You've Got Mail Night

So Jeff was totally confused when Chet advised him to "Go to the mattresses" while they were working out. This led to the discovery that Jeff had never seen You've Got Mail... so obviously, that had to be remedied. lol We got Five Guys burgers to go and had "You've Got Mail Night" on Wednesday (it's been saved on my DVR for years now - it's my go-to 'background noise movie'). I love all the songs and several quotes from this movie, and as Chet commented, it's the perfect movie to watch year-round because it encompasses all the seasons. :) It also makes life in New York look serene and fantastic... so yeah, definitely fiction. lol

"Don't you think daisies are the friendliest flower!?" ~Kathleen Kelly

"I like Patricia - I love Patricia. Patricia... makes coffee nervous!" ~Joe Fox (F-O-X)

"The odd thing about this form of communication is that you're more likely to talk about nothing than something. But I just want to say that all this nothing has meant more to me than so many somethings." ~Kathleen

"Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address." ~Joe

"You are daring to imagine that you could have a different life. Oh, I know it doesn't feel like that - you feel like a big fat failure now. But you're not. You are marching into the unknown armed with... (pause) nothing! ...Have a sandwich." ~Birdie

"If I ever get out of here, I'm having my eyes lasered!!" ~Patricia

"It wasn't... personal." ~Joe

"What is that supposed to mean? I am so sick of that! All that means is that it wasn't personal to you. But it was personal to me. It's personal to a lot of people. And what's so wrong with being personal, anyway? Because whatever else anything is, it ought to begin by being personal!" ~Kathleen (always my favorite line in this movie)

"I sell cheap books - I do - so sue me!" ~News clip of Joe =)

It was definitely fun watching it with the guys and listening to their commentary. :)
(Pic = our road trip night, but this was the same group, so it still seems appropriate.)

Funniest moment of the night:
Chet (pausing the movie for a random interjection): Hey, didn't Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid have twins in real life??
Me: Hmm, I don't know. I know they were married, but --
Jeff: No, they weren't! He was married to that girl who died in the skiing accident.
Laura: No, I think that was actually Liam Neeson -- how weird that that's the second time this week someone has mentioned her dying in the ski accident!
Chet: Pretty sure he married Meg Ryan. But I'm thinking they had twins?
Jeff: Nooo - oh, are you meaning Liam Neeson and Meg Ryan??
Chet: NO!
Me: Wait, so you're saying that he married Natasha Richardson?
Jeff: Yes. Dennis Quaid. I promise you. And yes, they did have twins!
Chet: Umm, that was Parent Trap.
....("Light bulb moment" pause)....
Jeff: That WAS Parent Trap! ......Never mind.
....(everyone cracking up)....
Laura: Dennis Quaid is Linday Lohan's dad - Whaaat!? :)

LOL I just love those moments where everyone is talking over each other and it gets hilariously confusing... unless, of course, it's happening in the courtroom and I'm in charge of separating it all out.

*P.S. I googled it, and yes, Meg and Dennis did have twins! ;-)

My Foundation

"It's a good thing to have all the props pulled out from under us occasionally. It gives us some sense of what is rock under our feet and what is sand." ~Madeleine L'Engle

Yesterday, in a manner that felt very sudden, I lost a friendship that was incredibly significant to me. It's never pleasant to be discarded by the person who knows you most deeply, but it was a powerful reminder that God is the only friend who will truly never fail or forsake us. (And that "things change and friends leave and life doesn't stop for anybody.") I'm very thankful that my remaining close friends have already been super-supportive without tearing down the other person... and thankful that they're pointing me to God and His Word for strength. (And on a minor note, I'm thankful that this unexpected email came just after the GRE test rather than before! lol I think I did pretty well... here's hoping.)

