To Jonathan

I got up at 4 a.m. this morning and put my love on a plane to Nicaragua. No fun. Not so much because I will miss having him home with me (though I will), but because I will miss being with him on his adventure. One of our favorite things to do as a couple is traveling, and since we have been married all of our big adventures have been together. But this one is Jonathan's alone, and that is awesome. But that doesn't mean I can't be jealous ;)

I had great intentions of writing him a letter to leave in his suitcase, but in all the action of a busy week at work and helping him get situated for his trip, it slipped my mind. So on the chance that he has internet service and might check in while he's gone, here are the highlights of what I would have said in that note (with the exemption of several choice tidbits that are...ahem....personal ;) :

Warning: Cheesiness Ahead

Jonathan,

I am so proud of you! You never take the easy way out. It is not easy to decide to change careers at almost 30 years old. It is not easy to endure a year and a half of undergraduate prerequisite classes when you already have a bachelors and a masters degree. It is not easy to persevere through 4 years of optometry school. It is not easy to make the choice that your experience in optometry school will be more than going to class, coming home to study, and going to bed. It is not easy to choose to enhance these years with involvement in a church, with making friends, with giving up your Spring Break for a medical mission trip. No, you never choose the easy way. You choose to take the basic situations of your life and make them full, extraordinary. For this, I respect you.

Remember when we were dating and engaged? We spoke often of the life we wanted to live together. One word that came up often was "adventurous." Not in the skydiving, white water rafting sense, but in the sense that we would be willing to go where God leads, to avoid being swayed by a life of comfort and predictability. We are definitely living that life, and for the most part that is due to your leadership in our marriage. Though it has not always been easy to follow this path, when I see the way God has provided for us, the way He has led you to a field that is rewarding and fulfilling to you, and the way He has allowed you to combine these new skills with your long held passion for missions, I know that your obedience to His plan for our lives has been blessed.

Have I mentioned how handsome you are when you are headed off on an adventure? I remember a moment early in our relationship; I took you to the airport to leave on a month-long trek through Southeast Asia. You had your backpack ready, your hat on backwards, an excited twinkle in your eye, but a sad twinge to your smile as you said goodbye. You had that same look this morning, and I love that face. The face that shows me you are entirely in your element, thrilled to be heading off on another adventure. Because that's where you find your joy. I love that about you. And I especially love that even in those moments of excitement, you are still wishing that I were going with you.

You will be home before long and we will be back to the grind, but I'm afraid I don't tell you these things enough. I love you. I am proud of you. I respect and admire you. And I can't wait to hear all about your adventure.

New Shoes, Old Friends

When I was in the fifth grade, my dad retired from the Air Force and accepted a job at a university in Arkansas. So we moved. From Hawaii. To Arkansas.

Yeah.

I distinctly remember one of my last nights in our home in Hawaii; I had been lying awake thinking about the move to Arkansas and one question in particular kept me from dozing off. Worry consumed me. So I did what any kid does in that situation. I woke up my mom to put my mind at ease.

"Mom...when we live in Arkansas, will I have to wear one of those sun bonnets like Laura wears on Little House on the Prairie?"

In my mind Arkansas = rural prairie land = need for sunbonnets. Little did I know that when I arrived at my new school in Arkansas, those kids would think Hawaii = island paradise = hut = need for grass skirts and coconut bras. This whole making friends thing was not going to be easy.

But as luck would have it, my parents found a new church and its pastor just so happened to have a daughter my age. We were instant friends, and along with the other girls in our age group at church we filled the next few years with joining the youth group, navigating junior high, and making the school dance team. Let me tell you, spandex and sequins has never looked so good on 7th graders as it did on us! ;)

The summer before our freshman year, Jennifer's dad accepted a new job at a church across the state. We were all heartbroken. Our moms were good enough to drive us back and forth for a few visits, but we made new friends, graduated from high school, attended different colleges, and got married. And over the past few years our little group has reunited via Facebook, blogging, and other joys of modern technology.

And now Jennifer is having a baby! And that town that she moved to all those years ago? Only one hour from Memphis. And guess who else lives in Memphis? Emily, one of the other girls in our age group from that same church all those years ago.

