Shirley, Peenie, and Me

Peenie and I just learned that Shirley Temple passed away yesterday. Upon hearing the news, Peenie said, "Awwww. That's a piece of my childhood." Funny thing...cause even though Peanut's 66 years my senior, Shirley was a piece of my childhood, too.

It's amazing how many cultural things we share with those around us, regardless of age or relation. I remember watching Shirley Temple movies on television when I was growing up (there always seemed to be a marathon on sick days). Peenie remembers seeing her first Shirley Temple film at a movie theater in her hometown of Hardinsburg, Kentucky in the 1940's. "They were the only movies my mother would let us see...so wholesome...we loved them", she says.

That's probably why I loved those movies so much, too. Mom never had to monitor my watching them, and that's cause they really are so wholesome and "feel-good". Shirley Temple was just so darn cute! How could you not like her? But more than that...

I did some research on her a few minutes ago, and did you know that she was both the foreign ambassador to Ghana in 1974 and the foreign ambassador to Czechoslovakia in the 1980's? She was also the first celebrity to hold a press conference IN THE HOSPITAL discussing her struggle with breast cancer immediately after having a mastectomy in 1972. These, along with other achievements, make her a pretty interesting lady. She didn't let her life stop at being a child star. She made her mark in many different arenas. Pretty inspiring, if you ask me. And speaking of different arenas...

I'm moving to Charlotte! I've just accepted a job as the Assistant Director of Stewardship (aka: Fundraising) at Myers Park Presbyterian Church. My start date is at the end of the month. I'm excited to be working with such a respected organization, and to explore a new city! Plus, I get to live with one of my very best friends, Miss Sarah Tomkinson. Warm fuzzies all around!

This means some change for Peenie, of course. And friends, your prayers are needed. Peenie is determined to stay in her home...alone. We've come at her from every single angle to convince her not to...but she's not wavering. And until she is unable to care for herself, our family has decided to let her make her own decisions.

This worries me very much, and I even contemplated not taking this new job in order to stay in Greenville with her. But, as I am falling deeper into debt with my blasted student loans and monthly bills, my family is convinced that moving is the best decision for me...and possibly for Peenie. By moving out, we're hoping to "freeze her out" (current weather pun intended). As sad as this sounds, we're hoping that the loneliness she experiences once I am gone will help sway her to sell her home and move into a better environment (ie: most likely my mom and dad's home in Greensboro).

So please pray, friends! Pray that Peanut will be able to let go of her house and her stuff, so that she can be surrounded by family who can care for her in her final years. Seriously, your prayers are COVETED in this situation.

As far as today goes, though--Peanut and I are snowed in! So we're going to spend one of our last Tuesdays together watching the flakes fall, enjoying some homemade walnut brownies, drinking coffee, and maybe watching a Shirley Temple movie or two!

I'll leave you with this:

Happy Valentine's Day from Katy and Peenie!

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

You Can't Push the Lord Around

I believe in Providence. I also believe in free will. Where those two overlap, I'm not quite sure. But Peenie said it best earlier today:

"You can't push the Lord around. I'd like to, but it's best not to do that."

Wise words from my grandmother. And maybe she's rubbing off on me, because...

I read an article recently that was entitled, "Life Doesn't Begin at Your Next Milestone". True, and while I think we all know this, we act like we don't. Why do we push, push, push SO HARD to get to that next milestone? Be it college, grad school, a job, marriage, a baby, grandbabies (Ahem! Mom? Stooooop!)...is it society that drive us? Family? Friends? Our own entitlement? I think comparison has a large part in it, and you know what I read about comparison recently? It's the thief of joy.

Let THAT sink in for a minute.

But yes, my usual M.O. for any milestone (or any big decision, for that matter) is to PUSH. Just ask my family. My personality is all like, "ADVANCE! ADVANCE! NEVER RETREAT!" For all of you Myers Briggs people out there, I'm a total ENFJ, and that F is a capital F with an exponent of 20. If something feels right, I jump on it like white on rice. Like cold on ice. I don't pray about decisions. I don't wait for things patiently. I MAKE things happen. 

