For those of you who read my blog in google reader or in some other RSS feed you should take the time to visit my actual blog today since I changed the design... what can I say, I started out wanting to change it to more "summer" colors...but then I got distracted by the purple...I'm not sure if I FULLY like it just yet, may need to tweak it a bit more, but I bet I can trust all of you to tell me just what you think without sparing my itty bitty feelings. ha!
Today, I had a few meetings in the morning and then I headed over for my friend Amy's husband's deployment ceremony. It was quite moving and I most DEFINITELY had the feeling of tears. I'm actually kind of glad that Brett did not HAVE a deployment ceremony, saying goodbye is hard enough without having to hear stirring speeches and singing the national anthem ( which ALWAYS makes me cry!). But, I'm really glad I could go and support Amy and Luke. I honestly, find it much harder to have OTHER people go through deployments now, I suppose its because I know what they are about to experience, and while the past six months have pasted, by the grace of God, without too much difficulty I would rather not have ANYONE experience the No Husband Scenario.
May 26, 2009
May 25, 2009
What I think...
I'm sitting on my balcony, trying to decide which color on my toes looks better ( each foot has a different polish on it)....
Across the street the neighbor kids are trying decide whether they want to play Freeze Tag or What Time Is it Mr. Fox, a game I have not thought about since grade school....
I can smell numerous cookouts from all up and down the block as Memorial Day is memorialized in barbecue form...
And just below me I watched a soldier in his uniform get in his car to drive into work...probably on staff duty or something...
I know its hard to take these few moments and time and equate it to some soldier fighting in a war in either some far off time or far off place, and yet...I know that in very incomprehensible ways all of this was made possible by men and women who have sacrificed much.
I'm Thankful.
Across the street the neighbor kids are trying decide whether they want to play Freeze Tag or What Time Is it Mr. Fox, a game I have not thought about since grade school....
I can smell numerous cookouts from all up and down the block as Memorial Day is memorialized in barbecue form...
And just below me I watched a soldier in his uniform get in his car to drive into work...probably on staff duty or something...
I know its hard to take these few moments and time and equate it to some soldier fighting in a war in either some far off time or far off place, and yet...I know that in very incomprehensible ways all of this was made possible by men and women who have sacrificed much.
I'm Thankful.
May 24, 2009
May 23, 2009
May 22, 2009
Promises!
So, I promised I'd blog more when we got internet...so here I am!
Of course, irony strikes since two hours after getting internet in the home, Linds and I are headed off for a girls weekend with Cindy down at Seaside/Cannon Beach OR....I suppose its just nice knowing it'll be waiting for us when we get back! hehehe!
This will be especially fun since this is Cindy's FIRST night away without her four kids in four or so years!!! While I cannot even imagine what that must be like, I plan to live it up large just for her sake!
Hopefully I'll take pictures and have a more interactive post to come!
Of course, irony strikes since two hours after getting internet in the home, Linds and I are headed off for a girls weekend with Cindy down at Seaside/Cannon Beach OR....I suppose its just nice knowing it'll be waiting for us when we get back! hehehe!
This will be especially fun since this is Cindy's FIRST night away without her four kids in four or so years!!! While I cannot even imagine what that must be like, I plan to live it up large just for her sake!
Hopefully I'll take pictures and have a more interactive post to come!
May 21, 2009
Pinkie swear
I know I've been a terrible blogger of late, but I have a feeling that next week when I have Internet ( the paid for kind!!) in the apartment again, you'll hear more from me....
Last few days I've been getting back into the swing of Washington, enjoying having L move in with me, preparing for a new bible study for my Tuesday girls ( I've never prepared an entire study from the beginning before and it's a challenge!) , loving washingon's nice weather ( for the most part), doing favors for friends, and trying hard not to look forward to July too much.
Me in a nut shell... And hopefully, I'll be giving you more versions of me soon!
Oh, I read the book "Losing Mum and Pup" by Christopher Buckley on the plane ride back to WA, and it was the most enjoyable four hour read I've had in ages... Put this little memoir on your summer reading list, you won't regret it!
Last few days I've been getting back into the swing of Washington, enjoying having L move in with me, preparing for a new bible study for my Tuesday girls ( I've never prepared an entire study from the beginning before and it's a challenge!) , loving washingon's nice weather ( for the most part), doing favors for friends, and trying hard not to look forward to July too much.
Me in a nut shell... And hopefully, I'll be giving you more versions of me soon!
Oh, I read the book "Losing Mum and Pup" by Christopher Buckley on the plane ride back to WA, and it was the most enjoyable four hour read I've had in ages... Put this little memoir on your summer reading list, you won't regret it!
May 16, 2009
little girls
Today I went to my oldest, dearest friend Amy's little sister's wedding.. Honestly, I did not expect to be so emotional, but I seriously grew up with Amy and Emily ( the bride) and to see Emily between her parents looking all beautiful and walking down the aisle, I could not help but cry.
It is also wonderful to see a groom who is obviously so in love that he cries at the sight of his bride. EVERY girl should experience that, and it is the biggest, most horrible waste when you see girls settling for guys that do not show their absolute adoration for them. As Christians we often hear of the church being referred to as the Bride of Christ, this is a wonderful illustration because so often I have learned more of Christ's love through watching weddings ( and being a part of my own!) than anything else...the adoration of the Groom as he looks upon his bride, he thinks she's perfect...and the things that he knows AREN'T perfect, he overlooks. And the Bride, basking in that love, basking in the security of a life filled with expectance and support that is laid before her. I bet you could ask such a bride and she would say that she feels as though she could do just about ANYTHING on her wedding day, because of that sense of security that her Love brings...
And yet....
How often do we settle for a lesser love, a love of this world, lusts of the flesh...things that do not truly bring the True and Lasting love of the Father!?!
Today I am struck once again and the beauty of the Love of Christ and His love for His Bride. I am also struck by the joy of seeing a couple devoted to Him and now seeking Him hand in hand...they are a reflection of Him today!
To the little girl, Emily, I say job well done! And many prayers for her future life of happiness!
And, dear readers, may all your relationships be a reflection of His Love.
It is also wonderful to see a groom who is obviously so in love that he cries at the sight of his bride. EVERY girl should experience that, and it is the biggest, most horrible waste when you see girls settling for guys that do not show their absolute adoration for them. As Christians we often hear of the church being referred to as the Bride of Christ, this is a wonderful illustration because so often I have learned more of Christ's love through watching weddings ( and being a part of my own!) than anything else...the adoration of the Groom as he looks upon his bride, he thinks she's perfect...and the things that he knows AREN'T perfect, he overlooks. And the Bride, basking in that love, basking in the security of a life filled with expectance and support that is laid before her. I bet you could ask such a bride and she would say that she feels as though she could do just about ANYTHING on her wedding day, because of that sense of security that her Love brings...
And yet....
How often do we settle for a lesser love, a love of this world, lusts of the flesh...things that do not truly bring the True and Lasting love of the Father!?!
Today I am struck once again and the beauty of the Love of Christ and His love for His Bride. I am also struck by the joy of seeing a couple devoted to Him and now seeking Him hand in hand...they are a reflection of Him today!
To the little girl, Emily, I say job well done! And many prayers for her future life of happiness!
And, dear readers, may all your relationships be a reflection of His Love.
May 12, 2009
You ever did see...
Sorry I've been away from the computer for a week or so...but that's what happens when you make the decision to NOT lug your computer to Texas with you....while I can check my emails on my phone, responding is a whole another story...but in the spirit of visiting my family, here's a little present. My sister and I...circa the 80s.
May 06, 2009
May 04, 2009
A day for praise
The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup. You hold my lot...
I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.
I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken...
You make known to me the path of life in the presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore...
Ps 16:5-8,9
I found myself without anything planned to do today since the babysitting I was suppose to do for a friend fell through because of a sick kid ( swine flu?! Probably not! hahaha!). And I great part of me is relieved. I have a headache ( hellooooo neck tension!) and I slept poorly... probably not the optimal 3 year-old Entertainer at this point.....so instead, here I am at Starbucks ( I lifted the coffee ban....*sigh*), listening to Hillsong....
On Friday night I went to a minor league baseball game with some friends ( as you can see from my picture post from the game) and I got a ride from a friend who lives in the same apartment complex that I do ( at least for the moment! He's deploying soon...) anyway, he was jammin to Hillsong and Hillsong United in his car and I was struck by how LONG it has been since I listened to these praise songs! It brought back days past in great detail and force....
I was reminded of times when hope and optimism reined ( ahhhh Dunedin Days!) when I first sang these songs in church and I was also reminded of times when those praise songs where about the only praising going on in my life, times when the darkness seemed to have no end ( ahhh! 2005). I pretty much retired Hillsong after that, and yet this week as I revisit some of these great songs of truth, I am glad that I can say with certainty that there is never a time when Praise to the Lord most high is not due Him....and as we all continue on in whatever the Day brings...remember that: There is fullness of joy in His Presence...
I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.
I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken...
You make known to me the path of life in the presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore...
Ps 16:5-8,9
I found myself without anything planned to do today since the babysitting I was suppose to do for a friend fell through because of a sick kid ( swine flu?! Probably not! hahaha!). And I great part of me is relieved. I have a headache ( hellooooo neck tension!) and I slept poorly... probably not the optimal 3 year-old Entertainer at this point.....so instead, here I am at Starbucks ( I lifted the coffee ban....*sigh*), listening to Hillsong....
On Friday night I went to a minor league baseball game with some friends ( as you can see from my picture post from the game) and I got a ride from a friend who lives in the same apartment complex that I do ( at least for the moment! He's deploying soon...) anyway, he was jammin to Hillsong and Hillsong United in his car and I was struck by how LONG it has been since I listened to these praise songs! It brought back days past in great detail and force....
I was reminded of times when hope and optimism reined ( ahhhh Dunedin Days!) when I first sang these songs in church and I was also reminded of times when those praise songs where about the only praising going on in my life, times when the darkness seemed to have no end ( ahhh! 2005). I pretty much retired Hillsong after that, and yet this week as I revisit some of these great songs of truth, I am glad that I can say with certainty that there is never a time when Praise to the Lord most high is not due Him....and as we all continue on in whatever the Day brings...remember that: There is fullness of joy in His Presence...
May 02, 2009
Looking up from the bottom
So, there are times when your actual height becomes very clear....I'm currently about 3 inches tall. At least that's what I'm going to say, approximately, considering the past month has cut me down a couple of feet per week....
First I came face to face with all sorts of fears and all sorts of realities that I've been chillin in denial about for, OOOOH, six months or so. Then to add to that I've seemed to hit a brick wall ministry wise. At every turn it seems to get HARDER. Dealing with people is SO COMPLICATED and, P.S. They never ever react or do things they way you WANT them to. ;-)
So, to say the least, I have been humbled my inabilities to deal and my great and undying need for Christ...So, right when I'm sitting on the bottom rung of all this, looking up at what I slipped down from-I am granted yet another great big surprise:
That husband of mine delivered a shocker about what he wants to do....or should I say HOW he wants to do what he's always wanted to do ( which is reach the military for Christ)....yeah. HUGE CHANGE.
So, because I just got this information last night, and I'm still in relative shock about it-I'm going to leave you to ponder my vague hints...so you can suffer like I did all night. ;-)
Let's just say, I don't think life is EVER going to be comfortable!!! ( and somehow, realizing that is surprisingly comforting!)
First I came face to face with all sorts of fears and all sorts of realities that I've been chillin in denial about for, OOOOH, six months or so. Then to add to that I've seemed to hit a brick wall ministry wise. At every turn it seems to get HARDER. Dealing with people is SO COMPLICATED and, P.S. They never ever react or do things they way you WANT them to. ;-)
So, to say the least, I have been humbled my inabilities to deal and my great and undying need for Christ...So, right when I'm sitting on the bottom rung of all this, looking up at what I slipped down from-I am granted yet another great big surprise:
That husband of mine delivered a shocker about what he wants to do....or should I say HOW he wants to do what he's always wanted to do ( which is reach the military for Christ)....yeah. HUGE CHANGE.
So, because I just got this information last night, and I'm still in relative shock about it-I'm going to leave you to ponder my vague hints...so you can suffer like I did all night. ;-)
Let's just say, I don't think life is EVER going to be comfortable!!! ( and somehow, realizing that is surprisingly comforting!)
April 30, 2009
Ch-ch-changes
So, all of a sudden things got crazy busy. Mostly because I found myself "working" the past few days, thus giving me MUCH less time to do the usual tiny amount of things I do in a day...which, lets be honest, if pressed I can fit it ALL into about two hours....BUT, then on top of that I had to do some "rearranging" in the fancy pants apartment since, come a week from now there will be another person living in it!! Crazy! I know!
Yes, friends, I am getting a roommate of sorts. In Navigator terms she'll be moving in to be "discipled" by me, but more likely than not she'll find out I watch a lot of Friends on DVD and become sorely disappointed with her new living arrangments....however, on a good day, hopefully, we will be living life along side each other for a little while and I'm sure we'll teach each other a lot-when she's not off saving lives as an Army nurse ( turns out EVERYONE in the army have horrible work hours, not just Brett...hehehe!)
Anywho, she was suppose to move in at the END of May ( which gave me plenty of time to move all the boxes that are in the spare bedroom into the garage AFTER I got back from Texas) but things came up and she'll be moving in while I'm in Texas ( awesome! I won't even have to PRETEND to help the guys move boxes! ) and thus when I return I'll have another person living in the house with me...something I haven't had since December ( and that doesn't count because I was just visiting my parents then...)
Definitely a lot to adjust to, and also a lot to do before she arrives....things like buy a totally great color-coded calendar so that we can keep up with each others schedules ( these are the things that I find HIGHLY important...possibly more important than whether there is toilet paper in that spare bathroom...hmmmm)....
Yes, there are have been a lot of changes going on in the past few days, and I think May is going to look decidedly different from April. I also made the extremely hard decision to leave my church in the view of returning to the chapel service on Fort Lewis. This was a very hard call, since I loved my church here, and enjoyed the teachings a lot. However, after several months of praying about it, it seemed that for the good of the girls in my bible study, and the hopes of maybe reaching more of the women of fort lewis and creating a better since of fellowship and camaraderie with the rest of the Nav ministry and the girls the ministry already...it was time to stop being selfish and do the harder thing.
