Laughing a Little: April Q&A at The Table

This week at The Edwards Table, we’re switching things up and having a little fun.

I’m answering a mix of random, honest, and slightly unfiltered questions—so you’ll get to know me in a way that’s a little more lighthearted (and maybe a little unexpected too). From the simple things I love to the quirks that make me me, this episode is all about laughter, personality, and taking a break from the heavier conversations.

Because sometimes, you just need a moment to breathe, smile, and not take everything so seriously.

So grab your coffee, pull up a chair, and let’s have some fun. ☕

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hi, I'm Amy Edwards and welcome to the Edwards Table. This podcast is all about real conversations. The kind that come from life, love, family, friendship, and all the messy, beautiful parts in between. I started this show because I believe in redemption stories and in sitting down together to talk about the things that shape us, heal us, and sometimes just make us laugh. So grab a seat, take a breath, and join me. Because there's always room for you here at the Edwards Table. Well, hey everyone, and welcome back to the Edwards Table Podcast. My name's Amy Edwards, and I'm super thankful to be your podcast host. If you have been joining me week in, week out, I can't say thanks enough. Definitely have enjoyed being able to use this platform as a way to share my story. And if you were just joining, you stopped in on a great day. Super glad to have you grabbing a seat and joining us here at the table. But wanted to start this month, so jumping in April 1st is when y'all are gonna see this. I cannot even believe that we are already into the fourth month of the year. It's insanity to me. But I thought, you know what? My story, kind of heavy, a lot to it that you've heard so far. You haven't even heard it all, believe it or not. Um, but all this to say, I thought, you know what, let's kick off April and let's have a good time together. March was a lot of fun, did a mini series about things I'm still learning as I'm healing along this journey, right? Well, today I thought, you know what, let's let's like completely pivot. I am the princess of pivot. If you've listened to me talk about what I do for work and things like that, I'm very much into the pivot space. But why not let's do a little QA? Now I didn't twist anybody's arm to come sit with me, so I pulled up some questions that I've gotten asked along the way, but then also I jumped on the interwebs and asked good old Chatty B, hey girl, what are some good questions that people may want to know about me? So I figured, you know what, my answers definitely I can give you quick, fast answers, but also I've got some fun stories to share with you all of just kind of me and my day-to-day life and kind of who I am. Um, obviously, for those of you who are newer here, I have this accent. It is definitely not from the state of Texas, it actually comes from Tennessee. But my family and I moved to Central Texas several years ago, and so I'm able to carry this accent with me wherever I go, which is amazing. Um, but I am a wife, I am a mom, I'm a friend, and I am a woman. And uh love that God created me to be who I am and definitely am working super hard to fall in love with that woman. So um that is a daily battle. And I feel like uh if you're like me, which I feel from comments and chatting with others and DMs and such, that there are many of you out there that are indeed very much like me in terms of struggling with yourself, like loving that woman or man that you see in the mirror when you're looking back at the at your reflection. And um, I'm also someone though, I would say I am not someone who lives with regrets. Uh, lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of lessons, but no regrets. Um, from my experiences, from my mistakes, from me failing, uh getting knocked down by life, and whatever else, I would not change anything about my story. I really and truly would not. And um, for those of you who may not have been here, I'm gonna say this and then I'll quit going back and forth with who's been here, who hasn't, I promise. It's not a competition. But if you didn't listen to season one of this podcast, I would highly recommend if you would like to hear my story, uh, the highlights of it. It is a, I think there's a total of 12 episodes with one preview, so 13 official, but where my daughter Maddie and I sit down together actually at our table and I tell stories chronologically of my life up till recent days. And you certainly should go take a listen and hear a little bit more of who I am and where I come from. Um, because I guarantee you, if you're on a journey of trying to heal, I promise you, you will feel like you are sitting down with someone who actually knows what you're talking about or what you're feeling or how in the world you've maybe landed where you are. So anyway, highly recommend go listen to season one if you haven't. And let's jump in, y'all. I think it'd be super fun to do rapid fire. Now, obviously it's a me v me, so hang in there with