Role Play? Hopefully not!

I often refer to my dogs as my children. You know, “I’ve got to get home to the kids.” and “We’re taking the girls to the cabin this weekend.” Statements like that, which if you do not know me, could be very confusing. (It also doesn’t help that I have pictures of my niece all over my desk and give people in the office updates as if she was my own child.) I have also made the same dog/child analogy in a previous blog post, here. So I take my responsibility to them very serious. I worry about their health and safety, if they’re warm or cool enough, if they get enough exercise, things that any good mother would worry about.

Like most families we have our daily routines. I wake up at 6:00am every morning (sometimes at 6:09 or 6:18…at the latest 6:27, oh alright, I have ponytail and just mascara work days where I get up at 7:00) and as if I would ever forget about them, I’m immediately reminded that yes I have 3 dogs sleeping in the same room because as soon as my feet hit the ground Shelby leaps from her bed and launches into her song and tap dance routine as if to say, “Hey! Hey! Hey! You’re going to let us out right mom? Right? Hunh? You’re going to let us out, right? Yes! I knew it! You’re letting us out! Alright mom!” And this is EVERY morning.

So as I wait for 3 grown dogs to try and barrel out the bedroom door at the same time, I then follow them into the kitchen and open the back door to let them out. Well, my sweet hydrated Callie makes a sleepy bee line for the yard and pees for about 10 minutes, while Toccoa runs and sits at the edge of the deck scanning the yard for any sign of a squirrel or robin so that she can greet them and say good morning. (AKA run them up a tree and terrorize them) Shelby on the other hand, you know the one who could win a Tony Award for her morning performance and feels it is her duty to make sure every living soul is awake the moment she is, ya well she stops at the kitchen doorway like, “Mom it is way too early to go outside.” So I feed them breakfast, get them fresh water and then they lay at my feet grooming each other while I get ready for work. Then when it’s time for me to leave I let them back into the dark, quiet bedroom where they snuggle up with my husband in the warm, snuggly bed and that is where they stay while Steven gets to sleep for, oh just another 2-3 hours that’s all. Absolutely no bitterness here. But yes, that is how I leave my mutts and my man every morning. Sigh… Nonetheless, I feel somewhat good about taking care of the kids every morning and then heading off to earn some moola to contribute to our household and lifestyle. And I’m all, oh ya, I’m going to be a great mother…

With my day starting much earlier then Steven’s, usually when I get home in the evening I am done. Kaput. Frazzled. Exhausted. Some might say (my husband) a tad dramatic. So majority of the time my handy man is in the kitchen preparing dinner and taking care of the kid’s evening dinner routine.

Well last night he was working late so it was me and the girls. I got home around 5:30pm and let them inside. I knew it was a little early to feed them dinner but last time I was left as soul caregiver, because I didn’t feed them right when I let them in, I forgot and they didn’t get dinner till about 9pm. So to be on the safe side I went ahead and filled their bowls, which they immediately scarfed down.

I went on with my evening, tiding up some things, finishing laundry, mopping the floor… just for fun lets pretend that IS what I did instead of watch a movie on HBO, take an hour nap and eat a rather large serving of Mac & Cheese for dinner. As I was stirring from my nap around 8, I sat up and saw the girls asleep in the living room as well. I swear it didn’t look like normal naps; they looked famished, like they were too weak to raise their heads to look at me, they were barely responding to their names. This was serious. I ran into the kitchen and saw their shiny empty bowls and immediately recognized that twinge of guilt that starts in the pit of your stomach. I FORGOT TO FEED MY KIDS…AGAIN.

I went and helped them into the kitchen, because they were so weak and all, and put a nice fresh scoop of dog chow in their bowls and kept apologizing profusely for being such a bad mother. Once they licked their bowls clean we went back in the living room and I felt relieved that I at least remembered before Steven got home with his accusatory inquisition, “You fed the girls, right?”

I won’t even let you in on how much fun Steven had with me when we realized I had in fact remembered to feed our dogs…twice. But more importantly, it got me thinking. Motherhood. Team practices, doctor’s appointments, piano lessons, birthday parties, school picture day, science fair project deadlines, dentist appointments, did I give them lunch money, has he showered this week, did I brush her hair, did she have shoes on when I dropped her off? YIKES. There is a LOT to remember. Maybe when you actually have kids your body starts producing an organization hormone or something? Maybe? Or maybe, just maybe, Steven will consider birthing the children as a fair part of my contribution to parenthood and he can remember all the other stuff and we'll call it even.

I don't know though, if you ask these kiddos, I bet they'd tell you I'm a pretty darn good Mama...





If that's not the answer you get, don't believe them. They are so living a great life :)

Weekend in Pictures

So my hubby turned 30 this past Friday. Which is fine and well with me because I've always had a thing for older men...

So much handsomeness.

We were able to celebrate with our best friends who live in Atlanta and stayed with them for the whole weekend.

The Hinshaw's on Pearl Street. So here's the short and sweet 411 of a rare and special friendship.

