The Good Things In Life

Just a little post about some of the things that have brought me joy as of late....

Unemployment. Yes, I am being serious and no, I am not joking. I am sure that all six of you who read this little blog know that DJ was laid off in August. Let's be honest, the whole things was really all my fault. About a week earlier I had casually mentioned to DJ that it had been a really long time since we had been in a season where we really needed to trust in God; I was missing the nearness and peace and deepened trust that He brings in those seasons. Enter unemployment....You're welcome, DJ. But honestly, this season has been so good and so sweet. I truly believe that the Lord was preparing us for it and He gave us the peace and trust we needed to not only accept the news, but to meet it with excitement. Don't get me wrong; there are days of anxiety and fear and today happens to be one of them. But for the most part, we have looked back with gratitude on all the ways the Lord grew DJ in his last role, have found peace in who He is and what He promises in the unknown, and are looking ahead with excitement to see where He brings us next. The job search started off strong. DJ had three solid leads and received two job offers, both of which we decided to decline because they just weren't the right fits for our family in this season. Early on DJ had wondered if we would grow in trust and faith not because he was laid off, but because we would intentionally prolong unemployment and decline job offers all in blind faith that those weren't the things God had for us. And it is precisely there that we find ourselves. No leads this week. No interviews set up. Total uncertainty of what lies ahead. And yet, it is only because of the Lord that we can be in this season with such joy. In fact, I have a little too much of it. I am loving having DJ home. His presence here is just adored by all of us. Morning coffee dates? Built in help around the house all throughout the week? Father/Son dates? Naps for mom?! Yes please. Keep it coming. You know how when you were a kid, your parents would up your bedtime the week before school started to get you used to the school schedule? I swear I am going to have to kick DJ out of the house before he even gets a job so that I can get used to him being gone again. Otherwise I think his absence when he goes back to work will be a devastating blow. I just love him so much. Like, this much:

Fried Plantains. I love plantains. I have tried to make them several times in the past couple of years and I fail every time. Like burn them so bad they taste like rubber kind of fail. DJ's words, not mine. I don't know what the deal was, but I just could never get them right. But, guys! I tried again the other day and they were perfection. Here's what I did. I just put a fourth a cup of oil in the bottom of a skillet, stirred in some brown sugar, cut the plantains into one inch slices and sauteed them for just a few quick minutes on each side. Do it now. You won't regret it. 

Hulu. I know, right? Where have we been the last lot of years? For the entirely of our marriage, me and DJ have binged watched shows on Netflix (except for Lost, which we watched on actual TV and was a total waste of my life). We've never had cable and we never wanted Hulu; why watch shows week to week when you can binge watch seasons at a time on Netflix?! Binge watching is a bit of a double edged sword though. Watching shows and movies is one our favorite things to do together, but it can also be a little bit of a time sucker and excuse for mindlessness when it comes to marriage, especially when you have littles and are flat out exhausted at the end of the day. And so, as of last week, I now love Hulu. We decided to do away with binge watching and just pick two shows to watch this season. Obviously we went with This Is Us and Designated Survivor... umm, hello, both are awesome. This means that instead of binging every night, we just have two nights a week that our shows come on and we can only watch one episode at a time. Ya'll, it feels like we are in the nineties again and I am a little bit loving the simplicity of it. 

The First Fifteen. Have you guys heard of this?! It's a little bible study that I have grown to adore.  You can subscribe here and a daily bible study will arrive in your inbox early each morning. It is short and sweet but full of deep truth. My favorite thing about it? It reminds me of God's personal love for me, Courtney, as an individual. The past five years of my faith have been more focused on God's love for and work among and use of the church body as a whole; how we were built for and thrive in community, how we are called to do life with and worship alongside the body of believers, how life with and among the church family is one of the primary ways that we mature in our faith and expand the people of God. Yes and amen to all of that. Those things are so very good and true. But I think that somewhere in all my exposure to that, I lost sight of the fact that God loves me. Like, me. All by myself. Courtney. He sees me, knows me, is mindful of me, and delights in me. How incredible is that? I just forgot. The First Fifteen has really helped me to remember and rest in God's intimate and personal love for me as his child. Incredible.

