tres anos

Today is a special day for my little dog, Marco, and me.

Three years ago, I was at my parents' house in Flower Mound watching the afternoon news. There was a story about 120 little dogs that had been rescued from a puppy mill. These little guys were sent to various SPCA shelters in the Metroplex. One of the shelters was in The Colony. Now, there are not a lot of redeeming qualities about The Colony, but it was on my way home to Plano (where I lived at the time). So, I hopped in my car and just swung by the shelter. Upon entering, I knew I was in trouble--so many little dogs in need of love. I found a really ugly, yet sweet hairless chihuahua that was just precious. He was desperate for love and attention and was just so great. The SPCA said that in order to adopt, I would have to show proof that I had paid a pet deposit at my apartment complex. I drove home and immediately wrote a check. When I got back to the shelter, the little guy was gone, and I was bummed. One of the workers encouraged me to keep looking, so I did. I came across a dog that was 5 years old, heartworm free, and neutered. 5 years old seemed a little too old for a dog that was expected to only live for 12-15 years, but I took him out to the play area outside. Once this dog got outside, he immediately ran away from me. This was not a good sign. But the man chaperoning our little outing insisted that if I sat down, he would hop in my lap. I was doubtful, but I took his advice. This little dog immediately jumped in my lap and snuggled with me.

And that was it. I took him home. It took a few days but I finally decided on a name. Because this dog was a chihuahua, I figured that he needed a Spanish name to keep true to his Latin heritage. My mom suggested Marco and it stuck.

Marco has been a fabulous addition to my life. He is sweet and cuddly. Sure, he is annoying from time to time, but I love him all the same. It is hard to imagine life without him...he is a great dog!

Happy 3 year anniversary, Marco!

best day ever

This is a painting by Thomas Kincade titled, "End of the Perfect Day". If I were an artist, I would take my brush and paint a picture of me on my couch. I would be in my sweats, hair in a ponytail, and I wouldn't have a stitch of makeup on. Oh, and "Gilmore Girls: Season One" would be playing on the tv. This perfectly describes my day and it was glorious. Was it the most productive dayin the history of mankind? Nope. But--I cleaned out my pantry, fridge, did a load of dishes and two loads of laundry. Not too bad. The rest of the day was spent on the couch snuggling with Marco and hanging out with Lorelai and Rory. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for my new box set! Finally, I have learned the art of relaxation and just taking a day to rest. It only took 25+ years but I'm understanding what it means to take a day to do nothing and to like it.

on a lighter note

Many of my friends are aware of my enthusiasm for all things Hillsong United. While I've accepted that Joel and I probably aren't going to happen, their music has encouraged and inspired me in my walk with the Lord.
One of my favorite songs on "United We Stand" is called "None But Jesus". On their latest CD,
"All of the Above", I love the songs "Lead me to the Cross", "Hosanna" and "For those who are to come". Amazingly enough, these songs were all penned by a talented Kiwi named Brooke Fraser. She is an incredible songwriter and has a strong, beautiful voice.

Brooke recorded a solo album a year of so ago but it was only available in New Zealand. Well, the other day I was able to finally buy the album on iTunes and I am sooo excited!
"Albertine" was my Myspace profile song for a while so I really like that one. "Shadowfeet" is really good as well, and "Deciphering Me" reminds me of my sweet friend, Rebekah.

So...check her out. You will not be sorry!!

Oh Tannenbaum...

This is the view from my dining room-that-I-turned-into-a-second-living-room room. Yes, friends, that is a Christmas tree. I put it together yesterday, all by myself. Well, that's not entirely true. Claire did a couple of branches and then 'supervised' from the couch while drinking her morning coffee. My friend, Mandy, helped me with the lights last night, and then this afternoon, I put the ornaments on.

I debated whether or not to bother with the tree. Who would enjoy it? I don't have any ornaments. Ornaments aren't free. Do I want to spend money on ornaments? Should I go and try to reclaim the ornaments people gave me when I was a kid but that were really intended for my parents? Like, the one that says "Merry Christmas 1979" with my 3 month old picture on the middle of the ball. Nah, the ornaments of my youth weren't really my style and I kind of wanted to start fresh. In typical Stephanie fashion, I rebelled against traditional red and green and decided on a wintry motif with variations on a blue-green color and silver. I like it. I can already tell that I'm going to have a lot of good quiet times in this room with this little tree. I even drove by the front of the house to see the lit tree through the window. I admit, it was pretty cool knowing that it was *my * house. I'll admit that my Christmas spirit has been waning these past few years, but I think the tree has brought it back.

Feliz Navidad!

my cup runneth over

It has been a loooong time since I last updated. Well, I really have no exciting developments to report on, but life is really, really great.

The last few weeks have been full of sweet times with friends. For the first time since college, I feel like I have found a set of friends: solid girls who love Jesus, love to laugh, and are just so fun. I couldn't be more grateful for these friends and I never want the good time to end.

But, nothing stays the same....even if you want it to. I've decided that the hardest thing about being in your twenties is that people are always in transition. On any given day, a friend can call to say that they are moving across the country (or to an island, Rebekah), are getting married, or having their 4th baby. The dynamic of these friendships inevitably change. And that can be hard....especially when you feel like your own life is stuck in neutral.

When someone utters the phrase "This too shall pass", it is usually meant to be a word of encouragement for someone in the midst of a trial. But I am slowly realizing that the "good times" shall pass as well, whether we want them to or not. This has made me want to savor every moment that I have with the friends and family that I love. There have been instances during the past few weeks where I have just wanted to freeze time and capture each moment. But rather than focusing on who the next one will be to walk down the aisle or be called to a new city, I want to learn to live in gratitude for the gift of today. I cannot touch yesterday, and I can't see tomorrow, but I can be grateful for who God has placed in my life this very day. And each day, He shows me more of himself through the people he has given me the privilege to walk with for this season.
Psalm 118:24--"For this is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it". Amen.

For Rebekah...

