Smooth Move: Tips to Make Moving Bearable

Most of my IRL peeps are aware that we recently moved. Again. (Whoever's counting and guessed that we have moved to 3 houses in 4 years of marriage, you win! And whoever counted about 7 extra "mini" moves -- HA -- after our house flooded, you win extra credit.)

That said, even after all.these.moves, I still find myself asking for advice when a big one comes along. And thankfully, I have a tight group of ~500 online friends who have been with me through thick and thin AND who are willing to share a wide variety of wisdom in any circumstance you can imagine. I realized it would be selfish to hoard the great tips I got this go-round, so if you're looking at a move, whether close or far away, I hope these tips from real life friends of mine will help make your life a little easier.

(Please note that I sadly did not follow all of these helpful hints -- much to my family's collective chagrin -- but I hope that if the unexpected, unlikely day ever comes for us to move yet again, I will check this post before proceeding.)

These are categorized by topic and phase, but we'll start with the one piece of advice that everyone yelled unanimously: PURGE.

But I love my STUFF! (Stop it. Purge, purge and purge some more.)
- Moving is the best time to get ride of stuff you don’t use/need/like anymore whatever the case.
- It feels so good to go through everything. Marie Kondo the hell out of it!
- If it doesn't break your heart to get rid of it - throw it away!
- We got rid of half of our belongings before moving cross-country. The only thing I regret is not letting go of more. I did sell a ton through multiple avenues and the extra $ came in handy.
- Garbage!!! Trash and Marie Kondo the shiz out of whatever you don't need! It's refreshing.
- Purging gives you a good grasp on what you have and what you’ll need for your new place.

No really, I promise, I'll start packing tonight.
- If you pack yourself, don’t do any of that “just throw it in the moving truck” stuff. Don’t leave ANYTHING LOOSE. We buy plastic tubs (and have used them and used them and used them!) so that everything stacks nicely and is organized. Our friends love to help us move because it’s all packed up.
- Buy good boxes and packing materials (Home Depot, U-Haul, etc) and pack yourself, but hire movers!
- Craigslist for free/cheap moving boxes. If you're using a moving company, they may offer used boxes for free as well.
- U-Haul often has used boxes at their locations for free.
- Use your bedding/towels/potholders etc to pack. Free packing materials and your taking it with you anyhow.

We have a lot of stuff. Like, a LOT. Are we really gonna move all this?!
- HIRE MOVERS. It’s one thing to move down the road, it’s another to move a few hours away. Plus moving in the heat just sucks and it will not help you win friends. Y’all don’t have a lot of stuff so the moving costs should be minimal.
- Get boxes that are a uniform size. It makes stacking and sticking boxes in the moving truck a lot easier. Also, no shame in hiring somebody to move you. Also, wine and coffee are wonderful.
- For the love of everything, label EVERY BOX or bin. Even if it just says “kitchen” it will help you. - U-Haul has something called U-Haul help. You can hire movers to load and unload your truck. Well worth the money and way cheaper than bids from actual moving companies. We’ve used them as have our family members and it was awesome. You save but still have help.
- U-haul. Just U-haul. They have the best boxes (including wardrobe boxes which are the best thing ever invented imo). Plus they buy back unused boxes. And they have bags to put your mattress and box springs in so they don’t get dirty. And tv bags and just all. The. Things.
- If you label your stuff I’d suggest writing what’s actually in the box. Not kitchen stuff, but kitchen stuff (spoons, cups, forks).
* rebekah's note: a tip we could have used given it took 2 weeks to find real utensils
- PAY SOME MOVERS
- Hire a moving company.
- We packed ourselves but we did hire movers to come and load the whole house.
- Find movers someone you know has used before and liked. Some are less careful than others.

I've packed up my life and I'm losing.my.mind.
- We decided to store packed boxes in the garage so they weren't taking over the house, so the day the movers arrived all the boxes were in the garage and all the furniture was in the house.

