Eight Things I Learned in March

Oh, March, where did you go? You went by so fast. Before you’re completely gone, I do want to document what you taught me.

1. “The West Wing” characters have Twitter accounts. And they’re funny and relevant.

I happened upon President Bartlet’s Twitter account when someone else I follow retweeted one of this tweets about March Madness. When I clicked on it, I discovered Josh Lyman, Sam Seaborn, and Donna Moss. And I’m really glad about that for several reasons – most importantly because I already miss them even though Greg and I just finished binge watching the show earlier this week.

You’re welcome.

2. Picking out paint colors makes me indecisive, and I’m usually decisive. 

But I managed to pick out colors for the kitchen, living spaces and hallways, and three bedrooms in the house we bought last week. We aren’t moving right away because we are doing some cosmetic improvements and having a fourth bedroom added on.

(Also, could Joanna Gaines please come to Kentucky? Speaking of her, my daughter and I are in love with “Fixer Upper.” Yes, I’m a little late to the bandwagon, I know.)

3. We’re moving to the country. Well, you know, 10 minutes from town, where we live now.

So we bought a new house that sits on 33 acres. Living on some land has been a long-time dream for Greg and I’ve slowly gotten on board. This house and land fit us and we’re excited for our next adventure there.

(Read more about that – and how I learned dreams can change.)

4. When changes are on the horizon, I hesitate and then embrace change in multiple areas of my life at once.

Moving is the change theme right now. In addition to moving our family to a different house, I’m also working with a professional to move my blog to WordPress and redesign my online space too. Plus I got a haircut this month.

5. I can cheer for Austin Peay State University.

The background on this one is we’re hardcore Murray State fans and APSU is our rival. It’s also the school where my sister went on a soccer scholarship and ended up meeting her husband, who played basketball there. We always rooted for them, and it’s easier to do in soccer than basketball. But we still always preferred Murray State to do better.

Well, Murray State had a rough year, at least by its usual standards, and was eliminated earlier than we liked in the conference tournament. Meanwhile, Austin Peay barely made the tournament and then ended up winning four games in four days to earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Yes, we cheered for the Governors. (They ended up losing to overall No. 1 Kansas.)

6. Murray State’s two previous coaches made it to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen – and that’s why I love March Madness.

If you’re a college basketball fan, you probably saw Steve Prohm dance – literally – after his Iowa State team advanced and then heard about Billy Kennedy’s Aggies erase a double-digit lead in less than a minute. With Murray State and Kentucky out, these have been my teams.

These two coaches are perfect examples of why I love sports. They’re the good guys. Kennedy gave the glory to God after Texas A&M stunned Northern Iowa. He’s living with Parkinson’s disease, but believes in building a team and leading men.

(And here’s another article about Coach Billy Kennedy from a local writer.)

And, yes, I wish these two teams were still playing because I feel like I don’t have any rooting interest.

7. Sometimes the kids who have been arguing just need to put on their bathing suits and do a science experiment in the bathtub. 

A friend let us borrow “Bathtub Science” and I earned some cool points by letting them put on their bathing suits and make colors with food coloring and water in the bathtub. And all the mamas said, “Whatever works!”

8. I was excited to caucus at the beginning of the month and now get stressed out thinking about the presidential election.  

Kentucky Republicans had a caucus (Thanks, Rand Paul!) for the first time ever. I went in with high hopes for Marco Rubio, but that all quickly went down hill. Now I’m keeping up with the presidential primaries from a distance and hoping what seems to be happening isn’t actually happening.

How was your March?
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I'm linking up with Emily Freeman, like I do at the end of every month. 

My April newsletter is going out tomorrow! In it will be a fun giveaway opportunity just for subscribers, so subscribe now. Plus I'll send you a FREE #choosingJOY printable. 

Essence of Joy {lessons from the tennis court}

We went to play tennis Sunday afternoon because the weather was perfect and Greg had been telling the kids we’d go. I was texting with Sarah afterwards and she said, “I didn’t know you played tennis.”

Well, I don’t, actually. I’m really pretty awful.

Greg does. He’s sports guy kind of guy.

The kids don’t really play either. Ben swings the racket like a baseball bat sometimes and a golf club other times. And Cate tries hard and understands the general idea.

We have rackets and bought some new balls after church, but I wouldn’t go as far as to say we play tennis. We laughed and joked around. We gathered all the balls that went in all the wrong directions. We enjoyed the sunshine and each other.

While attempting to get the neon ball back over the net in the right direction, I thought about all the times I didn’t participate in so many other activities throughout the years because I was worried I would do them well enough or someone may laugh at me.

Fear robbed my joy too many times. {Tweet that.}

I don’t like doing things I’m not good at or that have the potential to make me look foolish. It’s part of my Type A, perfectionist personality. But I’m learning – slowly, because I’m a tad stubborn too – to let go of those fears. Take Sunday: Nobody is judging how I play tennis. But I got to hang out with my family and do something they’re interested in doing.

Yes, I thought about taking a book I want to read and camp out beside the tennis courts. But I’m glad I stepped on the court with my favorite people instead.

Team Taylor isn’t going to win any tennis titles, but we had fun anyway. And that’s the essence of joy.
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It's been awhile since I've shared here, but I'm still keeping a #choosingJOY list of moments, people, places, and experiences that make me pause and notice everyday joy around me. Noting these joys has helped transform my perspective.

515. Surprise baby cake and gift from Greg's men's group. 516. Being at the lake for a hot Labor Day. 517. Drone group photo. ... 521. People asking if I will talk with them about adoption. Always, yes. ... 527. Grandparents Day at school – and Mom being willing to come down for it. 528. Friday evening at the lake with Greg’s office staff. 529. Perfect weather for soccer. 530. Baby shower given by church friends! 531. The diaper cake from Marley and Joann. ... 534. Sitting down to watch TV after a PACKED weekend. 535. Colored pens & Precept study.

