Today, was a good day.
I baked brownies. With extra chocolate chips just because. And I displayed them on my new pink plaid platter from the Target clearance aisle.
I wore my favorite summer dress, which is long and beachy and made of the softest grey t-shirt material.
I listened to my Smalltown Poets cd, sang along with "Prophet, Priest & King" and remembered how much I love their music.
I went to our work pool party and laid in the sun and went swimming with my friends. And get this - Ben took the afternoon off and came to the party too!
We went and saw WALL-E. I am now in love with that movie. I cried at their adorable robot love.
I came home all tired and with sunkissed shoulders and as I was taking a shower I realized it was only Friday and the whole weekend was still before me.
Then I typed this blog.
And now I am going to go downstairs, get a glass of milk, and curl up next to Ben on the couch. I am going to thank God that he is not at Bonnaroo or working at his boss's house til 4 am, or any other place than here with me. And I am going to read my book of Ray Bradbury short stories until we get tired and go to bed.
And that, my friends, is a pretty great day.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Note to Self
Well, I heard you say you would love for a lifetime
And now you complain that a lifetime just doesn't feel right for you
Another casualty of casual love
Another soul out of place, a heart that gave up
Why do we break the promises we make?
Are we living for ourselves?
Don't give up on love and throw it all away
Don't give up on love and let it fall away
When did it become so easy to run from your pain?
Don't give up on love and throw it all away
Well, I heard you say you can't change a stubborn heart
Yeah, I can relate, cause that's how I feel when I talk with you
Why should it take losing everything
To realize it might be time to change?
Don't give up on love and throw it all away
Don't give up on love and let it fall away
When did it become so easy to run from your pain?
Don't give up on love and throw it all away
Your restless heart won't win
Cause you take, but you don't give
And you'll keep moving on until you learn what love is
-Sanctus Real "Don't Give Up On Love"
And now you complain that a lifetime just doesn't feel right for you
Another casualty of casual love
Another soul out of place, a heart that gave up
Why do we break the promises we make?
Are we living for ourselves?
Don't give up on love and throw it all away
Don't give up on love and let it fall away
When did it become so easy to run from your pain?
Don't give up on love and throw it all away
Well, I heard you say you can't change a stubborn heart
Yeah, I can relate, cause that's how I feel when I talk with you
Why should it take losing everything
To realize it might be time to change?
Don't give up on love and throw it all away
Don't give up on love and let it fall away
When did it become so easy to run from your pain?
Don't give up on love and throw it all away
Your restless heart won't win
Cause you take, but you don't give
And you'll keep moving on until you learn what love is
-Sanctus Real "Don't Give Up On Love"
Sunday, June 22, 2008
An Open Letter to Kraft
Dear Kraft Company,
Hello. My name is Amy, and like any sane person, I really love your Macaroni and Cheese product. So simple to make. So delicious and cheesy. I'm not really ashamed to say that I can eat an entire box by myself in one sitting. In fact, would you believe I'm eating some right now as I type this? True story.
However, through 25 years of existence on this planet, several of those years spent preparing this meal for myself and the many assorted children I've babysat, I've come to realize that this product is seriously flawed. Tonight it got so bad I had to write this blog about it.
Kraft, I am begging you... could you please redesign the $#&!*@! box?!! If anyone is reading this right now and you have ever successfully opened a box of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese using the directions on the box, come forward right now and identify yourself. Leave me a comment with step by step detailed instructions about where the heck I am going wrong. Maybe include a drawing or diagram? Because every time my box ends up in mangled shreds of cardboard.
The box has a little area marked on the short edge at the top, a lovely golden crescent upon which, from what I can gather, I am to place by thumb and press in. And in theory, the perforated section pushes in and I can tear the box top off. Easy as pie, right? Or so you'd like me to BELIEVE, people of Kraft. But what happens, and someone back a crazy girl up here, is that the pressure of my thumb just crumples the corner of the box. I must resort to picking at the glued down flap on the top or bottom, which no doubt rips off leaving the second layer of cardboard securely glued shut.
Surely you WANT me to get to the delightful and delicious contents, so why must it be like breaking into Fort freakin' Knox to get into the box?! When I occasionally have to pry the box open with a steak knife, hasn't it gone too far?
All over the world, every day, people are opening boxes used to store food. Crackers, cookies, even other types of pasta and rice. And you know what? It's never that hard. So I beg of you, take it back to the drawing board. I can send you a couple suggestions if you'd like. I'm especially fond of those where you grab the tab and rrrrrrrrrip, off comes the little strip and you can just pop the box right open. But I mean, whatever works for you guys, Kraft.