Funny how all those years ago, God provided a friend for this sunbonnet-fearing little girl. And here I am, 16 years later, once again the new girl in town. And reconnecting with those old friends means just as much now as it did when I met them for the first time.

Here are the three of us after the baby shower. Me, Jennifer, and Emily. Reunited, and it feels so good!

And guess what came just in time for the shower? My new little lovelies that I told you about last weekend. It's not a sunbonnet, but something tells me that my prairie girl Laura would be mighty proud to sport these on the open range...

(Notice Weber's look of approval behind me. This is her favorite perch when I'm getting dressed in the mornings. Sometimes I consult her on my outfit. She always agrees. But that's another post all together. )

Hold Your Horses...

Pictures coming your way soon!

• The latest love in my life: the boots are here!


• Weber's latest obession


• A little road trip to celebrate with an old friend

Get excited...

It's Gonna Be a Good Day...

When you start your car on a cold Monday morning and the first thing you hear is Madonna's "Like a Prayer" busting through the speakers, you know it's gonna be a good one. And when that tune is followed by Maroon 5's "This Love," Bryan Adams' "Everything I Do," and Natasha Beddingfield's "Pocket Full of Sunshine," you know it can only get better. It was like the radio deejay knew exactly what I needed to kick start this week.

Rather than dwelling on the many things coming my way in the week ahead, I spent my drive reminiscing...with "Like a Prayer," memories of a dancefloor full of girls singing at the top of their lungs at Meredith's wedding; with "This Love," I was driving to South Padre with Meredith, Julie, and Jenny for Spring Break 2004, with "Everything I Do" I was in 7th grade listening to my brother learn this song on the piano, annoyed that he played it at double the speed. Pretty sure he was writing the dance mix version. And with "Pocket Full of Sunshine," well, I don't really have any memories of this song, but its just so darn cheery that you can't help but sing along and bob your head. I mean, the land is full of butterflies, people! That's a happy place if I've ever seen one.

What's your happy song these days?

On the L Word

Oh, The Bachelor. I love to watch it. I love to hate it. And the recent spoilers that have been published all over the internet in the past week have only fueled my interest. Mission accomplished, ABC. You've got me in your grasp again.

But as I watched the most recent episode on Monday night, the famous "overnight date" stage of the game, something caught my attention. For those of you who aren't familiar with the show, the final three women go on an overnight trip with "Our Bachelor, Fill-in-his-Name." At this point in the game they tend to feel the need to put everything out on the table. Traditionally, this includes a declaration of love.

[Interjection: I hereby coin a new term. It may already exist, but don't burst my bubble. Ever heard of a DTR? Define the Relationship. You know, that awkward talk where a new couple finally figures out if they are boyfriend/girlfriend, just friends, friends with benefits, etc. Well, I'm going to take it a step further with the addition of a DOL. Declaration of Love. The first time someone drops the L-bomb. Use it in a sentence this week.]

This season's overnight dates were no different. One by one, each bachelorette stared dreamily (or drunkenly) into Our Bachelor Jason Mesnik's eyes and made her DOL...

Jillian: "I'm in love with you"
Molly: "I'm totally falling in love with you"
Melissa: "I love you"

So similar. And yet it got me thinking. Is there a difference between being "in love," "falling in love," and just straight up saying "I love you?" I think there is.

To say that you are in love or falling in love implies that you can get out of it. Ten years down the road...hold up, this is The Bachelor I'm writing about...six months down the road, I guarantee that the break-up conversation will contain the words "I just don't love you," or "I did fall in love with you, but we are in two different places," or any number of other lame, abstract reasons for saying, "Heck, I met you on a reality show! What in the world was I thinking? Get me outta here!"

But to say "I love you" seems a little different. Granted, I realize that many people throw those words around without a thought, often out of manipulation. But assuming that the intention is pure, something about "I love you" is so vulnerable. So permanent. It implies that there is nothing the recipient can do to change your mind. Regardless of whether or not you get the rose at the end of the night, or the ring on your finger, or the perfect dream house, or the 2.5 kids and six figure salary, you are in for the long haul. "I love you" does not give you an out.

