I'm Not Going Anywhere

"You find no difficulty in trusting the Lord with the management of the universe and all the outward creation, and can your case be any more complex or difficult than these, that you need to be anxious or troubled about His management of it? " ~Hannah Whitall Smith

So a little while back I was having a conversation with a super nice, very intelligent father of one of my friends. We were talking about how eventually I would like to end up back home in a small town on the farm. When I said this, he looked at me sort of dumb-founded and said, "Well then you need to move. You should be living somewhere with country people like Amarillo or Lubbock or somwhere where you can meet someone that wants to live on a ranch." And he said it in this way that seemed very matter-of-fact, like this was the most obvious thing in the world, common sense really.

And I choked on my drink. I tried to laugh it off, but it really got to me....."Shoot," I thought, "Am I screwing up my life by living where I am? Have I made all these wrong decisions? Have I managed to get completely lost from the plan? There don't seem to be many single country guys around here, sure not that I'm meeting. Oh wow....maybe I need to move!"

And then I got really confused....because on the other hand, I really like my job. I'm doing well there, I'm learning a lot, and I feel like I'm in a good place. I like my house and my friends and having the financial ability to go and do pretty much what I want on the weekends. I don't want to leave that.

So at this piont I was thoroughly confused. And, in the midst of freaking out and wondering if I'm screwing up my whole life, I did what I always do. I said a prayer about it, and I picked up the phone and turned to some of my friends who calm me down the best. In this situation, those that got the call were BFF, ND Friend, and Georgia Boy. (I try to mix it up so that none of them have to deal with every freak out, lest they think I'm crazy!) And, like always, they knew just what to say to get me calmed down.
And I came to this conclusion.....I'm not going anywhere!

Here's the deal. There are so many things that have to work out in order to find the right person, that my attempt to control one of them (geographic location) is not going to be enough to line everything up. First off, there are country guys everywhere (just listen to Miranda...she knows!), so how would I enve know where to move to? What if I picked the wrong place? Would I move again? And again? And even if I move to a place where more country guys are going to be, that doesn't mean I'll meet the right guy or that the timing will be right or that he'll be single at this point....you get the idea. This just sounds horribly stressful.

And so, the bottom line is this: This is something I can't control. This is where the rubber meets the road in some ways when I talk about having faith. It's putting the phrase, "Let go and let God" into action. And I choose to believe that if I live my life doing my best to follow the plan that He has called me to, well then I'll meet Mr. Right whether he lives here or in Lubbock or in Georgia (hint, hint...southern accent!) or in freakin' Germany. It sure seems more refreshing to me to believe that God is in control of this and will line everything up than thinking that I've got to figure it all out.

And, in conclusion, I'd like to thank my lovely friends for talking me off the cliff. Again. And to announce that I'm chosing to trust. To have faith. And to wait. And that I'm not going anywhere!

Are You The Person?

I love it when I read things that really get me thinking. That happened recenty and I thought that I'd share. It all started when this blog asked the question: "Are you who the person you are looking for is looking for?" (Read it again and take it piece by piece if you're confused...I had to read it like 5 times.)

Well, that sort of stopped me dead in my tracks. I think that as single ladies, we focus a lot on finding Mr. Right and on the kind of person that he should be. You know....a good dancer, tall, broad shoulders, really funny, good with money, better with kids and animals and willing to propose surrounded by cows. (I realize your list may be slightly different...particularly if you're not a farm girl!)

But this question made me realize, "Holy cow...I need to be worrying about the kind of person that I should be too!" I barely even have time to fix my hair in the mornings or get my dishes washed at night....let's add another thing to the list!

Seriously though, it's not that I don't generally think about the kind of person that I am, but I had never thought about that in a relationship context. If I know the kind of person that I hope Mr. Right will be, am I the kind of person that he would be looking for?

I hope that Mr. Right is the kind of guy who looking for a girl who is kind and compassionate, who is loving and smart, who is responsible but fun. A girl who wants to know where she's going and what she is meant to do and focuses the difference she wants to make. And you know, sometimes (maybe a lot of the time) I don't fit into these categories. And maybe that's why Mr. Right hasn't appeared from the forest yet....because until I'm the person he's looking for and he's the person I'm looking for, it's not the right time for us to run into each other.

