Moving on....

Okay...so, just in case anyone out there is even still paying attention to this blog, #1. Thanks for sticking through the 9 month-ish hiatus. %2. We're moving...

This blog began as an attempt to take a picture a day for a year and post it online. I started blogging at the beginning of an amazing chapter in my life- getting engaged- along the way, the blog turned into a blog of not only pictures, but random thoughts and stories from our lives as we traveled the journey from engagement to marriage and on....

And now, as Austin and I start a new chapter in our lives, with our first baby on the way, we are moving on to a new blog as well.

You can find us at www.thereedingroom.wordpress.com

We hope to see you there....:)

Love,
Rachel!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TIM!!

I remember very well the first time I met Tim Reed. I was March 17, 2009. St. Patrick's Day. It was also the night of the Eagles concert. Austin and I weren't even dating at this point in time as Austin was still too scared to maintain more than 5 consecutive minutes of conversation with me. I had just come from a haircut next door and figured I'd swing into the Tav to grab a free soda before heading home.

Unfortunately, my timing didn't work out for quick beverage swipe. In true Boone Tavern fashion, they had not anticipated the Eagles' concert combined with St. Pat's day brining in A TON more business than usual and only 3 servers were scheduled. Which suddenly meant that my quick stop turned into my clocking in and running food to waiting tables with wet hair, ripped jeans, and flip flops.

As I walked out onto the patio, I noticed a large, rowdy table of patrons right in front of the server station. I did a double take when, suddenly I was looking at an older version of Austin Reed. I told my friend Dani, who was serving that night, "I think that guy is my friend, Austin's dad. You should ask him if his last name is Reed." And so she did. She returned a few minutes later with the message that I was supposed to go say hi.

Our ensuing conversation went a little bit like this:

Hey...so, you're Austin's dad?

Yeah...how do you know Austin?

We work together at Rock Bridge.

(looking a little confused) You work at Rock Bridge? With Austin?

Yep.

What do you do?

I'm a Guidance Counselor.

Oh. That's nice.....So...you're there everyday? All day? And you work with Austin?

(Laughing) Um, yep. I'm there everyday...except Saturday and Sunday.

Then the topic changes to the Eagles concert when Tim (or someone at his table mentions they are going).

Oh yeah, Austin told me today that he's going to the concert too. Will you all sit together?

(Tim looking doubtful). No, Austin's not going.

Yeah he is.

My son, Austin?

Uh, yeah. He's going with the golf coach.

Doug Daniels?

Yeah. I think so?

Tim doesn't believe me so he calls Austin up.

I'm at Boone Tavern with one of your friends.... (pause and then he turns to me, "What was your name again?") ...Rachel. She said you're going to the Eagles concert?......

Austin confirms that I am indeed correct and he's heading to the concert and Tim just says,
Well, hell...I can't even keep track of my own kids.

To which someone at the table offers him another frosty beverage and the table cracks up with laughter.

Later. A long time later. After Austin and I were dating, I told him this story. And I added, "You know before we were dating, one thing I remember thinking was 'Austin's dad is good looking for an old man (sorry about the "old man" comment Tim!) and if Austin looks like him when he's older, I'd be okay with that'. Wait. Is that creepy that I said your dad is good looking? Sorry".

And here we are. 2 years later. Austin and I are married and Tim, that funny guy I met at Boone Tavern on St. Pat's Day, is my father in law. Didn't see that one coming, but I'm sure glad that it worked out this way :)

And I'm sharing this story b/c Tim Reed says he is the luckiest man in the world and that he doesn't need anything for his birthday tomorrow.

In fact his quote was: "Tim Reed is the most blessed, luckiest man on this planet. ... I simply don't need anything. .. If you must do something, just give me a real cheap card, and let me know your summer plans and how Lisa and I can fit into those plans a little."

And while it's not a card with summer plans, the point of this whole entry, is that we too are so blessed. Because we have Tim in our lives. And having Tim in your life means that there's never a dull moment ;)

I specifically am blessed because Tim raised his oldest son to be a kind, thoughtful, and loving husband...who, like his father, has a hilarious sense of humor and knows how to have a good time :) (and who will grow up to be a pretty good looking old man :))

So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TIM REED! I hope you have a WONDERFUL day full of birdies, beer, and Booches. :)

Much love,

Your very blessed daughter-in-law :)

Also, for your B-day, I've made you a cookie cake...which out grew it's pan in the oven. But I promise, by the time I deliver it, it will be both beautiful and delicious :)


Okay...so maybe "beautiful" is a relative term. I probably should have double checked the amount of icing I had before I started with the beautification process ;) And "delicious" may be relative also as I am pretty sure that the cookie is stuck to that baking stone despite the generous amount of Pam I sprayed on it before baking :) Whoops. Well....as they say. It's the thought that counts ;) HAPPY BDAY!

Thor

Saturday night Austin and I went to see the movie Thor. I have to admit, when the previews first came out, I thought that there was no way in the world I would actually go see that movie in theaters. I mean, really? A long haired blond dude running around in a viking helmet swinging a giant mallet!? Weird. But I like Natalie Portman. And the reviews were good. So I decided it may be worth checking out after all...

I'm so glad I did.