The moving truck is full. Both cars are full. Buckling my seatbelt set off a can of Lysol. Will I ever find anything when we get ther?!
- In your vehicles, pack a suitcase with a couple of sets of clothes and a trash can with cleaning supplies in it.
- Take your laundry basket and put two sets of towels and a set of sheets in it and toss it in a car too.
- Pack a suitcase with clothes and whatever cleaning supplies you’ll need when you get there. Also things like a bottle of hand soap, a hand towel, paper towel, a roll or two of toilet paper.
- Take your important documents with you on your person. I know this is a no brainer, but just....
- I have a laundry basket that we keep in the car with us that has the coffee pot (so critical), mugs, two changes of clothes for each person, a fresh towel per person, a bath mat, a shower curtain, all-purpose cleaner, a sponge, a washcloth, body wash, toothbrushes/toothpaste, a roll of paper towels and toilet paper.
- I pack a cooler in the floorboard with water bottles, a pound of ground coffee and filters, and some fresh fruit. It has saved me literally every time, in one way or another.

We loooooved our old house....and now it's empty...and dirty?! What the.....
- Hire people to clean your house. Full stop.

Yay! We're at our new house! WHAT.IS.HAPPENING TO MY LIFE.
- Make sure boxes go into the exact room you want them in at the new house. It will make unpacking so much easier!
- Tape a paper note outside rooms that you put on the boxes (kid #1 bedroom, etc) saves you time having to direct people unloading.
- I set aside a laundry basket with clothes and sheets for beds I need so I don’t have to dig for it when I’m tired.
- Make your bed first when you get to the new place. Order pizza for dinner.

We're here! New house! New chapter! (Ummmm....where's the iron?!)
- Cut yourself a break. It's not going to be perfect. It's not going to all be put away and pretty right away. A month later, and we're still working on getting the cars into the garage.


I don't mind one bit telling you that this is my last suggestion here only because I hope it will stick with you.

Attitude of gratitude:
- Corny but attitude is everything. We’ve had two major moves and both times it took me two years to acclimate and enjoy the new instead of mourning who and what we left behind. That’s a lot of wasted time! Enjoy the process and adventure. 🙂

Do you have moving suggestions to add? Please comment here and I'll update this font of wisdom. xoxo and happy trails!

No apologies.

Some conversations and reflection this evening has reminded me of a few things I'll never apologize for loving and including on my "must haves."

This list, as Coach O'Neal of d'Iberville High would say, includes iff (if but not if only) the items in Jo Dee Messina's song of old, "I'm All Right:"



Well, I miss 'em, but I'm doin' all right.

No apologies for that. Not on my part. Or on anyone's part, I hope! :-)

High Five.

Five things I'm thankful for today are:

1. My job. Not only do I realize how fortunate I am to even have a job in this economy, I'm also aware that enjoying that job puts me in a unique and beautiful category. I prayed for this for so long, and now I am here. Blessed am I.
2. My foot. My stupid, sore, ugly-shoe-clad, plantar fasciitis-ridden foot. Were it not for this foot, I wouldn't appreciate the 8,456,293 neglected pairs of shoes in my closet that I WILL wear one day when this foot finally heals. I also wouldn't look forward to things like running, walking distances, adding variety to my exercise routine, or doing anything that puts weight on my foot. So, you know, good reminder. Every dang day. 
3. Upcoming getaways. Switzerland, you ask? The West Coast, perhaps? Maybe a little jaunt to the Pacific Northwest? Not quite. But from my anticipation of a road trip that'll include visits with friends and family, you'd think I'd won an Oprah dream vacation. It's really nice to have things to look forward to.
4. Stress. Yeah, I know. This one's a little Pollyanna-ish, even for me. But still. Feeling stress reminds me that I don't always feel that way, and that there is a difference between good stress and bad stress. (Maybe I'll blog more on this later. It's a topic that interests me.) So I am grateful to recognize the difference between the two, to realize this isn't my norm anymore, and to find ways to relieve it!
5. LOL. A teacher I had in high school was great about laughing at her own mistakes. I saw this at the time, and thought I caught on, but I think I'm aware that with each new mistake -- minor or major -- that I maybe don't have that down quite so much. So God bless Mrs. Farris for sharing her stories and demonstrating the value of laughing out loud as often as possible. Since she was attacked by cancer a few years back and I didn't get to say these specific words to her, I really hope she knows just how valuable those lessons were to me. (Also, the typing skills are coming in handy, too.) Knowing Mrs. Farris, I have no doubt she's still cracking herself and everyone around her up, even in Heaven. I'm striving daily to ace that test myself. 