I suppose it all comes down to the fact that love as it is represented in our culture, in our world, will always be a distortion of what love really is. The world tells us that love is supposed to make us feel good, to give us what we think we need or want. It tells us that love can fade or disappear on the whim of your current situation or state of mind.

Even in the strongest marriages, that love is only a foggy representation of the perfect love that God has for this world, that Christ has for his Church. Love is sacrificial. It is selfless. It is often not returned, or its return may not look or feel as we would like it to. It is renewed each and everyday, regardless of the wrongs that have been accrued. The love that God has shown to us through his son Jesus is unfathomable to me, and I am only beginning to scratch the surface of how that love is to influence how I love my husband and those around me.

Man, that was quite the dive from shallow to deep! What do you think? Is there subconscious meaning behind a DOL in which some combination of the words "falling" and "in" are added?

PseudoSpring, FlyLady, and Loneliness

The trees are blossoming in Memphis. Poor little dears. They are confused. As are the bulbs pushing up in my back yard and my camelia bush now blooming with bright pink flowers. Funny how they make me happy at the sign of spring but sad to know that they will probably all get frozen again at least once before spring truly arrives. I am SO ready for warmth! I used to think that I loved cold weather, and I do, but just a taste of it, please. I have reached my limit of harsh winds and red noses.

My friend Stacy was in the area last weekend and drove down to join me for a little brunch at Cafe Eclectic. It was such a treat to see a familiar face and to have a conversation that does not have to start with, "So...where are you from....and what do you do....and where did you go to college...how long have you lived in Memphis...yada yada yada...." We commiserated about the hardships of running a household when your spouse is in a doctoral program (her hubby is this close to finishing up his Ph.D.) and she filled me in on the most wonderful of websites: www.flylady.net. Fly Lady gives very practical schedules for housework and gave me one little bit of wisdom that has changed my life: Housework done incorrectly still blesses your family. I get so discouraged by my lack of time/energy that I get overwhelmed by the task of cleaning the entire house, which then leads me to throw up my hans and not do anything at all. Not good. FlyLady has me on the road to recovery. Thanks, Stacy!

Yesterday was one of those lonely days. Those of you who have experienced the rollercoaster of moving to a new place know exactly what I mean. There are just times when despite the fact that you love your new city, your new job, your new church, etc., something will happen that just makes you miss your peeps. You know...those people who just get you. You don't have to explain yourself. You are understood even when you didn't articulate yourself perfectly or when you're not even sure exactly what you are trying to say. Your sense of humor is appreciated, as are your values. I was feeling that void yesterday and it was not fun. So I ate a nice big slice of homemade bread, which masked the void quite nicely.

Music City

Long time, no blog! On Friday afternoon I was asked to attend a conference in Nashville over the weekend. Considering that I am still in that "this is a new job that I want to keep and I want to prove to you that I am a team player and all-around rockstar" phase, I said yes. Despite the fact that I had to sacrifice a weekend, it was a great opportunity to have a new experience in my field and, quite honestly, to enjoy a couple of nights in a great hotel with some great food that I did not have to pay for!

The conference was for the National Association of Campus Activities, an opportunity for campus events programmers from across the country to gather together for professional development and for student programming boards to see hundreds of talented artists who they might want to bring to their campus. So basically I got paid to go hear up-and-coming bands, soloists, comedians, and general talent acts (magic, juggling, mind-reading, acrobatics, you name it!), as well as prominent campus lecturers (on everything from sex, legal issues surrounding Facebook, and going green on campus). I heart my job.

A few experiences of note:

I got to stay at the Gaylor Opryland Hotel (almost exactly like the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine). Sometimes its just so relaxing to stay in a nice hotel room with a plush bed, a newspaper on your doorstep, and a killer breakfast buffet. And let me tell you, if you are giving me money that I have to spend on food, I am gonna spend it!

