More Than Words

I read this book this weekend. There is one particular sentence and line that leapt out at me it was so beautiful. And perfect. I would share it with you but I only borrowed the book and read it like a I was a drunk with a new bottle of wine. I read it so quickly that I'm still digesting it and I need to go get my own copy so I can write in the margins and highlight my favorite parts.

There is just something about reading that wakes me up and makes me feel alive again. Especially a really, really good book that I can whiz through because the writing is delicious and the story is worth following. They remind me why I love reading so much. It humanizes me, tenderizes me, makes me aware of fellow travelers on the path of life.

I love a good book.

Lovely

I attended a writers' workshop a few weeks ago where a writer my age spoke about his work in fantasy fiction. He was tall and funny and balding in that gentle way that makes him seem too young to have encountered such follicular challenges. He was more than I expected and better too.

He reminded me that I love the gasp of delight that comes when I encounter unexpected goodness or joy. It feels a bit like jumping impetuously off a rocky ledge on a summer-hot day only to be engulfed by the startling cold water of a mountain lake. The joy of feeling comes partly from the sharpness of that initial pain. 

In some way that describes what I felt when I first read my friend Sarah's essay "Pregnant Thoughts in the Afternoon." It elicited that gasp as it cut me to the quick with this 

[C]ruising through the culture-doused streets of Paris with nagging anxieties about my future clawing into what should have been a care-free vacation with a good friend (whose rich "uncle" was paying for the whole shebang!). While I should have been joyfully diving into patisseries and appreciating only the layers of butter and air, I was worrying about that whole husband thing. Would I ever meet him? The One? Would I be too flawed for him to love me back? There were no prospects at the time and while I was prepared to run to him with open arms, I had serious doubts that he actually existed.

She had articulated my own thrumming thoughts and the often incessant whirl of doubts in my own head. She just did it so well that I nearly missed the real point of her post. And I don't want you to miss it either. 

So, take a minute to digest it for yourself. You might be surprised by joy just like me.  

Reading Roundup 11/12/10

I often find at the end of the week that there are several things I have come across that week that made an impact on me or that I liked or that made me laugh, so I'm introducing Reading Roundup. A chance to review some of my favorite things that week.

Here are the tidbits and stories this week: 

A word of advice about what NOT to do when the UPS man shows up at your door. This story made me nearly cry with laughter when I first came across it. So, cop to it--just how many of you have done something similar? 

A bluesy song from the two sisters of the Dixie Chicks. I heard this song this week and I liked the stripped-down and laid-bare feel of it. Take a listen and see what you think. 

The most inspirational of the week was my brother Brock writing about his last year doing Crossfit and how it has changed his body and his mind. He goes into detail about what he has learned from this process and I loved reading it. It gave me a boost of can-do attitude as well as insight as he addresses issues like body image and self-confidence. 

Happy Friday!

The Goobies Photo 2010

I've been looking at this photo for weeks on my desktop. It makes me smile every time I see it. I love Kai's face, Gaby's girliness, Noah's total comfort level, and B's attempt at a smile. And Meg and Spencer just look good and happy. I think this photo captured a moment in time that will make me smile for years to come.

Meg had a great photographer in the valley do the photo shoot. Her business is called Captured by Mikki.  Check out the other photos from the photo shoot on her blog.

Introducing Miss Celia

This little darling is baby Celia. She joins 4 older siblings, is greatly loved by all and is as sweet and delicious  as she looks

I love babies. And the more babies join the family (and baby Celia is #21) the more my heart explodes with L-O-V-E. I can't believe how much each new baby splits me wide open with excitement and joy. And that love doesn't diminish any of the sweetness and delight I have in any of the other 20 n&ns that I still get to enjoy. I feel so, so lucky to have so many of them around. I know the parenting gig can be a tough one but I appreciate so much all of my siblings and their spouses and their willingness to be parents because the rewards for me as an auntie? They are incomparable.

In the meantime, check out my sister-in-law Cissy's blog where she shares more about this little sweetheart. And sit and stay for a spell. I love perusing Cissy's writing because she has such writerly way about her and knows how to tell a story simply and well.

Meanwhile, I'm planning my next opportunity to stop by and give little Celia another cuddle. 

Queens of the Dance

I'm "borrowing" most of this post wholesale from my darling niece Abby who writes on a private blog at http://babsaroni.blogspot.com. She is such a creative teenager who loves music and words and is poised to conquer the world with her gifts someday soon.

Tonight though she just made me LAUGH when she pulled out a video from this summer that features two of her aunts dancing for National Dance Day (inspired by the show So You Think You Can Dance). What do you think of the talent these two display?

These are Abby's words on the subject:

This is my FAVE video that my Aunt Julie (Brown hair) and my Aunt Cassie (Blonde hair) made. I'm suprised it only has 67 views. But I know we can get it to thousands... :)

Let's make Abby's dream come true by getting them more airtime and see if you don't bubble over with their crazy fun while you are watching. :)

What I Want

I know it has been forever since I have written. I have a number of excuses handy about why that is the case but what it comes down to is this: I am mixed up about what to say. I want to say too much and not enough. So, I'm just going to get some of it out on the table. Here's the lowdown lately:

• Work is going better than it has in a really long time. I feel more organized, I love the sunlight in my office, I like having all of my coworkers together in the same office suite, I like working in a beautiful building. Work is very left-brained for me but it certainly helps my right-brain side when I can work in beauty.
•  School is busy. Really, really busy. 
• The weight thing for me is nonstop, constant thing. I don't write about it here. I've written about it some on my other blog and that is for now where most of it is going to stay. 
• I am the ward newsletter editor right now in my church calling. It is actually a lot like the work I do every day--compiling content, editing it for access, making it palatable and interesting for consumption. I really enjoy getting to interact with lots of people to put the newsletter together. I also like that people seem to enjoy it so much. It makes me really happy. 
• I have a new niece (Matt and Cissy's little Celia) and two more n&n's are on the way. I certainly enjoy my weekends when I get the chance to spend some time with n&ns. Love those kiddies. Love them to pieces. They make my heart skip with excitement and love. I feel so, so lucky to be near so many of them and to have the chance to share love and cuddles with them. 

Now down to what I want. Between school, work, and my church calling, I spend a lot of time at the computer. My old home computer has been out of commission for at least a year and I've been using a laptop from work at home when I needed it. What I realize more and more is that I need a better set up at home. New computer, a working printer and a scanner. And that is just to get the newsletter done each month. That doesn't count finances, photos, music and all the other personal life organization I like to stay on top of.

So, here is my wish list.

An iMac:

A laser printer:

 

A Fujitsu ScanSnap:

That is to get my office in working order. If I was really, really rolling in dough, I would add this to the list.

An iPad:

 

Finally, I heard a rumor that very, very soon Verizon and Apple are going to announce this event: 

Verizon iPhone: 

And that is something that makes me very, very excited. Just call me a Mac fangirl. I am one through and through. 

I know money can't buy happiness--just like you. But it certainly can buy some pretty sweet toys. :)