A Library Haul

 

There are two places that I go "for me": church and the library. Both have obvious functions and they are by far my favorite places to go.

When I go to the library, sometimes I'm in a hurry. I might be armed with a list, I might be swinging by just to drop off something that's due, or I might be running in to pick up a hold that came in. Other times, I can take it slow. I'll wander around looking for just the right books to take home. Depending on the day, my visit to the library may differ, but I always come away with at least a book or two to dig into.

I'll be telling you about my 2017 Reading Challenge soon enough, but today, I wanted to tell you about a little library game that I play. I don't know what to call it, so I'll just explain. This is the game that inspired me to become a reader. My sister and I played it just last week.

This nameless game is great for getting out of reading ruts. It challenges you to read things you might not normally read AND it gives you an excuse to talk about books with someone else. In order to play this game you just need two things: a library and a friend.

The rules are simple. The game begins by you asking someone to pick out a few books for you. They can put as much time into it as they choose. They can read descriptions, flip through the book, or make a choice based on some previous knowledge they have. OR They can select the book simply by looking at the cover. However they do it, they need to attempt to find books that give them some indication that you will enjoy them.

Once the books are chosen, you commit to read at least three chapters of each book. Once you reach the third chapter you are free to abandon the book if it's not for you. You don't have to have a "good" reason. If your friend's selections draws you in, keep reading!

After that, you and your friend can talk about their selections. They can tell you WHY they chose it for you. You can tell them why you kept reading or what caused you to toss it aside. Hopefully, you'll enjoy the books your friend chooses with you in mind and maybe even convince your friend that THEY would enjoy them too.

This very game is responsible for the place reading currently has in my life. It was 2013. I was recovering from missing my best friend and her kids like CRAZY. I had spent six months going back and forth between their house and mine helping my friend take care of her brand new baby, his older sister, and their house. All of a sudden, my time was my own again and I was beside myself.

I missed the kids. I couldn't seem to stop thinking through my day in terms of snacks and naps and feeding times. I missed my friend and our chats at the end of the day after the kids were tucked away into bed.

My Mom went to the library and I asked her if she'd get a few books for me. I didn't make any requests. I hadn't really been reading much during those six months and I didn't even know what I was in the mood to read.

She came back bearing three books that were completely unfamiliar. I didn't know the authors and I didn't know a thing about any of the books. She said, "Pick one. Give it three chapters before you decide to quit." and then she walked away. I spent the next month making my way through those books that neither one of us knew anything about. I haven't stopped since.

Last week, I asked my sister if she wanted to play. I explained how it worked and she decided that it was too fun to pass up. She chose two books and brought them to the place where I was browsing.

I'll invite you to play a little game now: of the three books pictured in this post, I chose one because of the cover and the other two are the ones my sister chose for me. Of the two she chose for me, one is one I wouldn't ever pick up and the other is one that I would choose based on the cover alone. Care to guess which is which? Go ahead!

Okay...Here are the answers:

 

Farewell, Dorothy Parker by Ellen Meister // The book my sister chose for me that I would choose for myself.

I know nothing about Dorothy Parker other than that her name is vaguely familiar. As for Meister, I've never heard ANYTHING about her in my life. The colors and font come together making this book look like something I would snatch off the shelf in a heartbeat.

 

Amaryllis in Blueberry by Christina Meldrum // The book my sister chose for me that I would never pick up. 

It's something about the hands belonging to a child. If I had to guess what this one is about, I'd say it has something to do with those Amish stories. It looks sad and the falling petals make me think of tragedy. 

Everything I Don't Remember by Jonas Hassen Khemiri // The book I chose for myself based on the cover alone.

The title caught my eye. When I pulled it off of the shelf, I knew it was for me. It reminds me of a piece of writing being edited, there is a tea cup, and again with the font...I have high hopes!

 

This game has been on my mind because I recently put one of my Mom's picks for me back in 2013 back into her own hands. I've mentioned it over the years, but the time hadn't been "right" until now. She read the first one and has since read the next two or three books in the series!

Some other discoveries I've made this way include: Emily and Einstein and Minding Frankie.

I haven't started on any of these books yet, but I'll be sure to share what I think when I'm done.

Does this sound like a game you would like to play?

What places make you happy?

What did you bring home on your last trip to the library?

