Look for It

Opportunity is not a lengthy visitor. 

A few days after selecting spontaneity as my One Word Resolution, I came across this quote. Spontaneity. Opportunity. They are brother and sister. 

Feeling a brother's pain (or not)

"He doesn't even look miserable. How is that even possible?"

~Timothy, 

looking slightly insulted while commenting on the fact that, one day after Jonathan 

had four wisdom teeth removed, he was biting into an Arby's brisket sandwich, 

didn't need any pain medication, and had no swelling whatsoever, whereas he (Timothy) was miserable for five days, in pain, and had chipmunk cheeks the entire time.

TBT photo: 

Big Brother and Little Brother committing a Cardinal Sin: eating McDonald's in Rome, Italy. 

It was all my husband's fault.

the color of my soul

terracotta is the color of clay, dirt, earth, soil

it is the resplendent sun behind a row of cypress trees

sunrise skipping across cobblestone streets

and farmhouse vases on a windowsill

it is the color of tile rooftops

clay pots overflowing with red geraniums

flower boxes in balconies and windows

terracotta is the color of Italy 

and it speaks to my soul.

~from the files of very bad poetry by bia

Life Lately: Smiling & Crying, Books from Boys, Amazon Reviews, a Recipe, and a Really Bad Hair Day

A little of this, a little of that. What's been happening in the Nova house lately ...

1- I couldn't stop smiling (and crying a little, too)

This past Sunday I took my mother to see Mary Poppins Returns. We absolutely loved it. The story is beautifully written, the music is just lovely, the streetlight dancing scene was phenomenal, and the tributes to the original film were magical. If you need a smile (and a happy cry, or two) go see it.

2- My boys know me all too well

Recently Nicholas gave me the book, Killers of the Flower Moon. "It's really a good book; I think you'll like it," he told me. And oh my goodness I could not put it down. This New York Times Bestseller is about the murders of members of the Osage Indian Nation in Oklahoma and the birth of the FBI. Riveting, compelling, and sobering.

Then, Jonathan-the-accountant gave me the book, The Nonfiction Book Marketing Plan. I've been taking notes like crazy because, while my book was released in early December, marketing officially begins this week.

3- Here's what I learned so far about marketing

Amazon reviews help. Actually, they help a LOT. This is from Chapter 6, page 124 of the book mentioned above. And they make me happy. So if you purchased An Ocean, an Airplane, and Two Countries Full of Kisses ... well, would you consider leaving a review?

You can purchase AND leave a review on Lulu or Amazon (or on both). My book is also available at Barnes & Noble (and you can leave a review there, too)!

4- Keeping it real

Honestly, as wonderful as it is to have a book out, I also feel shy and uncomfortable with all the promotion I have to do. So here's something to keep things in perspective and so you don't think this is all going to my head ... Bia's Bad Hair Day (somewhere in Colorado)

5- The Recipe

Finally, last week I posted a photo on Facebook of all the food I had prepared for Nicholas to take back with him to Arkansas. So many asked for the recipe for the bean salad, so I will share it here. It's great as a side dish, but I also eat it alone for a light lunch. Enjoy!

Lemony Bean Salad

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp minced fresh garlic

1/4 tsp Dijon mustard

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/8 tsp sugar

~~~

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

~~~

2 tbsp shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano 

Directions:

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Add onion, parsley, and beans; toss to gently to coat.

Top with shaved cheese. 

NOTE: For our family of five, I double the recipe. Also, make sure the onions are very finely sliced (so they blend instead of overpower).

Speak to Me Sunday: Spontaneity

Sometimes, life gets in the way of experiencing it, of truly being able to relish a moment in real time.

Sometimes, all the running around we do to live our lives prevents us from living life.

Sometimes schedules, programs, appointments and to-do lists, although immensely useful and wholly practical, can narrow our world.

Sometimes they cause us to miss out.

Now don’t get me wrong. I thrive on structure. Organization keeps me sane. I love my planner and putting things on the calendar. I like prepping and meal planning and getting ahead. Even nature provides structure with the rising sun, waning moon, and changing seasons.

But sometimes … sometimes I truly believe God gives us a moment, an opportunity, or a chance to step off the beaten path to experience something new, or allows plans to go awry so we can see another way, or presents a pause so we can get a peek of color in a world of grey.

Which is why my one word resolution for this year is SPONTANEITY.

Spontaneity, to look one way when everyone else looks another, to turn left instead of right, to stay instead of go (or go instead of stay), to walk in the middle of a run (or stop in the middle of a walk), to do something on a Wednesday instead of Tuesday, to put aside the newspaper and read a fairy tale, to reach out instead of holding back.

Spontaneity, to follow a road without a map. 

Spontaneity, to be ready, brave, and bold to let go, venture off, and grasp the gift of something new, different, exciting, adventurous, and unplanned.

During an early morning walk this week I noticed grey everywhere.

The canal trail, water, tree moss, sky.  It was all grey.

And then I spotted this ...

How Guys Pack (A Once Upon a Time Story)

Here's a story about Jonathan. I'm only posting it because he's received a lot of sympathy recently due to the extraction of his wisdom teeth this morning. But he's good with four less teeth because Jonathan is a MINIMALIST. Less is best. Why have extra teeth when four less will do?

Allow me to illustrate: this same cute, adorable Jonathan came home for the holidays and left half of his clothes back at school. Anyone else would have been scrambling to beg, borrow, or buy items of clothing, but not Jonathan. He had what he needed; besides, less clothes meant less packing and unpacking. So he's basically been wearing the same few outfits on repeat the entire time he's been home. Wear, wash, repeat. 

But I'm learning to look at the bright side. At least he came home with SOME clothes because ONCE UPON A TIME he didn't ...


Last weekend Jonathan came home for my birthday. He arrived Saturday before lunchtime and had plans to leave Sunday after lunch. (See what he did there? Impeccable meal timing.)

When he first walked in the door we chatted for a few minutes, after which I told him to go get his stuff out of the car.

"I don't have anything." he responded.

I stopped dead in my tracks. He was holding his phone, keys, and wallet. Nothing else.

"What are you wearing later?" I inquired.

"This," he said, gesturing to the clothes on his back.

"What are you going to wear to church tonight?" I wanted to know.

"This," he said, again with the gesture.

"Tomorrow?" I asked, knowing that the odds were not in my favor.

He didn't even respond. He just grinned.

And I was like ...

We're DONE with Wisdom Teeth in this Family

Boy 3 getting his wisdom teeth GONE. If you remember, I am SUPER MOM with most medical issues—bloody knees, sutures, vomit, splinters, high fevers, diarrhea. 

BUT, anything dealing with dentists, dental instruments, oral surgery...my gag reflex gets a workout. 

So, let’s get these teeth gone because I am DONE. 

And this is the only photo I could manage.

Update: 

All is well. Of the three boys, Jonathan is handling this the best. 

They wheeled him out smiling, he thanked the surgeon, and he thanked me for staying with him. 

I was good UNTIL they handed me his teeth. Let me repeat: THEY GAVE ME ALL FOUR OF HIS WISDOM TEETH!!  Bleck. They didn't do this with the other two so I was blindsided. 

Who keeps TEETH? 

The Tooth Fairy flew the coop a long time ago;-)