me. We're gonna put a little pause in between so it may not feel quite as rapid and fiery as it normally would with two people, but here we go. Sweet or salty, team sweet for sure, beach or mountains, mountains all the way, texting or phone calls texting. Oh wait, maybe I would say audio notes, but that's not an option. So I'll go texting. Routine or go with the flow, routine, night in or night out, night in podcasts or music, probably music, heels or sneakers. Okay, I don't like this question. I want it to say heels or flip-flops, it would be flip-flops, but I'll take sneakers. I am all about some good QA. I love hearing other people's stories, but really fun for me is like the little factoids that you may or may not pick up on, like in a casual conversation. So, first and foremost, here's a real fun one. What is my coffee order? I am definitely team coffee in the morning. Now I am a tea girl too. I love tea, hot or cold. I enjoy it both ways, but I am team coffee for sure. Like you do not want to talk to me in the morning before I've had at least my one first cup. I'll have two a day. And my coffee order if I'm going out to get coffee, or actually, even if I'm here getting coffee, because John has a fancy pants machine and he makes me um coffee, is I like a brevet latte. If you're not familiar, brevet means with um half and half instead of using milk, and um it's steamed and goes with a couple shots of espresso and sips quite deliciously. I don't put sweeteners, syrups, sugar, none of that, just frothed milk and some coffee, and that is my dream beverage. Drink two of those every morning. There you go. So there's my drink order. Okay, so what is my comfort meal? Um, so that one, okay, full disclaimer, I'm not excellent when someone asks me my favorite. Like if I have to pinpoint it down to one thing, I'm not great at that. I tend to go back and start like overthinking, why did I give that answer? Is it truly my favorite? Because I have other things I really like and all that. So if I stumble around today, I just want to, that's my disclaimer. So, in terms of comfort meal, I definitely love things that are carby. I would say, gosh, probably John's fried chicken, my mac and cheese, and some biscuits. Very unhealthy, but like if you're gonna go in, go all in. Like if you're gonna have a bite or two, you might as well just have all the bites. That's kind of my theory there. But yeah, it'd be John's fried chicken and then make some mac and cheese and biscuits. That's good stuff. Very southern, quite delicious, terrible for your waistline, not good unless you have extreme self-control, which I don't. So there you go. All right, next up. Am I an early morning person or am I a slow start girl? Definitely a slow start girl. I can be an early morning person. However, if I have to get up really early, the first 15 minutes of said time up, you do not want to speak to me or make eye contact with me, that is my time to get up, grab my coffee, sit down, and read a word in scripture before I interact with people. My people who know me well know this about me. Um I will say though, I did I have noticed in the past when I had to travel for work, I tend to be much more spirited in the mornings than I am at home. And I think that is just because I feel like I have to be on, if you will, you know, air quote on. But like when you're traveling for work or or even, well, not traveling for vacation, but traveling for work especially, um, you tend to have those earlier morning hours and things like that. So for me, it's like you got to get on and turn yourself on and and be ready to go and and be a nice person. So I tend to be side note to my people, I tend to be a nicer human if you're not related to me, because I feel I have to be. So, all fairness, definitely slow start morning. Um, if I were to tell you my my ideal morning is this cool crisp bear outside, wake up, stumble out of bed, and come to the kitchen. Love you, Dolly. Uh, definitely pour myself a cup of ambition by the John Edwards. So he'll make coffee, grab my coffee and go outside. And I'll read my Bible and drink my coffee before I really do anything else in the morning. And it just, I don't know, I love that way to start my day. Now, I can't do it every day, but I enjoy it when I can. And I try to make that happen as often as possible. So slow start, morning girl for sure. Breve latte, definitely. And a little Bible reading, absolutely, because you don't want to talk to me otherwise for the day. Just telling you. Fair statement. Okay, so here's a fun one that I found on the interwebs. What is something that you are randomly picky about? Goodness. I feel that this could be a lengthy list, if I'm honest. I have these, I don't know how to explain it, but like I have these things with uh, for instance, I am someone who does not like my food touching on the plate. I will say, as an adult, I've grown to be able to withstand a lot more food touching on said plate. However, it is not uncommon if you see something that has a lot of liquid run into something that doesn't, there be a trail of foods touching that I don't eat. Um, and it's not