I'd love for you to join me! Share on social media and use #choosingJOY. Instagram is my favorite place to share.
_____________________ Hey, #ThreeWordWednesday friends, we have some people joining us today from the weekly Works for Me Wednesday link up Mary Carver from Giving Up on Perfect usually hosts. Her blog is getting a redesign, so we're combining our Wednesday link ups. The more the merrier, right? Plus, y'all know I like a good party. Works for me! 

   

An InLinkz Link-up
   
Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."

Friday, stop acting like Monday.

Hey, Friday, you’re acting too much like a Monday. Come on, you’re better than that.

Let’s back up, Thursday night was so much fun. We gathered with hundreds of other Murray State fans to watch the NBA Draft on the big screen at the basketball arena BECAUSE OUR BOY CAM PAYNE WAS THE 14TH PICK. Y’all we love our mid-major team (is that still a thing?) and, admittedly, were a little sad when Cam declared he was leaving after his sophomore year.

But it was so fun to celebrate his success and see our alma mater’s name. I read articles and posts on social media all evening while Greg and I finished season five of “One Tree Hill.” (Let’s not talk about how I almost asked Google who Lucas called. I’m going to find out tonight. I want it to be Peyton. But I think it’ll be Brooke. And I’m not sure how Lindsey fits in.)

So I woke up this morning excited it was Friday. As a stay-at-home mom, especially in the summer, I’m not sure why Fridays are different than other days, but they still feel different, like the door to the weekend is cracking open.

Plus I still had this once-a-reporter-always-a-reporter adrenaline in me as I read more articles and tweets this morning about Cam being a lottery pick for the Oklahoma City Thunder. THIS MORNING AFTER EVERYONE SLEPT UNTIL 7:30! It’s like a miracle with Ben, who actually slept until 8. Happy Friday to me.

And then reality reminded me that I should call the pediatrician first thing. Ben had been peeing excessively. I laid in bed last night and made a plan to call and get a professional’s opinion. Part of me chalked it up to an easily distracted 5-year-old boy with a short attention span. Like he doesn’t want to stop playing to go to the bathroom. BUT there have been daytime and nighttime accidents. And frequent trips to the bathroom. And then accidents not long after he just went.

He and I were both frustrated, so I swallowed my momma pride and called the pediatrician. And the nurse didn’t think I was crazy mom and wanted me to bring him in. Appointment made.

And then Cate woke up, running a fever, coughing and talking about her congestion. She was like this on Wednesday – but I figured she was worn down from church camp earlier in the week. Thursday she seemed like herself. But now here on Friday she was puffy-eyed and lethargic again.

So I called the pediatrician again. I talked to a different nurse, but she also trusted my momma instincts and added Cate to the appointment I already had.

Not much later, Ben showed me his toes. Earlier in the week, there were a couple red spots that he said itched. So I gave him some anti-itch cream. Seems reasonable, right? Well, today those innocent red spots were blistery. His toes were swollen and the blisters increased and multiplied throughout the day.

I didn’t bother calling the pediatrician a third time. I just added it to our list of things to discuss during the appointment.

I haven’t even told you about how I rushed my lethargic, ailing kids out the door to meet the locksmith at the lake house at 10 a.m. The lake house is about 25 minutes from our house, so at 9:30 I herded my two cats … er, kids … out the door, promising they could watch a movie when we got there.

At 9:50, the locksmith called and said he needed to reschedule. Except I didn’t have a cell phone signal at that point so I got the voice mail when I got the lake house. I called the locksmith back from the landline inside (yep, those still exist). I wasn’t available to meet him when he wanted to meet me, so I volunteered to bring him the keypad lock, some other knobs that needed to be installed and keyed, a key to our house, and instructions on what we needed done. Because, sorry, ailing kids trumps locksmith ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU DIDN’T SHOW UP WHEN YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO.
Anyway.

All this and we returned home by 10:30 a.m., where the kids settled in for some episodes of Super Mario Bros. before lunch.

Turns out, despite Cate’s complaints of a sore throat and congested head, Ben is actually the one with strep. Yep, excessive peeing is a symptom, and I knew that, but I was in denial. I had high hopes that his tonsillectomy would drastically cut down on the strep diagnosis for him. Oh, and that’s poison ivy between his toes. And Cate just has a virus.

They kids pestered each other so much and interrupted me with their tattle-telling while I was trying to talk the pharmacist that I sent them to their rooms when we got home. They both promptly fell asleep – y’all it was almost spooky because these two just don’t nap these days – and I contemplated the bacon-wrapped, cheese infused hot dogs we’re going to eat for dinner. Then it’s family movie night with “Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken,” kettle corn, and Reese’s Pieces.

Because Happy Friday to me.

And, really, Friday, stop acting like Monday. You have some hours left to redeem yourself.
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Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."

Five Minute Friday :: Plan

I'm joining the Five Minute Friday crew that all writes on the same word prompt. This week :: PLAN. Five minutes. Just write. And then link up at Kate Motaung's place. Come join us.

I like making plans. Yes, I know God sometimes has another – better! – plan. But I make plans because quality time is my love language. (Okay, ONE of my love languages …)

Lately we’ve had a lot of weekend plans. We hosted my mother-in-law’s birthday party. We went to Nashville for the Ohio Valley Conference tournaments. (Our favorite Murray State #RacersDeserveABid. But that’s another story.)

This weekend we’re celebrating our friend Daniel’s citizenship with an America Adopt Daniel party. And tomorrow is my best friend’s birthday so there’s a girl’s lunch and our chance to defend our trivia title.

We’ve had meetings about our upcoming Guatemala mission trip. I have a couple opportunities to share our adoption story on the calendar. And I have plans to visit my sister and her family in June, not long after she visits us.

Sure, some of these plans may change and they all certainly won’t go as planned. (I mean, really, my Racers didn’t win and are waiting to see if they can get an at-large bid which is unheard of in this mid-major league.)

