I so appreciate that little time of prayer we share before each meal ... but last night was extra-special. Dave offered thanks for our safe travels, and the meal, and then for our relationship ... for the past six months. As many of you know, there have been some rough patches, including some concern about the six-month mark itself. So it made me that much more thankful to be sitting next to him in that booth, holding his hand, hearing him pray for our relationship. It meant a lot.

The evening was complete with a viewing of Somewhere in Time. For those who know Dave, you are aware of his somewhat disturbing fascination w/ this movie ... so it was about time I saw it. I'm fundamentally opposed to romance stories involving time-travel, but it was worth watching for the monologue Jane Seymour gives:

Elise: The man of my dreams is almost faded, now.

The one I have created in my mind. The sort of man, each woman dreams of in the most secret and deepest part of her heart.

I could almost see him now before me. What would I say to him if he were really here?

Forgive me, I've never known this feeling. I've lived without it all my life. Is it any wonder then I fail to recognize? You brought it to me for the first time. Is there anyway I can tell you how my life has change? Anyway at all, to let you know what sweetness you have given me? There's so much to say...And I can't find the words except for these...I love you.

That is what I say to him if he were really here.

Wow. I love the line "Forgive me, I've never know this feeling ... Is it any wonder then I fail to recognize?" It makes me think about how when we were younger, love in relationships seemed so simple. So easy to give and receive ... to fall in and out of. Yet in hindsight, was that even really love? As an adult, what would love look like? Would I recognize it since it has been so long? More importantly, do I know what it must look like to be worthy of my heart in return?

I know men complain that women have inflated expectations and a distorted view of romance because of smut novels and sappy romantic movies. However, I think there are many women who err on the opposite side and settle of less than they deserve b/c they would rather be with someone than be alone. That breaks my heart. My friend Molly said that you need to be with someone who respects and adores you. Adoration is something many of us struggle to accept, much less expect ... yet we should. Molly said that was what she loved about her parent's relationship, the way her dad adores her mother. Molly is very wise. :) It isn't that couples don't fight or have disagreements, or even not want to be around each other sometimes ... but at the end of the day there is no one they would rather share it all with. I am always amazed watching my own parents and how the are such good friends. After 30+ years of marriage, they still think the other is the "bees knees."

Another beautiful aspect of the movie was the location. The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island looks just like it did in the movie (and when it was built in 1887). I want to visit ... they even have a Somewhere In Time weekend! Oh, and the movie has its own dedicated fan club, reported:

Of all the movies ever made though, it is one of only two that has a fan club dedicated to its preservation and enjoyment. The fan club, which is known as INSITE (for International Network of Somewhere In Time Enthusiasts) publishes an extremely high quality quarterly journal and holds several events during the year to commemorate the members' love for the movie and its cast.

I haven't been able to prove it yet, but I'm pretty sure James (Dave's partner-in-crime) is a member :)

Thanks for the wonderful anniversary, Dave.

The Difference Between Men and Women

Let's say a guy named Roger is attracted to a woman named Elaine. He asks her out to a movie; she accepts; they have a pretty good time.

A few nights later he asks her out to dinner, and again they enjoy themselves. They continue to see each other regularly, and after a while neither one of them is seeing anybody else. And then, one evening when they're driving home, a thought occurs to Elaine, and, without really thinking, she says it aloud: "Do you realize that, as of tonight, we've been seeing each other for exactly six months?"

And then there is silence in the car. To Elaine, it seems like a very loud silence. She thinks to herself: I wonder if it bothers him that I said that? Maybe he's been feeling confined by our relationship; maybe he thinks I'm trying to push him into some kind of obligation that he doesn't want, or isn't sure of.

And Roger is thinking: Gosh. Six months.

And Elaine is thinking: But, hey, I'm not so sure I want this kind of relationship, either. Sometimes I wish I had a little more space, so I'd have time to think about whether I really want us to keep going the way we are, moving steadily toward ... I mean, where are we going? Are we just going to keep seeing each other at this level of intimacy? Are we heading toward marriage? Toward children? Toward a lifetime together? Am I ready for that level of commitment? Do I really even know this person?

And Roger is thinking: So, that means it was ... let's see ... February when we started going out, which was right after I had the car at the dealer's, which means ... let me check the odometer ... Whoa! I am way overdue for an oil change here.