I know I say this a lot, but I really do believe that God uses this single time in our lives to make us into the right person for our spouse. But I think that we've got to work with Him here. We have to do our part. It's up to us to become the person that we're meant to be in order for this little puzzle to all fit together. And so I'm thankful for this time. Thankful to have the opportunity to figure out who it is that God is calling me to be--and thankful to know that once I do that, Mr. Right will be just around the corner and we ride off into the sunset and our future front porch swing.

Still Have A Shot At Average

"It's a helluva start, being able to recognize what makes you happy." ~Lucille Ball

I loved growing up in a small town. I talk about that a lot on this blog. I honestly don't think there is a better place to raise kids. So with that disclaimer, let's get to today's blog.

Let me tell y'all something about being from a small town. If you're not married by the time you're like 20, people start to look at you funny. By the time you're 24, they are talking behind your back. By the time you're 26, they're willing to say rude things to your face. I turn 28 next month. I'm scared to see what comes next. I fear they might buy me a habit or a bunch of cats.
And then, just like that, yesterday this blog came along and gave me hope. (Sidenote: the majority of that blog was about average costs of weddings---which did NOT give me hope---completely insane if you ask me!)

The average age that a woman in the US gets married is....drumroll please.....29. Hallelujah--music to my ears--I still have a shot at average! Ya hear that, small town? I'm not destined to be an old spinster forever! (At least not for another 2 years anyway!)

Now, for those of you who found your husband at 20, more power to you. I'm jealous that you get to spend more time with him than I will with mine.

But....and I've got a letter to Mr. Right planned about this in a couple of weeks, so I won't go too deep into this....let me just say that I would have had NO idea who I was or what I wanted when I was 20. Thinking back to the guys I would have wanted to to marry between the ages of 18-22 makes me shudder. (Note: I thought about putting pictures here, but decided better of that idea.) :)

I think some of us are slower than others at figuring out life and ourselves and what we're looking for. I've always known I was one of the slow people. But today, I learned that instead of being one of the slowest people, I've still got a shot at being perfectly average. Oh happy day!

Now we just need Mr. Right to show up and for me to purchase a billboard in the next 2 years and 21 days and this average thing will be in the bag for me!

Lady On The Bench

"If you're not picky, you're divorced." ~Cousin Swiss Mister

One of my dear friends (who you've met previously on this little ol' blog) sent me an email last week that cracked me up. It had this picture in it:

Funny, ha ha, right? She proceeded to tell me that this picture reminded her of me, not ONLY because I am waiting on the perfect man, but also because of the outfit. Remember my steeplechase attire? Let me split screen this for you:

Oh. My. Gosh. Is it a sign from the universe?? I'm going with no. Here's why. I'm not looking for Mr. Perfect like the lady (who is quite well dressed, I must admit) on the bench in the pictue. I'm just looking for Mr. Right. There's a difference.

See, contrary to popular belief, I am not THAT picky. But, a girl has to have standards. I have organized mine into two groups. Non-negotiable and Potentially negotiable qualities for Mr. Right to possess.

Non-Negotiables

Let me give you some examples from real life experiences.

1. He must be single. (Meaning NOT in a relationship with another girl.) Sad that this has to be said.




2. He must be interested in girls. (Yep...had a friend trying to play matchmaker and a week before we got something set up, the dude he was setting me up with came out of the closet. No lie.)




3. He can't be a crazy-pants control freak stalker. (Didn't get all the way into this issue, but saw the potential and decided that was a bad plan.




4. He can't only be interested in me until something better comes along. (Enough said.)

That's right, ladies. I've seen it all. And I don't think anyone will deem these requirements as being "too picky."

Potentially Negotiables

It's possible that these are where the "she's too picky" idea comes in to play.... These, unlike the ones listed above, are negotiable. To a point.

1. He has to be able to bench press my weight. (I mean, I don't want to marry a wuss and this is necessary to protect my own self esteem. Nomad and McCain assure me this should not be a problem for a guy.)




2. He has to be able to beat me a basketball game of 1 on 1. (I'm trying to find a husband to help me raise freaking college athletes here, okay?)




