No thanks...

Imagine this. You recently lost a dear friend. Let's call her Marcy. In honor of Marcy you go to her grave with flowers, a poem, pictures...something to honor her with. While at the grave you hear the distant sound of Michael Jackson's Thriller. This was Marcy's favorite song and also her ring tone. Wait... The noise is coming from the ground. Inconceivable! Did Marcy have her cell phone buried with her?

Believe it or not, this is one of the most recent trends. I certainly don't get it. I think it's weird. Please don't bury me with my cell phone. I'm curious as to what one would put as their outgoing message..."Hi, this is Emily. I'm six feet under right now. No, that's not an expression. Anyways, my reception is horrible down here and my phone is dead...and so am I. (Awkward chuckle) Sooooo, I won't be calling you back. Um...Big gulps huh? Well, see ya." 

Check out the article here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28182292//wid/11915829?GT1=40006

I have a problem...

While out Christmas shopping I keep finding and buying stuff for myself. Not just a couple of things. I dare to say that I have bought a plethora of things for myself. Yes, a plethora! (Such a great word.) My addiction is Aerie. The whole store is on sale AND everything is buy one get one 50% off. I can't stop. I have been in there three out of the past four days, and each time I buy at least two things. I need to quit. This is an intervention for me, with me, by me. STOP SHOPPING!

My most recent offense was last night. Karen, Tommy and I were watching White Christmas and paused it to run to the mall to go to Aerie. Why is everyone enabling my recent addiction? Anyways, the funny thing was that we were all wearing our favorite Aerie or AE pjs. We looked like Aerie models. 

Warning: During our car dancing a new move was invented by Miss Karen Sumner. The Nutcracker. It must only be used around Christmas. To learn this inspirational move please contact Karen, Tommy or me. Don't be disappointed if you aren't able to master it right away. It requires rhythm and advanced technique. Don't lie. We live in the midwest. Rhythm doesn't come naturally to most of us Scandinavians. 

Steve

For the first time since we met Steve disappointed me. This weekend, after working at the mall, I went out to my car in the arctic tundra and his battery had died. Sad day! I sent out an SOS to my little brother Kyle. He determined that we would need to put Steve in neutral and push him out of the parking space to give him a jump. In lou of the holiday season I am wearing my favorite Christmas outfits all week. Saturday I had on a holiday dress and heels. Needless to say I felt a little butch pushing my car in a dress and heels. 

The good news is that Steve started right away and has run fine since. However, he is spoiled. He lives in the garage and has forgotten how to adapt to his natural habitat. Outside. Steve. Is. Lazy.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

We're going to have a White Christmas this year! Yay! It is exquisite outside. I love driving around this time of year and looking at the Christmas lights. Listening to Christmas music, drinking a chai tea (which totally smells like Christmas), and hearing and feeling my tires squeak as they make there way through the snow packed roads. I love watching Christmas movies and drinking hot chocolate with friends. I watched White Christmas twice yesterday...too much? 

Christmas Eve is my favorite day of the year. I love going to church all dressed up with the fam and singing Christmas Carols to celebrate the birth of Jesus. My absolute favorite part of Christmas Eve is singing Silent Night when the lights are out and everyone is holding a lit candle. Honestly, if I am not burned by dripping wax from my candle I am a little disappointed. It's tradition by now. I adore seeing some of my dear friends from high school after the service. Then we brave the cold for the drive home to feast on oyster stew and chili with a meat and cheese tray as an appetizer. After everyone is 'can't walk full' we open a few presents. Then we finish the night watching the second showing of TBS's 24 hour marathon of A Christmas Story. It's a wonderful night and I wouldn't have it any other way.

It breaks my heart to think that for some people home is not a welcoming or loving place to be. I can't imagine dreading going home. God has blessed me with such an amazing family! 

Learning to Embrace. Daring to Dream.

Today is officially the last day I will be 24. I've had an incredible 24 years and would love to relive some of those, but I can't. It's weird to think back to when I was 18 and the dreams that I had for myself. I thought I would be in Hollywood right now working on my next blockbuster film, traveling to Africa to work with people in need, dating Ryan Gosling...hey, a girl can dream. I think that life would have been great, but it's definitely not what I want anymore. At least not all of it. I am astounded at how God has used my journey through college and these past couple of years to teach me about myself and allow me to grow into who I am today. One of my favorite artists, Brandon Heath, has a song "I'm not who I was." That describes me from 18 to 24. 

Side Note: At 24 I would prefer to date Brandon Heath.

Praise the Lord I'm not who I was when I was 18 anymore. I was totally the obnoxious high school girl who had the mentality that if I was the loudest girl in the room the guy I liked would totally notice me. Um, yeah, notice and walk away. Thankfully, I have overcome that. 

As I approach 25 I want to go in with no reservations. Turn my dreams into a reality. There is a great line in The Shack, "In a world full of talkers, Mack is a thinker and a doer." I strive to be a doer even when doing scares me, which sometimes it does. 

Examples: 

*I'm terrified of sharks, but have always wanted to surf. I blame my mother for this fear. Before I moved to California for a semester she watched Shark Week on Discovery until I left. Brutal. However, last year I went surfing with my friend Jaci in Punta Mita, Mexico and loved it. Thank you Antonio. Quite possible the most attractive Mexican man I have ever seen, and we spent two hours together in the ocean...bonus. 

*I've wanted to run a marathon since high school. In a month I will. P.F. Chang's Rock 'n Roll in Phoenix here I come!

*Since high school I have dreamed of going to Africa and backpacking through Europe. Earlier this week I bought a multi-destination plane ticket to Johannesburg, Africa and Geneva, Switzerland. 

I'm making my dreams a reality. Learning to do. 

25 is my year of do, action, adventure, continuing the journey I've begun. I think I'll feel a bit wiser tomorrow when I roll out of bed. I welcome what 25 has to bring. It's my choice to either dread another year or to embrace what will come. I've always been a cup half full kinda girl so I opt to embrace. Plus, there are many perks to 25.

*I can rent a car without any additional fees. Boo-ya!

*My insurance will go down. Love it!

*I can be a taxi-driver...which I'm seriously considering. I think it could be fun and the thought of it makes me giggle. Plus I heard that the pay is really good.

I challenge you all to learn to embrace where you're at in life. There's no point dreading what you can't change. Be thankful for what you have. And dare to dream. Become a doer. 

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." 

~ Mark Twain