2009 In Review

This is a little tradition I started back in 2007 (you can read 2007 here and 2008 here). It's fun to look back over the year as I start to make my resolutions for 2010.

Where did you begin 2009?

I hosted a New Year's karaoke party at my place. The best part was having the karaoke machine all to myself for an extra day. I may or may not have sung every song on the CD... twice. I swear I sound JUST LIKE Alicia Keyes when nobody is around. Promise.

Oh, and some mean man broke into my car New Year's morning and stole my knitting.

What random cool things happened in 2009?

I walked barefoot on the beach in San Diego. I rode a horse in a blizzard in Colorado. I saw South Beach in Miami during spring break (THAT was scary!). I floated the river in New Braunfels. I hiked a medieval wall overlooking the sea in Croatia. I roamed the streets of Florence alone, eating my weight in croissants and gelato. I auditioned for a reality television show. I flew first class for the first time. My sister got married. One of my articles got published in a real-live journal. The singles ministry at my church exploded (in a good way). I finally finished that masters degree.

Favorite books from 2009?

Don't laugh - but 20o9 was the year of the Twilight novel (actually, all four). I also read A Voice in the Wind, Black Like Me (awesome!), The Razor's Edge, Light on Snow, and at the moment I'm trodding through Wuthering Heights. I think that's nine books in 12 months... not fantastic, but remember, I was also in school.

Do anything embarrassing?

Of course! I mooned a store full of people at Banana Republic. I had a meltdown at the Apple Store. I cooked a cucumber, mistaking it for a zucchini. I thought I poisoned a dinner guest with salmonella (turns out she was fine...). And many, many other silly, klutzy, wonderfully embarrassing things. But at least I didn't set my hair on fire in 2009. Things are looking up, people.

New Question: What scripture did you study? (this is for me... fun to keep a record)

I taught Esther & the Psalms of Ascent in 2009, so I lived and breathed that scripture throughout the year. During my own personal study time (when I wasn't preparing for my lesson) I went through a good part of the Old Testament (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, Hosea, plus a good deal of time spent in the other Psalms that I wasn't teaching). And as always, when I'm having a bad day/week, I go back to my favorites - 1 & 2 Corinthians and Romans... they're like my comfort food.

Did you know anybody who got married?

My sister! Plus, I went to weddings for Tera & Lee, Katie & Justin, Rebecca & Tyler.

Did you move anywhere?

Thank you Jesus... no.

What sporting events did you attend?

Rangers games, a Cowboys game, a Baylor football game, a TCU football game, a Mavs game or two, and a marathon race. I'm in love with the new Cowboys Stadium, by the way. Never thought I'd say that.

Describe your birthday:

I had my first ever surprise party! It was so fun and I was definitely surprised! You can read about it here.

What's something you learned about yourself?

I learned that if someone is in the hospital, you should visit them. Or bring them a meal. Anything to be sure they realize that they're remembered.

I learned that if you're praying for someone, you should tell them... because they probably need to hear it. The girls in my Sunday School class--so many of them--provided such good encouragement at different times throughout the year with little cards and emails and phone calls. They're a wonderful reminder that we're here to reflect God's glory (and love) to other people.

Speaking of which... in 2009 I heard God speak more loudly and more clearly than probably any other time in my life. It was wonderful and humbling and encouraging and convicting. Praying for more of that blessing in 2010.

I learned the hard way the importance of taking time to rest, before life forces you to do it anyway.

Were you in school this year?

Yep... I took five classes in 2009. But you already knew that. I also spoke at a couple of junior high schools and to some college classes at TCU and UTA.

Any new additions to your family?

I gained a new brother-in-law whom I just adore. And he and my sister adopted a new puppy... a Goldendoodle named Rusty. He's a maniac, but he's a cute maniac.

Made new friends?

That's the beautiful thing about life... it's always bringing new folks into your path. I made some really fun new friends this year... both guys and girls. I'd list their names but don't want to leave anybody out.

Favorite night out?

When I was in Santorini, Greece, I sat on a patio for about four hours, enjoyed a leisurely dinner and watched the sun set behind a nearby volcano. When the sun finally disappeared, everybody cheered. How often have you seen folks cheer for a sunset? Only in Greece...

What do you want to change in 2010?

I want to cook more and read more. Be waiting for a dinner party invitation from me very soon.

Other than home, where did you spend most of your time?

If you don't count TCU and church, I spent a good amount of time hanging out at the lake, laying out by the pool, or finding just about any excuse I could make to spend time outdoors.

Do you have a new year's resolution?

Besides cooking and reading? You'll have to stay tuned...

What was your favorite purchase?

Plane tickets. My iPhone. And maybe the Words with Friends App (shout out).

Did you get sick this year?

After five years of never taking a sick day at work, I took my fair share in 2009. I got the "regular" flu in February (2 weeks of fever and 25 blogs) and then got the "swine" flu in September (cake compared to the regular flu). I also made my first trip to the ER for my crazy annoying asthma. But it was probably a good thing, because now I can say "I'm not just the spokesperson... I'm also a client."

Start a new hobby?

I took salsa lessons for three months. Trust me, these hips don't lie. Although they stutter occasionally.

What are you wishing for in 2010?

In 2010 I am looking forward to living a life of spontaneity. Less planning and more flying by the seat of my pants. I hope to squeeze in a trip or two, spend a ton of time with friends and family, and officially start (and maybe finish) the book that I've been mulling over in my head. And whatever plans I have will take backseat to what God has planned for me, because let's face it, my friend, those are the only plans that really matter.

Like the morning mist

Want to be humbled? Read Hosea... it's what I'm studying right now, and it's a good way to suck the air right out of your lungs.

It's about Israel's unrepetence... they're compared to a harlot who continues to leave her husband, her true love, to sell herself for something cheap and tawdry.

The people of Israel forget God, are punished, and then repent... only they're full of hot air.

Your love is like the morning mist,

like the early dew that disappears.

(Hosea 6:4b)

Ouch. God (through Hosea) is saying here that His people claim to love him... but they love with an A.D.D. mindset. It's convenient today. Popular today. The church is super cool today, so they're on board. A dynamic preacher. Awesome music. Cool audio/visual stunts.

And then the preacher leaves. The music changes. The stunts are passé. The singles group is no longer cool. That warm fuzzy feeling is gone. And like the morning mist... the believer's commitment disappears. Actually... the commitment doesn't disappear, it's just redirected. To a boy. Or a girl. Or a job. Or a new hobby. Maybe another "it" church down the street offering a new brand of warm fuzzies.

Ouch.

Or how about this one?

Ephraim mixes with the nations;

Ephraim is a flat cake not turned over.

Foreigners sap his strength,'but he does not realize it.

His hair is sprinkled with gray,

but he does not notice.

