Other

I woke up Friday morning and immediately knew that I wasn’t feeling better. Mainly because my throat was on fire with the intensity of a thousand suns.

As I walked into the kitchen, P asked me if I felt any better. I told him no and he said, “Then you need to go to the doctor.” Because, essentially, if I’m going to continue to complain about not feeling well, I need a note from a physician.

I really didn’t want to go to the doctor because I hate waiting in waiting rooms that are just giant petri dishes full of germ cocktails and so I decided I’d wait to see how I felt later in the day. Plus I was already scheduled to speak to a MOPs group in town and knew I was going to power through because I didn’t want to call in sick at the last minute.

It was while I was speaking to the MOPs group that I knew without a doubt I needed to go see a doctor because I don’t mean to be overly dramatic, but I was clearly about to die. And so I left MOPs and drove straight to the neighborhood medical clinic where I was overjoyed to see there was only one person in line in front of me.

Five minutes later, a doctor was looking at my throat and declared that I most definitely had strep. And then my throat burst into flames and I passed out cold. Not really. But I felt like that scenario could play out at any time.

I dropped off my prescriptions at the pharmacy and headed home to get in my pajamas. Caroline was already scheduled to go home with a friend after school, P was at the ranch for the evening and Gulley offered to pick up my medicine for me so I wouldn’t have to leave the house again. And so I did the only thing a person can really do when they feel terrible and are in pajamas by 2 p.m., I watched so many old episodes of Friday Night Lights that I began to wonder if Smash Williams made it to the NFL.

By the time Caroline and P got home later that night, I was fully concerned about Coach and Tami Taylor in Philadephia and how that whole thing is working out and decided it was perhaps time to both check back into reality and go to bed.

On Saturday morning I woke up and thought for a while that I felt a lot better. We went to Caroline’s basketball game, but by the time we got home my throat had really started to hurt again. So we spent the rest of the day just hanging out. Caroline and I watched The Mask of Zorro later that evening and I could tell that my congestion was dropping into my chest. Mainly because I started to hack and talk in the unmistakable voice of Hazel.

(In case you’re new here, Hazel is an eighty-something year old woman who lives inside me and comes out about twice a year when I have a bad cold and cough and wheeze and speak in a voice about fourteen octaves lower than usual.)

(It’s very attractive.)

Fortunately, the doctor had given me a prescription for cough medicine the day before. It was a different brand of cough medicine than I usually get (Yes, I have a preferred brand of cough syrup. I was a drug rep for eleven years and, thus, am a pharmaceutical snob.) but it appeared to have the same ingredients so I went with it.

I took the prescribed one teaspoon right before bed and then curled up and waited for cough relief and sleep to come. I felt myself start to drift off and then, all of a sudden, my brain decided to be wide awake. And by wide awake, I mean I was averaging about 478 thoughts per second. Yet I was relaxed enough that I didn’t really care.

I even grabbed my iPhone and began typing in notes about possible writing topics and various memories that came to mind. At one point I concocted an idea for an entire series of children’s books featuring a squirrel named Sitka who has a peanut allergy and decides to take up fishing and makes himself a teeny tiny fishing pole.

This is disturbing for two reasons:

1. Squirrels, to the best of my knowledge, aren’t carnivorous. And if they decide to be, we might be in trouble because there are a lot of them roaming our neighborhoods.

2. I was obviously having some sort of adverse reaction to the cough medicine.

I can confirm the second thing to be true because when I looked at my iPhone notes on Sunday morning, they essentially looked like this:

Assumption. Sitka. Peanuts.
Trees. Reading. Tears for Fears.
And alkdgjiaojstl bjsljf oasdfol.

Please let me know if you can make sense of any of this.

When I woke up on Sunday morning after barely sleeping for all the entirely lucid note-taking I was doing throughout the night, I immediately googled the name of my cough medicine because I felt that something was amiss. Sure enough, it turns out that it contains pseudoephedrine which is Sudafed.

Here’s what you need to know. I am highly sensitive to Sudafed. Like the package says you can take 2-4 at a time. You know how many I can take? One. And even then I have to take it early in the day or it will keep me up for three days.

So essentially that new cough medicine was like some sort of speed cocktail with a side of crazy because it also contained an antihistamine and hydrocodone. Which explains why I was very busy taking all the notes and thinking all the thoughts, but at the same time very tranquil about the whole thing. Like if someone had asked me how I was doing I would have replied, “I’m goooooooooood”. And drawing out the word “good” like that is a sure sign you probably aren’t.

Needless to say, I’ll be calling the doctor tomorrow to get a new prescription and, in the meantime, I am sounding more like Hazel by the minute. Which is probably why I have a strong urge to go sit on my front porch and yell at people to get off my lawn.

Unless, perhaps, it’s a poor squirrel named Sitka who’s allergic to peanuts and just looking for a place to fish.

