Love & Art

Yesterday, I viewed The Kimbell's new exhibit Love & Art in Renaissance Italy. It wasn't the typical exhibit with just paintings. Instead, the collection included works of art that were given to commemorate special life events. Rather than landscape paintings, the collection opened with portraits of different brides and grooms. In addition to the portraits, other objects of art, like wedding chests, were given as dowries. But among the most ornate in the collection were the trays and bowls that were given to commemorate births. Whole scenes from the Bible might be depicted in the bottom of a bowl. And the colors were breathtaking in spite of being painted in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.

This idea of color brightening our lives, and making our greatest life moments even greater, stuck with me. Not being an artist, I thought about how I could add some more color to my life. Immediately, the idea of flowers came to mind.

When I used to watch Three's Company, I often wanted to be a florist like Janet. One trip to a local florist's shop, and I fell in love with the smell of chilled roses that wafted out each time I opened the door to the upright cooler storing the arrangements. But with zero classes on flower arranging offered at school and instead days upon days of practicing math and writing, my florist dreams vanished.

Until this Saturday afternoon.

I stopped by the local flower market and picked up a Texas dozen (make that 15) "cherry brandy" roses, complete with lots of leaves and thorns and some withered petals, all of which needed to be removed. I remembered a simple arrangement that I had seen made at a flower show last spring and decided to mimic it, though technically the bouquet is supposed to be sticking at a weirder angle in the vase than I saw fit to lean it.

Voila! Instant color for my kitchen and den.

But the fun didn't stop there. I had been wanting to try a recipe I found at Christmas for red velvet whoopie pies. So I made them this afternoon for my writers' group. Although I think the original chocolate whoopie pies are better, this is a fun take on an old favorite.


So go on and have yourself a little fun with color!

Two Truths Revealed

For those of you who commented on my Two Truths and a Lie, here's the truth:

In May 2006 B.B. (Before Blog), after being lured with a first-class ticket purchased by my sister and brother-in-law's frequent flier miles, I temporarily conquered my fear of flying and jetted out to LA to visit them. As an avid American Idol fan, and specifically Katharine McPhee that season, the timing of the trip couldn't have been better: I arrived in time for the semi-final showdown with Taylor Hicks, Katharine McPhee, and Elliott Yamin. My sister tried her hardest to obtain tickets to the show, but she could only secure tickets to TV Guide's Idol Tonight show, which tapes right before the taping of American Idol.

So we headed to Hollywood early Tuesday morning to stand in line for the show, leaving our cell phones in the car so that we would not have to check them in prior to the taping. Upon arriving, we received instructions on how things roll in the big world of American Idol. One line was for those who held tickets to the actual show's taping, one line was for those who held tickets to the dress rehearsal, and the third line was for those who held tickets to the TV Guide taping. Once we joined the two others in the TV Guide line, we learned that we held prime positions as #3, #4, #5, and #6 (me, Mom, Erin, and Bryan) because we might be called upon to fill seats during the taping of the semi-final American Idol show. However, we'd have to wait until after the TV Guide taping to know whether any seats would be available. So began our waiting from about 11 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

During that time, we watched as fans made posters to use during the show, listened as people lamented how hard it is to get tickets to The Price Is Right, and talked about each other's favorite performers. As we chatted, an official-looking man came through and asked several people who they were voting for. After chatting with them, he gave out a card that said "Taylor Hicks" or "Elliott Yamin," but he didn't hand out a card with Katharine's name on it. Until he got to me.

He asked me who I was voting for, and I told him. Then he asked me why, and I said, "Because she can sing anything she sets her mind to. She's that good." He asked if I could say that with "a little more enthusiasm" on television, and I said I'd try. He then handed me the "Katharine McPhee" sign and said that I would be motioned to the front when we got to the TV Guide taping.

(A few pics of me with a billboard advertising Idol Tonight and the finale; these pics were taken the following Friday when we returned to Hollywood to go sightseeing)

During the taping, co-host Rosanna Tavarez (the lady on the left on the billboard above) asked me several questions about Katharine McPhee, none of which she had practiced with me during the commercial break. But amazingly, I survived and didn't have to do a second take. The same wasn't true for Carmen Rasmusen, a past Idol contestant who was being interviewed about her new record deal and who kept giving out too many details. (I have searched online for a copy of this show, which was taped on May 16, 2006, but it has been "removed due to lack of inquiries.")