(Hosea 7:8-9)

A flat cake not turned over is a cake that is burned on one side, raw on the other. It's uneatable. No longer useful for the purpose it was created for. I am quite familiar with this concept as much of my cooking ends up this way... burned on one side, raw on the other... maybe God is trying to bring His word alive through my cooking... or maybe I have issues with my oven (at least this is what I will tell my dinner guests).

Basically, the people of Israel had intermarrried with foreign people who didn't have the same beliefs in them. They didn't worship Israel's one true God. And little by little, His people forgot Him. Not all at once, but inch by inch, they backed away from their God and picked up the habits and beliefs of those around them. And when that happened, the people were useless... not a Jew, not a Gentile, not fully believing in God, not fully believing in the other Gods. Like a flat cake not turned over.

Don't get me wrong... I would marry a foreign man in an instant... with some thick, sultry accent (preferably Australian, or British, or Spanish, or Italian, or Greek... or just about any for that matter--feel free to join me in praying that God will bring me a dark-haired foreign Baptist boy... and soon!!). The deal wasn't marrying the foreigner, it's that they were marrying someone of a different faith. Fast forward to present day - this could mean marrying someone of a different faith (oh man, if I just could have dated some of the beautiful non-Christian boys who have asked me out over the past few years... but it's NOT worth it... don't even dip your toe in that water, my friend).

Dating or just regular "friends," we act like those closest to us. It's just the way life goes... we pick up their gestures, their speech, their attitudes. The quickest way to make me materialistic and self-conscious is to put me in a room of materialistic, judgmental girls, and it takes me about 30 seconds to absorb that mindset. Want to make alcohol a struggle? Hang out with only folks who drink. Have an attitude problem? There's probably a best friend with one too. We think like those we're closest to, we talk like those we're closest to. We start to comingle values, beliefs, attitudes.

Change can be subtle... slow... and then one day you wake up and realize that you've become one of "them." Whoever "them" is.

Hopefully your "them" don't have a faith like the morning mist.

And so as I read Hosea, I pray that I can have a faith that's steady, tested, steadfast. That my "thems" will be people who model a faith stronger than mine, with pure hearts and sweet spirits (and remember... pray for that cute foreign Baptist boy... I'm not joking on this one).

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

(Psalm 51:10)

A snowy evening

Tonight I had another really special evening. I'm really digging this vacation.

I've been hankering to cook ever since I finished school (praise Jesus, hallelujah, every day I wake up thanking the sweet Lord that I am FINISHED with school). So of course tonight, what with the rare Texas snow and all, I just had to make my mom's famous chili. And because I like you, my dear friend, I thought I'd share the recipe with you. It's super easy, but shhh... don't tell anyone. A good cook always pretends like her masterpiece was much more difficult to make than it really was.

Here's that recipe...

Here's the chili...

And the melt-in-your-mouth cornbread (with butter... butter makes everything better)...

And you can't have a snowy night, homemade chili and cornbread without a fire in the fireplace...

And of course, a soft, warm Christmas glow lingering from my tree which I just can't bring myself to take down just yet.

The rest of my decorations came down days ago, but there's something about having a tree glowing in my front window that soothes me. And so this old tree may be sticking around until Valentine's Day. I'm not afraid to be that girl.

Oh... who am I kidding... of course the tree will be down by the end of the week. I'm too much of a conformist. But I like to pretend to be a rebel.

Back to my evening. With a stomach full of chili and a fire to keep me warm, and a nice big mug of hot chocolate, I curled up on my couch and watched the most adorable movie... Julie & Julia.

And as I watched my movie I worked on my latest project: a quilt, made from scraps from upholstery samples my sister brought me home from work. This one should be completed by 2015, if I work fast.

Two-for-one special

I have been off work for five glorious days now. After several years of living in a state of perceived chaos, I am relishing all this free time and have decided to make good use of these days off by organizing and cleaning everything. At this point, every cabinet, drawer, and closet in my house has been cleaned out. I've got a huge stack of clothes and kitchen items to donate to charity (along with 146 pounds of canned goods my very generous friends brought to my graduation party last week, which I carefully weighed and then have since left in the middle of my entry way for me to stumble over every time I leave my house... simply because moving 146 pounds of food is no easy task).

After my crazy organizing kick, everything I own is in some sort of plastic bin, carefully sorted and organized. My house looks amazing.

And yet, with all this new found organization, I can't seem to find a darn thing! Every time I get dressed, I can't seem to find my clothes (I'm a bit worried that some of my favorite clothes may have somehow jumped ship into the "donate" pile... never to be seen again). I can't find my shoes. I can't find certain items which used to be stuffed into a junk drawer. Now that my junk is so meticulously organized, I'm baffled.

This is why I should just come to terms with living in chaos. Being disorganized is a bit easier to handle. Let's face it... I'm no Martha Stewart. But please do me a favor and don't tell anybody... I must at least give the impression that I am domestically inclined.

I'm really more of a Rachel-Ray-meets-Punky-Brewster-while-trying-unsuccessfully-to-pass-herself-off-as-a-Grace Kelly. I'm not sure that's working so well.

The cat's outta the bag

So I've had this little blog for several years now. Actually, I've had this one for two, and had another one for 2-3 years before that. What can I say, I'm a writer... an expressive personality, and a bit gabby. Plus I really enjoy going back and reading about things from the past. Just yesterday I found a stack of notes for the book that has been swimming around in my head for about two years now, and it was so fun to read some of my ideas which I had long forgotten. So this is why I write things down. Why I share those things with you... well that I don't really know.

But I don't really tell people about the blog. I let my friends discover it on their own. So it made me laugh a few days ago when Sister Sarah called and in the midst of our typically random sisterly conversation (I have the BEST conversations with her... she's amazing), she blurted out... "Bethe, I think you need to start a blog. Something for our Sunday School class... you know, like Beth Moore, but only something more 'you' instead."

I had to grin inside and felt kind of silly admitting that I indeed have a blog (although not exactly a Beth Moore blog... mine isn't even a fraction as fabulous), so I just told her I'd think about it and moved on. I've bounced around the idea of writing something simply for girls at my church, but it seems a bit presumptuous, and I do share some scripturely insights on this one anyway.

So fast forward a little...

Tonight I went and saw an absolutely dreadful movie with my family (I won't even tell you which one... but it was horrendous) and afterward we went to "celebrate" at our favorite restaurant nearby. Again Sister Sarah brought up the whole "blog" idea, and that's when my mom got a mischievous grin on her face and said, "Well Bethe, don't you already have a blog?"

Um... my mother doesn't know about this blog. How embarrassing! But wait... she does.

(gasp)

So I admitted the blog to the family. Turns out my dad knew too. So then I asked my mom... "So if you've been lurking all this time, how come you never mentioned it? And why have you never left a comment?"

And that's when my very own mother said, "Well, it's not like I read it that often."

Mmmm... thanks mom. My own mother knows that I write on a regular basis, and yet she doesn't bother to actually read it. I felt so very loved right about that moment.