I have good news and bad news today.

The bad news is I think I have succumbed to the virus that took Caroline down last week.

The good news is I laid on the couch yesterday and found cute fashion items in spite of my ill health. And, because several of you have asked, everything on this list is less than $50.

1. marseille drop waist dress

I was conflicted about this because I think it would be too short to wear as a dress unless your in your teens or twenties. But I think it has potential as a tunic thing with white skinny jeans. I love the color.

2. ansonia pullover

This is on sale at Anthropologie and also comes in a gorgeous green. I love tops like this because you can throw them on with jeans and a scarf and have yourself an outfit.

3. cross front jersey dress

These jersey dresses from Old Navy are really cute and would be perfect with a denim jacket thrown on over it and a pair of wedges.

4. multi-stripe scarf

Spring is a great time for a colorful scarf that you can wear with all manner of colored t-shirts or even one of the jersey dresses from Old Navy.

5. colorblock maxi dress

This comes in a few different color combos but I really like this blue and green.

6. macrame wedge sandal

How cute are these? They also come in a few other colors.

7. pam breeze-ly tunic

I love this style of top. It’s perfect to dress up or down depending on your mood. And this green is just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.

8. stellaluna tunic

This would be so great with white jeans for the summer. And might even be long enough to wear as a swimsuit coverup if you are so inclined.

9. annie’s feathered earrings

Noonday Collection’s spring collection is officially out as of yesterday. These earrings aren’t part of the new stuff, but I’ve loved them for a long time and felt like you should see them.

You should also click around and look at all the great new things they have for Spring.

10. evenings in argentina embroidered top

Love the blue of this top.

That’s it for today.

Hope you have a great Friday.

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Don’t forget about the Marriage in Six Words contest going on until the end of February. You can find all the details here. And if you’re bored this weekend you should totally go search #antelopeinthelivingroom on Twitter and Instagram and my Facebook page to see some of the entries. They’ve made me laugh and cry over the last week or so.

I didn’t post anything yesterday because I figured no one really wanted to hear about how Caroline was home sick again and I stayed in my pajamas until noon and we ate cheese and crackers for lunch because it was all we had since I still hadn’t been to the grocery store.

But now you just heard about it anyway. Sorry.

By the time Tuesday morning rolled around, I woke Caroline up for school. She complained of a sore throat but I told her to drink some water and assured her she’d be fine. And I was right.

While she was at school I did all the things that had been neglected for the last two weeks. I washed clothes and made a list of things to cook for actual meals and then even followed through with a trip to HEB to buy all the groceries on my list. The whole thing was terribly productive.

I had big plans to cook a real dinner, but then P called me mid-afternoon to tell me he’d decided to make a trip to the ranch and so I certainly wasn’t going to cook for just Caroline and me. I figured we’d pick something up, but then my friend Leslie called to me she was bringing by the Girl Scout cookies we’d ordered and, just like that, dinner was served.

Not really. We also ordered pizza. But my pizza to cookie ratio erred greatly on the side of cookies because THIN MINTS.

Anyway, a few weeks ago when I did that little video interview with Edie at Life in Grace, we talked about beauty products for a few minutes and she said maybe I should write an updated post about some of my favorites. And I thought that today might be a good day for it because why not?

So here are some of my current beauty products. You will notice there are various price points represented. I try to mix it up, but as I’ve headed towards my mid-forties I’m not playing around with my skincare. You only get one face.

1. Dr. Gross extra-strength alpha beta peel

I’ve mentioned these a few times but it’s because I’m in love with them. They come in handy little packets so you don’t have to guess about how much to use. I use these every other night after I wash my face and it’s like a little mini-peel for my face.

You can also just buy five day sample here if you want to try them out.

2. Bobbi Brown shimmer brick

Here’s a true confession. On days when I’m really lazy and not really going anywhere except the grocery store, I’ll just use some moisturizer and then brush this over my face. It’s a nice glow without being overly shimmery.

3. clarisonic brush

If there were just one thing I was going to buy for my face, this would be it. I bought my Clarisonic two and a half years ago and it has made such a difference in how clean my skin feels at the end of the day. It’s a little pricey, but you’ll have it for a long time and use it every day.

4. Rimmel London Lash Accelerator

Sophie told me about this mascara a while back and I think she’s now moved onto something else because she is always in search of the mythical unicorn of mascaras. (I have no idea what I mean.) But I’m still using this. It’s only $6.00, has a great brush and coats my lashes without being clumpy.

5. Revlon Colorstay Liquid lipstick

If you’re looking for a lip color that will last all day, then look no further. This stays put no matter what you do. Now I will tell you that it feels a little dry and I always put a lipgloss on top of it, but it’s my go to lip color when I know I have a long day ahead of me and little chance to check to make sure I still have on lipstick.

