today's blessing + a shameless plug

 

there are some times it hits me that this world is okay. it's usually when i'm perched on my kitchen counter in the dark clutching hot coffee while the sun rises around the field in front of the window.

sometimes, it's driving on the highway and a kind stranger lets me in his lane. or when a man in a business suit and porsche gets behind me and doesn't curse me with his eyes because i'm driving slow.

when pablo looks at me with a face that says, i don't care what you did today. i don't care who you ignored or didn't call back. who you were rude to or forgot about. that you promised yourself you'd read your bible at lunch and went out with the office instead. that you hurried off the phone with your mom on your way out the door this morning, and cut robert off when he called to check in. all i care about is you're here. you're here and home and you're good. to me, you are good.


today, it is my sister. driving across town to meet me in an hour. to sit in a cafe far from here and drink caramel coffee. looking into a face so like mine, but so different. spending time with her reminds me no matter how crazed life gets, i'm blessed because i know someone who is golden.


it's these little reminders that propel me along. that i collect and store until one day it rains too hard and the fog has a hard time lifting, and i need them. the good thing is, like His mercy, these blessings are new every morning, within reach. the important thing is grabbing them.
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p.s. my sweet friend janette from janette the jongleur has nominated my little blog for a blogscar. as someone enthralled with everything hollywood, who made the trek to the independence theater across town last weekend to see the artist, i am beyond honored. the blogscars are the blogging oscars, and vintch is up for best blog and best writing. if you have a second, please cast your vote!

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thank you xoxo

angels in the outfield

about five years ago, in an interview, i was asked "if life is a baseball field, which position do you play?" after i got past my first reaction of "are you kidding me?" i softly said that i was in the outfield. i'm not the star, or the center of attention, but when something's thrown my way, i can be counted on.

two gracious bloggers this week, elisabeth from thimbles & things and jennifer from singing in the rain, have thrown a pitch my way. both have called my blog lovely, which is a gift in and of itself. both have called upon me to share a little about myself. to step onto the proverbial baseball diamond. and i promise, these answers will only be fractionally as cheesy as my interview ones. i didn't get the job, by the way. thank goodness.

1. i used to be obsessed with the dixie chicks and wanted to play the fiddle. i got one for christmas, and began lessons. at this elderly woman's house in the country. in her living room with cold hardwood floors and musty furniture. driving home with mama one day, it hit me. how immensely over the entire thing i was. just plain over it. we called the woman and explained, and she was honestly heartbroken. my brother uses the fiddle now as a makeshift banjo.

2. my handwriting changes every day. i've always wanted to be that girl with the pretty handwriting (teachers have the prettiest handwriting, have you noticed?), but i never was.

3. i completed my undergraduate degree in three years, hurrying to finish with robert so we could leave that college town, and start our life together. sitting in my advisor's office, she said, "so you're finishing early so you can go straight into your graduate school, right?" i just shook my head.

4. i once drove eight hours a week just to attend graduate classes at night at my alma mater. two hours away. it was horrible. never before have i felt the presence of the Lord so strongly tell me i was on the absolute wrong path. His hand on my heart was a physical sensation that could not be ignored, much to the chagrin of my proud self.

5. one time, robert and i drove overnight to go on a hot air balloon ride, cities away from school. we got there and the wind was too high, and they had to give us a rain check. we went to a corn maze instead. for anyone not from the south, a corn maze is exactly what you are picturing. a giant, human-sized maze. made of corn (maize, if you will).

i'm one of three children. my parents try to treat us all with the same respect, their mantra being "what you do for one, you do for all." so in the spirit of that tradition, i'm passing these accolades on to all of you. every single 272 of you.

tell me a little about yourself! baseball metaphors and all.

the books of my life

last week, the ethereal beauty that is amber blue bird graced me with a sweet award, the honest scrap, with a challenge to write five facts about myself.

amber's blog is one of my daily reads. i swear the girl could wear a burlap sack and i would wonder which agricultural feed and seed store she got it from. she's just that pretty, and just that stylish.

i'm supposed to list five facts about myself, so i'm compiling my five favorite books of all time. because honestly, a person's favorite book choice speaks volumes, and mine will tell you more about me than my favorite color or restaurant, hands down.

they are:

1. the Bible: because it's a map, and for someone terrible with directions, it's a daily necessity. and because it's the most tangible connection i have to my Father, and like an old pocket watch handed down generations, it has meaning and history to me that is deep and personal.

