NaBloPoMo: Check!

Well, it's arrived: November 30th. 30 whole days since NaBloPoMo began. And by some unexplainable means, I actually managed to keep up with it. Every. Single. Day. 30 straight days of blogging! Can y'all believe it??

Sure, some posts were more thoughtful than others that were really just a lot of swooning. Some days were particularly giggle-worthy, a few were of happy memories I'd made, and there was even a handful of sportiness. Some words brought on the tears that I needed to stop holding back. And others were about His Word, the Word that truly matters most.

Regardless of how silly or serious the last 30 days have been here at PTTP, it's been great having this extra incentive to keep up with my little bloggy. And I hope y'all have enjoyed dropping in to catchup every now and then. Thanks for joining me in this 30 Day Blog-venture. It's always lovely to have you stop by!

xoxo

Just Call Me Sporty Spice

Some people have dared to suggest that the recent rise in my "sportiness" is only in response to the Frogs' BCS-smashing success (12-0!! MWC Champs!! Wooo wooo!!). Well, while I do get particularly passionate for all things Purple, those claims are just plain silly. Take the last week, for instance:

Last Sunday, I went to my first NFL game ever! About 10 of us from work headed out to the Meadowlands to root on the Giants from some pretty fantastic seats in the 8th row. Not only did I love watching as the Giants beat the Atlanta Falcons in overtime, but I even tossed a football at the tailgate. At least 6 times. That whole spiral thing is kind of tricky, but I think I was really starting to get the hang of it.

Representing the Froggies at Giants Stadium, of course.

Go Blue!

Then today... ooooh, today! Only the Sportiest. Day. Ever. First, I returned to the Meadowlands bright and early for the second Sunday in a row. But this time it was to cheer on the Carolina Panthers while they played Jets. It takes a lot to get me to root against the home team, and the Panthers' precious outstanding long snapper, JJ Jansen, is just the ticket. I guess I might be a tad bit partial... I mean, his cutie wife has been one of my closest friends for the last 4 or 5 years, and his new sister-in-law is just plain fabulous... But even if the Panthers didn't quite win this one, I quite enjoyed every minute of the game - especially the company of the Bliss sisters :). 

JJ (#44) looking back at his Cheering Section... or so we told ourselves.

Pretty Bliss Faces

xoxo.  (... and apparently we made a new friend in the back...??)

After the game wound down, I was headed back to Penn Station and up the stairs to Madison Square Garden for the Knicks game! To say the courtside seats I won from work were "unbelievable" would be an understatement - Tracey and I couldn't have had a better view unless we'd been playing right alongside Nate Robinson and Danilo Gallinari ourselves. The only problem that we saw with sitting just a few rows behind Spike Lee and Mary J. Blige for our very first Knicks game is that it really doesn't leave us with a whole lot of room for improvement. :) No worries though, the waffle fries were delicious enough to keep us coming back regardless of the seats. Oh, and how could I stay away from David Lee after the obvious sparks that were flying between us all night?? Sigh... swoony swoon swooooon.

Date Night with Tracey at the Knicks!

The "Zoo-perstars" i.e. the most confusing Halftime Show ever

Best. Seats. EVER... and #42, my future boyfriend.

So after this action packed week, with nearly 12 straight hours of NFL and NBA games today alone, I think it's about time for this sporty little girl to finish catching up on my dvr and then get some beauty sleep. Even the very sportiest of us need a little balance in life, after all.

You May Say I'm a Dreamer

Riley, Kate and I just finished watching this week's episode of Glee, and it was even more fabulous than usual (and not just because we were polishing off the leftover Jell-O Pretzel Salad from Thanksgiving... meep.). Even after watching the cast's performance of "Imagine" seven or so times in the last couple hours, it's still giving me goosebumps! L.O.V.E.

Side note/Lesser known fact about me: I took American Sign Language for a few years in high school and really, really loved it. I often catch myself wishing that I'd kept up with it, and now I'm wondering if I might need to look into taking some classes again... Hmmm... More on that to come, perhaps.