that I don't like either item that I'm eating, it's just I don't do mixed foods unless they're meant to be mixed. So yeah, I'm not going to be eating a vegetable and some sloopy something next to each other. Those pieces that are touching, I just tap out on. So that would definitely be one of my weird things that I'm just I can't, I can't do it. I just can't. Texture for me, I don't know what it is, but it's always been always, always, always, even as a child, I've always been this human. Okay, here's a fun one. Uh, what is uh this is so me kind of a situation from this past week? So a this is so me kind of a situation. I'm trying to think. Ah, yes. This is so me. Uh I woke up, I came out to the kitchen, John was already up and moving around and had been for quite a while. Like his alarm goes off at five and mine goes at six, but this particular morning, I don't think I rolled out here until like 7:15. So, like I said, not a morning person, you're welcome. Well, all this to say, we I I came out, it was kind of nice outside, so I stepped outside, let the dog out, was kind of hanging with her, and John came out and he said something to me, and we like misunderstood each other. And so, like, also said note, I have not had my coffee yet, y'all. So I'm making excuses, not giving myself permission, but uh very quickly, like got all in a twit, and then John was like, What, what? I just asked you this, and I'm like, Well, I said that, and blah blah and he was like, girl, and I was like, Sir. So a very that me thing is getting all in a tizzy very quickly, and then be like, oh, that's not actually what you said. You didn't actually say what I thought, you said something totally different. So then having to uh apologize. That's a very that's so me. You're welcome. Um, a that's so me situation this week, excellent at this, also. So I love baking and cooking, love it. That's a whole big reason of why we're in like my current kitchen space or at my kitchen table, right? Is because I love this. This is where I live and breathe, and it's cathartic, it just fills me all the things, right? So uh I'm not a super graceful human being in terms of like my agility and my movement and things like that. I tend to be very clumsy, klutzy, tripping, bruising. In fact, I think I have one arm or the other. I don't know. I I look like you know, John's like laid hands on me and not in the prayer kind of way. Yeah. Uh because I'm forever cutting a corner too quickly and like running into the wall or going to take a step. And I don't know, just think there is an elevated space, and my foot goes funky down, and then I'm like, you know, looking like I'm riding a bicycle, trying to get myself back to upright and not taking so many steps. So anyway, so I was making um bread this week, and I know because when I'm making um round loaves of sourdough, I do them in my Dutch oven, which is a big, I have a cast iron one, and it actually has a handle because it's actually, I think, made to be over a campfire. Uh, your girl not doing that, so don't worry. But anyway, so all this to say it's a little bit cumbersome in my in my oven, but I also don't want to take it out of the of the oven. I want to make it as easy as possible, right? So if I don't have little oven mitts over my hands, inevitably I burn myself. And I had invited a friend over and we were, I was, you know, kind of teaching her tips and tricks of of baking or whatever with me. And I said out loud, I was like, oh, hold on just a second, I'm getting ready to burn myself. Now, y'all, I literally, this drawer that's just over my shoulder here that I'm pointing to, that is where I keep hot mitts. And I literally right next to the oven. Why? Because that makes sense, common sense. The average brain would say, ma'am, take out a hot mitt while you are getting in the hot oven that is turned on 500 degrees. Get a hot mitt, get a hot mitt. Did I? No. Even said out loud I was going to burn myself. And as I live and breathe, I literally have a blister across my hand, just under my first knuckle, because I went to set the loaf of bread into my 500-degree preheated for an hour oven, Dutch oven situation. And I'll be dadgum if I didn't just sear the stew out of it. I mean, just I mean, you could hear it hiss. I was like, oh my, and I said, there you go. So that is so me. That is truly me. I am by far one of the clumsiest of humans, literally, literally on this planet. I love this next question. What is something that is bringing me joy this season? I love this question. And I have to say, my day-to-day life is really bringing me joy. I've had a lot of conversations lately with friends and definitely with John about this. So over the course of the past year and a half, I went from being in a corporate job working, you know, 60, 70 hours a week and loving it. Like, oh, loved it, loved it, loved it. Um, had some amazing coworkers who I'm thankful that I am still good friends with. Um, but it was it was very much in my wheelhouse of where I feel confident and comfortable in business and in my skill set, all of it. Like it was so perfect. And that job came to an end. And John