I don't know if I can adequately describe it, but no movie that I have seen recently has so strongly tugged at the part of my heart that longs for heaven. I'm positive that this is not the typical viewer reaction, but from the first scenes of the surreal realm of Asgard, I some how began to better understand how amazing heaven will be. If the finite mind of some set/graphic designer can come up with a vision that bizarre and grandiose, yet beautiful, then I cannot imagine how much more our infinite God has created.

Obviously not my picture...but I'm not quite sure what pictures I'd use for a post on Thor...

And maybe it was just the way my heart was already leaning, but as I watched the film, I couldn't help but see parallels to the gospel message. Thor's act of sacrificial love when he offers himself to his vengeful brother in order to save others. His resurrection as a warrior god after dying as a weak mortal. His return to Asgard with the promise that he would return to the ones he loves.

Now, obviously Thor is not a perfect Christ figure...for one, Thor's father, Odin, banishes him to earth b/c of his arrogance while Jesus humbly came to earth out of love...but the similarities were enough to strike a cord in my soul.

What resonated with me most was the last scene of the movie. The last line really. Thor, standing on the end of the bridge (to earth and other realms) that was destroyed in battle, asks the gatekeeper is he can see Jane, and he replies "She searches for you". That sentence, more than anything summed up the longing of my own heart.

In my head I "know" that I should long for Christ above all else, that I should be longing for his return. But rarely does that head knowledge truly connect with my heart. Seeing it played out on screen...seeing Thor standing in Asgard watching her and Jane tenaciously searching the sky for him in return..that made it click. Bridged the gap b/t my head and my heart so to speak. Because that is how it is with us and Christ. He is in heaven waiting to return to us and we are here on earth desperately longing for him. Even if we don't always "know" it, our hearts are searching for Him.

"She searches for you."

Yes, I do.

Blue Bird

There is a blue bird (jay?) who lives in our neighborhood and graces my dying bush in the front yard with his presence every once in a while. And every time I see him I get the song "Zip-a-dee-doo-dah" in my head.

It's the truth...it's actual...everything is satisfactual....

May Day

May 1, 2011

A year ago I was single. I was working at Boone Tavern. I was dating this amazing guy. Who even though he didn't really like dogs, offered to go to the dog park with me after my shift. Even when it started to rain. Even when my friend Jordan ended up with my dogs so there were no dogs to take to the park.

A year minus a couple days ago, I started this blog. After my engagement :)

And now...here were are a year later.

I'm married. I quit the Tav. I get to wake up every morning to this amazing guy. And 2 giant dogs (and 2 cats). I wonder everyday how in the world life could get any better. And I marvel at how amazing God is to bless me so much when I deserve so little.

Happy May Day! :)

The List

Every time I have a project that I want to complete or something that I want to buy, Austin's response is "add it to the list". I am pretty sure this is his way of attempting to sweep the issue under the rug. If it's on "the list", then I am appeased and the conversation stops. But, I don't really think he ever thought that anything on the list would ever come to fruition.

Until last weekend when I somehow managed to change my garden from a list item into an actual plot of land!

It probably helped that I went ahead and bought all the plants at the Career Center's plant sale while he was distracted with the duties of teaching :)

It's nothing big...there are 3 tomato plants and some cayenne peppers (I figured if I was going to buy plants w/o consulting him first, I should probably at least buy something I know he'd be excited about :)) and 2 strawberry plants...and then we got some spinach and radish seeds to toss in the mix. I'm not so sure that those will sprout though...the already germinated plants at least have half a chance of surviving my gardening ignorance and our clay yard, I'm hoping.

And then, the "from the list to reality" project seemed to be going so well, I convinced Austin to get a tree for the front yard too! So, now we have a maple in the front yard and a garden out back. Not too shabby for a weekend's work.



So, there they are...the first of the list items to actually come to life.

Hopefully shutters will be next.


And in case you were curious...here are some of the other plants I managed to sneak from the Career Center's sale :)

Passover

April 21, 2011

There are two events that the Hermann family celebrates every year as a throwback to my father's upbringing and our Jewish heritage. Those events are Passover and Hanukkah. I am pretty sure I've written about Hanukkah already...so let me now take a minute to fill you in on the feast of Passover.

If Hanukkah is kind of like Christmas a celebration with gifts and food and lights, then Passover is kind of like Good Friday/Easter. And maybe I'm just drawing the comparisons because of the proximity of the events during the calendar year.

Passover is the commemoration of the Jews redemption from Egypt. Good Friday and Easter are the Christian commemoration of the redemption from sin and death. So maybe there's more of a parallel than just the dates on the calendar.

But that's what's so amazing about the Jewish religion and the Christian faith...one prepares for the other. The Jewish religion points to the coming of Christ and the Christian faith. Which is why we celebrate the Jewish holiday of Passover even though we're Christians. Because we know that Passover isn't just a celebration of an event that occurred centuries ago...it's a celebration of the constant redemption and renewal that God provides through faith in his Son.

This is the first year that we have not had Passover at my parents house. And it seemed a little bit strange to be in the fellowship hall of a church instead of the cramped and cozy quarters of my mom's kitchen/dining room. And the Hagada that we read was a little different than what we traditionally read- a shorter version that would fit into the allotted hour service. But the message was still there. And this year, there was a sense of a greater community of believers who also understood and celebrated the importance of the Jewish history in our present Christian lives.


Baby Aliyah's first Passover...she's fascinated by the unleavened bread :)