Favorites of 2011

You know when you have really bad writer's block? After you've been to three states in nine days and thought about nothing but family and Christmas for weeks.

Since imitation truly is the highest form of flattery, I decided to copy Simple Mom and share my favorite books, movies, TV shows, and music of 2011. (As she said, ones that were new to me, not necessarily new to 2011.)

Sometimes it takes the act of writing to spark further writing, which is why "they" say all the best writers write every day. A practice I've fallen out of. I write a lot in my head. Does that count?

So without further ado ...

BOOKS (of course)

I read so, so, SO many amazing books in 2011. I don't know what sparked that, if it was just a streak of luck or coming into contact with great recommendations, but I am certainly glad for it.


You can read my treatise on why I think everyone should read Heaven Is for Real. I zipped through the small book a few short hours and found it very affecting. Read it.

I don't think there's much you haven't heard about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo or The Help. Both are wonderful, fast-paced reads that have spurred movies. (The former, movies in both Swedish and English!) There is a reason both are so popular: plots full of detail and excitement, rendering the reader completely unable to put them down. Read when you have the hours to devote to them!

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood was an unexpected favorite from this year. The author created another world ... just after the one in which we currently live. (After reading The Hunger Games, fear of the government is starting to get to me!) Atwood is a word artist and I left this book wanting to read everything she's written.

You can see everything I read in 2011 on this page. A few other favorites: Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks; The Paris Wife by Paula McClain; Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis.

TV

I loved watching Top Chef: All-Stars. I suppose it's part of the little voice in my head that tells me I could be a chef if I REALLY wanted to (I don't.) that convinces me to watch the crazy cooking shows. I'd seen most of the prior seasons of Top Chef, though, and enjoyed watching the old favorites. (As I am sure I will love Project Runway All-Stars. Woohoo!) 

I am pretty sure Modern Family is the best show on television. (At least if you vastly prefer sitcoms, as I do. I'm just not a drama girl.) It never fails to crack me up; and mid-week, a girl just needs a good laugh.

Mr. V and I still watch How I Met Your Mother, and we will 'til the end. I won't say it's the best show out there ... it's had its ups and downs and maybe peaked at season 2. But in all its ridiculousness, it just makes me smile a lot of the time.

Honorable mentions to Once Upon a Time and Firefly, which Mr. V and I saw for the first time and proceeded to mourn the loss of all the seasons it should have had.

MOVIES

I confess I am not into movies like I used to be. Mr. V and I went with the crowd and changed to just Netflix instant streaming with the price increase, and we mostly use it to watch old TV shows anyway.

The only movies I saw in the theater this year were Something Borrowed (and you know that was a great cinema masterpiece) and two-thirds of Monsters vs. Aliens ($1 summer movie with the kids, who started crying, so we left).

So, as I can remember, the best movies I watched this year (for the first time) were The Social Network, Edward Scissorhands, and Despicable Me.




MUSIC

Thanks to the wonder that is Spotify, we've listened to a lot of new music this year. (I am not someone who thinks your music, make-up, exercise, etc, need to be "social," but we definitely enjoy being able to listen to anything under the sun!)

Here are some new favorites.


Station Wagon: Songs for Parents by Sara Groves - If you are a parent, you MUST give this at least one listen. All of the songs ring true and some crack me up. (The line "Do you have any idea how much it hurts to give birth?" is sung in the background of one song. Love it.)

Kari Jobe by ... well, Kari Jobe - A great album of praises to God. Love her voice.

The Band Perry - Another great breakout album. Fills my country fix. (Since when do I need a country fix?? I HATED country music growing up. I've been in Tennessee too long!)

Kuhzoo by Bellaruse - The lead singer of this group happens to be my uber-talented cousin, Kay Gillette ... but if I didn't like the music, I still wouldn't listen to it. And I do. It's crazy, jazz/folk/something type stuff. Just trying listening to The Kazoo Song and see if you aren't addicted!

If you've made it through this lengthy ordeal, you must tell me: what were your favorites of 2011?