Picture Walk in October

Saturday, October 8th was a GOOD day. It started out rainy and slow. My Mom and I watched "Still Alice" before the house woke up. We paused it while I ran my brother to a rehearsal. By the time I got home, my sister was up and ready to join in on our movie marathon. She wasn't crazy about that movie. Her exact words were, "I think I needed to see the beginning."

After that we watched Lady Jane Grey. Since the same lady who plays Bellatrix was playing Jane, it took some getting used to, but it was pretty well done. I think they MAY have gotten a little tired of me saying where the movie was mixing things up or skipping over important events in Jane's life.

After that, we started watching The Tenet of Wildfell Hall. Just so you don't think we're bums...We had rented these movies from the library and they were allll due. That rainy morning combined with a looming due date were the perfect combination for a movie marathon. We watched SOME of Wildfell Hall and then the rain started to clear up. I was getting stir crazy. For once, my sister had ZERO plans, so I asked her to go for a walk. We bundled up and I stuck my camera into my pocket....

I'm committing a pet peeve (sorry, Amanda)...I can't choose which of these pictures I like best. We'll call them (from top to bottom) 1, 2, 3. Which is your favorite?

These pictures required a bit of strategy. Sometimes I like capturing strangers right along with the scenery, but on this day, I decided not to. It wasn't busy, but it wasn't as dead as these pictures might lead you to believe.

We saw a friendly old man with two dogs who were JUST as friendly as their master. We saw a couple of guys lounging and chatting on the sea wall. I saw one guy sitting on the wall intently looking out onto the lake. Truth be told, there was something "dark" about him, but I envied him. He came down there by himself and sat for however long he wanted to. I wish I was brave enough and bold enough to do that.

We saw a couple of families out trying to take pictures. We saw some boys on their longboards. And then there was the couple that was meandering along the trail right along with us. It's always awkward when you find yourself wandering along at the same pace as someone. Do you speed up? Do you wait for them to speed up? Do you continue your pace even though it means that you're less than 10 steps behind them? I never know what to do in those situations. We passed them and then slowed back down.

It was beautiful and peaceful and refreshing. A sleepy town after a rainy morning really can't be beat. Picture walks with this sweet sister of mine are always in order. We talked and laughed  and caught up on things that we hadn't talked to death yet.

I keep wondering how much more of THIS we're going to have. In this town. Together. During a season where neither one of us is married or has a DIFFERENT family to take care of. This, my friends, is why I'm in no hurry.

Oh...And since the 16th of September, we've been collecting license plates. Normally we just spot them and write them down. We're up to 24 different plates now! My sister recently traveled to Ohio for her friend's wedding, so this one required a quick picture. I'm not sure I've ever seen an Ohio plate around here.

Julie, here are the pictures!!!! It's Friday. But I finally shared them. :)

What's something about your current season that keeps you content with it? 

Do you play the license plate game just for fun?

Just So You Know...

The days leading up to my birthday were full of "Oh, my! Your birthday is in ____ days." and "Um...Not to disappoint you, but we don't have anything for you." and "So, our auditions are on your birthday." With a September birthday, it's rare that we celebrate ON my birthday.

When I was growing up, my friends (my two closest friends happened to be a set of cousins) were always out of town on a yearly trip their whole family took. When I was a little older, my brother's football season took precedence. And then there were work schedules to work around. I've learned not to set my hopes too high or to expect too much. By September 12, summer has come to and end and people are trying really hard to settle into their fall routine.

My expectations are low, but birthdays are my favorite. I can't help but be excited and a little hopeful that SOMETHING great will come my way. Just about every year SOMEONE comes through with a surprise up their sleeve. This year, it happened to be my sister.

I woke up knowing that the day would be FULL and yet also realizing that the birthday activities would probably happen on a later date and that was okay by me. I was hoping for a dinner at home with my family in between all of the running around that the day held. Well...First thing that morning, (after my Mom and I got back from driving by a house we might have wanted to buy) my sister said, "If you're taking a shower, you need to go do that. You need to get ready! We have things to do!"

My sister (like the brother that falls in line between us) is TERRIBLE at keeping secrets. She wants to tell you what she is getting you or doing for you and she basically BEGS you to make her share her secret. I am the person that loves those kind of surprises so I plug my ears and say "lalalalaaaaa" and refuse to let them let the cat out of the bag.

