God bless my America

I have a hard time writing about America. Not because of my lack of love for this great nation, but more so because I don’t know exactly how to put how I feel into words. I do this with people I love also. I don’t always come off as appreciative or sympathetic or loving or sincere as I truly am because I am so afraid that what I will say can never come close to my actual feelings. I can tell you all day how much I “love” shopping and dove hunting and Pretty Little Liars and lattes and sleeping in, because I know those things don’t care if I think twice about them. I also love words, but they can never do justice for a truly heartfelt emotion like love.

I love God. I love my family and the way I was raised. I love my hometown. I love horses and the way they communicate with and soften my soul and how being around them has bonded my family. And I love my country. Though these are pretty obvious statements, that’s about as far as I can go with them. Anything less is not enough, but any more would still not justify them enough for me.

I hope that everyone genuinely appreciates the ones they truly love today. So many have sacrificed things they love for us to be able to do so. Let this day be a reminder for every. single. day. of just how blessed we are. Cling tight to your loved ones and thank God for them every day. Cling tight to your freedom, it’s only by it that we can chase our passions and dreams and the other things we “love.” Cling tight to the land that we live on which, God willing, provides us all we need and allows us to also meet the needs of others abroad. Cling tight to your right to voice your opinion and never ever think that you don’t matter. Cling tight to your neighbor, even those that you do not love, because together we are a strong and diversified nation. We can only prosper when we learn to be a united front. Divided we fall. The United States of America is not just a country or a big plot of land sandwiched between two others. America is her people and we represent her every day in what we say and do, in the way we carry ourselves, in what we post, in what we think, in what we believe.

Being American is not always about fighting and rebellion. It’s about standing up for the little man and doing what is right. It’s not about absolute power or being better than anyone else. It’s about allowing everyone the opportunity to use their strengths where others are weak, so that we all have the chance to flourish. It’s not about pushing your thoughts on other people and angering when they disagree. It’s about finding the joy in the idea that we can all have different opinions and still thrive under one diversified governing body. It’s not about political warfare and self-defense and birth rights. It’s about understanding that we are a fallen creation that is going to face dark times and hard questions, but knowing we can get through them.

And to me, being American is owning a gun for defense, not offense. And speaking of defense, my America is about football. And the marching band. My America is going to church and believing. Believing. My America is driving to the grocery store on Sunday and waiting in line at the checkout. It’s choosing where you want to go to college. It’s a funny movie. It’s fashion trends and diet fads and apple pie moonshine. It’s freedom of expression and parents who teach their children respect- how to earn it and how to show it. It’s getting what you work for, not what you think you’re entitled to. And it’s never about settling for less that you deserve. It is chasing dreams and opportunity. Opportunity. And it doesn’t get any better.

I hope today you remember what threatened this country 12 years ago on this day. And I hope you are grateful to still call it yours. I hope you also keep everything you love in mind when considering our current situations at home and abroad. And most of all, I hope you love America like I do. But I hope you can say it much better than I.

Love always,

Addie

“The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.” – James Truslow Adams, The Epic of America

“It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the organizer, who gave us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier, who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag. And whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag.” –Father Dennis Edward O’Brien, USMC

“Part of the American dream is to live long and die young. Only those Americans who are willing to die for their country are fit to live.” –Douglas MacArthur

not A merica, THE MERICA

Happy day-before-the-Forth-of-July! I want to take a moment to reflect on the glorious country that I call home. This blog is dedicated to the men and women who love this place enough to put it all on the line, and for that I am forever grateful. We so often take our freedom and liberties for granted, so I encourage everyone to revere this great nation and all that she stands for. Never forget the history this soil holds and all that it has overcome, and all that it continues to promise.

