hey, it's ok (tuesday) 3.13

hey, it's ok


...to begin this list on monday and publish it on wednesday (but keep the date as tuesday)
...to hope peyton signs with the titans...it would be nice to have him in town for awhile (especially while the colts rebuild which is code for 'suck for a few years')
...to be a slight bit obsessed with swagbucks. if you haven't joined yet, you totally should. (and if you click on that link i get your referral :-)
...to be oh-so-glad that spring has arrived in tennessee.  it was 80 yesterday. anthony and i had cocktail hour on our deck when we both got home from work. this is bliss -- when the temperature rises but the bugs haven't appeared yet!
...to have only just borrowed the first hunger games book.  hey, i still have not read/watched either twilight or harry potter (and won't) so i'm way ahead of my own game on this one!
...to make a recipe that flopped. i'm usually pretty confident in the kitchen and spotting recipes that anthony and i will both like, but the south indian mac and cheese (while it looked and smelled great) was just not our favorite. i'll still eat the leftovers, but i won't be making it again. (i put the link there since i won't be putting it on the blog, just in case anyone wants to try it...)
...to have a standing date with a friend to watch good bad tv 
...to just really be creeped out by some people


please visit amber's blog!

hey, it's ok (2.28)

hey, it's ok


...to be totally excited that it's in the 70s this week
...to race your husband home from work.  (hey, i left at 6.30 am and he started his day a few minutes before 9. i just wanted to walk in the door first!)
...to have eaten a proper full dinner and STILL indulged in the free pancakes at ihop. my cell group meets there every 2 weeks on tuesdays, and our meeting coincided with free pancake day. i couldn't turn down the free stack (and i only ate 2...gave the other away)
...to really need to catch up with blogging. one of these days.
...to be thrilled beyond belief that my hardworking husband got offered (and accepted) a full-time position where he's been working temporarily for 6 months (at UBS). he does some sort of tax financial client portfolio stuff. he likes it because he gets to solve problems and figure out more efficient ways to do things all day. i like it because he's happy at work and we have insurance now (hey, just being real).
...to have cried a bit at the series finale of parenthood. if you watch, you know why (and you cried too, admit it)
...to roll your eyes every time you see the commercial with people whining talking about their cell phone battery dying. ever heard of charging your phone?!


visit amber no matter what, but especially if you have a list to share!

what i'm loving wednesday (2.1)

it's been awhile since i've participated, but not for lack of things to be loving!

so here's a very short list of what is making my heart full at the moment :-)

i'm loving my cell group girls...what an AMAZING group of God-seekers who daily inspire and uplift me. 

i'm loving my amazing husband who cleans the kitchen to surprise me on regular occasions, who won't let me touch the vacuum, who changes the litter box in rotation without complaint, and who will look at me at times and say "let's just watch big bang theory instead of organizing that room tonight".  balance, people.  we have it.

i'm loving intentional time spent with friends.  in my new year's post i mentioned that i wanted to let my yes be yes.  anthony is doing the same...i don't even know if he's meant for it to end up that way, but in looking back over january, we have had 12 separate occasions where friends have come over, shared a meal or conversation, and just enjoyed being with each other.  february is shaping up to be similar and we LOVE that.

(can i also just say i'm loving the creativity of those God lets me call "mine"?  cooking in my kitchen with my husband and/or my girlfriends makes my heart sing in a way i never noticed before.  and that's just one facet of the creativity surrounding me!)

i'm loving the warmer weather lately.  i mean, 64 and sunny yesterday.  come ON.


i'm loving opportunities to make some extra cash while loving on people's kids.  i'm so thankful for the opportunities to invest in their lives while at the same time put a few extra dollars towards non-necessities and paying off debt.

i'm loving being healthier and happier...i'm still slowly progressing in weight loss, but it's not necessarily about that.  i'm moving more, even if it isn't "true" exercise...staying active and having fully nutritious food 90% of the time makes those nights that i need to be a slug and consume chili cheese fries perfectly ok.

i'm loving great changes on the horizon...SO excited about what God is doing right now.