After the taping completed, they moved our initial line to the parking lot outside of the American Idol studio (which is taped at CBS, not Fox, for whatever reason) where we lamented the fact that we couldn't call anyone to tell them about the show and waited some more to find out whether there would be any empty seats that we could fill. Approximately ten minutes before the show started, the mother-daughter duo in front of us were allowed in. With five minutes left, we were pretty sure that we wouldn't get in. But to our amazement, they motioned for one person to go in, and my family let me go in. I sat down on the seventh row next to a lady who looked vaguely familiar (she turned out to be Dorothy Lucey, one of the co-hosts of the red carpet show before the Idol finale and the co-host of Good Day LA). Within minutes, I watched as my sister and brother-in-law were escorted down to the third row to sit in Terri Seymore's (Simon Cowell's ex-girlfriend) seats because she had not yet arrived. Within seconds, the show started.

I couldn't believe I was really there watching the show live. After the first song, Erin and Bryan had to move to seats farther back because Terri had arrived. She is actually friends with Dorothy and came to chat with Dorothy and her son during one of the commercial breaks. As she kneeled down by my feet, I admit, I was starstruck. But that feeling was quickly replaced with a sense of awe as Katharine sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" a capella for the first time. (She sang it a second time at the finale.) A definite chill-bump moment.

On the way home from the show, we called and voted several times for Katharine and tried to call friends and family to see if they had recorded the show. Amazingly, Bryan's dad caught my interview on Idol Tonight as he was flipping channels. But he's one of only a handful of people who saw it.

So why the lengthy recap? Because I must not have previously shared this story with all of my friends since the only person who got my two truths and a lie correct is someone who doesn't know me!

I've recapped the list of concerts I've attended here. As you can see, there's no mention of a Sarah McLachlan concert in New York because I've never been there. Thus, #2 was the lie.

So congratulations to Monica @ Paper Bridges for selecting #2 as my untruth!

Just Another Day at the Office

Fortunately for Tweetie, he managed to leave as stealthily as he had arrived.

Queen for a Day

Everyone should have the chance to feel as celebrated as I've felt today. I wish I had pictures to capture all the wonderful things my family and friends did for me today from birthday wishes sent via text, email, and regular mail to packages that arrived overflowing with love and thoughtfulness to meals composed of all of my favorite dishes. Who wouldn't feel loved with all this?

But I feel loved day in and day out because God has surrounded me with an amazing group of people who love Him and let His love overflow through them. I am blessed beyond measure. So thank you for loving me well and making my birthday so special.

(The yummy red velvet cake from Bluebonnet Bakery that I took to work today. But even this tasty treat could not compare with my friend Lee Ann's homemade cooked banana pudding with meringue, which was served warm right after a meal of chicken spaghetti, beef stroganoff, and salad prepared by Lee Ann, Sandi, and Susie. And the fifty-degree temperature outside made this warm food taste even better. I must be livin' right, as my friend Susie would say.)

*Note: I confess that I am also the queen of delayed postings. I started this post, along with the two others below it, earlier in the week but did not post them until Oct. 17.

A Little Weekend Humor

This week has been a bit of a tough one at times, so I thought it would be nice to end it on a lighter note.

One of my co-workers gave me this to put on my itchy arm where I had received my allergy shot.

My Spider Man bandaid reminded me of the super powers I felt I had while wearing R2D2 Underoos as a child. So go get some fun bandaids and put them on. I bet you'll catch yourself smiling.

Bunny Blues

For those of you wondering what happened to the bunnies, let's just say I took the cheap way out and am grateful for the money-back guarantee.

The "Inflatable Natural Enemy Scarecrow" is apparently not the natural enemy of this bunny.

Small Group Reunion

Last summer, I planned a reunion for my mom's birthday that involved getting all of her sisters and their daughters down to Texas. This summer, the reunion planning was on a much smaller scale.

My small group started meeting together in September of 2004, one month after our church was planted. We met together through the end of that year and then split into two groups because the church was rapidly growing. The core members of that initial group--Lee Ann, Melissa, Susie, Stephanie, and myself--are all still attending our church and our small group, with the exception of Stephanie who moved to Dallas.

In the four years since we started meeting, we've had some amazing women pass through our group. Unfortunately, I haven't kept in touch with all of the gals, but I have done my best to keep in touch with many of them. And tonight, ten of the past and present members (& some future members a/k/a babies) of our Wednesday night group gathered for a reunion at my house for a fiesta-themed dinner party.

