These past two weeks seem to have flown by, and yet taken a year to pass at the same time. You know that feeling? Where something crazy happens and every day seems to feel like the summer solstice, but then you realize that two weeks have passed by so fast that you have no clue what day it is?

Well that’s what it’s been like around here.

Two weeks ago from yesterday my grandfather passed away.

That’s my Granny and Papaw.
We packed up left very suddenly for Bossier on Wednesday and stayed until Sunday.
I was dreading the trip the entire car ride, I listened to music, read, slept. Pretty much anything I could to keep my mind busy on a five to six hour long car ride. Little did I know how wonderful it would be. It sounds horrible, I know. But I got to spend time with my family. I got to see some cousins I haven’t seen in years, (One of them since I was eleven.) and I’m getting to know them like I didn’t before.
The trip I was dreading ended up helping me more than anything else did. Leaving was the hardest part, by Sunday when we had to go home I didn’t want to. I knew we had to, of course, but I didn’t want to.
I got to spend time with my family remembering Papaw and getting to know people I thought I knew, but didn’t really. I think this trip made me realize more than ever just how precious my extended family is to me, and I’m looking forward to getting to know all of them better as time goes by.

This past week has been recovering from trip and starting to take my Lyme pills. I’m being told things have to get worse before they can get better with this process. I’m afraid I haven’t been up to doing  much of anything since starting the meds, but that’s supposed to be a good sign that they’re fighting the pesky little bugs in my brain, as we call them around here. I’m learning to leave my health in God’s hands, and also learning to suck it up and take the really big pills. Even if they scare the livin’ day lights outta me.

I think that sums up these few weeks and this post. Aside from the picture aspect of the post. Toodles for now, from me and my bluebird minions. We hope you enjoy these pictures!

If you didn’t understand the bluebird minion I suggest reading.  http://www.threelittlebluebirds.net/2013/07/20/the-ambassador-bluebird/

About a week ago I went to my wonderful daddy and asked him if we could try to find some old buildings. “Not like, the old kept up ones in Old Katy. Like, old abandoned buildings that are run down and have character.” I was happily surprised when he understood exactly what I meant. For anyone who doesn’t know, understanding me can be a very difficult thing, I have a jumbled thought pattern and my speech is even more so. My father is a very patient man when it comes to me. I am very easily distracted, on top of having trouble putting my thoughts into words I stop every few seconds to marvel over little things. You know, like the way the light hits the ring of water on the counter left by a cup. Anyway, moving on. He came back to me only a few days later telling me that he had already found a little place! I was very excited when he said he would like to take me on Saturday. My health hasn’t been the best the past couple of weeks and I haven’t been much of anywhere, I mostly do housework when I’m up to it and lots of reading and writing, but more research for writing than actual writing. It’s sort of how that goes I guess. Back on track, I was doing my best to feel up to going, and thankfully I did. He and I had a fun time exploring this tiny little abandoned house and the little woody yard. Afterward he took me to a park to get a few pictures, we didn’t stick around there very long though due to the lack of shading and my tendency to burn very quickly. After that we stopped by the local high school and I practiced some driving. And I learned how to parallel park. In under ten minutes! I think it’s needless to say I was pretty stinkin’ excited and proud of myself.
I also go to do some shopping with my lovely mama last night, we had a last hurrah at Pei Wei because, today I believe, we are starting the THM (Trim Healthy Mama) diet. I’m actually looking forward to this, aside from the no sugar aspect part of it. That will take a bit of adjustment. I also made, and hope to ship, a package for a friend today! I had loads of fun wrapping and packing goodies into a box. We have this little old post office in downtown Katy, it’s not ancient, but It’s not new either. Something about that place makes me happy. Maybe it’s the smell. I’m very excited to ship off the package, but the wait for it to reach it’s destination will probably be unbearable.
Speaking of packages, I’m expecting one! I won a giveaway about a month ago, a copy of “Cinder” and “Scarlet” autographed by Marissa Meyer herself! I’m pretty excited to get those in and will post pictures as soon as they do.
I apologize if I’ve gotten ramble-y in this, I haven’t had any sleep you see, and it’s 7:27AM. I’m quite exhausted mental, emotionally, and physically but I can’t sleep. That’s mostly why I’m here. I need to get this written and what better time? My way to make it through the day will be tea… I don’t know if that’s allowed on the diet. Oh dear. Alright. Lots of music. Happy cheery music. Yeah, that’ll work. I can totally do the no caffeine or sugar thing. I know I can. I should move onto pictures before this sinks in completely. You don’t want to be around for that. Trust me, you think you do, you think, “Oh it can’t be that bad! You’re just being dramatic, you can totally handle not having those.” I can’t. I’m not a strong person. I go into any and every diet like I do the newest Doctor. My heels dug firmly into the ground, my arms crosses and my head shaking while saying. “No. I don’t like this. I miss the old one.” It’s not a pretty sight. I should name things that make me happy. It’ll help. Let me think. Kittens, old books, GOOD books, rain, sunbeams, rainbows, old things, exploring, picture taking, when my hair dries in pretty curls and not messy ones, comfy clothes, converse sneakers with fancy dresses, kindred spirits, random “thinking of you” notes/texts, little kids (especially the ones that like me as much as I like them.), Irish accents (Love em’ over a British one any day. (Sorry Brits.)), Mickey and Minnie mouse, and notebooks!
What makes YOU happy?