One of the speakers I heard was Desmond Child. I had never heard his name before he came on stage, but as soon as the curtain opened there he was, sitting at a piano, tinkering out the first few bars of Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer." (Meredith and Julie, WHERE WERE YOU???) Turns out he was the songwriter for that song as well as many other top-40 hits. He played through the first half of the song and it took everything in me not to stand up on my chair singing "OOOOHHH-OOOOOOHHH LIVING ON A PRAYER!!!!" at the top of my lungs. No matter where I am, that song immediately takes me back to summer nights in Meredith's Geo Tracker.
I also got to sneak out for a bit to see my cousin Suzy. This is the closest I have ever lived to an extended family member so it was such a treat to stop in for dinner, linger over a glass of wine, chat about our family members, and laugh at old photos. We planned future get-togethers for taking in the Nashville music scene and hanging out on the lake this summer. And you can bet that I'm going to take her up on the offer!

All About Us

In honor of Valentine's Day, I'm going to copy a little questionnaire that I have seen on a few other blogs and on Facebook. All your burning questions about Jonathan and I, answered.

What are your middle names? Carol and Andrew

How long have you been together? We met at Jonathan's parents house on December 27, 2000 (the same date that my parents met!). A group of OBU students was headed up to Colorado to spend our winter break working as ticket scanners and lift operators at Breckenridge, and we met at the Poe home before caravaning to the mountains. Jonathan had that "love at first sight" moment when he walked into his kitchen and saw me sitting at the table. So that was just over 8 years ago?

How long did you know each other before you started dating? Even though we went to the same small university, Jonathan and I had never met. I was friends with his brother, so I knew who Jonathan was and had checked him out from afar a time or two. He noticed me during Freshman orientation when I performed in a skit. (Senior checking out a freshman at orientation...such a cradle robber ;) Even though sparks were flying the entire time we were in Colorado, I would say we were "official" in early February, about a month after first meeting.

Who asked who out? When we returned to OBU after our time in Colorado, Jonathan asked me out on a date for that first weekend of the new semester. It was an amazing day: breakfast, hanging out at Barnes and Noble (my favorite), lunch at Ted's with one of his best friends and his wife, a trip to the park, a movie, dinner, and a first kiss under the stars. The boy is smooth.

How old were each of you when you met? I was 18, he was 22.

How old are each of you now? I am 26, he is 29 (30 this summer...crazy!)

How long did you date before becoming engaged? We dated for about 3 years before getting engaged. We were engaged for 9 months. (Met December 2000, Engaged October 2003, Married July 2004). Although Jonathan purchased my ring about a year before he proposed, so the whole "how long did you date" thing probably felt longer to him!

How tall are each of you? Ummm...I'm about 5'4 and he is about 5'9 or 6'. I'm a terrible height estimator!

Whose siblings do you see the most? We see his brother Todd more often. My brother is in the Air Force so we have not had the opportunity to live close to him and his wife. We wish we lived closer!

Do you have any children together? Not yet!

What about pets? The lovely Weber

Did you go to the same school? We went to different high schools but the same college.

Are you from the same hometown? Nope. I'm from Fort Smith, AR and he is from Midwest City, OK

Who is the smartest? We are smart in different ways. His optometry school stuff makes em want to lose my lunch or cry every time I look at it, and yet I am more of a reader/writer/ word-smart person.

Who is the most sensitive? Hmm...that is a tough one. Jonathan is incredibly sensitive when it comes to other people. He always hurts for the underdog. I can be sensitive personally, but have grown a lot in that area (and it feeling sensitive toward others) since marrying him.

Where do you eat out most as a couple? We really enjoy trying different places as much as possible, but our current faves are Cafe Eclectic and Memphis Pizza Cafe.

Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple? We went to Australia and New Zealand last winter. We also backpacked Europe together for two months in the summer of 2005 and hit England, France, Spain, Morocco, Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium.

Who does the cooking? I do, not because he can't but because I love it. Though he does most of the grilling.

Who is more social? I am definitely the more outgoing of the two of us, but Jonathan really values people and friendships, just in more small-group settings. One of the things I admire most about him is that he is great at initiating and building deep friendships with other guys. That is so rare!

Who is the neat-freak? I go through spurts of neat-freakness. Jonathan is more consistently neat.