2. of mice and men: john steinbeck. the first book that made me cry. i sympathize with lennie so much. with loving something so tightly, so feverishly and so overwhelmingly that you crush it. and squeeze it. that steinbeck, his words get me every time.

3. love in the time of cholera: gabriel garcia marquez. the movie was an utter disappointment, but this novel is breathtaking. i've highlighted and underlined almost every paragraph in my worn copy. i lost it for about six months when robert and i moved into our little cottage, and my heart broke. imagine my great joy when i found it in the basement! that taught me a valuable lesson: take care of the books you love. yes, you can get a new copy from any barnes and noble. but your original copy, the one held between your fingers as you read the words for the first time-that is special and sacred and irreplaceable.

4. the way the crow flies: ann-marie macdonald. this is a lengthy, thick, doozy of a book. one that should take whole months. but i read it on a long train ride to visit a friend. it was that engrossing. a beautiful study on how children interpret their environments. how the little intricacies weave together with the big events to play on and manipulate their psyche. heartbreaking and honest, and holds all adults accountable.

5. love is a mix tape: rob sheffield. never before has love transcended pages so deeply. and the funny thing is, rob doesn't get mushy or romantic in this book. but the way he describes the way he met, courted and lost the love of his life is as tender as it gets.

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these books are my heartbeat, and to share them is special. cherish reading. savor it. because life is life. but sometimes, we can escape into an adventure. and who doesn't love that?

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p.s.

i'm passing this fun award to:

1. shalyn of laugh until your cheeks hurt
2. melissa of perfect peace
3. becca of adorable optimism
4. kristin of kristin in america
5. jenni of jenni austria germany

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.

source

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!

source

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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.

a list of four for you

every morning, steaming cup of coffee in hand, i sit down to read some of my favorite blogs. one of the first ones i always go to is young people in love. the writer, sam, is a beautiful, fabulous art therapist (first of all, can you think of a more awesome job?), and she always writes the most inspiring, sweet stories and ancedotes. she tagged me yesterday in a "list of four" blog game that i'm thrilled to participate in. here goes!

four shows i watch:
1. glee for the music, social awareness, and weekly reminders of
   self-worth.

2. modern family because it is hands down the funniest show on
   television.

3. man vs. food because adam richman is crazy and let’s be
   honest, who wouldn’t want to watch a man stomach 21 hot dogs
   in 15 minute?

4. everyday italian. because i want to be giada. to live in her
   beach house with adorable daughter jade. to cook with that
   passion and ardor, and look absolutely stunning while eating
   pasta.

four things i'm passionate about: 
1.  sharing the love of Christ to the world and finding a 
    receptive audience/venue for the message.

2. vintage clothing. vintage housewares. vintage electronics.  
   chances are, if it was made from the 1970s and before, I am 
   passionate about it. find my etsy shop here.  

3. carving out a little time each day, no matter how hectic,  
   stressed or overloaded it is, to spend with my family. they 
   won’t always be here, and when i look back on the way i spent 
   my time, i don’t want to see a long row of deadlines. i want to 
       see laughter around kitchen tables, long nights on the phone with 
   my sister, and random trips downtown with my brother. this 
   includes time with robert, my high school sweetheart, best 
   friend and husband.

4. my dog, pablo ricky ricardo myers. he is a rescue bichon frise. 
   we adopted him when he was five, malnourished and 
   shaven. two years of fattening him up later, he is  healthy, 
   rolly-polly fluffball of love. the kisses he
   showers on me when i come home from work make my heart 
   want to burst with happiness. he is also insanely loyal, 
   and loves to fetch. 

