A Book Set Somewhere You've Always Wanted to Visit

My mom and I keep talking about going to Savannah, Georgia, one day. It hasn't happened, so I went vicariously for a little bit in this book.

An Inept Tribute to an Amazing Woman

Some of my best memories of college are from the semester I spent in London. Dr. Douglas spent a good deal of time talking me into going. It wasn't that I didn't want to go. It wasn't even really about the money, although that was a small part of the reason. The main reason that I was hesitant was because it would force me to interact with people from the college I went to.

Don't think I'm not a social butterfly, I am. I had become sort of a hermit by this point because of circumstances. Getting raped your first semester at a Christian college never helps you become popular. (Especially if it's how you lose your virginity.) I lost many friends after that because they didn't feel it was a good idea to associate with me. I was told that if that was the kind of person I was, then they didn't want to be around me. This was when I started drinking...very heavily. It's also when I got into an abusive relationship and became sexually active. That led to more people dropping off the friendship bandwagon.

So spending an entire semester with these people was not sounding like my idea of a good time, even if it was in London.

Dr. Douglas probably didn't know how badly I needed that semester away, but God did. It took some convincing on her part, but I finally agreed to sign up for it. (She wasn't accepting the money excuse, and kept telling me that there were scholarships, etc.)

She arranged it for me to have a private room when we got to the bed and breakfast where we would begin our journey, This was pretty lucky since only two of us got private rooms, and some people were in rooms for three. Looking back, this was God's way of easing me into being around these people for an entire semester. When we were moved to home stay families, I was placed with the only person from our group on the trip who had not attended our college. (Her mom worked at the school, and she had just graduated college and was sent on this trip to become one of my best friends. OR she was figuring out her next life move, but I'm going with the best friend part.)

What most people didn't know was that the guy I was in this abusive relationship with got a work visa and was in London when we were. Some of them met him over the course of the semester because he came to visit me, but nobody really knew what our relationship was.

Knowing he was there, it was difficult for me to begin to let these people in, but over the course of the semester I began to do so. Most of that was God, but a small part of it was God through Dr. Douglas. Dr. Douglas and I went to see a play, just the two of us, and she later told my parents that I was one of the few, if not the only person she would have gone to see it with in the group because I was the most open-minded and didn't take the tongue in cheek nature of it too seriously. (It was the Abbreviated Shakespeare Company doing an abbreviated version of The Bible...religious school....wouldn't have gone over so well with some people.) But what Dr. Douglas gave me in that experience was something that I hadn't had since my first semester of college - spending time with a Christian where I didn't feel judged.

While there are many amazing experiences that I had while spending those months in Europe, that was what I needed most. I needed someone to remind me that I was more than my situations. That I deserved the same peace that everyone else had. While everything I saw was amazing, the work that God did in my life through Dr. Douglas and the angel that I saw (yes, I'm still convinced that I interacted with an angel on the streets of London, more on that another time) is something that I will be eternally grateful for.

I've had this desire to re-read Murder in the Cathedral, one of the plays that we studied during that semester. (And one that has always been a personal favorite.) Dr. Douglas too us to see it performed at an actual Cathedral. (GOOSEBUMPS!) I kept putting it off, but finally picked it up to read it again on Monday night. I don't think it's a coincidence that I felt most compelled to read it the night she passed away. I like to think that she knew it, and it made her proud.

RIP Dr. Douglas.

A Book By a Female Author

I really wish there was a category on this sheet called "A Book That Gave You An Honest Look At Your Life", but since there isn't, I'll go with the category in the title.

Music Monday

Uptown Funk is EVERYWHERE lately. It's the song that you can't get away from, and it's easy to understand why it's getting so much air play.

This song instantly puts a smile on my face because it's so upbeat, so catchy, and just so fun to listen to.

I'm afraid I'm going to have to turn off the radio soon so it doesn't turn into a song that I can't stand because I'm hearing it all the time.

Anyway, many people have sent me this video clip because they know I love mascots.

Since it's Monday, and everyone could use a little smile on their faces on Mondays, I'm sharing this gem with you.

Weekly B

PAST WEEKLY GOALS  

- Complete Week 3 of "Yoga Booty Ballet" (3 out of 5 YBB workouts)

- Read Murder in the Cathedral

- Blog three times

- Find my next book to read

Not only did I find my next book to read, but I finished it! (The Art Forger) 

Sunday Reflections

We're only a few days into Lent, and I'm stocked up on peanut butter and oatmeal. (I eat LOTS of peanut butter and oatmeal during Lent.)

I'm going to use Sundays as a reflection day. Here is where I'll update you on my list of things I'm grateful for, insights into what I'm struggling with during this stage of reset, as well as insights into what I've learned.

