This is the first of a few scheduled posts for the week. Now that I know how to schedule a blog post...oh dear, world. Watch out!
At this very moment, I am in the parking lot of my church doing one of several things (or a combination):
a. impatiently waiting in a car behind buses that have been loaded for a while but have yet to just MOVE
b. frantically trying to check students in, tell them what bus to get on, and explain that YES, everyone has to put a ribbon on their suitcase and NO they can't pick the color
c. standing on the steps of the bus alternately stating: (to the front of me) "Once you get on you can't get back off. Have you hugged mom/dad/sister/brother and peed?" and (to the back) "I TOLD you, you can't get off. Go sit down."
d. already missing Anthony, who is missing out on camp this year because he's going on his family's vacation the following week
e. sprinting around the loading area trying to find a youth minister for the latest crisis
f. playing with the cool walkie-talkie radio I get to hold as an all-powerful counselor
g. looking forward to an awesome week at Camp Coker Creek
Probably a bit of all of this has already happened by the time you're reading this, and the truth is I really am looking forward to being at camp with our students. It will be an awesome time to watch them grow as people and in their faith, even though there will be moments I wish I were back in Nashville, or at least somewhere with a cell tower.
I go to help lead the kids, but I always learn a lot too.
The learning has already begun for me this year. I told our youth minister last Sunday that I wouldn't be able to go to camp this year because I haven't been working the last 3 weeks since Nancy hasn't needed me much. I told him I had 3 bills due that had to be paid and I needed to be able to work the week of camp to try to make the money to pay them. And he told me...not to let money stop me. That *I* was needed at camp, and that it would be allowing someone else to serve me if I were to accept help.
Friday I was handed an envelope with the cash needed to pay those 3 bills along with a note that read: "Thank you for the blessing you bring to our students and the love you show them. Thank you also for the opportunity to join God in serving you this week!"
I can't wait to be in the position to pay that one forward...what an amazing blessing to be in a church that gets it.
See you all Friday...and I hope you enjoy the posts between now and then! I'll be responding to comments when I get back!
Love to you all,
It happened when we were watching the memorial for Steve McNair.
Anthony made the comment that he couldn't imagine how the family of the woman Steve was found dead with (who presumably shot him and then herself) feels. He said "how do you have a memorial service for someone who just committed a murder-suicide?"
And after a couple of minutes I made the statement: "One decision doesn't define a person's life."
I'm sure her family remembers the wonderful attributes she must have had, the little girl she once was. That's what I meant.
But that statement has been haunting me for days now. DOES one decision sometimes define a person's life?
For the last year or so I've certainly thought that my decision to leave the classroom defined life in the moment for what it was. But that has no bearing on how I actually define "me".
I certainly think and hope that my decision to accept Christ has defined my life.
But has it really?
So by making that statement was I actually saying that one bad decision doesn't define a person's life?
And if that's true, can I even accept it?
Because truth be told, I'll never know about the wonderful person I'm sure she was. And though I love who Steve McNair was, part of me will always remember how and why he died. It doesn't change that he was a wonderful person on and off the football field. But it does reshape my view of him somewhat.
The fact of it is...all of us make a bad decision here and there. And while I still maintain that those decisions don't define us...I do think they mold us differently than we once were. Just like the good decisions we make.
It's life, I suppose.
With the economy as crazy as it currently is, I'm sure Anthony and I are not the only couple looking for cheap and creative date nights. None of these are particularly glorious, but they are things we enjoy doing and that keep us from falling into a rut.
1. Dinner and a movie, economy class.
We take turns cooking for each other and then catching a flick on the big ol' living room screen. The standard, moved home. This is a lot of fun for me since I love cooking, so trading off meals is a great thing...we're definitely doing a lot more of that than going out these days. And I have to say, having him cook for me while I sit on the sidelines is kind of a nice thing too :0)
2. Taking advantage of the natural beauty around us
Who knew exercise could be romantic? I'm lucky enough to live about 5 minutes from the part of the greenway that crosses the Cumberland. The other night we crossed the bridge right at sunset. It was gorgeous!
Greenways and state/national parks are great places. Or anywhere with a good walking trail. Even a neighborhood with nice big houses.
3. The zoo
This was an initial cost--it was $55 each. For a year. So we visit the zoo quite often these days--it's free for us now, and we can bring along another couple for a double date if we want since we each get a free guest.
