Good ole Missouri

Since I will be returning to the birth of my state hear in 2 weeks, I have complied a list of things I would like to do in the 4 days that I will be there.

1. See family and friends!!!
2. Go to Sonic and Jack in the Box.
3. Sell stuff at Platos Closet.
4. Play with my cat.
5. Get my teeth cleaned.
6. Buy massive amounts of Jays Krunchers.
7. Have brunch.
8. GEt my pants from my mom.
9. Maybe make a bedspread, but not very likely.
10. Relax, not likely either.

weird things

my weird habits

1. When getting gifts I like to open up all the ones that I picked out first, before opening the ones that are given to me in surprise.

2. I prefer to wear the same clothes that I wear during the day to bed and even through the next day if possible.

3. I cannot finish a can of soda, especially after it gets hot.

4. If I am watching tv or a movie I have to be doing something else, knitting, reading, scrapbooking, to feel productive.

5. When sitting in chairs, I have to have my feet on the chair too.

Favorite Things

What was your favorite Christmas Present?

I have a few. A US weekly Subscription, a new TV, and an American Girl Doll.
Yes, I know that I am 24, and that I don't play with dolls anymore, but I can still collect them especially since she looks like me!

another lonely day

i feel as if everyone in the city has taken a break and is on slow mode. no one, was out this morning. the trains, streets, and my office are empty. it is as if hibernation is occurring. i was informed that this was a likely reaction to the holiday time, but i never imagined it this quiet. i guess if i had vacation days, i would take off too.

Christmas was good and relaxing. We slept in made breakfast and opened presents! then we lounged around most of the day watching our new big screen tv! That was a big Christmas present for us. Later we finished out the evening by going to see KONG! It was a good movie. I can't remember to much of the first one, so I can't compare it, but I do know that Kong looks more realitic in this one than the first.
yestarday was spent lounging and making some returns.

We went to a Christmas Eve Eve service at our church on Friday night and I was impacted by the way the pastor spoke about Jesus. (I maybe be mixing some of this up with a book I just finished as well.) He spoke about him in such a real way that made me realize how human he was. Another point that was made was that he didn't hang on the cross one minute longer for me than for someone else. We, I, often catergorize sins as harmless, bad, and really bad, but it doesn't matter they are all the same in God's eyes. It makes me think that those harmless sins are really ugly, because often those are the ones we comitt knowingly. So all in all, it gave me a better perspective on the need for forgivness and grace. Also, it was entertaining the way he welcomed us, by saying Merry Christmas, not Happy Holidays or SEason's GReetings. I think Merry Christmas is the politically correct way to go.
My mom sent us a one year Bible, which we already have, for Christmas and I am so excited to get into. It is my goal to complete it next year, but at the same time I really want to enjoy it. REading the Bible all the way through was a life goal for me, so I will be very excited to finish it at some point.

So I am hear at work again, what a surprise and I am taking a much needed break. The past two days have been crazy!!!! I worked non-stop the past two days and I thought my head was going to explode. So other than that I haven't been up to too much. I did catch Memoirs of a Giesha over the weekend. Good movie and great book! We had our small group Christmas party on Sun, and that was fun. I was introduced to these delicious sweet butter rum drinks. Mmmm. As for this weekend it looks like i'll be spending it here with David, that's not a big surprise, but we had talked about going to a nearby city for a few days. I am thinking that we might go see Rumor Has It or Kong this weekend. I have almost completed my 50 books for this year. I am struggling through the last two. Well not struggling, but I haven't been as motivated to read lately. However, the library told me that Memoirs (??? something like that was come in for me, it suppossedly about the Kennedy's that died not to long ago) I think it mirrors it. Anyhow, I will let you know how it is along with posting my top books for 05. Oh, aren't you excited!!!

Games

so I got my prizes from the contest and boy are they good! i got cranium which i was kind of wanting, some electronic talking clue game, tri-bond, not to sure about that one, catch phrase, so i already have that but not in elcetronic form, life cd rom, travel yahtzee, and uno h2o. now i just have to wait and see if i win the big prize. :)

Christmas Party

So my work Christmas party was last night, and I am surprised at how many people showed up on time today for work, especially after the after party. I have feeling that most people will be taking the day off due to the heavy partying that went on last night. Our party was from 4-8 and we had appetizers, dinner, an open bar, and entertainment. The entertainment definitely got better as the night wore on. I thought people would be crazy, but there wasn't too much that went on at the hotel. I think there was good times at the after party, that I missed. They even hired a photographer who took your picture and put it on different backgrounds. It was the best Christmas part ever.

