Happy Hunger Games

Okay, so, I have jumped on The Hunger Games bandwagon. Recently I was on the search for some books to read and as I was browsing titles on Amazon, I gave in and bought the first book in the series. I received the book on Tuesday and had it finished by Saturday morning. If I did not have a job, I could have stayed up through the night and finished it in just a couple of days. Regardless of how long it took me to read, I was captivated by the story. (If you haven't read the book or seen the movie yet, you can read the summary here.) However, the more I seemed to talk about it to people I know, a recurring dialogue seemed to emerge. For example...

Me: I've just finished reading the best book!! I stayed until 2 a.m. to read!!

Friend: What's that?

 Me: The Hunger Games.

Friend: Oh, my 12 year old son has read that series.

 The first time I had a friend tell me that her adolescent son was just as captivated by the same book, I thought of it a little odd. But, the more I talked with other friends who had the same remarks, I began to get a little embarrassed. I was embarrassed because here I am, a too-close-to 30 woman who is entranced by the same book that adolescent boys are obsessed with. Does that seem odd to anyone but me?

Despite my embarrassment, I sucked Mike into The Hunger Games madness and we went to see the movie opening day. It was enjoyable and suspenseful, just like the book. After the movie, Mike and I were talking about what we would do if one of us was selected to be in the Hunger Games. We came to this conclusion: Mike would probably do okay. He is a hunter. He can shoot a bow and knows about the woods. I, on the other hand, for lack of a better word, would be screwed. The area in which I live could be considered the "country," but I am a city-girl at heart. I have been camping only twice. Both times I was at the age where I didn't know any better and couldn't resist my parents' idea of a "vacation." 

Our conversation continued to which of our friends could come out as victor of the Hunger Games. He named off one guy pretty quick. We will call him...Horatio. He is also a hunter and can be very sneaky and wouldn't think twice about meeting his own needs with his mind set on the prize. I also named a friend. We will call him...Rico. Unlike the Horatio, Rico is not a hunter, but is very intelligent and just plain clever. He can figure out anything and is good at everything. We both agreed our money would be on Rico. 

There's really no point to this post...But, would you make it the Hunger Games?? Which of your friends could be victor??

31 Things

Today is someone special's 31st birthday...so I thought I would do something fun and share 31 things I adore about him...

1. He loves the Lord more than he loves me.
2. His passion for the Gospel and making disciples.
3. He is good to me--plain and simple.
4. His calves. :))
5. He doesn't laugh (at least not out loud) at my idiotic blonde moments.
6. He takes me to Bama football games.
7. When he goes shopping with me and I can't decide between 2 things he always says, "Just get both." 
8. He says the above statement with smile, not with an exasperated sigh.
9. He sends me goofy/silly texts or emails throughout the day that make me smile and laugh even when I am having a rough day.
10. He will make a great daddy one day. (No news to share on that subject...just saying.)
11. He brings me Reese Cup blizzards with extra Reese Cups.
12. He makes me laugh.
13. He can not keep a secret.
14. He doesn't laugh at me when I talk to our dog like a real person.
15. He sings cheesy country love songs to me.
16. He takes good care of me when I am sick.
17. He always lets me have the last bite of dessert.
18. He is patient with me when I am trying to make a decision.
19. He randomly buys me little surprises.
20. He tells me I am beautiful.
21. He lets me steal the covers.
22. He tolerates my obsession with laying out all day on the beach and sacrifices the heat to be with me.
23. He makes the best homemade pimento cheese.
24. He pays the bills each month.
25. He has a contagious laugh.
26. He never rarely complains at the junk I collect.
27. He is kind to everyone he meets.
28. He will probably be embarrassed by this list.
29. He is good at everything he does.
30. He makes life fun.
31. He chose me to me his wife.

Whoo Knew

I'm not really an emotional person. It's rare that I cry during a movie. However, there are a few exceptions like Steel Magnolias and It's a Wonderful Life. I also don't typically cry when reading tear-jerker books, like Charlotte's Web, to my class. But who would have thought I would have almost a complete meltdown while reading a Dr. Seuss book?! Yes, you read that right...I almost couldn't finish Oh, the Places You Will Go by Dr. Seuss because my emotions almost got the best of me. If it has been a while since you have read a book by Dr. Seuss, you might be surprised by the deep underlining themes in his books. 

I read numerous Dr. Seuss books to my class each year. We usually laugh and giggle at the silly rhymes and my first graders are amazed by his creativity and imagination. However, Oh, the Places You Will Go is not a giggly book for me. For me, it has a different tone because parts of it speak so perfectly well for the season of my life right now. 

You can get so confused
that you'll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles cross weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.

The Waiting Place...

...for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or the waiting around for a Yes or No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for the wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.

So, as I sit here in my weirdish, wild, waiting place, I'm a bit encouraged by the poet. I'm encouraged because I know that it is just a waiting place. All "waits" come to an end at some point--some sooner than others. It just so happens that this particular waiting place has no exit signs in sight and I'm still waiting for my number to be called. I kind of feel like an out-dated magazine in a waiting room. But, I have hope...not because of the words of Dr. Seuss, but because of my Savior. He knew before time that I would be found in this waiting place. And here is the good part...He is waiting with me.