 

    
four phrases i say a lot
1.  “ten bucks says.” this is most often used to stress the point 
   that i know i’m about to be right on something. example: “ten 
   bucks says I can finish my slice of pizza before you” or “ten 
       bucks says it’s going to rain today just because i wore my 
       special suede moccasins that can’t get wet.” of course, i’m 
   all bark and no bite and don’t know what i’d do if someone 
   made me pay up. 

2. “you know what i’m saying?” (self-explanatory.)

3. “i ain’t never in my life…” an expression used to express disbelief. 
   example: “i ain’t never in my life seen a thrift store this 
   big.” can also be used on its own. the english major in me 
   shivers every time I say it, but it just comes out.

4.  “man alive!” used to express wonderment and awe. example: “man 
   alive! LOVE those shoes!”

four things i've learned from the past: 
1. that maya angelou was right. people will forget what you said,  
        people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you
        made them  feel. 

2. that following someone to college really can work out. and be 
   beautiful.

3.   that people who pick on you are the ones you should try to
   love the most, for there’s typically hurt and sadness behind
   those mean words. 

4. that the best way for a woman to understand a man is to 
   realize he's not a woman, and the best way for a man 
   to understand a woman is to realize she's not a man.

four places i'd like to go:
1.   mount rushmore. i just want to see it!  
2. new england at peak leaf season.
3. venice in the spring. 
4. paris in the fall.

four things I did yesterday: 
1. wrote and delivered five government proposals.  

2. ate homemade pasta e fagioli with my grandfather and family. 
   noodles and beans, drenched in olive oil and cracked black 
   pepper. the ultimate Italian comfort food. 

3. decorated our little cottage for Christmas (pictures to come 
   soon!) 

4. shopped at a thrift store and got vintage fabric and twine to 
   wrap presents in this year. so cute and unique, and for a 
   FRACTION of the price of wrapping paper.

four things I’m looking forward to: 
1. rocking babies to sleep one day, with twilight creeping in through  
       an open window and slippers on my feet. 

2. starting my master’s program at johns hopkins. 

3. building a house with robert. nothing big, just a slightly 
   larger cottage in a field somewhere close by. 

4. robert’s half-marathon this weekend. you go, babe! i’ll be 
   cheering on the sidelines, warm cup of coffee and camera in 
   hand.

four things I love about winter: 
1.   HELLO. the increase in CROCKPOT usage! 

2. the excuse to load up the bed with about eight heavy quilts and 
   cover my entire body except a little air pocket for breathing. 

3.  snow nights. snow days are good too, but there’s something 
   special about standing in your kitchen with all the lights 
   off, watching the grass slowly dissolve into white, knowing 
   there’s no work/school the next day and you can sleep in,   
   with absolutely.nothing.to.do. 

4. the towns all decked out for the holiday, with cherry red     
   bows on street lights and candles in the windows.

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four things on my wishlist: 
1. a healthy, happy family. 
2. pretty much everything in this shop. 
3. nienie’s calendar. 
4. a shopping spree at value village, my favorite neighborhood 
   thrift store.

i'd love to learn a little more about a few of my favorite bloggers, so i hereby tag the following fabulous four:

lindsay at scenic glory

maureen at daydream living

kaity at now and evermore

amber at amber blue bird 

can't wait to read your responses, sweet ladies! thank you again to the fantastic sam at young people in love!

relay of friendship

relay races always scared me during field day. i felt as if all the pressure were on me-if my leg slid out during the sack race, the pair behind me would be delayed, thus making our whole team lose. if i suddenly got a bad case of butter fingers and dropped the baton during a race, what would happen then? the pressure was insurmountable.

but this is a different kind of relay-the kind of relay i love:) the beautiful and fabulous a whole lotta love has tagged me in the Friendship Relay. it means so much that she would choose me, giving my little blog a chance to shine! now, like a true relay, it is my turn to pass the baton to my fellow blogging friends. i was chosen because my blog is new, and new blogs need love too! thus, i choose to share this honor with three lovely up-and-coming bloggers who i just know are going to explode the blogosphere with their awesomeness. some are brand-spanking new, and some have graced us for a few months. i'm privileged to be your followers, ladies:

1. Peaches from Living Peachy Keen
2. Ana from The World Through My Eyes
3. Emily from Little Things in Life
4. Amy from A Daring Little Life

if you've been tagged, simply answer the following questions in your own post and pass the baton to a few more friends. looking so forward to your responses! just watch those butter fingers.