And Elaine is thinking: He's upset. I can see it on his face. Maybe I'm reading this completely wrong. Maybe he wants more from our relationship, more intimacy, commitment; maybe he has sensed, even before I sensed it, that I was feeling some reservations. Yes, I bet that's it. That's why he's so reluctant to say anything about his own feelings. He's afraid of being rejected.

And Roger is thinking: And I'm going to have them look at the transmission again. I don't care what those morons say, it's still not shifting right. And they better not try to blame it on the cold weather this time. What cold weather? It's 87 degrees and this thing is shifting like a garbage truck, and I paid those incompetent thieves $600.

And Elaine is thinking: He's angry. And I don't blame him. I'd be angry, too. I feel so guilty, putting him through this, but I can't help the way I feel. I'm just not sure.

And Roger is thinking: They'll probably say it's only a 90-day warranty ...

And Elaine is thinking: Maybe I'm just too idealistic, waiting for a knight to come riding up on his white horse, when I'm sitting right next to a perfectly good person, a person I enjoy being with, a person I truly do care about, a person who seems to truly care about me. A person who is in pain because of my self-centered, school girl romantic fantasy.

And Roger is thinking: They want a warranty? I'll give them a warranty. I'll take their warranty and stick it right up their ...

"Roger," Elaine says aloud.

"What?" says Roger.

"Please don't torture yourself like this," she says, her eyes beginning to brim with tears. "Maybe I should never have ... Oh God, I feel so ... (She breaks down, sobbing.)

"What?" says Roger.

"I'm such a fool," Elaine sobs. "I mean, I know there's no knight. I really know that. It's silly. There's no knight, and there's no horse."

"There's no horse?" says Roger.

"You think I'm a fool, don't you?" Elaine says.

"No!" says Roger, glad to finally know the correct answer.

"It's just that ... it's that I ... I need some time," Elaine says.

There is a 15-second pause while Roger, thinking as fast as he can, tries to come up with a safe response. Finally he comes up with one that he thinks might work. "Yes," he says.

Elaine, deeply moved, touches his hand. "Oh, Roger, do you really feel that way?" she says. "What way?" says Roger. "That way about time," says Elaine.

"Oh," says Roger. "Yes." Elaine turns to face him and gazes deeply into his eyes, causing him to become very nervous about what she might say next, especially if it involves a horse. At last she speaks.

"Thank you, Roger," she says. "Thank you," says Roger. Then he takes her home, and she lies on her bed, a conflicted, tortured soul, and weeps until dawn.

When Roger gets back to his place, he opens a bag of Doritos, turns on the TV, and immediately becomes deeply involved in a rerun of a tennis match between two Czechoslovakians he never heard of. A tiny voice in the far recesses of his mind tells him that something major was going on back there in the car, but he is pretty sure there is no way he would ever understand what, and so he figures it's better if he doesn't think about it.

The next day Elaine will call her closest friend, or perhaps two of them, and they will talk about this situation for six straight hours. In painstaking detail, they will analyze everything she said and everything he said, going over it time and time again, exploring every word, expression, and gesture for nuances of meaning, considering every possible ramification. They will continue to discuss this subject, off and on, for weeks, maybe months, never reaching any definite conclusions, but never getting bored with it, either.

Meanwhile, Roger, while playing racquetball one day with a mutual friend of his and Elaine's, will pause just before serving, frown, and say, "did Elaine ever own a horse?"

... And that's the difference between men and women ...

Happy Easter!

Easter is my favorite holiday. I know, I know ... it bucks the Christmas trend, and I'm not saying I don't love that holiday as well, but Easter will always be my favorite. In fact, when my parents told me "about Santa" I wasn't upset, but I started crying when I realized the ramifications it had for the Easter Bunny.

I love the Easter story. From the Last Supper, to the Garden, to the Trial and Crucifixion ... all leading up to the Resurrection. Every year it breaks my heart and convicts my spirit, but you know that it has a glorious ending. There is such hope and joy ... it is the holiday that celebrates what Christianity is all about. I love sharing this celebration with family - if not my family at home, then my church family. It also ties in to my love for the liturgy, but I’ll have to say that for another post.

