Green Eyed View

Moving Day

2006-12-22T08:08:00.000-06:00

I have moved my blog!!! You can find future Green Eyed View posts at:

www.greeneyedview.wordpress.com

So, change all your links and bookmarks and head on over to my new space on the World Wide Web. Hope to see you there!! :)

Stained Glass

2006-12-18T22:10:00.000-06:00

This year, I got the bright idea to make a few of my gifts to a) satisfy my creative, crafty side that has been neglected for some time, and b) make my small Christmas gift budget go a bit farther. I decided to create a few mosaic items for a few select friends and family. I have not had much experience with mosaics. I think I have made one in my life, and that was a mosaic tile I made at Different Strokes last year. All the materials were placed in front of me, and all I had to do was glue the tiles to a square ceramic tile. A first grader could do it [and probably better than mine turned out..]. But doing a mosaic from start to finish...well, I was heading into a new frontier, where no green eyed gal....uh...named Sarah Jean Hodges....who has a dog named Jasper.....has gone before.

Anyway, I had collected my plethora of supplies way back in November. I think I spent over an hour at Hobby Lobby deliberating and stressing over what supplies I was going to need. I had planned on spending the next month between Thanksgiving and Christmas creating beautiful masterpieces my loved ones would 'ooo' and 'ahh' in amazement over once completed in plenty of time for Christmas. Well, it is the 18th of December, and to be vulnerable and honest, ......I really only began tonight. Let's just say that a couple of my original recipients of Beautiful Mosaic Items By Sarah will now be receiving gifts bought, with great thought and care, from some store and will only be Gift Wrapped By Sarah. However, if I start in January, perhaps those few wonderful people will get their Sarah creations next year for Christmas....

Even starting tonight, I believed I would be able to do a couple of the mosaics. So I got everything I would need moved to the garage and set up on the small folding table I bought at Lowe's specifically for this crafting experience. I had 3 panes of colored glass, a mosaic kit that has all the basic tools and supplies to begin mosaic-ing [including beautiful Italian glass tiles], safety goggles, craft glue, my various items that I want to mosaic [glass candle holders and wooden trays], and a small space heater, which is absolutely essential for crafting in my chilly garage. And that is where things began to turn quite Unfortunate for this Green-Eyed Gal.

There is one bricked step that leads from my house into the garage. I was heading back into the house from the garage for one last item, when I found myself tripping on my house slippers and falling on the step. My right house slipper slipped off my foot, and my right foot, where my big toe meets the ball of my foot, made contact with the corner of above-mentioned brick step. Oh, the pain. Oh, oh the pain. I managed to limp to the bathroom, where I grabbed a Kleenex, then over to the couch to survey the damage, the whole time trying not to cry. I whined for a while holding the tissue to my throbbing injury.

WARNING: ICKY DETAILS TO FOLLOW IN THE NEXT PARAGRAPH!!!!

Upon examining my wound, it looked as though it wasn't too bad in the "bleeding profusely" area, so I got up to hobble upstairs to the bathroom for a band-aid. Well, it turns out it was bleeding more profusely than I first assessed. I left a trail of blood drops from the kitchen the first few steps of the stairs. Great. That is just perfect. Now I have to get blood out of the carpet. I try to wrap my now bloody tissue around my foot the best I can and go BACK to the downstairs bathroom for more tissue so I can wrap it some more and try again to go upstairs. At this point I think I am crying a little. Once upstairs I grab the bottle of peroxide, a washcloth, and a hand held mirror, and sit down on the floor to clean the wound. The hand held mirror allowed me to actually get a good look at the wound, just in case you were wondering....

Did you know that not only does peroxide bubble amazingly when it comes into contact with blood, but it also gets really, really warm?? Well, it does. As I was pouring peroxide on my foot and catching the excess with the rag, the rag started getting very warm and foamy. It was kind of cool. Anyway.....I clean my foot, it keeps bleeding a lot, but I ointment it up and slap a band-aid on it. Enough already with the foot! I've got a masterpiece to create!

The art of mosaic takes way too much time when a) one has no experience whatsoever with said art, b) the artist is a perfectionist, and c) the item said artist is attempting to mosaic is curved. The item mentioned is a votive candle holder. The curvature of a votive candle holder is not conducive to keeping broken pieces of glass from slipping once glue is applied and they are stuck to the solid glass of curved candle holder. I kept having to nudge pieces back in place and hold the glass at an angle while blowing on the pieces to hurry the drying process along. I finally stuck to one section and held the glass still until that section dried. I tell you, watching glue dry is even less exciting than watching paint dry. Finally, it was 8:45 and I needed to call it quits for the night.

All in all, I have the rim and 1/2 of one section of a 3 inch high votive candle holder covered in glass. Whoopee. I have that one to finish, 7 more candle holders to apply bits of broken glass to, and all of them to grout. I also have a hurt foot, and I think there are tiny shards of glass in my hands. I am off to a good start. Only 7 days until Christmas. At this rate, I should be done by Groundhog's day, and need to buy stock in bandaids and triple antibiotic ointment.

Until next time......

Glowing Warmth

2006-10-22T14:07:00.000-05:00

Today I experienced my first fire in the fireplace at The Palace [aka Jamie's and my apartment]. We've never had a fire, and we've lived there almost a year. In fact, there was a half burned log in the fireplace when we moved in. That logged got burned today. We probably would still have not had a fire if my wonderful boyfriend hadn't decided that he was going to build us a nice toasty fire for us when he came over for breakfast this morning. Thanks David! He worked a good while and managed to build a really nice homey fire. It was nice sitting by the fire, drinking hot tea. I hope this is the first of many cozy fires this fall/winter! It sure was a good day for it. It is chilly out!

Easy as Apple ____

2006-10-01T23:09:00.000-05:00

I am in a place of complete and total happiness.....

I made my first apple pie of 2006.

I love, LOVE, L.O.V.E. making apple pies. I think it is the highest form of cooking therapy for me. I don't know what it is....if its the smells, the fun of rolling out my own pie crust from scratch, or the challenge of creating the perfect lattice top, but I find so much happiness in making apple pie. It relaxes me and makes me feel just all peachy and peaceful. And very "Susy Homemaker", haha!

Tonight's pie, which has 30 minutes baking time left, was extra fun for me. I have not made an apple pie in I think over a year. :( It completely slipped my mind last year. Also, I got to bring out my all-time favorite kitchen gadget: my apple peeler/corer/slicer.

OH! The awesomeness of this particular gadget is indescribable! This little gadget peels, cores, and slices at the turn of a handle. I had completely forgotten that my apple peeler/corer/slicer was a peeler/corer/slicer. I thought it only peeled and cored. So, you can imagine my excited surprise when I discovered that it was slicing my apples into beautifully thin slices, perfect for apple pie. It made my pie making experience so much the more joyful. :)

This particular pie is for my co-workers. We had BAGS of leftover apples from an event last week, so I told them I would take some home and make one for work tomorrow. One of my co-workers is going to bring CINNAMON ICE CREAM as a delicious addition to the pie. YUM!!! :)

I have plans on making one more apple pie in the next few days, and hopefully will get the chance to make a few more this Fall.

Apple Pie! Apple Pie!

heehee!

Summertime....and the Living's Easy.... SUMMER 2006: An Index

2006-09-22T08:37:00.000-05:00

As Fall has "officially" arrived on the calendar, I thought it appropriate to give a little summary of my exciting, blog post-less summer.

OK....so this whole "index" thing is taken from ole Rosco, but imitation is the highest form of flattery, right? And besides, how else am I supposed to get a whole summer's worth of happenings into one post? Exactly..... So...let us begin:

number of birthdays celebrated: 1

number of car accidents I was in: 1

the result of above mentioned car accident: one completely totaled car, 2 very unhurt drivers

the two finest words in the English Language after car accident: Total Coverage

amount of time I was "without" a car until a replacement was found: 5 days

first thought of replacement car: incomparibly better in so many ways than the old one. It is a complete and total blessing from God

person responsible for finding this gem of a car: Dave

what the insurance check covered: the entire cost of the new car, plus the cost of the ticket received in accident [yeah, my fault]. almost to the penny!

color of new amazing, wonderful, blessing of a car: purple...no...grey... no blue....uh......depends on who you talk to ;)

number of trips taken to Silver Dollar City: 1

number of fanny packs seen while sitting in front of SDC for 45 minutes waiting for the rest of our group to arrive: we lost count at 78

# of times my hair was colored this summer: 6

time span in which hair was colored above mentioned number of times: 2 weeks

amount of time I let go by before going to my stylist after the 'unfortunate hair coloring experience' so she wouldn't find out my faux pas: 2 1/2 months

number of seconds it took her to notice what I had done: .000003

number of weddings attended: 2

number of wedding anniversary celebrations attended: 1

number of baby showers: 2

number of funerals: 1

number of summer movies watched on the big screen: 3

best movie I saw on the big screen this summer: Superman Returns

number of ticks that attached themselves to my body in the Unfortunate Seed Tick Incident: 147

what number I lost count at when trying to count the red dots left behind by above mentioned seed ticks: 65

number of walks or hikes taken in the woods this summer: 2, one at the beginning, one at the end

how many weekends my roommate was out of town, causing me to spend my weekends home alone: all but 3

number of times I got "anxious" over being home alone: 4

cause of two of those 4 anxious times: watching a scary movie before bed

what I did to "protect myself" while I slept when all alone: wedged a giant framed Monet print underneath the doorknob of my bedroom door.

number of awesome conversations had and wonderful memories made: countless!

Ok....so I am sure a lot more went on, but I am running out of creative things....

And now.....ON TO FALL!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Blood Sucking Monsters

2006-09-20T08:03:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I went on a very lovely walk in the woods with Dave. It was awesome. The woods are on a nice piece of land owned by his sister and brother-in-law. It was a perfect evening for a walk. The temperature was just right, and the air had just the right amount of crispness in it. I took several deep breaths along the way to savor the woodsy, fall scents. We saw a few deer and found ourselves whispering for quite a bit a time after that. The sounds and silence of the woods were too natural and sacred to ruin with our human chatter. Afterwards we sat on his tailgate in the adjacent meadow and talked as the afternoon faded to dusk and dusk faded to that wonderful "gloaming" and it became too dark and chilly to enjoy [as much].

While we were sitting, I had noticed I started to itch quite a bit. I figured it was because I had gotten chilled, which caused the prickly hair on my not-so-fresh-shaven legs to stand at attention and irritate my skin as they rubbed against my jeans. When we returned to his house, I was still itching, so I decided a trip to the powder room was necessary in order to investigate. I looked at my legs, and they did not look normal. I looked either very freckled, or like I had a bad case of razor burn. On closer inspection, I discovered the tiny brown dots all over my legs [and I mean ALL OVER] were TICKS. And not only were they ticks, they were SEED TICKS, itty bitty blood sucking creatures the size of one of these: [.]. That's right. The size of a period at the end of a sentence. And that is true to scale. These vile blood sucking parasites had already bedded down for the night and were feasting on Sang de Sarah. What was most interesting was how my whole body began to itch once I learned I had seed ticks on my legs. Of course, I did begin to find a few on my arms that gave me evidence that I might in fact have them all over.

So my evening ended with a shower in an attempt to scrub off the offending blood suckers. Scrubbing did not work, so I ended up having to scratch them off a few at a time in the shower, and take a second look over everything after to pick off what I missed. My roommate Jamie was a trooper and thoroughly checked my back and removed a few from there. The only place left unchecked is my head. There is NO WAY I would be able to find them in my hair. I can only hope I scrub them off as I wash my hair.

Seed ticks and all, it was a great evening, and one I won't soon forget [or ever forget for that matter]. When I woke up this morning, I found myself chuckling at how funny the Unfortunate Seed Tick Incident, as it will now be called, truly was. Memories were made, and I really like that! :) Of course, the next time Dave and I go for a jaunt in the woods, the DEET will be accompanying us!

Just Breathe

2006-09-11T22:22:00.000-05:00

Still breathing! Just thought I'd check in..... :)

To The Faithful

2006-08-22T12:20:00.000-05:00

Its been a long time.... I really didn't intend for this much time to go by. But a week faded into a month, and then a month or two went by. I bet there are some out there who don't even bother to come here anymore to see if I've updated, because they have given up on me ever returning, believing I have let this Green Eyed View fall into the shadows of blogging past.

So this post is dedicated to the faithful few who still come to view my View in hopes that maybe one of these days I will come out of blogging retirement. Thank you for your faithfulness. My hat goes off to you [if I actually wore a hat, that is...].

Its a late night for me. I can't sleep. So you will have to excuse my random thoughts. I thought I'd share a few:

Sometimes I wish life was scripted. I think I would find conversations much easier if I knew what my next line was was going to be, and could have advance notice of the direction the other person[s]'s lines were going to take. I don't deny that I feel very inadequate in regards to verbal communication. I don't feel like I am a good communicator. I feel awkward. I don't know how to respond sometimes. I don't have time to think my thoughts through before I am expected to respond. My thoughts come out of my mouth jumbled. I feel like I am stumbling and stuttering over every sentence. My sentences don't come out of my mouth the way that I thought them in my head. And so on. However, I must say, with recent practice and help, I think I am getting a tad bit better. Much thanks to my helper/ teacher. Thanks for enjoying talking, and for being so good at it.

Does life ever slow down?? I mean, seriously! For the past, oh I don't know, 2 or so years now, I keep thinking, "Oh when this happens, things will slow down", or "When I get past this [season, event, holiday, project, set period of time, etc.], life will get simplier and ease up a bit", or "Maybe when I hit this age, it will all get much slower and I will have time to do this, this, and this". But, none of these things ever happen. When I thought that when the fall was over things would slow down, then winter came and things were busy again. The same thing happened with spring, then this summer, and now fall is almost back around and I think it will be just as busy, just in a different way. Its always busy in a different way. There is always another "season", always another "event", always another..."another". There are things that I so want to focus on, that I feel I can't focus on, until "life slows down". But I am realizing its probably not going to, so when can I focus? Ok, so I am getting a little dramatic here [big surprise]. Prehaps I am not as busy as I think; maybe its just time management that I need to work on. That wouldn't be a surprise.

Why is it that insomnia hits me at the most inopportune times? Its always when I feel like I need sleep the most, haha. I know I will be very tired tomorrow. I will not want to get out of bed. My morning schedule will be cut short as I try to pare it down to "what absolutely needs to be done in order to get ready, and not a thing more". My morning routine will suffer, and I will suffer from cutting down my morning routine. There is a chance I will have a case of the grumpies in the morning. Even now, I know I am tired. My eyes are feeling heavy, and my body is aching for rest. But as soon as the light officially goes out, my mind starts running a marathon of thoughts. It. Won't. Shut. Down. It has to rehash much of the day, every detail of my evening with mi novio [which was quite delightful, I might add... :)], play through a few "daydream" stories which will probably involve a combination of car chases, secret agents, missionaries, secret Portuguese Royalty and/or abductions [I have an extremely overactive imagination...], and go through a few to-do list and calendaring items that I have on my docket for the next week or so. I will toss and turn and pray for sleep [beg God for it]. This has all happened before. It used to be a "once in a blue moon" event. Not so much anymore. I feel like my insomnia is getting more frequent. This will be the second or third time in a 2 week period, I believe. I think I need to change my daytime schedule and routine in order to make sleep more possible at night. Maybe....eat better? Drink more water? Exercise regularly? I don't know..... Those are things I want to do. I have no clue if they will help my sleep pattern. Just thoughts. Random, muddled thoughts coming from a mind that is up past 12 am......

Summer Solstice

2006-06-21T15:04:00.000-05:00

Happy Summer Solstice! Today is the longest day of the year (meaning the most sunshine we will have all year long). Also, today just happens to be this Green Eyed Gal's Birthday.

Yes, Thursday, June 21, 1979, at 6:18pm I made my grand entrance into this world, after my mom's horribly long labor of......18 minutes. I kid you not. The woman was in labor for 18 whole minutes. She can't really complain there. Daddy said it was a good thing we were already at the hospital [they induced], or I would have been born at home or in the car. I weighed....a lot, and was short, fat, beat-up looking, with jaundice. Yep, a pretty baby I was NOT. I'd post a picture if I had one, but unfortunately they are still in physical form and have never been scanned for digital use. I was named Sarah Jean after.....well....the Bible Sarah....I guess....and Jean after my Granny, who's middle name is Jean as well [but she goes by her middle name]. Sarah is Hebrew for "Princess" [yes, yes I am, thank you very much ;) ], and Jean is Celtic/Gaelic and means "God is Gracious".

So, there's a little information into my birth. And... that's all I really have to say! Its been a fun journey. I can't believe I've been alive this long. Time seems to go faster and faster the older I get. God has been and is still so amazing and good to me. I am blessed beyond anything I could ask for or imagine.

Daddy

2006-06-18T11:05:00.000-05:00

Its Father's Day, and I wanted to dedicated this post to my daddy. I have been asked to speak at church tonight about my dad, which has my nerves all worked up b/c I just do NOT like being up in front of people. For any reason. Anyway, I have been working this morning typing up what I want to say about daddy, and I wanted to post it here in its entirety:

In honor of Father’s Day, I want to tell you all about my dad, the most incredible man I know. I don’t think I will be able to fully do him justice and fully describe to you how neat he is, but I hope to do my best.

My dad, whom I still call and probably will always call “daddy” more than I do dad, is in my opinion the best dad a girl could have.

I am the youngest in my family, and am the only girl, having one older brother, so I am probably your stereotypical Daddy’s Girl. I admit it. I am a daddy’s girl. I have successfully mastered the pout in my years on this earth as my daddy’s daughter, and am pretty sure that from the time I was born my dad has been securely wrapped around my little finger. One of my favorite father daughter activities growing up was sitting in my dad’s lap. I used to do all the time. And, as embarrassing as it is to admit, I still to this day, still occasionally sit in his lap. There are just certain times I need my daddy to hold me. And, he told me once I have permission to do it until I am 40, so I need to do it while I can.

My dad was always the better discipline giver in our house. I was an extremely strong willed child. I know some of you who know me might find that hard to believe, but trust me. I was strong willed. And I needed that strong will to be in a way, broken. My dad successfully did that, I think. He was always so calm about punishment. He told me about his one time when I was really small where I had done something that was deserving of a spanking. I don’t remember this at all, but he said when he had finished, I immediately screamed, “I hate you daddy!” So, he had to punish me again. And, I said it again. I am not sure how long this went back and forth. My dad told me that he remember thinking, “She is going to win. I cannot keep beating this child.” I am not sure what he did exactly in the end. I am so thankful for his loving discipline. I know that I needed it. And it made me develop a healthy fear of my dad.

A lot of my friends were a little scared of my dad. They saw him as this quiet, serious, guy who was super spiritual and incredibly intimidating. But I see him differently. I think my dad is hilarious. He is weird in his humor sometimes, but humorous all the same. He has a weird, dry sense of humor and thinks the strangest things are funny sometimes.

On a more serious side, my daddy is the most Godly, God fearing, wise spiritual man I have ever known. He has led our family and brought us up to fear and know God.
One thing that will always stick in my mind when I think about my dad’s relationship with God is his prayer chair. In my parents house, the house I pretty much grew up in, my dad has a chair in the living room that is referred to as his prayer chair. That is where he sits when he reads, studies, prays, or listens to worship music. I can remember countless times coming home and finding my dad sitting in his chair, headphones on, arms raised, worshipping God with tears streaming down his face, or stretched out on his face in the floor. I remember times when I was sat in the prayer chair so my parents could pray over me. It’s a part of my dad.