Waking up early. For the past few months I have started waking up at 6:00am and it has been such the best thing. I heard someone on The Happy Hour mention that the best advice they had ever received was to wake up for their kids instead of waking up to their kids. This is now the best advice I have ever received. Let's be honest... When the kids wake me up in the morning, it is just not a good day. It starts off on the wrong foot and I have a hard time bouncing back. But when I wake up at 6:00, I have time to work out, check email, drink my coffee and read my bible, and flat out do my own thing before they come bounding out of their rooms at 7:45 and let me just tell you, this "me time" is awesome. I love sleep, but sacrificing it to have some time alone without my little people is what I need to love them better throughout the day. Bring on the early mornings. I am loving it.

Kidless dinners! Okay, we actually just started this last night, but it was pretty great. So great that we are going to start doing it once a month. We put the kids down early, and then made dinner and ate it without them. By ourselves! Just the two of us! We made our favorite Indian dish (and yours too, I promise, go make it tonight) and watched Meet The Patels (super cute documentary) and all of it was just glorious. Especially the part about cooking in the kitchen with a glass of wine and jazz music and zero little people or toys or bikes in the kitchen for me to trip over. Glorious, I tell you. 

And there you have it... some happy little things from me to you. What little things have you been loving lately? 

Mom Thoughts On The Internet | Part Deuce

Last month I wrote about some of my thoughts, questions and concerns on the internet, it's influence over my life, and it's affect on my parenting. News flash: I have not arrived. Will I ever? The internet is here to stay and I will always be sanctifying in my momness; surely there is fluidity here. I am still thinking through all the same things and modifying my use of technology, some days better than others. But it's been a month since I last wrote and I think that is a considerable amount of time to both adhere to and reflect on the boundaries I made. And so, here are some thoughts I have one month into my new internet norm:

• I've kept my phone on me a lot less and I can feel a difference. I keep the phone on the counter, or sometimes in my room, and have been able to go hours without needing or even wanting it. My family has noticed too and I felt a sense of pride when Moses asked if I could look up something for him "later", proof that he had grown accustomed to me not having my phone on me and able to look things up at a moments notice. 
• I've been trying to use my phone for just phone things, so that my kids don't question what I am doing on my phone all the time. This means I have been looking up recipes in magazines instead of on Pinterest and making a grocery list on paper instead of in Notes. Throw back! It means that when I want to know what the weather is, I step outside and feel it myself, and it means I try to discern what is worth knowing before I spend time looking it up. It's not as convenient as using my phone for every literal thing, but it has been nice and it has been simple.
• There is so much time in a day! Without my phone constantly on me, I have been more able to slow down and enjoy the moment. We have spent lots of time laying on the floor as a family, the kids crawling over and playing with and on us, and have enjoyed the quiet, simple, tech free moments. And, there has been so much time for snuggling! Me and DJ have always done Family Cuddle Time, even before kids, and it's become a tradition the four of us now share... but I have noticed a significant increase in the amount of snuggles around here and that is something I hope we always make more and more time for. There can never be enough snuggles or snickles (snuggle.tickles) in our home. 
• On the down side, I don't have my phone with me to capture every moment I want to remember. My kids just do all the cute things and I want to capture every one of them, and not having my phone on me basically means I can't. So, I've tried to slow down and just savor the moments, hoping they sear into my mind forever. Me and Moses have even pulled a few Jim and Pam's, taking mental pictures instead of digital ones:

• I've tried to find a healthy balance of what to share and when. The days between August and November are super special in my family, full of significant adoption milestones and memories of our first encounters with our son. Part of me wants to blast those pictures and stories for the world to share, and honestly, there's nothing wrong with that. I want to find the balance of sharing our journey, boasting in and educating others in the gift that is adoption, and rejoicing in all that the Lord has done. But at the same time, I want to honor my son's story and keep some of those things as sacred and special and just for us. It's a hard tension and I think I will just discern what to share and when on an individual basis as those days and anniversaries arise. Last year I shared, this year I haven't... and maybe next year I will again. But this time around, I tried to just relish those things with just my husband and my son and instead of telling Instagram, I picked up the phone and called a friend to say, "Hey! Two years ago today I met Moses for the first time!" There is something about rejoicing with a friend that just goes a lot further than a hundred likes. 
• It takes me longer to respond to texts, but then again, I am not getting as many. It turns out, when you aren't on your phone as much, there's less to respond to and do. I'm also just trying to work on email and respond to the texts that I didn't get to during the day either after the kids are in bed or before they wake up. So, I apologize in advance if you get a text from me at 11:00pm or 6:30 am. My kids might not be suffering from my phone time, but you sure as heck are.
• I still don't know how I feel about posting my kids pictures. Am I putting them at danger or risk? Honest confession: I like to brag on them so I do it anyway. I mean, really... how cute are they?!

