Something big happened to us last week when Ryan asked if he could put this ring on my finger and I couldn’t stop crying and he was crying, too, and I managed to slip a  “that’s what she said” into our engagement story because I just couldn’t not. It’s already my whole life’s favorite memory.

And then when huge and happy things like this happen, our brains tend to kind of just get overwhelmed with them. I feel like every conversation that I have is about this and, don’t get me wrong, I love it and I am amazed at how many people are so thrilled for us. It humbles me. But I don’t want to forget that I am a woman with so many other things in my life, too. I don’t want to forget that the people around me have so many other things in their lives. Lord, let me not be so narrow minded when there’s so much else going on. So I want to check in quickly in the other things. But first some photos that are just happy:

Making: lists, lists, lists of lists.
Cooking: I’m on a muffin kick, lately. Yesterday I made banana raspberry muffins.
Drinking: Craft Coffee’s cold brew with a splash of cream.
Reading: Beautiful Ruins. Everywhere I go with this book everyone says, “OMG that is so good!” I’m finding it difficult to get into but I’m still working at it because all these people can’t be wrong.
Wanting: to have my house clean and the cupboards stocked with groceries without putting forth much, if any, effort. Please leave info in the comments if you know how to make that happen.
Looking: at a LOT of Pinterest. I’m not proud of it.
Playing: This David Ramierez album, “The Rooster” over and over again. Every song is perfect. The lyrics are perfect. The music is perfect. It is perfect.
Wasting: a lot of money and time getting my coffee at the shop before work on most days. I see myself needing to reign it in a little bit more.
Wishing: for some impossible things.
Enjoying: the ability to finally sweep my hair up into pigtails for the first time in over a year.
Waiting: for my hair to get longer, ever longer.
Liking: the laundromat. It’s probably my most favorite place that I’ve discovered this summer. Sure, I mean, it costs at least $5.00 to do a load but that’s a small price to pay compared to the laundry alternative in our home (which I will not get into at this present and public juncture). Go grab a coffee. Pull out that book. And get an hour and a half all to yourself. Sweet, sweet laundry time.
Wondering: How to ask for prices of services and goods  for things without, then, feeling obligated to use that person’s services or goods.
Loving: this temporary and delicate and gorgeous time in our lives.
Hoping: that this last season of Parenthood is as good as I hope it will be and won’t end in a way that annoys me (like every other TV show). I’m not too soon in thinking about Parenthood, I’m pretty sure. Man, I love it.
Marveling: at how many people are genuinely thrilled at our life decisions. It’s an honor.
Needing: Chinese food.
Smelling: Febreeze air freshener. Man it’s delicious. It’s one of the only room sprays that doesn’t give me a headache. And I miiiight overuse it. It really does eliminate odors! *thumbs up*
Wearing: This ASOS dress. Everywhere. Everyday. With a belt. It’s perfect.
Following: Lisa Noffy’s Instagram feed. It gives me wanderlust. Follow her if you’re looking for inspiration regarding life in general.
Noticing: that I am loved by so many people. It’s humbling and exciting and just downright nice.
Thinking: That there are just a few weeks left in this summer and while I’ve gone swimming more than ever before in my adult life–it has not been enough. This weekend, swimming will happen.
Feeling: overwhelmed. In the best ways.
Bookmarking: Justin’s blog. You should all read it and be encouraged.
Opening: this granola bar and no one can stop me.
Giggling: at kittens. Our friends Ed and Angie got two little kittens recently and Ryan and I went to meet them this weekend. They were so feisty!! They jumped everywhere and got caught on everything. Pesky claws! 😛 I loved them so much. I can’t wait to be longtime friends with Blue and Brother.
Feeling: So many things. Primarily gratitude. But also little snippets of fear and pure joy and pride.

…a bunch of different things about this past weekend.

I Heard a Lion performed at The Center of the Universe Festival this weekend. I am overflowingly proud of my friends. It was truly one of the best shows I’ve ever seen those guys play. I felt pride like I’ve never felt before. Have you ever walked through huge crowds of people and had strangers stop and tell your boyfriend all about how cool he is? If you haven’t, you should find a way to make that happen. Because it is a stellar experience.
Here is a dump of not-great iPhone photos for you:

I’m going to take a minute to let you know that if you want to listen to I Heard a Lion, you can do so here. And if you want to buy a tote bag (I use mine for the produce section at the grocery store), cool t-shirt, or other neato swag, you can do that here. And these gentlemen will lovingly package your items and mail them to you with the deepest gratitude because these little purchases help them buy gasoline and van-repairs. It’s a win-win, really.