He is passionate about worship and what it means to truly worship God. He is passionate about personal holiness and living a life that is holy and pleasing to God. He will talk your ear off about Missions and especially missions to India, which is where his heart is. He has gone on and led several short term mission trips to India for about 6 or 7 years now, and is involved in a ministry over there. He is a missionary, and his calling is for short term missions and motivating other to get involved in missions. He gets so emotional sometimes when he speaks of God, and what God is doing. It’s amazing.

I think that God has used my dad, my earthly father, to give me a picture of Himself, my heavenly father. My dad is not perfect, and is human and sins, and makes mistakes, so the picture isn’t perfect, but it is a glimpse, and a picture nonetheless. I know my dad loves me. I have never doubted that. I know he will always love me. He is proud of me and excited about what God has done and is doing in my life. He couldn’t love me more or less. I love my dad. I respect him, I fear him. I want to be like him in so many ways.

My heavenly father loves me. He loves me unconditionally. He can’t love me any more or less. I fear God. I want to be like Christ, and God works in my life and disciplines me and refines me to make me more like Him. He is delighted with me and rejoices over me with singing. I know that is b/c of Christ in me. And it is Christ in my dad that has made him the father and man of God that he is today. I hope that by honoring my earthly father today, that I honor and glorify my heavenly father.

I know there a lot of people out there who don’t have the kind of earthly dad that I have been undeservingly blessed with. I wish with all my heart that it could be so, but its not, not on this earth. But regardless of how your earthly father may be, my prayer is that you can truly know and understand that God is your father. Your heavenly father is good. He never changes. He is not passive. He is never absent. He will not walk out on you or ever leave you. He will never harm you, or manipulate you. He is just. He disciplines when we need it, but with love. He loves us unconditionally.

Happy Father’s Day, Daddy. I love you.

I'm Here

2006-06-13T22:14:00.000-05:00

Yes, I am here. Sorry I've not posted anything in a while. I am planning on posting about Oaxaca.

More to come.....

Oh....Mexico!

2006-05-18T23:24:00.000-05:00

Well, I am Mexico bound. I leave tomorrow night for Tulsa, and then fly out EARLY Saturday morning for Oaxaca, Mexico. I will be part of a mission team of 20 people from my church, The Grove. I am very, very excited. Our team will be doing a medical clinic, construction work, and other ministy opportunities. I will be part of the team going into the mountains, which is where the medical clinic will be. I am not sure how exactly I will be serving, but I am so ready to serve the Mixteco and minister however God wants me to. I want to be His hands and feet, and be used by Him. It is going to be a GREAT trip, and the team is made up of GREAT people. Be praying for us. I will be gone all next week, so don't expect to hear from me until later. I hope to have many an exciting tale to share. I am preparing for an AWESOME ADVENTURE, and want to be ready for anything and everything God has in store!

Mom

2006-05-14T21:56:00.000-05:00

Its mother's day, so I want to dedicate this post to honor my mom. I know this won't do her justice, but I am going to try....

I am so blessed to have such a wonderful mom. She is my best friend, my confidant, my teacher, my prayer warrior, my devil's advocate [;) heehee], my sounding board, my level head, my momma. She is also an INCREDIBLE cook. Yum, yum.

I am so proud of her. She has made some awesome and healthy lifestyle changes in recent months and has been working hard at keeping it up.

She has been a good example to me of what a godly, Christian wife and mother should be. Like all of us, she isn't perfect, but that is ok. I still hope that one day I can be half as good a mother as she is. She is beautiful both inside and out.

Mom, if you still read my blog ;), I love you. Thank you for being my mom, for putting up with me during my strong willed childhood and especially those horrible teenage years [sorry for that, by the way...:P]. Thanks for loving me and disciplining me and loving me while you disciplined me, haha. Oh, and thanks for listening and then setting me straight when I start to overanalyze everything to death.

Thanks for being the example you have been, and for always pointing me towards Christ.

Oh, and please don't be mad at me for posting the picture... you look beautiful....

The Little Cinder Boy

2006-05-14T09:11:00.000-05:00

I came home yesterday evening to this:

Jasper stuck his nose where it DEFINITELY did not belong. The Palace has a fireplace. Jamie and I have never used this fireplace, but it has old ash and soot from a previous tenant. Not a lot, mind you, just enough to show that the fireplace has indeed been used in the past. Anyway, Jasper decided to investigate said fireplace, getting soot and ash all over the "hearth" area, his face [as pictured above], the carpet, and THE COUCH. Mad does not describe how I felt. I was beyond grumpy. I wanted to cry. I couldn't punish him. The deed had been done, and he probably wouldn't know why he was in trouble. He didn't know he had a mask of black on his face. I can tell you, he didn't get any attention. I don't remember even talking to him for a while after I got home. I may have, but I don't remember....

Anyway, a little while later, I changed my clothes and tackled the mess in the living room. Part one complete. Part two was cleaning Jasper. Jasper does not enjoy bath time. He especially does not enjoy having his face washed. Well, too bad for Jasper. I think he thought he was going to suffocate or drown or both. I had to put his face under the faucet to wet him down, then really went to town scrubbing his eyes, nose, mouth, and chin. I thought I was pretty nice to him--I used his tearless puppy formula shampoo. I do not think Jasper would have agreed....

After the whole ordeal, I was mentally and physically fatigued. I went to bed shortly after eight, not even worrying about doing my normal bedtime routine. I did not even wash my face. I was beyond caring. Those of you who really know me know how big a deal that is. For those of you who don't know: I N.E.V.E.R. go to bed without first washing my face. And yes, I used the "N" word. I do NOT go to bed without first washing off my make-up. I am pretty rigid about my skin care routine. Even if I am not wearing make-up, I must wash my face. But I did last night. WOW. First time ever. I'll probably pay for it...

I slept a good 10 hours. It. Felt. Great.

Addicted to All Things Google

2006-05-05T18:57:00.000-05:00

I have decided that Google rocks my face off. I have quite a fondness for many of the products and services that Google provides. The list grows daily as I discover a new little "thing" that they do.

My top favorites:

Google Local [Maps]- When I need a map I always head over to Google Maps. I mean, Google maps is the best [true dat, double true].

Google itself-[yeah, the search thing]- When I search, my search engine is Google. When I tell people to look something up on the Internet, I am one of those who says, "Google it".

Gmail- My email is Gmail. I have 3 gmail accounts....uh yeah. I have my main one, my "junk" one I use when I order things online or have to enter an email address on a website, and one I have with my roommate called "Posts from the Palace", that we plan on using to do encouraging/funny emails to our friends. I am quite addicted to my email. I think part of this is due to the fact that I no longer have access to my email while I am at work. All web-based email providers recieve the big BLOCK from my job. So, the only time I have access to it is early morning, noon, and evenings. I know, that is a lot. But I often have something to read or send, and find myself on my email a lot.

Blogger- OK, this is sort of new to me. I had no clue that Blogger was a Google thing until I saw it on the Products list a while back. I don't need to say much here, b/c its obvious I AM a blogger, b/c you are reading this blog, which is hosted on Blogger. I enjoy blogging and take part in this actvities quite frequently. Kudos, Google.

Gmail Talk- Hand in Hand with my Gmail is Gmail Talk. Unfortunately, my chat is only available to me in web form while on my email, b/c at this time the Chat download program is not Mac compatible. Come on Google, get with the program....grumble....

Google Calendar-My most recent obsession is Google Calendar. I. LOVE. IT. I have already set up 4 color-coded calendars to organize the various components of my life.....personal, work, church, and Jasper. Oh, and the US holidays calendar. Ah yes.... I spend quite a bit of time on this. Fortunately, I am able to access this calendar from work. It is amazing, and wonderful, and good. I can set up all sorts of activities and events, send myself reminders, send people invitations to invite them to events.....and so much more! Way to go Google. Way. To. Go.

I know there are many other wonderful Google Goodies out there, but these are the ones I currently use and love. Sigh..... ode to Google....how wonderful you are. You better never go away.

Jasper

2006-05-02T12:48:00.000-05:00

Jasper celebrated his 1st birthday on Saturday. I didn’t have the time I thought I was going to have to bake him his own “doggie” cake from a recipe I found on the internet, but I don’t think he minded or even noticed, haha. I did sing him “Happy Birthday” and gave him some extra attention and snuggle time. That dog sure likes snuggling…

He’s been frustrating me lately. He has been SO naughty. This past weekend, he pulled at the carpet by the tile in front of the fireplace twice, making a frayed spot [this is in addition to the small hole he ate in the carpet a week or two ago…]. Yesterday, he found a small wear in the couch and began pulling stuffing out, then piddled in my bedroom floor shortly after dinner while Jamie and I were getting ready to go out biking—after he had been taken out and had gone potty just an hour and a half before that. Later that night, he found, chewed, and partially ate a roach trap that was underneath the fridge. Yeah, one of those traps that says, “Hazardous to humans and domestic animals” in bold letters on the box. I watched him throughout the evening, and I think he is ok, [hopefully], but—ARGH!!—That frustrates me! I told him he was going to poison himself if he doesn’t stop, and it will make me very sad.

I am baffled at his behavior. He knows that what he is doing is NOT acceptable. He runs and hides after being caught in every one of the above mentioned acts and gives me his “sorry” face….its actually quite cute…..he looks at me and hangs his head a little and then lifts his little paw up in the air…..sigh….I’m a sucker…. He still gets punished, though.

I think I need to save up some money and enroll him in a training class.

Or else pull all my hair out. But that won’t really accomplish anything…

:P

Tenga un buen dia

2006-04-28T21:09:00.000-05:00

Today I finally had the 'confidence' to wish our Spanish-speaking members a good day at work.

Boy, was it EVER a good day!

First off, and the highest on my good day list, was receiving a huge surprise when someone brought me flowers at work today. ;) They are tulips, they are pink, and they are BEAUTIFUL. [I would post a pic, but my dad has my camera..] I was assisting a member when he came in with them, and I think I was so suprised that I ended up stuttering out a shocked greeting and acted like a goober in front of the member. I couldn't stop smiling the rest of day. In fact, my face hurt from smiling so much.... :) And as I type, I smile some more.....

Then, that evening, my dad took me on a date to Noodles for some father-daughter time. I had a really great time getting to eat and talk with my dad. He told me some interesting stuff he had learned about animal and milk fat that may totally revolutionize my current diet. [Diet as in the foods I eat, not diet as in the loosing weight kind....]. Really, I know it sounds silly, but it was highly interesting... Anyway, I always enjoy my dad and spending time with him.

After dinner, we went over to Lewis and Clark's bike sale, and I ended up getting a bike for my upcoming birthday [ehem....in....a month and a half.....haha. I know, its still a long ways away, but they were ON SALE], compliments of my wonderful parents. After I talked to bike rep, took a turn in the parking lot, got my dad's opinion on the matter, and agreed to my mom's terms for them paying for the bike full out, we were on our way home with said bike, helmet, and a few other....accessories. The "terms" laid out by my mom are that I have to clean her house top to bottom 4 times to 'earn' the difference between mom's birthday budget and the cost of the bike. Heck, I think I got off easy. Well, maybe.... My parents' house is a pretty good size, and mom can tend to be a.....packrat/cluttercritter. Oh, well, it is completely worth it. I have a mountain bike!

All in all it was a very, very good day. I even enjoyed the constant rain.....

Jibblies

2006-04-25T12:32:00.000-05:00

I was up a little late last night, sitting at my laptop typing and writing and working on some stuff. I was at the kitchen table, in the dark, with only my screen to provide light. I know, bad for my eyes....

Anyway, I was typing away, when I felt something tickling my foot. I stop, and get really still. I thought at first it might be one of those little tickles I just get sometimes, like an itch or something. But I decide to investigate. So, I slowly reach behind me to flick on the dining room light, making sure I do not move my foot more than necessary. I look down.....and then wished that I hadn't.

There, on my foot, was a huge.....COCKROACH. A cockroach. In my kitchen. On my foot. Well, that gave me a huge case of the Jibblies (number 11 on Strongbad's Bottom 10). I quietly screamed in the back of my throat [it was late, after all], knocked the offending roach off my foot, and used one of Jasper's chew toys that was nearby to squish the smitherings out of the disgusting insect. YUCK. YUCK. Our house is old, and we have bugs.

Thinking about it makes me want to silently scream again.....

Frolicking

2006-04-24T19:29:00.000-05:00

Lambeau: I'm gonna getcha! You whippersnapper...

Jasper: Ppbbbbttttthhhh!

[click photo to enlarge for detail...]

Sage Advice

2006-04-24T12:43:00.000-05:00

"Sometimes the most godly thing you can do is go to sleep and get some rest."

A wise word from my dad last night....

:)

Cry Me a River

2006-04-19T22:41:00.000-05:00

Tonight, Jamie and I were having one of our awesome girl/roommate chats, and got onto subject of crying. We were talking about various things that stir the emotions and have moved us to tears. Jamie mentioned how she feels she has become more emotional in recent years. She said that in high school and college, she wasn’t much of a cryer. In fact, she can remember exactly every single time she cried back then, b/c it was so infrequently.

Wow. That is certainly not the case with me. I am emotional. Openly at times. I have pretty much always been a cryer. I like to cry. I think its good for the body and soul, haha. Now, there are times when crying isn’t fun. I can remember times in my life where I specifically did NOT like my crying [or the reasons], and thought I would never be able to go a whole day without crying [i also tend to....uh...overreact...uh...sometimes..]. But all in all, crying is a good thing in my book. Better out than in when it comes to emotions.

Anyway, Jamie then starts telling me about the first time she ever cried during a movie while in a theater. It was her freshman year in college. Now, I can think of several fine films that I saw my own freshman year that I bawled like a baby in [Stupid Titanic—it took me until the 4th time watching it to make it through dry eyed….haven’t seen it since]. But Jamie’s reaction to a certain film was….interesting.... to say the least. I was a little…. Surprised…. that she was moved to such emotion while watching this particular movie. I myself have not seen it, but from the previews I did see I would not think that it was a crying movie. But, maybe it is.... The movie---Joe Dirt. Yes, you have read it correctly. My roommate balled during Joe Dirt. Bawled. Yes, BAWLED. She said that she felt sorry for him. Then she said, and I quote: “I didn’t even cry during The Passion [of The Christ] when I first saw it. I just sat there in shock b/c it was so intense. But Joe Dirt made me cry…”

I, of course, immediately asked for permission to post this on my blog, which she granted. ☺ I love my roommate.

Do Too

2006-04-17T18:05:00.000-05:00

My mind has been almost completely taken up today by my current to do list. Thankfully, I can multitask when I think, and have room for other thoughts…..

I am a list person. I admit it. “Hello, my name is sarah j., and I absolutely adore lists.” To do lists, shopping lists, idea lists, list lists………. :) I have spent many a happy moment writing out my lists and perfecting them and checking items off of them. At any given moment, I can have many, many lists. You might say I have a plethora of lists. [Jefe, what is a plethora?] And yes, they must be written down (or typed) on paper. I have had one or two people ask me why I don’t keep my lists electronically on the computer or phone or PDA device, etc. [thanks to those people for recognizing my….techy…suaveness…haha]. Well, the answer is that it wouldn’t be fun for me. Some of the enjoyment in making and having lists is the satisfaction of physically checking items off or scribbling through them when completed. That is just how I am. Call it a quirk, if you will, but I see it as completely normal. Of course, do truly quirky people know they are quirky? Do they see any abnormality in their behavior? Not that I am saying I am a quirky person, b/c I don’t believe I am. I have quirks, but I would not say I am a quirky person. I don’t think…..Um…..anyway….where was I??....ah yes…

Ode to my to lists….

Current To Do List [NOTE: you are getting a rare glimpse into my mind, feel special that I am willing to be so bare, haha…]:

* Finish switching out summer and winter clothes
Hang up summer clothes
Fold and box up winter clothes—make sure everything is clean
* Clean out car!
* Wash Car
* Finish Raking Leaves, bag [wear a dust mask this time so you don’t end up hacking for over a week and losing your voice from allergies]
* Figure out why the fridge is leaking and fix if possible??
* Get house sprayed for bugs!
* Organize Pantry
* Change sheets on bed
* Clean bedroom
* Pay visa
* Update contacts on mac
* Type up recipes
* I think that is enough for now…don’t want to overwhelm myself….

Oh, and if anyone out there would like to help me complete my list, or at least keep me accountable for completing my lists, I welcome your interference. Haha

Forrest Gump

2006-04-14T18:01:00.000-05:00

I actually went running today..... :)

In Christ Alone

2006-04-13T12:32:00.000-05:00

Only in Christ, only in His presence, do I have true joy and overwhelming peace.

I have always REALLY liked Travis Cottrell's arrangement of "In Christ Alone with Solid Rock". In fact, its playing now on my iTunes. Today, the words just really resonate with me. I have been meditating on certain scripture and have been singing this song in my head most the day.

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

On Christ the Solid Rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand

No guilt of life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
‘til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand

God, You are so good to me.... 'in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.'

Sigh....

2006-04-11T16:57:00.000-05:00

I seriously need help…. My discipline STINKS.

Jamie and I made plans to run this morning at 6 am. I woke up about 6:08, wondering why my alarm didn’t go off at 6 like it should have. I didn’t hear Jamie up and about, so I got out of bed and opened my door to check out the situation. I hear a sleepy, “hey…”, to which I sleepily responded. What then ensues was a rather stimulating and intelligent conversation to ascertain whether or not a run was in fact in our future:

“So… do you still want to go running this morning?”

Pause

“I dunno. We can, I guess. What do you think?”

Pause

“Well, sure, I’ll go, if you want to.”

Long pause

“Um…… I don’t care either way.”

Long Pause

“I didn’t sleep very good last night.”
“You didn’t? I didn’t either. I didn’t get to bed as early as I meant to.”

Pause

“Maybe we should go back to bed and wait and go when we are able to get more sleep.”
“Ok, I’m going back to bed.”

Yeah. So we both went back to bed. When I finally woke up all the way, I wanted to kick myself. We SO could have gone running! It would have made my day so much better. Sleepy Sarah won again. I don’t like Sleepy Sarah. :(

Then, I have a pretty decent breakfast, and am proud of myself because I don’t try to snack any in the morning when I get to work. I come home at noon and have a rather healthy lunch. It was good, it was high in protein, and didn’t have too many carbs. I was feeling pretty good about it. Then all of a sudden I had a craving. I looked at the clock and realized I had just enough time to make a quick detour on my way back to work. I could give in to the craving.

I have a weakness for ice cream. Add mint and some sort of chocolate to that ice cream, and I am a goner. I will tell you all my government secrets for the right combination of ice cream, mint and chocolate [ok, so that is a gross exaggeration, but you get the idea. I have a weakness. Oh, and I don’t know any government secrets anyway. Really. I don’t. I am just your average citizen. I don’t even really watch the news.] Anyway, Shake’s has been selling this fabulous little Mint Oreo Concrete concoction. This, of course, falls into the category of the right combination of ice cream [custard…ice cream….same difference to me], mint and chocolate. So…..I HAD to have one. And my “healthy lunch” went down the drain…. all because of Sweet Tooth Sarah. I don’t like Sweet Tooth Sarah. :(

So instead of exercise and healthy eating, I had lazy sleep and very fattening ice cream indulgence. Pooey on me.

Again I say, I SERIOUSLY need help….. :P

A Time To Dance...

2006-04-08T12:45:00.000-05:00

Before and After

2006-04-07T18:42:00.000-05:00

Before.........

..........and AFTER!