The Easter Bunny still comes to our house. We used to each have a basket that we set out on the couch the night before. Next to it we would lay our new Easter dresses, shoes, bonnets, and even the ruffled socks. When we woke up in the morning, there would be a trail of chocolate eggs or bubble gum eggs, or some such candy that led from our bedroom to the appropriate basket. Sometimes the trails got a little jumbled in the hallway, but we would try to be fair when divvying out the candy (fair being that I got all the Cadbury Eggs :). Then, our baskets would be full of Easter goodness! A hollow chocolate bunny (hollow is important ... they taste better), plastic eggs full of candy, and usually a little gift. And then the hunt was on ... candy-filled plastic eggs were hidden all over the house, usually in a lot of shoes – always in our Easter shoes and usually in Dad’s boots, which we always thought was hilarious of the Easter bunny. When we were really young, we’d then go over to my grandparent’s house and they’d have an outdoor hunt, I think using the old-school died eggs. One way or another, one year my brother put one of those eggs in his jacket pocket. The next Easter when he put on the jacket, he pulled it out of the pocket, said “Hey, where’d this come from?” and promptly broke it – creating the worse stench I’ve ever encountered. Lesson: note where you hide your Easter eggs and make sure they are all accounted for.

Our family gatherings are centered around food and “visiting.” Talking while making food, talking while eating food, talking while re-heating food for between-meal snacks. Eating until you’ll burst, then napping to create more room. On my dad’s side of the family, it is about the lima beans and deviled eggs. I know these might not be the most exciting side-items to most, but oh my does my family know how to prepare them! My grandma used to make the most amazing lima beans at every family gathering. Lima beans and sweet tea. These items passed down with relative ease.

However, the deviled eggs are a different story. My Aunt Gloria makes the most amazing deviled eggs, but none of us can duplicate them. She is one of those “a pinch of this” and “a dash of that” and “to taste.” WHO COOKS LIKE THAT? I am too Type A, I want exact measurements. Plus, it is cooks like that that make the system break down because we can’t replicate (we have a similar problems w/ my maternal grandmother’s coffee cake). Uggghhh. Others can achieve a B, maybe B+ deviled eggs, but Aunt Gloria makes A++. We don’t assign her any other cooking duties, lest they detract from her deviled-egg making. My favorite is on Easter when we make them out of the dyed eggs, so some of the color has bleed past the shells and makes the eggs so festive!

I suppose I should mention that some would also add egg noodles to this list of family meal necessities. Ehhh. Oh, my mom also makes an amazing apple pie. My mom makes a lot of amazing things; I get my love of baking from her. It may not be one of the traditional five, but food is definitely one of my family’s love languages. :)

Below is a picture of what I love the most about being home. These are the windows in my parent’s living room. Outside of these windows is a view of our front yard and pond. There are beautiful flowers that my mother has painstakingly landscaped and trees that my dad has planted over the years (much to my mother’s chagrin, since she is the one who has to mow around them). I sleep on this couch when I’m home (also to my mother’s chagrin, since we have so many “perfectly nice” bedrooms) so that I can wake up to this sunlight and this view. Growing up, this house was an earth home (again, another story) so we didn’t get much sunlight. So when we rebuilt the house (after it burned down) we went heavy on the windows. I LOVE natural light. I know you can’t make anything out from this picture (taken w/ my camera phone). I’ll have to get some pictures of the view in the future, but just know that to me - this is a picture of happiness!



Hope you got to spend this blessed holiday with those you love.

Blush and Bashful

As I was trying to pick a font color to distinguish my comments in the previous entry, I realized that I have an inordinate amount of pink on my blog. I mean, don't get me wrong ... I love pink, but I think I may need to diversify my palate beyond variations on pink. It reminded me of the dialogue from one of my favorite movies, Steel Magnolias:

Truvy: What are your colors Shelby?

Shelby: My colors are blush and bashful.

M'Lynn: Her colors are pink and pink.

Shelby: My colors are blush and bashful . . . I have chosen two very different shades of pink; one is much deeper than the other. Pink is my signature color.

M'Lynn: Looks like the whole sanctuary was hosed down in Pepto Bismol.

For those who grew up in the 80s

Many of you will be too young to reminisce, but these brought back many fond memories for me. Just be glad I didn't include pictures as evidence.

1. You have ever ended a sentence with the word "SIKE."

2. You can sing the rap to the "Fresh Prince of BelAir" and can do the "Carlton."

3. Girls wore biker shorts under their skirts and felt stylishly sexy. - I went through a phase where I wore biker shorts under everything - skirts, dresses (instead of hose), and boxer shorts (b/c trust me, it was cool to wear boxers as shorts). Mom and I actually almost threw down over biker shorts when I wanted to wear them under my prom dress my freshman year. Additionally, my most grand and blatant act of disobedience was to sneak boxers to school. While other girls were sneaking on make-up or short skirts, my big scandal was boxer shorts. My mom said that men's underwear was not proper school attire. She also had sewn shut the fly on all of my pairs, even though I was wearing the aforementioned biker shorts underneath them. But I had this Mizzou pair I loved so much, so I changed into them when I got to school! It is amazing I didn't follow down a slippery slope to crack-whoredom.