Of course, right when all sorts of things are going on here in Washington, what BETTER time to just check out and head off to Texas where swine flu is apparently knocking everyone out?! Yes, I was always one for good timing....
Yes, friends, I am getting a roommate of sorts. In Navigator terms she'll be moving in to be "discipled" by me, but more likely than not she'll find out I watch a lot of Friends on DVD and become sorely disappointed with her new living arrangments....however, on a good day, hopefully, we will be living life along side each other for a little while and I'm sure we'll teach each other a lot-when she's not off saving lives as an Army nurse ( turns out EVERYONE in the army have horrible work hours, not just Brett...hehehe!)
Anywho, she was suppose to move in at the END of May ( which gave me plenty of time to move all the boxes that are in the spare bedroom into the garage AFTER I got back from Texas) but things came up and she'll be moving in while I'm in Texas ( awesome! I won't even have to PRETEND to help the guys move boxes! ) and thus when I return I'll have another person living in the house with me...something I haven't had since December ( and that doesn't count because I was just visiting my parents then...)
Definitely a lot to adjust to, and also a lot to do before she arrives....things like buy a totally great color-coded calendar so that we can keep up with each others schedules ( these are the things that I find HIGHLY important...possibly more important than whether there is toilet paper in that spare bathroom...hmmmm)....
Yes, there are have been a lot of changes going on in the past few days, and I think May is going to look decidedly different from April. I also made the extremely hard decision to leave my church in the view of returning to the chapel service on Fort Lewis. This was a very hard call, since I loved my church here, and enjoyed the teachings a lot. However, after several months of praying about it, it seemed that for the good of the girls in my bible study, and the hopes of maybe reaching more of the women of fort lewis and creating a better since of fellowship and camaraderie with the rest of the Nav ministry and the girls the ministry already...it was time to stop being selfish and do the harder thing.
Of course, right when all sorts of things are going on here in Washington, what BETTER time to just check out and head off to Texas where swine flu is apparently knocking everyone out?! Yes, I was always one for good timing....
April 28, 2009
Rich people eat string cheese...
I love string cheese. I just ate two sticks of it just now when I got home from bible study. Because one wasn't enough.
When I was little we never got string cheese, or if we did it was always for something REALLY special like field day or a field trip for school where you got a special lunch. Anyway, for a long time I thought it was because string cheese was really bad for you, but now that I'm older I'd have to say its one of the best snacks around-so maybe it was because it was the priciest form of cheese ( they charge you a lot for that packaging!)?! Anyway, who knows...I suppose we could ask my parents why string cheese was taboo...but whatever the case, they've made a fan out of both me and my sister...so that says something....
Today, I "worked"...but basically I only worked a total of 24 minutes because every fifteen minutes I would check the next "patient" in to do their health screening and that took all of 60 seconds...thus I worked a total of four minutes and hour. Yeah. Awesome.
But, I was bored. Hopefully, tomorrow will be busier, or at least I'll be getting lots of bible study work done while on the clock! Sweet! It'll be like I'm actually getting paid to do ministry stuff!!
The highlight of my day was totally holding baby David. Babies pretty much are the cutest things ever. And seeing him all tiny and in his little pea pod ( swaddled) while he was sleeping took all my self control in the world not to just pick him up and cuddle him.
Getting up at 5:50am this morning makes me not nearly has happy about waking up to talk to Brett! I'm SLEEPY!
When I was little we never got string cheese, or if we did it was always for something REALLY special like field day or a field trip for school where you got a special lunch. Anyway, for a long time I thought it was because string cheese was really bad for you, but now that I'm older I'd have to say its one of the best snacks around-so maybe it was because it was the priciest form of cheese ( they charge you a lot for that packaging!)?! Anyway, who knows...I suppose we could ask my parents why string cheese was taboo...but whatever the case, they've made a fan out of both me and my sister...so that says something....
Today, I "worked"...but basically I only worked a total of 24 minutes because every fifteen minutes I would check the next "patient" in to do their health screening and that took all of 60 seconds...thus I worked a total of four minutes and hour. Yeah. Awesome.
But, I was bored. Hopefully, tomorrow will be busier, or at least I'll be getting lots of bible study work done while on the clock! Sweet! It'll be like I'm actually getting paid to do ministry stuff!!
The highlight of my day was totally holding baby David. Babies pretty much are the cutest things ever. And seeing him all tiny and in his little pea pod ( swaddled) while he was sleeping took all my self control in the world not to just pick him up and cuddle him.
Getting up at 5:50am this morning makes me not nearly has happy about waking up to talk to Brett! I'm SLEEPY!
April 27, 2009
work without the quotes
So tomorrow I'll be back in the land of the "employed" or at least I will be for a few days here in there....
I'm not exactly sure what I'll be doing-but basically a glorified "check people off the list" girl. Buuuut, it pays rather nicely and takes up time, so I'm pretty excited about the gig. ( I was referred by a friend of a friend...so once again my beautiful resume does nothing for me.) Its not a particularly "steady" job, but hopefully if things work out it'll be a couple of days a month! Hey! I might even pay off my iPhone after all! YAY! No more starbucks fast....*sigh*
Today was pretty good, only a few lonely, boring hours...before things picked up and I ended up with a long phone chat with a dear friend and impromptu dinner plans with some of the ministry people to say goodbye to a soldier in arms. Luckily I was able to fit in a short workout before dinner so I didn't feel bad AT ALL for eating all that pizza....
I'm not exactly sure what I'll be doing-but basically a glorified "check people off the list" girl. Buuuut, it pays rather nicely and takes up time, so I'm pretty excited about the gig. ( I was referred by a friend of a friend...so once again my beautiful resume does nothing for me.) Its not a particularly "steady" job, but hopefully if things work out it'll be a couple of days a month! Hey! I might even pay off my iPhone after all! YAY! No more starbucks fast....*sigh*
Today was pretty good, only a few lonely, boring hours...before things picked up and I ended up with a long phone chat with a dear friend and impromptu dinner plans with some of the ministry people to say goodbye to a soldier in arms. Luckily I was able to fit in a short workout before dinner so I didn't feel bad AT ALL for eating all that pizza....
April 24, 2009
Wake up Call
*Brief Editors Note: You may have noticed my picture posts the last few blog posts.....yes, Baby David does not fit under the usual category of "Abigail's Day"...but my friend Amy has been stuck in the hospital and thus not able to post all the pictures that her family and friends have been clamoring for. So she took over my blog for a few days...But, I'm sure you all enjoyed the pictures anyway...he's a cutie!****
So, I'd forgotten about the Washington Spring/Summer...when not only do you have joys of sun in the late evening ( if you're lucky that the sun is shining)...but you are also have the "joys" of early morning sun. Thus I've been waking up super early lately.
This is not cool.
I stay up late so that I can talk to Brett, and now I'm getting up early too?!
Luckily I'm still getting 8 or 9 hours of sleep a night.
HAHAHAHAHA!!!
You thought it was going to be something bad didn't you?!
In other news its finally Friday. This week has gone by surprisingly fast considering, but at the same time you may have noticed that I haven't had the easiest week in the whole world. I often wonder when I'll be finished having "growing pains" of life and can just coast for a while....*sigh* But then again, coasting has never been my cup of tea so I suppose I've asked for it. But STILL.
I could use a vacation.
Luckily, I'll be getting one super soon! I'm SO EXCITED but I've planned a "vacation" of sorts in just a few weeks...Texas here I come! Although, now when I look at my calendar and see how much I must cram into the 10 or so days I'll be in my home town...I'm starting to think I should have scheduled it for longer! Ah well! It'll just be nice to have different scenery for a while.
But, next week looks to be busy because..... *drumroooollllll*...... I have a JOB!!! For two whole days I'll be working for a community health company, helping them with registration and such while people come in to get your basic blood pressure/insulin check/weight check up. I think it'll be fun and a little extra cash to make me feel "busy and accomplished".
I guess when you whine enough you eventually get what you want! But, I'll be working with a girl that I know from around town so I'm sure it'll be pretty fun! And I guess if I do a good job I might get more day jobs in the future! Woo hoo! Pocket moneys for Abigail ;-) You think I'll justify coffee then?!
No. I'm still keeping my Starbucks fast, just in case you're wondering...but Brett and I had a super serious conversation a few nights ago when he told me that he felt like it was important for me to take a "break" from my fast while I'm in Texas so that I can indulge in Java Jacks coffee. I mean, giving up The Evil Corporation is all well and good, but giving up the Home Town Goodness that is Java Jacks?! Never! ( he's such a sweet husband!)
So, I'd forgotten about the Washington Spring/Summer...when not only do you have joys of sun in the late evening ( if you're lucky that the sun is shining)...but you are also have the "joys" of early morning sun. Thus I've been waking up super early lately.
This is not cool.
I stay up late so that I can talk to Brett, and now I'm getting up early too?!
Luckily I'm still getting 8 or 9 hours of sleep a night.
HAHAHAHAHA!!!
You thought it was going to be something bad didn't you?!
In other news its finally Friday. This week has gone by surprisingly fast considering, but at the same time you may have noticed that I haven't had the easiest week in the whole world. I often wonder when I'll be finished having "growing pains" of life and can just coast for a while....*sigh* But then again, coasting has never been my cup of tea so I suppose I've asked for it. But STILL.
I could use a vacation.
Luckily, I'll be getting one super soon! I'm SO EXCITED but I've planned a "vacation" of sorts in just a few weeks...Texas here I come! Although, now when I look at my calendar and see how much I must cram into the 10 or so days I'll be in my home town...I'm starting to think I should have scheduled it for longer! Ah well! It'll just be nice to have different scenery for a while.
But, next week looks to be busy because..... *drumroooollllll*...... I have a JOB!!! For two whole days I'll be working for a community health company, helping them with registration and such while people come in to get your basic blood pressure/insulin check/weight check up. I think it'll be fun and a little extra cash to make me feel "busy and accomplished".
I guess when you whine enough you eventually get what you want! But, I'll be working with a girl that I know from around town so I'm sure it'll be pretty fun! And I guess if I do a good job I might get more day jobs in the future! Woo hoo! Pocket moneys for Abigail ;-) You think I'll justify coffee then?!
No. I'm still keeping my Starbucks fast, just in case you're wondering...but Brett and I had a super serious conversation a few nights ago when he told me that he felt like it was important for me to take a "break" from my fast while I'm in Texas so that I can indulge in Java Jacks coffee. I mean, giving up The Evil Corporation is all well and good, but giving up the Home Town Goodness that is Java Jacks?! Never! ( he's such a sweet husband!)
April 23, 2009
Other thoughts for the day...
So other than hold an ADORABLE BABY today...here are the other thoughts running around in my mind.....
.....Baseball should not be played in freezing cold weather. I took one of my friend's first grader to his baseball game tonight, since her other son had a game at the same time at a totally different ballpark...and BOY HOWDY was it the longest two hours ever! It was SO COLD. But, her oldest daughter and I hung out under a ( seemingly paper thin) blanket and made fun of the super hardcore coach of the other team, so it was not a lost cause...but let's just say, that if I have kids who play baseball we had better commit to living in warmer states when we do....
....I had to workout late this evening ( because of all the baseballing) and on my walk home I was startled by a large raccoon standing in the middle of the driveway. We saw each other at the same time and had a moment of horror before we both hightailed it in opposite directions. You wouldn't THINK I'd be afraid of raccoons...but until you've listened to the "This American LIfe: And the Call was coming from the Basement" Halloween segment ( go look it up!) that describes the HORROR tale of a women's escape from a rabid raccoon...well....it'll change your mind about nature FOREVER....
....Tomorrow I'm cleaning house....now that its no longer sunny outside and I don't spend hours reading on my balcony ( I've figured out how to move my chair a foot every half hour to stay in direct sunlight for up to four hours in the afternoon)....I have no more excuses....that kitchen floor MUST be cleaned!
....Life has been a bit over my head lately. And I appreciate those who've sent me loving and supportive comments. But, I think the thing to remember in times like these, times when you're faced with your own failings and inabilities, that instead of leaning on all those wonderful friends that tell you how great you are ( thanks you guys, seriously!) but instead look to Him...for THIS is TRUE:
"...but God has chosen the foolish things of the wolrd to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong. And the base things and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that NO MAN may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption so that as it is written "Let Him who boasts, boast in the Lord." 1 Cor 1:27-31
.....Baseball should not be played in freezing cold weather. I took one of my friend's first grader to his baseball game tonight, since her other son had a game at the same time at a totally different ballpark...and BOY HOWDY was it the longest two hours ever! It was SO COLD. But, her oldest daughter and I hung out under a ( seemingly paper thin) blanket and made fun of the super hardcore coach of the other team, so it was not a lost cause...but let's just say, that if I have kids who play baseball we had better commit to living in warmer states when we do....
....I had to workout late this evening ( because of all the baseballing) and on my walk home I was startled by a large raccoon standing in the middle of the driveway. We saw each other at the same time and had a moment of horror before we both hightailed it in opposite directions. You wouldn't THINK I'd be afraid of raccoons...but until you've listened to the "This American LIfe: And the Call was coming from the Basement" Halloween segment ( go look it up!) that describes the HORROR tale of a women's escape from a rabid raccoon...well....it'll change your mind about nature FOREVER....
....Tomorrow I'm cleaning house....now that its no longer sunny outside and I don't spend hours reading on my balcony ( I've figured out how to move my chair a foot every half hour to stay in direct sunlight for up to four hours in the afternoon)....I have no more excuses....that kitchen floor MUST be cleaned!
....Life has been a bit over my head lately. And I appreciate those who've sent me loving and supportive comments. But, I think the thing to remember in times like these, times when you're faced with your own failings and inabilities, that instead of leaning on all those wonderful friends that tell you how great you are ( thanks you guys, seriously!) but instead look to Him...for THIS is TRUE:
"...but God has chosen the foolish things of the wolrd to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong. And the base things and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that NO MAN may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption so that as it is written "Let Him who boasts, boast in the Lord." 1 Cor 1:27-31
April 22, 2009
good and bad
What would you like to hear first the good news first or the bad?
