Let's be Lovely

I can't remember what Etsy shop this is from, but I love it.

I don't know what it's like for the rest of the world, but for me Monday is always creeping. It creeps up on me, it creeps by, then it creepily haunts me the rest of the week. Monday is not my favorite day of the week. Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike it-I actually really want to love it (on account of its being so misunderstood)- but it makes itself so hard to love, and I'm not really all that good at loving things that don't want to be loved. All of that said, I think to counter the mundaneness of today, what we need is a little extra lovely.





Ways to make your day lovely.

1. drink coffee. (extra lovely option: adding raspberry syrup)
2. listen to "Oh Lovely" by Lakes (extra lovely option: put it on repeat 'cause IT'S SO GOOD!)
3. embrace a few people (extra lovely option: embrace their quirks while you're at it)
4. have a birthday (extra lovely option: have an unbirthday-they're always fun)
5. wear your favorite shirt [i did this today] (extra lovely option: wear a cape)





Or if your Monday is super ridiculous, you should just make a fort, get a sweet treat, and watch Peter Pan. ...Did I just reveal my "best day ever" scenario? maybe.

Poetry Love

in strange way

To stand inquiring right, is not to stray;

To sleep, or run wrong, is. On a huge hill,

Cragged and steep, Truth stands, and he that will

Reach her, about must and about must go,

And what the hill's suddenness resists, win so.

from "Satire 3" by John Donne (one of my faves)

Secret Saturday

I feel like today's secret is pretty common, so I won't waste my time trying to prepare you for it or explain it. It's simple; I hated highschool. Mostly just the last 2 years of it, but whatever, I wouldn't go back if you paid me. That said I'm glad it happened, and I'm glad that I experienced it with these people. I think this occasion calls for a:

Then and Now Photo Spectacular!

(yes I just used "spectacular" as a noun)

Here's us in 2005.

this was actually homecoming senior year...before half time, but I think we still lost.

others learned math and stuff; we learned how to annoy the cheerleaders at pep rallies.

and we successfully turned Bible class into a biweekly event

perfected "Blue Steel"

and got touristy all up in the D.C.

And in 2010:

we still take crazy awesome group shots.

succeed with the upside down camera shot.

have photo shoots in the bleachers

and remember that it isn't necessarily your surroundings that create fun, but the people sharing the spaces with you.

I really didn't like high school, but I loved the people who made me laugh, let me cry, and told me when I was being stupid (which let's be honest wasn't often enough because I was really dumb...forreal). I'd almost say that now I remember that I didn't like it more than I remember why, and I think that's okay because life goes on after high school, there are more important things than varsity athletics, and no one else really cares about advanced math either. Homecoming is fun to me because even though I don't recognize any of the small children who claim they're graduating in May and I'm subjected to the shouts of cheerleaders who cannot possibly be wearing their outfits for His glory, I get to spend time with people I don't see regularly and we get to laugh about silly things and pretend we're not grown-ups with responsibilities for 3.5 quarters (because let's be real here, we don't care about the game and beating all that 'game's over' traffic is what's up).

Birthdays, Part two

If you have a moderately reliable memory(or really if you have any memory at all), you will remember that my sister's birthday was two days ago. She doesn't however get the whole month to herself because so many people I love also share this birth month with her.

The first person she has to share with is my mom! If you have known

me for very long or have ever met my mom, then you know that she is super fun, and you probably love her more than me. That's ok; after about the 3rd time I was told my mom was 'just like me, but cooler,' I accepted it. She loves both The Eagles and Family Force Five (whom I loathe), and last year she had a purple streak in the bottom layer of her hair. She's really smart and extremely analytical, but also very tender and compassionate. A lot of the time I think we fight because we're so much alike. However, no one thinks I'm quite as funny as she does, and no one loves me more.

Happy Birthday, Mom! I love you lots.

and for your viewing pleasure, some actual birthday pics.

Also, today is homecoming for my highschool, which makes 5 years since my senior year homecoming. Weird. Also weird, being asked "Weren't you the very first homecoming queen for EMCA?" as if it happened in 1903. 22 is not old people; it's not. Since this week has pretty much become "Jenna's life in pictures" I'll try to get some good ones tonight and make a then/now post. Could be fun...could be traumatic.

WeddingPalooza

I've known Emily for 12 years or so now, but it wasn't until we had the same teacher in the 8th grade, that we became BFFs. We were pretty much inseparable, and all of my favorite grade school memories involve her.

8th

old photos have poor quality, which I'm not upset over since we look a hot mess. hey striped polos, heyy.

9th

Em was on homecoming court this year. and clearly neither of us ever went into the sunlight.

also this year, Em convinced me to play basketball with her. more accurately, she played, I loitered.

10th

so she played softball with me. Or more accurately, I played, she galavanted.

11th

This was at my sixteenth birthday party. Don't ask why we all decided to be princesses; we know we're ridiculous.

12th

apparently not much happened this year, I can't find any pictures...oops.

Freshman Year

beach.

Sophomore Year

we like the beach.

Junior Year

and we like to make silly faces.

