tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26602635823200672492024-03-12T18:56:20.194-07:00When Away Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07186618499445066638noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660263582320067249.post-62134163872200865612013-03-25T05:20:00.001-07:002013-03-25T05:57:46.220-07:00Relentless <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">We don't imagine bad things happening to us. Illness, death, accidents and loss are anecdotes in a sermon or stories in <i>Chicken Soup for the Soul XVII</i>. And there isn't much to prepare us when the bottom does fall out, because tragedy is an abstract fear until it is all too palpable.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I knew early in our relationship that Joe will be an amazing father. Perhaps even earlier than I knew I wanted to marry him. So even more than my desire to be a mother, I wanted (want) Joe to get to be a father. When we found out I was pregnant in December, the joy was overwhelming. Truly overwhelming, in the best way possible. I couldn't wait to be a parent with the man I look up to and respect more than anyone. I would lie in bed and think about the little peanut, praying for each little toe and finger I knew I already, we already, loved so much.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">But a few weeks later, we learned we would never meet that peanut. And that love would become the sickening kind you feel when you lose something. A silent ultrasound at the ER was one of the worst sounds we've ever heard and it broke our hearts.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Being told you've lost a baby is a fear every woman has. We know, if nothing else, we have that one thing on men, I guess, and we are specifically designed to do it. When we can't, it's a biological gut punch. And it seems to be the worst thing imaginable. And it is, because I would never have imagined there was something harder than hearing I'd lost my baby.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The doctor ordered a D & C as opposed to waiting to pass the "tissue" naturally, which could take two weeks. And yes, "tissue" is the cold, clinical term that I kept hearing to refer to my lost peanut. I agreed with the surgery because I wanted to grieve and be sad, but to be moving in a direction away from this as soon as I could. Two weeks of waiting for my body to painfully expel something sounded too gruesome for me.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">In an episode of <i>Friends</i>, Rachel says, "I really thought I just hit rock bottom. But today, there's rock bottom, 50 feet of crap, and then me."</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc78xBTh_aapTiUe6eFbzvXdIVoUFmbng4sGsJwW0_T7NV_4nIPjhNwR1q_qmhU3v6XkBTFDDdgvf-j5LPbRou1sRnl7wFnsTdqIAywH_uk6Lk0dfOY8X2H9eVmNxtbxrSY0tfIDRcEnfO/s1600/Rachel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc78xBTh_aapTiUe6eFbzvXdIVoUFmbng4sGsJwW0_T7NV_4nIPjhNwR1q_qmhU3v6XkBTFDDdgvf-j5LPbRou1sRnl7wFnsTdqIAywH_uk6Lk0dfOY8X2H9eVmNxtbxrSY0tfIDRcEnfO/s1600/Rachel.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I couldn't find her saying the quote I used,<br />
but this sass will do. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">50 feet of crap farther than rock bottom, it turns out, is being told you had a cancerous pregnancy.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">My "condition" is called a molar pregnancy. It is a rare freak fertilization malfunction that results in a tumor that eventually kills the cells trying to make a baby while still mimicking a pregnancy. Pretty rude, right?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I told my doctor she needed to repeat herself because I had just hallucinated she told me I had a tumor.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">" You probably don't have the tumor anymore. We most likely got it all in your D&C, but you'll still need to wait 6 months to a year to try again. You will get a blood test every week till your hormones are normal again. If they don't get back to normal, than you'll have to do some chemo. But it's light chemo."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">A series of explicatives ran through my head and thankfully not out of my mouth. Vomit, though, did almost come out of my mouth.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The doctor explained everything again and said I was lucky that I was getting to keep my uterus, "that's the silver lining."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">That's the silver lining? That's what I am supposed to tell my 24 year- old self who is facing chemo and being told to wait 6 months to a year, that at least I get to keep my uterus?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The suffering seemed relentless.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">After calling Joe, who was already on his way to Florida, I spent the next few days in the same pair of sweatpants watching a <i> Criminal Minds</i> marathon. Polly rarely left my side-- proving dogs are the best things ever.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRrVsOsGRzIxEy0_Kqrcyan5vcChyphenhyphenpWmhg7cmrS0lldpAqNVrFG2BSDSfkcftNVxF83B_-_FDtBzbXjBEZTdleZkDBAZvpWNqUGH6vgy9e4DHENwx_1pnnD_xbqqiI7WplGWG-BBF9Qrx/s1600/CrimMinds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRrVsOsGRzIxEy0_Kqrcyan5vcChyphenhyphenpWmhg7cmrS0lldpAqNVrFG2BSDSfkcftNVxF83B_-_FDtBzbXjBEZTdleZkDBAZvpWNqUGH6vgy9e4DHENwx_1pnnD_xbqqiI7WplGWG-BBF9Qrx/s200/CrimMinds.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fictional friends </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;">I began wandering around the house one day in between episodes. Polly followed me, curious as to why I left the bedroom, I am sure. I found myself in the room, the one that was supposed to be the baby's room and I thought about all the plans I had already bookmarked in my computer to decorate the room. And all the cute, tiny clothes I was excited to buy. And all the nights I has planned on Joe and I staying awake, taking turns feeding or holding or just staring at the little person who was supposed to live in there.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeCYtklPkFozwQtcsbK00AMqm57Q-0rytvHA4j0Je7Nt4vWCHVD6g9acxTChf1XDUw_RGKYSBOwEbbfPRDcpkmMSvdS5-JgtEOVV6jikxM1X-dD_c8H_vmcuMEmjxg8qGbDcJLP1e56xb8/s1600/Polly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeCYtklPkFozwQtcsbK00AMqm57Q-0rytvHA4j0Je7Nt4vWCHVD6g9acxTChf1XDUw_RGKYSBOwEbbfPRDcpkmMSvdS5-JgtEOVV6jikxM1X-dD_c8H_vmcuMEmjxg8qGbDcJLP1e56xb8/s320/Polly.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Real friend.<br />
Yo, mom, I am fine with staying in bed<br />
all day. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">And it was that nondescript day to the rest if the world that I realized I had been asking God the wrong question.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I was determined to not be bitter or resentful with God. And I was doing a decent job. But I wasn't praying the prayer I needed to be praying.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I had been asking why instead of asking where.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">In Matthew 4:19-20, Jesus comes to Simon and Andrew in the middle of their work day and tells them to follow him and they will become fishers of men. Matthew 4:21-22 has a similar response but I love the syntax of James and John's actions. The bible says, " He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father, and followed him." It's all one sentence, it's one fluid motion separated by commas so you see that John and James have no hesitation. They don't even think about it long enough for the bible to document periods; they leave their job, their father, and they go.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">When Jesus says, "Follow me," it isn't a conditional statement. He doesn't say, "Follow me at your convenience," nor does he say, " Follow me only as far as you are comfortable. Only in leaving our metaphorical boats or even real fathers or families, and asking, "Where to?" can we fully receive and embrace God's love for us. And we wonder why people are unsatisfied in their faiths; because merely liking Jesus isn't enough. Simply accepting Christ in words or even prayer does not a disciple make. We have to get up and go where he calls us to be.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The where just may not be where we wanted to go.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">By now, we've all experienced mishaps with autocorrect on texts. There are even blog sites dedicated to these sometimes very embarrassing "corrections." My phone gets hooked on autocorrecting " I love you" into " I live you." It's not as silly or embarrassing as the " something" coming out as "some thong," but it is a message that has made me stop and think. Do I love Christ, or do I live him? Saying I love him is awesome and important, but he is asking for more than words, he is asking that we live our love out.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4c6Buyr0YmNNPaExZ9fjri_ZDeBdrQ2L8FeYBWgAdwSxQ6lVHw9CJze0I8Sq7HRRovZpctnm-fXtXJEILDuYU22bV0KrpjiDBXkARpbtGr-5zQoiiC8f1AKexiMXvF_03b0HiSeHuqNoA/s1600/Auto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4c6Buyr0YmNNPaExZ9fjri_ZDeBdrQ2L8FeYBWgAdwSxQ6lVHw9CJze0I8Sq7HRRovZpctnm-fXtXJEILDuYU22bV0KrpjiDBXkARpbtGr-5zQoiiC8f1AKexiMXvF_03b0HiSeHuqNoA/s200/Auto.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Actions speak louder than words, right?</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIjSzjbJJaj97TbjOYzBjIFjJnhk8yQCWpRSEMxZp0uqItrl0KHCZCkJqKok5MZVazf4_c6OQy-GX4m40vnjEDgi21NXiRBS7ecBtIqOkPfhTC21HGLs1hMBlWFZ9hzcrTSA_ZwlztgSjh/s1600/guillotines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIjSzjbJJaj97TbjOYzBjIFjJnhk8yQCWpRSEMxZp0uqItrl0KHCZCkJqKok5MZVazf4_c6OQy-GX4m40vnjEDgi21NXiRBS7ecBtIqOkPfhTC21HGLs1hMBlWFZ9hzcrTSA_ZwlztgSjh/s200/guillotines.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not a very delicate piece<br />of jewelry. </td></tr>
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<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">During the French Revolution people wore guillotines as jewelry. Sounds gruesome. But then I think of how many different pieces of jewelry I own that have a cross on it. A symbol we have attributed to purity to holiness and to salvation is actually as gruesome as a guillotine. A cross, The Cross, is all of those nouns, but it is a sign of suffering. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">My suffering seems, at this point, to be not letting up soon. My hormones have not dropped as they were supposed to and I could have another D and C, bumping us back another 6 months. If the surgery doesn't work, I face "light chemo, " which sounds oxymoronic.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">This is my cross to bear now. This is my battlefield, and I am fighting for more than my health or my motherhood, I am fighting for God and His promised Kingdom. Because right now it would be totally socially acceptable to break down and curse my Lord. In fact, it would prove the points or reasons non- believers cling to. But even " the demons believe" (James 2:19) and God hasn't abandoned me, so I will not abandon Him.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Being close to Him may bring you to uncomfortable, socially compromising, and challenging positions, but those are just your mission fields. You don't have to go to a remote village in a third world country to be a disciple. Your mission field may be closer than you think. Like next cubicle over. Or the lady next to me in the hospital waiting room. We have opportunity to worship God and serve Him in our most average and everyday lives. So while we may feel worldly suffering, we should look to the path that allows us to be a light in a place of darkness.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I feel closer to God because of these past few months than I ever have before.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I am devastated to lose a baby Joe and I already loved; but in that loss I have found a greater understanding of God's love. He sent His son to die for us, if anyone knows that grief, it's God.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I am afraid of cancer and chemo and being sick; but I am more afraid of becoming bitter and resentful when God is asking me to take on a new ministry.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I know if I relentlessly pursue God he too will relentlessly pursue me.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I've spent time mad at God. I asked Him to follow me and my rules. Other major world religions involve our reaching to god or to a state of holiness. In Christianity, God reaches for us. His plan is so much more important and awesome than mine, and yet he reaches for me and "calls me by name" ( Isaiah 43:1) and offers me a spiritual life I don't deserve.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Jesus tells Nicodemus in John 3 that humans cannot <b>do</b> to go to heaven, we have to <b>be.</b> Nicodemus, a member of the Sanhedrin (Old Testament scholar) asks how can he change, how can he become something he's not? Jesus has the perfect opening to tell this educated, knowledgable, doing man, the man that wants to know what to do to go to heaven but yet comes to Jesus at night so as not to be seen-- our state of being cannot be changed by anyone but God. God opens our hearts and changes who we are and who we are to become. Acts 16: 14 we get that exact active wording with Lydia, " The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul." When we pursue God, He will open our hearts, He will tear down the walls we've built, He will provide us with His love and the path He wants us to take to show more people that love.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">My battlefield, my mission field, right now is not one of comfort or contentment. But then this wouldn't be a mission field. I wouldn't be given the gift of suffering that will allow the Holy Spirit to work through me to plant seeds in other people's lives. I get to be a witness to Christ in the way He wants, nay, He trusts me to be.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Christ is asking me, giving me the opportunity, to follow him. It is my faithful duty to leave my comfort zone and simply say, " Where to?" </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">*For a more formalized study on following Christ, I recommend the Clear Creek Community church app the "Complete" study. For reading on this, <i>Follow Me</i> by David Platt and <i>Not a Fan</i> by Kyle Idleman. Also <i>Crazy Love</i> by Francis Chan.</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07186618499445066638noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660263582320067249.post-90609525598299912282012-08-21T20:24:00.000-07:002012-08-21T21:18:50.005-07:00"You Live for Fashion!"<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUJZSxlkecbd8YfD09hps1z8xc7OiI1GLhcQEw7DnyGHBVuyxmJeFEJrinuHKuCboNpkNJRGU0J9Pmc5gyD0t5p2rUDwHw24X8JL_l3NkeOljYGmiR0Fp4pGkdmYl5-geXqKHUCTURPfM/s1600/instylcurrent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUJZSxlkecbd8YfD09hps1z8xc7OiI1GLhcQEw7DnyGHBVuyxmJeFEJrinuHKuCboNpkNJRGU0J9Pmc5gyD0t5p2rUDwHw24X8JL_l3NkeOljYGmiR0Fp4pGkdmYl5-geXqKHUCTURPfM/s200/instylcurrent.jpg" width="153" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Current <i>InStyle</i></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The title comes from an episode of <i>Sex and the City</i> called "The Real Me" and is spoken by Charlotte York to Jen Savery, I mean, Carrie Bradshaw. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;">The September issue of all fashion magazines is the largest of each calendar year. <i>Vogue</i>'s September 2007 Issue weighed nearly 5 lbs. The current <i>InStyle</i> for this month is 652 pages. Fall is, as you learn flipping through pages showing how to wear cheetah print boots and burgundy skinny jeans, not for the fashion fearful.</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><i>InStyle</i> is my favorite magazine.* Colorful, well organized, diverse pieces and smart pairings for real women, it sings a seductive siren song of all the things, literally <b>things</b>, missing from my closet and therefore, a higher quality of life.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">But does owning -------- (insert current item of lust) actually improve my quality of life?</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKaW4BBZSAH_RuL892VtMFlZf8ElXukLQzU4oZ_f__4odku3veF71piSc7bs8SbXKAmeIukWIaTjC28xvd87KJF7putHlzHnApTnmAPGYyEqwLzAKWM_VN3M4bKDogByJNZlJTVHMmD_-G/s1600/September+issue+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKaW4BBZSAH_RuL892VtMFlZf8ElXukLQzU4oZ_f__4odku3veF71piSc7bs8SbXKAmeIukWIaTjC28xvd87KJF7putHlzHnApTnmAPGYyEqwLzAKWM_VN3M4bKDogByJNZlJTVHMmD_-G/s320/September+issue+.jpg" width="225" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">2007 September Issue </span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The ad below unapologetically flaunts what all ads, what all secular culture tells us-- this will fill your void, this will satisfy your desires and longings and you will never be the same after.