and I started a company. And so I stepped away from what I was very familiar and comfortable with, leading teams of people and taking care of clients and managing projects, managing finances, all of these things, and moving at a very rapid pace to coming to a complete stop. Starting a company with John, but coming to a complete stop in that realm. And so it took me some time to get to this place, but where I find my joy now is I am so, so fortunate that I can have a very flexible schedule and I get to bring people into my home during the day. So there are some young women who found out word of mouth that I know how to sew. And they wanted to learn how to sew. And so it turned into, so listen to me with all my my oxymorons. Um, so they reached out and said, Hey, would you be cool with teaching us how to sew? And I was like, Absolutely. So we have our sister sewing club that meets every week at my house, and we have the ability to meet different days, so we just grab everybody's schedule, coordinate, and we plan it weekly. And they'll come over late morning to early afternoon, and we spend hours just chatting and talking life, telling stories, learning how to sew, making some really cool projects. But just I could not have done that in my previous job because my schedule just absolutely would not allow that. But now I'm afforded that opportunity where I can meet up for coffee with young women that I'm mentoring or with friends who I need a shoulder to cry on or whine to or whatnot. Um, and then also I'm always available for whenever our daughter is in and out. So she has a wild work schedule, and um I'm allowed to stay up really late at night and be able to sleep in a little later in the morning so that whenever she comes in, at least she's got a set of eyes and a big hug waiting on her when she gets home in the wee hours from her job. Uh so it just brings me joy to have this kind of a schedule. It's such a beautiful schedule that I get to have, it's very fluid, and um it's been a learning curve for me because I'm not really good with fluidity and scheduling, but I've really come to like it. I really do, y'all. I don't need the you know, every minute of my day planned out anymore, and that's really fun. I love that. So here's kind of a a more thought-provoking question, other than favorites and such, but in terms of who I am as a person, what would be surprising to you to know about me? And I would say one that usually is surprising to people, maybe not shocking, because I think we're a much more um information absorbed and saturated society, but I think for a lot of people, especially who have met me in person, are very surprised to learn that I'm an introvert. Um and I mean I'm not socially awkward generally, unless I say something um weird. But typically I'm not socially awkward, like I can carry on a conversation, I can have small talk and that kind of a thing and be chatty. Um, but if I'm very honest, I am much, much, much happier and more recharged and and whatnot, um, being in my own space around my own people, um, and partly being very selective with who I open myself up to and allow into my space, if you will. That is more me. So what's ironic is is if you were to put me on a stage in front of 10,000 people, it would give me an adrenaline rush, unlike any other. For maybe for you roller coaster writers out there, maybe that's how you feel. Assure yourself I'm not one of you, nor will I ever be. Uh, but I love that. I love performing, I love being in front of people. I do not love being at a dinner party of 100 folks and having to go do chit-chat small talk with people. That I would literally rather peel my toenails off than to have to go do that. Literally. I would rather be in physical pain than to have to go do that. Uh, not to say I don't and I won't do it, but that is just that is not a me thing. So surprising about me, I am an introvert and I love being on stage in front of thousands of people. Doesn't scare me at all. If nothing else, it fills me to the brim with that adrenaline rush. Um, and if I can show Share a part of me with other people that way, uh, that right there, yes to all the things. Love that, but also love that about me. Another question I get asked is, you know, on this healing journey, it's not uncommon for me to get DM'd on social media, or if people, you know, maybe I go to church with or something or know me through a friend, uh, will reach out and ask me questions. And so one of the questions I've been asked is, what is something that you're saying no to more in your life now? And I would say one of the big things, it's actually a few, and I'll share all of them, or most of them. I may not think of all right now, but one is drama. Um, I've never been someone who uh allows drama in my household. We just we're not we're dramatic human beings, um, very animated and things like that. However, drama in terms of chaos and calamity, we're not having that here. Period. End of story. Like we're either gonna sit down like calm, loving human beings and have a conversation. And it may get spirited and it may get a little heated uh because we disagree or