In the woods

Day 31 of Blog Every Day in May. The last day. 

First of all, can I just congratulate those of you who actually blogged every single day with me? It was quite the feat. If I hadn’t been the originator of this little challenge, I’m not sure I would have actually stuck with it, myself. I never really had time to pre-blog anything, so I found myself writing a post almost every single day… and as many of you know, the topics were often sort of “deep” or at least required a fair bit of thought. The nature of this challenge was, well, challenging, and that explains the fact that 856 bloggers linked up the first day, and we were averaging 100 to 200 or so in the last week. BUT.  The fact that even that many were still with me here at the end made my heart smile, cheesy as that may sound. And those of you who only participated occasionally… good for you, too. I was so glad to see people of all sorts having fun and being creative with this month’s topics.   Many of you even expressed interest in doing it again in the future. I’d love to, as well, and will consider it maybe for September or October, though I’ll definitely be modifying the Challenge to give us weekends off, mmkay?! ;)

And now, as for today’s topic: a vivid memory.

print for sale here

My memories don’t actually become all that vivid until after I was maybe 8 or 9 years old, when my parents finally realized I was blind as a bat and got me some glasses. Then a whole new world opened up to me, and I started to... well... see stuff. Today's memory certainly doesn't have to be from childhood, but I think mine will be.

Some of my favorite and most vivid memories involve exploring out in the woods behind our military apartment complex when my family lived in Germany. My sister and I spent hours out in that forest, and oh, the adventures we would have! I specifically remember walking out on the train tracks that wrapped around one side of the woods, picking warm blackberries right off the bushes beside the tracks and heading over to our little Wonder Land and what we called the "jumping things," which were essentially just huge slabs of concrete piled high on top of each other in long rows, and my sister and I would climb them and run and jump from one pile to the next... hence, the title "jumping things." I'm fairly certain we weren't supposed to be in that area of the Army base, and maybe that's one reason why it was fun... since it was a little bit dangerous. I also remember picking lily of the valley in the same woods, and how fragrant they were, and finding what appeared to be old bomb craters and being convinced that a certain section of the woods that turned to all pine trees was, indubitably, haunted. I hope some day that my children will love the outdoors and have the same opportunities to imagine that I did. Like I said, my most vivid memories are from that enchanted forest just steps from our back door... :) 

Share your memories below, and give yourself a big fat pat on the back for making it to the end of a very long May. Now take the weekend off, yeah?!

Letting Go

this picture has nothing to do with this post, but isn't my little brother cute? :)

On my way home from my quick Florida trip today. Loved spending time with my sweet little bro, but I can't wait to bury my face in fur the minute I get home. I miss my babies! Today's topic for Blog Every Day In May is Letting Go. I didn't give much direction on this one - it's just sort of an open-ended thing. So here I go. My response to this very broad term... letting go.

Fear, anger, envy, bitterness, preconceived notions, bias, self-doubt... those are just a few things I thought of that would be best to just let go of, obviously, but I tried to think a little harder about what I, personally, need to let go of in my life. I don't harbor a lot of negative feelings, I'm glad to say, though I must admit to holding onto fear and anger over the losses of Edd and my grandmother in the past little-over-a-year. They've been hard for me to grasp, handle, and come to peace with. And I don't really have anything too profound to say today. But I guess I'd just like to report that I am, in some ways, starting to come to terms with my own doubts and questions and, yes, I'm even coming to answers and peace with it all. Those of you who follow on Instagram may have noticed a photo of a book I picked up at the airport this week, Proof of Heaven, and I must say, I gobbled it up in a day and felt like my eyes had suddenly been opened to truths I never imagined. I'm hoping to write a little more about this book later, but for now I'll just say that I highly recommend it to anyone struggling with what they believe about an afterlife or even God. SUCH a good book. 

And that's about all I have to say, for now. I'm working on letting go of what I should let go. And I guess that's about the best any of us can do.