(plus our zoo encourages people who want to run to come in the last hour or so, since the crowd dies down between 4:30 and 5. We have plans to run the zoo together soon)
4. Revisit childhood
When we were visiting his aunt in Atlanta the four of us (A and I, his aunt and little sister) walked down to a playground in her neighborhood. A and I both made a beeline for the swings, and competed to see who could swing higher the fastest, etc. We're both slightly competitive...
Anyway, what's stopping you from visiting a local playground together? I would suggest that you wait until most of the actual kids are gone...
5. Play
Have I mentioned we're competitive? Games we often attempt to slaughter the other in include Scrabble and Uno Attack. Games that we play with other couples or his family include Apples to Apples and (our favorite) hand & foot. We have discovered, however, that we enjoy competing as a team nearly as much as against each other. We were a force to be reckoned with the last time we played hand and foot as a team! Guess that dating ESP comes in handy :0)
6. Historical Landmarks
We're also both big history buffs, so the fact that we live amid such history is a positive. We're planning to go to the battlefield at Shiloh sometime later this summer, and of course in this area there's TONS of other historical stuff to see. One of our favorites (although not necessarily cheap) was the Ghost Tour in Nashville last fall. Fun stories mixed in with a bunch of history.
7. Video game nights
I've had a lot of fun on the nights that we sit with little controllers in our hand and escape to a world of...something. Anthony is still shocked and amazed that I enjoy playing Halo. I also love Little Big Planet, Flower and Infamous. And of course, there's always a little Rock Band action thrown in!
It's important that you don't do TOO much of this I think. But everything in balance, right honey? Speaking of...we need to do a video game night soon!
8. Live music
Nashville has a plethora of concerts and ticketed events to attend on a weekly basis. However, there are probably 10 small shows to every 1 large event. Covers range from 0-$15 a head, most falling in the $5 range. Supporting local musicians and the establishments they play in is a bonus.
(this brings in my favorite--the pub. Free live Irish music all weekend, Sundays is $3 pint night. Lovely. I can get a pint of woodchuck and a side potato salad and tip at 100% for $10).
9. Putt-putt or bowling
Sometimes more fun as a group activity, sometimes better enjoyed as a couple. You gotta love the prices, and if you eat before you go (dinner at your place or mine) it's even better.
10. Local wineries
Often free or very cheap, and one that's fairly close to us even encourages you to bring a picnic and enjoy the grounds for as long as you like. They're usually gorgeous, and they have good samples...
(of course in the land of Jack Daniels I should also mention that a trip to the distillery is in our near future as well)
Bonus: Just be
We've discovered that even the mundane is more fun when we're together. Hence our date nights often include a "honey? do you mind if we run to Target for a minute?" Anthony has suggested that once the humidity dies down we take blankets to a nearby grassy area and just read together. Possibly pack a picnic lunch, maybe play a game or something. We just enjoy spending time together, so at this point anything we do seems fun. Are we mushy-gushy or what? :P
revised 12.16.12
Subtitle: YUM.
I had no doubts when I found this recipe, courtesy of Rachael Ray. Cheesesteaks? Good. Chimichanga? Gooood.
*bonus points if you know the reference...*
I made them tonight for Anthony and I after we got back from a short walk on the greenway and a trip to get coke products at Harris Teeter before the buy 2/get 3 deal ran out. We're both stocked for MONTHS now. But I digress.
Cheesesteak Chimichangas
2 tbsp (or so) extra-virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound (or so) steak strips/stir fry beef
8 slices provolone or pepperjack cheese
4 burrito-size flour tortillas
Heat olive oil in fry pay and saute onions and peppers. Toss salt and pepper in, add meat and saute until fully cooked. Divide the mixture into 4 equal parts and divide onto tortillas, adding 2 slices provolone cheese to each. Fold each tortilla over. Wipe fry pan out, and brown the chimichangas on each side.
I served these with Uncle Ben's spanish style rice (one of our favorites). The entire meal took less than 20 minutes to prepare, and truthfully was pretty cheap. Anthony ate both his chimichangas and I saved one for lunch or dinner tomorrow, so it was perfect for me.
As for rating this recipe..I'd give it 2 thumbs up. I may experiment in the future with a pepperjack cheese or some tomato flavor, but it's pretty fabulous as is. Anthony gave me a fist bump when he first bit into it, which is a high praise from him...about 5 minutes into the meal came another fist bump. When I pointed out that he'd already done that once he replied "it's deserving of two."
