Friday, January 7, 2011

accolades and the girl God made

i won an award in the fifth grade, but i passed it up. i had to read a paper over the intercom, and my anxieties over my stutter forced me to give up the title (and a trip to the local theme park). you can read about it here.

but today it's different. i wish i could go back. to that little school in the middle of the country. with its trailers outside and cafeteria that smelled like cookies and chicken pie. to reclaim that prize and speak, even if slow and strained, over the loud speaker.

thankfully, my sweet blogger friends have given me the opportunity to receive another kind of award, and i'll accept it with humility, grace and appreciation! the best part? i can type my answers! 

the sweet, beautiful grace from loving life, the awesome in my tennis shoes, super talented bethani of when a girl met a boy, and the adventerous, fun ana from the world through my eyes sweetly gave me the stylish blogger award.




for a girl who still wears flared jeans and sometimes scrunchies (i dare you to find a better hold with a regular hair tie), this award truly touches my heart, so thank you. please go check out grace's blog. she is kind, funny, and honest about juggling school, work and being a girl in general. 

in my tennis shoes is a daily stop for me! the way she writes about her family and faith is so inspiring and refreshing.

bethani is my new favorite pen pal:) just got your letter, sweet friend! made my day, i tell you.

and ana is the epitome of cool and fun. did you know she made an impromptu trip to the big apple to watch the ball drop on new year's eve? head over to her blog and read about her fun adventure and her sweet grandpa!

i hereby tag:

1. angie, from living aloha
2. dawn, from puzzle pieces
3.    thisisme, from southhamsdarling
4.    amy, from a daring little life
5.    haley k, from LIFE is sweet...
6. jessica, from heart on homestead
7. diana smith, from the smith circle

all fabulous, beautiful bloggers that i want to learn more about. simply answer seven questions about yourselves, ladies, then pass the award on to more bloggers. i chose to honor seven.

so, seven things about me:

1. i am a child of God. i remember visiting my friend's church in middle school, and everyone went around in a circle and prayed a little prayer out loud. mine was something simple, like "thank you for this day and for always being there for me." but one girl said something i'll never forget. she said, "Lord, help me walk in a way worthy of being called your child." before my feet hit the wood floor every morning, i try to breathe up this prayer toward the ceiling, toward a God who hears me, understands me, and listens.

2. i love the circus. with an unmatched, unexplainable passion and fervor. the first thing i did with my christmas money? buy two front row seats for me and robert to the ringling brothers and barnum & bailey circus coming in february. front row, friends! there's just something nostalgic and beautiful about the circus. has anyone seen the movie big fish? you know the scene when ewan mcgregor first enters the circus ring and sees karl the giant? the whole scene just embodies the 1920s. it's magical, a little mystical, and just astonishing.

3. speaking of big fish, i had a sit-down interview with daniel wallace, the author who wrote the book on which the movie was based, for my college journalism final project. in his classroom at unc chapel hill. he told me about the saddest moment in his life, things he wished he could have changed, and why he wrote the book. it was the best interview i ever did. i aced the project.

4. robert and i are high school sweethearts. we got married exactly five years from our first date. total, we've been together seven years. that's not to say that our romance was perfect, or is to this day. but its those imperfections, those little arguments and big make ups that make it life...make it real.



5. i keep my hand lotion in the fridge. try it.

6. until my sister moved away to college, we had a life-sized cardboard cutout of tom cruise in our bedroom. for about 10 years. it was of him talking on the phone, in a scene from jerry mcguire. it scared all my high school friends.

7. one of my favorite movies is wild hearts can't be broken. i was a bit sad to hear that sonora carver, the woman the movie is based on, didn't care for the way her story was portrayed. i just finished her book, "a girl and five brave horses," to hear her side. both are fantastic. she dove horses off the atlantic city pier in the 1920s-1930s. there's so much more to it than that, but go read the book!

-----
so now you know a little more about me. thank you for not making me say these things out loud. this is better than a trip to the theme park, hands down.

28 comments:

Casey said...

Awww.. I love this! :) AND I can't believe that you are still wearing scrunchies! ROFL :)

Congratulations, you deserve it!!!

xo,
Casey
www.blondebargainbabe.com

Unknown said...

haha so glad you love that movie - becuase i was trying to remember the name of that movie the other day and just couldn't for the life of me.

so glad you love the award and the letter - i'll be replying to yours soon. well as soon as i go get some goodies from the craft store.

xoxo,
Bethani

Dawn said...

Oh I loved getteing to know you a bit better through this post.
I KNOW! Don't you wish you could go back to those little moments in your life????

(Thanks for the tag:)

Jenni Austria Germany said...

you are so pretty! and i watched that movie all the time when i was little!

jeanette from everton terrace said...

That was fun. Can't say I'm a circus fan. I never feel like the animals are well cared for, I just feel like they don't want to be there, I'm the same with zoos, I am so sad when I leave. I remember that movie - years ago now but I did like it. Lotion in the fridge sounds like heaven here in Phoenix during the summer, totally going to try that one!