3. He must be able to ride a horse and to have seen a cow in real life. (My own father says I may need to let this one go. Those of you who know my own father, please tell me, how would he react to some city slicker that I brought home? I thought you'd understand.)
   



4. He must enjoy college football. (Let's be real-I'm not getting off my couch on Saturdays during the fall, so dude better just be ready to deal with that.)




5. He can't wear flip flops. (I hate feet. Especially boy feet. I don't want to see them. This is one that I really am working on trying to compromise on...like maybe at the lake.....but even then, what's wrong with a pair of water shoes? Deep breath, Tiffany.)




6. He can deal with puking. (Let's be honest...I'm going to get car sick on this guy. Probably more than once. Might as well plan ahead.)

Anyway....I just want to be clear that I am not looking for Mr. Perfect. Just Mr. Right. There are qualifications that we can negotiate on. Please, oh please, let that be enough to keep me from being the lady on the bench!

It's Okay Thursday #1

"I can't go on anymore bad dates. I would rather be home alone than out with some guy who sells socks on the internet.” ~Miranda Hobbes, SATC

I didn't get a blog written last night. I just didn't feel like writing.....I was not in a mood where I felt like being chipper or witty or optimistic. My plan was just not to have one, but Blonde Oklahoma Girl called me out on it, so I decided to slap something together. Somtimes, you have to fake it 'til you make it, so here's my attempt.

Oh, and I realize the quote above is really not related to anything, but I thought it was awesome and had to use it.

Today I'm trying on a new link up called "It's Okay Thursdays." You've read before about how I think a little ranting does a girl good. Here we go! :)

It's Okay.....

...that last night I almost had a heart attack when I went to feed Brett-Brett and Miss Texas' cat (they are out of town) and he was laying motionless on the bed. Mind you, he's literally 19 years old and I pray every time I am cat sitting he won't die on me.

.....that once I frantically screamed his name, and said cat looked up at me like he was annoyed that I interrupted his nap, I shook my finger in his face and gave him a stern lecture.

.....that last night I had a "to-do" list the length of my arm, but I ended up putting on my pjs and watching an America's Next Top Model marathon instead.

....that I want to go out and buy new Nike apparel just because of this ad campaign below.

.....that after talking to ND Friend about how it's important to be specific when you pray, I'm thinking about adding a request for Mr. Right to be a square toed boot wearer and to hate flip flops just to be sure my bases are covered. (I hope he takes Miss Canada's amazingly wonderful male fashion advice! Be still my heart...)

.....to wish I could block all "breaking news" about the stock market from MSN. I swear, everytime I see something about the Dow dropping it makes me want to take all of my money and shove it in a pillow case under my matress. (I have not acted on that impulse, so don't attempt to rob me!)

.....that I am perpetually confused about bananas. Let me explain. Every Monday, there are literally three big bunches of bananas in the kitchen at work. I mean the big bunches--like the Chaquita lady wears on her head. I went into the kitchen yesterday (Wednesday) and there was one, yes, ONE SINGLE banana left. There are only 14 people who work here. Where do they go?

......that I seriously considered not buying food or clothing for the next month just to be able to afford the plane and game tickets to go to 3 OSU football games this fall. Takes bleeding orange to a whole new level, no?

Family Farm Friday #55: The (Future) Proposal

"My eyes on a piece of land, a ring for her hand, a little heaven on earth, a little piece of red dirt..." ~Josh Abbott Band, End of a Dirt Road

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.....we ag kids do things differently. Whether it be compliments from boys or favorite smells or buying snack foods, we sort of have a different take on things. Apparently, this applies to marriage proposals as well.

I was never that little girl who planned her wedding all out. I don't have any idea what kind of flowers I will want. Until I was a bridesmaid myself, I didn't have any thoughts whatsoever on bridesmaid dresses. Never considered the best wedding songs. And I don't even know what a freaking sweetheart neckline is. Get the picture?