Two of my favorite quotes about life are about as equivalent to being American as it gets: “If you want to be happy, be” and “If you don’t like where you are, move” perfectly explain the majority of human problems as well as the solution. We are lucky enough to live in one country with 50 very different states- if you don’t like one, you’re sure to find one that you do. Though I have visited less than half of the states (so far), I still have an endless amount of respect and appreciation for each one for the depth and character they add to our “melting pot.” Here’s a list of the 50 things I personally love about our 50 states, even the one’s I haven’t been to yet…

Alabama- Football. And one smokin’ hot guy with manners! (aka, Alex)

Alaska- Deadliest Catch, dog mushing, and Mt. McKinley making the tallest point in the biggest state

Arizona- Grand Canyon

Arkansas- the LAKE

California- the pursuit of happiness and self always seem to be welcomed out there…and they have the huge trees in the Sequoia National Park

Colorado- Hiking, skiing, and the first place I ever saw a wild prairie dog

Connecticut- strangely entertaining hunting locations and nice homes

Delaware- the first of the great states, Fishers popcorn, and the lady bug being the state bug…

Florida- Disney World—so magical!

Georgia- Peaches, golf, and peanut festivals. It can keep the gnats, though.

Hawaii- Beaches everywhere…that’s a dead give away.

Idaho- Potato chips, hot springs, and the Nez Perce legends…they should have kept the Appaloosas…

Illinois- Chicago, the greatest rival to the Cards,…and the home of some of my best friends from college.

Indiana- Purdue. Agriculture forever.

Iowa- the crookedest street in the world, Snake Alley

Kansas- can’t say much because I was raised to hate a Jayhawk, but thank goodness for farm country

Kentucky- One word: Bourbon.

Louisiana- Cajun food and Swamp People

Maine- Lobster

Maryland- I read once that their Mcdonald’s offer crab rolls…

Massachusetts- Smarty pants schools that beat Asian math and science scores everytime.

Michigan- Detroit and vehicles- thanks, yall.

Minnesota- MALL OF AMERICA

Mississippi- Blues music, laid back lifestyles, Mugshots cheeseburgers, and Hail to Dear Ole State!

Missouri- The Bootheel and me, obviously. Although I should also mention the Sikeston rodeo, Lamberts, and the Cardinals.

Montana- the Horse Whisperer and the largest buffalo herd thanks to Ted Turner

Nebraska- corn, corn, corn, and the College World Series

Nevada- Sin City, baby

New Hampshire- first of the 13 colonies to declare independence from England- that’s FREE!

New Jersey- Jersey Shore and all of its awful, raunchy entertainment.

New Mexico- Hot Air Balloon Festival

New York- Sex and the City and the Freedom Tower, all 1776 feet of it

North Carolina- Nicholas Sparks and his fabulous romance novels

North Dakota- Cowboy Country, baby

Ohio- “Cleveland ROCKS!” oh, and so does Clark Gable…

Oklahoma- Oklahoma City, Still Water, Calf Fry, Corona Cartel, I could go on for days about this place…

Oregon- Carousel Horses and their ever-surprising football jerseys

Pennsylvania- HERSHEY’S CHOCOLATE

Rhode Island- home to the oldest operating tavern in the country, the White Horse Tavern, which opened in 1673

South Carolina- Hilton Head

South Dakota- the fact that this is referred to as the “Bad Lands” is just awesome…

Tennessee- itty bitty Paris spared my liquor habits in college and Nashville because, duh.

Texas- the “don’t tread on me” state of mind rules in the long horn state- and I love it!

Utah- Rainbow Bridge, the largest natural land bridge

Vermont- BEN AND JERRY’S ICE CREAMMMMM

Virginia- Gettysburg and the Pentagon, demonstrating the best defense for hundreds of years and counting…

Washington- I don’t remember much about Washington because I was young when we visited, but I did enjoy picking wild strawberries out of people’s front yards…and eating them.

West Virginia- 75 percent of this state is forest…because “mountaineers are always free”

Wisconsin- CHEESE

Wyoming- rodeos, frizz-free hair, and Yellow Stone.

