Thursdays 10: on Nashville!

Visit Lora's for the original!

If you do not live in Nashville.. you might not appreciate this. Fair warning! Recently Rolling Stones named my city (yes, I was actually BORN and raised here) the "Best Music Scene" in the country. With Adele on the cover I might add!! Also, our music venues, bars, restaurants, record stores, and clothing stores were also recognized. To the best Music Scene in the country award.. I want to say "DUH"... but I won't (or I guess I already did), but they glad you FINALLY noticed. The endless country and christian artists that live here are known, but also The Black Keys, Ben Folds, Kings of Leon, Jack White, sometimes Mumford & Sons, and many more call Music City Home as well. Keisha lives here too, but I am sorry, I can not recognize her as a musician of any kind... except a horrible one. I have been feeling guilty lately about my attitude towards Nashville. I want to be out west, and have been so rude to my amazing home. It has not helped that my best friend (Sorry Nicole) likes to talk bad about Nashville too, which encourages me to do it as well... when really if she actually knew a lot about Nashville and spent time here she would LOVE it. The food we have (you never got to know it sorry when i was sick) she would love, the funky clothing and record stores she would love, the shopping love, the random places... love, and the music she would love. So, I decided to dedicate Thursday's 10 to Nashville. Reasons to love it, and reasons why it is great to live here! Nashville, I apologize for being so mean. I believe I am just bitter that SO many people are moving here, taking over, and making my morning and afternoon commutes to and from work miserable. Random 10...

1. Music Venues... such as Exit Inn, Mercy Lounge, 12th & Porter, Station Inn, some of the oldest and most famous honky tonk venues (not for me ha ha) in the country, Grand Ole Opry, and so much more. The music venues are endless.

2. The Ryman. I felt this needed its own number really. This famous venue is 119 years old, and many call it "God's listening room". Having experienced concerts here, I must agree. There really is no other place like it. There are no bad seats, and the acoustics are outstanding. Love. it.

3. Vintage record stores such as Grimey's and Jack White's studio Third Man. Who would have better music and vintage stuff than Jack White?

4. Fun shopping and vintage stores.. that include famous people's clothing ha ha. Hillsboro Village, 12th Ave. South. Some of the places around town clothed people like The Beatles, Elvis, Johnny Cash, Kid Rock, Bob Dylan, and of course Jack White. Nashville is the land of skinny jeans. Yes we have TONS of cowboy boots, but really it is mostly about the skinny jeans, funky, and vintage styles around here lately. The shopping is becoming endless with indoor, outdoor, classic, vintage, elegant, funky, and trendy shops around every corner.

5. Food. The food choices are ENDLESS. Everyday something new, funky, and original opens. Burger Up (look it up. so yummy!), Sunset Grill, Puckets, Mafiaozas (john mayer loves it),

McNamara's Pub (so fun), Baja Burrito, PM, and all the other Nashville original's listed at this link, GiGI's Cupcakes is swell too. Fido as well.

6. Radnor Lake and all of our other amazing places to hike! they are endless. But Radnor tops them all for me. Who else has a park and place to hike right in the middle of the city??

7. Friendly people. Hey... it is still the south sometimes! Although, with the influx of people moving here it has started to become less friendly. Even still... let us all remember last years flood and how we came together like no other place has.

8. Downtown Franklin. So much to love.

9. Cheekwood, The Frist, The Parthenon, and so much more.

10. City, with a small town feel. Don't know how we do it, but that is Nashville. I can not go somewhere with out seeing someone I know. Daily.

No matter what. It is home. No matter where I will live, it will always be lovely, and it will always be home.

What I am Loving Wednesday!!

Happy Wednesday guys! With all the storm and life craziness I have not had much time to do this, but I so need a break from the crazy while Heidi sleeps! I hope everyone is staying safe today, and to those who have beautiful weather... enjoy it for us! And be thankful. Praying for so many in Arkansas, TN, OK, and so many other places!

**I'm absolutely loving my readers and all the lovely comments I get! You guys are fantastic!

**I'm loving (as usual) my job. I love that I am blessed to get to be around this every single day... and I get paid to do things such as dyeing eggs and going to Chuck E Cheese. After my last jobs, it is just what I need. Thank you Lord!

