Thisthers!

Day 25 - A picture of your day

We're gonna keep this short, sweet and to the point.

My older sis was in Mayberry for a couple hours from the big, big city, so we snapped a quick picture on the back patio.

My thisthers are pretty cool, I suppose. Even if we do talk to each other with fake lisps.

That is all.

Someone is gassy

Day 24 - A picture of something you wish you could change

Before I get started, yes, I realize it's taken me much longer than 30 days to do this and I really haven't taken many pictures.

With that said, I snapped some pictures around Mayberry today of something I'd like very much to change.

Are you kiddin me?

$3.29?  It was 20 cents less a week ago!

Really?!

And diesel jumped 30 cents?  It's madness!

Wait, I stand corrected.  Now I'm going home and airing up my bicycle tires.

GWTW

Day 23 - A picture of your favorite book

Finally, an easy one!!

How I love this book and all of it's 1037 pages.

And from time to time I tend to re-read page 96 - the first time Scarlett sees Rhett at the Wilkes' barbecue.  The kiss they shared on page 390 (after Atlanta has burned and Rhett decides to join The Cause) gets me every time.  When Melanie was as cool as a cucumber with the Yankee officers around page 802, I was wonderfully surprised and rooting for her as I turned the page.  Don't you love when characters surprise you?

Finally, hold on to your britches - page 1021-22 - Scarlett realizes how Rhett has been there for her over the years and can't wait to run into his arms.  A few pages later, she professes her love and for him and attempts to apologize for pining after Ashley for so, so many years.  Twelve years to be exact.

Then Rhett speaks my favorite line.  No, not the "My dear, I don't give a damn." (yes, the book doesn't have "frankly" - Clark Gable added that for the movie)  My favorite line from my favorite book is on page 1033:  Scarlett says "But, I love you" and Rhett remarks, very matter-of-factly "that's your misfortune."  And with that, he goes on to tell her he's going away.

Now doesn't that sound like life?

Scarlett held on to what she thought she wanted, all the while failing to realize there was a man loving her all along.  Sadly, when she did finally realize Rhett was exactly what she was running to in her dream, he was done holding on.  Done being her second choice.  Done with her.

But Scarlett is confident that she can, in fact, get him back.

After all, tomorrow is another day.

I tend to over-analyze stuff

Life is random.  Things can change, people can surprise you and sometimes you're left in a whirlwind, which isn't necessarily a bad thing - you just have to go with the flow.

In most aspects of my life, I'm easygoing and have no problem "rolling with it."  However, there are other areas where I panic. Running around like a chicken with its head cut off, which leads to being as clumsy as an elephant learning to tap dance, then standing in sheer horror like a deer in the headlights once I bust my bottom.  (I'll stop the animal analogies now.)

In times like these I turn to those closest to me, who I trust and can confide.

Well, the situation at hand involved a boy - go figure.  I'll spare you the details and just say that I'm a little nervous about the impending plans I may or may not have in the near to late future.  Did that make any sense?  Oh well.  So basically, I was talking to a my BGF and was almost freaking out on him as he was asking me about the specifics of this guy.  I expressed my concern in the fact that I haven't seen this guy in 5 years and he's been very, very persistent in seeing me sometime soon. 

BGF: Give him a chance, ya don't have to marry the guy.  I firmly believe in at least one chance.
Me: What if he hasn't changed any and still drinks? What if he realizes how much I've changed?  What if I fall out of his truck?  What if he wants to eat Chinese?  What if I snort when I laugh?
BGF: Oh geez, kid.  Relax.  If he hasn't changed, then drink one with him. If he realizes how much you've changed then oh well.  You didn't want to go out with him in the first place.  If you fall out of his truck, well if ya like him he better get used to you falling.  If he wants Chinese, try the orange chicken and if ya snort when you laugh, laugh harder.

That was exactly what I needed at that point in time: a laugh. Thank goodness for friends who know me well enough to know how to handle me during times of strife when my brain gets way ahead of itself. 

And for someone telling me to flat-out stop talking.