I didn't win any of the big prizes, but my team (we had a competition of submtting documents to our intranet) won giftbaskets filled with games, so that was exciting. Plus with this competition you earened points worth redeeming to various places and I acquired $175 worth of GC, plus a few more for starbucks for something else. The reason I say this is because I recently found out that we are taxed on this money, so it's not really worth it. I am waiting to hear if I was in the drawing for the most submission (23 on the year). I think it's for one of the IPODS.

good times

so my weekend was good. I went to a hockey game with my co-workers on Fri night. It was my first professional game it surprisingly it was fun. My favorite part was when the players got into a fight. I mean isn't that what hockey is about. Speaking of hockey my brother is a big hockey fan and since the blues practice really close to us he goes to some of their practices with the kids of the girl he is dating. I guess one of the new guys really likes kids and gave Kaylin a hockey puck and signed it after one of the practices one time. So, she went home and made him a snowflake, she's 3 or 4, and gave it to him the next time she saw him and apparently he took it home and hung it up.

Narnia was good. I really enjoyed seeing the symbolism to the Christian life. CS Lewis did a good job with the writing and I don't feel that much was lost in the transition to movie. The 3-5 grades at my school are going to go see it this week. We never went to see movies during school.

My book club was good. About 6 people showed up so I was pleased. We talked about the set up and what book we would start with, and the winner is......Reading Lolita in Tehran. I was going to read it anyway so I am excited. Afterwards we sat around and talked. I showed them all my wedding pictures.

Tonight is my work Christmas Party and there should be some interesting stories to tell. I am hoping to win a prize. We even get to leave work an hour early to attended. So, I guess that means that I should be getting to work.

snow

yestarday everyone was saying how we would love a snow day and if it just so happened to snow enough, we indeed might get our wish. i went farther to say that i would like a wintry mix, snow and a little ice that would accompany the snow thus making it harder to clear the roads. i prayed for the govt to be closed, i did not want to work today. My prayer was answered, about the snow and ice, and here is where God's sense of humor comes in, it's really warm outside thus melting the snow and providing me with the opportunity to come into work. How lucky can a girl get to have her prayer answered and get to work. I also stepped in a large puddle and now my foot is soaking wet.

anyway, i am going to my first real hockey game tonight with some work friends. I am really excited since I have never been to one before. Tomorrow is Narnia and Sun is book club. My weekends are booked for the next three weeks.

resolutions

well it's that time of year again when we make resolutions of things we would like to do in the coming year that we failed to do this year. i have to say for myself though, that i have accomplished, if not exceeded some of my resolutions and for that i would like to pat myself on the back. So here's what I have come up with so far for next year.

Read 52 books, it's doable as i have read almost that many in half the time.
Run a half marathon
donate my hair to locks of love
read the bible the whole way through
finish the scrapbooks that I have started and become more organized with my crafts, plus maybe start a new hobby
become a member of the junior league
go to NYC, it's only a few hours away
my book club

now i know that these seem simple, but i think that they are attainable. sometimes i put to much pressure on myself to accomplish things, that when i don't i get down on myself

so since it's Christmas time as well, i decided to post somethings that i hope i get. I mean i have been blessed to have gotten married and to have gotten my first job, but if I would be so blessed again, these are things that I would like.

must love dogs DVD
US weekly subscription
Friends DVD wooden box for my DVD's
(I think David is getting me these)


Yoga Booty Ballet
white, white sweater
tweed capris pants (which I cannot find in my size)

Well that's all i can think of

I think magazine subscriptions are the way to go for presents because it's the gift that keeps on giving all year round.

in my small group we are exchanging gifts so I think that I am going to get her a magazine subscription to something. I just don't know what yet. Would anyone like this for a gift? I think that it is better that some lotion of a candle, right?

my soap box

well over the last few days I have been confronted with some disturbing things. First the debate about whether or not to change the name of the tree here in Washington from the Christmas tree to the Holiday tree. When did we become so politically correct that Christmas has to be changed so that no one gets offended? I know this has been going on for some time, but it is really making me angry. I don't know many Christians that go around protesting other religion's holidays. I just think it's ridiculous! What is wrong with offending other people? We have gotten too caught up in not wanting to hurt people's feelings that we are willing to give up things that should be important to us?