something of that nature, but it's a conversation, it's not gonna turn into, you know, all this. I don't even know how to explain it, but chaotic behavior and uh gossip carry on. I no, we're just not doing that, not doing drama. I don't do that. Another thing that I am much more apt to say no to in this season of life, especially like in the now, um really and truly is overcommitting. So I I like busy, like I like doing things, but I also know that when I stretch myself too thin, what I have to give back to John in our marriage and back to my daughter Maddie or our son Quinn or whatever is very little because I have to recharge, you know, not around people. And that's even sometimes my own people. Like sometimes I just need a breath. Like I need a beat. Can everybody just clap a few claps out for me and let me just sit still and let me not have anyone ask me questions, need me to feed them, need me to do laundry for them, need me for in any capacity, let me just have some time. And so I think I've been much more cognizant of how important it is for not only just me, but my household to feel like I want it to feel, which when you come into my home, I always want people to feel at home and relaxed and not tense and stressed out about being here. Um I always tell people, you know, like once you've come in and I've shown you the ropes, you're home. So, like if you forget where the glasses are, just pop open whatever cabinet, you'll find them, they're here. Um, you want something to eat or drink, the pantry's wide open, usually I have something baked out on my counter, like dig in. It is fair game in this house. But the overcommitment piece where you know I'm running and gunning and doing a hundred things in a day, and then coming home and trying to crank out dinner and be, you know, available to my people, and you know, whatever that's silly. Like for me, in the stage that I am in my life, my children are grown, and so they don't need me. So, like if you're a mom or a dad of a youngling, right? You got little babies that are three years old or little infants or grade school age teenagers, they need you, they need you much more than I'm needed right now. And so my ability to not overcommit has been a huge no for me. And I'm if I'm honest, I'm really proud of that because that was something that was a learned behavior. I had to learn how to do that. I did not do that naturally. Naturally, I'm a yes girl. Amy, we need these done. Okay, great, I'll do it. Amy, we need you to come here. Great, I'll come and do that. Hey, Amy, uh, we don't have anybody volunteering. Fabulous. I'll step in. Tell me where you need hands, I will be the hands. Um, and I do say a lot of yeses. Don't hear me say I don't. Um, but I also am able to say no. And I think the the reason why it feels so awesome is is because it's guilt-free. It's a guilt-free no, and that for me is like, oh, that feels so good. Like I don't feel guilty for telling people, I really want to spend time with you. That is not going to be a good time for me. Let's look out for the next two weeks and see if we can't plan for that. So, me personally, those are two of my favorite things that I've learned to really hold a nice boundary to and say no to more often, uh, especially here lately. I like this question. Um, in terms of kind of getting to know me as a person, what is my favorite kind of environment where you're going to see me the most in? That's a really good question. So I would say, kind of piggybacking off of what I just talked about, being in my home, my favorite environment is small, intimate. So I can experience that out in a restaurant or in a coffee shop or something like that, where it's, you know, me and one or two other people. I prefer one-on-one. I really like that a lot. Um, but my favorite spot to really have those kinds of intimate conversations is here in my home. I love having people over and taking time to care for them a little bit with, you know, maybe tea and some muffins or um astronaut, you know, make coffee or whatever, and then have a little something to nibble on. But really and truly to be able to sit down and have conversations and really get to know one another. Um, I try to be very intentional with time because I don't know if you're familiar with, but there is a book out there and it's called The Five Love Languages. And there are actually, I don't even know how many anymore, but many different versions of it for age groups and things like that. So, like if you've got kiddos, um, it's really cool to be able to know your children's love language. And really what that what it's talking about is like what is it that fills your cup, right? Like fills you up and makes you just, oh, you're like oozing out now because you've been filled. Well, of the five love languages, my number one love language definitely is quality time. If you haven't figured that out, um definitely quality time is very important to me. And I think because I know what it takes to give your time to someone, the sacrifices that you're making, the no's that you're having to tell either your family, your work, uh, your scheduling, whatever, in