Let's pretend this is a top ten plus, oh, eight list and link it to Top Ten Tuesday. I think Amanda loves me too much to call me out on it. ;)

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Hallelujah, What a Savior

The most significant time of worship in my life didn't happen in a church—I expect that might be true for many people. It wasn't singing "More Precious Than Silver" at Vespers in the woods at GA camp, although that might be a close second. It wasn't the missions service in 4th grade where I felt a strong call to the mission field. It wasn't performing "Worlds Apart" during my time as a summer missionary after my freshman year of college, although that was indeed intense and powerful.

For me, that time of worship took place in VanNess Auditorium at LifeWay Christian Resources, where I had the privilege of working for five years.

I didn't usually sing in the LifeWay choir, but they assembled a special choir to perform some pieces from 3:16 The Musical, based on Max Lucado's book 3:16 and the accompanying Bible study we were putting together. For several weeks, I attended practices during lunchtime, adding my little second soprano to their normal mix. I'm not very good at reading music, but I love singing and I found these selections especially moving.

The morning dawned ... icily. I think I was supposed to be at work for practice at 6:45, and I wasn't even sure I would be able to get through the ice to my car. I recall frantically scraping and dousing with water. (We Tennesseans don't handle snow and ice gracefully.)

But I made it. And so did a couple hundred other LifeWay employees. A much higher percentage than usual chapel attendance, perhaps influenced by the fact that the music was led by Travis Cottrell and the narration was done by Max Lucado himself.

There is a movement in one of the pieces incorporating "Man of Sorrows" (it starts about 3:37 in this video of the song). Something about the lyrics and instrumentation choked me up every time we practiced, and the day of the chapel service, tears poured down my face as I tried to sing.

Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Hallelujah, what a Friend!

I just listened to that YouTube video and it had the same effect.

When the song was over, every person in the auditorium was on their feet clapping. For Jesus. It was the closest to heaven I have ever felt on earth.

I am sure the teeny, tiny baby that was in my belly jumped for joy as she felt the Spirit move. Even I didn't know she was there yet. I had waited for her for a long time, and God brought her at the perfect time for us.

Hallelujah, what a Savior. What a friend.

Added to Remarkable Faith: Worship at Giving Up on Perfect. If you missed it, here is my post for last week's theme of funeral. 

Share your Sunday best:


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Ten Favorite Christmas Albums

Since I am just not feeling well in my 39-week pregnant state ... I thought I'd re-share this post from a year ago. A new favorite Christmas album for me this year is Kristin Chenoweth's A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas.



10. Home for Christmas / Amy Grant



One of my first Christmas TAPE loves. I could listen to "The Night Before Christmas" over and over again. You gotta have a little Amy in your Christmas music.

9. Snowed In / Hanson


Y'all know I cannot deny my Hanson obsession love. I could not even begin to tell you how many times Ashley and I listened to this CD during high-school Christmas times.

8. Anything by Bing Crosby


What's Christmas music without "White Christmas"? Not only is the movie perfection, the song is a Christmas staple. I love pretty much anything by Bing.

7. The Nativity Story: Sacred Songs / Various Artists

A more recent favorite, this CD is honestly heavenly. I didn't care much for the movie, but these "inspired by the movie" songs are just gorgeous. "The Virgin's Lullaby" is enchanting and will provoke tears. Last year, I told you about "Labor of Love." Seriously, this one is worth purchasing.

6. A Christmas Together / John Denver and the Muppets


And on a less serious note... This is one we also wore the heck out of the tape each Christmas. My parents were big John Denver fans and I grew up on his music. I was so glad to see they've added back the tracks from the tape that they had excluded when they originally put this on CD. Yay!

5. Anything by Manheim Steamroller, especially Christmas Celebration

I mean, you just can't not feel Christmasy when you hear the first few bars of "Celebration," the first track on this album. So much fun!

4. Let it Snow / Michael Buble

OK, so granted he must have been really busy because this album only has 6 tracks. But they're still really good. And I love Michael Buble. Looooove.