My sweet little bestie, Rebekah, has requested an update. So, here is a brief recap of the happenings of my life. Try to stay awake (:

-Teaching is kicking my butt....even though this is my sixth freaking year. More specifically, teaching 8th grade math and U.S. History is kicking my butt. I feel like this is my first year teaching again...well, without the students getting arrested during my class part.

-Because of the aforementioned butt-kicking, I am kind of playing around with ideas about some other career options. I'm not sure what this would look like. However, Accounting has come to mind. I am also interested in health and nutrition but maybe as a supplementary career. Any suggestions of what I should be when I grow up are welcomed.

-I have decided to hand out Halloween candy this year. Yes, I realize that I may get a special spot in hell for that (shout out to Bob Larson--that was for you Coach Glenn), but it is my first year with a house and I want to meet the little kiddies in my neighborhood. Plus, I think it will be fun and fall-ish. And even though I was never allowed to trick-or-treat as a child, my parents would give candy out. Can we say mixed-messages?

-Thought for the week: Why couldn't I have gone to a normal college? Click here for details

-I am getting a free Craftsman edger and weedeater that my parents found in my late PawPaw's storage shed. Jehovah Jirah!!!

-I rediscovered a childhood crush on Craig T. Nelson this Monday when my home group watched "Troop Beverly Hills" (we are going camping this weekend and needed inspiration). Anyway, much to my surprise, my school required us to play a clip from an anti-drug movie this week starring.....Craig T. Nelson. Remember, this was the Craig T. before his "Coach" days so give me a break, people!!! How could you resist that bomber jacket???

-I went on a great run Saturday and had the best time with the Lord. Oh, how I've missed those times with Him. He is reminding me that he is worthy of my trust and my praise and that he owes me NOTHING!!! I have always been such a "fair" person and it is an ongoing lesson to trust in God's purpose, timing, and provision. But... we are working on it (:


Well, that's all I've got. I hope that tides my favorite Cali-Aussie over for a while.

The Pumpkin

My roommate, Claire , laughs at me because I have a special way of addressing the name of my favorite gourd. I don't say that I love pumpkin. Rather, I say that I love THE Pumpkin. It's deliciousness is certainly worthy of an extra article (:

The Pumpkin is alive and well in the Shuler/Borne home. For the past two weeks, I've made pumpkin oatmeal for breakfast. I have canned pumpkin as a side dish at dinner. Soon, I will whip up a big batch of Spicy Pumpkin Chili for my school lunches. And I even found Kashi pumpkin spice granola bars, as well as these awesome little pumpkin chocolate chip cookies yesterday at Target. Yum. Oh, and let us not forget Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte in all of its delectable glory.

There is even evidence of The Pumpkin in our living room, dining room, and kitchen in the form of decor. More pumpkin-ness will be on display after my visit to one of Flower Mound's many Pumpkin patches.

What can I say....except that The Pumpkin makes me happy and I love how I can see, taste, or smell it everywhere I go.

Fall is so, so great (:

Forget-Him-Not

My priorities lately have been messed-up. School is back in full-swing and I just can't find my rhythm. When I get home from school I either work out or zone out on the computer. My temper is getting shorter and little things are starting to get on my nerves. But, I recall the words of my college friend Esther who told me that when people annoy her, it's because she hadn't spent enough time with the Lord. This is truth that still convicts me 8 years later! As I examine my life over the past few weeks, I realize that I have been forgetting to hold on to some of God's goodness and truth. But... there is hope! Today, I was reminded of a similar time in my life when God was especially faithful.


October '99...
The highlight of my college career was my sophomore year. I lived on a hall with girls who I now consider to be some of my best friends. The floor was named "Epiphany" and God has continued to reveal himself to me through these precious friends.

That October, we had planned to go on a retreat with our brother wing (i can't remember their name?). I almost didn't go because I was so overwhelmed with school and just couldn't take the time off to focus on anything else...or so I thought. But I decided to make the drive and all 35 people (give or take a few) stayed the night in Tallequah, OK along the Arkansas River. Now, most people think of Oklahoma solely as the home of the Dust Bowl, but the Northeastern corner is full of beauty. I can still remember the autumn leaves, the cold night air, smores, playing capture the flag in the dark, and staying up all night. A small group of us thought it would be fun to stay up and watch the sunrise. Well, it was a wonderful time in God's creation but we all payed dearly for the next few days. Perhaps that's why I start fading around 7:30 (:

There was nothing particularly special about this retreat except that it was a time to do nothing else but simply enjoy being with the Lord. As I was listening to some music today, I was taken back to this memory that is now 8 years old. Before we headed back to Tulsa, we had a time of praise and worship. My friend Kim sang a song called "I Will Not Forget You". This, of course, let to my purchase of the following CD:

How fitting for my life today. Sometimes I get so busy that I forget. I forget to begin my day by handing it over to the Lord. I forget to thank Him for his provision which comes in the form of a job. I forget to be Jesus to my students. I forget to praise Him for what He's done because I am too busy asking Him for more. I forget to spend real time in fellowship with Him because I would rather do something mindless, like watch TV.

This CD was what I needed today. It reminded me of a time where I chose to not forget Him. With each song, I'm back in Tallequah...far from home but happy to be with friends and soaking up God's goodness. I love that the Lord has given us music as a reminder of how He's moved in our lives.

During that sophomore year, I made the best friends I've ever known. I met girls who pushed me towards Jesus, called me out when necessary, and were just plain fun. So, thank you Lord for Epiphany and for the truth that you continue to reveal to us. And I pray that in the busy-ness of life as a "grown-up", I will not forget Him.

Ode to Fall

A new season is upon us and I cannot wait! Fall is absolutely my favorite time of the year. I love hoodies, oatmeal, soup, hot chocolate, Thanksgiving, the State Fair, football, snuggling with blankets, and the crisp, clean smell in the air. Now granted, in Texas, we don't get to experience this season for very long, but it's great while it lasts.

