Daily Wedding Vows

I, Katy, take thee, Dave, to be my wedded husband,

and I do promise and covenant, before God and these witnesses,

to be thy loving and faithful wife; in plenty and in want,

in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in

health, as long as we both shall live.

Almost one year ago, I said these beautiful but tough words to the dearest man I know and was blessed enough to hear him say the same vows in return.  We set out on a new adventure (literally, not just figuratively as we moved 1000 miles from home to a new city!) and have, in some ways, tried to live these words daily, although failing plenty of times during our first year (I, of course, probably failed to live out these vows more than D did because he is immensely good to me)

The problem with wedding vows is that they are often applied to "EXTREME" situations. We applaud stories about the husband who selflessly loved his wife "in sickness and in health" while she slowly died from a deteriorating disease. We esteem women who have loved and respected their husband through a failed business or job loss, when the family lived on no income and trust that the Lord would provide. We honor the couple that holds each other's hands and comfort one another through extreme tragedies - death of loved ones, chronic illnesses, affairs, etc. 

Recently, D was sick and asked me to go to the pharmacy late at night and I really didn’t want to and I whined about it as I changed back into clothes for a late night CVS run.  While whining, he jokingly said “remember, in sickness and health…” Sweet D was joking, but his words struck me. I always apply that vow to really big health situations – cancer, bed rest during pregnancy, chronic illnesses, hospitalizations, etc, etc. But, really, I am called to love and care for my husband even in minor illnesses, not just extreme cases!

The reality is every marriage will have some of those rock bottom really tough days, months,  years, but thankfully, by the grace of God, not every day, not every year is an large challenge or trial. Sometimes, the challenges of life are real but not extreme and the call to love and cherish my husband has more to do with encouragement, forgiveness and service in mundane moments or small trials than it does with extreme heroic action. 

How then, can I live my vows out on a daily basis when there are dishes in the sink, bills to pay, job stress, screaming kids, stinky diapers, dirty laundry, broken down cars, stomach bugs, harsh words, feelings of worthlessness and boredom with the typical daily routine?  Because usually life includes little trials than giant challenges, so undoubtedly, our vows need to apply to those moments too.

I want to take my vows seriously, not just applying them to the worst case scenarios that (thankfully) don’t happen daily. I want to love my husband well in the small moments of life. I want to care for him daily in the way I hope I would if tragedy ever struck.

Here are some imperfect thoughts from an imperfect person on 

how I could better apply my vows to daily life:

I, Katy, take thee Dave, to be my wedded husband.

I marry you, no one else, so I should choose to see the best in you daily, choose to support you, choose not to think “what if” (..I had remained single, married someone else, etc), chose to honor you as my husband with my words, actions and in comments said to others. Although I aim to encourage you to continue growing more and more like Christ, I will not spend time comparing you to others.  Finally, because I chose you as my husband, I chose to put you first and make you my priority above all others. You get to be second place in my life (behind our Savior) and I will strive to make you my priority.

and I do promise and covenant, before God and these witnesses

I am making a covenant, a sacred commitment to you. I will keep my covenant and remain your wife, even when it’s tough, even when we want to quit.  I don’t want to throw around threats of divorce or leaving when we disagree and I want to invite God, the church and those who witnessed our covenant to help us keep our commitment through discipline, teaching, encouragement and support.

to be thy loving and faithful wife

I promise to remain faithful to you...both in actions and in thoughts. I will strive to keep my actions, words and intentions towards you KIND and loving – and when I fail (and I will), I will get up the next day and try again to love you as I should.  I promise to continue loving you even at moments you seem unlovable.

in plenty and in want

I will love you on days that we pay the bills and don’t have anything left over for fun spending. I will love you when our financial future seems uncertain, when we are waiting for raises, when we are job searching, when we are only putting a small amount into savings, when we can’t afford gifts.  I will love you when we disagree about money and how it should be spent. I will love you when surprise disasters come up and suck the money out of that month’s budget. In every small financial frustration – kid’s braces, debates on schools and tuition, buying new furniture, investments that fail, etc, we may disagree and we may feel stressed, but I will still love you, help us find solutions and remind you that our Lord will continue to sustain us.

