Giving Back Is The New Black

Some friends of mine, Kimberly Novosel, Carrie Hickman and Heather Trabucco started an organization called "Giving Back is the New Black." How awesome is that? Basically, it's an organization that shines a spotlight on other non-profits or people that are doing things that "Giving Back" believes in. These girls have beautiful hearts and an amazing vision to make a difference.

There is an official launch party for "Giving Back is the New Black," in Nashville on Thursday, Feb. 11th at 7pm. This & That is playing! If you're interested, let me know and I'll get you more information.

Kimberly asked me to tell her a bit about the work I do for the Songs of Love Foundation and they recently featured me on their website. You can check it out here.

Closing Out A Decade

I remember exactly what I was doing 10 years ago. My grandparents took my entire family on our first cruise. And somewhere in Ocho Rios, Jamaica I had some of those crazy braids put in my hair. I also had a crush on a boy who wouldn't date me because he'd read the book "I Kissed Dating Goodbye." In retrospect, thank you, Joshua Harris, for giving so many Christian men that crazy idea. About that time there had been all sorts of talk about Y2K. Wanna know something funny? I have a friend in Nashville whose dad actually wrote that book about Y2K. She has great stories about her dad at the end of 1999. He had built a bomb shelter of sorts, and stocked it with tons and tons and tons and tons of supplies. Not to mention the fact that their whole family was subjected to multiple practice drills in preparation for the big day. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for the gift of no practice drills and no bomb shelter.

We spent the actual eve of the Millenium in Mulberry, Kansas (the middle of nowhere in southeastern Kansas) with my dad's side of the family...and I believe my best friends Stacey and Sarah made the trip with us. I remember it was really fun. We danced. We did the limbo. And I still had those ridiculous braids in my hair.

I turned sixteen in 2000, so that was exciting 'cause I got to drive for the first time. I thought it was the end of the world (my own personal Y2K or 2012) when my parents made me wait over two WHOLE months to get my driver's license in May since my birthday is actually in March. I also remember really wanting a super cute, two door sports car. And I got stuck with the family Nissan Stanza (or as my brother called it, "the Stanz"). My mom told me all I needed to do was lock the back two doors and I'd have the two door car I'd always dreamed of. I'm envisioning myself having this same conversation with my daughter in twenty years.

I think Gwyenth Paltrow must have won an Oscar in 2000 (or maybe it was 1999), but she wore the most beautiful pink dress. I wanted it SO badly. Either we couldn't find it or I couldn't afford it. And my grandma ended up making it for me so that I could go to a dance with the boy who wouldn't date me.

I also remember wanting to be in Chamber singers SO badly (the top choir in my high school). Being accepted for my junior year would be tough since seniority would obviously go to the seniors. But one morning after the auditions, several screaming girls barged into my room and kidnapped me. I had to leave the house in my pajamas. And I was taken to a Chamber Singers initiation somewhere. Ahh. I was so excited. Such good memories!!!!

Why these are the things I remember about this year, I have no idea. But I want to make more of these good memories. I can't believe it's been ten years. I am such a different person now.

I had the best New Year's Eve I've ever had. I went to an actual grown-up party. And my friends were there. Friends from Kansas City and Nashville. The best of both worlds for me. I think it was the perfect way to kick off a year that will hopefully hold many more "firsts." I've never been one to write down my goals and dreams...and perhaps this is because I'm scared they won't come true. Or maybe it's because I'm not really sure what they are. But I am making it my goal to discover my goals. If I don't write them down I may never realize when they're accomplished. And then I may never be thankful for all the things that have come to be. And I want to be grateful. I am grateful. But I want to make a point to be more intentional about this...so...there's one goal.

Here's to another AMAZING decade.