My great-grandmother was named Autumn...Autumn Narcissa to be exact. Maybe that's why I love this time of year so much. All I know is that it won't get here soon enough (:

Twenty-eight

Yep. That's my new age. You know, I actually like the way that it sounds.
Twenty-eight sounds like you are mature and responsible, yet not quite to thirty (which doesn't sound all that bad either now that I think about it). I long to be taken seriously at work and as an adult. Too often when I refer to school, people ask me what my major is or where I attend college. Oy!

Anyway, I had the best birthday. Lots of love from friends and family. The festivities will continue through Saturday and I just am so grateful to have people in my life who seemingly care that I was born!

Who knows what this year holds. All I know is that 27 didn't turn out the way I had planned but God did so many things in different areas. I won't lie...I didn't picture my life to look like it does right now. But I know that Jesus loves me and has a plan that is even better than the one I had picked out for myself all those years ago. This is not always an easy truth digest, but I pray that my soul finds rest in Christ alone; that I can be used to achieve His purposes and bring Him glory in this new year.

**************************************************************
And on a semi-relevant note...
I went to a conference with my Mom last week at her church. We sang this song called "Still" by Reuben Morgan and I just can't get enough of it. It's a few years old, but I'm loving the words:

Hide me now
Under your wings
Cover me
within your mighty hand

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with you above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still and know you are God

Find rest my soul
In Christ alone
Know his power
In quietness and trust

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with you above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still and know you are God

not a lot to say...

...but I thought I would say hello (:

School is in full swing and it is kicking my butt. I have 3 math classes and 2 U.S. History classes. I love both subjects a lot but it is difficult to constantly be switching gears. But...I am sure that I will get used to it once the beginning-of-the-year craziness dies down. In some ways, I feel like a first year teacher again. It's hard to believe that I've been at this for 6 YEARS!!! Goodness, I'm getting old.

I'm having lots of fun at home right now because Claire has officially moved in. Yea!! She is such a fun friend and it's great to have her around full-time. I still have another bedroom that I'm trying to fill so let me know if you know anyone who is looking for a place to live for a while.

Lots of changes are taking place in my homegroup as well. For the last couple of weeks, I have been co-leading with Sarah V. Well, today we met with Hollie and talked about how our group needs to multiply next week. Honestly, I'm a little overwhelmed with all of this but know that the Lord will direct my steps during this time. I just want for Him to be glorified in all of this.

I will write some more when I get some time. This week will be crazy, but I'll do my best. (:

d.c.

Last week, I flew into Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. The main reason for going was so that I could get out of Texas and see my good friend Allison. She has lived out there for most of the past 5 years and I'd never come out for a visit. So, I visited. Allison is one of my absolute favorite people in the world. I remember seeing her in our Humanities class during the very first week of college. I thought, "I would like to be her friend". And, we've been good friends for the last 9 years. We laughed a lot last week and I just had a blast hanging out with her.

The last time I was in our nation's capital was in 1992. That was before I developed a love of history so I didn't appreciate all of the sites. I won't bore you with the details of every monument I saw, every famous tombstone that I read at Arlington Cemetery, or every artifact I examined at the various Smithsonians. But, my favorite part was an exhibit at the National Archives that was about the education of our Presidents. They had reproductions of essays written, reports cards issued, and pictures of them as school boys. It was so awesome that I went twice!

Here are some random factoids that I learned:

--John Wilkes Booth was the 9th out of 10 children who were all illegitimate. He was also only 26 when he assassinated Lincoln. Right before he did the deed he drank a whiskey and water at the bar next to Ford's Theater for some 'liquid courage'.

--Robert E. Lee had 7 children who all lived to adulthood. Only 2 of those kids ever got married, so he has very few direct descendants.

--The Metro system is very clean.

--There aren't Super Targets in Virginia. How do they survive without it there!?!?!

--The Wright Brothers started out in the Printing business.

So, there is much more but those were interesting to me (:

Here are a few pictures.

Allison and me at Cantina Marina
Newlywed and new D.C. resident,Mindy, and me
A sobering picture from Arlington Cemetery
the Eternal Flame and Jackie O's gravesite
View from Robert E. Lee's Home. (he is my favorite person in US History)
Hi George!!
In front of the Nat. Archives. It says, "The Past is Prologue"

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

I don't know if anyone else remembers this book from their childhood, but I feel like it paralleled the events of my Monday.
This morning, I was actually kind of excited about going to school. This first week is easy. Just a bunch of inservice stuff and no kiddos. So I hop in the car and head on over to Creek Valley MS. The drive was great. I had my worship music blasting and I was pumped about this day. Just as I turn onto Creek Valley Blvd. my car stopped. It just stopped. So, in a panic, I turn the key and it starts back up. Sadly, the power steering went out but I was able to coast to the school which was about a half mile away. At lunch I found out that the work needed to be done would cost about $861. Wow. That's a lot of money to put into a car that isn't even worth that. After all, the Escort is about 9 years old. But after talking it through with my Dad, we decided that this was the best decision until I really had time to do research and find a new car. This was not how I had planned on spending the money so I burst into tears at the shock of it all. But I knew it would be okay.

Later on in the afternoon, I tripped and ripped part of my favorite little black dress sandals. I was sad, but it seemed like no big deal compared to the car.

When I got home, I realized the garbage disposal wasn't working. I called my dad again, and he gave me some instructions on resetting it. Well, it didn't start to work so we have declared it broken. Last time I checked, plumbers don't work for free.

Dealing with all of this stuff just overwhelms me and makes me long for someone who is here with me to alleviate the stress and share the burdens. But for now, it's all on me.

So that is pretty much how my day went.

But.......

There are some good things about today.
1. My car died at school just miles from my house and not on my road trip to Iowa.
2. I have a friend/coworker who lives just 2 miles from me and gave me a ride home from school and is taking me to school tomorrow
3. I have a friend, Andrea, from my homegroup that lives about a mile from me and gave me a ride to and from homegroup.
4. The disposal thing is covered under my home warranty so it won't cost too much to fix.
5. Those shoes hurt my feet anyway and weren't practical for teaching.
6. My Dad is really always there for me when I need him. So much so that I tear up when I think about how selfless he is in his love for me.
7. I have an amazing church and girls in my homegroup. God has used both to draw me to himself and show me more about who he is.