I need that from time to time.

Proof I'm losing my mind. As if you needed any more.

This afternoon, after seeing a truck like the one my brother drives pass by my work, I realized I hadn't talked to my dear older brother in a few days and decided to give him a call.  It went something like this:

"Hey, brother!"

"Hi, what's up?" (translation: "I'm at work, make it quick, what do you want?")

"Oh, I was just thinkin' that I haven't talked to you lately and just wanted to let you know that I haven't forgotten about you."

"Uh, I called you last night."

"What?"

"Yea, I talked to you last night.  On the phone." (translation: "I called you last night ya big dummy, now what in the world did you call me at work for?")

"Are you sure?"

"Yes..." (translation: "What drugs are you on?")

"Oh, well I was watching The Bachelor with Bex, so I don't remember talking to you."

"That's a lame excuse, Rachel." (translation: "Are you really that crazy?")

"Then disregard this phone call and I'll talk to you later.  When I'm not watching The Bachelor."

"Ok, bye." (translation: "Am I the only sane child in this family?")

And there ya have it.  Straight from the horses mouth.  I've officially lost my mind- what little I have left. 

Promise you won't call they psych ward?  Thanks a million!

That virtue - again.

Day 22 - A picture of something you wish you could do better

Once again, many, many things could go here.  I wish I was better at:

not saying everything that pops in my head.
organizing my iTunes library.
getting creative with recipes.  (I'm too "by the book")
being a good Christian/daughter/sister/aunt/granddaughter/niece/Sunday school teacher/friend.
gracefulness, I'm just too darn clumsy.
baking, although some people have been known to fight over my oatmeal raisin cookies.
finding cute shoes on sale.
fixing my own stinkin' lawnmower/truck/pressure washer/weedeater, etc. (that's another story)
guitar.  I just wanna learn to play it, but never have been able to.


Which leads me to the number one thing I wish I could do better....

drumroll please....


PATIENCE.  I stink at it.  Always have. 

Oh, and there's no picture to go with it.

But it remains, the one thing I wish I could do better.  Maybe then I'd be able to master the guitar.

A Record

As you may know if you've read my posts the last few weeks, Mayberry has been covered by a blanket of white for much of the last two months.

I'm not complaining.  I love the snow.

Snow means fun things like throwing snowballs at coworkers, getting to use my truck's four wheel drive, throwing snowballs at my niece, having fun on ATVs in an open field, throwing snowballs at my Momma, wearing Carhartts and insulated camo boots to work and throwing snowballs at people who threw them at me first.

My kid sister said to tell you that she enjoys the snow days.  She's really going to enjoy them when she's going to school until July as our school system makes up these days they've missed.  Ok, they're not going until July. Yet.

But, what I'm trying to say is that I like the snow.  It's good in my book.


However, I've about reached my limit on this favorite winter precipitation.  That's why the view from my rear-view mirror yesterday afternoon made me jump for joy and do cartwheels in the front yard of my place of employment. 

Yes.  It was 73-degrees on February 16th in Mayberry.  It might have set a record, but I'm not sure.

Ahhhh..... bliss!

The sad thing is that with warm weather comes short sleeves, sunglasses and open-toed shoes.  This must be my cue to get a tan, buy some shades and treat myself to a pedicure.

Snow is fun, but so is sunshine.

The thing about forgetting.

Day 21 - A picture of something you wish you could forget

Whoa.

There are a lot of things that could go here. 

Bad decisions. 
Past relationships. 
Words I can't take back. 
Words I should have said. 
Trees I shouldn't have crashed into. 
Exits I should have taken and speed limits I should have obeyed.

All of my downfalls (even the ones that didn't seem like mistakes at the time) made me who I am today and if I forgot them, then my lessons obviously went unlearned. 

Sure, there are experiences I desperately wish I didn't have to go through, but it has all shaped me into the person I am now.  Clumsiness, tough exterior, outspokenness and all.

And this is why I chose this picture.  Because I don't need to forget a thing.

Road Trip!