Well, I did get one thing figured out....the perfect proposal. I had actually thought before about this when The Bride got engaged in Hawaii. After a lot of analyzing, I decided that it would be cool for someone to propose to me either on the farm or on the football field at OSU. Sigh....agriculture and football. My two first loves. :)

After reading my friend Crystal's blog about how her boyfriend proposed last weekend, the deal was sealed. Crystal's boy got down on one knee with a beautiful ring in the middle of a pasture full of cows. (Sidenote: This boy is an OSU alum...would you expect anything less?) How perfect is that?

I say all this so that if you guys find my Mr. Right before I do, you tell him how we want this to go down. And if he wants to be wearing an OSU football shirt or somehow play the fight song, all the better!

Steeplechase Report #3: Horses

"A racehorse is an animal that can take several thousand people for a ride at the same time." ~Author Unknown

And now, we have our third and final report on the steeplechase I attended last weekend along with 50,000 other people. Don't forget to catch the fashion report or the tailgate report if you missed those. I saved the best for last....the horses! (Sidenote, Miss Canada requested larger photos...but Blogger didn't cooperate. I think that if you click on the pictures, they will become larger in another window...)

As an ag girl, you know that I love a good horse race. I think this started when I was 6 months old and my dad bought me my first horse. It was only continued when our old man neighbor, who was sort of like an adopted grandpa to Little Brother and I, would tell us about his racehorses. I mean here we were, like 7 and 4 years old having conversations about jockey weights and trifectas.

Anyway, I was excited to see a steeplechase. I was honestly a little shocked at how many people at the races didn't care at all about the horses. Several people there in our group didn't seem to watch a single race....but I represented well and was glued to the rail the whole time! I love love love the sound of stampeding hooves going by. I wanted to get shots so you could see what I saw.....here you go!

These races are LONG—like 2-3 miles and there are a varying number of jumps—between 8 and 24. Let's compare that to the Kentucky Derby, which has no jumps and is only 1 1/4 miles. Or to the Belmont, which you always hear commentators talk about being such a long, greuling race at 1 1/2 miles.

So you want to talk about some talented, athletic horses....these were them!
Now, there was no starting gate (much to my surprise and confusion) but instead they just get the horses all lined up in a fairly straight line in the order of post position, and off they go.

Here are some pictures of the races going on.

We had running....

And we had jumping.....

Now, I can tell you that if the jockey falls off the horse, he is disqualified. I know this, because in the main race, three of them fell off and were out after the second jump. Talk about crazy!

And when it's allk said and done, the winner proceeds to the winner's circle and is crowned. (The marquee race was won by a woman jockey for only the 3rd time ever. Go girl!)It was amazing to watch these beautiful animals in such a beautiful setting. The rolling hills of rural Virginia sure make make me wish that Mr. Right would waltz off his Southern planation and sweep me off my feet. Preferably on a racehorse….but I’m not picky.

Top Two Tuesdays: Relationships

"If something is not happening for you, it doesn't mean it's not going to happen. It means you're not ready for it."

Today I'm linking up to a new theme that my dear friend the Blonde Oklahoma Girl does every Tuesday....Top Two Tuesdays. The theme this week is "Two things you've learned about relationships."

I read this and thought, "Oh great......I love reminders that I have nothing to say about relationships because I am not in one. Thank you, universe.' So, I've decided to modify a little bit. I am going to give you the top two things I've learned about NOT being in a relationship.

1. You have to figure out what situations to avoid.

Let me explain--I'm usually a pretty happy-go-lucky kind of girl. I always try to make the best out of every situation and have a good time. But I've learned that there are just a few situations that I have to be careful about putting myself into, because I'll end up feeling sad if I do.

For example, I go to a LOT of weddings and always have a blast! Send me with a group of friends or my crazy fun family, and I will have the time of my life. But I've learned that I can't be the only person at a wedding without a date. It makes me sad. So....I have to either find a date, or find someone else to go stag with me. Fortuantely, I have some great people in my life who serve as excellent wedding dates.....you see my favorite below....BFF's little brother! :)

Similarly, I love hanging out with my friends who are in relationships. I'm sort of the perpetual third wheel. I'm lucky because they are awesome and try to make sure I'm included. Dinner, movies, dancing, ball games....all of those are good. But one situation I don't let myself get into is game night. It's no fun being the only person without a partner and sitting around watching everyone else all cozied up with their significant other. (Shockingly the only third wheel picture I could find quickly was one of College Roomie and her college boyfriend.....no one panic, she is still dating McCain! No rumors starting here!)