it's a short list, yes...but my heart overflows.

hey, it's ok (tuesday) 1.24

hey, it's ok


...to not be surprised in the LEAST that paula deen has type 2 diabetes.
...(but to not blame it on the butter and heavy cream.  those are real foods at least, unlike the processed crap that southern cooking is full of.  done with the soapbox now).
...to not get the pioneer woman worship.  i mean, yes, her recipes look good (and taste good from the one or two i've had) but why does everyone flock exactly? (seriously, can someone explain this to me?)
...to be sad about seal and heidi klum splitting.  out of all the celebrity marriages, they seemed so much more grounded and solid
...to be writing this list waaaaaay late
...to have copycatted (kind of) a favorite dip from trader joe's to avoid having to buy it so often.  way cheaper this way! (i'll share the recipe soon, promise!)
...to be a bit tired of the schizophrenic january weather in tn.  tornado warnings twice in the last 5 days?  and temperatures fluctuating between the 20s and the high 60s...no wonder we're all sniffling
...to drink way more water now that i have my OWN pitcher in the fridge (with fresh mint leaves in it).  it's amazing what a slight bit of fresh flavor will do!
...to realize that you've used (a whole lot) of parenthesis in one blog post. (oh well)


(please visit amber's blog and post your own list of things that are ok)

what i'm loving wednesday (8.3.11)

i'm loving that i realized today that there is more behind me than ahead of me on this diet, and that i'm not craving all the "bad" food at all.  i mean, i'll be running to chick-fila at some point immediately after finishing, but i really appreciate the true lifestyle changes that i can foresee from this.  and isn't that the whole point of a "diet" anyway?

i'm loving that anthony and i haven't butted heads on pretty much anything in picking out furnishings, decor, etc for our upcoming new place.  now, a lot of that is letting us each have our own domain (me: kitchen, him: entertainment room), but quite a bit of it is back and forth discussion and reaching a mutual decision.  currently we're playing elimination games for bedside tables, bookshelves, etc.

i'm loving that i have some exciting news to share of God's amazing provision and faithfulness...but i'm hating that i can't share it quite yet.  soon, though.  very soon.

i'm loving random and wonderful moments stolen away with friends.  it seems like we're all so stinkin busy these days, and it's really nice to be able to connect even if it's only for 20 minutes.  and face to face trumps all!

i'm loving pinterest.  i have become addicted in a very few short days.  i have to admit that a lot of it probably stems from my upcoming wedding and new dwelling place, but i can see this being something i'll enjoy for quite awhile!

i'm loving thundershowers that appear in the midst of this summer crazy heat.  i'm wishing for more frequent thundershowers...my poor tomatoes.

i'm loving new piano students...new jobs...

i'm loving the fact that a few short weeks from now i'll be moving to a new location soon to be joined by my HUSBAND.  i'm not loving the packing, etc, that will have to occur in the next few short weeks.

it's a great day to celebrate love

friends of ours get married today, so a portion of the day will be celebrating and congratulating them.  and then...hopefully the temperature will stay reasonable and i'll be able to get in at least an evening walk or something :-)  between the heat and the cicadas, outdoor exercise is a creative prospect!

hope you all have a lovely weekend!

thursday's ten: refreshing summery drinks

is it HOT where you are?
because it's totally past that here.
yesterday we set record-breaking temperatures for june 1 in mid-tn
this plus all the cicadas swarming constantly outside makes it slightly miserable at times to visit the great outdoors

alas, i have not seen radnor lake for awhile
or a greenway
too many trees equals too many cicadas