And if you’re not singing “50 Nifty United States” yet………..I bet you are now….

“…each individual state contributes a quality that is great…”

But the greatest of all is knowing that no matter what state you’re in, you’re an American. And if you don’t like it, “man we’ll light up your world like the 4^th of July. Brought to your courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue.”

Here’s a list of a few more great things about ‘Merica:

1. We have the best “away colors”- camo

2. Back to back World War Champs

3. On a scale of one to America, how free do you feel right now?

4. No more prohibition means we can get “star spangled hammered” or “red, white, and boozed” anytime we want.

5. Flags a wavin’, guns a blazin’

6. Merica needed a nice vacation home, so she bought Hawaii.

Ok I’ll stop now. But on a serious note, always remember those that serve so we can call our home the Land of the Free. They sacrifice everything” not because they hate what’s in front of them, but because they love what’s behind them.” (quote from a friend that is currently serving for us)

I hope everyone has a fantastic 4^th filled with family, friends, BBQ, fireworks, and a body of water celebrating our heritage. Let’s put politics and differences aside for one day and revel in the complexities that keep us aware and give everyone a voice, and more importantly, a chance. This is our home, let’s be thankful.

“This Lady may have stumbled, but she never fell…From the sound up in Long Island out to San Francisco Bay, and ev’ry thing that’s in between them is our home. And we may have done a little bit of fighting amongst ourselves, but you outside people best leave us alone. Cause we’ll all stick together and you can take that to the bank. That’s the cowboys and the hippies and the rebels and the yanks. You just go and lay your hand on a Pittsburgh Steeler fan and I think you’re gonna finally understand.”- Charlie Daniels Band

Merica.

Love always,

Addie

“…meals are memorials that teach us how to move, history moves in us as we raise our voices and then our glasses to pour a little our for those who poured our everything for us, we pour ourselves our for them, so they can eat again.” –Jake Adam York, excerpt from his poem, “Grace”

this is getting ridiculous…

I could start this blog with another apology for being so behind in writing, or explain how busy I really have been since coming back to Murray between getting back in the “groove of things” and figuring out my schedule…but quite frankly, no one likes to hear excuses. So instead, I’ll just start by saying: “Welcome back! Thanks for tuning in once again and for not losing faith in my return.” (Also, props to Aunt Laurie who never ceases to let me know when my blogs are getting behind at approximately the same time my writer’s itch begins to kick in.)

I’m sure you’ll be shocked to know that I’ve become a regular at the gym (as of last week, anyways). And I have to say that it’s never really as bad as I think it will be. After I get up the motivation to drag myself to the gym and force my feet onto the treadmill, it’s only a matter of minutes before I begin to feel the spike of endorphins in my system and actually start enjoying it. And the weigh machines have become my “friends” because in the wise words of Jordi: “Sikeston girls don’t do anything half-assed: we like to taste our alcohol just like we like to feel our workouts.”

Needless to say, the blizzard that occurred in the MKY yesterday put a damper in my healthy lifestyle after class was cancelled and my schedule was suddenly free. It’s like the book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, but instead, the title is If You Give a Girl a Snow Day. The rendition goes a little something like this: if you give a girl a snow day (and the girl just happens to live in the most convenient part of town), her friends will want to stay with her so they don’t have to try to battle the icy roads the next day. And if her friends sleep over, they’ll want to watch a movie. And if they watch a movie then they’ll have to make brownies. And you know the rest of the story….but brownies weren’t the only diet killer. For dinner last night, I ordered a calzone from Baldy’s. I know this is bad enough in itself, however I was not expecting the delicious pizza pocket to literally be the size of Mamie’s head. Literally. We have pictures to prove it.

