In love with a sunny day!

I love me some sunshine.

What is it about the sun that can make you so happy? The past two days in San Diego have been incredible. I keep thinking…oh yeah this is why I moved all the way out to California. It makes the journey out here and the past seasons I’ve been experiencing here that much more beautiful.

I love a sunny day. I love how you just want to run outside, take a bike ride, go for a long walk, I love how the flowers seem extra happy, how you want to head to the beach (Woohoo! I can actually do this where I live…so thankful for that), put on your over-sized Audrey Hepburn sun glasses, open the sun roof, play summer time music like Jack Johnson, Jimmy Buffet or even the ever so classic Beach Boys, grill hamburgers with friends, grab an ice cold lemonade (or a sweet tea lemonade if you’re in the South), go to the park with Frisbee, football or dog in hand, or just how the sun simply causes us to smile. I think that I will always have to live in a sunny place. Even if I’m having a hard day at least I can open the door and enjoy one of my favorite things!

So I know it may not be sunny depending on where you live, but if it is…do as Sheryl Crow says and go "Soak up the sun”, throw on your Rainbows (the best flip flops in the world) and get outside and take advantage of one of God’s sweetest and warmest blessings...SUNSHINE!

ps-Since this blog is about love and romance, I’m going to give my sweet couples out there some free date ideas of what to do when it’s sunny outside:

(*Hint…Guys these are always great options if you are having a date idea block and I’ll even let you take credit for them.)

• The classic: Picnic in the park.
• The adventurer: Take your spouse or significant other rock climbing. Not only is it great for building trust, it’s also a heck of a lot of fun. I just climbed outside for the first time a month ago and it is sooooo much fun. (Don’t forget to bring deodorant.)
• The intellectual: Grab a blanket and 2 books and head to the beach – then yall can take breaks and share what you like best about what you are reading. Maybe they will point out something completely different then you recognized.
• The exerciser: Go for a hike - This is a great way to get to know one another while huffing and puffing your way up the mountain. (Don’t forget the H20)
• The old school lover: Go rent an old convertible and go for a long drive along the coast or to the mountains. (Girls don’t forget your big sunglasses and scarf)
• The caffeine addict: Go to a coffee shop with a patio. Check out a new location or a part of town you’ve never been to. Go sit outside as you sip on your iced chai tea or iced vanilla late.
• The traveler: Go exploring, grab your date and go to a place near by that yall have never been to. I always check the local convention bureau websites or town websites and see if there are any local festivals going on near by. Then ask a local there favorite spot to eat or for their favorite local park and go there.
• The lover of libations: Go to a local brewery and sit outside while you sip some hand crafted brews. (Atlanta – Sweet Water; San Diego – Stone, Pizza Port or Coronado Brewing company)
• The foodie: Check out where the closest farmers market is and go pick out ingredients for lunch or dinner together and then go home and make a meal together. Your food will taste extra good because it was made with love.

Lovin’ love,

EEG

Lovin' a Tune

I love music. I love how a beat, a song or a melody can transport you in time to a place you once were or would like to go. Do you ever feel like our lives should have soundtracks? I do. As someone who grew up lip singing and creating choreographed dance routines to Michael Jackson classics, I have always loved music. Some of my fondest memories can be paired with a song.

I love how a song can take you to the exact memory or place when you heard it. Some friends and I were recently listening to a jukebox and listening to early 90's music and we could not stop laughing because we knew every word to the songs without hearing them for several years.

I also caught myself the other day jammin’ in my car by myself. I mean I usually have no qualms about blaring a good ballad or jam and singing as loud as I can…by myself. Yep…I’m that person in my car by myself singing on the freeway. I was so excited about this one particular song the other day I caught myself fist pumping and dancing by myself in my car. Hahaha Who does that? This girl.

But in all honesty why don’t we enjoy and love life more like this? 

So next time you hear a favorite song of yours, turn it up, loosen up, grab your invisible drum sticks or keyboard, sing and dance wherever you are. 

Because that is why life is lovely…for moments of unhindered joy and bliss encompassed by a good tune or song.

Lovin' love-

EEG

Lovin' a Place

Just as easy as you can love a person, emotion, type of food, activity, thought or an idea I think you can also love a place. I’ve come to love this place I currently call home. I am amazed by this beautiful city called San Diego. Sometimes I feel like I’m on a permanent vacation. Since I’ve been in a season of rest and waiting as I’ve been unemployed I’ve been able to explore San Diego. For that I am always very grateful!