I got ready to go and packed a jacket and some water and my camera and we were off for surprise number 1. Once we were on the road, she told me that there were three surprises and that she was going to need a bit of help navigating. She asked me questions about road names and I helped us get to destination number 1. All along the way I was secretly hoping that it was our favorite Chinese buffet, but it was a little early yet, so I wasn't sure if there was something else going on....We got closer and closer and SHE TURNED ON HER SIGNAL! Destination number 1 WAS our favorite Chinese buffet.

We got out and took pictures in the parking lot and then we went in and got seated and she was BEAMING. I mean, I was EXCITED, but she was REALLLLLY excited. When I first got my driver's license, I used to take my brother and sister to do fun things out of town. The thing that meant the most to my sister was going out for Chinese. The year that I taught them, I would take my brother and sister along for afternoon grocery runs and we would stop for a late lunch. It's been a little tradition of ours to make time for a sister lunch on HER birthday. This time SHE wanted to take ME out for MINE.

The food was excellent and we had a great table and we ate until we couldn't eat any more.

Next up was a stop that I couldn't figure out. We drove and drove and we went to a part of town that I knew had NOTHING birthdayish in it. I knew there was a Sonic and a Wendys and a WalMart, but that was all I could think of and neither of us were ready for any more food or drinks. I was genuinely confused. This made my sister even more excited than she already was!

Finally, we pulled up to this mini golf place and surprise number 2 was out of the bag. We got out only to learn that it wasn't open. Now, this surprise meant more to me than you have any way of knowing. In the PNW mini golf consists of wood boards with holes in them set up at the ends of green carpet. One of my favorite summer activities in SC was going to putt-putt golf courses complete with waterfalls and caves and bridges and basically a real golf course made just for families who don't have the time or the skills for real golf. My sister, a PNW girl, has never been to what I call "REAL putt-putt" and I've made a promise that we WILL do it together some day! So, she found the closest mini golf and made it her goal to take me. Again. I loved it!

Since surprise number 2 didn't take as long as my sister anticipated, she said we needed to do something to burn off some of our food. She let me choose, so I asked her if she wanted to walk a trail that reminded me of the one I walked by the canal in MA. She was up for it and I said that it would work as long as we could find a place to park.

We drove and drove and due to college having started back up and a MAJOR construction zone, we couldn't find a good (or legal) place to park. The good news was that our food was burned off AND we were right by destination number 3. The funny thing about that is that my sister wasn't EXACTLY sure how to get to that stop or how to ask me how to get there without totally giving it away. We pulled into the complex where it was to do some walking there instead and she said, "Oh good! It's here!" I said, "What's here?" She said, "Oh, nothing. Stop reading the signs."

It was too late...This is a complex I'm very familiar with and I thought for sure that our last stop was going to be for frozen yogurt. We wandered around for a bit and then headed down the street. Straight toward the frozen yogurt place. But, then, she said, "We're HERE!!!!" I looked up and realized that she was taking me to a bookstore/coffee shop. It's one I've been wanting to go to WITH her since we were here on vacation back in 2014.

Now it was my turn to TOTALLY BEAM. We wandered around looking at books and journals and just checking out the whole store. We weren't in there two minutes when MY SONG (Drops of Jupiter by Train) came on over the sound system. The minute the first chords played I got quiet and said, "This song WOULD play." Everything was PERFECT. We made our way around the store a little bit more before ordering a chai tea (my sister) and a hazelnut latte (me) that we took out to a bench in the sun.

We made it home in time to rest for a little bit before heading out to their auditions....As soon as their auditions were over, we booked it over to a Mexican restaurant (at my Mom's planning and insistence).

We ordered their cheese dip and heaping plates of food (I got a beef burrito with rice and beans which actually turned out to be a bean burrito thanks to our lovely server, but I didn't notice until the next day when I was heating up some leftovers) and just had an all around great time. I spotted my old science teacher and his wife and an older guy sitting on his balcony reading the evening away. All through dinner the phone rang and rang with people hoping to catch me for a quick birthday chat. By the third call, I was laughing when I answered the phone. We finished dinner JUST in time for my brother to make it to call backs.

Call backs lasted and lasted and lasted. I sat in the car reading and catching up on phone calls as the sun set. It was a great way to close out the first day of my 26th year and left me with plenty of time to reflect on how special this "Just so you know...." day turned out to be!