But I'm sure that she was overcome with guilt and is now catching up on all my ramblings from the past few months. So hello, mom, and welcome. If you look carefully, maybe you'll find some nice things I wrote about you, seemingly behind your back.

You should be reading this

I'm working on a couple of posts... a 2009 recap, my 2010 New Years Resolutions, and a scripture/church one that may not ever get posted, but will at least be sent out to the lovely ladies in my Sunday School class. So much to do, and so little time.

Oh wait. I've got all sorts of time these days! And I am so very grateful! Not only am I done with school, but I'm enjoying a bit of a Christmas holiday from work. I truly adore my job, but I also am one of those people who realizes that I'm a much better employee if I have some time off to myself to play and recharge. And that's exactly what I'm doing this week... and man is it nice!

So while you anxiously await future blogs (nah, I know you're busy too!), here's some reading for you:

The Pioneer Woman - Recipes, plus fun stories from a "regular gal." I like regular gals, seeing as I'm about as regular as they come.

Copy Cat Chic - This gal takes trendy, expensive items, then points you toward a cheaper-but-equally-chic steal somewhere else. I'm on a big home decorating/reorganization kick, so this one is right up my alley.

Beth Moore's Blog - Anybody who knows me knows I simply adore Beth Moore and her Bible studies. I find a lot of encouragement from reading about this great woman of God who is another one of those "regular gals" who finds humor in normal female things. One of my favorite Beth Moore stories was when she forgot her hair stuff and had to tease her hair with a fork. I've been known to use any random sharp object I can find to part my hair... including a pencil, tweezers, my keys...

Back to organizing those closets and cabinets. There's something so refreshing about regaining control of your life, one messy cabinet at a time. Yet somehow the more I organize, the more junk I seem to accumulate on my kitchen counters that no longer have a "home." Luckily I'm taking a car-full of goodies to my church's food pantry/clothing closet this week - so I can get rid of all this superfluous stuff and somebody else can be blessed with items they need.

Snow Day & Guitar Hero

We had a wonderfully lazy Christmas today. We slept in, ate a huge breakfast, finally got around to opening presents around 11:00. Then we ate some more, took marathon naps, and topped off the day with a little... guitar hero.

I've secretly always dreamed of becoming a rock star. Unfortunately, I wasn't blessed with the ability to sing, play a musical instrument, dance... about the only thing I can do is wear sparkles well.

But not today. Today... I was a true rock star.

Merry Christmas from snowy Texas! This Christmas was one of my favorites!

A White Christmas... and years past

Today was Dallas' first white Christmas in 87 years. I could have sworn it happened one time back in high school, but my memory must be failing me. I hear that happens with old age.

We had an amazingly lazy Christmas Eve. I learned how to play Rummy Cube (and won two of three games), watched a couple of Christmas movies, knitted on my latest blanket, and ate a humongous dinner. Oh, and we played in the snow. My how beautiful it is.

But Christmas always makes me wax sentimental, so here are some memories from past Christmas blog posts:

Who could forget last Christmas, when I set my hair on fire at the candlelight service at church? (a personal favorite)

Also, a little Christmas video I threw together from last year.

There was Christmas of 2007, the year that I decorated cookies again. and again. and again. It turned out to be one of my all-time favorite Christmas memories, and yet... I also realized that I do not have a future as a professional cookie decorator. Man, it's hard.

There was the Tacky Sweater Christmas of 2005. The one where we didn't tell our extended family our plan, just showed up in tacky sweaters and never said anything about them. It was wonderfully awkward, the elephant in the room where nobody wanted to ask us about our tacky sweaters, for fear they were legit. I think this is one of the greatest things about my family--they're not afraid to look stupid.

As I lie here in my old bedroom at my parents' house, I'm recounting the many ways God has blessed me in 2009. I hope you and your family also experience, recognize, and give thanks to God for his blessings this Christmas season. He really is good, isn't he?

Almost Christmas and other stream-of-consciousness

It's almost Christmas and there's so much I still haven't done. I haven't wrapped ANY presents yet. That's right, not a one. I haven't driven around to look at Christmas lights. I haven't decorated Christmas cookies. I haven't watched very many Christmas movies. I haven't worn all my red sweaters. I haven't even eaten a single candy cane! (although I've got one swimming around the bottom of my purse, waiting for a weak moment when I will cave and devour it, most likely right before supper, thus ruining my appetite and yet making me quite content).

But I'm not that worried about it. The gifts will be wrapped... soon. The cookies will be made... although it might be January. The lights may not get seen. But I decided that this year, I'm not going to stress out about what needs to be done for Christmas. I'm just going to enjoy spending time with my family, continue to catch up on sleep, and relish the fact that life will go on if I don't check every item off my to-do list.

As my family likes to say... "good enough."

I am quite excited about my other Christmas tradition though--using my time off from work to lie around my house and breeze through novel after novel, catching up on the wonderful stack of books that have been calling my name for months. I'm a good ways into Wuthering Heights, and I love it, but I've got a Pat Conroy novel waiting in the wings, and a Barnes & Noble gift card burning a hole in my pocket.

I should save that candy cane for one of my leisurely reading afternoons.

In other news...

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The number one question I get, now that I'm finished with grad school, is "Now what?" Apparently the proper thing to do after one finishes a masters degree is to change jobs. Nobody wants to hear my answer: "I don't know. I sure do love my job. I love my boss. I find my work to be incredibly interesting. I love the enormous amount of vacation time I get. I love that I get to help people. And I love that my commute is super easy. So yes, someday I may change, but I'm quite content where I am today." I've decided that I'm extremely A.D.D. when it comes to hobbies/projects/after-school activities, and yet when it comes to my job and my church, I am loyal and enjoy the stability that comes with staying in the same place for several years (6 years at one, 5.5 at the other). I'm not sure what that means... the psychoanalzation will have to continue for a bit longer. But I do wish folks would stop asking me the "now what." That, and the "What do you want to be when you grow up" question. Because I honestly don't know. I have some inklings, but telling someone you want to stay home and write novels while sitting on your back porch in your pajamas, drinking coffee out of a giant thermos, sort of sounds frivolous.

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I had a blind date tonight. I really shouldn't go on these, as they never turn out, but blind dates are a gold mine for funny stories that I can tell for years to come. Tonight's was disappointingly uneventful--other than a giant pimple that popped up on my forehead about three fateful hours before the date, there was no drama, no tragedy, no humiliation. It was simply a nice dinner, some pleasant conversation, and the quick realization that there would be no need for a second date. But I did have the most AMAZING flour-less chocolate cake for dessert. So totally worth it.

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I am officially in half marathon training mode. I squeezed in a run tonight between work and the date. I should know by now that even after I finish running, my face will continue to look like a red, sweaty tomato for several more hours. Yet I so easily forget this minor detail, so I was still a tad red/sweaty for the date. I'm clinging to the hope that my redness was mistaken for a tan... and not some horrible disease. I guess in either case, it really doesn't matter. Oh... but did I mention that chocolate cake? (sigh)

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I've got a month off from teaching Sunday School, so I have time to study something that's just for me. I've decided to hang out in Hosea for awhile, and let me tell you, my Bible Commentary is definitely my friend. This book's a challenge, but challenges are good.