Anyway, this situation is definitely unique, but there are enough similarities that I'm able to apply everything I learned - both about what helps and what not to do - from how I reacted to "the letter." I regretted every mean word that I said to Josh in a fit of rage or bitterness; it was not wise or constructive or even satisfying, and in the long run, it was not the most true thing about how I viewed him and his character. I would have dealt with far less guilt and embarrassment, and probably felt more grace and peace from God all around, if only I had never attempted to vent all my negative feelings. Letting go is hard for anyone, but it could have been so much easier if I had simply decided to let the relationship drop the moment he did (rather than discarding my own self-worth and begging for relationship-scraps - aww, good memories). I also know the importance of life groups and staying close to God, as well as "catching wrong thoughts quickly," as Laura phrases it. It's absurd and a little frightening how fast I can fall into a downward spiral if I let myself dwell on the lies that Satan will undoubtedly be throwing my way in the coming days... but we're praying that I'll cast down those wrong thoughts and firmly focus my heart on the Truth and how much God values me!

I told JEM that as far as I can tell, I've always been drawn to people with this specific personality style because I view them as naturally strong, self-sufficient, and honestly, a bit superior to me... and thus, somehow feel that in my fragility I can lean on their strength, and that their approval adds worth and value to my life because I know they do not give it away easily or falsely. This sets up an unhealthy pedestal, obviously. (Jeff went out of his way to meet with me last night, and I so appreciated that. Having been through a similar difficult transition, he felt like a safe person I could trust, and he was full of Godly advice and timely encouragement.) He paused for a minute and then responded by saying, "Lindsey, she is not your foundation. Only Christ can be your foundation."

That was 100% from God and exactly what I needed to hear as this new season begins. Whenever I draw my strength and value from another person, depending on them to be my 'rock' or adviser or comforter, God doesn't take that lightly or allow it to go on infinitely. So yes, I know this particular severing is probably for my own good in the long run (kind of like an emergency amputation) ...so I'm grateful for that in some ways... but unfortunately, that knowledge does nothing to stop it from being exceptionally painful in the meantime.

I truly love this person. And as much as the feeling is no longer mutual and my mindset may not make sense to anyone else, I will miss the depth of connection in the friendship, as I perceived it. I want to be careful not to dishonor or attack her out of mixed emotions that will eventually subside, so my plan is not to write about it after this post. I am extremely determined not to let this email ending devastate me or negate my self-worth the way I was affected by the letter of 2007, but I am also hurting in a way that will likely get worse before it gets better, so I would very much appreciate prayer throughout the coming months whenever you think of me...

(Bring on 2014! 2013 is so not my year.)

I read this in Stasi's book over the weekend:

"We need Jesus. We need mercy. We need healing. We are not meant to live this life alone, and we won't get very far on our journey if we try. He is perfect love, and He loves you perfectly. And He's not going anywhere. Friendships do change. People change. You change. You are supposed to. Some friends we are called to fight for and some we are called to release. And though all change feels like loss, it is good to bless people on their way, to hold them loosely, and to let them go... Not every person you long to have a friendship with is meant to be your friend. It can be excruciating to let a friend go, or worse, to be let go of. Many people underestimate the closeness of heart that women friends are capable of reaching. Some women are blessed with a best friend. But most women aren't. God alone can be our One and Only. God understands us all the time. He is available every moment. I want to know Him as my King and my God and my Friend who enjoys me fully, accepts me completely, and loves me unconditionally. Because that is who He is." ~Stasi Eldredge

So true and helpful right now. Jeff said many of the same things when we talked.
I have felt closer to and more supported by my family recently. I believe that I'm making progress in counseling, ironically while focusing on the issues in my life that stem from prior disconnection and rejection. I've had a strong desire for spiritual growth and been looking forward to Craig's upcoming sermon series, which is going to be all about friendships. And finally, I learned this weekend that the women's lifegroup is beginning a Beth Moore study next week, so I'd already been planning to join them for that...

It all fits together and makes sense now; God has been preparing me. He knows what He's doing and He was not caught off guard, however much I might still be reeling in shock. He wants me to seek His approval first and to remember who I truly am through His eyes. In a weird way, this could be the answer to my prayer to get my passion for Him back and to find purpose - nothing gets my attention focused on God quite like the loneliness that inevitably follows rejection. But as Jeff reminded me, Christ is my rock and firm foundation... and all other ground is sinking sand. He also reminded me that God uses all things for my good, so He will use even this to refine me and give me renewed purpose and inner strength! 