Thank you, dear sister!!!! Your joy in helping me ring in 26 meant a TON. You know that I go back and forth between loving our life in this town and wanting to run for the hills. This day reminded me that there is nowhere else I'd rather be. I love you and your love for me. Running around to each and every one of your surprise destinations was THE most fun I've had in a long time. I <3 i="" nbsp="" u="">

How do you celebrate birthdays?

Are you a surprise keeper or a "Oh, let me just tell you everything!" kind of person?

April Picture Walk

My sister and I have this thing that we like to do. If we have a few hours where neither one of us have anything that we have to do, we'll choose a spot and go for a leisurely walk with camera(s) in hand. One of our most recent walks happened back in April and I've had the pictures sitting in my draft folder ever since.

The day came in the middle of a stretch of surprisingly warm days. The promise of summer was in the air and the sun on our skin reminded us that spring was quickly coming to an end. We started where we always do. Then we meandered to the ice cream store where we bought a cupcake (which happened to be pumpkin) and a scoop of birthday cake ice cream with fudge sauce to share. We took our treat down to the water where we sat on the rocks with our spoons and a couple of napkins.

We stayed close to the water throughout our walk and it made for some great shots. We talked and laughed and watched the geese and the seagulls and the dogs and it was just another day in April. We ran into my old science teacher on the docks and visited for a few minutes before continuing on our way back to the car. He and I didn't always get along back when we saw each other every day, but his face was familiar and seeing it seemed to be a little more of what I needed.

It's June now and my sister JUST got back from another trip to South Carolina. Spring turned into summer while she was gone. I can't wait to see what's next.

What's something you and someone you know like to do together?

They Gave You Warnings

My sister will graduate from highschool on Saturday and she just celebrated her 18th birthday earlier this month. On the day after her birthday, I grabbed my notebook and wrote these words...

My sister turned 18 yesterday. As I laid in bed last night, I thought back over the day. It wasn't long before my thoughts turned to the years and the days that made them up. 18 seems like a HUGE change. In our society, 18 means that you're "grown". People begin treating you differently, the questions about what you want to do with your life turn into questions about what you ARE doing with your life, and all of a sudden, in one day, things change. I'm 8 years older than my sister and have spent quite a bit of time over the last 18 years serving as an extra set of eyes and hands to help raise her. I'm not her mother, but I'm convinced that my thoughts and feelings about her turning 18 are similar to what they would be if I was.

All of a sudden, I realize that we are here. We have reached the point where she is viewed as an adult. She will begin asking for and taking on more and more responsibility for herself and her actions. Just like that, the letting go and stepping back reaches a new high and like every other person who has faced it before me, I'm stunned to know that it's here. Every single day one more child crosses that so-called threshold into adulthood. And each time, a parent, grandparent, and those that have invested themselves in their life, find themselves wondering where the time went. It always comes as a shock, but the truth is, they gave you warnings.

It starts when they reach for the toy or the food. They've been watching you and they are ready to try it out for themselves. Pretty soon, they start to piece together sounds and that's when they pipe up with something like, "My turn." or "I do it." And just like that, the helpless baby has turned into a toddler willing and yearning to do things.

Before you know it, they are running around, attempting to pick out their own outfits and coming up with jokes to keep people laughing. They may be little, but they are giving you warnings that this won't last forever. You step back. You hand over the spoon and the toy. You organize their drawers with the outfits together hoping that they'll take the cue. You laugh at the jokes and every now and then you realize that they are growing up right before your eyes.

A few more years go by and they pick out their own books at the library. They pick a reading spot and it's not your lap anymore. They set up their own forts and plan their own fun. But even then, they're not ready to give up your lap or your games or your help for good. They are giving you warnings, but deep down, you both know that they still need you.

The next summer, they go down the slide without you at the pool. Pretty soon, they're ready to go into the deep end without you treading water nearby just in case. Before the summer is over, they are so busy going from pool to pool that you can't keep up. You wear your suit, but you pack a book and scope out a spot in the shade with the other moms. The warnings continue, and you take note. They don't need you, but you tag along because the things is, this is a ritual that you have come to really enjoy. Yes, it's hot. Yes, they spend half the time warming up on the sidewalk or hanging onto the edge in the deep end. Yes, you'd rather be that young mom pulling her toddler around in the small pool. But, you enjoyed those days while they lasted and now you're enjoying the ones that are here. They'll be over soon too, so you sit and watch and sweat and probably haven't even read more than a page or two because you spent the whole time watching them having their fun at the pool.