Day 20 - A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel

Please don't laugh at me right now.  I know a lot of people who'd love to visit the beach,  maybe go to the opera in Austarlia or shopping in Paris, but my tastes aren't that sophisticated I guess. 

Sure, I love the beach, but beach = bathing suit. 

No thanks.  Chain me to my treadmill for 6 months first, then we'll revisit this topic.


So, where would I like to travel that doesn't include exposing jiggle and pasty skin?

 
For starters, Ireland.  I know I'll never be able to go, but that's just part of dreaming big.

Next, I wanna drive the Pacific Coast Highway in a convertible.  This one is also far-fetched.

Here's one I might actually get to do.  Mt. Rushmore!  It's only a 20-something hour drive from my house.  No biggie. 

Or if I really get to feeling adventurous, Niagara Falls is right up my alley!  I've been once before, but seeing the Falls through a bus window left much to be desired.   And it's the shortest trip on my list!

Now excuse me while I go pack my bags!

T

Day 19 - A picture and a letter

So, I'm not so sure what this is supposed to mean, but I'll give it a shot.

This picture makes me laugh.

Partly because my kid sister (who is currently applying to colleges, don't let her youthful face fool you) is riding a child's toy.  Partly because my young niece is chasing her (if you can see her legs), and partly because this toy pedal tractor is thirty years old and still works. 

So "T" is for toy.

It's also for turquoise.

Tranquilizer.

Tootsie roll.

Travel.

Trampoline.

Tape.

Trumpet.

Tractor.

Text message.

Treat.

Tea, preferably sweet.

Tackle.

Toddler.

Trapeze.

And of course, truck.

I think "T" is my new favorite letter.

Lovebirds

The day has finally come!

My dear, dear grandparents are celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary today.

What a wonderful example they have set for their children, grandchildren and their great-grandchildren. 

Now please excuse me while I go hire someone to write "Happy 65th" in the sky.

I "less than three" you

Love. We love a lot of things. We love the weather; we love fast cars; we love movies and music; we love things. But we also love people. This time of year, this word is thrown around like a baseball during the World Series. Pop flies, home runs, line drives and strike outs - they’re all here and accounted for. But what affect does this word have on us that it can make or break you? It’s not an affirmative result on a cancer-detecting scan or a winning lottery ticket in your pocket, yet this word can make you sad, make you smile, laugh out loud or fall to the floor in tears.

It’s this word that makes men scramble at the last minute, wondering what to get that special woman. A box of chocolates? Bouquet of roses? A romantic night of surprises? It’s the word that throws some women in a crazy frenzy of social disorders, but makes others dote over it as if it were a newborn baby in the summer.

To say you love someone can mean different things to different people. Some think of it as a romantic gesture to only be said once the relationship has progressed to a deeper level of commitment. In the seemingly never-ending search for romantic love, people who date all too often look at the outside. If a person does not suit your physical ideals, they get written off without a chance to show you the person they are. In 1 Samuel chapter 16 verse 7, God is talking to Samuel and tells him how man notices the appearance of a person, but God looks at the heart. Why can’t we be more like God? Others I’ve seen say it all the time to everyone. To them, they want the world to know that this person is special to them, whether it is a friend, family, or partner. They're the ones with all the hearts and ily and <3 all over the place. I never did care too much for those people, but maybe I should be more like them. After all, aren’t we supposed to love our neighbors like we do ourselves?

It’s recently come to my attention that I don’t use this word as much as the people around me. Sure, I love things: the rain, driving down a gravel road, a shoe sale at Macy’s, and anything that comes out of my grandmother’s kitchen. But as for telling people “I love you,” I rarely do, whether it is in a familial, platonic or romantic setting. My speechlessness in this regard shouldn’t be mistaken for a lack of a heart (which I still question from time to time), but understood as a longing for actions to speak louder than words. To me, “I love you” is a gesture rather than a proclamation. It’s being there when a friend calls in the dead of night for someone to talk to. It’s making someone laugh who hasn’t smiled in days. It’s my 2 and a half year old niece running toward me with her arms outstretched, knowing I’ll squat down for her to give me the biggest hug ever. Then she kisses my cheek and says “luhh you Chul” (That translates to “I love you, Rachel” for those of you who don’t speak Anna). Oh yeah, I love hugs too. I say those three words with baked goods and hugs so don’t feel offended if all you get out of me is a grunt of some sort. But, if I say that I love you too, you should know you’re extra special.