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Off to bed... Christmas Eve launches in just a few hours, and I have some wrapping to do! Merry Christmas, and God bless.

Review & other various things

I was looking back on some of my old blogs today, and it was quite interesting. Of course, a major theme over these past two years that I've kept this thing is how nutty my life has been, juggling school and work and the rest of life. What I also noticed, however, was that every few months I would write a "cocoon" blog where I would talk about hiding out for 24-48 hours, being quiet, recharging my batteries, and then reemerging more energetic than before.

Sometimes we don't notice a pattern in the midst of our actions, but it takes reflection... some context... to realize we've been there before. There's absolutely nothing wrong with hiding out for a day or two (much better in my opinion than spiraling into a depression, which is absolutely NOT what I do when I rest), but it also serves as a neon flashing arrow that points to times in my life when I am overdoing it. And I tend to overdo it, because I don't want to miss out on any of the fun that's there to be had. I want to do it all, to live a full and meaningful life. But I have to continually force myself to slow down a bit. Those cocoon times are some of the sweetest times for me, because they're so rare and different. I thoroughly enjoyed last week, where I went to bed early every night, read lot's of my book (Wuthering Heights... loving it), and didn't really talk to anybody except for work folks and my family. By Friday's Christmas party, I was rearing to go! I'm back with the living, and back with a renewed zeal. Heck, I'm even working out again! I decided to jumpstart those New Year's resolutions about three weeks early.

So enough of that. Tonight I worked on my Christmas cards. I'm about a week behind in all of my Christmas activities, but I suspect everybody else is too, and I'm choosing to employ our famous family motto of "good enough" on this one. People will be getting cards, signed with love, and it won't matter much that they may arrive just a few days before Christmas. I figure anything that hits homes before Dec. 31 totally counts.

Speaking of family mottos... my family has the best family mottos. And we sure have a lot. Here's just a few that you probably hear me throw down in casual conversation on a regular basis:

Good enough

definition: Stop being an overachiever!

Get over it!

Emphasis on the OVER... usually accompanied with a snap or head bob. We usually say this in reference to other people outside the family.

Don't waste the pretty.

definition: Giiirrrl, time to get over him, because either (a) you need to dump the poor boy because he's no good for you, or (b) he's just not that into you, he's never going to date you, so move on to someone else! You can imagine my euphoria when I found out last week titled Don't waste the pretty. Awesome.

Let it go, and let it flow.

definition: Similar to "good enough" but also means that it's time to stop trying to control something and just let things happen as they may. Contrary to popular belief, this has nothing to do with going to the bathroom.

Keep hope alive.

(this is always, always accompanied by a fist pump)

Mama's gotta eat.

A term used when you have to do something you don't love at work, but you keep on keeping on because you want to keep said job.

I can sell you ugly, but I will not sell you dumb.

This one doesn't really need defining.

Stupid boy.

This is one my dad likes to sing to us whenever any guy does anything wrong... quoting the Keith Urban lyrics. Just one of the many reasons why our dad is absolutely adorable.

So that's it. When the six of us get together, we spout these babies off every other sentence. The more head bobbing and snapping the better.

Cocoon

It's so odd, I should be feeling tons of relief right now. And I am, but I'm also experiencing the aftereffects of a 3 1/2 year adrenaline rush. I have had to go-go-go for so long, and now that it's over... I have experienced a huge wave of exhaustion. I'd really like to go hide under my comfortable electric blanket for a few days and simply read novels and avoid most of civilization. But in reality, I'm just going to try to take a few nights off to rest and recharge. If you don't see or hear from me... you'll know where to find me. Buried under my covers with a good book.

But I promise I won't stay there for long. You know me... I get my energy from being around others... so just give me a few days and I'll be back to my normal, energetic self. Only I'll be better rested.

But first... off to pick out that novel.

Insert sigh of relief here

Did you hear that?

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That's the sound of me NOT DOING HOMEWORK.

Scratch that. That's the sound of me jumping up and down, doing toe touches and back flips as I think of all of the many things I will be able to do with my life that don't involve research at the library (okay, so these days research in the library actually means remoting in from home while wearing my pj's), writing horribly long and boring research papers, taking tests, and reading thousands of pages of stupid journal articles that nobody really cares about.

Okay, I'm sure SOMEBODY cares about the stupid journal articles. Like the moms of the authors. But maybe not. I have the most fantastic mother ever, and I don't think she ever read the article I had published. I don't blame here. It was 25 freaking pages! I wouldn't want to read it either, unless I'm suffering from insomnia, and then it's a surefire way to get some sleep.

But all that is over. Tonight I finished my VERY LAST HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT EVER. It was a simple 15-page term paper that I churned out in less than four hours. Just as I'm getting more efficient than ever at writing these silly papers... poof, it's over!

And praise the Lord that it's over!

I still have to defend my thesis later this week. And I still have to sit through three more classes. But I have no more assignments to turn in. They're all finished. FINISHED I TELL YOU. And I am a very. happy. girl. Giddy, really.

So giddy that I may not sleep. Hopefully the Benedryl will take care of that.

Thanksgiving 2009

Overheard at today's family Thanksgiving:

Me to my sister & her husband: You guys are so photogenic!

Other sister: You know that means you're going to have ugly children. Pretty people always have ugly children.

My sister, the eternal optimist.

Me to my dad & brother-in-law (before taking their picture): Do something manly!

Dad & bro: (insert grunting noises and muscle flexing here)

We also engaged in a lively conversation about how next Thanksgiving, my new boyfriend (Tony Romo... he's partial to blondes) and I will take on my sister Sarah and her to-be-named-later husband in a competitive game of flag football. This of course follows the assumption that (a) Tony and I are going to fall in love next year, and (b) my sister is going to meet a guy, fall in love with him, and marry him before November 2010. If this happens, I'm pretty sure Tony and I will annihilate them in flag football.

It was a wonderful Thanksgiving indeed.

Surprise! (and other various things)

So, they got me. I sort of thought everybody was too busy to remember my birthday, which is understandable since my birthday always falls right before Thanksgiving. As it turns out, my sweet friends were secretly planning me a surprise birthday party, and boy was I surprised. I fell right into their trap, thinking I was going to dinner with a friend from work, and then when our reservations fell through, good old predictable me convinced him to go to my favorite restaurant, which was conveniently next door. In we walk, and there in front of me were 30 of my closest friends. I was so stunned that it took me a minute to realize that it was MY party (for a split second I thought maybe my friends had planned some random get-together and just not invited me... it seemed to be the only reasonable explanation at the moment, as everybody stared at me and nobody remembered to say "surprise!"). But it ended up being a very memorable night, and I'm so thankful to have some very sweet friends and a wonderful middle sister who is also quite devious.