6. Paula’s Intensive Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum

This is the newest product for me on this list, but I already love it. My skin tends to be really dry and so whenever I use any type of Retinol or Retin A, it gets really dry and often starts to flake. But this is actually Retinol in an oil form. It only takes one drop to cover your whole face and you can even use it around your eyes. I love the way it soaks into my skin and doesn’t leave me feeling itchy and dry.

7. Dr. Jart Premium Beauty Balm

This is a product I discovered through Birchbox. (Birchbox is a monthly subscription where you pay $10 a month to receive a box of beauty samples. You can sign up here if you’re interested.) I’d heard about Dr. Jarts but wasn’t sure if it was worth the money, but I can honestly say I’m a fan. It definitely leans more towards coverage for fair to light skin so I don’t think I’ll use it this summer. However, it is the perfect amount of coverage for my face. It doesn’t feel heavy at all and is so moisturizing.

But for the summer, I’ll probably stick with Garnier beauty balm. It’s great, light coverage at a great price.

8. Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick

I love these color sticks from Neutrogena. They go on so smooth and the color is much more subdued than it looks. I keep a couple of these in my purse at all times.

9. Anastasia Brow Wiz mechanical pencil

So in the last year I’ve developed a bit of an eyebrow obsession. It all began when I realized I was over-tweezing my eyebrows and needed to let them grow in a bit. I blame my overzealousness on a very powerful magnifying mirror that shows every hair on your face before it’s even out of the follicle.

I think there is something to fuller eyebrows making you look more youthful. In fact, as I’m writing this I’m looking at J.Lo’s eyebrows on American Idol and they are stunning. I’m sure they’re like interwoven with real mink or something. (I also need to know about her self-tanner. Good night at the glow.)

For those of us who can’t afford mink eyebrow extensions, I recommend this eyebrow pencil. It just gives a nice soft color without looking too harsh.

10. Cetaphil

This is the basic staple of my face cleansing regimen. I use Cetaphil with my Clarisonic brush every night. And then because I am very fancy, I take off my eye makeup with Vaseline.

11. Hummingbird Farms lavender lotion

I tend to mention this a lot but it’s because it is my all-time favorite lotion. P and I both couldn’t live without it. The scent is about the best thing you’ll ever smell and it moisturizes even the most dry skin.

And so there it is. My current beauty favorites.

I’d love to hear about yours in the comments if you feel like sharing.

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Also, in case you missed it yesterday, some of you mentioned Antelope was out of stock on Amazon. It’s back in stock now. You can find it here. It’s also available at Barnes and Noble here. And you can always walk into your neighborhood LifeWay store or Barnes and Noble or Sam’s Club and find it there.

First and foremost, just a quick reminder that I’m going to be signing books in Katy, Texas at Books-A-Million at Katy Mills this Saturday, February 15 from 10:30 a.m. until noon. I’d love to see you there.

Also, I’m thrilled to report that I made it home yesterday with nary a hitch. In fact, it was one of the easiest trips I’ve ever had. Both my flights were on time and my arrival gate and departure gate out of Atlanta were only three gates apart.

Anyone who has ever spent time in the Atlanta airport can attest that this is truly miraculous.

And so I landed in San Antonio a little before 5:00 p.m and discovered that my blog was down. Apparently I’d missed the renewal notice for my domain name because I am very detail oriented. You cannot even imagine the panic I felt in the twenty minutes I became convinced that a band of rogue spammers were going to be able to purchase my blog url.

Fortunately, it all worked out and all is well and I will forevermore pay attention to these types of things.

Now for some articles of clothing and/or shoes that I scoured the internet for this week:

1. Frye Melissa Button Boots

This is a great deal for a fabulous pair of boots. They are on sale for 35% off and are $227.64. I can honestly say that they will last a lifetime and you will love them forever.

They also come in black if this cognac isn’t your thing.

2. graceful répertoire tunic

I think this is pretty and springy and would look cute with colored jeans.

3. gap leather flip flops

I realize that some of you have been in the midst of various snowstorms and not in the mood for flip-flops. However, these are my very favorite from Gap. They come in a rainbow of colors and always sell out quick once the weather warms up.

4. old navy jersey tamis

As much as I think calling something a “tami” is stupid, I do love these long tanks from Old Navy to wear under various things.

5. chambray popover

I’m always a fan of a denim shirt. So versatile. This one would look so cute with colored shorts or belted with a maxi skirt.

6. free people keep me v-neck tee

Listen. This is not a cheap t-shirt. But I have one and cannot even tell you how much I love it. It’s the softest thing ever and comes in so many great colors. And see how it comes down a little longer in the back?

It’s perfection.

7. nike pro hyper warm training top

These workout tops are 25% off and come in a ton of great colors.