 ...God knows this is round two and that I'm feeling overwhelmed, confused, exhausted, scared, and hanging on by a thread. He knows that reaching out and forming new friendships will take every ounce of strength I possess. And apparently, He believes I can go through this again with His help. So I must not be as fragile as I thought - yay? I know He has a plan and sees the bigger picture and knows where I am headed in life, despite my own cluelessness there. He knows me, He sees me, He gets it! I trust that He will redeem this loss if I stick with Him through it rather than following my shifty emotions, so I'm taking a deep breath and holding on tightly to God - here we go again!

Praying for this whole situation to be surrounded and covered by His PEACE and GRACE!! And that's all I plan to say about that.

"For the Father Himself loves you dearly because you love Me and believe that I came from God... I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows, but take heart, because I have overcome the world!"
~Jesus, John 16:27,33

Quotables ~ BBT

This post = random quotes by Raj, just because I find him funny and adorable and I saw this episode last night! :)

It's okay, I can take anything -- unless it's something I did or said or am, 'cause those are, like, my buttons!

That's great! I'm broken too... I'm a wreck. There are many things seriously wrong with me - and not quirks either - like, diagnosable psychological problems... maybe brain damage. Go out with me on one date, and I promise you you'll see... You won't regret it - I'm the most pathetic guy you've ever met! =)

I was quoting a man who knows a thing or two about women: Sir Elton John.

Okay, I've got to go be more butch. Toodles!

From now on, I'm a monk. I renounce all worldly pleasures. Except for Lobster. ...And garlic butter.

How do you sleep in these things? Silk pajamas on satin sheets -- I slid out of the bed like 3 times!

I'm not gay. If anything, I'm metrosexual... It means that I like women, as well as their skin-care products.

I'm glad men are wearing hats again. They are so distinguished.

Well, I would have slept in my OWN bed, but it was being used to bring shame to my family... and the memory of Gene Roddenberry!

Cute is for puppies. I want to be something sexy, like a Labradoodle.

With your American accent, everything you say sounds stupid!

I don't want to go back to India! It's hot, and it's loud, and there are so many people! You have no idea -- they're everywhere.

I don't like bugs, okay? They freak me out.

Disneyland can suck it. [Vegas] is the real "happiest place on Earth!"

Do you know what he did? He watched me work for ten minutes and then started to design a simple piece of software that could replace me. ~Raj
Is that even possible? ~Leonard
As it turns out, yes. ~Raj :)

And now, a few Sheldon quotes, just for fun:

I'm not jealous... I'm just very unhappy that good things are happening for him and not happening for me.

We need to give you a proper send-off so we'll have closure when you die at sea and crabs eat your face.

You know, I must say, I go back and forth on this boyfriend-girlfriend thing, but those moments when you worship me really keep you in the running!

My shirt is itchy and I wish I were dead.

You misunderstood... I have never said that you are not good at what you do; it's just that what you do is not worth doing.

50% of marriages end in divorce, but 100% of make-your-own-sundae bars end in happiness!

I help the weak. It's yet another way I'm exactly like Batman.

I sense that you're trying to slow walk me to an epiphany. Would you mind very much jumping to it?

Amy Farrah Fowler doesn't believe in wearing costumes. She isn't the free spirit I am.

I'd like to say I'm very happy that you're back together, and if I can figure out a way to do so and sound sincere, I will.

Incidentally, one can get beaten up in school simply by referring to oneself as one.

I never admit defeat. However, on an unrelated topic, I'm never getting out of this bed again.

How could you just sit there and let them spy on me? ~Leonard
They were clever, Leonard. They exploited my complete lack of interest in what you were doing. ~Sheldon

Unless you're planning on running a marathon, choosing both stuffing and mashed potatoes is a starch-filled redundancy.

While Mr. Kim, by virtue of his youth and naivety, has fallen prey to the inexplicable need for human contact, let me step in and assure you that my research will go on uninterrupted and that social relationships will continue to baffle and repulse me!

You are not Isaac Newton. ~Leonard
No, no, that's true. Gravity would have been apparent to me without the apple. ~Sheldon

So, you’ve got a bit of competition, I really don’t see what the big deal is. ~Penny
Well, of course you don’t! You’ve never excelled at anything. ~Sheldon

I don't like the Olive Garden... they treat me like family.