Who hogs the bed? I do! I am a ridiculous cover-hog.

Who wakes up earlier? He does. He is crazy disciplined and I am a tad on the lazy side when it comes to getting out of bed.

Who has the bigger family? Probably about the same.

How do you spend the holidays? We try to alternate between families.

Who is more jealous? Probably Jonathan. Although he would never say a word unless someone really crossed the line. One of the things I really appreciated about our dating relationship (and now our marriage) is that Jonathan was totally cool with me maintaining my friendships with my guy friends. I know that was difficult for him at times (since he was not on campus while we were dating) but he always said that he would not let his own selfishness affect my college experience. I am so thankful for that and have great friendships today to show for it.

Do you have little pet names for each other? Babe, honey, sweetie...pretty typical. Weber, on the other hand, has tons of nicknames: Puppa, Pookah, etc. A few weeks ago Jonathan got so annoyed with my random assortment of nicknames for the dog that he started calling her "Sweatpants" just to prove how ridiculous I was. "Here, Sweatpants! Good girl, Sweatpants!" Point taken.

How long did it take to get serious? Jonathan was serious from day one; he totally pursued me and was very patient. I, on the other hand, was a bit on the immature side at the beginning of our relationship. It took a brief break-up during my sophomore year for me to get my act together, and during our first date after that separation I knew without a doubt that he was the one.

Who eats more? This is a point of contention between us. Jonathan is a total grazer; he never quite outgrew the afterschool-snack phase. So when we sit down to a meal, I tend to eat more than he does and he says he's full. Which is maddening to me. Until I realize that before I took one bite he had already consumed a banana with peanut butter, two bowls of cereal, some chips and salsa, and a beer.

Who sings better? Jonathan has an absolutely gorgeous voice. His entire family is like the VonTrapps. No joke. When we get together there is inevitably going to be some singing, especially at Christmas (and often into the phone in order to leave melodic voicemails for family members who could not attend). Thank goodness I took one year of high school choir and learned the harmony lines to "Joy to the World" and "Silent Night" or I would be in trouble!

Who’s older? Jonathan. I'm a big advocate for older guys!

Who does the dishes? I do, though he makes the occasional contribution. I've been trying to institute the "whoever doesn't cook does the dishes" system, but to no avail. Perhaps after optometry school?

Who snores? Jonathan is a heavy breather, which can cross over into the snoring category if he is sick.

Who’s better with the computer? Thanks to his days in finance, he's got mad skills with Excel. He refuses to join Facebook and occasionally catches up on my blog! He is determined to resist the technology takeover!

Who drives? Jonathan usually drives when we are together because I can't stand his backseat driving!

Who kissed who first? He kissed me in the parking lot of Shawnee Middle School. What can I say? Our college didn't allow guys in our rooms, so parking lot dancing under the stars is the next best thing!

Who eats more sweets? We're probably tied. Give me french fries over ice cream any day!

Sweets for Your Sweetie

The lovely Rachel has asked me if I could recommend a yummy dessert for Valentine's Day. Boy, do I have a doozie!

I first made these banana crepes with chocolate-hazelnut sauce for Valentine's Day 2004, the year that Jonathan and I were engaged to be married that July. For some reason, Valentine's Day that year seemed extra special with a wedding just around the corner. We have never been big Valentine's Day celebraters (if that is a word?), and that year set the tone for our typical Valentine's Day of choice: a nice dinner at home, perhaps a rented movie, and usually some small gifts.

On that February day in 2004, Jonathan arrived at the Georgia House in Shawnee, flowers and Godiva truffles in hand (How all four of my roomies managed to be out of town on the same weekend I do not recall!). I remember that I had bought him a bottle of Burberry cologne (he had still been working the Polo Sport which always reminded me of high school; it was time for an upgrade! My roomie Matty was in the same boat and we spent an hour at the Dillard's fragrance counter smelling every scent and then making the clerk do blind smell tests for us! Kenneth Cole Black was the runner-up). I distinctly remember making steaks with a mustard sauce, roasted green beans with dill vinagrette, and some sort of potato [Yes, I realize that it is weird to remember an entire meal, but you have to know how my mind works: food = memories. I also write in the margins of my cookbooks, noting what I made the recipe for, the date, who was there, etc. It brings back great memories when flipping through the book later. Jonathan's grandmother did this on some of her recipes and they are so precious to me. You should start!]

