10.12.08

On Saturday I traveled to Southwest VA with two of my old college roommates to attend the wedding of another old roomie. The four of us lived together about 5 years ago in an apartment that we affectionately called The House of Love. That name came from a Toby Mac song called “Love is in the House.” The song is very descriptive of the environment that we lived in and it became our theme song.

The drive to Mouth of Wilson, VA was breathtaking! The fall colors were at their peak this weekend and they could not have been more perfect. The route we took also runs alongside the Virginia Creeper Trail and The Crooked Road, two paths which I would like to follow someday.

The ceremony took place in a family orchard in the bright midday sun. The weather was perfect; warm with a gentle breeze and a clear blue sky. The ceremony itself was very touching. It contained both traditional and non-traditional elements important to the bride and groom.

The reception took place at the local community center a few miles down the road. The room where the reception was located was very akin to a church fellowship hall. Guests gathered around long tables to partake in the potluck meal. The tables were decorated with freshly fallen leaves and gourds, with mason jars full of dahlias as the centerpiece. A slideshow played in the background, displaying pictures of the bride and groom from birth to present.

The food itself was varied in content. There were many dishes that I could not identify. One I tried and did not like. After that, I stuck to the familiar. The beverages included coffee, homemade apple cider and grape juice, several bottles of wine and a keg of beer. There was no wedding cake – remember, this was a potluck; instead, there were pies of every sort, cakes, brownies, and cookies to please every taste.

After everyone was stuffed, it was time to toss the bouquet. The bouquet toss is one of those things that I thoroughly enjoy – not because of the superstition that that person will be the next to get married (after all, I’ve consistently proved that wrong) but because I want the fresh flowers. For some reason I seem to be good at catching the bouquet and the trend continued on this day. I didn’t trample any little girls or dash across the crowd to catch it – I didn’t even move out of my spot. I simply reached my arm up into the air and there it was in my hand…and in my hair, when the dahlia and hydrangea lost petals.

I returned to my seat at the back of the room and took some close-ups of the lovely bouquet. I heard the photographer call me back up so I went thinking that they wanted a picture of me and the guy that caught the garter. Well, I was wrong. When I got up there, the groom introduced me to the guy and we shook hands. Then I was instructed by another girl to sit in a chair in the middle of the room. I was a bit perplexed but I complied. I sat there and listened like a deer in headlights as she told the crowd that for every inch the guy got the garter up my leg, it would mean a year of good luck for the bride and groom. WHAT?!?! I played along for what seemed like an eternity as everyone watched this garter travel up my leg. My face must have been bright red, partly due to the blueberry wine but mostly due to the current situation. Once the garter got to just above my knee, I gave a little thumbs-up and said “I think that’s good.” The garter was already higher than the hem of my dress, after all. I took the garter off and gave it back to its new owner and returned to my seat. I was just thankful that I had shaved my legs that morning.

Soon after this, the dancing began. There was a circle dance and a square dance. During both, I had the same partner. No, it was not the garter guy – he was playing in the band. My friend called my partner a pirate because of his earrings and belt buckle. I do believe he was a bit intoxicated but, nevertheless, he was a fun dancing partner.

The dancing subsided and the crowd thinned more as we said our goodbyes and took a few group pictures. On the way home, it was just me and one of the old roomies riding together back to TN. During the long drive home, there were quiet moments spent in reflection as well as deep conversation about life and love. The day was a joyful celebration of the old and the new. It was an honor to be a part of this celebration and to be reacquainted with old friends.

10/21/07

 

There are some things that you do instinctively and when looking back upon it, you realize that that simple act speaks so much about your personality. This has happened to me a lot lately. I know that I am independent, stubborn, gentle, and loving. It’s funny to me when I do something that reiterates that, especially the former.

 

For instance, I was at a wedding very recently. After signing the guest book, there were ushers waiting to seat you. This had been going on just the way it was meant to be for a while…until I came in. I signed the guest book and then what did I do? Did I wait for the usher to come take me to my seat? Heck no! I took off down the aisle without them. Of course, when I realized that I’d left the usher standing in the dust, my thoughts were both “oops” and “wow.”

 

I enjoy my independence (and perhaps, the stubbornness too) but there are times that I wish I weren’t so independent (or stubborn). After all, I wouldn’t mind having someone opening doors for me, walking me to my seat, and just being generally chivalrous. I like that, I really do.