BUT

i do love a good summer drink.  and here is a list of favorites


1.  sun tea
something about my childhood comes back when i drag a big container filled with water and teabags and a few hours later sip the sweet sun-brewed tea.
2. pink lemonade
regular lemonade is usually a little tart for me.  but pink lemonade is perfection
3. mojitos!
ok, not for daytime consumption, but for an evening watching chick flicks or just hanging out on a patio?  perfection.  i've perfected (i think!) a strawberry mojito recipe and i looooove it.
4.  iced green tea
this is a recently discovered treat at a local mediterranean restaurant, and i am determined to have a recipe down for it in the next couple of weeks.  theirs was infused with mango juice...i've also read a couple of recipes for passion fruit juice.  i think i shall play.  :-)
5.  freshly squeezed (by me!) orange juice
i.hate.packaged.orange juice.
for some reason there is a bitterness there that makes it not even taste like it came from an orange.  to me.  but squeezing my own oranges for a glass of juice?  yes PLEASE
6.  sangria
another non-daytime consumption drink, and one that i have never even attempted to make on my own.  but it's SO.GOOD (and i have friends that make awesome sangrias...)
7.  san pelligrino water
yes, i've sung it's praises here on the blog several times, but the fact is that i rarely drink it in the winter.  it's soooo yummy in the summer though!
8.  trader joe's french berry lemonade
i'd never even try to make this, it's worth buying the bottle.  :-)
9.  italian sodas
(or italian creme sodas)
sooooo good year round, but especially summer.  and so easy!  syrup, sparkling water, dash of cream for the cream soda...and you're done.
10.  just plain water
i sometimes add the mio enhancer (or crystal light if you're so inclined) but honestly?  a cool refreshing bit of water is the absolute best thing to put in your body, and after a long hot day...it really is perf

what i'm loving wednesday .4

i'm loving this year's hockey season! our predators are currently playing the #1 team in the league, and holding our own.
i'm loving that we've selected our photographer.  she's amazing, in our price range, and (bonus!) she's actually the very first person i ever met in nashville.  i'll have to tell y'all that story sometime :-)
i'm loving my cell group girls.  such amazing spiritual insight, Godly conversations, and great taste in food (a bunch of sushi, thai, vodka pasta loving fiends!)
i'm loving the child wearing this t-shirt. i won't see him quite as often after this month (more about that later) but i have SO enjoyed these last few months with him.  and plan to babysit as often as they'll let me ;)

i'm loving the instagram app on my phone.  i was late to the party, but it's so fun to play with! (photo evidence below)

i'm loving the message that pastor alyn brought to us on monday night.  such a gentle, balanced perspective on our response as christians to the events of last weekend.  you can download it for free here (it's entitled 'justice is good.  but mercy is better'
(by the way, while you're there if you are in the nashville area or would like to be for memorial day weekend there's a link to a FREE conference as well.  it's called the MORE conference, and all you need to do is register :)  look for the tab at the top of the page)
i'm loving that we'll be having sunny days for the next few at least...seems like RAIN has been here more than anything else and i am ready for a tan!  i mean...a walk...or run...or something.
i'm loving my sweet hubby to be.  sometimes i feel like all of this wedding planning is a dream that i don't want to wake up from.  soooo happy i get to spend the rest of my life with him :)

hey, it's ok (tuesday) .12

 hey, it's ok

...to eat doritos with your low-fat cottage cheese.  it's balanced, right?

...to sometimes watch silly tv shows

...to love wrapping paper and wrapping gifts in a nearly unhealthy way :-)

...to consider trading free babysitting for my clients with elipticals.  i used one of them the other day and it was a fantastic workout!

...to really, really, really be tired of the rain.

...to be thrilled that not only do you have a summer job lined up but that when the mother called to tell you she used the words "we are so happy and excited that we've found the perfect person for our family!"

...to be over-run with laundry.  all of it clean, none of it in it's proper home.  yikes!

...to be a hockey fan even if your knowledge of the game is a bit sketchy.  but hey, the fights are kinda fun.  (go preds!)