4. Two words: Hammer Pants.

5. You wore a ponytail on the side of your head. - I plead the 5th.

6. You made your mom buy one of those clips that would hold your shirt in a knot on the side.

7. You wore stonewashed Jordache jean jackets and were proud of it. - I had this stonewashed jean jacket with white leather fridge along the back and down the arms ... it was wicked-cool.

8. L.A. Gear. Need I say more?

9. You remember reading "Tales of a fourth grade nothing" and all the Ramona books. - I loved the Henry and Ribsy books (when Ramona was just Beatrice's annoying little sister) and the Boxcar Children. But on the topic of Judy Blume, be aware that just because a child likes Superfudge doesn't mean she should read everything Blume writes (as my friend Kristina and I learned the hard way with Ara's copy of Forever).

10. You know the profound meaning of "WAX ON, WAX OFF."

11. You ever wore fluorescent clothing (some of us...head-to-toe).

12. You can remember what Michael Jackson looked like before his nose fell off and his cheeks shifted.

13. You still get the urge to say "NOT" after every sentence.

14. You ever owned a pair of Jelly-Shoes (and probably in neon colors, too). - I wore some jellies, but mostly "dobeys," which were what we called the generic versions of Keds. However, Dollar General was best store in town for both ... yet that was the place we would reference when trying to be mean. Lots of "Oh yeah, well your mom shops at Dollar General" or "You shop at Aldi's," which is ridiculous now b/c I would love to have the chance to shop at those stores now ... save a little money. :)

15. After you saw Pee-Wee's Big Adventure you kept saying "I know you are, but what am I?"

16. You remember "I've fallen and I can't get up." - I still think it is funny.

17. You remember going to the skating rink before there were inline skates. - Oh, the glorious birthday parties at the skating rink! Two words = "couples skate."

18. You ever got seriously injured on a Slip and Slide. - Even greater liability risk ... Lawn Darts!

19. You have ever played with a Skip-It.

20. You had or attended a birthday party at McDonalds. - Oh, the glorious birthday parties at McDonalds. Orange drink and the clothespin drop game? Classic.

21. You've gone through this nodding your head in agreement.

22. "Don't worry, be happy." - I remember having a t-shirt that said this. I got it from Santa Claus with a pair of PePe jeans ... I scored BIG that Christmas. :)

23. You wore like, EIGHT pairs of socks over tights with high top Reeboks. - We couldn't afford "everyday" Reeboks, but I convinced my dad that my basketball shoes needed to be high top Reeboks, and then I would sneak and wear them off the court. :)

24. You wore socks scrunched down (and sometimes still do...getting yelled at by "younger hip" members of the family). - Yes, I was a little slower than I should have been ending that trend ... thanks Jena!

25. You remember boom boxes. - In fourth grade I wanted this pink boom box from the JCPenney Christmas catalog (dual tape decks ... it rocked). Mom wanted me to write a letter to Santa to play along w/ my little brother and sister. So I went through the motions, composing a matter of fact request of Santa, including a description of the boom box and the catalog page number. My mom then proceeded to submit the letter w/ my brother and sister's letters to the local paper (yes, that is what small town papers do ... print kids’ letters to Santa). I was mortified, but my classmates were amused. And it isn't like fourth graders are mean or anything ...

26. You remember Alf, the lil furry brown alien from Melmac. - Yeah, I remember that he wasn't funny!

27. You remember New Kids on the Block when they were cool. - Ohmygosh, I loved the New Kids. Had the privilege of attending two New Kids concerts (a pretty big deal for a junior higher). The first was at the State Fair, before I even knew who they were. We had track seats (standing on the track, next to the stage) and someone using a lighter accidentally ignited my hair. The second was near the end of their career (just before they became NKOTB) at the old Busch Stadium, next to the last row from the top. I was in love w/ Jonathan, Jordan's older brother, who I now know (thanks to VH1's "Where Are They Now") suffered from severe performance anxiety. What a trooper to solider on for all of those screaming adolescent girls. :) I got a Jonathan Knight pillowcase for my birthday one year ... it was fabulous.