Some other various things:

• I got the most amazing birthday present this year--one I'll treasure for years to come. The girls in my Sunday School class each sent me their very favorite scripture, along with a fashionable flip book to keep my own favorites in (because a fashionable girl must have a fashionable scripture catalogue). I loved that when one of the girls asked my sister what I would like, she replied, "Bethe loves scripture! Get her some scripture!" IIt's so true, and I love that they were willing to share their own little secret treasures with me. It's so neat to know these girls, what they've gone through, what they struggle with, what they have overcome, and then to see what their go-to scripture is. I am so touched by their thoughtfulness.
• I had a wonderful birthday dinner with my family tonight... including my new brother, added just this past June. I must say that as a gal who grew up in a family full of women, it's quite fun to have a little brother (and I'm so thankful that my sister married one that we get along with so well). However, we're at a total loss as to what to buy him for Christmas. We're on a hunt for something manly and wonderful for him.
• Not only did I have a birthday this weekend (the big 2-9... gulp), but I also got visited by the Asthma Fairy. It started on Friday and has now lasted four days. All of the meds and the coughing have caused me to almost completely lose my voice, making me sound like a boy in puberty... which is fitting, because my face looks like that of a hormonal teenager. I'm not sure what happened, but the Asthma Fairy was accompanied by her friend, the Pimple Fairy. I think both guests have overstayed their welcome. They need to leave and send their cousin, the Hot Christian Guy Fairy.
• I turned in my thesis tonight. I'm not sure I've ever been giddy after finishing a paper before, but tonight as I left the communications building I felt like turning cartwheels. One more week and I'll be completely finished with all assignments. Praise. The. Lord.
• Did I mention I'm close to starting a book? It has been a life goal, and I have finally identified my story, named my main character, and worked out a good bit of the plot. I have much more to develop before I begin, but when I have free time, my mind is now filled with what-if's and story brainstorming. This is one of my plans for 2010. You know, that life AFTER graduate school.
• I saw New Moon Saturday night (happy birthday to me). I liked this movie much better than the first one, and even better than the book. I think the fact that there were so many shirtless boys running around on the screen might have tipped the scales in the movie's favor. (sigh) This is one movie I may have to see again.

Must get to bed... the dark circles under my eyes from a lack of sleep will definitely not serve as a compliment to the pimples on my face. Oh, the joys of being a 29-year-old teenager.

PS--This is the two-year anniversary of this blog. Check out my other birthday posts here and here and here. Happy birthday to me.

Good Weekend

Let's see...

Twilight Pre-Party

Girls' Night Out at the Mavs game

Painting party

Steak dinner & New Moon

Pre-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Lunch

Flag football tournament

Decorating for Christmas

Family dinner (possibly more steak)

Turning in my graduate thesis

... and my birthday. A very good weekend indeed!

Christmas Newsletter-2009 Edition

I started working on my 4th Annual Christmas Newsletter tonight. It's my annual tradition of showing my year in pictures... here's a few from last year...

Here's a sneak preview of one of my newsletter pics...

Want to be on the mailing list? Send me your address!

Grief

Death is a funny thing. You may have no clue it's coming, and then BAM, it hits you. In my grandmother's case, we knew for months, and the dying process seemed to crawl by. And then one day you wake up and it's over.

So then you start the funeral preparations, calling in family, trying to get everything planned for the big event. Folks know what to do, how to help. They bring food. They tell stories.

But my grandmother didn't want a funeral, and we are honoring our wishes. So instead of a predictable plan, we have had to figure out our own way to deal with the loss. For my family, it meant a fun family dinner that first night, first sharing some hard information, and then transitioning to some great belly laughs. My family is good at belly laughing. Then yesterday the women of the family went shopping. Ironic, because we aren't a shopping family, but it was something to do, a mission we could conquer and something completely frivolous to enjoy after some stressful weeks.

I found the perfect area rug for my bedroom. And then suddenly I knew I had to paint my bedroom. And having a mission was a bit comforting--next thing I knew we were at the hardware store buying supplies, and then painting until almost midnight, sharing more belly laughs and reminiscing about fun family times of the past. So less than a day after we went shopping, my room looks completely different, and I feel a huge sense of accomplishment. And control. And that is strangely comforting.

More fun family things are planned for tonight. It's amazing how a very full schedule can suddenly and immediately clear itself with one brush stroke, replacing obligations with simply resting and bonding. Loss is never easy, but it's a wonderful reminder to enjoy the people around me. And it's a reminder that because of my faith, I can have hope.

Africa

I want to go to Africa in 2010. More specifically, I want to go on a mission trip to Tanzania with my church. I had a few things that I worried might hinder my traveling (first and foremost, my annoying and currently uncontrollable asthma issues) but I have started finding solutions to what I thought were closed doors. I'm a bit terrified of the idea of traveling to the wilderness for two weeks, but my heart is aching to go.

Last night I had dinner with my wonderful Christian parents--both leaders in their church and big advocates for spreading the gospel. Here is what our conversation looked like:

Dad - So you really want to go to Africa, huh?

Me - Yep. I really want to go.

Dad - You know what happens to folks who go to Africa... they all come home wanting to adopt an African orphan.

Me - Oh really? Would that be so horrible?

Dad - Nah. I'd watch him for you.

Me - Well it's settled then. Africa, here I come!

San Diego

Just got home from my last trip of the year. After adventures in Miami, Colorado, California, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Croatia, I think I'm ready to hole up in my house for a little while and cocoon. I'm only a month away from being done with school, and between now and then all I want to do is hide and nest and eat cereal.

But San Diego was plenty beautiful. I'll upload pics soon (have you noticed I often promise pics and rarely post? It's because I know all of you probably see them on Facebook, and it takes too long to upload them twice). But I'll do my best to upload them. Really. Probably. While I was in San Diego I walked along the beach in front of the famous Hotel del Coronado, I ate the most splendid Spanish food at a spot in the Gas Lamp District, and I enjoyed seeing several hundred marines at my hotel one evening for a marine ball. Many had come alone, it was just a darn shame that I hadn't packed my cocktail dress in that humongous suitcase of mine. Sigh... maybe next time.

I also got to speak at the national PRSA Conference. That was a bit of a career highlight for me--2,000 public relations gurus at my industry's largest conference of the year, and somehow I ended up getting a bio in the event guide! I only spoke at a break-out session, nothing huge, but still it was one of those neat resume-building experiences that I'll probably never do again. All in all, it was a pretty nice trip indeed.

Back to the cocoon... I will see you in mid-December.

400th Post

In honor of my 400th post, something completely random...

This time...

I worked a 15-hour day on Tuesday. Okay, confession, three of those hours were spent sitting in class. But that's a whole lot like work (especially because I was still wearing my work clothes), so I'm going to just lump that in with the other 12 hours. I got to work at 7 a.m. and got home at 10 p.m. Yeah... a long day.

