Making the Ordinary an Extraordinary Adventure

I was probably 10 years old - blindfolded with my sister and cousin, the best of friends,
in the back of my grandma's white Cadillac. It had to be around 10 o'clock at night. My grandma
was hooting and hollering from the driver's seat as all four of us bounced around - driving through
a freshly harvested corn field. We were only told to remove our blindfolds when we stopped and parked
in a deserted, dark parking lot. It was the back of Hardee's and we were getting milk shakes!
Just another one of grandma's famous "adventures."

She taught me the art of making the ordinary, every day "good" things,
an extraordinary adventure.

I still crave the thrill of it all. I find myself daydreaming and scheming about how I can bring the
littlest of things to a new level of ALIVE for my little ones, my husband. It's not about the money or
the fanciness of it all. It's all in the details, the anticipation, the cultivation of the imagination!!!

We celebrated my 27th birthday this past weekend...


My parents were so kind to take our little ones for a few days so that Nathan and I could spend
some quiet time together. I jokingly told Nathan that I feared I'd be falling all over my words -
not capable of carrying on a regular conversation - because I am so used to be interrupted 173x's before
I actually spit anything out. Luckily we were totally able to get in touch with our pre-children selves
and the weekend was W O N D E R F U L.

Sleeping in. Eating whenever we wanted. Not having to share bites off our plates.
Coming up with ideas and just doing them. Talking. Praying. Going to Mass without a bag
full of snacks. Holding hands. Sitting for hours at restaurants.

Ordinary life. Extraordinary adventure.


I know that I was drawn to Nathan many years ago because of his child-like-ness. Kindred spirits.
We speak often of remaining child-like, not to be confused with childish, so that we can see, feel,
touch the wonders available to the innocent at heart. This world spins fast. The sin and darkness
age us all more than the years going by, but I like to believe that when you attempt to step away
from it all, the ordinary, mundane, becomes closer to what God intended for us all.

We were born for extraordinary.

I'm thankful for 27 years of adventure. Here's to a lifetime.