But when we invite people over and plan celebrations, we are saying, “I love you. I want to do life with you.” {Tweet that.}

And I think those invitations – those plans – make God proud that we’re living beyond ourselves and learning to trust him with the journey. Now, I need to go prep some food for tonight.
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Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."

#RacersDeserveABid

Look at the starters' cheering for the walk-on teammate. Yep. THAT is why I love this team. // Photo by Tab Brockman.

I didn’t expect to love this basketball team like I do.

Sure, I’m a Racers fan. We go to nearly every home game and some away games. My second-grade girl likes that her school colors are the same navy and gold that represent Murray State University. I think she’ll forever remember Donte Poole was #11. My kids learned how to spell R-A-C-E-R-S before a lot of other words. {And, really, my kids just make cute fans. See? Here’s Ben. And Cate. And with Dunker.}

Yes, we’re just talking about sports here. But we like to go to the games together. Greg and I like to support our alma mater this way. I’ve learned a university has a different presence in a small town.

In 2011-12, my two favorite basketball teams had incredible seasons. I’ve been a University of Kentucky fan my whole life. I was born and raised to cheer for the Wildcats. But in 2011-12, I realized investing time to watching a small-town team is different than following a big-name team on TV. {Read more about that here and here and here.}

And, again this year, on the same day Kentucky finished the regular season 31-0, I was mourning the Racers first loss in 26 games. Yes, what Kentucky did was AH-MAZING. Yes, I’m cheering for the Wildcats to win the whole NCAA Tournament.

BUT I wanted my Racers to beat Belmont. I wanted my Racers to get the automatic bid to The Big Dance from our one-bid, mid-major conference. Only one time has the Ohio Valley Conference had two teams in the NCAA Tournament – and that year the conference commissioner was on the selection committee and moving on to the mightier Big Ten.

The Racers had 25 straight wins this season – the nation’s second-longest win streak behind perfect Kentucky – and an undefeated conference season. (It’s only the fifth time ever an OVC team has had a perfect conference regular season.) They were ranked #25 in the AP poll and #24 in the coaches’ poll the week before the OVC Tournament. Scouts come to watch Cam Payne, the sophomore star guard, more than once.

Of course, I’m still hoping “Murray State” shows up on CBS’ Selection Sunday bracket. I love the stories of sports – and this is a good story. There’s a #RacersDeserveABid social media campaign happening because people love this team. {Tweet that.}

We love Coach Prohm and how he leads this team. Yes, he teaches them basketball strategies, but he also teaches them about being men who lead their families and communities well. This is a team that prays together and the players talk about faith in their post-game interviews and on Twitter. {And speaking of Twitter, be sure to read Justin Seymour’s defense of why #RacersDeserveABid.} These guys smile when they play – even in close games. This is a team that cheers for each other in a way I’ve never witnessed.

We sit in the second row across the court from the Murray State bench at all the home games. And sometimes I watch the guys not playing more than the ones who are dribbling and shooting.

I remember when Payne was on the bench and someone else hit a big shot. He was the first one up on his feet cheering for his teammate. The walk-on player who doesn’t see any action until the Racers have a more-than-comfortable lead cheers when the scholarship players make shots and dunks and steals and defensive stands. And when that walk-on player hit a 3 earlier this season? The bench went nuts. {See the picture at the beginning of this post? Yeah, that moment epitomizes this team.}

So, yes, I think this team deserves a NCAA Tournament bid. Yes, I realize sometimes we don’t always get what we want out of life. Sometimes other people get lucky – you know, like banked in 3-pointers. Sometimes the story doesn’t go like we expect. But I do like stories where the good guys overcome adversity – which these guys did, if you remember that Thanksgiving tournament in Nashville – and end up winning.

Winning the game is awesome. But winning in life is even better. Let’s give these guys a chance to write more of this story.

But if Murray State doesn’t get invited to the big dance, the story isn’t over. I would take a home NIT game. We learned last year these “other” tournaments can be fun too.

And, hey, go Racers! We love you regardless of how this chapter ends.
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Here are some other Racer-related stories this week I've loved. And they're written by actual sports writers ... 

• I'm the coach, so I'll make the case for Murray State @ SportingNews.com
• Any system that omits Murray State is a system that needs adjusting @ CBSSports.com
• Murray State exposes painful flaw in NCAA tournament selection process @ FoxSports.com

Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."

{Three Word Wednesday} Needing the Adventure

I was restless. I get that way sometimes. I talk about moving or taking a trip or rearranging furniture.

That feeling of wanting to do something different than what’s happening right now clashes with my usual Type A personality. I can’t really explain it, but sometimes I just need to do something or go somewhere.

I told my husband this Friday night. I mentioned maybe we should go to the Murray State basketball game on Saturday night – three hours away from our house. But it’s near where his brother and his family live. We talked about different scenarios and decided we’d decide in the morning.

Saturday morning we made a plan that involved driving three hours to Edwardsville, Illinois, after lunch, meeting our relatives for dinner, cheering for our Racers, and then driving home. We left about 1 p.m. and returned home a little after midnight.

It sounds crazy, I know.

But it was just what I needed.

I needed the adventure.

I needed the socialization with people who aren’t in our everyday life.

I needed the conversations with my husband that came while the kids were watching “Frozen” on the way up and sleeping on the way home.

December and early January were filled with sickness around here. I’ve stopped filling every minute of my calendar. Everybody is finally well and being at home has been really good for my soul.

But then I felt the itch for adventure. I needed to step away for a while – and that’s what a road trip does for me.

Perhaps the emotional situation I’ve been walking through with my best friend prompted me to want to take a break.

Perhaps winter had become weary on my soul. {I know, our winter is nothing here in Kentucky. But, people, I’m a summer girl.}

Perhaps this itch for adventure just part of who I am, despite my usual Type A ways of wanting a plan – and I’ve finally realized my personality can’t be boxed up.