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I admit that I have fallen for this trap far, far more than I would like to admit. And if you've seen my closet you'd think I was filled up by now. I own more shoes than anyone I know. I am talking Toto, we aren't in double digits anymore-- but than why do I keep looking at fashion magazines?</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOBEVrq7Hpu7tIrGMYj0JPtaDpB-23qRcSP1rTV1KNU-askbUteanZdQNSVGMa-NEqWbAOpzRMjfpjOpxro6DbuddfR780jz3j27yweRikXrpmmoN2tdzjLGX0TQHachmnXO8ueq27bpF/s1600/luckyad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOBEVrq7Hpu7tIrGMYj0JPtaDpB-23qRcSP1rTV1KNU-askbUteanZdQNSVGMa-NEqWbAOpzRMjfpjOpxro6DbuddfR780jz3j27yweRikXrpmmoN2tdzjLGX0TQHachmnXO8ueq27bpF/s320/luckyad.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Because fashion can quickly become my idol and, thus, my sin.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNr0KvF-kfkRZtxaoMIpzcckOzH4bcPCNyg_ouMn-5UbaAev-NFS1b1BCoRvMoUnOKmprm2P8jdGY5caEqKLyKr3kanBXIeda16ysN45xljJZ5VFoFt7BfYRp1GdZKgLdsK-5yKC5MMqLE/s1600/annawintour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNr0KvF-kfkRZtxaoMIpzcckOzH4bcPCNyg_ouMn-5UbaAev-NFS1b1BCoRvMoUnOKmprm2P8jdGY5caEqKLyKr3kanBXIeda16ysN45xljJZ5VFoFt7BfYRp1GdZKgLdsK-5yKC5MMqLE/s200/annawintour.jpg" width="173" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Cheif of <i>Vogue. </i>Oh, you devilishly stylish<br />woman, you.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">When discussing my long hiatus from blogging with a friend she suggested I write more just about food and clothes, less about "your life. I mean, I really like what you wear and when you talk about food." She did not mean this to hurt my feelings or to say my life isn't important, but let's be honest-- if all I am good for is fashion and food, it isn't.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;">That void I mentioned earlier, the one people try to fill with a purse or a drink or a one night stand or a bit of gossip, can only be filled and satisfied by God.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> We are guilty of becoming "culturally Christian," meaning we choose social practices that seem Christian, but we end up becoming </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">judgmental</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> and complacent.</span><span style="color: #222222;"> Our idea of morality is defined by comparison. Good is subjective to what it is being compared to. Francis Chan really nails this one on the head in his book </span><i style="color: #222222;">Crazy Love</i><span style="color: #222222;">. We accept and even embrace our sins so long as we aren't "as sinful" as someone else. Abstaining from drinking, cussing, premarital sex, murder, drugs are not what make us Christians. Only through recognizing (read: loving as He did, talking about, praising, living as an extension of Him, loving, loving, loving, loving) Christ as our savior are we actually Christians. I have let myself shop because if that's my weakness, it's really not as bad as making alcohol or sex or drugs my idol. I don't intentionally hurt anyone, so what's one more pair of shoes?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">If I am not wearing my faith as prominently as the red soles of my Christian Louboutins, I am the worst kind of sinner of all. St. Augustine, who was quite the partyboy, wrote </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16px;">"Grant </span><em style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; line-height: 16px;">me chastity</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16px;"> and continence, </span><em style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; line-height: 16px;">but not yet.</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16px;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> Translation in modern vernacular: Lord make me sinless in your eyes.... unless sinless means seeking your glory before my selfish desires, than in that case maybe just kind of sinless.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhug_VfjrtbMxNqXsR23uHOkqIlusO_4HTSbiLd_YOWDWCd3luZKCrDkQBo1KC5AIrUq42oXxQeOaGX4XEr7_eAKWh_lbUIeAhDSzYbKwg1aOnu1Uo5H2w54N_3VmbY0gCnfvh_66djR5qf/s1600/louboutins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhug_VfjrtbMxNqXsR23uHOkqIlusO_4HTSbiLd_YOWDWCd3luZKCrDkQBo1KC5AIrUq42oXxQeOaGX4XEr7_eAKWh_lbUIeAhDSzYbKwg1aOnu1Uo5H2w54N_3VmbY0gCnfvh_66djR5qf/s320/louboutins.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Those red soles are among the most brilliant marketing<br /> techniques in fashion history </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;">The Chic-Fila controversy aroused emotional reactions from all different sides. People who side with the franchise lined up to buy chicken sandwiches and those who disagreed, boycotted. (By the way, I am remaining impartial on the topic, this is to prove a much bigger point.) I saw a picture in Facebook that had a caption reading something about there have never been that many Christians lining up to volunteer at a homeless shelter or food bank. My thought process here was 1) That was a rude caption, especially considering the controversy surrounds equality and rights and my faith is a reserved right 2) At the same time, that people had more to say and stand up for over a fast food restaurant than they do for their faith-- no amount of chicken sandwiches will outlaw gay marriage, nor will the plummet of chicken sandwiches sales legalize gay marriage.</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">When asked if I am a Christian, I am not being asked if I eat at Chic-Fila or or if I own cross jewelry or have a fish bumper sticker or if I even go to church (My list inspired by <i>Not a Fan</i> by Kyle Idleman).</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> I am being asked if I love Christ and if I live to glorify God. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I <strike>like </strike><b>love </b>hearing people say they love my outfit. It totally validates the time spent picking it out and making sure I have the right balance of color, texture and coverage. What this really means is I need to spend more time being a Christ-like example in an ever-darkening world than I do selecting my clothing ensembles. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">John 20:15 (NAS) Mary is searching for Christ Easter morning. Before she recognizes him, he asks, "Whom are you seeking?" When translated into Greek, <i>seek</i> is synonymous with <i>crave. </i>This conjures not only images of delicious cupcakes, but all the material things I have saved to my Shopbop WishList. <br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">So here is the challenge to myself: No shopping in September.** None. Instead, working on making God what I crave.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">What do you crave? What do you fill your life with?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">* I enjoy <i>Vogue</i>, but there are more ads than content in most issues. Ahhh, the symbolism. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">** <b>THE </b> fashion month. As in, fashion's birthday...basically. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07186618499445066638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660263582320067249.post-27651152787274700602012-06-11T14:06:00.001-07:002012-06-11T14:06:33.582-07:00Phamily TimePolly and I have made the journey to the land north of the Mason Dixon. These are our stats thus far:<br />
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Times I have been told I have an accent: 2 (False, in my opinion)<br />
Times Joe has said he is glad that I am here: 100<br />
Times that I have gotten mad for forgetting some article of clothing: 28<br />
Bowls of Cinnamon Toast Crunch I have eaten: 11<br />
Friends I have made: 12<br />
Friends Joe has made because of me: 12<br />
Laps Polly has run around the fully carpeted apartment: 22<br />
Time Polly has been waking up and, thus, woken us up: 6:32 AM<br />
Times I have introduced myself as, "Jennifer Wegmann, I mean, Savery" : 3<br />
Days it took me to find Target: 2 hours after landing in Philadelphia<br />
Times I have told Joe how thankful I am that I can be here: Not enough<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBN3zSmBDuUf0zIFwUo5aFqRBdKGDcthbdqSj6ChiQnSGUHBrIatKLhOfSoyPJt3f9qNWyLakU8_V4lVsRF4M5JlvLP4QfKdDTS2Ue2GbGQo40WYEWZEhXr_CS0B9UNBMZTiutdeCEI0f/s1600/back.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBN3zSmBDuUf0zIFwUo5aFqRBdKGDcthbdqSj6ChiQnSGUHBrIatKLhOfSoyPJt3f9qNWyLakU8_V4lVsRF4M5JlvLP4QfKdDTS2Ue2GbGQo40WYEWZEhXr_CS0B9UNBMZTiutdeCEI0f/s320/back.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new friends and I hoping the grass isn't too wet</td></tr>
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We participated in Family Day, which is geared more towards those who actually have more than 2 people in their family. Two other players' girls and I stood around joking about needing a prop child to fit in. It was precious watching all the kids in their uniforms run the bases, fall down, run the bases again and then jump on dad. Christmas card photo op if I ever saw one.<br />
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Joe's mom asked if I was doing well. His response went something like this, "Well, she got us on a triple date; tonight she is going to a wives' dinner; we are modeling in a fashion show. She is doing pretty well."<br />
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And, yes, we are in a fashion show. A charity one, not a legitimate one. My dress is gorgeous and fun and my shoes are bejeweled Christian Louboutin's with all the colors of the rainbow.... and they match Joe's shirt. I am sure he will make his multi-colored shirt very handsome, and if nothing else my shoes will make anything near it look good. Trying on the clothes was enough fun for me. Big thanks to Neiman Marcus and the Shane Victorino Foundation for the event and letting us have big girl dress up day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn3TCXzpzeTiZpRiAMPMazjoMQgeyUmQzdEysGOwYg-7GRgCzrmJxWbK_a-GNGoUzEEfJwb6yUzZnFfW63cTgoJgKtJJcKfNStVqszTxZxtzSud5jLipRbooJ8-nu_eSBMRYm8G1p_gIMF/s1600/shoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn3TCXzpzeTiZpRiAMPMazjoMQgeyUmQzdEysGOwYg-7GRgCzrmJxWbK_a-GNGoUzEEfJwb6yUzZnFfW63cTgoJgKtJJcKfNStVqszTxZxtzSud5jLipRbooJ8-nu_eSBMRYm8G1p_gIMF/s200/shoes.jpg" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My beauties. Move over, Cinderella. </td></tr>
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As tenuous as our position is here, we are thankful for the many modes of kindness people have shown us. If the rain and the cold weather can go away, I will be even happier!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7FnObiXSsQNOxWY8bfk9kDcq201Zk41CYKV7d-t50gUvGj_xZxvLyt3FUFUW3_1y6QddpACET4Lrzqy0hNgaQuHAip7LfDelB96eZctPyXWlLKgzykv9diLBggwUY3srY9Xx6ejx5ZeOX/s1600/jerseyback.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7FnObiXSsQNOxWY8bfk9kDcq201Zk41CYKV7d-t50gUvGj_xZxvLyt3FUFUW3_1y6QddpACET4Lrzqy0hNgaQuHAip7LfDelB96eZctPyXWlLKgzykv9diLBggwUY3srY9Xx6ejx5ZeOX/s320/jerseyback.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Different jersey sizes? </td></tr>
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<br />
Here and already leaving soon. Joe played in Baltimore over the weekend so I came a little further south to visit a friend. In Baltimore, the hotel gave Polly a doggie bed and bowls and treats. Not 5 minutes after we got in our room the door rang with comforts for the princess. Must be nice to be so cute, huh?<br />
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I have a friend's wedding next weekend in Mississippi (sweet tea, anyone?). I am over the moon excited to see my friends next weekend. I know they will all agree when I say that all time has done is make us more appreciative for the friendships we have with one another. And what better way to reunite than our friends big Southern wedding? Stay tuned for the prodigal daughter to return to the South.....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSgq9FlhNZW5mgiIuZU-ky6Q5k216VDgPa29XT_nf02wv8Ah331VKOaRlPyu-f_T5QyrbKlZwGrVEN7fmp-KidcVP_QqpCFyVXO6-85-yhuarACjMbV3dWvIFqYmI3sG70onEX4e4lttNX/s1600/jerseyfront.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSgq9FlhNZW5mgiIuZU-ky6Q5k216VDgPa29XT_nf02wv8Ah331VKOaRlPyu-f_T5QyrbKlZwGrVEN7fmp-KidcVP_QqpCFyVXO6-85-yhuarACjMbV3dWvIFqYmI3sG70onEX4e4lttNX/s320/jerseyfront.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I know, this is cheesy, but we will appreciate it in the future. </td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07186618499445066638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660263582320067249.post-4277025241100939562012-05-21T15:50:00.000-07:002012-05-21T15:50:02.868-07:00Don't Mess with (me when I am leaving) Texas<br />
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.682161750504747" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I move very, very soon. My messy mid-packing apartment is a constant reminder of the rapidly approaching departure. Currently, we don’t know where exactly I am moving to; this includes both city and type of residence. Joe has bounced up and down and then up and then down again and then back up this season enough that we haven’t settled on what we should do about the roof over our heads. Polly says she isn’t worried about it. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We totalled up how many miles I have traveled this year thus far: 18,000 miles between January and today. The world is 24,0000 around so I am almost guaranteed to have traveled “around the world” by the end of the season. To those of you who have jobs like George Clooney in </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Up in the Air, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">you have far more patience than I. </span></span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6XsSvugcrVEPNAUopi9Jhai29aPCV1NhTqLqNEw9vggZDU8oNh6gpBy3VDN4PoBElwYpzRAjklZAdyV6ECIUY-rYBOhz0BKlhyMLDJRw1t5o8zjY0Hz-EA6ZgYQoy7lizzsUtJV4sTv2/s1600/clooney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6XsSvugcrVEPNAUopi9Jhai29aPCV1NhTqLqNEw9vggZDU8oNh6gpBy3VDN4PoBElwYpzRAjklZAdyV6ECIUY-rYBOhz0BKlhyMLDJRw1t5o8zjY0Hz-EA6ZgYQoy7lizzsUtJV4sTv2/s320/clooney.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Can you imagine if Clooney sat next to you on a flight?<br />I might not get off the plane.<br />Oh, come on, even Joe might stay on the flight next to George!</span></td></tr>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Things I will miss about Texas: </span></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Good Co. barbecue </span></span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQp6JGcKJbYx0Jgur1QCOJNQqCW-SYHmYGqnYuB-XM89hGtj5LEvAyCMDRqA8U5p7fRzeZctmrYPJX-Ux7Xvms6cfz8Woin_XUAUgch_ll5AD9nuDDgeJl6WXUXMGyV2RQgRiV8fqaVIpc/s1600/bbq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQp6JGcKJbYx0Jgur1QCOJNQqCW-SYHmYGqnYuB-XM89hGtj5LEvAyCMDRqA8U5p7fRzeZctmrYPJX-Ux7Xvms6cfz8Woin_XUAUgch_ll5AD9nuDDgeJl6WXUXMGyV2RQgRiV8fqaVIpc/s320/bbq.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Goode Co. on Kirby</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span></b></span></td></tr>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dr. Pepper</span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">My family</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">People saying Coke, but really meaning any carbonated beverage</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Y’all” </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cowboy boots in a non-novelty way </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Guadalupe River. By the way, this is my first summer in 4 years to not be working at Mystic and my first summer in 16 years to realize I can't go back and work there.... or be a camper. </span></span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrzcGWk9fJ9qZqeO12OKKtH5SvRqb3c4VdiOSHDRFp4ewynM2f7oNdeQIr59KQGEqmDs6bpwY1yXf3SaaoXLsUw5CmQyG08yCOTldEb3bGWFtBfr3OMK8FeJdL0H7O6z1gSba12g6724Cm/s1600/mystic+guad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrzcGWk9fJ9qZqeO12OKKtH5SvRqb3c4VdiOSHDRFp4ewynM2f7oNdeQIr59KQGEqmDs6bpwY1yXf3SaaoXLsUw5CmQyG08yCOTldEb3bGWFtBfr3OMK8FeJdL0H7O6z1gSba12g6724Cm/s1600/mystic+guad.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Guad at Camp Mystic's Waterfront</span></td></tr>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My friends </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Steak </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Galleria </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My church</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finding any item of clothing you can imagine can, in fact, bear the Texas flag</span></span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKwJfK6ZffVLHtL3ZvMjW3jQUbooLbEfVpW1ox3lyoa6eBmiYeP0vpUmK2rywrMthGf4GA6Y5KuD_shor8PUnEtC5T4kLPqtfsAQOhTo53490hn9yl0keSHGEzMk8AkYCyq9aNsHtY-0U/s1600/Texas+flag+shirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKwJfK6ZffVLHtL3ZvMjW3jQUbooLbEfVpW1ox3lyoa6eBmiYeP0vpUmK2rywrMthGf4GA6Y5KuD_shor8PUnEtC5T4kLPqtfsAQOhTo53490hn9yl0keSHGEzMk8AkYCyq9aNsHtY-0U/s200/Texas+flag+shirt.jpg" width="155" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I think my sister owns one of these<br />shirts. They have<br />the real thing too, if that's what you're<br />looking for</span></td></tr>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Rodeo</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">St. Arnold’s and Shiner Light Blonde</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Swimming in October</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Texas Country Music</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> In honor of my hiatus from Texas (as if four years of college were not enough), I am going to write a few little vignettes about the Texas I know, the Texas that has been created around me and the one we so love to romanticize when we have to be away. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Water from the sprinkler turned to steam on the concrete. Everything was wet and hot. Even the cars’ hoods looked like water as the heat rippled over them. Somewhere in the distance an ambulance drove by, its siren’s tone getting lower as it passed. Zoe played in the soil with naked Barbies. Her toddling sister slept inside, her hair curling on her forehead from the baby sweat. Later their father would come home with his dry cleaning and golf shoes. Later they would eat Kraft macaroni and cheese and drink milk from cups they bought at the circus. Zoe’s was a pink elephant. Its trunk was the handle and it had long black eyelashes. She made the Barbies do the splits and tried to make them hold handstands in the grass. One of the Barbie’s hair was brown, which meant she wasn’t really a Barbie, but Barbie’s friend Susan. Or Brenda. Some name that was not Barbie and did not have an “i” with a heart on her box. A boy rode his bike, without training wheels, down the street. Zoe wanted her baby sister to wake up so they could fill up the inflatable pool and make the Barbies, and Brenda, go skinny dipping. Zoe liked to go under the water and open her eyes. She could see the pebbles and sticks poking at the bottom of the soft plastic pool and her hair stuck to her face when she finally came out. Her mom did not like it when she put her face under. Her mother, now, was moving the sprinkler to make sure her begonias and monkey grass got enough to drink. It had been many days since she watered the plants so much of it was dead. Little brown buds fell off and ran in streams to the hot, wet street. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The second canoe was smoother than the first. The Guadalupe water was still and green before the dam and we could see turtles heads pop up and the outline of their shells. Sweat prickled on my back like the insects that landed on the water. Their legs twitched and spasmed, then they flew to another spot. Or went to the tall grass on the road side of the river. I asked West if he wanted to turn back before the dam; he said no. We didn’t talk for a while after that, just listened to the sound of our paddles dip in the water and scrape against our old metal canoes. Sometimes my Dr. Pepper cans rattled by my feet. Sometimes West was so silent I could have sworn he was a Hill Country Indian. His bandana was tied around his head and his shirt, long discarded, was tucked into the seat of his shorts over his butt. He stopped paddling and looked at me while he took a drink from his water bottle. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You’re doing a pretty good job there,” he said to me. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I like the river.” He smiled but didn’t say anything and went back to his silent paddling. West’s back was burning and I was sure that mine was red, too. Later we would have to take turns putting cold aloe vera on each other’s backs. West would tell me to put it on my hands first before rubbing it in. I wouldn’t say anything. And maybe he would pat my shoulder as a way of telling me he was finished. The dam was upon us. We had to pick up the canoes one at a time and walk them down. Though the water was more shallow, the river floor was clay and dipped down in tubs. West got a leech on his forearm. He pulled and flicked at it till the leech fell off. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“So do you have to suck the poison out?” I asked. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“No, that’s snakes. This will just need to be cleaned. Plus, if I was bitten by a snake, you would have to suck the poison because I would be too weak.” </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I would do that. For you.” </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I know.” </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The current moved us for a while without having to paddle except to stay straight. We would need to turn around soon to make it back before dark. Or we would just stay on the river till the breeze picked up and the water turned black beneath our canoes. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They sat on top of the picnic table with their feet on the bench, just like they had done in high school. They’d eat cafeteria yogurt and talk about their days, uniform skirts tucked between their thighs as to attempt modesty. They had on jeans and boots so there was less balancing involved now. There was also no yogurt, just some beers in plastic cups and a poorly sugared funnel cake. Marcy wore a push up bra that night and it was riding up her back and she was certain one of the straps was twisted. When she got dressed she looked like a sexy cowgirl, she thought. But now, sitting next to Allison and a few hours into the night, she felt like she had tried too hard. You could tell she had tried to look like a sexy cowgirl, and what she really was was a sexy cowgirl’s overly primped friend. Allison, who did not own a push up bra, wanted to get a cinnamon roll and maybe ride the ferris wheel. They got up to find the tent with the cinnamon rolls, but there was a cluster of high school students flirting and laughing too loudly. Marcy suggested they still wait in line, but Allison said she changed her mind about the cinnamon roll and she just wanted to go sit and watch the ferris wheel and finish their beers. Marcy had wanted to finish her beer in line with the high schoolers, but followed Allison back to the picnic table that now had two Hispanic boys playing with one of the prize stuffed animals. It looked like a squid. Marcy almost made a joke about things that look like squids; she decided against it though. They watched the boys play for a while then looked back wordlessly at the blinking lights of the ferris wheel. </span></span></b></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07186618499445066638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660263582320067249.post-75907286173956192702012-05-09T20:22:00.001-07:002012-05-10T15:41:55.526-07:00The Heels Were Made for Teaching<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7SXv5H1dKjLhjPuKvxQwNy3AJiCdD3GBMXb5SzQkrnzdRs3dxLCfnAzx5a4oP4Q57tJaCfwrCUgjoNiuRhlEZrbVS6Lm7Lj4oVxRpwrEUzcqeoxUtmOHRh1ADa874HqIvmQ-31CzCrWOa/s1600/038_38.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7SXv5H1dKjLhjPuKvxQwNy3AJiCdD3GBMXb5SzQkrnzdRs3dxLCfnAzx5a4oP4Q57tJaCfwrCUgjoNiuRhlEZrbVS6Lm7Lj4oVxRpwrEUzcqeoxUtmOHRh1ADa874HqIvmQ-31CzCrWOa/s320/038_38.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bookshelf at Shakespeare and Co. in Paris, France<br />
One of my study abroad trips in college</td></tr>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.1970254140906036" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Wait, what do you mean ‘Free Read Day’? I don’t get it." This was the general response from my students when I told them to bring a book, no iPads, Kindles, eBooks, magazines or comics, to read in class last week. (Note: A student brought </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Captain Underpants</i> and actually tried to make an argument as to why he could read it as a junior for Free Read Day. A book that comes with stickers is not going to fly for Free Read Day.)</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7N_9XBrFCx2R1BEqzLhyphenhyphenCZVvwXp5O9MY_WWXlQl2T8oTrXgJIeaGqJMJEUPsWjJtiOZl8aqQrarpYYGcgGApN65GCJsdTndtOb1LB6hBufvr86BUhbD1A_KqBxQ-H584z-7PbEyo6i-Sv/s1600/162679_866663497537_29614651_46060749_6941438_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7N_9XBrFCx2R1BEqzLhyphenhyphenCZVvwXp5O9MY_WWXlQl2T8oTrXgJIeaGqJMJEUPsWjJtiOZl8aqQrarpYYGcgGApN65GCJsdTndtOb1LB6hBufvr86BUhbD1A_KqBxQ-H584z-7PbEyo6i-Sv/s200/162679_866663497537_29614651_46060749_6941438_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This face would probably shock<br />
my students</td></tr>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When they were unable to bring a book to school, I let them borrow some of mine. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I shocked my students with the fact that the books I gave them were not 17th century poetry or written in Old English. The books I gave them were by modern and contemporary authors with some elements I know they weren’t expecting (“Uhm, this book says the word ‘beer,’ is that okay?”*) and with endings they certainly were not anticipating (“Why does he just walk away? Why did she still love him?”**). But I loved that they were holding books from my personal library, with my old notes and scribbles in the margins. I know they felt like they were looking into my diary or something, and in a way they were, by my diary as a reader not as a writer. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Student A: “Are we going to find notes to ex- boyfriends in here?” </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Me: “Would I still have the book if I wrote notes to other people in them?” </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Student A: “Guess not.”</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Me: “Besides, I would never let an ex-boyfriend keep my books.” </span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Student B: “ Wait, You have ex-boyfriends?!”</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the same reaction to my having a doctor’s appointment, as though we, teachers, do not go to doctors or get sick or leave the school campus for anything. Did I think that about my teachers? I guess to some degree I did, but when I came back to school after the doctor they were very inquisitive then as well. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Student A:“Are you sick?”</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Me: “Nope.”</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Student B:“Are you getting sick?”</span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Me: “No, just a check up.”</span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Student A again: “Were you faking sick?” </span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Student B:"I bet you were faking."</span></span></b></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Me: “Okay, time for a pop quiz.”</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With this year winding down I keep wondering if I have made any impact on them besides my clothing-- which is still commented on daily (“I don’t think you have worn the same shoes twice,” said a male student to me. “Yes she has, she wore those before Christmas break. That is two times this school year, gosh, you idiot,” said a female student in my ‘defense.’) </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But I think about my most influential teachers, the ones that made me want to be a teacher; I wonder if I have done even half of that, a third of that, for my students. I know they will not leave my class dreaming of being an English teacher. I know they will not go out and buy every Barry Hannah, Miranda July, Mary Karr book they can find.*** I know that they don’t think Shakespeare is cool or that Old English is easy. But I want so badly for them to think something, to learn something and most importantly, to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">feel</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> something. That is what reading and writing does that no other subject really can, it makes you </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">feel</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I want my students to have read something, even if it was just a page and the rest was Sparknoted**** I hope they read it and had to look inward at themselves in a way they hadn’t before. We have talked about pride and greed and lust and love and death and creation and isolation and abandonment and fear-- oh goodness have we talked about fear. The most fearful thing, after all, is that someone can look at us and see us for who we truly are. Reading is that, it forces you to look inward. I want them so badly to have studied these themes and thought, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>I know what he/she feels, I have never killed anyone to become king, but I know how it feels to want something you can't have </i>or <i>I know what it feels like to be alienated, I know what it feels like to reach out and have no one reach back-- I didn't know other people ever felt that way. </i></span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I personally fear that I did nothing but show them how to write a proper thesis statement and insert page numbers on a Word doc. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A student from the other 10th grade teacher’s class said that all we do is color in </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">my</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> class. He said this to two of my girls who are not making very good grades and that all they have to do is stay in the lines in my coloring books and they will get an A. My teacher friend teaches the class that this conversation was taking place in. She said the girls stood up for me, but mostly for the rigor of my class. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“It is, like, hard. Like, we really have to read and learn stuff. She grades our essays hard and she makes us like, go deeper”</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Yeah, you don’t even know. It is a hard class and we are trying really hard to make good grades. It is hard.”</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The girls also told me about this the next day. We joked as a class about if that was actually the case, than they should all have made A’s on the test I just handed back, which they did not.</span></span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Being the young, new teacher I am an easy target. </span></span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Being the young, new teacher means I will quip right back at you. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My teacher friend said I should come meet this boy, the naysayer/hater, so I did. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teacher Friend introduced us: “Boy (name omitted to protect his identity), this is Mrs. Savery. She wanted to meet you.” </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I smiled big, gave a firm hand-shake and said, “Hi, Boy. I hear you really want to come to my class to color.”<br class="kix-line-break" />He looked at me wide eyed and shocked, “Uhm, no.”</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Really? I think you should just stop by sometime. I have plenty of extra coloring books if you want a break from Mrs. Other 10th Grade Teacher’s class.”</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I like Mrs. Other 10th Grade Teacher’s class.”</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Oh, that’s great! I will let her know. But in case you need a break from all of your learning and test taking, I have all of the Crayola crayons you can imagine and we don’t even have grades. Just stick figures.” </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Still shocked and stammering he said, “Oh, okay.”</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Okay, great! Well, come by sometime. It was so nice to meet you!” </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My girls, who were listening from the hallway, all hugged me after like it was an episode of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Saved by the Bell </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and I had confronted the bully</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> They thought it was, like, so awesome. Which it kind of was.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Boss, if you are reading this, please don't fire me. I was standing up for my students! I was standing up for literature!) </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What was even better was that the next day a few students stayed after class to tell me how much they had learned this year and what a good teacher they thought I was. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I would take your class every year if I could. Even if there was a coloring class, I would take yours instead!” </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What did we learn from this, class?