Which might explain why I accidentally ran into a store display at the gas station. I had to stop and get gas about 9 p.m. right before I headed back to the office to take care of a few last things, and decided to run inside to grab a Gatorade to hold me over until dinner (yeah... no dinner until 10... I've started eating that late about three times a week... great for the figure I'm sure). Anyway, I was in a total rush, as usual, and so tired that I wasn't being very careful, and just plowed right into a big store display of chips and candy bars. I have a nice big bruise on my hip to prove it. Off came the candy bars, scattering all over the floor, as the other customers--all there to buy their beer and lottery tickets--stopped and stared at me in unison... giving me that judgmental, "Uh huh, I bet she's drunk" look. Awesome.

But I have good news... 36 days until all of my assignments are turned in, my thesis is defended, and I am DONE FOREVER with school. That's just five weeks from tomorrow. Praise Jesus!

The zucchini's evil twin

I have become a huge fan of the sauteed zucchini... I saute it in extra-virgin olive oil that I brought back from my trip to Greece last summer. It may not be the most low-fat way to prepare it, but it tastes amazing, and at least it's not a french fry.

So you can imagine my shock when I took my first bite of zucchini on Saturday... only to find that it was a cucumber! That's right... I had sauteed a cucumber in Greek olive oil. I swear, they look EXACTLY ALIKE!

Even worse... I was hungry, and low on food, so I went ahead and ate it. Kids, don't try that at home.

Weary

Oh how I am so very tired... three nights in a row of not coming home to eat dinner until 10:00. It's crunch time at school, with only 58 days left until my graduation, 43 until I defend my thesis. I have four papers due in the next six weeks, not to mention an intense month at work, and two big trips (just got home from a fabulous mountain adventure in Colorado, and soon will jet off to San Diego to speak at a national conference!). Because of board retreats, leadership trainings, committee/non-profit work and my travels, I'm averaging about three days a week of work, and two days of "other." Since five days worth of work must still be done each week, it means I'm staying most nights until 7:00, bringing home work with me, and sleeping almost never.

But as tired as I may be, I know where I can go to find true rest.

Jeremiah 31:25 - "I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint."

Galatians 7:9 - "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

Luke 1:49 - "For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name."

People like to say SALSA

Every time I mention salsa class, I think about that awesome Seinfeld episode:

GEORGE: "Why don't they have salsa on the table?"

JERRY: "What do you need salsa for?"

GEORGE: "Salsa is now the number one condiment in America."

JERRY: "You know why? Because people like to say "salsa." "Excuse me, do
you have any salsa?" "We need more salsa." "Where is the salsa? No salsa?"

GEORGE: "You know it must be impossible for a Spanish person to order
seltzer and not get salsa. "I wanted seltzer, not salsa!"

JERRY: "Don't you know the difference between seltzer and salsa? You
have the seltezer after the salsa!"

GEORGE: "See, this should be a show. This is the show."

See, how could you not just LOVE Seinfeld?

And I also really do love my salsa class. For 90 minutes, once a week, I get to go clubbing... at 7:00 in the evening, in a smoke-free, alcohol-free environment, where everybody is super nice, nobody gropes you, the men are polite, and the music isn't deafening. It's good stuff.

You can call me Orange Face

It's that time of the year. My beautiful summer tan has begun to fade. I'm no longer spending long afternoons by the pool or sunning myself at the lake, and I'm quickly turning white. White.

But give me another month, and I'll be even more pale. Which is why I've got a dilemma. I bought my makeup back when my face was a golden tan. Now it doesn't match my skintone. But if I buy new makeup now, in another month it won't match. So what's a girl to do? These past few days I've noticed that "fake" look that comes from wearing makeup that's too dark, but I'm on a budget. So at this point I'm going to try to suffer through for another week or two, and then just "wing it" at the MAC counter.

So if you see me and my orange face, please know that I know. And just do your best to pretend not to notice. 

Deleted Scenes

These need no explanation.

Look at me being all STREET

I'm doing some research to come up with a new name for my Sunday School class, and because I'm "hip" and "street" (word) I somehow stumbled across www.urbandictionary.com. This may be my new favorite site. 

For instance, how can your life possibly be full without knowing the term 

mascary

adj.

when a person wears a scary amount of mascara

Oh. my. awesomeness.

Say it ain't so

I think I had the Swine Flu. Err, I mean the H1N1 virus. After all, one must be politically correct and not accidentally offend the pig population.

It's ironic since I'm the girl who had the pet pig in junior high. Daisy the Vietnamese Potbelly Pig was the cutest little thing ever and made for great entertainment in our otherwise normal suburban upbringing. Okay, so there wasn't a lot of normal in my upbringing, my parents also bought us a Chinese Goose named Casey... it was like the United Nations of farm animals at my house growing up. If only we had had a gold fish from North Korea, our collection would have been complete. 

So back to the swine flu. I got sick Tuesday, finally went to the doctor on Thursday, and the whole time was convinced that it was merely a sinus infection. Maybe bronchitis. I had a fever, but it wasn't high, and it hadn't been around long. I told him I was convinced it wasn't the flu, so we didn't even test for it. He gave me my decongestant drugs, along with some asthma medicine, and sent me on my merry way to heal at home. 

But now I'm almost convinced that it was indeed the flu. I had a fever that lingered for several days. My throat hurt, I developed a cough. I got severe body aches. Minor chills/sweats. Extreme fatigue. Repeated asthma attacks. It was just like last year's flu, only about half the intensity. Last year's flu lasted almost two weeks, this time I've been sick about six days. Last year I ran a high fever for 9 days, this year it never got over 99.5 and lasted about four days. Last year I could barely crawl off my couch to get a glass of water, this year I have been up and around a good bit, but tire easily. If this was indeed the swine flu, and I guess I'll never really know for sure, I can assure you that it was a heck of a lot better than the regular old seasonal flu that just about wiped me out. 

I realize we should all be vigilant and wash our hands, stay away from sick people, etc. But I can also assure you that this flu bug was more of an extreme annoyance than anything else. It wasn't worth shutting down a school over. It wasn't worth mass hysteria. It just required a few days of popping Advil and watching hours of mindless television while lying on my couch.

But I'm almost better. I have defeated the swine, and I will live to see another day. I think I should make a shirt that says, "I conquered the Swine Flu!"

But first, I must go lay back down on my couch and watch some more mindless TV. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be back to normal.

Governor puts foot in mouth once again

I have always been a die-hard republican. I was a ditto-head before Rush Limbaugh was cool. I used to have lofty goals of working in politics and changing my world for the better, one well-crafted speech at a time.

But our governor drives me absolutely batty. I see him as a biased secessionist good old boy who needs a reality check. Apparently he's been too busy refusing stimulus funds to notice that we're in a recession. That Texas' unemployment rate is the highest it has been in 22 years, up 3% since last summer. 

Check this out.

Hole in One

Okay, I've won some pretty cool things in my life... $1,000, a 36-inch television, a giant inflatable cow. But this one trumps all of that.