The bad?
Ok, I totally had the WORST day...I was a jerk and cried twice over totally different things. Pretty much was faced with ALL my faults in one day... Now my eyes are puffy.
The good news is that I just found two bars of free wireless in my bedroom. So now you get to hear about it sooner. awesome
The bad?
Ok, I totally had the WORST day...I was a jerk and cried twice over totally different things. Pretty much was faced with ALL my faults in one day... Now my eyes are puffy.
The good news is that I just found two bars of free wireless in my bedroom. So now you get to hear about it sooner. awesome
April 21, 2009
mustering of the mind
So, today I met up with Andrew and Cindy-something I haven't done in a month...and we discussed the past four weeks and the conclusion was actually a relief: its been rough. And that's not even on a PERSONAL level...thats just ministry-wise! Yet somehow just acknowledging that things were tough was really great. It reminded me that the Lord KNOWS all this! He knows how I've been discouraged and a little hopeless and that on top of all that its been the hardest month to date as far as this silly deployment goes. I heard someone talking about running a marathon recently and how the middle part always brought about a horrible hump that had to be gotten over to continue and I think that's what I'm feeling...I feel misunderstood and yet at the same time I feel zero inclination to try and explain what's really going on with me. I'm basically in the 'keep your head down and try to get through it' mindset...Its much easier to say things are fine then to have to find words and energy to explain this feeling...and yet, is that really the best response to a few tough times?
This morning I read this in my quiet time:
"Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. Therefore you too have grief now, but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice and no one will take your joy away from you." John 16: 21-22
I was really stuck by this, because of what that promises in the greater sense...the disciples were about to give the rest of their lives to all sorts of hardships for christ's sake. They would eventually even give their lives for Him...yet, the promise is that it would ALL be worth it! That seeing Christ will be WORTH IT!
( This section also has special significants today since my friend Amy is currently at the hospital getting ready to give birth! hahaha! for her sake i hope these verses are true!)
Anyway, I'm going to rest in the Truth that all of this will be worth it in the end, and I will pray for myself that i do not give up hope, and that I do not give up on this life...no matter how tough it might get....this ministry that i feel called to do, my marriage...these things may not be easy, but they are ever worth it.
This morning I read this in my quiet time:
"Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. Therefore you too have grief now, but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice and no one will take your joy away from you." John 16: 21-22
I was really stuck by this, because of what that promises in the greater sense...the disciples were about to give the rest of their lives to all sorts of hardships for christ's sake. They would eventually even give their lives for Him...yet, the promise is that it would ALL be worth it! That seeing Christ will be WORTH IT!
( This section also has special significants today since my friend Amy is currently at the hospital getting ready to give birth! hahaha! for her sake i hope these verses are true!)
Anyway, I'm going to rest in the Truth that all of this will be worth it in the end, and I will pray for myself that i do not give up hope, and that I do not give up on this life...no matter how tough it might get....this ministry that i feel called to do, my marriage...these things may not be easy, but they are ever worth it.
April 20, 2009
A return to outdoors
April 16, 2009
Not today...but close
this pretty) and I would share the picture I took to document today,
but sadly, it was blurry... But I think you get the point that the
people of western Washington saw the round bright thing in the sky.
I'm actually really enjoying the weather lately. I mean, it's not nice
EVERY day... Or even ALL day... But it's having those moments of happy
to look forward to, those moments when you consider exposing your bare
arms to the elements- they make this month of April good.
In fact yesterday it was so pretty and my pandora radio was busting
out all the good songs, that I flat out ignored my bodies cries for
mercy and added an extra mile to my run. Let's just say I couldn't
ignore the cries QUITE so easily today. Eeeeee! Sore!
In less happy news, I'm currently facing scheduled silence from the
husband. Sometimes I'm not as "patriotic" and "strong" as others...
This week... Still hard.
April 15, 2009
Pouty Face
I know I have no real right to complain...but I'm feeling this awful feeling in the pit of my stomach and it won't go away...
Sometimes this deployment gets to me, I feel so out of control, so helpless...
I got an email from Brett after PWOC bible study this morning...basically he'd been trying to call me all morning but couldn't get through...WHY? Because my silly bible study classroom is in the BASEMENT of the chapel!!!
And I say "silly" because honestly at that moment I had NO LOVE for Bible Study or fellowship or anything....especially since Brett's email also said that he might be able to call me for a few seconds this evening but if not I wouldn't get to talk to him for at least a week..
a week.
I'm spoiled. I use to more talking time than that.
Also. Yeah. The "awesome" financial officers STOLE from us this month ( ok, not really)...but basically we've been putting most of Brett's paychecks into this high interest account that the army offers to deployed soldiers up to a certain amount for the year they are deployed. Well, we decided to just put in as much as possible for two months until we reached that "certain" amount...but this month things were suppose to go back to normal, but NoOOooOOo....the silly financial people are continuing to take money and put it into the account...even though at this point that money will just sit there not accruing any interest at all ( because, like I said, its only up to a certain amount) ...this wouldn't be too worrisome if it was easy to move the money BACK into another account but NO....things are never easy. And now I don't know how to take care of it because Brett is going to be gone and I don't have any way of fixing this myself. I'm beyond annoyed.
*End Rant*
I could use a coffee right now.
Sometimes this deployment gets to me, I feel so out of control, so helpless...
I got an email from Brett after PWOC bible study this morning...basically he'd been trying to call me all morning but couldn't get through...WHY? Because my silly bible study classroom is in the BASEMENT of the chapel!!!
And I say "silly" because honestly at that moment I had NO LOVE for Bible Study or fellowship or anything....especially since Brett's email also said that he might be able to call me for a few seconds this evening but if not I wouldn't get to talk to him for at least a week..
a week.
I'm spoiled. I use to more talking time than that.
Also. Yeah. The "awesome" financial officers STOLE from us this month ( ok, not really)...but basically we've been putting most of Brett's paychecks into this high interest account that the army offers to deployed soldiers up to a certain amount for the year they are deployed. Well, we decided to just put in as much as possible for two months until we reached that "certain" amount...but this month things were suppose to go back to normal, but NoOOooOOo....the silly financial people are continuing to take money and put it into the account...even though at this point that money will just sit there not accruing any interest at all ( because, like I said, its only up to a certain amount) ...this wouldn't be too worrisome if it was easy to move the money BACK into another account but NO....things are never easy. And now I don't know how to take care of it because Brett is going to be gone and I don't have any way of fixing this myself. I'm beyond annoyed.
*End Rant*
I could use a coffee right now.
April 14, 2009
Jesus you are, Jesus you were, Jesus you will always be...
A perfect servant to us, a perfect servant to death, even death on a cross
give us a picture of your faith, show us the measure of your grace, reveal the love of the Father
put with in us tenderness, release from us our selfishness, we will consider them better
we are Yours
give us hearts of servants....
No matter how far I think I've come, no matter how much I think I've grown I am ever in need of more Love and more Selflessness...I'm ENDLESSLY selfish.
" But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, et us also walk by the Spirit" Gal 5:22-24
A perfect servant to us, a perfect servant to death, even death on a cross
give us a picture of your faith, show us the measure of your grace, reveal the love of the Father
put with in us tenderness, release from us our selfishness, we will consider them better
we are Yours
give us hearts of servants....
No matter how far I think I've come, no matter how much I think I've grown I am ever in need of more Love and more Selflessness...I'm ENDLESSLY selfish.
" But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, et us also walk by the Spirit" Gal 5:22-24
My Shrinky Dink Success...
There is nothing as fun as watching something shrink down to a teeny tiny size...I promise no matter how many times you do it, it is exciting!
The girls working hard on their shrinky dinks!
My teeny tiny house earrings...I should have given you a perspective, but they are about the size of stamps...
My "victorian brooch" of Brett...can you tell?! hehehe! Mirka was kind enough to put it together into a cute necklace for me!
April 13, 2009
My Apps.
Since, I'm bored and waiting for a reply from a certain annoying online source, I'll now regale you with a list of the applications that I'm currently using on my phone ( I know you're all dying to know).
The Daily Ones:
Pandora Radio ( Free): This baby is AWESOME! Especially if you connect your phone into your carjack-thingy ( look at me using technical terms!) and listen to your phone through your car speakers...its like having satellite radio without paying for it.
Dictionary (xyster.com-$2.99): Its a huge dictionary that also gives you the capabilities of listening to how the word is pronounced plus the origins ( things I care about) as well as the definition.
Acro Bible NASB ( $14.99): I like this bible and more importantly I don't have to be online to use it...there are other free applications with more versions of the bible in one place, but I find this one handy for quick lookups when I'm doing Bible study ( cuts back on all the flipping back and forth) and I enjoy the easy to see reading...
TwitterFon ( Free): I can easily update my Twitter/Facebook status plus keep track of all the people I follow on twitter. Love it.
reMovem free ( Free): This is one of those "pop the little bubbles" games that is completely mindless but that is also hard to win, I play this game when I'm watching movies all the time...for whatever reason I sometimes HAVE to be multitasking and this is the game for that...uses zero brain power.
The Once a Weekers:
Wordle (Free): This game is SO addictive and is great for people who like word games ( this is basically a boggle type word scramble game).
Whiteboard ( free): a paint feature which is fun, but even MORE fun if you have wi-fi and someone else with a iphone in the room...you can write on each others phones! Play tic-tac-toe or hangman without anyone knowing!
myLite (free): the phone flashlight...but the best part is the flickering cigarette lighter application that you can turn on and hold up at concerts. hahaha! geeky!
The Once every blue moon:
Scramble ( Free): Another word game that is fun to play...
BClassicLite ( free): I should probably go ahead and buy the full version of this game, I use to play it all the time until I pretty much mastered it and now I'm in need of more levels to play it more. ;-)
Hangman ( Free): There are lots of Hangmans out there...but this one is especially great because it has a version where you can play with two people, one person gets to make up the word the other gets to play...Brett and I played it all the time when waiting for tables at restaurants and waiting in lines and doctors offices. Brett always won.
Snoozle ( free): Another pop the bubbles game that I've found hard to play because it can often not be super accurate with your touch-aim, therefore making it frustrating.
The Waste of Space Ones
Facebook ( free): It is constantly crashing and I would just rather bookmark facebook on my safari and get to it that way...
~~~
I have a lot more applications that I don't use super often but I'm sure others might find use for them..
.the Light Saber ( always good when I'm baby sitting to amuse little boys...and big boys),
the Recipe.com application, I find that I usually do my recipe research before I head to the grocery store, but for emergencies this one is handy to have....
Restaurant Nutrition (free): good for the counting calorie girl, so obviously NOT for me....
There are a lot of Lonely Planet applications for traveling...which are great...IF you're traveling...sadly that's not me these days ;-)
The Daily Ones:
Pandora Radio ( Free): This baby is AWESOME! Especially if you connect your phone into your carjack-thingy ( look at me using technical terms!) and listen to your phone through your car speakers...its like having satellite radio without paying for it.
Dictionary (xyster.com-$2.99): Its a huge dictionary that also gives you the capabilities of listening to how the word is pronounced plus the origins ( things I care about) as well as the definition.
Acro Bible NASB ( $14.99): I like this bible and more importantly I don't have to be online to use it...there are other free applications with more versions of the bible in one place, but I find this one handy for quick lookups when I'm doing Bible study ( cuts back on all the flipping back and forth) and I enjoy the easy to see reading...
TwitterFon ( Free): I can easily update my Twitter/Facebook status plus keep track of all the people I follow on twitter. Love it.
reMovem free ( Free): This is one of those "pop the little bubbles" games that is completely mindless but that is also hard to win, I play this game when I'm watching movies all the time...for whatever reason I sometimes HAVE to be multitasking and this is the game for that...uses zero brain power.
The Once a Weekers:
Wordle (Free): This game is SO addictive and is great for people who like word games ( this is basically a boggle type word scramble game).
Whiteboard ( free): a paint feature which is fun, but even MORE fun if you have wi-fi and someone else with a iphone in the room...you can write on each others phones! Play tic-tac-toe or hangman without anyone knowing!
myLite (free): the phone flashlight...but the best part is the flickering cigarette lighter application that you can turn on and hold up at concerts. hahaha! geeky!
The Once every blue moon:
Scramble ( Free): Another word game that is fun to play...
BClassicLite ( free): I should probably go ahead and buy the full version of this game, I use to play it all the time until I pretty much mastered it and now I'm in need of more levels to play it more. ;-)
Hangman ( Free): There are lots of Hangmans out there...but this one is especially great because it has a version where you can play with two people, one person gets to make up the word the other gets to play...Brett and I played it all the time when waiting for tables at restaurants and waiting in lines and doctors offices. Brett always won.
Snoozle ( free): Another pop the bubbles game that I've found hard to play because it can often not be super accurate with your touch-aim, therefore making it frustrating.
The Waste of Space Ones
Facebook ( free): It is constantly crashing and I would just rather bookmark facebook on my safari and get to it that way...
~~~
I have a lot more applications that I don't use super often but I'm sure others might find use for them..
.the Light Saber ( always good when I'm baby sitting to amuse little boys...and big boys),
the Recipe.com application, I find that I usually do my recipe research before I head to the grocery store, but for emergencies this one is handy to have....
Restaurant Nutrition (free): good for the counting calorie girl, so obviously NOT for me....
There are a lot of Lonely Planet applications for traveling...which are great...IF you're traveling...sadly that's not me these days ;-)
Tradition.
