Currently…

March 17, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

Borrowed this from a fellow blogger.

In an effort to not think too hard…it is the weekend, after all. 😉

Enjoy. :)

Current Books: Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider…reading it slowly to digest it and actually apply it to life. Beginning a new Bible study book, Effective Parenting in a Defective World by Chip Ingram…looking forward to it. Just finished a Karen Kingsbury on the plane, Leaving. Problem is I scored that one super cheap…the other three in the series roll in at a whopping $10 each. I’ll be borrowing those from the library. But definitely a good read.

Current Playlist: No particular artists but lately lovin’ anyone who’s “redone” a hymn, like the one I posted a few weeks ago. Also have a playlist for running that I listen to. When I run. 😉 The rest of the playlist is whatever I’m singin’ at the time. Works for me. :)

Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure: Does The Bachelor count? I didn’t watch the whole season, just here or there, but my interest was definitely piqued with the finale. I truly don’t know what Ben was thinking…or that he was thinking…but I wish love for him and Courtney. Truly.

Current Colors: Always a fan of green. Really liking it with brown and cream right now, too.

Current Fetish: Flip flops. Always. Especially when the weather is summer in March. Score.

Current Food: Um…don’t laugh. String Cheese. Craved it the whole time we were gone. Something about a good shot of protein with just a few calories.

Current Drink: Two. Of course. Coffee…with whatever creamer I have in my fridge. :) And lately, liking Cherry Coke Zero. Both much better with a dear friend and a heart-spilling chat.

Current Favorite Favorite: Music. Love it all. (Well, mostly.) I sang through my whole run this morning. Not sure how I sounded, but the world…was just brighter this morning. Waved at a few drivers I recognized, belted out All I Need (Bethany Dillon), and soaked in the moments of the sun on my face. Music.

Current Wishlist: I don’t really have a list of wants other than shorts that fit ;). If I could wish for something, it would be that balance in life came more easily. I’m trying…and jet lag has helped with it the last few mornings. I’ve woken up so early and had so much time to accomplish things before the daily grind of life began. Morning coffee, Bible reading, laundry, blogging, running…have all happened before I needed to get Mae up for the day. Maybe I’m wishing that this trend can continue. I think it could be very, very good. Oh, and maybe I’ll wish that my book will get published this year…well, once I finish it. 😉

Current Needs: New black flip flops. Whether those are actually a need…it doesn’t really matter, probably.

Current Triumphs: How does one answer this without bragging? Or at least sounding like it. Being a pound away from my goal weight is definitely a triumph…and the fact that I decided weeks ago not to obsess over a number on the scale anymore.

Current Bane-of-my-Existence: I’m not, in general, particularly annoyed with anything right now. I really try to look on the sunny side of the street…and walk there ’cause it’s much warmer, too!

Current Celebrity Crush: Totally my hubby. He’s famous to me. :)

Current Indulgence: Today I finished round 2 of the Biggest Loser competition with my friends at church. And I am eating a big chocolate chip cookie sometime today to celebrate. And maybe some pizza, too!

Current Mood: JOYful. Allowing the JOY to seep into every moment…because life is good even when things are hard. I am blessed, I am loved, I am His…and that’s enough.

Current #1 Blessing: Family, friends…and the JOY they add to life.

Current Slang or Saying: Golly, Miss Molly… (to Mae); Oy… Aduh… (that one never changes)

Current Outfit: Brown cargo shorts, purple tank top, flip flops with rhinestones that are, sadly, falling apart.

Current Link: Um, I don’t know? I really, really like these shoes. I could add them to my wishlist, maybe. 😉 You can find them here.

Current Quote: I spent some time reading in Romans this morning when I got home from my run…the sun was shining, there was coffee made, and I couldn’t NOT sit on the front porch and soak it all in. Chapter 8 was particularly meaningful today, though no one verse stands out. But I also spent my Valentine’s Amazon money (finally) and bought the devotional, Jesus Calling, for my Kindle. And today’s thoughts were exactly what I needed to read. This stood out:

“Rejoice in the One who understands you completely and loves you perfectly. As I fill you with My Love, you become a reservoir of love, overflowing into the lives of other people.”

Wow…I want that to be me.