Today was just one of those days. It will not go down in the books as my favorite day of life. But the Lord really met all of my needs for the day. So thanks to all who helped me get through today and so graciously offered to help me out. And thank you, Jesus, for reminding me that I don't have to go it alone.

For Rebekah...

In celebration of #4 of my "8 random things" post, I thought you would get a kick out of this.
My whole family would save these out of magazines for me. I think I had at least 4 of them posted in various locations. I was actually forced to remove this from inside of my locker in high school. So scandalous!!

i'm a lame blogger

Well, there hasn't been anything too exciting happening in my life lately. That's not a bad thing...just doesn't make for interesting blogging.
Here's a brief update of life as I know it: (and I don't know why it's doing that weird indenting thing--sorry!)

I am getting a new roommate...Claire is coming back to Dallas and I am so excited!!!

Tomorrow I am leaving for a trip to D.C. to see my friend Allison

Tomorrow also marks the beginning of the 30-days-until-my-28th-birthday sugar fast.
Prayers are needed for this one--ha. Anyway, I will celebrate the end of the 30
days by feasting on birthday cake or something yummy.

I am starting to train for the Dallas White Rock Half again with the hope of
running it under 2 hrs. I want to do another full but that really becomes a
full-time job and I can't do that right now.

I am recently began studying Ephesians, reading "Get Out of that Pit" by Beth Moore, and "The Ragamuffin Gospel". Oh, Rich Mullins....

School starts next Monday, Aug. 20th. The kids come the 27th. I am ready to be
back in a routine so this is actually a good thing.

Marco had to get a vaccine the other day. While there, the vet told that I needed
to brush Marco's teeth daily. Are you kidding me?!?!?!

I got a major sunburn while laying out with my new friend, Hillary. It was great
fun, though, even though I can't stand to have anything touching me at the moment.

And this is a public service announcement: Never wear a strapless top to get your
driver's license picture taken. Just don't. Trust me.


That's all for now. If you are reading this, I hope you have a great week!!!

8 bits of randomness

I was tagged by my friend Hollie to give 8 random facts/habits about myself.

The Rules:

1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.
2. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog (about their eight things) and post these rules. (**if you’re a non-blogger, you can email them!)
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

My eight random facts and/or habits:

1. I am deathly afraid of birds and clowns.

2. At just about every meal in the cafeteria in college, I would always grab a bagel and a shmear of cream cheese. However, I would peel the bagel and eat only the crust. Weird.

3. I have a scar on my knee from kneeling on my bedroom floor and landing on a bottle of nail polish. The glass got lodged into my skin, I missed the state track meet due to the 5 stitches that were right on the top of my knee, and my mom was completely unsympathetic because this all wouldn't have happened if my room was clean.

4. I had a major crush on tennis player, Pete Sampras. This started in 7th grade and continued through my freshman year of college. I would hang his pictures in my locker at school. I also wrote two letters to him sharing about Jesus. Sadly, he married that girl from "The Wedding Planner" and I've moved on to another unattainable crush. ha

5. I've had eczema since I was 8 years old. Attractive, huh?

6. I played soccer for ten years and miss it dearly.

7. I graduated from college with a 4.0 . Now, I wish that I would have had more fun, relaxed a little bit and landed around a 3.5-3.7. I was obsessed with maintaining it because once you made a 'B', you could never get back to 4.0. You could only get as close as 3.999999....

8. I have always loved cooking shows. Sometimes I cook and pretend that I'm on TV and have a running commentary about the ingredients, what I'm doing with the recipe, etc.


Um...I don't really have anyone to tag since Hollie got them all. Maybe Mindy???

Midwestern roadtrip

If those words don't stir up uncontrollable excitement, I don't know what does.
Thursday morning, I left my house and Marco and headed for the great state of Iowa, where there are apparently "Fields of Opportunity". Google Maps told me that it would take about 11 hours and 33 minutes. They were pretty much on the money with that estimate.
So I drove through Oklahoma, and then onto Kansas. I realized that I would be passing through the state capital in Topeka. Naturally, I had to take a picture. I mean, I was a history major in college!
Here is the capitol building:
And then to add to my love of history, I saw a sign leading me to the courthouse where Brown vs. Board occurred. What an important part of the Civil Rights Movement! So, here is where all of that went down:

Unfortunately, that was the end of fun little sites to see along the way. I went from Kansas, to Nebraska, then to Iowa. The rest of the trip looked a lot like this:
The whole point of this journey was to see one of my best friends, Mindy, get hitched. I was also the guestbook attendant so my presence was absolutely essential..haha. When I arrived in Sioux City, Iowa, it became clear why Mindy always called her hometown 'The Sewer'. Upon entering the town, you are hit with an overwhelming smell that I learned was the burning of animal refuse. Yummy.
But one cool thing about Sioux City is that it's on the border of Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. You can drive to any of those three states literally within a couple of minutes. We stayed the night in South Dakota. Who would have thought I would ever be in South Dakota?!?!?!

Back to the wedding....
Mindy was probably the tiniest little bride I've ever seen. She is one of those naturally size-zero people that we all love to hate (: But anyway, she looked so perfect in her dress and was just beaming. I was able to snag one quick picture with her at the reception. Please excuse my lifeless follicles. I was suffering from South Dakota-flat-hair-syndrome.
Here is a kinda blurry picture with Mindy, her niece Brittney, and her new husband Chris!

Because most of my college friends live all over the country and world, I didn't know a lot of people at the wedding. One of the biggest surprises was that my friend, Ian, made the trip from Florida. Ian was a baseball player at ORU who came in as a freshman when we were sophomores. He and Mindy became great friends through the years (and they even dated for a week or two). Ian was pretty much always there...even when we would have girls' nights. He is all grown up now and has a wife of his own. We got to hang out and talk before the wedding and it was really great to catch up .
This is Ian with one of Mindy's nieces, Ahnah. She has always loved Ian!!!
After dinner and dancing, Mindy and Chris were sent away with sparklers. This is the best my camera could do.
Congratulations to The Hemmelmans!!! They will be starting their new life in D.C.--no more Sewer!!

