5 Friday Favorites: September 1, 2023

It's time for my Friday link up with  A Little Bit of Everything and Momfessionals. 

On Fridays I share things that made me happy from the week - a photo, a song, a quote, a beauty product, a recipe, a pair of cute shoes, etc. If it's a product, sometimes it's something I actually own and sometimes something I just saw online that gave me a smile. Sometimes it's serious and sometimes it's silly. I suppose I believe that God is in the simple details of life and yes, I can even find Him in a tube of lipstick.

Hey, Is this thing on?? I missed posting two weeks in a row because it's been EmptyNesterPalooza around here. Actually, it's been The Road to Empty Nest Palooza because we are only officially Empty Nesters as of three days ago. In the last two weeks, we dropped Drew off at Averett University in Danville, Virginia, flew to Boston with friends for a few days to see the Morgan Wallen concert at Fenway Park, drove to Spartanburg, South Carolina to help Joe move into an apartment and then to Nashville to check in on Kyle and help get his apartment set up. Today we're headed to Lake Anna for the Labor Day weekend. It's been a busy and really fun couple of weeks. I find myself deeply, deeply grateful for the opportunities my children have been given. The best part is I've been too busy to feel anything but happy to be home in my empty nest. No time to be sad yet. Right now it's glorious. I have not tripped over one shoe in the past three days.

Here are some of my favorite things from life lately.

1. The Nightingale

I know I am the last person on Earth to read this book, but better late than never. I have read so many books about World War II that I thought I needed a break, but this one sucked me right back in. If you slept on The Nightingale like I did, go get it. 

2. Morgan Wallen: One Thing at a Time

The Morgan Wallen concert at Fenway Park was pure joy. It was so fun to see cowboy boots and hats all over Boston. 

My friend, Lori, said that she had never been to a concert where every person knew every single word to every single song and I agreed. One of my favorite things was a group of kids about Drew's age behind us with their arms wrapped around each other singing their lungs out. They were adorable and respectful and sweet. Just so happy to be there. Gosh, I loved it so much. One Thing at a Time is my new favorite song of Wallen's for this minute. Later today it will be something else. I could listen to him all day long.

3. Beacon Hill Books & Cafe

Boston is by far one of my very favorite cities in the entire world. I find the city to be very clean, the people to be warm and friendly and the food and shopping to be the best. This is probably my fifth or sixth time to visit, but the first time I visited Beacon Hill Books & Cafe because I heard Sophie and Melanie recommend it on their podcast. It was adorable. It boasts three or four floors of floor to ceiling bookshelves and a cafe in the bottom floor. I could've stayed there for hours. Highly recommend visiting it if you are in Boston. 

4. Peter Thomas Roth Instant Firm Eye

I heard about this eye gel from beauty expert, Kathleen Jennings, and I'm a sucker for a new product. I tried it yesterday. I think I really saw a difference. Maybe this weekend after I eat a bunch of chips and salsa while I yell at the Texas Longhorns I'll really put it to the test. Stay tuned.

5. The Kid is in College

Not ready to talk about it, much less write about it, but I will say that I shed about three tears after I left him. Nobody was more shocked by this than me. I'm sure the meltdown is forthcoming, but so far so good.

He's happy. I'm happy. But I know that happiness - although it's what every parent wants for their children - really is not the ultimate goal. The fact is that he won't always be happy. This I know for sure. But I hope he'll always feel worthy and loved and able and hopeful. And most of all, I hope he will know from where his hope comes.

Yes, my soul, find rest in God;

My hope comes from Him.

Truly He is my rock and my salvation;

He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

Psalm 62:5-6

PS Perhaps the reason I didn't cry was because Joe yelled out "STAGED!", when he snapped these pictures. It's pretty hard to have an emotional moment with these jokers around.

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