Closer Than A Brother.

I have some wonderful friends. I don't know how that's happened, because I'm so far from perfect, and honestly just plain don't try to be perfect nearly as often as a lot of people do. But still, these friends -- these true friends -- they stick around, and they love me in my ugliest form.

The Bible speaks of the type of "friend who sticks closer than a brother."

I've just had a text exchange with my sister that reinforces the thoughts I've had for so long: that would have to be one truly, out of this world, amazing friend.

And, of course, that Friend literally is out of this world, because the Friend the Bible speaks of is Jesus. Who I am utterly grateful for, and Who didn't have to try to be perfect (He just was), and Whose ultimate, bloody, incomprehensible sacrifice has made abundant life possible for me.

So among these amazing friends I've acquired, and ridiculously wonderful cousins who I think more of as siblings, and this one-of-a-kind sister who probably should've disowned me years ago, I'm really thankful that when Scripture gives me that analogy, I know its profound significance.

And I am grateful, and humbled, and undeserving, and really, at the end of a day like this, pretty speechless to be loved that much.

TGIF + 4 = :-)

Five things I'm thankful for are...

1. It's almost FRIDAY.

2. Friendships that pick up immediately where they left off, no matter when that "left off" occurred.

3. Meeting new peeps!

4. When a diet finally seems to be working. Whew.

5. Answered prayers, specifically in the form of divine appointments, affirmation, and well-timed encouragement.

Fighting Dragons.

This is absolutely one of my favorite songs, probably because it reminds me of my crazy-wonderful friends throughout the various stages of my life.

I have been inordinately blessed by always having been surrounded by incredible people. I'm not sure how that happened, or why, because goodness knows I haven't deserved it. But I've had such amazing friends, whether forever friends, dating relationships, or seasonal friendships.

So this song really makes me think of all my fabulously spotless friendships through the years -- from those lifelong relatives/friends, to my precious kindergarten & elementary school peeps, to those crazy kids from d'Iberville, to church friends from over the years, to the BSU crowd at J.D., to the Melrose Place apartment buds in Hattiesburg, to the crew at First Baptist Jackson, to my Brandon girls, to all the lovely Baton Rouge cajun peeps, to the priceless once third-party ancillary friendships that thankfully just stuck despite ended relationships, to the many friendships I've developed in work settings along the way.

For those forever friends... You know who you are, and why you're in that category, and why you couldn't shake me if you tried. Many of my relatives are best friends, and my sister is at the top of that list. Why I got to grow up with her, and with my cousins who are hilariously integral to my world, I will never know. But I'm grateful beyond measure for that. There's nothing quite like knowing you'll be loved unconditionally by the people who have literally known you your whole life.

For those seasonal friendships: I used to really be confused by and hate that friendships and relationships ever had to end. I wondered why everything can't be forever. (Sometimes I'm 6. It could be worse.) But what you contributed to my life at the time.... wow. I'm incredulously thankful for what we shared, and I've grown to be so thankful that it had its own timeframe. Some things aren't meant to last, and would not end well if they did last longer. I pray you're in a good place, that your memories of our time together are as sweet as mine, and that you're contributing the best of you, even now.

For those who left this world long before I made enough memories with you: Thank you for sharing yourself with me. I'll see you again one day, and our time won't ever end.

To all: I'm amazed to have been and to be part of your world. I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you!

