Five-Minute Friday: Bare

February 8, 2013 by · 8 Comments

Today I’m linking up with Lisa-Jo at The Gypsy Mama for Five-Minute Friday.

Join me!

The rules: Write for five minutes. No editing, revising, overthinking, or backtracking. Just write.

Today’s Topic: Bare

It’s an early and cold winter morning, and the first thing I do is wiggle my bare feet into my slippers.

Being a tropical-at-heart girl, I’m not so much into being cold, and those slippers, strangely, make my entire body feel about a hundred degrees warmer. Even though they’re only covering my feet.

I remember the blizzard we got two years ago, and how I couldn’t wait to jump around in the almost-two-feet of snow that fell. At one point, I got this crazy idea to take my boots and socks off and run around barefoot in the snow.

It was cold…like, I’m not sure I’ve ever been that cold. And, honestly, I had a hard time warming up for the rest of the day.

When we walk around with bare feet, our senses are heightened. We notice those things we may have missed with shoes or slippers or even a pair of socks.

That lovely, little dribble-puddle of apple juice my daughter has left on the floor.

The sticky peanut butter that somehow escaped from her sandwich and made it’s way to the bottom of my foot.

That tiny little rock on the sidewalk that, had I even been wearing flip flops, I never would have noticed.

And sometimes? What we’ve experienced while we’re barefoot affects us longer than foot-stickiness or a moment of pain.

I named my blog what it is for a reason.

While slippers are awesome…especially in the frigid-to-me, Chicago-burb winters…I never want to get too comfortable with those foot-coverings.

God tells us in Scripture that we should rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.

Basically, I feel like He’s telling me I should feel…as much as possible.

Go barefoot. :)

Even if my feet end up freezing while I’m doing it. 😉

Five Minute Friday

Sig

Filed Under: adventures, barefoot, Five Minute Friday, just life, remembering, where I am

My God-Sized Dream: Mean Girls

February 5, 2013 by · 24 Comments

It’s Tuesday…Dreaming Day.

Actually, every day is full of dreams for me ;), but today…grab a cup of coffee and let’s have a chat.

Last week, my friend Holley asked the ladies on the God-Sized Dream Team to do something really scary. Like, so scary, I still cringe.

She asked us to post a photo of ourselves during an awkward phase.

Oh, there were sweaty, shaky hands and almost-puke-inducing butterflies as I selected this photo, checked fifty times to make sure I was only posting it to the private Dream Team facebook page, and then hit the share button.

Awkward, almost-12-year-old Mel.

It’s not as if I think I was the ugliest person on the planet…though that perm…really?! Why did we ever think that was a remotely acceptable style? 😉

But that picture reminds me of things. People. Words…often unkind ones. Memories I can’t shake of a heart-bleeding time in my life.

Those have left deep wounds that are still not fully healed.

I was awkward, somewhat of an outcast…always questioning belonging and relationship. Not the happiest place for a preteen to be. And, sadly, it never really got better until I moved on from that little Iowa town.

There were just some mean girls…I didn’t understand them then and I don’t understand them now. And I really don’t want to go there today…we all know about mean girls.

But when I saw today’s writing topic,

What’s one fear you’ve faced when it comes to your God-sized dream? And what’s the truth that’s bigger than that fear?

Oh, I tried. Believe me, friends, I tried…to find one fear that was bigger, one that scared me more, yet I could somehow bear to face a little easier in this vulnerable, online place of heart-spilling.

But I just couldn’t.

Because, more than anything, I am afraid of mean girls.

I fear what I feared in middle school…in a different, yet strangely similar, way.

I fear that the things I write from my heart that mean so much to me will be ridiculed and made fun of, purposely stomped on and torn apart. I fear that the dream God has placed in my heart will shatter to bits under the weight of these things.

Oh, how these thoughts and emotions could potentially destroy me if I let them. And I can’t let them.

I know that these fears and insecurities I have in me won’t just disappear overnight. That’s not the way we learn trust and acceptance and identity.

But what I know? Is that my God is bigger than them.

Way bigger.

And in facing this fear of rejection, I simply need to rely on His promises to me and trust them as Truth…because they are.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.
Isaiah 26:3

For you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.
Psalm 63:7-8

There are probably a thousand other verses I could share…My Father is truly the One Who can heal and overcome, build us back up when we’ve been torn down…and remind us of where true belonging and identity are found.

