Brudder

Last week my favorite brother in law, Chad, had a birthday.

y'all.... HE IS THE BEST!!!!!!!

here are some things you should know:

- He loves my precious twin unconditionally
- He's hilarious. i mean.... huh...lair...eeee...us. you don't even know.
- He's the kind of hard worker that never stops.
- He's a peacemaker
- He's one heck of a skateboarder
- He's a fun-maker... everythings better if he's around.
- He loves finding "treats" just as much as ME!
- He puts everyone else first- even if it means driving a car without AC.
- He is extremely creative
- He is a hero.
- He is kind.

ok, i could go on and on obviously! you just can't know how easy it is to entrust your most favorite human to someone SO extraordinary! Chadder, i hope your birthday was the best ever and that you felt one ounce of how loved you are!

Happy Birthday!

Things That NEVER Get Old

and the list includes but is not limited to:

- baby voices saying "mommy" or "daddy"

- water toys that bring hours of enjoyment

- talks with my old friend

- laughing (and y'all know my laugh has a mind of its own. more like a cackle)

- an impromptu nap on the couch while a breeze blows by

- SWEET time with some of my dearest!


in case you can't tell, i'm having a blast with the Corbetts! :)

** (pictures to follow upon my return to nashvegas on sunday eve) **

More than just a direction

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I'd like to raise a glass to the fine people at Southwest Airlines! They take it upon themselves to offer the only affordable travel these days and, even still, offer free baggage checking. There are the lovely drink tickets (thank you, kristin leigh kirker rochester), dependable arrival times, and even the reasonable seating process.

I am particularly thrilled for their willingness to usher me into the fine city of brotherly love in the morning. I shall see my dearest heidi, jesse, pete, and baby kate. i can hardly wait to squeeze them! I've got my bag packed, magazines in tow, and even the copy of "A Reason for God" by Tim Keller that i am reading through and discussing with rebecca, amanda, and alexis on tuesdays. (Does the US Weekly/ People Magazine combo cancel out the holy reading???) i digress...

In short, SOUTHWEST for president! can i get an amen?

Horseshoes and Hand grenades

Post 99.

That's what we've reached together, folks. My 99th post. Not quite important enough to make a big fuss about.... to most people.

I am ALL about celebrating the "almost".

For instance:

In high school when i played rec-league softball for a team called... wait for it.... the "Lil' Rebels". Our sponsor was none other that Kemmerlin Taxidermy. That's right. So, there was this one time during a game when i very nearly caught the ball that plummeted deep into right field. i....almost.... caught it. (PS. "get under the ball" never made sense to me... i had depth perception issues. PLUS, who cares enough to hurt themselves for a game?? c'mon!)

Then, that time when i almost hopped a very spontaneous flight to Europe with Sarah! I had never been at the time and we happened upon a stupidly cheap flight to London, found a B&B, and planned out our whole adventure. Only to be thwarted by the terrorists presence at Heathrow and my parents insistence upon my not going. We ALmost got to frolic around London town. almost....

In Nashville, i am confident i have ALMOST snagged "the perfect job" and ALMOST gotten the perfect kiss and ALMOST reached my weight loss goals.

Here's the difference between me and most... ALMOST makes me excited! Hopeful, even! Its not a "wow, i was so close but blew it" situation to me. They haven't all been fun, but its more like, "wow! that was already quite an experience and it hasn't even happened yet. imagine how insane when it does!"

So, friends, as i teeter on the precipice of this, the 99th post and a world of "almosts", i am forced to crack a smile, pull on my big girl shoes, get butterflies in my tummy out of expectation, and forge onward in this crazy life with hope and anticipation of the GREAT things that are almost here!

Motherhood.

so, some of you know that i am watching my friends' four kiddos this weekend. well, weekend meaning 5am today until 9pm on Sunday.

I. am. tired.

already.

but....


look...




i mean... come on. SO CUTE!

updates will come after the first dinner feeding experience.

My apologies.

I haven't been so good at blogging lately, have I?

I'm sorry.

And here, it was one of my New Years Resolutions... well, so was "number 3: kiss more" so i guess i'm failing on more than one front. Alas, i promise to blog more. even if it contains mundane details of my life- you, my public, shall have it. I have many thoughts and plan to share them with you.

For starters: Everyone is moving!!

Today I had lunch with Laurie and Nate! Laurie, her sweet hubby George, son Nate (and baby girl in utero) are headed to a new chapter of life as George starts a fellowship in Ohio. I am SAD they are leaving town. Even though we didn't see nearly enough of one another while living in the same town, they were still.. there. I have known Laurie since she was the cool 11th grader up at the main campus of Summerville High and was also (and still is) the cool older sister of my best friend Libbie! How fun that we landed in Nashville for a short time! it has been so nice. So, alas, on they go to the North. As we enjoyed lunch, i found myself grateful for real friendships. the kind that last through years and moves and transitions. I am thankful to the Lord for these precious friends and can't wait to hear fun stories of the move... well... at least once they have moved. i mean, who enjoys the actual moving?!

ok.... this girl is sleepy. Night night.

Seasons End

You may be thinking that i am just really jumping the gun with the ushering out of Spring and the arrival of Summer (which, if you live anywhere south of Bangor, Maine- may come as a shock to you that Summer has not even begun yet! the real heat is on its way!)

Nay, friends. Nay. What i speak of is the end of a couple "seasons" in the life of one Kelley Kirker.

For starters, today is the last day i will be keeping Lucie. The little goosebump will now be under the care of others- namely her parents. It was time for the transition, folks. Not only do i need to pursue organizing full time, but it also became a situation that i needed to evacuate. I am extremely sad to be leaving the baby as i have become totally attached to her little cute self. (sidenote: WHO knew that was possible?!) Because i am so convinced of this being the right decision, i feel confident that the Lord will provide the next step and already has, but it is still sad.

Next, i am slowly coping with the notion of a Nashville without Sarah June McCoy. My bloggership, if we have met in person, you know the significance this person has had in my life over the last three years. She made Nashville a desirable and peaceful place to be. I was fairly sure, in spring of '05, that i could leave the Music City and no one would notice. Until i met SJ and the Laudy Ladies. I was so very welcomed! In the last three years, SJ and i have had countless adventures, last second trips to exotic locations like... Birmingham, big girl beers, more concerts than i can count, hours upon hours of real conversation, probably walked 200 miles in our neighborhood, team babysitting, team house sitting, youth group trips, movies on the blow up mattress, a veritable tour of the restaurants in Nashville and surrounding counties, buckets of tears, and three years of laughter. I am positive we will stay in close touch- that's never been the question. i'm just so sad to lose the day-in and day-out interaction. I am so grateful for the things June has taught me and i really can't believe everything is changing, but i am SO excited for her transition to Atlanta. Time with her family and the new amazing job will be so worth it. Plus, we'll skype, so it'll all be ok. ha.

So, before all of these thoughts bring me to projectile tears or rocking in a corner with a drink telling myself "its five o'clock somewhere", i'll lighten things up for a moment. we all know that means i'll share a story for your reading pleasure and my (would-be) shame:

Yesterday i walked 6 miles on a treadmill because i didn't want to stop watching a tv show. lets hear it for technological advances at the Middle TN YMCAs! The best part is that the show i couldn't peel myself away from was none other than a vintage episode of "The Bachelorette". ya know... the one with Trista and Ryan! i had never seen it... until yesterday on the treadmill while others waited patiently. i wanted to say, "hold your horses... i'm living vicariously!" but figured that would make me look a tad pitiful. ;)

So, friends, heres the baton pass of seasons, both literal and symbolic, and doing so with gratitude, hope, and anticipation!