Lyrics to "Long Live" by Taylor Swift (video embedded below):


I said remember this moment
In the back of my mind
The time we stood with our shaking hands
The crowds in stands went wild

We were the kings and the queens
And they read off our names
The night you danced like you knew our lives
Would never be the same

You held your head like a hero
On a history book page
It was the end of a decade
But the start of an age

Long live the walls we crashed through
All the kingdom lights shined just for me and you
I was screaming, "long live all the magic we made"
And bring on all the pretenders
One day we will be remembered

I said remember this feeling
I passed the pictures around
Of all the years that we stood there on the sidelines
Wishing for right now

We were the kings and the queens
You traded your baseball cap for a crown
When they gave us our trophies
And we held them up for our town
And the cynics were outraged
Screaming, "this is absurd"
'Cause for a moment a band of thieves in ripped up jeans got to rule the world

Long live the walls we crashed through
All the kingdom lights shined just for me and you
I was screaming, "long live all the magic we made"
And bring on all the pretenders
I'm not afraid

Long live all the mountains we moved
I had the time of my life
Fighting dragons with you
I was screaming, "long live the look on your face"
And bring on all the pretenders
One day we will be remembered

Hold on to spinning around
Confetti falls to the ground
May these memories break our fall

Can you take a moment
And promise me this:
That you'll stand by me forever
But if God forbid fate should step in
And force us into a goodbye
If you have children someday
When they point to the pictures
Please tell them my name
Tell them how the crowds went wild
Tell them how I hope they shine

Long live the walls we crashed through
I had the time of my life with you
Long, long live the walls we crashed through
All the candlelight shined just for me and you
And I was screaming, "long live all the magic we made"
And bring on all the pretenders
I'm not afraid

Singing long live all the mountains we moved
I had the time of my life
Fighting dragons with you
And long, long live the look on your face
And bring on all the pretenders
One day we will be remembered

Water Bottle Overflowing.

Thinking of five things I'm grateful for within a week is never very difficult, but lately, I'm finding that my cup (or, more accurately, my water bottle) is overflowing.

So here are five things I'm thankful for right now:

1. Modern medicine. Allergies and headaches and other day-to-day messes stink, but where would we be without Excedrin? And Zyrtec?   ::shudder::

2. Challenges.  I started a new job Monday, and am being challenged in wonderfully intellectual new ways! I'm so excited about this, and pray I'll be able to keep up and meet the expectations I and others are setting for me. It's so amazingly refreshing to have my brain stimulated!

3. Baton Rouge water. I know I say this a lot, but have you TASTED it? Right out of the tap. Delish.

4. Family and friends. That might seem like kind of a broad group, but I truly have the best of both worlds. Really. I do not take this blessing for granted at all.

5. Coffee. 'Nuff said.

5th Element.

Five things I'm thankful for today are:

1. Bosses who listen when you say you need help.

2. Modern medicine.

3. Hair that allows for variety. (Curly, straight, ponytail, down, up, pigtails, etc.)

4. Friends in ALL places.

5. Books.

5 Things I'm Thankful For + Some Thoughts on Easter

Today is Easter Sunday, and that is a huge part of the five things I'm thankful for these days. Sure, I like the chocolate and seeing kids' running around all dressed up, but mainly, I'm grateful for the reminder that God has made all things new for us, and that He has given us a hope and a future in the resurrection of His Son.

So, this Easter, five things I'm grateful for are:

1. A Savior who is risen and who lives.

2. A place to go home to when I need respite, and a family who loves me like crazy -- even though I'm mainly unlovable, and they have seen that side of me many times.

3. Friends -- specifically Jane -- who never stop loving me, caring about my world, and asking how things make me feel.

4. Spring. God bless this warmer, kinder, gentler weather. It's good for the soul.

5. The symbolism of this day, and this time of year, and songs like the one below that serve as reminders that the old is gone and the past is over, and that we can look forward to newness and the future and all the great things in store for us:



Happy Easter, and much love.

