Rainy Day Southerner

February 14th

2012-02-14T22:19:00.003-05:00

Got to celebrate Valentine's with a bunch of first graders! We love gummy worms and Valentines. Enjoyed some sandwiches, chips, and cupcakes! Blessed and surprised to receive some other lovely notes and goodies from friends! Though some loved ones are here and others are far away, wanted to send a special wish of Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-12T14:55:00.002-05:00

"...he is perfectly contented to be just what God has made him, to go where his Master sends him, to do what is placed in his hands to do. He is so far from thinking himself essential to the prosperity of the Church and the redemption of the world, that he hopefully, and even confidently, leaves that in the care of the Supreme."-E. R. Conder and W. Clarkson

Another Week

2012-02-11T20:23:00.004-05:00

This week the kids finished their term with Mr. Tom (click here to find out more!) the artist....
They completed their books (wrote a How-To story) and did a great job!

Friday they made cards! Most of them made Valentine cards. One of our boys wrote one to a little girl in the class, it was cute! I got to help him spell her name and I felt like a little match maker. Anyway, Mr. Tom showed them how to make three different kinds of paper hearts! They were SO impressed and thought he was like magic!

Then they learned how to be magical too! I even tried my own hand at it and made a card too!

Mr. Tom's work, the kids' work, and pictures from the past few weeks should be displayed at an artist reception on March 8th from 5-7:30 at the Municipal Art Gallery in MS.

Friday we celebrated Abraham Lincoln's bday! I know it is not until Sunday but we were ready! We made log cabins to go around our milk cartons and I took a picture of one of the students' work because this idea is just too cute!

Had breakfast at the Corner Bakery this morning with a friend and let me just say the "Farmer's Scramble" is the way to go! It lasted me all day through warm up class, tech rehearsal, and dress rehearsal!

Catch Up

2012-02-05T21:05:00.005-05:00

As a student teacher I often find myself saying, "I have to catch up on my life..."
It's kind of silly and a bit of an exaggeration, I simply mean in the week I guess I am experiencing adult life because I got to school and don't have a whole lot of time for much else but that's why I have a new found love for the weekends....and Fridays!

I was sick last week and can not believe I have been for a little over a week now! I still have sickness in me! Yuck! When I get sick, apparently I get really sick. Unfortunately, all my student teaching friends got sick too! Hopefully they will feel better soon!

So Friday we had King Cake (that's what happens when you go to school in MS) and made paper books! Let me just say, first graders do not know how to sew. If you show them which wholes to pull the thread through they can get it. I don't know how many times I said, pull pull pull pull because they didn't understand that concept and then they would run out of thread but it would really just be left behind! One of my students said, this is my first time sewing! She was excited, which is great! I snuck a picture of the last class' paper hanging up drying in the window.

This was the seed paper hanging up to dry.

Also I got a picture of the finished books! I think they are going to be displayed in an art museum somewhere around town. Tomorrow we are supposed to decorate the tales of the thread kind of like a bookmark or tassel.

It has been so cloudy and rainy. Today it got colder and cloudy. The sun came up for a little bit this morning, which was lovely, and then it disappeared! Anyway on Friday I woke up to the sound of rain. I walked past all the little streams and rivers around campus later that day. I always think, I should buy an umbrella, rain boots, and a rain coat. All of which I have yet to purchase for the past four years I've been here. I know it's not rainy like Portland but sometimes it sure does seem like it! I love the rain, don't get me wrong but I always think, I need rain boots! I should work on this.

Caught up with Evan this weekend too....it was a late night video chat but apparently we got a lot done in 3 hours.

I had dance all weekend! Well, really all day Saturday! We went to a nursing home for dance ministry and then had the Collaborative Arts Concert that night! Since it is a smaller concert, we had a warm up class and dress rehearsal that afternoon. There was a great turn out for the show and it is always neat when visual artists, musicians, and dancers all work together! I was in a piece called "Open Hands" choreographed by my two friends Anna and Libby. They did a beautiful job and it was a blessing to be able to work with them! It was based on the story of Abraham and how God provided a sacrifice for him; he had to have open hands and let go!

Here is our cast!

As we rehearsed for Dance Ministry the other day, I stopped and thought. The piece I'm in for that performance is called, "With Everything." It is a huge cast, I'd say around 20 people! I wondered if when we all get to Heaven we'll meet up and perform it! We could dance in front of our King, live and in person! What a glorious day it will be when dancers dance, musicians play, artists draw, and everyone worships in their own way in the presence of the Lord! Our God is an awesome God!

Almost Tuesday

2012-01-30T23:16:00.003-05:00

"....with my God I can scale a wall...As for God, his way is perfect."

God gives strength-Psalm 18:32 and 39
God gives a perfect way- Psalm 18: 30 and 32
God gives a shield-Psalm 18:30 and 35

Check out Psalm 18:29-39

The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior!-Psalm 18:46

I meant to take a picture but I forgot.

2012-01-30T18:09:00.002-05:00

We have an artist at our school this week. Actually he came on Friday and the kids made paper, from paper. I know it sounds kind of interesting but we are into three R's at the moment. Can you name them?

Did you guess them?

Reduce
Reuse
Recycle!

So the artist, his name is Mr. Tom, blended up some paper (added some water) and made pulp. We have also been working on writing How-to paragraphs so we learned "how-to" make paper!

1. Stir up the vat. (use your hand don't forget to roll up your sleeves)
2. Make sure the screen is facing up and the deckle is on top (yes deckle is the name of it! we learned a new word too, don't worry)
3. Then hold it like your driving (thumbs on either side in the middle)
4. scoop up the fish paper (pulp)
4. Do the vatman shake (I know, it sounds like the Batman shake, I wanted to call it that!)
5. Partner takes off the deckle.
6. Flip it over onto felt like a book.
7. Press out the water with a sponge.
8. Pull off the screen.
9. Cover with felt......

Then the assistant and I press them onto the window to dry. I'm pretty sure we put up over 100 sheets of paper. Today we actually made seed paper and I liked these better. The colors were more vibrant and the paper a bit thicker. Apparently you scrape off the paper when its dry with the help of a credit card (like scraping off ice, minus the cold). I meant to take a pic of all the paper drying but by the time the day was over I had forgotten. I'm sorry! Friday we are supposed to make books that will be displayed in an art museum around town?? Something like that, we'll see how it goes! Maybe I can find a picture somewhere in this whole process!

In other news, I rocked one of my first graders' world today by drinking soup out of a can. It was one of those microwaveable Campbelle's cans. He kept asking questions about it, like why did you shake it up when you were drinking it. Then they were interested in sodium because they read that mine had "25% less sodium".

Also, kids know when you are sick. I'm pretty sure five of my kids noticed my voice was a bit off today....
Ms. Schreck, your voice isn't right. It's not yours. Your voice sounds sick.
I learned my lesson. Give me some Vitamin C please!

-Life as an El Ed Major....who's almost done!

2012-01-29T19:21:00.003-05:00

This is why we teach.

The world is a hard place. People need someone to show them love. To show them that they can succeed.

It happens

2012-01-21T14:59:00.002-05:00

This is just my favorite! I'm not sure where it came from/who created it but thanks Evan for sending it to me!

Start your week off right

2012-01-16T22:39:00.001-05:00

Love it!

Interesting

2012-01-16T22:16:00.004-05:00

On Bible Characters: The rich young ruler, Sara, Peter, and Paul....."The one who made a name for himself is nameless. But the ones who called on Jesus' name-& his name only-got new names and even more, new life."

-Max Lucado, Cast of Characters: Common People in the Hands of an Uncommon God, copyright 2008, p. 200

Birthday Week

2012-01-14T14:57:00.004-05:00

This week three of my friends turned 22! We have had lots of great surprises for them! Kimber met a big group at Berry Berry Good, Katie enjoyed pizza and Quelf, and Kim had a surprise breakfast!
We also survived our first week of student teaching; I only rewarded myself with a mountain dew almost every day ;)! Only about 70 more days!

Words for the Soul

2012-01-12T22:02:00.002-05:00

You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless, and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.
-Psalm 10:17-18

For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face.
-Psalm 11:7

God is amazing.

2012-01-12T19:34:00.002-05:00

God is amazing. Period.
Out of the blue, in the middle of Language Arts small group. a little girl asked a question. She was really trying to figure something out. You could see it on her face and could tell in the way she phrased her question. She was working on connecting the dots. The most amazing part? I was so caught off guard (though I should not have been) that I probably only said about two phrases, if that and the kids just had their own little conversation.....

"Is God tinier than everyone?" to which one student said, and they both agreed, "No! He's bigger!!!" another said, "Ya, He died on the cross." The first little girl said, "You know what! He's coming back but we just don't know when...."

Best part of the whole day!!! God is amazing!

Please Watch This!

2012-01-12T19:26:00.002-05:00

"Dress up the outside make it look nice and neat. It's funny that's what they used to do to mummies while the corpse rots underneath."

"When I was an enemy.....Jesus looked down and said I want that man."

"Religion says Do, Jesus says Done."

"Kneeling at the cross saying, 'Come on there's room.' "

2012-01-06T10:13:00.001-05:00

can't believe student teaching is almost here! 7:15 is going to come rather early but excited to see all my lovely small group ladies, my fabulous roomies, and of course good ol Jacktown AND today is going to be an extra special day because I get a visitor in GA!!

Um. Speechless.

2012-01-05T09:42:00.000-05:00

London knows how to do some Fireworks. Can we PLEASE go??!!!

It's a New Year

2012-01-03T17:52:00.002-05:00

Well it's a new year and I have been wanting to blog but not sure what I should write about. As I struggled to untangle a new necklace I got from my uncle for Christmas, I knew this would work.....

I got a new necklace for Christmas. It's quite beautiful. Unfortunately, when I took it out of the box it was all tangled. As I started to unravel it, I realized I was only making it worse. I tried to look at in a different light to see if that would help. Nope, still trying to untangle it. Usually I'm pretty good at untangling them but this one was tough. I went from one position to the next, trying as hard as I could to undo the knot. The harder I tried, the tighter it got. I finally went downstairs and showed mom. Let me just say, mom is always right. She looked at it, said that's a beautiful necklace and with no concern at all told me how to fix it. Just get a sewing needle, stick it through the whole and it'll come loose. So I went back upstairs and tried. It took me a little while. I would almost get it and then lose it. Finally, though I'm not quite sure how, it worked! Mom was right and I had my beautiful necklace back!