And God forbid, something truly disastrous ever happen like losing jobs, extreme medical bills, losing our savings or our apartment, I will hold your hand through it all and we will seek God’s guidance and tackle the challenge together.

in joy and in sorrow

I will love you in extremely joyful moments (babies, first homes, promotions), as well as the extremely painful ones (job loss, death, heartbreak)

But, also, I promise to find joy daily with you and to care about the things that give you joy….listening to you tell me stories about architecture, about some dream business you would love to start, about the start of hunting season. I promise to try to enjoy life’s many blessings with you.

And just like I will love you on horribly awful days, I will care for you through all life’s minor sorrows – tough work days, disagreements with family, days when the kids make you want to pull your hair out, days where we clean up vomit or deal with flu outbreaks, days when we feel disappointed in our kid’s decisions (or in our own decisions) Even in smaller disappointments and mildly sorrowful moments, I plan on living and managing those with you.

 in sickness and in health 

I want to strive to love you in all moments of life and in all versions of sickness….whether that be a terminal diagnosis or the common cold. When you don’t feel well, I promise to take care of you – whether it’s a late night run to CVS for meds, encouraging you to visit the doctor (or even making the appointment for you), cooking soup and taking care of household chores while you rest up and get healthy. I hate being sick, but I promise to put my concerns of “catching illnesses” away to make sure I take care of you.

as long as we both shall live.

On certain days, the promise of living our vows and loving each other well for our entire lives may seem daunting- and on some days, my very sinful self may chose to not love you well, but I promise to get up and keep trying, keep stumbling over my own silly self so that hopefully each year, I have loved you better.

I sure hope we have 50+ years left of life and marriage, but I will do my best not to take the days for granted, knowing we aren’t promised tomorrow, and knowing I should not put off living my vows out until another day- in case that next day doesn’t come.

I will love you tomorrow, but I will love you today as if tomorrow won’t be happening.

So, on a daily basis, this is what I want my vows to look like. I don’t want to reserve my marriage promises for big time situations like terminal illness or family deaths or failed business, I want to live them today, on another boring Monday when life has plenty of stress but nothing insurmountable, when it’s easy to not even think about my vows, but when I am just as called to honor these vows as any other day.  And I have and will fail at every single vow made, but the one promise I can keep is my promise to get up and strive to live them again tomorrow J

How to be a "New Girl"

Confession – this was a blog post I started several months ago, but then my sister Marley (who has been a new girl a few more times than I have) wrote a post on her tips for making friends in a new location. Since many of you read both our blogs, I didn’t want to be redundant  so I held off on finishing and publishing my post.

I've been a new girl several times before in my life...and sometimes I have been better at it than others. Along the way, I have learned a few tips that help you settle in, make friends and feel at home more quickly.  I probably did the "new girl" phase best in Jackson. I hated my first couple months in town (even though I spent most of my growing up years in the big J, most of my friends had since moved) but committed myself to jumping in. Within the year, Jackson was home and I had a great group of pals, a wonderful church home, a fun apartment and roomie and a sense of involvement in the community.  I tried to apply the same "dive in" plan here in DC and it took awhile (maybe a bit longer than Jackson) but I (we) feel at home in DC now.

Jackson, MS

Washington, DC

(PS I had no reason to post these pics except for the fact that they are 

the last two places I moved and made friends...oh, and I think they 

are both very pretty cities, aren't they? Love both my "homes")

8 Tips for Being the New Girl

(1)    Get involved in community immediately and stay involved even when it’s awkward.  Join a running group, charity, church, political group or alum group. Don’t just go to church, but join a Bible Study or Community Group or get involved in a ministry (Becoming involved in church activities is extra beneficial – you are likely growing spiritually, not just socially, and you are not only making friends, but making like minded friends who share your faith and beliefs! Bonus!) Prepare yourself now for the fact that it will be awkward at times– there will be times when it is uncomfortable to walk into church, Bible Study, Young Republicans, Junior League (insert whatever you are involved with here) and mingle. There will be times when you make small talk yet again or sit alone and feel lonely. Keep pressing on. Each time you go, you will likely know one more person. If you try to get involved in a community or group and find that it's not the place for you, then replace that group fairly quickly. Getting plugged in helps you make friends, feel involved and stay busy -- so you don't stay at home lonely!