I've known Beth since I was 10 years old and we were awkward and uncoordinated and sat on the bench of our 6th grade basketball team all season.

Steven and Jess have been friends for 10 years, maybe longer. Some of their stories would make for a whole separate post.

Over three years ago Beth and Jess started dating and 6 months later while I was visiting Beth she introduced me to Steven and the spark was ignited. Beth and Jess married May 2008 and a week later Steven proposed to me.

Beth and I always thought it would be cool to marry brothers...but we'll take best friends :)

Back to our weekend.

Friday night we went to Rathbun's Steakhouse, incredible food.

Satisfied and full-bellied, what better place to go next then a bar with a naked mermaid above the door.


The next morning we took a stroll around the old sites of Cabbage Town.






We went through a graffiti tunnel.



Jess went to the barber shop.


We headed out to attend a beautiful wedding.


After a restful nights sleep, we awoke to eggs and sausage biscuits and a little Wii Fit. The morning followed with another walk and successful trip to a yard sell, a quick stop for a banana milkshake and then a trip to the park.

I have always turned to Beth for good advice.


Especially on what a solid, healthy marriage should look like...


It looks fun, maybe I will join?

Yep. Life is good!

Remember when I said Beth and I were a little awkward and uncoordinated...?


After we walked back to the house we made homemade pizza from scratch.

I can actually feel Steven rolling his eyes... No, I did not make homemade pizza from scratch. Beth did and it was delicious.

I did however have a photo shoot with Lilly.



Steven and I were definitely in no rush to get home. Except to see our girls of course :) But we absolutely love our time spent with the Hinshaws.



Thanks guys! We'll be back :)

Has anyone seen my sunglasses?

THE FUTURE'S SO BRIGHT...I GOTTA WEAR SHADES.

Birds of a Feather

I really like birds. Not in the crazy bird watching lady kind of way, although I'd be fine with that. Our back yard is like a bird sanctuary. There's a few old trees around the house full of ivy and kudzu, a perfect place for birds. I just enjoy starting the day with the windows up listening to them go crazy. Sometimes, I even make up my own lyrics and chants to go along with their tunes. Yes, I do that.

Here's their favorite tree, there's no telling how many birds live in HERE!

Another favorite spot, we usually find 2 or 3 nests in here.

These are from one morning in the backyard when a Robin let me work a little photo shoot...



This is a nest in the corner of our screen porch (currently without screen). This little nest has been used at least 5 or 6 times in the last couple of years. We even get to see the flying practices! Papa bird perches on a branch next to the porch keeping an eye out for danger, while Mama bird chirps in encouragement while the little ones take the plunge!
You can see how well crafted this has become.

It's not just the real thing I enjoy though. I often find myself drawn to bird art. I really like old vintage sketches as well as some fun folk interpretations. I thought I'd share a few examples below:

Patterned Birds

Vintage Bird Collage

Embroidered Bird

I love this! All of her work is so intriguing to me.
Camilla Engman

How amazing is this chandelier! This one is too expensive, but I think it would be so much fun to create your own.
Bird Chandelier

And last but not least, the most perfect mobile! I can't find the link for where I originally saw this, but I pretty much have the pattern for those cute little fabric birds and plan on making one to one day go in our nursery :)


So what's with the bird on the brain you ask? It all started with a Chinese Proverb I stumbled upon. Well actually it started with a conversation that Steven and I frequently have to re-visit.

I am a constant flowing river of emotions. I don't think Steven ever ceases to be amazed at my ability to flow from happy, sad, excited, anxious, peaceful, content, restless, ill to joyful and then back again. And that's all in one day :) But see, I think it's perfectly beautiful and natural to allow yourself to feel and experience and acknowledge everything that flows through you. Be it the Vally or the Mountain top.

Steven however, is a constant, sturdy, optimistic, ROCK. He believes you choose your emotion and control everything with your attitude. Which I agree with to some extent. But to him if you just don't acknowledge it, then it doesn't exist.

The conflict comes when Steven views my emotional current as something that needs to be fixed and will change with time. (sorry, no chance) And then I get my feelings hurt because I often interpret his rockness as not caring enough to be willing to just feel something. Truth is, sometimes when I'm having a melancholy day, I don't want to just "change my attitude" I want to have a melancholy day! And I feel like part of being intimate with someone is when you can strip all protective walls and just feel what you feel. Which maybe that doesn't make sense! Why do we maintain our "keep it together" attitude for the rest of world and then the people we love get the good, BAD, and the UGLY?? Anyways...

So we usually remember the whole Mars and Venus thing, kiss and make-up, and move on.

All that in reference to the Chinese Proverb about birds that I found. Connection, you ask? It's sort of a promise I made to myself, I compromise of sorts.

“You cannot prevent the birds of sadness from passing over your head, but you can prevent their making a nest in your hair”

I am a creature of emotion and most days I enjoy all that it entails. But I do promise that the moments and days when the less desirable emotions "pass over head" I will do my best to keep them moving along quickly to make room for my favorite ones: joy, peace, contentment, and love.

A book for the heart...