...to get excited about goodwill shopping.  no reason to spend big money on a wardrobe as i'm moving between sizes and losing the weight.  and finding actual quality pieces there makes me even more excited.

thursday's ten: things that make me go "huh?"

today's ten list


is one of those not-so-rare glimpses into my mind
where i'm a little baffled by the environment around me. for example

1. the royal wedding is not only trending on twitter, it's a promoted trend. do they NEED any more promotion? and who exactly is getting the proceeds there?!
2. on my least favorite kids show that finn likes: teacher suzie never comes up with her own lesson plans. she always waits for a 3 year old to do it. AND she's clearly a failed singer. she must live in nashville. the "big thing" she does for her kids every day is perform a song for them. i'm sorry, but most 3 year olds wouldn't sit still for half those songs.
3. storms have devastated the southeast, yet we're more concerned with a royal wedding. it's not that i don't wish them well, and it's not that i may not tune in to see the dress at least, but let's give a little bit of recognition to those suffering in georgia and alabama (among others). the death toll is over 200 as of right now.
(and it totally reminds me of last year when nashville flooded and the only news was that of a bomb threat in nyc that turned out not to be for real after all. is it any wonder i get irritated with media priority?!)
4. why are people so fascinated by trash tv? i'll just leave it at that...because i don't want to give any more recognition than these shows already have.
5. is it just me or are allergies WAY worse this year than most here in mid-TN? i want to chop my sinuses out on a daily basis.
6. why on earth do people participate in those copy and paste statuses on facebook?  you know the ones.  "it's CAT week!  if you have a cat who makes your life better, please post this in your status."
and people DO.
7.  on the facebook/twitter subject...do people not read what they write?  like, ever?  i so often want to bring my red correction pen to facebook with me...
(and yes i know i type without capital letters, but at least i KNOW i'm doing it.  i know how to type correctly.  and i apologize if it drives any of you crazy :-)
8.  i know, i know, i KNOW that whole wheat pasta is better for you.  but i don't get it.  how can you all stand eating cardboard?!  gimme my white pasta and i'll just eat less of it.
9.  the "end of the world" billboards.  if you haven't seen them, you don't live in the south. ;)
10. fast food restaurants that serve way too many options.  like fish at a burger place.  i don't trust mcdonalds to do a good fish sandwich, sorry.  and i heart mcdonalds, for real.

what i'm loving wednesday .2

i'm loving that the people i nanny and babysit for often watch the same shows that i do...yay for cleaning out my dvr without even being at my house!
i'm loving snuggles with sweet children, and the fact that so many people trust me with their most prized possessions.  so.blessed.
i'm loving the WEATHER these days. (ok, except for all the crazy tornado things.)
i'm loving a couple of new (to-me) wedding websites that friends have recommended to me: greenweddingshoes.com and offbeatbride.com
i'm loving chances to get active by pushing a stoller, jumping around with a kinect, doing wiifit, or just hiking up a small mountain.
i'm loving cozy blankets and couches.
i'm loving naps in the hammock on a sunny spring afternoon.  just because i've only done it once so far doesn't mean i won't be doing it a whole lot more!
i'm loving that my fiancé made plans for us to go dancing this friday.  not necessarily his favorite thing to do, but he wants to dance with me and that makes me smile.  a lot. (of course, i'm loving him a lot too!)

thursday's ten: about spring

the skies are blue today and sunshine abundant
flip flops and sunglasses weren't even a question
and i drove to work with the sunroof open and music blaring

seems a perfect day to write about my favorite season

spring!

i'm a transplant to tennessee, even though i've been here over 1/3 of my life now.  craaaaazy.  but there are definitely differences between here and where i grew up when it comes to season changes.