 

 

Pedicab! So on the first night, after walking 6 or 7 blocks from the car to the festival gates (uphill, both ways in 103 degree heat), the gatekeepers told us that our bags (the aforementioned IHAL totes) were too big to be allowed into the festival. Soooo Katie and I walked and bitched and moaned all the way back to the car. And we grabbed just the barest of necessities. She stuffed her pockets and I threw everything I could into the tiny bag that is usually reserved for discreetly transporting tampons and we begrudgingly embarked on the trek back to the festival. Just then, an adorable guy (who looked shockingly similar to our friend Dougie) with a lime-green pedicab pulled up to us and was like, “Can I interest you in a ride?” And at first I said, “How much??” but then I quickly said, “You know what, it doesn’t even matter–we’ll give you anything.” He said that he’s just driving for tips. So Katie and I pooled together wads of cash and I’m pretty sure we might have given him about $18 to drive us six blocks (uphill, both ways, on a bike, in 103 degree heat!). You know what? It was damn worth it. Also I got this great shot out of the deal:

 

I got introduced to so many new bands! The fun thing about this festival is that I didn’t hear any music that I didn’t love. Okay, so I could give or take AWOLNATION but that’s a personal preference. And I never actually got to hear them, I only got to experience their bass from a distance. Every little venue that we popped into had some incredible sounds happening.

Katie and I shared a hotel room with our good friends Eddy and Ange. You know you’re good friends when you don’t even care about things like farts and accidental spoonage. It’s just all a part of the deal. We got a hotel with a pool. This summer has been so mellow that finding a time to go swimming has been hard to come by but this weekend it was in the 100’s. So first things first, we checked into the hotel and then immediately checked into our bathing suits! Once the guys got into town, they got directly into the pool, too. The van that the band uses to haul their persons as well as their equipment doesn’t have any air conditioning and on a hot July day, a three and a half hour long drive in that thing isn’t the most comfortable experience. They couldn’t wait to take a dip and I was happy that we were able to give them that opportunity.  You give a little and you get a little in this life. For example, we get VIP tickets to a music festival because of you? We’ll break the rules and let you swim in the hotel pool when you’re on the brink of heat stroke. #becausefriends

My favorite part of the whole weekend, though, took place on Friday night. Ryan and I sat on the edge of a fountain and ate our dinner while we listened to Fly Golden Eagle put on their show. And it was a good show. Ryan ate a hamburger and I drank an $8.00 smoothie out of a hollowed out pineapple. Kids were behind us, splashing around and playing in the fountain. The temperature had cooled down. My person was leaning his body weight into me and my friends were just a few yards away laying in the grass. And I was probably the happiest I’ve been in a long, long time. It felt just utterly perfect to me.

xoxo,
lib.

Last night we had the kind of rainstorm that can only be roughly described as “a gullywasher”.  We woke up at 4:00 am to the sound of 60 mph winds and tennis ball sized hail and it hailed and hailed and hailed for an hour or more. Generally my experience with hail has been for no more than several minutes but this went on and on and eventually I fell asleep, again, hoping that our cars and windows would be alright.

Welcome to summer time in Kansas. Storms! I know they really terrify some people but I love them. As long as tornanoes are no where near, I love a good strong storm. Last night we pulled up the radar on our phones and saw that there was no threat of tornado–so I was fine. I’ve never seen dark purple on a radar but this one had it and it was right on top of our town and it stuck around for a while. It feels good to fall asleep to storms. Have I told you, yet that they’re my favorite part of summer? Oh, yeah. I think I maybe brought that up already.

I’m looking forward to a few other things this summer. How about you?

Eating / BLT’s, mostly. Watermelon and fresh salads.
Drinking / Cold-brew coffee from Craft in the mornings. Gin and grapefruit juice at night.
Practicing / Grace and yoga.
Mastering / Waking up early.
Learning / About natural medicine, my body, my brain.
Trying / New vegetables.
Playing / …more, I guess. I think the fact that I was coming up blank indicates that the answer to this one is “more”.
Finishing / my laundry? One can hope and pray.
Reading / A whole book for once. I’m going through a phase where I get really, really into the first 1/3 of a book. Suggestions?
Remembering / My posture.
Wearing / Sleeveless tops without worry. Well, trying not to worry anyway.
Cooking / Baking, really. Baking bread and making cold salads and boozy popsicles.
Working / on painting my house this summer. I haven’t started yet… I swear I’ll do it.
Traveling / More than ever, hopefully. I want to go places.
Wanting / To really, really enjoy these temporary days.

What about you? What about you?