quote

Young girls need to learn that sexiness isn't about being naked.

Marc Jacobs

AMEN!

quote

We can't jump off bridges anymore because our iPhones will get ruined.  We can't take skinny dips in the ocean, because there's no service on the beach and adventures aren't real unless they're on Instagram.  Technology has doomed the spontaneity of adventure and we're helping destroy it every time we Google, check-in, and hashtag.

 

Jeremy Glass, We Can't Get Lost Anymore

 

(This quote gets me very excited about our trip across the US this summer!) 

dr. kelly

I am thrilled to announce that  John has completed his PhD!!!!  That's right, I'm now married to a doctor :)  I am so incredibly proud of him! 

This actually happened a week ago and life has just now slowed down enough for me to sit and write about it (sorry for the delay, but if we're friends on Facebook then you learned about Dr. Kelly soon after I found out). 

It's crazy to look back and fully grasp that he's finished.  That our time here is done (well, in about a month).  That all of those ridiculously long hours, sleepless nights, time with each other sacrificed, homework, teaching classes, projects, papers, endless hours of research have all paid off.  I don't think I've even been able to slow down enough to process it all.  But what I can say is that I'm ridiculously proud of him and what he's accomplished.  I cannot imagine being that dedicated to something in the academic world.  To push through all of those years of work and study is truly an accomplishment.  But somehow "accomplishment" doesn't even do all of that effort justice.  It's more like "huge honor, award, superstar, way to go you're amazing and dedicated and really awesome!!".  Clearly we see who the more academic one in this marriage is :)  My excitement translates into smiles, bear hugs and shouting my pride from the rooftops.  So I think I'm going to keep doing that until I feel I've sufficiently shown him how proud and happy I am.  And probably embarrass him in the process but who cares because my husband is now a doctor!!!

mirror wars

Very powerful message, you should take the time to read it.

Mirror Wars--RELEVANT Magazine

quote

Keep doing the right. God is building character in you, and you are passing that test. Remember, the greater the struggle, the greater the reward.

Joel Osteen

5 types of friends everyone should have

Great article!

Five Types of Friends Everyone Should Have

firefly island by lisa wingate (book review)

Note: I received a free copy of Firefly Island from Bethany House Publisher.

Firefly Island is an easy, enjoyable read. It's the story of a woman (Mallory Hale) working on Capitol Hill and she meets the man of her dreams, has a whirlwind romance, ends up marrying him and following him (and his son) to Texas so that he can pursue his dream job.

The book follows them through the first few months of their life in Texas, her doubts as to what she has gotten herself into and basically what it looks like to stick it out during the tough times of a new marriage.

I enjoyed reading the book from Mallory's perspective. The character was honest, funny and refreshing. It was interesting to try and put myself in her shoes and imagine what life would be like on a remote Texas ranch spending most of my time with my newly acquired stepson.

I liked the book and recommend it to anyone looking for an easy read that still touches on very real situations that happen in everyday life.

langhorne slim & the law

I told y'all I'd give you a little more info about the band I mentioned a few posts ago (Langhorne Slim & the Law).  I am so glad that I went to the show because I knew I would like it but I ended up LOVING it!  The band has such great energy and the music was incredible!  There was a good variety amongst the songs, none of them sounded too similar.  I was able to talk to the lead singer afterwards and he just seemed so nice and down to earth.  And of course, my friend Billy is their touring manager which is amazing and makes me like them even more.  If you're looking for some new music I suggest you buy their CD or download their album, you'll be happy you did.  Here's some of my favorite songs...

This song has kind of a hippie feel to it, which I love, I want to like walk around in fields of wildflowers while listening to it :)



Thing song reminds me of what a present day Elvis might sound like (of course I love that):



And then I loved this one because I just thought it was haunting and beautiful:

two great movies

 

I guess we were feeling very American this week because we watched both of these.  And they were both AMAZING!  If you haven't seen them already, I highly recommend you watch them.  Both 5 stars!

quote

amen. found here.

quote

Let someone love you just the way you are--as flawed as you might be, as unattractive as you sometimes feel, and as unaccomplished as you think you are.  To believe that you must hide all the parts of you that are broken, out of fear that someone else is incapable of loving what is less than perfect, is to believe that sunlight is incapable of entering a broken window and illuminating a dark room.

