To Tide You Over Before the Iowa State Fair

Travel Iowa had a tweet today about a blog that really cracked me up. The entire blog is dedicated to Iowa breaded tenderloins, with rankings, reviews, and lots of pictures. If you've missed your grease quotient today (or if you're trying to be good like I am), maybe you can live vicariously through this website. Mmm. Pork. Click here to start the magic.

What He Brings Me

I wear him around my wrist.
I wear him next to my heart.
I slip my arms through him
and pull him over my shoulders.
I delight in all his gifts
and the look in his eyes
when he gives them.
But there are no words
for what he brings me.
No box big enough.
No ribbon long enough.
It's stillness and fullness.
It's insatiable and needy
in a way that scares me
more than a little.
It's vulnerable and weak,
but I open my arms to it.
Willingly.
It renews me
every day.
It makes me believe again
where I'd become cynical.
It hurts
in that good way that
beauty makes me hurt.
A rainbow
or giant silent snowflakes
or a baby asleep in my arms.
There are no games.
Only honesty.
I'm unafraid to speak my heart.
And when I start to doubt,
He takes me in his arms
And I let him.
And I taste sweet peace.

Random Thoughts

* Why do I have such a hard time discussing a wonderful vacation? I still have a huge blog on my Alaska trip that's only 1/2 done. It's like I don't want to tamper with the memory or something. I need to work through that.

* Andrew is in Hong Kong. I've been talking to him every day, but today I really missed him. Wouldn't you know? It's the one day we had a terrible connection and could only talk a few minutes. Blerg. Maybe we'll be able to Skype when he gets to Taiwan tonight/tomorrow... the time zones are so freaking confusing.

* I'm headed into a busy 2 weeks of theatre... a variety of classes, 1st-8th grades. It's going to be an adventure!

* Interesting Oprah today. Uh, wow.

* I love the temp today. It's so not July. It's 64 right now, and the fresh breeze is blowing all around. I love air-conditioning... don't misunderstand. But I LOVE a fresh cool breeze where I don't even need the air!

* Avery's haircut looks ridiculous. His ears were pretty matted, so she cut them super short. He looks like a little girl with a bob. Poor thing.

* Went to a wedding last Saturday. The groom was 77 and the bride was 75. The church was packed. Love is the best.

* Finally finished Slings and Arrows yesterday. I'd been watching the series when Andrew came into the picture. It's taken about 6 months to finish. Netflix is seriously the best invention for me. The show was so freaking good. If you like theatre at all, you need to watch it. I LOVED it!

* I saw Harry Potter last night. It was good, but it made me sad. I knew what was coming, but it was still terrible.

* I want to see The Proposal and Julie & Julia. I'm sure there are others too. Oh, like My Sister's Keeper. Hmm. What else? Can't think of anything right now.

* My guy will be back 1 week from tomorrow. It seems like forever. Sigh. :I