So, because I am aware that these type of situations only hurt me, I have learned to just not put myself in them. I think that this is an important thing to learn about yourself. If we each determine happiness for ourselves, I think that knowing what is harmful for us is just as important (or maybe more important) than knowing what makes us happy. I think that this is critical for single girls to figure out about themselves and to put into action in their own lives.

2. It's important to get to know yourself.

I feel so lucky that I've had the time in my twenties to figure out who I am, and what I want, and where I'm going. I think that being able to have some alone time, outside of a relationship, has been key for me to figure these things out about myself. I look back to who I was when I was 18, 19, 20, 21.......and I just realize that I had no idea who I was or who I wanted to be. I've learned so much about myself and about life and had so many experiences that have shaped me since that time. If i had not been fortunate enough to have these experiences, I would be a completely different (and wrong!) person. (The picture is a classic example of this....my summer living in San Francisco....read about that here)! And I look back at the boys who I thought I wanted when I was at those ages......good grief....thank the Lord that he doesn't give me what I think I want. I am so glad that He is in control and I am just in the passenger seat because I would have slammed this vehicle into a lot of walls had it been up to me!

Bottom line is this......I am happy that I have had the time to learn things about not being in a relationship. I think that learning these lessons is what is going to make me ready for the right relationship when it appears. Hopefully at some point I'll find Mr. Right (anyone seen him??) and be able to answer the actual question that was asked today (and put up my billboard). Stay tuned....

Dating Observations

"You have to figure ... if the world's fattest twins can find love, there's hope for all of us. Somewhere out there is another little freak who will love us, understand us, and kiss our 3 heads and make it all better." ~Carrie Bradshaw

Okay, I wasn't going to blog about this, but I feel like my observations are so wonderfully insightful, that I can't help but share them with the masses. (The odds are I just think I'm clever even though no one else will agree...)

A couple of weeks ago, there was a website that asked people to write blogs about their favorite singles. The idea was that perhaps some of the singles might be good matches, and this would be a good way for them to meet.

So....people would review all of the blogs and if they liked the guy/girl whom the blog was about, they could comment or email the writer, who could decide if she wanted to pass the info along to her single friend. Although I have never been into any sort of online dating (i.e. eHarm, Match.com), I somehow got caught up in the entertainment that this little website provided. One girl commented that looking at the blogs and comments was better than watching the Bachelor!


Anyway, I had a few observations that I wanted to share.

1. All single men apparently live in the south.....Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Tennessee..... Which, ergo, means that they have awesome southern accents. On top of that, they all seem to love their families, Jesus, college football, country music, and babies. FYI: I'm renting the moving van last week.

2. There are infinently more single girls than single guys. If you are a single girl, this is not earth shattering news to you. I did not ever do the math, but my guess would be probably a 5-1 ratio of girls to guys. I have been trying to tell myself that this is only because this involves bloggers---and it's almost only girls who seem to blog. Please let me live in my fantasy land. Don't burst my bubble.

3. Every single on the website was holding a baby. At first, I thought they all had kids. But then I realized, that pretty much none of them were holding their own children. It was always a niece or nephew, or a friend's kid. I pondered this, but then realized that it was normall the guys' sister, or his best friend's wife who was posting the blog. Clearly, the only pictures that she has of the guys are the ones with her kids. This calmed me down a little because I don't plan to start popping out a bunch of babies anytime in the near future. Just saying.

4. It was amazing to read the kind, loving things that the bloggers said about their single friends. First off, I love that there are so many great people in the world. (Love even more that there are so many great single boys in the world!) Sometimes it's easy to get jaded and fall into the "all guys are jerks" or "all girls are crazy" mentality. Reading about these people and the awesome things that they do made me feel good about our generation. There were guys and girls on there who did amazing things, and I find that inspirational. Second, I love that so many people have friends/family who love them and want them to be happy so much that they will take the time to write a crazy personal ad-type blog for them. That's true friendship at its finest.

