got time??

Our Christmas in Augusta has been rather...relaxing, you could say. It's been just us (Matt & I), my parents, and my grandparents (in their mid-80s), with occasional visits from my brother and his girlfriend and/or my sister and her husband. But most of the time, it's the 6 of us, and we're not exactly...hoppin. More like, we sit and eat. And talk, sure. And then sit and eat and maybe watch some TV. Sit in the hot tub, eat some more, and maybe take a nap.

It's pretty awesome, really.

But as you can imagine, when that's all you're doing all day, you grow extra-appreciative of the availability of wireless internet. Because when all you're doing is eating and sitting, it's not too much to add in a little mindless web-surfing. Especially if you're me and you're internet-deprived most of the time.

So I've had a lot of time to spend surfing the 'net. And just in case you are also finding yourself in a situation where you have time to kill, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite reads from this week. Or maybe you're just lucky enough to be snowed in. Or maybe you just have some new-fangled electronic device like an iPad or iPhone or iSomething and you need new materials to stare at. Or maybe...well, whatever. I just wanted to share.

1. First of all, I spent seven a few hours catching up on the last few years of Stuff Christians Like (SCL). Have you read that before? It's hilarious. It's a blatant rip-off of Stuff White People Like, which is also an excellent read, but not the topic of this paragraph. SCL is 90% tongue-in-cheek sarcasm and 100% awesome, especially if you are/were/have ever known a Christian. Jon, the author of the blog, divides his time between the silly (which is the bread-and-butter namesake of the blog, the actual stuff Christians like numbered posts), the serious (he actually is a Christian, and he has some amazing insights that he skillfully shares with both passion and wit), and the hey, this is my blog, here's what's up in my life.

If you've never visited before, here's a good example of a stuff thing Christians like (or don't so much like, as the case may be): #871- The guy who tries to fix your problems when you make a prayer request. Classic.

But if you're more in the mood for a little encouragement and/or conviction, you could check out this one, Our $29,000 God. I've read it about 10 times this weekend and it's good every time. Promise.

2. While we're at it, discussing list-type, numbered blogs, maybe you need to look at 999 Reasons to Laugh at Infertility. This is a classic amongst those of us who are infertile, bitter, REALLY hate that iPhone 4 commercial where the girl video-chats with her husband and announces her pregnancy pregnancy-challenged. But I think it could be enjoyable even if you're not a member of our fun-filled little club. This one, much like SCL, is funny only because there's so much truth in what we're laughing at.

I found much to relate to in #697- Happy Infertile Christmas...Again. And, sadly, in #717- This is the LAST box of tampons you'll ever buy. Check it out. It's kind of a win-win situation, really. If you're pregnancy-challenged, it might lighten your mood for a few minutes. Or at least make you giggle. And feel happy that you're not the only person thinking/doing these things. And if you're pregnant or a parent...you can get a little insight into the other side. And feel extra-thankful for your own not-sleeping-through-the-night babies or your morning sickness.

3. And finally, I would like to recommend The Life of Ashley Salazar. This one will either seem really random to you, or it may sound strangely familiar. If you are as ultra-cool as me and you watch 16 and Pregnant with great devotion, you may recognize Ashley as being the subject of the recent season finale.

Just so we're straight-- I watch 16 & P primarily because I am selfish. It makes me feel better about myself and my own life. Yep- I'm not pregnant. And on one level, I hate the show because it basically showcases idiotic teenagers who have managed to achieve the one thing I cannot. But for some reason, instead of making me feel angry or sad, it mostly makes me feel a sick sense of superiority. Because really? My life is awesome compared to those hot messes. I don't have a baby, sure. But I have a car. A job. A husband. And if I did have a kid...I would be so much awesomer at raising it. And I wouldn't look like a selfish, delusional brat for all of the world to see, that's for sure. So I usually watch the show and laugh, or to shake my head and sigh.

But Ashley?? She changed it all for me. Ashley was smart. She had adult emotions. She was relate-able. She wasn't a brat. She chose adoption for her child and she constantly second-guessed herself. She fell in love with her baby and still gave her away. And then she changed her mind. And her family? They were strong. But they were weak, too. They struggled with her. I have never seen such a real and raw picture of what it's like to be a teenager truly battling to figure out what is best for both your baby and yourself. I never really thought much about the teens who are giving up their babies and what kind of emotions they experience as a result of that.

And lucky for me, Ashley blogs. She blogged before she got on the show. She blogged during. And she's still blogging now. And guess what? She still doesn't have it all together. She still constantly second-guesses herself. She is broken and depressed and uncertain and eighteen and she pours it all out on her blog. I couldn't stop reading. I couldn't stop praying.

It's not a light read and it's not for the faint of heart. And it's not going to give you the I am so much better at life feeling you normally go to 16 & Pregnant looking for. But it might challenge your thinking and it might break your heart. Proceed with caution.

So there's your mixed-bag of links. We're headed back to the land of no-internet home tomorrow, so I won't have hours upon hours to stare at the internet, but if you have any interesting pages you want to share, put it in the comments! I love new reading material!