Lynse Leanne

Many of you know that Chad and I are pregnant…well, I am, he is lovingly gaining sympathy weight.  We are due August 13th with a baby boy.  We have finally chosen a name for our little man.

We narrowed it down to 2 middle names so we let our dog choose. The first name was the same, but we equally liked the 2 middle name options….so we let the other family member choose….Jett the dog.

The first name is a family name on Chad’s side.  We really really liked it because it gave us the “family name” as well as a unique name.

So there you have it….the little one has a name.

Did you or will you go traditional or unique when it comes to names?

It is not yet finished. I still have the colour and shading to get done….and that magic will happen November 19th. I debated sharing the story after that, but i am still getting people ask the meaning…so what better time than the present.

As many of you know i like to memorialize major events in my life by tattoos…hence the 9 that i have. ;)

This one is the one of most meaningful ones, and not just because it is the most recent but because of the story behind it.

The best way that i have learned to explain it is by getting people to picture the Wizard of Oz and the scene when Dorothy and the 3 companions are coming out of the dark forest and the Emerald City is before them.  It is beautiful.  They are coming out of darkness and all the struggle that happened throughout their time in the forest.  The Emerald City is in front of them, but as you remember from the movie they still have a journey ahead of them.  They still have struggles that they will face, but the worst is really behind them.  The darkness and despair and there is hope in their future.

I have always connected with that movie and i have always thought that part of the movie was the most majestic.  so much hope.

to me, the tattoo represents coming out of the darkness of my past and moving out from the shadow of it and living now and looking into the future.  i came to a point where i realized i was living in the darkness and the pity party and had to make a move out of it.  Through that entire season of moving past it i pictured this part of the movie.  The wonder, hope and awe that would come when i reached the end of that season and began to step forward into the light and all that is before me in my life.  So instead of getting that scene of the Wizard of Oz i had my amazing artist James mesh the concept and feeling i was going for into this.

The girl obviously represents me and the apprehension, hope, awe and wonder of what is to come, pausing at the end of the darkness to remember what was behind and the lengths traveled and the journey that was, but moving on into the next part of the journey.

So, that is the story behind it.

What is your favourite tattoo that you have and why?

So my friend Josh Hudnall tweeted about this today and i died laughing.

That would hurt!!

Have you ever done anything stupid or painful that you just had to keep moving on after?

I want to share what i am reading…blogs, books and otherwise….

BLOGS

Design Milk. I am not sure how I stumbled upon this blog but I LOVE IT. I think I found their twitter account via twitter’s recommendation craziness. Anyways, I love looking at pretty things that make my creative juices flow. Oh, and they also have Dog Milk…designed stuff for dogs.

Moleskinerie. To be honest, this is my homepage. I love my moleskine and have used one since Jr. year in High School. I can look back over the past 8 years of my life through them. Moleskinerie makes me enjoy my moleskine (or what I call “spybooks“) even more. And it’s also full of pretty things.

PostSecret. When I was in High School I heard about these books. I would spend hours on end flipping through them at my bookstore. Once I sent a secret in to PostSecret. It was actually very therapeutic for me. Sunday mornings it is the first thing I do when I wake up….turn off the alarm. Go to PostSecret. Get ready for church.

BOOKS

Permission to Speak Freely. Y’all I seriously picked up and read it in a day. Cover to cover. I couldn’t put it down. Yet each day I am re-reading chapters and letting them sink in. Letting it sink into my soul. It is beautifully written. If you have not picked it up yet I would strongly encourage it. Here is a link to push you a little more. ;)

SuperFreakonomics. It is a second book after their very successful Freakonomics. I think it may have been the first book I read after my almost fundamental stage of life. It was the first “secular” books I read after becoming a Christian. I loved the linking of seemingly random things. And it made me laugh. So when I discovered that there was a follow up book I was so excited. So I am reading it and I am just as happy and impressed. It’s a fun good and pretty easy read.

So, there you go. I would love to know what blogs and books you are reading. I’m always looking for good blogs and books. Share on my friends.

I need a hobby.

Something to be an outlet.

Chad thinks I should take up knitting.

I am unsure about that option.

I just can’t see myself doing this….

What is your hobby? Do you have one?