Thin Places

You might remember that as part of my 15 in '15 list, I recently read Bittersweet by Shauna Niequist.  In that book, there is one chapter called Thin Places that put forth an idea that I really loved.  Here's an explanation from the book.

"Thin places: places where the boundary between the divine world and the human world becomes almost nonexistent, and the two, divine and human, can for a moment, dance together uninterrupted. Some are physical places, and some aren't places at all, but states of being or circumstances or season."

This got me thinking about the thin places in my life.  Those times, circumstances, places where God felt so close.  And there were many.

The adoration chapel at St. Thomas Aquinas in College Station where I spent many nights praying and hoping and seeking peace about what the future would hold.  The morning I woke up and decided to completely change my planned law school and despite it being too late to really make that change, it worked out perfectly.  The Grotto at Notre Dame.  Riding horses across the open pasture. Seeing the worn kneeler used by St. John Paul II in Poland.  Praying with The Boy from Texas during our wedding ceremony.  Services at the Washington National Cathedral, built as a place of worship for all.

It is a beautiful thing, the thin places.  And as wonderful as those places and experiences are, we know that when even the thin line is gone and there is nothing separating the human from the divine, it will be even better.

Praise God for the thin places.

15 in '15 List Update: January and February

So the surprising addition of The Baby from Texas to the midst sort of slowed down my 15 in '15 accomplishments these first two months.  Other moms assure me that I'll stop throwing up and being so exhausted I'm asleep at 9:00 every night soon.....let's hope they are right because this list needs some work!

All total, I've made at least some form of progress on 8/15 items.  I'm on track (of ahead of schedule) for 5/15 items.  Here's the low down.


1.  Visit 2 new states.  (1/2 complete).

In January, I headed to Atlanta to speak at the Southern Dairy Conference.  Georgia has officially been checked off the list!


2.  Print Instagram photos in Chatbooks.  (No progress).

I have no reason for not having this done, especially after College Roomie gave me gift certificates to pay for this for Christmas.

3.  Read 12 more books.  (1/12 complete).

I just finished Bittersweet by Shauna Niequist.  She's got the best writing style, she's hilarious, and I wish I knew her in real life so we could be friends!  Here are a couple of my favorite quotes from the book:

"It is not hard to decide what you want your life to be about.  What's hard is figuring out what you are willing to give up in order to do the things you really care about."

"When I pray, I ask for God's help, that I will be able to see something I wasn't able to see before, or at least something I wasn't able to see before, or at least trust Him to do the seeing."

4.  Run another half marathon.  (No progress....likely will not happen!)

So yea, having a baby in September means that half marathon I had planned for the end of July is kinda out of the question.  And the odds of me being ready for a half marathon by the end of the year after having a baby are probably not that good.  We'll play this one by ear (there is always Tulsa in November....) but it may get modified to be running a post-baby 5K.

5.  Take a fun trip for The Boy From Texas' 30th.  (No progress.)

So the plan for the big trip to either Hawaii or Ireland has been baby proofed as well.  We're kinda needing to keep vacation days for the big arrival, so we're looking at a few ideas of long weekend trips that might work better for us at this point in time.

6.  Plant flowers in our yard and the fun pots we got.  (No progress).

Well, the pots are officially placed on the front porch waiting for action, but because it keeps snowing, there is nothing planted yet.

7.  Cook 52 more recipes in the Newlywed in the Kitchen series.  (5/52 completed).

Things on this front were really rolling, and then morning sickness hit.  At this point, we're just excited if I can handle the smell of food and choke it down, so gourmet meals have been put on hold.  Hopefully I can get back on track though!

8.  Finish Uncle Black Belt's book.  (Some progress made).

We've been editing on this and hope to have the first four chapters done within the next month!

9.  Complete one Bible.com study a month.  (2/12 completed.)

I really enjoy the Bible.com app.  I'm not very techy, so I resisted for a long time, but several of my friends use it, so I decided to try!  It makes it so easy to do my daily reading, particularly when I'm on the road.

In January, I did the "New Day, New  You" study by Joyce Meyer.  It was a great way to kick off the New Year!

In February, I completed the "Breathe Spiritual Passing Into Your Marriage" study by Gary Thomas.  It was a great study to help you keep the focus on the bigger picture and purpose of your marriage.

10.  Complete 5 Pinterest projects (other than recipes).  (No progress.)

I'm hoping the baby pins I'm finding will motivate me to really get rolling on this.

11.  Knock off three more bucket list checkmarks.  (1/3 completed).

- Meet a blog friend in person.  I actually did this twice, first when I met Dairy Carrie in Atlanta (and learned we were both secretly pregnant and due on the same day!) and second when I met up with my long-time blog friend, Katy, in Washington DC.  Katy requested an official Figuring Out the Plot name, and I deem her Dixie in DC.  If you are not a reader of her blog, go here now!

Me and Dixie in DC posing in the subway station.

12.  Order books/prints/canvases of our wedding photos.  (No progress.)

Another that I just need to sit down and get cracking on!  We've pretty much got the new house decorated, except that we have one---ONE---wedding picture in the entire joint and it's a 5/7 in a frame on my nightstand.  Fail.

13.  Listen to the New Testament.  (Minor progress made).

I was doing so good on this one, listening as I drove to work, but then I somehow stopped doing that and kinda forgot.  Back on it now!  I've currently made it through the first ten chapters of Matthew.  Onward.

14.  Pray Novenas for 12 friends and send them notes to tell them about it.  (2/12 completed).

This is easily my favorite list item.

In January I prayed a Novena to St. Anne (the grandmother of Jesus who was barron for over twenty years herself) for a friend suffering through infertility.

In February, in honor of Valentine's Day, I prayed a Novena to St. Joseph (patron saint of worthy husbands) in honor of my single friends.


15.  Organize my pictures.  (No progress.)

When it's all cold and snowy and I'm stuck inside, this would be a great time to tackle this project.  What have I done instead?  Napped and watched junk tv.  Awesome.

RIP Susan

Yesterday, Susan Spencer-Wendel, author of Until I Say Goodbye, passed away from ALS.  She was 47 years old and leaves behind her husband and three children.



I never met Susan.  But I know her story.  Both from reading her book and from losing someone I loved to ALS.

