A String of Pearls

I have several friends who watch the TV show Mad Men. So, naturally one day I decided to jump on the bandwagon at do some catching up on Netflix.

The Cape

"In my office (well… cubicle), you will find a vast array of seemingly random objects. Empty spray paint cans, extra t-shirts from youth camps, piles of books that I have never read but make my look intelligent, teddy bears, an old “boom box”, etc. But tack to the wall you will find a bright pink Superman cape. It has been hanging there ever since I first walked into my office (cubicle) in 2008 when I started working as a full time youth minister. A friend of mine hung it up and said it was because I was going to be a “Super Youth Minister...."


I am a guest blogger today! If you would like to keep reading this post click here. 


I hope you all are having a fabulous Tuesday - and aren't too freaked out by that random earthquake on the east coast!

Sisters... Sisters... There Were Never Such Devoted Sisters...

If you can name the musical the title of this post is from - you get the prize of being COMPLETELY AWESOME.

Any ideas where this is from????? ;)

I have to say - there is nothing quite like sisterhood. Sometimes you love each other - sometimes there is that dreaded sibling rivalry where you just can't stand each other. But even through those times... there is something about sisterhood that can't be denied. It's a connection that will never go away - and even those of you who say you don't like your sister, you know that you don't want it to.

I should know... my dad has been "blessed" to live with an abundance of women.

No one knows sisterhood like the four of us!

I have one older sister, three older half sisters, and a ton of sisters who don't actually share blood with me. And considering that I'm a girl who breaks a lot - having all of these sisters has been amazing. They are people who are there by your side every step of the way. My older sister has always had my back, and I think hurts more than I do whenever I've had to go to the hospital for yet another operation on my legs.

To the right I posted a picture of myself, my sister, and two of my "non-blood related sisters" (who are each others sisters coincidentally) that I've grown up with. Can you guess who is related to who in this picture? Ha ha. This picture was actually taken at the wedding shower for the "sister" in the right corner. I was blessed enough to be her bridesmaid.

But sisterhood - there for each other until the bitter end. There is nothing like it.

Which is why I want to talk to you about two amazing sisters - Lucy and Tracy.

Lucy is the recipient of this months' Love Drop - and her story is amazing! Check out this video:

From the Love Drop Website:

"This month we’re working with two of the sweetest sisters you’ll ever meet. Lucy was a healthy young woman until last fall, when she discovered that she had aplastic anemia, a very rare, life-threatening disease. A bone marrow transplant is Lucy’s best chance for survival, and her sister Tracy is a perfect match.

"These two women and their family are sticking together and working through the toughest time of their young lives, so this month we want to join forces with them and provide six months of insurance payments for Lucy, for a total of $3,000. As a thank-you to our team, the family will be sending out special “Lucy” bracelets to anyone who gives $25 or more."

You can find the other videos for Lucy here and here. 

Watching the videos of this family this month have inspired me! They are so amazing - and going through so much. Yet, they have smiles on their faces and laugh and enjoy each other's company. I know that through all of my operations, I wouldn't have gotten far without the rest of my family there by my side loving me. This is probably one of the toughest situations Love Drop has had to face yet. The drop goes down next week - can you help? Giving $1 can change a life!

Go to  http://www.lovedrop.us/ to find out how you can help!

BLOG SWAP DAY!!!!!!

It's 20SB Blog Swap Time!

 

Well, it's the first day of school here. As I was getting ready for work this morning, I saw the school buses full of children driving down the street and I could almost hear their groans about not wanting to go back to school. I used to be one of those kids. The word "summer" used to conjure the feeling of the wind in my hair as I rode my bike all over our small town and the taste of banana milk shakes. Now "summer" has a different connotation: it's the time for adventures before the time where you can share them with other people. 