One of my favorite places that I truly love is Sunset Cliffs. I live literally less than 2 miles from this incredible place. It’s where the West Coast meets the Pacific Ocean resulting in dramatic cliffs, seaside wild flowers, a surfer’s playground, private/hidden beaches and one of the most serene and beautiful places to watch the sunset. The name says it all I guess. I’ve felt like this place has been a haven of sorts for me. I’ve spent countless days wogging (walking/jogging) along the coast here, reading a book while soaking in the sun, praying, listening for revelation and guidance in my life and people watching. I think most people go there to think, journal/write, find serenity, solve world peace (hopefully), find themselves, find God or just gain perspective on the beauty of creation.

This place has captured my soul.

What places have captured yours?

Where do you feel alive or free?

I hope you have found places like this in your life.

If not, please try to get outside and explore this wonderful world.

To Whom It May Concern

Over Thanksgiving my brother, who has much better taste in music than me, introduced me to this amazing group called The Civil Wars. Their soulful melodies speak to my heart's core. I love them...borderline obsessed. They are now blowing up and getting really big....which is always great!
I have been loving the song below...it's beautiful and so encouraging. If you are single out there and hoping for love...know that there's a plan and you will have a lovely romance story one day.
I too am "still waiting patiently..."
Lovin' Love
EEG


"To Whom It May Concern" - The Civil Wars
(I HIGHLY encourage you to go directly to iTunes after reading this and purchase all of their music....it's EPIC!)


Why are you so far from me?
In my arms is where you ought to be
How long will you make me wait?
I don't know how much more I can take
I missed you
But I haven't met you
Oh how I want to
How I do
Slowly counting down the days
Till I finally know your name
Ooo the way your hand feels round my waist
The way you laugh
The way your kisses taste
I missed you
But I haven't met you
Oh how I want to
How I do, How I do
I missed you
But I haven't met you
Oh how I missed you
I haven't met you
Oh but I want to
Oh how I want to
Dear whoever you might be
I'm still waiting patiently. 

2 Valentine's Day "Love Nuggets"

On this day of love I feel an additional amount of pressure to write something brilliant about love. But when I think about it…I’d like to share two of my favorite lessons about love/gifts anyone ever told me about. Two little “love nuggets”of wisdom if you will. I hope this inspires how you show love to others on this Valentine’s day and throughout the year.

1) I started dating this guy one time and the day he asked me to be his girlfriend, he also asked me one thing, “Promise me it’s ok that we will never celebrate Valentine’s Day?” Laughing I said, “Sure that’s nothing. It’s always a holiday full of lots of expectation. Why don’t you like it?” He then explained how he somehow always seemed to mess it up every year. He followed all of this up by promising me that he would make sure I felt loved and special every other day of the year and that I would never miss celebrating Valentine’s day. Now how romantic is that? And he stayed true to his word.

I just wish we would all take this same stance toward one another every day. Why not love out of the abundance of your heart every day? Why not write a thoughtful affirming card every couple of weeks to someone? Why not buy someone flowers just because? Why not hang with all of your single buddies and share in community? Why not tell the people in your life how much they mean to you always? Why not romance your partner or spouse the other 364 days a year? I hope this blog helps inspire that type of spontaneous and thoughtful romance. I am no “Debbie Downer” on Valentine’s. I mean I love pastel colors, sweets, hearts and letters of affection more than most of ‘em. I just think we should inspire this type of romance daily.  

2) A boyfriend once taught me one of the best lessons when it comes to giving gifts. He said “The best gift is an unexpected gift at an unexpected time.” SO TRUE! This statement is brilliant. I love a good surprise. Surprises may be one of my top 5 favorite things in the world.  So take this gem of wisdom and next time you think of it surprise someone with a gift at an unexpected time for an unexpected reason. It will brighten their day, warm their heart, grow their affection toward you and others, bless them and make them feel like the special person they are.

Thanks GJR.

Veux-tu m'épouser? A Lovely Parisian Engagement

I love Paris. It’s one of the most romantic and lovely places I have ever been and it will always be one of my favorite places in the world. I mean really…who doesn’t love beautiful flowers, history, artisan farmer’s markets, romance, French onion soup, cheese, wine, fresh baked bread (remember I am from the South and love me some carbohydrates) and oh yeah again…cheese?! 