Regardless, I’m glad I’m grown up enough to recognize when I just need to take care of my soul.
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An InLinkz Link-up

Other notes :: My ebook, "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family," is on sale for just 99 cents for a few more days. And today's the last day to enter to win a copy of "Mothering from Scratch: Finding the Best Parenting Style for You and Your Family" by Melinda Means & Kathy Helgemo. 

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Oh, the places we go ... {Louisville/Northern Kentucky edition}

We make regular trips to Louisville because that’s where my mom, brother and his family, and some friends live. We don’t always set out like tourists, but sometimes it is fun to explore even the familiar. While we were there a few days before Christmas, we visited a museum and ate a restaurant I wanted to share with you.

Obviously there is so much more to do in Louisville and Northern Kentucky, and I’m sure I’ll have more stories to tell another time. Churchill Downs was a family favorite from my childhood – and a few years ago! We’ve also enjoyed the Louisville Science Center and Louisville Zoo as hometown tourists.

Now for our recent outings …

Bouquet Restaurant and Wine Bar
519 Main Street, Covington

I like the Christmas tradition of getting together with a couple friends from high school and their families. We laugh and reminisce and catch up. And eat. In a group text with Katie and Bekah, I suggested we visit the restaurant our fellow Oldham County High School friend Stephen Williams owns. He’s the chef too.

In Covington, this would require a road trip. And we decided to leave our kids with sitters. TRIPLE DATE! 

Greg and I rode with Barrett and Bekah. Brad and Katie met us there. We settled in our table for six, which was ready for us, thanks to Bouquet’s willingness to take reservations (and online!). Our waiter was friendly. Stephen sent out a delicious cheese tray and some whipped feta-stuffed peppers I wanted more of.

And then we ordered our entrees. I went with the fried chicken. And, thankfully, it wasn’t any usual Kentucky Fried Chicken. We all enjoyed the food and the complimentary desserts that followed.

And the conversation, of course. We covered our boys’ bathroom habits, what it’s like to be married for more than a decade, and stories from the mid-1990s. These aren’t the people I do life with every day, but these are some of my people. These are the people who knew me before I could drive. We filled evenings with flashlight tag and dreams of what would come next.

For Stephen, this restaurant is what came later – when we all grew up. I’m proud of him. And I’m glad he got to cook for me!

{The photos Stephen posts online is what kept his restaurant in my mind because we live at opposite ends of the state. You can be tempted too – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Website.}


Louisville Slugger Museum
800 W. Main Street, Louisville

As a baseball fan and Louisville-area native, I’m kind of embarrassed to admit I’ve never been here. My brother-in-law, who isn’t from Kentucky, suggested we go. Good call, Zac! Louisville Slugger had a holiday special so the three kids in our group were free – although apparently the two of them who are 5 and younger would have been anyway. The adults paid $12 each. We got to learn about how the bat factory got its start, see how the bats used to be made and how they’re made now, and learn about the specifics Major Leaguers prefer for their own bats.

Oh, and we got a mini bat at the end of the tour.

Greg held Mickey Mantle’s bat. And, yes, he stood on both sides of the plate, pretending to be a switch hitter. Ben held Derek Jeter’s bat. I took a picture so one day when he may actually care we can tell him more about it. Greg and Zac hit baseballs in the batting cage and the kids climbed on the large baseball glove playground.

It’s not the kind of place you’d plan to spend the day, but it’s certainly worth going to for a couple hours at most – which, honestly, is my kind of museum.

{More information is available online.}

What would be on your must-do, must-see, must-eat Louisville list?
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This is the fourth in an occasional destinations series I accidentally started recently. Murray Edition. Chicago Edition. Nashville Edition. 

Want more stories? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."

Oh, the places we go ... {Nashville Edition}

A friend recently called me brave because I road trip with my kids. I’m not sure bravery has much to do with it. Road trips are just what we like to do. In a family of four extroverts, we like to go places and do things. My kids are good travelers, probably because we’ve loaded them up in the car since they were tiny.

Cate and Ben often spout the same questions when a road trip is nearing: How long does it take to get there? How many nights are we staying? Will we see anyone we know? What are we going to do there?

Our new-to-us mini van has a built-in DVD player, so movies were part of this road trip. Really, it’s the first time we’ve included DVDs on the road. They watched "Frozen" on the way down and "Dolphin Tale" on the way home.

We spent Thursday evening through Sunday evening in Nashville. First, I should tell you, don’t go on a road trip on a holiday without a plan for dinner. Otherwise, you’ll end up eating at McDonald’s because most places aren’t open and the ones that are require reservations or $40 for each adult plate. Yes, I know this from experience – this experience.

But we had a good time, watched some college basketball, stayed at a fabulous rental house, and ate well the rest of the time.

Adventure Science Center
800 Fort Negley Blvd., Nashville

I’ve got to tell you, I’m generally not a fan of museums. I don’t know what this tells you about me, but I’m grateful to be married to someone who agrees with me. Yet we both liked this one. Maybe because it’s not really a museum. Adventure Science Center is hands-on and has some great exhibits. The kids enjoyed themselves, although Cate wasn’t entirely sure about sliding out of an intestine!

{Learn more about the Adventure Science Center at its website.}

Ice! featuring 'Twas the Night Before Christmas
Opryland Resort & Convention Center at 2800 Opryland Drive, Nashville

Greg and I had been to ICE! before we had kids. The details are amazing, especially considering it’s all made from ice. Yes, Ben and his cousin Evelyn licked the ice. Gotta love 5-year-old kids with no fear. This isn’t something I’d go to every year, even though the theme changes, but I was glad for the kids to walk through the 9-degree exhibit in amazement.