And, to answer the question that most of you have been asking since you started reading, no. Mr. Right apparently did not participate in this little game. Or if he did, he did not email me back when I commented! :)

Because I'm a Planner

"Our marriage has always been a 50-50 proposition - with the possible exception of closet space." ~Gene Perret

College Roomie called me one night over the weekend. 2 1/2 hours later, our conversation ended when one (or both) of us fell asleep. Mind you, we talk by phone, text or email I would say at least 5 times a day. I think this is how you know someone is your best friend.

Anyway.....to the point of the blog. One of our conversations was about finances and marriage. (Ironic since neither of us is expecting a ring anytime soon....but we're planners, you know!) So we discussed the the complicated, un-fun stuff.....pre-nups, buying houses, etc. Then she brought up an issue I had never even thought of before. Joint v. separate checking accounts.

Turns out College Roomie is in favor of having separate accounts (with a joint as well). I have to be honest--I had never heard of this before and I was amazed! I had a million questions on how that works. College Roomie was amazed at the fact I was not a separate account person. Her theory was that people who get married when they are a little older and who are very independent are into separate accounts. I blew that theory for her.

I knew that there were two people I needed to talk to about this. One is my marriage advisor, The Bride. She and The Groom seem to have everything figured out, so I knew she would have info on this subject. Turns out, they have a joint and separate accounts. The separate accounts are sort of like an allowance---she spends hers on shoes and girls nights, he spends his on golf and video games. I had no idea.

The second person is Cousin Kevin. I almost hate to admit this for fear I'll never hear the end of it, but just about every issue that comes up in my life is taken to Cousin Kevin. That guy is smart, and I feel like we're on the same wavelength about things. Anyway, he was also in favor of separate accounts. Which is ironic because he also said that pre-nups "feel wrong" and that it seems like marriage should be "all in." (I guess "all in" doesn't mean joint checking).

Anyway, because marriage is clearly not anywhere in the immediate future (thanks to getting NO suggestions from any of you after the Most Elligible Bachelor blog), I don't suppose this is an issue that I need to resolve right away. But maybe it's like the farmer who puts the rain gauge out in the middle of a drought believin the rain will come. Perhaps this issue is my rain gauge for Mr. Right. Or perhaps not. But I would love to hear your thoughts and have your input! I am a planner you know!

Most Eligible Bachelors

"I've seen enough to know I know what I like, it's the hard-workin', head turnin' rugged type..." ~Reba, I Want a Cowboy

Well, as I patiently wait for Mr. Right to make his appearance and sweep me off my feet, I couldn't help but notice that MSN posted a slideshow last week of the most eligible bachelors in the world. Well, I would hate to miss out on meeting Mr. Right by not reviewing this list.....so, a few thoughts for you.

First, if I had a magic wand and could make any of thse guys appear at my door, my top two choices would be......drumroll please.......

George Clooney.

Now, I realize that this does nothing to dispel my friend McCain's idea that I have a thing for older men. Which I really don't. But, let's just say if George Clooney showed up at my door, I'd let his old man self in without a second thought. I don't know what it is about him....maybe his eyes. Or maybe that he played Dr. Ross, who was just enough of a bad boy to be really interesting on ER. Whatever it is, he's on the list!

Chris Pine.

(Photo courtesy Contact Music)

Not going to lie, never heard of him prior to reading this list. And two things drew me in. First is the eyes. Is that not the prettiest color of blue you've ever seen? Second, he looks big and athletic. Which is very important for me to consider in a future husband so that I can live out my dream of being a mom to a college football player.

And I'll give first runner up to Curtis Stone.

He's cute, has an accent and can cook. I need a guy with all three of those qualities in my life.

Second, I have to admit that none of these boys get a 10 from me. (Not that they care and since I'll never meet them, that statement will never bite me in the you know what later.)

Here's my problem.....these boys probably spend more time on their hair than I do. Their hands are probably softer than mine, their skin exfoliated weekly and they no doubt spend time in a spa. This is all fine......but not up my alley.

I'm looking for a guy who likes to get his hands dirty and ride a horse and hang out at a stock show. A guy who likes cattle and sheep and wants to spend the afternoon analyzing which bull semen to order. A boy that knows how to melt my heart with an ag college-type compliment. Someone who wears boots and looks good in a hat and can talk farming and diesel engines with my Dad.