</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We learned that teachers talk. That you shouldn’t talk about what you don’t know. That maybe I have done something for my students. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And don’t mess with the teacher in the red-soled shoes.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*Reading Larry Brown's </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Big Bad Love;</i> which is not, in fact, about love being big or bad. Well, maybe a little bad. </span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">** Reading "Up In Michigan" after I told them that Gertrude Stein told Hemingway it was the cruelest story she had ever read. And it is pretty cruel. So of course, they wanted to read it. </span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*** All amazing authors, very contemporary and not for everyone. </span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">****Sparknoted: a verb meaning read the first and last page of a book and used Sparknotes for the rest.</span></span></b></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07186618499445066638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660263582320067249.post-79578673613970797992012-04-20T18:26:00.000-07:002012-04-22T07:18:06.539-07:00"Never go on trips with anyone you do not love"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> There is a scene in Ernest Hemingway's novel <i>A Farewell to Arms</i> in which the main character, Fredrick, has a conversation with the priest while he is injured in the hospital. Fredrick tells the priest he does not "love much." To which the priest responds: </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Yes," he said. "You do. What you tell me about in the nights. That is not love. That is only passion and lust. When you love you wish to do things for. You wish to sacrifice for. You wish to serve." </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"I don't know love." </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"You will. I know you will. Then you will be happy."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"I'm happy. I've always been happy."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"It is another thing. You cannot know about it unless you have it." </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Though this is not my favorite Hemingway book*, this scene certainly strikes a cord to any reader. Those who love know, those who do not, won't until they do. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Another favorite quote of mine is in this novel (I promise this is not a literature lesson, so bear with me): "The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places." </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I once told Joe I knew I wanted to marry him when my plans changed because of him. Whatever silly timeline I had come up with, whatever check list of life accomplishments I had before him, changed when he came into my life. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXLCuVMrcv-9dWLHSrv0EkMJiNBdEqZR3lltgAZCxlQu9BrVGD7FToUZDEsHtkHqvLaOns3xR2QmUwNfoZFlJfcRc6d6Mhm2SUtpSyN7bCJ5V-gAS0wqfABf0FPrKAE5OgAe8GWK4ECb3/s1600/blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXLCuVMrcv-9dWLHSrv0EkMJiNBdEqZR3lltgAZCxlQu9BrVGD7FToUZDEsHtkHqvLaOns3xR2QmUwNfoZFlJfcRc6d6Mhm2SUtpSyN7bCJ5V-gAS0wqfABf0FPrKAE5OgAe8GWK4ECb3/s400/blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Such an attractive couple</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And plans have changed again. Next fall I will not return to teaching full time; I will travel with Joe and take care of our marriage full time. I have loved teaching in the way you love things that make you struggle, that break you and make you stronger, and I hope to one day come back to the classroom full time. But for now, my family (however small it is) has to come first. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But God is good and were we are needed he will find a way to have us there. My boss came in my classroom two days after I wept in his office about how I couldn't teach next year and offered the creative writing class to me through an online course-- I didn't even hesitate to say yes! There will be a presiding teacher to basically administrate the class, but the syllabus, grading, teaching and instruction will be "mine." The Lord has lead me to this school and has a purpose for me here, one I am even more certain of now that we are able to make an arrangement that satisfies all of my roles. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">At Camp Mystic for Girls** there is always a Sunday we talk about putting God first. It is visually demonstrated through a giant fish bowl, rice and some golf balls. When we put worldly things first, represented by rice, God's will doesn't always fit, shown by trying to fit golf balls in the already full fish bowl. But putting the Lord first, meaning the golf balls, the rice sifts through and the Lord provides. I guess I forgot this in all my crying over what to do about next year. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Put your golf balls in first and your rice will fit, too. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2cOBcdrhCvEzOksyT6l6POpgPOcd4RQ3WFw7ADRgryPuc1MgwAoxLNQxgRJJFeAIwzMFnFyhe6otdUGjei4RXlwzg-IKcagLHLmJn2UJXsuWqebhOym9hgeXw1Ih6ELirpWLgADUfRCb/s1600/blakenose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2cOBcdrhCvEzOksyT6l6POpgPOcd4RQ3WFw7ADRgryPuc1MgwAoxLNQxgRJJFeAIwzMFnFyhe6otdUGjei4RXlwzg-IKcagLHLmJn2UJXsuWqebhOym9hgeXw1Ih6ELirpWLgADUfRCb/s200/blakenose.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my favorite camper photos ever </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Photo Ode to Mystic </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">**I went to Camp Mystic since 1998, with a hiatus between 2005-2007, quickly to return to be a counselor. Aside from my parents, I don't think anything has been as impactful and formative as Mystic. The river, the Hill Country, the tradition and the people make you renew your spirit and your body like nothing else can. God's hand has made Mystic as a place for girls to find their faiths, walk in hope and grow in love. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcVM1BpzmFOPasT9sDwS22Ahdg-alu41oOy8RQ9yapbg0v5PPT5VL1UhOzIJQ4DfJ9yq3llRRqeDGrMGjnIekvr5fcRZvLgGBnlnIcaNTF5KurvBeVEFvD2c4a0KrXzDAIW9J4LhdFJzs-/s1600/mystic+dance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcVM1BpzmFOPasT9sDwS22Ahdg-alu41oOy8RQ9yapbg0v5PPT5VL1UhOzIJQ4DfJ9yq3llRRqeDGrMGjnIekvr5fcRZvLgGBnlnIcaNTF5KurvBeVEFvD2c4a0KrXzDAIW9J4LhdFJzs-/s320/mystic+dance.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camp Mystic Dance 2011; sister and Rita </td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimbEGW6HsmS3gx8-8OzRlCP3bDvXADgIMDgydesatQfGWujBB75dY6frPI9JjTG6wJwlUE2_METv-zzHcKuL3WLsfXVVuKcn1hGTQQAM3J6RY1coEBstfQIwUzsMnd7MrOk_YZBaF7Iy9/s1600/camp+worm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimbEGW6HsmS3gx8-8OzRlCP3bDvXADgIMDgydesatQfGWujBB75dY6frPI9JjTG6wJwlUE2_METv-zzHcKuL3WLsfXVVuKcn1hGTQQAM3J6RY1coEBstfQIwUzsMnd7MrOk_YZBaF7Iy9/s200/camp+worm.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asking campers to back up so I can do the worm<br />
at a Mystic dance party </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ9iRFuQhVutpkrYmGiY83wrOB320L17_CE5kjxJxfkctEVbvgeu3NME3R_0DEsRUQSG9d7zESt8tzwzG3NwEspt8wWbG72ty5ZVyE-qGxSZJXTK9m5N-bdFkO3b_EtY03QJwv8kA_76ib/s1600/maverick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ9iRFuQhVutpkrYmGiY83wrOB320L17_CE5kjxJxfkctEVbvgeu3NME3R_0DEsRUQSG9d7zESt8tzwzG3NwEspt8wWbG72ty5ZVyE-qGxSZJXTK9m5N-bdFkO3b_EtY03QJwv8kA_76ib/s320/maverick.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little HBR<br />
That's horse back riding to those of you who have never<br />
filled out a Mystic Activity Card </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Th8CkJZbGEGXKLtzB8lDUPaVCoZfMvVyD0Jvo4BYM35XDo-3bn3rfgwlaBbC_xglDvymDCXHkWl2XiRlmD4K8Fqcwxiqxi2Y-uT2TeWulkA8kO3XZZbQFHKOmqMir8OyzH7yQpNxR3sB/s1600/campreading.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Th8CkJZbGEGXKLtzB8lDUPaVCoZfMvVyD0Jvo4BYM35XDo-3bn3rfgwlaBbC_xglDvymDCXHkWl2XiRlmD4K8Fqcwxiqxi2Y-uT2TeWulkA8kO3XZZbQFHKOmqMir8OyzH7yQpNxR3sB/s200/campreading.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reading at Mystic on CC Day, aka best day ever.<br />
Yeah, I am a freak, kind of. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsEA7f6SEYGXN6WCdx-501Nvj8SNwrA_1_GQyxjNsZpi6Rk4_GKJfjGTb5grI-wyaohFhYjNyIKrNY7GTKXMwiEcjrCvIJvl5mbqS44xFVS5lfWzp5V3OOLVbKgRiS4J5zxUDV9uqh3sOw/s1600/mystic+at+the+wedding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsEA7f6SEYGXN6WCdx-501Nvj8SNwrA_1_GQyxjNsZpi6Rk4_GKJfjGTb5grI-wyaohFhYjNyIKrNY7GTKXMwiEcjrCvIJvl5mbqS44xFVS5lfWzp5V3OOLVbKgRiS4J5zxUDV9uqh3sOw/s640/mystic+at+the+wedding.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Mystic friends and the directors, Dick and Tweety at my wedding.<br />
You don't go somewhere for 12 summers and not get attached to some folks.<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
* Read Hemingway's short stories or <i>A Moveable Feast</i> or <i>The Sun Also Rises. A Moveable Feast</i> is a collection of short memoirs about his time in Paris. Better yet, read it in Paris. You'll never be able to stop loving the city. The title of this post is a quote from <i>A Moveable Feast</i>, and I couldn't agree more. </div>
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<br />
UPDATE: Since this post went public Joe was called up to the big leagues again! Another player is injured, so there is no telling how long he will be there; however, it is nice to know that he is the next guy in line when something like this does happen! </div>
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</tbody></table>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07186618499445066638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660263582320067249.post-65656720632404291422012-04-15T19:37:00.001-07:002012-04-16T12:40:39.059-07:00Polly Will Be Signing Autographs Later<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Maybe it was the massive American flag. Maybe it was the Air Force flyover during the National Anthem. Maybe it was the Phillies Phanatic dancing to "Proud Marry." Or maybe it was just getting to see Joe smile on the big screen at Citizens Bank Park, but I was completely swept away by the romanticism of baseball on April 9, 2012.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTPTN3-4z9IGnvx8_K7LMktsr2GJOdVKyShnPJyRV1b4MNqcUTDqKukTNzoX26vyQk7E3bcUYg6jzS_8haGtAgLh9ly_vKRDvd6L6AitkITpAl5yX-UGyFSRnbTTeli7g4uKNXiD6iMwd4/s1600/jersey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTPTN3-4z9IGnvx8_K7LMktsr2GJOdVKyShnPJyRV1b4MNqcUTDqKukTNzoX26vyQk7E3bcUYg6jzS_8haGtAgLh9ly_vKRDvd6L6AitkITpAl5yX-UGyFSRnbTTeli7g4uKNXiD6iMwd4/s200/jersey.jpg" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't worry, I won't wear<br />
it to a live game. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And why shouldn't I be--my husband made the Opening Day roster for arguably one of the best teams in baseball history.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tuesday night I was dressed to work out, but never made it. ESPN ScoreCenter app* kept updating me on the many pitching changes of the last pre-season game and Joe's name was continually not called. I folded laundry and bit my nails to ragged nubs and Polly wondered why I kept moving the clothes she was trying to sleep on.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYTIbSCMQRVia5C1ahyphenhyphenBNF6M3WEZwYEDCUXDOFyddzTnVSem0BPyOQZnVr-_hiIQBssRmhekDD6mb0jkgN0TPYnXoYAT1REyrLRPCzgiaV5qsNR95Gytk73Q4OzwqBqa592Qhgl-Pw7Nkw/s1600/photo-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYTIbSCMQRVia5C1ahyphenhyphenBNF6M3WEZwYEDCUXDOFyddzTnVSem0BPyOQZnVr-_hiIQBssRmhekDD6mb0jkgN0TPYnXoYAT1REyrLRPCzgiaV5qsNR95Gytk73Q4OzwqBqa592Qhgl-Pw7Nkw/s320/photo-18.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">iPhone photo of field because I can't find the cord<br />
that connects legit camera<br />
to laptop </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTPTN3-4z9IGnvx8_K7LMktsr2GJOdVKyShnPJyRV1b4MNqcUTDqKukTNzoX26vyQk7E3bcUYg6jzS_8haGtAgLh9ly_vKRDvd6L6AitkITpAl5yX-UGyFSRnbTTeli7g4uKNXiD6iMwd4/s1600/jersey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTPTN3-4z9IGnvx8_K7LMktsr2GJOdVKyShnPJyRV1b4MNqcUTDqKukTNzoX26vyQk7E3bcUYg6jzS_8haGtAgLh9ly_vKRDvd6L6AitkITpAl5yX-UGyFSRnbTTeli7g4uKNXiD6iMwd4/s1600/jersey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTPTN3-4z9IGnvx8_K7LMktsr2GJOdVKyShnPJyRV1b4MNqcUTDqKukTNzoX26vyQk7E3bcUYg6jzS_8haGtAgLh9ly_vKRDvd6L6AitkITpAl5yX-UGyFSRnbTTeli7g4uKNXiD6iMwd4/s1600/jersey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTPTN3-4z9IGnvx8_K7LMktsr2GJOdVKyShnPJyRV1b4MNqcUTDqKukTNzoX26vyQk7E3bcUYg6jzS_8haGtAgLh9ly_vKRDvd6L6AitkITpAl5yX-UGyFSRnbTTeli7g4uKNXiD6iMwd4/s1600/jersey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br /></span></a><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"It's been a long day," he said when I answered. I nodded and exhaled ready to get past the small talk.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"It has. How are you?"</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Good. I am good. Do you want to meet me in Pittsburgh tomorrow?"</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I started crying hysterically and told him how proud I was of him. After numerous mass texts and phone calls, my parents and his brother "Potty" came over for a glass of champagne while I packed--</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">for 30 degree weather!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I bundled up in my best version of cold weather spring style (cream coat, tomato colored dress, black tights, black booties) and met my parents and sister Yulie in Pittsburgh. Even though the real show was a few days later when we were the home team, it was pretty amazing to see him run out and knuck with Charlie Manuel. The staff was very nice, kindly leading us to the traveling family room and brushing the dust off our stadium seats (this was a little excessive, but sweet nonetheless).</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipLGs6O29lFyc9ubejAQvchHo_utWIoOxYc5iXbRO3SBuwo5PSanMX3szkBOhmfVfB1Je1TqF0qI5BF4ePFOSQIeLOhhVDzKKS_qKg1_Q6b0TkHaIQcB1PUjGP6bM7JqaKhjqz0vdtuFvu/s1600/pamelas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipLGs6O29lFyc9ubejAQvchHo_utWIoOxYc5iXbRO3SBuwo5PSanMX3szkBOhmfVfB1Je1TqF0qI5BF4ePFOSQIeLOhhVDzKKS_qKg1_Q6b0TkHaIQcB1PUjGP6bM7JqaKhjqz0vdtuFvu/s320/pamelas.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After Pamela's incredible pancakes</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">No trip is complete without some eating so I will give a quick run down of the best places we went. Primanti Bros prides themselves on a sandwich made with your choice of meat, <strike>topped </strike>stuffed with cheese, cole slaw and french fries. If you have ever seen the videos of a snake eating a gazelle, than you have seen what one has to do to eat these sandwiches.** Totally worth the TMJ though. Pamela's was the breakfast place of choice, Michelle Obama's favorite as well. I ordered chocolate chip pancakes with bananas, also known as all of my favorite things. The pancakes are very thin, like a crepe and the cheesy scrambled eggs were made with Velveeta. I don't remember what anyone else got because mine was so good I didn't look up or breath for my whole meal.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxauSsy-kq66n2E7CeNko_dSan14xUrRLiCTgrMihZXLQmyRKdXUHHVkgXgap_heyjMCe_dsH85XN-ZCM2UZlMyZHPqs791bvS0-twZjloVc2533qipSnWqJj_X9Otrs_02Wl1-Hy6LNx/s1600/primanti.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxauSsy-kq66n2E7CeNko_dSan14xUrRLiCTgrMihZXLQmyRKdXUHHVkgXgap_heyjMCe_dsH85XN-ZCM2UZlMyZHPqs791bvS0-twZjloVc2533qipSnWqJj_X9Otrs_02Wl1-Hy6LNx/s320/primanti.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Primanti Brothers </td></tr>