So at this time of year, let’s remember that we can experience love because He first loved us. And bear in mind that people show love in different ways. Some with words, some with candy, some with big stuffed animals, and some by just turning off ESPN to ask about your day (ok, that doesn’t happen). No matter how you show you’re your love, let it shine! You never know when someone needs to know how you feel. And by the way, I < 3 you.

Why so serious?

Day 18 - A picture of your biggest insecurity

Normally I try to not lean too much on serious issues.  I'm the girl who laughs too loud and makes a joke out of everything, even when the punchlines hit below the belt.

For this post, I guess I'll have to dig a little deeper.

This girl is it.

She's tough - but not as tough as she'd like to be.

She's stubborn - though sometimes easily swayed.

She's funny - yet not many people see past the forced laughter.

This is me.

For as long as I can remember, I've never liked myself.  There was (and is) always, always, at least one thing I wish I could change about myself.  When I was 5, it was the gap in my two front teeth that my classmates teased me about; at age 9 it was my extreme shyness and by the time I was 13 it was my height.  Then through high school it was all about how I looked to boys.  They made fun of my freckles, my nose, my weight, even my voice.

Although I've grown drastically from that young, timid girl, I can't help but feel like I'm not as good as I should be.  I'm not a size 6 (nor do I ever expect to be), I'm still on the chubby side and my voice is drenched in a southern accent when my dialect floats to the far corners of my mind. And I refuse to leave the house without eyeliner.  Braces "fixed" my smile and joining the soccer team in middle school helped to break me out of my shell.  Oh, and I'm now classified as average height. 

But this is who I am, flaws and all.

It's taken me a long, long time to be semi-comfortable in my skin, but God has a plan. (Jeremiah 29:11), I just wish he'd fill me in on it.  He made me and He knows what he's doing, so I just need to calm down.

But to answer the question, I'm my own insecurity.

Whitey

Day 17 - A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently

Define "recently."

If you mean "in the last few weeks," then it would be this....

Oh, the snow.

Where is all this white stuff coming from?

Mayberry has been under what seems to be a constant blanket of it for the last two months, and at first it was welcomed, but it seems to be getting more on the annoying side.

We've got snow drifts on the highways.

And the intersection downtown is slicker than dog snot on a frozen cow pie.

But it does look pretty with the sunset

Even though it's difficult to get out of my driveway.

It's ok since it looks like I'm not going anywhere for a while.

I'll be digging out until May.

Uh Oh

Ok, I feel (once again) like a horrible person for failing to post anything for the last week.

Gosh, I seem like such a slacker.

Between crazy days at work, some of which that ended up ending at 2 am, planning my grandparents' 65th anniversary shindig and Mayberry getting slammed with snow, my days have been full of eight kinds of craziness. 

But, have no fear, I will post some new stuff ASAP. 

In the meantime, I'm going to leave you with something to keep you smiling.

Well, it makes me smile, anyway.

Mom-Mom

Day 16 - A picture of someone who inspires you

Simple.

Allow me to introduce you to Mom-Mom.

 

 

She's pretty much the coolest grandma a gal could ask for.   And she was one of my inspirations for that pitter patterage post a while back.

She can beat anyone in a hand of rummy.

And she's adorable when she bundles up for temperatures of 35 degrees.  You see, she may always be cold, but her heart is very, very warm.  

She's compassionate, strong in her faith, raised a wonderful family and still manages to cook a 3 meals a every single day for any of us that show up. 

Did I mention she's 85 and a half years old?

Because she is.  

And her and my grandfather will celebrate 65 years of marriage in less than two weeks.  

To say she inspires me is an understatement.  

She's my hero.