So, this Easter I was struck by how transitory Brett and my living arrangements are, at least for the near future of Army living ....and that one thing that really suffers as we live this army lifestyle are Holiday traditions. Depending on the year we could be any number of places for all those important holidays ( namely Christmas and Easter...) and I find it really important to have some sort of tradition to keep my mind focused where its suppose to be ( heavenward, but also something that will bring the Joy and Delight that I remember as a child...enter:
Hot Cross Buns. These little bits of baked goodness were something that I was not introduced to until I moved to New Zealand, since they are a primarily European tradition ( correct me if I'm wrong), they've fadded away as a Good Friday food from most American families...however, they still have their place in New Zealand I remember fondly being a part of making them one Good Friday in the Royal Tce. flat as we lounged around as poor university students trying to get by on Easter without our families....and when I came across a recipe for a dried cherry ( as opposed to the annoying raisin version. ew.) version in my recent Martha Stewart Living ( which I scored a free subscription to a few months back from one of the Mommy Blogs I read...sweet.) I decided to give it a go...and...they were a success...now I have all sorts of romantic notions about making them every year and one day telling my children the significance of the cross of icing on the top....*sigh* I'm SO sure it'll be JUST like that in real life ;-)
Dried Cherrie Hot Cross Buns
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons whole milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 ounce (4 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for bowl and baking sheet
Salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
51/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
4 ounces (3/4 cup) dried cherries, coarsely chopped
4 ounces (3/4 cup) golden raisins, coarsely chopped
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon water
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
-Heat 1 cup milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it registers 110 degrees on a candy thermometer.
OR do what I did, not have milk and so run down to starbucks...order a 8oz whole milk and ask for it to be around 120 degrees so that it'll be the right temp when you get home...hahaha!
-Pour milk into a mixer bowl, and fit mixer with a dough hook. With mixer on low speed, add granulated sugar, yeast, butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, the nutmeg, cinnamon, and eggs. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, and knead until mixture comes together in a soft, sticky dough. Continue kneading, scraping down hook as needed, until dough is smooth, about 4 minutes.
-Add cherries and raisins, and knead to incorporate. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead to distribute dried fruit. Coat a large bowl with butter. Shape dough into a ball, and place in prepared bowl. Cover with a piece of plastic, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
-Generously butter a rimmed baking sheet. Turn dough onto a surface, knead briefly, then divide into 3 pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time, divide each third into 10 pieces, and shape each into a tight ball. (Keep dough covered with plastic.) Place on prepared sheet, spacing 1/2 inch apart. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover with plastic, and let rise in a warm spot until buns have doubled in size and are touching, about 1 hour.
-Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together egg white and water in a small bowl. Brush tops of buns with egg-white wash. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until golden brown, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool on sheet on wire rack for 30 minutes.
Whisk together remaining 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons milk, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Spoon icing into a pastry bag fitted with a plain 1/4-inch round tip, and pipe icing on buns in the shape of a cross. (Alternatively, spoon glaze on buns.) Serve immediately.
*These buns are best eaten the day they are made; if you make them the day before, don't pipe the icing across on the tops. Instead, warm the buns the next day in a 300-degree oven, or if you're lazy like me stick them in the microwave for 15 seconds and then pip them with your icing...
Hot Cross Buns. These little bits of baked goodness were something that I was not introduced to until I moved to New Zealand, since they are a primarily European tradition ( correct me if I'm wrong), they've fadded away as a Good Friday food from most American families...however, they still have their place in New Zealand I remember fondly being a part of making them one Good Friday in the Royal Tce. flat as we lounged around as poor university students trying to get by on Easter without our families....and when I came across a recipe for a dried cherry ( as opposed to the annoying raisin version. ew.) version in my recent Martha Stewart Living ( which I scored a free subscription to a few months back from one of the Mommy Blogs I read...sweet.) I decided to give it a go...and...they were a success...now I have all sorts of romantic notions about making them every year and one day telling my children the significance of the cross of icing on the top....*sigh* I'm SO sure it'll be JUST like that in real life ;-)
Dried Cherrie Hot Cross Buns
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons whole milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 ounce (4 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for bowl and baking sheet
Salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
51/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
4 ounces (3/4 cup) dried cherries, coarsely chopped
4 ounces (3/4 cup) golden raisins, coarsely chopped
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon water
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
-Heat 1 cup milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it registers 110 degrees on a candy thermometer.
OR do what I did, not have milk and so run down to starbucks...order a 8oz whole milk and ask for it to be around 120 degrees so that it'll be the right temp when you get home...hahaha!
-Pour milk into a mixer bowl, and fit mixer with a dough hook. With mixer on low speed, add granulated sugar, yeast, butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, the nutmeg, cinnamon, and eggs. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, and knead until mixture comes together in a soft, sticky dough. Continue kneading, scraping down hook as needed, until dough is smooth, about 4 minutes.
-Add cherries and raisins, and knead to incorporate. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead to distribute dried fruit. Coat a large bowl with butter. Shape dough into a ball, and place in prepared bowl. Cover with a piece of plastic, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
-Generously butter a rimmed baking sheet. Turn dough onto a surface, knead briefly, then divide into 3 pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time, divide each third into 10 pieces, and shape each into a tight ball. (Keep dough covered with plastic.) Place on prepared sheet, spacing 1/2 inch apart. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover with plastic, and let rise in a warm spot until buns have doubled in size and are touching, about 1 hour.
-Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together egg white and water in a small bowl. Brush tops of buns with egg-white wash. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until golden brown, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool on sheet on wire rack for 30 minutes.
Whisk together remaining 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons milk, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Spoon icing into a pastry bag fitted with a plain 1/4-inch round tip, and pipe icing on buns in the shape of a cross. (Alternatively, spoon glaze on buns.) Serve immediately.
*These buns are best eaten the day they are made; if you make them the day before, don't pipe the icing across on the tops. Instead, warm the buns the next day in a 300-degree oven, or if you're lazy like me stick them in the microwave for 15 seconds and then pip them with your icing...
English Breakfast Tea
*sigh* I have a certain friend who loves black tea, and she drinks it with steamed milk and an equal. I know this because I'm a good friend...but today, since I gave up espresso drinks, I figured I'd follow suit and buy myself a cheap ( $1.50) cup of tea to justify my using the internet at this particular location...and let me just go ahead and say it is NOT THE SAME.
I'm missing my double tall soy latte like crazy right now....
Anyway, kids, lots has happened in the past few days...there was the Shrinky Dink party on Saturday night-which was a roaring success ( I PROMISE I'll post pictures soon!). So much so that the boys threw their own Shrinky Dink party near by and crashed our party with a very large Easter Bunny Costume in tow....not quite what I expected, but I always suspected that hardened army soldiers secretly wanted to do craft nights and now my suspicions are true.
On Sunday I celebrated Easter in low key fashion with church and then Pad Thai with Amy and Luke followed by a rainy afternoon of reading and napping and then off to Bible Study where we finished off 2 Peter and I tased to of the guys with my pink taser. ( tased is a word, Amy B. I promise! hehehe!). They begged and pleaded and finally we went outside and two of the guys were tasered ( also a word). Boys. They are weird. Who begs and pleads to be subjected to pain?
I do think it bought me some semblance of popularity or at LEAST notoriety for a few days at least so thats something I guess...
And for those of you who are wondering, yes, I now have two guns AND a pink taser. I refuse to touch the guns ( they are most definitely Brett's and NOT mine!) but Brett is so set upon my "safety" that I backed down and let him buy me the pink taser ( pink, because its for girls...) and now I'm ultra protected. Although, I did learn, after my tasing ( also a word) experience on Sunday, that you really have to HOLD the taser on the person if you want to do significant damage to them...not really something I quite imagined I'd do to an assailant ...but SURE, WHY NOT!?! I suppose it could happen.
In other news, I've recently added a "Twitter" Application to my blog-now you can keep track of me minute by minute ( or hour by hour as the case may be) by following me on Twitter ( which is now updating on my facebook status and here on my blog simultaneously)...so now I'm SUPER STREAMLINE and you can know all the details of my life UP TO DATE and BY THE MINUTE so that you too can stalk me. But, be careful, if you get too close I'll totally taser you.
I'm missing my double tall soy latte like crazy right now....
Anyway, kids, lots has happened in the past few days...there was the Shrinky Dink party on Saturday night-which was a roaring success ( I PROMISE I'll post pictures soon!). So much so that the boys threw their own Shrinky Dink party near by and crashed our party with a very large Easter Bunny Costume in tow....not quite what I expected, but I always suspected that hardened army soldiers secretly wanted to do craft nights and now my suspicions are true.
On Sunday I celebrated Easter in low key fashion with church and then Pad Thai with Amy and Luke followed by a rainy afternoon of reading and napping and then off to Bible Study where we finished off 2 Peter and I tased to of the guys with my pink taser. ( tased is a word, Amy B. I promise! hehehe!). They begged and pleaded and finally we went outside and two of the guys were tasered ( also a word). Boys. They are weird. Who begs and pleads to be subjected to pain?
I do think it bought me some semblance of popularity or at LEAST notoriety for a few days at least so thats something I guess...
And for those of you who are wondering, yes, I now have two guns AND a pink taser. I refuse to touch the guns ( they are most definitely Brett's and NOT mine!) but Brett is so set upon my "safety" that I backed down and let him buy me the pink taser ( pink, because its for girls...) and now I'm ultra protected. Although, I did learn, after my tasing ( also a word) experience on Sunday, that you really have to HOLD the taser on the person if you want to do significant damage to them...not really something I quite imagined I'd do to an assailant ...but SURE, WHY NOT!?! I suppose it could happen.
In other news, I've recently added a "Twitter" Application to my blog-now you can keep track of me minute by minute ( or hour by hour as the case may be) by following me on Twitter ( which is now updating on my facebook status and here on my blog simultaneously)...so now I'm SUPER STREAMLINE and you can know all the details of my life UP TO DATE and BY THE MINUTE so that you too can stalk me. But, be careful, if you get too close I'll totally taser you.
April 10, 2009
The Good
So I was awaked today by my dear friend Carmi, who-through the years- no matter what has been going on in our various lives, we have been brought together through lovely prayers over the phone, computer and every so often in person! They always seem to come at just the right moment and today was no exception...
I was thinking though, how strikingly different our lives look at the moment- Her's is busy, ever moving, ever changing...mine is quiet and slow and often very much monotonous, where most of my "work" is done internally...yet, how lovely to feel so strongly that we are both exactly where we are suppose to be! Friends, there is no life that cannot be useful for His good work! No matter how little or insignificant or how shiny and overwhelming your current days are; there is a battle to be faught and won in the livingrooms of America, the streets of Europe, the marketplaces of Asia...will you take it up? Ignoring the excuses and discouragments of the day?
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men;
A man of sorrows, and aquainted with grief,
And as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised and we esteemed him not.
Surely he was borne of griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
He as wounded for our transgresions;
He was crushed for our iniquities;
Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
And with his strips we are healed.
We all like sheep have gone astray, each of us to our own way, but the Lord lay on him the iniquity of us all.
Is. 53:2-6
A Good Friday to us all! For by His strips we are healed!!! May our lives be worthy of such sacrifice.
I was thinking though, how strikingly different our lives look at the moment- Her's is busy, ever moving, ever changing...mine is quiet and slow and often very much monotonous, where most of my "work" is done internally...yet, how lovely to feel so strongly that we are both exactly where we are suppose to be! Friends, there is no life that cannot be useful for His good work! No matter how little or insignificant or how shiny and overwhelming your current days are; there is a battle to be faught and won in the livingrooms of America, the streets of Europe, the marketplaces of Asia...will you take it up? Ignoring the excuses and discouragments of the day?
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men;
A man of sorrows, and aquainted with grief,
And as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised and we esteemed him not.
Surely he was borne of griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
He as wounded for our transgresions;
He was crushed for our iniquities;
Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
And with his strips we are healed.
We all like sheep have gone astray, each of us to our own way, but the Lord lay on him the iniquity of us all.
Is. 53:2-6
A Good Friday to us all! For by His strips we are healed!!! May our lives be worthy of such sacrifice.
April 08, 2009
slooooooow
Honestly peoples. This month is a slow one. I'm desparate to fill up my time, so much so that I quite literally am putting off cleaning my house until tomorrow, not because I don't want to do it, but because I've already done "something" today...and I've got Nothing to do tomorrow and so cleaning house will be my "accomplishment"
I realize that I'm annoying the most of you who find your lives TOO busy...and I also know that one day I will look back on this particular season of life and smile and wish I could go back and experience such "problems" again...but for now I'll just try hard to enjoy it and make it as productive as possible. I've been praying hard that I wouldn't let it just slip away...
Currently reading this month's Vanity Fair...although I was annoyed it had a half nakky model on the front. ugg! What's WRONG with the world!?!
I'm also just started the book "The Man Who Made Lists: Love, Death, Madness and the Creation of Roget's Thesaurus" by Joshua Kendall. , the word geek in me is pretty much in heaven...hehehe! So fascinating and I've already come across several great quotes and I'm not even into chapter two!
I realize that I'm annoying the most of you who find your lives TOO busy...and I also know that one day I will look back on this particular season of life and smile and wish I could go back and experience such "problems" again...but for now I'll just try hard to enjoy it and make it as productive as possible. I've been praying hard that I wouldn't let it just slip away...
Currently reading this month's Vanity Fair...although I was annoyed it had a half nakky model on the front. ugg! What's WRONG with the world!?!
I'm also just started the book "The Man Who Made Lists: Love, Death, Madness and the Creation of Roget's Thesaurus" by Joshua Kendall. , the word geek in me is pretty much in heaven...hehehe! So fascinating and I've already come across several great quotes and I'm not even into chapter two!
April 06, 2009
armor
So, I had to get a new phone today...and I gotta say that as sad as that moment was when I handed them money for something that I had literally one day ago....I am also optimistic. Why? Because, I'm also ordering this not-so-attractive case for my phone....but you guys should go check out the promotional video that gave me my optimism:
This video here.
Ok, so yes...if you didn't click on the link, let me just go ahead and tell you that they DRIVE an SUV over the top of the ipod in this case that I just got for my phone...and yes, the ipod is unscathed.
This is the case for Abigail.
This is why Abigail will not need to buy anymore phones.
And yes...I was serious. I have given up coffee as punishment.
This video here.
Ok, so yes...if you didn't click on the link, let me just go ahead and tell you that they DRIVE an SUV over the top of the ipod in this case that I just got for my phone...and yes, the ipod is unscathed.
This is the case for Abigail.
This is why Abigail will not need to buy anymore phones.
And yes...I was serious. I have given up coffee as punishment.
April 05, 2009
Punishment.
Today was beautiful, I went to church which was great and I went to a fascinating lecture on Art Print work and bookmaking and I talked to my parents on the phone...and that's when things went down hill.