Because I spent a total of 24 hours in the car--partly due to an accidental jaunt to Missouri (oops!!!), there was a lot of time to think.
Here are some observations from the road.
**Midwesterners are seriously the nicest people I have ever encountered.
**The Kansas Dept. of Tourism needs to come up with a better slogan than, "Kansas: It's not as
bad as you think"
**South Dakota people really sound like the people in 'Fargo' (yes, I realize that is N. Dakota, but
it's pretty darn close!!)
**There's not a lot to do in South Dakota unless you have something in common with Kenny
Rogers
**Your foot gets really sore and cramped when there is no cruise control.
**I will hire childcare for my wedding so that parents without better sense won't stay in the
sanctuary with screaming children.
**I never want to live in Iowa. Ever. Even if Pete Sampras asked me to move there with him.
**The Chicken Dance is probably the worst song imposed on mankind.
**I got the best news ever from a friend right before the ceremony which I will share in a later
post. Seriously, I am so excited about this!!!

And finally, praise God that The Escort made the trip to Iowa and back. That was quite a miracle!!!!

Fullness of Joy

After months of anticipation, July 15th finally came around. Twas the night of the Hillsong United Concert in Houston. Words cannot describe just how amazing it was. (I'll post some pictures and get into the details of our night on a different post.)

As we sang song after song, God's presence was so evidently in that arena. I haven't jumped up and down and clapped so much since college. And at the end of the night, my voice was worn and a bit wobbly from singing at the top of my lungs. There have been only a few times where I have felt the Holy Spirit move in such a powerful way. As the night progressed, I was just wishing that it was possible to stop time and just bask in His glory. But it is not practical to sing songs every second of every day. And sadly, Joel Houston is now back in Australia and unavailable to sing to me every waking moment (:

For some time now I have been trying to figure out how we can stay in His presence "when the music fades" (thank you Matt Redman). It is amazing to me how much peace and clarity comes as a result of us just worshiping God and telling Him how much we love Him. Maybe it's because we expect the Lord to meet with us when we are singing His praises. Our eyes are fixed solely on the Lord and we are ready to receive from Him. What if we expected him to meet with us during our day to day activities?

So how can we worship the Lord as a lifestyle? I think we can do that by obeying the Lord's commandment for us to love the Lord will all of our heart, all of our soul, and all of our mind. Jesus says in John 14:12 that "Whoever has my commands and obeys them is the one who loves me. My Father will love him who loves me, and I too will love him and show myself to him."

We were created to worship. Worship strips away the layers of our heart to reveal what is really there. Being in His presence prepares us to hear what He is asking of us and to respond to His call. It brings us to the place of intimacy with the Lord that satisfies the longings in our hearts, fills every void, and brings joy. Worship is living a life of surrender and obedience to the revealed word of God. I pray that we can learn to continually seek Jesus' face, get into His presence, and grow in knowledge and love of our Lord. For there will be Fullness of Joy.

The Escort

The Escort was a lovely Christmas present that my folks gave to me after my first semester of college. I could hardly believe that I had my very own vehicle. There have been a lot of memories of which The Escort was a part. Thanksgiving 1999 trip, Colorado in the summers, etc.

Well, like everything else in life, the Escort is getting older. Soon, it will be nine years old. Yes, I find myself entertaining thoughts about new vehicles. But until I get a roommate or two, I need it to hang in there. I especially need it to make it to Iowa and back for Mindy's wedding.

Thursday, I'll hop in the Escort and hope that it will make it across several states just one last time. This could be the Escort's last big trip. Let's all pray that it makes it there and back without incident!

Lead Me to the Cross

Last week's message at church was about remembering the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. We discussed it further at home group and I have been trying to find ways that I can constantly remember.

I know I talk a lot about Hillsong United, but please indulge me once more. (Well, I am sure there will be a post after this weekend's concert so maybe two more times ;)

There is an amazing and powerful song called "Lead Me to the Cross" that just kind of sums up the focus of this past week or so.
Here are the words, but I highly suggest you go and listen to it on iTunes.


Lead Me to the Cross

Savior I come
Quiet my soul remember
Redemptions hill
Where Your blood was spilled
For my ransom
Everything I once held dear
I count it all as loss

Lead me to the cross
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to You
O Lead me
Lead me to the cross

You were as I
Tempted and tried human
The word became flesh
Bore my sin and death
Now you're risen

To your heart
To your heart
Lead me to your heart
Lead me to your heart

East Texas

Last weekend I had the opportunity to get-away for a couple of days in East Texas. Michelle's parents have this AMAZING log cabin and a ton of land outside of Palestine. It was awesome!!!
There was lots of 4-wheelin', great food, American Idol Karaoke, conversations on the porch, and much, much more.
It was really one of the best weekends I've had in a while. And it was so peaceful and beautiful out there that I forgot for moment I was in Texas.


The gang when we first arrived.....Candace and me throwing gang signs. I don't think I'm a natural "thug"
View from the porch
Gettin' ready to canoe in the beautiful lake (:
Row, row, row your boat
Danielle's amazing rendition of "She Bangs"
Dance Party!!!
Brett and me in our matching tshirts before they got destroyed by the mud
4 wheelers....
John and Brett really bonded

What a fun weekend!! Thank you Judy family for being so hospitable (:

Psalm 15

I have been reading the Psalms a lot this summer. The Lord just keeps bringing me back to them and I have been so encouraged by David's honesty. And I completely relate to the emotional roller-coaster that he seems to be riding.

