The Coolest 15-Year-Old in the WORLD

My brother, Luke, sent his writer sister (that’s me) an essay to look over this evening. The essay was titled “Laugh, Play, Family” and in it he wrote:
“Finally, I cannot live without my family; they are the most important people to me in the world. My sister, Caroline, is one of my best friends in [...]

I Have Moved in With Amphibians . . . and Crickets.

Whew! Moving, well, sucks. Sorry, mom, I know how much you hate that word.
But it does. Suck.
On Sunday, we got all of our stuff schlepped over to our new apartment in Ohio, and we sweated, groaned and struggled to do just that. I have places that hurt on my body that I did not even [...]

Make Sure to Play Hard in This Game of Life

The 30-Day Challenge posts will be back soon, but I feel a need to take a brief hiatus today and address the “pray” sector of this blog with a little more of a thought-provoking post. Enjoy!

As you have all witnessed throughout the last few posts, my family and I have been on vacation for the [...]

I’m Doing the Vacation Happy Dance!

V-ee are here! (That one was for my future father-in-law!)
I know I have already told you all about how fabulous this place is, but, seriously, it is really freaking fabulous.
This is my view every morning from the kitchen table . . .
Totally fabulous, right?
So, anyway, lets kick this Monday off with a little run-down of [...]

This Train Has Been Delayed … And So Has Her Yummy Food.

Bad news: We didn’t end up leaving for vacation today.
My baby brother (Look at his little face, at right) is sick — fever, backache, the works — and we thought he would be better off resting at home rather than spending eight hours in the car.
So, an early-morning departure tomorrow it is!
Since I haven’t given [...]

Twenty Four Years of Life Created By Love

So, yesterday was my birthday (yay!).
When everyone began to ask me what I was going to do on my special day, I received with the question many suggestions as to how I should plan the festivities.
“You should go out to eat.”
“You could meet friends for a few drinks.”
“You should go to the bars and get [...]

The World is Pretty Amazing

I love to volunteer. There is something about lending a helping hand that can make your whole world feel different; the air feels crisper, people seem more cheerful, you have an extra bounce in your step.
The thing is, this feeling is more self-created, than actual. Don’t get me wrong — the feeling of [...]

Love of the Unconditional, Concrete, Make-You-Wanna-Smile Kind

Unselfish love.
It really is an interesting concept. I mean, the thought of loving someone unconditionally, without abandon, no holds-barred — it seems easy and difficult all at the same time.
I was watching an episode of Friends the other day in which Phoebe and Joey are disussing about whether or not there is such [...]

THAT Girl’s Fuzzy Legs

I’m not too shabby of a girl.
I can make a nice appearance, and (I think) I have pretty good taste in clothes, fashion and things of the sort.
But I know for sure that I’m never going to be “that girl.”
You know the chica I am speaking of — that girl who just looks like [...]

Leaning on the World’s Best Models

Throughout my life, I have had so many fantastic role models — my mom, dad, Godmother, siblings and the many authors whose work I cherish, including Sue Monk Kidd, Elizabeth Gilbert, J.D. Salinger, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Jane Austen.
What’s more, so many of my role models have helped to make me the strong woman I [...]