Monday, October 11, 2010
Worthy Moments
Some of you out there might be thinking to yourself "Self, what could possible make cold showers every three days, eating beans and the root of a plant every day for both lunch and dinner, never really feeling fully clean, having for roommates things like huge spiders whose legs can cover my entire palm, and being thousands of miles away from those I love most worth it?" Your self would probably answer something like this: "What makes every trying, dirty, I cannot eat this again moment absolutely worth it, is being gone for 3 days and when you arrive back home is being rushed by 56 of the most wonderful kids who are shouting your name and engulf you in probably the world's largest group hug." Then you would probably say "Yes, Self that does make it all worthwhile."
Rolling Like a Ce-le-brity
First order of business:10,000 cool points to whoever knows what song the title of this post is from. Another 10,000 cool points if you include the band. 500 bouns cool points if you also include my favorite song by this band.
Second order of business: I shop where the stars shop. That's right so whenever I give you advice on the voguest of African fashions you better not just brush it off because it's legit. What is that? You don't believe my keen eye for African prints and taliorship is all that keen. Well that's okay you can just get a second slightly less biased opinion from my good friends Rachel Bilson and Kristen Bell. (If you don't know who that is...Google it.) We shop at the same talior shop located in Gulu, Uganda aka nowheresville. So they would be able to tell you how impecable my taste really is.
Second order of business: I shop where the stars shop. That's right so whenever I give you advice on the voguest of African fashions you better not just brush it off because it's legit. What is that? You don't believe my keen eye for African prints and taliorship is all that keen. Well that's okay you can just get a second slightly less biased opinion from my good friends Rachel Bilson and Kristen Bell. (If you don't know who that is...Google it.) We shop at the same talior shop located in Gulu, Uganda aka nowheresville. So they would be able to tell you how impecable my taste really is.
" ...A Time to Mourn and a Time to Dance"
One of the descriptions of this blog says "A little of the good, bad, and the funny." Unfortunately this post contains the bad. Last week I found out my great aunt passed away. It was a hard week to say the least. Home sickness was getting to the point of unbearable and to want to be at my aunt's funeral but knowing God was saying no was not helping. However, peace was always present. Always. I was never without. It helped so much to know that God is always in control and that He has a reason for everything He does and it is always for our best and His glory. So for this post I am going to copy a little something I wrote up to be read at my aunt's funeral. Blessings :0)
I don't know how many of you know this but I am a former Miss America. Actually, for most of my childhood I was the reigning Miss America. At least in the eyes of one Mrs. Loretta Redus I was. For hours we would play on the steps of her front porch. I robed in her fancy night gowns and high heels; she rocking back 'n' forth on her porch swing. I would tramp up and down the stairs and across the yard as she would say in her Aunt Retta way "Here she comes Miss America!" And on and on it would go until my hunger would get the best of my vanity. Then into the house we would go for slices of bologna and cheese wrapped together and melted in the microwave. This snack was the height of sophistication, especially if sliced in little pieces and eaten with a toothpick, and was necessary to help any Miss America keep her girlish figure.
After our bellies were full, mine with bologna hers with crackers and peanut butter, it was back out to the porch to sit and swing. Back and forth. Back and forth. We would rock. Slow and steady as she would tell wonderful stories of a beautiful flying pink elephant with polka dots that was coming to take me on marvelous adventures. "Look! There do you see it! It's coming for you get ready!" She would say as she pointed up into the afternoon sky. To this day every time I am on that porch swinging on that swing I search the skies for my flying pink elephant and smile remembering sitting there with her doing the same.
Countless summer days were spent this way. I would make the long trek from out house up two hills, past a creek with its shady pecan trees, to her backdoor. There I would enter in to who knows what kind of fun. Dress up, forts, watching The Easter Parade for the millionth time; it didn't really matter as long as I was there with her. We were the best of friends. She always made me feel loved and special. The sweetest and kindest of hearts I have never known one greater than hers. She taught me the fine arts of rolling out pie crust and how to worry over the silliest of things. I wish I could write down every memory that is parading through my mind as I write this but I cannot. Even if I could the smiles, laughs and 'oh Aunt Rettas' they evoke would not be enough to say how much I loved and treasure every moment I got to spend, learn, and grow with my Aunt Retta.
Aunt Retta you are loved and missed. The only thing I have been able to think about since I heard you went home was that now you can be with real angels. I know how much you loved them. I wish I could have seen your face the first time you saw one with your brand new eyes. I love you so much and will be seeing you. Love always your Miss America.
I don't know how many of you know this but I am a former Miss America. Actually, for most of my childhood I was the reigning Miss America. At least in the eyes of one Mrs. Loretta Redus I was. For hours we would play on the steps of her front porch. I robed in her fancy night gowns and high heels; she rocking back 'n' forth on her porch swing. I would tramp up and down the stairs and across the yard as she would say in her Aunt Retta way "Here she comes Miss America!" And on and on it would go until my hunger would get the best of my vanity. Then into the house we would go for slices of bologna and cheese wrapped together and melted in the microwave. This snack was the height of sophistication, especially if sliced in little pieces and eaten with a toothpick, and was necessary to help any Miss America keep her girlish figure.
After our bellies were full, mine with bologna hers with crackers and peanut butter, it was back out to the porch to sit and swing. Back and forth. Back and forth. We would rock. Slow and steady as she would tell wonderful stories of a beautiful flying pink elephant with polka dots that was coming to take me on marvelous adventures. "Look! There do you see it! It's coming for you get ready!" She would say as she pointed up into the afternoon sky. To this day every time I am on that porch swinging on that swing I search the skies for my flying pink elephant and smile remembering sitting there with her doing the same.
Countless summer days were spent this way. I would make the long trek from out house up two hills, past a creek with its shady pecan trees, to her backdoor. There I would enter in to who knows what kind of fun. Dress up, forts, watching The Easter Parade for the millionth time; it didn't really matter as long as I was there with her. We were the best of friends. She always made me feel loved and special. The sweetest and kindest of hearts I have never known one greater than hers. She taught me the fine arts of rolling out pie crust and how to worry over the silliest of things. I wish I could write down every memory that is parading through my mind as I write this but I cannot. Even if I could the smiles, laughs and 'oh Aunt Rettas' they evoke would not be enough to say how much I loved and treasure every moment I got to spend, learn, and grow with my Aunt Retta.
Aunt Retta you are loved and missed. The only thing I have been able to think about since I heard you went home was that now you can be with real angels. I know how much you loved them. I wish I could have seen your face the first time you saw one with your brand new eyes. I love you so much and will be seeing you. Love always your Miss America.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)