Missed Connections

I love, love, LOVE this blog. I've been following Missed Connections for awhile, and Sophie recently posted this video about her project. I love her imagination and the way she brings these "unfinished stories" to life in such a unique way...

"I think there's that feeling for a lot of people that any tiny moment could set your life on a different course. And there's that 'What if?' that is enormously appealing, I think, and universal, that your morning commute might change... everything."

-Sophie Blackall, of Missed Connections

Psalm 100

Happy Thanksgiving to each of you! I hope your days are filled with much love and laughter.

Psalm 100

A psalm. For giving thanks. 

 ¹ Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

 ² Worship the LORD with gladness; 
       come before him with joyful songs.

 ³ Know that the LORD is God. 
       It is he who made us, and we are his ; 
       we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

 ⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving 
       and his courts with praise; 
       give thanks to him and praise his name.

 ⁵ For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; 
       his faithfulness continues through all generations.

I am truly blessed.

Reuniiiited...

... and it feels sooo good! This weekend brings not one, but TWO of my dear friends to NYC - how's that for something to be thankful for?! I can't even begin to explain how giddy I am to be reunited with these two ladies over the next few days:

Riley's plane just landed and I'm about to head to Kate's to begin our lovely weekend of giggles, brunching, and Dark Chocolate M&M's. Maybe we'll even stop by Max Brenner in our matching tees - I hear it's close... but wasn't it closed..?!

Then Miss Bliss Mrs. Laura Jansen will be here with her cutie sister Carolyn. There's been much talk of snuggling, frolicking, and cupcake eating... and then of course watching Mr. Jansen and his fellow Panthers take down the Jets this Sunday!

It hasn't even started yet, and I think I'm in love with this weekend already. xoxo

I Spy... CHRISTMAS!

Goodness gracious, I can't believe it's almost December! When did that happen?? My cab driver took me home down 5th Avenue the other night, and I had to pinch myself to make sure I hadn't dozed off when I looked up to see so many of the stores were already covered in lights and Christmas cheer!

Then I found this delightful and helpful Time Out NY list of when all of the NYC window displays will be up for the holiday season. Something tells me that this Thanksgiving weekend might be perfect for a cup of hot chocolate and a little stroll up to Central Park to see the windows that are already up... Yes, I think that would be the perfect way to welcome the holidays to Manhattan. Who loves Christmastime in the city?? THIS girl sure does! Yay!

Love-Hate

Murph blogged this post from Overheard in New York last week. I can totally picture this cute older couple sitting on a bench on the UWS, sipping their coffee and just watching the world race by. I love how their conversation sums up the Love-Hate relationship that so many of us have with this crazy beautiful city... Lucky for me, the Love always wins out.

Elderly woman to elderly man, as a young girl narrowly escapes getting hit by a car: Oh my god, what is it with these crazy people!? I hate this city more and more each day.
Elderly man: Well then, why do you live here?
Elderly woman: Because I love it.

--83rd & Broadway

Overheard by: Dee Dee

Psalm 23

Our pastor, JR, gave a sermon on Psalm 23 today, and it could not have come at a more perfect time for me - I can't wait until the sermon is uploaded to the Apostles site so I can share it with you. I've heard and read this beautiful psalm many, many times before, but hearing those words tonight was truly an answered prayer. It was a much needed reminder of my Shepherd's perfect love and the comprehensive care He provides. Christ already showed that he is capable of saving me by laying down his life - how can I possibly doubt that he has the ability to lead me through the days of this life? I have no reason to fear or worry because He is protecting and comforting me every step of the way.

Psalm 23 (ESV)
A psalm of David.

¹ The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
² He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
³ He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
⁴ Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
⁵ You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
⁶ Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.

The Giving Tree

Shel Silverstein narrating The Giving Tree... This book still makes me happy cry. I love a good happy cry.