here's 10 things about spring...in my experiences





1.  bradford pear trees line every secondary road in my (new) neighborhood.  they are stunningly beautiful.  unfortunately about 60% of people who live in mid-tn suffer allergies because of them.  sneezing abounds.
2.  faux spring happens here sometime during mid - late february through mid-march.  then it drops to freezing again (maybe even snow!) and everyone gets sick.  then the real spring comes, right about now.
3.  springing forward may mean that we "lose" an hour of sleep one night, and that we have a spring forward hangover for a week or so afterward.  but it also means that there's no more driving home in the dark at 4 pm!
4.  lots of events (festivals, craft fairs) begin popping up as natives crave walking around centennial park and the like for hours.  it's awesome!
5.  flowers in abundance.  my birthday flower (jonquils) are the first to peep out, but so many others follow quickly.
6.  tv is still good.  :)  which means i do a lot of evening tv watching with a breeze coming in the screen door and the soft sounds of wind chimes in the background
7.  at home, the farmers start moving.  around here i'm sure they do too but since i live in the city i miss those tractors and smell of plowed earth.  of course, i DON'T miss being stuck behind them for 3 miles on a 2 lane road with no passing possible.
8.  i do a lot of tanning while walking this time of year :)  finn's parents have moved to a house that's approximately 2 blocks from one of the several entrances to the greenway, so it's perfect for that!  plus, i live 10 minutes away from a couple of gorgeous spots to hike. (one i just discovered last week -- so excited!)
9.   signs of new life are everywhere, which is such a great reminder of spiritual things.  making all things new isn't such an abstract concept when you see it repeated at every season change!  but seriously, the baby bunnies, budding trees, and peeping plants are fun :-)
10.  as much as i want to be active and OUT this time of year, rest beckons too.  and i love that.  i try to log a few hours in the hammock each week, i enjoy my God time all the more when i'm surrounded by such beauty, and on a practical note my allergies force me to rest a little more this time of year than others.  and i don't think that's an accident ;-)

so what do you notice or love at this time of year?

nashville snow drivers

i've written tips about winter weather

and have done my fair share plus of complaining about nashville drivers in the snow

today i'll give you a slight glimpse of what i'm talking about.  which is timely because ICE is predicted today.  oh joy!

as i see it there are a few distinct categories of nashville (or southern) snow drivers

in no particular order (except how it comes to my brain) here they are

the recent transplant

characteristics: doesn't understand what everyone is complaining about, forgets temporarily that tennessee gets less snow and more ice, also forgets that nashville is very hilly

driving style: at least 20 mph faster than everyone else on the road, over-confident

(for tractor trailers, add 10 mph and a whole lot of aggressiveness.  yikes)

the nervous nellie/ned

characteristics: have rarely if ever driven in snow, decide that wherever they need to go is clearly more important than the safety of everyone else in the city, bundled up in a heavy coat, thick gloves and a hat that keeps dropping over their eyes but they are too afraid to take their hands off the wheel to push it up

driving style: at least 20 mph slower than everyone else on the road, frequent braking, hands at 11 and 1 on the steering wheel and sitting at the very edge of their driver's seat

the native

characteristics: is only experienced in driving to his or her local grocery store for bread/milk/eggs but feels that experience is just as good as anyone else's

driving style: speed varies, but braking is frequent

the oblivious

characteristics: knows there is snow/ice on the road and that it's slowing everyone else down, but doesn't feel as if it affects him/her, often spotted with "multi-tasking" items such as cell phone or coffee in hand, or makeup brush poised

driving style: at least 20 mph faster than everyone else, reckless when there ISN'T winter weather, so completely hazardous when there is.  avoid this person at all costs.

 

on a scary(ier) note, here's actual footage of tennessee drivers on ice.  yikes!

and some tips, should you need them.  i kid in this post (kind of) but in ALL seriousness, be careful out there!

(all photos from google images)

hey, it's ok (tuesday) .4

 hey, it's ok!

...to possibly love wrapping the presents as much as anything else at this time of year 

...to think that those fruit in a pouch deals for babies and toddlers are pretty awesome...and to consider adding a few to your own pantry since you never eat fruit and this would be one way to change that

...to giggle a bit at the baby terrorizing the cat before actually stopping said baby from said terrorizing

(really all he was doing was standing at the chair she was sitting in and reaching out to pet her.)