Though she was dying, Susan was able to live out her last years in amazing fashion.  She traveled the world, reconnected with her birth mother, saw the Northern Lights, gave her family and friends amazing memories upon which to cling now that she has gone.  As she put it, "I cannot lift my arms to feed myself or hug my children.  My muscles are dying, and they cannot return.  I will never again be able to move my tongue enough to clearly say, 'I love you.'  Swiftly, surely, I am dying.  But I am alive today."

Susan offered a bit of insight into what Mr. Franklin must have thought and felt as he was saying goodbye.  This woman in Florida, whom I never met and frankly with whom I probably didn't have much in common, offered me a bit of peace five years after I said my own goodbye.  For that, I am thankful.

Please keep Susan's family and her friends in your prayers.  May God be with them all.

Friday Book Club: It Is Well

"Faith in God means we live with hope.  It means often times hoping even when it seems futile.  It means believing that God can deliver us, and often times, He will.  But it also means that at times, He may not, and if He does not deliver us in the way we desire, it means we still have faith and trust that his plan is perfect and He will make good of it all."  ~Chris Faddis, It Is Well

Today I'm joining in with Friday Book Club.  I just finished reading what might be the most heartbreaking and inspiring book that I've read in my life.  (If you want to order a copy, click here.)

It Is Well  was written by a man who lost his wife to cancer at age 32.  He was left behind heartbroken with two little ones to raise.  Hearing of him losing her---his love for her, the pain, trying to explain it to the children, seriously had me in tears multiple times.  And I'm not at all a crier. 

But for all the heartbreak, the book really is about inspiration.  Devout Catholics, both he and his wife faced this tragedy with courage and trust and amazing faith.  I usually share a list of quotes from a book.  I have dog-eared a ton of pages and could do that.  But today, I'm going to just share one.  It struck a chord with me the moment that I read it.  Being that we will all celebrate Jesus' rising on Sunday, it seems particularly appropriate.

What do you say when your lover lies in a bed, hearing the same words as you, knowing what it means, what it all likely means?  Death.  End.  Loss.  Words, they come easy for me.  But not now.  Not in this moment.  I try.  I attempt to muster some sort of comfort, but the words, they don't come.  She, the one who has a hard time with words, the one who needs comfort in this moment, she says the words, the only words that matter:  "Jesus still rose, so we will trust."

30 by 30: Month 11

Good grief, we are down to just one more month to go!  I'll have to admit to you that I have accepted the fact that there is no way I will accomplish everything on my list by the time that November 1 rolls around.  Just not going to happen.  But, I'm still plugging along trying to cross off as many as I can!  Here is what I was able to check off in September.

7.  Read 24 more books  (13/24 completed).

In September I read a book recommended to me by SoulMate Friend called A Year of Biblical Womanhood by Rachel Held Evans.  It was really good--the writer is hilarious and it was fun to follow her journey to try different Old Testament commands and see how that impacted her faith.  Here were some of my favorite quotes.

Peace and joy belong not to the woman who finds the right vocation, but to the woman who finds God in any vocation, who looks for the divine around every corner.

Martha wasn't the first and she certainly won't be the last to dismiss someone else's encounter with God because it didn't fit the mold.

Be careful of challenging another woman's choices, for you never know when she may be sitting at the feet of God.

Knowing that God both inhabits and transcends our daily vocations, no matter how glorious or mundane, should be enough to unite all women of faith and end that nasty cycle of judgment we get caught in these days.

One need not be a saint, or even a mother, to become a bearer of God.  One needs only to obey.  The divine resides in all of us, but it is our choice to magnify it or diminish it, to ignore it or to surrender to its lead.

Why did the Jews have children after the Holocaust?  Why do women keep trying after multiple miscarriages?  It's our way of shaking our fists at the future and saying, you know what?--we will be hopeful; things will get better; you can't scare us after all.  Having children is, ultimately, an act of faith.

Faith isn't about having everything figured out ahead of time.  Faith is about following the quiet voice of God without having everything figured out ahead of time.

8.  Send little gifts to my friends once a month (11/12 completed).

This month I was super excited to send a college football themed package to three of my favorite kiddos.  I adore these little boys and think that everyone looks better in orange.  Super Mom did an adorable blog showing off the goodies, so to see that, click here.


16.  Visit 2 new states (2/2 completed).

After checking off Washington back in May, I was worried about getting another state crossed off the list.  But when Uncle Black Belt and I were on our way to Notre Dame, we made a quick detour to Michigan so that we could take a picture by the sign and knock this item out.  Contrary to popular belief (caused by Uncle Black Belt's post on Facebook that said, "How did we end up in Michigan??"), this was an intentional detour.

30. Pray a voiceless prayer.

This list item was inspired by my friend Dr. Kyra who told me a story of a time when she was desperate for an answer, so she went to a church and left an item on the alter.  It was her voiceless prayer.  Well I just loved that idea and knew I had to incorporate it into my project.  I thought I knew what I was going to do back in November when I put this item on the list, but a lot of things can change in a year.  Including the item I decided to use as my voiceless prayer.  So a couple of weeks ago, I got up early one chilly fall morning and made my way to the Grotto on the University of Notre Dame campus.  It was dark and cool and basically empty.  And there, amongst the candles beneath the Basilica spires and the golden dome, I left my voiceless prayer.  And then a bit later got a voiceless answer.  I'm not sure whether it is something I am going to blog about it or not...I'm still debating whether it's something I want to share, but suffice it for now to say that it was a beautiful, perfect moment for me.

30 by 30: Month 10

Good grief almighty, I've only got 2 months left before the big day.  And I've got a LOT of list items yet to check off.  Here's my report for the month of August.

1.  Cook 10 new recipes (23/10 completed)

One evening my running buddy Cowboy in Aggieland (she's a fellow OSU alum and lover of all things orange!) came over and we made a Pioneer Woman recipe of Pasta with Pesto Cream Sauce.  It was actually surprisingly easy and really, really good!  Highly recommend this one, folks.

Later I tried a couple of Pinterest recipes.  First up was corn fritters.  They were kinda like hoe-cakes ala Ski Trip Jerry, except with corn in them.  They were okay, but not great. 