3. The Living Room Sessions: Christmas / Chris Rice


I'm not usually that into instrumental music. I mean, I don't sit around listening to classical music, generally speaking. Maybe Christmas changes that? Or maybe this piano music just makes me think of cold Virginia nights with ice on the trees and sitting around our old piano, singing in harmony or just listening to my daddy play.

2. Believe / Natalie Grant


I am a big Natalie Grant fan. I think she has an incredible voice. I was so happy when she did this Christmas album a few years ago. "I Believe" is a really lovely track.

1. Handel's Messiah

Coming from a very musical family, Messiah is just the ultimate Christmas music! Every "Thanksmas" we attempt a few crazy chorales (I'm not up on my music terminology--is that the right word?). Singing through Messiah in college choir was one of my favorite life experiences. Challenging (especially for a second soprano ... Handel didn't do no second soprano part!) but awesome.

So ... what song or album embodies Christmas for you? And when do you start listening to Christmas music?


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Music, Our Wedding, Thanksmas, and My Secret Desire to Play the French Horn

I come from a family of musicians, mostly on my dad's side. As long as I can remember we've gathered  after the "Thanksmas" meal and sang Christmas carols. (We've been known to sing in five part harmony: soprano, alto, tenor, bass, and Grandpa.)

Dad played the trumpet and piano. My mom, the clarinet. Uncle Tom plays a multitude of instruments, among them the euphonium. My grandmother was a piano teacher. My sister plays the violin (and sings like a true opera diva).

Me? I sing. I have dreams of mastering the French horn; but Mr. V discourages them greatly, saying it's the worst instrument to listen to someone learn to play.

When it came time to decide on music for our wedding, I knew I wanted family members to sing.

My sister and a friend from college sang "The Prayer" in English and Italian. As Mr. V and I knew we would be picking up and moving 600 miles away directly after our honeymoon, we thought the lyrics were especially appropriate:

Let this be our prayer
As we go our way
Lead us to a place
Guide us with Your grace

I also asked my Aunt Jennie, Uncle Tom, cousin Laura, and Uncle Steve--all members of the infamous Thanksmas carolers of my dad's side--to sing "For the Beauty of the Earth." You want to know why, truly?

Because I love the part in Little Women where they sing it at Meg's wedding and are all circled around the gazebo.

Granted, it was in the movie because it IS a classic wedding hymn. As I will still claim is the reason we had it.

What I didn't know when I asked was that my uncle, the euphonium player, would make a new arrangement of the hymn, just for my wedding. It makes me feel like the Queen of Sheba. I can still see the four of them standing in the front of the church, beautiful harmonies melding, as I waited to walk down the aisle.

Nearly six years have passed since our wedding day--six years next Saturday, to be precise. And both of those songs still move me to tears. Which makes me think we made the right choice: in each other, and in our wedding music.

Inspired by Weekly Writing Prompts at Mama Kat's Losin' It.


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Joyful, Joyful

Do you ever have a moment when a song you think you know so well all of a sudden jumps out at you in a new way? Amanda wrote about something like this not too long ago ... of course, since we're soul sisters and alike in many ways.

Maybe a few conversations last night with a dear friend were still too imprinted on my heart to let the words go this morning. But as we sang the very old hymn "Joyful, Joyful," each word seemed to resonate with me in a new way.

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee,
God of glory, Lord of love;

Yes, Lord, I adore You. This year has been rough. The unknown still haunts me. But I trust You, God. I continue to go along with my plan of having no plan and simply resting in You. Teach me how to adore You more.

Hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee,
Op’ning to the sun above.

How simple and trusting these flowers are. They open their everything to You. Simple, undemanding, and yet You shine on them, allowing them to grow, nurturing them with rain and sun. If my heart were only so simple and easy and open. Let it be.

Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
Drive the dark of doubt away;

This, Lord, is where I sit. So much sadness this year. My heart is so heavy for my friend, who wants a baby so badly--and I want her to experience her own. My heart is weighed down with this unsold house, financial worries, and fears of the unknown. Help me to trust You more. Show me how to do that. Send me mentors. Give me no peace until I have immersed myself in Your Word and in prayer. Drive the dark of doubt away!