Insomnia

2006-04-03T00:22:00.000-05:00

It is 11:45 on Sunday night, and I am WIDE AWAKE. I don't know what my deal is. I had a short little nap this afternoon, but usually those don't mess me up for my "real" sleep at night. I just know I spent the last hour laying [is it "laying" or "lying"???] in bed, trying to get comfortable, with my mind racing a mile a minute. I can't get my brain to shut up. I prayed for a while. It was a little warm in my room, even with the window open and a fan blowing cooler night air in. So I gave up and came downstairs with my furry companion, Jasper [who has since disappeared underneath the couch] to spend some quality time with.....my mac. So.......here I am, blogging. In the dark. Which makes it difficult at times to find the right keys when I get my fingers off the keyboard. Oh, and when I try to use all those "special" keys like: , ; : ]..... you get the idea. And I am pretty sure my eyes will hurt later from the eye strain. A brief disclaimer: I can in no way be held to whatever makes its way into this post--it is late, and I am most likely delirious and/or delusional, haha. So....this post will self destruct in 30 seconds......or something.....

So, what does one talk about in the soon to be wee hours of the morning?

Crud, I keep hitting the comma key when I want to hit the period key. This makes for very slow typing. It would be kinda nice if my keyboard lit up or something. Or I guess I could always turn on a light. Nah.... I don't want to get up.

Well, that's nice. The lovely voice of my mac just informed me it was 12:00. I have it set up for "Vicki" to tell me the time every hour. Quite nice. Her voice is soothing.

Anyway..... I believe this will be a very random and mixed up and odd post indeed.

My back really hurts. That could be a reason for my late night. I made an attempt Saturday to clean up all the leaves in my front "yard". I don't think anyone has ever tried to rake the leaves at this place. EVER. There must be 3 or 4 seasons of leaves piled up. Okay, maybe I am exaggerating a little, but there are a BUNCH. I say that I attempted the task, because I really didn't get much accomplished. It barely looks like I made a dent in the job, but I spent SEVERAL hours on Saturday morning working on it. I have the sore back muscles to prove it.

I had thought at first that I could just rake all the leaves from the front into the woods behind my place. I first tried the easy route: Leaf Blower. But the leaves were so wet and so many, that the blower was pretty much useless. So, it was manual labor time. My idea to rake the leaves to the back turned out to be a BAD one. I soon realized that I was wasting much time and energy constantly raking the same leaves into larger and larger piles, only to move those piles into new piles closer and closer to the back.

I then decided a trip to Lowe's was in order for some of those handy dandy yard waste bags. I went as is, covered in leaf....juice. I grabbed a pack of them, thinking there were 10 in the bag. There were only five. Five leaf bags. They were quickly filled, and you can't really tell that the leaves came from the yard. I think there are about 20 more bags worth of leaves still piled up. And I am NOT exaggerating there. So sometime soon, I will have to finish the job. And if any of you reading this post feel sorry for me, ;) I could really use the help. Thanks.

Even though I got a blister on my thumb and a sore back, it actually felt quite good to get in there and do manual labor. I know its not a big deal raking leaves [well, then again, with my leaves, maybe it is....], but it felt really good. I hurt, but its a good hurt. I have always enjoyed the occasional "hard labor". Don't tell my folks that, though. I remember as a kid I would spend more time dragging my feet and complaining about picking up rocks in one of my parents' fields than actually picking up rocks. Did anyone else have to do that? Or was that a special torture reserved for those who grow up on farms? I just know I did NOT enjoy spending Saturdays in the summers picking up rocks. My brother and I would pick a spot clean, and then my dad would come along with his pick axe and do a little digging. The spot would be covered in rocks again. I hated that pick axe.....

Wow, how did I get off on that tangent?? Random...

Ok, this post is probably getting rather long. Its 12:20. I think its time to go find something else to do. I am still very much awake. I hope this doesn't make me horribly tired tomorrow.....

I don't really feel like going back over this to check my spelling and look for grammatical errors. Sorry...you all will just have to live with the mistakes.... :) :) hahahaha

Alive! Its Alive!!

2006-03-30T20:16:00.000-06:00

I'm not dead, I promise.

Ok, so....I took a rather long haitus from the world o' blogging. Yeah, I know. I just.....got away from it for awhile. I didn't post, and I didn't read other's blogs. And then, too much time went by and I got overwhelmed with all I had to catch up on. But I am back..... I think.... ;)

Um...where to begin....a LOT has happened in the life of this green eyed girl the past two months. ;) heehee!

First off, I have a new job. Since February 13 I have been working at a local credit union as a Member Service Rep. I am really, really enjoying it. I have been learning a lot, and am looking forward to learning more in the months to come. It has been good to work again in my degree field--finance.

I am also pleased to announce that I have become a Mac user. I had to get something when I left my old job, b/c I didn't have anything at home for all my personal....stuff. So, I got a Mac--an Apple i-book. I've had it for about 2 months now. I. Love. It. I am, in fact, currently typing this post on it. I set up wireless in my house [I was a little proud of my tech savvy-ness..haha], so I am all set.

Oh, and to go with my new mac, I recently purchased an i-pod--a 30 GB video to be exact. Hey, I might as well go all out, right? ;) I did have a Dell jukebox MP3 player, which, of course, would not work with my new mac. So it was....uh......a necessity..... Out with the old, in with the Awesome. I am really digging it.

On the whole, my life is going G-R-E-A-T great. I am so amazingly blessed. God is so good, so faithful, so amazing. I am blessed with awesome friends, and have been having a lot of fun in many areas of my life. :) I won't try to talk about everything going on in my life right now, or this will become a very long post indeed. :)

But since I am back "from the dead", I will be posting more regularly....

False Advertising

2006-01-31T20:38:00.000-06:00

First of all, I would like to begin this post with a heartfelt shout out in HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the BFF, Shelli. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHELLI BEAN!!! You are the bestest large-onion-chopper a girl could ever have!!! :)

Okay, so on my way home from a fun & yummy Greek celabratory dinner for Shelli a little while ago, I decided to stop in at Sonic for one of their much advertised Sweetheart Brownie Blasts. Now, by much advertised I mean just that: I have been seeing commercials for days and days telling me to come in for this limited time treat; the Sonic marquee sign talked about it; when I pulled into the parking...lot there was a big banner demanding that I try the Sonic Sweetheart Brownie Blast today; when I looked at the menu to order, there was a big yummy picture right smack at the top displaying this beautiful frozen dessert.

I pressed the button, and a young, chipper, teenage female voice welcomes me to Sonic and asks for my order. I politely respond that I would like a regular Sweetheart Brownie Blast, please. The voice promptly responds:

"We don't have that."

I sat bumfuzzled for a moment, staring at the picture in the menuboard that clearly advertised them having and serving exactly what I just ordered. I kinda stammer and say, "You...don't? But....", thoroughly confused. An equally young, teenage male voice then broke in with the answer. "We don't have them right now. Those are coming out next month--which is tomorrow."

Excuse me??? You advertise out the wazoo all over the place, then tell a chocolate-cherry loving girl that you don't have them? Okay, I know its been a long time since college, and I didn't really attend my Business Law class very often [Ok, so I hardly went. Still got an A in the class though.....oh yeah....], but don't you usually have to have the item you are advertising or else offer some....oh I don't know....compensation or something?? Okay, so I am probably wrong there, but its still not good business!

I left Sonic, slightly disappointed and feeling out of sorts at them for leading me on like they did. I drove down the road to Shake's, where they ALWAYS are able to put brownies in my frozen treats. :P

Boo Hissy Sonic!

College Chums

2006-01-17T10:59:00.000-06:00

This weekend I went to Tulsa for the baby shower of a dear college friend of mine, Leslie. She is the pregnant one in the middle of the picture above, haha. I am so excited for Leslie, who will be delivering her baby boy, Ian, in 7 short weeks [I think?]. Leslie is an amazing, beautiful, sweet, and gentle woman of God who will be an incredible mommy. While it was completely awesome to bless Leslie, it was agreed by all that it was also SO GOOD to see everyone. The girls above are the NSU girls, minus a few who were not yet at the shower when the picture was taken [Holly you are one of them! I know you're a lurker on my blog ;) Thanks again for bringing my toothbrush! heehee!].

It was so much fun getting to catch up on everyone's lives the past "few" years since college. Of those NSU gals who attended, all but 3 of us are married, and all but 3 of those married are moms , or mom's to be. One of those is in the process of adopting a baby from Vietnam. It was so encouraging hearing her and her hubby's testimony during the process as God has led them on this journey of faith. I can't wait till we get to see the product of that faith at her baby shower in the future! :)

The shower was the typical girly variety with the simple [and sometimes slightly cheesy] shower games....word scrambles, name that baby part in ultra sound pictures [rather difficult, I must say], and My Water Broke, which consisted of toy babies frozen in ice that we had to put in our punch. The first person who's baby was free of ice yelled, "My water broke" and was declared the winner. Shelli's water broke..... :P

Shelli and I got the 'award' for traveling the farthest with Holly in second, since most of the girls are from generally around the Tulsa area and surrounding towns. I know it meant a lot to Leslie to have everyone there, no matter how short or long their drive. All in all it was a BLAST! :)

Resolution Revolution

2006-01-05T14:07:00.000-06:00

I have never put put much stock in the idea of New Year's Resolutions. In thinking through my life, I don't remember ever making any. I may have had a passing thought now and then at the beginning of a year ["you know, I should drink more water this year"], but I wouldn't say I was resolute about any of these thoughts. I agree with 'resolving' to make changes in one's life, but don't hold to the idea that you store them up and wait for the beginning of a new year in hopes that doing so will make you more apt to hold to those changes. I don't know of any people who have made serious New Year's Resolutions who have kept them for very long into the New Year. From what I have seen, New Year's Resolutions have just become fodder for humor in TV and print media.

With all that said, I may have to join that camp this year. I have a few changes I very much would like to initiate in my life, that I've just recently thought of. They are NOT going to be resolutions, but changes. Small changes, but changes none the less. But we'll see. I am still contemplating. Hmm.....

Messed UP

2006-01-03T15:59:00.000-06:00

My days are all messed up with all these long weekends I've been having. I thought it was Monday for most of the day, and even made plans with a friend thinking it was Monday, only to have to cancel those plans because it is Tuesday and I have standing plans on Tuesdays. Blah. But on the positive, I have enjoyed my long weekends and look forward to a short work week. :)

This is officially my first post of 2006. Happy New Year.

The Little Hellion

2005-12-30T07:11:00.000-06:00

The little story I shared at the end of yesterday's post got me thinking about what a little snotty kid I was. Seriously, I was a hellion. If you know me now, this may [uh...or may not] be a big surprise to you, but trust me...I was AWFUL. I was what was termed a "Strong Willed Child". Don't believe me? Stick around and let me tell you some tales:

When I was in.....preschool[?]...I once peed in the floor to get my mom's attention. She was babysitting kids during the day, and I was jealous.
I once had a power of wills struggle with my dad. I was really little, and don't remember it, but was told the story: dad spanked me, I told him I hated him, so he had to spank me again. This went back and forth for a while as I continued to tell him I hated him after he would spank me. He remembers thinking that I was going to win b./ he couldn't just keep spanking me. I guess I won.
My first official spanking at school was in first grade. I accidentally depantsed [I can say it, but cannot spell it as it is not a real word] a boy. Really. It WAS an accident. Still don't understand why I got spanked for it....
I spent my entire 2^nd grade year in isolation beside the teacher’s desk. You know, one of those cardboard stand up thingies that went aound the front of my desk so I couldn't see anyone and no one could see me.
Also in 2nd grade, I used to have to get a weekly behavior report signed by the principal and my parents.
My brother's most vivid childhood memory was coming home every Sunday from church and having to wait for me to get spanked before we could eat lunch. I would do something at church deserving of a spanking. So: Church. Home. Spanking. Lunch. So was my life.
I pushed a girl down when I was 5 or 6 for not showing me what was behind her back.
I was a biter.
When I was 3 or 4, I bit a boy and drew blood. My teacher bit me back.
All my older cousins were scared of me b/c I was a biter. They love to remind me of this at every single family gathering.
I remember sitting in the hallway and on the wall at recess more times than I can count.
My second school spanking came in 4th grade as a result of me rolling my eyes at a teacher who was yelling at me.
I used to like to play with candles and matches, my favorite thing being lighting kleenexes on fire. Yeah. Not. Smart. One one such occurance I accidentally burned a hole in the carpet of my bedroom. A floor mat I had saved the day, where it remained over the burn mark until we got new carpet a few years later. As far as I know, my parents never knew.....Uh, until now, I guess, if mom still reads this thing. Sorry mom.
Speaking of fire, I also "accidentally" burned a patch of grass in our yard. It was a dry summer, and our electric fence had caught the yard on fire. After my brother and I put that fire out, I wanted to see how easy it was to start a fire in the yard. It wasn't difficult. I got in a LOT of trouble.
I do not play with fire anymore, and am quite timid around it now....
I would get in trouble at home so much that I hid my dad's belts. They were made of leather, and I did not like them.
I was kicked out of a special choir I was in in 4th grade b/c my music teacher said I was always outside principal's office.
This is horrible: I gave a girl a black eye on the bus in....5th grade [?] because another little girl didn't like her and told me to hit her. Her name was Melody. I feel awful about it now.
Apparently I got mad at my mom and threatened to take all her clothes out in the yard and set them on fire while she was at work. I do NOT remember this, but she swears up and down I did.
I think my mom secretly wondered if I might have been possessed. I wasn't, of course, but I bet she wondered it.
I received detention in 7th grade for chewing gum in choir.
Previously mentioned baton story: When I was in 9th grade, I once got really mad at my brother for doing something and began chasing him through the house with my baton [I was a majorette]. He ran into his room and shut the door right as I was swinging the baton at him. Instead of hitting my target [HIS HEAD], the baton came in contact with his bedroom door. This left a big hole right in the middle of the door. Needless to say I. Got. In. BIG. Trouble. And the hole stayed in the door for a number of years until my parents finally got around to fixing it a few years ago.
I had a Lhasa Apso when I was younger named Grizzley. Grizzley was a mean dog who would bite me all the time [he especially enjoyed biting my FACE!]. One time, I got so mad at him that I put him in the washing machine and turned it on.
Right after I turned it on, I started crying b/c i felt so bad. Grizzley was really scared. Stupid dog.
I think I put him in the dryer once for the same reason.
Side note: The above mentioned dog also hated my dad with a passion. He hated him so much that while we were gone during the day, Grizzley would get up on my dad's side of the bed and PEE ON HIS PILLOW. My dad did not discover this for some time. Grizzley ran away some time later, and no one cared. Ok, so that story wasn't about me, but its pretty funny none-the-less.
Luckily, my "strong willed child/bully/evilness" occurred from young childhood to junior high. After that, I guess I grew out of it or something, b/c I wasn't much of a hellion anymore after that.

I really can't believe I was like that, and its pretty crazy to think about. I am very glad I grew out of it and am the well adjusted young lady you all know and love today. :)

OK, so it wasn't grown out of me, it was BEATEN out of me with frequent spankings. But I am glad for them. I deserved every spanking I ever got, and can honestly say I am thankful for every lick. Way to go mom and dad.....and Mrs. Loudermilk....and Aunt Pam......Uncle John....and Mrs. Holt...uh.....Granny, maybe?......and whoever else spanked me that I am leaving out. Thanks to all.

I can't believe I just thanked my punishers.....

What a Dashing Fellow!

2005-12-30T07:09:00.000-06:00

Jasper got his first haircut yesterday, so I thought I'd let you all see how "handsome" my little guy is now:

Another Thursday

2005-12-29T11:20:00.000-06:00

As this is my blog, my soapbox, my space, I am going to type whatever comes to mind.

Thoughts running through my head right now....at this very moment...

~~I learned a really fun game this past weekend. My brother and sister-in-law were home for Christmas, and brought the fun and exciting game of Shang-hai Rummy with them. Well, Jason [my brother], has another name for it that is not appropriate for my blog. Let's just say the toned down name Emily, my sister-in-law, gave it is "Oh Smuckers". You get the idea. Its a card game that, according to my cousin, is very similar to Phase 10. Anyway, this game got pretty intense at the old Homestead, and made for some fun times. My brother is so competitive, and my dad is a sneaky guy. I am proud to say that I FINALLY won the very last game I played with them. Yippee.

~~I am anticipating the arrival of a really cool apron I just ordered online using money I received for Christmas. Yes, I said apron. And, yes, I am excited about receiving said apron. But this isn't just any old apron. Its a really cute apron that is a Jessie Steel design. They are these really cool retro style aprons in fun prints and solids with cute, flirty designs. It was expensive as far as aprons go, but I really wanted it, and aren't you supposed to fulfill wants with Christmas money?? And besides, I need an apron. Last night I got spaghetti sauce on my t-shirt while cooking. I think I am a messy cook. So this apron will save my clothes, and I will look cute while wearing it. :P

~~Speaking of cooking, I really want to make an apple pie. I absolutely love making apple pie. I even have all this cooking stuff that I got specifically to make apple pies. I have an apple peeler/corer/slicer thingamajig, a pastry roller, a neat pie crust mat, pie crust shield, and a deep dish pie dish. I also have a wonderful, world famous secret pie recipie. He he he. I have not made an apple pie in a really long time. I think I am due to make one. I should go buy apples.....

~~Grocery shopping! Man, I am SO overdue for that. I don't need a lot--just a few staples. I love grocery shopping. Hmm....gotta make a list..... no, I am not going to make my list here on my blog....

I also should get oranges for fresh squeezed OJ. I got a citrus juicer a few weeks ago, and I must say I am thoroughly enjoying it. I became a sucker for fresh squeezed orange juice when I was in Spain several years ago, but never was able to have it often until I bought the juicer. Its a simple thing, but it does the job. In fact, I had orange juice 2 days ago. Yum, Yum.

~~I cleaned my downstairs carpet last night. I borrowed my mom's carpet cleaner b/c the carpets at my and Jamie's house are AWFUL. We don't know why they weren't replaced before we moved in. I don't know what I thought would improve by cleaning, but it was not what I expected. The kool-aid stains are still there [big surprise] and so are a bunch of other stains. But I know the carpet is clean. The water that I dumped out was GROSS! So dirty. So, it may be stained, but at least it is clean. I think am going to tackle the upstairs carpet sometime this weekend...

~~Jasper is at the groomers today. He is going to get his first haircut.....well, his first haircut since I've had him. I can't wait to see how he looks. The groomer is apparently awesome. My parents take Not-My-Dog [aka Lambeau] there, and mom was very pleased. They don't drug them, which mom didn't like about N-M-D's old groomer. And, I'll admit, N-M-D did look really cute over Christmas. All fluffy and clean smelling. I still think he is getting rather chubby and needs to go on a diet. That dog is a CHUNK!

~~I am playing REACH director this morning. In fact, that is where I am right now. REACH is our weekly benevolence program here at my office. We help area people with rent, utilities, gas, food, and the like. The ministry is run by faithful volunteers who come in each week. Our normal REACH director had an unexpected doctor's appointment today, and with most of my office out on vacation, I am the 'go to' person. Its really not bad, though. My only duties as "Director" are to sit in the REACH office and wait for the interviewers to bring me people's paperwork and bills, and then make the phone calls to the landlords, utility companies, etc. and tell them what amounts we will pay on people's accounts. And then I fill out the Purchase Orders and other paperwork. Since I am away from my office and desk, I can't do any other work. Hence the ability to blog while I wait.

~~When I was in 9th grade, I once got really mad at my brother for doing something and began chasing him through the house with my baton [I was a majorette]. He ran into his room and shut the door right as I was swinging the baton at him. Instead of hitting my target [HIS HEAD], the baton came in contact with his bedroom door. This left a big hole right in the middle of the door. Needless to say I. Got. In. BIG. Trouble. And the hole stayed in the door for a number of years until my parents finally got around to fixing it a few years ago. I don't know what made me think of that story now, but I did, so I shared it.

Well, that's all I got.

Merry Christmas!

2005-12-25T07:11:00.000-06:00

Have a very Happy Christmas, everyone! May God bless you and your families and may you experience true joy and peace this year. On this day our Savior was born! Hallelujah!