Happy Thursday! Only ONE more day in May! :)

Soundtrack of my life

Only three more days in May... I think after this Challenge I might not blog the rest of the summer... ;)

Today's topic is five songs or pieces of music that speak to you or bring back memories. This was a really interesting exercise and one that I truly enjoyed. Music speaks to me like nothing else, and really does define certain periods of my life. I found myself reliving so many different parts of my life... opening old wounds, feeling old pains and pleasures, if you will. I can close my eyes, turn on any one of these songs, and be instantly transported to a place in my past...

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You Look So Fine by Garbage. I used to be obsessed with this song all through high school. I still really like it to this day.

Angel by Dave Matthews Band. And everything else by DMB, too. Almost nothing more effectively takes me right back than good ol' Dave. 

 

Endlessly by Muse. This song reminds me vividly of a certain infatuation with a past love...

Cheers, Darlin' by Damien Rice... and this song reminds me of the death of that same relationship...

Say When by The Fray. This The Fray's CD had just come out when I met Matthew, and I was listening to this song on repeat while I fell in love with him. Brings me right back there...

And I know I said only five... but here's a few bonus tracks - songs I'm currently obsessed with and know will come to define this current time in my life... :)

Young and Beautiful by Lana Del Rey. 

Light Outside by Wakey!Wakey!

What list of my most defining music would be complete without Fun.? I've listened to their stuff to death, but here's some more, anyway.

A thousand words

Day 28. Only pictures. As you likely already know, I'm here in Florida visiting family this week, so these are photos from the sunny Sunshine State. :) Happy Tuesday...

Dearest Reader

Today's topic for Blog Every Day In May is a letter to your readers, and I am coming at you live from Florida where I'm currently watching my little brother and practicing my parenting skills by sticking him in front of some cartoons while I blog. Major kudos to you parents who have children and also blogs. How is that done? Joseph (my little bro) had been watching his show for approximately two and a half minutes when he said to me, "how long are you going to be typing? Because if you're typing forever, there won't be very much fun time!" Touche, little man.

Dearest reader,

Yeah, you. I wanted to take a moment and thank you for stopping by here every day... or every week... or whenever it is you find time to stop by. It's hard for me to express just how much I appreciate that. Blogs are funny things, you see. We look forward to tuning into someone else's frequency for a moment of our day - to see what's happening with them, to look at their photos, to hear their thoughts. You start to feel invested in their story. It's easy, though, to feel like you don't matter. Like your comment is just one in a sea of them, like what you say won't be heard. I guess I just want to say that isn't so. Not here, anyway. Hearing from you is the best part of my day. I receive your little notes straight to my phone, and I check your messages and read every one. While I'm blow drying my hair, while I'm eating my lunch, while I'm waiting in line at the grocery store. You lift me up and give me confidence and make me think and make me smile and sometimes even cry. I don't respond every time (even though I want to), but I hear you. I want you to know you're heard. Even when you don't say a word, I see that you tune in, and that's enough for me. I appreciate you. I love getting to know you through what you tell me.  I learn from you. I feel loyalty to you and responsibility to you, and in some weird way, I love you. We're all in this together, this life thing, and I love this community we share. I just wanted you to know that. Sometimes maybe I seem like an unreachable entity through a screen, but please remember that I'm not. I'm just an email or a tweet or an Instagram away, and I truly love to hear from you. Thank you for your patience with me and your interest in my story and your kind words.  They mean so much to me. Thank you.

Love always,
Jenni 

How to be Awesome + Florida trip!

My "something I read online" for Day 26 isn't really very deep, but it totally made me laugh and nod my head in agreement. If you have an aversion to strong language, I recommend not clicking.

The Short and Sweet Guide to Being F***ing Awesome.

Also, I am headed to Florida to visit my dad, grandma, and little brother today... I may be flying over your head right this minute. So tomorrow I'll be coming at you live from the Sunshine State, since Blog Every Day In May didn't quuuite get pre-blogged beforehand. See you back here then! :) Leave your links below, if you have 'em...

