a new friend

Something really funny happened to me today, and I need to tell some people about it. This afternoon, I was lacing up my running shoes, ready to hit the road, when I looked up and saw a small boy, not a day over three (he later told me he is exactly "threeyewsold"), standing in my front yard.

He was walking slowly from one part of the yard to another, moving the small distance ever so carefully. I thought he must be on a walk with his mom, as I see moms and small children walking often where I live. So I went on about my business of tying my shoes.

Well, turns out, I stepped outside and the boy is still there, just hanging out in the yard, walking around. There is no adult in sight - anywhere. "Hey buddy. What are you doing?"

"jhdhagsdeftrfehsbdhsgfsdgs" is what he might as well have replied with, because I understood none of it. "Where is your mommy?"

"Somewhere."

"Somewhere? Is she at your house?"

"Yes."

"Where is your house?"

"That way." (he points down a deserted alleyway)

"Come walk with me. We'll find your mommy. I bet she doesn't know where you are."

We head down the street, me and this child. I know he probably couldn't have gone too far. He had his little flip flops on the wrong feet. It was adorable. I asked him his name. "Greg."

"Greg, what's your last name?"

"Greg."

"What about your mommy? What's her name?"

"Greg."

Getting no where. Greg is a lone ranger, all by himself. And he doesn't know his last name or where he lives. But dog gone it, he wants to go on a walk, climb trees, and watch trucks pass by. He dragged me along for awhile, and when I realized we'd gone farther than he'd probably originally wandered from his house, we turned around. I alternated between chasing him down the street and trying to keep him out of the MIDDLE of the street and carrying him. I tried everything to get him to tell me his mom's name or where he lived, and he just didn't seem to understand why that mattered. I even tried tickling him until he told me where mommy was.

We knocked on the doors of three houses, all of which he said were his. No one answered at any of them. He kept asking me to play and go for walk "that way" and to climb a tree. I told him we weren't going to play until we found mommy, because she was probably very sad not knowing where he was, and did he want his mommy to be sad?

He giggled and ran from me. I chased him and called to him, but he wouldn't listen. When I finally caught him, he wasn't interested in anything I had to say until I got very serious - like I was about to tell him the most important secret in the world.

"Greg. I need to talk to you." I said it in a very serious, adult like manner. Then I had his complete, undivided attention - this happened several times, and every time, this worked. It was hilarious.

I walked with/carried Greg up and down the street for ABOUT 45 minutes and had no idea who he belonged to or what to do with him. As hot as it was outside, I didn't feel ok taking him inside my house -- I wasn't in the mood to be charged with kidnapping. But the kid was getting heavy.

There really is no climax to this story. His mom finally came out of their house, which was diagonally across the street from me. She gave me an odd look as I started walking toward her from down the street, carrying her son.

"Does he belong to you?"

She didn't seem as worried as I would have expected her to be (seemed like she'd even been asleep), but shoot, maybe Greg takes frequent adventurous hikes through the hood. Anyway, he is safe and sound back at his house with his mom and dad. I made sure to tell her that he was in MY yard, lest my face be plastered on next week's PEOPLE magazine for child abduction. I can picture it now.

Seriously, what would I have done if his mom hadn't eventually come outside? Called the police?

I thought this was a funny/random afternoon. Just thought I'd share.

a wedding and a killer card game

Last weekend, I got to see so many faces that I miss dearly. It was fantastic. Sally Saulters, one of my good college friends, got married in Grenada, MS last Saturday. Jimmy and I went and spent the night in Starkville on our way back to Birmingham. Here's a picture of me with the beautiful bride and a picture of Sally & Brian arriving at the reception.

Also, have you ever played killer UNO? I hate card games. For the most part, anyway. There is almost always something I'd rather be doing than playing cards.

Until.

Katie introduced me to killer UNO, a more keyed up version of UNO that she learned in Africa. I can't stop playing it. Really - it's taken over the latter half of my summer. Well, that's an overstatement. But we've been playing it - a lot.

We've started having people over a good bit to play the game - it gets very intense - glass has been broken, drinks spilled. But it is oh so worth it. Here are a few pictures of our latest game night.

Also, here is the wine cork we made out of my favorite stress ball.
Do you like it?

We do.

need new music?

If you're like me, you appreciate any good, new song but tend to stick with what you love -- those few absolute favorites you can turn to time and time again, like comfort food. For Laura, George Strait. For Jimmy, U2. For Kate, Nickelback. For mom, Josh Groban (or dare I say Sandi Patty or Bette Middler???) And for Mere, Michael Bolton, of course.

For me, it's James Taylor, Sara Groves, Patty Griffin, Rosie Thomas, and Snoop Dogg of course. Really anything bluesy, folksy, and mellow. I don't often add favorites to that list. I do, though, enjoy any and all new music I can find that meshes with these genres in some way. I appreciate mellow and good lyrics (which is obviously why I am such a fan of Nickelback) and a nice beat. What can I say.

So I introduce to you today the music of a fellow Starkville native and Starkville High grad, Kelley McRae. She's Mississippi talent, so of course I want people to listen. But besides that, it really is just GOOD music.

