bookworms and caterpillars

You know that scene in Beauty and the Beast, where your heart skips a beat, your breath shortens, and you know for the first time in your little six year old life that there is someone in the infinite abyss that understands you, and for the very first time you feel okay with who you are?



I do, and I did.
While many of my classmates were stammering through "Hooked on Phonics," I was captivated by the world of Narnia. And while they were desperately trying to "See Spot run," I was halfway through The Babysitters Club series. Don't get me wrong, im not an intellect by any means, but I have always LOVED to read.

The only problem with having a love for reading and a library card is that by the time you're 23, you run out of good reading material. Not that good books are limited, but I sit down with books like most people sit down with movies, and I read them straight through without stopping to decide whether or not the book is worth my time. Sometimes, I waste 5 hours of my life on a book that totally sucks, and 5 hours is a long time considering the fact that we have no idea how much time we actually have. There are, however, many books that have impressed me, changed me, shaped me, and brought me back to life.

I think you can tell alot about a person by whats on their bookshelf. Try it, you'll see.




Top ten best books i've ever read:




Catcher in the Rye, which is a stream of consciousness and character study, which I thoroughly enjoyed...so honest, so raw, so inspiring that murderers and presidents alike have cited it as a source of inspiration.



Blew my mind, and jacked up my heart a little bit. I don't completely agree with the entire book, but anyone who has seen a Nooma video knows that Rob Bell knows his, er, stuff.



Any person who ever intends on being in a relationship in their entire life should be required to read this book. It is a true love story and you will cry and laugh and never be the same.



Any book that makes you refer back to your bible 849238429084 times, is worth reading in my book. This book changed my perspective on what it means to be a Christian entirely. Donald Miller is legit, and he knows whats up.



You are Special melted my heart and sewed me back together in a million different ways. I've bought this book for almost every child and high school kid I know.



Stargirl is a modern-day, 14 year old girl, representation of what a Christian should look like. In fact, I'm thinking about writing a book on how good this book is, and how every person that wants to be a follower of Christ should examine the tangible ideas in this book.


Ruined my life.


Saved my marriage.


Reshapes everything youve ever known about politics. If you havent read this book, ill buy it for you and pay you to read it. Seriously, you'll never be the same.


My absolute favorite book of all time. I recommend it to any human being in the entire planet.

Any suggestions on books that tug at your heart and your mind, are beautifully worded, are not science fiction, and you have just love love loved?


Its not right for a woman to read...first she starts getting ideas, and thinking! -Gaston

baby-makin

How come every time I talk to someone I haven't talked to in a few weeks/months/days the first question they ask is:
Are you pregnant yet?
Even when I'm with people that I see everyday...

"I have a stomach ache"
"Are you pregnant?"

"I'm tired"
"Oh, you must be expecting!"

"My back hurts"
"Have you peed on a stick yet?"

One of the questions people asked us when we got engaged was, "Whens the baby due?" Which is interesting considering we hadn't made it past second base...
In fact, we've recently won a bet against some of our younglifers who said we would have a baby by April of this year...nine months from our wedding day.

It doesn't help the pressure when almost everyone I know is carrying a bun in the oven. Half of me wants a baby so bad I'd be willing to give up anything to have one, but, the other half- the winning half- knows were not ready emotionally, physically, or economically to bring another life into the mix...not yet anyway.

I absolutely love helping my preggo friends pick out baby room designs, and listening to them talk about the joyful moments of ultrasounds and morning sickness. I couldn't be more excited to see some of my closest friends enter this new stage in their lives.

And someday, on God's timing, Omar and I will get to experience all of that. I want nothing more out of this life than to bring little humans into the world, to love, to grow with, to anchor, and to set free to make an incredible impact in the world. I can't wait to be somebody's mama, and to see my husband hold our child for the first time.

The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the person who seeks Him.
- Lamentations 3:25

normal

Having no idea where your life is going other than who you're going there with is a little...unnerving. All of my dreams and desires are up in the air, floating around in the abyss with another person's hopes and goals waiting for some miraculous "big bang" between my life, his life, and God's will. I am close to success by the world's terms, having a master's degree by the time I'm 25, married to the love of my life, living in a nice two story house, with solid relationships and Egyptian cotton sheets. The American dream is beckoning us to seek a "normal" life, to live comfortably and die silently. And honestly? I want nothing to do with it. I suck at wanting what "everybody else" wants. Should I try harder to like coffee? Be better at mopping the kitchen floor? Make more of an effort to keep up with the laundry? or work harder to get more money to buy a better car so that ill be somehow happier?

“Our greatest fear as individuals....should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that really don’t matter…”-Tim Kizziar