Friends, since this is my little corner of the internet, allow me to get real sappy for one post. Lately, I’ve been feeling so proud of and grateful for Grace, and in the 2+ years I’ve been blogging, I haven’t ever written a post just bragging on her a bit.

Grace is the most multi-talented person I know. I am biased, but I love her music so much and am so proud of how she’s pushed herself to make more of it in the past couple of years! When we met in college, mutual friends of ours would occasionally convince Grace to play us covers of songs on her guitar late at night at college parties. But it wasn’t until a few years later that she really poured more of herself into music, and I’ve loved getting to see that. Some favorites:

• Her newest demo, “Drifting,” which is honestly one of my fav songs of hers ever!

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• Red Rover, that I got to be in the music video for wayyyy back before we were even engaged

• The lyrics to Grace’s song “When I Go” from her album Six Feet Under All the Same are probably my favorite that she’s written

And lots more. But moving on—I am SO incredibly proud of the content Grace and our best friend Tina are making for Refinery29 in the web series State of Grace. The first episode (on identifying as queer and Christian) is linked DoraTasia Women's Open Toe Thin High Heel Gladiator Flower Lace Up Dress Sandals, the second episode (on sex ed in abortion-ban states) is linked CHENSF Girl's Flat Boots shoes Thick with Martin Boots Ladies Boots, and the IDIFU Women's Retro Faux Suede Pointy Toe Pull on Mid Block Heels Ankle High Booties! It explores faith and commercialism in the context of Los Angeles megachurches. This series is so well done (I can say that because I’ve had absolutely no part in it, haha) and is touching lives, which is the coolest thing.

I’m not one to hype up online like “big things are coming”—so that’s not what I’m doing here—but I WILL say that Grace always has a million ideas and irons in the fire, and I’m so excited for all that is to come.

Recently, I got sick (only a little virus) for the first time since getting married, and Grace was so sweet in taking care of me. That’s what gave me the idea to write this post about her. Grace has such a heart for serving others, no questions asked, and it’s the best quality I can think of in a person. She is the first person to offer you a ride home, a shoulder to cry on, or promote your new creative project to the world. She is too humble sometimes so I’m here to ramble about how great she is! Chances are, if you found my blog, you probably found it through Grace and already know all of this. But if not, check out her music and/or documentary work. I’m so proud!!

Thanks for reading :)

Happy (almost) Father’s Day! My dad isn’t much of a recreational internet user, but if he reads this post because my mom tells him to, hi dad!

This year, my birthday is the day after Father’s Day, which is exactly how it was the day I was born! I was supposed to be born the day before Father’s Day, but I was born the day after, so my dad had to wait a whole year to “officially” have his first Father’s Day (since I was his first child). Sometimes through the years my birthday falls on Father’s Day itself too, and I like to think this among many things contributes to the special relationship I have with my dad. This time of the year is always a happy one, with my dad’s birthday and the Fourth of July falling just a day apart a few weeks later. Summers were always the best times growing up. Lots of holidays, birthdays, and time spent at our favorite place on earth.DoraTasia Women's Fashion Bright Diamond Decoration High Heels Open Toe Stiletto Slingback Straps SandalsCular Acci Women Booties Lace Up

I know Father’s Day is also a bittersweet time for a lot of people, and in my family (now including Grace’s side), we have lost a lot of our fathers or father-figures. So we remember them this weekend too. It’s also kind of strange to think that Father’s Day won’t be “typical” for my future children, if I am lucky enough to have them, but I know their lives will be filled with the best father-figures AND two amazing grand-dads.

So in that spirit, I wanted to share some of the best fatherly wisdom I have gotten from my dad through the years, and that I know as a grandfather he will teach too. I was about to type “fatherly advice,” but I don’t really feel like my dad doles out advice from an armchair the way I imagine dads in movies do. Instead, he has taught me so much by the way he just lives his life. I think he teaches by example rather than by lecture, which I personally think is the best way to learn! Here goes:

1. Be prepared. Yes, this is the Boy Scout motto, and yes my dad is proudly an Eagle Scout (both Grace’s and my brothers are Eagle Scouts too!). One of the “legends and lore” of my dad is that when he was a little kid, he packed one glove on a family trip—just one—in case he “needed to pick up a turtle.” While I think my dad would NOT advocate for overpacking, he does advocate for thinking things through and being prepared for every situation, to the extent possible. I think most who know me would agree I tend to be this way as well, and my dad was a major influence in this way of thinking (which I believe has gotten me pretty far in life!).

2. “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise”.IDIFU Women's Sexy Pointed Toe Stiletto Lace Up Ankle Boots Short Martin Booties High HeelsKKEPO& Microfiber Gladiator Womens shoes High Heel Sandals Women Fashion Fringe Sandals This is definitely among my dad’s favorite sayings, and it’s just true (though I’d change it to “makes a person healthy, wealthy, and wise” :)). My dad is the hardest worker I know, and although a LOT goes into that, waking up early and going to bed early always sets you on course for a productive and meaningful day. I don’t always do this, but I know my dad is right about it so I try to!

3. Home cooking is the best food there is. Growing up, my dad always preferred my mom’s cooking to restaurant food. And my mom’s cooking is very very good. But more than just that, it’s a recognition that our bodies and minds will feel best when we make our own food from scratch. I love Trader Joe’s frozen mac and cheese more than I care to say, but the older Grace and I get, the more we do really just crave home cooked food above anything else. Being on the road a lot this spring reinforced that even more, and I got so sick of eating at restaurants.

4. Save as much money as possible. This is one where I don’t really remember my dad telling this to me, but it is so evident in the way he lives, and the life he has been able to give our family. Becoming an adult has crystallized this for me more than ever, and I can only hope to be as good at saving money as my dad! But I’m on the right path knowing the deep and inherent value in saving from a young age because of him.

5. My dad has made the same New Year’s resolution every single year: grow in his faith. In a world where goals and resolutions (including mine!) tend to be about reaching career milestones, looking a certain way, or “achieving” something tangible, my dad has kept it real with the same goal (and the only goal that really matters) year after year. It inspires me so much!

Thanks for these lessons, dad! Love you. I’d love to hear what others have learned from their fathers or father-figures!