Thanks for the find, Nickey!

It's Real

Today is Jamie's last full day in New York. I haven't had nearly the time to process and write the post that has been running about my head for the past few weeks. Or maybe it isn't that I haven't had the time, but more that I think I've been avoiding it. Because actually writing it means she's really leaving. And, while I'm so extremely happy for her, in my selfishness, I still don't want it to be real.

Well, I suppose that's not really true... because when I'm honest with myself, and stop to think about how this all came together for Jamie - her life in Atlanta, to NY, to now - there's just no denying that this next step is very clearly God's plan for her. And I'm confident that He has great and amazing things in store for her in Atlanta - things that are far beyond her wildest hopes and dreams... and that Plan is one that I would never want to keep from being real for Miss Jamie.

All this to say, there will surely be some well-deserved reminiscing in the near future (after all, Jamie was the one who inspired me to start this little bloggy! :) )... But for now, I'm going to embrace that Jamie's one-way ticket to Atlanta tomorrow morning is indeed real. And that it's not just real - it's fantastic. Instead of spending my time tonight writing about all of the times over the last two and a half years that have filled my heart, and how much I'm going to miss my Little J, I'm going to head up to Apartment 9A for one last night full of giggles and memories before she leaves... Because these nights are real too. Real and fantastic.

I love you so much, J. Here's to many, many more kissy faces :)

The Time Has Come...

New Moon!!! Official release!! TONIGHT!! At Midnight!! Ahhhhhhhh!!!

Ok, sorry. I promise to stop with the tone it down on the exclamation points. I started this post by babbling on about my love for all things Twilight/Robert Pattinson (Team Edward! Wee!), but goodness knows I've done that a time or three already. I think y'all get the picture by now. And if you don't, luckily my Twi-geeky friends have all been on top of their game this week, gushing about their excitement (Well done, ladies).

Oh, and p.s. who here thinks I should get a gold star (or twelve) for not taking today off of work to stalk innocently wander the streets of NYC in hopes of "bumping" into Rob?? I mean, he's here. In. The. City. For the NYC Premiere. And I'm... In. My. Office. Yeah, that took some serious restraint. Sigh.

Regardless though...

I get to see New Moon!! So soon!! Because it's finally premiering!!! TONIGHT!! Can. Not. Wait.

Sorry... I just couldn't resist. :)

"They will enter Zion singing..."

In my very first post, I talked about my Grandmom, and how her encouragement to chase after my dreams inspired me to move to New York City:

Sunday, March 1, 2009

"A few years ago, my grandmother asked me what I actually wanted to do with the rest of my life. Not what made the most sense or what would be the safest route, but what I really, truly desired. She told me to look past all the logic and then gave me some of the most simple yet valuable advice I've ever received: 'You will have plenty of time to settle in your life. There is absolutely no reason for you to start now. I just won't allow it.'"

Today marks the third anniversary of when my sweet Grandmom passed away, and while remembering that she's gone still brings on a wave of sadness and fresh tears to my eyes, I find comfort in the Promise that she is in a much better place, a perfect place. I find comfort knowing that she left this world filled with people who were touched by her kind heart, including a family that she bound together with love. I find comfort knowing that for almost 22 years, she showed me how to live a life filled with faith and love and kindness and joy. And I find comfort knowing that so much of who I am, and who I will continue to become, is because of her.

"Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return.

They will enter [Zion] singing,

crowned with everlasting joy.

Sorrow and mourning will disappear,

and they will be filled with joy and gladness."

-Isaiah 35:10 (NLT)

"Unless the debate is about whether or not it's ever too late for a second chance, I'm not interested."

Not all friendships have to suffer when it comes to talking politics. No, many agree to sometimes disagree on certain issues. Others find common ground through intelligent and respectful discussion. Then there are those who take it a few steps further... say, by making cute puppets of candidates. Or maybe, I don't know... bonding over the reenactment of a particularly hilarious clip on a late night satirical political pundit tv show... in their cubicles... at work... Just a couple of possibilities, I suppose.