Then it was time for crock pot chicken and cornmeal dumplins.  LOVED this recipe.  LOVED, LOVED, LOVED.  I can't wait to make it again.  Seriously, super healthy and super good.  You could easily add more or different veggies if you wanted to.  Oh, and I made mine with chicken breast instead of thighs because I'm a rebel like that (or I had them in my freezer...).

Lastly, I whipped up some of this cauliflower sauce that was supposed to taste like alfredo sauce.  It didn't.  I like cauliflower, so it was fine, but it sure as heck wasn't alfredo, kids.


2.  Go camping.

As you read about previously, I went camping at the lake back home for a weekend of fun in the sun and on the water.  I totally failed and didn't get a single picture of our camp site, but Aunt and Uncle Evil Kineval took great care of us and got us all set up!

8.  Send little gifts to my friends once a month (10/12 completed).

This month instead of one big gift, I did a few little ones.  I made two little gift packets that included trail mix and cheese its tied up with a bow.

The first went to my buddy Mr. FFA when he was in town staying in my guest bedroom (you visit here, you get a gift!) and the second to my friend Cowboys in Aggieland who was headed out to run the Pikes Peak Half Marathon.

I also saw the cutest saint bracelets (thanks to Super Mom's blog) for little kiddos and knew I had to order one for my sweet Goddaughter.  Pink, of course.  Her mama loves that!

29.  Bring home a bouquet of flowers once a month (10/12 complete).

This one took a little twist this month when Mrs. BFF gave me four outdoor plants when they moved away.  I promised to take good care of her plants and said she could have them back when she wanted.  One week later, I thought they were all dead.  It's possible that someone (cough cough, I, cough cough) forgot to water them.  But I've now gotten into a routine where I water them every other night out of my rain collection bucket.  It's a little bit therapeutic!

30 by 30 List: Month 9

Seriously, month 9!?!  How did that happen?  Three months from now is the big day....deep breaths, Tiffany.  Deep breaths.  For now, let's take a look at what I was able to knock off the list in July.

4.  Check 5 items off my bucket list (5/5 completed!)

That's right kids....5 bucket list checkmarks have been crossed off the list.  The final two were obtained in July when I went dancing at Billy Bob's in Ft. Worth and got two articles published in a magazine.  Love getting those checkmarks!

Billy Bob's Texas - July 2013

7.  Read 24 more books (12/24 completed).

Yikes.  I better get my reading in gear!  This month, I read a book by one of my favorite church figures--Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York--called A People of Hope. 

I thought it was fabulous.  I mean, seriously great.  Maybe the best explanation I've read on the Church's position on various hot button issues.  I'd highly recommend it to anyone who wants a better understanding of Christianity or the Church or Cardinal Dolan.  A few of my favorite quotes:

What I really believe is that God never calls you to do something without giving you the grace to do it.

I can never reduce another person entirely to his or her political positions.

I'm not the kind of guy who goes looking for conflict, but if you're asking me if I'm willing to take a stand sometimes in order to try to keep the Church's door open as wide as possible, then the answer is yes.

There aren't too many things that can't be solved, or at least calmed down, over a couple of beers and a cheeseburger on the patio.

It may plant a seed of reconciliation that will take  years to flower, but the fact that it's been planted is important.  Sometimes we can get so caught up in a managerial way of looking at things, concerned with efficiency and returns on investment and so on, that we forget to also look at our choices through the eyes of faith.  From the point of view of faith, time spent in reaching out to the lost and hurting is never lost time.

We need to constantly be reaching out, constantly be willing to talk, constantly striving to make our lofty language about the Church as a family a reality.

I think one of the things we should not be afraid to do is to let people know that we have struggles and we have doubts.

(Discussing his niece fighting bone cancer)  I never doubted that God was in charge, but I was really somewhat vexed at the way he was running this.

There are times you, Jesus, don't make much sense at all, and I just love second-guessing you, but I've come to believe that even though sometimes it doesn't make a lot of sense with you, it makes utterly no sense without you, and I don't know where else I'd go.

Question:  So it's not like Pope John Paul II, if I came to your chapel in the middle of the night, I wouldn't find you prostrate on the floor in the shape of a cross?
Cardinal Dolan's answer:  Not unless I had fallen out of bed because I had too many beers!

8.  Send little gifts to my friends once a month (9/12 completed).

The Boy from Texas sunburned himself twice in the last month.  Like, bad sunburned himself.  I told him to put aloe on it.  He said he didn't have anything in his house except for soap, toothpaste and deodorant.  Seriously, how has natural selection not taken care of every unmarried male on the planet?  Anyway, I decided that was not acceptable and put together a little care package of items that belong in a bathroom for injuries/sunburns/etc. I threw in a picture of us and some snacks for good measure and girlfriend bonus points.

9.  Eat in 10 new restaurants (16/10 completed).

Ahh, this one brings back happy memories.  It's amazing I don't weigh 500 pounds guys.  Seriously.  First, up is a sandwich/salad place here called Newks.  I went with one of Super Mom's friends for lunch and it was amazing.  I had seriously one of the best chicken salad sandwiches I've ever had on bread that must be what the angels serve in Heaven.  For real, it was that good.

Next up we have a place in Ft. Worth called The Woodshed that Ski Trip John recommended.  Oh.  My.  Gosh.  It was amazing.  Great bbq sandwiches, homemade chips, live music, a table overlooking the river, it was seriously an awesome lunch.  Plus, add in this little cutie who spent lots of time sitting with Aunt Tiff and it just couldn't have been much better!

Me and Mr. Animal House's family at The Woodshed

13.  Create a gallery wall (again).

Okay, I know I already checked this one off my list.  Twice.  But I put together a cute gallery wall at my office of canvas prints of some of my favorite photographs and wanted to share!

29.  Bring home a bouquet of flowers once a month (9/12 completed).

The flower purchasing continued with this pretty summer bouquet from HEB.  Fresh flowers just make a home a happier place!

30 by 30 List: Month 8

Well another month has come and gone.  I can't believe how quickly this year is going by!  Let's check out the 30 by 30 list progress made this month.  To see the full list, click here.

1.  Cook 10 new recipes (18/10 completed).

This month I added a couple more recipes to my list.

First up, summer squash casserole.  I love me some squash casserole, and this recipe is super quick, super easy, and relatively healthy for something that has cheese in it!  I'd highly recommend it.