One passage in particular has challenged me lately:
Psalm 15
1 Who may worship in your sanctuary, LORD?
Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?
2 Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right,
speaking the truth from sincere hearts.
3 Those who refuse to gossip
or harm their neighbors
or speak evil of their friends.
4 Those who despise flagrant sinners,
and honor the faithful followers of the LORD,
and keep their promises even when it hurts.
5 Those who lend money without charging interest,
and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent.
Such people will stand firm forever.


I have quite a ways to go but what a great picture of holiness. The more we strive to know and love Jesus, the easier these things will be. Seems simple enough, but I always fall short. Jesus, help me to love you more!!

Question: What do solving equations and the Civil War have in common?

Answer: I will be teaching about both of these next year! Yes, 8th grade Math as well as U.S. History--Colonization to Reconstruction. These two subjects are at completely different ends of the spectrum...but I am excited! My degree is actually in Secondary History Education which means that I took A LOT of history classes in college. I mean, I even took an entire class on the Reformation. Crazy! My first three years of teaching were in social studies...two years of Freshman World Geo. and one tortuous year of Texas History. So, it is nice that I will get to use my degree and all of those college hours for something I love--U.S. History!!!!

My love for U.S. History began in 8th grade when I entered Mrs. Everett's classroom. She was simply phenomenal. I loved how she knew all of the little fun facts that the textbooks left out. I loved how she made the stories come to life. I loved how she loved her job! (And I thought it was funny that she had a life-size poster of Mel Gibson inside of her cabinets. This reminds me of when I put Pete Sampras's 'Got Milk' add inside of my school locker in high school...oh, those were the days).

Anyway, Mrs. Everett made such an impact on me that I wanted to be just like her. So I went to college and did just that. I would run through the dorms at night in my "Gettysburg" t-shirt and tell all of my friends interesting factoids. Now, I will be getting the chance to live out a dream that I've had since I was 14 years old. A dream I had almost forgotten and given up on. The timing couldn't be better and I am so grateful for God's faithfulness.

Some of my close friends know that on my birthday last September, I felt that this was going to be my own "Year of Jubilee". This just basically meant that I felt that God was going to fulfill some very specific desires that I've had for a long time (you can take a stab as to what you think those are!). But as this 27th year is coming to an end, I'm realizing that He has given me so much these last 10 months: a house, a solid group of friends, and now a chance to live out a dream I've had for almost 14 years. It is easy to get wrapped-up in ourselves, compare our haves and have-nots with others, and think we've been passed-over. But today I was reminded of a forgotten dream and am getting a chance to fulfill it. Thank you Jesus!!!

R.O.U.S. 's

It seems I have some new houseguests who are over-staying their welcome. The other day I snapped this picture in my backyard:
Some of you might think that rabbits are cute. I guess I used to think they had a little bit of cuteness to them once upon a time. That was, until I learned that they were really RODENTS!!!! Yuck!!!
Anyway, you know what they say about rabbits and their multiplication skills. Here is what I found just a few days later:
They are growing!!! And in my backyard!!! I am a little freaked out by the rabbits living here and don't know what to do about it. Even though I don't care for them, I wish them no harm. However, it would be great if they would just hop along and find a new home to accommodate their growing family.


**Bonus points to anyone who can reference where I got the title of this blog...ha!

My new little friends (:

Here are some of the precious little kiddos I've been hanging out with this week. They are just so cute, and I am a little sad that our time together is coming to an end soon.

This is Alexa. She speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese. And she hasn't even been to kindergarten yet! Anyway, today was 'Career Day' and Alexa wants to be a ballerina when she grows up. She was sooo cute today and just pirouetted all over that place. (Coach Glenn, if you're reading this, you should know I can't hear the word "piroutte" without thinking of that Jars of Clay "hymn" song where he talks about doing that on his grave...haha)
This is Biz. Her real name is Elizabeth but her older brother couldn't say it when she was little. So, she goes by "Biz". She is the sweetest thing ever!!!
And here we have Emily. She is so tiny and sweet and her mom is great too!
And finally, Maddie. On the first day of camp she raised her hand to tell me that she was half-Chinese and half-Norwegian. I just found it humorous that she randomly volunteered that information. The thing I love most about Maddie is that she always is giving me hugs!
The whole class!

it's been a while....

....but here is a new picture. My posts have been a bit blah lately because nothing particularly exciting was happening. Last night I met Michelle and some others for dinner at Gloria's. Here is a picture she snapped of Asian Paul and me--Enjoy!

Oy Vey!

I don't know if you can tell from this angle, but something is missing from Marco. Can you guess what it is??????

If you guessed that Marco is collar-less...then you are correct! Here is what's left of his leather collar:
When I came home tonight and let Marco out of his crate, he ran out and there was no noise from his little tags. He had chewed his collar off! Now, this is shocking for your average dog. But it's even more impressive because Marco has about 4 teeth left. That's not an exaggeration. So as frustrated as I am that he has chewed through his 2nd collar, I am more in awe of his perseverance and sheer determination to be free. I can only imagine that this drive comes from his time at the puppy mill where he had to live amongst 120 other dogs.

It's a good thing that he is so cute, sweet, and snuggly because here's what he's destroyed in his 2.5 years with me:
2 harnesses
2 collars
2 leashes
1 comforter (i would like to add that he was crated in my bathroom, dragged himself about 10 feet into my bedroom by body-slamming himself against the crate, pulled the comforter through the cage, and gnawed on it for hours)

Anyway, adopting Marco after his 5 years at a puppy mill was really one of the best decisions I've ever made. He is a constant source of joy for me and it's great to come home to something that is happy to see you. However, I would really appreciate it if he would stop going into pre-rescue-survival-of-the-fittest mode.

Let's Make Friends!

This was the theme of Barbie Camp today. I hate that I dreaded it so much because it really was kind of fun. Part of my fear was that these kids were from Highland Park. And let's face it--their parents could probably BUY Mattel.
But these little girls are all going into kindergarten next year and are all so cute and polite...a welcomed change from my usual 8th graders. I will get some pictures of these cuties... I just want to eat them up!