Absolutely Nothing

2005-12-21T13:25:00.000-06:00

I am sitting here in my office, keyboard in my lap, my pc sitting on top of a filing cabinet. I am doing absolutely nothing except waiting for the phone to ring. Literally. Oops, there it goes! Gotta answer it.....

No, I am not trying not to work, nor do I enjoy not being able to do anything at the moment. The thing is, I am supposed to get a new desk this afternoon. It won't show up for another hour and a half. This morning, I had to pack up and clean off my old desk in preparation for this delivery. I was doing ok and able to work until the maintenence guys came to take away my old desk right after lunch. Which caused me to be rather displaced. I just now was able to get my pc set up and going. I am unable to work at my co-worker's desk [who is off on vacation] b/c I had to clean off HER desk as well b/c of the desk delivery. She is getting new office furniture as well. Actually, she is the one getting the new desk. I am not getting a new desk. I am getting pieces of her old desk, and she is getting a new desk piece to go with the remaining pieces of her old desk. The only new piece of furniture I am really getting today is a filing cabinet that matches my "new" desk.

I know this sounds like I am getting a raw deal, but I'm not. Its actually a really good and cost effective arrangement. I am getting a nice desk. And my co-worker and I will no longer bump chairs in our tiny office that is built for one person but has 2 1/2 people working in it. So all that said, that is the reason for this really boring post. It keeps me from getting bored. And it keeps my mind off the large amount of work I really needed to do today, work that must be done before I am off on Friday. Sheesh. Oh well. At least I have tomorrow.... :)

UPDATE 3:55 pm: THEY ARE NOT COMING TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Some truck problem or something..... AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Commitment Papers Are Ready

2005-12-20T07:11:00.000-06:00

In the spirit of fun and the ability to poke fun at myself, I am going to let you all in on how weird I truly am by listing a few of my quirks and weird habits. I am sure I'm not thinking of everything, so if you know me or have had the distinct privilege of being my roommate at some time, feel free to add to this list:

I can't stand onions, but I like onion rings.

I HATE, HATE, HATE coconut, but I love coconut shrimp.

I am a fastidious budgeter. Ok….so I am anal. I only have one checking account, but I have a spreadsheet called "Sarah's Budget" set up with different accounts, and have designated amounts that go into each account each month. I have the basics: Rent, Utilities, Gas, Groceries, Haircut, etc., but then I have crazy ones like: Hobbies, Postage, Mary Kay, Gifts. Yes, I have a hobby account. I have 31 regular accounts that I put money into, and that doesn’t include the 3 saving “sub” accounts I have my saving account broken into. Or my temporary accounts like Christmas & Reimbursements [which I use for work expenses]. Not only do I have all these accounts, but I have this obsession with it being balanced almost every day. I make sure all my debits and credits have been entered into my checkbook, then make sure they are all entered into their proper accounts in my budget spreadsheet. Then I make sure it all balances with my online account with my bank. I have codes in my check book. I put a dot next to each debit and credit to indicate whether they’ve been entered into my spreadsheet. A dot on the left side of the total balance means my checkbook balances with my budget. A dot on the right side means my checkbook balances with all cleared items in my checking account. On any given day, I usually have a rough idea of not only how much I have in my account, but how much I have in each sub account that makes up my budget. No, I am not obsessed with money. I could really care less about money. It’s a gift and a blessing, and as long as I can tithe and give and all my bills are paid, I am happy. I don’t need a lot, and have enough to live. I am just obsessed with being a good steward, I guess. And obsessed with budgeting. Hey, this IS a list of weird quirks. I never said it was normal. But if any of you would like my help setting up your own budget [and it doesn’t have to be anally detailed like mine], I love doing that kind of stuff. Only know that a budget is only as good as your ability to be disciplined and stick to it…..

When I am absently thinking, I pat the end of my nose with my index finger. In fact, I am doing it in between typing as I try to think up all my quirks and habits.

I have this habit of always having to ‘fix’ my eyebrows in the morning. Even when I don’t wear make-up [which is more often that some might realize, hehehe] I must brush my eyebrows in place and then ‘keep’ them in place with clear mascara. I know where this quirk comes from, but as it is a slightly painful childhood story, I will not share it.
My friend Nichole noticed I have this pointing… thing. Apparently when I point sometimes [not all the time, I think just short range pointing or something] I wiggle my index finger in and out. I don’t know. She just said I did it. A lot. I didn’t notice until she pointed it out.

If I am smiling really big, I tend to scrunch up my nose. I find it annoying. I had a friend in high school who called it my bunny nose. Bunny nose this. :P

I snort when I laugh. Yeah, I know, you all who know me KNOW THIS. It’s not just a random, ever so often thing. No, it is quite frequent. Thankfully it’s not all the time. I have noticed, however, that it seems to get more frequent. Yikes. I think this is a quirk that is only annoying to me, b/c everyone else seems to get a kick out of it. I even have had friends in the past who have actually pointed at me and laughed when I would snort. Yeah, I really enjoyed that.

I must have a fan on at night when I sleep. Every night. I NEED it for the noise. I have this small fan I keep on the floor that I turn on ‘high’ at night. It’s on the floor so it doesn’t blow on me, b/c I also can’t stand for a fan to blow on me at night while I am trying to sleep. It makes my hair blow around and tickle my face.

I love to hug [people I know, like friends and family], but am timid a lot of the time in initiating a hug, unless I know the other person is expecting it or something.
I have tidiness issues. I like things tidy. Common areas of my domicile, like the kitchen, living room, bathroom, etc, are kept neat and tidy. I am not fastidious about it—I don’t have to vacuum every day or anything like that. As long as it looks picked up and neat, and there are no dishes in the sink, I am fine. However, when it comes to my car and my room, ……. you would think I was the biggest slob on the planet. Its not as though I want them to be messy, I just never….get around to it. I am not one who hangs out in my room. I use it for sleeping, changing clothes, and the like. And my car gets me from point A to point B. I guess since I am not ‘living’ in my room and car, I don’t get them clean. I try, and every once in a while am successful.

I think that is it for now. But if anyone knows of anything else, let me know!

I Fought the Dog, and the Dog Won

2005-12-16T10:21:00.000-06:00

Update on "Jumping" Jasper. Well, he won. No more confinement for him.

I tried everything to keep that dog contained. I had most recently tried a very creative confinement method. I had moved his crate to the door of the bathroom with the baby gate on top of it and boxes shoved tightly on one side between the door frame and the crate, but he just pushed the box out and wiggled free. He'd meet me each day at lunch and after work, either by the door, on the couch, or at the top of the stairs. But thankfully, there had been no accidents. So I gave up and gave him a 'trial run'.

The last few days, he has done very well being loose in the house. As long as I make sure to take him out for final 'business' after he has eaten his breakfast and before I leave for work, I can return home at lunch to a relaxed, smiling pooch hanging out on the couch [or under it], and 'business'-free floors. He doesn't get into any other mischief, not being much of a chewer. He likes to 'nibble' on various things, like his blanket, his rope bone, and me [not kidding, but its pretty cute]. But he pretty much limits his chewing to his nyla bone.

Influenza

2005-12-06T16:46:00.000-06:00

I recently began reading a rather facinating book about the flu. Its titled FLU: The Story of the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 and the Search for the Virus That Caused It, by Gina Kolata. Yeah, that whole thing is the title. And the title really tells it all. The whole book talks about the little known Influenza Pandemic that killed more than 20 million people worldwide in a few months time in 1918, and all they tried to do to figure out the virus [gross stuff, let me tell you! :P].

Surprisingly it has been quite a page turner. I didn't think I would be able to get into it, but I am hooked. As I said before, its facinating. More Americans were killed by that Flu Pandemic than were killed in battle during World War 1, World War 2, The Korean War and the Vietnam War. WOW.
They said that many of the soldiers in World War 1 who were said to have been killed in battle actually died from that particular flu virus.

If you are interested, I highly recommend reading it. But don't take my word for it [dun, duh, daa! .....think "Reading Rainbow"....]

Houdini

2005-12-06T16:45:00.000-06:00

My sweet baby doggie boy, Jasper, needs to seek out a career in the circus, or enter the doggie Olympics. Somehow, my 7 lb, 11 oz, less than 10 in high little rascal has figured out how to jump/climb over his baby gate, which keeps him safely contained in the upstairs bathroom while no one is home.

I had an inkling that he might learn how to escape his approved area when my roommate, Jamie, told me about his vertical jump she witnessed. Apparently he can jump pretty high on all fours. But I figured that in order to clear the baby gate, he would have to not only master his vertical jump but couple it with forward motion. So I thought we were safe.

Yesterday when I went home for lunch [I love being able to do that now, by the way] to let him out, he met me at the top of the stairs. I looked at him and asked him how he got out, but of course he just smiled and wagged his tail. Yeah, I wouldn't tell me either. There were no "puppy piddle" spots anywhere, so I was relieved. I had thought maybe he had shimmied out underneath the gate or something. He can stretch out and make himself pretty flat when he wants to. When I got home that evening, I went upstairs and there was no Jasper! He wasn't in the bathroom; he wasn't anywhere upstairs! I started calling his name, and I heard the 'jangle, jangle' of his tags when he shakes himself coming from downstairs. He peeked around the corner at the bottom of the stairs and looked up at me, as if saying, 'hey mom, what's up?" Yeah. Mr. Innocent himself. I gave him the 'mom stare', which surprisingly had no effect on him.....

This morning I raised the gate even higher and stuffed towels under the bottom to keep him from wiggling out. Jamie was in the bathroom getting ready, and I went to the bottom of the stairs to watch for a bit to see what he would do. It wasn't a minute later that he jumped, hooked his front paws on the top of the gate, and shimmied his way up and over that darned gate!!!! I couldn't believe it. Then he sat at the top of the stairs, smiling at me all cute and innocent-like. The cute little devil. We ended up shutting the bathroom door, which I don't really like doing b/c I like for him to be able to look out and not feel so...contained. Yeah, I spoil.

When I went home at lunch today, I rigged up the baby gate in what I hope will be Jasper proof. I angled it so that the top is leaning slightly in [hopefully to keep him from being able to get leverage], and raised it about 6 or 7 inches from the ground. Underneath, I stuffed a few boxes so he couldn't wiggle out.

I am hoping this will work. Otherwise I will have to buy another baby gate. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

The Thusness of it All

2005-12-01T19:11:00.000-06:00

"Why is this thus? What is the reason for this thusness?"
~Artemus Ward, US Humorist (1834-1867)

Oh, life's simple questions.....

Return

2005-11-29T19:11:00.000-06:00

My oh my. It has been a long time since last I blogged. Wow. Now I suddenly feel all this pressure to post something really grand and clever as my return to the wonderful world of blogger. My dear, faithful [few] readers deserve a work of art, a post of epic proportions as well as length. Good thing I rarely give in to peer pressure [especially peer pressure from myself]. As I am still pretty busy in many areas of my life, this is probably going to be neither grand, clever, nor of any epic length. Yeah. Too. Bad. :P

I really feel like a lot has happened in my life the past few weeks. These green eyes have viewed a lot. I will try to give a quick recap of the highlights:

Address Change
I moved. That's right. I MOVED!!! I made the big move from Chickendale all the way over to Ecoville [the next town over]. I now live in a 2 story dup. in a really neat neighborhood. I am blessed to have a really AWESOME roommate. I am absolutely loving it. I have been rediscovering all the neat stuff I have that has been in storage the last three years [namely kitchen gadgets]. I felt like a true Ecoville resident yesterday when I went grocery shopping and asked for paper instead of plastic so I could recycle [I also bought a lot of organic food, but that is a different story for another time...]. All in all: Thumbs up.

Gal Pal Pow Wow
Shelli and I visited our friend Hollis [aka Bubblewrap Girl from my Things That Go Bump in the Night blog series] in Stillwater, OK one weekend [the same weekend as moving weekend--yeah, no stress!]. I had a BLAST. It was SOOOO good seeing Holly, eating Ted's [yum, yum], reminiscing, poking about in shops, and generally having some really good girl time with the girls. :)

8FMD
The following weekend was a long-planned-for-and-greatly-anticipated 80s Fantasy Movie Day with a group of great friends. The Master Plan included required 80s fashion and 7 or 8 classic 80s Fantasy Flicks. The reality of the day was that my roomie and I [oh, and my faithful pooch, Jasper] were the only ones to dress up [boo hissy on everyone else ;)!!!]. And instead of watching a whole day's worth of movies, we only actually watched one, yes one, movie all the way through. But it was a good one: The NeverEnding Story. Oh yeah. CLASSIC. NES is a great movie. We put the subtitles on at the end of the movie in an attempt to finally discover what name Bastian gave the Child-like Empress. That was a question I had since childhood. So, I was greatly disappointed when the subtitles didn't reveal the secret. Sigh. I shall call her.....Sylvia. However, I did learn that the dog/dragon's name is Falkor, NOT Valkor as I always thought. I almost gave my dog the wrong name..... All in all, though, it was a VERY fun day.

Blessing Baskets
The day I anticipate all year, my biggest annual project at work, arrived on November 21. This was the main reason I have not blogged the past few weeks. Our Blessing Baskets ministry is probably the biggest thing for the Community my office does every year. We were prepared to bless 2,000 NWA families with a variety of Thanksgiving-type foods. It was a VERY long day [7 am to 9:30 pm], stressful, crazy, hairy there for a while, but a LOT of fun and very successful. 1,767 families were blessed with food, and we had over 3,000 in attendance for our 2 distribution times. There were many grateful people who now were able to have a Thanksgiving meal for their family. I was worn out and tired at the end of the day, but VERY happy and blessed. I love helping and serving others.

Thanksgiving
I celebrated Thanksgiving at my Granny's house with my mom's side of the family. They are the 'fun' side of my family tree [although, with all my cousins getting older on my dad's side, that branch of the tree is getting pretty fun as well]. I am not one of those that are 'all about' Thanksgiving food, so I was good and really didn't gorge myself as some are apt to do on Turkey Day. And speaking of turkey, we had 3 turkeys at the shindig. YES. THREE. And, just so you know, that was 2 more than we usually have. I am not talking about small turkeys, either. I think we usually have one really large turkey that feeds the whole family, plus a ham. But my uncle and my cousin's husband decided they wanted to fry turkeys this year, so Granny did her normal baked bird and ham, and the boys set up their pots outside and fried up 2 birds. This resulted in WAY TOO MUCH MEAT. Although I have to admit, I was a fan of the Cajun-flavor-injected fried turkey my uncle did. It was my first time to have turkey that way, and I was impressed. Yum. I mostly ate sweet potato casserole and deviled eggs. Oh, and my aunt's famous dirt cake. HEAVEN.

Vacation
Due to the holidays, I had a WONDERFUL 3 days off of work. It was much needed. I did a little shopping [NOT on the day after Thanksgiving] for needed house items, unpacked a lot of my room, had above mentioned Turkey Day family time, and just vegged and enjoyed not having to do anything. The only damper was not being able to sleep in anymore. Since I get up consistently at around the same time every day, my body simply won't allow me to sleep past 8.....8:30 at the latest. But still....very nice

Okay, so this became a post of length after all. I am probably forgetting a couple of things, but I think I covered all the big points. I also have some really cool things going on in my life that are "in the works" that I can't really disclose "publically" right now. But maybe soon?

So....This is my return to blogging semi consistently. I am back. :P

Just Keep Spinning, Spinning, Spinning...

2005-11-09T07:47:00.000-06:00

I realized this morning just how overloaded my mind and life currently are when I put my facial cleanser in my hair instead of shampoo..... sigh..... even good stress is still STRESS.

Too much going on.....

So, what crazy things have you done when loaded down with a full plate of Life?

Would You Like Fries With That?

2005-11-07T14:48:00.000-06:00

Okay, so I am a complete dolt. I actually ran into [and knocked over] one of those big highway construction barrels today. Yeah. Go me.

Technically it was my side mirror that hit it and knocked it over, not my whole car. And for the record, it was slightly on the road more than the other barrels. I really didn't know I was going to hit it until I was right on it, and by that time there was no time to adjust. Still, I felt like an idiot, and a bad driver. It was my fault, as I probably wasn't paying as much attention as I should have. I was indulging in a contraband snack...a small bag of evil McDonald's French Fries, which, by the way, were free!

To further add to my driving humiliation, I had an audience. There were a couple of highway construction guys who were being "flaggers" just down the road. One of the guys had to come over and set the barrel back up. I felt bad. But I certainly didn't stop! :P

Introducing....Jasper!!!

2005-11-04T11:11:00.000-06:00

Meet Jasper, my brand new puppy dog [yes, I just said 'puppy dog']. I just got him last night. He is a 6 month old Bichon Frise. He's a little timid as he is adjusting to his new home. He's also currently growing in his 'adult coat', so he's very scruffy-looking. He is sweet and really enjoys snuggling. I loves me a snuggler!

School Lunch

2005-11-02T13:20:00.000-06:00

One thing I consider a small "perk" of working where I do is the private school that is attached to the church. As staff, I have access to the cafeteria and can eat there during the week for the low, low price of 2 dollars. I am actually not a regular school cafe luncher, but on Wednesdays I sometimes find myself unable to resist the pull to the lunch line.

Every Wednesday they serve one of my all-time favorite [sadly] school lunches.....the square pizza. Does anyone know what I am talking about? Do you remember that lunchtime cuisine from long ago? For some reason, I have always been a bit partial to them. When I was in elementary school, pizza day was the best day ever. At my school, on pizza day, the pizza was usually accompanied by those round new potatoes, which was another favorite, and then either chocolate or banana pudding. YUM, YUM for little girl Sarah.

Today's pizza day for me just consisted of the square pizza and a REALLY yummy side salad created by yours truly from the salad bar....with all the veggie fixin's. Oh and milk. I simply adore milk. :)

A happy tummy for Sarah school pizza makes.

My Very Own The Cheat

2005-11-01T14:30:00.000-06:00

I went to a "Harvest Hootenany" this past weekend, and carved a pumpkin. I give you......

THE CHEAT!

And here is The Cheat being all spooky-like....

Wow.....my very own The Cheat.....

TTGBITN: Chapter 5: ROUSs [for you non Princess Bride fans, Rodents of Unusual Size

2005-10-26T07:44:00.000-05:00

The Green Eyed View is proud to bring you the FINAL Chapter to Things that Go Bump in the Night. Be sure to catch up on Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, and Chapter 4 before reading this exciting finale.

By this time, it was late. I was exhausted. I turned off all the lights and lay down in my bed. I am almost asleep when the unthinkable occurs. SCRATCH, SCRATCH, SCRATCH. Nooooooooooooo! What is this? The Flying Circus??!! A cruel, sick joke??!! Well, by that time, I was beyond boiling anger. I was out of sticky traps. I kicked off my sheets, pulled a sweatshirt and shoes on, and drove, steaming, to Wal-mart, thankful that it is open 24 hours. Luckily, I didn’t get a very chipper employee in the check out line. I don’t think I would have been able to handle that very well. Upon my return home, I put out both traps and lay down to wait. Amazingly, my wait was not long. About 5 minutes after setting the traps, I hear a scuffling and a squeak. I couldn’t believe I had caught something so quickly!! This time, the culprit was in the storage area under the window seat. I quickly crawled over and opened the door. There, struggling violently, was the Granddaddy of All Flying Squirrels. I mean, this was the BIGGEST freaking flying squirrel I have seen to this point. The others had been minuscule in comparison. I think this must have been Momma to the 3 babies I had dealt with previously. This ROUS was barely contained in the layer of goo to which it was affixed. My heart started pounding as an uncontrolled screech made its way out of my throat. WHAT was I supposed to do???! I didn’t want to go anywhere near Big Momma. But something had to be done. I was so afraid ROUS was going to free herself from the goo at any moment. I had a problem. I needed a solution. So….I got highly creative.