{Learn more about this seasonal activity at its website.}

Dancing Lights of Christmas at Jellystone Park
2572 Music Valley Drive, Nashville

Ben has been asking to drive through the Christmas lights at our local park since he saw them being set up a couple weeks ago. I kept telling him after Thanksgiving we’d go. We haven’t driven through the local ones yet, but we did drive through this fabulous display that lasted almost an hour. The lights danced to music. Our group decided Go Fish’s “Christmas with a Capital C” was the most entertaining song of the bunch. Of course, our group was six adults and eight kids 10 and younger in a 15-passenger bus so we could make the best use of the $25 per vehicle admission.

{More information at this season's events website.}

Chuy’s
1901 Broadway, Nashville

My family of four met my cousin Jeff, who working as an orthopedic surgeon resident at Vanderbilt Medical Center, for lunch one afternoon. He picked the place and did a good job. The food was yummy and the kids enjoyed watching the handmade tortillas being made.

Pancake Pantry
1796 21st Ave S, Nashville

I have been wanting to go here since Greg and I were in Nashville in September and didn’t fit this into our overnight date. We all liked it so much that we went twice. On the Friday after Thanksgiving, we arrived with our party of 12 a little before 8 a.m. and didn’t have to wait in line at all. We returned on Sunday morning a little after 8 with a party of 16 and only had to wait a short time before they sat us at two tables. I ordered French toast both times. Yes, I realize I was at a restaurant that boasted about its pancakes in its name, but the French toast was one of the few things marked with the restaurant’s specialty ribbon, so I figured it was a good choice. As a French toast connoisseur, it was an amazing choice – possibly the best I’ve ever had.

Caney Fork River Valley Grille
2400 Music Valley Drive, Nashville

We’d eaten here before, but somehow I had forgotten about the sweet cornbread bites they serve that are really more like funnel cake than cornbread. This place is good for big groups and has yummy food.

DeSano’s Pizza Bakery
115 16th Ave S, Nashville

This was new to us, but I’m glad we went. We watched the guys making our pizzas and then enjoyed eating them when they came out of the wood-burning stoves. Plus they serve Mexican Coke in a bottle, which many in our group were excited about.

While in Nashville, we also ate at Five Guys Burgers and Panera Bread – a couple chains we love – and stopped at Rafferty’s in Clarksville, Tennessee, on our way home.

Do you road trip with kids? What would you add to your Nashville to-do list? 
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This is the third in an occasional destinations series I accidentally started recently. Murray Edition. Chicago Edition.

Want more stories? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."

Lessons in dreaming from the Kentucky Wildcats

I've been a Kentucky fan longer than I can remember. That picture above is 16-month-old me.

But, admittedly, I've especially been enjoying this team the past few weeks. Yes, it's late in the basketball season. The Wildcats are one of the Final Four teams and here I am rooting for them in a new way because they've taught me some lessons about the dreams I have in life.

With all this one-and-done business, it's hard to learn the players' stories. And, yes, the stories are what I love about sports. But this team's story has won me over in a new way and reminded those dreams are worth pursuing.

Five freshman start. It's like Coach John Calipari has a new team every year as many of his players go on to the NBA before they turn 20 years old. As a fan, that's hard to keep up with sometimes. But, now, it's April and the 2013-14 University of Kentucky Wildcats have me.

This NCAA Tournament run has been amazing. An eight seed, the Cats beat ninth-seeded Kansas State, top-seeded Witchita State that hadn't lost a game all season, fourth-seeded Louisville that happens to be the defending champion, and second-seeded Michigan to get where they are. They ended the regular season with a losing streak and hobbled their way in the SEC Tournament, where they ended up fighting until the end.

I knew this team was growing on me when it lost to Florida in the SEC Championship. So much so I had them beating Louisville in my bracket. Yes, it was wishful thinking. My dreams have nothing to do with basketball championships, but this team and its will to win taught me a few things.

Just listen to this quote from UK Coach John Calipari after his team beat Michigan on Sunday to head to the Final Four this coming weekend:

"They were trying. Loving the grind, learning to work, becoming self disciplined. Counting on one another, being their brother’s keeper, all that stuff. Losing themselves in the team.

It’s hard when all seven of them scored 28 a game in high school to give up something and then you’re looking at the other guy, and when they all just settled in and lost themselves in the team, the game became easier. They became better. They had more fun. They became more confident. And all of a sudden this is what you have.

But it took us four months."

{UK Coach John Calipari}

Most of us don't call our people a team. We usually refer to our family or friends. Or maybe your people are your community or even tribe. Perhaps you have a more organized moms group or Bible study. You have co-workers and neighbors.

These people really are like our team in life.

We've all had personal successes and failures. That's part of what we bring to the tables we gather around. We count on each other. We lose some of ourselves when we're part of a team and that makes us better version of ourselves.

But these relationships take time. It took this young team dominated by freshman several months to bond together in a way that made them stronger. When they got to that point, they've found success. It's true that we really are better when we're together. And we won't get better instantly or without the investment into each other's lives.

I listened to UK's press conference after the game on Sunday and I've read through the transcript more than once. It's packed with other lessons:

Believe in your story before it's over. After UK lost to South Carolina, which had a losing record, earlier this season, Aaron Harrison said his team was going to have a great story everyone would be talking about. Coming off a loss, he still knew what team was capable of more and he knew the players would need each other: "I just felt that even though we lost that game we came together in that game. We became stronger in that game because we knew that everyone else on the outside wouldn't be on our side after taking a loss to a team like that. I knew we just had to come together. If we came together we could do some things." Likewise, when God gives you a dream, know there will be losses, but there will be more to the story.

Stay in the moment. UK could have looked past Kansas State and started thinking about handing Witchita State its first lost or facing its rival Louisville again. But that would have distracted the players from what they needed to do in the first game. Take your dreams one step at a time.