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<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of my wife friends, Brooke, suggested I change my flight so I would leave out of Philadelphia. I told her this presented the dilemma of not having a car to get to Philly from Pittsburgh.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Just fly on the team plane."</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Uhm, yes.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I will be a huge bratface princess and say that flying privately is freaking awesome. Hospitable friends of my father have let me go to on their planes, but this plane was Delta without security, lines, other passengers or waiting. I cannot say that it was not sans motion sickness (me) or flight anxiety (Joe), but it was really great and the team is very lucky to be able to travel that way. And I am lucky I got to mooch.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Highlight of the flight? Joe is basically a fraternity pledge and has to carry different players stuff, so I tried to be as invisible as possible while he did his rookie stuff. A former Astro was walking down the aisle of the plane and stopped to introduce himself, something that was very uncalled for and very polite. I jumped up, and I mean jumped up, and smacked my head on the low ceiling over the seats.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I only hope he forgot my name and has doesn't associate Joe with the head trauma patient.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Philadelphia was incredible. I choked up several times thinking about how happy I was for Joe. I thought about a particularly rough time last season when I visited him in A ball. He was hitting then and not getting enough playing time to even show what he could do. The stress of no playing time only made his at bats less than ideal, perpetuating the cycle.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"I don't even know what I am doing here. I don't like being treated like a little boy. Tell me I suck, tell me I need to retire. Hell, release me," he vented that morning. My heart broke for him. I prayed to God that I would sacrifice anything, anything at all, if he could feel like he had a purpose again. Because even that early on, I knew Joe was ultimately where I felt my greatest purpose and that is what happens when you love someone in a real way-- you fight for their happiness more than your own.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So when Joe smiled walking down the "red carpet," high fiving fans that lined the field and a boys' choir sang some song about Philadelphia-- I was singing songs of praise that what I had asked for in Florida less than a year ago had been answered.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Joe played in that game. Allowing one run, but holding his composure as he always does.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tonight Joe was moved to AAA and had to take the longest route possible to Buffalo, NY to meet up with the team (Philadelphia to Detroit to Buffalo--what?). This is not to say that Joe won't go back up with the big boys, nor is it to say that he will. We don't know what the rest of the season holds. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But Joe has played in Major League games, he has played in a Major League Opening Series game and God has used him to make an inspirational story that can make even a cynic smile.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJbNvu6yBC1Slu6UNjLkB1RWQQXHs8RukpcFC-lo4em3-eIyCsEU9ElVjcJ3Lr2MpZTNVhozSKH9CcB8mRTGUL_lVWV2onuZIM2rvVdl99f2VvR_Mw2FIhUEnL6d5gFXRUjlcaGSsKqKtK/s1600/tired+polly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJbNvu6yBC1Slu6UNjLkB1RWQQXHs8RukpcFC-lo4em3-eIyCsEU9ElVjcJ3Lr2MpZTNVhozSKH9CcB8mRTGUL_lVWV2onuZIM2rvVdl99f2VvR_Mw2FIhUEnL6d5gFXRUjlcaGSsKqKtK/s320/tired+polly.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Worn out from all of her publicity </span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*I only have this to know Phillies game stuff during baseball season. I get alerts but don't get a lot of them. What I do understand is "FINAL" means the game is done.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">** I looked at some pictures to put with this snake-eating-gazelle comment and decided that they were really too gross to post on here. Save yourself your breakfast and don't Google Image it either, I sure regret it. </span><br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07186618499445066638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660263582320067249.post-77792193972514743262012-04-02T13:14:00.001-07:002012-04-03T12:37:05.323-07:00The Post with No Pictures<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Opening Day is Thursday and as of this post, we don't know where Joe will be this year. More than likely, the big bosses have already made up their minds so it is just a matter of time before we know. I will be seeing Joe this weekend, be it in Pittsburgh (Majors) or Providence (Minors) I am holding my breath to find out. Today at church the sermon was about anxiety, and no better message could have been made for me today. Worry, said Ben Young our pastor, is looking in the future with the worst case scenario in mind, it is looking into a future without God. And I know that whatever happens with and for Joe, God will be there no matter the outcome. I only wish I was there to be supportive. Giving major (pun intended) news via text or even phone call is not quite the same as in person. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On Saturday we celebrated one of Joe's best friend's, Adam Z, birthday. Everyone brought their dogs and we all, canine and humans alike, enjoyed the sunny weather and new homeowner Derek's pool. Adam Z sacrificed birthday boy lounging and boiled big, fat crawfish. Crawfish, like many shellfish, are cooked alive so we had a giant cooler of pinchy little guys. Lize and Bryce and I became nine years old and poked them till they got in fighting stance-- claws up and out. What is it about things being small and aggressive is always funny? Lize's dog Duke got in a small tussle with one and I am sad to report the crawfish (kind of) won by a massive pinch to the snout. Duke flung it in the air and homeowner Derek got rid of it so we wouldn't have another incident. Polly would not have bounced back as fast as Duke had she been the curious dog of the day. Poor thing did come home with blisters on her paws from running all day. She hardly even made it to her bed before conking out when we got home. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(I am a terrible photographer and rely on Bryce to document such things as this--- and the pictures aren't on Facebook yet for me to steal and claim as my own artistry)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">All of this excitement also put me to bed early and all to aware that Joe was not there. I guess it is like never feeling as lonely as you do in a crowd when you're all alone (yeah, Wade Bowen lyric*), it is never more obvious that Joe is gone than when I am somewhere he should be. His good buddy Brian "Viernes", too, was notably missed and something feels off with the group's absences. When people ask, "How is married life?" I say, "Kind of like being single." But a really pathetic kind of single-- not the fun girl who says things like, "I don't have time for a relationship" or "I am just not into boyfriend/girlfriend labels." Not that I want to be this girl, I just want to be with my husband more. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My creative writing class has reminded me why I have wanted to teach it and why I love to write. I submitted my story this week for my workshop in two weeks. I went with a piece I wanted to revisit from my thesis. It is easily one of my most controversial pieces and I fully expect for at least 6 people to hate it after the first paragraph... but hate isn't a bad thing, it is an emotional reaction and I want my readers to feel something. It makes me think more and more about writing a collection one day, or even a memoir about all the baseball stuff from my perspective. My friends from college liked this idea when I mentioned it in the summer, so long as I include them in the story and then write one about college. The latter might have to come much later and let the statute of limitations come into play for some incriminating tales.... mostly just so things that need time to be funny can do so. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(If I put pictures with this paragraph I would either be a major creep in creative writing class or a very hated member of my college friend group)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But a baseball story, told from the stands with a hot dog in fluted paper balancing on my knee, might happen. I guess that will be something I worry (or not worry, thanks Ben)about later. For now, I will just not-worry about how what to bring on my trip to either Providence or Pittsburgh. Charlie Manuel**, give me a call if you can and let me know what you think I should pack. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*Wade Bowen, Texas Country singer/songwriter. One of my favorites. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">**Charlie Manuel, Phillies manager.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Since I didn't have any cool pictures dealing with content, here is one just because. This is what I wake up to if Polly stays in the bed with me: </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3q3GnEoiA9_rdTuMGk1qP7Q9umgI0igUVFeSuIc3YQpeGz0vZ7bvyGq1H5_aNq44Phwx6u5WJ4N3EnrDlgom9FPJqxX2O3DJseyBFAFXOZVWAnl8ViZ5SwU4jcQwbrnfpsw_Zz6twHxje/s1600/polly+face.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3q3GnEoiA9_rdTuMGk1qP7Q9umgI0igUVFeSuIc3YQpeGz0vZ7bvyGq1H5_aNq44Phwx6u5WJ4N3EnrDlgom9FPJqxX2O3DJseyBFAFXOZVWAnl8ViZ5SwU4jcQwbrnfpsw_Zz6twHxje/s400/polly+face.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She has absolutely no sense of personal space. </td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07186618499445066638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660263582320067249.post-88322356814034355832012-03-23T13:14:00.002-07:002012-03-23T13:20:02.906-07:00What to Pack When You're Packing<br />
<div style="background-color: transparent;">
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.23483971948735416" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My cousins have commented more on my tidbits about clothes than any of the weighty topics of my posts, so I am going to be indulgent and vain. I am going to unveil what I pack and why and maybe a few outfit tips and tricks. I am in no way an expert or even a valid opinion of fashion, so totally disregard me if you are already bored (exit all male readers, most likely).</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blazers</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I wore a blazer every formal dress day in high school and complained like the rest of my uniform-clad peers, but I actually loved it. For one, I am always cold. I don’t travel without a jacket because I am certain that my natural body temperature is 4 degrees lower than that of the average human. Back to the point, when blazers became stylish again I totally attributed their popularity to my wearing them beyond prep school and into my college years. Then the blazer boom hit and there were colors beyond belief. I am not going to go through all the colors and fabrics I have, but they all come in handy. Be it at work or over a top and jeans or a dress blazers look crisp and sophisticated year round. I love a good cardigan, but there is something a little more grown up about a blazer--plus I don’t want to fall too heavily into the teacher/cardigan look. I get that enough with my stretchy cord key ring. Wear a blazer on the plane, stick your boarding pass in the pocket, drap it over the top of your suitcase when you get hot. Pack another one in your bag of a different color or color scheme to mix it up. I am wearing an ivory colored blazer as I write this. </span></span></b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRwFtZ9u9mWPn6sXkk5MT3yL7RAg1DQPX_od-lZZsChvl-4gquDwzEDJER_opTn1cR-BBfhm5w99-xfEqKuomhAgx822a4jjnNN2cXbZMNGAdWFrPzH-ioOQcmFDIWNOTW7DqgxB4UddV/s1600/white+blazer+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRwFtZ9u9mWPn6sXkk5MT3yL7RAg1DQPX_od-lZZsChvl-4gquDwzEDJER_opTn1cR-BBfhm5w99-xfEqKuomhAgx822a4jjnNN2cXbZMNGAdWFrPzH-ioOQcmFDIWNOTW7DqgxB4UddV/s200/white+blazer+.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Chunky necklace and white blazer</span></td></tr>
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<div style="background-color: transparent;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maxi Skirts</span></b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let me say this first, I am not very “hippie” in my style. So I avoided the maxi trend until they started popping up in gossamer looking chiffons with knife pleats.... and then Carrie Bradshaw* wore a bunch in </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sex and the City 2 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and I was sold</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Same idea as the blazer, I am always cold so maximum coverage is optimal and they look awesome, especially with a button-down dolman sleeve top and big belt (thank you Olivia Palermo* for the idea). You can sit “criss-cross-apple-sauce” as my students say, which rocks. They are a great alternative to jeans in warmer weather and just break us from the jean rut we so easily fall into. That being said, always bring a pair of jeans when you travel (my favorite ones, $30 dark denim skinny jeans from Delia’s-- yeah, I have an eclectic closet). But the maxi skirt or dress (Splendid’s long sleeve maxi dress is like a giant nightgown made of really old, comfy tee shirts) is an awesome travel buddy. </span></span></b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibyIFCCfIjsqegZe8QNyo6y82GL_5erypdGV2rKyag5kY1p9NvO6uQc08Lw9cCyC_jSqc9f8BRxlw7ZonDP6OEq6e5bqsW-OcThP98lFnxJeWR7mfhyphenhyphenuxv28P-kzb8xENWo_plaNJF_J12/s1600/olivia+maxi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibyIFCCfIjsqegZe8QNyo6y82GL_5erypdGV2rKyag5kY1p9NvO6uQc08Lw9cCyC_jSqc9f8BRxlw7ZonDP6OEq6e5bqsW-OcThP98lFnxJeWR7mfhyphenhyphenuxv28P-kzb8xENWo_plaNJF_J12/s320/olivia+maxi.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Maxi skirt/button blouse combo</span></td></tr>
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<div style="background-color: transparent;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Comfy dress</span></b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi23OIrIDYX9SxXcFZlDSDo7xpSB9iXDTf8_tX37TC6JPgAfMCoe9xjN0x1D1YTO5mKtPstXqdQ3pshIgSxnAJAO-qDthrAoHvV7Zu0luzg8PpIngO3s-i9omj5HbRxYnLRiGdkGhPiLwqs/s1600/linia+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi23OIrIDYX9SxXcFZlDSDo7xpSB9iXDTf8_tX37TC6JPgAfMCoe9xjN0x1D1YTO5mKtPstXqdQ3pshIgSxnAJAO-qDthrAoHvV7Zu0luzg8PpIngO3s-i9omj5HbRxYnLRiGdkGhPiLwqs/s200/linia+2.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">DVF Linnia Dress in cherry</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Don’t get the maxi dress mentioned earlier with the “comfy dress.” The comfy dress is one able to be worn with sandals, flats, boots (in cooler weather), wedges or heels. It permeates casual cute-ness and dressy dinner with the change of a shoe. I have a pink one from Target that my friend Rachel loves to wear and actually might have stolen from me. I have a black/nude patterny one (patterny= patterned but subtly colored enough it acts as a neutral) from Nordstrom ‘s junior department and a brighter colored one as well. Get one preferably that doesn’t need to be dry cleaned as that gets expensive and really annoying on vacation. Tide to go that puppy or steam it and you are ready to wear it again! </span></span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Button-down Blouses</span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They are awesome, comfortable and chic. Get one in a thin enough fabric that you can wear it even in warmer weather and layer with a tank if it is cold.These can be found anywhere right now: Old Navy, Saks, Target, Zara***** and they make you look very put together. Make sure to be mindful of how starchy one might be when wearing with blazer on a trip as to not look too businessy, unless you are on a business trip, of course. Blouses are easy to pack so feel free to bring a bunch in all colors, patterns and fabrics. Denim is really in right now, so dig on back to 1994 and pull that shirt from the back of your closet. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shorts, Skirts, Leggings</span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I like to have a pair of shorts on summer trips; usually white or denim, but a fun pattern/color if there is room. And a skirt, usually bright because it is easy to get stuck only bringing neutrals on a trip “because they go with everything,” make a bright color a neutral. Leggings are also a great idea, especially ones that can double for a work out and under a big button-down shirt (and I mean it covers your booty big). Make sure they aren’t too gym-looking, like the kind that are heathered or have racing stripes down the side or the 2-for1 piece doesn’t work as well. And be careful with denim shorts on that note, unless the Daisy Duke look is your thing. Pieces are great because you can mix them up a lot. </span></span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimmRwmG80qbXn7-OPy9gd2DGZt4RF4wzwzQ7SEp2LXykNvtJ4Ri5gr_qNWbp2syBy9CNFjVgN88Eky5BNmdDrm71ouRutkCVCvH0sjJRB41iFZoWj10180cxryBkrsRsltHZWRmLEM0SDg/s1600/denim+short.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimmRwmG80qbXn7-OPy9gd2DGZt4RF4wzwzQ7SEp2LXykNvtJ4Ri5gr_qNWbp2syBy9CNFjVgN88Eky5BNmdDrm71ouRutkCVCvH0sjJRB41iFZoWj10180cxryBkrsRsltHZWRmLEM0SDg/s200/denim+short.jpg" width="196" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I like dark denim, but lighter is a little more hip.