We had a blast! It was great to hear what is going on in each of their lives. And now I have proof that my "Wednesday small group" that I often write about is not simply an imaginary group of friends.

All Creatures Great and Small

For several years now, I have wanted to go to the World Aquarium in Dallas. None of my friends seemed to have that same desire. And I didn't make time to go by myself.

When my friend Tammy and I started looking for a place to meet in the area, the World Aquarium started to look really attractive because it is indoors, thus sheltering us from the sweltering summer heat. She had already been before but agreed to go again and bring her children.

So today was the big day. I made my way to Dallas by train (my favorite way to travel, seriously) and met up with Tammy. I hadn't met her son and daughter before, and they made the experience all the more exciting. Their repeated shouts of "WOW!" helped me see God's creatures anew. Like seeing a cuckoo sitting on a post right next to the visitor path. Or watching a spoon-billed bird fly throughout the building and land in the water next to a turtle. Or seeing a waterfall for the first time. They were astounded. And they warmed up to me quickly, which warmed my heart. Her son kept telling us that this was so fun, and I was glad to hear that because he had toured the aquarium before. His only disappointment was not seeing any lobsters, but hopefully a trip to Central Market will enable him to fulfill that sighting.


(Alden intently studying the animals, while Stephen Jr. (in the blue) takes a look from below the fence bars)

Our fun continued through lunch where an overly-eager parker/bouncer (we're still not sure of his connection to the restaurant) allowed us to park at a meter right in front of the restaurant and gave us a card for a free dessert. Tammy's son proclaimed that the chocolate cake was great before it even arrived, and her daughter's satisfied expression after eating every last drop of her ice cream was contagious.

We walked around West End for a bit before I caught the train back. It was a wonderful trip that gave me a new appreciation for time with friends and all God's creatures (even the bats that hung upside down in two of the exhibits!).

Fun Fridays Update

By failing to post about our Fun Fridays lately, I probably gave the impression that we had already deserted them. Never fear, Fun Fridays have been ongoing!

On Friday the 15th, the entire office went to a BBQ place for lunch. While we were there, we "roasted" our clerks who will be leaving at the end of the summer. We laughed a lot as awards were given based on each clerk's unique attributes that have surfaced over the year.

Of course, I was not at work on the 22nd, but it sounds like it was a "Fun Food Friday." I heard that there was chocolate cake, banana pudding, and cherry cobbler with ice cream to celebrate different events. Too bad I missed that!

And today, we went out to lunch to celebrate a co-worker's birthday. You can't beat chicken fried chicken, buttered corn, mashed potatoes, and huge clover rolls. Now if only my hair didn't smell like homecooking . . .

Top Ten Things I Learned While On Vacation

I wanted to do one more thing to wrap up my vacation, so here's a little top ten list that I made of things I learned:

#10 - Traveling with a group of twelve is not for the impatient. Everywhere we went we waited. We waited for close to forty-five minutes to get three cars out of valet parking. We waited to get seated at restaurants (to the tune of over an hour at one place). We waited for our food. We were lucky to see any sites after how long it took just to get food several times a day. It made me wonder how Jesus and the twelve disciples did it day in and day out (not the waiting at restaurants or for cars, just traveling with a large group in general). But the waiting was worth it; when will we ever get all twelve of us together again to travel Texas?

#9 - I want some of my 80-year-old great aunt’s adventuresome spirit. Who else would say after riding a train for nine hours longer than expected, “That was FUN!”

#8 - Take time to watch the butterflies, and watch children as they try to catch them. I had great fun with my seven-year-old cousin as she patiently waited for a butterfly to land on her. When you live where it rains most of the year like she does, having a butterfly land in your hand and travel up your arm is a real treat!

#7 - I’m not ready for the old folks home yet, but rocking in rockers on a balcony with the whole group while listening to an outdoor German concert is a lot of fun.

#6 - Pictures keep the vacation and the memories alive. The day we got back, we made a CD of all our photos and have had a lot of fun going through them and reminiscing over things that just happened last week. I can only imagine that we will wear out the CD, if that’s possible.

#5 - If you are trying to break the sound barrier, just call our group. We actually scared my young cousin with how loud we got while playing a game. We definitely know how to have a good time.

#4 - The beauty of the hill country filled my soul: Think green rolling hills with amazing vistas. And all the culture. I enjoyed soaking it all up.

#3 - There comes a time to put away the sister hat and just wear the friend hat. My sister is nearing thirty, and yet I caught myself asking her where she was going at times, as if she needed me to keep tabs on her. The word “annoying” aptly described my actions. So, I’m working on cutting my “apron strings.”

