An Extra Special Bradley Family Reunion

We are headed to North Carolina for the weekend. Faithful blog readers may remember our "Bradley" Family Reunion from last 4th of July weekend with a group of college our friends who reunite each year. This year is especially exciting because the main reason for our reunion is centered around a wonderful wedding!!! Let me tell you what I love about Leslie. When the whiffle ball game is going on...she's ready to swing...not too girly for a little outdoors fun. She is one of the only friends...outside of my family...who's ever watch Polly (a musical version of Pollyanna starring Rudy and Claire from the Cosby Show)and liked it....or pretended to. She doesn't stop there though. Leslie sings...well...she sings like a rock star. In fact, she looks like a rock star...only better because she's as gentle and kind as she is gorgeous. After the wedding? Leslie and Brian, the wonderful guy noble enough to steal her heart, will reside in LOUISVILLE!!! That makes me terribly excited.

As for the weekend, many Bradley faces will be there...sadly several will not...including our family photographer, Barry, from whom I snagged these shots of last year. Boy, I am excited about hanging out with this crowd. REALLY excited. Um, this pic of Stacey intently focusing on her swing as the ball whizzes past is one of my absolute favorites.



My expectations for excitement are quite high...mainly because our room is reserved with my ole college suite mate (whom I affectionately call my suite-tea) and her hub.


What a happy 4th of July.

Summer Salads

Last night we had one of our favorite summer dishes. Italian chicken over a bed of spinach leaves. We like it with all the fixins - bacon bits, croutons, plenty of cheese and salad dressing. Mmmm.

Laura's Tip: I put the chicken in 1/3 c of Italian dressing and a little water when I'm home on my lunch hour. Total prep time once I'm home is less than 10 minutes! Not bad for such a delicious summer meal:)

Sorrow's Shadow

Tears are the silent language of grief. ~ Voltaire

Lately it seems that at every turn, I find friends met with deep sorrow. Grief is hard to watch. There is no quick balm. Words feel too shallow to express. Prayer is a deeper refuge. And the mysterious beauty of a faithful sufferer is my teacher. I write about the daily here. Pain and pleasure are so readily mixed. I am learning that the daily is quite often hard, ridden with sorrows. I am observing in faithful sufferers the reality that God really is enough. Simple words. Profound truth. I am glad it's true.

Sorrow is a fruit. God does not make it grow on limbs too weak to bear it.

Victor Hugo

Singin' and Dancin'

I love plays. I love music. I confess, I loved watching a cast of 20 or so individuals dance around singing cheesy teenage melodies last night. It was especially fun to be there for a dress rehearsal because we got a little glimpse at the personalities of the actors...and a big glimpse at all the hard work that goes into a production.

About half way through I asked Keyara if she thought she could handle being in a play like that...she thought she could with a little practice. About half way through I asked myself if I could handle being in a play like that...my conclusion was just the opposite.

Here's what amazes me about musicals...I can barely talk without getting breathless when I am jogging or even moving around a lot. Those kids were dancing all over that stage...and singing their hearts out at the very same time. Impressive. 'Twas a fun night for us all!

HSM

Tonight Keyara and I are going to a dress rehearsal for Derby Dinner Theatre's rendition of High School Musical. I know you are all jealous. Truth be told, I am actually quite excited...and Keyara's had it on her calendar for weeks!

A Hodgepodge

I can't decide what to blog about today. So I'll just give you a random pic and little list:

1. It's Friday. I still haven't recovered from last weekend. Last night I slept 9 hours...and woke up tired. Bring the weekend on please.

2. Yesterday I started reading Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery around 4pm. I am already finished and am thinking about picking up another of her lesser known books for the weekend. I'm obsessed with stories.

3. There is a squirrel that hangs out on the stairs going up to our door. We often startle one another. Last week, in desperation he jumped several feet onto a trash can to escape me. Sometimes I'm afraid he'll hide and in vengeance, bite my leg as I walk past.

4. David is a studying machine. I've never seen him like this. 11 hours worth of seminary in 1.5 months is cramping my style.