This new definition (not that it is really coherent) came from some of my experiences in college. I went from summers of fun to summers of trying to predict my future through internships.  In the summer of 2008, I found myself left in my college town with an internship at a hotel. I had no idea what I was doing and I was basically on my own. Until I discovered that some mutual acquaintances from school were also in town for the summer, working some mindless summer jobs. We got together for one of our birthdays early in the summer and that started it all. As our mother put it, we became "the Foursome," a close-knit bunch who loved to do everything together. 

The Foursome on One of Our First Adventures

We all brought something different to the table in terms of our sense of humor, style, and interests, but when we came together our adventures were always epic, which was only added to by the fact that I, the youngest in the group, turned 21 that summer. It was great. We had our inside jokes, ridiculous summer playlists that distinguished us from anyone else, and crazy nicknames that nobody understood but us. 

That August, the fall of our senior year, I went back to school for the first time wanting to be there. To share the summer's adventures with my other friends. We all seemed to be that way. While it was difficult for people outside of the foursome to comprehend the fact that we had all become such great friends, it was evident that things were changed forever and we would have to integrate our friend groups. So, at a time when most college students are upset about leaving behind college, we were developing a circle of lifelong friends. Even after graduation, the foursome stayed behind in our college town for one last summer of internships and hilarity, even though we knew that in August two of us would leave for graduate school and the others would start "real" jobs. 

It's been three years since the foursome was together for a summer of fun, but our friendship is still there in the weekly phone calls and the cross-country trips to see each other. I can always get back to that summer with our Summer 2008 playlist and some "Bennie and the Jets".

- Molly



If you like my writing, or if you want to read Emmy's 20sb Blog Swap Post, check out my blog! www.adventuresonmainst.blogger.com

My Usual End of Summer Routine

Yesterday morning I met a friend for coffee - at Starbucks naturally. We actually have been there so often together lately that the baristas have compared us to Themla and Louise. Well... without the driving off of a cliff part. We have no desire to do that.

http://cinepad.com/reviews/thelma.htm

Anyways.

We were sitting at Starbucks and she mentions to me "you haven't blogged in awhile." This is the second time she's mentioned this in about a week or two. I sigh and tell her "I have nothing to blog about. It would just be, I'm tired. I got back from BigStuf, I was tired. I went up to Chicago. I got sick. I slept. I came back to Missouri. I'm still tired."

I also think that the 30 Day Harry Potter Challenge and the guest bloggers spoiled me - I didn't have to think of my own blog topics for two months.

So... that's what I'm going to blog about.

I'm tired.

http://melissatarot.wordpress.com/

This happens at the end of every summer. For two or three months I go on youth trips, help with VBS, train teenagers for camp, run lock-ins, and don't sleep. Then when it's time for the teenagers to go back to school (which is now, because Missouri schools start crazy early) I crash. I usually get sick along with this and cough for months afterwards.

Isn't it pretty? Suggestions for names are welcome!

As my conversation with said friend goes on, I mention how in my new car (YES! I got a new car - goodbye PT cruiser!) I have the Glee Vol. 4 CD in it and that's what I've been listening to. It makes me happy and puts a smile on my face. I tell her how I'm trying to fill my life with things that make me happy. Among the things that make me smile that I tell her about is naturally the latest book I've been reading: The Hunger Games. Which ... is a really disturbing book that makes me want to cry but I can't put down.

My friend points out the irony in this.

"That doesn't seem to be very happy."

Well... in a way it is. For me at least.

http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/

It's the emotional masochist in me. (A term another friend and I use to describe ourselves quite often. But usually it's about men... but that's another topic for another time.) For some reason, when I'm tired and/or in a bad mood I decide to read a book about people killing each other for a TV show. Yes, it's very uplifting and exactly what I need to put a smile on my face again.

Sigh.

So... that's what I'm working on now. Finding a way to get un-tired (if that's even a phrase) and to make myself smile.

What do you do when you're tired? (Other than sleep.) What things make you happy when you're feeling exhausted with life?

Share by commenting below OR tell me what makes you smile either on my Facebook Page OR join the conversation on Twitter (#thingsthatmakemesmile).