Great story, right. Well it gets better because as I sat there SO frustrated I realized that that story sometimes resembles my life.....

Sometimes I can do some damage and get my life all in a knot/tangle/mess. I wonder how often God looks at me as He's trying to make me new and says well, that obviously didn't get her attention, perhaps if I put her in a different situation/a different light she will understand. When I continue to be stubborn, I wonder if he says, I guess I'll have to use a different tool with her.

I'm often blown away by his patience in my life. I worked on that necklace for a mere 15 minutes or so and was about to give up. I even asked for help, got the right tools, and then almost gave up! My transformation will take a lifetime and God still doesn't give up on me. He uses all the right tools, knows all the right people to place in my life, and takes care of me.

I love that He can look at me in my sinful mess and say with complete assurance and calm, this is what she needs, this is what I'm going to do. She'll be beautiful!

Three verses come to mind-Romans 8:38-39 (I will never be separated from Christ), 2 Corinthians 5:17 (He is making me new!), 1 Peter 1:7 (though we go through tough times/fire, God will be glorified!)

Though it will take a lifetime, God sees the beauty, untangles all the knots, and is proud of His kids!

We Made it!

2011-12-28T11:21:00.003-05:00

So we made it! Back home from the big Florida trip...now to catch up on everything else.
Loved travelin' with my car buddy-Isabear! She's great!

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.-Psalm 5:11

BBQ

2011-12-28T11:10:00.004-05:00

I don't know that I've eaten so much bbq in a week in my life! I was in FL and had bbq, kind of unusual but we made our rounds. Had some Texas bbq at 4 Rivers Restaurant and I don't know what other kind! I think I liked Bubba's BBQ the best. This place was quite something. I got the biggest drink I think I have ever seen in my life. Bigger than McAlister's! and they are pretty big! 4 Rivers also has a sweet shop where my cousin Shoshanah works and their desserts are wonderful! They have some pretty funky cupcakes too like the best seller-Mountain Dew and Doritos cupcake!

Christmas Eve

2011-12-28T11:06:00.004-05:00

Christmas Eve we went to a lovely Candlelight service. I loved hearing and singing "O Holy Night' and "Agnus Dei."

The crew/fam!

Then we went home and had a few left overs and Christmas! We got presents from PJ the elf of course, shared some peppermint hershey kisses and toblerone, and gave dad birthday presents! Grandma got quite a few presents too! (Thanks Alli for the pics!)

Settlers of Catan

2011-12-28T10:59:00.006-05:00

We also attempted playing Settlers of Catan! Somehow I had the longest road but still managed to lose miserably. Oh well, Josh was victorious 2x! and Grandma was really close the second time we played. Alli just missed winning the first time but played her turn anyway to see how the winning would have gone down. It's a strategy game but sometimes strategy just isn't enough. We still had lots of fun! (Again thanks for the pics alli!)

Barbara Manatee! Manatee! Manatee!

2011-12-28T10:33:00.004-05:00

The highlight of our trip was going to see the Manatees (hard word to spell, I know!) They come to a warm spring in Florida because they have to have warm waters or they die! What an incredible creature! Visits like these make me marvel at our Creator! The little guys, well they aren't so little, have to surface about every 2 minutes for air! They snort and it's very cute! The warm springs and walk were just beautiful, I enjoyed the nature walk almost as much as the manatees! The water was crystal clear and gorgeous! We even sang the manatee song on the way there to get us in the mood! There is also a historic house on the site where we learned about the family who worked the land. Very interesting! Can't imagine what it would have been like to discover and live at a place like this!

We all went a little camera happy! Near the end of the trip my camera started doing the focusing thing and I was a little bit confused. I keep figuring out new things that my camera can do without realizing it. I didn't take the time to read the book so then things like this happen and I think Oh that's cool! So I took about two artsy pictures without realizing it.

Florida for Christmas

2011-12-28T10:04:00.003-05:00

This past week we went to the wonderfully sunny and large state of Florida! It certainly did not feel like winter but we enjoyed some fun in the sun!

We got to see just about everyone from my dad's side of the family, which is kind of a lot! The Beates', Unce Dave and Aunt Liz, cousin Randy and his wife and soon to be little one!, Aunt Laura from Oklahoma, and Grandma!

It certainly wasn't the same without Grandpa but I'm sure he enjoyed his Christmas in Heaven, He got to spend it with Jesus of course!

The week started with a Christmas party-games and pizza! I did pretty well on the trivia and word scramble but I couldn't remember "Miracle on 34th Street." Uncle Mike won most of the competitions as normal. Unfortunately it wasn't dad, he is also named Mike, but Uncle Mike Beates. Although the pair did have an excellent Star Wars/Trekk themed Christmas mad lib. I personally liked the one Abbie and I created about Johnny Bravo and the 1,000plus pink reindeer. We finished the game with a paper plate illustration.

You had to draw a Christmas scene step by step with your plate on top of your head!

Pretty tricky and funny!

Winner! I'm not sure if he won this round as well but he won most of them, probably this one too! Yay Uncle Mike!

Happy Birthday

2011-12-28T10:00:00.003-05:00

My Heavenly Daddy and my daddy share the same birthday! This year Dad turned 50! It was a quiet birthday but we were blessed to be able to share it with him and have fun remembering half a century....ok we didn't remember that much but we enjoyed the day!
This pic just makes me smile, we love you!

Christmas

2011-12-28T09:25:00.002-05:00

I think I have a new favorite/classic Christmas song. Take a minute to stop and think about the words of "O Holy Night"....it just might change your life!

Doin' a little research (I know wikipedia isn't always the best resource) and found that it was based on a poem....click here, here, or here to read the rest of the story!

For all the Little Ballerinas...

2011-12-27T20:26:00.002-05:00

Just got back from a Floridian Christmas! Will post pics and a recap soon but until then, enjoy the video! Thanks to Joanna Tan for sharing it on facebook....

Sarah

2011-12-15T15:12:00.004-05:00

Drove about an hour to Commerce, GA today for my bi-annual meeting with Sarah! We try to get together over holidays or breaks. Even though she's at Clemson and I'm at Belhaven, we found some spot sort of in the middle. Ok, its not in the middle but it's a lot closer thank Jackson, MS! Had Five Guys, probably one of the few times I actually eat there and walked around the Tanger Outlets. It's always great to catch up with an old friend from high school! She will be graduating with a nursing degree in the Spring and I'm so proud of her! She will be an excellent additon to the medical field! I didn't get a pic so this will have to do....hard to believe it's almost been four years!

Also, I can't believe it is almost Christmas!

2011-12-14T09:43:00.002-05:00

Guest blog post! Read here.

What do you want for Christmas?

2011-12-11T18:13:00.005-05:00

God's heart for missions....

"'But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?'"-Jonah 4:11

"Jonah was more concerned about shade from a tree than the salvation of a city."-Pastor at First Baptist Conyers

Reminds me of the song by Big Tent Revival, "What I want for Christmas"

2011-12-06T10:55:00.002-05:00

Christmas songs....

Good Day

2011-12-06T10:22:00.004-05:00

Pic compliments of Anna Lois Callen

Yesterday was a big day! Well I didn't do much school wise, which is great! Had two dance shows for fellow students who were in a choreography class. Their pieces were both based on the story of Abraham sacrificing his son and God providing the lamb. The first piece we performed took that idea and integrated the theme of birds and birdlike qualities while the second one had a theme of using hands, letting go and letting God take over. They were both really neat. After watching a video, I think it looked better than we felt performing them. It was a lot of fun and I was so blessed to be a part of it!

After dancing, I watched the rest of the pieces, had a quick warm up in jazz, and headed to our annual Olive Garden date! Since Freshman year, we have been blessed to have a girls' night at Olive Garden! I just want to try everything on the menu, but settled with spaghetti and meatballs. I know, go to olive garden and what do I get, the simplest meal! But I always have leftovers which is mostly why I get it :).

Watched some of a Friends episode with Kimber and then got to catch up with an old friend.

Didn't have to set an alarm this morning which is lovely as it's study day. Now the problem is finding that motivation to actually study for my two exams tomorrow.....hmmmmm.

Christmas Dance Extravaganza

2011-12-04T10:00:00.003-05:00

Went back to our first visit with Dance Ministry and did a Christmas performance! It was full of tap, Jingle Bells, and Tinsel!

Singing Christmas Tree

2011-12-02T22:31:00.005-05:00

We bundled up for the 79th Annual Singing Christmas tree at Belhaven! It wasn't the same as a lot of our friends who made it so fun graduated but it was still great. They have a new and improved tree! It's all green and much more sturdy! They even have greenery on the bottom rung and a new lighting design. There's a cross that shines on it for some of the songs! And with Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer....they called Rudolph "names like Justin Beiber" and Rudolph will "go down in history like Fithugh"-always love the inside jokes at Bu. It wasn't as cold as normal but it was still a good run. Best memory ever? When it actually snowed during the song "I'm dreaming of a White Christmas."
Compliments to Mysie for the phone pic!

2011-12-02T22:31:00.001-05:00

Guess Who....

2011-12-02T11:55:00.004-05:00

We went to the Bethlehem Christian Center to share some memorable and favorite book characters! Sometimes its fun being an El Ed major :)

Thing 1 and 2, The Big Bad Wolf and the pig (3 in 1), Tinker Bell, Fancy Nancy, Eloise, Junie B. Jones, Lion, The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, and Little Red Riding Hood came to visit.

People are so creative, I'm sure Ms. Quinn has fun seeing everyone over the years!

Gave my presentation for Kingdom Life so I am finally done with the class otherwise known as Kingdom Strife! It wasn't so bad after all. Happy to say, I'm still sticking with Education and I'm pretty sure after four years of worldview, I should not be lacking in that department and I know what I believe!

Quad Life

2011-11-30T18:18:00.003-05:00

Today we played apples to apples and had pizza. A few days ago we made snowflakes.....even if they turned out umm let's just say interesting.

It is hard to believe that this semester is almost over. I'm finding free time in my days and it is so unusual I am not quite sure what to do with myself anymore. Don't worry, I find things to do!

Thankfully, academics are winding down this week because somehow dance picked up. We are all looking forward to a Dance Ministry Christmas performance this weekend. The students also have a choreography showing on Monday so that means lots of rehearsals and a sore Emily but that's ok!