Be ready when your time comes. Sometimes dreams have to wait. Marcus Lee got sick earlier this season and hasn't played much since. And then he was one of the stars of Sunday's game. His coach called on him and he was ready. He wasn't even mad that he had to wait for his name to be called: "Spending this time with my family and my brothers is not challenging at all. Once you see that glare in your brother’s eyes when they’re playing hard and winning games, you can’t be mad about it at all." Our time often isn't God's time, but hang in there because the best time is coming.

Stay the course. There will be criticism and doubters and hurdles, but focus on continuing to develop. Life is a process.

Make decisions that help the people around you. Aaron Harrison knew he needed to take the shot. Sure, he could have missed, but he wasn't worried about that and took it anyway. It turned out to be the game-winning shot. Listen to what he said afterward: "I knew I had to take the shot. I wasn't really sure how much time was left. But I knew that it wasn't that much time, so I just tried to take the best shot I could take. And it fell. And in making that shot and seeing my teammates so happy and running toward me, it’s the best feeling in the world."
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All of these quotes were taken from UK's post-game press conference following its win over Michigan on Sunday, March 30. You can read the entire transcript here. 

I'm joining Jen Ferguson's Soli Deo Gloria party, other God-sized Dreamers, Holley Gerth's Coffee for Your Heart, and Jennifer Dukes Lee's #TellHisStory with this post. 

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Ten Things I Learned in March

1. Being sick as a mom may mean enduring more than laying on the couch.

I woke up with a stomach bug when we were in Nashville, Tenn., the second weekend of the month. Puking in hotel and mall bathrooms is no fun. I know, the mall. I was only at the mall because that's where Rainforest Cafe is and my son had been talking about going there for AN ENTIRE YEAR. Seriously, since last time we went. So I couldn't back out on him ... or our table of 18. Really. One table of seven kids 10 to 2 years old and another table of 10 adults and a baby.

No worries, the tables were right next to each other and other adults paid attention to my two kids while I laid my head on the table between gulps of Sprite Zero and water. My brother-in-law told me wanting to drink anything was progress. Maybe he was right because I didn't throw up any more that day, of course, I didn't eat anything either.

We then avoided the Lego, Disney, Build-a-Bear and Bass Pro Shop stores so I could return home to my couch, where a sick momma truly belongs. Thank God for my husband and my friend Holly who was visiting from Texas who picked up my parenting slack.

2. An entire week of snow days is welcomed, but then that next Monday morning that comes right after the time change is hard. 

On March 10, I had to wake my 4-year-old Ben up for preschool for the first time ever, I think. Of course, that was also the first day in March school had been in session, thanks to two weekends and a snow week.

Oh, and, hey, did I mention that Monday reached 65 degrees and the kids got to play outside after school? Yes. And all the mommas rejoiced.

3. A friend who gives my daughter the gift of words blesses me. 

Speaking of Holly visiting from Texas, she brought my girl some books from her childhood. Those were in addition to the ones she mailed the week before she came. And then she taught her how to play Words with Friends. What sweet gifts of encouraging a love of words, which Holly and I share and are happy to pass along to Cate.

4. I really like to read non-fiction, but fiction is a good way to let my mind relax.

I recently finished "Love Idol" by Jennifer Dukes Lee. It's a book that allowed me to see some truths God has been trying to teach me in recent years in a new way. It's truly been a life-changing journey and that book has been a valuable resource. I finished the book several days ago and I'm still thinking about it. Meanwhile, I started reading Harlan Coben's new book, "Missing You." Nothing like a little suspense to balance all the internal processing.

I also recommend another book I read this month: "Surprised by Motherhood" by Lisa-Jo Baker. It officially releases on April 1. You can read my review here.

5. Dads have good parenting stories too.

In a momma-dominated blogging world, it was refreshing to have dads guest post on my blog earlier this month. In an continuing effort to embrace imperfection, I've loved digesting "No More Perfect Kids" by Jill Savage and Dr. Kathy Koch. In conjunction with their book release week, I had some dads come share their own stories of realizing their kids aren't perfect and never will be. {Oh, yes, consider that another book recommendation for you!}

6. Those postseason college basketball tournaments that aren't the NCAA Tournament can be fun if my favorite team is playing. 

Murray State is in the semi-final round of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. Yeah, the CIT. I've made fun of all these acronymed tournaments that aren't the NCAA too. But, hey, my Racers are still playing. And the games have been the kind that make the arena loud. That's March Madness ... at least on some level.

7. "House of Cards" is a good show. 

Who knew Netflix original productions would hook me like that? Kevin Spacey is so good as Frank Underwood. I like the behind-the-scenes drama of journalism and politics colliding and I enjoy the suspense of the story unfolding. Speaking of drama, "The Good Wife" has been rocking this season and "Scandal" is nuts in a way that keeps me watching.

8. Winning a local trivia night fund-raiser is fun.

Along with our two best other couple friends, we came in first out of 14 teams. The TV Theme Songs category really helped us. We brought home enormous Hershey's bars, trophies and gift certificates. {See picture at the top of the post!}

9. My kids have never been into a movie like they are Frozen.

The music. The characters. The story. They love it all. Yes, they, my 4-year-old boy is into almost as much as his 6-year-old sister. We had March 18 on the countdown app on my phone and they literally waited by the door for the UPS man to deliver the package from Amazon. He showed up about 4:30 p.m. that afternoon and they started watching it at 4:31 with much rejoicing. They watched it three other times that week and haven't stopped talking or singing about it.

I don't usually care about animated movies, but I like "Frozen" as much as any animated movie I've ever seen. That's not hyperbole; that's the truth. It's right up there with "The Lion King" for me.

10. When I find songs I like, I listen to them over and over. 

My most played songs this month are Ellie Holcomb's new album "As Sure As the Sun," NeedtoBreathe's "The Heart," and MercyMe's "You Are I Am."

Tell me about your March. What have you seen and heard and read and experienced?
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I'm loving documenting life with these monthly along with Emily Freeman. Here are previous month's recaps from 2013: June. July. August. September. October. November. And 2014: January. February.

