BJOYFL

I was behind a car yesterday on I-270 and their license plate read BJOYFL. It was hot, I was frustrated with the barely-moving traffic, and I was ready to be home. Yet what a great reminder that was. It made me smile, and I wanted to somehow tell the driver, "your license plate was a blessing...thanks!"...but I never figured out how to make that happen. (We were driving, after all.) Wouldn't you know, that sweet woman in front of me was letting car after impatient car cut in ahead of her. (Not really a commonplace gesture on that thoroughfare. The 'letting cars in' part, not the cutting. That part is pretty typical.) And, while I wasn't particularly feeling quite so generous with my fellow drivers, I thought "this lady has the right idea". She is demonstrating her joy and probably doesn't even know it.

I'm going to make a greater effort to maintain and demonstrate a spirit of joy, in the midst of the frustrations that life can throw my way. Because, after all, there is so much to BJOYFL about.

The Future Mr. and Mrs. Piatt

We knew it was coming. Bobby and I had been waiting for the news that finally came over Memorial Day weekend. Our best friends, John and Natalie, are ENGAGED. We could not, not, not be any happier for those two!

Bobby and John played baseball together at CMU, and I got to know John quite well during that time. The three of us spent lots of meals and football games and weekends together, and made lots of memories. We didn't get to really know Natalie until she got back from college in Denver. John missed her terribly...and we didn't know what we were missing!

Since Natalie's been a part of our lives for the past year, we've grown to love her dearly. It's so obvious why John kept telling us how great she was! It is absolutely true. And the two of them together are even greater still.

We try to see John and Natalie just about every month, if we can. We can't get enough of them! They're easy to be around, fun to visit with, and their friendship is one we cherish. (There will be lots of Phillips/Piatt family vacations in the years ahead, I just know it!) They are special, special friends and we are so very thankful that they are a part of our lives.

To the future Mr. and Mrs. Piatt...a huge congratulations!!! We cannot wait to celebrate with you in the months ahead! Looking forward to your "Big Day" already!

Our Weekend

What a great weekend we just had! I've decided that all weekends should be 3-day weekends...what a difference it makes!

Bobby's brother, Joey, and his girlfriend, Alyssa, came up to visit Friday night, and we went to the Brad Paisley concert together on Saturday. It was terribly warm, and we waited in line (scratch that, waited in lines) for a solid 3 hours...and then waited almost just as long for Brad. The course of the afternoon was a little unexpected, but what a great concert we finally got to see! Brad was totally worth the wait, and it turned out to be a really fun time for Bobby and I.

(Personal Highlight: dancing to "Then", which played with our video slideshow at our wedding...totally romantic!)

For the record, I don't think it's coincidental that Brad Paisley and Bobby Phillips share the same initials...ignoring the "R" for "Robert". (Then again, Bobby also has the same initials as Brad Pitt. But, if I'm going to compare my husband to a celebrity, I have to go with Paisley.) What a handsome guy I got to hang out with at the concert...Bobby definitely rocks his cowboy hat and has all the country swagger as Mr. Paisley himself. What a lucky girl I am....

Aside from the concert and the rest of our time with Joey and Alyssa, the weekend consisted of Bobby and I enjoying "together time"...poolside and grill-side. Tonight will be the 4th night we're utilizing the apartment grills, and I plan to make this a habit. (Okay, tonight will be the last night of grilling in a row for a while. I'll give the guy a break and head back to the kitchen.) It's been amazing. And, paying rent doesn't seem QUITE so bad when we're only 10 seconds away from such a beautiful pool and patio area! We may never be able to move. (OR, the more likely option is that having a pool will be added to our list of "would be (really) nice to have" home qualities when we decide to start looking. We can dream, right?!) Ahh...we are going to make FULL use of these apartment amenities this summer. And, we like visitors. Keep that in mind.

It was such a treat to have Monday off from work. (It felt almost scandalous! Not working! On a Monday!) We enjoyed the day to the fullest. And, we benefited from having extra time...to just relax...together.

Yes, it was a great weekend, and we started the week rejuvenated and completely in a summertime mood. And, the best part is...it's already Tuesday.