jaycee dugard, amazing.

growing up, i remember hearing the name jaycee dugard and i knew she was missing.  that was all i knew. i also knew that if you are missing, it is never a good thing and after eighteen years of not being scene, the chances that you are alive, is more likely that not slim.

friday afternoon, i downloaded her new autobiography to my kindle, i was curious to know what she went through and wanted to read it first hand.

beautiful. survivor. incredible.

as i read, i kept thinking to myself, ashamed that i would even have the nerve to say the words out loud "i'm having a bad day!" because i have never had a day ever, ever like the days, months and years of bad days she experienced that formed her life.  i am the first to say when comparing issues, "oh it's all relative." but it's not.  

as i sit and type this in an air conditioned house, after just eating the food i chose and feeding the children i nanny for the food they wanted and could afford to buy them, after downloading her book on my kindle which my husband gave to me for a birthday gift and had the money in my checking account so i could get the book instantly, i am counting my blessings and feeling so very selfish for ever uttering the words "i am having a bad day." or anything else less than "i am so blessed to have a wonderful life."

if i met jaycee, i would be speechless at the woman that she became out of chaos.  last night (perfect timing), the diane sawyer special was on where she interviewed jaycee.  what a composed woman, a woman who did not get to decide the choices her life held, but now can make all the decisions for she and her children.  i hope that life from here on out life treats her kind and she has all she dreams of...in the words of dolly parton.

be thankful for the everyday.  because somewhere out there, some one has it worse than you do.  much worse.

if you are reading this on a phone or a computer, i am betting you are pretty blessed.  blessed...i need to remember that more often.

if this blog made it to jaycee, i would say to her :  you are incredible and a testimony of what it means to be a victor and overcomer.  then i would probably stutter and trip over my words and make some sort of awkward joke...and then go on with my aweness of her.

read her book.  get it today.  a stolen life by jaycee dugard.

(p.s.  i had written this on monday night but really felt like my words did not do her or her book justice, but then i realized...it never hurts me to be reminded even if the writing isn't as eloquent as i would like..."oh yeah, i am so blessed, because too often i forget)


some quotes from a stolen life:

yes, i do believe i'm lucky.  i could not have gotten through my ordeal without believing that someday my life would make sense.  life's adventure is important.  it is important to live each day to the fullest, whatever life brings you.

while i was there i would tell myself it could be worse; there are so many people in the world in worse situations than mine.  at least i had a place to live.

when i don't dare think, i dare to dream.

my baby girl came into the world at 4:35 am, august 18, 1994.  i am fourteen years old and very, very scared.

one of jaycee's dreams for the future while she was a prisoner was to write a best seller, let's do this for her.

the family wash.

when i first moved to east nashville, i told myself it was temporary.  that i would not like it, but make the most of it.  i was a little aggravated with my previous living situation and was desperate to find something cheaper and something fast.

then my mom performed her minnie pearl act at the ryman.
which meant i saw my cousins wife that i never see except for christmas.
and i then i happened to have an extra ticket to a show that i was going to that night.
so i invited her.
so we chatted the night away and she spent the night.
in our chatter, she just happened to mention that she is related to dolly.
as in parton. (enter jessica freak out.)
and i temporarily freaked out and asked her like thirty times if she was sure.
she was sure.
then i deemed her the coolest person alive and my favorite relative.
but she is really not even related.
still, she is my favorite.
then she mentioned that her BFF had a house in east nashville.
i got scared.
because i lived in belle meade, and i was scared of the east side.
and i was attached to my house.
and i hate change.
but i was desperate.
so we called her, her BFF.
a month later, myself and my stuff moved to east nashville.
and i made a home.
my home.

occasionally, well every week, my new roommate...we'll call her steph...would come downstairs and ask me if i would like to go to the family wash for pint and pie night.

1.  i had never heard of the family wash.
2.  i really didn't understand the concept of pint and pie, but did not want to tell her that i was that uncool.
3.  it's east nashville, i am a west sider, i am not going to like this place.  much less go out and contribute.
4.  i do not drink the al-key-hawl so there really is no need to participate in pint and pie night.
5.  what IS pint and pie?
6.  like apple pie?

fast forward a few months later.

i am now a happy resident of east nashville.
i enjoy this place a lot.
the family wash, especially.

and on tuesdays now, braddstudios and i go to the wash (that's what you call it if you live on the east side and are cool...)
here is what we get:
Baked Brie

with jalapeno cranberry relish, honey and toast (yum, ummmmm)

braddstudios participates in the pint and pie for $10 because he is waaaay cooler than i will ever be.
p.s.  the pie part is Traditional Shepherd's Pie

fresh vegetables, ground lamb and beef, covered with mashed potatoes and sharp cheddar cheese with garlic

last night he added a little steak sauce to his pie at my encouraging.  mainly because i like to play with food and i thought it sounded awesome.  i was right.
i like to get the mixed green salad with quinoa.  i still have a hard time pronouncing that, but am convinced it is addicting, and it has green grapes in the salad.  bonus.

i said all that to say, if you are a resident of nashville, east, south, north, west...you should go to the family wash.  the food is yummy and you will not be disappointed.

and if you invite me, the company will be excellent.

and this is just a few of the randomness that awaits you there.  i think the wash might have a hoarding problem, but hey, who am i to judge.

oh, oh oh...and...
you will never believe what happened to me this past christmas.  after finding out that my cousins wife is my favorite relative AND that she happens to be related to dolly...

she went and gave me free passes to dollywood.  just handed them to me all cool like.  can you even believe that?  i have always wanted to go to dollywood and now it is in my near future, seeing that i have to use the tickets by the end of the year.  AND she gave my two, sooooo that means that i get to drag someone with me.  l.u.c.k.y. them.

go to the wash.  the family wash.  you will not be sorry.

i promise.

cross my heart.
hope to die.
stick a needle in my eye.

okay, i am done.

d-o-n-e.

done.