 

I think that deep down my independence is just a cover up. It’s a way to hide my true desires. Desires to be pursued, to be romanced, and be loved.

 

speaking of vacays, i’m getting ready to take one in a little over a week! i just decided a few days ago and i couldn’t be more excited! i don’t really have any big plans of going anywhere but it will be nice to get away from the craziness that is my job. on my vacay, i hope to go camping but the highlight of it will definitely be when my dear friend and old roomie returns from south africa for good! she’s been there since january of last year and i have missed her greatly! i can’t wait to catch up!

on another note, i want to say “happy birthday” to my niece, Jenna, who turned 5 today! we’re taking her to chuck e. cheese this weekend so that should be exciting. my mom and i took her shopping during tax-free weekend. she’s definitely a part of our family! she didn’t like anything at first but then everything she saw, she wanted. it was a fun day and i look forward to many more fun times with my niece!

that’s pretty much all that’s going on in my life lately. oh, today marks my one year anniversary at my job. i can’t believe it’s been a year already! time flies!

well, i guess that’s it for now. remember, if you look at my page and wonder why i haven’t posted anything in a while, it’s probably one of 2 reasons: a) there is nothing going on, b) i don’t have internet.

last night, while getting ready to go out to see the dirty guv’nahs, i found $13 in the pocket of a skirt that i haven’t worn in a while. that was a nice surprise! had great fun at barley’s dancing to some great music. while having a good ole time, some random guy came up and started dancing with me. it was kinda nice, at first, i have to admit. i enjoyed the attention and the proximity. then all of a sudden, it took a left turn. the guy was all over me and started easing his hand into my pocket. i was completely aware of what was going on and i pressed my hand against the outside of the pocket. soon after, another random guy came to my rescue, pulling me away from the creepo. when i got home, i discovered that what used to be $8 in my pocket was now $3. i’m convinced that the creep took it, however, there is a chance that i just dropped it somewhere. luckily, he was going for the pocket with only $8 and a tube of lip gloss in it; the other had the id, credit card, cell phone, and car keys.

today was good for the most part. my cat woke me up at 11:15. later, i went to ijams and was befriended by a little boy that was no more than 4 or 5 years old. he was very cute and friendly, proclaiming to his dad that he was talking to a stranger. i also discovered the homesite at ijams, which i had never seen before. it was beautiful and i’ve decided that if i ever get married, this would be a great spot for it. after ijams, i headed to market square to put up some posters for an upcoming show at world grotto that i’m helping promote (ten out of tenn tour, monday 8/4). i decided to get some tomato head and stick around for shakespeare on the square. it was a great evening for such an event and my dinner was wonderful. during the intermission, i went to coffee & chocolate and got a white mocha (love the ghirardelli white choc. sauce!). on the way home, i stopped at food city to pick up a few things. i went thru the self-checkout as i almost always do and decided to get some cash back (since i only had $3). amidst the distraction of the cashier’s remark about my reusable bag and me making sure that the machine gave me my milk money, i forgot the $25 cash. i realized it as i was driving away and sped back to get it. unfortunately, in the 3 minutes or so that i was gone, someone else had taken off with my $25 and the cashiers were oblivious and didn’t really care. it was my fault anyways.

when i was getting out of my car at my apartment, i discovered that the gallon of milk that was in my passenger seat had fallen over and was leaking on my seat. great, just great. at this point, i’m so mad that i’m shaking. luckily not much milk leaked out. i soaked up as much as i could with paper towels and then brought some stain remover out. i just hope i got the smell out.

to make matters worse, when i was opening up my mail, i got a huge papercut on my fingertip.