Sticks & Stones

Today on the Challenge: Something someone told you about yourself that you'll never forget.

I remember it like it was yesterday. 7th grade. Texas History class. Sitting at my desk near the back right of the classroom. It was "free dress day" at the private school I attended at the time, and I was wearing flip-flops. My friend Danny turned around to talk to me, and somehow his attention turned to my flip-flop clad feet. And you know what he said then?

He said, "Oh my God, you have a HUUUGE big toe!" And then he laughed at me. 

This is the strangest thing to remember, but I do, I really do. Thirteen years later, every time I see my feet, I look at them and ask myself, "are my big toes really that big? Are they just normal big or, like, freakishly big?" I haven't decided yet. But it's funny how something someone said to me so long ago made such an impact. Just more proof that words matter. 

Share your stories in the linkup below! Happy Saturday. :)

My 3 most rottenest of traits

OMG, not another serious one! One that requires thought! Gosh, this "coming up with posts of substance" stuff is hard work. Day 24 is your top three worst traits. But wait! I thought blogging was about making everyone believe you're perfect!  Oops. Not if you're taking part in the Blog Every Day In May Challenge, it's not. Muhahaha.

So.... what are my top 3 worst traits?

Easy.

1. I am lacking in discipline and a chronic procrastinator. People often advise me to make lists, since it "feels so good to check them off." But for me, if it's on a list of things I need to do, I will automatically do everything else I can find to do except the things on the list. It would probably be more effective if I made a To Do list of things I shouldn't do, because, ipso facto, I would then maybe do the things I should. It's confusing, being me.

2. I am argumentative. If I hear someone say something I believe to be false in any capacity, my nature does not allow me to sit idly by without arguing. Poor Matthew receives the brunt of this personality trait. Apparently it's very annoying. On that note, I am also bossy. Or as I prefer to put it, a born dictator leader.

3. I am selfish. I like things my way, and I'm not a very good sharer. I don't typically put others first. I know some amazingly selfless people, and I marvel at their goodness, but I am not, intrinsically, one of them. I will not share my last bit of ice cream with you. I will forget to send you a card for your birthday. I will get too busy with my own endeavors to ask you about yours. But I'm getting better about this, little by little. I don't like this about myself, and that's the first step to reform, I hope.

What about you? What are your top three worst traits? Share in the linkup below today's featured SOML sponsors....

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Devon authors The Mermaid Chronicles, a blog about fabulous life in sunny San Diego following her passion for writing and SURFING! This beautiful girl has a beautiful love story over here (swoon!) and lots of easy links to get to know her better over here. You will love her gorgeous, sea-drenched photos and beautiful way with words. Go right on over and say hello.

Blog | Facebook | Instagram

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The Nectar Collective is a beautiful blog by a beautiful girl named Melyssa who happens to be funny, too. She's an American living in Japan, which mixes things up some, and she posts on fabulous DIYs (how cute is this idea?!), her adventures in Japan, and she's even participating in the May challenge! There's lots of great ways to get to know this girl, and one is to start right here. Have fun!

Blog | Facebook | Twitter

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Lastly, I'd love to turn your attention to a website called Sunglasses Shop where you will find a vast assortment of all the sunglasses under the sun. Really! My favorite way to start looking is to browse the style guide.  Aviators your thing? Wayfarers? How 'bout Harry Potter-esque rounds? This shop has 'em all, and great brands too. Definitely consider Sunglasses shop for all your sunglasses needs!

Website

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Nerdy/Chic

 

Dress and Hat: Target, Belt: J. Crew, Necklace: Francesca's, Ring: inherited, my Grandma's high school ring, Glasses: c/o Polette Eyewear - 10% off with discount code Storyofmylife

I'm calling this look Nerdy Chic. I dig it. Don't forget to check out Polette Eyewear. They have the cutest and most affordable frames, like, ever. Here are the ones I'm wearing. Happy Thursday!

Things Life told me...

Day 23 of Blog Every Day In May. I am SO proud of those of you still going strong! Just a little over a week to go.... we got this.