(2)    Almost always say yes for the first several months.  Seriously, if you are new, you should be saying YES 80-90 percent of the time. if someone invites you to dinner and you don’t have much money, go and order a salad. If someone asks you to come to happy hour and you’re tired, suck it up and go. If you can’t go for some reason, then make sure you apologize, give a reason for not being able to go (work late, previous plans, etc) and make it clear you want to get together another time (and then possibly follow up with an invite….see #3)  Telling you to always accept invitations even when you don’t feel like going may seem harsh, but it is the quickest way to establish friendships.  First of all, people are taking a risk by asking someone they don’t know well to hang out, so you want to respond positively. Second, if you are new, you are not already in any established friend groups. If you say no, there is no guarantee that others will remember to invite you in the future. Finally, if you go to a party or event, you will hopefully leave feeling like you have one or more new friends…friends who you can connect with later for dinner, drinks or a movie; friends who you can invite to hang out and friends who will hopefully continue to reach out and include you. D and I said "yes" to a camping

When I lived in Jackson, I met a girl who was new to town and said she wanted to meet new people. However, every time I invited her to do something, she said she was "tired" or "wanted a night in". (I'm not hating on "nights in", but I think you have to take less of them when you are new to town) Eventually, I quit trying so often.  I wasn’t upset, but I wasn’t going to continue to make an effort if she really wasn’t that interested in my friendship or meeting others. Whether she knew  it or not, she was sending mixed signals about whether she really did want to be included.

So, seriously, try to say yes to as many events as possible. Once you are more settled, you will have the freedom to say no -  when you are tired, busy, not interested – without the possibility of being forgotten. But for now, be prepared to stay busy!

(3)    You do the inviting.  So you met someone at a church event and had a good conversation or a work friend invited you out for happy hour which you enjoyed.... Don’t be afraid to reciprocate and invite that person to do something.  No one wants to feel like he or she has to do all the planning and inviting, so return the favor, reach out. Not only is it nice to be asked to do something, it also clearly shows you enjoyed hanging out the first time if you want to hang out again.

(4)    Find other people who are new – new to town, new to church, new to the group. New people are eager for friends too. And, sometimes it is easier to befriend others who are new because they aren’t already established with plans and friends and commitments.

(5)    Don’t go home too often at first.  I had to go home one month after we moved to DC and I swear, the only reason I came back to DC was because I loved my husband. I went home for a week and saw family and friends and packed our stuff up. Seeing all my possessions in a moving van made me realize this wasn’t a summer away, or even a one year adventure, but something that was fairly permanent….and I cried as the Jackson skyline disappeared in the distance. I knew I was coming back to a place where I was not settled yet, had only a few friends and did not yet feel like home.  I had no choice, I had to go to Mississippi to pack, but that week of laughing with my family and nights out with friends made it really hard to come back to DC.  So, if you can avoid it, don't go home a lot at first. Avoiding going home often for the first few months forces you to make your new city into your new home.

Fast forward 6 months.  We didn’t go home again until Christmas (which I wasn’t happy about at first, but it turned out to be a good thing) and although I enjoyed our trip back to the Magnolia state, a part of me was excited to get back to our life in DC – New Years Eve with friends, weekly small group, girls nights.  Being “stuck” in DC for 6 months forced D and me to get involved. Now, I feel free to go to my home state (whenever I can afford plane tickets!) without feeling too attached.  But, I had to put in several months in DC before it felt like my new home.

(6)    Unpack and make your house feel homey! Almost a year later, our house is far from finished. Not every picture is framed and hanging. We still need another dresser. Our bedroom is almost always a little cluttered due to a lack of storage, so the door remains closed when guests come over. But, we did hang a few pieces of art, put down an area rug, add a few of our trinkets and framed photos, buy some couch pillows and arrange and rearrange furniture until we found a good layout. It feels like home to us and it feels cozy enough to invite others over (see #3 again) which we do fairly regularly. Get your home to a point where you feel comfortable hosting others and then you can slowly do the rest.

