the best is yet to come.

This morning, because I'm my mother's daughter, the first thing I did when I woke up was turn on The Bible Network. Now, that sounds crazy because, if you're like me, you associate TBN with that purple-haired woman. You may not know that on Sunday mornings at 8:30 Jeremiah David's sermon is televised; he's not only Scripturally-sound, but his hair is also a very natural shade of grey.

As many preachers do, Dr. Jeremiah likes to provide a laughable anecdote at some point during his sermon, and today the side story hit especially close to home.

One day and older woman came to her preacher to discuss her funeral. Being close to death, she knew there were certain details to plan out. One thing especially: at her funeral, she wanted a fork placed in her hand within her coffin for all to see. The preacher, of course, had to know why. 
"As you know, the potluck dinners at church are some of my favorite fellowship times at church. And I always love when the ladies come out of the kitchen towards the end and say, 'Hold onto your forks; the best is yet to come.' At that point, of course, the dessert comes out. And at my funeral, I want all to know that I've held onto my fork because the best is certainly yet to come."


Now y'all know how I love dessert. Oftentimes, I pick what I want for dinner based on what I want for dessert, not IF I want dessert. I've been known to have cookies for breakfast, and I follow nearly every meal with something sweet-- including my cookie breakfast. I got that much from my daddy. And that is why I couldn't help but smile as I put my make-up on listening to Dr. Jeremiah's story of a woman preparing for an eternity of her just desserts, because, like this woman, I have to believe that surely the best is yet to come... and as ready as I am to hurry through my Sunday lunch and get to my Sunday dessert, I'm ever ready for my heavenly home: truly, the best is yet to come.

everyone was doing it...

1. What is your favorite time of year? Fall: Auburn football. Scarves. My birthday. Windows down, John Mayer loud. Sweatpants. Changing leaves on country roads.

2. What makes you laugh? My family. My fiance. My kids at school. And crazy people.

3. What was the last movie you saw at the cinema? It's sad that I'm having to think so hard about this... I know that it was an afternoon show because it's cheaper that way... And I was worried that I might miss the previews... Oh my gosh. I really can't remember.

4. What's the one thing you couldn't live without? iPhone. I hate to admit it, but anyone in my life would call me out if I said anything else. But I could stop anytime I wanted to...

5. If you had extra time to do one thing, what would you do? Sleep. All I want in this world is to sleep. No wedding planing, no grad school, no internship, no studying for life-changing tests... just unadulterated, stress-free sleep.

7. If you could go on holiday anywhere tomorrow where would you go? Right now, the only place I want to be is on a beach listening to the crashing waves drown out the world... But in the interest of being more exciting, I would love to visit Lauren's parents in Australia.

8. What inspires you? The kids I work with. Corny, I know. But counseling is a calling, and it's something I grow more passionate about daily... I can promise you it's not the paycheck that's calling my name.

9. What's your guilty pleasure? Reality television. It's trash, and I love it. I'm not even going to try to defend myself. Sookie Stackhouse novels... any book with a magical world, really: Percy Jackson series, Harry Potter, etc. And cream cheese. Good gracious, I could eat an entire block. 

10. What's the best advice or wisdom that has been passed down to you? Maybe it's just the field that I'm in, but I've had lots of conversations with lots of very wise people about the importance of making someone feel like their story is important to you, like you're hanging on their every word. Maybe I just saw that in the life of my friend Daniel Helton, but it's something I think about a lot. You should see the way a child lights up when they feel like you care about their story, whether it's about learning to ride a bicycle or what they had for breakfast. Everyone wants to feel important. Taken seriously. Loved.

11. What's your current obsession? Draw Something. The most trivial, mindless Pictionary app on iPhone. I just discovered it this week, and I'm, like, mad if people don't play me back immediately.

12. What is your favorite place you have visited? Stockholm. I love it.

13. If you could name only one favorite band who would it be? Oh, please don't make me do this. Music takes me places. In one mood, I can be a bad's biggest fan. The next day, not care at all. Nickel Creek. Taylor Swift. John Mayer. Avett Brothers. Beach Boys. Elvis. The Beatles. And oh my gosh, show tunes.