Listening to Christmas music is getting me excited about the coming season and New Year. I cannot believe this new year will be filled with many lasts and firsts. We are all about to begin a new phase of life.

At RUF last night we were reminded and challenged-Jesus' resurrection from the grave is our only hope, so live like it!

"And he said to them, 'Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him."-Mark 16:6

Ultimate Frisbee

2011-11-30T18:08:00.004-05:00

Some people are just really good at ultimate frisbee. For some reason, I have not figured out the art of frisbee throwing. I've been taught how to do it, I've attempted to do it, but it just won't go where I want it to go. Sometimes I can run fairly fast so I could actually attempt to receive it. There's one slight problem. I am a bit short. So sometimes no matter how hard I run, there's still no hope.

I always forget why I don't play it more. It doesn't take me long to remember once I start. There is so much running. One time I played on the football practice field on a sunny day. It must have been near the beginning or end of the year because it was hot. Ultimate, in MS, in the summer is a bit dreadful but some people are troopers. They are like mailmen, rain or shine, they play! Almost every Sunday there was a group of people who would play in the afternoons. After that dreadfully hot hour of running, I took probably a year and half hiatus and didn't play again until the beach retreat. Apparently I'm not a trooper.

Needless to say, if you're specialty is ultimate, I'm impressed. If you can throw it upside down with two fingers, also comically labeled the "bunny fingers" by our HPCY, again I'm impressed. To those of you who dream about Ultimate Frisbee, well enjoy....

Merry Christmas Early

2011-11-28T10:18:00.002-05:00

This is such a great clip, I think I can guarantee a smile....

I love my family

2011-11-26T17:07:00.001-05:00

Mom: Hey honey, why don't you put the star on the tree like Elf does....
Dad: Because the sofa is not in the right spot!

also Indiana Jones never gets old, love the classics!

Stone Mountain

2011-11-24T17:29:00.006-05:00

Spent the afternoon with Evan at Stone Mountain and didn't get too terribly lost (even if we did walk a lot) which is pretty good for two people who don't know their way around Loganville. Ok, I have lived here for two years now (so I probably should have known my way around) but I was at school for much of those two years. Unfortunately we bypassed the road that would take us to Starbucks but we did manage to find some Christmas lights and a Mellow Mushroom.

Stone Mountain is beautiful at night around Christmas! They have their big 'Snow Mountain' exhibit and are making lots of snow! The lights were beautiful and they had a cute version of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol!' It reminded me of all my theater friends at Belhaven. Harry Potter, Justin Beiber, and Dale even made it into the show!

If you ever go, I think you should try the Harvest Farm. We thought it was an actual farm, and it is but the word Harvest should have given us a clue. It's not an animal farm but a fruit farm. Alright, you have to use your imagination here but it is full of fruit (or colorful squishy nerf balls). We were warned not to 'bruise' the fruit (throw it at people) and got to climb around the playground, 'pick fruit,' and play fruit tic tac toe. That is the hardest tic tac toe I have ever played (see the pic above, you have to throw the fruit into the baskets) but, I won best out of three so it was worth it!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T17:22:00.008-05:00

It must be thanksgiving.....

My voice is disappearing but that's ok. Watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, had hot chocolate and pumpkin pie (for breakfast, we were a bit anxious to eat it!), video chatted with Josh and Alli (we miss you guys!! and are so excited to see ya'll in a few weeks!), started Thanksgiving dinner, tried to get mom set up on pinterest, watched Bear play outside in the leaves, and now its football time (we sure hope the Dolphins come out with a win!).

I have been so blessed to have such a lazy day today!

I've got about four papers to write but it's Thanksgiving, I think they can wait...

Thankful that

"None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”
the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God." 2 Corinthians 2:8-10

the list goes on and on! What are you thankful for this year?

Mary Gets Married

2011-11-20T18:15:00.005-05:00

On November 19, 2011 Two of our very good friends, Mary and Luke married each other! It's a special treat when two of your good friends get married.

We headed to Olive Branch, MS for the big day! Mary was beautiful and the two were so excited! I remember when they first started dating Freshman year. Time flies, we will always remember those game and movie nights! Throwing candy at them as they cuddled during a movie. Oh how we love our friends :)

We pray that God will continue to bless them as they begin this new life together!

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Luke Andrew Mittwede!

49 Books Later

2011-11-20T18:05:00.005-05:00

I did it! I finished my 50 Books Project. I read one over the summer but all the rest I read this semester! Here's the list....i didn't include the 5 controversial books I read because I did not like most of them and probably wouldn't recommend them to anybody to read. Some of them were highly offensive and just not worth reading.

10 Classics

Pinocchio
A Christmas Carol (daddy's favorite)
Alice in Wonderland (I finally read it! still have to see the movies)
Robin Hood (enough said)
The Tale of Peter Rabbit (love Ms. Potter)
The Secret Garden (favorite! great quotes)
The Night Before Christmas (everyone knows it!)
Treasure Island (adventure!)
The Cat in the Hat (on a rainy day...)
Winnie-the-Pooh (precious!)

10 on one Topic (Favorite Little Girl Characters)

Eloise Takes a Bawth (love this book! has some fold out pages!)
Olivia…..and the Missing Toy (never read Olivia before now)
Angelina at the Fair (sparkly cover, good message, everyone loves the fair)
Fancy Nancy Explorer Extraordinaire! (fun projects inside)
Madeline at the White House (love the story behind the book)
Junie B. Jones and her Big Fat Mouth (all my second graders read her)
Amber Brown Wants Extra Credit (fav. growing up!)
Pippi Longstocking (I dressed up as her for halloween one year)
Ramona and Her Mother
Nancy Drew: The Secret of the Old Clock

5 Caldecott Winners

Baboushka and the Three Kings
Make Way for Ducklings
Jumanji (classic! first introduced to this at my grandparent's house in Naples, they owned the movie and it was a bit scary when I was little)
Madeline’s Rescue
Seven Blind Mice (must read, love the illustrations and good message)

5 Poetry/Mother Goose/Nursery Rhymes

Mother Goose
Michael Foreman’s Mother Goose
Sing-Song: A Nursery Rhyme Book for Children (love!)
Amen, Brother Ben, A Mississippi Collection of Children’s Rhymes (interesting)
A Child’s Garden of Verses (love!)

5 Folk and Fairy Tales/Fable

Rumpelstiltskin
Sleeping Beauty
The Ugly Duckling
Cinderella
Little Red Riding Hood

5 Non-fiction

Noah’s Ark-Caldecott winner (silver medal)
Jonah and the Whale (and the worm)
You Can, Toucan, Math: Word Problem-Solving Fun (great for math teachers, could use for bellringers!)
Our Seasons (so interesting, great for science teachers)
Jump: From the Life of Michael Jordan (like the illustrations, well done)

Newbery
The Slave Dancer (sad but happy ending)
The View from Saturday (Favorite and a Must-read!)
Strawberry Girl (time period piece)
Missing May (short and sad)
Walk Two Moons (page-turner)

Video Time

2011-11-20T18:02:00.004-05:00

Two music videos I've seen on facebook that I like.....

Yes, its a boy band!

My friend posted this one and it reminds me of what my mom always encourages me to do: figure out how to dance for fun, like no one is watching....forget about technique, a grade, and what other people think. Dance, enjoy it, have fun. Dance for the Lord, honor Him with your gift! Audience of One.

Another Friday

2011-11-18T11:36:00.002-05:00

Face, to the ground I'm not proud of all You must see when you look at me
I tremble at first as You was the dirt
The dirt from my feet and I see my need for thee

You life me up, Holey One, Holy One
When I but come, You're enough, You're enough
You fill me up, with Your love, with Your love
To You I run, Holy One, Holy One

-Rush of Fools

Happy Friday! and to some of you happy start of vacation week!

It's beginning to look a lot like.....

2011-11-16T17:08:00.005-05:00

Christmas! Ok, I know, I know you can't have Christmassy stuff until AFTER Thanksgiving but let's face it, Thanksgiving is only a week away (and this makes me super happy for a number of reasons-especially since I get to see family and a friend, hopefully, this go around) and here at Belhaven we kind of get overly excited about Christmas, overly early....

sign number 1-Christmas trees go up in the Student Center
sign number 2-They start unloading the platforms for the Singing Christmas tree.
sign number 3-It's 80 degrees. Wait this shouldn't qualify, but trust me it does. MS weather is so odd that it could be snowing next week! Well not really but you get my point? We will never forget that day it was sunny and 70 and dropped to oh maybe 45 and clouds in a period of 3 hours! so even though it doesn't feel like Christmas it could next week!
sign number 4-We are decorating Gillespie lobby tonight! It will probably be completed with Christmas music and hot chocolate and sweets of course!
sign number 5-Kimber combo decorated our quad (Christmas and Thanksgiving) about a week or two ago.

I know, it's too early, but hey we are only here until mid December or earlier so most folks like to enjoy it while they can!

I must say I do love Christmas lights!

Today I had to read controversial books for my Children's Literature Class. Let me just say I hope to never read some of them again. Some of them were awful and I feel like they should not have been written. This makes me sad, but now I get to read Winnie-the-Pooh so I'm hoping and thinking this will make up for those other ones!

PS Is it starting to look like Christmas where you are? If so, what are the signs?

Camping!

2011-11-13T21:34:00.005-05:00

Last weekend my feet were in the sand, this weekend they were in the leaves!!

I drove up to Clark Co State Park in Quitman, MS to join a few friends campin' in the woods!

I had dance ministry performance in the morning and after doing a few chores I headed out. I was a little nervous I was going to carry the traditional Schreck rain storm that somehow always develops when camping, especially since the clouds were rolling in on campus, but it held off!

We shared a delicious chili dinner with the Callens and sang some songs around the campfire. Then we had smores with chocoloate covered graham crackers! (I was thrilled because I didn't know these delightful treats existed!) I even attempted to roast some marshmallows! (Normally I just eat the fixings without smushing them all together because they are a bit messy.) Then we played Big Booty (which I failed miserably at, I got so stressed when they called my number :P) and then the animal game. I was better at this one but Kim, not so much. The elephant sign was tripping all of us up but sure made us giggle!

Then we got a special treat of cookie dough ice cream at another friends' camper! Finished the night talkin' by the fire. Oh and Ellen and I attempted some sand pictionary! It was a beautiful evening of about 50 or 60 degrees (much warmer than the previous night that I missed) and all seven of us girls squeezed in the tent while the boys braved it in the hammocks.