Duct Tape. Duct Tape was the answer. Duct tape is the solution to anything. It holds the universe together.

I donned a pair of thick rubber gloves from the kitchen for protection. I gingerly picked up the trap with one hand, and almost dropped it because ROUS began to jerk aggressively against the goo. I grabbed a trusty roll of duct tape, and…..prepare yourselves, the next act is not pretty…….began to wrap it around the trap and ROUS. I did. I admit it. I used Duct Tape to secure a Very Large Flying Squirrel to a Glue Trap. Then I put ROUS in a trash bag. Again with the duct tape. I wrapped the tape several times around the squirrel filled trash bag. Then I put that bag into another trash bag. I began to laugh. This was crazy. I was crazy. But I instinctively knew that I had nabbed the last of the squirrels. I was positive that the bag in my hand contained the last of a small family of flying squirrels. And so, I was elated.

I had to share my victory. Yeah, sure, it was after 2 in the morning. But that didn’t matter. Clutching the bag in my hand, I practically skipped next door to the CCF Girl’s Intern house [home of Bubbewrap Girl, and temporary nest of Mother Hen]. I paused outside, unsure of how to rouse anyone to the door. I started by tapping gently on the front door, knowing that Mother Hen was in the living room on the couch. No answer. Tapped some more. No answer. Then I decided to go to BWG’s window to see if I could wake her up without scaring the bejeezes out of her. By this time I am giggling uncontrollably at the absurdity of what I was doing. But I couldn’t help it; I had to share the joy. So I tapped several times on her window, first gently, then a bit louder each time. Finally, the blinds moved and I saw her peeking out incredulously at me. I grinned sheepishly, and held up the bag while pointing in the general direction of the door. She, along with Mother Hen answered the door with a worried, “Are you ALRIGHT!??” I grinned, and, through my still uncontrolled giggling [keep in mind I am VERY sleep deprived], hold up my bag. “I got it!” I giggled. “Got what?” “The squirrel. I caught the squirrel!!!”

I think I was hoping for more of a response than I received. They weren’t nearly as excited as I was. Sure, it was late, and yes, I woke them up out of a dead sleep, and probably scared BWG, but come on!!! I caught the ROUS! The big one! I, Sarah J., made the world [a.k.a. my apartment] a safer place for future generations. Let’s jump for joy here! DANCE OF JOY!

OK, so maybe I should’ve waited until the morning….

I let them go back to bed, and the Duct Taped ROUS was deposited in the trash pile. Then it was finally bed time for me. I lay awake for a while, just listening to the golden silence. Ahhhh. What a night! What a Series of Events over the past months!

Mother Hen still did not move home for a while [no clue why…], and I thoroughly enjoyed many sleep-filled nights free of scratching and squealing snores. Later that that semester, we were able to use our Flying Squirrel Incident to our advantage in getting out of our lease for the summer. Our landlord was very sympathetic to our plight… eventually, after much haggling... he he he.

In the retelling of my story shortly after it happened, I was informed several times that I might have been able to make a profit by selling the Flying Squirrels to a pet store. Apparently there are people who enjoy having them as pets. I guess I can see why. They are kind of cute. When they are in a cage.

TTGBITN: Chapter 4- Operation: Extermination

2005-10-25T07:43:00.000-05:00

Thank you for joining in on the fourth installment of Things That Go Bump in the Night. Be sure to read up on Chapter 1, Chapter 2, and Chapter 3 if you missed them.

I had one sticky trap left. I wasn’t sure if the scratching I was hearing was the Flying New Beast or one of his friends. I even had a thought that I could be dealing with the same squirrel the whole time. That somehow that first Beast got loose of his goo prison, chewed through the trash bag and got back in our house. And maybe New Beast was in fact the first Beast, and he was back to his scratching in my wall. Of course, these thoughts came from a mind that had been deprived of much sleep of late, so the Squirrel Conspiracy Theory probably can’t be trusted. But it doesn’t matter. I was bound and determined to find, remove, and, at this point, destroy, any and all causers of scratching noises. And I hit pay dirt.

My faithful sticky trap caught yet another flying rodent. How many squirrels can possibly take up residence in one home??? I still harbored slight misgivings that I had seen this squirrel before, and so I wasn’t going to take any chances on this one getting away. After he had been tied securely in a black trashbag, I was at a loss on how to ensure that this Hellion would not get away. I didn’t want to meet this squirrel again. So, then the unthinkable happened. I snapped. And what followed was a series of acts that I am not proud of, acts of Extreme Violence towards my prisoner.

I decided that in order to guarantee the Hellion would not come back into my life, that he must meet his end. But how to do this? How does a gentle soul attempt to intentionally exterminate the life of a furry creature that would have been thought adorable by this soul had she seen it on The Animal Planet’s The Jeff Corwin Experience? The answer was two simple words: Road. Kill.

I decided that my car must be used as the means to the end of the Hellion's life. With shaking hands, I placed the trash bag behind the rear tire of my car. I slowly made my way to the driver's seat, my breathing labored as I struggled internally with what I was about to do. I began praying, alternatively asking for forgiveness and pleading over why it HAD to be done. Once the car started, I gritted my teeth, closed my eyes and slowly back out of my driving space. I sighed heavily and got out of the car to check the outcome.

The stinking bag had shifted!!!! As my rear tire was making contact with the garbage sack, the air in the sack caused the bag to shift out from under the tire. I shake the bag a little to make sure; and yep, it starts rustling from the Hellion still captive inside. Resolved now in my mission, I shoved the bag tightly behind the tire, wedging a piece of it firmly underneath. I am starting to tear up at this point, whimpering because I really do not enjoy having to squish a living animal. Still shaking, I once again gritted my teeth, closed my eyes, and exhaled a shaky breath as I slowly backed the car up. I jumped out of the car to see 'wha’ happened' [;-)]…….FOILED AGAIN! The bag indeed had been driven over, but the trap inside, with the Hellion firmly attached, had shifted so it was not under the tire. Well, now I am crying [looking back I don’t know why…guilt, maybe??]. I stand there in my driveway, holding the twitching trash bag, helpless as how to deal with the situation. In desperation, I grab my trusty broom and begin beating the living daylights out the bag, and the Hellion inside, with the handle. Yes, I know. I already mentioned I had snapped. I truly mean: I. Had. Snapped. I whacked the trash bag over and over like a crazy person, and finally tossed it in the trash pile beside the road. I didn’t check to see the outcome of Hellion. At this point I did not care. He is either dead, or unconscious. Either way, he was traumatized beyond the ability to remove himself from his prison, in my thinking.

The adrenaline was pumping. I felt strangely satisfied. I won. I fought the Hellion, and I won. Not the Hellion, or the New Beast, or the Beast. Me. I could sleep scratch free.

How was I to know my night was not over. No, not by a long shot....

The final installment of Things That Go Bump in the Night will be coming soon to The Green Eyed View nearest you!

TTGBITN: Chapter 3- Encountering the Beast

2005-10-24T07:42:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the third installment of Things That Go Bump in the Night. Be sure to read Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 first if you haven't had the chance!

That very night, as we are tucked snug in our beds, I hear an all too familiar sound: Scratch, scratch, scratch. I lay there, hoping that I am imagining or dreaming. But then Mother Hen whispers, “Sarah….Sarah. Do you hear that?” Frustrated, I yell “YES!” Apparently, we either have another squirrel, or some other rodent. SIGH. I think I set out another sticky trap at this point.

A few nights later, we again are snug as a bug in our beds. The scratching begins. Mother Hen is squealing/snoring off and on as she goes in and out of deep sleep [due to me yelling her name every so often ;)]. The scratching gets louder, and I notice that it is on the other side of the wall, near our built in drawers. Mother Hen is now awake and listening as well. “Do you hear that?” she asks me. “Yes”. As we are speaking, we hear a thump and a squeak. It sounds as though the mysterious creature had FALLEN INTO ONE OF THE DRAWERS. Mother Hen frantically whispers, “Its in the drawer”. IT. A New Beast. Different [hopefully] from the Beast. And the New Beast was in a drawer. And not just any drawer. No, the perverted creature found his way into MY unmentionables drawer. The very drawer that I had failed to close all the way earlier that day. Mother Hen and I are frozen, sitting in our beds in the pitch black dark, staring wide eyed at the dark, open crack in the drawer.

I slowly crawl out of bed and across the floor to the ‘drawer wall’. I reach out a shaky hand to my drawer, with the mindset that I am going to slam it shut, thereby keeping New Beast in the wall. As I put my hand on the drawer and begin to move it, a dark object shoots out of the opening, past me……and in the direction of Mother Hen’s BED!!! Well, of course all hell breaks loose. In my startled state I start screaming. Mother Hen, who had seen the dark New Beast fly towards her and into her bed, jumps up and starts screaming, standing stock still on her mattress. I run and jump into the window seat located at the far end of the room. Mother Hen starts screaming, “DON’T LEAVE ME! DON’T LEAVE ME!” All this time, we are in the dark, and the New Beast is somewhere in Mother Hen’s bedding. I finally get the courage and turn on a lamp. Mother Hen is still screaming from her position on the bed.

Small side note here: I want to explain that our apartment was located catty-corner to the Campus Police headquarters. There were often one or two of NSU’s ‘finest’ security/police guys who would loiter outside in the driveway area of the building. Here we are, two girls, SCREAMING BLOODY MURDER AT THE TOP OF OUR LUNGS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. I mean, we were LOUD. The small window in our bedroom never closed properly and was often open a crack. No one came over to check it out. That is when I decided that those guys were pretty much…..worthless. A bunch of Rent-A-Cops…..

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I had run downstairs to find a suitable weapon. I bring back... a broom. Mother Hen has by now moved from her place on the bed with the New Beast. And so begins our Dance with the Foul Furry Creature. I talk Mother Hen into pulling back the covers. The New Beast is there. He sits there for a moment staring at us with his black, beady eyes as I shake the broom threateningly at him. Then he starts dancing. In the flurry of fur, broom, and screaming that follows, we somehow manage to corner him into the far corner of the room. VICTORY!! But then we realize the problem….NOW what are we going to do?? Are we planning on keeping him cornered with the broom for weeks on end until he finally dies of starvation??? One of us, and I am going to take storyteller’s liberties here and say Mother Hen, gets the brilliant idea to use a sticky trap to catch him on. Well, as we are figuring out the best method of getting the New Beast onto the trap, he makes a jailbreak.

What ensues is a frenzied scene of chasing this poor scared creature ….wait….that’s not right…I mean this Horrible, Hideous, New Beast from the Bowels of Hades all over our small house. The New Beast made an amazing escape from his corner, and then proceeded towards the stair opening leading downstairs to the living area. The little bugger then FLEW down the stairs. Yes, flew. He leaped into the air, opened up his little skin flaps, and flew through the air. If it hadn’t been the dead of night, and if we hadn’t been terrified at having a rodent loose in the house, I am sure I would have thought it was a pretty cool sight. Mother Hen and I raced down the stairs after the New Beast, and chase him around the living room a bit. I think we had decided to try to chase him towards the dining area, down the other flight of stairs, and out the front door. Unfortunately, this does not happen.

New Beast makes it as far as the kitchen, and manages to squeeze himself through a crack beneath one of the cabinets and the floor. At first we thought he was in the cabinets, but soon realized he was gone. We optimistically decided that he ended up in the garage below. I didn’t really care at that point; I was just glad he was not inside our home.

By this point Mother Hen was fed up. I can’t remember if it was that night, or the next day, that she decided she wasn’t going to sleep with the squirrels anymore. She marched next door to the CCF Female Interns’ house, home of Bubblewrap Girl, and made a new nest for herself on one of their couches. The girl basically moved in. I can’t remember how long she ended up squatting over there, but in my opinion she had to have worn out her welcome. She slept there every night. I admit, I crashed on a couch myself the first night or two after the Night of the Flying Beast episode. But then I missed my bed and moved home. I also had decided I was not going to let some Furry Flying Beast evict me from a home I paid rent on.

The first night back in my own bed, I hear the scratching noises. My blood boils. And so begins Operation: Extermination.

the fourth installment of Things That Go Bump in the Night will be making its debut soon to The Green Eyed View. Don't miss it!

TTGBITN: Chapter 2- A Sticky Situation

2005-10-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

Thanks for tuning in for the next installment of Things That Go Bump in the Night. If you have not read the first installment, please take a moment now...

Fast Forward to the New Year:

I return from Christmas break and settle in to my life as a student studying Finance. Several weeks into the semester, Mother Hen and I begin to hear the dreaded scratching. Only this time……it is louder….and.... more frequent. Several weeks later, we began noticing the sounds at night. They were ok in the daytime, but at night it was REALLY annoying. I mean, I already had to put up with Mother Hen’s strange snoring bit. Now, that was something truly horrendous. To her credit, it has been discovered that she has sleep apnea. But I lived with her in the BBM days: Before Breathing Machine [which I hear she doesn’t use anyway]. Her ‘snores’, if you can call it that, are truly strange. Any time I have been around a snorer, the snore usually occurs as the snorer is breathing in. Not so with Mother Hen. She breathes in just fine. It’s in the breathing out when the problem occurs. The only way I can describe the sound is a high pitched….squealing noise. A very loud high pitched squealing noise. WOW. Until you hear it, I don’t think you can understand. I always tried to beat her to sleep so I wouldn’t have to lay awake for hours. I did learn a trick of saying her name really loud, which would wake her up enough to stop the noise, but not wake her up completely. He he he.

Now, not only do I have to contend with the Squealing Snore of Doom across the room, but now there was the Scritchy Scratch of the unknown creature in the wall space right by my head. I am one of those who really enjoys my sleep. You can imagine I am not a happy camper.

Assuming that we had a mouse problem, I decided to travel to my local SuperCenter to purchase some traps. I started with the old standard ‘instant death’ snap trap variety, determined to put an end to the squatter or squatters attempting to take up residence in my home. I bait them up with some yummy concoction of cheese and peanut butter, and set them out in the storage spaces in the bedroom. A few days later, I check the traps. The trap is snapped, the bait is gone, but there is no casualty of war. Hmmmm, smart rodent.

So I decide to step it up a notch. I bring out the big guns: Sticky Traps. Oh yeah. The ‘live trap’, a “humane” version consisting of a plastic tray filled with baited goo. I added a delectable morsel of bread that I knew no rodent could resist right in the middle of the goo, and placed it in one of the storage areas. One night, Mother Hen and I had our friend and neighbor Bubblewrap Girl over to watch a movie. As we were hanging out, we hear soft thumping from upstairs. I instantly realize it was my sticky trap and jump up like a kid at Christmas yelling that I caught the mouse. I tore upstairs and made my way over to the storage area. My heart was pounding. Even though I know Mr. Rodent will be on the trap, I hve some trepidation with knowing I will have to pick up the trap and take care of him. The idea sort of gives me the willies.

I slowly opened the hatch to the storage building. I find myself staring into the black, beady eyes of a creature that at first I don’t recognize. I step back for a moment, then take another peak at my prisoner. It was much too large for a mouse. It didn’t look like a mouse. It didn’t look like a rat. Then it hits me. The creature I have been staring at, the foul beast whom has been disturbing my slumber, the spawn of Hades which has eluded my earlier attempts at capture, is none other than…..a squirrel.

YES. And not just any squirrel. A FLYING SQUIRREL. A flying squirrel had somehow gotten into the apartment crawl spaces. Well, of course I start making all sorts of noise and chatter to the girls downstairs about my discovery. After all the excitement died down, I somehow got up enough nerve to pick up the heavy laden trap, upon which Mr. Squirrel is twitching, and deposit him into a large garbage sack. And no, I do not want to hear about my cruel treatment towards the poor squirrel [now or in the future as more of this tale is disclosed]. You were not there. Looking back, I realize that I could’ve taken a different course of action with the whole situation than I did [you will understand fully later]. I could’ve made a fortune. But at the time, my only thought was that there was a stinking, filthy animal in my house. I wanted to get rid of it. I. FELT. THREATENED.

I took the squirrel-filled trash bag all the way downstairs to the street and put it with the rest of the garbage [go ahead, call PETA]. Mother Hen and I were elated that we would have scratching-free sleep that night. We celebrate the removal of the Beast with frivolity.

In our excitement, we naively assumed that our rodent problems were over.

If only that statement were true.

Oh, Yes…..the story continues…..

stay tuned to The Green Eyed View, your source for all things Flying and Furry. Next installment coming soon!

Things That Go Bump in the Night: Chapter 1- A Transfer's Tale

2005-10-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

I know I am due to share about my Adventures in Slidell, but I decided to take a little detour and tell of an old adventure I have wanted to share for awhile. This will be a multi-day piece, b/c as I started typing it up, I realized it was going to be quite lengthy. So, with my readers' attention spans in mind, I will be breaking up my story. I would hate for anyone to get eye strain. This first installment will still be a bit lengthy, and as it is full of the background information, is not very 'adventurous'. But it’s a worthwhile read, so hang in there!

The following take is a long tale. It is a tale of dark, sleepless nights, of fearful creatures, of desperation, and of Good triumphing over Evil. It is a tale of a girl, and the terror of things that go bump in the night….

It was the fall of 1999. I had transferred that semester to NSU the weekend before classes started. I spent most of that semester in what several friends described as a Fog, which I know is directly related to my spur of the moment move from my little private Christian university to a totally secular public university. Everything was so last minute. I had gone to visit the school on a Friday morning; by noon I was a student. My friend Mother Hen [name given for the awesome way she cares for and about the friends in her life] graciously welcomed me to live with her in her loft apartment. That was one interesting phone call, let me tell you--

Friday night in August before classes were to begin the following Monday:
Me: [really nervous for some reason, and questioning what the heck I just did] Hey Mother Hen, uh…..you know how you said I could move in with you if I were to transfer to NSU this next Spring??
MH: uh…yeah…
Me: Well, um….what if I were to transfer…. THIS semester. Uh, cause I am.
MH: WHAT??!
Me: Uh…yeah. I am…uh, a student now. Ha ha. I just got back from visiting NSU, and somehow I ended up transferring…uh…I am registered and everything. I need to move Sunday.
MH: You’re kidding me!
Me: haha, nope. So….can I live with you?
MH: Yeah, you can! Come on doen!! [with other Phrases Mother Hen is famous for thrown in]!!

So I was Head in the Cloud Girl, drifting through the semester with a deer-in-the-headlights look. The seasons changed, and the weather began to get downright wintry. Mother Hen and I began to hear slight scratching noises in our living room ceiling around November. It wasn’t very loud, so we didn’t really pay much attention.

Let me pause for a moment to describe the apartment: It formerly was the detached garage/apartment to a larger rock house located next door. It consisted of 3 stories, the bottom being a double garage [which the use of was not included in our rent and the landlord used for storage]. The door was on the first level, and a flight of wooden stairs took one up to the apartment. The 2^nd story had a ‘dining room’ space [more like a breakfast nook…], a tiny kitchen, living area, and bathroom. The third story was a finished attic-type loft space with a slanted ceiling. I could stand upright if I was in the center of the room; Mother Hen, being taller, couldn’t stand up straight at all. Our beds were just mattresses on the floor, and we had these neat drawers built into one wall along the floor for our clothes. At both ends of the ‘bedroom’ were these storage spaces built into the crawl spaces. The only closable doors in the place were the front door on the first floor and the bathroom door on the 2nd. Everything else was open. It was a small place, but neat, and eclectic enough to be sort of cool. And we had free cable for most of the year…

Now that you have a general idea to my living arrangements, allow me to continue. I am living in the Garage [from which my best friend, Shelli, got my ‘nickname’ “Sarah **My Last Name** lives in Garages”. It rhymes, sort of, if you say it out loud. Go ahead, if you know my last name, try it… See? Cute, huh…Yeah] and beginning to hear these scratching noises in the ceiling of our living room, or floor of our bedroom, however you look at it. The scratching isn’t very loud, and is not really that distracting. Mother Hen and I take an ‘ignore’ stance and hope the problem will go away on its own. How naive we were….

stay tuned for the next installment of Things That Go Bump in the Night, coming soon to The Green Eyed View!

