Day One

Ryan asked me, back when we made the decision for me to leave my job at WBCL...what will you blog about?

What? Is a recap of washing towels and making my own ranch dressing NOT riveting blog material? I am shocked. SHOCKED, I tell you. 

And so, to calm Ryan's concern, and the worries of any of you faithful readers who {for reasons unknown to me} do NOT want to read about the number of towels I folded or how many cups of water I poured over my begonias...I hereby promise to not make the blog all about that.

Starting tomorrow.

Just kidding. {Kind of.}

Yesterday was, in the words of the Matthew West song, Day one of the rest of my life.

The first day I did not have to get up at the ridiculous crack of dawn and be in a car by 6:45 in the morning and drive with one hand while gripping coffee with the other hand. It was the first day I didn't have to mentally plan out a whole day's worth of chores to cram into an evening after a long day of juggling producer details.


Want to know my favorite part of the day? The utter peace that never left me from the moment I woke up until the moment I went to bed. The peace of living in what I know is my calling for this season.

I went to the store in the middle of the day - for tomatoes and milk, not to be consumed together - simply because I could. I went when crowds were small and lines were non-existent, and while I was there, I ran into a guy I worked with way back in the days of Financial Aid. He asked how radio life was treating me, and I told him it was my first day of a new chapter. I told him the short short version of resigning, and his response was an offer of places I could check for a job.

I wasn't offended. I appreciated his thoughtfulness. But it also made me remember that this season is sacred ground. I don't know how long God will allow me to pursue this particular path...this writing and "wifing". I don't know if this is my new forever or if this is a respite between assignments. But I do know it's a sacred calling for this time.

And so yesterday, I gulped in the freedom of being a wife and a writer. I ran errands so Ryan didn't have to. I actually swept the carpet on a weekday {and not because company was coming}. I folded towels and boiled eggs and made salad dressing. I answered emails and launched into the list of people I haven't checked on for far too long - to catch up on their lives and learn how I could pray for them. I took a big tray of cookies to Ryan at his work so he could share with his co-workers, and I threw in a treat of a sweet tea for him because he loves it so. I made lists and strategized how to best use the moments in the rest of my week.

And when he came home, I was suited up for the gym so we could work out, come home, enjoy our dinner, and then enjoy a Monday evening in whatever way we chose.

It feels like a gift. A treasure. I know some days ahead will be crazy busy in their own way. I know some days ahead might lull me into a nap. But I also know this season is God-breathed. A sacred gift. Day one of the rest of my life was all I'd hoped it could be. Productive and restful. Energizing and peaceful.

And this girl is grateful.

It {Was} My Party

Last week, after the last BLT show, the station threw me the most lovely party...and I thought maybe you might like to see some pictures from the day!

We all gathered around the table in the conference room, and Ryan and I sat at the end, looking out over the faces of the people who had encouraged me, taught me {literally} everything I knew about radio, and did life with me for these last four years.

They gave me some lovely totally-Bekah gifts:

 Claiming my coffee...Craig there in the hat is my fellow coffee addict, and I knew if I put that bag down, he could not be trusted. :)

My favorite part of the party...when my co-workers shared memories. Oh my goodness. They made me laugh AND cry.

I shared...and cried...and passed out my letters to everyone, and even Ryan talked for a bit.

And then....the food. Oh my dear people. The food!!!!! Because it's one of my favorite places, they ordered BBQ from Shigs in Fort Wayne, and they got the best dessert: A Cheesecake Named Desire from Coldstone Creamery. My mouth is watering just typing all that.

 I wish I could say this reaction was unique to the party. In truth, this is how I greet lunch every day.

 Ross also loves Shigs. He was pretty excited.

 I call this piece Men in Black....

 Amy and I have eaten lunch together for four years. We've decided we may have to FaceTime our lunches now because we are so sad to lose that time!! {Don't you like how she and Ryan coordinated for this photo???}

 That cake....oh it's so good. It's an ice cream cake with a raspberry layer...so much goodness.

This station does parties up right. I left feeling AWFULLY loved.

The Shafferland Shuffle

What a HUGE week in Shafferland!! Grab your hat, and let's go!

* Last Sunday was Father's Day, which of course meant the big Poppapalooza with Ryan's parents! They hosted a fun cookout at their house, and I think there were about 50 people there. We had fun eating, talking to all the cousins and aunts and uncles, and watching the kids chase each other around the yard. My parents joined in for part of the time, and it was just a lovely day, all the way around. With all the maddening rain we've had in the last 3 weeks, it was also delightful to have a beautiful, sunny day for this adventure!

* Monday was my LAST Monday at work! I moved into the back seat for engineering to let PeggySue take over as much as she could...all part of the training! I had to say goodbye to the first of my co-workers that day, because she had a few days off and wouldn't be there for my last day. I hate goodbyes!!! That afternoon I had a great surprise when Ryan's brother and his family stopped by the station to see where I worked and what I do. It was fun to let the kids record some stuff and to let them try their hand at radio!