Ellen and I say Goodmorning! It wasn't terribly early but we were still a bit sleepy...

Sang worship songs and looked at Ephesians 4 in the morning before heading back to Jackson. I especially liked Ephesians 4:32, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, foregiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." I think we forget that our friends and brothers and sisters in Christ are not perfect. Nobody is perfect. That's why there's forgiveness.

We had lunch at an AandW great burgers, milkshakes, and floats!

They have chilled mugs you use for your drinks, so fun! (the above mug pic was taken by Mysie!)

What a blessing it is to sit outside! If God created such amazing seasons and nature that are so diverse and beautiful, Heaven must be incredible!

Sand on Friday

2011-11-11T11:43:00.003-05:00

It's Friday! I wore the shoes I wore to the beach today....without socks. This could have been a bad life choice. I apparently brought back a lot more sand than I realized. But hey, it was the beach and you can't really beat that!

11/11/11 11:11am Did you make a wish today? Would you like to tell us about it?

Happy Veteran's Day! We cannot thank our serviceman enough! Praise the Lord for them as we continue to pray for our friends and family members currently serving!

Just to make your day, we attempted an awkward family photo at our late night breakfast hall party last night. For some reason I do feel quite awkward in this photo....

2011-11-09T21:45:00.003-05:00

Some youtube videos are quite funny and cool.....

The best is the last scene...well there's some others that are good too

This guy is just great!

2011-11-07T16:39:00.002-05:00

"The Encyclopdia is not something that will get your heart excited."-Ms. Quinn.

Ms. Quinn has read the whole Encyclopedia. She's amazing. She found the time as a 10 year old due to a bout of rheumatic fever that kept her bedridden for over a year!

Beach Retreat 2011

2011-11-07T15:48:00.006-05:00

This weekend I got to spend with about 20 highschoolers at a beach in Alabama at Gulf Shores! It was just beautiful! We had a lot of fun taking walks, getting to know people, playing ultimate, watching football, and of course eating delicious food! The Crosslands at HPC sure now how to cook!

Cayla and I even sprinted to get our cameras to catch a glorious sunset (God is so good!)

On our walk, Cameron and I found a tiki hut where you could leave your mark-literally and sign the posts! What a fun place! It was a bit windy but it showed the distances to a lot of famous places!

I discovered why I don't play ultimate very often: its so much running! and since I'm a bit short, sometimes it is hard to jump high enough but it was still lots of fun!

We even had a bonfire and were going to have smores.....but somehow there were no marshmallows. But the HS still ate the chocolate and gram crackers :)

Watching the waves and the tide come in and out I was reminded of God's faithfulness and in awe. Every day the tides come and go. Every day God is there for us.

We also watched the movie "To Save a Life." If you have never seen this movie, you should take the time to watch it. It could very well change your life. There is SO much in it that is worth considering! 3 precious lives in MS were lost this past weekend in a car accident. Things like that shake up your world. In light of the difficult week many shared, the youth pastor decided to do something a little different. We watched "To Save a Life" and talked about it.

Here are just a few powerful thoughts...

"I built my life around you, and now I don't even know who you are."-Who or what do I build my life around?

What is your goal? Is my goal to glorify God, is that my soul purpose?

What in life is worth it?

"You treat some people like a penny and others like $20." every life is valuable and precious, every person deserves my time (showing I care). I care because Christ cares for me (1 John 4:19).

"Whats the point of all this if you're not going to let it change you?"-has Jesus, the Church, the Bible, the name Christian, changed you? Is it more than a name? Is it your life?

A quote the HPCYM youth pastor shared from a book, "One life will soon be passed....only what's done for Christ will last." Check out Ephesians 5!

This movie brought up a lot for me to work on, makes me look at life and the world a little differently. Maybe next time I won't keep walking when I see someone eating alone. Maybe next time when the student looks miserable and standoffish, I'll take the time to ask how she's doing. Maybe next time, I will be the hands and feet of Christ. Father help me! May it not take a tragedy to bring about that change. Help me say today is the day, not next time!

2011-11-03T22:52:00.002-04:00

"Prayer is surrendering to God and allowing his presence to fill you."
Sometimes I learn things in Kingdom Life class...

October 31, 2011

2011-10-31T19:24:00.004-04:00

A little bit o Halloween and Reformation Celebration

Dancers like to dress up for holidays. It doesn't matter the holiday they just like to dress up; anything to spice up a leotard and tights. We were supposed to dress up for our night class (jazz) so since I'm in a class of musical theater majors I figured I'd attempt something....

This is what happens when you live with soccer players. I went all out....pregame headband, socks and Adidas, warm up jacket, and of course the fishtail braid!

We won't mention the fact that my class was canceled (epic halloween fail) and I am standing in 3rd position-dancer at heart ;)

We also had Reformation Celebration at Highlands! Helped Kimber, Thomas, and Kim with the 'turkey shoot' oh how kids love nerf guns! Then Samantha and I got to do 'ring the monk,' ring toss

"I love this song!"

2011-10-29T12:24:00.004-04:00

It was a while ago now but thanks to Kimber for takin' pics!
Great last homecoming dance!

Last Soccer Game

2011-10-29T12:10:00.000-04:00

It's my roomates' last soccer game of the season and college! Hope you ladies have an awesome game!!
I have some video but unfortunately Blogger and the internet are extremely slow SO
here's a pic from senior night!

Waking Up

2011-10-29T11:51:00.003-04:00

I was so excited about sleeping in today except that I woke up at 6:45 and then 7:00. Well between 7:00 and the time I actually got up (9 or 10) I managed to rest or fall back to sleep. All I remember is that I had a dream about teaching at some point....you know its bad when you aren't even teaching yet and you dream about it. It must be all those internship hours and lesson planning, they're doing somethin' to me ;). But I also woke up with a song....'Hungry/Falling on my Knees' by Joy Williams

Broken, I run to You
For Your arms are open wide
I am weary but I know
Your touch restores my life

I'm falling on my knees
Offering all of me
Jesus, You're all this heart
Is living for

2011-10-29T11:50:00.000-04:00

2011-10-29T11:49:00.002-04:00

I finally caught up on cmt videos, I know I'm actually one of those people who watches them....found this one I really liked! Also, I still really want to see the movie

Facts for Friday

2011-10-28T22:49:00.008-04:00

I always seem to have a 'Friday' post so in starting with keeping with a new found tradition...

Marley burns really do burn. They may possibly be worse than carpet burns. Today I got one in almost the exact same spot that I got one probably two years ago and the scar was just starting to fade. Now I get a whole new one. Oh well.

It is cold. Well a little cold. MS weather is rather fickle. Today it decided to be cold and cloudy as opposed to warm and sunny with a high of 75 (which it actually kind of was just 24 hours prior to this). It is ok though because it is truly a wintry day and makes me get really excited about the holidays. Thanksgiving and then Christmas. I am pretty sure Christmas is just about my favorite time of the year.

Apparently the last few days I have made a habit of 'I don't know' responses. This is a problem I should probably fix....but I don't know ;) just kidding! I will work on it....

For the past few days I have woken up and thought, I feel like I could sleep all day if given the chance. Then I think...two more days and I can sleep in. Well, it is finally here.....Saturday and sleeping-in are SO nice!

In dance department meeting today we listened to Nicole Nordeman's song 'Every Season'...I love the line, "....You make me new with every season's change." That is the truth! For this I am glad :)

Fact-I finished The View From Saturday. Book count down-20? Now onto The Slave Dancer.

6 years ago I wrote on my base floors in my bedroom. I wrote Bible verses. Actually, I even recorded the date and it was October 14, 2005. So it really was almost 6 years ago exactly! Hard to believe I was only 15!
Today dad had to rip up the floors because they will be carpeted for our house to sell. When we ripped up the original carpeting to lay laminate floors, I read in a book about someone who wrote verses all over the floors in the house they were building. I thought we should try it!

You never know who will buy the house and see it some day. Well, it might be a while now that someone sees it but they are there! Hope it blessed daddy as he saw them tonight after ripping up the floors. I asked him if he had to replace the base floor too and he said nope. They'll be there...forever. Reminds me of 1 Peter 1:25......

When the floors are ruined/ripped up...."the word of the Lord endures forever." Though this literally did happen, it is also a good analogy. My life as a believer will often be ripped apart, ruined, torn up but God will always be there; His word and His promises will always be there.

Mountain Dew and more

2011-10-27T15:15:00.004-04:00

Mountain Dew, Tylenol, and Chocolate...now time to finish up this unit and write two lesson plans.
In other news, we have been learning some of "Steamed Heat" from the movie The Pajama Game, pretty cool!

Fosse's style and dancers were amazing!

Fact

2011-10-25T22:04:00.006-04:00

In honor of the new book, of the 29 that I still have to read, The View from Saturday and Noah, I shall write the following post in facts...

Fact. I got a Snoopy card in the mail from home today and it made my day. Snoopy is awesome.

The internet was down this afternoon. I was supposed to write lesson plans. It's ok because I have so much other hw to choose from it helped me eliminate something for today. Fact.

Fact. Sleep is wonderful, I would like more of it.

I would like to survive this math class. I think my knees are permanently bruised this semester. Ok not permanently but they seem to have a habit of bruising in the same spots. Fact.

"Get Your Head in the Game" on the Healthy Body Boogie at the Children's Museum was on repeat for a good half hour. Apparently bones and the boogie weren't big hits because it was a slow day at the Children's Museum. I think the digestive system playground and express yourself art projects out-did us today. Fact.

Fact. I need to go do that homework and I don't remember what else I was going to post....

The not so Secret Garden

2011-10-22T18:29:00.004-04:00

I finally finished The Secret Garden. (So its not a secret anymore.) Sometimes I get in these ruts where it takes me a really long time to finish a book and for some reason this was one of them. Nevertheless, the book has some great quotes!

" 'Do you think he wants to die?' whispered Mary. 'No, but he wishes he'd never been born. Mother she says that's th' worst thing on earth for a child...' "

"She knew nothing about the pitifulness of people who had been ill and nervous and who did not know that they could control their tempers and need not make other people ill and nervous, too. When she had had a headache in India she had done her best to see that everybody else also had a headache or something quite as bad. And she felt she was quite right; but of course now she felt that Colin was quite wrong."