</span></td></tr>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Lots of) Jewelry</span></b></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The easiest way to mix up an outfit is change the accessories. Jewelry is a fun, small thing to bring that can make a massive outfit change. I like to have: gold hoops, small white gold diamond huggies, pearl studs, canary quartz colored studs, big turquoise tear drop earrings, a few cocktail rings, long gold chain, colorful chunky necklace, silver and gold watch, gold bangles, another chunky necklace if you can fit it and my small gold cross and wedding ring and bands. That comfy dress I mentioned? Totally different with gold hoops and my teeny cross, a watch and ballet flats than it is with a big ole’ chunky necklace and heels or the turquoise drop earrings and wedges. Bingo! Three different outfits. I have a great case by Jon Hart to organize and protect my stuff, but there are less expensive (and more expensive) jewelry pouches out there. And always, always, always take your jewelry in your carry on. That and a teeny bag of make up, your medicine, a tiny toothbrush and a ziplock to put liquids in. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Purse(s)</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I take a massive carry on because I am a travel hoarder and have lost my luggage a lot. I rarely check my luggage, if I can help it. That being said, you do not always need a 14inX14in bag everywhere you go once you arrive at your destination. Purses are relatively flat and you can always pack it and then pack stuff like underpinnings, socks, tee shirts, PJs in it. Purses, like jewelry, help change an outfit and are a fun way to change things up. I have a neon cross-body satchel coming in the mail I am so excited to use for summer as well as a grey top handle Tory Burch and pink quilted Kate Spade bag with a chain handle. Like I said, they pack flat and can create organization in a suitcase, too. </span></span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdvc-NAHbmP5v3EaFGS-8kfHfmun62tALHwEdlpfixOkPEJCiV-WF0rvQ0isAEcj3IkkFECbgzI-y_zss1VwuFTmgNnpnYak8N6R_r_-BHE5Mfvzd2oRC8tT7z-dEiwEc6iQwmFg8TTvnK/s1600/satchel+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdvc-NAHbmP5v3EaFGS-8kfHfmun62tALHwEdlpfixOkPEJCiV-WF0rvQ0isAEcj3IkkFECbgzI-y_zss1VwuFTmgNnpnYak8N6R_r_-BHE5Mfvzd2oRC8tT7z-dEiwEc6iQwmFg8TTvnK/s200/satchel+.jpg" width="175" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My "elephant" colored purse. Yes, I might have chosen the<br />color because it was called "elephant."</span></td></tr>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Belts</span></b></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Belts give a lovely, put together looking touch to almost any outfit. Cinch in the waist of a dress or shirt, make a bathing suit cover-up an outfit by belting it. Basically belts bring out the feminine figure the way we want and can pull an outfit together, literally and figuratively. I like my leopard print one, dark brown basic one, black chunky high waisted one and a silver skinny one. Belts are easy to pack, don’t hold back here. </span></span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ox130KRM1SXROGFk-WcnHseC-H4COkg6E0LOeSJsy7As2kOovg6WcgdUD_Wh7KQMNCSWPuCDtEmil7jJh69FYQ_JYcQgYYSQjmnPXShsuoUJxh_kfr9677NE8uuqIEJGhf5JQQTZiQY6/s1600/leopard+belt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ox130KRM1SXROGFk-WcnHseC-H4COkg6E0LOeSJsy7As2kOovg6WcgdUD_Wh7KQMNCSWPuCDtEmil7jJh69FYQ_JYcQgYYSQjmnPXShsuoUJxh_kfr9677NE8uuqIEJGhf5JQQTZiQY6/s1600/leopard+belt.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Excellent use of leopard belt</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shoes</span></b></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My most beloved, most cherished, most important piece to an outfit. I pack too many shoes by Joe’s standards and too few shoes by my mother’s. I like to have the following: </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Flats: most often worn on a flight because I don’t like my toes out on airplanes. If I do wear sandals, I bring socks in my purse. Easy to pack, some can even fit in my purse themselves, so Audrey Hepburn.******* Black, nude, metallic, leopard print, neon-- ballet flats are awesome. J.Crew and Tory Burch are great about having a jillion different colors, and if you feel like maxing out your credit card and smiling at your feet while your husband yells at you, Chanel invented the ballet flat. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Nude wedges/heels: summer means espadrille wedges, but if there is a chance or plan to go to a nice dinner to to da club (or bar, whatever) or church, a heel is a good choice. Nude makes your gams look miles long and goes with everything. I also love bright colored shoes and will bring a fun bright color if I can, but if pressed for space, the nude wins. I put them in bags (they usually come with), put tissue in them or same stuff as purses, and pack them at the bottom since they are heavier than clothes. It sounds really Beyonce glam of me, but I rarely travel without heels as something may arise that calls for a fancier outfit. Dresses, jeans and nowadays, even shorts go way up on the outfit scale with some heels. </span></span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCRiR4ddfXJTWrBFFGcnPNMpryTSptVVUF7eXDGvDYt3BVTH1S0ITxOh4MmrRtlfwfePEq48LszHmhNuUpJ7IKDHg0N3uxgL_5UnIKxbI72AHS0tuc0xTrFX_KfyLUnbY65-WOAEGYsnP/s1600/nude+pumps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCRiR4ddfXJTWrBFFGcnPNMpryTSptVVUF7eXDGvDYt3BVTH1S0ITxOh4MmrRtlfwfePEq48LszHmhNuUpJ7IKDHg0N3uxgL_5UnIKxbI72AHS0tuc0xTrFX_KfyLUnbY65-WOAEGYsnP/s200/nude+pumps.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Less expensive versions available with almost<br />any shoe designer/company</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sandals/Boots: for summer/spring and fall/winter respectively. Though sandals like rubber flip flops may be necessary in a place with an iffy bathroom. I try to wear my boots on the plane if I am bringing them as they are heaviest and take up the most space. If they must be packed, same rule as purses and heels-- stuff them with other items. Tory Burch Miller sandals are a favorite of mine, silver gladiator ones from Forever 21 are also a good touch (take note: metallics make awesome accessory neutrals). </span></b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEityhprc-qYN96m8vSt_aWUEo_iK2iXu20WjNQ-O6IpwROWeWtHfKKAdsPlt7c3wz0-OT93kxUvjUY7dG9omtZm6wd_AA5kdDIhk8ONRPmSn19S_0Q345AIN5OQwW7t246YDX4S4SMeG9Pm/s1600/gold+millers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEityhprc-qYN96m8vSt_aWUEo_iK2iXu20WjNQ-O6IpwROWeWtHfKKAdsPlt7c3wz0-OT93kxUvjUY7dG9omtZm6wd_AA5kdDIhk8ONRPmSn19S_0Q345AIN5OQwW7t246YDX4S4SMeG9Pm/s200/gold+millers.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tory Burch Miller Sandals in gold, love.</span></td></tr>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sunglasses: I take an aviator style and a big plastic style. Aviator ones fit better under hats but I like the Audrey Hepburn/Jackie Kennedy feel of the big plastic black ones my sister gave me. </span></b></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Non-clothes: </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Travel steamer: ours is from Berings, about the size of a water bottle. My friend Michael turned me onto this and it rocks for very obvious reasons. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Plastic zip lock bags, big and small: for whatever you use bags for, which is anything and everything</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tide to Go</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Phone charger </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Also: Jeans (as mentioned), tank tops (one light, one dark), extra undergarments, colorful scarf that covers stains or acts as a blanket on the plane, extra shirt(s) you can wear with any of the bottoms you packed, socks, and a coat if it is winter. Wear the coat on the plane as to save room in your suitcase. Leather jackets are great too because they don’t wrinkle and look very cool with jeans or a dress. I also recommend the classic khaki trench in questionable fall or spring weather. You get to look like Ingrid Bergman* and bundle up if the temperature or rain drops. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0IK2-ta2GTRw8yCSOVDZ3L4hlW923RG4aHt1v_2D3igJteOfoVMy-odYQkHM5KpRZSaPxq_JL9_8LBXteoaDSMC0UMru4fe038aWMO44MXR1lnLWgGlYUxt4yCRAoL5SHGhKG6WAyJkog/s1600/cloche.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0IK2-ta2GTRw8yCSOVDZ3L4hlW923RG4aHt1v_2D3igJteOfoVMy-odYQkHM5KpRZSaPxq_JL9_8LBXteoaDSMC0UMru4fe038aWMO44MXR1lnLWgGlYUxt4yCRAoL5SHGhKG6WAyJkog/s200/cloche.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is a cloche hat, mentioned above.<br />Very F. Scott Fitzgerald and awesome.</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Extras: Bright heels or wedges or leopard print ones, more jewelry, colored jeans (all over the place as of late and I am obsessed), cocktaily dress, bathing suit and color-up (but one of those dresses or shirt/dress or just shirt combo can work great) striped sweater, hat(s)-- straw fedora or cloche for the summer, wool fedora or cloche for the winter. </span></b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioe_4V-x6XIiYs67zMs9f-74CW_qnj4fCrrQ0iMBhJkUu8kRC8oX9tm0_T_EbeGENCAUvpdTl0W_ePSFTjPlrrHiyOO2aUJwy5WVr9-ddm9OGZp8UnQYPY7CveGEREz6Ql1R8EsIEpBV-T/s1600/orange+shoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioe_4V-x6XIiYs67zMs9f-74CW_qnj4fCrrQ0iMBhJkUu8kRC8oX9tm0_T_EbeGENCAUvpdTl0W_ePSFTjPlrrHiyOO2aUJwy5WVr9-ddm9OGZp8UnQYPY7CveGEREz6Ql1R8EsIEpBV-T/s320/orange+shoes.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My orange shoes, previously posted from afar on "The Flying Corgi"</span></td></tr>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pack liquids in a checked back in a big Ziploc as to avoid an explosion on your carefully chosen blazers, dresses and denim shorts. Hang things that need to be steamed upon arrival if possible. If the steamer is unavailable or ridiculous to you, hang items in the bathroom so the steam from the shower can soften wrinkles. Pack in outfits. Clearly this is what I do, but it makes getting ready on vacation much quicker. Hanging clothes up after you have worn them will also extend their wearability on your trip. </span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wishlist</span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because a girl always has her wants in mind, here are a few that my suitcase would adore to carry...</span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I don't own a white/cream/ivory bag. This one has modern detailing, like the stitches, with a nod to the classic with its shape and chain strap.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5aZHqagBTUKHXZ1BhQV_I8imuwkaQNyCQ4k79ltIut38dlN1MpxEgpzGAZg3A8iKWpu7qff1JbCWNt7PYVAaLplrCR_jqCbXaJNfT0UkiSFIOzNTUdPxi8x3yP775uambDr-GBdooBHA/s1600/ivory+bag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5aZHqagBTUKHXZ1BhQV_I8imuwkaQNyCQ4k79ltIut38dlN1MpxEgpzGAZg3A8iKWpu7qff1JbCWNt7PYVAaLplrCR_jqCbXaJNfT0UkiSFIOzNTUdPxi8x3yP775uambDr-GBdooBHA/s320/ivory+bag.jpg" width="280" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tory Burch Marion Saddle Bag. I love that it is called a saddle bag</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and has the saddle stitching </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcJA5kUrdpA8MFHTEP4b8PTEJ2_toPNYs20LWXy5VMSUxBaCZL-abx9ou-RdLMjFKwMK6H149cSHRtmGt2LipVgnRYcrpZDk0JUjMb3SxA-nyaqHkA-sYNELM7cd1-_cNcZJZJh5oifK7-/s1600/orchestra+hall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcJA5kUrdpA8MFHTEP4b8PTEJ2_toPNYs20LWXy5VMSUxBaCZL-abx9ou-RdLMjFKwMK6H149cSHRtmGt2LipVgnRYcrpZDk0JUjMb3SxA-nyaqHkA-sYNELM7cd1-_cNcZJZJh5oifK7-/s320/orchestra+hall.jpg" width="208" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Kate Spade Orchestra Hall Necklace, Norstrom</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Neutral colored chunky necklace. Would be fun with anything, really.</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I love the texture of these shoes and the color is a great shade. Polly destroyed my J.Crew nude flats, which are also lovely... or they were lovely, at least. The hat below is so feminine and nostalgic. I love the twenties and the clothes from it. Chanel started many of the trends that we see so often today and don't even realize. This hat is a perfect example of how Coco herself was tired of pinning giant, feathered hats on her head and designed the much smaller, more wearable cloche hat.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj86wpa8ZceXWEnfCmmOVYtPLNLbn4YEfvJEu0EsfTtzHBXIW1k2lArTdOUrQX9iIXYiioesAsGmN1BbIEIOa_5CtTTLCQk-ialZP3UuvlIFRai3PVQfqMIC3jrYRRvT65v2S35VurCqRY2/s1600/prescott.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj86wpa8ZceXWEnfCmmOVYtPLNLbn4YEfvJEu0EsfTtzHBXIW1k2lArTdOUrQX9iIXYiioesAsGmN1BbIEIOa_5CtTTLCQk-ialZP3UuvlIFRai3PVQfqMIC3jrYRRvT65v2S35VurCqRY2/s320/prescott.jpg" width="280" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tory Burch Prescott flats</span><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpF-4qYNlH722AsP66Diz_18MzHmEeXcBN0uLzTjuGH1FMdk0v2p8cCk-btxRWghvdsQzIn3rwqPpayG2-Qb7hfuIzVdHaP8L4ZPRe3SqmsdWOVyldY6DI07M7nRayplWrT2CE973letC8/s1600/cloche+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpF-4qYNlH722AsP66Diz_18MzHmEeXcBN0uLzTjuGH1FMdk0v2p8cCk-btxRWghvdsQzIn3rwqPpayG2-Qb7hfuIzVdHaP8L4ZPRe3SqmsdWOVyldY6DI07M7nRayplWrT2CE973letC8/s200/cloche+2.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cloche hat from bluewomensclothing.com</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dreaming big....</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">YSL Muse </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I love this bag. It comes in every color, I personally like the chocolate brown (pictured below) or black because this is a classic you won't be trending out anytime soon. Shove an extra pair of shoes (like Prescott flats!) or an iPad or make up bag in there and hit the road, Jack. It is amazing. I shan't muse on about it much longer (pun intended), as it is far, far from a reality in my closet. Enjoy drooling as I do. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapIrwhpUH3dDXqklkfMNZEA0pxBiliR5LyI4T7mVNQ0DW85fpSkOz97jzgJHlB6pBy6g0WII8wvWRp1WXsglRjv2rRMJWFWjUecCAnV-FA3ccwtfJuqQA6H5_3XDJIG8picyxgghba6F5/s1600/YSL+Muse+chocolate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapIrwhpUH3dDXqklkfMNZEA0pxBiliR5LyI4T7mVNQ0DW85fpSkOz97jzgJHlB6pBy6g0WII8wvWRp1WXsglRjv2rRMJWFWjUecCAnV-FA3ccwtfJuqQA6H5_3XDJIG8picyxgghba6F5/s400/YSL+Muse+chocolate.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">YSL Muse</span></td></tr>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">* Carrie Bradshaw, protagonist and narrator of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Sex and the City</i> and a soulmate to myself in terms of her shoes, her writerly insight and her brave fashion choices. </span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*Olivia Palermo's entrance in to my world started with <i>The City</i>, but I am not sure where she actually got her start. She seems like a total bratface</span></b><br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07186618499445066638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660263582320067249.post-91717914152865666052012-03-19T15:26:00.001-07:002012-03-20T08:56:00.875-07:00The Flying Corgi<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Polly and I made the journey to Florida together for Spring Training. We almost didn't make it, however, due to heinous lines at the airport-- thank you United and Continental for merging, it sure made things go at an excruciatingly slow pace. I cried to a security guard that my flight was leaving in 15 minutes (true) and I hadn't seen my husband in a month (exaggeration). He said no passengers could be expedited, no exceptions. Real tears ensued at this point. The twelve people in front of me felt compassion towards the crying girl holding the puppy and let me cut. I then broke Olympic Gold Medal records sprinting through the airport to get to my gate, which was the very last one because, really, why would anything about traveling be easy?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuedgJ4vh0JkjTiAlcCMOR6KcIeGhF2Rjiyyr96GhKLslf0bTV-5N-OWYR0jJwLMklUDkxkbdtJzGaDi7AECYh9mQ2UBM4Wl_XsLsQ3rlEFTGGwRVOtlEErGKN0hppuAU30aU_ceg09jQT/s1600/security+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuedgJ4vh0JkjTiAlcCMOR6KcIeGhF2Rjiyyr96GhKLslf0bTV-5N-OWYR0jJwLMklUDkxkbdtJzGaDi7AECYh9mQ2UBM4Wl_XsLsQ3rlEFTGGwRVOtlEErGKN0hppuAU30aU_ceg09jQT/s320/security+.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you have more than 4 people working, things would probably go faster, IAH. </span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We made it safe and sound and Joe was happy to see his girls. Let the record reflect that he hugged Polly before me, a gesture I will not soon forget.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Polly flew the weekend before last to visit my sister and various friends in Oxford. She was great except on the flight back I fell asleep and she barked until I woke up. It was pretty rude, if you ask me.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Currently, she is chewing my shoe laces which will inevitably lead to me telling Joe I need new tennies. Chew those shoes up all you want, just stay away from my Louboutins.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7oXEXeOMbH80vA3SlzAjCNetCbnlUDQQvXeMy8wF7aMD1EQ-r9RfDbWEmZRiJGkq6_NUp9iu2vazNnf7vnlbF4t4pT9Mch4S72oUeCj4wFzxMA_zdtHkBvVU7pxivETOjpbEAegydOhS9/s1600/Polly+tired.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7oXEXeOMbH80vA3SlzAjCNetCbnlUDQQvXeMy8wF7aMD1EQ-r9RfDbWEmZRiJGkq6_NUp9iu2vazNnf7vnlbF4t4pT9Mch4S72oUeCj4wFzxMA_zdtHkBvVU7pxivETOjpbEAegydOhS9/s320/Polly+tired.