Giver of immortal gladness,
Fill us with the light of day!

Lord, fill me. Make me a new creation in You. Let me radiate joy such that others will ask about it. I deeply desire this immortal gladness--happiness that is beyond circumstances, finances, everyday life. I thank You for being ready and able to fill me with it if I will only come to You.

Amen.

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Christmas Music

I know many people are not ready for Christmas to begin until after Thanksgiving. But honestly, I've been listening to some Christmas music on lala.com for the last two weeks or so. Colder weather just puts me in a "Jingle Bells" sort of mood!

So for Amanda's Top Ten Tuesday, here are my ten favorite Christmas albums.

10. Home for Christmas / Amy Grant



One of my first Christmas TAPE loves. I could listen to "The Night Before Christmas" over and over again. You gotta have a little Amy in your Christmas music.

9. Snowed In / Hanson


Y'all know I cannot deny my Hanson obsession love. I could not even begin to tell you how many times Ashley and I listened to this CD during high-school Christmas times.

8. Anything by Bing Crosby


What's Christmas music without "White Christmas"? Not only is the movie perfection, the song is a Christmas staple. I love pretty much anything by Bing.

7. The Nativity Story: Sacred Songs / Various Artists

A more recent favorite, this CD is honestly heavenly. I didn't care much for the movie, but these "inspired by the movie" songs are just gorgeous. "The Virgin's Lullaby" is enchanting and will provoke tears. Last year, I told you about "Labor of Love." Seriously, this one is worth purchasing.

6. A Christmas Together / John Denver and the Muppets


And on a less serious note... This is one we also wore the heck out of the tape each Christmas. My parents were big John Denver fans and I grew up on his music. I was so glad to see they've added back the tracks from the tape that they had excluded when they originally put this on CD. Yay!

5. Anything by Manheim Steamroller, especially Christmas Celebration

I mean, you just can't not feel Christmasy when you hear the first few bars of "Celebration," the first track on this album. So much fun!

4. Let it Snow / Michael Buble

OK, so granted he must have been really busy because this album only has 6 tracks. But they're still really good. And I love Michael Buble. Looooove.

3. The Living Room Sessions: Christmas / Chris Rice


I'm not usually that into instrumental music. I mean, I don't sit around listening to classical music, generally speaking. Maybe Christmas changes that? Or maybe this piano music just makes me think of cold Virginia nights with ice on the trees and sitting around our old piano, singing in harmony or just listening to my daddy play.

2. Believe / Natalie Grant


I am a big Natalie Grant fan. I think she has an incredible voice. I was so happy when she did this Christmas album a few years ago. "I Believe" is a really lovely track.

1. Handel's Messiah

Coming from a very musical family, Messiah is just the ultimate Christmas music! Every "Thanksmas" we attempt a few crazy chorales (I'm not up on my music terminology--is that the right word?). Singing through Messiah in college choir was one of my favorite life experiences. Challenging (especially for a second soprano ... Handel didn't do no second soprano part!) but awesome.

So ... what song or album embodies Christmas for you? And when do you start listening to Christmas music?

For more Top Ten Tuesday, visit OhAmanda.

Black is This Year's Pink

Last night we went to see Wicked at TPAC in Nashville.

I almost have no words for what I felt. Is that too melodramatic?

Working with Serendipity, one of our sort of catch phrases is to take notice of the things that make you come alive. That is where you need to be meeting God in His work.

The only way I can describe how this musical affected me is to say that: it made my heart come alive.

Maybe it is just the hope deferred, finally come true. I have wanted to see the musical for a really, really long time. I first read the book in high school. As soon as I knew there was a musical based on it, I was longing to see it. I am a tiny bit obsessed with musicals, you see.

Maybe it's the little bit of my heart that still thinks I could be in musicals, if I lost some weight and had a little more talent for acting. I have rarely felt as exhilarated as I did after performing in our Broadway Revue show at church.

Or maybe it's just the amazing story, come to life. The absolutely phenomenal voice of Marcie Dodd, who played Elphaba and was just, well, enchanting. The unexpected (for me) perkiness of Glinda, which must have required the actress to have endless wells of energy.