Remember, I'm not asking you to change what's on the inside, Kraft. No, don't you lay a hand on that recipe - it's timeless and perfect. But seriously. SERIOUSLY. Fix. The. Box.
Thank you,
Amy J
PS to readers... am I insane? Or am I right? I mean, I'm a college-educated young professional... surely I am not the only one unable to open a box of Mac & Cheese!?! You know what, just don't answer that. :)
Hello. My name is Amy, and like any sane person, I really love your Macaroni and Cheese product. So simple to make. So delicious and cheesy. I'm not really ashamed to say that I can eat an entire box by myself in one sitting. In fact, would you believe I'm eating some right now as I type this? True story.
However, through 25 years of existence on this planet, several of those years spent preparing this meal for myself and the many assorted children I've babysat, I've come to realize that this product is seriously flawed. Tonight it got so bad I had to write this blog about it.
Kraft, I am begging you... could you please redesign the $#&!*@! box?!! If anyone is reading this right now and you have ever successfully opened a box of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese using the directions on the box, come forward right now and identify yourself. Leave me a comment with step by step detailed instructions about where the heck I am going wrong. Maybe include a drawing or diagram? Because every time my box ends up in mangled shreds of cardboard.
The box has a little area marked on the short edge at the top, a lovely golden crescent upon which, from what I can gather, I am to place by thumb and press in. And in theory, the perforated section pushes in and I can tear the box top off. Easy as pie, right? Or so you'd like me to BELIEVE, people of Kraft. But what happens, and someone back a crazy girl up here, is that the pressure of my thumb just crumples the corner of the box. I must resort to picking at the glued down flap on the top or bottom, which no doubt rips off leaving the second layer of cardboard securely glued shut.
Surely you WANT me to get to the delightful and delicious contents, so why must it be like breaking into Fort freakin' Knox to get into the box?! When I occasionally have to pry the box open with a steak knife, hasn't it gone too far?
All over the world, every day, people are opening boxes used to store food. Crackers, cookies, even other types of pasta and rice. And you know what? It's never that hard. So I beg of you, take it back to the drawing board. I can send you a couple suggestions if you'd like. I'm especially fond of those where you grab the tab and rrrrrrrrrip, off comes the little strip and you can just pop the box right open. But I mean, whatever works for you guys, Kraft.
Remember, I'm not asking you to change what's on the inside, Kraft. No, don't you lay a hand on that recipe - it's timeless and perfect. But seriously. SERIOUSLY. Fix. The. Box.
Thank you,
Amy J
PS to readers... am I insane? Or am I right? I mean, I'm a college-educated young professional... surely I am not the only one unable to open a box of Mac & Cheese!?! You know what, just don't answer that. :)
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Ellie's Run for Africa
Hello, world! I wanted to post a quick note about Ellie's Run for Africa, which is an event I have had the privilege of photographing for the past few years now. This is a great community event with a wonderful story behind it. A very sweet girl, Ellie, at age 10 heard a missionary speak at her church about his work in Africa. God stirred in her young heart a dream to raise money for the children she'd heard about, and with her passion behind it, Ellie's Run for Africa was born. The event is a 5K Cross Country Run and Family Fun Day held out at Percy Warner park here in Nashville. This year's event is on Saturday, June 14th. You can find out lots more about it at http://www.elliesrun.org/. If you're the athletic type, I would encourage you to sign up to run or walk the race. If you're not, then just bring yourself and your family out for the other activities. All the event proceeds will go to African Leadership, a ministry and missionary organization that works to fund education and health improvements for the world's poorest in places like the Kibera slum in Kenya.
Here's a video of Miss Ellie herself, telling you why you should be involved! C'mon out - I'll see you there, camera in hand!
Here's a video of Miss Ellie herself, telling you why you should be involved! C'mon out - I'll see you there, camera in hand!
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Just Really Sad
This morning at work we found out the saddest news. One of Steven Curtis Chapman's children was killed in a horrible accident. Here is the story from the Tennessean:
Singer Steven Curtis Chapman's daughter is struck, killed by car
By LINDA ZETTLER and KATE HOWARD • Staff Writers • May 22, 2008
Steven Curtis Chapman's youngest child died Wednesday evening after being struck by a car driven by her teenage brother in the driveway of the family's Williamson County home. Maria, one of the Christian singer's six children, was taken by LifeFlight to Vanderbilt Hospital, which confirmed the death, according to Laura McPherson, a spokeswoman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
The 5-year-old was hit by an SUV driven by her teenage brother, she said. Police did not give the driver's name. The teen was driving a Toyota Land Cruiser down the driveway of the rural home about 5:30 p.m. and several children were playing in the area, McPherson said. He did not see Maria in the driveway before the vehicle struck her, she said.