*Two blog posts in one day, wooo! See the rest of this outfit in the next post, if you so desire

*glasses by Polette Eyewear, here

Today's topic: things you've learned that school won't teach you.  I wrote this post in the form of a (one-sided) dialogue. Things Life taught me. I don't really know why I did it this way. It just seemed like a little more fun... 

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"For Christ's sake," said Life, "stop taking yourself so seriously. You know what the best way to stop feeling sorry for yourself is? To stop destructive behaviors? Focus on others. When you're too busy loving on other people, it's hard to find time to think about your problems, which are probably dumb and possibly self-imposed, anyway. Even if they're not, they seem less scary when you remember that you're not the only one having them."

"Also," Life said, "people are going to hurt you. They are going to react to things you say or do in the all-wrong way, sometimes. Forgive them. Give them a moment. Communicate with them until you work it out. Hope that they will give you this same courtesy when you are busy also being human at a later date."  Life paused, and then decided to clarify that. "Sometimes, though, people take advantage of kindness. Sometimes, kindness can look and feel like weakness to abusive people (who are really just hurting inside). Respect yourself enough to walk away from abuse, every time. It's good to have faith in people, it is. But abuse is never okay."

"And on that note," Life continued, "don't waste your time trying to convince unreasonable people of how reasonable you are. It never works. They have to come to a place of Reason on their own, and you probably won't bring them there all by yourself. Besides, some people just genuinely enjoy being assholes. Or maybe it's just all they know."

"Oh and don't forget," said Life, "that you get what you put in. The Law of Attraction is real - it's not science or magic or voodoo, it's just common sense. So put out good things into the universe, and they always have a way of coming back around. They just do."

"And finally," Life sighed, "there will be tragedy. There will be things that happen that don't make any sense no matter how you spin it. You will lose people, sometimes in horrific ways. People who are supposed to be trustworthy will betray you. Human beings will never cease to disappoint. Don't ever stop looking for meaning in all this.  Look for it in science, look for it in beauty, look for it in religion, but don't give up on looking for it. Don't be close-minded to discovering other truths than just what you now know. It's a big world out there. Maybe there's lots you still don't understand. Maybe there's lots that CAN'T be understood. Like the little ants that go about their lives in their ant mound, maybe you, too, don't even begin to comprehend the vastness of your world. But don't give up on trying."

And so far, that's most of what I've learned outside of school.

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A rant... about Blogger comments. Are YOU a no-reply blogger?!

Day 22. Rant about something. Get up on your soapbox and tell us how you really feel. 

**PLEASE NOTE: I HAVE NOW SET UP THE DISQUS COMMENT PLUG-IN ON MY BLOG - THIS POST IS ONLY APPLICABLE TO THOSE WHO ARE USING BLOGGER COMMENTS, AND IF YOU TEST YOUR PROFILE IN THE COMMENT SECTION OF THIS POST, IT WILL NOT WORK NOW. (just shows your Disqus profile)**

I'm not in the mood to piss anyone off today, so I won't get too controversial on this one. But I would like to talk about something that drives me absolutely flippin' bonkers about this little blogging platform so many of us utilize. Yep, I'm looking at you, BLOGGER. And I hope the powers-that-be read this, because we need reform, dangit! 

Rant: The comment system here on Blogger sucks fantastically. It does, it really does.  

I'd like you to do a little exercise with me. Go to your Blogger profile. If you have to, leave a comment on this post that just says "testing, testing, 1, 2, 3!", then click your own name. Your Blogger profile will pop up, and if, under "Contact Me" it doesn't say "email," then you are NOT set up to properly enjoy the commenting system here on Blogger. Why they don't make it a mandatory field to fill out as long as you're a Blogger-user, I'll never know. 

It should look like this:

An NOW, if you have your Google plus account linked as your profile instead of the Blogger one, that means you automatically aren't set up correctly, either. Grrrr. 

Jenni, when you say "set up correctly, what does that mean?"  Good question.