14. What's sitting on your nightstand right now? A coffee table book about Audrey Hepburn, a picture of my daddy and me, a picture of Chasley and me, a lamp, nail polish, a couple of candles from the power outage this weekend, a pen, and a ponytail holder. 

15. Name one tv show you love and one you can't stand. LOVE Once Upon a Time. CAN'T STAND Jersey Shore. I know I love reality television, but I've seriously never been able to watch a full episode of Jersey Shore. When the Snooki jokes get started, this girl can't even relate.

16. What's the most adventuresome thing you've done on your own? I spent a semester in Italy. I didn't exactly go alone, but I didn't know anyone on the trip either. And in a foreign country, that can feel a lot like alone.

17. If you had the chance to rename yourself what name would you choose and why? Reagan. It was my almost-name, and anyone I've told that to immediately responds with, "Oh my gosh, you look like a Reagan!" You can believe there's a Reagan Ruggles in my future somewhere.

18. What is your dream job? To play Galinda the Good Witch. To own a gift shoppe. To be a florist. Lots of things that don't require a billion years of schooling. In all seriousness, I'd like to be a principal someday... and play Galinda in Wicked and maybe have a gift shoppe too... :)

19. What's your favorite workout? I love a good 5-mile run on the elliptical. When it comes to weights, I stick with Tony and p90x or Jillian and the 30-Day Shred.

20. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? This really has a lot to do with if I could speak any language in the world. If language wasn't a barrier, I really fell in love with the sea-village feel of Chile. And we've already talked about my love for Stockholm, Sweden. Really, I want to be where my family is... or at least close enough for a weekend visit. Charleston, Savannah, Nashville. Somewhere round-about here.

21. What do you picture yourself doing 20 years from now? In 20 years, I'll be 44, which seems close and forever away all at the same time. By then, Reagan Ruggles will have entered the world in one gender or another, and maybe a couple more will follow. Maybe I'll be a principal or a counselor, or maybe I'll be doing the mom-thing. I could really get into being a wife and mommy, I think... and that's a far cry from who I was last year... so who knows what I'll say in 20 years. Maybe I'll be Galinda the Middle-Aged Good Witch in some community theater version of Wicked. 20 years is about the amount of time it'll take for me to work up the courage to walk out on stage. So that sounds about right.

television.

Between an graduate internship and planning a wedding, I hardly ever have free time. But when I do, all I really want to do is sit in front of a television and veg out. No thoughts, no planning, no problems.

(Admittedly, my usual go-to stress relief is a good book, but I'm desperately trying to finish a book I cannot for the life of me get into right now... I'm weird about not finishing a book, so I just read about a chapter a week... My plan, though, is to finish by spring break and have a whole slew of GOOD books lined up for that glorious week.)

But I digress...

Dad has built a handy-dandy platform onto our elliptical machine in the basement, so I use my workout time to catch up on a few TV shows. Some are old favorites, but I've added a few to my list this season.

The Biggest Loser-- this is my old standby. And trust me, when I watch it on the elliptical, I'll run for twice as long. If a 400-lb woman can run and take the heat from Bob Harper, I can surely to goodness knock an hour out.

The Voice-- this is playing in the background as I watch it. Now, I'm new to The Voice so I can't vouch for its longevity... however, the Blind Auditions are so exciting that I run faster without even noticing. The format is so much more involved than other American Idol-esque shows. Like I said, though, I'm not sure what really happens after the auditions, so I can't say that I'll continue to love it, but right now, just knowing that it comes on at 7 has me lacing up my running shoes.

Once Upon a Time-- Favorite show of the year. There. I said it. This is probably the one show that I look forward to week-to-week. I'm disappointed when it's not on for something like the Super Bowl or a primary debate. I love anything clever, and this show is so well thought out that it keeps you guessing from beginning to end. I have had a lot of fun guessing what characters are being revealed, from Little Red Riding Hood ("Ruby") to Dr. Hopper (Jimminy Cricket). In fact, I save this special treat for the couch with my daddy instead of the gym.