Another thing that was brought up, even though I have heard this before, is that we need to dumb down our religion as to not offend others. What I mean by this is that in Sunday School, they are teaching kids how to talk to others about God. The first step is being their friend and then you bring them to church then there are a few other steps and after you have won their affection you really talk about God. Now, I know that I am guilty of doing this and it bothers me. But, the way that i see it is that children are innocent and they don't need to be taught to talk to others about God, because they just know how to do it. Why simplify the gospel so much as to taint it? I really have been confronted with we as Christians dumbing down the Bible so that it won't be offensive and that it can apply to everyone in certain situations. The Bible is meant to be offensive to those who don't Believe it!!! Not in a mean way, but in a way that it makes them feel uncomfortable. I know that not everyone will agree with me and I would really like to hear about it, because I am trying to wade through all this.

Some thoughts from church.
The average Christian is just as good/nice as the neighbor next door.

What will be your Biblical Legacy?
We are talking about traditions and legacies in our (SS class), and it was cool to realize that I am going to start making traditions. We were encouraged to write down what traditions or dates that were important to us and what we were going to do to perserve those traditions. They are also going to put together a booklet for us of everyone's traditions. Just a thought for everyone to do for new years!! This could be a resolution for you. If you needed any ideas.

christmas spirit

today i think we are going to go shopping for some stuff you our apartment, well a dresser and a tv. they have one on craigslist that we are going to check out. i also found a store that buys and sells clothes. i have some stuff that i was going to sell on ebay, but that was too much work. a co-worker informed me that there was this store in maryland that is a used clothing shop, and I got excited. i also found this bead shop where i can make my own necklaces. to many hobbies and not enough time or money.

i finally sent out invites to my book club, and we are going to start next week. i am still in search of the perfect book, but realize that may be a lost cause. i have invited 13 people, 5 chirstians who are married, 2 engaged catholics, 3 single jewish girls, and three random girls. i am pretty excited about it. also i am working my way to have read 50 books this year. i HUGE accomplishment for me.

does anybody know of some good, funny, interpretations of the Christmas story? We are going to read it next week, and i thought it would be fun to have some interpretations of it, possibly like from a chid or something.

home

so it's official and I am coming home!!! well, at least for a weekend and not until Jan., but I am so excited. it's over MLK day, so carrie we'll have to figure out another weekend for you to come out here. i can't wait. i think we are even going to stop by como on the way and try to see some people. so if your there and you want to see us mark it on your calendars that we'll be by sometime that weekend. hmmm. I think we are going to see the capital tree tonight. this is exciting for me cause i have always wanted to be in a big city during the holidays. i might even get to travel to ny for a weekend here soon. we have a friend that lives in nj close to the city.

my birthday

so, today is my 18th spiritual birthday!!!! I find this amazing. God has kept me share and by his side, most of the time, all throughout these years. I am truely blessed to have been surrounded by Christian people these years. God you receive all the glory for this special birthday!!!

hair

so, i think that i mentioned wanting to grow my hair out so that i could donate it to locks of love. but the process is taking so long that i don't know if i can do it. i mean i love my hair, well at least most of the time, but i am tired of it being so long. i mean i could donate it now, but that is a little shorter than i want to go. if only i hadn't gotten in trimmed back in Sept. they took off a good inch or two. alas i think i will wait it out. i think i'll make that one of my new years resolutions. i make mine attainable. i was inspired to keep trucking after this weeks extreme makeover home edition. the lady had cancer and her neighbors came out to donate for locks of love. i know its cheesy, but i was really touched. those shows always make me tear up. i am going to try and wait till i can go home to get it cut too. i found a lady there, the one that did my hair for the wedding, who i trust enough to cut this much and make it stylish. i also might add some color, a darker hue. it makes me excited so hopefully i'll be able to wait.

black friday

was there any other barve souls that weathered the crowds today? david and i were totally out there at 4am in the 23 degree weather, freezing i might ad, just to get into best buy. the line was already a block and a half long when we showed up. we went there for a tv, dvds, and a laptop. at least we got two out of three. so this tv we got is really sweet. well i guess we don't actually have it yet, but it's a plamsa 42 tv. they are delivering it mon. and it only took us three hours from when we got there till when we left. i then headed over to target and the mall. we are really fortunate that all our shopping is within walking distance. i got a few other things for christmas, and i think that we are going to brave another mall here pretty soon! I LOVE the holiday shopping time! any excuse to do shopping is ok with me. we are even going to get chickfila for breakfast!!!!