REFLECTIONS

While I was going through The Prayer Dare this week, I came across this interesting thought. "We tend to think that God is as reluctant to help as we are, but he's not." We begin to resent God because he hasn't given us things that we think we need in order for our lives to be easier. We forget that God is willing to give us good gifts (Matthew 7:9-11), and assume that because God hasn't given us what we want, then he is slighting us. 

Throwback Thursday - Mardi Gras Past

I'm just going to let this be a small photo tribute to a few of the past Mardi Gras seasons in my life. It still feels a little weird not being at a parade, at a race track, or at home cooking on Mardi Gras, but I guess it will get easier.

A Book Based Entirely On It's Cover

I've been in a bit of a book rut lately. Every book that I start hasn't held my interest and I was beginning to wonder if I would even fund another book this month to begin, much less finish. I was scrolling through my Kindle and decided that I would pick the first book that drew me in by the cover.

I wasn't disappointed.

Lent 2015

I grew up Southern Baptist, but in a prominently Catholic area of the country. As a child, I never participated in Lent. Being one of two kids in my class that didn't participate in Lent was tough. I couldn't relate to what the other kids were doing, and to be honest, as a kid, that sucks.

Fast forward to my adult life, where I decided to start giving Lent a try.

It started out with just giving something up. Some of the more difficult things I've given up for Lent were fast food and using my credit card. Those two required some strict discipline on my part.

This year I've had a more difficult time deciding what to give up for Lent. Most years I've felt there was something that I've been too dependent on, but this year that hasn't been the case. Sure, I know that there are things that I'm dependent on, but I haven't felt led to give any of them up.

This year, I'll be doing Lent a little different. Instead of giving something up, I'm going to focus a little more on refocusing my life.

I'm interrupting my current Bible study, to tackle Reset. When I saw this devotional on Money Saving Mom as one of the free books, I felt God telling me that this was what I needed right now. 

I also will be reading my way through the Gospels over the course of the season. 

I can admit that my prayer life is on life support. In fact, it's slightly non-existent. I haven't felt very comfortable praying in a long time, so I'm adding this to my days during Lent in the hopes of being more confident and comfortable with it going forth. 

Lastly, I'm going to spend Lent focusing on counting my blessings. Sometimes when work gets slammed and stressful, it's easy to lose track of just how blessed I am. Each day, I'll be writing down three (at least three) things that I'm grateful for. I will also be writing notes to the people in my life that I'm grateful for as I feel led. Sometimes we focus so much on the things we are grateful for, that we forget about the people we are grateful for. 

Are you giving up or taking on during this Lenten season? 

Puns, Holidays, Punny Holidays

I love puns. I love holidays. I love holidays that lend themselves to puns. I especially love when sports teams get in on the punny action.

Valentine's Day lends itself to puns, and the sports world took advantage.

Maybe it's because I'm making an effort to pay more attention to social media this year that I noticed it, but here are some of my favorites that came out of Valentine's Day from the sports world (and one from social media in general). Here are my favorite things I saw on social media this weekend:

Me Date Playlist

As promised, here is the playlist from my Me-Valentine's Date last week. Enjoy!

Hedley - Heaven in Our Headlights

James Blunt - Bonfire Heart

Blank Space/Style (Mashup) - Louisa Wendorff

One Direction - No Control

Sam Hunt - Take Your Time 

Hedley - For the Nights I Can't Remember

Marianas Trench - Ever After 

What was on your playlist for Valentine's Day? 

Valentine's Day

Did y'all have a great Valentine's Day? I sure did! It was a busy day, and even though I had to work, it was still one of the best days with kiddo that I've had so far.

Before I left for work, I made sure to give kiddo her Valentine's gift, a Sofia the First dress and matching necklace.

After some playtime with Sofia, I had to go to work. But can you really call it work when this is your view? 

After I got home, kiddo and I went to Cane's for lunch with Momma B. We all came back to my place and had some fun watching The Wiggles and Sofia, painting our hands, and just chilling outside. 

They drained the pool, and kiddo was upset about not being able to go swimming because "the warmer temperatures are here, Mommy."

In case y'all were wondering what kiddo got me for Valentine's Day, she got me something that she knew I would love. 

A homemade card and One Direction office supplies. 

Weekly B

PAST WEEKLY GOALS  

- Complete Week 2 of Yoga Booty Ballet

I missed one of the workouts this week and ended the week with three days of no workouts. I worked until 9pm on Thursday and Friday, and when I got home crashed. I had to be at work for 9:30am on Saturday, and when I left at 1pm, I was more concerned about spending Valentine's Day with kiddo than working out. We both passed out by 9pm. Some things are a little more important, and I'll kick myself back into shape for most of next week. 

 - Have a "ME" Date

- Begin reading The Story of Awkward

I tried, but couldn't get into it, so I'm on the hunt for a new book, again. 