Current Photo: Um, bread, anyone?!?! (Sorry, I had to talk about it one more time!!!) 😉

Sig

Filed Under: adventures, blessings, family, friends, just life, Maelie, Tobin, where I am

A (Poor) American in Paris

March 16, 2012 by · 1 Comment

At the end of our trip we stopped in Paris for a day.

Since I was a little girl, I’d dreamed of seeing the Eiffel Tower and all of the things that made Paris so magical.

The Eiffel Tower was cool…and when the lights twinkled at night, it was magical. Like seeing something I’d only ever imagined…and it didn’t disappoint.

But Paris…I have to reflect on this city, and here’s why.

I couldn’t believe the amount of Gucci and Chanel and Prada and expensive purses and coats and boots I saw. It seemed that everyone around me was just a walking advertisement for Vogue…and I looked down at my Target jeans and $5 combat boots that I wore while tromping through Paris.

And I felt poor.

We’d see people lounging in the late afternoon sun having a drink and a chat with friends at an outdoor cafe…and a quick peek at the menu told us exactly what they were paying to have that drink.

I felt poor again.

We wandered a bit around dinner time, looking for a place off the beaten path, but the prices just killed us. (Obviously, figuratively ;)) We could have paid the money and eaten that food, but we just couldn’t do it.

If that makes any sense. :)

It was a reminder, once again, that I felt poor.

As the evening wore on, Paris crept into every part of me, nagging and whispering to me exactly what I didn’t have. Lots of money, expensive things…

And then I caught myself.

And as we walked back through the narrow, cobbled streets and passed bakeries and bought bread…what we could afford…I stopped.

Thought for a moment.

And smiled.

Eight days of adventure with my honey, courtesy of some hard-earned frequent flyer miles. 😉 Going to places we never thought we’d see. Exploring and having adventures that didn’t require emptying our savings account. Riding a camel and suriviving the Tangier market. Basking in the beauty of the Mediterranean and the mountains and the sunshine. Laughing, mostly. Learning to love more deeply. Knowing that when we went back, we’d have our amazing daughter waiting for us in a place that is home…full of friends and family and community and love.

So I tromped through Paris feeling very, very poor.

And when we arrived home…had a precious reunion with our girl, saw some dear friends, started feeling a bit jet-lagged…I opened my purse to see a small paper bag containing my Eiffel Tower key chain, my lone souvenir from Paris that I paid half a Euro for.

I clipped it onto my keys and stared at it for awhile, thankful for the reminder.

The reminder that I am very, very rich.

Sig

Filed Under: adventures, blessings, culture shock, Maelie, Tobin, travel, where I am

Last Day

March 12, 2012 by · 4 Comments

It’s our last day in Spain…early tomorrow morning we head to Paris for a day before coming home on Wednesday.

We’ve had a great time here…sunshine, sand, the (really, really cold) Mediterranean, bread :), exploring, good coffee, adventures to African countries, camel riding, wandering, dreaming, talking, just being together.

It’s been exactly what we needed.

We were talking today about how we’re ready to come home, though, which could be a first for me on a vacation. Ever. I do love the beach. :) But we miss our girl, we love our home and friends and church…and we’re ready for normal again…if that’s what we are. 😉

Tomorrow is a quick stop in Paris, long enough to see the Eiffel Tower, eat some French food (probably BREAD if Tobin leaves the choice up to me!), spend the night, and head home.

We’ve been so blessed to have this time together…and saying goodbye to Spain is a little sad, but it’s been so good that it’s hard to be too sad.

Signing off from España…love you all. :)

Sig

Filed Under: adventures, blessings, Tobin, travel

Just a Few Pics…

March 11, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

Ok…not much time today, so I´m just sharing a few pictures/stories with you all.

Morocco yesterday was wonderful…and there are a lot more pics than these, so I’ll take some time and post a bunch when we get back in a few days. :)

We’re have a great time…enjoying the sunshine and time to just be together. We’re definitely more-than-a-little excited to see our girl again, but she’s in good hands and having a great time. It will be a fun reunion, though.

Ok, the pics. Enjoy!

First up…here we are. Baby camel = Way. Too. Cute. Must cuddle.

Camel ride! Something I’ve always wanted to do…and even more exciting that it was actually in Africa. Cool.