So, I'm talking on my phone using my headset so that I'm being all "legal" and "handsfree" while driving and so once I got home I was still talking and I turned to get out of my car and just FORGOT about my phone in my lap and it just slid out of the car onto the pavement and just breaking the "protective" case on it and then cracking the front of my phone pretty badly....
its still usable if held very very delicately, but sadly it will have to be replaced.
That would mean that I only had it five months before BREAKING IT.....
MEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHH! How old AM I!?! Honestly! I'm such a dropper! And I've felt sick to my stomach ever since. I've decided, however, that I must punish myself. I mean, I'm so sick of this kind of thing happening to me-and surely there is a way to LEARN how to hold onto things and NOT drop them.
Punishment seems like a good idea.
So what's something that I looooove and that will end up equaling the $200 that I've basically crashed on the ground!?!
That's right. Friends. I'm giving up Starbucks. I'm not sure for how long...but I guess as long as I think will equal $200 saved. So probably not very long ;-)
Just Kidding.
But seriously. I'm so angry at myself. And sick. Sick and Angry. I wish I was more of a grown up sometimes....
So, I'm talking on my phone using my headset so that I'm being all "legal" and "handsfree" while driving and so once I got home I was still talking and I turned to get out of my car and just FORGOT about my phone in my lap and it just slid out of the car onto the pavement and just breaking the "protective" case on it and then cracking the front of my phone pretty badly....
its still usable if held very very delicately, but sadly it will have to be replaced.
That would mean that I only had it five months before BREAKING IT.....
MEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHH! How old AM I!?! Honestly! I'm such a dropper! And I've felt sick to my stomach ever since. I've decided, however, that I must punish myself. I mean, I'm so sick of this kind of thing happening to me-and surely there is a way to LEARN how to hold onto things and NOT drop them.
Punishment seems like a good idea.
So what's something that I looooove and that will end up equaling the $200 that I've basically crashed on the ground!?!
That's right. Friends. I'm giving up Starbucks. I'm not sure for how long...but I guess as long as I think will equal $200 saved. So probably not very long ;-)
Just Kidding.
But seriously. I'm so angry at myself. And sick. Sick and Angry. I wish I was more of a grown up sometimes....
April 04, 2009
Waiting on the Weather
According to weather.com it's suppose to be in the 60s on Monday and Tuesday AND they promise me that it might just get to SEVENTY.
Friends, this is important.
I can't tell you how much I crave warmer weather. Being a Texas girl (its in my blood baby!), I feel that as soon as late march hits one should and can expect warm to hot temperatures. I should be able to wear sandals and not have my toes fall off from frost bite, I should be able to go out doors without grabbing a sweater, or dare I say, a JACKET, and I should absolutely get to wear cute sun dresses on Easter and not look weirdly out of place. *sigh*
Sadly, not everywhere is Texas and so I pray that the weather reports are right this ONE TIME.
But, it is at least sunny today and that gets bonus points. Maybe one day I'll live in some really awesome place that has beautiful weather all the time and then my blog will not be reduced to weather reporting....we can only hope.
In other news, several of my readers have reported that they went out and rented Bolt on my recommendation and apparently I was not exaggerating. The rest of you should get on board. This movie, its funny. ;-)
Friends, this is important.
I can't tell you how much I crave warmer weather. Being a Texas girl (its in my blood baby!), I feel that as soon as late march hits one should and can expect warm to hot temperatures. I should be able to wear sandals and not have my toes fall off from frost bite, I should be able to go out doors without grabbing a sweater, or dare I say, a JACKET, and I should absolutely get to wear cute sun dresses on Easter and not look weirdly out of place. *sigh*
Sadly, not everywhere is Texas and so I pray that the weather reports are right this ONE TIME.
But, it is at least sunny today and that gets bonus points. Maybe one day I'll live in some really awesome place that has beautiful weather all the time and then my blog will not be reduced to weather reporting....we can only hope.
In other news, several of my readers have reported that they went out and rented Bolt on my recommendation and apparently I was not exaggerating. The rest of you should get on board. This movie, its funny. ;-)
April 02, 2009
Why kids movies are better
Last night I sat in my bed and laughed OUT LOUD ( I have found that I'm a much quieter person when living alone, I tend to express things internally to myself even if I am feeling a strong emotion- I mean, hey, there's no one to share it with...so why voice it?!) But this movie was worth the out burst!
I picked up the new disney movie Bolt from Redbox on my way home from getting groceries yesterday and it was GREAT!
The hamster. The pigeons. I'm serious people you should go rent this movie if you haven't already seen it.
I picked up the new disney movie Bolt from Redbox on my way home from getting groceries yesterday and it was GREAT!
The hamster. The pigeons. I'm serious people you should go rent this movie if you haven't already seen it.
A peek at the peak
So in the next week I will be "celebrating" the sixth month of Brett's deployment. I imagine that we've been clamoring up a giant mountain for the past six months and FINALLY we've reached the peak...and now, now we'll get to go back DOWN...that's exciting because it would be awesome if life would imitate my analogy and therefore the LAST six months would go faster than the first...wouldn't that be nice?!?!
That reminds me of the inside joke of my tuesday night bible study:
The girls and I have been trudging through a study on Romans. I say "trudge" because its a lot harder than the study they did previously and I think they are all feeling the affects of that. However, last week we had a question in our guide that asked us to look at the 'word picture' that Paul had painted about a particular thought...and for the life of us we could NOT figure out what they wanted as an answer!! I mean, I like to think I'm pretty good at finding things in texts...that's pretty much all I did as an english major was make up something out of nothing and then using a particular text to prove my point...but last week we were all stumped. But it started the inside joke of making up word pictures for everything....and it's "accidently" turned into something really cool. One of the things I feel strongly about is trying to teach the idea of making scripture accessible and for all the girls to feel as though they understand it well enough to go out and share it with others...its been fun coming up with our "word pictures" ( although sometimes they get a little silly) and I think its a cool way for all of us understand the heaviness of the meanings that are written in Romans.
Lately I've been reading a particular verse over and over again...I can't stop thinking about it.
Do not call to mind the former things or ponder things past.
Behold I will do something new, Now it will spring forth;
Will you not be aware of it?
I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert. Is. 43:18-19
I get a little chill every time I read it...
I very much want to be aware of the new things that the Lord has coming my way....our way....
That reminds me of the inside joke of my tuesday night bible study:
The girls and I have been trudging through a study on Romans. I say "trudge" because its a lot harder than the study they did previously and I think they are all feeling the affects of that. However, last week we had a question in our guide that asked us to look at the 'word picture' that Paul had painted about a particular thought...and for the life of us we could NOT figure out what they wanted as an answer!! I mean, I like to think I'm pretty good at finding things in texts...that's pretty much all I did as an english major was make up something out of nothing and then using a particular text to prove my point...but last week we were all stumped. But it started the inside joke of making up word pictures for everything....and it's "accidently" turned into something really cool. One of the things I feel strongly about is trying to teach the idea of making scripture accessible and for all the girls to feel as though they understand it well enough to go out and share it with others...its been fun coming up with our "word pictures" ( although sometimes they get a little silly) and I think its a cool way for all of us understand the heaviness of the meanings that are written in Romans.
Lately I've been reading a particular verse over and over again...I can't stop thinking about it.
Do not call to mind the former things or ponder things past.
Behold I will do something new, Now it will spring forth;
Will you not be aware of it?
I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert. Is. 43:18-19
I get a little chill every time I read it...
I very much want to be aware of the new things that the Lord has coming my way....our way....
April 01, 2009
Just kidding about spring!
I woke up this morning to it snowing.... Apparently the weathers idea of an April fool's joke is to shove Spring in a closet behind all the winter coats and force me to sit in front of my fireplace dreaming of sun and beaches.
*sigh*
Well, I'm off to walmart to pick up a few things including maybe a milk frother... It's time to bring the coffee home. ;-)
*sigh*
Well, I'm off to walmart to pick up a few things including maybe a milk frother... It's time to bring the coffee home. ;-)
March 30, 2009
The Evil Empire
Its true. I've become a complete Starbucks junky. It happened pretty slowly ( as most drug habits do) that I hardly noticed. For one thing there is a Starbucks a walking distance from my house, for another thing they have a drive-thru ( nice for those moments when you're running late for church and you need a caffeine hit), and then on top of that I started meeting all my girls there for our "dates"...every time I'd say, "where do you wanna meet?" they'd always give me that location...so what was I gonna do? I also found that when I got lonely I was more than likely going to run into someone I knew there...two people from Bible Study actually work there and then it seems the rest of the Navigator crew seem to congregate there at all hours of the day....sooooo....that's how it happened.
And that's how I ended up adding up how much money I spent at Starbucks this month and I found out that...well.....its pretty bad.
So after some investigation into ways to save money at Starbucks ( including a trip to Costco to see if they still sold gift cards for reduced prices-sadly, they don't, its only a holiday deal)....today I ended up getting a gift card. For one thing its a way to easily keep track of how much money I'm spending. And for another thing with the gift card I can use their internet access ( which is important since this weekends developments of no wi-fi at the house) AND I get free soy. That says me 40 cents a drink!!! That's a LOT!
So that's the new plan. And I'm trying to not think about how the old version of me is totally judging this new version of me. *sigh*
And that's how I ended up adding up how much money I spent at Starbucks this month and I found out that...well.....its pretty bad.
So after some investigation into ways to save money at Starbucks ( including a trip to Costco to see if they still sold gift cards for reduced prices-sadly, they don't, its only a holiday deal)....today I ended up getting a gift card. For one thing its a way to easily keep track of how much money I'm spending. And for another thing with the gift card I can use their internet access ( which is important since this weekends developments of no wi-fi at the house) AND I get free soy. That says me 40 cents a drink!!! That's a LOT!
So that's the new plan. And I'm trying to not think about how the old version of me is totally judging this new version of me. *sigh*
March 28, 2009
Then I got back...
Well, I went to Vancouver ( canada) and now I'm back! It was a short visit, only one night, but I felt like I'd been gone AGES when I finally pulled in my driveway last night ( the traffic coming back into Washington was nasty...but I guess I should have thought of that since it WAS a Friday night)....and apparently I was gone long enough for the free internet I've been using for the past few months to DISAPPEAR. I'm starting to feel the withdrawals already....eeee! Most of the things that I had on my to-do list today had to do with the internet and out of desperation I had to head to Panera Bread ( I'm having flashbacks of Kansas as we speak)....
Anyway for time management purposes look for details of my time in Vancouver on Tabitha's Blog....and I will just add that I feel as though we made great use of our time and did everything on a pretty low budget! Yay! Go us! ( and our totally awesome guidebook that I got at the library before I left!)....and I will hopefully share pictures in days to come, sadly I forgot my camera connector so I cannot upload pictures right now......let's all pray that I find new free internet in my apartment soon....
I'm now off to Wal-Mart for supplies in making my costume for a ministry party tonight....they sure didn't give me a long time to come up with anything!
Anyway for time management purposes look for details of my time in Vancouver on Tabitha's Blog....and I will just add that I feel as though we made great use of our time and did everything on a pretty low budget! Yay! Go us! ( and our totally awesome guidebook that I got at the library before I left!)....and I will hopefully share pictures in days to come, sadly I forgot my camera connector so I cannot upload pictures right now......let's all pray that I find new free internet in my apartment soon....
I'm now off to Wal-Mart for supplies in making my costume for a ministry party tonight....they sure didn't give me a long time to come up with anything!
March 26, 2009
All aboot canada
So I'm headed up and over the boarder tomorrow...I'm picking up Bethany in Seattle and then we're hitting the open road to go see Tabitha in Vancouver. It's gonna be great! my only worries currently are that the work the chiropractor did on the giant knot in my neck have left me with a significant headache...not fun for the driving tomorrow...but HEY! Prayers work, Baby! My sore throat from yesterday was significantly better today so I'm optimistic.
I think I might still try to convince Tabs to come home with me...just for a couple of days....because I'm SO excited about seeing her, I really doubt that two days is going to be enough. *sigh* Oh well, I'll be happy with what I get.
I've packed my bag of "car snacks" for the road and I'm planning on getting a large coffee...so I think this is going to be a good roadtrip! :-)
I think I might still try to convince Tabs to come home with me...just for a couple of days....because I'm SO excited about seeing her, I really doubt that two days is going to be enough. *sigh* Oh well, I'll be happy with what I get.
I've packed my bag of "car snacks" for the road and I'm planning on getting a large coffee...so I think this is going to be a good roadtrip! :-)
March 25, 2009
the miracle of sleep.
I'm hoping that tonight a miracle will take place and the sore throat I've been fostering all day will magically disappear. It pretty much has to since Bethany and I are off to visit Tabitha on Thursday and I pretty much MUST be in top form for that trip since its just an overnighter and I want to pack as much fun and time with Tabs in as I possibly can and being sick is not part of that mathematical equation.
Speaking of mathematical equations I actually used Algebraic proofs as part of an illustration on Romans chapter 4 at Bible Study tonight. Ummm....yeah....it just popped it my head and it turned out to be a good example for what I was talking about, but I was sorta surprised that my mind would retain that information from nine years ago just like that...
So, today I dropped the sister off at the airport and prayed all the way home that she'd make it on her flight ok and that all would be well...traveling makes me nervous, even when I'm not the one traveling. ( she is currently home safe and sound).
I then went about my to-do list of all the things I've neglected while Anna and I were partying down like it was 2005 ( the year when we partied down the most, just in case you were wondering..). First, I got my oil changed at the Jiffy Lube that is conveniently located near my house...and boy was it Jiffy! It was actually pretty funny, I've never seen so many employees at a oil change place before, and they had pretty much zero customers, so when I arrived they surrounded my car as though I was in the Daytona 500 and they had my car oil-changed, vacuumed, aired up, fluid checked and glass cleaned in under 10 minutes. I didn't even have time to check my emails on my phone! It was a little more expensive then the place I went to in Lakewood ( near my old apartment), but I had a coupon and plus if time is money, then that was a STEAL!