Many if not most bloggers (at least ones that have been around the block a time or two), have their comments set up to be delivered straight to their inbox. You do this by going to your dashboard > settings > mobile and email > put in the address you want comments to come to.  Then, voila! All comments now come straight to your inbox, and you can actually reply directly to these comments by just clicking "reply" and typing up your note back to the commenter! It will go straight to THEIR email inbox, and a nice little conversation can happen behind the scenes. UNLESS. Unless you don't have that email added on your profile, which sooo many people don't. Then, instead of your email address popping up in the recipient field when I go to reply to you, THIS comes up:  

poor Melyssa is my example today. She has an amazing blog, by the way!

The dreaded noreply-comment@blogger.com. If you reply to this comment, your reply will be sent off into endless cyberspace, never to be seen again. 

Of course the other option is to reply to all comments right in the thread, but I don't love doing that because A) I always wonder if I'm wasting my time - will you even come back to read my reply? That's another way that Blogger sucks. There's no system to email you when I reply in-thread. BOO! FIX THAT 'ISH, BLOGGER!!!  >:(

So, go add your email, if you haven't already. And enjoy the community this platform has to offer. Go to your profile, click "Edit Profile" on the top right, and then check this box, and put in the email address you'd like to use a little further down the screen:

Even if you're on Wordpress, make a Blogger profile with your email and website link, so you can comment on Blogger blogs and enjoy cross-platform networking. Priscilla is a great example of a Wordpress user that has a blogger profile she uses to comment on Blogger blogs like mine, and it includes her email and her website link. There's no reason we different-platform-users shouldn't get along just swimmingly, eh?!

And that's my rant. SPREAD THE WORD. Let's fix this noreply-comment nonsense once and for all. Don't be a no reply-commenter!  

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Share your rants in today's linkup below....
  

the Fairytale Formula giveaway + $30 Visa gift card!

Hello my friends! Today I have a rather unusual giveaway for you - it isn't jewelry or clothes or pillows, but instead, it's knowledge. It's an e-book, actually. Two copies of it, to two winners! It's called the Fairytale Formula. Targeted at you lovely single ladies out there! So, if you're single and looking for that so-called Prince Charming, read on.

AND

Quick story: a couple years ago I was looking for freelance writer job postings on Craigslist, and one caught my eye. I applied for the job, and I got a response back from the poster. She seemed interested in hiring me, and we struck up a conversation about the job. Long story short, it involved working on an e-book all about relationships and the Law of Attraction. I thought it odd that the very first freelance job I would apply for would involve writing on the Law of Attraction, since I am such a HUGE proponent of it. I had recently written our love story, which gives you a little better of an idea how this particular way of thinking plays a role in my life.  So anyway, I got the job, and the Fairytale Formula founder and I became friends as we fleshed out some ideas and content together. The e-book has been revamped since our work a couple years ago (and frankly, the new writer did a MUCH better job than I ever did!), but I have been so thrilled to see it take off... I even have a copy myself. GREAT advice for finding (and keeping!) your Mr. Right. ;) Some self-help type books are cheesy and overly-obvious with their info, but I think this one gives a lot of really excellent pointers that are just practically useful, darnit! And our love story is even included in the book... how sweet is that?!  

If you'd like to take a look at what it's all about, go right over here. You can even get part 1 of the book for free on the main website there! (click the green button that says "get started now") And be sure and enter to win an entire free copy in the Rafflecopter below... TWO winners will be chosen!

PS - use the code JENNID for $5 off if you choose to buy the book. Look for the"have a coupon" button right above "Order Details" on the checkout page!

PPS - One of the two winners will also win a $30 Visa gift card... perhaps to help buy a cute new outfit for a date? ;)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Back in time...

Glory Hallelujah, another easy-ish one! Day 21 of the Challenge is a list of links to your favorite posts in your archives. Done.

