Garth Brooks Concert!

Ever since I was a kid I wanted to go see Garth Brooks in concert. I remember my mom trying to get tickets over the phone back when they had those curly cords. I think tickets were only $10 back then and it sold out very quickly. I had Garth Brooks tapes back in those days that I listened to a lot. So when Garth Brooks announced he was going on tour this year, I was super excited. When he announced he was going to be at the Greensboro Coliseum, I was ecstatic! That's only two hours away! Now Brandon doesn't really prefer concerts, but he agreed to go with me and we had a blast!

So first of all, we found a sitter to watch the boys overnight. I love the boys, but I wasn't taking them with me to Greensboro. Luckily one of the young ladies that usually sits for us was able to watch them overnight. The only bad thing that happened was I woke up sick that morning. I'm pretty sure the only thing I had to eat that day was a banana, applesauce and a slice of pizza at the concert. After the concert I was finally starving and had a burger. When we got to the concert they wanted $20 cash to park and I didn't have $20 cash and didn't anticipate needing $20 cash so we made a u-turn and parked in the neighborhoods nearby for free. It was a little bit of longer walk, but totally worth not paying $20. I mean that's highway robbery!

We got in the Coliseum in enough time to listen to one of Garth's backup singers. And then when he came out, he was full of energy, totally in love with the crowd and he put on a fabulous show! He sang pretty much everything I'd want him to sing - The Thunder Rolls, Friends in Low Places, The Dance, That Summer, The River, Two Pina Coladas, The Fever, Ain't Going Down 'Til the Sun Comes Up, Much Two Young, Callin' Baton Rouge, Unanswered Prayers, his new song People Loving People and he sang In Another's Eyes with Trisha Yearwood. Then Trisha sang some of her old songs and one new one. The only song he didn't sing is To Make You Feel My Love, which kind of disappointed me, but he did sing for like two hours :-)

All in all I'm really glad we went. We stayed at an awesome Embassy Suites that had a fabulous breakfast. If you're looking for a place to stay in Greensboro, I highly recommend it. And if you have a chance to see Garth Brooks anytime soon - GET THE TICKETS!! He's one of the more reasonably priced tickets out there! (BTW: This picture was not taken from where we were sitting - we were much further back - but this is him on the night we went)

I Want a Flat Screen TV

I really want a flat screen tv. Well, lets just be honest, I want my house to look like a Better Homes and Gardens magazine- you know, clean, stylish, beautiful, clean. I would have walls painted something other than white, I'd have curtains that coordinated with the furniture, a couch full of pillows and a kitchen that made others envious with its tile and stylish accents. Wouldn't that just make my life perfect?

Actually I don't think it would. First of all, I have to remind myself that those pictures in Better Homes and Gardens are mostly staged. And even if they are really people's houses, well they probably clean for a week before photographers come with their cameras.

Second, if I had a beautiful house I'd be stressed about keeping up with it. I'd probably blow a gasket when Carter peed on the floor instead of simply cleaning it up and moving on with life. I'd be freaking out over the dishes Colby hasn't put away or the socks Brandon left in the middle of the dinning room floor. I guess a lack of stress is advantage to having a house with a "lived-in" look.

Third, none of those things would really be for me. It would be so that I would look good to others. I was reading Ecclesiastes today and Solomon likens amassing wealth to chasing the wind. Honestly, what does it matter that I don't have a flat screen tv? My old-school one works doesn't it? What does it matter that my car is not very stylish. It runs right? What does it matter that my house is decorated in a fairly bland way? It's filled with love isn't it?

If your house does look like a Better Homes and Gardens magazine, then more power to you. Enjoy it. If I'm going to be honest, having an extremely messy house is just as stressful as having a pristine house that is constantly under threat of becoming messy. I think striking a balance is key. The other key - being thankful for what you do have. Thank you God for my tiny, messy, non-flat-screen-containing, non-stylish, mismatched house, my wonderful family and my bill-paying job.