Perhaps the experiences I’ve had have also reminded me of grace and the choice I have to extend it each day to those around me. I don’t always know what they face; I don’t know what goes on in their hearts. But I can choose to love and accept, to be kind and embrace others as who God has created them to be.

And if you’d like to read some amazing stories of how God is at work in making big dreams happen for some amazing women, click on the button below. We’re linking up every Tuesday and would love for you to join us!

God-Sized Dreams

Sig

Filed Under: barefoot, blessings, encouragement, God-Sized Dreams, just life, remembering, what I'm learning, where I am, writing

Monday Scatter

February 4, 2013 by · 2 Comments

Do you ever have those scatterbrained days?

I started off with a plan for this glorious day called Monday. I really did.

It is so against my personality type to make a to-do list, but I actually scribble one out every Monday (on crazy paper that’s about nine different colors ;)) and add to it as the week goes on. This morning I was actually pretty motivated, but I had such a hard time focusing.

While Maelie ate her breakfast, I was planning to send out an e-mail to my Bible study. (That didn’t happen until much later.)

Then, while she was painting or doing puzzles, I was going to have some quiet(er) time…catching up on a study I’m doing and reading some Psalms. Instead, I felt guilty that I hadn’t shoveled yet and the poor mailman (or woman) would have to tromp through four-ish inches of fluffy snow…and so I took Maelie outside to “play” at 8:30 a.m. :) She had fun in the snow and “helped” me shovel, which only made everything take longer, but it’s about the memories, right? And those were most definitely made. 😉

This afternoon was more of the same. I went to clean the kitchen and got sidetracked by a basket of laundry that needed folding. I pulled out the vacuum, and it sat in the living room for two hours before I actually used it.

Just call me incredibly scattered today. Oy…

Even tonight…I sat down to finally write after my usual, Monday night workout, and I got distracted by this site. Oh, don’t misunderstand me…I think it’s fantastic to use your smarts to donate rice to help feed the hungry. And…it was a good reason to brush up on my world geography. 😉

But, still…did I actually do what I intended? Um, nope…well, not til at least 10:30 p.m.

I guess some days are just like that…all over the place.

I’ve been doing a bit of reflecting on Friday’s post.

I couldn’t believe how hard it was to publish that.

Ever the non-rule-follower, I actually do follow the rules for Five-Minute Friday, and after my five minutes of writing were done, I saved the draft, plopped on the couch next to my hubby…and cried. I could have not pushed the publish button, I guess…I was caught in this strange place of wanting to know how honest I should/could/wanted to be.

Not everything needs to be shared, ya know? And I wasn’t sure I wanted to share all of that. I don’t feel I owe any of my readers an explanation for my obvious openness…it’s certainly not the first time I’ve bared my soul. 😉 But it was a hard post to put out into the blogosphere.

The funny thing? Was that I felt free after I published it. Almost as if God said, Ok, Mel…you know what you need to do, so just do it. Trust Me. Actually, pretty sure He did…and has been saying it for awhile. :)

And that makes me smile. It’s a good place to land after a scattered day. Here’s hoping for a little more focus tomorrow. :)

Sig

Filed Under: barefoot, being mommy, blessings, encouragement, Five Minute Friday, just life, Maelie, random, where I am

2013: Dream

January 1, 2013 by · Leave a Comment

Happy 2013!

If you popped over for my list of 13 in 2013 ;), I hate to disappoint you, but there’s not one.

It isn’t that I don’t believe in setting goals or having things to work toward. There are plenty of things I’d like to see happen this year. I just didn’t write them all down.

At least yet.

I’m trying to find more balance this year…and I’ll admit that I’m definitely in process.

We all are…all the time, but for some reason I just feel like I’m really in process right now.

I’ve decided that’s a good thing. :)

2013 is the year I get to write my book. Honestly, I’ve already written a good portion of it, but this is the year where it goes somewhere. That is, if God wants it to. And so a lot of my spare time…you know those moments between chasing a toddler and painting with watercolors and sticking stickers and rocking baby dolls…will be spent with words.

I wrote my life statement for the God-Sized Dream Team today.

Hmmm…

It was no small task. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever spent so much time on one sentence. And between the scribbles and notes, I managed to come up with what I believe God is asking of me this year.

I believe God has created and called me to encourage and inspire others through words, stories, and lessons learned from the unexpected adventures that come from a journey of walking by faith.

At this time in my life, I feel that sentence best depicts the purpose of my book.

God gave me (us) an experience like no other when He opened the door for us to spend five years in Indonesia. That doesn’t make our experience, or our lives for that matter, any better than anyone’s, but those years did leave me with a few things.