The "surprise" - this was one of the very first posts I ever wrote on this blog, and I distinctly remember it as the one where I fell head over heels in love with blogging. I don't really know why. But I was exhilarated while writing it, and loved that this funny little story of ours would entertain others. I've been addicted to telling stories here ever since. :)

Your soul has a body - written a few days after we lost Edd.

A last photo and a last word - the last photo I ever took of Edd, and his words that left a lasting impression on me.

Ranch things - the photos on this post make me happy. 

How far would you go to please your man? - interesting post and even more interesting comments.

3 years of marital blish - it took me a long time to work up the courage to write this, and I was blown away by the response.

Favorite outfit posts: 1 | 2 | 3

Peru, last day. Machu Picchu! Photos from our time at one of the 7 Wonders of the World!

Gracie & Cooper: a love story. The story of how Gracie and Cooper came to be... it's really quite amazing. :)

Ask Matthew posts: Part 1 & Part 2

Aaaaaand I think that'll keep you busy a while. Have a great Tuesday, and be sure and link up your posts below, too!

daily battle

Day 20 of Blog Every Day In May. Get real. Share something you're struggling with right now.

This May Challenge. I am struggling with this May challenge. Hehe. No but really. I am.

Besides that, I think my number one struggle at this juncture is keeping balanced and staying disciplined and being proud of the work I do every day. I guess that's three things. Let me set the record straight for those of you who may be confused about what I do. I run this blog semi-professionally, which is extremely time consuming, but I also launched my own photography business a year ago this month, and between those two things (the blog and the photography), I have more than a full time job working for myself. For all the time I spend on the blog, I spend twice as much on the photography. It's wonderful... working for myself... it really is, although the pay fluctuates and, honestly, I sometimes usually make less than what I made waiting tables in college. That's frustrating, but I know it comes with the territory of building your own business, and it helps that I can see a great statistical improvement from month to month over the last year.

I struggle, though, with a couple of things related to all this. One, I still get this nagging feeling that people in my life think I don't do anything.  That I have all the free time in the world. That unless I'm making a professional salary and going to a "real" job, it doesn't count. Like maybe it's a fun hobby I happen to make money off of? This really gets to me, and of course maybe I'm projecting those feelings onto people and they're not really feeling them at all, though I do still worry that they are. I also feel embarrassed, a little, that if I had a "real" job and contributed more to our bills, we wouldn't have had to move from our beautiful home and live with mom while something more affordable is being built. But I really, really try not to go there. I think doing what you love and what brings you joy is always, always more important, and will always, always pay off in the end. It's worth sacrificing for.

I work all day long and on weekends, too, but I think what I'm struggling with most right now is feeling proud of how my time is spent. I am someone who thrives off of accountability (preferably to a boss-type figure who actually pays me in praise for my work/a raise/a promotion/a good grade) and even after a year of owning my own business, I still find it difficult to take myself seriously in this role as my own boss. I lack discipline, and even though I work all the damn time, I recognize that my actual productivity could be lots better.  My boss - she's a pretty easy task-master. She doesn't crack the whip too hard. I'm not that scared of her. If I get really stressed out, she says to me, she says, "Jenni, I think the answer to this is a nap and a fig newton or three." And before you know it, there's two hours of our day gone. If you know what I mean.

So that's my current struggle. I struggle with being proud of what I do during this stage before it really, really takes off and gets legit in the eyes of others, I struggle with making and sticking to rules for myself, and I struggle with managing my time most wisely and most profitably. Working from home and being an entrepreneur seems glamorous or awesome or whatever, but it takes a certain kind of person to succeed at it, and I have this nagging worry that maybe I'm not that right kind.

But maybe, just maybe, that's exactly why I will be.

What about you? What are you struggling with right now? Lay it on us!

A Few Faves

Day 19! Five of your favorite blogs and what you love about them. 

I'm glad to have the opportunity to rave about a few of my favorite blogs today. Blog love is always appreciated by those it's directed at, but you may feel like a bit of a creeper professing your undying devotion to another blogger without an excuse such as BLOG EVERY DAY IN MAY. Here's your free pass! Rave away.

