Sometimes I hate technology. It's always been one of my biggest pet peeves to have people around me living inside of their phones, sucked into their screens, spending time with their "friends" on Facebook and Twitter, rather than the ones they are actually physically there with. Maybe I sound like a hypocrite as I sit typing on my Mac, iPhone beside me, and Facebook open in another browser. But despite my own use of technology, I have always been one to live in the present moment, and I wish that the people I spend my time with would do more of the same, put down the phone and just be with me. Recently, I saw this video that explains it perfectly.

But all that being said, technology can be an amazing thing as I sit here in Brisbane, Australia, across the world and 14 hours ahead of my family and friends back at home. Today was my mom's birthday, and I called her on FaceTime when I woke up this morning to catch her at the end of her day. She had just landed in Tennessee with my brother Alex to visit my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins for the weekend. I got her as she was pulling into the driveway at Mema and Granddaddy's house. My family was outside, waiting in the yard, and she brought me around with her to see everyone. I got about five or six virtual "hugs" on FaceTime, and while I couldn't feel their warmth, it felt almost the same as every time I go to visit Tennessee. I could not have loved my little iPhone more for letting me be there for that.