'....Perhaps they're growing fat on that.' 'Perhaps they are,' said Dr. Craven. 'Let them laugh.' "

"But then she said indulgently that humans were always more clumsy and slow than Eggs and most of them never seemed really to learn to fly at all. You never met them in the air or on treetops."

"In this new century hundreds of things still more astounding will be brought to light. At first people refuse to believe that a strange new thing can be done, then they begin to hope it can be done, then they see it can be done-then it is done and all the world wonders why it was not done centuries ago."

"Of course this was the wrong Magic-to begin by saying 'too late.' Even Colin could have told him that."

"...thoughts-are as powerful as electric batteries-as good for one as sunlight is, or as bad for one as poison. To let a sad thought or a bad one get into your mind is as dangerous as letting scarlet fever germ get into your body. If you let it stay there after it has got in, you may never get over it as long as you live."

All quotes from, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett copyright 1911-1987

This is a wonderful read that teaches much (child or adult)!

God is good all the time...

2011-10-21T11:44:00.004-04:00

Cancer.
Both my grandparents passed away from cancer.
It is a difficult thing.
This sums it up though, thanks Martina McBride, we love ya!

I will never forget my grandparents claiming-God is good. and the reply?
All the time, God is good.

2011-10-21T11:43:00.000-04:00

Today is college day at some elementary schools, I told the first graders I'm a senior so I'm like a big 5th grader....I also taught them about a record player.

Quotes of the Day

2011-10-20T23:47:00.003-04:00

"Are you a teenager? Are you a grownup?"
If I had a penny every time I got that question...
Apparently you never know what will happen during state Bingo...
"The next state is India."
Ms. Schreck-No, there's no India in the United States, do you mean Indianapolis?
"No India!"
Ms. Schreck-oh, you mean Indiana. I do believe that ranks with her pronunciation of Arkansas as "Arkan-sass"
Student-"In the future, MS is going to merge with VA, yep that's whats going to happen in the future."

Alot can also happen when babysitting.....

"some people go boo hoo on Lifetime."
me-Yep, it happens.

Sister-"You look like the yellow power ranger. You know if you pull your hair back some."
Brother-"She's not."
Me-you never know
Sister-I think she is....

I am rather tired at this point. I don't feel like doing anything. What a day! Davis Magnet school hours, MS Children's Museum hrs, and babysitting.

-Life as an El Ed Major...long hrs but awesome kids

Winter has returned

2011-10-19T11:08:00.004-04:00

As it is SO cold walking around campus yesterday and today I thought of Lion King. You know the scene where Simba comes back and Rafiki (not the dodo bird) is like, "The King has returned." Such moving scenes and though most of us aren't as moved and in fact the cold could quite possibly make us rather stiff and immobile, it reminded me that winter always has its season and in fact, has returned.

I forget how much I love this movie. I wish I could sit down and watch it today. I would absolutely love to see it on Broadway too. Here's another great scene. Life lessons from the help of Rafiki ;)

In other news, the internet is a bit slow today but that's ok because I have lots to do today!

Soccer, Cold, and 100 years later

2011-10-18T23:11:00.005-04:00

100 Years later, I am attending Belhaven University. Today was our campus' 100th year anniversary. Boy has God been faithful to Belhaven. BU even had a fire and the president at the time was at an architexture class in NY and had a project in which he planned to rebuild and expand. Coincidence? I think not. Providential? I think so.

Ms. Betty Quinn (one of my education professors) first came to BU when she was 3 to see the singing Christmas tree. Since then she has spent 70 years here both as a student and a professor. Boy does she have some priceless stories!

Only at Belhaven would a 100 year anniversary chapel include a skit from 1919. This included the quote of the day, "I think the boys replaced the cows here." Back in the day, they milked their own cows and grew their own vegetables, the President even helped out!

As a student, I've been able to be part of history too. My sophomore year, they had a name change from college to University. Worldview Curriculum got easier after we finished and now there will be two separate graduation ceremonies in the spring because our undergrad and grad programs are so big.

I sure am blessed to come here. Though you often wonder if you should have gone somewhere else, I know in the end, this is where God placed me for a reason.
I think of Esther 4:14, "And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" I'm not royalty but I was here, at this time, for a certain reason, even if I don't know the extant right now.

Belhaven means "beautiful home." Whenever I read the MS welcome sign, "It's like coming home," it reminds me that Jackson is a special place. It has been a home away from home for the past 4 years. Hard to believe.

Went and celebrated Katie and Kimber's senior night at their last home soccer game! It was freezing! The temperature dropped significantly (ie 20-30 degrees) in an extremely short period of time. We were cold but cheered loud!

Our cold faces!

In the words of Allison, "our happy to be here faces!"

Spiders on Monday

2011-10-17T20:44:00.001-04:00

after an afternoon of cleaning, class is canceled so what do we do? we go to the library to find spider books with Kim Weninger and Katherine Anne...i think i liked katie's costume idea book better I mean how many books show you how to make not one but 5 pairs of and i quote "nickers"...spiders are gross. I only liked the one that lived at our house and picked out the leaves we threw into it's web, but I love Kim so we got the spider books.

Start your week

2011-10-17T11:06:00.002-04:00

Start your week with this incredible reminder....turned the volume up on this one when it came on Pandora

The Glory of it All by David Crowder Band

...

And After all our hands have wrought
He forgives

Oh the Glory of it all is:
he came here
For the rescue of us all
that we may live
for the glory of it all
for the glory of it all

...

After all falls apart
he repairs he repairs

Oh the Glory of it all is:
he came here
for the rescue of us all
that we may live
for the glory of it all

oh he is here
for redemption from the fall
that we may live
for the glory of it all
oh the glory of it all
the glory of it all
oh the glory of it all

...

After night
comes the light
dawn is here
dawn is here
it’s a new day
it’s a new day
everything will change
things will never be the same
we will never be the same
we will never be the same
we will never be the same
we will never be the same

Amen. Hallelujah!

Every Girl Needs a Little Bit o Pink

2011-10-15T23:11:00.005-04:00

I just love this picture for so many reasons! But especially because we are all so happy!

We decked out in pink for the boys and girls' soccer games! It's breast cancer awareness month! RUF tailgated and we came out with a win in both games! UDC performed! It was a big day for our quad...Katie and Kimber had a great game and Annie led UDC in a great half time show! So proud of my roommates!

Love Rachel! She gives the best massages! Don't worry, I returned the favor this time :)

2011-10-15T12:32:00.001-04:00

"Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."
-Matthew 6:8

Fun Friday

2011-10-15T10:54:00.005-04:00

Apparently I am into starting titles with the same letters so there ya go :) I also really want to see Footloose. I missed The Help (and I live in MS! whats up with that?) maybe I will just have to put all my hope in redbox for the two of them. Orrr if you are in MS maybe we can go!

After a day of mostly just dance (class and a short rehearsal), we kicked of a crazy night! Went to SMF's international potluck supper. This is a potluck dinner to celebrate all our international students here at Belhaven. Everyone brings a dish and we get to have a taste around the world if you will. Everything I had was delicious! I have to say my favorites were the Swedish meatballs (made be a Swede!) and the American chocolate chip cookies-they were so soft and gooey!

Got to see some of my old girls and teammates from Caldwell! The semester has been a busy one for lots of people so when we actually get to see each other we just have to catch up.

Then we went to Belhaven late night. It mostly involved watching the latest Harry Potter parts 1 and 2 but it was outside and sooooo cold! I didn't make it through part 2 so I don't know if Harry ever finds all the H people and defeats the bad guy but when I left he only had two left (the snake and the man himself) BUT apparently Harry would have to die too???? That was news to me....guess I better finish it one day and find out what happens.
I'm sorry Potter but seeing as how I haven't followed you for the past half decade of my life, I opted to find some warmth at about 12:30. Don't worry, I'm sure one day I will get to see the end of your epic tale!
Katie and Kim, you are great at filling me in! Thanks for answering all my whispered questions during the movie and offering parts here and there to catch me up! You're the best!!

Flowers for Friday

2011-10-14T11:40:00.004-04:00

I was lookin' for some fall colored flowers but these match our quad and it was the quickest and easiest....maybe all find some fall ones next week!

The dictionary was discovered by Annie I think :) it has made quite the home in our little place. I just thought it looked artsy.

Happy Friday!

"This is the day the Lord has made...."

Cookies and Compliments

2011-10-11T16:50:00.007-04:00

I have a terrible sweet tooth. I watched a student eat a Twix icecream bar and since I only had pbj and chips I couldn't resist!
I also brought back some molasses crinkles from home (I made Saturday night) and froze them but they are so good. They are little cookies so I can eat a lot right? They are so soft, I feel like I could eat them all day!

It has been a very cloudy day but put on some music and look out the window, read a book and its kinda peaceful! I started The Secret Garden today as part of my classics section for the Children's Literature class. Its kind of sad right now but I think it will get better!
Observed and helped with centers in Kindergarten today because the second graders were taking 9 weeks tests.

Kindergarten is a whole other world.

I was very impressed with this school's teacher. The little ones were adding and making simple sentences! She had a balance beam of numbers that was a great help to show them how to make numbers. Today's number was 7. So you put 5 and 2 on one side and 7 on the other and it balances! It's pretty cool!

She also had this loft piece of furniture built. It was so neat, there's a stair case up to the top and a reading center up there with books, pillows, stuffed animals and underneath its like a secret hide out (well just another place for a center) but if I were in K4 i would say its a secret hide out! The sides were different shapes cut out (another hidden lesson). Kids need a little fun every now and then. It's hard to be a kid, so many things to remember and so many people telling you what to do and what not to do.

They even knew their colors, the difference between a shade and a tint! They listened to a song about opposites which was also a great tool! They could do the motions and they did it in Spanish too. They also knew shapes and characteristics like rolling or sliding. They know much more than I knew when I was in kindergarten!

I am learning that songs are very helpful in education! The second graders are learning how to skip count (prelude to multiplication) and they have a song that goes from 2-10. There's a song for each number. The kids love the silly songs and it sticks! I love the line that says, "taking the complication out of mul-ti-plication!"
One little boy told our teacher, its stuck in my head! She said that's good, its supposed too. He was singin' it on the way to the bus and gave her a hug. It's neat because this little one used to not like the song at all and now it clicked!

With kindergartners its so fun because they get SO excited for every little accomplishment. Part of that 'whole other world' is that they love to tell you anything and everything. You sit down and they say hey, did you know? Or I do that too! Or you have a momma too? They have something to say about anything. You are automatically a friend if you smile, sit next to them, and/or your teacher introduces them. They are like oh someone new, I can tell them stuff! Right now everyone is excited about the fair!