After I watched Stephen Colbert call for the suspension of the Presidential Debate right before the Election last year, I came into work the next day still in a fit of giggles. Much to my excitement, Jamie found Colbert's reasoning just as silly and fabulous as I did. After replaying the below clip many, many times, Jamie took to her chair and did the most perfect impersonation of what happens around 02:52...

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
"Nights in Rodanthe" Premiere
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor U.S. Speedskating

I won't ever hear Gavin Rossdale crooning "Love Remains the Same" again without picturing Jamie gleefully spinning around on her office chair, with her head thrown back, arms open wide, exclaiming "Ohhh... Oh! I LOVE LOVING!!" Yes, my readers. That is the picture of true friendship.

And tomorrow night, be sure to set your DVRs, because J and I have VIP tickets to the taping of The Colbert Report! I can pretty much guarantee you'll be able to pick our uncontrollable and constant laughter out of the crowd. I really can't think of a more perfect way to commemorate her last week in NYC...

... Oh and that song! Jimmy Jamie, that theme song! Give me another taste!!

Silly Cows

I showed LJ, one of my fave little Longhorns, this very pretty screenshot a friend posted on Facebook earlier today. She was offended intrigued...

Then we were discussing the possibility of seeing New Moon this weekend, since it premieres Friday (weeee!!!). The following Gchat conversation is what happens when you use our silliness logic to address topics such as football:

Lauren: we [UT] have a night game Saturday. but i want to see [New Moon] with you. so i could be convinced to choose edward over colt

gasp! did i really just say that?@?!

me: BAHHHHH!!!!

Lauren: ok, that might be crazy talk!!! how could i possibly choose edward over colt?!? me: please see how my mathematical mind works:

LJ loves me > colt

which = LJ loves frogs > colt

Lauren: oh NO

me: it's siiimple math

Lauren: NO NO

NO NO NO

me: because bethany = frogs!AND colt = longhorns!! SO... LJ loves frogs > longhorns!!!

SIMPLE SUBSTITUTION!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lauren: that cannot possibly be logical

me: LJ. there's no denying the numbers

Lauren: bahhhhh

numbers lie

me: no lj. numbers NEVER LIE

Lauren: fine. then substitution lies.

me: you lie.

about your love for the frogs

Lauren: i can't love the frogs. they are frogs. frogs and longhorns do not get along

ever.

longhorns stomp on frogs

me: horns are for frogs. not cows

silly cowsLauren: you are jealous of the hornsme: i have my own horns.prettier horns.

Like I said, it's simple math. However, if you'd like some more traditional reasoning behind the theory of loving the Frogs > Longhorns (or any of the current Top 3 ranked teams, for that matter), this article might just give my argument a bit more credibility. :)

p.s.

Dear LJ,

Here's some more simple math... JUST for you: xoxo. ILY. times 10.

Love, B

Fear the Frog! Part II

In case anyone somehow missed the outcome of the Frogs' big game last night, I'll give you a little hint...

Yaaaay Frogs! As if there was ever any doubt! Rah Rah TCU!!  I was celebrating the 55 to 28 domination over Utah at the Reckless Kelly concert with Kristen, Jim and a room full of Texas Country-loving New Yorkers. If I couldn't be one of the record-breaking 50,307 crowd at Amon Carter, I'd say standing within a foot of Willy Braun while he serenaded me for a couple hours was definitely the next best place.

"Her soul wide open I can see right through

Wears her heart on her sleeve but it's all for you

That girl's got love in her eyes"

-Reckless Kelly, Love in Her Eyes... Swoony swoon swoooooon!

Fear the Frog!

I had a delightful brunch with the members of Apostles Church this morning, so I just finished watching College GameDay on my DVR (That's right - I recorded ESPN. Just call me Sporty Spice :) ). And no surprise here: they unanimously picked TCU over Utah for the big win tonight!! Get ready for some Horned Frog Football, y'all!