Next, I tried this recipe for brown sugar garlic baked chicken.  It looked so good in the picture.  Mine did NOT turn out that way.  It was edible, but not great.  I don't know what I did wrong.  Fail.

Then, I whipped up some oven roasted cauliflower.  Y'all.  It was SO good!  Seriously, amazing.  The only thing I did different than the recipe was to use fresh lime juice instead of lemon because, well, I had a lime in my fridge to put in Seven and Sevens and I didn't have any lemon juice.  That's how I cook around here.  But it made no difference, it still tasted great.  This is going into the regular rotation for sure!

7.  Read 24 more books (11/24 completed).

Until I Say Goodbye by Susan Spencer-Wendel

This book was written by a woman who was dying of Lou Gehrig's disease.  She took the last year of her life and focused on really living, on making memories with the people who mattered most to her.  It's beautiful.  And heartbreaking.

As many of you know, Mr. Franklin also died of ALS.  And although I spent a lot of time with him while he was sick, and we had a lot of conversations during that time, we never talked about the disease or about him dying.  We both knew it was happening, but we just didn't talk about it.  I felt a little like reading this book gave me some insight on what he must have been thinking during some of our conversations, and what he was feeling during his last months.  Her stories of sitting in her back yards where he kids would come give her a hug when she could no longer hug them took me right back to Mr. Franklin's living room where I would kiss him on the cheek before I left for home after he could no longer lift his arms to hug me.  It was hard to read, but I think it was a little bit cathartic for me.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes:

Don't search for answers.  Live the question.  Enjoy life more because of the uncertainty.  Not less.

I have no idea the odds of being stuck by lightning.  Or the odds that I would be struck with ALS.  It doesn't matter.  It can happen to anyone.  Lightning strikes in the middle of paradise.  ALS cuts down a famous baseball player, an older man, a son, a daughter, a mother, in the prime of life.

Don't miss the old.  Embrace the new.

We live in the people we leave behind.

What do I do in such bright-line moments, where my handicap whomps me over the head?  Dwell in what there remains to be grateful for.  My hands are snarled, but I can still touch.  I cannot hold, but I can feel.  I have my connection to the world, which ALS will never take away.

Appreciate the life that comes.  Work and strive , but accept.  Don't force the world to be the one you dream.  The reality is better.

Fearing the possible is no way to live.

I will not return to my children, at least not in the flesh.  But I will, I hope, in spirit.  In the things they see and feel.  In the memories we made.  Look for me in your heart, my children.  Sense me there, and smile.  

8.  Send little gifts to my friends once a month.

So this month I owed a couple of guys some baked goods.  Problem is that they live way far away.  Pinterest to the rescue.....I found this recipe for muffins in a jar and this recipe for apple pies in a jar.  Looked like something I could probably do.

For the muffins, I whipped up a packaged mix (just had to add milk!), sprayed the jar with Pam, scooped mix in, and baked.  Easy peasy.

For the pies, I loosely (and by loosely I mean I didn't really) followed the recipe.  I sprayed the jar, but crust, put apple pie filling, then put a sprinkle of cinnamon, nutmeg, a drop of vanilla, and a little butter.  Then I repeated that again.  I then cut strips of crust and put them on the top sort of in a criss-cross pattern.  Viola!

I hate to put words in their mouths, but I think that it's safe to say that The Boy from Texas and The Godfather were happy when they found these in their mailboxes.

9.  Eat in 10 new restaurants  (14/10 completed).

Fuego.  Dang BFF and Mrs. BFF took me here and now my waistline is not thanking them for it.  This place has killer tacos and even better queso.  SO yummy!

On the taco front, I am now equally obsessed with this restaurant here in town called La Bodega, which has the best steak taco that I have ever eaten.  I've been twice.  In a week.  And another time last week.  Three times, two weeks.  I may have a problem.

Lastly, we have Grub Burger Bar, which is a popular burger joint in College Station.  SO good.  I had a burger with some sort of chipotle sauce and guacamole.  It was amazing. Word is they have great milk shakes as well.  Come visit and I'll take ya!

13.  Create a gallery wall.

You guys already saw these and read about them in my House Tour blog.  I'm also working on one at work in my office, so I hope to have photos of that next month!

19.  Take my quilts to a quilter (1/2 complete).

My John Deere quilt that College Roomie's sweet mama made for me when I graduated from OSU has finally been delivered to a quilter and the quilting process is underway!  I cannot wait to see the finished product!

Sister Lisa and me with the quilter extraordinaire!

That just leaves a small t-shirt quilt (really I don't need a big quilt, more like a throw blanket) that I need to find someone to piece for me and then have quilted.  Any suggestions??

29.  Buy myself flowers once a month (8/12 completed).

I found my very favorite flowers--peonies--for super cheap at the local grocery store here, so you know that I jumped on buying those!  Even better, I was bummed that The Boy from Texas was leaving to go back home after coming to see me for the weekend, so I needed these to help cheer me up.  Even more reason I had to buy them.

Nobody Gets To Watch The Parade

"Most great adventures work that way. You don't plan them, you don't wait to get all the details right, you just do them."  ~Bob Goff

I love Bob Goff.  You know this from my raving about his book, Love Does.  Seriously, this guy is a genius and I wish there was some way that I could move to California and pitch a tent in his front yard and just follow him around every day.  No, seriously.  I do.

So imagine my delight when I was reading a book last week, and it turns out that the author is friends with Bob Goff.  Even better, dude told stories about Bob Goff.  (I could have just said Bob there, but I think there are some people who just have to be addressed by both names.  George Strait.  Michael Jordan.  John Lucas.  Bob Goff.)

The one that stuck with me was the story of Bob Goff and his kids starting a New Year's Day tradition of a neighborhood parade.  Bob Goff's kids were bored one New Year's Day, and Bob Goff relaied that it was probably the most boring day of the year.  So he asked the kids what they might like to do.  One suggested a parade.  And, becuase Bob Goff is the most awesome person on the planet, a parade it was.  Bob Goff's kids went door to door to invite the neighbors to join in the parade and end up in the Goff's yard for a picnic.  That's how it started.  And now, it's an annual tradition. Involving over 400 people. Some neighbors who have moved away plan vacations back just to be part of the parade. See why I want to pitch my tent in this dude's yard?