I love how everything is so new to them! They get so excited and say, "I did it! see!"
Sometimes I wonder if we had that attitude about life, how different and enjoyable it would be.

I also discovered today the power of encouragement and high expectations. I was checking a little boy's work and one of the girls asked, what if he got them all wrong? I said, he didn't because he's smart and the boy lit up and said, yeah! Math is my favorite subject. After finishing checking, most of them were right!

Give someone a compliment or encourage them today and see what happens! Share your stories if you'd like!

I should go read...

-Life as an El Ed major

Construction

2011-10-09T21:40:00.003-04:00

7 hrs is a long time. 14 hrs is a long time. I'm pretty sure Alabama has been under construction for my whole college career. Maybe it will be done by May (I graduate in April.) As I was driving and listening to all kinds of country, pop, and Christian music, there's only so many songs on the radio, I had a thought.

Construction is awful and gross. You have to go really slow, 25-30 miles slower than normal. Hardly anyone actually adheres to this. It takes a long time. When it is finally finished its gorgeous! We just don't like the process, the mess it takes to make it smooth and bump free.

That's kind of how my life looks like. God is at work and it takes a long time. It's not always fun. People pass me all the time. Not everyone has the same Contractor. Not everyone has the same bumps in their road. Sometimes it's bumpy and painful but the final product?

When there's clear blue skies and nothin' but a brand new paved road....well that's just glorious. In heaven, it will be glorious. Until then, I'm under construction.

Pictures!

2011-10-09T21:38:00.003-04:00

I got a picture at school! (elementary school)

Fall is in the Air

2011-10-08T15:19:00.006-04:00

Well it's still pretty warm but the leaves are changing colors and falling which makes for some beautiful drives!
Came home to GA for two days and did something we've never ever done: Carved a Pumpkin!!!

Here are the pumpkin innards! and a whole lot of seeds! Its kinda sticky and a bit of a mess.

We did it! We were pretty excited about how it turned out! Success!

Mom and I got a baby pumpkin for 70 some cents and a little carving kit. It turned out pretty well for the first time! Do you have any pumpkin carving stories you'd like to share?

Sunday

2011-10-02T15:47:00.004-04:00

I can't decide on a profile picture for facebook. I go through fazes where I change it a bunch and then I leave it. I also discovered today that my roommates and I have a living facebook....our doors all have our names, a sticky note that says 'is' and we put up signs like "studying", "sleeping", etc. (Thanks to Kimber and Annie! Oh and Annie, I posted in 3's the other day, it's been a while!) Oh how times have changed. I like our for real life facebook :)

Knowing You by Graham Kendrick

All I once held dear, built my life upon, all this world reveres and wars to own;
All I once thought gain I have counted loss,
Spent and worthless now compared to this:
Knowing You, Jesus, knowng You, There is no greater thing
You're my all, You're the best, You're my joy, my righteousness,
And I love You, Lord.
Now my heart's desire is to know you more,
To be found in You, and known as Yours;
To possess by faith what I could not earn,
All-surpassing gift of righteousness.

O, to know the power of Your risen life
And to know You in Your suffering;
To become like You in Your death, my Lord,
So with You to live and never die.

All I have is Christ by Jordan Kauflin

Before I share these lyrics, I have to say there are about two or three songs that I always feel compelled to stand in respect, reverence, and awe of Christ my Savior. This is one of them. (The other two are "In Christ Alone" and "Before the Throne of God Above)

I once was lost in darkest night, yet thought I knew the way;
The sin that promised joy and life had led me to the grave.
I had no hope that You would own a rebel to Your will;
And if You had not loved me first, I would refuse You still.

But as I ran my hell-bound race, indifferent to the cost,
You looked upon my helpless state and led me to the cross.
And I beheld God's love displayed-You suffered in my place;
You bore the wrath reserved for me, now all I know is grace.

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ! Hallelujah! Jesus is my life!

Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone, and live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands could never come from me.
Oh Father, use my ransomed life in any way You choose,
And let my song forever be, "My only boast is you!"

We had communion at church today and rejoiced with are fellow brothers and sisters in Christ as we partook and sang some amazing songs! Went to college lunch after at the McGehees and it was delicious! The sun was shining and we chowed down on some bbq, cheesy potatoes, salad, and pumpkin muffin walnut rolls, fudge and chocolate chip cookies! I was one full little girl, and thankful ;)

Last night was a lesson in contentment and also a restful evening. After doing hw, I returned some library books and got Chinese takeout. When I came back I attacked our bathroom in the quad. With four girls living together, I was glad I cleaned last night (and I didn't even realize we have open hall tonight!). Cleaning on a Saturday night, take out and a movie, yep it was good to have a clean place and rest :) I watched "He's just not that into you." It was interesting and the ending was cute.

Anyway, I have lots more homework to do, midterms will do that to ya! I should get going but happy Sunday! This fall weather (more like Spring in Jackson) is just lovely! Window-open weather can make a world of a difference in a day!

Do you have any songs you'd like to share or weekend extravaganzas?

Do you like music?

2011-09-30T15:10:00.002-04:00

Are you a music guru?
I love music.
I always have something on, whether I'm in the car or in my room. I especially love driving at night and listening to the radio. It seems so peaceful to me-just me and God in the car and the roads are kind of empty and its dark.
I also love when we have live music in dance class. "Maestro" is so wonderful and it makes plies, tendus, and turns to songs like "Lord your beautiful"! I even had a pretty decent balance in attitude today! Sorry for the dancer lingo but balances are tricky so that was exciting!God is good all the time!

You will keep in perfect peace
those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you.
Isaiah 26:3

As for me, I call to God,
and the LORD saves me.
Evening, morning and noon
I cry out in distress,
and he hears my voice.
He rescues me unharmed
from the battle waged against me,
even though many oppose me.
God, who is enthroned from of old,
who does not change—
he will hear them and humble them,
because they have no fear of God.
Psalm 55:16-19

Friday zapped my motivation....please come back!

2011-09-30T14:45:00.004-04:00

Motivation=0.
I always have trouble with Fridays. Well, I don't really have trouble I just somehow become unmotivated to do just about anything aside from what I have to do i.e go to class, babysit, ect.
For example, I am blogging and should be cleaning or doing my homework that somehow decided to ALL be due next week. You'd think we have fall break or something.
YES!!! we do have fall break in exactly one week, which is so very exciting!!
Don't get me wrong, it will all get done, just maybe not today. I don't know. We shall see.
I really do love Fridays, especially because they allow us to be unmotivated and enjoy one free evening/day of the week!
Book-in-the-bag went fairly well. I showed it to second graders and most of them had heard it before but didn't know what corduroy fabric was, so hopefully now they do!
We were told to get there between, 9:30 and 9:45 because we couldn't go into the classroom until 10. So I decided to come around 9:40, 9:45. I was on time but I always forget education majors tend to be early....for everything.
If you would like to hear a great message about God's love, redemption, and grace and the value of life, click here and listen to Mrs. Amy Martin. She came and spoke at one of our chapels and was one of the best messages I think I've heard while attending here for the past 3-4 years.
Half of my roommates are gone this weekend and playing two soccer games, one in GA and one in TN!! Have fun ladies and do well!
First dance nursing home visit tomorrow!
Happy Friday everyone, it's a beautiful day!

September 29th

2011-09-29T15:04:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday Momma Dear!
Enjoy your special day!!

Lisa goes to Thailand

2011-09-28T23:48:00.006-04:00

Lisa goes to Thailand.
It is hard to drive with tears in your eyes.
I don't like to say goodbyes.

With all that said, Wednesday was a very special night. We had a going away party for my dear sister and friend Lisa Repair! She will board a plane Monday morning and go to Thailand.

Oh how excited I am for her but she will be missed! As I drove away the tears came and I heard a song on the radio about trusting in God's promises. It is so neat to witness God fulfilling His promises in her life! We rejoice with you as God takes you on this adventure!

"God says yes to his promises
Take him at his word
Yeah, you can believe it
God says yes to a child-like faith
When we claim everything he died to give
God says yes...."-John Waller "Yes"

Book-in-a-Bag

2011-09-27T11:26:00.003-04:00

Do you know the story of a bear who lost his button? Don Freeman (the author) does and hopefully a bunch of little kindergartners or first graders will too after Friday!

Here is my book-in-the-bag project. I still have to add a few things (like a flashlight for the night guard) and am thinking about making bookmarks for the kids, we'll see how much time I have this week!

Yes, I'm trying to make a pair of overalls

2011-09-27T00:08:00.004-04:00

I am making a Book-in-a-Bag project for one of my classes and did it on the book Corduroy, its a classic!

I had some ideas and ran them by mom (always a good place to start seeing as how she made her own bears!) and got started. First, one of the worst things about college is most of your supplies (the ones you could be like, hey do we have ________? and somehow you always did have it at home) well, you don't have them at college and so projects suddenly become expensive. After going to Hobby Lobby (round 2 because I went out there on Sunday only to realize they are closed, which is a good thing) and finding out that they did not have green corduroy, I settled for green felt and beige corduroy. I mean the kids should know what real corduroy looks and feels like!

I'm not sure how I did it, but there's a pair of overalls.

Don't look too close ;)

I should have had my roomate take a picture because she caught me. I was sitting on the floor with a bear half dressed and stuff everywhere. She was like what are you doing? It was just too funny, I'm sure I looked slightly ridiculous and pitiful at the time.

At this point I was really doubtful that the bear would get his overalls (he would be missing more than a button at this rate) but they turned out ok in the end.

By the way, if you google Corduroy, there are a lot of great lesson plan ideas and projects for the story! The bear is from the Dollar Tree :) I'll post more pics when it is all said and done.
-Life as an El Ed Major

A taste of poetry

2011-09-25T16:41:00.004-04:00

First day of Fall! Well its not today, it already passed but I was hoping for something a little brighter for my blog so in honor of fall, this is what I came up with, we'll see how long it lasts. (It didn't last long...I had the orange leaf background but it was too light at the top so at least this one is brownish, which is a fall color!)

Can I just say, I love fall but it still doesn't quite seem like fall. I think it might be because I am in Mississippi and it still feels like summer and spring. One of these days, however, I want to get some of those cinnamon broom sticks, pine cones, or something to help bring in the scents of fall! I should get some candy corn and pretty fall flowers too and put them in the quad. Not sure when that will happen but a girl can try, right?