#2 - I sleep better in my bed at home (the place where I grew up) than I sleep anywhere else on earth.

#1 - My dog will always greet me when I return from vacation as if I have been gone a lifetime because she missed me with all of her heart.

Humbling Feet

Ever wonder why God gave us feet?

I realize that we needed some type of movable appendage at the end of our legs to make us mobile and to prevent us from having to hop everywhere. And our feet definitely serve that purpose. But I think there’s even more to them.

Have you ever noticed that feet aren’t all that attractive? Especially men’s feet. But even when feet have been well taken care of, they still aren’t that pretty. But, maybe I’m biased because I have webbed toes. Or maybe, just maybe, God gave us feet to keep us humble.

After all, it’s hard to be haughty when you’re barefoot and your feet are out there for all to see. Are your toes hairy? Is your arch flat? Do your feet stink? Are your toes webbed?

The next time you might be tempted to not be humble, just glance down at your feet and think of God’s sense of humor. I’m pretty sure it is evident in all our funny feet.

Preparing To Have Fun

I now know why a lot of people don’t take vacations. It is WORK to get ready for one.

I’m in the middle of a huge project at work that I want to wrap up before I leave for vacation. And, I’m feeling “hard pressed on every side” as I try to make that happen. You see, I have appointments and errands and obligations before and after work each day, which limit my ability to work extra hours to get this huge project done.

But are all the things I’ve crammed into my schedule in preparation for vacation really necessary?

Did I need a haircut, a brow wax, and a pedicure? I tell myself that those were absolutely necessary because I am seeing my family. After all, I wouldn’t want to show up as the "Shaggy, Unibrow, Callous Foot Wonder" and embarrass them.

Do I “need” to get the dog bathed and get my house in “perfect” order for the housesitter? Obviously, I don’t want to be known as a slob or have the housesitter deal with the dog hair that is everywhere.


And then those familiar words hit me: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken from her.” (Luke 10:38-42)

You see, I am a Martha through and through. I want everything looking perfect. I want everything to be in order.

But at what cost? Sacrificing prayer time?

I see a definite correlation between the increase in my anxiety level and my absence of time with the Lord. I want to be prayed up for this trip--for good health, safe travel, and sweet time with family. But in order to do that, I must make prayer a priority and dispense with my preconceived notions of what I may or may not look like when I arrive and how my house might look while I’m gone.

Lord, I want to choose “what is better.” Help me. As I prepare for this trip, show me what really needs to be done.

Fun Friday

A few weeks ago, a co-worker decided that a group of us should do something fun on our lunch hour on Fridays. Who could say no to that?

So, we started our first Fun Friday by trying a new restaurant that a friend mentioned. This place was truly Texan--it served amazing hamburgers and homemade milk shakes, offered dining under live oak trees on a multi-level deck, and had live music . . . AT LUNCH! It was fantastic!!!

Today, we did something a little different. We watched movies. Not just any movies. Home movies of me in high school. At the prom. And giving a hysterical presentation in senior English.

Why allow others to laugh at me? Because it’s fun to let others see how much I’ve changed, or not. It’s also fun to show off my small town roots.

My co-workers had never heard of a prom being taped before. This was merely the proof. They now wish that they’d had their proms videoed. (So that they could add the video to a time capsule and show what styles were in back in “the day.” )

The day flew by because it was fun to anticipate their reaction and to laugh with them as they made fun of hairstyles and clothing, mine in particular.

Thankfully, I have no desire to run for public office or I’d be in trouble considering that I’ve now given my co-workers plenty of ammunition to fuel some pretty funny tv ads or newspaper articles.

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Here's another fun post for a Fun Friday:

Ode to a Couch

Oh couch, sweet couch! You were my first major purchase after I graduated from college and started my first real job. I would never have guessed back then that you would see me through over a decade’s worth of sitting. That you would welcome all my friends. That you wouldn’t get tired of being the only place to sit day in and day out. When the dining room table and chairs arrived seven years ago, they initially gave you a little bit of competition, but they were never as comfortable as you were. You survived the past three years of dog hair and dog accidents, and still you kept your impeccable exterior. Your only fault is that your plaid pattern, which initially drew me to you, is a bit busy for the patterned tile floors. I have tried to make it work for several years now, but just felt it was time for you to move on and bless another family. Keep being so selfless, and remember that you will always be my first couch!
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Happy Friday to all!