All of a sudden, they are teens. They have questions, they want to try EVERYTHING, and they are dealing with A LOT. You begin to discover the things you have in common and your differences become crystal clear. During these years, they are doing their best to find THEIR place in the world. They still need you so much and you both know it. You spend your time listening and walking the tight rope of stepping in to help and stepping back to let them try. They get into binds and you do your best to help them out. Though these years are said to be dreaded, you realize that they are actually a ton a fun. They bring their heartbreaks, their insecurities, their dreams, and their share of joys to you to share them with you. Then, they climb into the driver's seat. They get the job. They take part in the play. They invite friends over and head out for a long hike with a video camera and a trunk full of props. You're welcome, but there isn't room for you anymore. At least, not like there used to be. You stay involved, but now you are transitioning to your role as enthusiastic cheerleader. 

And then it happens. They reach that magic night where they will wake up to be an "adult". The world tells you that your job is done and it hits you. It came so quickly. They gave you warnings and yet none of them prepared you for this moment.

My sister is 18. I heard the warnings. I listened and watched and did the best that I could at being what she needed me to be. Like all the milestones before it, this one is bittersweet. We made it. We'll continue to make it. She'll always be my sister and I'll never feel like my job is "done". With every stage, the warnings will be there and I'll take the cues. And she'll know that these eyes and hands belong to a heart and soul that love her so much more than they can ever express. Things change, but what was true for that helpless baby is still true. I'm here. I'll lead her and follow her and enjoy life alongside of her. She gave us warnings and she grew up and it still managed to catch me by surprise. I may not feel prepared for this moment, but we're both ready. We'll celebrate all that lies ahead just the way we celebrated all that is behind us. We'll make it.

I Have a Sister

I'm writing this post on October 1, but it's not going to be posted for at least a few days...

Today my sister came into my room when she got up. I was working on some pictures for this space, trying to get my editorial calendar in order, and attempting to get a post ready. She settled herself into my reading chair and turned the space heater towards her. We talked for a while and pretty soon, I was all wrapped up in my laptop. She grabbed her tablet and continued to hang out. 

Then the monologue started...She had a million things to say and yet I was barely even comprehending the words coming out of her mouth. She gave me a frustrated look and went to find someone who would pay attention to her. 

When I finished up my work, I went to look for her. We both had some free time today and she had been trying to ask me if we could spend it together. My sister is all about "sister time", I like to think it's because I have always tried to build relationships with my siblings as individuals, but I have a feeling she's done a lot of the work too! 

It is so easy to neglect the people closest to us. Having a sister who cares about our relationship is not something I take for granted. We put the distractions aside and took some time to just BE today and it was great. 

We played Ticket to Ride (she stomped the PANTS off of me). We chatted. We took her truck to town and walked around  to check the mail, grab milkshakes, and pick up some books at the library. We stopped by the office to visit/help our Mom and had a conversation across the street with Jay. 

I tripped and nearly cracked my head open on a bench...She laughed so hard that I think everyone in the bank heard her. We chatted with Mary as she made our shakes and gave Marilyn a hard time before we looked for our books. I learned her hopes for the weekend as we visited with Julie. 

We've made trips to town a thousand times. When she was a baby, I'd load her into the stroller. When she was a toddler I'd end up carrying her on my back while I pushed our brother in the stroller until I realized that the jogging stroller would hold both of them and make things much easier. When she was a little girl we would walk hand in hand and take our time. When I got my license, our sister days would include trips to our favorite chinese buffet and the movies. 

We've made trips to town a thousand times and these trips have faced gradual changes that have brought us to where we are today. Whatever we do, wherever we are, these trips are about being together. They're about looking at life and listening to each other's hearts. She's just a few inches shorter than me now, she has her own unique style, she has gifts and passions that are so much different than mine, and these sister days of ours have helped us to make it through this change with a bond that didn't just happen. 

As we drove home in her truck today , I began to think about what life will be like years from now....It made me so happy to know that I will have these days to look back on. 

I have a sister and I love her more than she will ever know.

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Tomorrow, I'm co-hosting Susanah's Faith and Fellowship Link Up!!! Be sure to stop by to link up ANY post from this week that shares what the Lord's been doing in your life or speaking to you.