Grimm-- Similar to "Once Upon a Time," this show takes classic fairy tales and gives them a modern, murderous twist. Grimms are a dying race of people, able to spot the more dangerous of the "make believe" world, and constantly preyed on by-- you guessed it-- Grimm reapers. Action-packed, a little scary, and unexpectedly funny, this show keeps me on my toes and breathless-- well, either the show or the elliptical.

Glee and Grey's Anatomy-- okay, these are no-brainers. I've been a Gleek since the first episode. These days, I don't clear my calendar for a live viewing, but I always catch up on Hulu. Grey's Anatomy has had its ups and downs over the past few seasons, but I'm proud to report that it seems to be back on track for now. Both shows make the hour on the elliptical go by a little more smoothly.

There are lots of shows that I would love to catch up on-- Up All Night, New Girl, etc-- but they're 30 minute shows. This means that on Hulu, they run about 24 minutes. I'm going to be honest: when the show's over, I'm off the machine. So I try not to give myself that option: I stick with the hour-long episodes.

It's a nice motivation to hit the gym; I did a similar thing before where I wouldn't let myself read Harry Potter (for the second time) unless I was in the gym. Works like a charm. It may not be vegging out exactly, but nothing beats the accomplished feeling of getting it done in the gym.

And... here I go! I've got a wedding dress to fit into, folks!

Weekend Update.

After work on Friday, I drove to Birmingham to see my betrothed. We had a delightful dinner at Roly Poly, and I was in bed and asleep by 10. Nothing exciting (or unusual) to report there.

Saturday morning, though, was kind of one of those milestone days. After breakfast, Alex and I went and looked at wedding bands. Now, the first obstacle was dealing with a salesperson who, though charming enough, was clearly battling a hangover. Obstacle number two: why is every ring out there so stinkin' shiny and beautiful? 

"Do you like this one?" they would ask me. 

"Am I breathing?" I would respond.

With some prodding and lots of trying on, we finally narrowed it down to one breathtaking band that suits my engagement ring just perfectly, took Hungover's card, and headed on our merry way.

Then the studying began. My comps were yesterday afternoon, so by Saturday I was in a near tizzy. I had done some studying over the week, but as the event grew closer, my inadequacy grew more apparent. I don't know how long I studied, except that it was for the duration of the Alabama basketball game. 

(I don't care to study in silence, and as it turns out, Bama basketball is the perfect background noise. It is not distracting in the least, as it is a team and sport I care so little about, and it's just enough chatter to keep my head from imploding into a mess of theories, stages of therapeutic change, central tendencies, and everything else I've learned since January 2009.)

After a few hours of frustration and cramming, our friends Joseph and Abby came over to cook dinner with us-- homemade fajitas, guacamole, and a peanut butter trifle-- followed by a few rounds of Mario Party and a movie called 30 Seconds or Less... or maybe it was 30 Minutes or Less. 

Either way, I felt sure I would be falling asleep in 30 Minutes or Less once the lights when out and the movie came on, but instead my phone was overwhelmed by a bajillion (that's a rough estimate) text messages. My own little Guntersville crew was out and about in downtown Birmingham, and my presence was requested. Nay, demanded.

So out we went, and I got to see some of my very favorite faces.

Like my bestie/bridesmaid, Alice.

And my very dear, good friend, Morgan

The rest of the usual suspects were in tow, but I had to put down the camera and mingle. And I have to give huge props to Alex for being such a good sport about my sudden and atypical urge to go out at midnight on a Saturday night.

Sunday, I studied. I wish there was more to that story, but unfortunately that's about it... from lunch until 4, I studied. And studied. And studied.

But then... there is more!

I had the enormous pleasure of introducing my dad to what is possibly the greatest Broadway show to hit the stage in decades. It was my third time, and even still, WICKED just gets better and better. I'll have to have him write a review for you.

We went to Jim and Nick's for dinner first, then settled in for a theatrical experience unparalleled by any show currently in production-- in my humble opinion.