Perspective.

Insight.

Heart lessons.

Laughter.

Deeper love.

…and more.

And my purpose in writing is to share some of what He taught me through the grit and the grace that abounded during those years.

And still continues today.

In trying to choose a word for 2013, I went through several.

I thought I was going to choose Rooted, a word that God continually seems to bring to my mind and my heart.

In the end, though, I chose Dream.

God has given me an incredibly opportunity to really pursue the dream of writing a book this year. He’s given me amazing friends and prayer support and a team of women who are each pursuing a dream as well.

Today is the first day of 2013, and again, as I do each day, I am giving my dream to God. I can plan all I want, write all I want, submit my book to as many publishers as I want…but in the end?

What happens is up to Him.

I trust Him and I’m blessed beyond words for the opportunity to

DREAM.

Will you come along for the journey?

And, today, my sweet friend, Holley Gerth, launched an e-book called The “Do-What-You-Can” Plan: 21 Days to Making Any Area of Your Life Better. It’s fantastic…I’m going through it right now. And today…JUST TODAY…the Kindle version is free! Head on over here for your free copy!


Sig

Filed Under: adventures, barefoot, blessings, encouragement, goals, God-Sized Dreams, Indonesia, just life, what I'm learning, where I am, writing

Honest Thoughts

December 16, 2012 by · 4 Comments

I try to be honest in this space.

Obviously, there are things that I don’t tell you, things that don’t need to be shared, and things that just plain don’t belong here.

But I think this particular type of honesty does have a place here, especially after last Friday, a day that will be etched in the minds of most of us for heart-wrenching reasons.

I think that’s why I need to share.

You see, it has been a really, really hard few weeks in the parenting department.

It felt like, almost overnight, my sweet, usually-compliant, full-of-love daughter did a 180.

She and I were constantly butting heads over everything…from helping to pick up toys to getting her diaper changed; from sharing with others to simply doing what mommy asked her to do. She would yell at me, throw temper tantrums, and often hit.

I don’t share these things to embarrass her later in life…goodness, I was two once, and no angel, I’m sure. 😉 And it wasn’t like there weren’t any good moments…it just felt as if the difficult ones overwhelmed everything else.

My meter-o-patience was teetering dangerously toward empty in the middle of last week. It felt like every moment was infiltrated by a toddler determined to do exactly the opposite of what I wanted from her.

And then Friday came.

We had a really good morning together, but by afternoon we’d had a couple rough patches, and I felt like we were both in survival mode until Tobin came home from work.

And then I logged into facebook, which led me to turn on the news, where the tears immediately started to fall.

Little kids. Why, God??? Why little kids?

I’m pretty sure those words came out of my mouth as I buried my head in my hands for a minute or two.

And then I felt her hand on my knee.

Mommy? Mommy? It’s ok. You don’t need to cry.

In an instant she was in my lap, snuggling deep into my left shoulder, allowing herself, uncharacteristically, to be held tightly for several minutes.

The whole time I prayed was a mix of Oh, God, be near and Thank You, Father, that my girl is in my arms.

The crux of it for me? Is that there are going to be Days. Weeks. Stages.

Ones that I don’t love like I should, ones that I squeeze out of my sponge rather than soak up.

I don’t think there’s a parent out there who would say that parenting is easy and without frustration and tears.

The events of Friday broke my heart. There’s nothing I can say that people haven’t already said…my eyes fill with tears when I think of parents who have empty arms and shattered hearts over those precious children who are gone from their lives much too soon.

As I held my daughter tighter on Friday, it was almost like God was saying,  You know what, Mel? There are going to be those days. But hold her close and love her because I’ve given her to you.

Oh, my Mae…we are going to struggle. We are going to have some rough moments. But, as has already been true, I know the good and the wonderful will always outweigh those moments that are less-than that. I want you to know, sweet girl, how much I treasure you, how much

I. Love You.

To the moon and back. Plus infinity.

:)

Thank You, God, for my girl. For mommy-daughter moments shared, for lives impacting others, for overjoyed laughter…

And for Love.

Always. Love.

Sig

Filed Under: barefoot, being mommy, blessings, encouragement, family, just life, Maelie, where I am

Dreaming God-Sized Dreams

November 29, 2012 by · 8 Comments

All of us…in one way or another…have dreams.