"It appears to be a terrible accident,'' McPherson said. No charges are expected, she said. The accident was witnessed by two other children; the entire family was home at the time, McPherson said.
Singer/songwriter Chapman, who recently was inducted into Music City Walk of Fame, is one of contemporary Christian music's most recognizable and most awarded names. He and his wife, Mary Beth, have long been supporters of international adoption, having brought three girls from China into their family. Maria was the youngest. The couple is so active in the cause that they formed an organization, Shaohannah's Hope, to aid families wanting to adopt.
With his latest music tour, which came through Nashville in November, Chapman started a campaign called "Change for Orphans." He asked audience members at each stop to bring spare change to the concert, where it was counted and given to a local family to aid in their adoption process.
"I don't know of anybody who loves his children more than he does and is so committed to the adoption concept, and to lose one, no matter what the circumstances, is heartbreaking beyond all comprehension," said John Styll, president of the Nashville-based Gospel Music Association. "He talks about his kids all the time. That's his life. His kids are more important to him than music, that's for sure."
The tragedy was announced during Wednesday-night services at Harpeth Hills Church of Christ, which the family attends. Maria had just graduated from the church preschool. And word spread throughout the tight-knit Christian music community on Wednesday evening. Styll got the news not long after Maria's death.
"I'm confident I can speak for everyone in the community to say we will do everything we can to support this family, as we would do at any time, but especially at a time like this," he said.
What else is there but to believe that even in this, God is in control? There aren't any other words to say. Please pray for the Chapman family during this time. If you would like to make a donation to Shaohannah's Hope, you can visit www.shaohannahshope.org.
Singer Steven Curtis Chapman's daughter is struck, killed by car
By LINDA ZETTLER and KATE HOWARD • Staff Writers • May 22, 2008
Steven Curtis Chapman's youngest child died Wednesday evening after being struck by a car driven by her teenage brother in the driveway of the family's Williamson County home. Maria, one of the Christian singer's six children, was taken by LifeFlight to Vanderbilt Hospital, which confirmed the death, according to Laura McPherson, a spokeswoman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
The 5-year-old was hit by an SUV driven by her teenage brother, she said. Police did not give the driver's name. The teen was driving a Toyota Land Cruiser down the driveway of the rural home about 5:30 p.m. and several children were playing in the area, McPherson said. He did not see Maria in the driveway before the vehicle struck her, she said.
"It appears to be a terrible accident,'' McPherson said. No charges are expected, she said. The accident was witnessed by two other children; the entire family was home at the time, McPherson said.
Singer/songwriter Chapman, who recently was inducted into Music City Walk of Fame, is one of contemporary Christian music's most recognizable and most awarded names. He and his wife, Mary Beth, have long been supporters of international adoption, having brought three girls from China into their family. Maria was the youngest. The couple is so active in the cause that they formed an organization, Shaohannah's Hope, to aid families wanting to adopt.
With his latest music tour, which came through Nashville in November, Chapman started a campaign called "Change for Orphans." He asked audience members at each stop to bring spare change to the concert, where it was counted and given to a local family to aid in their adoption process.
"I don't know of anybody who loves his children more than he does and is so committed to the adoption concept, and to lose one, no matter what the circumstances, is heartbreaking beyond all comprehension," said John Styll, president of the Nashville-based Gospel Music Association. "He talks about his kids all the time. That's his life. His kids are more important to him than music, that's for sure."
The tragedy was announced during Wednesday-night services at Harpeth Hills Church of Christ, which the family attends. Maria had just graduated from the church preschool. And word spread throughout the tight-knit Christian music community on Wednesday evening. Styll got the news not long after Maria's death.
"I'm confident I can speak for everyone in the community to say we will do everything we can to support this family, as we would do at any time, but especially at a time like this," he said.
What else is there but to believe that even in this, God is in control? There aren't any other words to say. Please pray for the Chapman family during this time. If you would like to make a donation to Shaohannah's Hope, you can visit www.shaohannahshope.org.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Ciao from Roma!
Ashley & I are in Rome right now, having some fun! So far we have seen the Colloseum, Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, the basilica and Vatican museums, the Sistene Chapel, and the pope. For reals! I will blog a lot more when I get home but just wanted to throw up a couple quick pics of our travels!