Steve Tuner of Paste magazine gave her four stars in his review:

"Part of a new generation of Celtic singer/songwriters working out of Brooklyn and the East Village, Kelley McRae came from Mississippi dragging a guitar case full of rural references. On 'Never Be,' she moves effortlessly from the mournful tones of the plantation to the celebratory swing of the saloon, from songs of loss and decay to hymns of love and grace. A ruminative writer with an attractively vulnerable twang in her voice, McRae has made an assured and varied coffee-house debut that helps put a little Hank into Williamsburg."

She's got one album out, Never Be, and has a second, Highrises in Brooklyn, scheduled for release on August 19. Listen to her music and read about her here. Her music is available on iTunes, as well.

She's really, really good -- I particularly love the songs, "Time" and "Break Us." They are all amazing, though.

Just a suggestion if any of you are looking for fresh, new music but aren't having much luck. These songs are gems.

a good blog read

About a month ago, I discovered a blog that I can't stop reading. I just have to share it with my small readership. The first time I found it, I stayed up until 2 a.m. reading it and crying my eyes out. It's about a family in Nashville and their story of losing a newborn baby. My words can't do the story justice here -- you need to read it yourself.

You'll have to start at the beginning to get the whole story -- there's a link on the left sidebar to take you there. Make sure you have plenty of time and Kleenex. It really is so good. Crosspoint in Nashville interviewed this couple, Todd & Angie Smith, for a series in their church.

If you can get past the (very) cheesy guy with entirely too much hair product, you should really watch this video. It's a little over 20 minutes long, but completely worth it. I don't know if it got to me so much because I'd already read Angie's whole blog, but it was incredibly moving.


Smith Family Story from Matthew Singleton on Vimeo.

If you watch that video, you should really follow it up with this one. Todd sings in the group Selah, and he and Angie together wrote the song in this clip for their daughter, Audrey. It will be on their next album. Absolutely beautiful.



Angie's doing a Bible study this fall, which I really hope to be a part of. She is amazing. I really want to be friends with her -- if I lived in Nashville, I'd definitely sit on her front porch/stalk her until she was my friend. I'm not far away -- I still might.

Anyway, just a recommendation for a good blog read. It's worth your time to check it out.

Have a good Monday :)

i need your advice.

I need to be a little shallow for a moment (as though the rest of my blog is a deep well of profound wisdom...) and ask for your advice, readership, on an issue of decor. Since moving into a new house and significantly downsizing in closet space, I have decided to invest in an armoire for my bedroom.

I have been scouring the internet and the corners of the earth for one that is pretty, unique, and relatively inexspensive. They are not many. I did find a few at a less expensive antique place here in the Ham, and I think I've narrowed it down to one or two. I'm going to post pictures of it here, along with the bed that I need it to go with.

The first three are of the same armoire. It's from England, and the shelves inside are labeled "shirts," "pyjamas," "underwear," and my favorite..."sundries." The last one is more basic, and a bit more pricey.

I don't know anything about armoires, and I need people with better taste than me to give their opinions.

woof

Does anyone else think this is hilarious? When we were leaving fireworks downtown the night of the 4th, we ended up in traffic at a redlight next to this car.

I rolled down the window and shouted to the guy to ask if I could take a picture of his passenger, and he didn't find it amusing.

You'd think a guy who drives around with a giant stuffed dog in his passenger seat might have a sense of humor. I guess not.

I took it anyway, evidently risking my own life and the lives of those in my car. But don't you think it was worth it?

Maybe no one thinks it's as funny as I do, but I sure am glad I have this picture.

my life has changed forever.

This is why.

I've had the same coffee maker since my sophomore year in college - in all its plastic, stained, rickety glory, it has served me well. And still does, actually. I had no intention of replacing it anytime soon.

But then, as I was meandering through a parking garage one Sunday afternoon, I came across a massive Macy's "garage sale" where tons of kitchen appliances were on sale for nearly nothing. Compared to original prices, anyway.

It didn't take me long to stumble across the life altering machine you see to the left. It was beckoning to me. Calling my name softly in the June breeze. And I couldn't resist.


I've never had that feature on a coffee maker where you can program it to both start brewing and shut off on its own at a certain time. I've waited on pins and needles to open up this brilliant appliance until after the move. Last night I did the test run, and this morning is the part that changed my life forever. I woke up to the smell of fresh coffee wafting into my bedroom from the kitchen.

"Someone's making coffee....wonder if they will let me have some...." I thought as I rolled over in the bed. I got up, put on my glasses and stumbled to the kitchen, where no one was making coffee. I remembered with glee that I now have a coffee maker that makes it FOR me! I think I did a little pirhouette across the kitchen.

It makes excellent coffee, too. If you are a coffee lover, this is definitely a worthy investment. I'm thinking of taking Old Faithful to my classroom in August. But then, I don't know that I'd ever stop drinking coffee during the day. Caffeine might replace blood in my veins, actually.

Anyway, just wanted to share my newfound love. Hope you're all having a good Tuesday!