You'll have to pardon the blur; I was frenzied with excitement.

Monday morning, Laura and I headed to Tuscaloosa. I wish I had had a funeral march to play on my iPod as we drove onto campus; that's certainly what was playing in our minds. The exam started at 1:00 and ended at 4:30. My usual test-taking strategy is, "You either know it, or you don't." I don't linger over questions, I just go with my gut. But for the first time in my test-taking career-- a rather lengthy one-- I sat. Stared. Meditated. Prayed. Considered. Erased. Reconsidered. Changed. Tried not to throw up.

But by the end of the day, the results were in...

PASSED.

Hallelujah, hallelujah.

The implication of this is that I'll have a Master's degree regardless. My certification test is in April, and that will determine whether or not I can legally be a school counselor. Either way, I will require that I be called "Master Hays." 

I'm kidding! Sort of...

I'll cross the certification bridge, hopefully, when I get to it, but for now... I'm celebrating this.

I tried to celebrate last night with dinner with my future in-laws and future hubby, but I was really still too wound up to enjoy my food-- although the company was lovely. In fact, I was too wound up to even sleep last night, so I'm running on Coke Zero for now. But the celebration continues with a sushi date with Chas in just a few minutes...

Celebrate we must, for life is short but sweet for certain.

Blessings Abound

Sometimes I just can't help but be overwhelmed by how inconceivably, immeasurably blessed I am. In fact, I have a sneaking suspicion that I may have written this blog before.

For one, I love my job-- even though it's not a "job." Sure, I'm just an intern, but I am absolutely, 100% positive this is what I want to do. High school, elementary school, middle school-- you name it, I want to be there. I'm obsessed with the fellowship that grows within the walls of the guidance office. It's not always sunshine and rainbows, but it is always, always noteworthy.

And then my family. Holy smokes, my family. Let me be the first to tell you that not one but TWO of my uncles were ordained as deacons last night. I don't even know where to start, but I could not be more proud of these men-- humble, quiet leaders, fiercely loyal, and, most of all, God-fearing. At every family gathering, my precious granddaddy leads the family in prayer-- not a quick, God-is-good-lets-eat prayer, but sincere, reverent prayer to a Father God. I'm thrilled to death to see my uncles and dad pick up that legacy, and I pray that it will continue from the oldest grandson all the way to tiny, three-week-old Ben. Praises to Him!

With all that said, I have to admit that I was unable to attend my uncles' ordination. But that leads me to my next blessing. Every Sunday night, I have the distinct honor of leading a handful of middle school girls in Bible study. When I started this study, I will confess that I was Lindsey-focused. Boy was I going to go in there and show them how good Lindsey is at being a Christian, how awesome being a woman of God is. Typical Lindsey-style, look at me! look at me! Very quickly, the Lord used this opportunity to pour into me. Week after week, I am blessed abundantly by the fellowship with these girls. True women of God, seeking Him with a determination that I had never felt as an 8th grader. They discuss, they participate, they challenge... and they teach. Me. These girls are such sunshine in my life: always there with a hug, a smile, and an encouragement I didn't know I needed.

I don't know where to start with my friends. As our wedding comes together, Alex and I are both overwhelmed by the love we've felt from our friends. Every member of our wedding party is a cherished part of our life, and I am SO excited about having all my best girls with me as I get ready for the biggest day of my life. My darling niece, my sister-cousin, my bestest, my Mini, my hetero life partner, my soul twin, and so many others... And at the end of the day, the love of my life. Too excited. Too. Stinking. Excited.

And speaking of that whole love-of-my-life business, a most excellent perk of getting married is getting married to a family. In all the desperate prayers of a single twenty-something, I could not have dreamed up a more perfect family to join. As Alex says, they're a "family that actually genuinely likes each other." You might be surprised how uncommon that is these days. When your own family is so fabulous, you kind of expect some kind of glitch in the system-- after all, movies and television train us to dread the in-laws. Those people didn't have a family blindly support them when they decided to get married after just six months, I guess.  And you know what... I think they might even like me.