Whew now that we got that taken care of...

I didnt realize how much I like children's poetry/mother goose rhymes. I read three books of them late last night and found a few I really liked so I thought I'd pass them along :)

The following are from Amen Brother Ben, A Mississippi Collection of Children's Rhymes by Marice C. Brown

"Remember-
Never let a kiss fool you
And never let a fool kiss you."

"G.I. Haircut,
G.I. Hat,
G.I. This and
G.I. That.
G.I. Love you,
G.I. Do
G.I. Hope you love me too."

"Read see that me?"
up will I love
and you love you
down and you. Do

*this one you read down and then up, down and then up

These three were written by kids in something called Autograph books, kind of like how we would sign a yearbook. If only I knew this when I was in middle and high school!

Sing-Song, A Nursery Rhyme Book for Children
by Christina G. Rossetti

I love the play on words in this one!

"....The peacock has a score of eyes
With which he cannot see;
The cod-fish has a silent sound,
However that may be;

No dandelions tell the time,
Although they turn to clocks:
Cat's-cradle does not hold the cat,
Nor foxglove fit the fox."

This one's good too!

"If all were rain and never sun,
No bow could span the hill;
If all were sun and never rain,
There'd be no rainbow still."

Don't worry, I also read Robert Louis Stevenson's A Child's Garden of Verses. I picked at least 3 favorites from this one but I shall just leave you the titles so you can look them up when you find a spare moment and enjoy them for yourself!

1. My Shadow
2. Sun rise and set
3. To my Mother

Kingdom Life

2011-09-22T22:49:00.002-04:00

As seniors at Belhaven we get to take a marriage, finance, family life class. Ok we are actually required to take it and let me tell you boy are there some interesting comments and conversations. Since the quizzes are only ten questions, I try to read and study. So from my reading here's two quotes that I liked...

"Love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking together in the same direction."-Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Gazing at each other is bonus, don't get me wrong :) but its awesome when ya'll are on the same page spiritually, have similar spiritual passions too!

"One more thing about serving together...We find that the soul of our marriage is satisfied most when we do something, even small things, anonymously. To secretly observe the results of our service brings deeper devotion and intimacy."-Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott

So what do you think about love? I know it's not February or anything but love is a big part of life.

Slip on a bannana and find a whole new world

2011-09-22T16:09:00.002-04:00

Can we all just go here for a day....I think I want to spend a day with Curious George.

Project-Success!

2011-09-19T20:48:00.006-04:00

Today I have been reading. I still have more reading to do. I decided to read the original The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood (its a classic so part of my 50 books project) and its in older English and is quite long. So after reading it for about two hours and only finishing Parts the Fourth and Fifth, my mind was all in another world. Have you ever had the feeling where you were zoned out into the book or something for so long that when you stopped, it was kind of fuzzy? I mean it took me a long time to get there but since its old English,i really have to try hard to concentrate and follow. Well that's what I felt like. I also discovered that I probably should not read (for school) on my bed because I somehow always manage to fit in a nap. I mean after that 30 minutes I'm good to go but I probably could have read a good many pages in that time as well....so to encourage myself (around the napping), after finishing chapters, I sent pics of the new table and quad to my email so I could post them here!

I also had a jazz class which was an excellent break! Did a little Charleston and Swing which is really fun! People make swing dancing look so easy but I find it quite hard. I have to say, for once my lead said I followed! (Always a good thing when a follower actually does what they are supposed to and follows.) My brother tried to teach me how to swing dance once and he said I just didn't know how to relax and follow. Maybe we should try it again and I'd do better. What do you think, Josh, when I come to Portland can we go swing dancing?

Ok so here is the finished project! I'll take you through my first little pre-apartment project....

Here is the duvet cover for the sofa! It's a little big, but it works!

Proof that it's actually Calvin Klein!

We started by sanding and taking the legs off so it would be easier to paint. The table legs actually turned out better than the top. At this point I realized I forgot to take a before picture so this is the best I could do.

Dad helped me set it up so I could paint, that's why it looks like its under construction.

I primed it first. The table legs kind of look like swans.

Finished! I had it sitting under a drop cloth because the paint was supposed to cure for about a week. My friends were like, so when can we actually use it? Now we can, no more stickiness. Katie and I christened it with a late night dinner and episode of The Glades. We both got back late one night (I from rehearsal, she was helping with soccer so we got some food from Basil's. Side note about Basil's they have really good food! I usually get the ham, cream cheese, basil, tomato panini.) We came in and were like, why don't we eat in here!

Sofa cover, pillows, and table all from Goodwill (about $20 plus paint which we had so that was free!)

Oh and the three pictures are from Goodwill too. Poor Katie, Kimber, and Annie. I kept asking them to help me decorate and they were like just hang them up. I kept moving them around trying to decide where to put them and I think I distracted Katie from studying, sorry about that!

Community Dance Concert!

2011-09-18T14:30:00.006-04:00

The Community Dance Concert went so well! It was so fun and such a privilege to dance for and worship the Lord with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ! I heard it was one of the best community concerts ever! I hope to see a video of it soon. It was also neat to take warm up class with so many other dancers. Sometimes it's nice to just take a dance class and not stress over technique. It's always in the back of your mind but to be able to relax and enjoy it as you meet and dance with new people is lovely!
Our piece was the last of twelve so we were backstage for a while so I tried to get a few pics, hopefully there will be more dance pics soon (the above was taken by someone else)....

For some reason I couldn't take a normal picture, I kept laughing.

Hair pulled back so its out of the face for dancin'....Love these girls!

On this Friday and Saturday

2011-09-17T10:29:00.004-04:00

Woke up with a song in my head-love when that happens.....

"You're holdin' me close, and your holdin' me still, in your arms of love."

Went to Jackson Academy to watch a friend perform in color guard for homecoming. Luau last night and boy can some people limbo! Kinda defines the laws of gravity but it sure is fun to watch and commentate :) Finished the night with some friends watching say yes to the dress. I know, I know, so girly but still fun!

The sunshine returned! Lots of dancin' today.

Beautiful

2011-09-12T16:35:00.000-04:00

I love this and one day I would love to go to NY

2011-09-12T16:31:00.001-04:00

Oh Father, use my ransomed life
In any way You choose
And let my song forever be
My only boast is You

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life

-All I Have is Christ by Jordan Kauflin

Weekend!

2011-09-12T15:52:00.003-04:00

It was quite a weekend! Babysat Friday night and saw Mars Needs Moms and Rio, had pizza, and ice cream with the kids. Saturday went and watched my quad mates play soccer! Unfortunately they tied in overtime but Katie scored! Had dinner with MD, miss that lady! Then went to the Mcgehees for a college dinner kickoff! They had low country boil so the shrimp was really good! One of last year's graduates came and surprised everyone. Sunday we had church and a hall party with some amazing creme pie! Small group went really well and Lisa was able to share about her summer New York trip that prepared her for Thailand! All her support is in and she has purchased a one-way ticket! If you'd like to check out her blog, click here! She sure will be missed! Finished the night talking with Kim and thinkin' about the future (post grad life)....which is still very uncertain but that's ok!

Unreal

2011-09-11T10:35:00.000-04:00

A day that will never be forgotten. We can never thank those enough who sacrificed and sacrifice for brothers, sisters, friends, and strangers. Beautiful lives. Though tears come, Lord comfort America today.

Oh age is a funny business

2011-09-10T12:09:00.002-04:00

Miss Schreck, how old are you?
How old do you think I am?
19, 20, 23, 26, 28, 36
Miss Schreck, how old were you when you were 19?
I was 19....

We played a spelling game called Sparkle....each kid gets a letter and when there are no letters they 'sparkle' the other player out of the game....

Miss Schreck, I like your nails.
Ya, I can really sparkle... since they are so shiny ;)

PS Annie its been a while but....I posted in 3's!

Thoroughly Distracted

2011-09-10T11:51:00.002-04:00

I fear I had senioritus before I was a senior. Yesterday and today I have felt thoroughly distracted. My room is a bit chaotic at the moment and I know I have reading/hw to do. Nevertheless, I find myself doing everything BUT those two things. Well today is the day! Except that I spent the last hour catching up on news, and blogging and now I should probably get ready for the day. I knew I should have gotten up and done homework in my pajamas (because for some reason that usually works for me). It's just that problem of finding my motivation. Don't worry, I will find it soon!

Best Laid Plans that go quite a bit awry

2011-09-10T11:24:00.003-04:00

Best Laid plans. It sounds so nice but does it ever really happen? And if it did happen, all the time, would life really be that enjoyable? Sometimes a little spontaneity is good.

Well I think the trouble with best laid plans comes in is when we are looking forward to something and when the pitcher suddenly throws a curve ball, we end up spinning in a circle like that unexpected baseball player with our bat in the dirt. The challenge? Take a whack at it and hit a home run.

I hope you like my little analogy there but I don't know that I've quite mastered the trick to the point of hitting a home run but I am thankful to say I am a work in progress and am taking baby steps.

So here's the story....

Setting: My roomates have a soccer game at MC (a 20 minute drive or so). Game starts at 4:00, dance department meeting gets out at 3:30, have to babysit at 5:45. If it starts at 4:00, I can go for a good hour or so and be back in time to babysit.

Curve Ball #1: department meeting gets over at 3:45
Curve Ball #2: I don't think to get directions (it's 4 and we haven't left yet)
Curve Ball #3: I lost the person I was following who had the directions.
Curve Ball #4: Time was my enemy unfortunately today.
Curve Ball #5: Football practice gets out. I miss my parking spot coming into campus (after I realize I can't go to the game and return to campus) and say, oh I will just loop around. As I begin to loop, the football players are coming back from practice and decided to drop off and chat. This wouldn't be so bad except that the road is really narrow and parking spots are limited and some are parked on the already narrow road. So I have to wait. As they whip in and out of spots, I watch.

As I shared this story with my friends, just about all of them came back with comments of 'that sucks.' Well, yes, its not the best day BUT i could choose to blame a whole lot of people and circumstances OR I could just realize that clearly, I was not supposed to be at that game. (I kinda figured this out when I was frantically calling my roommate trying to figure out whether I was supposed to take 20 W or E and literally was at the crossroads and got a call five minutes later saying I told you wrong).

Life happens and that's ok.