Tired....The Good Kind

2005-10-17T14:31:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm back. I will hopefully be posting some of my adventures [and pics] from grand Slidell here in the next few days....but for now, its catch-up time. I returned to work today to 87 emails, a huge pile of 'mail' [translation: urgent tasks], and --whoohoo--a paycheck [the stub, really, since its auto deposited]. So, I am a bit snowed under. But here's short summary of last week: It was a great trip, and I worked hard. It is SOO good to be HOME. :)

Ta-Ta for now....

Gulf Coast Relief

2005-10-07T08:35:00.000-05:00

This next week I will be in Slidell, LA as part of a Disaster Relief Team. I leave from Chickendale EARLY tomorrow [Saturday] morning, and won't return home until the following Saturday. There will be no computer, no internet, no blogging. I can handle it.....can you?? ;) haha.

Our team will mostly be 'mudding out' homes [and possibly churches], a new term I recently learned. This consists of exactly what it sounds like.....shoveling mud out of homes, tearing out wet drywall, and other similar jobs. It will be hot, physically taxing work. I am excited to have the opportunity to help in this way. I actually enjoy getting the chance to do actual physical labor once in a while. It does the body good.....or something....

I am also very excited to have the opportunity to serve and love on the residents of Slidell by helping them get their homes salvaged [as much as possible]. In serving them, I will have the opportunity to share Jesus with them, both through my actions and through words.

Please pray for my team. There will be about 12-15 of us going this week. Pray for safety while we travel and are working in the houses [mold will be a BIG issue]. Pray for strength and stamina and we work long hours. Pray that we will be sensitive to those in the community we serve and minister to, and that the Lord will give us wisdom in all situations. Pray for the people of Slidell as they work to restore their city and their homes. Pray that God will do a mighty work in restoring their lives, and that many will turn to Him and recieve healing and salvation through Jesus Christ.

Hands That Heal

2005-10-06T15:36:00.000-05:00

12 words: one hour massage, on a real massage table, at work, for free.....

1 response: BLISS

I feel like pliable putty at the moment. I'd like to thank Jeff the massuese for volunteering his time and energy, my boss for allowing us to have the time away from our hectic schedules to relax for a bit, and God for making our muscles/etc. respond in such a positive way to the 'healing touch' of massage.

siiiiiggghhh....

Tag! I'm It!!!

2005-10-05T17:00:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I was recently "tagged' by my friend Jill, so in response, here ya go...

"Let's Talk About You.....What Do You Think About Me?" Bette Midler in Beaches

10 Years Ago
Hmm....I was a little over a month into my junior year in high school. I still hadn't gotten around to getting my drivers license. In fact, I don't even think that I had my permit yet! Yeah, I guess I wasn't all crazy about getting my License to Drive. I finally got around to it in January. What else...I was really starting to DESPISE marching band, and the fall semester was to be the last of that whole nonsense as I decided to "put more emphasis on vocal music". Har, har. I just got mad at the band director because she made us march in the frigid rain and I got sick. Well, I showed her! :P

5 Years Ago
2000...I was in college at Northeastern State University. Senior year... I don't remember what I was doing. I lived in an AWESOME townhouse with my best friend Shelli. So....between school work and hanging with my friends, I had a pretty full plate. I was very happy. I didn't know it, but God was about to take me through a period of trials and Â"valley time". He saw me through it. GOD IS FAITHFUL.

1 Year Ago
I was sitting in the same seat I am sitting in right now as I am typing this, at the same computer, doing the same work I am currently doing. The only difference is I was working for a Type A, perfectionist boss and working hard to stay on his "good" side. :) I had recently returned from an INCREDIBLE mission trip to L'viv, Ukraine, of which I was the team leader [and next to youngest on the team to boot!]. I was enjoying fall, enjoying life, enjoying my friends and family.

Yesterday
I had a "sweet" day at work doing something I love to do [FINALLY!!!]. Last night I met with my Community Group and helped [along with 2 other people] cook dinner for them. We had an AWESOME, incredible time of WORSHIP, fellowship, sharing, and prayer. I am so blessed to be a part of that group, and praise God for bringing those sweet sisters and brothers in Christ into my life. GOD IS GOOD. Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow!

5 Snacks I Enjoy
red seedless grapes
dark chocolate
mint chocolate chip ice cream and shakes
hint of lime flavored Tostitos
candy corn

5 Songs I Know All the Words To
I know more than...
Here is Our King David Crowder
When I See You Smile Bad English
Its My Party [And I'll Cry if I Want To] Leslie Gore
The Leader of the Pack The Shangri-Las
Bless the Broken Road Rascal Flatts

5 Things I'd Do with 100 Million Dollars
Tithe
Give a bunch to Missions Organizations and other Faith Based Organizations and Agencies
Invest, invest, invest
Do fun things for my family and friends [share the wealth with them], and help people who may be in need
Buy an island or something [why not!]

5 Places I'd Run Away To
Greece
Scotland
New Zealand
A ritzy spa [hey I have 100 million]
Heaven [if I could!]

5 Things I'd Never Wear
a poncho
a nose ring
wide horizontal stripes
a string bikini
a polyester leisure suit

5 Favorite TV Shows
Hmm....I don't watch TV...I used to watch ALIAS and loved it.....

5 Biggest Joys
My Lord and Savior, the lover of my soul, Jesus Christ!!!
Worshipping my Lord through singing
Spending time with people I care about
My Community Group
A freshly made bed with sheets washed in fabric softener and dried on the line

5 Favorite Toys
MP3 player
Digital Camera
My Pampered Chef stuff
My Mobile phone program that lets me create my own ringtones
My Blog

5 Fine Folks Who Can Now Consider Themselves Tagged
Since about 5 people read my blog, if you are reading this, consider yourself TAGGED!!!!! Come on!! Its FUN!

Christmas Time

2005-09-30T15:33:00.000-05:00

It astounds me how early the retail industry begins advertising/decorating/selling Christmas. As one who does not "shop" very often [and who avoids the Garden Center at Wal-mart during the off season…..heck, I try to avoid Wal-mart all together when at all possible…], the Commercial Christmas Season seems to get earlier and earlier each year.

As I walked through my local Hobby Lobby store yesterday in search of pretty paper and liquid gold leaf, I experienced mild mouth-opening shock as I was visually assaulted by aisles of Winter Wonderland and Holiday Cheer. I am not talking one or two Pre-Season aisles. One or two aisles would have been easily reconciled in my mind. No. I am speaking of aisle after aisle after aisle of Christmas greeting me, each aisle filled from floor to shelf top with neatly displayed greenery, wreaths, ribbons [I think there was a whole aisle full of that], ornaments, Santas, and all the other cutesy whatnot that is commercially associated with Christmas. I almost stopped in my tracks over the sheer volume of items. Here I am, in sandals and a short-sleeved shirt, and they are trying to get me in the Christmas Spirit. Now, I like Christmas as much as anyone, but give me a break! HELLO! It is not even OCTOBER yet [that's tomorrow :)]. Can’t we get through Halloween first? What about Thanksgiving? Must we time warp to Christmas already? Granted, there were probably a few aisles dedicated to those two Commercially Friendly Holidays as well, but I didn’t notice them due to the fact that they were dwarfed by the floor to ceiling Christmas displays along the back wall.

Well, I guess there are only 84 shopping days left. Wow, that isn’t much time. We really should all get started!! Merry Christmas to all and to all Happy Shopping…. :P

Wake-up call world: Christmas is not about shopping. It is not about decorating. It is not about Santa. Its not about Wal-mart. It is about Jesus Christ. His Birthday. To celebrate HIM. To worship Him. Yeah, sure, with family and friends. Yeah, sure, with lots of cheer and good times. Yeah sure, with a day or two off from work. Yeah sure, with special gifts. But always with the Reason in mind. Ok, go back to sleep now….

9 Patch

2005-09-29T07:50:00.000-05:00

Tadaaaa!! Behold, I have completed piecing my quilt!! Yes, I am working on a quilt. And no, this does not make me an old lady [or a dork....well...uh..]. :P It simply makes me.....well-rounded, and.....marketable, and....crafty, and......homemake-y, and.....COOL. That's right, I AM COOL! :D

[I actually finished it this past Saturday, but kept forgetting to post...]

This is my very first quilt. I started it September of 2003, but had to stop a month or so later due to holiday crazy busyness. It went into a nice plastic storage box never to be worked on.....until last week. I brought it back out and started working on it again with a frenzied pace. It seemed to take me forever, mainly because I had to completely relearn everything that two years had wiped from my memory. This "relearning process" caused me to do quite a bit of seam ripping as I put together several blocks wrong and generally made a mess all over the house with tiny pieces of thread. But, on Saturday evening, (after spending THE ENTIRE DAY working on it....I KID YOU NOT) I reached COMPLETION!!! Well, completion of the machine piecing part. The next step is the hand quilting, which will probably take a bit of time. I am kind of looking forward to the quilting part. I think [or at least I hope] it will be fun and relaxing. My favorite part about quilts in general has always been the "quilting"--all the neat designs and intricate stitching that, to me, make them so beautiful. Of course, this being my first quilt, I am not expecting great displays of stitching beauty to come from my hands..... ;)

So, that's my quilt. The "fall theme" is a result of me preparing to go through a Hunter's Education Course when I was picking my fabric 2 years ago. The back of the quilt will actually be this fall woods scene print that has deer all over it. Yeah. That's right. I am just that cool. haha ;)

Would You Be My Friend If...??

2005-09-22T07:00:00.000-05:00

In college, a few of my friends and I would play the "Would You Be My Friend If...?" game. This consisted of concocting crazy scenarios, problems, ailments, or quirks and seeing if anyone would be our friend if we had named 'issue'. For example, I might ask, "Would you be my friend if this was growing out of my forehead [while holding a coffee cup up to my head], and I always asked you to fill it up for me or I would die?" And everyone else would respond. Yeah. And that is one of the more tame and boring examples. Did I mention I went to school in a small town that had nothing to do on the weekends?? When you are a 'child' without 'toys', imagination goes a long way.....

Anyway, seeing this reminded me of that game.

So, would you be my friend if I insisted on using this, in public, every time it rained?? :)

I gots to get me my own 'umbrelladome'.... ;)

by the by.....its a LOTR-soundtrack-in-the-headphones day.....

Poetry Hour

2005-09-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

I've been reading The 100 Best Poems of All Time, and came across this one. I don't know why, but I really like it. Its not a "happy" or "romantic" poem by any means. I think I just like the "bluesy" rythym and the sharp images. I know its kind of dark, but I just like it. So I thought I'd share it. Props to Langston Hughes, who was "one of the leading writers of the Harlem Renaissance". :)

Harlem
[Dream Deferred]

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

~Langston Hughes

heehee :)

Lundi Maniaque

2005-09-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

The following is a glimpse into my Manic Monday....

5:30 Alarm goes off. Snooze.
5:45 Alarm goes off again. Realize that I set it way too early. Snooze.
6:00 Alarm again. I remember that my clothes are already ironed, so I can sleep a little more. Turn off alarm.
6:30 Finally get up. I wonder why I didn't just set my alarm for 6:30 to begin with...
7:50 I arrive early at the office, and discover I don't know where my office keys are. So, I sit in my car until someone arrives.
7:57 The other ladies arrive en masse. I start up my computer, check my email, and get settled in to 'work mode'.
8:14 Actually start ‘working’ working.
9:54 I turn in the MNWA attendance report before 10!!! WOW. That is a rare and glorious occasion, since I usually have to wait on other people to turn in their numbers before I can compile my report.
10:00 I look at my day planner, and realize that I might actually get to start on Blessing Baskets. This project was supposed to have been started at the end of August, but with the emergency stuff that has come up and required immediate attention, I had been told to put in on the back burner. This has caused great stress in my life, b/c I know that it is a very big project, and I don't like to be behind on my timeline.
10:05 Open up the BB files, and begin working through the timeline.
10:10 Big Minister Boss Man calls. He needs me for an emergency 'project' that must be ready before the disaster relief team leaves for Louisiana on Tuesday morning. Blessing Baskets goes back into the walk-in deep freeze from whence it came. sigh.
10:15 Begin "Office in a Box" project. This consists of creating "Office in a Box" es for the Disaster Relief Team to take to LA to set up temporary offices.
10:25 Go to shed to dump flashlights from plastic boxes into trash bags because I need the plastic boxes. Begin to sweat. Profusely. I dislike this.
11:00 leave office for Office Max to buy enough supplies for 10 "Office in a Box" es [number determined by Big Minister Boss Man's Assistant]
11:04 remember to reset trip odometer in car. Mileage will be reimbursed.
11:07 Near miss car accident when a crazy lady turns right in front of me, into my lane.
11:13 Arrive at Office Depot, only to realize that I had mixed up the locations of Office Depot and Office Max. I wanted to go to Office Max, yet drove all the way to Office Depot. We have an account at Office Max. Where is your brain, girl?? sigh.
11:14 Turn around in the OD parking lot.
11:20 Arrive at Office Max.
12:00 Exit Office Max with a cart CHOCK FULL of office supplies and $477 charged to my Visa. My personal Visa. In my rush to get out of the office, I neglected to grab the account information for Office Max. argh. I could’ve just gone to Office Depot.
12:10 change clothes at my temporary residence [aka La Maison de Jones], b/c I realize I will be having a work mule day, and need to wear my 'grubbies' instead of my nice work clothes.
12:17 Make a quick stop at Subway to grab a 6 inch seafood and crab on wheat with pepperjack cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, olives, cucumbers, and creamy italian dressing. yum.
12:32 My 'quick stop' wasn't as quick as I anticipated. Plan this blog while driving.
12:45 Load up my car with the now empty plastic boxes. Throw some in the front seat, effectively squishing my sandwich in the process.
12:48 Begin the task of hauling all that which is in my car to the room I will be using to assemble.
1:00 Open, toss, stack, bend, straighten. Repeat.
1:51 My Minister Boss calls as I am FINISHING. Informs me we only need ONE office in a box. Grumble. We settle for 2 and I redistribute everything. yeah. He also gives me another list of "essential" office supplies to purchase [essential says he, preference says I, but he's the boss :)]
2:10 Finally get a moment to scarf down my now soggy, squished sandwich.
2:25 Go back to Office Max for those essential items. Spend an additional $79 on personal Visa. [Might as well..]
2:56 At church again. Room is starting to smell like a garage due to the gas-powered pressure washer someone dropped off. I begin to get light headed from the fumes.
3:05 Head is really starting to buzz. wowzers. Finish "Office in a Box" Project and move on to "Operation: Gather All Empty Flashlights From ALL Over The Church".
3:15 I spend 10 unsuccessful minutes looking for a dolly. Resort to carrying boxes full of flashlights by hand. Think seriously of rewriting my job description to include "must be physically capable of hauling large, heavy loads. Mule Harness is optional."
3:49 Go back to office, finally finished with ‘mule mode’. Find out the power will be shut off for the remainder of the day due to construction. Since I really didn't get a lunch break to speak of, I clean up my office space with the plan to leave at 4. Fill out the check requests for reimbursements.
4:22 Finally leave for the day-- bruised, scratched, sweaty, and generally wore out.

What a wonderful day. :)

Ok, so it wasn’t that interesting, but I found humor in it…. :)

Wishing on Stars

2005-09-15T15:17:00.000-05:00

I know I have said this before, but I really enjoy watching stars.

I was thinking recently how I used to be a frequent wisher on stars. It has always appealed to my romantic sensibilites, I think. Actually, when I was young, I would wish on everything: the first star of the evening, falling stars, birthday candles, necklace clasps, dandelions, wishbones, pennies in fountains, eyelashes, ladybugs…....if I heard that it could be wished upon, I wished on it. I think would even ‘spiritualize’ it sometimes by turning it into a prayer and ending it with ‘amen’. Hahaha. ;)

Yep, I was a dreamer; still am, a bit. :) I was always the one with the overactive imagination, the hopeless romantic, the hopeful one who saw most of life through rose-colored glasses. :) I still have my imagination and am soo a hopeless romantic and probably hope more than I should [my rose colored glasses are another story I will not go into..;)]. But alas, I am all ‘grown up’ now, sort of….I guess, maybe....what does that mean, anyway??? Somewhere along the way I think I stopped wishing on all things wishable. At the very least I think I stopped 'believing' in the wishes. In some ways that isn't a bad thing, but in a way.....

Why does the wonder of childhood have to fade as we grow up? Now, I know that you can't go around making 'wishes' on objects and expect them to work magic and have those wishes come true. I know it doesn't work that way. But boy, wasn't it neat to have that kind of belief in the power of wishes? To know that it was possible because you wished it, and even if it didn't come true to hope that the next one just might?

But, as I think about it, I think my belief in the power and magic of making wishes has been replaced by a much more powerful belief....FAITH. That faith is grounded. Now that doesn't mean I go around "believing things are so in order for them to be so". I do not walk with a reckless, blind faith. No, my faith is based in God, and in the power of the blood of Jesus Christ. I believe God. I believe His Word. If He says its so, then I know it will be so. I may not see it clearly at first [and I may not ever], but I trust my loving Father and believe His "wishes" for my life are the best.

And so now I gaze at the stars, praise Him for His gloriously beautiful creation, and put all my hope in Him. My Abba has the whole world in His hands. He is so BIG. He covers me, His princess, in His love, His mercy, and His grace. I will be given all He has planned for me, precisely when He has ordained, and not a moment sooner. I am loved, I am chosen, I am forgiven, I am redeemed, I am beloved, I am blessed. I am a child of the King. I am His precious one.

Cool.

Ahhhhhh [not a yell, but a sigh..]....

2005-09-14T18:00:00.000-05:00

I feel like a new gal. I just had my free 'mini massage', and it was great!!! HAPPY DAYS!

I have to admit, I was a little skeptical upon my first impression of Jeff, the masseuse. He came in our office, and by looking at him, you might think that his profession should be more along the line of 'tattoo artist' instead of 'professional masseuse'. He also reminded me of a hippee version of Val Kilmer in First Sight, in that he had vision trouble and walked with the assistance of a cane. Please don't think I am poking fun of this guy! It was just a little....surprising at first when he came in. It turns out he is a very nice guy and extremely professional. He also studies martial arts, and his wife is an elementary school music teacher [she came in to pick him up--a very sweet lady]. I am very thankful he was willing to generously give his time to come to our office for free massages. I feel all "knot free" and stuff. My neck and shoulders feel WONDERFUL. :) Yippee!!

The Pot of Gold Has Been Found

2005-09-13T09:42:00.000-05:00

All that searching.....wasted [no pun intended...well, maybe it is...]. ;)

HeeHeeHee!!! Enjoy... :P

Massage

2005-09-09T14:46:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning with my back tighter and sorer than I can ever remember it being. My body has finally started to rebel from the stress. I am in desperate need of a backrub or massage [no I am not soliciting for one...].

The good news is that a professional masseuse called our office today and volunteered to come in and give us each free 10 minute massages [this is his way of helping in the disaster relief effort....he had heard how hard our office had been working]. The bad news is he won't be coming until WEDNESDAY! :P Oh well. I am grateful, but my back hurts today!

:) ITS FRIDAY!!! :)

Tomorrow I shall be jaunting up to Branson for a day fun and frivolity. :)

AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2005-09-06T17:05:00.000-05:00

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, that's all I have time for....

Thanks for praying [hint, hint]

SANITY!