To be fair, I haven't done all of this perfectly. I haven't stuck to my boundaries 100% and I think that's okay, because this isn't a subject that can be black and white and I want to walk in freedom. I've checked social media in moments that I probably shouldn't have simply because I was bored and wanted to check out to something mindless. I've checked my email when I didn't have the time to and then felt pressured to respond so I could check it off my list. I've still texted while driving which is the worst habit ever and should be the first to go. Just a minute ago, I was so enthralled in something on my computer that I didn't notice that Jones had completely spilled the dog food. So, I haven't figured it all out, but I have made some changes and those changes have been good. I really hope they stick.

I still really want to have open dialogue about this. I want to know what boundaries other people have on their phones, what tech rules they have for themselves and their kids. How do you protect against technology in your home, and how do you celebrate and embrace it? What thoughts do other people give to posting pictures and details about their kids online and what determines if and when you do or do not share? Just some thoughts I have... it's a running conversation in my head so I'm happy to talk through it at any time.

Some fun resources for thought:

• Chapter 4 from 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker 
• The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships In The Digital Age by Catherine Steiner-Adair

xoxo,
courtney

Mom Thoughts On The Internet

I'm thinking out loud here. This post is not pointing fingers and it's not based on anything that other people do. It's my own introspection on the things I've been wrestling through as of late. And, I hope it will invite dialogue as well. I would love to know other people's thoughts and how they have navigated through these very things. Seriously.

That being said, I think a lot about the internet and technology. This is probably because on some level I think I am addicted to it- to always being connected, to not wanting to miss out on updates, to always having something to do or respond to online, to getting to check out and do something mindless, etc. It's all so wonderful, isn't it? And let's not forget the fact that I literally feel naked and panicky when I don't have my phone on me. I know that I'm not alone; is this not how the majority of our society functions? But my own struggles with technology feel unhealthy to me and I am constantly trying to evaluate how to use it well... especially in regards to my parenting.

I am the first to admit that I am a total mom on the internet. Ninety-nine percent of my posts are about my kids: a) because I love them. b) because ninety-nine percent of my time is spent with them, so what else am I going to post about? and c) because I am biased and just think they are too dang cute not to gush over. But I've really been thinking about this lately... my compulsive need to share so much about my kids on the WORLD WIDE WEB. It's called World Wide for a reason, and yet here I am so quick to throw their faces and names and lives around on it. I have legitimate questions and I would love to know your thoughts on them. Do you struggle with this too? Do you consider these things before you post? What barriers do you have up to protect your children? Please feel free to comment; I legitimately want to know.

• Why do I feel the need to share every important date, milestone, and sweet moment? Is it not enough for me to cherish those moments alone? For example: a few months ago was the one year anniversary of finding out we were pregnant with Jones. And I posted about it. And then, I gave it some thought and took it down... because I didn't want to unintentionally hurt those struggling to conceive and also because why do other people need to know that? Is it not enough for me to relish that memory alone? Or with my husband? And yet, I struggle to want to compulsively share so much. What is that?!
• What will Moses and Jones think about their entire lives being documented and shared online for all the world to see? Am I invading their privacy? Will they feel hurt or embarrassed by anything I have shared? Am I creating or portraying an online identity for them that is not true to form? Will they even care or will their generation be more narcissistic than our own?
• Have I really considered the implications of what it means that "what goes on the internet stays on the internet"? The things we write, share, text, vox and post literally never go away. They may be deleted on the surface, but they aren't gone for good. Am I putting my child at danger? What wicked and evil things might I be fueling by putting their pictures out there for just anyone to see? Even knowing that I try to protect the intimate and personal details of their lives, is it fair to them that I am posting on their behalf, especially knowing that what I say can't ever really be undone? 
• And honestly, what would I post about if not my kids? They are the majority of my life in this season. I am literally with them all the time. I try to avoid giving political rants and opinions online, date nights are slim these days, and I've outgrown selfies. What else is there to post about if not my kids? Would I be okay to pretty much diminish my online presence if I didn't post about them?!