...to realize that a good number of your "hey it's ok" points involve children when you don't even have kids yet

...to get a little giddy about "the sing off"

...to kind of wish you could hibernate for this season because it's COLD

...to have been slightly freaked out when the mother of a couple of your students placed an albino ferret in your arms when you were dropping off some music at their house, followed by the realization that the animal was actually quite adorable and very snuggly!

it's a great day to enjoy the weather

surprise!  it's gorgeous out there today!

funny. it's been cold here all week and today? gorgeous. i don't mind this trend of cold miserable weeks followed by a rewarding gorgeous weekend!

i've already taught a lesson this morning and i babysit starting at 5 -- first for a small group (at minimum 12 kids, but the parents will be right.there) and then when small group leaves i'll stick around.  tis the season for holiday parties, and the hosts of the small group have one to go to!

yay more monies :)

have a wonderful day out there -- hope you enjoy it immensely!

dear.8

dear blog readers,

remember that awesome blog project i told you about a couple of weeks ago?

well, we're doing a book club of sorts, and there's a giveaway involved for one of our readers!
so comment on this post to enter!

signed,
excited about this one!

dear weather,

could you just stay like this until spring? i'm kind of loving it.

signed,
really not looking forward to winter

dear makers of children's shows,

thank you for making some of them bearable. could we chat about the others?

signed,
a desperate nanny

dear eyes,

i'm not really sure what your deal is, but swelling up every few days and making it impossible for me to put my contacts in is not really all that wonderful. i'm just sayin'. and i appreciate you taking turns and all, but come ON.

signed,
squinting in the sun

Thursday's Ten: ways YOU can help

i've had so many people out of town ask "but what can we DO?"

i hope you don't mind that today's 10 is ways to help out nashville. it's honestly written because people have asked for it to be. there are tons of blogs and sites out there with similar lists, but i want to specifically focus on what out-of-towners can do.

this is in no way a comprehensive list, and if you live close to our area other blogs (such as nashvillest) will be good resources for you if you don't know anyone specifically who was affected. chances are you DO know someone though and are already helping in whatever capacity you're able to.

for those of you with a bit of distance between your place and ours, here's a short list of concrete, simple things you can do to help those who are hurting.

1. we need donations of gift cards--home depot, wal-mart, target, lowe's, kroger, etc--for people who are rebuilding/replacing ruined items. gift cards instead of items simply because we NEED people to be able to spend money in our city right now.
i've also seen a few people mention gift cards to local restaurants for people who have a kitchen that is inoperable.
here is one place that i know is taking donations of gift cards:
Otter Creek Church

2. are you affiliated with a church in your city? if so, contact a "sister church" in nashville. ask if they have specific needs in their congregation, or if they have specific ministries that are in need of extra donations/supplies for flood relief. most churches down here are taking care of everyone they can.

if you aren't affiliated with a church try one of these:
http://www.graceworksministries.net/ (independent ministry)
www.disasterreliefeffort.org (churches of Christ)
http://www.dioceseofnashville.com/ (Catholic)
http://www.christchurchnashville.org/ (non-denom)


3. text for good! the american red cross will receive a $10 donation to disaster relief if you text "REDCROSS" to 90999

4. bottled water is needed right now. no, it's not the environmentally conscious thing to do, and it hurts my eco mind to use bottled water, paper plates and cups, and other disposable items. but the fact is, one of our water reservoirs was flooded and is currently inoperable. nashville residents have been told to cut water usage by at least half. this means most of us, if we're listening to the pleas, are pretty stinky right now since no one is taking good showers. but you know what? i'm happy to take baby wipe baths and rinse out my hair every other day--or two--if it helps my nashville. we're being asked to limit water usage to cooking, drinking, and hand washing and VERY limited other usage. if bottled water is donated, it'll cut down that much more on city water usage.

5. buy a t-shirt. right now all i have is the facebook fan page, but there should be an online store up soon.

6. for those of you concerned about the fate of animals, the nashville humane society and metro animal services are accepting donations that are more pet-friendly. :) there are also several area vets and kennels that are boarding animals for displaced families.

