Alright folks, I’ve got to come clean with you. While I meant well, I bit off way more than I could chew with my Lent resolution to give up and give thanks. (Get it? Chew…) Yeah, I went there. :-) So here’s the update.

The giving up went really well. John and I have almost made it 46 days without meat. (Danielle recently gave up, but she tried and she’s not even Catholic so props to her) Am I know a converted vegetarian for life? Absolutely not! All I have wanted for the last 38 days is chicken. I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing though. It was supposed to be hard. That’s the sacrifice part. As of now, John and I are planning a Thanksgiving feast of sorts after Easter is over and we’re going to attempt to cook a turducken. What’s that you ask? Oh, its just a Turkey stuffed with a duck stuffed with a chicken. No big deal. Ha, you are all cordially invited to that feast. Date is TBD since I’m hitting the road home to Chicago and then I’m off to Seattle/Portland for a little nature break. BUT it’s happening when I get back to Nash for sure. Get your stomachs ready!

Now the other part…the giving thanks. In the beginning of Lent I tried really hard to get a post up here every single day about one of you that I am thankful for. And I am so glad that I got to share that. I know that I don’t say it often enough and it gave me a chance to really reflect on our relationships. The only problem was the pressure I felt to have something every day. There were some nights when I was up at 1am writing out of obligation and not just because it felt like the time was right. That was something I didn’t predict and the busier I got with one thing or another, the more it didn’t feel right to me. Easter is in a week, so my plan is to get a few more up on here and then throw in the towel for Lent. Yes, I’m quitting, but I’m not totally quitting. I want to keep the posts going throughout the year and just not have a set number or set timing for them. I want to take the time to be thankful for my friends all year round and give each post the thought and time you all deserve. So all is not lost and I refuse to think of this as a failure. It was just the start of something even better.

Sometimes the littlest things can make me feel unbelievably happy and content with life. This morning its easing into the day with some coffee, writing letters to friends back home, and making them mix CD’s of the music I’ve fallen in love with since I’ve seen them last. I know, I know…mix CD’s? Who does that anymore? As dorky as this sounds, I get a warm feeling sharing what I love so much with them. Tailoring each CD with songs I know that person will like (and know they haven’t heard) makes me stop for a second and really think about them. Sure, it’s just a CD, but it’s also 30 minutes of my day where I’ve just sat and thought about one of my friends.

I’m super excited to be going to my first Tin Pan South songwriters festival and to be covering it for Music City Unsigned. 5 Days, 2 Shows a night, it’s going to be an awesome week! Highlights for me are going to be Dave Barnes, Steve Moakler, Andrew Ripp, Brandon Heath, and Gabe Dixon. Follow along over at the Music City Unsigned blog: http://musiccityunsigned.com/#/blog

This is on repeat for today. Hoping I learned a lesson from last night.

 She’s like a flower of white
Wild in the fields, reflecting sunlight
And royalty is what she deserves
But I am a pauper, I was born poor
Oh, Lord, have you found a man worthy?
A prince for this daughter of grace?

Please, please, please
Give her the best man that you see
And please, please, please
Let him be me

Well I know Lord, that you know her well
From your very house this angel fell
And I’d work a lifetime, give my back to this land
Just for a chance at that lady’s hand
Oh, Lord, I know I ain’t worthy
But even dead men can rise by your grace

Let him be true and faithful to her
And grow him in faith, make him wiser
Just let all her needs be satisfied
And if you have yet to decide the means, then please…

Please, please
Give her the best man that you see
And please, please, please
Let him be me

If you make a blind man see, let him be me

Day 13 (still catching up) goes out to AJ. It’s been just about a year since the first time we hung out and he schooled me and Chad in frisbee golf. Don’t be surprised though, he wins at EVERYTHING (and that is not an exaggeration). I feel like I’m repeating myself in alot of these, but we just never stopped hanging out after that day. Interns came and went, but AJ stayed in Nashville and I couldn’t be happier about that. So what exactly am I most thankful for with AJ? I’ve never been willing to admit this, but what the heck…it’s Lent and I know he’s been pining to hear this for a long time. Eventhough I always credit Ben Rector for opening my eyes to the Nashville singer songwriter music that I now live and breathe, I may not have ever gone out of my way to see Ben Rector on the cruise if it hadn’t been for AJ. Before I ever even stepped foot on the boat, AJ told me to check out Matt Wertz and sent me some of his music. I fell in LOVE with the song 5:19. On Day 1 of the cruise, John and I went to see Matt play and Ben was playing keyboard for him. That’s all it took. I was in love,not only with Ben, but the entire genre of music. So for today, I’ll let AJ take credit for helping me discover my passion. I’m glad you decided to stay in Nashville, and I’m thankful to have you around as my show buddy (no matter how many times I want to go see the same people play), guitar teacher (eventhough I’ve fallen way behind), co-songwriter (even when I want to write ridiculously cheesy love songs), and friend.  

It’s time to add a dynamic duo to the mix. Day 12 (which I realize is a week late) goes out to Eva & Parker. I first met Eva and Parker when Brandon brought them to Chicago for a visit. I spent the weekend gallivanting around the city with them and loved every minute. Mama Chew even came into the city to take them to dim sum in Chinatown. (If Mama Chew likes you, you’re probably golden) Fast forward a year to when I moved to Nashville and they were the first ones (other than Brandon) to hang out with me and the hanging hasn’t stopped. They are by far some of the closest friends I’ve made here and I cherish every minute we spend together. There are bound to be laughs and “dream farming” if we’re together. I’m thankful for cinnamon rolls at Ann Sather, our visit to the Museum of Science and Industry, dim sum w/Mama Chew, our weekly breakfasts/lunches/dinners, walks with the pups, running my first 5k with me, sharing a birthday with Eva, taking me to my first TN fair (next year we’re so riding the Crazy Mouse), introducing me to dirty sushi, always being up for a good “dream farming” session, and just plain treating me like family. I love you guys!

(Just realized this is the only picture I have of us together. We should remedy that one of these days. )