But...the pièce de résistance was dessert. If the boy had not already put a ring on my finger, he would have left dinner, run to the nearest jewelry store, and proposed right then and there. If there are two things that Jonathan loves it is bananas and Nutella. Preferably together. (And cereal, but that doesn't really go in this mix). This dessert was the perfect blend. As he savored each bite, he looked at me with adoration in his eyes and I knew that this recipe would be in my ammunition for a long time.

Now, I know what you're thinking: crepes!?! Don't I have to be a beret-wearing Parisian to make crepes???

To which I reply: if you can make pancakes, you can make crepes. All you need is a large skillet, a good rubber spatula, and a quick flip of the wrist. And a word of warning: your first crepe is ALWAYS a bust. Even the professionals say that. So just be prepared to toss your first one.

The recipe is linked above, but you should know about a little adaptation I make. Since it is from Cooking Light, you will notice that the bananas are briefly sauteed in non-stick cooking spray.

Pshaw. Go home, Pam.

Butter is in town.

Saute your bananas in about a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of brown sugar (and maybe even a dash of cinnamon if you're real crazy) before tucking them inside the warm crepes. Oh, and contrary to the picture above, we like our crepes with quite a bit more sauce drizzled on top. It's Valentines Day, people! Live a little!

So there you go: a dessert for lovers. Bon Apetit!

Love the Bachelor, Hate Green Beans

Have you been watching The Bachelor this season? Every year I swear that I will resist the urge to get sucked in to yet another season of shallow, dramatic spouse-selection. And every year I give in. This year was no exception.

And in keeping with tradition, Jonathan still refuses to be in the room when the show is on. Funny, though, how he manages to appear in the living room, always accompanied by some sort of prop (an open book, a trailing puppy dog, a toothbrush in his mouth, a snack or drink of water) right around the beginning of each rose ceremony. The prop makes his inevitable question seem more nonchalant, more coincidental.... "So...who's getting kicked off?"

I see right through your act, boy. You care. Oh, you care.

Though some things about my Bachelor traditions never change, this season a new element has been added: Lincee of http://www.ihategreenbeans.com/. Each Tuesday she writes a recap of the previous evening's episode, and let me tell you: the girl busts my gut every time. I would venture to guess that you would enjoy her even if you aren't keeping up with the show (though a word of caution: Lincee's take on the show is delightfully embellished with fake conversations, etc., so not everything you read is an actual play-by-play. But that is part of the fun: she reads between the lines and writes hysterical dialogue for what they were really thinking/doing). If you have some time to kill, check her out. Oh, and my girl Lincee is a Baylor grad too... Sic 'em!

If you've been watching, any bets on who Jason will pick? I'm leaning toward Jillian, the hot-dog fixing Canadian, eh.

These Boots Were Made for Buying

I have been on a boot hunt for some time now. It all started when I failed to purchase a pair of authentic sheep's wool lined boots in New Zealand last winter. Oh, regret. Since then, the object of my desire has varied over time: Uggs, non-Ugg fur-lined boots, riding boots, etc. Unfortunately, boots are not cheap, so for this bargain lover to plop down $100 + buckaroos on a pair of boots, it must be love. True love.

For Christmas, Jonathan bought me these:Cute, yes? Unfortunately, J.Crew left me sorely disappointed. Those cute little laces wouldn't stay tied for more than 5 minutes, the sole had zero support, the inside seaming was poorly sewn, leaving little pieces of leather sticking out and digging into the back of my heel. All in all, I have purchased better quality from Target. Sorry, J.Crew, but this time your price tag was the only indicator of quality in your product.

Ever since that fateful December, I have been searching. Aimlessly. Until one day last week when I happened upon these beauties from Steve Madden. Lovely color, just a hint of a wedge heel (all the better for my short legged/long torsoed self), a little buckle for fun. I was smitten.

