More Birthdays!

Today is my dad's oldest sister's birthday, which is always tough because it reminds me of how much I miss her.  But it's also the Seminary Roommate's birthday, which is much happier!  Although, I miss her like crazy, too, but at least she's only as far away as Seattle.  In honor of the SR's birthday, I'm doing shoes named for her (I just did a post of shoes named after the auntie).

Cute!  I need a pair of cute, dressy flats for work, and I think this would be perfect.

A  black dress shoe is as essential as a little black dress.  This one is classic and would go with almost anything.

Oh dear.  Nononono.

I like where these are headed, the sparkles and bows are festive, but that type of short wedge heel always feels wrong to me.  It just doesn't look right.

The color is good.  This would be cuter if it wasn't a sandal.  Would a turquoise Mary Jane clog be so much better? 

Again, not quite right.  I want to like them, really I do.

OK, this one is adorable, thankfully.  I was getting a little frustrated with the selection of shoes named after my sweet friend.  She deserves better namesake shoes!  I'm not sure she would wear any of these (certainly not the heel, but maybe the first and last?), but she does have excellent taste in adorable practical shoes.  At any rate...Happy Birthday, SR!

Memory Lane: 2013. 2014. 2015.

I've been struggling with my 3 things this week.  Some days I stare at the cursor desperately trying to think of the things that make me happy and for which I'm grateful.  Which makes me sound amazingly ungrateful, because there are numerous good things about my life.  Those damn voices that I fight so much are insidious, though, and they like to tell me that my life sucks and I have nothing to offer.  They've been louder this week because the hubby (and I am in no way blaming him) told our employees yesterday and today that I was a pastor before I started working with him.  He says I'm on leave, which is kind of true, and really really untrue.  Then of course there are a million questions and reactions and projections, and it's made me a little confused emotionally.  I miss parts of being a pastor.  I miss my congregations.  I feel like an absolute failure as a pastor.  It's been 2 years since I went on leave and I'm still confused about whether or not it's healthy for me to go back.  I feel like my life is lacking in purpose.  I feel like I suck at this new job with the hubby.  I worry I'll never find contentment with a job.  See?  It's not the hubby's fault I'm an emotional wreck.  But, it's my Lenten discipline to practice gratitude and joy with at least 3 things each day, so the voices just need to shut the expletive up and let me get on with it.

3 Things:

1. Remembering the love always present in my auntie's hugs and smile.
2. The amazing friendship of the SR.
3. Puppy snuggles.  (I know I've said this one before, but they really are therapeutic)

Birthdays

I'm going to start this post by backtracking to February 6th, which was both the BSF's and The Nephew's birthday.  The Nephew turned 5, and the BSF is always the perfect age.  I didn't post that day, so I haven't yet shown you the calendar page for that date.

Part of the reason I wasn't quick to post it is that it's not good.  It's downright weird, and the BSF totally deserves better.  If they wanted to go with a red booty/ankle boot, there are a million better options out there.  Here are 3:

I personally can't really pull off the ankle boot look, but that doesn't mean I have to be mean and only show ugly ones.  The Nephew could totally pull off ankle boots if they were like the ones The Beatles wore.  And since he's an awesome Beatles fan like his mama and auntie, it would make the look even better. 

 

Today would have been my auntie's (dad's sister) 78th birthday.  It is also the Seminary Roommate's birthday.  For the record, the BSF was also my seminary roommate, but she already has a nickname, and this way I don't have to number the seminary roommates.  I'm thinking the SR got a way better deal on the shoe calendar.  I actually really like these for spring.  The SR is not one for heels, but she always shows up with the cutest practical shoes you've ever seen.

These totally remind me of her, probably because she had a pair of adorable red flats that I totally coveted while we were living together.  Yep, I was a total commandment breaker, even (possibly especially?) in seminary.

Happy belated, current, and memorial birthdays to 4 of my favorite people ever!