1.   What did you first want to be when you grew up?
A writer. When I was 10, I made and bound a blue book of short stories. They were all created on Microsoft Notepad and were very simple, but full of imagination. On the last page, I glued a picture of myself and wrote a little “author’s biography.” The last line was “Courtney loves to get fan mail.”

2.   Favorite childhood game?
MASH. Not the television show, of course. Does anyone remember MASH? It is a little game you play on paper, where you predict the names of your future children, what kind of car you’re going to drive, what your husband’s name will be, how many kid’s you’ll have, how much money you’ll make, etc. and of course, if you’ll live in a Mansion, Apartment, Shack or House. Even as a young girl, I was obsessed with my future life—the life I’m living now.

3.   Most favorite birthday?
My best birthday was probably when I turned 16 and got my license. Such a cliché answer, but that day wasn’t important for the obvious reasons. I remember it instead because my grandma was still around, and we celebrated it around her kitchen table. I remember riding to the DMV with my mama. I remember just feeling so special, and the world felt so right. My grandma passed away that same year, so that birthday is especially special.

4.   Something you've always wanted to do and haven't done yet?
Have babies. I want them someday. Just not today. Sometimes I get emotional thinking about how my entire life will one day revolve around these little beings I haven't even met yet. I'll just be driving down the road and think about my future son's first love, or my daughter's wedding and it makes me so happy and sad at the same time. I can't wait, but I can. Does that make sense?

5.   What was your first love?
Cheerleading. I originally wanted to try out for basketball, but my dad forgot the tryout date. I cheered for eight straight years. It was part of my identity, but I tried to never let it consume me. I eventually grew a bit tired of it, but stuck with it through high school. Through cheering, I met one of the angels of my life-Suzanne. She was my stunting partner all through school. She passed away in a car wreck in 2007. There’s a huge, blown up picture of our squad hanging in the halls of my high school. Suzanne’s arm is around me. My mom works at the school and every time she passes that picture, she thanks Suz for watching over me. This isn't that picture, but here is beautiful Suz:

i'm the one in the back with the disgusted look on her face. we just won, so i'm not sure what caused that expresion.

7.    First musical idol?

Don't judge, but Billy Ray Cyrus. All growing up, I had a poster

of him the back of my bedroom door. The poster was created at the

height of his mullet glory. It was awesome. Once, a boy at my

church liked me, and to express his deep(unrequited) love, he

mailed me a shirt screen printed with the lyrics to Achy Breaky

Heart.

source

8.   Favorite gift?

I grew up with a gap between my two front teeth. Not crazy

wide, but enough so that I could spit water through it. When I

was 17 years old, my parents gave me the best Christmas gift

ever. In my stocking was a little gift certificate for a

dentist visit--I got the gap filled in! I am all for embracing 

what makes you unique and would never recommend this procedure

for everyone, but my self esteem increased tenfold. Robert, who

knew me even way back then, will every now and then tell me he

misses the gap.

9.    If a theme song played for you everywhere you went, what would it be?

Martina McBride-Blessed. Because I am. So much.

10.    Favorite city to visit?

Chicago! My awesome uncles live there, the air and streets are

clean, and the people are friendly. There’s just a special

feeling about walking those city streets. If you are ever there,

please visit Portillo's/Barnelli's and get the chopped salad.

Just warning you-your life will be changed.

weheartit

thank you, a whole lotta love, for this fun award. the questions were thoughtful and unique, which made this fun.

robert and i are taking my brother clint this weekend to see the lovely joanna newsom play her little harp out in the north carolina mountains. enjoy your saturday, sweet friends!