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The Madness of March

Usually basketball for us Murray State fans is over by now. Even if the Racers make the NCAA Tournament, they've never made it out of the first weekend. That's part of cheering for a mid-major team that only can make The Tournament by winning the conference tournament.

This year's Racers were a fun surprise. We went into the season thinking we'd be watching a rebuilding year. And we were, but then mid-way through the season something changed. The Racers were winning and having fun doing it. They played as a team. They smiled often. They don't seem cocky and self-absorbed.

I'm not sure another basketball season will ever top our Racers of 2011-12, but this team will go down as a favorite of mine. And all but one of them will be back next year. So we were bummed when the Racers lost in the semi-finals of the conference tournament earlier this month in Nashville. {I subsequently woke up the next morning with a stomach bug, so I'm not sure I could have survived watching a second game in my sickly state, but that didn't matter.}

Then Murray State accepted an invitation to play in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. I know, I know. Until this season I've made fun of every postseason tournament that isn't the NCAA Tournament. To me, the CIT has been one of many tournaments for the teams that couldn't make The Tournament.

And then this favorite team of mine won its first game in the CIT on the road and hosted its second game. Yes, we were there, decked out in navy and gold, cheering for our Racers, who won. Game Three is tonight in Murray, and we'll be there again.

Yes, it's still a tournament for teams that didn't make The Tournament. But one of those teams is my team. And they're fun to watch. It's technically a rebuilding year, so it's a good chance for these younger guys to get in some real-game experience. Plus us fans to get keep watching basketball.

Go Racers!

NCAA Tournament side note :: I was born and raised a Kentucky fan, so I still cheer for the Wildcats. They're still playing in The Tournament too. In fact, the Wildcats are going to play their biggest rival in what's sure to be a dramatic game on Friday night. Admittedly, the Racers have become my first basketball love, but Kentucky isn't far behind.

Who do you cheer for in all this March Madness?
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'Round here something radiates

We had a two-hour delay this morning for school. Y'all. Every Monday should start with a two-hour delay. I know, I know. If it happened weekly, it wouldn't be such a treat. I certainly enjoyed it this morning.

I have this bad habit of staying up too late on Sunday nights. Usually because I don't want the weekend to end. It's funny, before I was a stay-at-home mom, I didn't understand how the weekends were different from the week days. But they're different. On weekends, the routine is gone and Greg is home. Now, I like routine, but I equally temporary breaks in routine. I also have a different mentality on the weekends. I don't do many chores. I don't cook much. And sometimes I can linger in my pajamas longer.

So Greg got home from playing basketball with his friends late last night. It was after 10 p.m., and yes that defines late around here. We prefer to go to bed at the same time, so even though I was tired and drained from of my own inner, emotional thoughts, I stayed up. And then we decided watching "The Good Wife" was a good idea. Yes, that meant bedtime was going to be after 11 p.m. But snuggling on the cough with my husband was how I wanted to end the weekend.

Well, turns out "The Good Wife" wasn't on last night. So we watched "Bones," courtesy Netflix. Good thing it was an excellent episode, or I probably would have been asleep on the couch.

Speaking of late nights, on Friday night, UK played Baylor. It wasn't schedule to tip until 9 p.m. Do I need to address I'm a late-night weenie these days? Well, in effort to hang out with my husband, I committed to watch it. And then the women's game before it went into FOUR OVERTIMES, so the game we wanted to watch didn't tip until after 10 p.m. At halftime I suggested we move the basketball-watching party to our bedroom, where there is a much smaller TV. I feel asleep before the second half started.

And speaking of Friday, the kids were out of school that day. We had some freezing rain. And then it snowed some. No, I don't have any pictures because it wasn't exactly a pretty winter wonderland. But it did keep us inside the house ALL DAY. I loved it.

The kids and I finished some Christmas ornaments. We stayed in our pajamas all day. Like we went to bed that night in the same pajamas we woke up wearing. The kids watched some movies and played mostly nicely together. I scrapbooked and blogged.

And now I want to create more scrapbook pages with every five minutes of free time I have.

I could have gone for another snow day today. But come May 16, I'll be glad we had minimal snow days.

My boys and their Racer stripes ... 

We did get out of the house to watch Murray State play basketball on Saturday afternoon. Then Sarah and Jaclyn's families came over for pizza and Settlers of Catan.

Our combined eight children who are 7 and younger were happy to see each other. And at one point in the night, they were all sleeping soundly while we finished a second game of Settlers. Sunday included our usual church and lunch and then our small group came over Sunday night for more pizza and our usual weekly meeting.

That's nothing like our weekend was planned to look like. We had a jam-packed Saturday. Now most of those plans have been shifted a week, when there are, thankfully, supposed to be warmer temperatures. But I do recommend a low-key weekend spent mostly in soft pants, as my girl calls them, especially so close to Christmas. Perhaps slowing down really is part of advent. 

Two more recommendations for you before I close this rambling update:

1. My blogging friend Whitney Cornelison has a new ebook about her family's journey through infertility. AND her book, "Infertility: A Silent Struggle and the God Who Hears," includes a small piece of my family's story from infertility to adoption. I've gotten to know Whitney the past few months and I'm so glad she's poured her heart into this book. It's one I wish I had in my hands before God led us to adoption in 2006.

Whitney is doing some giveaways this week as part of her book release. The ebook is just $3.99 and you can buy it here.

2. Hershey's Kisses with caramel. Enough said.

So, here's to a new week. One that should involve less freezing rain and no more pizza dinners!

Now, tell me, what have you been up to? Bonus points if you can identify the song that is now running through my head because of the post's title.
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Joining Jen Ferguson and others for this week's Soli Deo Gloria party. 

And then I joined Crystal Stine for her weekly Behind the Scenes. This isn't exactly behind the scenes of any photos, like usual, but it's a glimpse behind the scenes of my lack of photos. 

