the day i became a sci-fi novel.

Listening To: Monster Ballads by Josh Ritter

Quote Stuck in my Heart: Your promised land is a place where your theology matches your reality. - Beth Moore

Hey lovelies! I look like a very sleepy chipmunk as I type tonight's post. Today I got the first operation I needed to prepare my mouth for a dental implant I'll get this fall. Dental implants are basically fake teeth, bolted to one's jaw, that look, and feel, like real teeth. Yay modern medicine! (Note: Sometimes I like to say, "I'm getting implants," leaving out the "dental" bit, just so I can see the look on people's faces. ;)

Today's adventure involved receiving a bone graft in my jaw, which is a very common procedure. (Seriously - you shouldn't feel sorry for me. The whole shabang took less than an hour. I'm feeling good tonight.) Still. This bone graft business? I've been shrieking about it for weeks now. Because my bone graft came from a cadaver. Like, at this moment, there is an itty-bitty piece of bone in my jaw that used to belong to someone else. Crazy! Even though I realize how common this is ... I still feel like a walking sci-fi novel. My brother hopes I suddenly develop a hankering* for cigars. He's sweet like that. I'm thankful my family has such a fun/bizarre sense of humor.

I'm also thankful for ....

1.) A body God created that is so darn cool. I complain about my body as much as the next girl, but the fact that it can heal and get well? And utilize cadaver bone to make more bone of its own!? The human body is a miracle of the wonderfully, fearfully variety. :)

2.) Great doctors. And sweet nurses. My nurse this morning even said, "You are so cute!" At 7:30 in the morning. That's nice to hear when you know your face will look like a basketball before the day is over. (In the wise words of my brother, "Flattery will get you everywhere.")

3.) The brilliant people at Smoothie King who invented the Cherry Picker.

4.) My mom, who brought me a Cherry Picker this afternoon. It was like someone had handed me the whole world in a Styrofoam cup.

5.) Cows, 'cause they make milk that eventually becomes ice cream.

6.) The brilliant people of Bluebell... because they know how to mix cowjuice in such a way that it becomes the most magical, marvelous ice cream I've ever tasted.

7.) Dad ... because he bringeth the bluebell!

8.) Target ... because they make stretchy yoga pants that are necessary when your plans for the week consist of eating ice cream and watching TV. (You thought people used yoga pants to do yoga, didn't you? Wrong.)

9.) My sweet dog ... because, while she is always sweet, and frequently likes to snuggle, she's especially snugly when I'm sick. Sometimes I wake up to find her looking at me, with her paw on my arm like, "You can go back to sleep. I'll keep you safe." Sometimes I wake up to discover her face like an inch from my face while she sniffs the ice pack tied around my head. (Have I mentioned how hot I look right now?) As I type, I'm balancing my computer on one leg so Biscuit can sleep against the other. Ever so often, she'll blink up at me with her big brown eyes like she's just checking on me, just making sure I'm okay. I'm so crazy about her :)

10.) Bravo ... for giving me plenty of Top Chef to watch OnDemand. I still don't have a favorite chef though. In past seasons, I was able to latch onto a personality fairly early in the process. (No chef will ever replace Fabio.) I'm having a hard time figuring out who I want to root for this season. Anybody else watching?

11.) My blue ribbon. I'm wearing a blue ribbon around my wrist for the next ten weeks. I love what it symbolizes. And I can't wait to see what's happening in my life when I snip that ribbon loose sometime in September. I'll discuss the meaning in another post (because trying to discuss faith and cowjuice in the same blog entry requires more brainpower than I have tonight).

12.) Music ... because it makes my heart feel peaceful and easy, even when my world feels heavy. This is my favorite song tonight:

13.) You. I try to always comment back the comments you leave (I'm sorry when I miss them, but I try). I hope this blog feels like an ongoing conversation and not just a place where I yap about myself. I haven't answered the comments from my last entry yet, but I've read them all many, many times. I can't even tell you what it means to know I'm not the only person asking the questions I ask, or having the doubts I have.

I've been corresponding back and forth with an amazing blogger named Trish, who was kind enough to link me to a review she did of Paperdoll. (Also, Trish just started her own Nashville based company called Frilly Milly Events. You can check out her blog here but, be warned, you'll quickly become addicted. She's way too talented for her own good.) Trish's review made me smile so hard. I treasure every single note I get about Paperdoll. Seeing the age variation in the messages I receive is always super fun.

Example: last week, I got a Facebook message about Paperdoll from an eighth grader and an email about the book from a reader about to begin her last year in college. Both messages made me squeal out loud (while sitting in Panera). When I read Trish's message, I realized we were the same age. And I was definitely encouraged to know I'm not the only girl past her teens, past college, still figuring out what beauty and grace and living free and fully really means. If I live to be 95, I think I'll still be learning what that means. It's really cool to know we're all in process together, all learning form each other, regardless of what part of life we happen to be living out.

There were parts of Paperdoll that were hard to share. There are certain blog posts, like that last one, that are just a bit harder to write. But I've discovered when I do share something a bit more serious (whether it's funny or sad or so heavy on my heart I can't sleep at night), your comments back always make it worth it. You help me remember what matters.

So. For those of you who shared little snippets from the journey you're on in the comments - I am truly floored. Thank you. For every thank-you that came from a name I recognized, or a name I'd never seen before, you are welcome. And for every sweet anonymous who said thank-you - you are so welcome. No matter how anonymous you're feeling, I hope you always feel welcome here.

I would love to hear what you're thankful for in the comments. And if you care to recommend a good movie, have an idea for how to waste some time (that doesn't involve much movement) or know of an ice cream flavor I simply must try ... that would be fantastic ;) Thanks for being so classy.

* I think "hankering" might be a Southern term? It's basically the same as a craving. :)