5. We are going to see Wicked in Memphis in a few weeks. I'm going to wear my St. Patrick's Day skirt to the show.

6. I'm craving the Jello/Sherbet dessert again.

7. We'll be at home this weekend. I think we're out of town an average of 1 in 2 weekends these days. To be honest, I like it both ways. Keeps it interesting.

8. I streamed the SBC convention way more than I would have anticipated this week...even watching some of the business. I miss all the activity in Louisville already.

My Dear Mother

Today is my Mom's birthday. I hate that we can't be in Memphis. We celebrated last weekend though with a gift for each decade of her life. (I can't tell you how many decades because my mom's been telling us that she's turning 29 since 1985:) This was my attempt at creativity anyhow. For example, she spent several years in her first decade in Cincinnati, OH so we packed our cooler full of ice and brought her Graeter's French Pot Ice Cream...which originated in Cinci. The movie South Pacific was popular during her second decade...so Amazon delivered that one...and so on. She was a good sport! Afterward, David put together the treadmill she ordered. I made an instructional video of him explaining how to use the treadmill that is hilarious. He banned it from the blog though. Ah well.



With each passing year I seem to appreciate more of who my mom is as a person. She was a phenomenal mother to us when we were young children. We ate dinner together almost every night, she read to us from the classics, took us to the symphony, always had something fun planned for the summer like passes to Adventure River or the Memphis Zoo. When we were teenagers, she helped us wade through all the dramas of friendship, shuttled us back and forth from choir, and spent her vacation money to send us off to church camps. I have for many years now appreciate those things on some level though not as deeply as she deserves. In this season though, as I move more fully into adulthood and am less often asked what grade I am in or what college I attend, I feel like I am getting to know her afresh.

She's no longer cooking mac and cheese and carting us around town. She is working hard in her job and displaying an incredible business mind. She is on the cutting edge of every new gadget and hip TV show that comes out. She knows all the good art spots in Memphis and has her ear to the ground about a variety of events on any given weekend. She's ever amazing me with her impeccable taste in jewelry, her uncanny ability to create, and her adventurous spirit.

The truth is, I am glad she is not 29 anymore. I like watching her in this season of life...I like getting to know her better on these grounds. I admire so much in her. I am glad she is and always will be my beloved mother. I am glad that she is more and more becoming my dear friend.

Happy Birthday, Mom.

Flip

Let me tell you about my Flip. I was intimidated by it. It took me a month to take it out of the box. Once I did, I had it all set up in 5 minutes. It is handy. It is compact. It is easy to use. It takes good videos in most surroundings. It uploads on a usb for those who aren't so computer savvy. I love it. Most of the time, my mom tells me about the latest technology...and gives it to me for some holiday or another. This was no exception. And now...I carry it around quite often.

After my dramatic spoon game I was back in for another round when Rebekah and Amanda left me this little message...ignore the spoon poke line (which is a reference to a most embarrassing moment of mine that I refuse to post on the blog)and take in their heartfelt love for me. Touching, isn't it? I miss Memphis too. They didn't quite realize that you can zoom in and out with Flip.

Moments of Anne-ness

Marriage is a revealer of many unknowns. I never knew that David folded his socks together instead of balling them up in a pair as I do. Who would have guessed that I would develop an obsession with vacuuming the little rug in front of the sink?

One of David's first discoveries about me in marriage was that I am a little bit dramatic. He has taken to calling me "Anne" in moments of intense emotion over little matters. This reference is to my favorite fiction character of all time - Anne of Green Gables. I suppose she is a little dramatic. Is it possible that I've read the books and watched the movies enough to have taken on some of her traits?



This weekend we got together with some old friends for a game of spoons late one night. I had my handy little Flip out to capture some moments.(thanks to my tech-queen mom!) Amanda picked it up as I lost at the game...and I saw myself though someone else's eyes.

I guess I was a little overboard about a simple game of spoons. In all fairness, it wasn't against the rules despite my cries of foul play....but she did rip it from my hand:)

a picture is worth a thousand words...