Dreams in and of themselves are beautiful things. They allow our imaginations limitless boundaries to create ideal and perfect…full of hypothetical rainbows, daisies, and smiley faces. (Well, if you’re me. ;))

It’s when we take steps to turn those dreams into reality that they can sometimes become messy, discouraging, and full of valleys we’d never planned.

For five years, from 2005-2010, my husband and I gave our hearts to a country on the other side of the world. I talk about Indonesia now with fond memories, but to tell you that it was full of those rainbows at the time would be untrue.

During those years I saw my Father take me and painfully chisel away those parts that were getting in the way of His glory.

I saw huge disappointments that caused more grief than I ever thought possible, teaching me that my joy could not be found in what I had planned for my life…but in His perfect plan.

I saw Him take a woman who thought she had it all going for her and bring her to a place where she had nothing to give but what she had in His strength.

When our Indonesia life ended and we suddenly had this brand-new(ish) American existence, I started to write.

I needed to write.

The need to process became necessary for my emotional survival in a country that was mine and yet made me feel like a stranger. I wrote about everything…from learning to park a car again to the perils of choosing a salad dressing from the mile-long aisle, and from my disdain for wearing boots over jeans (which is hilarious now!) to the dozens of coffee creamer flavors I purchased just so I could try them all. :) I wrote about how hard it was to feel alone and the joy that came from a friend who came to find me, about a heart that broke from starting over again to a Father who redeemed broken and was the Giver of all givers.

It was good processing. More than good.

And as the words found paper and I allowed my heart to bleed, there was this little dream that crept in.

Or, maybe not such a little dream.

As God began taking my stories from Indonesia and weaving them into my now-life, I knew He was asking something of me.

Something that I’ve always wanted to do, but also something that takes Bravery. Trust. Surrender.

Which are kinda scary sometimes.

And I knew it was time to write…really write…that book.

I believe what happened next was completely of my Father.

I read this site often, but sometimes I miss a day or two. And for whatever reason, when I hopped over about a month ago, my eyes fell on this blog post.

As I read Holley‘s words, I felt this little twinge in my heart, the kind that God puts there to say, It’s time. Do it. Be brave. You’ve got Me, and I’m all you need.

So, I applied.

Honestly, I didn’t expect to be accepted. Oh, I hoped…like, a million times a day, but I tried desperately not to get my hopes up.

And when I opened my e-mail on that morning two weeks ago and saw a message saying, Congratulations! I’m thrilled let you know that you’re part of the God-Sized Dream Team!…well, I walked around with a completely-founded, silly grin for the next few days. :)

In just a couple of days I have the awesome privilege of joining a team of 99 women from around the world who all have a God-Sized Dream. For the next six months we’ll travel this road together…the one of taking our dreams, placing them in the Father’s hands, doing everything we can in His strength to realize them, and trusting Him completely with those hopes that passionately consume our hearts.

I don’t know these women or their stories, but what I do know is that we’re in a similar place of dreaming BIG…and trusting God with it all. I can’t wait to get to know their hearts and to walk this beautiful journey…one of letting God move as only He can…together.

It’s going to be amazing!

Over the next six months, I’ll be sharing more with you. What I’m learning, what He’s doing in my heart, and the way He’s changing me…I hope you’ll come along for the ride.

I really have no clue what to expect, but I know that there’s a reason…and I’m SO excited!

This is a chance to be brave, and I’m ready to step forward.

Thanks for your love and prayers, friends! You are each a blessing to this heart.

Sig

Filed Under: adventures, barefoot, blessings, just life, what I'm learning, where I am, writing

An Impossible Perspective

September 29, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

I look around me and I wonder.

I wonder a lot of things.

I especially wonder why…why, in this beautiful tropical country, one where God’s fingerprints are everywhere, I still see such need all around me.

Not just physical, but emotional. Spiritual.

It’s as if the need has become too great and no one knows how to help.

Each day is the same for me.

I put on my one pair of tattered flip flops and trudge to the market.

I pass children in their school uniforms. Carrying backpacks with books. Pencils. Paper. They’re excited.

Oh, how I long to be one of them.

There’s so much to learn…do…see…discover. And I want to sit in a classroom and soak it all up right along with them.

I arrive at the market and find my father…the man who sells fish.

Sometimes he sells enough to provide for our family that day. Sometimes not.

But I help him. I love him and am so proud of him for doing what he can for our family.

That evening we go home. Short on sales that day, our family has a bit of rice for dinner. My parents are tired, worn out, discouraged…and we go to sleep early on the corner mattress we share.

I lie there in the dark…and I wait.