order to come and actually spend time with me. And so it's so valuable and so precious to me that someone would make a sacrifice to then come and give me themselves freely. That is such a beautiful gift. Um and so for me, it's just this situation or this setting, if you will. I love being in my home. I feel really comfortable here, and I I feel like if you've been in my home for the most part, not every single time, but for the most part, um, most people will say they feel very comfortable coming here. Um and that I love that. Like that's my favorite place because it's uh a place where you can be comfortable, you can kick your shoes off, throw your feet up on the couch. I've got blankets all over the place, pillows everywhere, so you can like really get comfy and cozy and then have a little something to nibble and sip while you're with me. Um and I think it just offers opportunity to be relaxed and share really good belly laughs and um or it or if hard stuff is going on, whatever the case may be, like it just opens up this beautiful opportunity. Um and so for me that's definitely definitely where I love to be. So here's one if you listened in last week about things I'm still learning about. Um, what is it that rest looks like in my current life, right, as it is now? So I already have a slower schedule. Um, I have the opportunity to do a weekly podcast, for goodness sake, and help run a business. Um, but what does my rest look like now? Well, now my rest looks like this, where I spend what a lot of people will use Sunday as their day of rest. And I will say I do try to be intentional with time on my Sunday being restful. I don't necessarily take a full day on any day because I like having my laundry done, so I'll do laundry on Sundays, and that is work for me. Um, so I will do laundry on Sundays and I may cook and things like that, but not usually really intricate recipes, if you will. It's usually a simple thing. Um, try to do reheats on Sunday to make it kind of simple. So that's one form of my rest. But another thing for me resting is getting in my kitchen. And I did this yesterday, I did it on Friday as well, where I will turn on some awesome music. And thank you, iHeartRadio, because I love the 80s station. Um takes me back to my childhood. Sometimes I'll throw on 90, sometimes I'll do Gen X mix, like they've got all kinds of cool uh stations on there. If you're not an iHeartRadio um user, there it's a great app. I love it. And also you can catch this podcast there, by the way. Um, but I will pop on some really good music and I will get in the kitchen and make something. That for me personally is so restful, it replenishes me because, like I said earlier, in the kitchen it's it's cathartic, like having my hands in dough and you know, chopping things, cleaning stuff and whatever else, it's just it refreshes me in a way that you know a nap may help, but also sometimes I need an activity that brings life, and that for me is restful. I think another way that I rest is I have little hobby crafts and things going on, so I I actually sew things, and I know several young women who are having children, and so I've been back to smocking again, you know, and smocking some day gowns for babies on the way. Um, that's restful for me, like it's not stressful and I'm not exhausted when I do it. I actually feel replenished because it's an enjoyable activity and it's not on a screen, which feels really like a big deal in my life lately, y'all. I don't know about y'all, but like this whole screen thing, good gravy, um, it it just eats up my life. And so I love to sew, um, if I want to be active, but then my other favorite thing to do is to read. I love a good book. Um, I just finished up Rich Dad, Poor Dad, and please don't ask me who the author is. I can see his face, but uh we're reading it as a family. Uh, me, John, and Matt are reading that together. And so John read it first. I just finished it, so we're getting ready to pass it over to Maddie, but it's it's really an interesting read about um finances and and how to make money uh work for you, kind of a situation. So I like books like that. I was sharing with a friend the other day, like it self-help, if you will, it's not really self-help, but like you know, learning something new or finding out some new information or whatever, that is replenishing to me as well. Um, I don't know that it's super restful to have a learning book. So if I'm I'm just trying to be unplugged and decompressed and just really kind of enjoy some time, I okay, so this is full full transparency um confessions with Amy today. Uh I love children's literature, and so um Maddie had um a book series called The Sisters Grimm that was written, I think it was written in the early 2000s, maybe I'm not really sure, but I think it's seven, nine books in the series, I'm not really sure. But um it is an excellent, excellent series for young people who are ah, you know, fourth grade, third, fourth grade, maybe up to middle school, depending on where they are in terms of reading aptitude. And then also, do they like to read? Because if they don't like to read, it's a