As many of us are aware “The Notebook” is one of the most acclaimed and adored “love” stories among non-Christians and Christians alike. I have heard girl after girl comment about Ryan Gosling’s character Noah. How he was such a gentleman, and he really loved Allie, they hope they can meet a guy half as wonderful as Noah. I don’t know much about Ryan Gosling and am not writing about him, but rather Noah. Let’s start with how he and Allie met.

They were at a fair with mutual friends when they met, Noah thought Allie was pretty so he asked her out, when she declined he proceeded to harass her through the fair, going as far as to hang onto the moving Ferris wheel and saying he would let go unless she promised to go out with him.

Moving on: Once they’re in a “relationship” they fight constantly, she hits him when she gets mad, and the only reason they like each other is because…. They like the way the other kisses. Now Allie’s parents don’t approve of Noah, they don’t trust him. Why don’t they trust him? Because he’s keeping Allie out late. What Allie didn’t tell her parents was that Noah was keeping her out late because he was trying to convince Allie to sleep with him, and she knew her parents wouldn’t approve so she hid it from them. Things progress through the movie and Allie and Noah have a huge fight, she hits him again and he drives off angry with her screaming some very hateful things at him. Noah the next morning learns Allie is moving away and tries to go and make amends, but she’s left already.

The movie skips ahead, Allie is helping with the war effort and meets a soldier who is in recovery. They end up going out a few times and end up in a relationship, he proposes and she accepts. Sounds good, right? Until Allie sees in a newspaper at her wedding dress fitting about an old mansion that Noah had told her he was going to fix up was for sale, he had done as he said and fixed it up. Allie decides to go and “just visit”. Noah has become a drunk from heartbreak since Allie left and has been sleeping around quite a lot. When Allie comes to town he is currently sleeping with a war widow, who he quickly breaks up with as soon as Allie comes back. So skip ahead past all of their chatter and Allie, once again, starts screaming at Noah, because he never contacted her. She never seems to realize it’s a two way street, he was the one who had to do the writing. Then, here is the big romantic part of the movie. Noah tells her he wrote her a letter every single day for a year! Allie quickly melts and has an affair with Noah.

Allie’s mother shows up in town, not to scold her daughter and tell her to stop behaving like a child. No, to apologize for hiding all 365 letters Noah sent her. And to take her to this old work yard to show Allie the man she had fallen in love with when she was Allie’s age, she tells Allie about her story, and quickly adds “But I love your father and am very happy! But you need to follow your heart and make a decision soon.”

Allie chooses Noah of course, and they grow old together. The only thing that could be considered “selfless” is the fact that Noah stays with Allie when she’s an old woman and has Alzheimer’s. But even that can’t be considered selfless can it? Not considering all he ever wanted was Allie, and she is exactly what he got.

What is it about this movie that catches so many people, makes them look at it and say “I want a love like that!”? What in it is glorifying to God? What in it is loving, selfless, caring?  All I see is one selfish act after another. One more act for oneself. And when Allie’s mother should have come in and showed her that cheating on a man that had done nothing but care for her was wrong, all she did was *encourage* Allie’s behavior.  True love isn’t Allie and Noah, true love was Jesus dying on the cross. Love is being willing to give anything for the person you love, and being willing to do anything for God’s glory. Allie and Noah had romance, not love. People don’t seem to realize the difference. I don’t want a love like Allie and Noah’s, a man who sees me as nothing more than a piece of meat, who cares about nothing but his own desires. I want a love where Christ is at the center. I want to fall in love with someone whose heart is focused on God and then the needs of others before himself.

I’m not writing this to say anyone who watches and enjoys “The Notebook” is horrible or has no idea what real love is. I’m simply stating why I don’t agree with so many about this being such a wonderful love story. Love and commitment are treated so lightly, especially when it comes to the entertainment we take in, “The Notebook” isn’t the only movie I don’t watch for reasons such as these I’ve listed. There are so many books and movies that try and “teach” people about love, but the problem is the word “Love” has been warped into something other than it’s meaning.

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.”

1 Corinthians 13: 4-8