8. crinkled maxi skirt

I’ve featured this maxi skirt at least three times now, but I think it is perfect. So many people struggle with the maxi skirt but this one is brilliant because it’s a loose fit and doesn’t require you to sell your soul and your liver to Spanx to wear it.

9. a memory shared thermal leggings

I have some print leggings that I love so much. And I thought you might be interested in a pair.

10. spring it on sweater

I love a good spring sweater that’s lightweight enough to wear when the days are warm but the evenings are still a little cool.

That’s it for today.

Hope you have a great Valentine’s Day.

Before I say anything else that isn’t nearly as important, I have to say thank you for all your prayers for Hannah. I cannot even tell you how much it meant to read your comments and know that she is being covered in prayer. Her mom texted me to let me know she and Hannah read through the comments with tears streaming down their face.

And I’m praying for each and every one of you who left a comment with a prayer request. Make no mistake, there are some heavy burdens out there.

Which makes it seem silly for me to ask for your prayers that I manage to get home somehow on Thursday. I’d finally decided to pay the fee to change my flight to take me through Chicago, but then that flight was sold out and so now I’ll be landing in Atlanta around 2:30 p.m. and hoping that I can make it out to get home to San Antonio. But, if not, I’ll be spending a cozy night in a chair in the Atlanta airport using my big puffy coat as a pillow. I’m sure it will be every bit as restful and relaxing as it sounds.

But, in spite of potential travel woes, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in Virginia Beach. And I got to see something I’d never seen before when I watched it snow on the beach yesterday. If that’s not enough, there was someone out in the waves surfing in a wetsuit. What on earth? I wanted to applaud him or shout my encouragement but I was too cold to get up from where I sat in my hotel bed covered in a down comforter.

Anyway, here are just a few quick things for today:

1. I wrote an article on Valentine’s Day for BookPage. You can find it here.

It was so fun to do a podcast with Kat from Inspired to Action. You can listen to it here.

And I loved doing another podcast with Heather MacFadyen. Although I was worried the whole time about whether or not she’d be able to make it to pick up her kids in the midst of a Dallas snow storm. You can listen to that here.

Don’t forget about the contest to describe your marriage (or waiting for marriage) in six words. There are fabulous prizes to be had. You can read all the details here. And you should check Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for the entries because they are both hilarious and heartwarming.

2. I loved this I Am Second video by former Bachelor star, Sean Lowe. You can watch it here.

3. This was a great post about marriage that rang so true to me from Edie. Perfect reading right before Valentine’s Day.

And that’s it. Hope you have a great Thursday.

Maybe if I get stuck in the Atlanta airport overnight I can do a very special edition of Fashion Friday about the do’s and don’ts of airport fashion.

I’m in a hotel room in Virginia Beach right now.

I just finished washing eight hours of airport travel and delays out of my hair and am now getting ready to go to bed. I’m also trying to decide if I need to change my flight home on Thursday that’s supposed to take me through Atlanta en route to San Antonio.

You know why I chose to go through Atlanta? Because my other option was Chicago. And you would think the odds of getting caught up in an ice storm are much greater in Chicago than Atlanta. But it appears I made the wrong decision.

That’s what I get for thinking.

Anyway, today is going to be kind of a different post.

Almost three years ago, our dear friends, Hannah and Stewart, got married. I wrote all about it here. Their wedding still goes down as one of my very favorite weddings ever and I think a large part of it is because P and I love them both so much.

And that’s why we were so excited to learn about a year ago that they were expecting their first baby. Sadie Claire was born five months ago and she is absolutely precious.

But Hannah experienced some complications during childbirth that have caused some type of extensive nerve damage. She is in constant, excruciating pain and has been bedridden for the last five months as doctors have struggled to find answers to help her.

I ran by their house on Saturday and talked to her mom, Debi, and my heart just broke. I’ve always felt like Debi is a kindred spirit because we are both the mother of an only girl child and each tend to have a warped sense of humor. And I cannot even imagine how hard it is to watch your baby be in so much pain and feel like there’s nothing you can do about it.

But their faith is so strong. They know that God has a plan and a purpose. And they know that ultimately he is the only one that can heal Hannah and make her strong enough to raise her own sweet baby girl.

I spent the last few days feeling so heavy for them and texted Debi to ask if I could tell you Hannah’s story and ask for your prayers. And as it turns out, one of her friends has started a Facebook page specifically asking for prayers for Hannah’s healing over the next twenty-four hours.

So will you please pray? She is such a gorgeous, vibrant girl and she has a daughter who needs her mama to be healthy and strong. Will you pray for complete healing? For the doctors to have wisdom about treatment options? And just that God would be glorified in all of this? It’s one of those situations that is so hard to understand but I believe he works all things together for good.

I know we all have situations and things in our life that are overwhelming and even devastating. And so I’d also love it if you would leave any prayer requests you have in the comments today. I promise to pray over each and every one.