(7)    Don’t invest too much time in people who don’t want to be your friends.  The luxury with being new is that you don’t have a history with people. I’m extremely loyal so if a friend lets me down or continuously blows me off, I probably still fight for them, show a little grace and hope to salvage things. But, when I’m new and get excluded or rejected or feel I made a connection with someone but no friendship follows, I may be disappointed, but I am free to move on.  Sometimes people are busy or unaware or not interested in adding people to their circle of friends, that’s okay, move on, find others to invest in. 

(8) If you are single, consider living with a roommate. I'm not suggesting finding someone on Craig's List (although that has worked well for people I know) but search church classifieds, live with a friend or a friend of a friend, etc)  Living with someone can give you built in fellowship, access to plans and friendships, etc.

(9) Don't be choosy.  Be open to meeting all types of people. Be open to making all types of friends. It's tempting to only want to hang out with people who are like you (particularly when you are out of your comfort zone...IE, I am immediately drawn to southerners!) Moving is a great opportunity to broaden your horizons, plus you are  more likely to plug in quickly if you don't limit your friendships to those who are similar to you. 

Note: I am not telling you to befriend criminals, just to be  less picky when making friends.

(10) Enjoy your new city! This doesn't help you make new friends, but it does help you feel at home and stay busy while you are in the "transition" process.  Marriage makes things a bit easier -- you get to bring a built in friend to a new city with you, but the reality is that no matter how quickly you dive into your new life, you will have a few months of getting to know people before you have established friends....don't sit at home and feel sorry for yourself, walk through a fun neighborhood, go to a local museum, try a new bakery.  I spent the first two months of married life at home and I thoroughly explored my little neighborhood, looking in stores, walking down side streets, wondering across the bridge into Georgetown, etc.

Being a "New Girl" Married v. Single (or a "New Guy")

I've been the new girl when single and when married, and honestly, being married when you are new is easier.  You have a built in friend for movies, dinners out, happy hour, exploring.  Although so much time together might not quench all your social needs, at least it quenches some!  You don't have to walk in to church alone or spend a Friday evening alone. If you are married, be grateful that you have this built in buddy to help make the transition to a new place a little easier.

However, flip side, I think singles make friends quicker.  They don't have that built in buddy so they jump in and get involved at a faster paced than married women. I've shared before about how I think singles make great friends and this rings true when they are new to town - they make friends more easily and they have the freedom to commit to last minute plans without checking in with spouses. If you are single, take advantage of this freedom and get involved with a church, group, charity immediately.  Busy yourself with plans and get settled in your new city! (PS, you never know when one of these new might turn into a dating relationship, so yet another motivating reason to get involved!)

Summer Escape

Last night, D and I left for a little summer vacation...5 days in the Tennessee Mountains with his sisters, their families and his parents.  Last evening, we drove half way and spent the evening in Blacksburg so we could explore the university and tWe are a little spoiled because less than two weeks ago, we have a fun filled beach weekend with friends, yet we are already leaving for another trip!  As my baby sister would say, "Sorry I'm not Sorry." Plus, its hard to really unwind with a short weekend trip, so its great we have a few more lazy vacation days ahead of us....


What's perfect about this vacation is that it is a vacation...really, no obligations, no sights to see, no restaurants to try. I am free to lounge around, enjoy fellowship with others, relish in a few quiet moments to myself, etc.  D and I are both the same - we love adventure and seeing new places, so we tend to overbook ourselves when we travel.  Our summer vacation to Toronto in august will be full of a lot of things - good food, theater, sight seeing, tall buildings (that D will lecture me on), cocktails, wondering, getting lost in new neighborhoods...but it won't be full of rest because we wouldn't dare waste a day to relax or nap or read a book! Too much to do! But time spent at beach houses or mountain cabins are different -- no big cities nearby, no absolute "must sees" except for nature and each other, so vacation days are actually relaxing and restful, leaving you recharged. We live in such a busy city and we take busy getaways, so I am excited for the freedom and calmness of a few mountain days... where I only have one scheduled plan: whitewater rafting one afternoon.


I am looking forward to family meals with laughter and stories and second helpings, cocktails and giggling on the porch with my sisters in law, hiking and handholding with my sweet country boy, trying not to fall out of the raft while navigating rapids, having a rare girls shopping trip (I saved a little money for this trip) to the outlets where I analyze exactly how much money I have and what I want to buy, curling up on the couch and diving into a couple of the books from my 2014 Summer Reading List, cooking BBQ and monkey bread, giggling with two cute little nieces, enjoying the warm sun and a nap by the pool, late night movies and board games and chats, hot tubbing and wine drinking, and the list goes on...