All that being said, I knew about Steve and Sarah's particular love story in advance. I am the WORST liar in the world. I knew that Steve had already worked really hard to organize their engagement. Sarah text me the day she was leaving and I had so much fun “playing dumb” and asking her about the modeling shoot she was going to do.

Little did she know her love story was about to continue…

Steve’s Parisian proposal from Sarah’s point of view:

Steve and I had been dating for over 3 years—on my detailed, impatient clock, 1,235 days. Informed from my modeling agent that I was heading to PARIS for a job, I packed my bags in sheer delight, going to my all time favorite place on the planet.

Upon arriving, I wandered about the "location" my agent had given me—the famous Trocadéro terrace and gardens, shadowed by the magnificent La Tour Eiffel, and looked for the "balloons" and "Julian," my supposed contact.

Finally spotting some balloons, I headed over to the railing they were tied to. After checking my phone once more for details, I glanced up and saw a gorgeous man in a white shirt, tie, and black coat who looked like Steve. Then I did a double-take, realized this man was Steve, and my heart dropped—Steve + Paris—I thought this was a result of too many daydreams about my proposal story…

But when he walked up with strong intentionality, got on one knee, and told me he "wanted to be a part of my story forever," I knew this was it. He pulled out a stunning old, wooden ring box…before he had a moment to put the diamond on me, I had already pulled it from the black cushion and placed it on my finger. A French photographer captured our bliss—man, did he think of everything—and Steve told me he staged the entire thing, and we were going to explore Paris for three days! I am forever in awe of the creativity and detail he poured into this surprise to show me his love.

Congratulations Steve and Sarah! I love you both so much and am so blessed to have gotten to watch you both fall in love! 

Wishing you lots more adventures and many more love stories.

ps- S&S are a really fun couple too!

Loving a Miracle

Sometimes in life things happen. Things that you can not overcome without a completely different perspective. Things that leave you forever changed. This is the story of a miracle I survived by only the grace of God. Exactly a year ago today I was involved in a horrible car accident. I remember thinking to myself earlier in the week that I had never experienced a miracle. I had heard of miracles happening in third world countries and from friends and family, but until this day I could not have said I had seen one for myself.

This is the story of my miracle…

Later that week I was on the 101 in Los Angeles (a very busy freeway during rush hour.) I was excited to be attending one of my first events I had been working on in Los Angeles. I was cruising along in the far left lane when another car crossed 3 lanes of traffic side swiping my car and sending me directly into the median as I was going 65mph. I distinctively remember grabbing the steering wheel ready to brace for the impact and saying, “Ok God here we go.” I don’t know what happened exactly after that I just remember opening my eyes, being in a lot of pain, feeling blood dripping from my face and body and knowing that I needed to get out of the car. (I had seen too many movies where the car blows up after a wreck, so I wanted to make sure I got out of there as soon as possible. Too much late night Rescue 911 I guess.) I then saw two men running over to me looking at me like I was a Zombie. They were shocked to see me alive and helped me get out of the car and carried me to the side of the road. Of course I went into adrenaline mode and asked them, “Are yall ok? Oh my goodness what happened! This is a miracle….wait I need to call work!” (I was worried about being late for my first event….haha) In confusion I then asked them, “I was hit by another car and spun around, right? Did I hit you?” (Realizing that it would have been impossible to not have collided with another car on one of the country’s busiest free ways) The one gentleman said, “No, you didn’t spin you flipped 3 times!” Looking to the scene of the accident I noticed my car now looked like the DeLorean from Back to the Future with the wheels flipped inside themselves. Analyzing my car I realized that I had just been involved in and experienced a miracle. I then started talking to the ambulance workers and the two men helping me and said, “I am so thankful for yall. Thank you! You don’t understand what a miracle this is. God bless you! God saved me…Also can you please leave your business cards because I am a firm believer in thank you notes.” Then they both smiled at me and said, “You’re not from Los Angeles are you?!”

I tell this story not to scare anyone but to truly celebrate the love, compassion and grace that was shown to me a year ago today. I am forever grateful and humbled that God chose to save me in that situation. It was/is a miracle! Every doctor, paramedic and family friend has been able to attest to this. My life has a purpose and a meaning and my work in the world is not yet done. God saved me and I am even more in love with him today because of this miracle.

My life is a miracle…so is yours…its knowing that...and what we do in response...that defines us. Love the life you live and bless those around you!