Now, there was only one rule about the parade.  Nobody gets to watch.  That's right, no spectators allowed.  Why?  Because Bob Goff says that it's more fun to be in a parade than to sit by and watch the parade.

Well, isn't that a metaphor for life?  It's more fun to be in the parade than watching.  There should be no spectators.  Instead of lining up and watching other people do things--have fun, make a difference, chase their dreams, dance like a crazy person, fall in love--we should be right there in the middle of the parade with everyone else.  Sure, it's easier to be a spectator.  It's not scary, there's no risk, you don't have the chance of failure or getting hurt or getting laughed at.  But we were created to live, not to spectate.  We were created to be out there marching in the parade.  And hopefully wearing a funny hat and carrying balloons.

Friday Book Club (August and September)

Well, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose on a year-long goal.  This month, I lost....didn't get my 2 books a month read in August and September.  I'm still confident that I can knock out 24 books this year...hopefully!  Anyway, the three books I did read were great.  Here's the scoop, linking up for Book Club Friday!

A Lucky Child by Thomas Buergenthal

 I'm apparently on a World War II kick lately (remember Every Man Dies Alone?) with my reading.  Well this time it was A Lucky Child and I can't recommend this book high enough.  I couldn't put it down.  What's most amazing about it is that it's a true story.  You see Auschwitz and Sachenhausen and the horror of the Holocaust through the eyes of a 9 year old child.  His description of what he saw and experienced is heartwrenching.  You see the horror of the Nazi regime as it faced this child who was put through hell merely because his family was Jewish.  In the camps he was separated from his family.  He lost his grandparents, father, and many friends.  He was separated from his mother for years, before she finally found him in a Polish orphanage.  He watched his adopted siblings be hauled away and killed.  He heard the screams from the Auschwitz crematoriums.  He participated in the Auschwitz death march.  He saw people beaten, shot and hung before his eyes.  His story is unbelievable, except that it really happened.  There is no way that he should have survived these camps, but he did and he has spent his life working for international human rights.  He believes that doing so is his duty after seeing, and experiencing, what he did.

"It remains a part of me and seves as a reminder, not so much of my past, but of the obligation I deem incumbent on me, as a witness and survivor of Auschwitz, to fight the ideologies of hate and of racial and religious superiority that have for centuries caused so much suffering to mankind."

"It took a long time for me to realize that one cannot hope to protect mankind from crimes such as those that were visited upon us unless one sturggles to break the cycle of hatred and violence that invariably leads to ever more suffering by innocent human beings."

"I doubt that we would have been able to preserve our sanity had we remained consumed by hatred for the rest of our lives.  Many of our relatives and friends in America never understood what we meant when we tried to explain that, while it was important not to forget what happened to us in hte Holocaust, it was equally important not to hold hte descendants of hte perpetrators responsible for what was done to us, lest the cycle of hate and violence never end."

"This sense of obligation had its source in the belief, which grew stronger as the years passed, that those of us who survived the Holocaust owe it to those who perished in it to try to improve, each in our own way, the lives of others."



Morrie:  In His Own Words by Morrie Schwartz

You guys probably remember how much I loved Tuesdays with Morrie.  Well this book is a collection of little thoughts by Morrie himself.  He talks about living and dying and provides great advice on how to do both.  In the book, Morrie told the story of a young man, whose father died of ALS.  The young man told Morrie that his father had not talked much of his disease or fellings, but that by reading Morrie's story, he felt like he was hearing some of his father's secret thoughts.  I guess the reason I enjoyed this book (along with Tuesdays with Morrie and The Luckiest Man) is pretty much the same thing.  While I spent a lot of time with Mr. Franklin while he was going through ALS, we did not talk about his disease and I've often wondered how he felt or what he thought.  I think that Morrie's story gave me some insight that I needed to have.

"Be grateful you have been given the time to learn how to die."

"Maybe the distance between life and death isn't as great as you think."

I Was Told There'd Be Cake by Sloane Crosley

This book was given to me by my friend Nomad because he said the author reminded him of me.  I can tell you that I'm not even close to as clever as Sloane Crosley.  Holy cow.  This book is hilarious.  It's sort of a collection of essays and stories from her life.  I think that if I ever make my dream of writing a book come true, I might set it up like this.  There are stories about boyfriends giving her plastic ponies (yes, I have one too!), her being a Jewish girl playing the Virgin Mary at a church camp paegent, being a bridesmaid to someone she hardly ever spoke to, dating woes, her crazy family.  This book is an easy read and really, really funny.  Here is my favorite quote:

"Weddings are like the triathalon of female friendship:  the Shower, the Bachelorette Party, and the Main Event.  It's the Iron Woman and most people never make it through.  They fall off their bikes or choke on ocean water."



Friday Book Club: June Books

Well the fun continues and I've now officially made it halfway through the year and my goal of two books a month is still alive!  Woo hoo!!  Today I'm sharing my June Books with Friday Book Club.  (If you missed any of my prior reviews, just click here!)

The Glass Castle

Remember my love for the book Half Broke Horses?  Well the author also wrote this book called The Glass Castle, so when College Roomie recommended it and I saw it at the airport in Costa Rica (before the almost hijacking of my plane), I knew I had to buy it.  I had finished that baby within 12 hours, and I am by no means a fast reader. 

I just could not put it down.  The author writes completely candidly about her shockingly horrible childhood.  Hunger and poverty, abuse and lonliness, parents who stole from their children and squashed dreams all the while telling the kids how lucky they were.  Examples of the unconditional love a child has for a parent, and where even that love reaches a limit.  It was unreal to read, and even more unreal to know that it was true and that the author and her siblings got out and made great lives for themselves.

I do not have favorite quotes from the book, but I'm telling you, this is a must-read if you ask me.  This woman has a gift for writing and I promise you any other book that she pens will be on my shelf.