I’m waiting for something. Someone. I’m not sure what or who or how, but I pray every day that it will happen.

That someone will choose to help ME. That they will sacrifice a little so I can go to school. And wear red shorts and a white shirt and sit in a classroom and learn all I can. So my family can eat. So my parents can rest easy each night knowing that our basic needs are met.

Maybe they will even have enough energy to join me at church on Sunday.

It’s a beautiful dream and one that could come true, but I need that person. Someone to say, “Your life matters. You are worth investing in. And I want to be that person.”

It would truly change my life forever.

*********************

Sometimes, even as a writer, I find it impossible to fully find the perspective of someone.

A child waiting for a sponsor is one of those people.

It’s almost a place I don’t want to go. Most of you know that I’ve seen this very situation…walked right past it many times, I’m sure. I’ll never forget the sight of those students in their red shorts and white shirts on their way to school. And near them, the children who didn’t wear their school uniforms. Didn’t go to school…not because they didn’t want to but because they couldn’t afford to.

I saw need. In the eyes of those children whose lives were spent begging at the corner of Jalan Sukajadi and Pasteur. I wanted something different…better for them. I hope and pray that somehow they found it.

Tomorrow marks the last day of Compassion’s Blog Month. As of Friday, there are still over 400 children waiting for sponsors.

It’s never too late to change the life of a child.

Because every child deserves a chance.

Sig

Filed Under: barefoot, blessings, Compassion, Indonesia, remembering, where I am

Cold Toes

September 23, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

Summer is turning to fall.

I feel it mostly in the air. And, in my cold toes.

A few days ago, I caved and put socks on. (I usually reserve those only for when I go running.) Refusing to give in to actual shoes, I even tromped outside, sporting the socks and flip flop look for a day or two. SO not cool, Mel…oh, the fashion police I will offend just to avoid shoes.

😉

However, I did finally give in over the weekend and pull out my combat boots. You know, those steal-of-a-deal ones I so fortunately nabbed at Goodwill last December? Yeah, those. :) I smiled as I dusted them off and may or may not have let out a giggle when I realized the last time I wore them was the day we tromped six-ish miles through Pareeee. (Sorry, that was my epic failure of an attempt to sound French.)

Paris.

And though they were real shoes, I have to admit that my feet liked them very much as I stomped the last bits of European dust off.

I’m sad, though…I’m gonna need to find some replacements very soon. While they’ll work for my Monday-Saturday life for a while longer, I really shouldn’t wear them to church anymore.

Yes, I did say anymore.

I wore them all the time last winter/spring. I do believe that makes me insanely cool. 😉

Really, I am pretty ready for fall and all that comes with it…crunchy leaves :), pecan pie, pumpkin spice coffee creamer (found that one a couple weeks ago already!!!), apple cider, sweaters and jeans, going for a morning run when the leaves are pretty, raking the leaves into a big pile and jumping into them because I’m making up for my Indo, fall-less years.

Aaaaahhhh. :)

All of that fun?

Is definitely worth the cold toes. :)

And just because I can…this pic is a couple years old. (Obviously…the girlie is teeny-tiny!) But I love it.

Sig

Filed Under: barefoot, blessings, just life, Maelie, running, where I am

The ABC’s of Mel’s Brain

July 24, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

It’s definitely time for me to sit down and have some quality time with the blog.

It isn’t like I haven’t been here the last few weeks, but I haven’t been here.

I guess life is just like that sometimes.

So…in 26, if-I-make-it-that-long, bullet points…here’s life.

Sorta.

And by the way, I wrote part of this on a Sunday…I think I reference that once or twice. :)

  • Andre is my dog…my nine year-old boy. I love him. He puts a smile on my face even when I don’t feel like smiling.
  • Hearts that break are opportunities for God to do some major healing. That’s what I’ve been learning lately.
  • I love to create. My brain is awesome at dreaming up ideas…the following through is hard. Ish. Really enjoying painting lately and almost ready to pull out the sewing machine and learn how to use it.
  • I still want to learn to play the djembe. Really play it. Thinking about blowing the rest of my birthday money on one since it’s cheaper than a plane ticket to Africa so I can buy one in a market there. :)
  • Epic moments have made up life lately. Nothing huge, just important. I feel like I’m finally comfortable with being who I am…and not caring (as much) what other people think. Took me awhile to even get to that point.
  • F is for big failure. Feeling like that in a lot of ways. A friend said something today about Satan attacking ferociously on Sundays. I have to agree…feeling really down today.
  • Good memories. Really trying to focus on the blessings that God has placed in my life. There are so many…and I’m thankful for each of them.
  • Happiness is this picture I bought for myself a few weeks ago with some of my birthday money. I love it. I can’t think of a better thing to hang in our kitchen on our green wall. :)