Pretty Pretty Purple Campus :)

Go Frogs!

"They've earned that #4 BCS ranking. They are daring to dream here about very, very big things."

-Chris Fowler, ESPN College GameDay

Painting the Town... Purple.

Don't let all of the pink or the constant talk of cupcakes and cute fuzzy animals fool you. Sure, I may not always be the sportiest girl in the world, but when it comes to my Horned Frogs, I bleed purple.

As TCU has climbed the rankings all season and gained more and more attention, it's gotten harder and harder to not to be in Fort Worth for the games. This is the first year since I moved to New York that I wasn't able to make it back for Homecoming, and there's a Texas-sized hole in my heart without my fill of Horned Frog Football.

So after ESPN's College GameDay announced that they're coming to TCU this Saturday for the FIRST TIME EVER, I immediately started scouring the internet for semi-reasonable flights. Then Nike announced they designed snazzy new uniforms for the game, complete with a horned frog skin print and red lines symbolizing "the blood that shoots from the horned frog's eyes when under attack" (I know, precious, right?)! Mayor Moncrief even proclaimed today as "Go Purple Day" in Fort Worth! It seemed like missing the big game against #14 Utah just wasn't an option...

Sadly, my fiscally responsible side ended up prevailing (for once) so I won't be among the expected 47,000 plus fans in the sold-out Amon Carter Stadium. But you can sure count on me to be cheering my little heart out for our #4 Froggies right here from NYC. Pink might be my favorite color the rest of the year, but in the fall, there's nothing like the regal hue of TCU purple!

"Fort Worth has been waiting a long time. My goal is to someday get to where we don’t break Fort Worth’s and Frogs fans’ hearts. I’m going to try not to break those hearts in these next three weeks."

-Coach Gary Patterson

True Story

Oh cardis! You really are the best.

(Thanks for the cute find, Melissa!)

Veterans Day

I've been struggling to try to put together an expression of my thanks to our servicemen and women - those of the past and of today. Words won't ever be enough, but President Obama's remarks that he made during his visit to Arlington National Cemetery today come closer than I could ever begin to write. Below are a few excerpts - you can see the entirety and read more about his visit here.

"... In this time of war, we gather here mindful that the generation serving today already deserves a place alongside previous generations for the courage they have shown and the sacrifices that they have made. In an era where so many acted only in pursuit of narrow self-interest, they've chosen the opposite. They chose to serve the cause that is greater than self; many even after they knew they'd be sent into harm's way. And for the better part of a decade, they have endured tour after tour in distant and difficult places; they have protected us from danger; and they have given others the opportunity for a better life.

So to all of them -- to our veterans, to the fallen, and to their families -- there is no tribute, no commemoration, no praise that can truly match the magnitude of your service and your sacrifice.

... We call this a holiday. But for many veterans, it's another day of memories that drive them to live their lives each day as best as they possibly can. For our troops, it is another day in harm's way. For their families, it is another day to feel the absence of a loved one, and the concern for their safety. For our wounded warriors, it is another day of slow and arduous recovery. And in this national cemetery, it is another day when grief remains fresh. So while it is important and proper that we mark this day, it is far more important we spend all our days determined to keep the promises that we've made to all who answer this country's call.

... Ninety-one years ago today, the battlefields of Europe fell quiet as World War I came to a close. But we don't mark this day each year as a celebration of victory, as proud of that victory as we are. We mark this day as a celebration of those who made victory possible. It's a day we keep in our minds the brave men and women of this young nation -- generations of them -- who above all else believed in and fought for a set of ideals. Because they did, our country still stands; our founding principles still shine; nations around the world that once knew nothing but fear now know the blessings of freedom.

That is why we fight -- in hopes of a day when we no longer need to. And that is why we gather at these solemn remembrances and reminders of war -- to recommit ourselves to the hard work of peace.