*sigh* i’m just trying to remind myself that it could be worse…

ok…work…same old, same old. good news is i (along with the majority of my coworkers) got not one but two raises as the new fiscal year came around. and we also got $100 giftcards to pilot.

the biggest news revolves around my family. twice in the past month, we have gotten to spend a saturday with my niece! the first time, i picked her up and brought her over to my parents’ house for a day at the pool. the second time around was last weekend when we took her to the TN aquarium in chattanooga. i cannot even begin to tell you how these two days made me feel. they were simply wonderful. i look forward to many more times like these!

as for my personal life, not really anything exciting going on. the past month has been mostly about my family and spending time with that darling little replica of me…but with brown eyes.

alrighty, that’s all for now! i promise not to take another 30 days off anytime soon.

jenna being silly and making that face that i used to make all the time

i don’t quite know how i’m going to re-train my brain. i think it will be a day at a time and i think that it might have something to do with that verse, Psalm 37:4. If you’re not familiar, it says “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” i just know that i can’t do it on my own, not anything. i struggle daily…

last thursday, i got word that a bunch of my friends were going camping over the weekend. i was very excited to hear this because i had been wanting to go camping so badly. so i got all the details and headed up to cove lake state park after i got off work on friday. it was a very relaxing weekend yet full of fun. i was very proud of the fire i built saturday evening after it rained and got all of our wood and paper wet (no accelerant was used in the building of said fire). we didn’t really do a lot other than sit around and talk and go to the pool. it was nice and i want to do it again…soon!

today when i pulled into the apartment complex, i stopped to check my mail as i do almost everyday. i was surprised to see a letter from one of my neighbors here at my apt. complex. it was address to “my new neighbor” and after a minute or so i realized it was from the lady that lives upstairs, right above me, with her husband and two kids. inside the envelope was an invitation! it’s basically a get-to-know-your-neighbor thing with an invitation to come over, have coffee, and chat. this brightened my day! this woman actually took time to make these invitations (the are super cute and look handmade), go to the post office, and mail this invitation…when i live downstairs! i was very impressed by all this! most people, including myself, would probably just walk down the steps and tape a note on the door…or just keep to themselves and not take make any effort to get to know the neighbors (like me). on a side note, i have met this family about a month ago or so. i was coming home from work one day when they were just outside their door and we chatted for a few minutes. she apologized for her son (5 y/o) and his frequent running, jumping, and throwing himself on the floor (our floor/ceilings are VERY thin here) and then he told me himself that he was sorry (although it continues to this day). in two years of living by myself, these are the first neighbors that i have actually met. seriously. actually, when i lived in kingston, i did meet the man that lived up above me…only because i locked myself out one night and needed to use his phone. i could ramble on forever but the main point of this was the simple invitation i received. so simple yet it said so much. just to know that someone out there wants to get to know me…it made my day! now, i doubt that i’ll be sending out my own get-to-know-you invitations but i want to bring others the simple joy of a personal letter. i am going to try to send little notes of encouragement to my friends and co-workers. you can never have too much love.

i was halfway watching the price is right a little while ago. one of the first contests, a girl, NOT a blonde, was wearing a shirt that said “drew is gorges.” come on, people! you have to be at least 18 to be a contestant on that show. being 18 years old and not knowing how to spell gorgeous is just sad. stay in school!

let’s just be honest about something here. in my “about me” section, there is a sentence that states “i am single and enjoy it most of the time.” what this should really say is “i am single and cope with it most of the time.” i don’t really enjoy being single and being all by myself in this crazy world. don’t get me wrong, i know i’m not alone – i have plenty of family and friends that care about me. but i want more. as i mentioned in a previous post, most of my friends have families of their own. i want a family of my own. sometimes i go on craiglist and browse the personals. most of the time, i go to “missed connections” dreaming that someday i will go there and find that someone has seen me out in the community and wants to get to know me more. it hasn’t happened yet. i also look at the “men seeking women” section which consists of just that. most of these guys are looking for a real relationship, not a one night stand. let me just clear the air by saying that i am not in any way looking for a one night stand. not even looking for a physical relationship. i’d prefer to start as friends. i honestly don’t know that i know how to date. i haven’t had a “boyfriend” since high school and it’s been 3 years since i’ve even been on a date. i went on a few dates in college but none of those guys were second date material. i browse these personals but never respond. i almost feel like (in my mind) there’s a stigma surrounding online dating. i have no idea why, though. when i was younger, i chatted with people (guys) online all the time and even met a few of them. maybe that’s it. maybe i’m afraid that if i get to know someone online, i will have certain expectations and then after meeting them in person, will be let down. i don’t know.

ok, that’s all for now folks. if you’ve kept up with me this far, thanks for reading!

knoxville is a great city, full of opportunities…most of which, i have not yet discovered. i need to stray away from my usual paths and explore knoxville more often…with my camera, of course.