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Exhausted from traveling and shoe-chewing</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have experienced a different side of life in the past week or so. Not only did I become one of those women that travels with her dog, I got a taste of what it is like to not work (I feel there is some cross-over between these two categories).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After dropping Joe off at the field while it is still dark--crazy fans already lined up at the fence to try and get autographs-- I have had loads of free time till the game starts. I have gotten to do things I don't get that much time to do at home such as go back to bed, work out, read terrible magazines, watch TV, pick out clothes and make new outfits that Rachel Zoe* would even be proud of, learn what all the buttons are on my iPad and go get my nails done. I have to say, it has been really nice having the down time. The obvious perk of getting to spend time with Joe is priority, but I am seeing what it will be like this summer and what it would be like if I were to stop work and travel with him full time.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg2PRBLFvacHnh46r3TMoykWcF-D23U8kZQCY1H0vQUAlma9-sXaGmPl7h09SjcEH0hWWgTXACXtgkSzwhs-PnnS4UuCaBrK7zDeHiaeNM5d0OVlHxtehaGDaLsUEoykPyOLZ6Krm9FRvf/s1600/ceviche.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg2PRBLFvacHnh46r3TMoykWcF-D23U8kZQCY1H0vQUAlma9-sXaGmPl7h09SjcEH0hWWgTXACXtgkSzwhs-PnnS4UuCaBrK7zDeHiaeNM5d0OVlHxtehaGDaLsUEoykPyOLZ6Krm9FRvf/s320/ceviche.jpg" width="239" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">At the famous Ceviche, note my cool outfit </span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One wife here is a retired Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. She and her husband, who shall remain nameless, got married in November and she will move with him to Philadelphia and travel to the games that she can when they play away.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One girlfriend quit her job as a body builder ( I am sure there are more professional terms for this) and worked some at Nieman Marcus in Tampa, then got transferred to Nieman Marcus not far from the AAA team and Philadelphia last year. She said that she has gone in and worked once a week or so since getting to spring training with her boyfriend. Both have given up their careers for the time being to travel with their husband/boyfriend. The most time they will spend away from their respective partners will be when a road trip goes especially long, meaning about 6 days. I am insanely jealous of them; however, I have a different situation.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I have the job I wanted since I was in elementary school. Not a filler job that I am trying to eventually work up towards, no, I got THE job I want. And while I am exhausted and stressed and have found myself locking my classroom door to cry once in a while, I don't know that I could trade that for being here. Joe and I have rationalized that with the summer and the off season, we are really only apart 4 1/2 months. If I can travel to see him every other weekend, than that isn't too bad. Of course, that is a big if. If I am able to find flights that I don't have to miss work. If I am able to find the energy to get on a plane every other week only to arrive at my destination at midnight, then return Sunday night as late as I can as to spend time with Joe only to find myself wanting to take my coffee intravenously Monday morning.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzjIheHFb3jFr0-RaPHRTXxZ1Vo3SQVtg-hRb_jpvm3idpLU5b01ebvVD0gWw0_4zgNLM7ZjQStVNZXqDc72g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> This is what I miss when I am not with Joe</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I went to a wives' conference over Spring Break put on by PAO (Professional Athletes Outreach) and Baseball Chapel. It was so insightful to meet other wives in this position. Some women have grown children who they themselves are already playing pro ball, and some are newlyweds like myself. The primary was discussion about keeping perspective and being able to find God in everything we do, and if we don't, change courses. Our speaker Rene Taubensee made a point that really struck a cord in me: Women at home don't get this. This is probably the hardest thing, seeing friendships sift out differently than I ever thought they would. Being gone almost every weekend takes up a lot of social time to cultivate my friendships at home. There were some great, inspiring women that I met that I look forward to becoming better friends with in the baseball world-- but what about my roots are in Houston (or Oxford, for that matter)?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">PAO link: http://www.pao.org/</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Baseball Chapel link: http://baseballchapel.org/</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Basically I have made my home in between a rock and a hard place. I am away from my husband and feel more alone than I ever have, but have the job I went to college for and have wanted since I thought I was a March** sister from <i>Little Women</i>. And not only do I want my job, I feel needed here. I feel like I serve a greater purpose than my own professional ambition right now. Or, I am with my husband and we can grow in our marriage and love while I potentially go crazy because I don't know how be satisfied with setting my schedule around when my dog needs to poop or getting manicures or Zumba class***-- I fear I would not be a productive, happy wife, nay, human being, if I did not have the intellectual stimulation I do now--</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But does staying here make me a bad wife?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(By the way, in my head right now Sarah Jessica Parker is narrating this like she does when Carrie muses on <i>Sex and the City)</i></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI4zAFJNBCP-9M6vABCuPxIyx818z3b85-X6nb3EBdsQKMh_Y8uarEBCipeLWhLduLJxd5bMK5xnww7ejq0eQk3RLuS6ssBusW5vdQ3sEmwSEgxjA6xtTfWCH6VBTgJOaFopuP6HHkbGCr/s1600/Carrie+typing+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI4zAFJNBCP-9M6vABCuPxIyx818z3b85-X6nb3EBdsQKMh_Y8uarEBCipeLWhLduLJxd5bMK5xnww7ejq0eQk3RLuS6ssBusW5vdQ3sEmwSEgxjA6xtTfWCH6VBTgJOaFopuP6HHkbGCr/s320/Carrie+typing+.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I wish this is how I looked when I typed</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So I pray for patience in all my trials, rest when I am able to find it, strength when I am weary, overwhelming love for my husband and my job and hope that United will offer frequent flyer miles for dogs.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have started taking a creative writing class at Rice. It is a continuing education class which means I am the youngest of 18 aspiring and inexperienced writers. Stay tuned for my observations from class.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">* Rachel Zoe = the styling equivalent to Moses, she leads thousand through the wilderness of the unfashionable world. At some point, I will write a fashion blog post. If you need anyone to help you pick out clothes or go shopping for you, contact me.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">**Wonderful book and movie, Christian Bale and Winona Ryder in the early 90's-- why doesn't Jo choose Laurie!!??</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">***Don't get me wrong, I love manicures, pedicures and Zumba. I do not love poop.</span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07186618499445066638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660263582320067249.post-54181631781451117742012-02-26T20:23:00.001-08:002012-02-27T12:05:36.871-08:00What are you getting?<br />
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.8903936224523932" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Joe and I fell in love over a meal... or maybe a few more than that, but food certainly was and is a huge factor in our marriage. For this reason, we don’t take eating together lightly. We aren’t just going to swing through some franchise fast food place to grab dinner or worse yet, pour a bowl of cereal. Forget that noise. Oh, no. If there is food to be had, we want to eat at a place that we won’t soon forget. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The challenge? Minor league baseball teams are not in towns found in the Zagat guide. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First challenge: Clearwater, FL</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Joe has Spring Training here. It is a short drive from Tampa, which is great in terms of getting to. The same cannot be said for the AA and AAA teams.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Below I have gone through the most important food stops in the Clearwater Beach area. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Breakfast: </span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lenny’s : </span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lenny’s is your typical diner. Big haired waitresses waiting for their cigarette breaks, syrup in the perpetually sticky pourers, signed baseball paraphernalia on the wall and eggs more ways than you can think of. The danish basket alone is worth it. They will make your omlette however you want and the waffles are delish, too. Joe and I usually team eat in order to get equal parts salty and sweet in our caloric indulgence. These people are beyond kind to Joe when he goes in alone about 5 days a week and does the USA Today crossword puzzle in a booth. </span></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Clear Sky Cafe: The French toast here is the best I have ever had. And I have eaten a LOT of French toast. Huevos Rancheros eggs are also amazing here. Notice how multicultural I am in my dining experience. I do not discriminate any food, except salad. Anyways, this place is great. Outdoor seating, which is nice in pleasent weather. Fill up a big coffee cup and eat till you start saying things like, “Merci beaucoup for la toast de France y los eggs de ranchos.”* </span></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The French Toast pictured is the Java flavor. No breakfast is complete without coffee. Heck, no day is complete without coffee. </span></span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin8pQc1u5_sNWQjmDxkUbp8iDBBGyLNX6P8_ATJzQ-urTtyOco4D1MkpQaKT83uKLwg8oPag4eTd3-4FG2S6rjq2_cOC-EvHO5Jhp6ScUEgERAu6PVrV1ywuuap4bFtuujLof_yoPl25zS/s1600/french+toast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin8pQc1u5_sNWQjmDxkUbp8iDBBGyLNX6P8_ATJzQ-urTtyOco4D1MkpQaKT83uKLwg8oPag4eTd3-4FG2S6rjq2_cOC-EvHO5Jhp6ScUEgERAu6PVrV1ywuuap4bFtuujLof_yoPl25zS/s320/french+toast.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Java French toast with cinnamon butter<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></b></span></td></tr>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lunch: St. Petersburg Italian Market is the place to go i</span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">f you want bread with the consistency of a cloud and melted cheese and peppers in your mouth, than you need to go eat here. The Philly cheese steak with chicken is my favorite sandwich-- ever. Italians know food, they take pride in their food, and the Italian Market is very worthy of Italian pride. Get yourself some coffee made from the big copper coffee maker, sit at the bar and watch the pastry chefs make beautiful little sugary treats. </span></span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibThFFXOFOl6KRybM8O739ocR6OtYXk1_IB-RDThrm7URVIB11S8_lOyKqXC8_PSc0QDHohsOlrGQoM7uoBCHW6gEzmyFRi3_8iIRaACtkboQSU9ZH3JM7i6uIJKBObzltUsclY6jjevEO/s1600/cheese+steak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibThFFXOFOl6KRybM8O739ocR6OtYXk1_IB-RDThrm7URVIB11S8_lOyKqXC8_PSc0QDHohsOlrGQoM7uoBCHW6gEzmyFRi3_8iIRaACtkboQSU9ZH3JM7i6uIJKBObzltUsclY6jjevEO/s320/cheese+steak.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Started eating the cheese steak before I thought to take a picture </td></tr>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After your cheese steak or pizza panini (yeah, you read that right. It is a special item so cross your fingers it is there ), get a canoli and another cup of coffee and some gelato. Real gelato, not ice cream that is calling itself gelato. Pisachio is a standard favorite (pictures below), but Nutella and Frutti de Bosco are other top choices of mine. Joe and I have sat here for hours. If there is one thing to look forward to in Spring Training, it is knowing I will go eat at the Italian Market. </span></span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpkwp2lwlyLYjtHWUyMzUc0hGKxCTaUY5OFmscoN_mGIPyRBba4zPhob8_RjneuRTO9LYjPvgAzxTgXHHjpD5qYtrjmfBIoChShsIzmgDvuF5Uf-HDPLGK_RAWdW7KHD_k7tVepipSi3Tl/s1600/gelato.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpkwp2lwlyLYjtHWUyMzUc0hGKxCTaUY5OFmscoN_mGIPyRBba4zPhob8_RjneuRTO9LYjPvgAzxTgXHHjpD5qYtrjmfBIoChShsIzmgDvuF5Uf-HDPLGK_RAWdW7KHD_k7tVepipSi3Tl/s320/gelato.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pistachio gelato, don't let the color intimidate. Or do, more gelato for me than. </td></tr>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dinner: Ceviche</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A totally random find, but a freaking gem. Joe and I Googled this place and thought, yeah, sounds better than Hooters (the original Hooters is in Clearwater, less than a mile from the field. Thank you for playing to stereotypes about athletes). It is tapas, meaning basically appetizers, meaning team eating at its finest. Get a sangria wine and begin a Spanish feast. The filetito is to die for. Beef, peppers, goat cheesed, toasted bread-- so simple, yet so tantalizing. Then get the piquenos rellenos. They are red peppers full of cheese, chorizo and veal. You just about want to get into the pepper yourself. The fish and garlic grilled shrimp is wonderful, though I personally think you have to get fish if you are in a place that you can see the ocean. Try the frog legs, too. I know eating Kermit sounds daunting, but it is totally worth it. They're fried and an old sock would taste good fried. So go to Ceviche if you are ever in the Tampa Bay area. Just tell them Jen sent you. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Actually, don’t because they don’t know who I am. But maybe one day I will be greeted at the door with a bouquet of stuffed peppers and a box of filetitos. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">After a delicious, gluttonous weekend, the time has come to return to Houston. You know when you don't care about PDA? When you're saying good-bye. Nor do you care about crying in public, Public Displays of Sadness? Of tears? Something like that. Even now, thinking about waking up tomorrow a thousand miles apart makes my eyes sting. </span></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Joe and I were very intentional on taking counseling classes with the church. We read stacks of books about being married and took compatibility quizzes. And they were very insightful. But I haven't found one that answers the questions we are faced with within this lifestyle. So tonight, belly and heart empty, I go to sleep praying to find a way to take on marriage from a distance and for sweet dreams of eating french toast and cheese steaks with Joe. </span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">* I am aware that this is a grotesque combination of two languages. I chose to write this for comedic effect, I don't actually think this makes any real sense. </span></span></b></div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07186618499445066638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660263582320067249.post-55494013765636300892012-02-22T08:24:00.000-08:002012-02-22T12:49:53.926-08:00When I Was Your Age<br />