Ash & Me at the Roman Forum 
My illegal pic of the Sistene Chapel.
Tomorrow we leave for the coast where we will visit Sorrento, Capri, and Pompeii. Ciao!
Ash & Me at the Roman Forum
Piazza Navonna at Sunset
Me at the Colloseum at night.
My illegal pic of the Sistene Chapel. Tomorrow we leave for the coast where we will visit Sorrento, Capri, and Pompeii. Ciao!
Monday, April 21, 2008
GMA Music Week
Well, we made it here... just about halfway done! Not much time to write but wanted to post a few pics of what's going on...
Here is a picture of the main reason I'm making it through this week at all:
Ben: Do you guys want to stay for Third Day?
Heather: Uh, have you SEEN Mac Powell? And his beautiful blue eyes?
Here is a picture of the main reason I'm making it through this week at all:
This is my bed in my room at the Renaissance. You'll notice that it is dark in the room... and yet this is when we have to get up. 5:30 am. Shudder. Thankfully, sleeping in this bed is like sleeping on a cloud, wrapped in magic. I have to cherish it, because on my own dime I could never afford to stay in a hotel this nice. So thanks, GMA!
These are some of the other main reasons I'm hanging in there... my friends at work:
This is my intern, Jessica... she's doing such a great job this week! Every time I see her she's running around carrying something or checking something. I'm so proud of her!
And then, of course, there's the music. You can't go anywhere during the week without hearing music blaring from every corner and seeing artists at every turn. I try not to geek out at seeing the artists too much, although it is cool to see them running around and hanging out with each other.
So far I've managed to drag my sleepy butt to two showcases. On Sunday night I went to the BMI Songwriter Showcase, featuring a whole slew of artists performing stripped down versions of the year's best songs. During this show there was one of those seriously awesome moments that you'll always remember. Leeland sang "Tears of the Saints" accompanied by his brother Jack, and you could've heard a pin drop as his wonderful, distinct voice just rang out this flawless song. Everyone was just spellbound... it was absolutely an annointed performance.
Also got to see Chris Tomlin perform his version of "Amazing Grace," which I also really love.
Then last night we hiked it on over to the Wildhorse to see Jars of Clay, Switchfoot, and Third Day. Talk about a line up! Unfortunately we missed most of Jars performance, but Switchfoot handily made up for that with an amazing rocking good time. I have only seen them once before live and it was at the Fair St. Louis so I was like, half a mile away. This was way better, obvs... we were right up near the front and it was just so fun! Jon was looking a little worse for the wear with some seriously overgrown and underwashed hair, but I'll overlook that. So I let my hair down and got my hands up and had a great time. During one song Jon came down into the audience, got up on a table, sang the rest of the song, then rode back to the stage on some dude's shoulders. Fun! Bummer, my camera died after about the first three minutes but I did manage to snap one or two blurry photos...
Third Day ended out the very late night, but it's never too late to stay up and see Mac Powell and his handsome mug. Snapshot of our conversation:
Ben: Do you guys want to stay for Third Day?
Heather: Uh, have you SEEN Mac Powell? And his beautiful blue eyes?
No, but seriously, their music is pretty good too.
Well, that's the last of my updates for now... tomorrow is Dove Day! Don't forget to watch it live on Gospel Music Channel at 7 central, woo-hoo!
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Happy Things From Today
1. Having Scruffy as my buddy at the house and bed warmer-upper since Ben is gone
2. Lots of pretty sunshine (even though it was kinda chilly outside)
3. Wearing my new yellow shirt - and the color yellow in general
4. Listening to Sleeping at Last even though I couldn't go to their concert like I wanted
5. Dearest friends coming over and watching some classic Office episodes
6. Ben coming home Thursday night instead of Friday
2. Lots of pretty sunshine (even though it was kinda chilly outside)
3. Wearing my new yellow shirt - and the color yellow in general
4. Listening to Sleeping at Last even though I couldn't go to their concert like I wanted
5. Dearest friends coming over and watching some classic Office episodes
6. Ben coming home Thursday night instead of Friday
Friday, April 11, 2008
TUNA! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!
Last night, after a nearly five-month long hiatus, my favorite funny show returned to television: "The Office." Piled on our couches with our friends Jon, Heather, Grant, and Lila, we basked in the golden glow of our television set. We squealed (and then shushed each other) as the cold open began with all our favorite characters milling around their nondescript office area. We groaned and covered our faces in horror as Michael and Jan's disturbing relationship took a turn into painfully and awesomely awkward before their dinner guests' very eyes. We howled with delight as Dwight showed up with his straight-from-the-19th century former babysitter and explained their relationship as "strictly carnal."