Making friends in the Tangier marketplace…I actually bought that scarf, which one of you will probably receive as a gift. 😉 Truthfully, of all the markets and hawkers we’ve experienced, those were some of the worst. But this guy was ok, and once we bought a few things from him…well, best friends for life. Or something like that. He was cool.

And…a pic from exploring today. Tobin and I needed to get to the train station to buy our tickets for the trip to the airport on Tuesday morning…we were advised to buy them early. We could have taken a taxi but decided to walk it and save the 13 Euros…about $20. It was a good walk…and we stopped to eat a pastry on some obscure, out-of-the-way park bench. But there’s no picture of the pastry because…well, if you’d taken a bite, you’d know why we didn’t stop to take a pic. 😉 Good thing we shared.

Back tomorrow…hope you’re all having a great day!

Sig

Filed Under: adventures, Tobin, travel

So, Um…

March 10, 2012 by · 1 Comment

Warning: I am not whining here…just being dramatic. You´re used to it.

😉

So, just a small request of my favorite blog readers:

If you ever hear me mention this word again…and I do mean ever…and that word would be FERRY…your response is this:

No, Mel.

NO, Mel.

No, No, NO, MEL!

Two doses of Dramamine later, which were taken far too close to each other, I did survive the ferry rides over the crazy, choppy, boat-rocking, Strait of Gibraltar…but that was it.

I hereby swear that my days of traveling by ferry are O.V.E.R.

Over.

I don´t want to do that to myself again. Or to my husband. OR…to me.

Thankfully, despite the drowsiness and drugged-ness, we did have a good time in the land of crazy, Moroccan, fun.

Here´s a teaser for you…more stories and pics tomorrow. 😉

Sig

Filed Under: adventures, Tobin, travel

Jet Lag JOY

March 9, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

Maybe there is a teeny bit of sarcasm in that title…or maybe more than that.

But it´s true…jet lag kicked my butt today.

It´s to be expected when your days and nights get all mixed up…but this time it hit a lot harder than I was expecting.

We slept like rocks our first night here. And last night we went to sleep around 10 pm, planning to get up at 6:00 to catch our first bus at 7:45 to Algeciras, to catch another connecting one to Tarifa, to catch the ferry to Tangier.

It never happened.

I´m not sure exactly what happened…other than the phone rang just after midnight. I´d slept for just long enough for my body to feel like it had gotten enough rest, and that was it.

After (both of us) tossing and turning until 2 a.m. or so, we had a conversation that went something like this:

Mel: Honey, I´m fine if we wait til Saturday to go to Morocco.
Tobin: Huh?
Mel: I cannot go to Morocco tomorrow…I´ll be a wreck.
Tobin: Why are we having this conversation now?
Mel: Because it´s 2 a.m. and we´re both awake. Why not?
Tobin: Should we check into a different trip?

So we both got dressed, went down to the lobby to get on the computer and reserved our spot on a tour for tomorrow.

Yeah, that´s what we did in the middle of the night. :)

Then we went back to our room, fell asleep around 3 a.m. and slept til 9 or so.

It took me two cups of coffee, a hot shower, and three ibuprofin before I was even able to function, but we tried to make the most of our day.

It was cooler, so we took some time and walked through the old part of town, had lunch, walked more, had coffee, walked more. I like exploring and seeing new things so it was a good way to spend the day. :)

I had expected to be in Morocco today, which was a bummer…and the gray clouds didn´t help. But tomorrow we´re going on an organized tour, and as much as neither of us like structure on vacation, with a trip like this, it´s almost better.

At least I hope so…at least all of the travel plans are made FOR us. :)

So tomorrow will be a long day, but we´re both looking forward to it and will, I´m sure, have a lot of pictures and stories to share.

And hopefully the jet lag will be gone by then, too.

:)

Sig

Filed Under: adventures, just life, Tobin, travel, uncategorized

All the Way From Spain…

March 7, 2012 by · 2 Comments

This is gonna be short tonight, but we did arrive safely in Spain. :)

All is well…though I am really hoping that tomorrow is warmer than today…otherwise I´m going to be wearing the same two sweaters over and over and over. To be fair, the sun was almost down by the time we arrived at our hotel. Here´s hopin´for some WARM sunshine!

Neither of us has had much sleep…I think we each managed about two hours, Tobin on our flight from Paris to Malaga and me on a couch in the Paris airport. (Tobin took a picture…I´m not sure it will ever make it to the blog, though!) I. Was. OUT.