So.....if anyone comes across a list of guys like that (or even better...happens to know one in person) let's send him my way. He could be Mr. Right you know! And you might even get credit on the billboard that I've mentioned before....

The Epidemic

"I was more afraid of missing out on God's best for my life than of being alone." ~Trish Ryan, A Maze of Grace

College Roomie started it all when she got an email from one of her friends in China. College Roomie had previously written the friend a letter filling her in on what was going on with her life. Mind you, College Roomie owns a house, has a great job, just got back from Vegas and has a great best friend (aka ME!).

In reply to College Roomie's letter, the friend said, “Happy to know that everything is good to you, but what I care about more is when will you get married?”

Ugh. THAT question. It's an epidemic. And apparently, it is worldwide!

For the life of me, I don't understand it. Why is that the ONE question that it's socially acceptable to ask someone about every time you see them? It would not be okay to ask someone, "So do you have a college degree yet?" or "So did you finally get off your lazy hiney and get a job?" or "So when are you going to lose the 20 pounds you need to lose" when you were not sure of the answer. But it's totally fine to quiz away about someone's relationship status?

And, even a bigger question is why do people measure the quality of a person's life based on their marital status? Don't get me wrong here....I want to get married. Like a lot. BUT.....just because I am not married yet does not mean that my life is sad or that I am miserable. In fact, quite the opposite is true.

I'm happy and independent and free to do and go and talk to whomever I want. I can spend a whole Saturday in my pajamas watching college football or I can jump on a plane to Notre Dame or Stillwater or San Francisco without checking with anyone else, or I can eat Wheat Thins for dinner. And if for some reason I never get married, my life will still be great. (Although I will probably have to learn to cook because a girl can only live in Wheat Thins for so long).

My point is this. While I'm waiting for Mr. Right to come out of the forrest he's lost in (if you see him, please give him a map to my house), I'm still living a really great life. And it's full of a wonderful cast who loves me and supports me and makes me a better person. Am I married? No. Am I happy? You better believe it.

Oh, and when Mr. Right does arrive, you won't need to ask.....I'll probably make t-shirts for everyone and rent a billboard. Designed by this guy. He's clever.

A Lesson from Pancake Boy

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” ~Andre Gide

I'm just going to say it. It's hard to be a single girl. It seems like Mr. Right must be out there somewhere, but sometimes it seems like it might be easier to become a rocket scientist or brain surgeon than to find him.

And I'm not the only one who feels this way. ND Friend recently had a very telling (and hilarious) experience with a potential "The One" who turned out to be another wrong one.

She met the wrong one, who we'll call Pancake Boy (you'll understand in a minute), while at a bachlorette party in Texas. He was a nice, southern, ag boy from southeast Texas. They hit it off right away and started talking on the phone. Long story short, he decided to come and visit ND Friend in Chicago. It didn't take Pancake Boy long to strike out.

Because ND Friend is the sweetest person on earth, she was worried that this guy might not feel comfortable in the big city. So she went all out---she made him a cd of Texas Country songs so that if traffic or whatever got too overwhelming, they could play it in the car. She drew him a map of cool places within walking distance of her apartment that he could go see during the day while she was at work. She even bought him little gift cards to some of the places she suggested. He, however, never left her apartment while she was at work. For 3 days. Not once. Strike one.

And she tried to think of all of the great places to take him so that he could really experience Chicago. When she took him out to see Lake Michigan, his response was, "Well, it's okay, but Lake Jim Bob Whatever in southeast Texas is pretty darn neat too." (It wasn't really called Jim Bob Whatever, but it was a lake named after some random person.....compared to freaking Lake Michigan!) Um.....okay.....strike two.

And then, the defining moment came when she took him to Bongo Room (you read about this place last week). So off they go to what must be one of the best brunch places in the world. She suggested all sorts of fun entrees for him to try. His response? "Well golly, I just want regular eggs and bacon." (Okay, I don't know if he really said golly, but this is my blog and I can embelish a little when necessary.) ND Friend didnt' say anything when he ordered that and she ordered her amazing pretzel pancakes covered in white chocolate and carmel drizzle.