And then, just to seal the deal, at last week's recruitment meeting one of the advisors walked in wearing some adorable boots that immediately caught my eye. It was them. They had come to me. I tried to minimize my jubilation when I asked her what kind of boots they were; I had to be sure. Yes, my friends...they were the ones. She proceeded to tell me how comfortable they are and that she wears them four out of seven days of the week. I could feel the heavens opening and shining down on me.

A year of searching...finished.

But wait...it gets better. I hopped online yesterday, dismayed that Amazon, Zappos, and Madden himself were all sold out of my beloved boot. I was heartbroken and shared my dismay with my partner-in-crime here at the office, the lovely Beka. Shortly thereafter, my inbox "blinged" at me with an email from Beka. And a link. To Bare Feet Shoes. With the boots. On sale. Hoorah!

As I paid for my purchase, I noticed the little "enter discount code here" box and suddenly recalled a magazine article about these mysterious little coupon codes. I opened a new window, googled "Bare Feet Shoes Discount Codes" and Voila! A list of codes for all kinds of discounts classified by date. I copied and pased one into that coupon box and what do you know? $15 off my purchase. (This may be old hat to you folks in blog-land, but it was a revelation to me...in that moment, I was a genius and the only person ever on the internet to find a discount code. Don't burst my bubble!)

So including shipping, the entire thing came in under what Jonathan had paid for my initial gift. I am saving that boy SO MUCH MONEY! (Or so he tells me, but I sense just a hint of sarcasm in his tone... ;)

Now let's all cross our fingers and hope that when these pretty puppies arrive in the mail they will live up to the hype inside my head. I'll keep you posted.

The Ultimate Trip

SCENE: Jonathan and Leslie, sitting down to a dinner of cheese fondue in a little cabin at Meeman Shelby Forrest State Park. Earlier in the evening, the couple had made it a little less than halfway to the park when Leslie realized that she had left the ingredients for the cheese fondue at the house. They turned around, because what is a little cabin in the woods without some cheese fondue? The habit of forgetting something on a trip, whether a simple errand or an extended vacation, is a regular one for Leslie.

LESLIE: Sorry again that we had to turn around for the cheese. But this sure is worth it!

JONATHAN: No problem... (as he shoves a cheese-laden hunk of bread into his mouth)

LESLIE: (with enthusiasm) Someday, we are going to go on a trip and I am not going to forget one thing. Not one. And we will take a picture. Because that will be a big day.

JONATHAN: (with total seriousness) That will be death. The ultimate trip.

LESLIE: (nearly choking on her bite, she proceeds to laugh for five minutes straight while pondering how much she loves Jonathan's inadvertent sense of humor)

Apparently I am Terrible at Playing Tag

I have seen this little award making its way through the blog world and have officially been tagged! Actually, the lovely Courtney tagged me back in January and I thought "Aww! How sweet...this will be fun...thanks, Courtney!" in my head and then, as is typical of me (and of us all, I suppose), I wandered away from the computer to do something (something extremely urgent and important, I'm sure) and completely forgot to do it. So sorry, Courtney! But then today I was tagged by http://aubdawg.blogspot.com/ and was reminded of Courtney's tag. Thanks, ladies!

And how convenient that they just so happen to require the same thing? I'm a sucker for convenience, I tell you.

So, after much anticipation and gnashing of teeth, ten honest things about yours truly:

1. I am a selective perfectionist. For example, at the present moment my desk is immaculate, my emails are filed, and my shoes are about to be taken to the cobbler to have the tiny little taps put back on the heel. But my bathtub is covered in muddy puppy prints (story to come...get excited) and has been for two days and I don't care. I also don't care that my car is trashed, my bed hasn't been made in days, and there are numerous dirty dishes on the sinks/countertops at home. But you can bet that as soon as I clean this weekend, I will be a drill sargeant about keeping it that way until the next crazy week rolls around.