great series. It's uh an easy read. There's not a ton of vocabulary, uh, there's a bit of you know, magic into it, and um it's about two sisters and their their lives and how it's interwoven within the Grimms, if you will. So it's just lighthearted and enjoyable. So I enjoy books like that. C.S. Lewis, Chronicles of Narnia, yes, I will jump right back into that. Tolkien um and his whole series, yes, I will jump right back into that. So at by my bed, if you're if you're looking at my bedside table, I usually have a handful of books. And in that stack is going to be something really fun, something educational, something historical, and something that is uh devotional. So my phone book right now is I think book two or three of The Sister Scrimm. And then my educational, I just finished, Rich Dad, Poor Dad. And um, I'm getting ready to read. We just ordered it actually today, a new book by John Maxwell. Um he is huge in leadership strategy and whatnot, but he talked today. We went to church today, and he talked today about failure. And he's written two other books about failure, but this will be the third. And um the first book he wrote was Fail Forward. He's just, I don't know, he writes on my kind of a level where he can take large concepts and bring them down to someone's brain that may not think that largely. He does that beautifully. Um, and he also has an excellent way of penning his speaking to be able to remember what he said, um, which is definitely a talent and a skill. And he's been doing it for many, many years, but uh he's one of those people that I can listen to and then I can recall much of what he said because of the way that he presents his information. And so um I appreciate him just as a speaker, but definitely as an author as well. So anyway, that was a long way to get to. His book is on the way, I think it gets released April the 14th, he said. Uh, don't quote me on that, but you can pre-order on Amazon, I do know that, and it'll be in bookstores in uh April 14th, something like that. By the time you listen to this, probably it's already out. Sorry. Um, okay, so that's coming for my next learning about book. Um, and then my historical book, Maddie actually bought me one, and it is about one of my bestie author friends. Actually, she's not one of my besties because she's long gone uh for many, many, many hundreds, a couple hundred, hundred and fifty years now, uh, maybe. Um, but it's about the life of Emily Bronte. If you know me, you know me, and you know that that would be something I totally geek out over. Um, and then I've got uh Lisa Harper. She is someone who I definitely admire. Oh, dare I say adore. She is just a precious human being who loves the Lord, um, who's just recently finished getting her doctorate and um is literally just a beautiful mix of transparency and grace, and just she has a similar, not the same. She she doesn't struggle with the accent as badly as I do. Like she's a Tennessee transplant, but Gally, she's incredible, and she hosts a podcast with her friend Allison, and um it's called Back Porch Theology. So I have one of her devotional books at my bedside, and it's really, it's really just kind of a a nice end to my night where I can I can read that. Um they're usually one pagers, and it's in a small book, like I'm holding up hands, it's like a four by six, five by seven, it's not big. Um, so it's not like a heavy read before bed, but it's just a nice little thought as you're closing your eyes, you know. So I have that next to my bed, and then I think I have his um maybe I have Frederick Douglass's, I might have his book out uh to reread. So your girl likes to read, and I love a good compilation of different reading material, if you will. Uh, and uh side note on this fun fact about why I have so many different kinds of books. Okay, so Maddie has uh or had a uh kindergarten, her kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Patterson, shout out, uh incredible human being, but amazing teacher. Both kids had her. And um Maddie, I know we're not talking about Maddie, we're talking about me, but just to share a little tidbit, and if you're not familiar with who she is, go back, watch season one. She was at the table with me. Uh but Madd learned how to read when she was three. So I taught her how to read uh the Bob books, they're amazing. If you've got little ones and you're learning to read, they're great, they're fantastic. When she went to kindergarten, um, obviously she was reading, and we had to have her tested to bring her into the school that she went to. She went to private school. And every year they do standardized tests, whatever. So we had homeschooled the year before, and I actually did homeschool curriculum with her for kindergarten, but when she went to the private school, they wouldn't let her go into first grade, not because she wasn't way past where she should be academically, but because of her birth date. So she has a fall birthday and they refused to change the rule for that. So she wound up repeating kindergarten and she really shouldn't have. So Mrs. Patterson was amazing with her. She sent her home with