How Long Do Wasps Live?

2005-09-02T14:16:00.000-05:00

There is a wasp that has taken up "residence" in the window next to my desk. Yesterday I closed the blinds and shut him in, but today I am just trying to ignore him. I figure if I don't bother him, he won't bother me. I think he's just trying to get outside. I have no way to help him; the windows are storm windows and old. I wish he would die or go to some other window...like in the kitchen....

now he's playing in my plant...

Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum europe vincendarum*

2005-09-01T13:23:00.000-05:00

I rather enjoy throwing out random Latin phrases from time to time....

video-cameraed..... is that a verb?

:)

*Sometimes I get this urge to conquer large parts of Europe.

What Dreams May Come

2005-08-29T16:37:00.000-05:00

I am really not enjoying my dreams of late.

For the past....oh....I guess week and a half, I have been having not fun, weird, wacky dreams. Its not that anything bad specifically happens, per se. Its more like there are all these weird images and 'scenes' that don't flow and make no sense and cause me to wake up feeling....off....and confused, and fuzzy headed, and just plain agitated. And I don't feel rested as a result. :P And certain 'scenes' stay with me the rest of the day, which drives me nuts becuase I am not able to figure them out or forget them.

My dreams in general usually are a little on the crazy side, but the ones lately have a whole new feel to them that I just don't like. They are a different kind of crazy, but in what way I really don't know how to describe.

I am almost to the point of sort of dreading going to sleep at night. I have prayed and recited scripture that applied before going to sleep, but still the craziness continues. I think maybe a bit of it has to do with the work stress I have been under. So hopefully my sleep will get better when it eases up....if it eases up, haha. :)

In a complete tangent, using "What Dreams May Come" as my post title reminded me of having to memorize the "To be or not to be" soliloquy from Hamlet my Junior year in high school. I wonder how much I remember...

To be or not to be, that is the question
whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortunes
Or to.....something....and then something about being against a sea of something....
Then some more stuff I can't remember....

To die, to sleep
To sleep. Perchance to dream!
Yet in that endless sleep what dreams may come
when we have something off this mortal something

And then a WHOLE lot of somethings.....haha

Ok, so I don't remember much at all.... :P haha

Rollin' in the BDT

2005-08-26T15:15:00.000-05:00

I spent my morning working hard again. I had to load 5 plastic boxes and 5 cardboard boxes full of flashlights up to take to Pinnacle Hills to our North location. Yes, I loaded them by myself. Do I have a sign on my forehead that says "Built For Hard Labor"? Its either that or else I have a problem in asking for help. ...Um, actually it probably is that....'cause I didn't think to do so. I just never want to bother anyone....... :P

My travels up "North", as we down here on the "main campus" like to call our Pinnacle Hills location, allowed me to experience a church vehicle like no other. I got to take a ride in the BDT. BDT, as far as I understand, stands for Big Dang Truck, named so by those in charge of transportation stuff here at church [at least I hope the 'D' refers to that and not the other 'D' word.....I mean we are a church!] And boy, is it ever a BIG DANG TRUCK. I am talking a full blown quad-cab-with-a-full-bed FARM TRUCK [it even comes with that 'fresh cut hay' smell inside....]. So here I am, dressed ethnically, if not eclectically, in a pants and tunic outfit from India [called a punjabi], driving down 540 in this big, white beast of a farm truck, loaded down with boxes. The driver's seat rocks a bit from side to side, the steering is loose, and you have to stomp the gas and brake to make anything happen. Oh what fun it is to ride....

I have been initiated into the BDT Club. My official membership packet is to arrive soon...

:)

A Tale of 4000 Flashlights

2005-08-25T11:28:00.000-05:00

I am pooped....

Its 11:30 in the morning, and I feel like I have put in a whole day of work. I just spent the last 3 hours coordinating this big "Flashlight Assembly" project for work. They are going to be distributed Sunday in conjuction with a bible 'fundraiser' or something. I am too tired to explain...

A recap:
18 Senior Saints, 23 Yard Apes [8th and 9th Graders :)], 4 Staff, 85 shipping boxes, 20 empty packing boxes, 16 plastic storage containers, 4,000 flashlights, and 1 big headache. I spent the morning mentally counting and recounting stacks [my running conversation: "ok....let's see....that's 1,000 to CPH....72 to a box, so that group needs 13 boxes plus 2 small inner boxes and then....."....you get the idea... :P] , dragging boxes full of flashlights, lifting, carrying, and making sure my counts weren't messed up. And all of this while wearing "business casual office attire". It was quite the circus. I got rather 'dirty' and hot and sweaty. Somewhere along the way I injured my foot, so now I'm limping a little....and my arms are sore....and my pants have chaulky white stuff on them....and my feet stink.... :P BLAH!

Ah! Sigh of relief that the worst is over! :)

Wither From Have Come the Roses?

2005-08-23T15:18:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I have to admit, I have had a lot of fun with this one…

Its not too often I can pique the curiosity of so many such as I have with my recent receipt of 2 dozen long stem roses. I’ve experienced a small level of sick satisfaction with my evasive responses and outright refusal to answer that question: “Who sent you flowers.” I have been quite the punk, actually…haha. Its been fun...

Now, having received many demands, an abduction threat on Not My Dog, and other threats towards my well-being [vicious people...], I have decided that the time has come to reveal my closely guarded secret….

Are you ready, all you curious cats?? Grab your popcorn….

Well, all games aside, I am sorry to bring a not so exciting answer to the intriguing question. I am afraid that the bringer of my beautiful, fragrant blooms is none other than…… a supply company known as Dollar Days.com. Yes, sad I know, but true. :P You may now be asking, ‘Why would a company send you flowers??’. The answer is quite simple: They screwed up. Yep, a customer service rep sent me flowers for screwing up a HUGE business order I had placed [a very long story involving flashlights…sigh...].

However, it was enjoyable “pretending” they were from a real, live actual person [meaning NOT a company] who desired to make my day better by sending me flowers [like say, a BOY, haha]. Actually, upon further reflection, I think I have only received flowers from a guy one time about in my life, about…3 years or so ago. But, props to the guy considering they were from across the ocean—I was here, and the guy was a missionary in Spain. That was cool getting flowers [blush tulips…one of my favorites], from someone out of the country. Of course they were sent locally, but he had to do all the work and all….Anyway, it’s a pretty good story, regardless.

So, that is the scoop on the yellow and white roses sitting on my desk. I was sent 2 dozen roses from a sorry company, and shared a dozen of them with a co-worker, leaving me a dozen [a math lesson for you, heehee]. I know, its a let down. Not half as exciting as it was getting everyone in a dither over the whole thing. But hey, I need to create a little excitement every once in a while…. :P

Have a GREAT day!! :)

A Snapshot of My World at Present...

2005-08-22T08:51:00.000-05:00

My daily multivitamins [11 total...yeah...] are making me feel better--I have more energy and wake up more easily in the morning. :)

My mascara is NOT waterproof. :(

My bathroom sink drain is clogged to the point of no return. :P

I love it how God shows me His faithfulness, mercy, and LOVE every day. :D

Thanks to my splint, my jaw doesn't hurt today. :)

But, my jaw still hurts when I sing, boo hissy. :(

Not-My-Dog enjoys 'picking fights' with me....seriously. :P

I am finally enjoying my job again. :D

My car needs a bath. :P

The dozen long stem roses on my desk are beautiful and make me smile!! :)

My current budgeted amount for gasoline barely fills my car 3/4 of the way. :(

I now have a lisp...NOT when I have my splint in, though...when I DON'T have it in.....sigh... :S

Frosty, ice cold Stewarts Root Beer [in a bottle].......wonderful :)

I have 'better-than-textbook' blood pressure. Go me. :)

WOW... I AM BLESSED.... :D :)

Patience Exhausted

2005-08-20T09:00:00.000-05:00

I hate dial-up..... :P

Whirlwind

2005-08-19T10:00:00.000-05:00

WHEW! What a crazy, dayzy, whirlwind week its been! I know I have been neglecting my 'duty' to provide regular[ish] ramblings, but there just hasn't been the time. :) I have definitely put in the overtime at work this week [no, I am not compensated for said 'overtime', but c'est la vie! No complaints...just the ebb and flow of The Job].
The good news is I FINALLY am an Official Assistant again! I have been an "Assistant To" without a Minister Boss to be an official "Assistant To" for the past 6 months, when former Minister Boss left for bigger and better things. Yeah sure, Head Minister Boss Man in my office has been here, and I work for him as well, but it has been hard these past months without my own Minister Boss. But no more! New Minister Boss arrived this past Tuesday!! Its kinda turned my world a little crazy as I have been scrambling to help get him oriented and get myself back in the Assistant To mindset. Also I am learning how best to be an Assistant To to this specific New Minister Boss. And all this on top of my normal duties. :) But its all good. New Minister Boss seems really nice, pleasant, and even- tempered [uh....much different from Old Minister Boss....but that is another story for another time.. :P]. I think we will work well together. I can already tell that Minister Boss will utilize my Assistant To skills and giftings the way I have always wanted to use them. I am excited. :)
New Minister Boss also has four of the neatest, sweetest, and cutest kids. I watched them for a few hours last night so Minister Boss and Minister Boss Wife [also very sweet and awesome] could go to school meetings. I had fun with Minister Boss Kiddos. I love kids, and really love being around families. Family units are awesome, and a favorite of mine. I am a fan of observing, learning from, and hanging out with other Families--young and old, with or without kiddos...just Families. They are great. :)

Anyway.....so, that's what's been up with me.... :)

Pet Peeve

2005-08-17T17:53:00.000-05:00

Please excuse me while I rant:

Not too many things 'get to me' in this world. I am not talking minor annoyance here. Things that REALLY bug the begiggies out of me are usually few and far between. One major thing that 'gets to me', a pet peeve, is this: People who manipulate others, and those others who are easily manipulated by manipulative people. I have no patience for either of these [well, no patience for the first, and little patience for the second]. The first, the manipulators [and I am talking habitual manipulators here...], hack me off to no end. It isn't too difficult for me to spot these people; I admit that I had those tendencies when I was younger, in my selfish, self-centered teen years [this manipulation was usually confined to family relationships, though...]. Thankfully, I have grown up and OUT of manipulating others [I don't know that I was very good at it, anyway]. And that is how it should be: people should grow and mature and get better as they get into adulthood and beyond. Also, I can be patient with youth who currently have this character flaw of manipulation. I trust that as they realize the earth does not revolve around them, that they too will grow out of that stage. However, I find it very difficult to tolerate peers and older adults who continue to carry this flaw around with them in adulthood. It sort of disgusts me, if you want to know the truth. And the whining, "whoa is me, everyone hates me" martyr complex, a manipulative measure used to get others to "rise to their defense", is the worst. It is ESPECIALLY infuriating when the manipulator causes a ripple effect with the person they manipulate that ends with someone near and dear to me [friend or family] getting hurt by this manipulation. Grr....it makes me want to throw down and march over to that little manipulator and give them a good 'what for', haha. ;) And that is my opinion on this subject. I am choosing not to go into the second mentioned, related peeve of those easily manipulated.... I am done with my rantings for now. :)

Have a nice day! I sure am!! ;) [no seriously, all is well in my world, and I am peachy. :D]

ps....DC was a BLAST! A fun time was had by all. Girl fun trips are great. :)

I'm Just a Bill, Yes I'm Only a Bill, and I'm Sitting Here On Capital Hill...

2005-08-11T12:00:00.000-05:00

Does anyone remember School House Rock? That show...rocked! School House Rock was [sadly] probably one of my favorite Saturday morning cartoons as a child. "I'm Just a Bill" and "Conjunction Junction" were two of my favorites, and ones I can probably still sing word for word... anyway.....

I'm NOT a bill, but I will be trekking to "Captial Hill" tonight[!!] for a few days of FUN girl time in Washington, DC with Shelli and Karen. Yep, we are going to cram as much fun as we can into 2 days [well, Karen and I will be doing two....the three of us will only have one day all together after Shelli's business stuff]. We'll be 3 friends with no set in stone plans [except for the Smithsonian and evening jaunt up to Georgetown...woohoo!], doing "drive by viewings" of all the important sites of DC.....oh yeah. :D

I haven't been to DC since I went with the high school band [haha] in 10th grade to march in the national 4th of July parade. That trip consisted of feeling like part of a herd of cattle as one of 200+ high school students herded and corralled from one historic building/museum/tour/event to another..... MOOO!!!!!

This trip should be less...."beefy", and more "chicky"... ;)

Fluffy Pillow!!!!

2005-08-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today, I kind of want to be her...

Just give me a binky and a thumb, and I'll be set...all will be well...

...oh, and a fluffy pillow might be nice... :)

Latine Loqui Coactus Sum

2005-08-09T16:45:00.000-05:00

Is it strange for me to love office supplies? Because... I do. I just recieved my new supply of Franklin Covey planning pages today, and you'd think it was my birthday for all the excitement it caused [wow, that sounds really pathetic]. And let me go one step further and admit Iwalked all the way down to the delivery area once I learned the package had arrived, instead of waiting for maintenance to deliver it to my office. I tore into that box like a kid at Christmas and 'oo-ed' and 'ah-ed' over.... new plastic dividers and 2 page calendar tabs......yeah. Quite a life I have.... ;)

ba-hahahahhaaa! :-D

Still A-Building

2005-08-09T09:30:00.000-05:00

Just when I think I finally "get it", I discover I don't.

I think I may actually be far from 'getting it'...
Then again, I may be closer than I realize...

[sigh]

Confessions of a Sunscreen Nazi

2005-08-08T07:50:00.000-05:00

In May, I posted about the vile effects of the sun on the skin, sunscreen, and sunless tanners. I shared my heart in order to prepare my dear reader[s] for safe summertime fun in the sun [heehee!]. :) For those of you who may be new to my 'green eyed view' and haven't read this post, please take a few moments to familiarize yourself. Now, I will warn you, it is a rather long post. But don't worry, I'll wait for you..........really, go ahead..........its ok, really.............go on........DO IT!.......... .......

ok, you got it? Good. So, as you can see, I have taken a pretty firm stance on this particular subject..... which leads me to my next point.....

My friends, I must confess my trangression: I HAVE FAILED YOU ALL(SOB!)! I haven't practiced my teachings (sob!)!! I am no longer worthy to hold the title of The Sunscreen Nazi (sob!)!!! I have grown lax in my daily application of sunscreen. In fact, it has been a several weeks since I have taken the time to coat my exposed skin [with the exception of my face...I ALWAYS do that...] with SPF 30. So now I must say, "Hello, my name is Sarah, and I have gone outside with unprotected skin. It has been 31 days since my last application."

I became quite irritated at myself yesterday afternoon while in my car with my windows down. The sun was beating down on my arm, and I could feel my poor skin frying. I realized that I had once again forgotten to apply sunscreen. Then, this morning, a friend sent me an article on sun exposure. I was shamed. The Nazi has become The Hypocrite......sigh...... I have confessed my transgression, and I am typing before you today to re-commit my sunscreen practices! Pale is BEAUTIFUL!! haha! ;)

Introducing Her Royal Majesty...

2005-08-04T09:30:00.000-05:00

Its official: I have been crowned Queen Sarah! Ta-Da!!!

I would like to give a SHOUTS OUT and many thanks to Ellen, creative and FABULOUS artist extraordinaire [as well as author of witty dialogue], for bestowing this honor upon me and making me a part of her court.....AND for making me a cartoon!! How cool is that?! I'm a TOON!!! haha :-D.

Its good to be queen....

~Queen Sarah [of course, I am still the Geek Princess....] ;)

Dream a Little Dream

2005-08-03T13:33:00.000-05:00

I have no time to blog [and am too frazzled to think coherently], so you are getting "old" material. I wrote this a few months ago, and am just now posting it. Its silly stuff, but oh well. Its my blog, deal with it or stop reading, haha. :-P I know, I am probably "failing" as a blogger, but right now I just don't care, so there.... Enjoy... :-)

********************************************************

I was thinking about things that I always thought I might like to do during my life…..dreams if you will…..and thought it would make an interesting entry….so I have compiled a list [I love lists]. These are just random [and some rather silly] activities I always thought I would like to do (or just thought of while writing this list) …..maybe…..or something….. but you know what???? DREAMS ARE GREAT THINGS TO HAVE!!! :) So there...

Some of these things I think I will accomplish in my lifetime [Lord willing, of course], some I may, and some….well, they are pipe dreams, but boy, don’t they sound fun!! :)

In no order whatsoever:

Learn to play the violin [Goal: To Play “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”…..Why, you may ask? Why not?!]
Go Skydiving [I go back and forth with this one…not quite sure....sounds scary...]
Backpack the Highlands of Scotland [best friend abandoned me on this one….but we were so close!] ;)
Be a Gourmet Chef [or learn to cook….gourmet-ishly….a least a few fun meals]
Be a singer in a band. Like a band band…like one that could have an album or something. It doesn’t even have to be a lead singer or anything…in fact I don't think I would want to be lead....I would be content just being a back-up singer ….
Learn another language besides English [or two or three]
Be in a movie [a good one...one that would win awards, or a neat indie flick or something...]
Be a ballet dancer [hahaha]
See a musical on Broadway in NYC [a good one]
Travel to Greece!!!! TOTALLY want to do this
Do some sort of “Life of Paul” or “Life of Christ” [or both] tour/cruise or something
Live in a foreign country….like for longer than 2 weeks….
Go on many, many, many more mission trips…..or, if its God’s will for my life….be a longer or long term missionary
Be a mom
Be a wife (uh….and that needs to happen before #14….)
See one of the 7 wonders of the world (ok…just thought of that one right now….but it sounds neat)
Be in one of those Iron man extreme sports treks or races or whatever they are called….you know the ones where you have to run through the jungle, climb, rappel, bike, boat, and who know what else crazy crap they throw at you....strange, I know, but it sort of sound fun...
own a blue eyed Husky and name him Bullwinkle :)
Discover a cure for cancer [hey, I’m dreaming here, remember?? :P]
Never stop learning….learn a new….thing….as often as I can [vague…I know…]
Ride 1^st class on an airplane [just thought of that one, too]
uh…..ride a camel? [what?]
OK, so I am running out of things to write...
even though I know have more stuff...
I just can’t think of them right now...
so I guess I will stop at...
this number.

So, there ya go…… :-D

Desert Dessert

2005-07-28T15:00:00.000-05:00

Vacation......need....vacation......!!!!! [imagine me, sunburned and crawling across a dry and desolate land searching for water (and sunscreen)]

I am most desperate for a break from work. Its been one of those weeks. In fact, it will continue being 'one of those weeks' as long as my current projects and 'known' up-and-coming projects remain on my task list[s]. Its good stuff, and exciting stuff, just a lot of stuff all at once.....its a little overwhelming... :P

Oh, and I've figured out that I do in fact clench my jaw [and grind a bit], and I am beginning to think it is a result of job stress. Think I can site workman's comp? ;) hahaha!! :D

Incarceration

2005-07-26T17:15:00.000-05:00

This past March I volunteered to be a “test inmate” for a few hours at the new Washington County Jail that was to open later that month. It was a training day for the guards to learn how the schedule was going to work or something. I have to tell you, 3 hours was all it took convince me to never, ever get on the wrong side of the law. I wouldn’t do well locked up….

It was kinda exciting at first…..they led us all in, gave us a demonstration of a....uh….standard search that is preformed on every inmate [luckily we didn’t all have to go through that process…ew], and then gave the guys the old ‘black and white striped shirts. All us ladies got…..orange and white striped shirts. And I am talking bright orange. Talk about a flattering piece of clothing…. :P Anyway, then we were broken up into small groups and led to various cells in a few different cell blocks throughout the jail. My group ended up being me, three of my friends, and 3 preteen girls. They put us in a cell area, shut the door, and then left. We all just kinda looked at each other and were like, “so….now what?” We explored the area a bit [which didn’t take long], but then the excitement wore off. We soon realized that no one was going to come for us, and that we were pretty much stuck until a guard came to let us out [which turned out to be like 45 minutes to an hour later!!]. So, what do 3 teens and 4….. 'mature' kidults [haha] do with themselves while voluntarily ‘incarcerated’? We make our own fun!