I read and love a lot more than five blogs, but there are a few I wanted to mention. I'm actually writing this on Saturday evening and I'm in a bit of a hurry, so I'm only going to talk about three blogs today. To be honest with you, since I started up my photography biz and I've gotten really busy with it (hallelujah!), my actual blog reading has decreased substantially. These days the main blogs I read are those of people actually in my life, who I actually truly care about or even see in person sometimes. It's interesting the way you often come full-circle with blogging. At first, you're obsessed with the lives of others and reading all the fabulous content they come up with. It's fascinating, this peek you get into another's world. But for me, somewhere along the way, I reached capacity and felt like I could no longer hold another ounce of information, especially if it didn't even pertain to my life or someone in it. I think this all happened somewhere in the last year or so, maybe when things started getting really bad with Edd's cancer. Seizing my own life became so much more important to me. It felt good to let go a little bit of the obsession I had with blog reading, and I think it's helped some when it came to honing my own voice in writing. 

Annnnnyway. Not sure where I was really going with all that, but please enjoy a few of my favorite blogs. I love them all for different reasons (and if you're a blog friend I didn't mention here, it's only because I'm outta time... SOMEONE came up with this crazy idea to blog on weekends, specifically during the busiest month of my photography career so far... dumb, dumb, dumb...)


1. WishWishWish

There aren't very many blogs I read religiously, but WishWishWish is one of them. Carrie lives in London and her blog and photographs are absolutely stunning (as is she herself). I would say this blog is my #1 inspiration for storytelling through photography. I never miss a post.

2. Across The Pond

Megan is a blogger I feel lucky to count among my real friends, even though our time together has only been spent over the glow of a computer screen (i.e. Skype., emails, and blog comments). I adore this girl, her story, her humor, her heart, her crazy-amazing model-esque good looks, her hot Irish man candy, and the fact that she's finally moving back to the U.S. and we're gonna take this friendship offline, right Meg? ;) She's the best. 

3. The Doctors Fleming

Emily is this incredibly amazing human being who is not only a beautiful woman but also really, really intelligent - a doctor and a really great writer. I am fascinated by her journey because it's so different from mine, I suppose. She faces some of life's greatest and most heart breaking challenges daily in the ER, and often writes about them so beautifully. Emily is going through some really tough things in her own life right now (as evidenced by her latest post), but her story is certainly one worth reading and I feel so lucky to her friend. 

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OK, I'll have to rave about some of the other lovely ladies on my list another time. How about you - which blogs are your absolute must-reads?

A tribute to Ginger

Blog Every Day In May, Day 18.  Tell a story from your childhood. Dig deep and try to be descriptive about what you remember and how you felt.

My first experience with death was after the loss of our beloved guinea pig, Ginger, when I was probably about 6 or 7 years old. Ginger was a good pig - the best of any of the six I've had during my lifetime thus far. She was intelligent, good-hearted, loved watermelon and lettuce, and squeaked profusely whenever a family member descended the creaky stairs of our Virginia home to join her on the first floor in the mornings.  Little did she know, Ginger would be dropped down those same stairs one day, her leg would be broken, and she would die soon thereafter. Like I said, this would be my first experience with death.

I remember rather well when my parents told me Ginger had passed while I'd been out, or perhaps it was while I'd been sleeping. That part is fuzzy. But there were endless tears, and I was devastated that she  was gone for good. 

We wrapped her little lifeless body in a towel and placed it in a shoebox, and that evening we buried her in our garden out behind the house. I remember so vividly because just as her burial was complete and we were adding the last mounds of soil over her shoebox, "taps" began to play softly in the distance. We lived on an Army base, and they played taps every evening, apparently. We all burst into tearful laughter. It was such an appropriate tribute to our Ginger. Still miss you, little pig. Neither Lucy nor Grettle nor Clover nor Maya nor Benjamin ever lived up to the standard you set. May you continue to rest in peace in the little vegetable garden... I hope that taps still play to you every evening....