How To Find Your Soulmate Without Losing Your Soul

In general, I liked this book.  It's probably more geared towards high school/college girls, but there were certainly some great parts that were quite applicable to my life situation.  I loved the part talking about the 10 types of "Mr. Wrongs" and looking through the list only to realize that I've had crushes on 7 of the 10 types.  The 10 types are:  (1) the flip-flopper--the guy who can't make up his mind about what he wants while the girl follows him around like a puppy dog; (2) the fixer-upper--the problem child, the bad boy; (3) the walking hormone--self explanatory; (4) the smooth criminal--like the walking hormone, but smarter and ergo more dangerous, guy with all the rihgt lines; (5) the control freak--has to know where you are and what you are doing 24/7; (6) the older guy--also self explanatory; (7) the potty mouth--it's really not attractive, guys; (8) the tearful cheater--dude is a jerk but somehow talks his way back in; (9) the spiritual midget--guys who are just not interested in faith, either their own or yours; and (10) Mr.-I-Don't-Have-Enough-Social-Skills-To-Meet-Girls-Without-The-Internet--I'm not knocking online dating, it works for some people, but there are some real losers out there as well.  And just for the record, sometimes I am good enough to like a guy who fits in the several of these categories at once.  And that, ladies, takes talent.

Maybe more than the content of the book, I like the idea behind it.  In finding the person who we are meant to be with, I think that it is critically important to not lose ourselves in the process.  We have to know--and stick to--our standards, who we are, what we are looking for, what purpose (and person) God calls us to. 

A few of my favorite quotes:

"There can only be one God.  Either we call the shots or we trust what He's revealed to us."

"So much depends on having the courage to let go of what was never meant to be."

"What the world needs is for women to climb out of their shells of fear and become who God created them to be."

"Let there be no doubt that God honors those who honor Him, and that He always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him."

"Sometimes, God's greatest blessings are when He takes away something that we desparately want."

"The Lord gives us a time of singleness to serve Him and many of us either fill it up with passing relationships or spend it miserable because a future relationship hasn't unfolded according to our plans."

"You'll notice that what saved her from throwing her life away was the fact that she dreamed of something bigger and better for herself."

"At some point in your life you have to decide that you want it more than you are afraid of it."

"Give yourself permission to hope."

"One's soulmate is only visible to the person who is living in the will of God.  Otherwise you could live next door to him your whole life and never know it, unless you were living as God was calling you to live."

"When we don't trust God, we often take matters into our own hands.  It's then that we become our own worst enemies."

"The real reason why people don't stop to listen to God is not because they don't think He'll speak to them.  They're afraid He will."

Friday Book Club: May Books

**For those of you looking for a Costa Rica update, on you're going to love next week!  I'll kick it off on Monday, so stay tuned!**

Another month has come and gone and here's another Friday Book Club...where does the time go??  Sticking with my year-long goal of two books a month, here are my reviews for May:  Through My Eyes and Thirty Things Every Woman Should Have And Know By The Time She's Thirty!  (If you missed any of the others, click here to catch up.)

Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow (with Nathan Whitaker)

My parents got me this book for Christmas, and since you have read before about how much I love Tim Tebow, I was excited to read it.  Fair warning--if you're not a football person, you are not going to like this.  He talks a lot about play calls and certain teammates and goes through each game during his time at Florida.  For someone who is crazy about college football like me and remembers several of those games, it was pretty fun to read.

Two things I took away from this book.  First, one thing that Tebow does not get enough credit for was how hard he works.  He's the get there early, stay late, if everyone else does 10 reps I'll do 15 kind of guy.  This, of course, made me like him even more.  Second, I'm pretty sure we're soul mates.  We both grew up in the country, we both get carsick on rollercoasters and airplanes, we both love college football, Jesus and our mamas.  How do I meet him??  Anyone?  ANYONE?

And, as I always do, I figured I'd share a few of my favorite quotes from the book:

"People often seem to think that when you're following the Lord and trying to do His will, your path will always be clear, the decisions smooth and easy, and life will be lived happily ever after and all that.  Sometimes that may be true, but I've found that more often, it's not."

"I'm not sure God is into who wins or loses--He probably is more concerned with what you do in the process and what you will do with either result, to glorify Him and change the world by hopefully impacting one life."

(Discussing the "Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength" part of Isaiah 40:31):  "I wasn't real good at the 'wait for the Lord' part.  You would think that when we stop and take a look at all He has done since the beginning of time and throughout the universe--let anone in my life--it would be easy to 'wait.'  It would be easy to understand that His timign should be our timing and that ultimately everything He does is for our benefit and our god--even though the time it may not seem so and we may not understand.  God's timing, God's will.  In my better moments, I knew that."

"Somewhere he is out there, training while I am not. One day, when we meet, he will win."

(Discussing Chariots of Fire quote, "I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast.  And when I run I feel his pleasure."):  I always thought that since God gave these gifts to me, my rule in that exchange was to play as hard as I could and continue giving Him the honor and glory for it.  To me what would be the very best way of thanking Him for the ability.  If I didn't work as hard as I knew I could, then I think it would be a little bit like saying, 'God, thanks for giving me this ability, but I don't really care about it.  I'm goign to do something else, and I'm not going to work quite as hard."

Thirty Things Every Woman Should Have And Know By The Time She's Thirty (Paula Redman Satran)

I bought this book for a beach read in Costa Rica....but I loved it so much that I was halfway done with it just on the flight to Houston, so I had to make myself stop and save at least some of it for the beach!  The book is based on the popular list by Pamela Satran of 30 things every woman should have and know by the time she is thirty.  Things like knowing where to go when your soul needs soothing, having a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill and a black lace bra, and knowing believing that you deserve happiness. Different famous people wrote about each list item including Katie Couric, Suze Orman, Maya Angelou and Angie Harman.  As always, a few of my favorite quotes:

There's no cheating life.  I don't care if you're rich.  I don't care if you havfe the connections.  I don't care if you're beautiful.  You can't rely on others to carry you where you want to go.  Build your own path, follow your own dreams, and I promise you will discoer how powerful you truly are.  ~Rachel Roy

Why should you wait for a knight in shining armour to give you a ride when you can afford to buy the horse yourself?  If you hold out too long, you might just miss the sunset.  ~Glamour Editors

Life is no ta fairy tale; it's a parade of events that help you accrue wisdom and courage and faith.  ~Fiona Maazel

Stay on your own mat. ~Portia de Rossi (on not comparing yourself to others--in yoga or in life)

Life isn't a contest--beauty, popularity, or otherwise.  And there's happiness to go around for all of us.  ~Glamour Editors

Having great girlfriends is better than having a bad boyfriend. ~Lisa Ling

So.....because the big 3-0 is about a year and a half away for me, I've decided to start my own little series.  First off, over the next year and a half I plan to write a blog on each of the book's list items.  Second (and more exciting for me!), I am working on my own list of the thirty things every woman should know and have by the time she's 30.  I've got a pretty good start on it, and I'm excited to keep working on it.  So stay tuned for that!  And ladies--check out this book.  You'll love it!