...so if you don't hear from me for a few days, it is because I am busy escaping from life in the mountains.


My life sure is blessed and happy, but even happy lives require the occasional escape.

Our Wedding, Part 2: Pre-Party (Bridesmaid's Brunch and Getting Ready)

There are probably few mornings more exciting than the morning of your wedding day.  I'm not super cheesy, but I truly did feel gleeful and excited all day long -- like annoying little Disney birds chirping while I sing type of happy. There's plenty of stress involved in preparing for marriage and planning a wedding.  There are solemn moments along the way as you realize what a  huge decision you are making - but honestly, my main emotion on my wedding day was pure excitement.  I know some people feel nervous or stressed, but on the wedding day, I was just joyful. Whatever problem came along, I knew our wedding planner or my mom could handle.  I was such a giddy bride because I couldn't believe I finally got to marry my sweet guy and because the Lord was faithful to answer my prayers.


I mentioned earlier that D and I weren't traditional in all aspects of our marriage, particularly our pre-wedding day shoot. Another "non traditional" element is that we saw each other that morning.  After the rehearsal dinner, D and I went out for drinks at the Library Lounge with our bridal party.  When we finally left, we realized that we never figured out where he was staying for the night.  He didn't want to wake his family or try to find a place to stay for one nights, so he begged me to stay at my parents house.  I wasn't crazy about the idea (nor was my mom) - but at midnight, and with a throbbing mouth (I won a free teeth whitening which I brilliantly scheduled for the day of our rehearsal), it just wasn't worth the fight. My one attempt at disagreeing was claiming that I would see him in the morning and that would break with tradition, but D was clever enough to remind me of our pre-wedding shoot and all my claims for tradition were moot. So, I caved and made him a pallet.

Night of the Rehearsal

And, you know what? It wasn't the worse thing I ever did.  I woke up giddy and excited and I was able to share that with him.  Poor guy was still asleep when I shook him just to wake him up and happily remind him that it was our wedding day.  I made him breakfast and chatted with him before he left and I got ready to head to my bridal brunch.  Looking back, I am glad we had that relatively normal morning to be together and  laugh and  celebrate and address important questions like "who's dropping our suitcases at the hotel?" and "what time does our flight leave tomorrow?" Also, I loved starting my wedding day off with my groom. Even though we then split up for several hours, the day began and ended together.  That wasn't planned, but it turned out to be really precious.


My mom and I got ready for the bridesmaid's brunch and ran a few errands (Who waits to buy wedding jewelry for their MOB dress until day of wedding?) before heading to my sister's in law's house where a few family friends planned the perfect poolside brunch. My sister's bridesmaid's brunch was the most relaxed brunch I had ever been to -- laying out by the pool, painting nails, yummy breakfast food. I wanted something similar so everyone got to relax pre-wedding. And, the brunch was perfect -- a preppy navy and green Lilly Pulitzer pool day, complete with poolside cocktails, Lilly Plates and navy monogrammed napkins. (Sadly I don't have many pictures of the bridesmaid's brunch)

Mrs. Amy-- one of my second mammas who planned my Navy and Green Lilly shower because she knows I love all things preppy, Lilly and summery!

My sweet bridesmaid, Kristen, who also did our invitations and programs. Check out her shop here.

Bathing suit, sundress and floppy hat with a veil!

I've mentioned this before, but I have the best group of friends from different stages of life - girls who have seen me at my best and worst, who have loved me and challenged me and prayed for me, who made my life infinitely better. It was wonderful to leisurely enjoy the morning with them.

After the brunch, my sisters, mom and I got our hair and makeup done then ran by my parent's house to pick up all our wedding attire. We headed to the venue to primp and get ready.

Walking into the venue was so exciting. I wasn't completely sure what the reception area would look like.  About a month before the wedding, D got a job in DC, moved and we were looking for housing (with one of us still in Mississippi), so at one of our final planning appointments, I told the florist/caterer and wedding planner that I trusted them to figure out the little details.  They knew I wanted a modern clean feel, and they knew my few "must haves", but the rest was up to them. It was the best decision I made. Not only was my plate a little less full, but walking into the venue was an exciting surprise.  They far surpassed any of the decorating decisions I could have made!