The kid issue aside, I personally struggle with being flat out sucked into my phone. Our lives and culture not only center around but thrive off of technology. I tend to be an extremist, wanting technology to be an all or nothing type thing, but that is not realistic in this day in age. I use my phone to take pictures, talk with friends, FaceTime family, get recipes, check the weather, look up directions, read the news, do my bible study, check email, and manage my calendar. Nixing it all together might not be the most practical solution. But, there are things to consider. Like the fact that I totally limit my kids' technology use but don't have many restrictions for myself. Our boys aren't allowed to play with our phones, don't have a clue that we own iPads, and don't watch much TV, and yet I feel convicted that my face can so often be glued to my own screen, causing me to be distracted and disengaged from my family. At the end of my life am I really going to look back and wish I was on my phone more? What does it look like to realistically have a healthy relationship with technology in this day and age; in a way that does not interrupt or interfere with my time with my children? I'm asking because I honestly do not know. Some questions I have in this regard are:

• How do I stay connected without becoming consumed? For every text I sent to check in on a friend comes a response that beckons my attention and reply. It is a constant cycle. The answer shouldn't be to not check in with my friends-- they can be a lifeline for me. But how do I do it without being caught up in a digital conversation that could last all day? 
• How do my kids differentiate between mindless play and legitimate use of my phone? I might be making a grocery list, but for all they know Mom is plugged in and disengaged. One thing I aim to do is not to read my bible on my phone. I want my kids to see and value the Word of God so I try to read from the actual book in front of them so they know without a doubt what it is that I am reading and can distinguish it from the ambiguity of my phone. (I honestly wonder if this will even matter to them, growing up in a world where they themselves will likely only ever read the bible on their phones, but, I digress...). Should that logic apply elsewhere? Should I get a paper calendar? Write out my grocery list? Purchase a newspaper? Use a real camera? 
• Why do I feel the need to always check everything? And to look everything up? There used to be a day when I was okay to not remember that actresses name or to not have every questioned answered, but no longer. I take full advantage of all the information at my fingertips but what is really the point? Do I actually need to know all the crap that I spend time looking up?
• What am I communicating to my boys when I am on my phone in front of them? I know that when I am online I am more impatient, irritable, distracted, rushed and tied up all while being less present and engaged than I ever want to be. Am I communicating that my phone is more important than them? Do they feel like they come second? Will they one day think I am a hypocrite for so heavily protecting their use of technology while I am so tied up in my own? 
• What does it look like for me to restrict and limit their technology without totally cutting them off from the world that they live in? Technology is not going away. It will be what they grow up with, how they function, and what they know. So how do I help him know how to engage and navigate that world without it becoming their everything?

A while ago (read: a year ago) I created some boundaries for me and my boyfriend, The Internet. And then I never followed through because it was just too hard. But, I've really tried this week. And you know what? It has been good. I have been more present with my kids. I have gotten to play and observe and enjoy them more than before. My days have drastically slowed down because I was not keeping up with the pace of the internet. And because I wasn't texting so much, not nearly as much conversation was being generated that required a constant response. I am not sure if these things will sustain, but they have been good and helpful in the past few days. I wanted to share them both as an encouragement and guideline for anyone else who may be helped by them, but also because I am curious to know what boundaries you guys have and how I can maybe tweak mine to better serve my family, protect my time, and curb my addiction. I'm all ears if you want to share. My boundaries are:

• Leave my phone on the counter at home. Turn the ringer on so I can hear if someone needs me.
• No phone at the dinner table or at restaurants or on date night. Keep it in my purse (read: toddler backpack). Only answer if I have to.
• No playing on the phone when I am with family or friends.
• Only get on Facebook/Instagram when I have something to post.
• Think before I respond to each text. Is this pressing or can it wait?
• No texting about important issues---- if I need to apologize to someone,  I need to do it in person.
• Don't play on the phone before bed or when I wake up if DJ is also awake. Spend that time with my husband. Am I really choosing my phone over that hunka burnin' love?!
• Take pictures in the moment.... but upload, edit and post them later when I am alone.
• Ask myself if I need to know that, do that, or look that up right now. If not, it can wait.
• Check and respond to email before the boys wake up and after they go to bed. They are my primary job; email can wait. 
• Don't text and drive. I am the worst at this. Seriously though, my cargo is precious and the phone can wait.

 Just some thoughts, for whatever they are worth. I'd love to hear yours as well.

xoxo,
courtney

Forty Before Forty

I haven't forgotten about this blog. It really is something I'd like to get back into. I'm just trying to figure out my voice in the sea of mom blogs and political upheaval and self promotion and a trillion opinions. Oh, yea. And I need time too. Time to think and time to write and that little hot commodity is quite hard to come by these days.

In the meantime, though... you know those Forty before 40 lists? I made one. Because I like goals and lists and crossing goals off of lists so this is pretty much my happy place. And just in case anyone cares about the not too lofty and perfectly attainable goals I hope to reach before I hit middle age, I thought I'd grace you with my list.

