New Addition

Congratulations Cousin Jodie and Cousin-in-law Aaron! Their daughter Felicity Elizabeth arrived at 2:35 a.m. June 26. 21 inches 8 lbs 12 oz. Jill said she had some dark hair, long fingers and big feet. Thank you Lord that everyone is healthy! Be sure to check Jodie's blog later on for more details! Jill said she was asking for a laptop so she could blog. Of course!

My American Tragedy

So the past few days my car has been pretty slow to start. So slow, in fact, that it didn't start at all today. Turns out my battery is dead. I wasn't freaking out or anything this morning, because my mom was home on vacay today and was generous enough to let me use her car. But still, I was frustrated by the hassle and inconvenience of having to drive a different car, plan to jump off my car later tonight, and then go get a new battery installed.

As this was on my mind, I pulled into the parking lot on campus. The Lord definitley put me in my place because as I was pulling in, I saw a man and woman get out of a car and start to dig in the two dumpsters located at the edge of the parking lot. Who knows if they were looking for food, clothes, or stuff to re-sale. But it broke my heart. Here I was in my Banana Republic pants, new shoes, and my mom's nice car, and I'm complaining. Gosh. I suck. My battery "tragedy" is nothing. It's just nothing. No big deal at all. What that couple deals with is a big deal. I am thankful that I am reminded constantly that I have nothing to complain about. Sometimes all I want to do is adopt an "everything happens to me" attitude, but I just can't. I've seen too much real tradedy in the world to do that.

Last night on CNN, Anderson Cooper, who is my favorite journalist of all time, interviewed Angelina Jolie about her UN humanitarian adventures. (I know people think she "stole" Brad from Jen, blah blah blah. ) But it was a really good interview about how her experiences in third world countries affect her experiences on the red carpet. She said she did the red carpet for her job, but she was always thinking about the kids, third world countries and how those things have changed her heart. (She gives a third of her income to third world countries.) I wonder how much my experiences have changed my heart. Without my trips to Kenya, how would I be different? I can't imagine being another way, unless I'm more to the extreme of "saving the world." So I guess I can continue my save the world campaign by having a more compassionate attitude towards people who search the dumpsters and being aware that I shouldn't complain about things as simple as having to get a new battery. If thats the worst that happens to me, I've got it pretty good.

In other thoughts and considerations, my God's Food Program is going well. (I'm not calling it a diet because if I did, I wouldn't want to do it.) I have eaten a lot of salads and what feels like barrels of fruit. I do feel healthy and I am pleased to say that I slept past 6:26 this morning. Cousin Jodie is still prego, but I think it will be this weekend. I can't wait!! I will be an "auntie." Technically a second cousin, but we have decided that we are close enough for me to be Aunt Em.

6:26 a.m.

What a great weekend! Friday night the Good Reverend turned into a gourmet chef, as he does most nights of the week. We have a great system- he cooks, I set the table and do the little things, and then we eat then I clean. It's really quite lovely. Anyway, after we ate, we went to Market Square and saw Audio Adrenaline perform. It really touched my inner middle schooler because I remember them and DC Talk when I was at the ripe age of 12. We didn't stay for too very long because it was pretty cheesy.

Saturday was the big day. We went to Atlanta to a Braves/Red Sox game for my birthday! Well, before that we took my car to Honda for an oil change, where Jack made a friend in the waiting room. Every where we go, people just want to talk to him and tell him about their entire lives. It's really quite incredible. He does present a kind heart and listening ear, but it's just so funny how people start talking to him. So after the conversation with the nice man in the waiting room, we began our journey to ATL. What a great trip! We listened to NPR until we lost it to static, but we both just really enjoyed our jaunt in the car. We got to the stadium about 30 minutes before the game. You can tell where we were sitting by the picture in the previous post. It was great! But so very hot. There were way more Red Sox fans than Braves' fans, which was surprising. And even though my team lost, it was still cool to be there and do the old school CHOP CHOP.