Tomorrow is 'Tea Party' day and they are all very excited about dressing up...so it will be fun. Personally, I am looking forward to Friday. No, not because it will be the last day, but because we're going to have a "slumber party". We are all wearing pajamas!!

I think that I need to spend less time dreading things in life and just embrace living in each moment. It makes life so much more enjoyable when you realize that all you have to focus on is the exact moment that you're currently in. Jim Elliot said it best: "Wherever you are, be all there".

Life in plastic, it's fantastic

Oh Barbie....
I have never liked her.
She was only something I occasionally received as a gift. I would promptly cut her hair.
Then I would play with my brother's Hotwheels, or kick the soccer ball, or something else. Anything but Barbie.

Well, ironically, I will be spending a lot of time next week with Barbie. Somehow I got talked into working 3 weeks worth of Barbie camps again this summer. I originally agreed to do it because I had my eye on a new car. But now that I am roommate-less, I'm just doing it to have a little something extra to put away. So, no fun purchases will come from Barbie earnings. But that's okay. It will keep me from watching 3 hours of "Reba" a day..which is totally possible if you have Lifetime and the CW.

So if you want to see some Oscar-worthy acting, come to Highland Park next week and watch me pretend to care about Barbie.

And before you think I have a hatred of all dolls, it's really pretty Barbie-specific. Barbie represents an image of perfection that has been proven humanly impossible. If a real woman were to have Barbie's proportions (in ratio to human measurements) she would have to walk on all fours in order to move.
BUT....human perfection is possible. Here is a doll that I know Claire and Anne will both appreciate.
Now a Bon Jovi camp...that is something I would gladly teach (:

Mother's and Father's Day

With the arrival of Father's Day tomorrow, it occurred to me that I completely forgot to give my mom a little shout out for Mother's Day. So, since my Dad always says, "You're mother and I are One", I will combine these two special days.

I just love my parents. They are amazing, and I don't think that I tell them that enough. I am so grateful to have such godly parents who have led our family and are still willing to do almost anything for my brother and me. If I am ever blessed to have children I will have great examples to follow.

My Dad
There are a few things that my Dad has said to me that have stuck with me through the years. One of the funniest ones was when I called in tears the day before a job interview a few years ago because my suit no longer fit. Rather than offering a word of encouragement, he simply said, "Get a girdle". Well, that wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear. But I did it, the suit fit again, I got the job and quickly ran off the 5 pounds or so. We joke that this harsh, yet helpful advice, is going to be the epitaph on his tombstone.

But seriously, my Dad has always been there when I need him. This year in particularly, he led me through the process of buying a home. I was asking him questions constantly. Still, he never got tired of answering them. Even though he'll be the first to tell you he's not a handy-guy, he has been able to help me with little home repairs and issues. So thanks Dad!

My Mom
She is the most beautiful person inside and out. My Mom has a tender heart and has taught me so much about who Jesus is, ever since I was itty-bitty. Out of all of the things I appreciate about her, this is definitely the most important. But I do get a kick out of how she gets a little giggly around 9 at night.

Thanks Mom and Dad for being so great. I realize that not everyone has people like y'all to raise them and to teach them truth. I'm so grateful for you both (:

it's not november yet....

but here's what I'm thankful for today....

Grace
cross-country phone calls from friends
lunches with old friends
blueberries
good music
summer vacation
my church family
that Claire taught me the right way to make coffee
Marco
natural peanut butter
skin-so-soft
new dreams
Hobby Lobby
Les & Lanae
comfy couches
air conditioning
mp3 players
blogs
Hope

on a break

When I was a freshman in college, I discovered running. It was a great way for me to relieve the unbelievable amount of stress that I was putting on myself. And good ol' ORU kind of had this requirement where you had to get so many aerobic points each semester. It was actually for a grade! So what started out as a means to escape school became a reliable friend. And nine years later, one of my most favorite things to do is lace up my running shoes and just go.

Running and I are kind of having a rough go of it right now. Summer in Texas is not really conducive to a good run. I decided to do laps on the track at Marcus HS last Sunday afternoon and just about passed out--literally. If I want to beat the heat, I would have to run super-early in the morning...and that's not safe for me to do by myself. The few evening runs I've gone on have been better heat-wise, but it has left my body ravaged by mosquito bites.

So, my only opportunity for reasonable physical activity is at the Health and Athletic Center. I didn't want to like going there, but I do. I have tried some new classes, am enjoying the weight machines, and have even found a that I like the elliptical. It's funny because I have always been kind of anti-gym. I've felt that mixing it up a little would not make me the die-hard runner I used to think I was. How ridiculously prideful is that?????

I will miss running outside until it starts to cool down in the fall. Like I've said before, running is when I feel that I hear the Lord speak to me with the most clarity. But, I will make the most of the nice, air-conditioned facility with the teacher discount. And I know that God doesn't just want to hang out with me only when I'm running. I will learn to quiet my heart in other places and expect Him to show up in a new way. But I cannot wait to hit the pavement again.

Great news!!!

My two faithful readers might remember this post from a couple of months ago.
I was pretty disappointed when I missed a chance to hear Hillsong United when they came to DFW. But, today I found out that they are playing for FREE in Houston on July 15th. This is even better because it will give me time to learn some of their new stuff AND I'll get to see my brother as a bonus. It's on a Sunday night, but a little road trip would be so much fun. Let me know if you are interested (:

Roommate Reunion

Oh college...
It is hard for me to believe that I have been out of college for five whole years. Wow...I'm getting old.

Anyway, while I'm not always the biggest fan of ORU, I made the most amazing friends there. My roommate, Mandy, was one of them. Here is a picture of her that looks like she is getting ready for her first day of school (:

Mandy and I lived together for our junior and senior years. Living in one tiny little room really leaves little room to hide, so Mandy saw a lot of my junk. Everyone that meets Mandy just loves her. She is sweet, personable, beautiful, and fun.
One person who really noticed sweet Mandy was her husband Jay. The two of them got hitched in D.C. back in May and have recently moved to Dallas. Jay is a professor at SMU and Mandy is working on her masters in counseling.