And so, here it is. Before I turn 40, I hope to....

1. Always be reading a book. I started this year and it has been so good for my brain.

2. Take a big trip for our 10 year anniversary. It's next year. TEN YEARS. I feel like such a grown up.

3. Grow our family. Both by birth and through adoption. I pretty much want all the babies.

4. Mentor and be mentored. Any takers?

5. Start my own business. I have three ideas up my sleeve... I just need to go for it. I think I also need money to do this, but I'll just cross that bridge when I get there.

6. Get my nose pierced. Again. Because you're only young once and I'm running out of time.

7. Chop off my hair. Let's be honest, I don't like change. I keep the same haircut for no less than ten years because I'm scared to do anything drastic. But I think it would be fun to go all out so I'm working up the nerve.

8. Go to Asheville.

9. Write a children's book. And a grown up book.

10. Learn to embrace imperfection. And messy hair.

11. Grow in confidence as a momma. It is the hardest, most beautiful job I have ever done. I've never had to plead with the Lord more to protect my kids from my mistakes. But I also want to learn to give myself grace and to be okay with my kids seeing me fail. It's good for me and for them. Perfect mommas don't need Jesus and Lord knows that I surely do.

12. Take a cooking class.

13. Go on a Fall Foliage bed & breakfast road trip.

14. Napa Valley vacay. Enough said.

15. See the Northern Lights. I'm actually kinda iffy on this one. I've heard they're not all they're chalked up to be.

16. Take a fitness class at a trampoline park.

17. Retake our wedding pictures for our Ten Year. First of all, our original pictures suck. We didn't even get them until our 4th year of marriage (and here is the super sweet video of the time DJ finally tracked them down and surprised me with them). I just need to decide if I want to trash the dress or just get all dressed up and include the kids to show how our marriage and family has changed and grown in ten years. Or maybe I'll do both, because how fun would that be?!

18. Have a prom party. Because my birthday is in prom season and because once you're married, it kinda feels like you will never again have the opportunity to get all dressed up ever. There are no balls or galas in my life and I want to get dressed up, dangit! The whole shibang. Fancy gown, professional hair and make up, a limo, a group of friends and a fancy dinner. Oh yea, and maybe dancing, too.

19. Get Moses' name changed on his social security card. This is actually beyond my control but I've been working on it for almost a year and it very well may be the end of me.

20. Expose our family to the global church in our own backyard. We've always talked about how one Sunday a month we'd like to visit churches of other ethnic and denominational backgrounds in order to help to keep both the nations and the Church tangibly before us. I hope we start doing this soon.

21. Create a capsule wardrobe. Or better yet, have someone do this for me.

22. Find a realistic & healthy balance with social media. Because this is always a battle for me. Eesh.

23. Go to a Korean Spa. Actually, get DJ to go to one. He's too modest for his own good.

24. Move. Or learn to love Garland. No, wait. Move.

25. Be able to think about and decide on my kids' education without hyperventilating and getting sweaty pits.

26. Stop eating dessert every day. Just kidding. This little habit started the day Jones was born and it's a little gem that I hope never goes away.

27. Discover a creative outlet. My perfectionism tends to be a killjoy in this arena.

28. Learn to cut my own bangs. This might not seem like a big deal, but I typically refrain from doing things I can fail at. Especially when that failure is on my face. (I actually cut my bangs for the very first time like two weeks ago. It wasn't the best ever. But, it wasn't awful either.)

29. Go to a Happy Hour Live event! Yes please. I basically have a girl crush on Jamie Ivey.

30. Join a book club.

31. Care less about being loved and accepted. Care more about being loving and accepting.

32. Learn to be okay with a simple Christmas. It's easy to buy into the hooplah. To feel the pressure to spend a lot of money and to buy a lot of things. But honestly? It stresses me out every year and it can kinda be a killjoy. I want Christmas to be about our sweet little traditions. About baking and sharing meals and time together and making memories. Some gifts, yes, but not many and not for everyone. And I want to be okay with that.

33. Take a ballet class. I'm being serious.

34. Expand & diversify my friend group. It's all too easy to stick to people who look and act and think just like you. But there is value and beauty and much to learn from in the differences too and I hope to see this more in my life.