Sticks and Stones.

I've only had one broken bone in my life, but do tend to bruise pretty easily. I don't know if it's the fair skin, or that I'm a klutz, or just that I'm a girl, since a lot of girls say the same thing. At any rate, I can look down any given day and see all kinds of random bruises that I can't remember getting. They don't always hurt, but they're ugly and sometimes they last a long time.

Especially having red hair, I've been ridiculously fortunate not to be the brunt of nasty jokes much throughout the years. Maybe this is because I laugh at my own self a lot. Maybe peeps are considerate enough to save their ugly talk for behind my back. Or maybe -- just maybe -- it's because I try really hard to follow the rare and consistent traits that I grew up watching my parents and sister live daily and seemingly effortlessly, and I try to be kind (though I don't always succeed, especially when I'm stressed out). I'm forever laughing with people about my faults, and often pointing them out to those around me, but am not proud to say that especially in the past, I tend to be pretty sensitive when facets of me that I view as negative are pointed out, even by friends who mean well. But basically, when it comes down to it, I have really, really escaped a lot of life's barbs, and I am utterly grateful for that.

My precious sister got picked on a good bit in elementary and middle school. She is absolutely the sweetest person in the universe, so I think it offended me almost as much as it did her. She was very shy and quiet at the time, so I don't think that helped matters much. Thankfully, she came out of her shell and blossomed into a gorgeous, more outgoing but still very kind young lady, and boom, the jokes stopped. I don't think I ever realized, though, how much those jokes could have hurt her. I mean, I still haven't talked to her about it (I'm typing in a very stream-of-consciousness way right now, so I'm sure we'll discuss it soon), but good grief. It had to hurt. Basically a stick figure of a child, I often took up for her on the bus or wherever, using words as my fight and praying I wouldn't get beat up by the instigators.

Yesterday, I was insulted worse than I can ever remember. I also experienced raw, emotional hurt in a way I can never remember hurting. I don't know if the (not particularly nice in general) person knew she ruined my day, and possibly month, but she did. It was just a thoughtless comment, but absolutely unneccessary, and it made me feel fat and slobby and small (but definitely not in a good way), and like the biggest loser (but also not in a good way).

After crying pretty hard about the rude comments and seeking immediate e-counseling from 10 of my closest friends, including my mom & sister, I realized: there's something to that old saying.

Sticks and stones -- or in my case, being thrown from a horse -- may break my bones, but words won't break me.

(I wouldn't go so far as to say words can never harm us, because the initial bruise is pretty nasty. But thankfully, we have our circle of peeps who take care of us with the effect that rubbing alcohol and antiseptic have on bruises and cuts. And after a little bit, the bruises fade, the cuts stop bleeding, and hopefully later, we can look back at that experience as un-fun, but not life-altering.)

So what lessons did I learn from being school-bus-picked-on at 33 1/2? 
1. Always have a few of your closest friends nearby to stand up for you, even if it's only to you.
2. Remember to be kind to others, because what we think are lighthearted comments may be really hurtful to them.
3. Always have a few of your closest friends nearby to stand up for you, even if it's only to you.
4. Keep your "surmising," as my Nan would say, to yourself.
5. Always have a few of your closest friends nearby to stand up for you, even if it's only to you.
6. Keep Taylor Swift in your iTunes. Always.
7. Always have a few of your closest friends nearby to stand up for you, even if it's only to you.

Because in the end, thank the Lord, bruises really do fade and cuts heal. Especially with the soothing ointment of wonderful friends and family.

Five.

Five things I'm grateful for right now are:

1. Friends, near and far.
2. People who do nice things for other people. Whether or not I'm a beneficiary in this, I really appreciate it.
3. Heat.
4. Gloves.
5. My nephew, who makes me laugh literally every day.

Fa la la.

I'm having one of those holiday frenzy days that makes me want to scream. Or cry. Or both. Which is odd, considering the Reason for the Season.