It was beautiful. I absolutely did not want it to end. And I've come away wondering, what does this mean? Why does it stir my heart so? Is something there unfulfilled, something I should be pursuing?

Have you seen Wicked? I'd love to know your thoughts.

Send Me

Are You not the closest when it's hardest to stand?
I know that You will finish what You began

And these broken parts You will redeem
Become the song that I can sing

"Here I Am" from the band Downhere

The Hanson Chronicles: On the Road

I really, really wish I had pictures to accompany this post. I know they exist somewhere, but of course in nondigital format and I honestly have no clue where they might be hiding.

So you'll have to settle for this hideous picture of me and Cynthia, doing who-knows-what in her room, in 2000 (we were high-school seniors). I spent a WHOLE lot of time in that room.

In the summer of 1997, Cynthia introduced me to a little band called Hanson. A severe obsession formed that lasted years. I've written a little about it here.

Hanson had the nerve to wait an ENTIRE YEAR from that time to go on tour. At the time it seemed like forever. When it finally came around, Cynthia, my sister, my sister's friend, my DAD, and I trekked it to Manassas, Virginia and actually got to sit in seats, for which we were very proud. I am pretty sure my dad read the newspaper during the concert, surrounded by a gazillion screaming teenyboppers.

I have a document in my scrapbook entitled "The Life and Times of Jessie and Cynthia at the Hanson Concert." Yes, I was 16.

Later that summer, we stumbled on the fact that Hanson was coming to the great Commonwealth of Virginia again, and there would be an online presale--THE NEXT MORNING. Cynthia and I rushed along, securing a credit card from my dad, permission from parents, money from our best friend Elise; and we nearly dropped dead when we also secured seats in the FIFTH ROW at the Virginia Beach venue.

Elise and me, circa 2001

We stayed up the entire night before and made gifts for Hanson, and delivered them to the stage at the concert along with a giant card we were sure would get their attention. And cause them to propose on the spot, perhaps.

The concert, though the same set, was quite different from the fifth row, where we could see what was going on. Eschewing our Hanson shirts for sexier attire, we tried to seem mature while screaming our lungs out and panting like dogs--at the "hotness" of the vocalists as well as a result of the swarm of young women surrounding us.

It's a very happy memory.

I went on to see Hanson in concert once more, in Richmond, in 2000. While fun, it was never the same. I just don't love the music they do now, as much as I want to. And the fact that Taylor has four kids kinda freaks me out as he is younger than I am.

By the way, I've also seen The Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, LFO, and Joey McIntyre in concert. There's your laugh for the day! :)

So, what was your favorite band in high school? What's your favorite concert memory?

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This post inspired by a prompt from Plinky, which asked, "How far have you traveled to see your favorite performer?" While this isn't the farthest I've gone for a concert (I took my then-boyfriend/aka Mr. V to see his favorite band in North Carolina one year), it's definitely a more entertaining and involved tale. Thanks, Mary, for the link to Plinky!

Two Percent for Looking in the Mirror Twice

My long-lived romance with musicals began in eighth grade.

I was in French 1 and completely, 100% one of the teacher's pets (100% was, coincidentally, also my average in that class, I think). When Mademoiselle asked if anyone wanted to go to see Les Miserables off-Broadway at The Mosque (now The Landmark Theater), I was definitely interested. She gave us a two-page summary of the story and told us to dress well for the theater.

If you're familiar with Les Mis, you know two pages cannot possibly follow all the amazing, heart-wrenching story lines. I cried every. single. time someone died that first time. Afterward, I craved Les Mis. I listened to the tape of the soundtrack for weeks. I explained every scene to my sister in between songs.

During high school, I had the privilege of ushering at several shows in Richmond (like Grease--so when I finally saw the movie I was way confused. The show is quite different). My mom and I snagged incredible tickets to Man of La Mancha with Robert Goulet from a rich benefactor. One of my best friends acted in the musicals at the local high school, so that added four more to my exposure.

Outside the theater where we saw Les Mis in NYC. Ashley and I were trying to look angry, I guess!