So today when I was walking to class, it started to rain. So I pulled my umbrella out of my giant purse, which also contained a turkey sandwhich and a CS Lewis book. (I like to see how random the contents of my purse can sound.) I noticed that NO ONE else had an umbrella or rain jacket. I thought, do I just look really OLD right now or just extra prepared or are people thinking, man that girl is smart. There are advantages to being an "older" student because I pay attention to things like the weather and carry things like umbrellas and am not afraid to use them.

Today has been such a bizarre day at the front desk of WVLT. A girl came in ready to take her liquor licensing exam. She was so shocked when I told her this was not the building she was looking for. She said, "But isn't this Big Daddy's?" And I said, "Oh dear..." It was one of those times where I really wanted a funny response but was just too taken aback to say anything.

Today is Cousin Jodie's due date! I know she is just longing to have little Felicity born today. So pray for Jode! I know she's uncomfortable. Cousin Jill is supposed to call me the MOMENT something happens.

And the reason my title today is 6:26 is because that's what time my body naturally wakes up. It's so irritating because I don't have to get up until 6:45 or later. It drives me crazy. And makes me so tired! So while we pray for Jodie, let's pray for me to sleep past 6:26 in the morning! Jack so kindly says that sleeping in for me is 6:27.

A pic or two

I will post/write more later, I just wanted to see if blogger was going to be cool and let me post these pictures.

Cantaloupe

I read this great article in Time magazine about healthy eating. I loved reading it.... it covered every possible topic you could think of. I had already decided about two days ago that I am going to do my best to only eat "God's food." Fruit and veggies and chicken and fish and whole grain. Try to avoide the enriched foods and junk. But this article really solidified my decision to eat healthier. I mean, I'm not a junk-aholic at all, but I should be more excited about food, not food products (the article emphasized the difference).
Last night I was eating dinner with my mom and the Good Reverend. Mom had cooked food from the garden- green beans, okra, new potatoes. And we had cantaloupe for dessert. I always remember eating cantaloupe in the summer, every night, and all lingering around the table for just a bit longer. One of the Time articles was about "The Magic of the Family Meal." The statistics that prove the importance of a family mealtime are incredible. But last night I said, "Cantaloupe has always been a huge part of my life." They thought it was a funny/stupid Emilyism, but I knew what I meant! Because of cantaloupe, I have hashed out the world's problems with my family, discussed relationships, school work, and just us. I always knew that when Dad got one more piece, we could sit around the table for a little bit longer. So somehow I think that cantaloupe and my emotional and mental stability go hand in hand.
So the next time you talk to me, be sure you ask how many fruits and veggies I've had so I will stay on my God's Food eating habits!

Anyway. Enough serious talk. Today I was walking across campus (I love saying that) and I was thinking about the contents of my purse. I don't know why I was thinking that... probably because it was heavy. I was like, ok, normal things... wallet, phone, pens, glasses... banana.... notebook... Shakespeare text book... salad... Yes, I was carrying a salad in my purse (its a big purse), because if I left it in the car it would get too hot and it would wilt. The same for the banana. Because the other day I left one in my car and it turned black. See, God's Food! You just can't leave it in your car when you are in Shakespeare class.

Fun Facts: The Time article gave 6 rules for healthy eating and one was don't eat anything your great-great grandmother wouldn't recognize as food. Good point!
Today is Recess at Work Day. I'm going outside....