So before I head home for Christmas, I'm reminding myself of a few things:

a) I'm going to try -- really hard -- to remember why we celebrate this holiday.

b) I am blessed and fortunate to have family and friends who love me.

c) Life, when it comes down to it, is good. Really good.
d) Nothing is insurmountable.


I hope you all have a beautiful celebration of our Lord's birth.

That is, after all, why we're getting ourselves all worked up. Right?  :-)

Joie de vivre.

I've had one of those days that reminded me of the joy of life, and living, and how ridiculously thankful I am for all I have and where I've been -- good and bad.

So this time, I'm listing things my heart is brimming over with thanks for, and I'm not stoppin' at five.

1. My home state. I am in mad love with Mississippi, and the fact that I've had the opportunity to spend so much time in so many parts of it. Faith Hill had it right -- no matter where I am, I'm still (and always will be!) a Mississippi girl. :-)
2. Old friends. There is something to be said for the peeps who know you well, have seen you at your worst, and still love you. I'm overly blessed with the most wonderful friends EVER. How this happened, I have no idea, but I pray to God I don't do anything to mess it up! My peeps are the best peeps.
3. New friends. Meeting new people never gets old! Sometimes I think it's not the best habit of mine (for maintenance reasons and all), but aren't new personalities the best?! It's so cool to learn where others are coming from and to see where they'll go.
4. The past -- all of it. The good, the bad, and the ugly are all part of where and who I am now, and today, I happen to really love where and who I am now. I never thought I would be thankful for some of my ugliest experiences, but I'll be dadgummed if they're not reminding me of how good it feels to feel good today.
5. Cruise control. I would love to hug whoever invented it.
6. Fall colors. I know I don't shut up about this, but I'm all about some fall leaves and colors, and since I don't see much of those in BR (until this week!), it was absolutely breathtaking to drive up through Mississippi and see the vibrant colors. (I guess I would need to be hospitalized if I was actually up north, where real fall occurs.)
7. Stereotypes. I was reminded this weekend that just because I set stereotypes, it doesn't mean they're in stone. That was a good reminder. Sometimes this redhead needs the "refresh" button clicked so she can see things as they are, not just as she imagines they are.
8. A nephew who loves his aunt. There is absolutely nothing in the world that could make my heart fuller than to hear my hilarious nephew's voice trash talking me about football, or commentating on his 5-year-old life like the old soul he is, or incredulously getting excited because he "gets to see" me in only three days.
9. Music. If you know me at all, you know I love it. And there's nothing like ten hours in the car to reminisce on the playlists of your life in every genre! Rock. On. Or country on. Or jazz on. Or...
10. Scripture. It's amazing how, like music, Biblical reminders can pop up just when you need them. I'm thankful to have been raised in a family and church where I was taught Bible verses at a very young age, and that they still stick with me when I need them most.
11. Being a girl. For real. Sometimes I gripe about it, but secretly, I love it. :-)
12. Reminders of Aunt Mildred. I had the sweetest, funniest great-aunt ever, and since she died, I have noticed more and more when things remind me of her. Like good sweet tea. And decorative dish towels. And a new friend's laugh that sounds exactly like it came from Auntie M's kitchen table! Fantastic. I love that a beautiful sound allows me to see her shoulders shake from getting tickled, even though I can no longer give her a hug and kiss.
13. My mother's cornbread dressing, and the fact that I get to eat it this Thursday. No further commentary needed.
14. My family. They are the best of the best, hands-down.

A new friend said something this weekend I've not really heard adults state so frankly:

"Hey. I'm happy."

At the time, I grinned and told him I was glad.

Today I'm there, and can only grin again and think, "Well said. And ditto that!"

Mmmm mmmm good.

Five things I've had to be thankful for this week are:

5. The goodness of life. Life really is great, fabulous stuff, especially when I stop letting its pesky details get in my way.

4. A job that allows me the occasional work trip to New Orleans. Ok, so a lowlight was a bum on a bike asking me for $20 -- hello? twenty BUCKS? are we in a recession or not?! -- but since he was dressed better than me, I felt no guilt about skipping on my merry little way.