My parents took me to New York City for my 18th birthday. We ate at Windows on the World (sniff) and went to see Les Mis on Broadway. Amazing.

In college, I was introduced to songs from RENT, Jekyll and Hyde, and The Scarlet Pimpernel by my Michelle. We had several songs from RENT memorized to the point where we could each sing a part (Michelle usually had to be the boy or whoever cursed more, because I don't curse). We went to see Anything Goes, HMS Pinafore, and Gypsy at school.

Mr. V and I went to see Les Mis in Richmond for our first-year dating anniversary. And my musical obssession has only been enhanced by four years of season tickets to a local theater in Franklin.

All of this to say: I don't know what it is. The stories? The emotion-filled music? The fact that for years my heart so longed to be there on stage, singing, but my acting skills left a little too much to be desired? I know what drew me so into Les Mis was I felt so much like an Eponine! I guess it's the same thing that makes us passionate about music, art, movies--there's always something to relate to, the themes are eternal, and it arouses something spiritual within us.

When I sang in the Broadway Revue at church for two years, I felt complete exhileration, nothing quite like I've ever felt before. The only bad thing about having Libbie when I did was that I was WAY too tired to do it this year, not to mention working full-time with a three-month-old. But it broke my heart not to be able to be in it.

With my new Sirius radio, I've been listening to the "On Broadway" station nonstop. I love hearing songs from musicals I've never heard of, ones I love, and ones I sang in the Broadway Revue.

Maybe it's a bad thing that these songs stir my soul so. Maybe it means it's not being stirred enough by other things? But then again, maybe it's just how God made me. Maybe it is a perfect puzzle piece in my life, something He will use for good.

Thanks for letting me ramble. Now, I have to know: do you know what the heck I'm talking about? If so, what's your favorite musical?

One of the first albums I ever remember listening to was my mom's tape of "Sandi Patty and the Friendship Company." Please tell me someone else remembers this collection. Sandi sang with puppets. It was awesome. This album had such great titles as "Beautiful Feet" and "We're in This Thing Together" (which, by the way, my mom and I sang as a duet in church when I was about 7. I was the puppet).

But lately, mostly at night as I rock and nurse my little sweetie, these are the lyrics that run through my head.

Masterpiece

Before you had a name or opened up your eyes
Or anyone could recognize your face.
You were being formed so delicate in size
Secluded in God's safe and hidden place.

With your little tiny hands and little tiny feet
And little eyes that shimmer like a pearl
He breathed in you a song and to make it all complete
He brought the masterpiece into the world.

You are a masterpiece
A new creation He has formed
And you're as soft and fresh as a snowy winter morn.
And I'm so glad that God has given you to me
Little Lamb of God, you are a masterpiece.

And now you're growing up your life's a miracle
Everytime I look at you I stand in awe
Because I see in you a reflection of me
And you'll always be my little lamb from God

And as your life goes on each day
How I pray that you will see
Just how much your life has meant to me.

And I'm so proud of you
What else is there to say?
Just be the masterpiece He created you to be.

And we will add this to the posts that have brought me to tears. Pretty much every one I've tagged as "libbie."

13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
I am still with you.

Psalm 139

A "Blessing" Day

I know it's a hard day at work when I put in John Waller's CD The Blessing. Usually it perks me up a little. I think it's something I got for free at work or I never would have been exposed to it, but his song "The Blessing" is just awesome. The whole CD is mellow and wonderful.

For some reason I am just insanely tired today. Well, I can think of one possible reason! But I had a decent night's sleep after lounging on the couch for several hours last night. Why should I really be tired? But several people today have commented on how I look tired (maybe they could tell me I look like a hippo too, that would help). The last two days at work I've felt like I could collapse on the floor and nap. I haven't felt like that since early in the first trimester. I usually account these times of tiredness and itchiness to baby growth spurts, and I guess they are. I'm looking forward to have a really good and LONG night's sleep. And maybe followed by a nap!

You Are My Home

I never cease being amazed at how little things can trigger such memories. I have a couple things I want to write about, but I have to get to bed some time tonight so I will stick with just one for now!