Seeing the wedding details for the first time!

I know a lot of people get ready with their bridesmaids, but the bathroom at the venue was only big

enough for my sisters, mom and me....and it was special to spend the time getting ready with them. 

I love Navy so of course I needed Navy wedding shoes!

A little help from my sisters

Gotta get that garter on!

My something borrowed was my mother's pearl bracelet

This picture wasn't planned -- I said my flowers smelled good after the bridal "pose with flowers" pic and my mom wanted to smell!

 We took a few traditional "getting ready" pics before I hade my second "first look" with D....and this was the first look where we were excited and nervous and sharing our feelings about the day.  We were able to take time to pray together then enjoy laughing and pictures together.  I definitely believe you should have a first look....it makes for a more relaxed day for everyone, plus its special time alone :)

I am biased, but he sure is handsome! Check out those baby blues!

Walking to see my groom!

Moments alone

I'm a planner by nature (except wedding planning, a lot of that just stressed me out!).  I love anticipation. I love eagerly looking forward to a special time.  I find almost as much joy in getting ready for a big trip, event or holiday as I do at the event itself! So, getting ready for the ceremony -- with family and friends and D was special and full of anticipation. D was nervous (about being in front of so many people, not marrying me-- or at least he claims that it wasn't me!)  and I am sure other people felt stressed too, but I only felt excitement as we prepared to say I do!

My *2014* Summer Reading List

One of my summer goals is to read - for fun!  I used to be a reader, not as intensely as my sister or my sister in law, but I enjoyed good books and made time for them in my life. Even in law school when I literally read all day long, I would find simple fun novels and read a chapter or two before bed. I found I slept better with stories in my head, not case law! Sadly, once life gets busy, reading is the first thing I let go.  When I was working so much this winter, I would come home, watch one episode of TV then drift off to sleep!  Additionally, marriage has limited my reading because I spend a lot of my "down time" with D, watching TV, catching up, taking an evening walk. Seriously, I have probably read only 5 books total since we got married! But, life and marriage has slowed down and I am excited to dive back into reading...which is perfect because for some reason, summertime signals reading to me. Maybe it's based on school traditions of assigned reading or the fact that lots of travel occurs during the summertime which lends plenty of time for reading. Perhaps its the fact the sticky thick summer heat makes other activities seem too demanding so the solution is escaping with a book in an air conditioned living room!

Reading for leisure really is the ULTIMATE pastime for so many reasons - challenging, enjoyable, an escape!  Not only is a good book enjoyable, it's practical -- It can be carried around and enjoyed on a part bench, the metro, lunch break or curled up in bed.  Allowing someone else's words to create ideas and paint images in your own mind is challenging and educational, causing you to think of new people, places, circumstances and viewpoints! Finally, when your own life is tough and you need encouragement or escape, reading someone else's words can provide the comfort and rest that you need.

I am excited about my reading goals for Summer 2014: I imagine beach bags full of new chick lit to devour by the pool and the scent of chlorine and sunscreen pouring out of the books when I pick them back up at home. I envision thumbing through pages of an exciting read while sipping coffee or a cocktail on the front porch (FYI, I don't have a porch or patio, just patio envy, so Saturday morning porch reading isn't likely going to happen....). I picture lying on a quilt in a grassy park with D studying for his next licensing exam and me curled up beside him, nose in a book, learning about a new topic or experiencing some character's life. I anticipate curling up in bed with a good book, on top of the sheets, on a sticky July night in our tiny 650 square foot apartment with fans blasting and the sound of hot summer rain outside.

Truthfully, I know my summer reading fantasies are a bit dramatic, but I truly am thrilled to take time to enjoy some good books over the next few months!

Here's my Summer Reading List--- in categories for YOUR  my convenience and enjoyment (What can I say? this girl loves a good list!) I wanted to cover a range of topics (political, religious, nonfiction, decorating, novels!) Also, the list was supposed to be 15 books, but honestly, I couldn't pick which one to eliminate, so 16 it is! I'd love to get through all 16, but I am realistic. You never know what curve balls life will throw you, so my realistic goal is 10 books - and I am almost finished with my first (Divergent)

Christian Encouragement

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

* I read Ann Voskamp's blog sometimes and she is such a talented writer -- using words 

to encourage and uplift and point others to Christ. So, I know I will LOVE her book!