35. Somehow end up on one of the Ellen In Your Ear pranks. Those things are hilarious.

36. Learn how to be girly. There's more to fixing hair than just a straightener or a pony tail, but I'm just not sure what. And accessorizing seems fun minus the part about not wanting to spend my money on accessories. And, I want to smell good! Oh and rompers and wedges and high waisted swim suits and shirts that tuck into pencil skirts. Can someone please devote a weekend to teaching me about all these things?!

37. Go to the airport on a whim and purchase the cheapest out of state plane ticket. As long as that place is somewhere fun and not lame. Spend the weekend enjoying said city.

38. Take a photoshop class.

39. Learn to strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere. People are fascinating and I want to know all their stories. My friend Mackenzie is great at this. So is Brandon Stanton. I basically want to be him because Humans of New York is fascinating.

40. Figure out who on earth I should vote for in this election and truly be at peace with my decision.

So there you have it. You are cordially invited to join me in crossing off any item (or items) of your choice. Really. Otherwise, I might forget I created this list and end up doing none of them at all.

xoxo,
courtney

Blogging Again

I've been thinking a lot about blogging lately. Writing has always been my thing. It was pretty much my major in college and it's a good way for me to get outside of own head. It's therapeutic like that. But here's the dilemma. I feel like I have a lot to say, while at the same time feeling like I don't have anything to say at all. Here's what I mean...

I could write about myself, but how do I do that in a way that isn't self seeking? Has not social media forced us to be more self focused and image conscious than we already are on our own? I am not sure I know the balance of writing about myself without wanting to glorify myself. So, there's that.

I could write about my kids, but I am already guilty of being a total Mom Instagrammer. Or, Mommagrammer if you will. If you look at my social media sites you may very well think I don't have a life outside of my kids, which isn't true. But let's face it... they just are too cute not to share.

I could write about adoption and how the Lord has completely lavished our family with blessing and grace since Moses came home. Yet, his story is not mine to share so how do I write openly about our journey while still honoring my son? And besides, some things are just too sacred to share. Yet this is a huge piece of our story and something I love to advocate for and talk about!  I just need to figure out the balance of what that looks like first. What goes on the internet stays on the internet and I need to be mindful of that always... but especially when it comes to this.

I could write about my opinions. My lanta, has the internet not become a war zone for that? But I just don't think that's my platform. My personal conviction is to share my thoughts and beliefs about all the controversial things over a cup of coffee with a good friend who can hear the warmth of my voice and see the smile on my face. And, the internet just doesn't allow for that. So, don't expect much of that on here.

So, how do I write something interesting when my interesting things have limits? I honestly am not too sure. For today, I'll leave you with this. In honor of my all time favorite podcast, The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey, here are three things I am loving right now as well as what I am reading. Enjoy!

Three Things I am Loving Right Now


1. Bulletproof Coffee. Coffee + Butter. What's not to love? You can learn how to make it here.

2. New American cuisine. What? Where have these restaurants been all my life? My mom works in the hotel + restaurant industry so for the entirety of our marriage we have enjoyed the luxury of fancy steakhouses (all on her dime, I might add. Thanks Mom!). But after a while, they just start to all taste the same... which is saying a lot from this steak and potato loving gal. But New American food? So fun. Me and my handsome have been frequenting new joints on the rare occasion that we can sneak a brunch date in. But the best part? How DJ makes us coffee before we go and we leave with enough time before our reservation to have an extended coffee date in the car. It's like two dates in one, because duh.

3. Supper Club. First, why are all of my favorite things about food? I think that might say something about me. Second, this is totally and obviously stolen from Jen Hatmaker, but whatever. Good food, good friends, good conversation. Once a month. Without the kids. It is spectacular and everyone should join one.

As for what I am reading, I just finished Girls & Sex by Peggy Orenstein. I promise it's not porn. Ya'll, it's about the sexual landscape that teenagers are navigating today. It is fascinating. And by fascinating, I mean horrifying.  If you have kids, or know kids, you should read this book. Granted, it will be completely outdated by the time my kids hit that age bracket, but if nothing else, it was an eye opening, albeit heartbreaking, read.

The second I publish this blog post, I'm picking up a new book called Nobody's Cuter Than You. It's a memoir about friendship and was referred to me by a friend. I'm excited for a happy lighthearted book after the weighty read that Girls & Sex was.

I have no idea what to write about next. And knowing me, this might be the lone blog post before I give up and quit. But I'll go out on a limb here and open up a little Q & A. If there is anything you've ever wanted to know about me, my life, my family, my faith, etc., shoot me a comment. I need some prompts and I'll consider using your ideas as future blog posts. Good luck!

xoxo,
courtney