The Saturday Six

One.

Today's a pretty big day in Shafferland, because it's my birthday!!!!! I am so excited Ryan has the day off work and we can spend it together. I am also SO grateful for this past year of my life and all the joy it has provided. When I look back on my last birthday, I see a completely different person, and I'm grateful for the growth that has come to my heart and soul in this year. Excited to celebrate today! {Picture is from my last birthday.}


Two.

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My dear, dear friend Jamie Bennett has written a new blog post and it is a good read. Her blog is for those walking the single road, and I always appreciate her perspective and her trusting heart. She was such an encouragement to me in my own single years, and she continues to encourage me now, even though we no longer share that particular journey. Single or not, her words will speak to you!!

Three.

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Did you guys see this? Part of the cast of A League of Their Own reunited to throw out the first pitch of a game. A classic movie! "There's no crying in baseball!!" {PS - did you know the stadium from the movie is in Indiana? I went there several years ago...Ryan and I will have to visit it again when we do that county tour!}

Four.

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Ryan and I love to talk - about anything and everything. From rehashing the day to telling stories that just might let us learn something brand new about each other, we love a good conversation. I know for some couples, finding something to talk about is hard, so check out this list of conversation starters. Even though Ryan and I are good at talking, I think we might have to try some of these! 

Five.

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One of my Facebook friends shared this link this week, and I definitely wanted to hang onto it for future county tours. But why keep the love under wraps until we visit the counties? Check out some of these fun things to do in the state of Indiana! I've done some of them, but there are GREAT ideas on here!  

Six.

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The book I read this week was one I was willing to start recommending when I was only halfway through. I sat on the couch in a full-blown ugly cry, mascara and snot running everywhere, fully engrossed in the beauty and sorrow of the story before me.

September Vaudrey's memoir, Colors of Goodbye, tells the unimaginable {to me} pain she and her family experienced when her nineteen year old daughter, Katie, died following an automobile accident. Katie was vibrant in life, passionate about the Lord, and talented beyond measure as an artist. Her life, so full of promise, ended on this earth without warning, and September, her husband Scott, and their other four children were left to wrestle through a grief they could not understand and had not prepared to face.

The first part of the book is told in first person and tells the story of Katie's final hours and the days leading up to her memorial service. September's writing style is raw and beautiful, and it was this portion of the book that led me to the ugly cry {which I rarely do when reading}. Her words drew me into the very rooms and the loss itself. I never met Katie, but I grieved her as through September's words, I stood there and witnessed the deep sorrow.

In alternate places, the first portion of the book tells stories of Katie's life, further introducing me to this contagious spirit that left me convicted to live more fully and love more deeply.

The second portion of the book covers the weeks, months, and years following Katie's death, when the Vaudrey family - in all their varying styles of grief - learned to fumble and forage their way through their new, uninvited normal. September wrestles through hard topics, like understanding how God can be good and merciful when prayers are answered with a no. She vulnerably shares her own failings in grief and the things that worked for her, too. It's a grief guide that left me nodding and underlining along the way.

I appreciate September's style, because she doesn't write in a way that forces you to adjust to any lyrical or poetic voice. She is simply a friend, a sister, a mom, sharing her story. Introducing you to her daughter whose life was imperfect, yet joyously contagious. Offering her wisdom from the trenches. Not covering up the ugly and not denying the beautiful.

If you've ever lost a child, I think you should read this book. If you've ever lost anyone dear to you and you find yourself wrecked and lost in grief, I think you should read this book. If you want to meet an incredible young woman who lived to the fullest and left a legacy that indeed leaves ripples, I think you should read this book.

And bring lots of Kleenex.

Thank you, Tyndale, for publishing a needed and well-crafted memoir and for providing a copy for me to read!