Awkward pictures and surprise parties

THIS is not a flattering picture of me . . .

However, I'm sharing it with all of you because that face is the result of a wonderful surprise Coley had for me on Friday night.  I recently accepted a new position at Vanderbilt (sorry for just filling you all in), and I'm completely switching gears.  It's a good move, one that I feel will lead to a lot of opportunities in the future, and honestly, one that I wouldn't have been so confident in pursuing if it weren't for Coley's encouragement.

So, as far as I knew, Coley and I were heading to one of my favorite Italian restaurants in Nashville to celebrate with a little "date-night".  Instead, I found six of my favorite people waiting to surprise me and celebrate my new job!  Supposedly a picture says 1,000 words, and my expression in the photo above perfectly captures my confusion, amazement, and shock at what Coley had managed to pull together.

We had an amazing time talking, laughing, eating, and drinking really great wine.  And as if that wasn't enough, I had my very own cake and the chef signed a menu for me! (Excuse the phone-camera picture quality)

It really was an awesome night and I'm looking forward to my next professional adventure!  I can't thank Coley enough for this celebration.  It was more than I ever expected, but just what I wanted . . . of course, he already knew that :)

Daddy-O

Last Tuesday was my wonderful dad's birthday.  I'll spare him public humiliation and leave the number he turned unknown, but I did want to give him a shoutout.  And as it happens, my friend Sarah recently wrote a wonderful dad-blog, so I'm going to steal from her a little bit :)  Well and actually, I'm double stealing, because the thoughts below originally came from the post "50 Rules for Dads of Daughters".  I've added in some personal memories my dad and I have shared to spice it up, so here's to you dad!

-Love her mom. Treat her mother with respect, honor, and a big heaping spoonful of public displays of affection. When she grows up, the odds are good she’ll fall in love with and marry someone who treats her much like you treated her mother. Good or bad, that’s just the way it is. I’d prefer good.

I can't imagine who could better compliment my mother than my dad.  He simply ADORES her and I've never doubted his love for her for one second.  He is a great example of what a husband should be to his wife.

-Always be there. Quality time doesn’t happen without quantity time. Hang out together for no other reason than just to be in each other’s presence. Be genuinely interested in the things that interest her. She needs her dad to be involved in her life at every stage. Don’t just sit idly by while she add years to her… add life to her years.

My dad was there for EVERYTHING.  In fact, there were times I remember thinking he was TOO involved.  But now that I'm older and wiser :), I realize just how important it was that he made me  his priority.  I'm sure he sacrificed more than I could ever know, but those sacrifices gave me the great sense of family I have today.

-Pray for her. Regularly. Passionately. Continually.

No one prays like my dad.  After I left home, I would sometimes call on Saturday mornings and when I would ask my mom what my dad was doing, she would say "Praying for you and your brothers".  Just knowing that made me feel like I could face anything life threw my way.  I have no doubt that many of the blessings in my life are directly tied to my dad's prayers.

-There will come a day when she asks for a puppy. Don’t over think it. At least one time in her life, just say, “Yes.”

In my case, it was a kitten and the obstacle was my mother.  My dad was a champ, and eventually convinced my mom that the perfect present for my 7th birthday would be a cat.  Even though I ended up being deathly allergic to my dear Peaches and had to give her up only a week later, I'll never forget how hard he worked to get me what I wanted.
 
- It’s never too early to start teaching her about money. She will still probably suck you dry as a teenager… and on her wedding day.
 
I have no doubt my teenage years resembled a money pit to my father.  And, I'll make no excuses for the cost of my wedding.  But, his financial advice has made me think twice and I oftentimes buy one pair of shoes instead of two because of his guidance :).

-Learn to say no. She may pitch a fit today, but someday you’ll both be glad you stuck to your guns.

My dad NEVER had trouble saying no.  And oh there were days when his "no" was the end of my world.  Obviously now I realize that little word was the best thing he could have said and it saved me from things like eyebrow rings and kool-aid based hair dye.  And that's just skimming the surface :)

-If there’s a splash park near your home, take her there often. She will be drawn to the water like a duck to a puddle.

I would say I was more of a fish than a duck.  We belonged to a pool growing up, and my mom took us practically every single day of the summer.  I would swim all day long, but my best memories are with my dad, when he would come to the pool after work and go down the waterslide with me for hours on end.

-Never miss her birthday. In ten years she won’t remember the present you gave her. She will remember if you weren’t there.

My dad has gotten me some pretty awesome birthday gifts over the years, but the truth is I could take them or leave them.  What I most look forward to is the early morning call  (many times before I'm even awake) and the voicemail of him singing me the birthday song.

-Tell her she’s beautiful. Say it over and over again. Someday an animated movie or “beauty” magazine will try to convince her otherwise.

Were it not for my dad, I wouldn't be nearly as self-confident as I am today.  Don't get me wrong, I still strive to be more in-shape, to keep up with the latest trends, and I will never give up highlights!  But, my dad has always told me I'm beautiful, both inside and out, no matter what the circumstances, and those words are worth their weight in gold.

-Learn to trust her. Gradually give her more freedom as she gets older. She will rise to the expectations you set for her.
 
I know this was harder for him than he would ever admit, but he managed to do it so incredibly well.  I owe the woman I am today to his ability to let me grow up. 

Love you Dad :)