So there you go :)
Steve McNair died.
And it poured.
That made it a little odd.
However, we still had a good time. Anthony and I went to Bed Bath & Beyond where we got new stuff to spruce up his new apartment (he tells me I have a knack for finding stuff that fits him perfectly. Really, I'm just good at spending money that's not mine :P) Then we went to his parents house mid-afternoon. We were joined by both sets of his grandparents, two aunts, an uncle and cousins. Lots of fun, even if we did all continue running back to the tv to watch the breaking story in downtown.
Yesterday we did something that I hope will continue to be a tradition--we went to St Edward to hear the symphonic band and watch their amazing fireworks show. We went last year, although we hadn't started dating yet...actually, we hadn't even confessed our feelings to each other at that time. So it was kind of fun to return to the same place exactly a year later as a real couple :0)
I may have a picture or two later...my friend Erin took a couple of us last night. But for now I'll sign off because I truly need to WORK today. Argh.
I live in a pretty great neighborhood. I own a townhome in a quiet little subdivision. When I moved in, I was among the first of my generation to buy in the neighborhood, so it was just me and a bunch of little old ladies/gentlemen (and a few baby boomers scattered in). Over the last 5 years, more of that has shifted and while people my age are still scarce, it isn't all elderly people either. I have a few friends in the neighborhood (I've blogged about Erin). On one side of me is Mattie, who is wonderful and fun. On the other side is the woman I've dubbed "Crazy Neighbor Lady", known to her friends as Jean.
My first inkling that something was a little off with her happened in conversations we would have as she was sweeping off the sidewalk in front of her condo and I would be walking in. However, the first "INCIDENT" happened about a year and a half ago.
Volume 1:
I live 4 minutes from the airport and friends of mine often park in my other designated space (I own 2) when flying out so as not to pay astronomical parking fees. Crazy Neighbor Lady had been in her home about 2-3 months when a friend parked in my space for a week and a half while she was in Arizona. About day 8 this note appeared on my front door:
Just in case you can't read it, with original spelling and punctuation:
Laural (I believe your Name is):
Do you know who the car belongs to next to us. Ist does not bother me but has been there for awhile. & it occured to me it could be a stolen car. If you are a ware of the one, it belongs to, all is fine. Call me at xxx-xxxx if you do not know owner.
Thanks.
Jean Mxxx Kent
Because we all know that car thieves park their bounty in random neighborhoods.
Volume 2:
I don't have any photographic evidence to back this one up, this is simply a conversation we had. This is the main reason that when I see her out and about I ALWAYS pick up my cell phone and pretend to have a conversation. I am not the sort of person to do that regularly, so that's a huge deal.
(I'm unpacking the car from a shopping trip)
CNL: Lorie/Lorah! Lorie!
(she always starts conversations like this. As evidenced above, she has no idea what my name is.)
LorA: hi...
CNL: Hi Lorie. I just wanted to mention that the other day when I was peeking over the fence into your backyard...
(WHOA. Who *does* that? Who ADMITS they do that? And who blatantly TELLS the person they're spying on that they do that?)
The rest of the conversation was something about me not locking my gate one day and she was concerned....um, yeah. I'm sure she was just pissed I hadn't also left the back door unlocked so she could get in.
Volume 3:
I was talking to Barb, another friend in the neighborhood the other day and she asked me if I had seen THE NOTE. I said no, and she informed me that I needed to take a little hike down to the end of the sidewalk in front of CNL's house. There I found a teensy tiny piece of poo and this note, in a sandwich bag under a rock. I went back and took a picture for you all later (no poo, it was gone) and I even got brave enough to bring the note in and scan it. lol. I'm pretty sure it's easily read.
Ok, yes. Poo should not be on the sidewalk. But her complaint about it being in the grass is moot since she happens to live right next to the common area they are supposed to poop in. And it's not like we're talking about a huge specimen here, it was literally smaller than my pinky finger. In the time it took her to write the note, seal it in a plastic bag, and find a rock to weigh it down...she could have just scooted it off the sidewalk.
Sigh.
Please tell me I'm not the only one with a crazy neighbor?
I'm sure there will be more volumes to tell in the Crazy Neighbor Lady Chronicles. Stay tuned.