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.7296057972125709" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If given a chance to take back some mistakes, I think most of us would take back things from our four years we each spent in high school. Poor choices in study habits, peer pressure, romantic relationships or attempted romantic relationships and even fashion-- yes, looking back at high school sometimes seems a parade of our most glossy mistakes. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Which makes it very fun to teach high school and watch all of these same mistakes being made. And by fun I mean difficult, stressful, insightful and maturing. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In short, I feel like I am doing an improvisational comedy show five days a week. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some highlights of this, my first year teaching, thus far: </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I proudly typed my syllabus and course objectives, wording it to make sure that the class seemed rigorous and I seemed strict and intimidating. I tried to hide any evidence of my youthfulness since my mere presence spoke for itself. People told me not to smile for the first quarter; some said year, some said month--- but the general message was don’t smile. The bell rang for my first class on my first day in my first “real job.” I handed out the syllabus and gave the same verbal overview to all of my classes: I will reward hard work, but I will punish laziness, you must read the material, writing does not have a formula, you will respect each other and me, you will not get off task on your laptop, you do not “get” grades-- you earn them. I finished my lecture, lips tightly closed over my teeth, and asked if there were any questions. A few brave hands shoot up: </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Is it true you are dating a professional baseball player?”</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“What was it like being in a sorority at Ole Miss?”</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Did you like SEC football?”</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And my favorite: </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Are your shoes Christian Louboutin?” </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I garnered their respect from the start. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I got the job, I was ecstatic. I had wanted to teach high school English since I was taking high school English. There was the promise of a creative writing course in the future, too. I was thrilled to mold and shape students the way I had been by my amazing and engaging English teachers. I was proud to tell people when they asked what I was doing after graduation, “teaching” “Oh, what age?” “Sophomores and juniors” “High schoolers?!” “Yes...?” “Those boys are going to be all over you.” </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gross. I decided this was a myth, something made up by Britney Spears music videos and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>The O.C</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I wouldn’t have students like that. They would see me for my brain and my brain only. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For the most part I was right, I was able to sass back at them and gave them a seating chart and graded them hard enough on their first paper to prove whatever it was I needed to prove to them. But there is something about boys ages 14-23 (yes, I realize the giant age bracket and that it includes guys my age) that makes them nearly intolerable. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Around homecoming, this particular student came in my room and asked if I would wear his jersey on Homecoming Friday. “What in the world? Are you trying to get me fired? I don’t think you should ask things like that!!” He responded that all the teachers do it, it is a tradition. Tradition my left foot! I quickly e-mailed my other young teacher friends and it was confirmed that teachers do wear players’ jerseys, but that asking on MONDAY of Homecoming week was jumping the gun a little bit. Even though all the other teachers had on jerseys, it still felt a little weird. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Something that really makes my day, and by that I mean makes me really insecure, is being mistook for a student. Moms do this a lot. Of course, they themselves can often times look like students, or at least much closer to my age. Yes, hot-tennis-mom is not a creation of the writers for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Desperate Housewives</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, they exist in the real world. Bless them for not working and being able to do so much for the school (luncheons, goodybags, breakfasts, cupcakes-- seriously, they take care of us and we would be a public school without them), but I would appreciate you recognizing, if nothing else, I am in a pencil skirt and a blazer-- the kids are in jeans and flip-flops. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These same well-meaning parents have had some glorious comments such as:</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Laziness is a learning disability, my son has it and you need to be sensitive to it*</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I know that all the assignments are online, but could you e-mail me what they are everyday?</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My son will be grounded if he doesn’t have an A, I just think you should take that into consideration when grading. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do you think you could change the research paper from </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Macbeth</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to the play they read last year because I know my daughter read that one?</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My daughter said I needed to come to Parent Night to see your shoes, she said that is all she looks at in class. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In closing: </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our boss told us this quote in our first faculty meeting : It is the job of the parent to prepare the child for the path, not prepare the path for the child. I love this because it can translate to so many other aspects of life. How often do we want to change our circumstances before we admit we need to change ourselves? A LOT. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I hope I am helping prepare each child. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And if not, well, at least I tried while wearing great shoes. </span></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">*This was not said directly to me, but I heard from an eye witness. </span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07186618499445066638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660263582320067249.post-59221275690169810572012-02-13T07:02:00.000-08:002012-02-13T09:44:29.735-08:00The Shortest Distance Between Two People (and cheesy things like that)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;">I love how my head fits in the slope of Joe's neck and shoulder. I don't believe in "The One," but simple things like puzzle piece body parts make it very clear God places people in our lives for a purpose. Joe's purpose is for me to lay my head on his chest-- the soft ba-dum of his heartbeat in my ear and his voice to seeming to echo off of it-- and feel at home there forever and ever.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;">Except baseball season takes him 1,000 miles away.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;">A month into our marriage, this time has come. I will not sugar coat my feelings and say things about being stronger and "the course of true love never did run smooth"* I won't, because being away from him physically hurts. If you have ever come off of serious painkillers, the slow disorientating lull-ish pain, that's what it feels like being apart. A feeling that grew familiar with our dating last season, but seems to have amplified in some culmination of the newness of our marriage and the flouting of the distance in the off season.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-3rFRqGegRevJyf1wVsNIqUFdqpQ6OdKzeHGtrhD7v_gOKa3T6A0B71jSa2092yZeCdedUV4jy_yWANnJEhUmGVya1R7W_jTHT3ImJXlYtCqFX4gYgWEf1ALeM_w-Kiq85Vvd3zsB28Dl/s1600/baseballgroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-3rFRqGegRevJyf1wVsNIqUFdqpQ6OdKzeHGtrhD7v_gOKa3T6A0B71jSa2092yZeCdedUV4jy_yWANnJEhUmGVya1R7W_jTHT3ImJXlYtCqFX4gYgWEf1ALeM_w-Kiq85Vvd3zsB28Dl/s320/baseballgroom.jpg" width="303" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;">I once told Joe that it seems better to remain small to the world, this is after seeing <i>Country Strong</i>**. I told him that in trying to be big to the world, or rather maintaining this status was the tragic flaw of people-- and the tragic flaw of our society for perpetuating it. What love does, though, is make your world shrink to a beautiful microcosm between you and that person. You are big to them, they to you, and that is <b><i>all</i></b> that matters. If you can find this in another person: be willing to admit every flaw you have, forgive them for all of their flaws, be willing to admit all the things you want and then put everything they need as a higher importance. It's that simple. None of the "I deserve this" or "I have a right." No, it isn't about your rights-- it's a servantile love that mirrors the love of God, and the kind of love that lasts. Romantic comedies, women's magazines and society's definition of success tells us to demand, tells us we deserve something from someone. God tells us to give ourselves and our needs up to take up another's cross.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQF8wF2UwgbWH_gLepFdYKEPrTWmrMguoqkbzU-jmqWqGGe777Wbgnb6_nrHVBlmns5ews7f_rNUsaPd1HUh3v4JiqC0sZdszqFQg9me_XIQuP-81cjY8cCyVEbtFglLfs3_uaaPYPunpe/s1600/blogbackground.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQF8wF2UwgbWH_gLepFdYKEPrTWmrMguoqkbzU-jmqWqGGe777Wbgnb6_nrHVBlmns5ews7f_rNUsaPd1HUh3v4JiqC0sZdszqFQg9me_XIQuP-81cjY8cCyVEbtFglLfs3_uaaPYPunpe/s320/blogbackground.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;">This is all to say that baseball season has a specific cross to bear with it. So though I curse the distance, Joe is called to be there. And I know his Christian presence has to change people, his example has to affect and inspire. <b><i>I </i></b>can affect and inspire by supporting my husband and respecting him and loving him more than myself, which I do--</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;"> And in the end, my head is on his shoulder no matter where we sleep at night.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;">Happy one month anniversary to the love of my life. You inspire me and build me up when I fall. I pray I do the same for you, always.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;">* quote from Shakespeare's<i> A Midsummer Night's Dream</i>. One of the most misunderstood quotes in Shakespeare. I'll explain another time, however.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;">** great movie starting Gweneth Paltrow. You have to watch it understanding what we do to each other as human beings, in the public and private spheres of life.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">All photos except cake toppers courtesy of Kelly Hornberger Photography </span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07186618499445066638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660263582320067249.post-65414927358433970982012-02-09T08:59:00.000-08:002012-02-09T11:03:14.225-08:00Opening Day<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Playing in the minor leagues tries men (and their wives) in ways that seem only comparable to the military. Playing in the minor leagues for your fourth season when you were a first round draft pick tries your belief in not just the game, but in your ability, your purpose and your very being. So when Joe began the 2010 season a 25 year old first rounder back in high A ball, he questioned if baseball was worth the high price he seemed to be paying. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Joe's parents and my father went to college together. We had known each other, and been pushed to date, for several years. When we did start dating, Joe made a career change from a starting pitcher to a position player and ended up in the humid, hot sun of Clearwater, FL. Joe put up video game-like numbers his first month as a hitter, I am talking an average of 621. He cooled off in May and cooled way off in June. One night, the Clearwater Threshers played in a 21 inning game and put Joe on the mound, simply because they ran out of guys in the bullpen. That night, he threw a 94 mph fast ball and an 87 mph slider. Something in his arm started working again and he was moved up to AA at the end of June. Joe continued to keep consistent numbers in the mid 90's. I was finally able to go join him in July and after only 3 weeks in AA, they told him to put up the bat for good and sent him up to be a Lehigh Valley Iron Pig, the Phillies AAA afflliate. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I was "just a girlfriend" for the 2011 season. I put that term in quotations because that is the way we, the non-wives*, were made to feel at times; as if our dedication didn't mean as much because were weren't married. What it really meant, was that trying to take time out of my life, job, school was even harder because it was for "just a boyfriend". So to all the girlfriends out there, I commend you and your dedication to your man. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I was finishing my senior year at Ole Miss and it seemed that every opportunity for our plans to fall through, they crashed to the ground. We cancelled trips, paid extra to try and get on different flights, hugged good-bye next to the bus after only seeing each other for 3 hours because they decided to change the game schedule..... you get what I am trying to say. Our relationship was tested and our (my) patience wore thin. Joe is the most patient, loving man I know, but his faith is my favorite thing about him. God bless all the men whom Joe works with that he can talk to and pray with, and God bless his spiritual leadership with me through the many uncertainties of the season. Come September, being together every day was going to be a luxury; but getting through the season together allowed us to see that baseball will come and go, but we had staying power. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Joe's team progressed to the league finals in September, thus prolonging his eventual return to Houston (much to my chagrin). On the last night of the series, I flew into Philadelphia expecting to begin the long drive back to Texas. While I was in the air, the Phillies promoted Joe as a late September call up. On September 17, 2011, Joe dressed in his Phillies uniform and his brother, my dad and I watched him from the stands at Citizens Bank Park. Phillies clenched the NL East that night and Joe sprayed champagne in the locker room his first night as a major leaguer. The families gathered on the field and we got to see Joe in his soaked NL East Champions shirt and hat, freezing and smiling. About an hour and a half later, Joe proposed in our hotel room. My dad and his brother waited in the hotel restaurant with champagne, to which Joe toasted, "Well, Jen, I got called up and we got engaged. I think it is all downhill from here!" </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here is hoping that it is just the start! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We married January 14, 2012. Our wedding was amazing and so wonderful. If you are reading this and were a guest, we thank you. We could not have hoped for a better night! Everything was navy, ivory and silver with tons of candlelight, breakfast food and a band to knock your socks off... or split your rented tux pants down the crotch seam, which is what happened to one of Joe's groomsman. Best. Night. Ever. Best man to marry ever! </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basically how we looked all night. Notice my beautiful friends and mother behind us.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now, a month later, Joe will leave for Spring Training. Part of the 40 Man, we don't know what this season holds for Joe. I will remain in Houston teaching high school English until summer and then go travel with him and our 4 month old Corgi, Polly Pocket. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Baseball life creates a tumultuous juxtaposition of monotony and spontaneity. Joe will do basically the same thing everyday until, at the drop of a hat (or ERA), he gets moved to a new town, new team. Until June, Joe and I will take on the long distance marriage, something I am certain I will not recommend trying, let alone trying as a newlywed. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It will not be without prayer, faith and trust in God and each other that we take on this season.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiByviNUq9bHDjFRmW7s7KO1SnECfI95UHkNQAc3in-w0a8u9_YIKU4xaIZpyZ2wCxTCsl3vcuqUuX9CtI7CxGdF68yAakg47iUU2rMe14xSvPHxLt9nwgnzPk5QJjFWcsZXKp4QcwGvrYc/s1600/The_saverys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiByviNUq9bHDjFRmW7s7KO1SnECfI95UHkNQAc3in-w0a8u9_YIKU4xaIZpyZ2wCxTCsl3vcuqUuX9CtI7CxGdF68yAakg47iUU2rMe14xSvPHxLt9nwgnzPk5QJjFWcsZXKp4QcwGvrYc/s320/The_saverys.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joe, me and our "child," Polly</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thus, here I am entering the blogging world. Stay tuned, this season has only just begun.....</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">* Now a wife, I promise to be as nice as I can to all the girls I meet. Be she a wife, girlfriend, fiance, side-beef or one night stand-- I will be her friend because it can be pretty boring in those stands alone. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">** Background photo courtesy of Kelly Hornberger Photography-- check her blog out, too! </span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07186618499445066638noreply@blogger.com3Houston, TX, USA29.7601927 -95.369389629.319101200000002 -96.001103600000008 30.2012842 -94.7376756