**I'm Loving that even at almost 26 I still get an Easter basket! (thank you mom) I honestly think I will be 86 I will still get one! Of course instead of candy... I get truffles and things from Origins. Which I am also loving! This stuff is amazing and has helped me erase many of the effects of my illness that I thought I was scared with forever!

** I'm loving Travis for helping me put up my curtains for my room last night. He is also in the process of helping me put my Ikea bathroom shelves up. Okay, by helping he is pretty much doing it for me! Love nice people.

** I'm loving Nicole M. , Aaron Rushton, Emily Hauptli, Shaun Mount, and Robin Dover. I hate in my heart that most of my friends don't live in the same city as me, but I am so grateful to have them in my life!

** I'm loving that I have a God who I can praise in this storm!

** I'm loving that Whole Foods FINALLY had my TOMS in this week in my size!! (I think these MIGHT be mens, but oh well you get the color. It is the original Ash color)

** I'm loving those friends who call or text just to see how I am (and no facebook DOES NOT count people).

** I'm loving The Scientist... Coldplay... "No body said it was easy, but nobody said it would be this hard... oh it's such a shame for us to part.."

** I am loving snail mail! Which I was blessed with lately!! SO SO Happy. Where did the art of letter writing go?

**Because I am crushed for time.. pictures of things I am particularly loving right now...

*** Thank you for reading this RUSHED version of What I am loving Wednesday! I look forward to having time to spend tonight to read every one's loves and to hopefully doing some non-rushed entries! Happy Wednesday, stay dry, and be blessed!

It's OKAY Tuesday!

It is Tuesday again! Linking up with Lora of course who I got this idea from. It is a rainy, rainy, RAINY Tuesday in Music City today( at least I have cute rain boots, and my iPhone which I am having to write a lot of this on.. sorry!). I am sure there will be a rapid increase in onset PTSD today. Especially as it gets closer and closer to the anniversary of last years flood. Loving my city! And, I am actually from here... so I can REALLY say that :)

Alright... ready... set... GO!

HEY.. It's OKAY.... (really it is)...

.... to get giddy and excited to see an email that you have more comments on your last blog post! Thank you guys for them all. I LOVE LOVE all the comments and that I am having more readers. Makes this even more fun!

.... to have ALMOST shed a tear when I saw on another blog that Parenthood MIGHT be cancelled and not have another season. WHAT?! If you love it like I do... go here and show your support! Silly, I know, but this is It's Okay Tuesday so, be quiet :)

.... to want to avoid the TV , mostly because you know something about the Royal wedding will be on.... I mean really people. It is fun to be updated, but do we really need to know what color under ware or nail polish she will be wearing? There is life out there, go and live it. Rant. over.

.... to want some SUNSHINE!!!!! (In case you have forgotten what sunshine looked like..)

.... to want/need (pretty much the same thing right now) to go to the beach SO badly right now that you will pretty much do anything (including sleeping on the beach or in my car) to get to go. I am currently looking for someone to go with, and yes I am actually serious. No jokes here guys.

.... to take a 6 hour nap. Which is basically a nights sleep for me

.... to feel like the song "Keep Breathing" By Ingrid Michaelson could not be more true of you right now. Because, sometimes... all you can do is keep breathing.

.... to be disappointed in your closest friends for not being there for you, but than to also try to look and see if you have been there for them, and in the end still be disappointed and except a little more.

.... To beg God to show you more love, but to also beg Him how YOU can show love.

.... To still miss that same person even after too much time has passed.

.... to not be that excited about your 26 Birthday coming up.

.... To think it is a little weird that the guy you rented a car from at Enterprise (after the accident) looked up your number to text you because he thought you were hot. Apparently the snot all over my clothes from Heidi was appealing to him. :)

.... To eat the little girl you babysit for candy in her Easter basket. Wait... did I admit that out loud? :)

.... To want everything on the Crate & Barrel new spring catalogue, but at the same time want to sell everything you own and live among the least of these, and help everyone in need.

.... To play plants and zombie's on my boss's Ipad every chance I can!

.... To have not washed my hair today ( I do love that Egyptian part of my hair)! It is curly, raining, and I am wearing rain boots and leggings anyways. Heidi will love me still :).