I never anticipated the move back to Murray to be this tough. I guess I just thought that I would leave for a semester and upon my return, everything would be exactly how I left it. Except I forgot that when I left this place, I was not only running to Starkville as fast as I possibly could because I am absolutely in love with the place and wanted to give my originally chosen alma mater a try, but I was also running away from my current situation. The MKY has a lot of memories for me and last year was a year of rebuilding and remodeling Addie from the inside out. It was a great year to say the least but the mortar and brick of that building centered around several very important people that I knew were leaving. I guess I assumed that if I got away for a semester to some place new and exciting, I would learn to live without seeing them everyday. I did- but now that I’m back, this little town that once seemed so ideal to me has turned from a story book ending, into more of a “once upon a time…”

Starkville is freedom to me because it was the first place I’ve ever gotten to really be me, all on my own. I’ve never been all on my own in Murray, so it’s taken me a while but I think I’m finally getting the hang of it. Don’t get me wrong, I still have amazing friends here and love each and every one of them dearly, it’s just a little different without my “stand-in boyfriend” and the other two-thirds of my amigo trio. Fortunately, I have learned that life can, and will always be summed up in three words: “it goes on”…so we too must follow suit.

Random: all the driving I’ve been doing makes me think about music. I love those old familiar songs that grab your attention and that you can recognize even before the first few measures are played out. But even more, I love the few special songs that grab your attention and make you recall the memory in the first few chords. Gotta love em.

I know I’ve talked about my pet peeves before, but I realized that I left one out: besides dirty dishes, people putting condiments on the meat instead of the bread, and clutter, one of my all time favorite peeves is when people go out on a date and sit on the same side of the table, leaving one whole side completely empty. Are you that pathetic that you can’t stand not touching for one meal? You can’t even carry on a serious conversation with that kind of set-up. Eye contact is crucial in a good conversation and if I had to turn my head 90 degrees every time one of us was speaking, I would be going to the chiropractor after every meal. Either you have nothing to talk about or you are way to clingy. Either way you look at it, it seems to be a toxic relationship. Just sayin.

As most of you may know, I love a good movie. (I was even voted most likely to always related my life to a movie in high school…not sure if that’s something to brag about but just thought it seemed fitting for this point.) But unfortunately, I am one of the most movie-deprived critics of them all. I see a preview, immediately want to watch the movie, yet seldom ever actually make it to the theater to see it. But I’m trying to change that- I have now watched 7 movies over the last ten days. Impressive, huh? Last night we watched “Easy A”. Funny movie but probably not one that I’ll bother to watch again. However one quote from the movie stuck out for me and I MUST share it: “Whatever happened to chivalry? Does it only exist in 80’s movies? I want John Cusack holding a boombox outside my window. I wanna ride off on a lawnmower with Patrick Dempsey. I want Jake from Sixteen Candles waiting outside the church for me. I want Judd Nelson thrusting his fist into the air because he knows he got me. Just once I want my life to be like an 80’s movie, preferably one with a really awesome musical number for no apparent reason. But no, no, John Hughes did not direct my life.” No further explanation needed….

I would also like to say that I am officially obsessed with the Southern way of life. (Just for the record: I was born south of the Mason Dixon line. The Bootheel is considered to be the South, however we have a lot of Midwest traits mixed in there as well.) I am proud to say I’m from the Missouri Delta and wouldn’t change my upbringing for the world. I had an idealistic childhood and high school years that people could only dream about. But after living in Mississippi for only one semester, I have notices small changes within myself and I like it! I remind myself daily of lines from Emily Post, I have learned to curl my own hair and routinely tell myself that “the higher the hair, the closer to God,” I own cookbooks and even more kitchen appliances, I’m thrilled with my sorority’s emphasized value on “women of poise and purpose” and the fact that we rep pearls, I now have multiple shades of lipstick, my eternal obsession with decorating/entertaining/wedding planning has reached an all time high, I have a closet full of clothes but often “nothing to wear”, I have recently become obsessed with shoes and Lilly Pulitzer, and I even caught myself saying “bless your heart” two days ago. Dear Jesus, help up all. The true Mississippi mud has worked its way into my soul and there’s no shaking it. I think I knew all along that I wanted this to happen but I never expected it to happen so fast. Now the only thing that upsets me is the fact that one final semester is separating me from the place where I have always dreamt of being. 95 days and counting….