Miss Kyndal Faith

Meet my newborn first and only niece, Miss Kyndal Faith!! ❤

Just wide-eyed and quiet and tiny and precious.

*She was born yesterday (August 14, 2013) at 4:35 p.m., weighing in at 6 lbs 10 oz., 19 1/2 inches long.

 ^^Josh and Rach's last pre-Kyndal picture!

Rach's appointment was at 7:30 in the morning, and we were all there with her in case it went really quickly (she was already at a 6).  Umm, it did not. lol  She was officially induced around 10:00 a.m., then we started guessing what time she'd have the baby.  (And guessing again when it went past that time). lol  My final guess was 4:18, because I thought it'd be cool if she came at 4:18 on 8-14.  I was closest, so I win! lol  Sadly, there was no prize.

While we waited, I went out in the hallway and journaled.  Mom joined me and we had a nice talk.  We went back in the room and watched four episodes of Friends (including one with Eddie - love it!)  I talked to Rach for half an hour while everyone else was out in the hallway or somewhere close by.  Dad brought us Johnnies for lunch, which seemed appropriate since it's the same thing we had the day Jace was born!  (Rach doesn't care for it, and everyone else loves it, so it's the best possible choice when she's under doctor's orders not to eat or drink anything).  Her nurse, Jody, was nice enough to bring her a tiny bit of Diet Coke with her ice chips so she wouldn't get a caffeine headache. :) 

Anyway, Dad left to go pick up Jace at 4:00 (Babah and Grandad were keeping him at Rach's house).  So he missed being there right after the birth.  Since it was just me, Mom, and Josh at the hospital, I was actually in the delivery room this time.  It went very quickly and smoothly, and it was awesome to be present for the birth... very much a miracle that puts you in awe of God.  (And confirms my decision to adopt. lol)

Immediately after she was born and Josh cut the cord, the nurse put antibiotic ointment in her tiny eyes then took her over to weigh her.  She put on her little diaper and hat and laid her in the Panda Baby-Warmer, then got her footprints.  All preciously cute.  Then Rach got to hold her for a few minutes and feed her... while we had some celebratory cookie-cake.  =)

^^So much icing!!  The lid caved and messed up her name, but it still tasted good! :)

{At that point, I went to dinner with Malori Riah at MiMi's -- it was fun and we had a good talk.  In the two hours that I was gone, literally everyone else came and left. lol  Brooke brought Triston and Carter, Dad got back with Jace, Agim and Ariel stopped by, plus Babah and Grandad, Jobug and Emily, and Debbie Wallace! Wow!!}  When I got back, all the visitors were gone and the nurse had just taken Kyndal out for her first bath.  I got to hold Jace for a few minutes, then they brought Miss Kyndal back in and Josh, me, and Mom got a chance to hold her!  I love that she had her eyes open so much - Jace didn't open his eyes much at all the first few days.  

Anyway, there's the ridiculously detailed story - now for some pictures!  

 ^^I had the anesthesiologist save the epidural needle and pose with it for me. lol  He was genuinely very nice.  He said it's thicker than most needles - about like a pencil lead - and obviously, it's longer than most as well.

 ^^But worth it - here Rach is having major contractions (bottom yellow line on the computer) and not feeling a thing - just eating her happy ice chips. lol  ("It's wet and cold and.... that's about it.")

^^ Her first weigh-in. :)

^^Tiny footprints and a tiny little cap - love it!

 ^^Rach looking good and enjoying her long-awaited Diet Coke shortly after giving birth. lol

 ^^Skin-to-skin Mommy/Daughter pic - cuteness!

 ^^Kyndal with her Mom and Dad!

^^Daddy/Daughter pic - love it!

Me and my niece, after her first bath, swaddled and wearing her cozy pink hat, looking right up at me -- CUTENESS!  They say it will fade, but she has a birthmark on her forehead that looks a lot like a lipstick print, so I find that really cute as well!

^^ And now, a black and white.  (I'm the only one in my family who loves black and white photos, but I really think everyone should!)

 ^^The happy/proud Grandparents!  (Love this picture!)

The Parrish fam, minus Triston and Carter!

*I kinda love it that even though Mom and I both had our professional cameras there and were trying to get great pictures and document everything, my favorite picture of her that day is the one at the top of this post - one Josh took with his iPhone while he was holding her.  It's close-up and pretty perfect!  