3. Friends who stick closer than brothers.  Ok, so I've never had a brother. But I have cousins who come VERY close, and friends who make an effort to rank right up there.

2. Creativity. Without it, I really might just....sob. Uncontrollably. And often.

1. Texting. I know, we're back to my tweenager state of mind again. But it's such a fun, fantastic way to keep up with peeps without all the monotonous voice mails or calling at inopportune times.

:: happy sigh ::

Five Things I'm Thankful For.

Five things I've been thankful for this week -- and even this day, in particular -- are:

1. The fact that I'm not where I was last year at this time, and that an entire year (albeit a bit too dramatic for my taste) has passed. Whew!

2. The beautiful, precious, kindhearted, loving friends and family who surround my world, and who are right where I need them to be when I need them to be there.

3. How many times can I say it? FALL! Love the cool weather!

4. The fact that I'm not the one who slid the ring on the finger of the obnoxious guy we sat in front of at tonight's LSU game. Lord have mercy on that poor woman. Seriously.

5. The future, and that we can look forward to it, without being bound to our pasts. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!

Five Things I'm Grateful For.

1. A family who makes me laugh.

2. Friends who truly must love me -- otherwise, why would they put up with me?

3. Acquaintances who generously accept me into their wide and varied circles with grace and ease and hospitality.

4. Churches where God's Word is preached without shame.

5. Fall weather and cool, crisp air.

The Fifth Element.

It's been a while since I've posted 5 things I'm thankful for... Today, here's what I've got:

1. New beginnings, and the opportunity and freedom to initiate those when it's time. (Like August of 2007, and October of 2008.)

2. Friends who freely give and accept love. It's great to know you have peeps who are there for you, and equally wonderful to know you can help them when your turn comes around. It really is more blessed to give than to receive!

3. My love for reading. Some probably view this as an issue of mine (not that I care at this point), but I LOOOOOOVE to read. So much. I mean, I'll probably be blind by 40. But you know what? I enjoy it. It helps make me who I am. And there's a whole world out there in the library. Yep, I'm a geek. And I'm proud of it. Bring on the books. :-)

4. The South. It's great to be where mostly, the weather is warm, but we also get some fall breezes and winter gusts. Lord knows I'm not cut out for real winter or too much snow, though I do love snow skiing, sweater weather, scarves, gloves, boots and hats. :-)

5. A safe downtown. One of my favorite things about Baton Rouge is how safe downtown is. I've heard from many locals that this did not come to the Red Stick easily, but I still appreciate it -- possibly more than most? -- having come from Jackson, Miss., where a girl could feel really sketchy downtown in the day, much less at nighttime. So yay for a fun, accessible, safe and pretty downtown. :-) And may Jackson get there quickly, too!

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.

I'm so thankful for so many blessings in my crazy life (despite my attempts to mess it all up):

1. Friends in many places -- high and low (geographically, of course) -- who actually want to spend time with me. Wha?!

2. FOOTBALL SEASON!

3. Good music. I do love a good lyric, and set to fun tunes, even better. And LIVE..... ::happy sigh::

4. The option to look at a situation, make the best of it, and find ways it can be improved. For whatever reason, this never gets old for me. (Ok, maybe some days at 4:45pm it gets old. But usually, I'm all up for it.)

5. Pop Ball. I talk a lot in conversation and in writing about my Nan, and many times include stories about The Colonel, but I know for a fact that I don't give him the "air time" he's due. Mr. Cliff has not only been wonderful for my Nanny and for our family, but he has led a rich, full life in which he's done #4 on this list tirelessly, and has done it with gusto and without regard for age, life hindrances, or disasters of any kind. I admire this man more than I could say, and thank him with all my heart for being the only grandfather I can remember ever knowing. It can't be easy to jump into a family like ours, but he did it, and last weekend he turned 87. God bless him.