Marc Hack

found here

what i've learned in pittsburgh

Last week I was telling a friend that I have not exactly loved my time in Pittsburgh but I had grown stronger because of it.  Later, I felt bad because Pittsburgh isn't an awful city, just the location + being away from family and friends + starting an entirely new chapter =not the most amazing time in one's life.  Sadly that's mostly what this city represents for me.  Pittsburgh actually has a lot to offer and there are many great things here, I'm just ok never really coming back (and I say that in the most loving way possible).  But to the point...I have grown stronger because of it.  And since I've been bogged down with some negativity lately I thought I'd turn my Pittsburgh experience into a positive one.  And now I will list all (most of) the things I've learned while living in Pittsburgh (some are life related and some are Pittsburgh-culture related):

• How to make a Pittsburgh left (and darn-it if I don't do it just as well as the natives)
• How to effectively drive in the snow
• How to be more aggressive on the road in order to get by (sorry for all of those who have been affected)
• How to parallel park (well just a little better)
• Not to spend time in the Hill District after dark
• What a crackhead looks like (that was experienced walking to my parking spot from my first job)
• Lots of Human Resources stuff like health, life and dental insurance, bereavement leave, FMLA, PLT, 401k plans and other dumb acronyms (thanks, first job)
• That I never ever want to have a career in HR
• That I'm passionate about helping people with disabilities (thanks, second job)
• That I'm passionate about non traditional women's ministries (WCN)
• That I love taking care of little boys (thanks, Malones!)
• What a pierogi is
• What haluski is
• That a Primanti sandwich is really delicious and also artery clogging (and don't you dare ask for it without slaw or fries because there will be consequences)
• What yinz means (ugh, that word is like nails on a chalkboard to me)
• Purchasing non-Heinz brand ketchup is a sin (oh well, I guess we're sinners :)
• What the city looks like after the Steelers (pronounced: Stillers) have won the Super Bowl
• What the city looks like after the Steelers have lost the Super Bowl (no one comes to work and the entire city is depressed)
• What the city looks like after being put on lock down for the G20 summit...ghost town
• That I can enjoy a Pirates game, even if I do always bring a Marie Claire just in case I get bored
• That the downtown skyline really is beautiful
• When someone says "dahntahn" they really mean "downtown"
• What nebby means
• A MAC machines is really an 80's term for ATM
• That if your spouse is a student you can get discount tickets to pretty much any show that comes to town
• Andy Warhol was born in Pittsburgh and the museum dedicated to him is pretty amazing (my fave museum in the city)
• There are more bridges and tunnels than I have ever seen in my life
• That if you accidentally cross a bridge or tunnel it's not the end of the world, you can probably turn around somewhere...probably
• The Strip District and Shadyside aren't even remotely as sketchy as their names let on
• That someone was doped up on something when they planned these city streets because more often than not they make no sense at all (see, there's even a Tumblr account dedicated to it)
• I can crawl into most of the potholes in the city, and how to effectively dodge those potholes without hitting an oncoming car
• How to pass a city bus
• Memorize where all the "stop except right turn" signs are located and fly through them
• You can turn an old church into a brewery and it's a pretty incredible place
• That a dog really can be your best friend (love ya, Dixie!)
• Driving up and down steep hills will not always feel like a roller coaster and you're not going to drop off the face of the earth on the other side (this is big time coming from a flatlands girl)
• How to confidently navigate almost anywhere in the tri-county area
• That I love books on CD
• How to ice skate
• That 16 degrees Fahrenheit is my breaking point for being able to comfortably (loose term) go outside
• How to shovel snow
• How to walk on icy/slushy sidewalks without pulling a muscle or breaking a leg
• How to paint every room in my house
• How to paint a porch
• That I have a weird fascination with pulling weeds (love it)
• That family really does mean the world to me
• That true friendships are worth more than gold
• That Yuengling is a great "go to" beer and since it's brewed in PA it's almost always the drink special
• What orthodox Jews look like and what their customs/rituals are 
• How to effectively clear a car of snow/ice
• How to throw a Christmas party
• How to not hit pedestrians even when they deliberately run in front of your car (I'm looking at you Oakland)
• The ins and outs of an ECE doctoral program
• That grad school really does consume your life
• That I really love to read!
• That a sunny day can cure almost anything
• That the South really is humid and what they call humidity up here feels like a nice breeze
• That there really is such a thing as Southern hospitality
• But you can find nice people any where you are, you just have to look for them
• That there are such things as hula hoop exercise classes and they're pretty fun 
• That if you have a good support system, faith and (even somewhat wavering) inner strength then you can get through just about anything.

update

Hello, faithful blog readers!  Sorry I haven't been posting but we have been busy, busy, busy!!  Like crazy busy getting this house ready to be put on the market.  And I thought the house was halfway decent to begin with, ha.ha.ha.  There is a ton of stuff that you apparently have to do in order for it to be ready to "show" and God help us, hopefully someone will want to buy it.  Hopefully after tomorrow it will slow down a bit because oh my goodness, I'm not sure how much I can take anymore.  From the moment I got home Friday evening to the moment I went to bed Sunday night I was cleaning, doing yard work, packing and stowing away things.  John was doing the same.  Lord, I want my life back.  I haven't read or watched TV in ages!!  Ahh!  This too shall pass.

In the meantime, my old friend, Billy, (from the ol' high school days) tours with this amazing band that I had the pleasure of seeing on Thursday...here's one of their songs, you should definitely give it a listen!  I'll be posting more on them later.  My friend is the really tall one in the audience dancing to the left.  :)

quote

The gods envy us. They envy us because we’re mortal, because any moment may be our last. Everything is more beautiful because we’re doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now. We will never be here again.

Homer, The Iliad

 

found here