CONGRATULATIONS to Josh and Rach and to her 3 big brothers - hooray for adding a baby girl to the mix! :)

P.S.  Rach text me the two pics (below) from today as they were getting ready to leave the hospital.  (She's wearing the fluffy pink clothes I got her at the Tulsa Affair of the Heart.) Adorable!

 Okay, that's really all now!  ...Peace out! ;-)

Memory Tuesday?

I'm at Mom and Dad's tonight... they're inducing labor for Rachael bright and early tomorrow morning, and I'm very ready and excited to meet my first niece!! =)  Pray for a smooth labor and delivery for Rach!

In a totally random subject change, I found these old pictures of our backyard at 9121 (the house where Rach and I grew up - 1993 to 2007), then I used my phone to take a picture of the pictures.  They turned out a little grainy, but I like that it gives it a back-in-the-day feel. lol

It really was a great place to grow up - looking at these pics, I realized I have so many fun memories specifically in the backyard: 

The whole fam writing our initials and the date in the wet cement behind the fence where we kept the rafts and other pool toys... Cookouts / swim parties with dad's fam... swim races and rollerblading with the Wallaces  - Clint and I were a team vs. Rach and Ty... practicing basketball and volleyball with the fam... End of Year swim parties with our classmates... making up synchronized swimming routines with Rach, Ashley, and Amber (that had to be entertaining for our parents to watch)... playing "divastics" (doing some random gynmastics moves off the diving board) with Rach, Allie, Casey, and Kara... swimming and laying out with JoBug, Blake, and Emily... our dog, Kelsey, running herself ragged chasing us around the pool... "studying" with Josh at the table with the yellow umbrella... taking a mini-break from swimming to eat the fruity pebble rice krispie treats Mom made for us... 

The time the storm blew the table and chairs into our pool... doing "funoodle flips" off the diving board, which was my favorite thing... Heather testing out the diving board to see if there was still a wasp nest under it (that happened a couple times)... Rach and I nearly drowning ourselves whenever a wasp would fly over our head... playing the movie titles/quotes game (where whoever guessed had to swim to you first, then it was their turn to give out a clue)... Jordan S. pushing me into the pool... Mark pushing Holly in fully dressed :)... painting the back driveway with Mom and Josh... playing "Superkids" in the fort with Blake, Rach, and Emma... diving for Havno's money... swinging and singing "Down by the Bay" with JB on the 4th of July... building the "world's largest snowman" with Mark and Rach (and giving up after creating one gigantic snowball)... etc. I'm sure there are more, but that's plenty for now. :)

Last random thought - I got to see Dirty Dancing on the big screen on Sunday (and took all these pics with my iphone, as if anyone could tell the difference)!  The final dance is so fantastic and spinny, and Patrick Swayze is just sexy all around - like a grown up version of Jess who can dance. lol  I have been a fan of that movie for a while, and seriously tried to learn the last dance by rewinding it 1,000 times when I was in high school.  And since everything is better on the big screen, that was pretty fun for me. =)

Anyway, it's late, and I'm getting up at 6:00 to go to the hospital...
I'm sure I'll be posting plenty of pictures of little Kyndal Faith soon!  Get excited!!

Semi-Annual Sam & Ella's Road Trip!

Yesterday, we took a road trip to Sam & Ella's... we also went in February, hence the semi-annual suggestion.  The group was Jeff, Chet, Karli, Laura, and I... so of course, there were lots of fun pictures and memorable quotes!

We took my car - Jeff drove us down to Talequah and Chet drove on the way back - (I always prefer not to drive). :)  We had some awesome pizza ("This could seriously be the best pizza EVER!" -Chet), then had Gelato for dessert (and ate outside at a massive picnic table).  Then we headed back to Chet and Karli's to watch a couple episodes of Golden Girls... yeah, Golden Girls.  The guys love it. lol

All in all, a very fun road trip!  Made extra-memorable by playing "the Question Game" and listening to Jeff's iPod (including Bootylicious, Lady Marmalade, Party in the USA, Call Me Maybe, Backstreet Boys, Baylor Fight Song, Proud Mary, and He Lives in Me from the Lion King!  And yes, I have video of them singing the last 3.  Epic.) =)