So today, I've had a good day. Coming off a fantastic weekend, I had a great day in the classroom with ninth graders then a good workout to the tune of my new favorite show The Voice... and now I'm winding down and feeling a little bit sappy... But mostly just blessed.

you have to start somewhere.

You have to start somewhere... and today, I started at the bottom. The bottom of the stairs, that is.

As I polished off my getting-ready routine this morning, I loaded down both arms with jacket, purse, and tote, and rushed up the stairs for a quick breakfast before heading to school. Only when I got to the top of the stairs, the door knob didn't budge. I turned and shook and pulled and shoved to no avail.

My dad locked me in the basement.

Kind of like the scene in Cinderella when the stepmother locks her in the attic, except below ground.

Now his intentions were not evil like the stepmother, obviously. In fact, I don't know what his intentions were. I can only assume he had no intentions, just mindless morning bumbling.

My heart started pounding and I broke out into a sweat as I realized my keys were upstairs in the kitchen, meaning that even if I escaped my prison via the basement doors, I wouldn't be able to get back into the upstairs to get my keys, breakfast, lunchbox, etc.

If you've ever tried to wrestle me or playfully pin me down, you know how I panic when I feel trapped. At this point I was fit to be tied. I called Mom, was infuriated by the humor she found in the situation. Called Dad, was infuriated by his, "Ohhh yeah, I might have done that..." response to my irate, "DID YOU LOCK ME IN THE BASEMENT?!"

When at last I got to school, I was convinced that my day was on a downward spiral. But I was pleasantly surprised.

First thing, I got to go to the First Grade Program. This year there theme was Love Songs, a la the "all-your-favorite-love-song-collections" infomercials.

The collection includes...

The Beatles' hit "Can't Buy Me Love"

Teen sensation Justin Bieber's "Baby"

And a special guest appearance by none other than Ludacris

The program also included "L-O-V-E," "Stop in the Name of Love," and several other classics... and lots and lots of cuteness.

With this and a very special delivery... GIRL SCOUT COOKIES... my day got increasingly better. I guess that's bound to happen when you start your day off locked in the basement... you can only go up from there.

whip lash.

My internship schedule is simple, in theory: Monday and Tuesday, I work with ninth and tenth graders at the high school. Wednesday, I start off with high school and go to the elementary school at lunch. For the remainder of the week, I'm the elementary school counselor's intern.

It's a nice, routine way of doing things. Same thing every week. Pretty much exactly what I've wanted for years now.

Except.

(and isn't there always an 'except' when we get what we want?)

Except that the difference between high school and elementary school is astronomical. My head spins for the entire afternoon on Wednesdays as I acclimate to my new surroundings, looking down at students and not up.

The height difference is the least of my concerns, though.

This past week my high school made the news at gun threats ran rampant (and mainly rumor-fueled) on social media forums. We had several fights on Monday, most driven by racial tension, and it all peaked with a few threats on Facebook and Twitter that were then blown way, way out of proportion. Even so, proper safety precautions were taken. So on Wednesday, I left a school swarming with police-- teenagers checking out every minute, supposedly because they were scared but more likely because their friend checked out-- and arrived at a school where I played Candy Land for an hour and a half and taught a lesson on playing fair and being a good sport. 

Now it's not always this dramatic. Most weeks it's just a leap from scholarships and career counseling to stranger danger and not breaking in line. It's using a completely different vocabulary for the first half of the week than the last. It's remembering things like, "First graders won't understand this reference to Katie Couric." (She penned a children's book I read to the second grade last month, and my first comment was, "How many of you know who Katie Couric is?" Cricket... cricket...)

But then again, high schoolers didn't get my reference to Gossip Girl. I can only be so hip, I guess. 

At the elementary school, I only have to tell the first graders that "I want to see all my good leaders," and they immediately close their mouths, face the front, and give me their undivided attention... desperate for my approval and the coveted label of "Super Leader" (that even comes with a cape). These tactics don't work with high schoolers. For that matter, nothing really works on high schoolers. 

So I'm living in parallel universes and considering seeing a chiropractor for the whip lash.