Top 5 Favorite Foods

Last fall while hanging out with my brother-in-law he nonchalantly listed off his top five foods. Well this one conversation threw me into a tailspin. I wanted a top five list of my own! Unfortunately this is no easy task for me. I take things like this very seriously. I have to weigh all possible options. I have to think through all of the foods I’ve ever eaten in my lifetime. It’s a big task.

I laid awake at night for the next several weeks mulling through all of my choices. Once I had my choices I then had to put them in order. That took another two weeks. Once I had my list pretty settled I kept it to myself for a while. I wanted to be sure about things before I made my big announcement. 

I am proud to make my list public. This was a labor of love.

1. A really good, warm, fresh chocolate chip cookie. None of that Chips Ahoy junk. 

2. The Chocolate Thunder from Down Under. This is a dessert at Outback Steakhouse: a warm, fresh, homemade brownie; a giant scoop of vanilla ice cream, scoop of whipped cream, homemade chocolate sauce, and chocolate shavings. I love the mix of hot a cold. 

3. A really good peach. I’m a Georgia girl at heart, what can I say?

4. A really good cinnamon roll. The gooeyness, the icing, peeling back the layers… mmmm!

5. Fried okra! I guess this is the southerner in me too. I can’t say no to fried okra. 

Do you have a list???

Confession: I'm a Sleepwalker

It’s time for a confession. I unconsciously do things in my sleep. Its kinda like sleepwalking but usually I don’t get too far from the side of my bed. Sometimes I have a vague memory of what I do. It’s exceptionally rare for adults to sleepwalk, especially if they weren’t sleepwalkers as kids, so I like to think of myself as a medical marvel of sorts.

Now, I had no idea I was this active during my sleeping hours until I got married. These days I like to check in with Steven in the mornings to see if I was up to anything in the middle of the night. I wonder about all the things I must do that neither Steven nor I know about. I also think this may help explain why I’m so tired when I wake up- I’ve been busy doing things all night. I’m just such a go-getter.

You’re probably wondering what I do. So here it is. Feel free to laugh at me or feel creeped out. 

A few nights ago I used my phone to do a Google search while sleeping. I searched for “List of Jobs.” 

A few weeks ago I got up, opened the curtains and looked out the blinds. The light kinda woke me up. I have a vague memory of my dream making me think I needed to check things out. 

Steven tells me I give therapy in my sleep. Common phrases include: “And can you tell me how long this has been a problem for you?” and “That must be really difficult.”

Sometimes I wake up wearing different pajamas than I went to sleep wearing.

One time Steven woke up and saw me just standing by the side of the bed. So creepy. I know. I can’t help it!

Most common scenario: I have a weird experience of dreaming/reality where I realize I’m laying in bed with someone. I feel concerned and worried that #1 I’m laying in a bed next to someone and #2 I’m not dressed appropriately to be seen by someone. I’m not awake enough to realize it’s my husband I’m laying next to and that this is a morally acceptable situation. So, since I’m in bed with someone and not wearing enough clothes I now need to get out of bed and change without waking up the person next to me. I slowly and carefully slide out of bed and squat on the floor, feeling around for more clothing. It’s usually at this point that I realize what I’m doing.  I go through this whole routine about once per week.

I know. I’m weird. I’m creepy. Don’t forget, I’m also a medical marvel.

New Year's Resolutions

I always feel overwhelmed by New Year’s resolutions. I don’t need to quit smoking or lose 50 lbs. I want to make a resolution but I don’t want to make a goal I’m going to forget about by February 1st. A year-long commitment is a long time! But, I’ve given it some thought and I’m ready to commit:

   1. Blog twice per month (You’re welcome.)

   2. Finish reading Real Marriage, A Celebration of Discipline, and Love & Respect. (I had to pull out A Celebration of Discipline just now so I would get the title right. Chunks of dust are now swirling around my head. It’s been a while since I’ve picked that one up! Commence sneeze attack in 3, 2, 1…)

   3. Stop using “that tone” when I think someone just said something dumb. (Thank God for His grace cause this girl ain’t perfect!)

Now I have a list of things I want to get better at this year. These don’t fall into the “resolution” category. These are more of general areas of my life I want to make strides in.

   1. Being late

   2. Journaling

   3. Going to the gym

   4. Dealing with stress

   5. Praying consistently

And for kicks, these are the dumb resolutions that passed through my mind but didn’t make the cut:

1.       Be more like a Southerner by saying “hi” to every stranger I pass. (Yea, not really practical or safe.)

2.       Lower my cholesterol. (I’m 25. This is ridiculous.)

3.       Memorize the words to a rap song from the 90s. (I kinda really want to do this one.)