When their food arrived, ND Friend tried to get Pancake boy to taste her pancakes. He refused. She asked, "You won't even try them?" He said no. And that was when it was clear to her that he was the wrong one. She told me later, "You know, I didn't care at all about the stupid pancakes. But it was clear that this dude was just not fun!" Yea....he was out. WAY out.

So I think we all need to take a lesson from Pancake Boy. We have got to be willing to try new things and to have new experiences. You have to get out of the apartment, so to speak. And when you do, you have to appreciate the experience you are having. Even if you prefer lake Jim Bob Whatever to Lake Michigan, appreciate the beauty that is Lake Michigan.

You might not like the new thing you try or the new place you go or the new person you meet...but at least you tried it. Maybe Pancake Boy would have hated the pretzel pancakes (only if he had no taste buds). But you know what? He never had to eat them again and could have gone back to Texas with a great story to tell his buddies next summer on lake Jim Bob Whatever. Intead, he left with nothing.

And, like ND Friend explained, it's not about the pancakes, or him being a recluse, or Lake Jim Bob Whatever. It's about so much more. It's about being a person who is fun and adventurous and who loves life. It's about taking a chance and making a memory. It's about living life to the fullest. No one wants to be with someone who isn't going to do that.

So, to sum it up: Try new things. Especially if they are drenched in chocolate.

And Pancake Boy, just in case you are reading this.....your closed-minded un-fun-ness cost you an amazing girl. Big mistake. Big. Huge!

Easton and I

"Mumps, measles and puppy love are terrible after twenty." ~Mignon McLaughlin

I know you've all been anxiously awaiting pictures from my meet and greet experience at Brad Paisley since I first wrote about it. Actually, you probably haven't, but I've been anxiously awaiting posting them!
Now, earlier in the year I decided that I could check off my bucket list item "take a picture with a famous person" when I met Alex, the lead guitarist for Miranda Lambert and his wonderful girlfriend snapped a picture for me. While some people questioned if he counted as 'famous' for the checkmark, meeting Easton Corbin certainly counts and the checkmark is for sure done!
So first off, I just love Easton Corbin. He's adorable. He's got the a super cute southern accent, and is really, really good looking. But more than that, he's smart too....degree in Ag Business from the University of Florida. See?? We were soul mates.....except that he met his wife before I got to him!
Anyway, he sings three songs I love......"I'm a Little More Country than That" and "Roll With It" are both on the radio right now. But my favorite might actuallly be one that's not been that popular...."Don't Ask Me 'Bout a Woman."


Anyway, after his concert was over, I was standing around chatting with Brett-Brett and his twin brother Michigan State. Well, low and behold, I see Easton Corbin signing autographs and taking pictures with people right behind us. At first, I just snuck up to snap this photo.
When Miss Texas and I realized that the line wasn't too long and saw that he was hugging everyone he met, we decided standing there was a must! Turns out, the meet and greet only went until 7:00, then they shut the gate. We were the last people through. PHEW! This kind of thing NEVER happens to me. Ever in my life.

Anyway, here you go.....I met Josh Thompson first (singer of Way Out Here....you've heard it...."We're about John Wayne, Johnny Cash and John Deere). Notice my eyes were already scoping out Easton Corbin to my left!
Then I met Steel Magnolia (singers of Keep On Loving You). That girl is adorable an had on killer heels. The guy was less cool. He said he didn't like football. I was over him quickly. (You might wonder how this came up during the 30 seconds I talked to him...let's just say I learned nothing from the Kirk Herbstreit blog!)
And then, it was time for Easton Corbin. He hugged me. Twice. And called me darlin'. I was like a 16 year old with a crush.
And then, like that, our relationship was over. And I went back to my seat on the grass to watch the rest of the concert. But hey, I have the picture to show everyone how cute we look together. And apparently it's believeable. My brother didn't realize it was Easton Corbin and he called me asking who the dude was I was with and to tell me that he would be here soon to kick his you-know-what!

Anyway, let's have a take away point from this. All of you out there who have graciusly volunteered to help me in my search for Mr. Right---take a good look. This is what we're after. Except for the whole part about him being married. Now that we're all on the same page...get to looking!