* Tuesday I spent the day training from the counter across the room...slowly inching my way away from the desk so she could get a better feel for the job. It was a pretty uneventful day, but it was also a PRETTY day, which meant that evening, Ryan and I got to take a walk through campus - the first walk we've been able to take FOREVER {thank you, endless rain}.

* Wednesday, my dear co-worker Doris gave me the most perfect going-away gift. This coffee mug!! :) Isn't it so me!!?!?! It was a bittersweet day as I recorded my last promo with Lynne - for our last BLT show. And I said goodbye to one more co-worker...Scott. I think sometimes I made him just shake his head and laugh, but he's been a good friend and taught me so much about radio!

* Thursday was a tough one! My very last BLT ever. Ryan and my parents came to the studio for it, and it was a joy to have them all there. The station threw me a very nice party, and it was just a lovely, affirming day, but oh my goodness. SO. MANY. TEARS. Have I mentioned how I hate goodbyes???

* Friday was the end of an era. My last day of work with WBCL. I actually cried less than I did on Thursday, but there were still some tears! My very last PB&J show with the morning guys, goodbyes to ALL the rest of the co-workers, and then...the start of a beautiful new season. Ryan gave me a beautiful gift for my transition...a piece of wall art with a verse from Proverbs 31 on it. And that evening, he asked how I wanted to celebrate, and I just wanted a low-key night at home to think, decompress, and be with Ryan. He brought home Chipotle and we just rested. I loved it.

* Yesterday, Ryan had to work, and the sky was teetering on the ominous side when he left. We proceeded to have rain, wind, sun, and everything in between throughout the day. Ohhhhh, Indiana. I worked feverishly on my way-too-behind scrapbook until he got home, and Braeya watched out the window for his return. When he got home we worked on assembling our home office to include the things I brought home from the station. I feel ready to begin working in it!

The Saturday Six

One.

 Source

This post from Kelly Stamps starts out as one about breastfeeding, which some of you might think an odd topic for me to post on {and you'd be right}, but it develops into a post about how we are all so stinkin' quick to judge each other on issues that really don't matter. So in this post, she talked about how she decided to stop breastfeeding her son {who is her third child}. And she didn't want to post about it because she knew all the advocates would come up for air. Funny thing? She actually IS an advocate. But she decided to post so she could talk about why it's important to speak in love instead of judgment. And it's so true. Are we spending our arguing energy on things that aren't eternal?

Two.

Source

We had Jon Acuff on our show a couple  of weeks ago to talk about his new book, Do Over. He talked about the companion project, called Do Summer, in which he challenges people to pick something they want to work on and do it for 15 minutes every day. I was really excited when I saw Tamar's blog post earlier this week...that she's doing it!! Good job, Tamar! Summer's not over...maybe you want to join up!!

Three.

Source

This post, by Emily Freeman, is deep and challenging. She speaks the truth, though. It's easy to be vague...because there's no commitment in being vague. There's much to be said for being specific...both in responsibility and blessing. Please read it...and think!

Four.

I know I linked to this earlier in the week, but if you missed it, I sat at the WBCL mic for the last time this week...my final BLT with Lynne aired Thursday, and if you didn't get a chance to hear it and want to, you can do so here! {Ryan's story at the end about the bilateral bunion surgery is HYSTERICAL.}

Five.

Source

Almost squealed right out loud at these darling fairytale cottage photos. Don't  you just want to move here??? Sigh of joy.

Six.

 Source

 My inner amateur photographer really loves this hint on making your own backdrop boards for photos. :)

BLT: The Grand Finale

My head is still foggy from the emotion of yesterday, but what a beautiful grand finale to the BLT show that has been such a part of my life these last three years. I shared the hour {and the day} with people dear to my heart, and I wondered if it would be okay to share a photo tribute to the day....

Ryan came to work with me to be part of that final BLT. Here we are with Lynne right before the grand finale:

 I took him with me to the studio with the morning guys to be part of the next-to-the-last PB&J show. We had a lot of fun on that.

 Lynne and me at the start of BLT. We had both just cried our way through my Dad's prayer...so this is our this really is the end look.

 My dad sat in the studio with us. He gave his radio love to me...and I gave it to Ryan...and so the legacy continues.

 My mom sat in our office to listen. We tried to persuade her to join us in studio, but she needed her space, and that's okay too.

It appears this might have been DURING prayer. :)

 Ready!

 Radio looks good on him, doesn't it?

 Just a little opera selection. {Kidding. But it looks like that, doesn't it?}

 This show always brought me so many smiles. And though today there were also many tears...there were still many smiles.

Lynne offering wisdom...or practicing her whistling. I'm not sure which.

 Crying already!!

 Always the {fabulous} storyteller...

 Cracking ourselves up....

 Little disconcerting when the fire department showed up.

 {Turns out they were just taking a tour of the building.}

Showing Ryan a message someone texted.

 Listening to a caller...

 Such stories they told...I cried. A lot.

 It was a lovely hour. And all too soon, it was done.

You can hear it here if you missed it...

...and here's the day's crew. Lynne and PeggySue {the new producer} on the left, and me with Ryan and my parents on the right.

So grateful for the celebration of this day. For every call, every email, and every kind word offered on Facebook. A treasure.