ohhhh good times....

Tonight I'm standing in my driveway with Bri and this conversation takes place:

"oh god, look, it's a beaver!" -Bri
(I turn around to see what she's talking about)
"umm, that's a raccoon Bri." -Katie

as the raccoon waddles across the yard into the bushes we laugh hysterically at the process of events that just took place....

oh goodness. that was fantastic.

(although I'm sure you had to be there to think it was as funny as it really was).

Merry Christmas

ah, Christmas is upon us. Santa Clause visited my nephews which was fun. Last night I helped spread the reindeer food (which looked like a mixture of oatmeal and glitter) and helped put together a "Diego!" bike for Tyler to awake to. It was full of family and good times (not to mention lots of food). Tomorrow I head to New York to hangout with Mark and his family for a few days, which is pretty exciting. Here are a few pictures from the day of all of the "kids" in the family these days. It's grown pretty extensively these past few years if I do say so myself. haha.

a beggar's plea.

stop the attack
lay your weapons down
my armor has been peeled away
yet the swords still seem to swing

slow your words
they are burning my ears
they are staining my heart
they are etching themselves in my brain

I am tired
tired of the questions
tired of the questions you are asking
tired of the questions you are making me ask

I want to be free
I want to rest in healing
I want to discover the answers

I just want love.

2 of my best...

I hungout with these two jokers tonight. It was a good time. We went to the "tap room" (where I proceeded to see about 7-10 of my old high school friends) and just got to have some fun conversation for awhile. I miss the old days. Joel and I used to stay up til the wee hours of the morning and talk but it seems like it's been FOREVER since that happend...it was nice to have it happen again. It's one of those totally honest relationships that are hard to come by sometimes - so it was really great. So, here's to old friends that are still some of the greatest.... Cheers!

Carrot Top

I stood approximately 2 feet away from Carrot Top today. I was in line buying Mark a Christmas present (at a location I can't name currently so he won't figure out his present), and there he was - standing in line right in front of me. I didn't realize it was him, although I had noticed the guy in the store when I was walking around - but I didn't stare at him or anything or really look at his face. But after he walked away from the register, I heard the guy say "no, that wasn't him, was it?" and the girl said "yea - that was definitely him" and another guy behind the counter said "yea - it was him, I've seen him perform before...." --- I was like "who are you talking about?" and they said "Carrot Top."

I told them to look at his receipt to see if his name was on it, but they said he paid with cash, and then I responded with - who really knows his real name anyway? then we proceeded to joke about how the guy should have said "have a good day Mr. Top" and things of the sort when he left...

Well, I paid and walked out the door and there he as driving right in front of me in the parking lot - and I got a look at him - and it was him alright. Driving a REALLY nice black Land Rover with a Florida tag on it.

He had on a really tight shirt - and he was RIPPED (that is what I noticed when I saw him walking around in the store earlier - I just noticed how big he was) - and a tobagan on to keep his hair down. He was actually quite cute (and really fashionable).

But yea - there was my brush with fame today. I called Mark and told him that one of his gifts had been a mere foot away from stardom. It was really fun....crazy how stuff like that works...how it's exciting to see somebody "famous" - even if I didn't talk to him.

(I probably would have told him a really corny joke if I would have known it was him as he was checking out - like "what is invisible and smells like milk and cookies?" "Santa's burp" and told him to use it when he's on stage. It's probably a good thing I didn't realize it was him until after the fact. haha).

Bad Ass Conversation

I got to sit in the Bad Ass Coffee Shop this evening with one of my best pals in the whole entire world and have tons of great conversation. This is one of the statements that stands out though:

"Lord, give me what I NEED, not what I WANT."

AJ was telling me that Matt Chandler said this statement as he was preaching through the Lord's prayer in one of his sermons - in reference to "give us this day our daily bread...." and I thought it was a pretty fantastic reminder.

Quite an 'anchor prayer.'

AMAZING CONCERT

Last Saturday some great friends (seen in the pictures) and I went to the Ray Lamontagne and Tristan Prettyman concert at the Tabernacle in Atlanta. It was INCREDIBLE. Seriously - the show:
a.) fit the venue perfectly
b.) was FULL of musical greatness
c.) sounded like you were listening to Ray's CD - only way better because you could see him in all his glory as he sang/played
d.) was precursored by a really really great buffalo chicken sandwhich from the Fox Sports Grill, eaten while surrounded by great company.
e.) was followed by a really fun Dunkin' Doughnuts experience and a new to the country Russian teenager who worked there.

Moral of the story: Ray Lamontagne has won a place in my heart, and I have an even greater respect for him as a musician than I did before the show - because he was seriously just THAT great. It was incredible to sit there and listen to him - he is so soft spoken, yet so powerful. I dunno....but I do know this - if you ever have a chance to see him in concert - go. You won't be disappointed. It was absolutely incredible (and I didn't even know a good number of the songs he sang).