My family laughs at this ability of mine, mostly because it's helped me get a lot of the things that I've wanted. I'm a "go-getter", which to most people is a good thing. But the one thing you don't hear about go-getters is that while they're dependable and get things done, they typically do not reflect on things. And lack of reflection can result in premature decisions. Hence, my 1st and 2nd attempts at graduate school, my split-second move to DC in 2012, my inability to figure out what I want to DOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Etcetera, etcetera, and so forth. So where am I going with all of this? Or...where am I going, period?

Well, as far as what I want to do for a career is concerned, you've got me there. I know I like to work with people. I know I don't want to be in a cubicle again. I know that I'm creative, yet also structured. And I know that I want to do something meaningful. Something that furthers a cause, not something that just shoots me a paycheck.

As far as decisions or milestones go, the next one for me is having a salaried job once again. Peenie no longer needs me in Greenville, so it's back to LinkedIn job search. But I'm not pushing this time. Nope, I'm approaching it differently. 

First, this milestone is most definitely a "need" and not a "want". The time that I've spent in Greenville with Peenie has been good for me in many ways (forced reflection being one of them), but it has not been good for my finances. This needs to be righted ASAP. Student loans, you dig?

Second, in the past, my tendency has been to go out and grab whatever decent-sounding job I could get. No more. This will be a process where I will practice patience and reflection. I will put myself out there and be "choosy". I will not settle.

Third, though I ultimately will choose where to work (God bless the USA for that), I am relying on the Lord to place me in the job and city that is best. This is where Providence and free will intersect, I think. 

So, friends, keep me in your prayers! Pray that I'll find some meaningful employment! And that the Lord will bless it! And if you're struggling with reaching that next milestone yourself (whatever it may be), remember the wise words of Peanut:

"You can't push the Lord around. I'd like to, but it's best not to do that."

Peenie Ain't Happy

Hello, friends! It's been awhile!

Sorry, not sorry I've been blog-slacking during the holidays--it was so nice to be home and have NO obligations for a bit. Thanks, Mom! You are my favorite! And you're a really excellent cook, and a really good gifter, and a really swell pedicure buddy, and your hugs are really great, and...so much more. I love you! Thank you for being on Peenie Patrol AND for finding time to hang with me, too. You made my Christmas Break a true break! I owe you big time. Xoxoxo!

So, friends, as you've probably gathered, Peenie DID get in the car with me on Christmas Eve morning, and we made it to Greensboro a few hours later. Funnily enough, the moment we climbed into the car and I started the engine, the Hallelujah Chorus burst forth from my stereo speakers. Coincidence? I think not.

We stopped in Salisbury for lunch with James at Gritz Cafe (highly recommend), where Peenie flirted with him for the duration of our eating. Hehehehe...don't think I got a word in edgewise! It was the first time that James had been exposed to Peenie for more than five minutes, and his summation was hilarious: "She...is a live wire!" You're so right, my man. So right. Or, as Aunt Jayne says, "A live wire of disquiet." That's Peenie for ya!

Since mom was on Peenie Patrol, I don't have many Christmas Break Peenie stories. But I do want to share a hilarious nickname that she's christened me with: Twisty Butt.

Yep. You read that correctly. Twisty Butt. My 92 year-old grandmother now calls me Twisty Butt.

The morning that we left for Greensboro, I was running up and down the staircase at Peenie's, towing her luggage to the car. Friends, in case you were wondering, the woman can PACK. And not lightly, either. Sheesh. Anyway, as she was watching me go up and down the stairs, she says, "Katy, you got a little twisty butt. Bet James likes that a LOT!"

Awkward...

But now Peenie and I have made it into a dance! The Twisty Butt! Want to learn? Just twist your rumpus to any song you like, and you're doing it correctly. We taught it to Will, Mitch, Mom, and Dad. I'm sure it'll be the next dance wave in no time. YouTube, here we come!

I'll leave you with this:

Peenie knows about the blog. She's actually known about it for a while, but over break, there were many relatives that told her that they just LOVE reading about her on my blog. Needless to say, she AIN'T happy. And she wants me to "stop this blog foolishness" ASAP.

...well, I'm not. Hehehe! Just do me a favor, friends! If you see her, PLEASE don't mention the blog. I'm afraid she's going to gag me in my sleep! Just kidding. But really.

Next blog post? I'm going to attempt a video interview with Peenie about her feelings toward the blog. Stay tuned!

And, HAPPY 2014!