We´re looking forward to the adventures the next few days will hold. Tomorrow is exploring, a trip to the market, and maybe some walking on the beach if it´s not too frigid.

I need to get a little tan! Friday we head (hopefully!) to Morocco…we´re still figuring out transportation deals.

Almost time to crash…g´nite! :)

Sig

Filed Under: adventures, Tobin, travel

Little Blessings (Pt. 26)

March 6, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

:) Um…vacation time?! YaHOO!!!!!!!!!

:) Amazing friends who love our daughter and are willing to take her for us while we’re gone.

:) Flu shots that work.

:) Sunshine and sweater weather.

:) Unconditional doggy-love.

:) My sweet daughter and memorable moments involving door-closing, couch-jumping, and plunger-stealing. I so love her.

:) Surfing! I. Can’t. Wait.

:) A quick morning coffee and chat with my dear friend.

:) Free wi-fi so I can still (somewhat) update the blog while we’re gone.

:) Adventures with my best friend.

Sig

Filed Under: adventures, blessings, friends, just life, Maelie, Tobin, travel

Mel’s Rules for Moving to Illinois

March 3, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

I came across this today as I was sorting through old documents.

According to the last time I updated it, it was written two days after we moved here, on July 30, 2010. I suspect I was feeling lonely, Maelie was napping, and I needed something to do since we had no internet.

I smiled as I read through it…felt a little guilty, but mostly happy.

The way God provides is amazing…and reading this made me so very thankful for the blessings He’s given.

Oh, and I added my commentary ’cause I knew you’d want my reflections. 😉

Mel’s Rules for Moving to Illinois

1. Spend money on the bedroom. It is the place Tobin and I connect and share our most intimate moments. It is worth every single penny. Ok, ok so this one took quite awhile. But we did eventually follow through.

2. It is not wrong to have a most amazing kitchen, especially if it was already that way when we moved in…so don’t feel guilty about it. Success…I feel zero guilt and mostly love for my kitchen. Especially since there are no cockroaches hiding in the silverware drawer. :)

3. Take walks every day and meet my neighbors. (Plus I have that annoying baby weight I need to get rid of anyway…) We did take a lot of walks but that wasn’t really how we met our neighbors…they mostly came to say hi if we were outside. And the baby weight? Well, it took a lot more than walking! 😉

4. Don’t hide behind a closed door and wish for what I can’t have anymore. Thankfully this only happened for a few weeks before I was rescued by an incredible friend. I learned that, having an infant, it was very easy to hide but that I didn’t want to. And once I had a way to not hide, it was pretty easy to open the door.

5. Allow myself a Starbucks or Caribou once a week. Take Maelie and go, looking for someone to talk to. Don’t wait for someone else to initiate the conversation. I’ve definitely made a few friends in coffee shops…and I’ve probably allowed myself more than one coffee a week, too! I maintain that a coffee shop is a great place to find friends. :)

6. Make finding a good church a priority. Don’t sleep in on Sundays and “wait til next week”. (I laugh because there was no such thing as sleeping in ever with Maelie. I’m thankful that, after trying out a few places, God provided the best place for us. We love our church. :))

7. Post pictures of life for friends back in my other “homes”. I’m not a big picture-poster, but I do a decent job through the blog, I think. I’m still not great at keeping in touch, but if someone writes me, I will almost always respond.

8. Update my status on Facebook more often. Epic. Fail. However, I am not a person who wants the world to know what I ate for breakfast or who I’m currently annoyed with. I update it when there’s something to share. :)

9. Find a mom’s group, preferably one that meets at parks so the kids can play. Sunshine is good…especially when I haven’t seen it for several weeks.

LOVE. My mom’s group kinda found me…and I’m forever grateful. Bonus…it’s a mom’s Bible study, which I needed and wanted and was scared to hope for. AND they meet at parks in the summer. :) I love how God gives us desires we’re scared to admit we have.

10. Crying is ok…for a little while. But part of moving on is accepting that things have changed. I did cry for awhile…and the day I decided to like it here was the day I wasn’t sad anymore. I decided that change can bring some of the biggest blessings God has for us, if we’re willing to accept it.