the amazing panda

so as some of you might now, the DC zoo house a few of the only pandas in the US. Well, a baby was born about 4 months ago, and hasn't been seen by the public yet. You could view him view the web cam. Well since he is growing and getting better, they issued passes to friends of the zoo to come and visit him before the general public is allowed. Keep in mind that these tickets are free. Well, people who were given these tickets sold them on E-bay for hundreds of $$$$, and they won't even get to see Xiang because you have to show a photo ID when you present your tickets and the names on their master sheet have to match. So, these people are out hundreds of bucks. Why are we so impatient??? It's a panda. Well I have my own struggles with waiting. When I want something I want it then. It has been a good lesson for me, because getting things right away isn't always the best answer even when we have waited a long time. the sad part about it is that someone was willing to perform favors for tickets. i am disgusted and ashamed of our generation.

Have you checked out craigslist.com yet? It's a great way to buy and sell stuff without fees.

thanksgiving thanks

Here is what I am thankful for:

A Aruba, apples, granny smith to be exact
B Books
C Chilis chips and salsa
D David, and dentists
E Exciting new adventures
F Family, new and old
G Gnomes, and the status and prizes they are associated with
H Home
I Ice skating, i get to do it in front of the White House this year
J Journals
K Kittes, I really want one
L Love and what it can do for your soul
M McClean Bible Church, marriage, metro rides
N Netflix, i wish I still had it
O Online blogging
P Pie, being a Princess
Q Quality time with the people you love
R Running
S Small group, they have been a great blessing, and sex
T TV, we might get a new one
U being Understood
V Victory in Jesus
W Washington DC
X X-MAS, CHRISTmas time, songs, decorations, candy;
Y Yellow, it just brightens up my day
Z Zany Friends

another monday

so my weekend was busy and relaxing. the dinner cruise was amazing. DC is spectacular at night. the air outside was a little crisp, but we went out to enjoy the view. the cruise lasted about 3 hours and was filled with dinner and dancing. afterwards, the rest of the group went to see harry potter, it was late and i wasn't feeling up to it, plus you really have to want to see a movie here. they are $10 each and I might as well wait and buy it on DVD for less. I guess I am not the biggest HP fan, sorry if I offended anyone.

the turkey outreach was interesting. it could have been a bit more organized, but I am glad that i went. For the first couple of hours we didn't really do much because everything was under control. we were face painting the kids faces while their parents waited in line. the face painting got way out of control. i am not complaining, but we had hard core stage make-up first of all. then we had some other volunteers (not with our group) come over and try and take over. it was ok to have extra help, however they didn't know about the paint, and how it won't wash out, so they were putting it on little girl's eyes, and they were smearing it all over themselves. then when we tried to reorganize, they came in an just started painting kids without any line or anything. It was a little frustrating. Anyway, we gave away almost 200 turkey dinners to people in need. It was really a blessing to help out. on our way home, a man stopped us and told us he was thankful that we came to help and he added that he was greatful that we loved God. i was expecting him to say thanks for the turkey, but that's not what he said. it really impressed me.

i got my x-mas decorations out, well the few I have. I think that we are going to buy a tree this weekend. we don't really have anywhere to put it, but we need one. i found out yestarday that my parents will not be able to come for Christmas. It makes me kinda sad. this will be the first complete holiday without my family. I realize that David is my family now, but it will just be different. Since, they won't be coming we might plan a trip to good ole MO during January. hopefully tickets will be less expensive then.

i want a lazy weekend

well from the title you can probably figure out that i have a busy weekend ahead. my small group is going on a dinner cruise tonight along the potomac. it is going to be so cold, but i am hoping a lot of fun. one of the guys was given vouchers so it's free and includes five course, plus dinner and dancing. i am hoping to get off work early to get there early. i am really excited.

tomorrow is the turkey outreach. i'm not sure what to expect. i think it's going to be fun and cold. i am praying that it warms up to 50.

ok, so after that i might have a lazy weekend, and when i say lazy i mean time to clean and decorate for the holidays.

i really want to watch perfect man too this weekend.

finally a new post

ok, so maybe I have been slacking here...but i have been busy, not interesting busy just busy. so, this might be a little random.