.... To not be happy all the time, but to still have joy.

.... To be SILLY!

.... To be mad at family members who treat you like crap, but to stand up for yourself, and embrace the family you do have.. and realize I have a one true Father in Heaven who will never leave or give up on me. He loves me no matter what, and in my life... Love does win!

.... To have a really, really long... it's okay List! :) What are you okay with today?! Much love

‎"You will be safe in His arms
'Cause the hands that hold the world are holding your heart
This is the promise He made
He will be with You always
When everything is falling apart
You will be safe in His arms"

Thursday's 10: Being Single is NOT a Disease

So Thursday's 10 is going to look a tad different today. I am going to tell you a story first... get ready!! Also, check out my lovely Lora's blog as I am linking this up with hers!

Story time! In the past weeks, I have had so many people (all on their own might I add you) feel sorry for me. Since most of these conversations were by texting, I received more of a virtual pat on the head. One you might see given to a sad little puppy dog. Do I look like a dog? If you are my enemy, please do not answer that question. Let me give you an example of a texting conversation I had with a good guy friend I went to high school with several weeks ago(sorry if you are reading this....yes i am using you as blog bait. hate me?):

FRIEND: "So, are you dating anyone yet"

ME: "The answer is the same it was when you asked me 3 days ago. No, I am not"

FRIEND: "I am so so sorry. I just feel horrible for you, and I wish there was something I could do"

ME: "Um, excuse me?"

FRIEND: "You are just too pretty of a girl to be single. You are amazing, and it seems like you are a waste of an awesome, and beautiful girl. It's just a waste of a life Tash"

ME (boiling, bubbling, fuming, and any other word that reminds you of fire and the color red.. but not the good red): "WHAAAAAAAAATTTT. You can not be serious"

FRIEND: "Why would I not be serious? It is true. A girl like you does not need to be alone. It is a waste, and I hate to see you live this kind of life. You are alone"

ME: "First of all, being single is not a disease! It is not a horrible life, I do not cry myself to sleep all night. There is nothing wrong with being single, and I have an amazing life, that I am very thankfully. Lastly, I am going to stop talking to you for a little bit, because if I don't I will drive to your house and punch you in the face"

This was not my first encounter with conversations such as this (but it I had to take several breathes to chill out after speaking with him). As I have been in a few relationships, I have also been single at times as well. Although, these conversations are getting more and more. I thought Harding was bad about this (and believe me... it was), but something about being 25 is making it worse. People are so concerned about me. Is it wonderful being in a relationship with someone you love? Well, sometimes. Is it lonely being single? Well, sometimes. Can you find true joy and happiness in both situations? Yes. yes. yes. oh and yes again! Honestly, I would be irked with this single or not. I know most of my readers are NOT single, and this is honestly not a post about man hating, or being pro single or not. It is how you can be happy and have joy WHEREVER you are in life. Single, married, divorced, separated, whatever... you can have a full life in any season. Bad or good. Now for 10 random quotes about life, some apply to this post and some do not. Who cares really? Obviously, not me :) Really this post was just an excuse to tell you a story, so IF YOU MUST.. you can skip the quotes :). Find joy today... single or not. No matter where you are... there is a plan, and you are not a waste of a beautiful life... get on with it!

1."My advice to you is not to inquire why or whither, but just enjoy your ice cream while it's on your plate"--Thornton Wilder

2. “People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.”
- Audrey Hepburn

3."Everybody wants to be fancy and new. Nobody wants to be themselves. I mean, maybe people want to be themselves, but they want to be different, with different clothes or shorter hair or less fat. It's a fact. If there was a guy who just liked being himself and didn't want to be anybody else, that guy would be the most different guy in the world and everybody would want to be him."
— Donald Miller

4.“It is true that God may have called you to be exactly where you are. But, it is absolutely vital to grasp that he didn't call you there so you could settle in and live your life in comfort and superficial peace…God doesn't call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn't come through”
- Francis Chan

5.The unoccupied fields of the world await those who are willing to be lonely for the sake of Christ.
-Samuel Zwemer

6.“Think about it. If you are single, after graduation there isn’t one occasion where people celebrate you … Hallmark doesn’t make a “congratulations, you didn’t marry the wrong guy” card. And where’s the flatware for going on vacation alone?" -Carrie Bradshaw

7.Meredith Grey: Intimacy is a four syllable word for, "Here's my heart and soul, please grind them into hamburger, and enjoy."