Confessions #1

"I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best.” ~Marilyn Monroe

Today I'm linking up with E Myself and I for Midweek Confessions and with Leslie for Friday Confessions! So....I confess:

* I laughed about this thing for at least an hour this week.

Oh, so true! Maybe instead of letters to Mr. Right, I'll do a letter to Mr. Wrong next week. That could be fun.

* I'm two weeks behind on Amazing Race episodes. Don't tell me what happened! I know that it's a long shot that Bopper and Mark are still in the game after getting a speed bump, but I love them and I've got my fingers crossed that they win!

* No Justice came out with a new song and I had no idea. My friend posted the lyrics on facebook yesterday and I had to ask her what it was from. I'm a bad fan. Unacceptable. I have got to move back to Oklahoma to be in the know on this stuff! The new single is called Shot in the Dark and I love it. Favorite line: "Your cowgirl boots look too damn heavy for a guy like me to sweep you off your feet."

* I have not seen The Hunger Games. I have not read the book. I realize I may be the only person in America who can say this. College Roomie and Blonde Oklahoma Girl told me the basic plot, and I have to admit I have no desire to read/see it. To each her own, right?

* Last night, I ate a meal that did not include meat. I know, I know. What kind of ranch girl am I? BFF--if you read this blog, please do not call and yell at me! I was in a hurry and just did not have time to cook any meat to go with it. Instead, I ate whole wheat rotini pasta, grated zucchini and summer squash drizzled in olive oil and covered in parmesean cheese, avocado, oregano and red pepper flakes (which I pretty much add to everything). It was super good, really fast, and healthy!

* I know we have not had a new Family Farm Friday blog in a while....sorry about that! BUT, stay tuned for tomorrow. I've got one planned for ya, and I think you'll like it.

* I take back my position that I do not read non-fiction books. I blame "The Help." If y'all have not read this book yet, you need to get off the computer and go buy it right now. It was phenominal! I am a slow reader and I knocked out all 530 pages in two weeks. I couldn't put it down.

* I fell off the wagon. The My Fitness Pal wagon, that is. I started at the first of January but fell off the wagon a couple of weeks ago. I blame traveling for work, green beer, and pancakes at the Bongo Room. (So worth it!) But I'm back on track now and I'm loving it. I feel so much better when I eat healthy and exercise. Shocking, I know.

* I periodically stalk my friends' pinterest pages. Here are a few of my favorite pins that they have done lately!

Friday Book Club: March Books

"Goals are dreams with deadlines." ~Diana Scharf Hunt

It's time for Book Club Friday!

How is it that we are nearing the end of the month again? Sheesh! As is my goal, I have finished two books in March. Last month a couple of people commented that I read books that were far more serious or thought-provoking than they did. Well, I'm here to dispel this notion with reports on two totally fun, non-intellectual reads!

Exposed by Claire Lewis

This book was not a book that was on my radar screen....until I won it through a blog giveaway at Always a Blogsmaid! As soon as it arrived in the mail I got started on it and loved it. It is written by a wedding photographer in San Francisco (so you knew I liked her already based on the fact she lives in my favorite city!) and it is seriously full of hilarious stories of weddings that she has shot. From the woman who got her lip waxed and a bad spray tan the day before the wedding, to the officiant who threw up on the bride's dress, to the Elvis impersonator who brought down the house.....this lady has seen it all. It was a super fun, easy read and I'd totally recommend it!

My favorite quote from the book: "I don't want to correct imperfections in Photoshop. I like crooked teeth and big noses, a veil blowing across a bride's face, eyes squinting up because someone is laughing really hard. The flaws are the good stuff."

How to Be a Hepburn in a Hilton World by Jordan Cristy

As soon as I saw the title of this book, I knew I had to buy it. How awesome is that? Seriously? This book was fun and a quick, easy read. It was nothing earth shattering---don't dress trashy, don't talk trashy...generally don't act trashy. Nothing that we ladies should not arleady know. But a little reminder every now and again that you are not the only one trying to be a Hepburn is not a bad thing! Here are my favorite quotes.

"Our culture is in desparate need of real women with brains, beauty, and self-respect--women who aren't afraid to take risks, dream big, and order dessert. If we don't do it, who will?"

"We live in a free country with rights, freedoms and opportunities that women would have killed for a hundred years ago--and instead of voting, getting the CEO spot, going for a doctorate, or volunteering at a women's shelter, many young women today are too busy shaking their badonkadonks in short-lived music video and diligently dedazzling their cell phones with more pink rhinestones."

"So regardless of the guy's current status, bank account, background, or beliefs, if he's interested, he will do the pursuing. There's no need to interfere with the ways of nature!"

"At an infantile stage, we're already thinking about Prince Charming and wondering exactly how he's going to rescue us, what he'll be wearing, and why on earth he's taking so freaking long to get here. When you add it up, that's a lot of wishing and hoping and praying--from the day we start walking to the day we say 'I do.'"

"Great women of history don't put their lives on the line just so that we could dance on tables and text boys all night long, so let's do them proud and start standing up, speaking out, and using our voices for good."

I'll be back at the end of April with two more books to report on. Until then, you can keep up with me on Goodreads. (Add me if you have it!)

What books are y'all reading? Any recommendations?

Book Club Friday #2: January and February Books

“The ability to read awoke inside me some long dormant craving to be mentally alive.” ~Malcolm X

It's time for another edition of Book Club Friday! As I mentioned in my review last week, my goal is to finish at least 2 books a month this year. So far, so good. For January, I read "If You Have To Cry Go Outside" and "For One More Day." For February, I read "The Other Wes Moore" (see review here) and "One Thousand Gifts." What's next you ask?

Well my shelf currently holds Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow, Every Man Dies Alone by Hans Fallada, Come Be My Light, the private writings of Mother Teresa, I Was Told There'd Be Cake by Sloan Crosley, Zeitoun by Dave Eggers, and How to Be a Hepburn in a Hilton World by Jordan Christy....and lots more. Now you know what you have to look forward to. You can see my full lists at Goodreads.