7. one of the coolest things i saw on facebook earlier this week was that students at my alma mater (Trevecca) were given an opportunity to receive credit by volunteering in the flood relief in lieu of their exams in some classes. how amazing is that? trevecca has always been a school of service, and i'm proud to be an alum when i hear things like that.

by the way, trevecca sustained some damage in the electrical/maintenance facilities, print shop, gym, student activity center, and a couple of athletic fields. yet i didn't find out about that until i read a press release on a nazarene church's website informing the greater nazarene community of this. clearly, student efforts are focusing on what they can do off campus...did i mention i love my university?

trevecca's flood relief efforts: http://www.trevecca.edu/info/newsandevents?id=3955
lipscomb's (i should also note that lipscomb is one of four main shelters housing families who were displaced. the others are the gordon jewish community center, al menah shrine center, and people's church in franklin)
belmont
vanderbilt

i couldn't find any other local universities with flood relief efforts, but i'll keep my eyes open in the next few days.


8. donate monies online
community foundation (in conjunction with the mayor's office)
american red cross
second harvest food bank
salvation army
nashville rescue mission (ok, so this isn't a flood relief specific page, but they serve nashville's homeless population and they were definitely hit hard...so a donation would not be out of place for them. another worthy homeless ministry is room in the inn which several area churches participate in. another homeless project which is absolutely amazing and wonderful is the newspaper, the nashville contributor)

9, visit us. we depend heavily on tourism dollars. yes, opryland hotel and downtown are currently under water. yes, some tourist attractions will be closed for a few months. but let us show you the other sides of nashville, the sides tourists typically miss. we'll be glad to have you, and grateful that you remember us.

10. or come down for a weekend and help families clean out their flood-soaked basements or houses. hands on nashville is coordinating all the FEMA volunteers, so that's a great place to look.

and pray. please. i've stopped watching the news--it's so horrible to see places that i love literally in ruins...and then there are the more personal aspects as i help people i dearly love try to sort out what is salvageable and what must be thrown away. we WILL rebuild, and we will be stronger for it...but right now it's just overwhelming and hard. pray that help will be swift and effective, that clean up will be as smooth as possible, that the city and her people will be resilient.



side note: if any of you are from indiana (southern) or the part of kentucky i'll be driving through to get there and want to send anything down with me, i'll be up thursday-saturday for a wedding. i'll have limited times that i can pick stuff up but please email me or call if you have my number and i'll DEFINITELY meet you and get anything you want to the appropriate place.

i'll also be going to the gatlinburg area later in the month, so if any of you are on the way from nashville to there (or close) i can do the same then :)

Dear Nashville

i love you




(and you can see one reason why here.
i've sat in stunned silence while looking at flood damage
honestly, this is the first thing that has made me tear up. the pictures have left me shocked and heartbroken; seeing damage firsthand has left me speechless. but THIS...this speaks of what we all feel as members of this city--this community.
and this made me cry.)

and then there was the time that nashville nearly drowned...

(titans stadium)

we're officially in a state of emergency here.
and while there are bad things happening
(anthony's parents had a flooded basement yesterday
his granny's house has 3 ft--at least--of water sitting in it)
i'm choosing to focus on the positive

(the walmart a mile from my place--saturday mid-day)

i don't have any firsthand sensational pictures to post
like many of my friends do
and at first i was kinda bummed about that
then i quickly realized how silly that is

(on the other side of me, less than a mile away)

the fact that i don't have any awesome storm pics
no waves going through my backyard
no rivers down the street

(another major intersection--this one about 3 miles away perhaps)

it means that i'm safe
secure
and dry

many that i love aren't so lucky

(downtown street)

i will say that i don't know the status of the storage unit just yet
(and am oh-so-thankful i secured renter's insurance on the contents of it just friday!)
but the things there are just that--things.
emi is safe
i am safe
anthony and his family are safe

we're good
:)

i'll leave you with a couple of more humorous things from the storm
(because as you can see above there is much in the way of seriousness
but i--we--need to laugh)



facebook status from a friend:
K, now we know it is bad. Naomi Judd just called the TV station to report that her fence has been knocked down and that her buffalo are now roaming wild! Flooded house, yes, but wild buffalo, lookout!!

and further proof that nashville not only doesn't stop the music for water--it also doesn't stop creativity!
"Tennessee's Not Landlocked Anymore"


this one's not funny...just poignant. i love this photographic proof that you can't stop the music here, no matter what.
i think there's a whole blog post just in that statement

...i'll work on it...