Senior Year

21st birthday...and at the beach again.

October 16,2010

I'm pretty sure this picture most accurately portrays us/our friendship.

Me: part hyena / part giraffe Em: Poised and Pretty.

She is one of the sweetest, most compassionate, thoughtful and loving, and funny people I know, and I wouldn't be who I am today without her. Together we learned the value of honesty, trust, integrity, and love. Emily has been there for me, always. And I love her dearly. I'm also pretty satisfied in her choice of mate; Lee is pretty much the best and he adores her. So here's to people you can't live without!

Sister, sista

Today my sister is seventeen years old. That's for real super old. I remember being seventeen; it wasn't all that long ago, but it feels like an eternity. I have to say I'm significantly more proud of who my sister is at this point in her life than I am of who I was. She's so strong and grounded; I just love her so much! So in honor of her birth, here are some photos full of sisterly love.

ok, so maybe it's not as much sisterly love as it is ridiculousness, but what can we say? We crazy. Seriously, in pretty much every picture we have together one of us looks weird. Maybe we'll take one today and attempt to make up for years bad photography. If we do, I'll share, but in the meantime these will do because it's her birthday, and she's the coolest!

Stop, Pause, Play.

I've been looking at my recent blog posts, and I realized I need to actually let you know what's happening in my life. You'll be happy to know that I am still a little crazy, and still completely sarcastic. (I can hear your sighs of relief) For someone who is kind of at a standstill, I've been doing a lot of moving. My schedule is way weird on account of its changing weekly, and while that thrills me to no end, sometimes it can be challenging. You'd think someone who loves spontaneity and change so much would have a better memory, but I don't and consequently my blog, correspondence, and plants that try to survive in my apartment suffer.

Here are some of the things I do:

tutor. Every Monday and Wednesday 8:45-5. But on occasion my tutoring sessions with my fourth grader get changed, so then its only 11-5 and the other 2 hours gets moved to another day of the week.

be tutored. I'm learning Portuguese; if you didn't know already, I'm going to Brazil. For several months, and I leave at some point this fall...the rest of the details are uncertain because they all depend on things I can't control. (yes not having control makes me flinch, no I'm not worried) This is probably the most challenging thing I'm doing right now, because I think I could study 5+ hours a day and not be where I want to be.

These notes + this face = wrinkles on my forehead. Not cool, Portuguese, not cool. I mean, não é legal, Português, e não legal.

mentoring. Unfortunately this gets pushed back when scheduly things start to conflict, but Lesley DeVaughn is absolutely amazing and ever so sweetly encourages me and speaks Truth into my life. Also, I've been really feeling like I need to start doing this more intentionally with my sister. She is such an amazing person with such a tender heart and I want to start pouring into her with a lot more regularity because let's face it, highschool is awful, and talking is fun.

substituting. So far, I've only done elementary classes, but it's kind of fun. (Seeing that in writing makes me question my sanity) And this is what hopefully fills my free days in the week.

the rest. Things that get penciled in include, but are not limited to: babysitting, friends, weddings, parties (for babies, marriage, and friendship) (and this includes designing invites, buying gifts, cooking, etc.) and making lists.

I actually don't think I could function without my planner anymore. I really can't remember much at a time.

Meanwhile, all of these things sometimes make me feel like I'm doing a whole lot...but without really accomplishing much of anything. That's when I have to remember that as long as I'm being obedient, and seeking the Lord in everything I do, every minute of every day, then I am accomplishing much. I'm accomplishing His will. It's hard sometimes for a prideful control freak like myself, but I'm trying and I like to rest in Zechariah 4:6 which says, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit says the Lord of hosts."

Currently I'm really striving to faithfully live out Ephesians 4:29 "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear." I struggle with the whole according to the need of the moment; I always seem to regretfully find myself musing on needs in the future. And I think I often miss opportunities because I'm thinking what can I say that will benefit long-term. Maybe I'm just odd, but this verse is harder for me than it reads . Point of all this being: I'm living, and loving, and trying my best all while being a faithful proponent of the Oxford Comma.

P.S. This weekend was Wedding Weekend for BFF Emily, so you can anxiously await a semi-sappy, reflective, post full of photos soon. :)

Commencement.

It's Fall, ya'll. And I'm feeling more Southern than ever.

No, that's not logical, and no, I don't care.

I feel like this on the inside:

And by "this" I mean "calm and bright," not "dead and crinkly." photo here.

And I want to make these:

from Southern Living (which I love so so much)

However, I'll probably end up making Pumpkin Spice Cookies. Mostly because they come straight from a bag, and I already have a bag on my counter :)

Happy Monday!

A Post for Annie

When I was little my mom regularly sang me three songs.

They were:

"You Are My Sunshine"

"Sweet Child O' Mine"

"Wild Thing"

We were the coolest. Especially since by the time my sister came around she was singing crazy things like "I Like It; I love It". Gross; this is clearly the difference between me and my sister.

Anyways, the point of this post is to say, today is Monday, and I hope that you have someone who makes you happy even when skies are gray.