In other news, I had an impromptu coffee date with Tina and did Bible Study, as well as visited the Christian bookstore to pick up stickers for my bible study girls ( they are now proud owners of sticker charts and stickers for their memory verses...I believe that one is NEVER too old for a sticker chart)....all in all it was a productive day, but by the time it came to Bible Study time I was pretty worn out! This sore throat is not making me a happy camper!
This post as officially run out of steam...sleepy time is now.
Speaking of mathematical equations I actually used Algebraic proofs as part of an illustration on Romans chapter 4 at Bible Study tonight. Ummm....yeah....it just popped it my head and it turned out to be a good example for what I was talking about, but I was sorta surprised that my mind would retain that information from nine years ago just like that...
So, today I dropped the sister off at the airport and prayed all the way home that she'd make it on her flight ok and that all would be well...traveling makes me nervous, even when I'm not the one traveling. ( she is currently home safe and sound).
I then went about my to-do list of all the things I've neglected while Anna and I were partying down like it was 2005 ( the year when we partied down the most, just in case you were wondering..). First, I got my oil changed at the Jiffy Lube that is conveniently located near my house...and boy was it Jiffy! It was actually pretty funny, I've never seen so many employees at a oil change place before, and they had pretty much zero customers, so when I arrived they surrounded my car as though I was in the Daytona 500 and they had my car oil-changed, vacuumed, aired up, fluid checked and glass cleaned in under 10 minutes. I didn't even have time to check my emails on my phone! It was a little more expensive then the place I went to in Lakewood ( near my old apartment), but I had a coupon and plus if time is money, then that was a STEAL!
In other news, I had an impromptu coffee date with Tina and did Bible Study, as well as visited the Christian bookstore to pick up stickers for my bible study girls ( they are now proud owners of sticker charts and stickers for their memory verses...I believe that one is NEVER too old for a sticker chart)....all in all it was a productive day, but by the time it came to Bible Study time I was pretty worn out! This sore throat is not making me a happy camper!
This post as officially run out of steam...sleepy time is now.
March 24, 2009
I Promise...
I know, I know...I haven't blogged in days! But that's because a LOT has been happening and I've had my sister here, which basically means all those things that I'd normally write out into a well thought-out blog post have instead been spoken in long run on sentences to my sister. Lovely. Too bad none of you where there to see it all go down, because if my sister and I do one thing well, it is talk and laugh and talk some more ( with hand motions and facial expression to punctuate.)
We've had a grand old time, and I'm sad that she's leaving in the morning. *sigh* I'm trying not to get sad about it, because really its been such a lovely blessing that it would be wrong to look this gift horse in the mouth! Nope, instead I will just say this...
We ate indian food and watched free Redbox movies apparently EVERYONE is getting into free movie mondays and wednesdays! I know Katie, sure is! ha! )...I got us out of a ten dollar scam job at a Tacoma parking lot by tailgating a guy leaving ( we had entered the parking lot by accident only moments before and had found ourselves TRAPPED by the high prices!) we ate dinner at a fancy restaurant where Anna used her deathray eyes of doom on the waiter thus getting us a free dessert ( he neglected us all night! BAD! Free dessert? GOOD!) ...We had a very successful shopping trip that included a trip to the movie theatre to see Duplicity ( not as good as the trailers made it out to be...) and a beautiful sunset on the way home....We visited the Burke Museum's Coffee's of the World Exhibit and drank free coffee and laughed at fossils ( because who doesn't?), followed by lunch with Bethany and Liz at a yummy pizza place, Tulla Bella..... We survived a near death experience when something hit my windshield as we drove home, on the freeway, shattering the glass of the windshield so badly that shards of glass landed in both our laps!....we worked out several times, but probably not enough to burn off all the calories that we ate, but then again, it was vacation time and calories don't count on vacations....we went to church and we went to Bible Study and Anna got to meet many of the people that I love here in Washington...the lovely girls that I talk about the most, they now have faces to go with the names.....and we also watched unmentionable amounts of The O.C., we got the car's windshield fixed ( see above) and braved the evils of Army Bureaucracy to get me new parking tags ( for the new windshield)....oh....and of COURSE we drank lots of sub-par coffee ( nothing is as good as Java Jacks in Texas, right? hehe!) and....
we ate cupcakes.
Sisters. They are a glorious gift! What a lovely week!
We've had a grand old time, and I'm sad that she's leaving in the morning. *sigh* I'm trying not to get sad about it, because really its been such a lovely blessing that it would be wrong to look this gift horse in the mouth! Nope, instead I will just say this...
We ate indian food and watched free Redbox movies apparently EVERYONE is getting into free movie mondays and wednesdays! I know Katie, sure is! ha! )...I got us out of a ten dollar scam job at a Tacoma parking lot by tailgating a guy leaving ( we had entered the parking lot by accident only moments before and had found ourselves TRAPPED by the high prices!) we ate dinner at a fancy restaurant where Anna used her deathray eyes of doom on the waiter thus getting us a free dessert ( he neglected us all night! BAD! Free dessert? GOOD!) ...We had a very successful shopping trip that included a trip to the movie theatre to see Duplicity ( not as good as the trailers made it out to be...) and a beautiful sunset on the way home....We visited the Burke Museum's Coffee's of the World Exhibit and drank free coffee and laughed at fossils ( because who doesn't?), followed by lunch with Bethany and Liz at a yummy pizza place, Tulla Bella..... We survived a near death experience when something hit my windshield as we drove home, on the freeway, shattering the glass of the windshield so badly that shards of glass landed in both our laps!....we worked out several times, but probably not enough to burn off all the calories that we ate, but then again, it was vacation time and calories don't count on vacations....we went to church and we went to Bible Study and Anna got to meet many of the people that I love here in Washington...the lovely girls that I talk about the most, they now have faces to go with the names.....and we also watched unmentionable amounts of The O.C., we got the car's windshield fixed ( see above) and braved the evils of Army Bureaucracy to get me new parking tags ( for the new windshield)....oh....and of COURSE we drank lots of sub-par coffee ( nothing is as good as Java Jacks in Texas, right? hehe!) and....
we ate cupcakes.
Sisters. They are a glorious gift! What a lovely week!
March 21, 2009
The Sister
She is one of the few people ( I can count on one hand) that I'd probably never get tired of having around.
March 18, 2009
A life worth celebrating.
So, last night I had the opportunity to see a legend. Seriously, you may have never heard of Bob Boardman, but ever since I heard him speak at our bible study last year he and his wife, Jean were stuck in my mind and there they have stayed.
Reasons for Sticking:
First of all, I want to grow up and be just like this couple. The thing that struck me as beyond remarkable is that here was a couple who are in their mid80s and here was Bob causally mentioning that he'd been "meaning" to come down and speak to our little bible study ever since it got started, but that he and Jean had been doing nonstop missions work all year and had just had the chance to make it down.... This was all said very apologetically, of course. And here was someone who for all intents and purposes should be "retired"!!! They were doing far more than I can HOPE to do for the Kingdom of God!
The first thing you'll notice about Bob is that he speaks in a horse whisper. This is due to injuries that he received at the Battle of Okinawa in WWII ( he also lost his trigger finger...) and the second thing you'll notice about Bob is how much he loves the Lord and thirdly how much he loves his wife. Pretty good order :-)
Anyway, the first time I heard him speak he talked a little bit about his life story, and while it was well over a year ago and therefore I've probably mixed up my facts.... the thing I can make note of is that while he was injured at Okinawa, Japan, after he joined the Navigators he and his wife went back to Japan as missionaries ( they were actually married in Tokyo). Pretty amazing. Here was couple who have truly given their lives to God's work and have NOT SLOWED DOWN.
Brett and I both went away from that bible study, struck by the desire to live a life such as these....to be so outwardly focused that you hardly notice the years go by....
This past week we found out through Navigator links that Bob had been diagnosed with Stage Four cancer...and that on Monday night he would be giving his final sermon.
This I was NOT going to miss!
After recieving a "death sentence" only two weeks before- hundreds of people gathered to celebrate this mans life-Americans, many of them ex-WWII Marines, Japanese, and Koreans all gathered together, all had obviously been touched by these two lives.... it was really amazing to see such an outpouring in such a short amount of time, so many people traveling from out of town to come be a part of this night.
Bob and his wife Jean both spoke and I took lots of notes-but here are some things I'll share here-just so I won't forget. Hopefully not ever. And may one day I go out in such style!
Bob said that after hearing this news that he had stage four cancer he'd had a lot of time to think, and he thought the most at night-"Your greatest fears come up at night...and my greatest fear is that God's going to heal me!"
He then introduced his wife, saying ever so sweetly that after 56 years of marriage, if he had to do life all over-he'd still choose her. ( awwwwww!)
She shared that their motto through their life together had been:
By God's Grace and For God's Glory
( if there was ever anything worthy of being embroidered on a pillow, if I knew how, THAT would be something worth embroidering!)
And then she shared the verse she was resting on during this difficult time,
"They do not fear bad news;
they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.
They are confident and fearless
and can face their foes triumphantly.
Ps112:7-8
Honestly, that showed so much more than just a few words could express....I think about the idea of loosing Brett, after only having in my life for a few years, and then imagining a life without him if I'd been with him for FIFTY! How much harder it would be to let go. Yet, to have that kind of faith and love for her Lord....She ended her little talk with this heartbreaking remark:
God gave him to me, and now I'm giving him back.
Now, I wish I could some how recreate exactly what Bob shared, he speaks in oneliners so its really hard to paraphrase this man, but above all I was struck by his Love for his Lord, his Hope in the future that He had in Christ and by his Desire that others know this One that He loved so much....
Now, obviously, its not very time efficient to have to be a Christian for 65 years to prove that God is real, just because you're devoted to something that Long.....but I was very much struck by the reality of this man's relationship with his Savior. He said that he'd read the Old Testament over 55 times ( at least from when he started counting!) and he'd read the new testament over 120 times! He said that he reads enough each day to, "Transfer him into another realm, otherwise this world will break you down. But His Word takes you into the kingdom of God, the kingdom where the Lord Jesus is....The word of God has the power of the Holy Spirit which can bring about good relationships, keep us from going on tangents, and having conflicts.....the Word of God brings about repentance, forgiveness and keeps the conscience clear..."
He also shared about how the Word of God brings us to the Presence of Jesus, which brought him to tears, he then recounted a story from his time in the military, of experiencing the presence of God so tangibly that he actually reached out to touch Him, little did he know that these wonderful experiences with Jesus would soon be followed by the "valley of the shadow of death", and that the Lord was truly preparing him for his experience at Okinawa....This brought him to his final thoughts which were of the great delight of getting to finally meet Jesus.
And then in his horse whisper he finished with, " If I could sing, I would sing the song, "I can only Imagine"
An my only thought was that one day, very soon Bob Boardman is going to be able to sing again....
I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk
By your side
I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When your face
Is before me
I can only imagine
Reasons for Sticking:
First of all, I want to grow up and be just like this couple. The thing that struck me as beyond remarkable is that here was a couple who are in their mid80s and here was Bob causally mentioning that he'd been "meaning" to come down and speak to our little bible study ever since it got started, but that he and Jean had been doing nonstop missions work all year and had just had the chance to make it down.... This was all said very apologetically, of course. And here was someone who for all intents and purposes should be "retired"!!! They were doing far more than I can HOPE to do for the Kingdom of God!
The first thing you'll notice about Bob is that he speaks in a horse whisper. This is due to injuries that he received at the Battle of Okinawa in WWII ( he also lost his trigger finger...) and the second thing you'll notice about Bob is how much he loves the Lord and thirdly how much he loves his wife. Pretty good order :-)
Anyway, the first time I heard him speak he talked a little bit about his life story, and while it was well over a year ago and therefore I've probably mixed up my facts.... the thing I can make note of is that while he was injured at Okinawa, Japan, after he joined the Navigators he and his wife went back to Japan as missionaries ( they were actually married in Tokyo). Pretty amazing. Here was couple who have truly given their lives to God's work and have NOT SLOWED DOWN.
Brett and I both went away from that bible study, struck by the desire to live a life such as these....to be so outwardly focused that you hardly notice the years go by....
This past week we found out through Navigator links that Bob had been diagnosed with Stage Four cancer...and that on Monday night he would be giving his final sermon.
This I was NOT going to miss!
After recieving a "death sentence" only two weeks before- hundreds of people gathered to celebrate this mans life-Americans, many of them ex-WWII Marines, Japanese, and Koreans all gathered together, all had obviously been touched by these two lives.... it was really amazing to see such an outpouring in such a short amount of time, so many people traveling from out of town to come be a part of this night.
Bob and his wife Jean both spoke and I took lots of notes-but here are some things I'll share here-just so I won't forget. Hopefully not ever. And may one day I go out in such style!
Bob said that after hearing this news that he had stage four cancer he'd had a lot of time to think, and he thought the most at night-"Your greatest fears come up at night...and my greatest fear is that God's going to heal me!"
He then introduced his wife, saying ever so sweetly that after 56 years of marriage, if he had to do life all over-he'd still choose her. ( awwwwww!)
She shared that their motto through their life together had been:
By God's Grace and For God's Glory
( if there was ever anything worthy of being embroidered on a pillow, if I knew how, THAT would be something worth embroidering!)
And then she shared the verse she was resting on during this difficult time,
"They do not fear bad news;
they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.
They are confident and fearless
and can face their foes triumphantly.
Ps112:7-8
Honestly, that showed so much more than just a few words could express....I think about the idea of loosing Brett, after only having in my life for a few years, and then imagining a life without him if I'd been with him for FIFTY! How much harder it would be to let go. Yet, to have that kind of faith and love for her Lord....She ended her little talk with this heartbreaking remark:
God gave him to me, and now I'm giving him back.
Now, I wish I could some how recreate exactly what Bob shared, he speaks in oneliners so its really hard to paraphrase this man, but above all I was struck by his Love for his Lord, his Hope in the future that He had in Christ and by his Desire that others know this One that He loved so much....
Now, obviously, its not very time efficient to have to be a Christian for 65 years to prove that God is real, just because you're devoted to something that Long.....but I was very much struck by the reality of this man's relationship with his Savior. He said that he'd read the Old Testament over 55 times ( at least from when he started counting!) and he'd read the new testament over 120 times! He said that he reads enough each day to, "Transfer him into another realm, otherwise this world will break you down. But His Word takes you into the kingdom of God, the kingdom where the Lord Jesus is....The word of God has the power of the Holy Spirit which can bring about good relationships, keep us from going on tangents, and having conflicts.....the Word of God brings about repentance, forgiveness and keeps the conscience clear..."