Thoughts

I have been thinking what my perfect day would be like. Not necessarily just one day, but a whole string of them. This is going to sound like I'm the cheesiest and laziest person alive when I say this, but I'm willing to risk it.
I want to be a professional student. I love going to class and I love to learn! I wish someone would just give me a bunch of money and send me to school for the rest of my life. I wouldn't necessarily have to get a degree, unless there is a doctorate in general studies. I want to take a pottery class, fibers, French, African history, baking, cake decorating, graphic design, and underwater basketweaving. I mean, if it was offered to me, I would do it. I know, I know, I can still learn about things even if I don't have a class on it. But there's something about going to a class that's inspiring. It's motivating to be taught a subject by someone who is passionate about it. Take for example my Shakespeare class. I LOATHE Shakespeare, but my professor thinks it is simply amazing, so as she teaches, her enthusiasm rubs off. This is the first part of my string of perfect days: start taking some really cool, obscure classes and not have to worry about money or working.
The second part is where the laziness comes in. On days like today, when I am just blah, I want to go to some exotic foreign country and lay in a hammock. I would like to go to Fiji or Seychelles or off the coast of Kenya or somewhere perpetually sunny and warm and lay in a hammock under palm trees. I would drink Pina Colodas and listen to the waves and the faraway strings of a ukelele plinking away. I would read my really cool books and learn things about Jesus, Africa, relationships, and people. (I would still be learning, even though I wouldn't be in a class per se.) Then I would go fishing and catch exoctic and delicious fish for dinner and roast it over an open fire.
So on days like today, I like to think about laying in a hammock, feeling completely rested, tan, and, quite frankly, smart from all the reading.
Back to reality now....


Who thinks Pastor Jack should start a blog? I do!!

Third Time's a Charm

This is my third attempt at posting something on the lovely blogger.com. I have written two simple, yet profound, blogs and they both have been erased/lost/demolished by blogger. So this is really just to see if it will work this time.... Then maybe I will write a for-real one tomorrow.

Reflections on Birthday, Boy Vicar, and Shakespeare

I am one of "those" people. I LOVE my birthday! It's the only day of the year when it's ok to be slightly obnoxious. I admit I am because I tell everyone!
So the Boy Vicar (a Britisth term that I recently fell in love with) and I stayed with his lovely parents Don and Linda at their beautiful mountain home in Banner Elk, NC. We drove up on Wednesday evening and left on Saturday afternoon. What did we do, you ask? NOTHING. And it was glorious! We slept in, we ate a lot, we read, we talked, we laughed. And then it rained so we had even more permission to do nothing.
The Kings treated me like a Queen for my birthday! Linda, being the fabulous hostess that she is, cooked dinner for us, including fried okra- my fav!- and a Pink Princess cake! (Strawberry with cream cheese icing!)

This pic is of us before we had dinner at the Elk River club. It was dress up and oh-so-very lovely! I straightened my hair too, if you can't tell. (Pics compliments of Linda)

On Saturday the Boy Vicar and I drove through the mountains and on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We stopped in Johnson City and saw Prego #2, aka Gina, and her hubby Petah, aka Peter. They are so cute and their house is so cute! Congrats you two for being so cute!

Sunday was THE BIG DAY. I became another year older. 24. Jack got to go to church with me at Cedar Springs and that was really special. Since we never get to sit together in church, its such a treat when we do. We had a really nice cookout at home with some of the fam and they showered me with attention and gifts. As they should. (just kidding) Jack surprised with a gift- a day trip to Atlanta to see the Braves and the Red Sox! It will be great. I hope it doesn't brew any hostility since I am a Braves fan and he is diehard Red Sox. It will be a great day though, and I'm sure my humility about how the Red Sox will kill the Braves will help. However, I am still going to sport my #8 Javy Lopez t-shirt.

And then Sunday night Jack preached a wonderful sermon! I get to brag on him.... He is so good! I told him that even if I didn't know him and love him to pieces, I think I would still say he is one of the best preachers I've heard.

So now we are back to the Monday grind. However, this Monday is different from most because I started class at UT! I was pretty nervous about parking, walking, and getting there on time, but after that all worked out, I realize how much I LOVE class! You can call me a dork all you want, I don't care. I love being on campus, I love walking, I love notebooks and pencils, and a syllabus. I love meeting new people in my class and waiting and seeing what my teacher will be like.

This class is Shakespeare's Later Plays, including Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth. I'm not terribly excited about the subject matter, but I think my excitement for the class itself will override that. My professor is young, maybe 30ish, and it seems like she really likes to read. Maybe likes cats? She is very enthusiastic and I can already tell how intelligent she is. So I think it will be a good class. And it's only five weeks so we're going to be crusin' through.

I think this is all until something else exciting and out of the ordinary happens. Or not. I do know that Jack is giving his cousin back his couch today, so tonight he and I will be without a couch. If anyone has any suggestions for us, please let me know!