Mandy and I met up today to have brunch at Breadwinners (thanks Hollie for the suggestion) which was within walking distance of Mandy and Jay's condo. Fun times. I hadn't seen her in almost 4 years!!! So we ate, hit up Northpark, and then we went to our respective homes.
It was so great to catch up and to know that we will be so much closer to each other now. And of course, I can't wait for little Carsons to come along (:

What are you doing with your summer?

This is a question that I get almost daily. And everytime I hear it, I cringe a little bit. Is it because it's offensive or intrusive? Not at all. Is it because it's an annoying question? Nope.

Perhaps the reason that I find myself dodging this is due to the fact that I don't feel like I have a good answer. The best thing I can say is that I'm consistently working out and that I'll be working 3 weeks worth of Barbie camps (don't ask...it's as bad as it sounds).
It has always been hard for me to relax because in my mind, there is always something else that needs to be taken care of. I think deep down I don't feel worthy of a vacation, therefore I am not being a good steward of the time off. But, maybe I just chose my profession very wisely and should embrace the hiatus from middle-schoolers.

Either way, I know there are things that I can be doing that are much more productive than spending my mornings watching "The Golden Girls" followed by "The Biggest Loser".
I am open to suggestions (:

in the land of the living

Just some quick little thoughts on a Friday night...
Tonight, Michelle, Sarah and I went to B.J.'s for dinner. Sarah is moving back to Nebraska on Monday so this was kind of a last supper of sorts. Anyway, we are back at the house and they are watching some movie I've never heard of starring David Schwimmer...interesting. I'm trying not to invest too much into it because at any moment, my brother, Matthew, will be arriving from H-town. This will be a short visit but I am excited nonetheless. He truly has become my best friend through the years which is nothing short of a miracle. I used to be very mean to him growing up, and I was even known to beat him up when he won at one-on-one basketball in the driveway. There were even golf clubs involved a few times. But maybe I'm revealing a bit too much....
Anyway, I sought forgiveness, he granted it, we both grew up, and now we're great friends. One of the things I love most about growing up is the way that your relationships evolve with your parents and sibling (or siblings for those of you who were blessed with more). Matthew truly is one of the most godly people that I know. He is so much wiser than I am--even though he is 2 years younger. The prideful part of me doesn't want to admit when he is right because he is younger, but so often he is there when I need him with an encouraging word and he always speaks truth.
During our last conversation, we were talking about a song that we had been singing at church and he looked up the scripture that a certain song was based on. This led him to Psalm 24 and I have been camping out in Psalms a lot this week. I have been encouraged by David's honesty with the Lord and how he doesn't hold back--whether it's good or bad.

So I guess the point of the post is this:
1. Be nice to your kid brother (he might grow up to be a man of wisdom)
2. Read Psalms (24 and 25 are a great place to start:)
3. Don't rent "Duane Hopwood"(that's per Sarah and Michelle)

I'm so excited, and I just can't...

First of all, if you have an image of Jessie Spano's meltdown in your head everytime you hear that song....then we are on the same brainwave. Scary!!

But back to the post...
Today was one of those days where I actually felt grown up. You would think that these moments occur all of the time since I'm in my late twenties, but they don't. So today, I became the proud owner of a lawnmower...woohoo!!! Here it is--
Fun, huh? I took advantage of my Dad being off work today and his ownership of an SUV. We went to Home Depot and checked out the mowers. We decided on this mulching one that was pretty reasonably priced. Then we met a nice employee, Rageena (no, that's not a typo), who showed me how to use the fancy-schmancy gas can. Rageena also suggested that I mow the lawn in a bikini top and shorts so that some "gentleman" will offer to finish the job for me. And yes, my Dad was with me when she suggested this. And yes, it was a tad uncomfortable. My Dad assembled the mower, we put some oil and gasoline in it, and I cranked it up. I can hardly wait to take it on it's maiden voyage tomorrow!!!

Another exciting part of today was that Target now makes running skirts. These have been a newer idea that I first researched last year. The cheapest ones previously ran you about $69. But I stumbled upon these today and they are much more affordable at $19.99. Tomorrow's run is going to be amazing!!!!

And finally, my good friend Anne has started a blog. Yay!!!! She is one of the wisest people that I know, and she has an amazing heart for Jesus. Go visit her (:

Happy Memorial Day!!!!!

Praise Him!!!

It is officially summer....Wahoo!!!!!!! I don't think I would know what to do with myself if I had an around-the-year job. It would be sad on days like these (:

Some goals for the summer:
1. Start training for another half
2. Get myself un-addicted from sugar (this will be hard...apparently it's almost as difficult as detoxing from 'real' drugs)
3. Finish the 4 books I started a while back but haven't picked up in a while
4. Learn about gardening and clean up my flower beds
5. Replace the countertop in the guest bathroom (currently it is a horrid seashell pattern and is a color I affectionately refer to as "smoker's teeth")
6. Do something with the fireplace...the pink marble must go!!!!
7. Somehow get away to E.P.
8. Teach Marco to tell me when he has to go outside

That's a start...we'll see how it goes!!!

Muddy Buddy

The whole trip down to Austin was about the Muddy Buddy race. We got up at 5:30 to drive to Johnson City, TX. Around 7 or so, we arrived, parked, and headed up to the starting line. Because there were so many age brackets, Claire and I (also known as Team Waterlogged), were in the 9th wave. It took a while for us to start. Claire started off on the bike and I ran. The obstacles at the end of each leg were not so bad. The worst part was the ‘Hill of Death’. Oh. My. Goodness. It was truly impossible. I pushed the bike up for a while and then Claire did it some. Once that was over, the rest of the race was pretty doable. The last obstacle was a giant mud pit that we had to swim through. It was nasty, yet fun at the same time. We decided that the Muddy Buddy was fun but a little disappointing…and probably not worth the cleanup effort. But it was an experience nonetheless. **Blogger is being weird about pictures so I'll try again later...stay tuned!!!**