First item on the agenda: Operation: Trick The Guards. This fun little game consisted of us getting the guards to think we had…..uh….escaped, or disappeared. Every so often, a guard would come around and peek in our window. We all plastered ourselves against one wall so that the guards wouldn’t be able to see us when they looked in the window in the door, of course making the assumption that there was no one in the control room up above looking at us. The plan worked flawlessly. The guards came around, and we could hear them outside as one said, “Hey, where’d they go?” And of course in a very mature, adult way, we all looked at each other and covered our mouths to smother the flurry of giggles that erupted. We actually got the guards to open the door and peek inside, and then we jumped out and said, “HA! We got you!” Oh, yeah…..the ‘operation’ was a success.

Next item on the agenda was to decide why exactly we were in jail. What heinous crimes had we committed to end up in the Washington Country Jail? What were our aliases…aka…street names? This took up quite a bit of time as we discussed the various misdemeanors or felonies each one of us might be capable of. Our list of crimes were quite shocking, let me tell you. My crime was either forgery or for running a meth lab…..I can’t quite remember….and I am not going to share my mean street name….he he he….

Then we sat around and planned our escape. We eventually decided that it would be near impossible to actually make a successful break. It’s a brand new jail, not Shawshank. Although, at one point, we had a pretty good plan mapped out involving a staged fight, a human ladder, and an air duct…..but since we weren’t sure of the schematics of the heating and cooling system, we figured that some mastermind designer had already thought of that and had safety measures in place.

The highlights of being locked up were the optional, yet highly attended chapel time and ‘yard time’. We were happy to be anywhere other than our cell. Chapel time was fun; the time outside in the yard was disappointing. I was thinking, grass, maybe? Nope. We were escorted to small, enclosed, cemented area. The only grass was on the other side of a heavily barred gate leading to an emergency area in case of fire. Whoohoo! Now that’s my idea of a playground.

All in all, it was an enlightening experience. Even with all the ”fun” we created for ourselves in our cell, I was ready to get out after about 15 minutes of being locked up. Its an almost claustrophobic feeling knowing that no matter what you do, there is no escape. For 3 hours I was a prisoner, my freedoms stripped from me, forced to follow the schedule set out for me by the law enforcement system. And there was nothing to do except talk to fellow ‘inmates’ and stare at the white cinderblock walls that surrounded me on all sides reminding me of all the freedoms I had lost…..

.....and all I got was a T-shirt…. :)

My Trip to the Dentist

2005-07-25T15:00:00.000-05:00

Sigh……dentist offices make me…..uncomfortable…..

This is partly due to the fact that practically every memory I have of going to the dentist growing up includes some element of pain, or a follow-up visit where excessive pain was experienced. And yes, regular ‘check-up’ cleanings were painful for me! I mean, those metal tools…..and all the scraping and picking at my poor little gums!!!! THE AGONY! :P

Just walking into the dentist’s office can set me on edge. I think it’s the smell. I feel immediately tense the moment I walk through the door and my nose registers that…..medicinal…..dentist…smell. It is completely different from doctor’s offices and hospitals.

Well, by now you can probably guess that I went to the dentist. Yep, that was my lunchtime fun for today. [can we do it again, huh, huh, huh?? :P] It is the first ‘bi-annual’ checkup that I have had in I think like 3 or 4 years [not very consistent with my checkups]. I have been having MAJOR jaw trouble over the past few years that has gotten considerably worse here lately, so I thought a cleaning was in order, then I could inform the dentist to see what he thought.

On the bright side, I was told that I have very pretty, healthy teeth [and a beautiful smile :D…. 'why thank you!’ said I….;)], no cavities [HALLELUJAH!!], and ok gums [I need to floss more regularly….don’t we all!].

On the not so bright side…….I have severe, advanced TMJ, which fortunately due to my young age probably has not become a permanent joint problem; but, it could go that way if not attended to soon. Great.

So guess what Sarah gets??? Tell her what’s behind door number one, Bob! I am the lucky winner of…….an interior splint. What is this interior splint you may ask? Quite simply, something I will have to wear in my mouth that is going to give me a loverly LISP. Yeshhh, I willshh be ssthatsh girl withsh the sshcute lishhhp. At least until I get used to it. This splint hopefully will correct the jaw problems [and GET RID OF THE PAIN!!!!!], while protecting my bicuspids [love that word…:)] which the dentist says are being worn down by either clenching, grinding, or just the way my jaw sits. And if this doesn’t fix it…….I will have to move to the world of orthodontia.....

Yippee skippy…..bring on the dental appliances….. :P

Howard Shore Helps My Productivity, and Red Converses Make Me Happy [How's that for a title??]

2005-07-22T13:23:00.000-05:00

It’s a LOTR soundtrack day. I have noticed that whenever I listen to those soundtracks while at work, I really become productive. I am able to focus and tune out everything and everyone around me [he he he…not a bad thing sometimes ;)]. I also start working at a frenzied pace, and sometimes get a little stressed out on a few songs. Some of the song are INTENSE! So now, whenever I really want to get a lot done, I just load it up on my pc, turn up the volume, put on my headphones, and…..voila!-- Instant Super Speedy Mode. I get a ton done without even realizing it. :D I sort of had an unproductive day yesterday [constant interruptions], so hopefully I can make up for it today, with the help of Howard Shore.

Random time: I have to share about the cute little old man I saw yesterday. I was driving up the bypass on my way up to Centerton to hang out with my friend Sarah, when I came upon this cute little old man with a bushy white mustache riding a vintage looking Harley. Watching him made me smile and chuckle. His helmet was one of those retro half helmet things with the chin strap, and the rest of his ensemble consisted of a biker t-shirt, cut off jean shorts, and…..wait for it…..red hightop converse tennis shoes. Oh, and I can’t forget to mention his leather fingerless gloves. I LOVED IT!!! :) It was great!! If only I had had my camera, I could’ve snapped a shot and posted it. But what made me smile most was the look on his face. He was glowing with this look of contentment and joy! It made me smile. :) And even though we was on the bypass and there was that large grassy median separating our lane from the southbound lane, he still did the ‘one handed wave’ that I have noticed bikers exchange when they meet each other on a highway. He looked like he was having a great time cruising on his ride, and it made me happy watching him be all happy. :) :)

That’s all I have. :)

I've Got a Golden Ticket

2005-07-21T11:51:00.000-05:00

I feel a little like Charlie at the moment. I have my very own "Golden Ticket"--a ticket on an airplane, that is. And where will my Golden Ticket be taking me? No, not to some trippy candy factory owned by a creepy Willy. The correct answer is to Washington, DC in mid August for a weekend of FUN with my friends Shelli and Karen.

This is probably the most spontaneous "Big Trip" that I have ever taken [Big meaning needing an airplane to get there]. I mean, sure, I have jumped in the car on several occasions for some really fun last minute road trips [Shelli, remember 'Wacky Wednesdays'? And the inaugural trip to Bolivar?? HA! :)]. But I am normally a planner, and as a planner any trip that requires an airplane is usually booked many moons in advance in order to take advantage of good pricing. Also, Airplane Trips require saving my limited, but adequate {completely happy with what God has blessed me with!}, funds for months to cover all the expenses I might incur during said Trip [and setting up an account specifically for Airplane Trip in my already anally detailed budget].

I am throwing caution to the wind and tossing my advance-trip-planning tendencies. WHOO HOO!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who are making this trip possible: First, I would like to thank Shelli's place of employment for sending her on a business trip, and for her smart thinking in tagging on a fun girl trip at the end of said business trip. Second, thanks to American Airlines for having a Frequent Flyer Program, and for having 'Award Seats' available on the flights I needed. Finally, I would like to give major props to my Jetsetter dad who graciously gave me the miles I needed [uh...all of them...] from his abundance of accrued miles, without which I would not be able to take this flight.

Yeehaw!!!!!!!!

An Old Soul

2005-07-20T18:50:00.000-05:00

I had a friend tell me today that I am an "old soul". So, I have been pondering that today. I guess I should expand and share the whole quote....edited for spelling and grammar, b/c with this friend I have to do that...haha ;):

"You may only be a kid, but you are wise and in some [ways] you are an old soul and that is a good thing."

hmm....an old soul..... oh, and WISE??!! haha. I guess I am, in a way....an old soul that is.....maybe?? If I am interpreting right what that is exactly...... I know that God has already taken me down some tough trails and in a few valleys that have grown me spiritually and given me.....dare I say wisdom??....in certain things....I guess.... I don't think I would have thought 5 years ago that I would be where I am and have learned what I have learned. Its cool, though, b/c God has been there every step of the way, and it all is worth it when I think about where I am with Him as a result. OK, so I may not be making a ton of sense, b/c I am trying to sort all this out myself. But I guess this is just my personal 'journal' [with public viewing, haha], so maybe it doesn't HAVE to make sense.

So....I am just.....pondering.....in the few minutes I have before choir practice....

These are a few of MY favorite things!

2005-07-19T21:24:00.000-05:00

Maria [aka Julie Andrews] has her ‘raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens’. Now, I am not as sing-songy as all that [well, maybe I am....he he], but I do have my own favorite things. Since I love lists, I thought I’d share a few of my ‘favorites’ with you. Mind you, these are in no order whatsoever….and it is not an exhaustive list….that'd take too long.... ;-)

God
God’s promises of things to come
Homemade ice cream
Super soft socks
Fuzzy slippers
Clean sheets on a freshly made bed
Towels hung out to dry on a warm, sunny day
The warm, fuzzy feeling you get after selflessly doing something for someone [like a stranger] who in no way has the means to ever return the favor
The feeling you have after a hard day of physical labor [helping build a house, haul hay, build a dam, digging a trench…..you get the idea.
The way a shower feels after doing any of the above activities.
Sleeping in your own bed after being away from it for a long time [like a mission trip]
A really good conversation with a friend [where you learn a lot about each other]
Reading the Word of God
HUGS
Stargazing
Frolicking in the rain during one of those awesome summer showers [when there is no thunder or lightning…]
The smell of fall
The sound of the woods in the morning when you know you’re the only one out there
Hope
Naps
Ice cold Stewarts root beer
Singing praises to God and worshipping Him
Looking back and seeing the clear undeniable fingerprints of God all over the situations in your life
Being snuggled up in bed on a stormy or snowy morning, knowing you DON’T have to get up
Feeling warm on a cold day
Beenie Weenies [the homemade kind my mom makes, not that gross stuff from a can]
Smiling :-)

So, Julie can have her bright copper kettles. These are my favorite things. :-D

What are YOUR favorite things??

Everything's Up To Date In Kansas City

2005-07-18T13:31:00.000-05:00

Aren’t you glad to know that? ;)

I've been out the end of this last week at my office’s annual summer missions staff retreat. Basically it’s the missions office...in a conference room...for 3 days... planning goals, mission trips, ministries, and our vision for the next year..... with breaks for food at yummy Kansas City restaurants in between. It was a good trip [long and busy, but good]. I am really excited about the next few years in our ministry. :) So…that’s where I’ve been…..

Who Let the Dogs Out?

2005-07-12T11:20:00.000-05:00

A man barked at me today. And when I say 'bark' I do not mean that a man yelled or griped at me or was short with me. I am talking honest to goodness animal noises. As I was pumping gas this morning, a strange man walked past me and literally began barking like a dog at me. Not like, "whoof, whoof, whoof" or "yap, yap, yap" or any sort of series of barks. It was more like some strange "grrruuufff" or something. I wasn't even sure at first what he was doing, or if his display of 'animalness' was aimed at me, but as I glanced up after he was past me, he had turned his head around and was staring right at me. And then he barked at me again[though I think it was more of a growl this time]. It was almost like one of those standard, annoying 'cat calls', except....with a dog..... Weird things like that seem to happen to me at gas stations..... :P

Hobbit Feet

2005-07-11T14:30:00.000-05:00

I actually posted this weekend, so be sure to read on below this post....

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{***WARNING!!! GROSS TOPIC AHEAD: The following post pertains to a subject matter that may seriously gross you out [FEET]. It grossed me out, but I am feeling pretty feisty and bold today, so I thought I’d share. AND, Its my Blog….:P For those of you who have problem with the subject of feet, you may want to skip this post. For the brave and the curious, read on… remember, you were warned…..***}
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When you love someone - you'll do anything; you'll do all the crazy things that you can't explain; you'll shoot the moon - put out the sun…
….work on someone’s feet??!!! YUCK!!

UGH…..
Scraping the dry, dead skin off the bottom of another person’s feet—yep, that is love. Well, at least that is love in my family, between my mom and dad. That’s what he actually did for her a few nights ago. I am not even kidding. He had her soak her feet, and then used some sort of foot tool to ‘shave’ the dry, dead skin off the bottom of her feet. My gag reflexes were going, let me tell you.

Dad worked on mom’s feet, which he affectionately refers to as her “hobbit’s feet”…. and they really do kinda resemble the foot of a hobbit, minus the hair.. ;) She is probably going to kill me for talking about her feet….

I guess in some weird….alternate universe kind of way…. it is kinda sweet. I mean, he did it because she asked. He could have said, “ew, gross, no!!” And after he is done ‘working on her feet’, he scrubs them with good smelling foot scrub and washes them and puts lotion on them. So I guess it’s basically a pedicure without the toenail painting. It’s a selfless act for her. He does do it because he loves her….

I am just NOT a foot person. I don’t like my own feet, let alone another person’s [even if they are family]! EW!

Hickity Hike

2005-07-09T18:30:00.000-05:00

What's this? Blogging on a Saturday???? What's wrong with me! :)

Well, I got "out of Dodge" again for another fun hike day with God. I got up early [for a Saturday]-- left a little after 8 --and headed out to my favorite getaway hiking spot, Lost Valley. It was a great day. :D I love 'running away' for some one-on-one time with God. And after the week I had, I definitely felt the need to answer His call to "arise my darling, come away, my beautiful one.." [SofS2:10]. :)

It is really awesome being in the woods on a trail early in the morning. I think I was the only one out there on the trail until almost 11. The only sounds besides my footfalls were the constant chatters, chrips, crackles and rustles of His glorious creation doing the things they were created to do. The trail at Lost Valley isn't a very long one, and I go there because it is short and frequented by a lot of hikers--so I feel safe being 'by myself'. But it is nice being out there before the crowds clog it up with their 'unnatural noise'. ;) haha It was sweet getting to stand in the middle of the woods and sing "How Great Thou Art" without worrying about being interrupted, or feeling silly.....oh, and I TOTALLY did that too!! It was GREAT! :) And so is GOD!!!!

I spent most my time again in the natural rock amphitheater.....this time, however, I was smart and brought my thermarest camp chair....it made for a MUCH more comfortable experience... ;)

In short, it was an awesome, blessed time of prayer, bible reading, and sitting in silence before the Lord.

Pastoral Care Blues

2005-07-08T17:00:00.000-05:00

I am the Angel of Death again..... :(

Back when I first started working here at the church, one half of my job was being the assistant to the Sr. Adult/Pastoral Care minister. As his assistant, one area I had responsibility in were the "bereavements". I was responsible for reporting deaths to the church staff, getting out funeral information as soon as it was made available, adjusting the departed's record on the church database, and other pastoral care duties for the person and their family. The bereavement stuff was actually one aspect of that job that I liked least. I really don't think I handle death too well. Some weeks I felt like the Angel of Death [someone actually called me that!], because there would be so many deaths. :( It would sometimes really bum me out and make my heart ache. I even had fellow employees tell me they would cringe every time they got an email from me, b/c I would either be reporting sick people or dead people. :( Then my position changed, and I no longer had duties in Pastoral Care.

But now I temporarily have these responsibilites again since the lady who was in that position quit. And today has been a really sad 'angel of death' day. A very sweet, active, and well known Senior Saint passed away this morning, so I have been scrambling all day trying to get information out to the necessary people and help get various items done for the funeral next week before the weekend. And this time its a little hard for me because this is the first time I actually know the family. :( I know it is a happy time for the woman, b/c she is finally home. She is now with her Savior, singing praises to the King of Kings [she was a long time member of the church choir :)]. I know her family is comforted by that. It is still sad for every one here on earth.

It has made for a melancholy Friday.

Near Death Experience

2005-07-07T13:38:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I totally almost DIED yesterday…..

Uh…so….actually…..I am just trying to grab the reader’s attention with an ultra dramatic statement….did it work? ;) Because I don’t think my life was in danger, exactly, but….maybe…

Alright….let’s start over….

I was almost a victim in a car accident yesterday. [had to keep a little drama…]

So….I am with Shelli cruising the Fayetteville area after a fun and yummy meal at Bordino’s [actually my first Bordino’s experience…] when the almost unfortunate incident occurred.

I guess I should mention that we were cruising in “THE FLOYD”….her HUGE extended cab beast of a truck [which, by the way has 2….count ‘em 2 gas tanks….wow]. I mean, we were getting ‘country’ in a truck sired by monster trucks. All ‘The Floyd’ needs is monster tires, and it would be quite the sensation on the road…..but anyway. Here we are cruising in the Millennium Falcon [so named by the Akins] when this young buck in a cracker jack box whips out of a parking lot coming the opposite direction…..and swerves into OUR lane right in front of us! Shelli and I both let out appropriate gasps, she brakes and swerves, and I assume the ‘brace’ position by griping the door and seat beside me. After a few tense seconds, Young Buck rights his matchbox car into his own lane, making some…..wave….or gesture….or….something…..at us as his hand hung out his open window. I think it might have been the “I am a too cool teenager” way of saying “Oh, I am so sorry, ladies, for almost causing you to pee your pants because I am a horrible driver who does not need to be on the roads…please forgive me for my inexperience in handling a vehicle”. Yes, I think that is what he was trying to convey with his…..spastic hand movements.

But you know, when I think about it, if that kid had hit us, he was the one who would have been toast [or at least his car would have been]. I mean, we were in “The Floyd” for crying out loud…..a big hunk of beastliness on wheels. Young Buck was in the plastic Cracker Jack Box. Now….if you picture that for a moment….who do you think would come out on top…..yeah, my thoughts exactly. I am just glad that God was looking out for all of us and protected us from an accident. :)

So, who else has a....'near death' experience to share?? ;)

Picture Test

2005-07-06T16:53:00.000-05:00

ok...so I just found out it is easier than ever to upload pictures onto my blog, so I thought I'd give it a whirl and test it out. So....here ya go!

This is just a random picture. I took it last summer, right after I bought my current digital camera. I think I was testing out either the zoom or the 'micro' function or something. I can't remember..... :)

Twinkle, Twinkle

2005-07-06T14:42:00.000-05:00

Country Living has one major advantage over the “City” Life [IMO]: STARS. The night sky is pretty dark where I live, and that makes for fabulous star gazing on clear, summer nights. Last night was one of those nights.

I was having trouble sleeping, so I ended up on the back doorstep for a little gazing of the heavens. My plan was momentarily put on hold as soon as I sat down when the security light switched on….but 15 minutes later I was good to go. It was fabulous.

I love star gazing. Staring at the heavens reminds me of how awesome, how BIG, how majestic the Creator is. It is so neat to look at certain constellations and know that those stars are the same ones mentioned in the Old Testament [Job, Isaiah, Amos], and have been around since God first placed them in the heavens. It’s hard to look at the night sky and not praise God. Glory!

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night display knowledge. Psalm 19:1