Not quite

Okay, I lied... no fabulous blogs from me today. You see, I just discovered this great new invention. It's called Movies on Demand on my cable. I can rent movies without ever having to leave my house! I don't have to worry about returning them (because we all know that I never can remember to return my movies), and there are hundreds to choose from! 

I was like a kid at Christmas... a sick, wheezy, tired and highly medicated kid who just so happened to get to watch any movie she wants on Christmas. Or something like that.

Breathing is ideal

Just a quick update... I'm sure there will be at least one blog coming today, and if I get bored enough, several. I'm home sick from work with some pretty hefty asthma issues. It's so annoying, I woke up with it three days ago and haven't been able to take a deep breath since. I have become good friends with my nebulizer, which looks suspiciously like a peace pipe. Every time I use it, I think of Alice in Wonderland. That albuterol also makes me high as a kite... another eery similarity.

I'm off to go see what the doctor says and hoping he can give me something (steroid) that will make me feel better (steroid) because I have big plans for tomorrow night (steroid).

Hodge Podge Blog

Just a few random updates...

1. My car has been in the shop for 24 days and $2400. Today my dad came and picked her up, and we were scheduled to trade cars back tonight... but she broke again. The mechanic had said, "Be sure to watch for such-and-such, if that happens, it's a very bad sign." Well, as luck would have it, such-and-such happened. So back she goes to the  mechanic tomorrow, and I will cross my fingers that the next fix doesn't cost too much more. I'm trying to maintain my sense of humor, but it's definitely a challenge.

In the meantime, I'm swearing off pedicures until I save for a new car. I hope you will continue to be my friend even if I have horrible hobbit feet.

2. I'm sick again. My allergies have been absolutely horrible. So have Harley the Wonder Schnoodle's. As I've said before, we're allergic to the same thing, and both of us are teetering on the edge of allergy misery this week. No time to be sick, so we're going to continue to dope up on allergy meds and hope for the best. Makes the head a bit cloudy though.

Luckily the cloudy head keeps me from focusing on my car.

3. My professor decided to double the length of my paper due next week, on a whim. Hate is a strong word for this situation. But incredible frustration, extreme annoyance, and flabbergastedness (if it were a word) might suffice. There goes my weekend plans. Oh wait, I have to work Saturday anyway. And read three books in the next week or so. No big deal.

4. I have the blog of all blogs floating in my head... you may have seen the pictures from Facebook of my little country adventure, but it's definitely a story that deserves its own blog. I mean, we caught armadillos on a ranch in the middle of the night while I pranced through a cow pasture in my red high heels and a cocktail dress. My joyride in that '71 lime green convertible was one of my most memorable nights in years.

But these allergy meds are clouding my head, which greatly diminishes my ability to be witty. So the lime green convertible story will have to wait until the pollen count drops a little.

My newest hobby

Last year I ran a half marathon. My goal was to finish without dying or puking, and somehow I managed to avoid both.  Just when I thought I was a weak and lazy whimp, I somehow trained to run 13 miles. It wasn't pretty, but I did it. Go me.

But that was sooo 2008. This year I need a new challenge, so I've chosen a different sport--one that I am equally as clueless about, but one that I think will take me far in life.

I'm learning to salsa.

Two friends and I are taking weekly salsa lessons at a local dance studio. Every Monday night you'll find me in my strappy high heels, jeans, and a tank top (a la Dancing With the Stars), shaking my tushy to the reggae flavor of the month. It looks like I'll soon be hanging out at the local salsa club on the weekends, dancing it up with my new-found friends. Maybe I'll find myself a latin lover, learn a little Spanish, and and kiss the single life goodbye... all because of this new salsa class.

Nah, probably not. But it's still excellent exercise and provides endless amounts of entertainment. And it's the only workout I've found that I can do while wearing cute shoes.

In our first class, I learned the highly-choreographed sexy hair-comb move. Seriously, we practiced it for 15 minutes. I'm not sure if mine is sexy, or just awkward. I plan to practice it constantly over the next week... I'll be doing the sexy hair-comb while stopped at stoplights, while standing in line at the grocery store, while checking my mail... that's not weird, is it?

This highly-choreographed sexy hair-comb move might just be my ticket to stardom.

My Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad... Week

I wrote a story in the 6th grade about my terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day. My teacher loved it so much that she kept it, and years later she told me she was still showing it to her classes. Maybe it was an early sign that I would choose a career in writing. Or maybe I had written about a day that was so bad, even Mrs. Lewis was impressed.

This week has been THAT bad.

That car repair? Oh yeah, much worse than expected. When my dad broke the news to me, I dissolved into tears (again). He asked me over the phone, "Are you okay?" That's when I told him that I felt the overwhelming urge to throw up.

Of course, I didn't. But it would have added to my week.

Just about everything that could have gone wrong, did. From the moment it started until the minute work ended tonight, it was one set of bad news after the other. One stressful moment after another. One tough conversation after another. I'm really glad the week is over.

And then I went to dinner with my family, and everything changed. As I told them about my crummy week, we all started laughing at just how horrible it had been. Next thing we knew, we were laughing so hard that tears were streaming down all of our faces. I think the laughter began when my dad recounted that tearful telephone conversation, and I started hyperventilating just thinking about the cost of the repair bill (think thousands and thousands of dollars). The hyperventilating triggered a minor asthma attack, which just tickled everybody else, and from there, we couldn't stop.

It was a great night.

And then, the night got better, because I spent it with my new favorite boy.

(Insert sigh here)

(Go ahead and insert another one here...)

(Maybe one more?)

After our family dinner my sister introduced me to the greatness that is High School Musical 3. Granted, I haven't had that much cheese since my last jumbo pretzel at the hospital employee party that came with hot, melted cheese dip (and bbq sauce, another tasty pretzel treat). But Zac is just the cutest thing ever, and I'll admit that I loved the dance numbers. Now I need to see HSM 1 & 2. 

After the movie (and the out-takes, and the special features), we had a debriefing. My sister decided that in our family, she would be Vanessa Hudgins, and I would be Sharpay. I'm not sure how I feel about that, especially since that means Sarah would get the boy, and all I would get is some little yappy dog. But pink IS my color, and I do love my sister... although I'm not sure I love her enough to give up Zac without a fight. 

Tomorrow will be better. I'm going for a run and then spending the day at the zoo with a friend. It has to be better... Surely it will be better...

Tow trucks, backpacks, and hobbits

Today was my very last first day of school. Ever. I made my family promise that if I ever decide to pursue a PhD, that they will hold an intervention and, if necessary, knock some sense into me by force. Or, they have my permission to lock me up until I return to my senses. This is indeed my very last semester. And I think it's going to be a good one.

And if it's not, that's okay, because it's also my LAST one. Three and a half long years, and I'll finally have something to show for all that hard work!