Southhamsdarling said...

I love these posts, when we get to know a little more about our blogging friends. Wow, there in your little list was the name of my Blog. Seriously, I am so thrilled, especially as it was given by you. Your writing is so beautiful, and you have a very wise head on young shoulders. Loved the photos. Thank you again for my wonderful Award!

Pia said...

Congratulations on the award! :)

The Tom Cruise cardboard cutout made me laugh. How did you get that?!
I love the picture of you - so pretty!

Diana Smith said...

That is so cute that you guys are high school sweethearts!! That is really cute and romantic! True love is hard to come by and I can see it in you guys!

Dee Paulino said...

How funny, I gave you the same award about two hours after you posted this. I was so looking forward to reading your 7 facts :)

Congratulations on the award & have a nice weekend pretty lady!

Unknown said...

What a great batch of fun facts about you!! Congrats on your award!! That's lovely! You deserve it - your writing is so beautiful! Happy Friday! Have a lovely weekend!!

Amber said...

lotion in the fridge? thats weird but i can overlook it :)

Emily said...

Awards are always fun so congratulations! I also enjoyed reading all your little things about you and want to say I love that you put #1 and that your faith is such a big part of you. Annd #5 I will most definitly have to try that!

● C E L I N A ● said...

Oh my gosh! I just was blog hopping and landed here.

WILD HEARTS CAN'T BE BROKEN, was my FAVORITE move for years... oh how I love that film.

Happy Friday!

Jessica said...

Aww! Thank you for the award!!! Sorry I'm just now getting to reading, I swear, this week has dragged on forever!

Crazy Shenanigans-JMO said...

Congrats on the award!! I'll have to check out some of those blogs!

Jadore-Fashion said...

Congrats! Awww...so love the post! So cute that you married you high school sweet heart!

Have a lovely weekend!
xoxo
stella
http://www.jadore-fashion.com/

Emily said...

Too cute! And congrats on the award. :)
xx.

Evie said...

oh my goodness! you are the most thoughtfull and sweet! thanks for your lovely comments!

Wild hearts can't be broken..... awesome!!! don't you love it when you find out that you're not the only one who loves old random movies! loved this one!! was such a sweet romance!

maybe you can help me get over my little bit of fear a/b the circus... it makes me a nervous wreck... i'd get so nervous for the performers that i couldn't enjoy it. i feel the same way a/b bull riding!

angie on maui said...

Hello sweet girl -

Thank you so much for this lovely award, for reading along and linking to my blog. I Heart You!

I'm so glad to have found your blog; I know I've mentioned this to you before, but honestly, I adore reading your posts and learning more about you through your beautiful words. I look forward to growing our blog-friendship. :) I know that sounds really cheesy, but I mean it! I am blessed to 'know' so many amazing souls through the art of blogging, it makes me really wish that I can meet all of you in person. Truly.

I hope you have a lovely weekend, friend. And thank you again for the blog award and blog love. :)

xo,
Angie

angie on maui said...

P.S. - I am *SO* trying the hand-lotion-in-the-refrigerator-trick! I do that with my eye drops, but I can only imagine how fantastic that would be with hand lotion!

Amy said...

You just reminded me of my very favorite movie, Big Fish. I absolutely love the whimsical feeling it portrays. It melts my heart. And I totally forgot about the movie, Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken! Oh it's a favorite! Thank you so much for the tag! I had no idea until I posted mine! You're the best! And gosh! I'm so in love with your 7!

Shay said...

Okay, I just loved reading more about you! I had so much to say but of course I cant remember anything except that I love the circus and that you wear scrunchies! haha! Hope you have a fabulous weekend, love:-)

My Fashion Dolly said...

Hi I just found your blog, and I love it! I added you to my blogroll. Xoxo!!!

Haley said...

First of all, you are SO sweet to think of me! I'm honored :)

Second, I LOVE that you love Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken!!! I haven't seen that movie since I was a little girl...it was definitely a favorite of me and my sisters :) And I couldn't agree more the the "little arguments and the big make ups" are want keep the relationship growing, flourishing and sweet. Loved that you 2 are high school sweethearts!

Megan said...

OMG!!! I absolutely love Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken!! Most people haven't even heard of it!! We are blog-soulmates! Haha!! Congrats on your award!

Ashley {hudson's happenings} said...

Wild Hearts Can't be Broken is one of my favorite movies of all times! Like, I am seriously obsessed with it. Remember how when you were young, you would play pretend with your friends? Well, my pretend name was ALWAYS Sonora Webster. Always.

Kaylia Payne said...

Congratulations on the award!! I love your list, it was so interesting. That's so cool that you love the circus :) Hmm hand lotion in the fridge, I'll give it a try.. :)

charla beth said...

this was darling.

i also love that top picture of you, it's so pretty!

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