Good

Being nice is hard sometimes, especially if you don’t always get niceness in return. Keeping a good mood and demeaned alive all the time is demanding, tiring, and just not fun always, but it is worth it.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:9-10

I was further reminded by Glenn that doing well by others is the right thing to do.  Just for clarification, he made up an alter ego of sorts named Señor Barky Dog who has a French accent that is always coming up with clever things to say.

Señor Barky Dog says: If you’re having a great day go and share it with someone, and if they try to poop on it just smile, turn around, and let your happily wagging tail slap them in the face a few times before prancing out of the room.

Momma

You graduate high school. You go to college. You graduate college. You get a job. You live on your own. You figure yourself out along the way. Then you think about it, then you can actually think about getting married. This is what was ingrained into my head at a young age by my mother. This is what you do, this is how you become successful.

There is so much more to it though. I wish I could teach a class on all of the things that I think are important to learn through the young adult years while you are finding yourself single or married.

How to cook a complete meal at least once a week and the ingredients you need to keep  on hand to do so.

How to figure out how much of your budget should be a mortgage payment vs groceries vs fun things.

How to say no, to anything politely.

How to balance a relationship with your work and you time.

Formal education can’t teach you these things, only life can. I am learning every single day. I am growing every single day. I am enjoying this season that God has placed me in, even if tears come. You always learn, always.

Games

Peace and quiet. Not a creature is stirring not even a mouse. Growing up as an only child fostered the idea that quietness is beauty, it allows for sleep to bring on its sweet touch. Upon joining a new family when my mom remarried and meeting other people’s boisterous clans it has given me a new perspective on noise. Joy can come from commotion and fellowship. At the end of the day I still love my stillness, but I am beginning to enjoy the chaos and noise of the love flowing from conversation. Sometimes I find myself longing to be in the middle of a parade of craziness with people I care about.

After a long week of traveling alone, a parade of sorts will be coming this Thursday with the midnight premier of the Hunger Games. A crepe and coffee night with some of my dearest friends will be the appetizer to the movies main event. The only requirement of attending with us will be that you must dress up. Yes, I will be turning 25 this year and yes I am pumped up about getting dressed up for a movie! I am still trying to decide what to wear, but it will be epic. So on Thursday, it may just be a craziness parade that I have been wanting. 

I can't decide which one to wear...

Oops

One of my love affairs in life is with cooking. Nothing is better than after a long day of sitting behind a desk than to stand up in my kitchen chopping the crap out of vegetables with my beautiful burgundy Paula Deen knife set and create something tasty. I often think that my love comes from the ability to feel accomplished. After only an hour from start to finish, a creation has been made and often devoured (sometimes chowing down in the kitchen and never making it to a table). The other aspect that intrigues me is one of making mistakes. Often in cooking, mistakes can be fixed and missing ingredients can be improvised on. It is the beauty of creation that sometimes the mistakes that are made can turn out to be blessings, and yummy ones at that.

Salmon Cakes! I had left over salmon but I didn't have any bread for a binder, however  I had left over tortilla chips that worked like a charm! 

Mayonnaise and I are not friends. So these deviled eggs are made with Greek Yogurt instead. Healthier and minus the yucky mayo is a plus in my book.  

You know what, that is life is about. We are not perfect beings, but we can strive to see the blessings out of the mistakes that we make and remember that tbs and tbsp are not the same.

Quality

It all started with a Nerf gun war in the kitchen, don’t worry I shot him first. Then we had a fabulous dinner with two lovely people Zach and Leah at Mellow Mushroom complete a pizza dripping in pesto, feta cheese and sun-dried tomatoes!

The next day began with voting yes to alcohol sales on Sunday, a quick trip to Glenn’s old school to visit his mom and sister in Dalton then we were off on our adventure!

First stop was at one of my favorites, the Georgia Winery where we sampled, and then sampled some more and then found out that they give discounts for buying a whole case and maybe just maybe that is what we did.

Then we finally arrived in Chattanooga and went to this fabulous restaurant called the Bluegrass Grill where we inhaled goodness until we were sick, well until Glenn was sick because he ate all of his and half of mine!

We then wondered around browsing antiques, books and artwork until we found a bench content to watch the world go by. Then sake time began at one of my favorite sushi restaurants, Sushi Nabe tucked under a bridge. We laughed obnoxiously loud at the Japanese word for cheers which he knows and kept repeating. 

The next part in our journey is obvious to anybody who knows my love for coffee shops and the amazing place called Rembrandts. We had earl grey tea and desserts to finish off our night on the town.

Having a long distance relationship where more time is spent on the phone than it is in person is hard. But having wonderful days like these is what makes it all worth it. Realizing the specialness that you share together and creating crazy memories that will last a lifetime.