 Okay, now for the funny stories/quotes:

Karli's grandmother apparently is not a big fan of Chettles. :(  He noticed that she was about to leave at their wedding, and went over to say "Thanks so much for coming, have a safe trip home" etc.  Her response (which I can totally picture):  "I'm still not sure about this (pointing at him and Karli)."  ...I know that's terrible, but I gotta say, it's also pretty funny.  I can just picture Chet smiling and gritting his teeth saying, "Okaaaay, have a nice niiight." LOL

"I bet Laura likes Michael Bublia (Boo-blee-ay)."  ~Jeff
"Uhh, it's Michael Buble."  ~Chet

"I meant to buy the Christian version."  ~JEM, when Chet came across an explicit version rap song on his iPod =)

"Laura, are you judging me??"  ~Jeff
"Hardcore right now!"  ~Laura (As we sang and danced to Party in the USA on his iPod)

"Well, he's got some big shoes to fill - I'll start with that."  ~Chet, on how he feels about his brother hanging out with his group of friends. lol

^^^#3manhorsepack #horsebrosforlife
Hearing that story from Chet was one of the funniest things ever!  Seeing that status, I thought they'd been horseback riding or something.  But no, it's just a story Michael remembers from their childhood where he and Chet got in trouble for pretending to be horses.  So now they've added Jeff to the "horse brothers" group.  I thought this pic was some workout thing, but no, it's the 3 of them pretending to be horses. lol  I have no words.

"So what was up with the birthday pictures of you with the money looking all..." -Laura
"Sexy!?"  -Chet
"Sure...  we'll go with that."  -Laura
"I mean, what woman doesn't wanna see a guy with a bunch of dollar bills hanging out?"  -Chet lol

"He's just getting more and more worldly.  It's sad."  ~Jeff, on Justin Bieber

"I feel... small."  ~Jeff, approaching the big picnic table :)

"So either cartilage and belly button rings or nipples... wow, I really didn't see myself saying that word tonight, but here we go..."  ~Lauralai Allison

^^The bottom two pics are when Chet was reading the super-descriptive FB status update by his Aunt Judy Ann (sp?).  Hilarious!

"So you could either have that tattoo across your back or you could get two Looney Tunes characters of your choosing on your -- umm, right above your -- kind of right below your clavicle area." ~Jeff, attempting to be discreet... so funny!

In answer to the question, "If you could spend one hour with any celebrity, dead or alive, who would it be?"
Jeff:  "I would pick Conan O'Brien."
Chet:  "August 9th:  The day Jeff became dead to me." lol

"We had a conversation about skiing while we had pizza the other night.  However, ___ was in the conversation, but he is not invited...  This is a very exclusive thing."  ~Chet lol

Discussing whether we'd rather live with no arms or no legs...
Jeff:  "Plus, those blade things -- those are kind of in right now!"
Chet:  "Yeaaah.  People are just lopping off their legs left and right." lol

"I would definitely say arms!" ~Laura (on the most physically attractive feature in men)
"Like the arms of Chet's brother!?"  ~Me (because that was the 1st thing she noticed in his picture earlier. lol)

"I'm sort of the quasi lawn/garden boy here.  And now I'm gonna go plant this sage before it dies again."  ~Jeff, after picking several tomatoes from Chet and Karli's garden :)

"How does this happen at a pizza place (the "Currently Out of Dough" sign)?  Last time we were here, they ran out of sauce!" ~Chet, talking to the cashier
"I don't know - I've actually only been working here for about two weeks."  ~Waitress/cashier
"Well, we've been here for about six... times."  ~Jeff, chiming in randomly

"Would anybody like some blackberries or raw cookie dough!?"  Chet, bringing out the dessert at their house :)

"Okay, so do you all understand the premise of The Golden Girls?"  ~Jeff
"Just that it's four old women living together?"  ~Me
"Ding, ding, ding, ding!"  ~Chet

"Oh Nelly, what a quandary we're in!"  ~Jeff, on the plot twist in an episode of Golden Girls

And finally, a short but awesome video of "the boys" reliving their Lion King experience. lol