He also shared about how the Word of God brings us to the Presence of Jesus, which brought him to tears, he then recounted a story from his time in the military, of experiencing the presence of God so tangibly that he actually reached out to touch Him, little did he know that these wonderful experiences with Jesus would soon be followed by the "valley of the shadow of death", and that the Lord was truly preparing him for his experience at Okinawa....This brought him to his final thoughts which were of the great delight of getting to finally meet Jesus.
And then in his horse whisper he finished with, " If I could sing, I would sing the song, "I can only Imagine"
An my only thought was that one day, very soon Bob Boardman is going to be able to sing again....
I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk
By your side
I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When your face
Is before me
I can only imagine
March 16, 2009
Rain, Rain go away...
My sister's coming to visit on Wednesday. This means I must clean house. ( not really, but its always best to have a "reason" to clean house or it just isn't as motivating). So today was all about being domestic, cleaning, grocery shopping that sort of thing.
So there I am, minding my own business in the Commissary when I run into a guy from the Navigators...or rather he runs into me. Literally. With his cart. So after that little bit of awkwardness. I continued on with my shopping to find a christmas present equivalent of shopping joy...my favorite, favorite thing to eat is Morning Star Vegetarian products...they have the yummiest "Pizza Vegetarian Burger Patties" and they have the GREATEST spinach artichoke poppers that are low fat and low calorie and pretty much small morsels of heaven ( its about all I eat.).....annnnyway, they are NEVER EVER on sale but today low and behold there were $.75 off coupons!!! WHOAAAAA! So I went on a total binge and got several boxes of all my favorites to stock my freezer!
So off I head to the check out line, a place where I pride myself on being fast and efficient ( the self checking line, that is...) So there I am waiting in line and I turn around and there is a girl who came to Bible Study a few times and then graciously bowed out to join a church group instead ( no biggie, just glad she got plugged in somewhere), so we do the usual 'how are yous" and then I proceed akwardly to start checking out my groceries...and that's when things took a baaaad turn.
First off ALL of my veggies refused to ring up and with each one the machine would bark out, "need assistance to ring up this item!" finally I tracked down one ( approx 3min.) of the teeny tiny asian ladies that seem to be the only commissary workers and she came over to help me-but then informed me she'd have to do a price check and ran off with my mushrooms in toe...I then proceeded to wait, trying to avoid eye contact with the girl behind me in line ( approx 5 minutes)....she finally returned with my mushrooms and then began the AGONIZING process of trying to scan my NINE coupons -each of them got rejected at least twice before going through...by now I could not pretend the girl behind me didn't exist and I proceeded to apologize as each of my coupons wouldn't scan....I finally walked away ( 15 minutes after getting there) with a savings of $6.75....was it worth it? Hardly. I was so embarrassed! That girl is DEFINITELY not coming back to Bible Study after that!!!!
Honestly! You would think going to the grocery store at 1:30 in the afternoon on a monday would mean you wouldn't have to run into people you know...but apparently I was WRONG!
So there I am, minding my own business in the Commissary when I run into a guy from the Navigators...or rather he runs into me. Literally. With his cart. So after that little bit of awkwardness. I continued on with my shopping to find a christmas present equivalent of shopping joy...my favorite, favorite thing to eat is Morning Star Vegetarian products...they have the yummiest "Pizza Vegetarian Burger Patties" and they have the GREATEST spinach artichoke poppers that are low fat and low calorie and pretty much small morsels of heaven ( its about all I eat.).....annnnyway, they are NEVER EVER on sale but today low and behold there were $.75 off coupons!!! WHOAAAAA! So I went on a total binge and got several boxes of all my favorites to stock my freezer!
So off I head to the check out line, a place where I pride myself on being fast and efficient ( the self checking line, that is...) So there I am waiting in line and I turn around and there is a girl who came to Bible Study a few times and then graciously bowed out to join a church group instead ( no biggie, just glad she got plugged in somewhere), so we do the usual 'how are yous" and then I proceed akwardly to start checking out my groceries...and that's when things took a baaaad turn.
First off ALL of my veggies refused to ring up and with each one the machine would bark out, "need assistance to ring up this item!" finally I tracked down one ( approx 3min.) of the teeny tiny asian ladies that seem to be the only commissary workers and she came over to help me-but then informed me she'd have to do a price check and ran off with my mushrooms in toe...I then proceeded to wait, trying to avoid eye contact with the girl behind me in line ( approx 5 minutes)....she finally returned with my mushrooms and then began the AGONIZING process of trying to scan my NINE coupons -each of them got rejected at least twice before going through...by now I could not pretend the girl behind me didn't exist and I proceeded to apologize as each of my coupons wouldn't scan....I finally walked away ( 15 minutes after getting there) with a savings of $6.75....was it worth it? Hardly. I was so embarrassed! That girl is DEFINITELY not coming back to Bible Study after that!!!!
Honestly! You would think going to the grocery store at 1:30 in the afternoon on a monday would mean you wouldn't have to run into people you know...but apparently I was WRONG!
I know, I know...
I'm not entirely sure why I couldn't produce a blog post this weekend, afterall I did have a pretty eventful couple of days including an idiot encounter at the bakery ( yup! my cake for Amy's baby shower said the following when I got it, "Welcom Baby B" and that's WITH the quotation marks as...who knows why there were quotation marks...*sigh* ) But other than that moment of Drama to start my day the shower was totally delightful. For one thing I had wonderful friends to help me set up, clean up and make conversation with people who weren't feeling included....honestly, I hardly felt like I was hosting the shower at all! The other delightful thing about the shower was my long awaited, long planned onesie decorating. Seriously, it was SUCH fun to see what people decorated their onesie with, the breakout artists and the random pictures... all around good fun! And of course, baby showers are ALWAYS fun because they have the inevitable opening of teeny tiny gifts that cannot HELP but be ADORABLE.
March 13, 2009
And then there were days...
Its been a fast week, full of some good things:
So, in no particular order:
This week it snowed, rained, and it was sunny. I experienced all four seasons in a five day period. This isn't particularly "good" but it was interesting! And I didn't get bored!
This week I had fruitful talks with some of the girls in the Nav ministry. How I love these girls! I am often struck by my own shortcomings in trying to show them more about Christ...but this week I was reminded that most of the time they end up showing ME more about Christ! Excellent!
This week worked out more than I've gotten to in a while. Less headaches, more energy! That's how it seems to work!
This week I forced myself to go to the PWOC bible study on Fort Lewis (its so darn early!). It was there that I had some great discussion with women about the hardships that deployment can bring on marriage-In many ways I am grateful that I am experiencing some of those hardships now because I see the great need to help others who might not know just how Wonderful it is to have trust in God for all things....I'm working through these problems myself, but its encouraging to know they will be useful to someone else in the future.
This week I planned a trip to Canada in a few weeks now that Tabithaofficially lives there.
This week I got the surprise new that my sister is coming to visit NEXT WEEK!!! This is almost too much excitement to bare.
This week I planned a trip to Texas in May. This makes me so happy because I'll get to be there for Mother's Day, my mom's birthday, a friends wedding, and a day shy of my mother-in-laws birthday!! So much celebrating that I get to be a part of!!! YAY!
This week I got to say goodbye to a good friend who's headed off to Iraq, by eating Indian food and watching a chick-flick*. Danielle was one of the very first people I met when I moved to Washington waaaay back when, and I'm sad to see her go, but I know God will do good things with her over "there".
This week I got a present in the mail:
Its actually made out of brass but it looks like thread...and its AWESOME! The perfect "reminded" of my sweet husband who puts up with me even when I complained about buying guns. ;-)
* I totally enjoyed the newest chick flick Confessions of a Shopaholic, it was girlie and cute and had plenty of eye-candy in the form of shoes and bags galore, and it was pretty much without the usual sexual horribleness that I hate about movies these days! two thumbs up!
Now I'm off to a "surprise" birthday party ( the surprise was ruined by facebook...sad, but true) and I'm getting all the last minute prep work done for the totally wonderful-amazing-perfectly-executed Baby shower that I'm throwing tomorrow ( cross your fingers!) !
So, in no particular order:
This week it snowed, rained, and it was sunny. I experienced all four seasons in a five day period. This isn't particularly "good" but it was interesting! And I didn't get bored!
This week I had fruitful talks with some of the girls in the Nav ministry. How I love these girls! I am often struck by my own shortcomings in trying to show them more about Christ...but this week I was reminded that most of the time they end up showing ME more about Christ! Excellent!
This week worked out more than I've gotten to in a while. Less headaches, more energy! That's how it seems to work!
This week I forced myself to go to the PWOC bible study on Fort Lewis (its so darn early!). It was there that I had some great discussion with women about the hardships that deployment can bring on marriage-In many ways I am grateful that I am experiencing some of those hardships now because I see the great need to help others who might not know just how Wonderful it is to have trust in God for all things....I'm working through these problems myself, but its encouraging to know they will be useful to someone else in the future.
This week I planned a trip to Canada in a few weeks now that Tabithaofficially lives there.
This week I got the surprise new that my sister is coming to visit NEXT WEEK!!! This is almost too much excitement to bare.
This week I planned a trip to Texas in May. This makes me so happy because I'll get to be there for Mother's Day, my mom's birthday, a friends wedding, and a day shy of my mother-in-laws birthday!! So much celebrating that I get to be a part of!!! YAY!
This week I got to say goodbye to a good friend who's headed off to Iraq, by eating Indian food and watching a chick-flick*. Danielle was one of the very first people I met when I moved to Washington waaaay back when, and I'm sad to see her go, but I know God will do good things with her over "there".
This week I got a present in the mail:
Its actually made out of brass but it looks like thread...and its AWESOME! The perfect "reminded" of my sweet husband who puts up with me even when I complained about buying guns. ;-)
* I totally enjoyed the newest chick flick Confessions of a Shopaholic, it was girlie and cute and had plenty of eye-candy in the form of shoes and bags galore, and it was pretty much without the usual sexual horribleness that I hate about movies these days! two thumbs up!
Now I'm off to a "surprise" birthday party ( the surprise was ruined by facebook...sad, but true) and I'm getting all the last minute prep work done for the totally wonderful-amazing-perfectly-executed Baby shower that I'm throwing tomorrow ( cross your fingers!) !
March 12, 2009
Implied.
I know that I don't have to tell you this, but I miss Brett. Kinda a lot. Kinda all the time.
March 10, 2009
just one hour.
I don't know if I comment on this every year (I'm too lazy to look at my archives) but I'm pretty sure time-changes are made to torture a person.
One hour makes ALLLL the difference in my little world! But, this week has been so nice and busy already that I haven't had too much time to complain to myself. hehe
I've had to make lists this week to make sure I get everything done, but there is one thing I've noticed- I thrive on this kind of thing. I SO delight in having a busy enough schedule that I need lists and calendars. I so wish that I did not delight in it so much because it means that when I'm NOT busy Bad Things Happen...but instead of dwelling on that lets dwell on the fact that I love people and parties and planning ( oh, and I also love alliteration) and that this week has plenty of both! Excellent.
Oh and I'm surrounded by Babies. Everyone is having Babies. Babies Babies Babies. *sigh*
One hour makes ALLLL the difference in my little world! But, this week has been so nice and busy already that I haven't had too much time to complain to myself. hehe
I've had to make lists this week to make sure I get everything done, but there is one thing I've noticed- I thrive on this kind of thing. I SO delight in having a busy enough schedule that I need lists and calendars. I so wish that I did not delight in it so much because it means that when I'm NOT busy Bad Things Happen...but instead of dwelling on that lets dwell on the fact that I love people and parties and planning ( oh, and I also love alliteration) and that this week has plenty of both! Excellent.
Oh and I'm surrounded by Babies. Everyone is having Babies. Babies Babies Babies. *sigh*
March 09, 2009
The One Thing
Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that still stands when all else has fallen.
I Cor 13:7-8 ( Philips Bible)
I Cor 13:7-8 ( Philips Bible)
March 06, 2009
Seriously. That Happened.
Things that happened today:
Today I bought a gun
Today I talked with a nasty old man who had just finished discussing the finer points of getting a divorce with a gang member. I had to smile and play nice because I wanted said nasty old man to give me a copy of his gun sellers license.
True story:
Ok, so first off...BRETT is the one who actually bought the gun, but I'm a super-duper submissive wife who does nice things without complaining and will even go to great lengths like getting lost in Lakewood trying to find the gun store and then having to put up with a couple of jerks who sell guns so that I could then mail tons-o-money to the guy that Brett bought the gun from so that it can be delivered....I will do all of that because of love. And because I'm sure I'll get something good out of it eventually ;-)
I also went to that art gallery opening that I was telling you about earlier this week, but I ended up going all by myself, which I did NOT want to do because I just KNEW this gallery was going to be on the WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS...but I sucked it up because that's what loving on people is all about, right?! So I went to the wrong side of town ( almost getting lost, but not) and then I remembered that my gun-happy husband would be LESS THAN thrilled if I walked the two blocks to the gallery in the pitch darkness of the Tacoma ghetto night all on my lonesome-so I called Amy and she talked to me for two minutes while I walked to the gallery...that way, if you know, I got shot or something Amy would be the first to know. And she could then pass on my last words to Brett.
Incidently my last words would be something along the lines of: GUNS KILL PEOPLE! AND NOW WE OWN SOME TOO!!! IRONY!
Actually, I'm still working on the wording of my last words so luckily I missed death in Tacoma tonight so I'll have more time to perfect them...
Oh, and the art gallery was worth it. Apparently in the three years this girl has been inviting people to go to her galleries I'm the FIRST to show up!! WHAT?!? Seriously?! Art is so cool!!! And now I'm happy to say I have yet another talented friend. ;-)
Today I bought a gun
Today I talked with a nasty old man who had just finished discussing the finer points of getting a divorce with a gang member. I had to smile and play nice because I wanted said nasty old man to give me a copy of his gun sellers license.