So, finally, let's get to my reviews, shall we?

If You Have To Cry Go Outside

This book is by Kelly Cutrone--the grouchy, all black-wearing boss from The Hills. She is hard core, doesn't take crap from anyone, and built her own successful business from the ground up. Her book is a story of her life, her struggles and her successes. She is all about listening to your inner voice, building a life full of a "tribal counsel" of great people around you, and being true to yourself. Just to be clear--I totally disagree with her thoughts on religion--but if you put that aside, I really enjoyed the book. It's a super easy read.

Favorite Quotes:

- It was my journey inwards--the process of learning to listen and trust myself--that electrified and transformed my outer journey, helping me concieve and achive things beyond my wildest dreams.

- Dreams won't always take you on a straight path to destiny, but they're usually related to what your soul wants for you.

- I'd like to think of fear as a messenger that doesn't always make sense: you have to figure out who sent fear before you can dismiss it outright.

- At this point, I'm certainly not waiting for anyone else to show up and make me happy ever after. I'm busy scouting out my dream house in the country, making the money to afford it, and creating my own happily ever after.

For One More Day

I absolutely LOVE Mitch Album. You've read before about how much I enjoyed Tuesdays with Morrie and Have a Little Faith. While I'd say this book was probably my least favorite of his, it was still a great read. It's the story of a broken man--an addict who has lost his wife and daughter and attempts to take his own life, and the day he was able to spend with his dead mother. He had the chance to do what so many of us wish for--have another day with someone who we have loved and lost.

Favorite Quotes:

- Every family is a ghost story. The dead sit at our tables long after they have gone.

- Sharing tales of those we've lost is how we keep from really losing them.

One Thousand Gifts

This book was not a super easy read for me. It took me quite a while to get through, but when I got to the end and looked back at all the pages I dog eared and things I underlined, it was clear that I really got a lot out of it. It's the story of a woman who has been through hardships and her focus on thankfulness (or eucharisteo) in her life. In order to focus on this, she counted up 1,000 things for which she was thankful. It's an eye opening book that really made me think about my attitude and the multitde of blessings that God has given us.

Favorite Quotes:

- There is a reason I am not writing this story and God is. He knows how it all works out, where it all leads, what it all means. I don't.

- Thanksgiving always precedes the miracle.

- The Lord has to break us down at the strongest part of our self-life before he can have His own way of blessing us.

- Perhaps the opposite of faith is not doubt. Perhaps the opposite of faith is fear.

- Use me then, my Savior, for whatever purposes and in whatever way you may require. Here is my poor heart, an empty vessel; fill it with your grace. - D.L. Moody

Friday Book Club: The Other Wes Moore

"Life and death, freedom and bondage, hang in the balance of every action we take." ~The Other Wes Moore

One of my goals for 2012 was to read at least 2 books a month. (Check out my book lists on Goodreads.)

I recently found a great link up with Blonde...Undercover Blonde (how cute is that for a blog name, right?), so I figured why not share my books with you all! Here is Book #1 for February.

The Other Wes Moore

I first heard about this book from Christin's blog and knew I had to read it. I'm a total non-fiction fan...it's just about all I read. I could describe the book to you, but I can't do any better than the first paragraph of the book. So here ya go:

This is the story of two boys living in Baltimore with similar histories and an identical name: Wes Moore. One of us is free and has experienced things that he never even knew to dream about as a kid. The other will spend every day until his death behind bars for an armed robbery that left a police officer and father of five dead. The chilling truth is that his story could have been mine. The tragedy is that my story could have been his. Our stories are obviously specific to our two lives, but I hope they will illuminate the crucial inflection points in every life, the sudden moments of decision where our paths diverge and our fates are sealed. It's unsettling to know how little separates each of us from another life altogether.

I loved this book from the get-go and could not put it down. I read it in 5 days and I am a slow, slow reader. It was fascinating to read about the obstacles both of these boys faced growing up in the inner city and the small choices that they made that turned their lives down totally different paths. It's amazing how the smallest decisions that we make can have huge impacts on the rest of our lives. This book was a great reminder of that for me.

In addition to the quote at the beginning of this blog, here are a couple of my favorite quotes from the book:

"But even the worst decisions we make don't necessarilly remove us from the circle of humanity."

"When it is time for you to leave this school, leave your job, or even leave this earth, make sure you have worked hard to maek sure it mattered you were ever here."

"Pray that when the evening comes and the night falls, I will have done something during the day for others that I can present to the Lord so that I might not feel so ashamed."

"Small interactions and effortless acts of kindness can mean the difference between failure and success, pain and pleasure--or becoming the people we loathe or love to become."

Girls From OSU Week #1: The Intro

“Female friends show us a mirror of ourselves.” ~The Girls from Ames

Last summer, I read a great book called “The Girls From Ames” by Jeffrey Zaslow. The book is essentially about female friendships, and tells the story of them by looking at the 30 year friendship between a group of 10 girls who met while children in Ames, Iowa.

As you might have guessed if you’ve read this blog for a while, this made me think about my group of college girlfriends—College Roomie, Blonde Oklahoma Girl, Loud Oklahoma Girl, and myself.

I have several really great girl friends who I love to death and are each such an important part of my life, but there is only one “girl group” friendship in my life. It’s something special for a group of girls to have a friendship with each other in the way that we do. The Girls From Ames only confirmed this, and made me even more grateful for my own group of girls.

A couple of quotes in the book really struck me.

“When women are between the ages of twenty-five and forty, their friendships are most at risk, because those are the years women are often consumed with marrying, raising children, and establishing careers.”

“Being in each other’s company they feel like they are every age they ever were, because they see themselves through thousands of shared memories.”

“Only in adulthood have the girls come to recognize and appreciate the thousands of different destinies and decisions, going back generations in their families, that brought them together.”

“In saying ‘me,’ she meant, by extension, ‘them.’”

So…this week will be “Girls From Oklahoma State Week” on my blog. In anticipation of this, we all four read “The Girls From Ames” an have written a blog about our thoughts on our friendship, each other, the book, and female friendships in general. Stay tuned...