A True Hero

What is Achilles without his tendon? Who is Samson without Delilah? Who is Oedipus without his clubfoot? 

The true hero is flawed.  The trust test of a champion is not whether he can triumph, but whether he can overcome obstacles - preferably of his own making - in order to triumph.  

Friends and Breakfast.

My nickname growing up was bird
because I liked to sing songs I made up
they didn't make much sense
but it was a joyful noise.

We should all be like the birds
Chirping in the morning
Getting ready for the day
Finding our friends
and our breakfast.

The early bird catches the sun.

The Mountains Welcoming Us.

It's wonderful to think
of the mountains
welcoming us
each morning.

Soon they will welcome me
to a land much greener
one, full of new dreams
in the making
to ebb
and to flow
like the river
before us.

Will you walk beside me
and see the mountains
before us
as opportunities
to stretch higher
and make friends with the heavens?

Let us walk in this new way
shedding the weight we had carried before
making our loads lighter,
with less on our backs and more in our hearts
We will be brave, we will be strong.

We can do it together,
and welcome the mountains
step by step
on this new morning.

It's wonderful to think
of the mountains
welcoming us
each morning.

I Am.

I am cheerios and coffee in the morning
with a bit
of you on the side.

I am boxes packed
and ready to go
start a new adventure
with you
next to me.

I am excited
with a heart shaped hope.

In the Morning

I am awake early. Vacation has a way of doing that to me,
Once I catch up, then I wake naturally -
To the sounds of the birds and the first splinter of sunlight.
I like it early.
When my thoughts can quietly settle and a word of praise can pass through my lips.
It is our new day, I say to myself.
Your thoughts find me, still and beautiful.
I am here, I tell you.
But in the morning, I am still.
Find me dancing later, on my tiptoes
to greet you when you come home.

My Mascots for Summer

Especially shout out.

And I'm thankful for the Boy especially!

Listening

We live in a society that does not value or encourage silence or listening. When is the last time you heard someone say, "Let's share some silence?" This kind of statement is rarely heard today, even in church settings or among the most intimate of friends or family.

If we are attentive, we can get back to the important discipline of deep listening -- not only to what others say, but also to the resounding silence that exists between the words. Of course, we can easily "turn up the noise" -- watching more TV, leave the laptop open all the time, keeping the iPod going while exercising, and staying ever busier at work, and being too tired at the end of the day for any real conversation -- doing anything to avoid being still, and listening, and silent.

Specifically, people can get too caught up in their roles, and masks they wear to take the time for reflection and renewal and relationships. Perhaps its easiest for people to concentrate on their to do lists, or the emails they have to write to be in the moment with another. I'm not denying my own gravitation towards doing these things and the rewards that come from a day's hard work - but rather raising the level of awareness that we don't let the day go by without really taking the time to stop and listen and appreciate those we love. It's clear that we all live healthier and happier lives if we slow down and and stop doing things and instead appreciate what really makes up a life worth living. If you take just a moment, and think about what really enhances your life, I bet it's the people in it, not the job, the organization, or the stuff.

Walk The Line

I really do want to understand this more. And while I scoured the internet for "daughter of an alcoholic father" I read the words I struggled with.

But as I read over the answers to the questions or the stories of other children it only validates my actions.

"You have identified the crucial question of -where to draw the line. I think the line you need to draw should have you, your husband and the rest of your family on one side and your father on the other.

You need your family's love and support, something your father has forfeited, but this doesn't mean you can't offer your love and support to him while taking care to stay on your side of the line."

"It may be that the most loving thing you can do for him is to say you won't see him again until he has stopped drinking and give him the address of his local AA meeting, but at the same time you must accept that you cannot force him through the door."

Send Me on My Way

It's Hapening!!

I'm making ...

my DREAMS
come
TRUE!

And I'm so THANKFUL!

and...a very HAPPY girl!

****I've been having this realization and wow every day for the past 2 weeks, and I find that the only thing I can do is to stand on my tippy toes and say, "Thanks God" You have to dream and you have to believe, and you have to do it with every part of you from the tips of your fingers to the soles of your feet. For anybody that's ever dreamed, go for it!

My Happy Tennessee List (Continued)

Friendly! With a little bit slower pace to life and a bit more focus on community - Knoxville has some really friendly people! Instead of getting on the metro and no one saying hello, I can't wait to walk down the street or run into the store and have people take to the time to say hey how are you. All of the people I've met at casual parties have been super nice. (Don't know why I choose a picture of pigs, but they are sharing water! :)


Making a church my home and attending with the Boy. I'm ready to go deeper in my relationships and grow in my faith. This has been something I've really been looking forward to.
Cooking! It's hard to cook for just one all the time, or in a kitchen that's tiny. Cooking with someone (the Boy) makes it so much easier to prepare meals and eat them! It'll be good to get into a routine and actually be home at night to make dinner - unlike during my graduate school days.

Sundown in the City on Thursday nights in downtown Knoxville. They host a series of musicians and performers throughout the summer. It'll be fun to hit this a few times throughout the next few months. Market square is really great!

New Home!

This past week I've been hanging out in Knoxville, with the Boy.  While there has been hanging out time we've also done a lot of WORK.  Work to get me ready to move here.  He likes to refer to it as my recon trip.  I love thinking that this is my last trip here before I move here. Woo, no more airplane tickets to buy every month! 

Things we accomplished:

- Made up a budget

-Signed the final offer letter

-Researched cars

-Test drove car

-Looked at apartments

-Found a beautiful apartment I can't wait to call home and it also happens to be called Walden Legacy --- think Thoreau at Walden's Pond. Ahh!

-Signed the lease

-Researched puppies and dog breeds

-Narrowed down our search

-Decided to try and rescue a puppy

-Have found one we really like - but the "puppy room" at the animal center was closed because of a sick puppy broke loose from the cage and was running around near the other puppies.

I feel so excited about the move I'm not sure words could express it.  My apartment is perfect for me - it's a gorgeous part of West Knoxville, close to my work, 7 mins. from the boy and has a pool.  There's an island in the center of the larger kitchen where I plan on cooking and serving up many meals in the next year.  It's a two year old complex, and also gated. So I feel safe and clean:)  The Boy and I worked out our moving plan and have only a few short weeks before we start on this wonderful new part of our adventure! Yay!

Now I just have to get over the fact that we found a puppy who might complete our little triangle, and be happy that the Boy can provide a home for him perhaps a month before I get here:)