As for my car... they towed poor Snowflake away today. I laughed as I hid my key under a flower pot on my front porch, thinking that somebody might try to steal poor Snowflake. But they sure wouldn't get very far! No word yet on how bad the damage is... I appreciate any prayers you might send my way for an affordable fix. I keep reminding myself that it's just "stuff." I'm trying to keep it in perspective. No need to stress too much about temporary things.

I wonder how many skipped pedicures it will take to pay off this repair bill? I'm guessing I may have hobbit feet by then. I'm also thinking about getting rid of my lawn boy (gulp). I know. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

In the meantime... I'm taking up a new hobby. It's a bit of a surprise, but I promise to write all about it next week. Let's just say that it's an athletic endeavor that should prove to be a lot more fun than that silly half marathon I had considered training for. This one involves athleticism... precision... and cute shoes. 

Oh yeah, that's my kind of sport.

Because I'm having a bad day

Today really stunk. Like, really stunk. I have had car problems almost constantly this summer. 

• Car broke down in the fast lane of I-35 south of Temple = $450. 
• Flat tire = $300 for two new tires. 
• Car overheated = $200 for a new thermostat. 
• Then car overheated again. 
• Then overheated again.

You get the idea. It has been an expensive summer. So you can imagine my distress when I found out this morning that to fix my car to drivable condition (because right now it needs a tow truck) it will cost $1200. Best case scenario. Worst case? Around $4,000. Maybe more. 

Oh, the joy of old, beat-up cars. But this old, beat-up car is paid for.

So after I had a good cry (thank you Jesus that I have an office with a door, for such a time as this), I made a quick visit to my local car dealership to see if I would be better off doing the "Cash for Clunkers" option instead of fixing poor Snowflake. Today was the deadline, and I quickly learned that the car dealership had no incentive to make any good deals since they knew I was desperate to get my deal made by 5:00. So after a long discussion with my dad, I decided to give Snowflake another chance. I'm going to hold her hand and get her through this illness and hopefully she'll survive a better car (quite possibly a car with a brand-new engine, lucky thing).

So in honor of my crummy, financially devastating day (there goes my plans to redecorate my bedroom or take an African cruise... or to be able to afford groceries) I have decided to make a list of things I'm thankful for. I sure need a gentle reminder today. 

• I have an amazing God who has been speaking to me like crazy through his scripture and through some other folks around me. I am so thankful for spans of time where I can feel his presence, where his Word pierces straight to my heart. Where my prayer time is sweet. In every Christian walk there are times of plenty and times of want, and I am thankful to be enjoying a time of plenty.
• Along the same line, I am thankful that God seems to be answering a prayer that I prayed fervently over the past year (no, I don't have a boyfriend, I know you're thinking it!). I have prayed that God will change my heart and my desires about one particular area of my life, and am watching an inexplicable change that can only be of Him. I can only pray that he continues to work.
• I have the sweetest dad in the whole wide world, who dropped everything today to go car shopping with his poor, stressed out daughter who is completely clueless about cars. I am also thankful that he lent me his truck to drive while Snowflake is taking her extended vacation to the mechanic.
• Even though my car has given me nothing but fits this summer, I am thankful that I was never once stranded, never had car problems at night, and only once had a problem on a weekend. Every time, I was able to get it to a mechanic to get the problem taken care of. This last time, I wasn't able to make it to a mechanic (it happened on a Sunday) but I was able to make it safely home.
• I am blessed with some fantastic friends, and in particular some wonderful Christian girlfriends who are such an encouragement to me. Socially, they're super fun. Spiritually, they challenge and encourage me in ways they'll never realize meant so much to me.
• I have had the best summer ever. Not only did I kick it off with a fabulous European cruise and then a family wedding, but I have spent the past three weekends hanging out at the lake, spent the weekend before that riding down a river on an inner tube, enjoyed countless dinners out, dinners in, watched movies, and played as much as was humanly possible. I wish I could relive this summer a hundred times. It was pure bliss.
• Tomorrow I begin my VERY LAST DAY of graduate school! In 117 days, I'll be walking across the stage at my graduation ceremony, sporting that dorky cap and gown and then celebrating in grand fashion with the party of the century. I can almost taste the freedom. And the free time.
• I am getting free tuition again this fall, and this time I don't have to work as a grad assistant to get it! I just get the free tuition, no strings attached. You have no idea the relief I felt when I got the good news!
• I have a job that I love and I work for a boss that I respect. 

See, I feel better already. I know I'm blessed, and I know that my God is bigger than a stinky old head gasket. 

Such a sap

I've become such a sap... today I was sitting at my desk at work, minding my own business, when someone sent me a silly forward about a soldier giving a little girl a hug in an airport... and it sent me right over the edge, probably because I have friends over there. I cried right there at work! Sometimes I'm so thankful that I have an office that offers me privacy for silly days like today.

Then I cried again when I read this blog. You probably will too. We've been praying for this cute little boy for months now, and I'm so encouraged by these posts, as well as by the messages folks leave in their guest book. It's great to claim to have faith when life is rosy, it's another to be tested and proved through the fire. Watching others go through the trenches and still cling to hope challenges me to move past purely reading scripture and truly living it. Experiencing it. Knowing it. 

Besides, when others are suffering, it gives the rest of us an opportunity to step up to the plate and show Christ's love in a real, tangible way. I have been blessed with friends who have shown up in the middle of the night with ice cream and hugs when I suffered unexpected heartbreak, or who have sat at the hospital with me, or who have looked me straight in the eye and have spoken hard truth that was exactly what I needed to hear. It's amazing how God chooses to use us to touch others... and I only pray that God gives me very real opportunities to show his goodness in a way only He is capable of orchestrating.

But enough of the sap. I need to get back to eating my M&M's and popcorn... don't act like you don't know exactly how wonderful that sweet and salty goodness can be. 

Oh, and if you're looking for some new music (I'm on a total iTunes downloading kick) check out these two songs from Needtobreathe:

Lay 'Em Down

Washed By The Water

Pure greatness! 

I passed!

PS--I got an A in summer school! I guess this proves that procrastination is perfectly acceptable, since I wrote my 50-page paper in just four days. It was kind of like ripping off a band-aid, only to reveal a raw, bleeding wound. So glad it's over.

Ten classes down. Two more to go. I'll be completely finished with grad school in only four months. Praise Jesus.

Beet 'em

Let me introduce you to the greatest softball team ever.

Oh wait, guys in the back, you're not facing the camera.

There we go.

Meet Schrute Farms, the team that went from 2-8 last season to 7-2 this season, with one more game to go next week. These folks are awesome softball players, but they're also super fun to hang out with. Their left fielder is always dropping pop-ups (that would be me) and yet the team always greets me with high fives when I get back to the dugout, and nobody seems to hold my error-filled ways against me. Every time I go to a game, I know I'm going to have fun, and my teammates only harass me a tiny bit for being the only person in the entire league who wears a batting helmet.

We also have the best jerseys in the league. I'm a much better shirt designer than I am left fielder! And of course, not at all biased.