11. True friends will always be there, whether I live down the block or across the world. Don’t be afraid to make some new ones—the old ones aren’t going anywhere. Enough said. :)

12. Give myself some grace in this time of transition. Stop expecting perfection from myself and others. I don’t know how I did on this one…but I know I’m thankful for the people who love me despite my imperfections.

:)

God is GOOD.

Sig

Filed Under: adventures, blessings, culture shock, encouragement, friends, just life, remembering, what I'm learning, where I am

A Tiny Bit of Caffeine and Some Talkin’, Too

February 18, 2012 by · 1 Comment

Ok, some depth.

Deep thoughts. I do those well, right? Well, sometimes… 😉

After my insanely late night last week, I know better than to sit down with a cup of actual coffee tonight. So we’re pretend-coffee-dating with a Diet Pepsi and my scattered, heart-thoughts tonight.

I just sent Tobin to Target. Actually, he went willingly, I am most positive, to have a break from the crabby girl.

And, no, we’re not talking about me. 😉 Poor Mae…her sleep has been less than enough the last few days, and even after an almost-three-hour nap, she was still quite moody tonight. And, anyway, it’s really best for all of us if Tobin goes to Target.

Because he will get what’s on the list.

I? Well, I of course will get what’s on the list. Plus, a little bit more.

For some ridiculous reason, inspiration strikes me all too frequently when I am strolling the glorious red and white aisles of Target. I have moments of creativity that make me justify spending $30 in the home decor aisle to improve that wall in my living room that never really needed to be improved in the first place.

Or, worse, I go in for shampoo and come out with all the supplies needed to throw a backyard BBQ. And it’s February. In Illinois.

See, this is why I send him to Target whenever possible.

Last night we had a fun double date with our good friends, Kris and Jonny, to celebrate Valentine’s Day. We went to Red Lobster, where I chalked up another new adventure. Hee hee. :)

Truly, it was an adventure.

We call it crab legs.

I’d never had them before…and they were really good despite the fact that it took me eons to actually crack one open. But they were worth it. :) And it was something new.

I like that.

And then we all played Hand and Foot ’til almost midnight, and that made me happy ’cause card games are my favorite. (And that was the reason I kinda blogged, but really didn’t, last night. But I hope you enjoyed the song anyway. ;))

Music has been my happy place lately. I don’t mean that it’s replaced anything…but if I’m having a day, I turn on the radio, crank up the iPod, or chord out a song on the piano. It just makes me happy to sing along…and I like to hear Maelie starting to sing, too. She’s even starting to play the piano…I use the word play very loosely…but once in awhile she’ll hit a string of notes that could be a tune. (Or maybe the I-believe-my-daughter-will-be-a-two-year-old-prodigy quality in me just thinks she hits the notes. ;))

Speaking of music…so I actually did finish that song I’ve been working on since, oh, 2008. Really, it has been that long.

Funny how projects seem to take me years longer than the average person. :) I like it. I actually think I might try to record it…not to do anything with it, but just to have it. For a memory and a reminder of the life and the change and the crazy we’ve lived…and my God who held (and still holds) it all together. Even though the words first came almost four years ago, I’ve been amazed, even in recent weeks, how they still ring true in my life today.

Something cool happened this week.

God answered a prayer for a friend…something I’d been praying about for several weeks. It just makes my heart smile to see how He works…and reminds me that when I’ve got something on my heart, the best thing I can do is tell Him about it. :)

I’ve been talking to God a lot lately…because life is hard. I carry burdens, I let my heart ache…and sometimes it just feels like a lot. I’m so glad I can tell Him all about everything I think and feel and know that He’s listening. That He loves me. That He understands.

This week could be a turning point…and I’d appreciate your prayers.

I love that I have Hope in my Father…and that I can rest in His goodness when I don’t see.

Well, I should end this 600+ word ramble…my Diet Pepsi was gone a few paragraphs ago, and I’ve moved on to herbal tea.

Yes, I realize how old that last sentence made me sound. Truth is, I’ve been fighting a cold for a week. I’m stubborn enough to put up a good fight,too, with the help of Airborne, tea, and mouthwash. (But not all at once… ;))

Hope you are all having a fantastic weekend.

Love ya bunches.

Sig

Filed Under: adventures, being mommy, blessings, coffee, friends, just life, Maelie, where I am
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