28. You know all the words to Bon Jovi - SHOT THROUGH THE HEART.

29. You just sang those words to yourself. - Bon Jovi represents about half of my young life soundtrack ... all of the best school dance memories involved trying to put your hands in each other's back pockets during the slow dances, with Bon Jovi playing in the background. Of course the final song of the dance would always be "I've Had the Time of My Life."

30. You remember watching Magic vs. Bird.

31. Homemade Levi shorts (the shorter the better). - My favorite pair of homemade shorts was a pair of cut-off Levis with this big rip across the butt, behind which I sewed a red bandana. Oh my gosh they were too cool. Of course I'd wear them with biker shorts underneath. :)

32. You remember when mullets were cool! - Dude, in my hometown people STILL have mullets. I definitely dated a guy w/ a mullet back in the day. I don't so much remember them being "cool" in and of themselves, but most of the wrestling team had them and wrestlers rocked! I do remember guys w/ curly hair wearing it short but then having that little row of curls at the base of their hairline in back. In fact, I think there were guys who, if they didn't have curly hair, would perm that to get the look.

33. You had a mullet! - NOT! But I definitely had bell head from cutting my hair too short for its thickness (I had triangle hair like the women in the Dilbert cartoon). Actually, when I got all my hair cut off in 4th grade, we permed the back so that I essentially had "business up front and a party in the back" ... thank goodness it was too short to be considered a mullet.

34. You still sing "We are the World."

35. You tight rolled your jeans. - You KNOW it. Still waiting for that to come back around.

36. You owned a banana clip. - My hair was too thick to work in one of those ... but I definitely had scrunchies to match every outfit.

37. You remember "Where's the Beef?"

38. You used to (and probably still do) say "What you talkin' about Willis?" - Especially since befriending Carl & Shayna.

39. You had big hair and you knew how to use it. - BANGS. Big bangs are where it was at! The poof-ball thing on the front of your head ... who thought that was a good idea? Sometimes at a football game a strong wind would catch one of those things and send it flying backward onto the top of a girl's head, but then it would come back down looking the same b/c of all of the hairspray. Again, still a hairstyle in my hometown.

40. You're still singing shot through the heart in your head, aren't you!!!

Another Personality Profile

Nope. Shayna had this test on her site. This was definitely my first choice, but I don't think it is a very good description. "Shy on the outside?" HELLLLO? Have you met me? The adaptable part is true, but the "blend into your surroundings" makes it sound like I am a wallflower. I'm sure that I sometimes judge others too harshly (don't we all), but I try to keep it in my head. Unless it is the Miss Missouri pageant and I'm watching it with my cousin Carli (verybestfriendinthewholeworld™), b/c if Miss Moberly is going to wear an evening gown that looks like she made it from her drapes (and not in the cool Scarlett O'Hara way) then she deserves all the ridicule we can muster.

My second choice was the picture Shayna picked, and I think that profile was closer (http://shaynawillis.blogspot.com/2006/04/lucky-me.html). Thoughts? Opinions? True-life-stories?

Your Personality Profile

You are pure, moral, and adaptable.You tend to blend into your surroundings.Shy on the outside, you're outspoken to your friends. You believe that you live a virtuous life...And you tend to judge others with a harsh eye.As a result, people tend to crave your approval.

The World's Shortest Personality Test

This is a little funny b/c I had a dream last night about a two-question Theology Personality test, similar to the two-question ENNEAGRAM Test (http://www.okcupid.com/tests/take?testid=12721960859055255705) that we all took (my results are in a previous post). The impetus for the dream is rather sad (for which I would petition your prayers) but the premise was that there was a red string and a blue string, and you would answer the two questions and then follow the string and see what category you ended up in. Of course I can't remember what the questions entailed. :)

Cherry Bloooosssssommmmms*





























What a wonderful weekend. The weather was beautiful, the blossoms were in full bloom, and the tourists were crawling all over every inch of the city (although somehow they are more tolerable when spring has sprung and the humidity of summer hasn't hit yet ... maybe b/c everyone smells better). Oh, and it seems the blossoms taste good too ...

Dave's sister, brother-in-law, and baby niece came up for the weekend. OH MY GOODNESS, baby Abbie is the sweetest thing ever. She can melt your heart with her little smile, and when it is time to change her, she even helps with diaper-access by kicking up her leg.

*To understand how that headline is supposed to sound, listen to this pronunciation of "possums" and deduce (http://www.hrwiki.org/mirror/sb_possums.mp3).