To make a long story short, I was going through our two tons of music on iTunes tonight, trying to clean up duplicates and such. I downloaded a whole lot of music freshman year on college when it wasn't so illegal, or at least I didn't know it was. And so I have some duplicates from this, most of which have the artist name in the title space...and so on. Anyway I just came upon "You Are My Home" from the Scarlet Pimpernel towards the end of the list. And seriously I started crying!


Freshman year I became friends with one of two people I truly consider heart-friends, someone who understands me almost completely. No matter how long Michelle and I go without talking, I still feel like we are connected in a way. Freshman year at UR, we spent copious amounts of time introducing each other to our favorite songs from musicals--and singing them together. I usually got to be the girl. :)

Our personal favorite to sing is "Light My Candle" from RENT; but this song from the Scarlet Pimpernel she introduced to me when we were both going through unrequited love situations. We had a joke that she and her boy would sing it at me and my boy's wedding--and then she would sing "Bring on the Men" from the same musical at the reception. We thought this was hysterical to the point that she wrote it on a post-it note and stuck it on my computer, and I had to remember to take it off when said boy might come over!

Michelle and a friend from high school are probably the only people outside of my immediate family I have really been completely vulnerable with, and I guess that is why I treasure those friendships so much. The memories are so sweet...although sometimes, like now, they kind of hurt, too, because it still pains me I don't have that kind of friend in Nashville. I don't think it's so much that I haven't allowed myself to be vulnerable as it is that I just haven't spent that kind of time with anyone except my husband since I graduated school. I think that's how it is with a lot of people, but I know there are women who develop these sweet friendships post-college.

Love you, Shelley!

A Minute Without You

This post is definitely going to scream "I was a major dork." Was? Hmm, debatable. I no longer care about being a dork, so that makes it a little better.


Mr. V and I were in the car on the way to St. Louis this weekend. I had just been talking to my sister, Ashley, on the phone. I've been having major homesickness lately. Not for any particular place, really, because going "home" to Richmond isn't exactly an option now that Mom and Dad aren't there. But for my family. I told Ashley I was thinking about our Hanson days. Yes, the band Hanson, the ones who sang Mmmbop (and yes, that is one of the worst songs ever--however, they DID have other songs! Which were good!).

Some of my best memories are of being in the car with Cynthia, going to pick up Ashley and her best friend Deborah, and them sitting in the backseat of my 86 Plymouth Reliant singing and doing hand motions to "Sure About It."



In the years before Hanson, Ashley and I were not friends. She was in middle school, depressed and angry, and I was in high school and therefore infinitely cooler than she was. When we both got into Hanson, however, we had something to share. We spent tons of time with my best friend Cynthia being ridiculously silly, watching MTV and taping every single time the "Where's the Love?" video was on MTV or VH1. Why? Beats me!!! But it was fun.

After I had talked to Ashley on the phone, Adam and I were talking about radio singles and how the best singles are usually around #3 or 4 on the CD. I told him that Hanson's best single on the CD that I remembered all the tracks was #5 ("Where's the Love"). I was positive I could remember all of the tracks on Middle of Nowhere in order.

You would not believe how much I listened to that CD. I think for about 2 1/2 years it was the only Hanson CD out and I wore that sucker out. For a long time I listened to it every night as I went to sleep. I remember at one point Ashley and I were in the back of our parents' van coming back from King's Dominion and we tried to sing the entire album in order. Needless to say, at the time, it would have taken me ten seconds to list of the 13 tracks. I came up with 11 of them pretty easily. The twelfth came much slower but did come later that night ("Look at You"). But I could not for the life of me come up with the last track. I could not believe it! It wasn't until tonight when we got home that I discovered it was "Yearbook." Who would have thought?

I have to say I miss the Hanson years. It was fun and it kept me out of trouble. Yes, I am probably storing an unusually large amount of lyrics in my head where I could be putting useful things, like the style manual for work and any bit of American history. You probably are too--just a different band.

Love to my Hanson girls--Cynthia, Elise, Ashley, Alena, and Deborah.