Unglued by Lysa TerKeurst

*This book is about learning to deal with emotions, so its particularly applicable

 to ladies (D is probably glad I am reading this book, ha!) It has been 

quite popular and it's already downloaded on the

 family kindle account, so it should be an encouraging read.

A Praying Life by Paul E. Miller

*I started this book a few years ago, but life got busy and I never finished it.  

I enjoyed what I read, so I am taking a second crack at it!

Travel

The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz

* A Travel Memoir about Paris AND Food? Um, yes please!

Political

11 Principles of a Reagan Conservative by Paul Kengor

*For those that know me outside of blog land, does this actually surprise you?

Fiction

Divergent by Veronica Roth

*Yes, I know, I am way late to the band wagon! I am 

already halfway through and I love it!

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

*Tween Fiction -- Who cares? It got RAVE reviews! And maybe 

I can finish it in time to still see the movie in theaters!

Natchez Burning by Greg Iles

*I needed to include a little Mississippi Writing on my list.  Natchez is D's 

hometown and local writer Iles is very entertaining, so I look 

forward to jumping into this southern novel.

Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham

*Raise your hand if you grew up on Gilmore Girls or love Parenthood! 

Me Me Me! Well, Lauren Graham is apparently more than

 an actress. She is also an aspiring author!

The Right Thing by Amy Conner

*This is a coming of age story set in Jackson, MS. Guess what? I came of age

 in Jackson too....so that guarantees I will love this book, right?

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty 

* This book got great reviews....and it was already on the family kindle account, so

 it seemed like a no brainier to add this to my list!

Non Fiction

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

*This was on the bestseller list for MONTHS....non fiction isn't always 

entertaining, but everyone loves it, and it was free to me on the family kindle account!)

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling

*I love THE MINDY PROJECT on Fox, so I look forward to 

Mindy Kaling's clever humor on paper!

I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

*What a motivational young lady - child activist, shot by the Taliban! 

Homemaking

Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist

*A compilation of stories on food, family and community (I support all three!) 

Plus each chapter has a recipe attached.  The blog world has gone crazy 

over this book, so I can't wait to dive in (next week on my vaca!)

The Nesting Place by Myquillyn Smith

*This is another book that the world wide web has given a lot of 

attention -- tips from a popular design blogger about decorating in a 

messy, not so perfect world!  We both work, live in 650 square feet and don't have a 

ton of money so I want our house to be beautiful but homey and still look 

stylish despite imperfections! It's a book full of bright colorful pictures so I 

ordered a hard copy (as opposed to Kindle) and am eager for it to arrive from Amazon!

If I have time....  

(which let's be honest....16 is pushing it, so it's doubtful that I get to 

these books before Fall 2014, but even so, I am listing 

the "runners up" for my 2014 reading list!)

Allegiant and Insurgent by Veronica Roth (might as well finish the series! 

My friend said that once I read one, I will want to read them all...

I am halfway through Divergent and I agree! Plus both are 

already downloaded on the Kindle account!)

I Thought it Was Just Me by C. Brene Brown

Sarah's Key by Kristin Scott Thomas (Everyone seems to love this 

book and I already have a copy due to the shared kindle account)

Eight Twenty Eight by Larissa and Ian Murphy (Eight Twenty Eight 

is about this sweet married couple and it would be on my summer reading 

list except it is not being released until Labor 

Day Weekend.  That's OK, I will just read it this fall!)

The Paris Wife  by Paula McLain (Also a popular book I have yet to 

read which is already on the Kindle)

Glorious Ruin: How Suffering Sets You Free by Tullian Tchividjiian (also already 

on the Kindle, thanks family!)

The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness by Tim Keller (I love Tim Keller and 

this is one of his recent books which I have yet to read-- and 

guess what? It's on the Kindle!)

So - there you have it: my summer reading list....a mix of fiction, nonfiction, educational and just plain fun.  What about y'all? What books are on your summer reading list? (Seriously, I would love suggestions for the future!)