  • Ice cream cake. It’s worth turning a year older for…to be sure. A week and some later, we’re still working on it. Which could speak volumes about our self control…or the fact that I sorta forgot it was in the freezer! :)
  • Goofy, but I love toast with jelly. So does Mae.
  • Mae is still talking about chasing kitties on the farm. Golly, I love her…and that she had such a good time there.
  • I am so thankful that I am loved. By friends, by my family, by my Father. So good.
  • Mae lights up my life. Every single day. What a blessing she is.
  • Thankful for a Father who never gives up on me, even on those days when I’m sure everyone else has.
  • I’ve been overtired lately…too many late nights and too much early-morning running. Headed to bed soon, thankfully.
  • Poofy pigtails on my princess of a girl. Her cutest look so far, I think.
  • Been a week full of questions. I’m more convinced than ever that some things, there will be no answers for, until I can ask my Father face to face.
  • Reunions with sweet friends…always fun. Always hard to say goodbye, too. Still worth the hello.
  • I love my Sammy, too…I never thought we’d bring home an Indo souvenir like the one we’ve got living in our house. He’s one-of-a-kind.
  • Sometimes you just gotta cry big, fat tears. Letting them fall helps. And letting my two year-old daughter hug them away teaches the beauty of compassion.
  • Sometimes we just need people who love us unconditionally. Thankful for that this week.
  • I was thinking of learning to play the violin. Just kidding. :)
  • I found this bottle of wine a week or so ago. Seriously. I thought we had topped it with Barefoot wine, but this? Fantastic.

  • X…seriously? Who can come up with anything related to it in daily life? I don’t play the xylophone and I haven’t broken any bones lately, so this one may just have to stay blank.
  • Ever feel like life is a ride on a yoyo?
  • We haven’t been to the zoo yet this summer. We talked about hitting the one in Omaha with some of my family later in August. We’ll see.

If you stuck around long enough to read all of this…thanks.

You’re a blessing, friends. :)

Sig

Filed Under: barefoot, being mommy, blessings, dogs, family, friends, just life, Maelie, random, Tobin, what I'm learning, where I am

Grass that Crunches While I Sing Veggie Tales

July 10, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

No, not really.

I’m just in one of those moods…you’ve been warned.

😉

This barefoot chica experienced a summer-first today. I would rather wear flip flops than go barefoot. Yes, indeed-y, the grass is sooooo very un-rained-upon that running over it barefoot can be compared (almost) to running over needles. OUCH.

So much for barefoot frisbee.

In my mind there are only three…count ’em…ways that raisins are EVER acceptable. 1) Chocolate covered…preferrably dark, but any will do; 2) In trail mix, but only if salty peanuts are also included because the salt coats the raisins, thus making them far more appealing; and 3) in Raisin Bran.

And if you put them in cookies? Shame on you. 😉

Certain items in the Target Dollar Section should be outlawed. Like, packs of Sesame Street Matching cards. How many times have I picked them up in the last two hours?

We won’t go there. Tonight, anyway.

Veggie Tales songs have an unwelcome tendency to stick in my head for, I don’t know, EVER. However, I did sing (perfectly, I think!) the songs, “It’s Laura’s Fault” AND “It’s Lenny’s Fault” from Larry Boy and the Fib from Outer Space.

In Maelie’s mind, I think that made me cool. :) (Should you want to watch a clip, both of the songs are found here.)

Weird, but true, I always have a backup pair of sunglasses. That’s because I break at least one pair a year. I usually buy them on clearance at the end of the season for the next year…just in case. You know, so I have a pass if I actually sit on my currently-being-used pair. Which almost always happens.

My daughter climbs. Like, really climbs. She tries to climb on top of her play kitchen and a few days ago tried to scale the side of the swimming pool. She also jumps. Everywhere she goes. Perhaps my favorite? She hangs from the little kitchen island-counter we have. Yep…can we all shout, Little Future Gymnast, together now? 1, 2, 3…

OY.

One of my favorite things ever is spending the day with a friend and my girl. Got to do that today…I seriously love friends, coffee, chatting, and all things Maelie. T’was wonderful. :)

I love the random of a day.

😀

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Filed Under: barefoot, coffee, friends, just life, Maelie, random, where I am
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