So last week I went and had lunch at a little sandwich shop downtown where I could eat outside. I had just finished the book I had been reading and so I brought along a book my brother gave me for my birthday called The Ragamuffin Gospel, by Brennan Manning. I had picked it up several times to start reading but for some reason I kept deciding on something else. Well it was time to dive in. Before chapter 1 there was a section called "A Word Before." As I'm reading this short 2 page introduction, it was as if all of Broad Street disappeared and I was completely alone sitting at my little cafe table with tears streaming down my face, all while smiling! The Lord will find away to speak however He can and He spoke.

Below are the words that I had been needing to hear:

The Ragamuffin Gospel was written with a specific reading audience in mind.
This book in not for the super spiritual.
It is not for muscular Christians who have made John Wayne, and not Jesus, their hero.
It is not for academics who would imprison Jesus in the ivory tower of exegesis.
It is not for noisy, feel-good folks who manipulate Christianity into a naked appeal to emotion.
It is not for hooded mystics who want magic in their religion.
It is not for Alleluia Christians who live only on the mountaintop and have never visited the valley of desolation.
It is not for the fearless and tearless.
It is not for red-hot zealots who boast with the rich young ruler of the Gospels, "All these commandments I have kept from my youth."
It is not for the complacent who hoist over their shoulders a tote bag of honors, diplomas, and good works, actually believing they have it made.
It is not for legalists who would rather surrender control of their souls to rules than run the risk of living in union with Jesus.
If anyone is still reading along, The Ragamuffin Gospel was written for the bedraggled, beat-up, and burnt-out.
It is for the sorely burdened who are still shifting the heavy suitcase from one hand to the other.
It is for the wobbly and weak-kneed who know they don't have it all together and are too proud to accept the handout of amazing grace.
It is for inconsistent, unsteady disciples whose cheese is falling off their cracker.
It is for poor, weak, sinful men and women with hereditary faults and limited talents.
It is for earthen vessels who shuffle along on feet of clay.
It is for the bent and the bruised who feel that their lives are a grave disappointment to God.
It is for smart people who know they are stupid and honest disciples who admit they are scalawags.
The Ragamuffin Gospel is a book I wrote for myself and anyone who has grown weary and discouraged along the Way.
~Brennan Mannin

I haven't finished the book yet, and I'm sure I will be posting more as I do. But I was so encouraged by just the opening that I wanted to go ahead and share.

A hint of Fall...in August?

Would we soak up and enjoy every second of our weekends if they were more than just the precious two days? For me that answer is most definitely yes! But two days is all I get.

This past weekend was another fabulous break. This time it got a surprising start with a doozie of a storm Friday night (which I love!) Meaning no power for several hours, a house full of candles, and a midnight walk with our headlamps to check out the damage and breathe in the cool wet air brought in with the storm.

Saturday morning Steven and I both slept in. For me that means 8:30am, for Steven that means noon... I love my mornings though. The quiet, the morning light, the calm. Especially this morning, I was very pleasantly surprised to walk out to cool crisp fall-ish morning air. Well, I've mentioned in a previous post how Shelby is eerily like her father, so she's not much of a morning gal herself! But Toccoa comes and snuggles on my pillow with me the second she sees movement, and Callie sits out on the deck with me while I drink my coffee. Here's how i got to start my Saturday!

Then around 2, my parents came up for a visit and to attend the CRBI River Revelry, an annual fundraiser to celebrate and protect our rivers. I was so excited to spend time with them and to show off our constantly redecorated house. That's probably one of the things I hate most about not living near my family, they don't get to see my newly acquired wifey nesting skills. Anyways, the event was incredible. An outdoor concert right on the river with plenty of BBQ, and made even more magical by the cool, breezy weather. Mama won me an 8 week Natural Birthing Class in the silent auction. I would have loved to see her claim the prize! Apparently they found it quite funny that she was the mother-in-law who bid on it for her daughter who is NOT pregnant! No worries though, there's no expiration date ;) Mama also accidentally bid $800 on a kayak during the live auction when she waved across the crowd when she saw where we were sitting! Luckily, it sold for $900. I think she was then told to be still and sit on her hands. Then again, it's all for the rivers right?! How great is it to have parents you can drink, dance, and have a good time with? :)

And it went on into the night...


I spent my Sunday morning being lazy and just enjoying the time I had to sit and visit with my parents, once again outside on a rare August morning humidity free! Then Steven decided to join us, that's right...at noon :) That afternoon, after my parent's send off, Steven and I took the girls out to our favorite field to let them run off some energy.


And then they got thirsty...



And I've never seen a dragonfly like this...


We actually thought we lost Toccoa for awhile! Sometimes she chases after Callie, who has the endurance of an African Gazelle, and we were afraid Toccoa hadn't been able to keep up and was lost somewhere in the woods. After 40 minutes of scouring the land, Steven noticed Shelby and Callie kept looking towards the car. Yep, Toccoa was past out under the car, tongue rolled out, apparently oblivious to the 14,733 times we had called her name.

She's easy to forgive though :)