the one I forgot to title.

Listening To: My Father's Father by The Civil Wars

Line Obsession: "Sure I dreamed of having football dates, but my real dream was that one day I would write something that people would actually read." - from The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Hey there beauties (&; beastlies)!

I've been home from the Pacific Northwest for a while now. And y'all were so right - I loved it.

In fact, if my heart was a jigsaw puzzle, I'm fairly certain it would presently be missing two pieces shaped like Oregon and Washington State. I was stunned by the beauty. Swept off my feet by all the sweet people. (Thank you for sending such great travel suggestions! You people are definitely kindred spirits : )

I miss that place. Most of my sentences lately have started with, "When we were in Seattle ..." or "When we were at Mt. Rainier ..." Sigh. I miss being somewhere new. Don't get me wrong - I affirm Dorothy's sentiments. There is, most assuredly, no place like home.

But I very much like to be in transit too. In fact, if I can be tee-totally honest with you, I've always had some bizarre aversion to putting down roots. If I had a red cloak that billowed in the wind, I would probably be like Vianne in Chocolat.

Except I'm not hawt like Vianne. Also, Johnny Depp does not play guitar for me. Not often. Also, if I worked in a chocolate shop, I would, most definitely, eat everything. I would have nothing to sell except wrappers.

The one thing Vianne and I do have in common is a chronic case of of wanderlust. Have you seen the movie? (I haven't read the novel, so I'll only use the movie example here.) Remember how Vianne could only stay in a place until the wind called her on? That's so how I feel sometimes.

And while there is so much good in embracing new beginnings and setting out and adventuring and finding joy in the journey and so on ... I'm also willing to fess up to a sometimes-maybe-possibly fear of commitment. And a fear of rejection. Maybe even a fear of getting too attached.

I feel like I'm always learning what it means to really live up the day I'm in while still maintaining some eternal perspective. That same principal applies to my wandering heart, too. I can dream. I can anticipate. But I've also got to learn to be in the moment; fully and completely here. This season is teaching me what it means to dig in and build relationships and bloom a little bit.

... but it sure is nice to fly away sometimes ; ) And planning for a big vacation was just flat fun. Coming down from the mountain and digging back in to day-by-day stuff is fun too though.

I've got pictures to show you and so much stuff I want to write about; words that started out as journal-scrawls and Tumblr mumbles.

{Slight tangent: I had so much fun with the Tumblr. I've got some tumblr-y ideas I'm going to test drive very soon.}

I've got so much I want to tell you.

This is the short summary: The West is wild and unruly and covered in wildflowers and snow. The mountains made me cry. The art made my heart flutter. The java made me do an absurd number of happy dances. The people made me smile. That whole place set my imagination spinning. It was pure storybook. Inspiration comes easy in a place like that.

Also, the temp never climbed above 75 while we were there. I cannot even describe how nice it was to be able to breathe deeply again. The heat has been a beast this year, hasn't it? The weather out there (rainy and cool and foggy and mysterious) made me envy you West Coast girls something crazy.

And then I had coffee at Tully's. And then I had a Grilled Cheese Sandwich made with Tillamook Cheddar at a pub on Cannon Beach. And after those two events transpired, my envy skyrocketed. I miss Tully's. I miss Tillamook Cheddar. I miss feeling all fizzy and inspired all the time. (I wonder if The Inspiration had something to do with The Cheese ...)

{Note: I did not feel inspired when the Rogue Accountant tried to wipe Yak juice from his Yak Jerky onto my hoodie. But otherwise, it was all good.}

My trip was better than wonderful. Travel always changes my perspective in some necessary ways. But here is what has not changed:

You people are as cute as ever.

I've been thinking of you so much in the past few days, mostly due to my favorite cute person: Erin.

I've mentioned my niece, Erin, a time or a thousand. I try to be a cool aunt and not get all squealy about her, but this is a difficult task. She is adorable and sarcastic and smart. Too fun for her own good. Most days, I try to be chill. But every now and again, I flip out and (randomly) yell, "YOU ARE SO STINKING ADORABLE!" Erin rolls with it. She's used to it at this point.

When The Rogue Accountant and I landed in Nashville, Erin and my Dad were waiting there to pick us up. Despite my jetlag, Erin had me laughing all the way home. We spent the next day shopping and doing our nails and watching Harry Potter and cramming into a photobooth at the mall and trying on makeup at Ulta. When it comes to very girly-girl stuff, Erin is my go to girl. We had a ball. I'm missing her like whoa.

Erin is a Freshman in High School this year. A FRESHMAN.

Have I mentioned that I was in High School when Erin was born? So surreal!

This is us at Abuelo's, about five seconds before we stuffed our faces with chips and guacamole. By "we," I mean "me":

Isn't she the cutest?

I pray for Erin everyday but I've been praying lots of high-school-specific prayers lately. Mature stuff like, "Please, please, please, please keep every immature jerk who might possibly break her heart ten million miles away from her!"

I pray serious things too - that she'll grow closer and closer to God - that she'll find peace in prayer and freedom in Worship. That she'll keep her heart wide open to what His Word is teaching her. I pray that she'll have friends who laugh with her and cry with her and squeal over boys with her. I pray that she'll be brave enough to wear her heart on her sleeve. That she'll never stop getting angry over the right things. I pray God will put adults in her life who recognize, and affirm, what she's good at; who help her cultivate her gifts and talents in amazing ways.

Mostly, I just holler out all kinds of thankfuls.

Erin's beauty is heart-deep. Soul-deep. She's easy going until she sees someone getting picked on; she does not put up with mean. She doesn't take herself too seriously. She doesn't sell herself short. She loves God. She loves her friends. She makes ordinary days sparkle. She shines; starry, starry-bright. The world is a better place because she's in it. I can't wait to see what High School brings her way.

As I've been praying for her, I've also been praying for you.

I know some of you are in a similar place: a transitional place. You're starting High School. Or college. Or grad school. Even if this isn't a transitional year, I know the new can feel pretty overwhelming regardless of how it happens. So I'm praying those same kinds of prayers for you, too: that you'll run after God, whole-hearted. That you'll take lots of study breaks and put on some loud music and dance, dance, dance in your dorm room with your friends. That you'll be brave enough to wear your heart on your sleeve. That something you study, or read, or see, or hear will spin your heart like crazy. That you'll come undone over something. Restless over something. That you'll walk in confidence, rooted in God's Word, aware that you are loved by Him no matter what happens. No matter where you're headed this year, He's with you.

If you're walking into a new school year (whether you're in middle school, high school, college, grad school, or some other smarty-pants school), and you feel like sharing, here's what I would love to hear from you in the comments:

a.) What year you'll be

b.) What you are most looking forward to about this year and/or what you are most nervous about this school year.

And if you feel so inclined, I would love, love, love it if you would also let me know how I can pray for you this year.

You can comment anon if you want, or you can leave that part out all together. But if we can pray for you, let us know. If you're in the comments, and you see a prayer request or two, I would love it if you'd consider praying it up as well.

Of course, you are welcome to comment on anything you want (Next Food Network Star? Anybody else watching?).

I'm excited to hear how you people are doing. Because I've missed you. Because I want to know what's happening in your world.

And because I'm curious to know if you've ever had a Grilled Cheese Sandwich made with Tillamook Cheddar and if it changed your life like it did mine ...

Catch you in the comments!

{P.S. - I'm posting my favorite Season 9 Project Runway looks over on Pinterest. Would love it if you'd hop over and let me know your picks and thoughts on this season! Viva le Tim Gunn!}