a bright & early photo shoot with Ash

My sister has started an amazing photography business called Painted Peacock Photography and takes the most fantastic pictures. I only had a little over a day with her but she announced that she really wanted to do a photo shoot with me bright and early Saturday morning. So, I crawled out of bed at 6 am, put on her cutest clothes and a fair bit of makeup and off we went to a field near her house with fresh haybales in it. We were just in time for the warm, golden sunrise light. We had so much fun. She's so talented! Now she has more pics for her website (http://www.paintedpeacockphotography.com/) and I have wonderful and quirky pictures. We finished by 8am, just in time to grab a cup of coffee. Thanks, sista! I love them (& you).

easter, sun day and my girls

-Coming home to discover that my Mom left out all of the Easter decorations because I couldn't be there for Easter this year and she wanted me to be included. How thoughtful! I told her that it was also very theologically appropriate that the Easter decorations should be left out. She quipped, "Oh, well of course that's why I did it!" I'm such a nerd.

-Oh the food when I'm at home: grilled steaks with new potatoes dug right out of the garden, grilled salmon with asparagus (see a theme here?), blueberry pancakes and to top it off: a raspberry martini before my Mom and I went to see the Sex & the City movie. Delicious!

-Like my new room decor? Actually this is in a great little beach shop (not sure I'm allowed to take pictures, but living on the edge!) and I just was so inspired by it.

-Seeing a cloud that I swear is giving me a thumb's up. See it?

-Sitting on the beach reading a book and eating fresh cherries and feeling that utter sense of deep relaxation that only comes from the beach.

-Seeing my adorable nieces and having so much fun with them. Gianna is the happiest child I have ever seen, you simply have to glance at her for her face to light up with joy. Natalie has taken to calling me "Weeza" (if you've seen Steel Magnolias, you'll know where this little nickname of my family comes from--though I'm not nearly as grumpy as she is!) except that when she tries to say it, it comes out "Meeena!" We played so much and she would call out to me to come upstairs and play with her saying, "Meeeena, come ON, Meeeeeeeeeena!" It just made my heart melt to hear her calling for me. So precious. We also developed a very advanced dance routine where we kick our legs in the air saying "go, go, go, go!" and laughing hysterically. Whenever I told her I had to go "bye-bye" she just looked at me and said, "No." Ash said that when she came back from the airport, Natalie kept looking around her saying, "Meeeeeennnaa!" because she thought I was hiding.

-Sitting with Ash on her front driveway having a glass of wine and talking in the way only sisters can with the humid Texas evening breeze blowing and lightning illuminating the sky. We saw a lone star shining and I made a wish and then later, we saw a big white crane just walking down her street. Bizarre! It was wonderful to just be able to sit by her and talk (as opposed to skype).

-Clay and I swapping nerdy jokes and laughing a little too hard at them.

where the wild things are

I met my Aunt Karen at the Dallas Arboretum for a beautifully sunny day of walking through the gardens and catching up. They were having a Beatrix Potter exhibition that was so cute, and we saw everything from fuzzy bumbling bumblebees to vibrant flowers to the remnants of a gorgeous outdoor wedding. It was hot, y'all, real hot! I had a wonderful time catching up with her and strolling lazily in the Texas sun while sipping a coke. Great to see ya, Aunt K!

meet, greet + eat

-A nice long chat with my Mom that was made all the better by knowing that we're in the same time zone. As I drank my morning coffee, I knew she was too.

-Meeting some wonderful folks and being encouraged and inspired by how much they care about their church and community, and how much farther they'd like to go. It's also nice to just eat some Mexican food with them!

-Driving again after not driving for several months and enjoying the freedom and fun of it. Blaring the radio and singing along to "Hey Soul Sister" by Train was fabulous.

bag lady

Sorry I haven't posted in so long...I be busy lately! I'm currently spending a little time in Texas talking to a church here. Here are my latest glimpses:

-Amy and Chris giving me a lovely purse for my birthday. My birthday's in January, but they've been saving it for me. It's so much more exciting to get a birthday present when it's completely unexpected. It's a gorgeous bag!

-Being greeted at the airport and receiving an ice chest full of Dr. Peppers and chips and salsa. What a warm welcome!

-I love sleeping in a hotel room, having lots of space and enjoying free wireless and tv. I can also see trees outside my expansive windows. :)

reach out

-A father lifting up his toddler so she could reach the lower vibrant green leaves of a tree.

-Going into a crowded, bustling coffee shop, looking around and feeling that familiar moment of happy recognition at discovering a friend waiting at a table.

-A little bit of joy welling up inside.

-Returning to dance class and reveling in several things: being a "regular", the shiny new studio of the Crescent Arts Centre with its picturesque windows that made it look in the mirror like I was dancing in a forest, concentrating hard and seeing and feeling the difference and Sandy (our Julie-Andrews-ala-Sound-of-Music-teacher) thanking us at the end for "properly christening the new space."

-Hearing Steve share his experiences on mission trips to South Africa with our Romania team and mention a restaurant he went to often there and getting to say, "I've been there too!" We were sharing with the young people about our experiences of mission that completely transformed us. I'm so eager to witness what God will do to and through these young people in Romania this summer. I especially liked when Steve said "Don't be willing to do for someone far away what you're not willing to do for someone on our doorstep." Amen.

to top it off

(Gotta catch up a bit!)

-Canoeing and kayaking with the Flipside kiddos on the Lagan. It's the river that runs through Belfast and while it's not the most hygienic place, with a sunset turning the water golden, it was lovely.

-Finding a kicky red fedora straw hat at TK Maxx and donning it in the Saturday sunshine (and noticing how people tend to smile at you when you're wearing a hat).

-An excellent cup of coffee.

-A hug from Ruby, Neil & Ruth's precious 2 year old.

-Mom sending me a picture of potatoes fresh from her garden.

-A woman from Nightreach coming to the evening service and excitedly saying hello.

-My niece Natalie saying "I love you" on skype. It was really quiet and in cute toddler talk, but was the first time I've heard her say it. So great.

-Asking for recommendations from facebook friends on a good book to read and receiving enough responses to keep me well-stocked in good reads for at least 6 months. I love how my friends are all as nerdy as I am. :)

-Sitting in a chair of the Linen Hall Library next to an older man who dozed contentedly in his seat, book open on his lap.

painted peacocks

I have an amazingly talented sister, Ashley, and am so excited about her new photography business called Painted Peacock Photography. She has such a gift with images and has created an amazing portfolio on her website. Check it out! www.paintedpeacockphotography.com And if you're lucky enough to be in Texas, then you should really book her. :) Families, engagements, events, weddings, just capturing the beauty of life...she does it all. She's fabulous (I've always known this, but now she gets to share it with everyone)!

Love ya, Sista!

happiness, it comes...

-Love, love, loving my new Florence + the Machine t-shirt (along with her innovative music, of course).

-Hearing my co-worker Chris preach at his home church that's right down the road from me. It was challenging, connectional and conversational. A job well done. And there's something wonderful about the rare chance to worship in a church I don't work in.

-My sister saying, "Sometimes things are just meant to be."

soccer, small + striped

-Playing football/soccer with friends until I was gasping for breath and laughing at the fun of it all.

-Discovering that my new friend Katrina was also born very prematurely (her: 2 months early, me: 3) and we had very similar situations (both weighing 2 pounds). We both have little scars on our wrists and feet where the doctors had to get iv's going quickly (my Mom always called these "angel kisses"). How remarkable. Oh, and she also went to Fuller Seminary and knows my friend Josh. Small world.

-The weather decided to ago all wintery again with rain and cold and so I put on my favorite cozy striped sweater.