True story:
Ok, so first off...BRETT is the one who actually bought the gun, but I'm a super-duper submissive wife who does nice things without complaining and will even go to great lengths like getting lost in Lakewood trying to find the gun store and then having to put up with a couple of jerks who sell guns so that I could then mail tons-o-money to the guy that Brett bought the gun from so that it can be delivered....I will do all of that because of love. And because I'm sure I'll get something good out of it eventually ;-)
I also went to that art gallery opening that I was telling you about earlier this week, but I ended up going all by myself, which I did NOT want to do because I just KNEW this gallery was going to be on the WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS...but I sucked it up because that's what loving on people is all about, right?! So I went to the wrong side of town ( almost getting lost, but not) and then I remembered that my gun-happy husband would be LESS THAN thrilled if I walked the two blocks to the gallery in the pitch darkness of the Tacoma ghetto night all on my lonesome-so I called Amy and she talked to me for two minutes while I walked to the gallery...that way, if you know, I got shot or something Amy would be the first to know. And she could then pass on my last words to Brett.
Incidently my last words would be something along the lines of: GUNS KILL PEOPLE! AND NOW WE OWN SOME TOO!!! IRONY!
Actually, I'm still working on the wording of my last words so luckily I missed death in Tacoma tonight so I'll have more time to perfect them...
Oh, and the art gallery was worth it. Apparently in the three years this girl has been inviting people to go to her galleries I'm the FIRST to show up!! WHAT?!? Seriously?! Art is so cool!!! And now I'm happy to say I have yet another talented friend. ;-)
March 05, 2009
Brought to you by my favorite things:
I've been listening to this song on repeat. Mat Kearney's Breathe In Breathe Out
I've been craving the Strawberry Nirvana smoothie from Jamba Juice pretty much constantly. My saving grace is that I have to drive out of the way to get one....so I've been living it up Recession style and making them at home-easier on the pocket book and probably better for me: Frozen Mixed Berries, half a banana, vanilla soy milk and low fat vanilla yogurt and ice in your blinder and you're rolling in yummy!
I watched Secret LIfe of Bees last night and totally cried. A good little growing up movie that also brought me back to the thankful conclusion that as many troubles as we have in this country we have come Far since the Civil Rights movement. Thank goodness...so many have suffered for what we live today!
I've been reading the archives of this website for a while now ( I think I'm somewhere in 2005 right now)...she's one of those "famous bloggers" who actually makes a living off her blog ( JEALOUS!)....but I am struck by her honesty about being a mother and her struggles with depression. Warning though, she uses profanity like it was going out of style.
I've been craving the Strawberry Nirvana smoothie from Jamba Juice pretty much constantly. My saving grace is that I have to drive out of the way to get one....so I've been living it up Recession style and making them at home-easier on the pocket book and probably better for me: Frozen Mixed Berries, half a banana, vanilla soy milk and low fat vanilla yogurt and ice in your blinder and you're rolling in yummy!
I watched Secret LIfe of Bees last night and totally cried. A good little growing up movie that also brought me back to the thankful conclusion that as many troubles as we have in this country we have come Far since the Civil Rights movement. Thank goodness...so many have suffered for what we live today!
I've been reading the archives of this website for a while now ( I think I'm somewhere in 2005 right now)...she's one of those "famous bloggers" who actually makes a living off her blog ( JEALOUS!)....but I am struck by her honesty about being a mother and her struggles with depression. Warning though, she uses profanity like it was going out of style.
March 04, 2009
other than this...
At Bible Study last night I admitted to the girls that my toes had been tingling for several days now and that I thought it was really weird. Lucky for me I have two nurses and a nursing student in my small group and they all felt like it just might be possible that my headaches and tingling toes are connected, in say, a pinched nerve in my back or something...
So those of you who have recommended the chiropractor to me in the past, rejoice. Because I'm going! Tomorrow!
I'll let you know what happens...but I can't tell you how relieved I'd be if my weird medical problems could finally be solved! Of course, I have to actually pay to go to the chiropractor...which is a low blow to my usually free medical mind-but after almost a month of solid headaches I'd be willing to shell out some serious dough if they promise to make me better. :-(
In other news, here is what's going on with me OTHER than medical drama:
Today I went to PWOC ( for those of you who don't remember: Protestant Women of the Chapel...something that I was a part of in Kansas...) here at Fort Lewis. While it might have just looked like I was innocently going to chapel in actuality I was 'giving up' on ever finding a job and therefore I'm now getting involved in day time activities. *sigh*
On Thursday: Meeting up with a friend for coffee. Going to the Chiropractor. Hopefully finding a cure. Basically the usual.
On Friday I'm going an art opening at a local art gallery after meeting a new friend at Bible Study and finding out that she's an artist! Should be fun, and I'm hoping to slip some Indian food into the mix if I can ;-)
On Saturday I'm throwing a low key girls night at my house for the Navigator Girls...at least I'm hoping it'll be low key! I really just want there to be more social times when all the girls can hang out and get to know each other better....I think it'll ultimately make our small group times better-you know, more sharing, more openness...you know the drill ;-)
....
I tell you all this because I'm just so DARN excited to have things on my calendar again....the last few weeks have been rough with a capital R! I never, ever want to repeat that again. Ever.
Luckily next week I've got Amy's baby shower to get ready for! YAY! If I spread it out ( like Joey on Friends would) I'm sure I can make baby shower prep take up the whole week. ;-)
Tonight I'm watching movies. Australia is on the agenda as well as Secret Life of Bees....annnnnnd....I got them both for FREEEEE! Sweet, right? Well, now for a limited time you can rent movies for free at a Redbox near you if you have the promotion code, go to this website every Monday ( and for the month of March every Wednesday too!) and get the code you'll need! ( thanks to Amy The Savingest Housewife Around for this tip).
So those of you who have recommended the chiropractor to me in the past, rejoice. Because I'm going! Tomorrow!
I'll let you know what happens...but I can't tell you how relieved I'd be if my weird medical problems could finally be solved! Of course, I have to actually pay to go to the chiropractor...which is a low blow to my usually free medical mind-but after almost a month of solid headaches I'd be willing to shell out some serious dough if they promise to make me better. :-(
In other news, here is what's going on with me OTHER than medical drama:
Today I went to PWOC ( for those of you who don't remember: Protestant Women of the Chapel...something that I was a part of in Kansas...) here at Fort Lewis. While it might have just looked like I was innocently going to chapel in actuality I was 'giving up' on ever finding a job and therefore I'm now getting involved in day time activities. *sigh*
On Thursday: Meeting up with a friend for coffee. Going to the Chiropractor. Hopefully finding a cure. Basically the usual.
On Friday I'm going an art opening at a local art gallery after meeting a new friend at Bible Study and finding out that she's an artist! Should be fun, and I'm hoping to slip some Indian food into the mix if I can ;-)
On Saturday I'm throwing a low key girls night at my house for the Navigator Girls...at least I'm hoping it'll be low key! I really just want there to be more social times when all the girls can hang out and get to know each other better....I think it'll ultimately make our small group times better-you know, more sharing, more openness...you know the drill ;-)
....
I tell you all this because I'm just so DARN excited to have things on my calendar again....the last few weeks have been rough with a capital R! I never, ever want to repeat that again. Ever.
Luckily next week I've got Amy's baby shower to get ready for! YAY! If I spread it out ( like Joey on Friends would) I'm sure I can make baby shower prep take up the whole week. ;-)
Tonight I'm watching movies. Australia is on the agenda as well as Secret Life of Bees....annnnnnd....I got them both for FREEEEE! Sweet, right? Well, now for a limited time you can rent movies for free at a Redbox near you if you have the promotion code, go to this website every Monday ( and for the month of March every Wednesday too!) and get the code you'll need! ( thanks to Amy The Savingest Housewife Around for this tip).
March 03, 2009
Uplifting and Kid safe.
That is the catch phrase of the Christian radio station here in Washington. This station is “not God’s best” as my friend Amy would so eloquently put it. It is possible that it is kid safe, but it is NOT “uplifting”. It is the essence of watered down christianity and everything that I hate about "religiosity"....
Which leaves me with the one truly awesome thing about radio in Washington which is The Mountain. This radio station is everything a radio station should be. They are U2 fans, the dejays seem to legitimately love music and actually KNOW about music-In fact, most of the time I feel like they are not reading off of wikipedia when they talk about bands and music trivia. This radio station is something that I will miss ( and already have missed when I was in Kansas-aka. Land of country music) when I leave WA again….
But, anyway, back to the Christian music. Now, I’m not one of those people that believes that to be a Christian you should listen to Christian music…or even that other music is “bad for you”….I’m also not one of those “other people” who hate contemporary Christian music…I’m somewhere soundly in the middle. And sometimes on particularly bad days when I'm missing Brett or having a headache ( so basically most days)....I like something that will make me think of "Holier Things".
SO! Since I can’t listen to the Christian radio station ( because listening to that dribble will make one HAVE roadrage if you didn’t already) I have discovered something TRULY glorious.
So....my phone allows me to listen to Pandora ( the greatest thing to hit the internet since google) on my phone, and my car allows me to plug my phone into my radio speakers-which BASICALLY means that I get FREE satellite radio. No commercials, the ability to skip songs and a HUMNUNGO range of music to listen to....
I love it.
Which leaves me with the one truly awesome thing about radio in Washington which is The Mountain. This radio station is everything a radio station should be. They are U2 fans, the dejays seem to legitimately love music and actually KNOW about music-In fact, most of the time I feel like they are not reading off of wikipedia when they talk about bands and music trivia. This radio station is something that I will miss ( and already have missed when I was in Kansas-aka. Land of country music) when I leave WA again….
But, anyway, back to the Christian music. Now, I’m not one of those people that believes that to be a Christian you should listen to Christian music…or even that other music is “bad for you”….I’m also not one of those “other people” who hate contemporary Christian music…I’m somewhere soundly in the middle. And sometimes on particularly bad days when I'm missing Brett or having a headache ( so basically most days)....I like something that will make me think of "Holier Things".
SO! Since I can’t listen to the Christian radio station ( because listening to that dribble will make one HAVE roadrage if you didn’t already) I have discovered something TRULY glorious.
So....my phone allows me to listen to Pandora ( the greatest thing to hit the internet since google) on my phone, and my car allows me to plug my phone into my radio speakers-which BASICALLY means that I get FREE satellite radio. No commercials, the ability to skip songs and a HUMNUNGO range of music to listen to....
I love it.
March 02, 2009
the aftermath of a particular breakdown.
Last week was NOT awesome.
Basically you combine a lot of pain in the head with inactivity and you've got the equation to a pretty downtrodden person.
Anyway, over the weekend I realized a few things-first of all, I cannot not MAKE my weeks busy. Sometimes they just aren't going to be stellar in that department, there will not be enough people to hang out with me, there will not be enough errands to run, there will not be anything fun to look forward to...and it'll make me feel sad and a tad lost...and I'll basically be left with my own thoughts and fears to keep me company. Not. Pretty.
But, I've got to be ok with that. I've got to Trust and have Faith and Seek even on those kind of days. And believe me its a LOT harder to do then it looks! Basically, I'm talking about being an anti-farweather-friend of Jesus. Pretty much go in the opposite direction as Peter on the night he betrayed Him. This is also hard to do, because if you think about it, that's what human nature is all about! We're all busily looking for distractions and answers that AREN'T Christ...and none of them are working. So, instead we must choose the hard road-the road that goes harder and looks deeper and believes in the Love even when its not super obvious and on the surface promising you a Perfect Life. Instead, its offering you a tougher, bumpier and full of pot-holes road-but a road that leads the Cross. So basically, its a much better road.
SooOoooOOOO...new week, new month. This coming week is looking almost as dreary as last week ( in the "busy-ness" department), and yes...P.S. All my job applications were pretty much denied. All of them. Which leaves me most certainly jobless for the near to distant future. So somewhere between now and then I need to become OK with not being a busy busy bee.
So the new week and the new month are promising to be all about seeking after the Harder, Bumpier Roads and not being satisfied with watching Alias Season 5 ( for lack of a better analogy-even though Season Five is pretty great.)....
My dearest Blog, I'm continually shocked with how very slow I am to learn some lessons and sometimes I worry that I'll never learn and that I'm destine to be this Silly and this Wrong for the rest of my days...luckily I've been promised:
being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Phil 1: 6
Basically you combine a lot of pain in the head with inactivity and you've got the equation to a pretty downtrodden person.
Anyway, over the weekend I realized a few things-first of all, I cannot not MAKE my weeks busy. Sometimes they just aren't going to be stellar in that department, there will not be enough people to hang out with me, there will not be enough errands to run, there will not be anything fun to look forward to...and it'll make me feel sad and a tad lost...and I'll basically be left with my own thoughts and fears to keep me company. Not. Pretty.
But, I've got to be ok with that. I've got to Trust and have Faith and Seek even on those kind of days. And believe me its a LOT harder to do then it looks! Basically, I'm talking about being an anti-farweather-friend of Jesus. Pretty much go in the opposite direction as Peter on the night he betrayed Him. This is also hard to do, because if you think about it, that's what human nature is all about! We're all busily looking for distractions and answers that AREN'T Christ...and none of them are working. So, instead we must choose the hard road-the road that goes harder and looks deeper and believes in the Love even when its not super obvious and on the surface promising you a Perfect Life. Instead, its offering you a tougher, bumpier and full of pot-holes road-but a road that leads the Cross. So basically, its a much better road.
SooOoooOOOO...new week, new month. This coming week is looking almost as dreary as last week ( in the "busy-ness" department), and yes...P.S. All my job applications were pretty much denied. All of them. Which leaves me most certainly jobless for the near to distant future. So somewhere between now and then I need to become OK with not being a busy busy bee.
So the new week and the new month are promising to be all about seeking after the Harder, Bumpier Roads and not being satisfied with watching Alias Season 5 ( for lack of a better analogy-even though Season Five is pretty great.)....
My dearest Blog, I'm continually shocked with how very slow I am to learn some lessons and sometimes I worry that I'll never learn and that I'm destine to be this Silly and this Wrong for the rest of my days...luckily I've been promised:
being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Phil 1: 6
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