Jim so desparate to leave that he nearly ditched Pam.
Serenity by Jan candles.
Michael's attempts at Charades.
The Dundee hurtled from Jan's insane hands into Michael's precious tiny plasma tv.
And then, AND THEN, AND SERIOUSLY, ARE YOU KIDDING ME:
"Hi, Dan here with your channel 4 Pinpoint Weather Alert. If you'll take a look with me here at Macon County up in Kentucky, you'll see some pretty serious storm clouds... now this spinning area on the radar is where we've had one person, excuse me, two eyes, (yeah, he seriously said that) that have spotted what may have been a funnel cloud formation."
So, let me get this straight, Dan from Channel 4. You interrupted the final minutes of my favorite show for this?! First of all, do the people in Kentucky not have their own weather people that could tell them this? Second of all, if it is, in fact, as bad as you are saying, then those people probably don't have power and can't watch you giving this report anyway. Third and most importantly, there was a commercial break THIRTY FREAKIN' SECONDS AGO... you couldn't have done this then?
It wouldn't have been so bad, honestly - I know it is their job - except he just kept going ON and ON. We were ten minutes into "Scrubs" by the time he finally wrapped it up. I could've given that report in about 15 seconds:
"Okay everyone, listen up. Look at this map. See all these red parts right here? Right, if you're in one of those, sorry, but it doesn't look too good. Get in your closets or basements (too bad no houses in the South even HAVE basements) or bathrooms right now. Folks in Bumpus Mills, PeeDee, Stringtown, Hackberry*, this means you. Now sit tight and I'll be back at the next commercial break."
*Names of REAL towns on the Kentucky/Tennessee border
See, would that have been so hard, DAN? Hmm? But nooooo, because of you and your great affinity for all your meteorologist technology, and because of Nashville's general tendency to freak the ef out any time it looks like it might rain hard, I don't know what happened once the cops showed up outside Michael's door. Did they take Jan off in the back of a squad car? Did Dwight pull out his spud gun in defense? Did Pam get back at Jim for trying to ditch her? Did Andy actually invest in Jan's candle company? I'll never know...
...until I watch it again online later today.
Jim so desparate to leave that he nearly ditched Pam.
Serenity by Jan candles.
Michael's attempts at Charades.
The Dundee hurtled from Jan's insane hands into Michael's precious tiny plasma tv.
And then, AND THEN, AND SERIOUSLY, ARE YOU KIDDING ME:
"Hi, Dan here with your channel 4 Pinpoint Weather Alert. If you'll take a look with me here at Macon County up in Kentucky, you'll see some pretty serious storm clouds... now this spinning area on the radar is where we've had one person, excuse me, two eyes, (yeah, he seriously said that) that have spotted what may have been a funnel cloud formation."
So, let me get this straight, Dan from Channel 4. You interrupted the final minutes of my favorite show for this?! First of all, do the people in Kentucky not have their own weather people that could tell them this? Second of all, if it is, in fact, as bad as you are saying, then those people probably don't have power and can't watch you giving this report anyway. Third and most importantly, there was a commercial break THIRTY FREAKIN' SECONDS AGO... you couldn't have done this then?
It wouldn't have been so bad, honestly - I know it is their job - except he just kept going ON and ON. We were ten minutes into "Scrubs" by the time he finally wrapped it up. I could've given that report in about 15 seconds:
"Okay everyone, listen up. Look at this map. See all these red parts right here? Right, if you're in one of those, sorry, but it doesn't look too good. Get in your closets or basements (too bad no houses in the South even HAVE basements) or bathrooms right now. Folks in Bumpus Mills, PeeDee, Stringtown, Hackberry*, this means you. Now sit tight and I'll be back at the next commercial break."
*Names of REAL towns on the Kentucky/Tennessee border
See, would that have been so hard, DAN? Hmm? But nooooo, because of you and your great affinity for all your meteorologist technology, and because of Nashville's general tendency to freak the ef out any time it looks like it might rain hard, I don't know what happened once the cops showed up outside Michael's door. Did they take Jan off in the back of a squad car? Did Dwight pull out his spud gun in defense? Did Pam get back at Jim for trying to ditch her? Did Andy actually invest in Jan's candle company? I'll never know...
...until I watch it again online later today.
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