Amelie Introductions

A couple years ago my very creative and awesome friend wrote this lovely post about Amelie and her ability to bring a character to life via a quirky description of their likes and dislikes.  Though brief, these odd-balled introductions capture more of the true essence of the characters.

Using this idea as a stepping stone, I present Blog Challenge #4 -

"15 Things You Should Know About Me: An Amelian introduction to Aubrey"

1. I prefer salty to sweet, unless its ice cream. Ice Cream trumps everything
2. I often make up my own words… and facts
3. I bake bread in a lime green Chantal Dutch Oven
4. I prefer political intrigue to any other movie genre
5. I don’t really care for apples, oranges, grapes or bananas
6. I despise group planning
7. I can only drink milk if its ice cold and accompanied by cookies
8. I prefer jewel tones over brights- except in office supplies
9. I got my first coach purse for Christmas this year- and finally feel like a grown up
10. I would rather spend money on food than entertainment, but I’d chose travel over both
11. I prefer tulips or ranunculus over roses
12. Owning a piano makes me feel musical the way owning a kitchen-aid makes me feel like a chef and having tall bookshelves makes me feel scholarly
13. I clean my house frantically before guests arrive (and rarely any other time)
14. I’d pick a Gin over Champagne
15. I’m not necessarily a “morning person” but I feel compelled to wake up cheerfully

Learning it can't be Learned

If you know me… you may know the 4 little words that have been attributed as my unofficial mantra. 

“Say it with Confidence” 

If you don’t know, make something up and say it with confidence. 

If you might be wrong, but think you’re right, just say it with confidence. 

If you absolutely know you are right… by all means, say it with confidence.  (catching the gist?)

I remember my parents trying to drill the words “in my opinion” into my vocabulary.  Trying desperately to teach me to not state opinion or whim as cold hard fact.

I remember being in class and unable to stand the silence of an unanswered question.  My fingers would tap, my feet fidget… I would try as long as possible to hold back (seconds would feel like eternity) until finally, when I could stand the uncomfortable silence no longer, I would raise my hand in relief, and confidently answer the question. 

I hate when things go unanswered…

We’re supposed to learn as we go:

Writing, Reading, Arithmetic. 

Driving.  Dating.  Breakups.

Laundry.  Making your own meals and balancing your own budget. 

Resumes.  Bills.  Taxes… 

Most things come with age and experience.  Some take longer than others… (Boundaries).  Some lessons feel like you may never learn them…(Humility).  We acquire answers and knowledge in a multitude of places in a myriad of ways.  Our questions will eventually get answered… right?

I am a learner.  I love stuffing my brain full of tid-bits of information like a piñata full of candy.  I hate when I don’t know something. I will google it on the spot or make something up until I can research it later.  I must have an answer to give.  And in most things I can wear this “I know all things mask” and get by.  I can do a quick wiki search and find the ingredients in that “Army Navy” cocktail or tell you how to replace your rear brake pads.  I’m really good at finding the answers I need.  I’m really good at Learning.

But what happens when there are no answers. When it can’t be found out there in the wonderful world wide web.  When I can’t learn my way through it.

That… That is the hardest lesson.  That not everything has an answer.  That not everything can be learned.  Some things are just…. uncomfortable, sticky, mean, grey anomalies.   

In my 27 years I’ve learned a lot (and forgotten much too).   But the most challenging lesson I wish I had learned earlier is that in reality there are limits to learning.  There are things without answers.  There are difficult “Why’s” that I desperately desire to resolve.  There are reasons and rationales that slip into that much loathed “mystery” file.   

I still hate not knowing. 

 

Some lessons you learn and some answers you find one day.                                                                                                      And some you can only hold lightly and pray that the unknowning doesn’t crush you.

I wish I had known that earlier.

I dreamed a dream...

I dream of JOY.  Real, gut wrenching, toe tingling, cheek numbing JOY expressed through intentional relationships and incredible adventure.  Here is a glimpse (though incomplete) at some of the hopes, dreams and longings that I hold for myself.

Leaving a legacy

Setting foot on the 6 main continents (only South America and Australia to go)!

Growing old with a man who makes me a better me

Finding a job that fills me with purpose and joy

Balancing a bowl full of ice cream on my 8 month preggo belly

Growing in grace and generosity

Backpacking Australia/New Zealand

Knowing without a doubt what I believe and sharing it eagerly like the best chocolate bar I've ever had

Being ok with grey

Living a worthwhile, wonderful story

Seeing the World’s Wonders and experiencing its Amazing Cultures

Having a home constantly full of friends, family and fresh baked bread

Fluently speaking foreign languages in foreign lands

Crossing off cool eateries from neighborhood bucket list

Camping through America’s National Parks 

Trekking the Camino de Santiago with a best friend

Star Gazing through the Northern Lights                                         

To savour moments and memories, and not take them for granted

Sleepless nights cradling my firstborn

Mastering the art of humility

Choosing people over productivity

Ostentatiously celebrating victories for myself and others

Creating and living in real, tangible, true community

Making margins

Being a Lifelong  Learner. 

Being:  

     Teachable

     Faithful

     Available

     Vulnerable

     Courageous

To know and be known. Fully. Absolutely.

To be happy and content… (and dare I say, maybe even proud) with who I am, as I am.

{Dream, and give yourself permission to envision a You that you choose to be.  ~Joy Page}

how I take care of myself

I am excited to introduce this first installment in our quest for bi-weekly posts and lists and fun little random tidbits.  Below is a glimpse into some of the things that fill me with joy and feed my soul.  What fuels you??

Challenge Accepted!

Watch out... this is going to be Legen... wait for it...dary!! (As my good fictional friend Barney Stinson would say.)

Here's the scoop: My pancake fanatic, Ramen proficient, blog fluent friend -Kara lee -has thrown down a Blog Challenge, which I do not take lightly.  Every other week, starting this Friday- March 1st- we will be posting wonderfully silly and insightful lists.

Our inspiration for this was developed through recent readings of some of our favorite bloggers' like this one and this one and this one.

Please don't think less of us if we steal some of these exact list topics to start our endeavor.  Stay tuned... I assure you, you are in for at least a couple weeks of some great blog entertainment!  (hopefully we can last more than a post or two!)  

So here's to accepted challenges coming your way!!