That being said, I feel the need to explain to you the epic battle that has been going on deep inside my heart for as long as it’s been beating. As many of you know, I was (and still am) the true, die-hard Barbie fanatic; nevertheless I was raised with dirty, smelly, no-good, rotten, mean boys and was forced to be “tough.” I got picked on a pushed down in the dirt more times that I can count. I even had rocks thrown at me! I cried and whined, but no amount of pleading would make the boys disappear so I learned to deal. I knew if I wanted them to accept me, I had to be just a rough as they were, but this created a huge dilemma in my head that I unknowingly would cope with for the rest of my life. When I was young it was ok to play tough with the boys because as soon as I got home I could put on my dress up clothes and be a “Barbie girl” until bed time, therefore making the “on/off switch” to my personalities distinct. But once middle school hit, girls simply couldn’t play with boys anymore without having everyone assume that they had a crush on them, once again leaving me at a cross roads. I was forced to put up my dolls and dress up clothes because I was “too old for them” and wasn’t able to play with the boys, meaning things were no longer black and white like they had been for so many years.  Now, 21 years old (almost), and I’m still having trouble with the distinction. This is exactly the reason that I have different little “personalities” that live inside me and take turns coming out and showing themselves. (I have discussed these “personalities” in a previous blog but had not yet realized the reason for their existence- now that I have discovered a clear definition of their creation, I felt the need to revisit the topic.) To clarify, the “personalities” are all different, yet can all be classified into two distinct groups- hence the basis of the war within me. One group is pushing me to be a poised, full-fledged cooking, cleaning, entertaining, dainty, vixen of a lady and leave the dirty jobs for the men. After all, that’s what they’re here for, right?  Contradictingly, the other side is saying “anything boys can do I can do better” (in a very animated, elementary school voice while sticking her tongue out…and yes, I made up the word “contradictingly”). It’s pushing me to rebel against anything ladylike just to prove a point. One minute I’ve got a pie in the oven while I’m teasing my hair, the next minute I’m changing a tire with horse crap on my boots- reluctant to ask for help with either task because women are supposed to cook and look good, but I also don’t need a guy to help with changing a tire because my dad taught me how.

Honestly the battle is more amusing than frustrating. I like that I have a good taste for both sides of the fence, figuratively speaking. I heard a quote (yes, another quote…) from Sex and the City the other day that stood out to me and I think that it fits pretty perfectly right here: “Later, that night, I got to thinking about fairy tales. What if Prince Charming had never shown up? Would Snow White have slept in that glass coffin forever? Or would she have, eventually, woken up, spit out the apple, gotten a job, a health care package, and a baby from her local neighborhood sperm bank? I couldn’t help but wonder: Inside every confident, driven, single woman, is there a fragile princess just waiting to be saved? Was Charlotte right? Do women just want to be rescued? I guess sometimes a woman absolutely has to be rescued…and sometimes, a woman absolutely has to rescue a man. I am someone who is looking for love. Real love. Ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can’t live without each other Love…..Later that day I got to thinking about relationships. There are those that open you up to something new and exotic, those that are old and familiar, those that bring up lots of questions, those that bring you somewhere unexpected, those that bring you far from where you started, and those that bring you back. But the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find someone to love the you you love, well, that’s just fabulous.”

Well I think that’s enough for now. I am pretty sure that the tangent I just rambled off about my “personalities” is enough to scare you away for a while…but it was just another one of my unruly thoughts that I felt the need to get out. Until next time, keep on keepin’ on.

Love always,

Addie

“I’ll keep making the sandwiches as long as he keeps bringing home the bread.”