I sat in the car and thought. I fail. Sure, I did fail and its a pretty funny story when you stop and think about it.

So instead I went to dinner with people I don't see very often, babysat some cute, and a bit rambunctious kids, caught up with some old friends, and headed home.

Do you have any home run stories you'd like to share? Did I hit a home run last night? Well, I'll let you decide....

There is more to life than a lizard in the wall.

2011-09-08T23:14:00.002-04:00

I was in the shower when I saw a lizard. There is more to life than lizards in the wall. Both of those two statements sound like great titles for books but unfortunately, and fortunately, they are actually real life statements coming from yours truly.

Gillespie has had this little problem of an infestation of these baby lizards. They are pink and speckled. I first encountered the little guys when Kim said, hey you wanta go catch a lizard for someone. I said, ok and found myself in a room of three girls all standing far away from a chair and pointing. One was on the verge of hyper ventilating. I was like where is it, and then I realized it was only about two inches long. So since my mom raised me quite well, and trained me in the art of lizard catching, I said I need a cup and a piece of paper. The little guy was caught and set free and is now roaming around campus. Hopefully he hasn't been stepped on.

My second encounter occurred in the shower. Well, my quad mate was about to take a shower and kinda squealed and said, Come get it! But alas, i was too slow. I decided the little guy climbed back into a hole in the wall.

My third encounter occurred when I was in the shower and saw him emerge. Then I watched him squeeze into the little hole again. If you would like to know why I simply watched him, you must read on.

You see, I grew up in the South. Yes, South Carolina is quite southern and we have creatures. Particularly roaches (but we also have lizards and skinks), or more kindly referred to as Palmetto Bugs. I just call them roaches. I have also mastered the art of disposing of roaches. I'm pretty good. You just need a good shoe, a piece of paper, and a toilet (they must be flushed otherwise they fake you out and aren't really dead). See, I told you I was an expert.

I think everyone in the South has a roach story. I will never forget the infestation in Caldwell, I heard there were like 50 of them. Boy did some of my friends go at it with the Roach Spray...we may have lost a few brain cells from that one. My all-time favorite roach story was when my dad had a roach on his shirt. If you did not know, roaches do fly. Sometimes they can even make people dance. That's all I'll say about that story, if you want the whole thing, I shall be happy to share with you this tale in person!

So back to my reasoning of "there is more to life than a lizard in the wall." You see, since I grew up with lizards in the house (yes, we had a friend come over and as they walked out the front door they pointed out to us that there was a lizard on our wall) and plenty of roaches (yes, if dad's around, I always let him get rid of them!) I got to the point where I was lazy, apathetic, or merciful (I'm not quite sure which) but for whatever reason, I would just let roaches go. I would see one, and say huh, there's a roach and leave. Or ya know, turn on the light and see it run, turn off the light and go to the other room. So with this philosophy, I watched the lizard come out and go back into the wall. No screaming, no squealing and its gone. And life goes on.

Now for that more to life.....

God has given me the privilege to catch up with friends. One of my favorite parts about college is all the people you meet. Sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming as there are so many people I would just like to sit and listen to and catch up with. My friends and I joke about how we would love school if we could just take out that whole academic side. Don't worry I know, and have experienced, the benefits of both academic and social life at college.

God has also blessed me and allowed me to be a part of an amazing dance piece. What a blessing to work with choreographer Aaron Chen. Last night, we finished learning the choreography and are supposed to perform next Saturday. So here's some of the wisdom he shared

-its not about the performance, its not about who comes. its about praising Jesus
.....Emily's conclusion: I want to dance for an "Audience of One."

-your only comfort is the cross of Christ
.....conclusion: your grace is enough. God is enough. The cross, I boast in the cross (Galations 6:14).

-you are sacrificing your time tonight. He sacrificed His life for you, for forever. The bruises and the pain, oh yes its all worth it.
....conclusion: for my Savior, I can do this!

-its great to praise with your dance but there's a time when you need to use your voice. imagine the Israelites surrounding Jericho. the walls didn't come down until they shouted. God would give them the town, if they shouted. What if we cried out for the town of Jackson, what if that oppression just fell?
....conclusion: God is asking if I trust His power to do that miracle. Girl, you gotta learn to shout! practice shouts in the car? This may need to happen.

-It's like my little girl who cries, daddy, daddy, look at me! daddy, look. Scrambling for my attention until she is right in front of me. God says, yes daughter, what do you want? What do you need? I'm here.
....conclusion: Audience of One. I can't put words to the incredible depth and vastness of God's love for His kids (Ephesians 3:18-19). So often, He is right there. Making Daddy proud tonight, that's all that matters.

There's more to life than a lizard in the wall.

Creatures and projects on Labor Day

2011-09-04T21:14:00.007-04:00

Sometimes there are no words. You just have to look and wonder. Labor Day weekend can be quite the experience in Atlanta. I came home for the weekend to tie up some loose ends from the summer and visit my parents! Mom had mentioned going to a Dragon Con parade early in the morning and for whatever reason I didn't think much of it at the time.

Now though, it will be a weekend to remember, thanks mama :).

Saturday, dad calls goodmorning and since I went to bed at about 2:00 the night before (driving home and watching soccer with dad) and it was only 8, I didn't exactly get up. So when mom said, "Emmmillly, are you awake?" and I said "nooooooo" I figured I should probably get up.

We made the hour trek, (no pun intended) and found some parking and walked up to Peachtree St. to find a spot for the Dragon Con parade. Now I'm not a huge scifi person or trekky (though there may be some in all of us) but I have to say, the costumes were amazing! And if you were a little kid, it's like your dream come true! My favorite was watching this little boy light up and cheer and name all the characters from a show. I don't know if I've ever seen a kid so excited!

There were so many funny experiences that I don't know that I can even list them all. We decided we do not want to go to the Underworld, alternate history is interesting but we are pretty happy with how our history turned out, and Spiderman will always bring cheers. Darth Vader made quite a few appearances and the lego scifi characters were pretty cool. Buddy the Elf popped up to help represent fantasy and yes there were some Trekkies. Java the Hutt and Chewi were also walkin' by. Oh and how could I forget Dr. Who! There was so much more, you shall just have to go one year!

Oh and have no fear, as a new Mississippian, if I ever need a ghost buster, I know who to call.....apparently GA and Alabama have quite the ghost buster crews. Just have to go over a state or two. And yes, "They believe you."

It is a trip that you just have to experience for yourself.

Dad snapped this pic right after the parade-what a success!

Following the parade, we grabbed some lunch at good ol' Chick-fil-A and then went to a Book Fair in Downtown Decatur. It was rather hot so we didn't last too long but there were tons of authors and publishers. (I picked up a few cards for when I try to get started on those kids book ideas).

Stopped by the Decatur Farmer's Market on the way home. Boy did we eat well, fresh shrimp that were cooked to perfection by daddy!

Goodwill was also on the list and mom helped with some great finds! I have been lookin' for some items to help decorate our living room area in the quad and we found a Calvin Kline Queen Duvet for $3.93 (we looked up the original price online, it sells for $311!) I am hoping to put it on the Futon Kimber brought (no more pink princesses to her delight i hope). Also found two pillows to match. I even got a coffee table for $10 (it was originally a holiday rental). I'm painting it black and am really excited. (Will try to post pictures of the Labor Day project when it's all finished!)

Today we went to church-great message about being laborers for Christ. Your job, your school, your home is your mission field! Look at the example of Priscilla and Aquilla, they were ordinary laborers making an extraordinary difference (Acts 18)!

As per tradition, I made chocolate chip cookies. Whenever I come home, mom asks what I want/what I want to do. Almost always one of my first responses is do we have chocolate chips and milk? I had to use stevia and actuvia because we didn't have any sugar but they still turned out well. I'm afraid I may have eaten a bit too much cookie dough, but can you ever eat too much cookie dough?? I mean someone had to make sure they turned out ok. Love to bake and bring goodies back to school!

Thankfully, Hurricane Lee fizzled down and is bringing some much needed rain. Back to J-town tomorrow...

I finally read it.

2011-09-02T11:20:00.004-04:00

Yellow. Yellow is such a happy color. Today I've got my yellow chicklet earings on and my yellow flower. Ya just gotta bring some flare to the world sometimes. Today is an exciting day...for lots of reasons. Most people are psyched about the return of the SEC football season, most of my friends won't let me forget that one! Roll Tide, Hotty Toddy, Go Gamecocks, take your pick. Another friend is getting a puppy tomorrow and of course its Friday, which most everyone will enjoy the celebration of a long weekend! For me, GA's on my mind. I get to go home and for that I am excited and thankful!

In other news I finished Alice in Wonderland. I babysat last night and boy did I have some interesting conversations. I may have to save them for that book that I should write some day, the one that's like kid's say the darnest things. Anyway, I now have a new appreciation for the story. Today, Ms. Quinn showed us a pop up Alice in Wonderland! I was sold! One of my favorite things to do, yes you can probably tell I'm an El Ed major, is to check out all the books in the Children's section of the bookstore. Oh it's just so fun. Next time you go, you must look for this book. Growing up, I was never really interested in the story. I never saw the Disney version all the way through and when the remake based on 'Through the Looking Glass' came out with Johnny Depp, though I love the actors, I still never really had a desire to read or watch it. With the pop up story, oh it's great!

There is some discrepancy as to the actual author of the story. Charles Dodgson aka Lewis Carroll was a professor of logic and math. Some say he was too logical to write such an illogical and silly children's book so he did it under a pen name. Still others believe that Queen Victoria is the secret author. She asked Dodgson to publish it and because it wasn't his work, he used a different name. I mean who else could make fun of the Queen in such a way? Her oldest daughter's name was Alice. The Queen was said to have always worn black, after the death of her husband, save for Alice's wedding day in which she added a white collar. Can you spot any other similarities? Pretty interesting. Wonder who really wrote it?

Well here are some of my favorite lines from this rather uncanny tale. You certainly have to be in the right mindset to read this one...

"For, you see, so many out-of-the-way things had happened lately, that Alice had begun to think that very few things indeed were really impossible."

Good way of thinking!

" 'I am older than you, and must know better.' And this Alice would not allow without knowing how old it was, and as the Lory positively refused to tell its age, there was no more to be said."

There are some advantages to being older.

" 'That's the reason they're called lessons,' the Gryphon remarked: 'because they lessen from day to day.' "

Now ya gotta laugh-out-loud at that one!