2. I adore school. I love to learn. I check out history books from the library. I am a nerd.

3. I am always craving some food. Any food. It changes at a freakishly frequent rate. At any given moment you can ask me, "Hey, Leslie, what sounds good?" and I will reply with any number of foods. Sometimes, however, I crave one thing for a long time and it won't go away until I satisfy the craving. For example, I once craved Long John Silver's (whaaa???) for THREE DAYS. At the end of three days, Jonathan was so sick of hearing about LJS that we drove to the nearest location, I wolfed down a kid's meal, and haven't craved it again since. And I have never been pregnant. Weird. The first person to deliver french fries to my office wins a big prize.

4. I only wash my hair every 2-3 days. (Don't say its gross until you've tried it!)

5. I think that celebrity gossip magazines are a sad, terrible representation of what our nation values: materialism, beauty, nosiness, etc. And yet I still check People.com just about daily. So hypocritical, and yet I can't seem to help myself! Which is why they are all still in business, I guess.

6. I love to dance and used to work for a choreography company teaching high school dance team camps in the summers in college. Its a bit tough for an adult who is not a professional performer or dance studio owner to do much legitimate dancing, so I really miss it. But if you turn on any song that I have ever performed to, I could probably still do the routine just about perfectly (minus a few of those crazy leaps...these old legs don't go there anymore!). Muscle memory, I guess!

7. I live for my next travel adventure and have a goal of reaching all 7 continents before I die. So far: North America, Europe, Africa, Australia. Three to go!

8. At this point in my life I am in the throws of a struggle over what I want from the next chapter of my life (particularly related to children): continuing to work in a field that I love and feel called to or staying at home with children? Or some combination? It is one of the few things that I worry about.

9. Related to #9, I am not a worrier. I have a difficult time relating to people who are very anxious or worrisome, because I find it easy to turn off my thoughts. Which is sometimes not a good thing either, I guess!

10. I say that I use Facebook because you can't work with college students without it (which is very true), but honestly, I just love it for myself!

I'm not going to tag anyone, but feel free to copy this idea in your next post! If you are reading this right now, you have officially received the Honest Scrap Award! Congrats :)

P.S. This time tomorrow I will be in a cabin in the woods with my man.... what what!

Notes from an Involuntary Workaholic

This is a long week. It is only Wednesday.

I am working every night until 9 or 10 p.m. for a multitude of reasons: advisor roundtables, alternative spring break program interviews, gamma chi interviews (formerly rho chis for all you Panhellenic ladies out there), and a recruitment chair meeting. Almost all of these obligations are things I enjoy (Minus the recruitment chair meetings. I have never seen a group of college women get more ugly than when they are trying to determine how long a skit should be, whether beverages can be served on Pref night, and other ridiculous details of the nuttiness that is recruitment. But that's another post). In the midst of it all, for the sheer fact that I even have a job I enjoy I am very, very thankful.

But still. I am reaching my limit. When there is literally no time left in the day for laundry, cooking a decent meal, going to the grocery store, or just relaxing with Jonathan, my fuse starts to get pretty low and each task seems to take my entire energy store just to get it done. I don't like that feeling.

Oh, and did I mention that this week is Jonathan's first round of exams for the semester? As you can imagine, we are both a little worn and frazzled these days.

Which is why I am keeping my eyes set on Friday. For on Friday, we go here:

Shelby Forrest State Park. We have rented a cabin for Friday night and will spend the first half of the weekend relaxing by the fire, eating fondue and making s'mores, reading for fun, hiking, watching movies, and just reconnecting after a few hectic weeks. Call it an early Valentine's Day. I just call it sanity.

(If you recall, we did this just before Christmas as well. We've developed an affection for state park cabins because they are so relaxing and cozy yet very affordable. This weekend's cabin is only $65 for two bedrooms, a fireplace and wood, linens, a fully stocked kitchen, etc. Not too shabby. So if you're in need of a little getaway yourself, check out the state park near you!)

Oh, and be sure to check out the latest giveaway from Blue Eyed Bride! Gotta love some Hanky Panky brand panties!!!

"Hope for the Journey: Hurry Up and Wait"

Our pastor brought it yesterday. You can listen to yesterday's message along with others here: http://www.fellowshipradio.org/