There will be a day before long when this generation of servicemen and women step out of uniform. They will build families and lives of their own. God willing, they will grow old. And someday, their children, and their children's children, will gather here to honor them.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America."

To all who have served, are serving, and will serve: thank you.

Home. Again.

I hope y'all enjoyed the Blog Carnival yesterday! I know I sure did. Nerdy, you say? Maybe a bit. But writing about my own thoughts on Home ended up being a great time of reflection that I didn't even know I needed. And reading the thoughts of the 25 other bloggers' - some of them are among my closest friends and others I haven't even met - was such a treat, not to mention pretty eye-opening.

After organizing this day-of-blogging-fun, Elizabeth put together the below post that brings all 26 of our thoughts together so perfectly, I just couldn't help sharing! So enjoy, and be sure to click through to the full posts from the Carnival if you haven't had a chance already - there's some pretty fantastic writing out there:

A few weeks ago Jamie and I had the idea that we’d do a blog carnival. And, honestly, I’m blown away at the response. 25 absolutely incredible bloggers participated and shared their hearts on home. I gave no boundaries as to what they could write about, but as i read through entry after entry i picked out a line or two that stuck out to me. I copied them all into my blog admin page so that i could quote from every single one, and as read through them all i realized something:

we just wrote a story. collectively. we don’t all know each other; some of us have never even met. however, we are intricately woven together as part of a Bigger story.

so this is what i did with it.

enjoy.

When you think about it, “Where are you from?” is asking so much more than to simply name a city. Where I am from isn’t as important as where I am going. Home is not defined by geography, and neither am I. It is not a geography of latitudes and longitudes. It is not just a bloodline or a shared surname. Home is where you ache from the violence of separation, however temporary or eternal that separation might be. Home is where I’m good at being [myself]. Growing up i was a participant in the home my parents had built… now i’m leading and defining my own version of home. My roots are there, but my heart is here.

It’s a place where you should always feel loved. there is ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS love. and that, right there in the middle of it, that is home. home is spending time in community. home is hope for what is ahead. Home…is where I learned that I could be myself (however crazy that may be) and still be loved just the same (and maybe just a little bit more). I feel like myself here. This is my home. For now. It’s relying on best friends who help keep me sane. it’s typically busy, it’s frequently crazy, it’s where i live. it is everything i love.

So in the meantime, i will fight to find meaning and a sense of belonging in each moment, each place. Home has a different meaning for me now than it did five years ago. It’s sitting around a table and sharing your life with someone. The table is just a device that draws us close. And yet it’s this coming together that makes home.

I’m really excited at the possibility that God could revolutionize my relationships with those people by revolutionizing my relationship with Him. I’m on a mission to know God and make Him known and sometimes that means I have to be a little embarrassed/uncomfortable/faithful/committed. We are all too often blinded to the reality of eternity. In our blindness we seek to construct, create or cultivate the most comfortable earthly homes and wonder when are hearts seem so restless. Isn’t home where we ought to be able to rest? Yet in the most wonderful homes there is a lingering homesickness for another place. It is Christ who remains. That is home. That is what we were made for.

I’ve been to these places and loved the people who live there now, yet not one location has been able to fill the empty spot I have reserved in my heart for a permanent “home.” The place that is so different from what I’ve always known, yet so comfortable and, somehow, familiar. This world is too large to live in one place for forever. whether it’s short- or long-term, i know i have somewhere else to discover someday. My fear is that one day I will meet someone that won’t know this part of me. They will not know that this experience has shaped me into who God is asking me to be. I have been challenged to go beyond so many comfort levels that I would have never thought possible; all the while learning that I can, in fact, appreciate the beauty in differences.

I love to write about home, but I also knew that it would come on the end of me leaving a place that I thought would become my permanent home. And when, in two weeks, I pack up my last suitcase and turn in my keys and hail a cab, I’ll be moving home, and leaving home, and going home, and missing home, all at the same time.