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B-E-N, Ben, Ben, Ben!

My nose has finally thawed out enough for me to tell you about Ben's 4th birthday party. And, yes, I'll get around to telling you why my nose was so cold.

But, first, my favorite picture of the birthday boy ...

That's how you blow out a candle with a mouth full of Kit-Kat. Just in case you ever wondered.

I've decided I really like morning birthday parties. They've become a trend around here, and I like it. Five families of friends and cousins joined us for a couple hours. Turns out, I fed my kids cake, M&Ms, nachos and kettle corn for lunch, but, hey, everybody had a good time!

The kids colored soccer ball pictures for our Compassion International boy Jean in Ecuador who shares Ben's birthday. Soccer happens to be Jean's favorite sport, which worked well with my sports balls-themed party. Jean turned 12 today. We collected some money to send his family in what's become a good way to make giving tangible for my kids.

{We started this last year at Ben's birthday party and continued it for our Compassion girl at Cate's party six months ago. You can read about how we incorporate giving to Compassion International as part of my kids' birthday parts in this post from earlier this year. And if you're inspired to do more, you can always sponsor a child.}

Continuing with the sports balls them, we lined the kids up for a rousing round of Pin the Ball on the Bat. Ben was disappointed when I told him we weren't playing pin the tail on any variety of farm animal, so he was thrilled when I tweaked the party tradition.

And then there was the baseball pinata he's been talking about for days. He had the bat picked out for days too. So, yes, he was ready to take a swing ... and collect candy.

There are kind gifts, a delicious cake from my friend Courtney, and concession stand snacks. And there was a house full of other families who are our people. We did miss Ben's best buddy Davey and family, who were recovering from three cases of strep throat and some ear infections among the three kids. All of these friends are like family and the family are like friends.

It's really the best kind of community. These people of ours came to celebrate our boy. And then a couple friends even cleaned up the crumbs that covered the floor afterward. True friendship, I tell you.

And then we went to watch Murray State play Eastern Kentucky in football. It was 44 degrees out, if you're curious. The game was exciting and we were in the sunshine into the fourth quarter. And then I realized my nose my numb. The layering and hot chocolate didn't help that my nose. For the record, you know it's cold if I'm holding and drinking a hot drink of any kind!

Oh and then they game went into overtime, of course. But Racers held on and kept the Colonels out of the end zone when it mattered and ended the football season with a win.

Memories were made. My nose has thawed. The kids are sleeping off all the sugar they ate. A happy day indeed.
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Go Cardinals! {The 2013 World Series Edition}

Friendly rivals in July 2005

A favorite person of mine is a Red Sox fan. Katie lived in Boston for awhile years ago, so I get it. I married my college boyfriend who taught me the love of the game in 1998 when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were in a historical home run battle. Katie and I exchanged much banter about our two red teams in 2004. I prefer to remember that more than the actual result of the World Series.

Busch Stadium in St. Louis

Starting tonight, I can cheer for only one red team. The St. Louis Cardinals. It's the World Series, baby! St. Louis is one of my favorite cities and has been the destination of many family road trips. I've been a fan a long enough at this point to be able to remember moments and games. And, really, I'm not sure anything beats Game 6 in 2011. And 2006 had a good ending too.

  

Fenway Park in Boston

We went to Boston two years ago, right as the Cardinals were beginning their wild card journey to becoming champions for the 11th time. {11 in '11 ...} And, yes, of course, we toured Fenway Park then. The Red Sox weren't still playing baseball then, you know.

Need more baseball stories? I've got some from you from the archives ... 

{Behind the Scenes} A souvenir in hand
{St. Louis} That's a winner!
Wild Cards! {aka Cardinals win the World Series: The 2011 version}
A view from the good seats
Day-long Date
Take me out to the ball game ...

And, really, this video will get you in the World Series spirit. Because some nights your team wins the whole thing. Yes, only one red team can win ...

Go Redbirds!
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{Behind the Scenes} The Tailgate, anyway

It may have been a humid 94 degrees in Nashville on Saturday, but we tailgated anyway. My husband was particularly excited to ring in the new football season watching one of our teams. {And, for the record, it wasn't the hottest opening to football season we've experienced.}

Doesn't my boy look like he's meant to tailgate? And, really, he was. Even though he had no idea what tailgating meant going into the afternoon. He's good at the social part. And was totally interested in the charcoal grilling part. But, truthfully, he doesn't like to stay in one space, so he was all over our small staked out area surrounded by other friendly UK fans.

Doesn't she look cute? She picked out that skirt because she said it was the only UK blue thing she had to wear. She and I may have talked about how hot and sweaty we were, but we had a good time anyway.

Yes, another picture of him sitting. But, really, I think you understand that wasn't the case for the couple hours we tailgated and the three-plus hours we were in our stadium seats. But, hey, he's cute. And look at how prepared he is? A chair strapped to his back, a Capri Sun, and some bubbles.

Speaking of being cute, a college-aged girl told Ben about five times in 2 seconds as we were walking to our seats how cute he was. He grinned and nodded. And I realized that we're in trouble. We may be raising a heartbreaker, even if he doesn't mean it.

On the heels of a hard week in our house, we enjoyed the chance to get away for the second weekend in a row to watch a team we like play. I explained roughing the passer to my girl when UK was penalized for supposedly doing just that and she said, "It's football. He's supposed to be rough." We discussed how the UK band played some of the same pep songs the Murray State band we hear more often likes to play. I gave her a crash course on how football is scored. And she discussed the cheerleaders outfits.

Yes, we were hot and sweaty. Yes, Ben felt a little confined. Yes, watching sports of any kind with kids prompts lots of questions. Yes, our team lost. But we had fun anyway.
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I'm linking up these pictures from our weekend with Crystal Stine's Behind the Scenes, where there is encouragement to tell the real story behind a photo. And, yes, I'm obviously including more than one photo with this story. 

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