Thank you Stacy, for the wonderful birthday gift!!! (she got me the ticket)

(oh, and no, Marie isn't drunk in the picture above - she just had a hard time holding her eyes open when the flash went off - and it was seriously hillarious.)

boy baptism....haha

'tis the season...

Andy P.

Andrew Peterson is THE MAN. He has an album called "Behold the Lamb of God" - and if you've never heard it, go out and buy it, and listen - it is amazing. He is such an incredible lyricist. You won't be disappointed, I promise. Here is a little documentary about the album (thank you to Matt Ables):

Mindy Smith.

She is all over my world right now....

"Peace of Mind"

"I need peace of mind
and a hopeful heart
to lose this rage
and move out in the dark
I ain't looking for rainbows and shooting stars
just some peace of mind
and a hopeful heart...

I need peace of mind
and a lullabye
cuz there's an angry voice in my head tonight
telling me to do things that can't be right
I need peace of mind
and a lullabye....

and a miracle
for this broken soul
a little miracle
for this broken soul...

I need peace of mind
and a gentle hand
as I try to change the way I am
and hope God forgives me when I can't
I need peace of mind
and a gentle hand...

or a miracle
for this broken soul
a little miracle
for this broken soul

I need peace of mind
and a hopeful heart."


amazing.

da' Saturday night run...with some new kicks

Mark and I got some new kicks this weekend (see left). Then we went for a 4.5-ish mile run downtown last night and didn't even really get all that tired. Those "sneakers" musta been magical. Or it was just really good company and good conversation that distracted us from the fact that we ran for 45 minutes. I'm going to go with the latter. It was fantastic...and to top it all off...we got to watch some really great fireworks over the water at the end of the run as we finished. It was perfect timing...a fantastic run....and a splendid time for some really great conversation. I'm kinda diggin' this running thing these days....11 weeks til race day....and counting. Tomorrow the "official" training begins...and I've got some stylin' new shoes to begin it in.

amazing song.

"The blood is dried
and the wounds I hide,
the scars are settling in
so I keep the light low
and they still show
I sit and count every stitch...

What it means,
what it really means...
it's time I let everything go
that is killing me
and turning me
spinning me so out of control.

I don't wanna let go.
Let go...
I don't wanna let go.

I don't know what for
but these open doors
keep slamming in on me
and if life's a joke then it's getting old
and I hope God's looking out for me

What it means
what it really means
it's time I let everything go
that's killing me
and turning me
spinning me so out of control

I don't wanna let go.
Let go...
I don't wanna let go.

What it means
what it really means
it's time I let everything go
that's killing me
and turning me
spinning me so out of control

I don't wanna let go...
I don't wanna let go...

The blood is dried
and the wounds I hide
the scars are settled in...."

-M. Smith

Curve.

So, this post may seem really girly, or make some of you want to throw up, or I dunno....but I'm gonna say it anyway.

Mark came to visit this weekend, and we both left this morning around 10 o'clock or so...he left to go home to Columbia and I left to go study. I just got back (about 6:30 or so) and walked into my room....

and it totally still smells like him....and totally makes me miss him like crazy and wish he was here.

yea. throw up if you will....but man...it's crazy...Curve is amazing....and so is my boyfriend.

the end.

my inspiration

Well folks, I think I have figured it out. As I lay in the bed last night watching David the Gnome on my computer, I realized that David is perhaps the reason I am in the medical profession. Seriously, David has been a doctor for 300 years, and saved creatures all over the world (despite being a mere 6 inches tall). Swift, his fox, would take him anywhere he wanted to go, but it was "pleasant riding a feasant" and if he had to go a long way he'd ride a goose, or if it was a quick visit, he'd sometimes ride on a rabbit...but regardless of how he got to the scene, he would always save the day with his surgical and doctor skills.

This was one of my very favorite shows growing up, if not my favorite, and I really do think it could have had a huge impact on my life. Going back and rewatching it I realized that it is also a very "issue conscious" cartoon. It talked about polution, and being friendly to the environment, and to animals, and being nice to your friends, and all sorts of great things.

I'm going to buy the season on DVD (yes, it is on DVD that you can buy online) when I have kids, and make them watch it. It's pretty incredible.

As the show was coming on, the song came on, and man it felt like I was a kid sitting in front of the tv just yesterday - as I started humming the tune, and smiling when the rabbits dance, and David picks up his wife and swings her around. Oh man...good times.

Gotta love David the Gnome. And if you've never experienced this 80's cartoon...you totally should - it may even change your world.

"Look around you...
There are many things to see...
That some would say could never be...
These things i know...
its true and i will tell you so...
they are there to see if you believe...

Trolls and Wizards
And Fairy Kings
Birds That talk and Fish that sing...
and if your heart is true....
then you will find them too....

In every wish and dream and happy home...
You will find the kingdom of....
The Gnomes."

David the Gnome Theme Song Introduction