- Blog three times

- Purchase items needed for Lent

(more on this in a blog post closer to Mardi Gras)

- Finalize Valentine's plans for kiddo

A Memoir

Have I mentioned that my mom jokes about me going on The Bachelor to find a man?

Have I mentioned that I've started filling out an application, knowing full well I would NEVER make it on the show, so the next time she mentions it, I can tell her that I've applied?

Have I mentioned how hard filling out that application is? (Ok, now I'm getting off topic...)

This book, that I waited very impatiently for, proves that I'll never be on the show.

Fit Friday Tip

During this year long Fitness Adventure, I'm going to randomly be sharing some tips that I learn over the course of the year that help me along this path.

This tip has helped me be able to maintain the consistency of keeping up the workouts. It's a tip that I've pulled back out from my college days.

Always put workout clothes on as soon as you walk in the door. 

If you are an evening gym rat, like me, putting your workout clothes on as soon as you walk in the door can not just get you in the mindset to workout, but also keep you in the mindset to work out. 

For me, if I have the sports bra on, then I'm going to workout before taking it off. It applies a little feeling if guilt if I change from workout clothes to my pjs without getting the workout in. 

Sometimes a little guilt goes in a long way in making me think about if I'm really tired, if my body really needs a break, or if I just don't want to do it. This has helped me stay consistent over the past month and a half, and I hope it works for y'all too! 

My Valentine's Date With Myself

Every year, I usually treat myself to a Valentine's date night. Some years I go out with friends, last year with a significant other, but even when I do that, I always reserve a night for a date with myself.

Just me.

And my date of choice, a heart shaped pizza.

I'm a sucker for the heart shaped pizza! 

This year, since I have work and kiddo with me for Valentine's Day, I did my me-date last night. My parents had to go back to Louisiana unexpectedly, and kiddo went with them. Since I didn't know what to do with myself, I went online and ordered my Valentine's pizza. This year, it also came with brownies.

Worth the splurge

My friends always ask me what I do on this me-date. I usually set some tunes up to listen to you while I eat. I enjoy my dinner with no distractions. This year was no different, except I worked out after dinner. (That's usually a no-no on a me-date night!)

I like to try and do at least one me-date, perhaps two a month if I can. It's nice to be able to have some time to myself where I don't have to focus my attention on anything except relaxing and enjoying the quiet. 

Am I the only person that takes myself on me-dates, or as some me-date nights at home?

Be sure to check back Monday for my me-date playlist! :) 

A Classic Romance

I'm not exactly sure what defines a romance novel as a classic romance. Is it age? Is it a particular story line? This had me confused and praying that I wouldn't have to read anything by Jane Austin.

Sorry females everywhere! I know I'm a disgrace to our gender, but I'm not a fan of Jane Austin.

I read this book on a whim, and couldn't decide if I should count it toward the Reading Adventure or not. Part of me wanted to because I read it, and if that's not the point of a "Reading Adventure" than what is? Part of me didn't feel it really fell into any categories that I didn't want to save.

Until I looked at the cover again.

Cooking Oops!

My mother and I were discussing what we could have for dinner tomorrow night. My folks and kiddo will probably be getting to the apartment after me, so it would have to be something quick. I was trying to save the quick things I bought for the nights I have games this week, so it would be something easy for my mom to fix.

As I was grocery shopping this morning, a lightbulb went off. Why not make the crockpot recipe I had wanted to do tomorrow, and then just reheat it when I get home from work?

BRILLIANT!

Since I have a mandatory day off today (gotta use up that comp time), I came home and set out to make this crockpot spaghetti and meatballs recipe from the cookbook I bought at kiddo's book fair.

Seems simple enough, right? 

I was on the phone with my mom while I was putting all of the ingredients in, and I learned that I should never be talking on the phone to my mother when attempting a recipe, no matter how simple it seems. 

See, while I was on the phone with my mom, I put ALL of the ingredients in. Starting with the spaghetti. 

Oops. 

It wasn't until I got ready to turn the crockpot on, that I realized the spaghetti was supposed to go in last, after the rest of it had been hearing for 6-8 hours. 

Again, oops. 

I then spent more time than necessary picking out all of the pieces of spaghetti that I could get to. 

Always read the recipe completely before beginning!

I've got the meatballs and sauce doing their thing, and here's to hoping it doesn't turn out completely horribly. 

And if it does, there's always delivery pizza. 

A Book From an Author You Love That You Haven't Read Yet

I love Stacey Ballis.

I think it's a shame that my library doesn't have ANY of her books available, even an electronic format!

As I've mentioned before, it's hard for me to pay lots of money for an electronic book. so when there was an e-book deal on one of her books that I hadn't read yet, I snatched it up!

After reading it, I realized I would have paid full price for this book if I had it all to do over again.