8.Everyday brings a chance for you to draw in a breath, kick off your shoes and dance.

9."Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work" Mother Teresa

10. If I discover within myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.
-C.S. Lewis

What I am Loving Wednesday!!

Sorry I have been such a horrible blogger this past few days! Being sickish, working, and car stuff took over my life! As always.. I welcome this positive spot!

Here is what I am LOVING on this Wednesday!!

I'm Loving... My iPhone still. Sorry, but I am :)

I'm loving.... taking walks with this beautiful girl.

I'm loving.... every time I see my U2 tickets.... just makes my day! Won't be long before Travis H. and I are basking in the wonderfulness that is Bono's voice! ha ha.

I'm loving.... hat days!! Nothing like them... mostly because I do not have to wash my hair :) Come in... do not pretend you don't have those days!

I'm loving ....Pinkberry! yummy yummy goodness!!

I'm loving... friends who don't treat me like a charity case because I am single (Jenna and Lora I am looking at you! ) I promise I still have a blog post coming shortly!

I'm loving.... the fact that I finally let myself heal enough to go to my favorite place in the world. Well in Nashville... Radnor Lake. I used to spend pretty much everyday there, but up until this week I had not been there since last October. Funny how an event in your life drags you down enough to stop doing what you love. And even though it still hurts, I am letting myself heal.

I'm loving.... Parenthood. I guess it goes along with me loving Brothers & Sisters. Temporarily fills my void for wanting my own big family and not growing up with one :)

I'm loving .....that God has blessed me with a high threshold for pain. Not being able (and not wanting to hurt my body) to take pain meds would be MISERABLE if I did not.

I'm loving... stupid things that make me laugh

I'm loving... this quote. How true is it? and how true in my own life!

I'm loving... as always... Hummus! and Greek Yogurt! YUMMY!

I'm STILL loving.... Johnny Depp. I just. can't. help. myself.

I'm loving.... this fun hair style and color. I know... you guessed it. I have the bug, and I want to do something fun with my hair...:)

I'm loving... this cute, springy outfit... and of course it is from Banana Republic. Do I shop anywhere else?

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FINALLY, I'm loving... that even though my heart was not into this today... (been a rough few weeks!) that I still get to read what everyone loves, and I am reminded of positive things and things are just plain fun!! :) Happy Wednesday everyone! Love!

What I'm Lovin' Wednesday!!

It's that time again, and I must say... I am needing this weekly dose of positivity!! This is a struggle, but God is going to give it to me.. I just know it! SO, I am going to breathe deeply and go for it...

I'm loving....... The AMAZING 72 degree weather we have been given today! Thank you Lord! It is perfection. My perfect Radnor lake day.

I'm loving....... Being blessed with Amy and Sara in my life! (as well as their awesome parents). They are such a joy to be around, and have provoked MUCH needed laughter in my life. I can't wait to see them again and sit on the "bottom" ... Bon Jovi!! :) These girls are dedicating their whole lives to serving God in Greece soon... and I could not admire them more.

I'm loving...... Fun girl weekends with my best friend! Which include pedicures, window shopping, Whole/Foods and Trader Joe's, Gilmore Girls, and yummy Indian food.

I'm loving...... Apple products :) And yes... I took this picture with my iPhone....

I'm loving...... making a really bad lunch with Lora last Wednesday... Trust me. You don't want this recipe. It was so horrible, we did not even want to give it to the DOG!!!

I'm loving...... my monthly dinners with the Rachel's and Jen. Love them. I am also loving that Jen and I are so close after knowing each other... well... FOREVER :)

I'm loving...... that even after everything happened yesterday and I cried and cried... God still blessed me with silliness in myself. I am also LOVING that I was not in my car when it got smashed into!

I'm loving ..... The promise of a day without pain, sorrow, and tears. Oh Lord how I can not wait for that day. But until than... I will wait for you to come in my life, and speak to me.

I'm loving ..... The blessing of reading others blogs and what they are loving on Wednesdays. Such a pick me up!

What are you loving? That was not so hard... and I already feel a tad better :)