additional things to work on just to keep her engaged and excited as she was having to redo so much of what she already knew. And so she very quickly recommended to us, you know, make sure that Maddie has not just one, but like two, three, four different books that she's reading at the same time. Um, because one, just helping with like paying careful attention when you are reading, but two, it does a lot of different things for you cognitively. And so uh ever since then, I started doing that too. Like I started keeping multiple books on my nightstand, and um I pick up what feels good. You know, if I'm in a serious mood and really want to learn some history, I'll pick up, you know, something like that, or if I'm wanting to do self-help, or if I just really am like worn out and I don't want to think about nothing, I'll pick up something really fun to read. So that's kind of my why behind all of that. So here's my last question for today in terms of what is a full cup version of me? Like, what is what do I look like when my cup is absolutely full? And I I don't know, as I think about myself, I would say I would be someone like if you saw me with a full cup, smiling a good bit, laughing, giggling a lot, um relaxed, engaged, um focused on the person or the people that I'm spending time with, that kind of a thing. If I'm moving about my house, I would be probably singing and silly and dancing. And if I were in a place of rest, like sitting on the couch or something, it just being peaceful. That's me with a full cup. And how I get there truly is working hard during the day, um, spending time with people that I care about or that I really want to get to know more in the ways that I've shared with you earlier. And um being in my kitchen. Being in my kitchen definitely fills my cup. Um but yeah, that's it's kind of a good picture of me uh when I have my cup totally full. Um and I tend to be someone who I don't know, is willing to be more engaged, not because I'm not willing, but because I'm actually capable and able in the moment, like because it's just an outpouring. So like opening up my home very frequently means that I have a full cup. And um here over these past several months for sure, if not the last year. has definitely been that. My home has, we laughingly say, it's like a revolving door we have on the front door. You know, people are always in and out of our home. And golly, it's been such a beautiful gift. And it definitely comes from a place of me being just completely filled up and being able to pour out and pour over others. Listen, I know that if you've been coming and joining me every week here at the Edwards table, that my story is one that's super heavy. There is so much just so much. There's just so much y'all so much in my story. And a lot of it is heavy and a lot of it can be hard to listen to and difficult to process how or why and all of the things but I will have to say one of the most important things for me is to truly live a life that is joy filled happy full of laughter and fun. And if I find myself getting to become a carmudgeon which oh my gosh thank you Great Britain for that or excuse me England for UK whatever we're calling y'all over there across the pond right now thank y'all for that word. That is the best word evermudgeon is my favorite for a grumpy girt is what we call them here but just kind of a foul grumpy human um think uh you know like uh Ebenezer Scrooge kind of a vibe or um or like the Grinch right just grump. When I find myself feeling a little carmudgey I tend to realize that I'm depleted and empty. And so it's a matter of I need to surround myself with people who are pouring into me and filling me up and then I need to step away from if I am engaging in dramatic issues and all kinds of drama and garbagey kind of stuff whether it be because of people or because of what I'm watching or listening to or whatever I need to get that in check because it's icky. So all this to say for me personally coming to a place where I am laughing and having a good time is most of the time I usually am a pretty lighthearted and having a fun kind of person and I know my story is not. And I think that's part of the reason why I enjoy being a happy human. That's a big part of why is I've already done a lot of icky hard stuff and if it's not icky and hard why make it that way right right absolutely so with that said I'm going to turn y'all loose for today and wish you a most amazing rest of your day week or wherever you are in the cycle of time I hope it is amazing and I just want to say thank you to anyone who's still here with me listening appreciate you more than I could ever say definitely give us a like or follow on social media and over at YouTube wherever you follow or watch definitely appreciate that. And I cannot wait until next week we've got more fun things to come April is upon us the spring is here I hope wherever you are listening the weather is starting to give you a break and you have blue skies and bright sunshine in your life too. In the meantime remember there is always a seat for you right here at the Edwards table. Till next time see y'all bye