i was intoduced to this great game over the weekend. settlers. i know what you are thinking..dumb a game about pilgrims.., but no it's more about bartering and rolling the dice. it's not gambling or anything. you try and build roads and settlements, then try and get the largest army.... it's so much fun, and a little vicious. you have to play it beleive it. and since i won the last game i am forever lord of katan!!!!

i am getting a new boss next week. i don't know what to think. will we get along, is he nice, is he laidback. it's a little nerve racking. i have gotten used to and along with my current boss, but i knew it wouldn't last forever, but i hoped it would be longer. there are a few more additions to my team as well.

my small group is participating in a turkey outreach this weekend. the church is hosting it, and we are going into DC to hand out turkeys. it should be interesting as well as fun. i think we are celebrating thanksgiving on sun too. i guess i'll find out tonight.

i really want to start decorating for the holidays, but my place is such a mess. we don't have room for everything!!!! and that means that I will have to clean, which we are in desperare need of. maybe i can do those things this weekend, but I need to be crafty this weekend too. oh the dilema. i guess cleaning will have to come first, because david's dad is coming for thanksgiving. i think i am going to try and make a meal. i heard those laughs, never fear i am probably going to buy an already made turkey or chicken and make some sides. part of the reason for this, is because I want to make the table festive, and i bought some new things. it's definitely an incentive for me.

my wedding pictures will arrive next week!!! I am really excited!!

i was introduced to a recipe for sweet and sour chicken too. i was delicious, and i have a recipe for chinese pancakes. mmmm.. i guess i am hungry. i think i might make those this weekend. i'll let you know how they turn out.

i found out someone else is having a baby..do you know who it is? Josh and Allyson. I feel very overwhelmed. too many people are pregnant. i know some people are all about it, but i still feel so young. there is so much that i want to do before that responsibilty comes my way. does anyone else feel like me, or am i weird? you can be honest. i guess the people that i know who are pregnant have been married for almost 2 years or at least close to that.

well i can't think of anything else to write. hope you all enjoyed that. was it worth waiting for? the next one will be better i promise.

fall

yestarday was the perfect day, weather wise. david and i are training for another half marathon, this time in virginia beach running along the ocean. i am very excited, but not to excited about running. however yestarday we went running in one of the nearby parks, and it was so beautiful and refreshing. there is a path that runs along the lake and the trees were shedding their leaves, oh it was perfect. later on, we went on a motorcycle ride with some friends through another virginia park. they are supposed to the best parks. i have to say that it was truly beautiful as well. it reminded me of driving on Hwy 63 going to jeff city. i must clarify something first, i wasn't actually riding on the bike, i was driving behind everyone. i don't have a helmet so i couldn't ride. it was a little sad because it was so beautiful out. we went down to another lake or tributary and watched the sunset. i do have one complaint about virginia parks, they make you pay!!! seriously i don't remember any parks in mo that make you pay to drive through them.

i finally finshed up a book that i have been trying to read for 2 weeks now. never fear, i been reading another book too. i think that i have burnt myself out on reading as much. don't get me wrong i still like to read, but i am just not as motivated to read as often. i do want to read pride and prejudice. anyone have any good suggestions for the first book of a book club? i am trying to put together all the loose ends for my book club next year, but the most important thing has yet to come to me, what book. i am desperately in need of suggestions.

prayer

hey guys i have a prayer request. a friend of mine just lost her baby this week and is going to have a surgery tonight to have it removed. i know that she is really upset and is going to need extra support these next few weeks.

hodge podge

so i know that i have really been slacking on the post recently, but nothing exciting and worthwhile have been worthy of posting. but here goes some random thoughts.

this week has been amazing, weather wise. low 70's and high 60's, fall has finally made it's return. i thought we were going to skip right over fall this season. it was like 40's -50's for two weeks. i held strong though and didn't use the heater, but we do have a small portable one that came out to play. it even made me blow a fuse one morning while i was preparing for work. but, my electrician skills saved me.
i get to wear skirts againg, becuase of the beautiful weather. if you didn't know, that is one of my favorite items this year, along with the gaucho pants that are really comfortable. one the topic of clothes i have a new favorite item of fall, except I can't find my size and they look a little silly on me. they are the tweed capris that i really want, the ones that you wear with boots. oh yeah you know they are cute.

about work...on mon. we had a halloween contest and party and guess who won, that's right me!!! home-made costumes are the best. i was the queen of hearts. i'll try to post a picture. also work related news i think i am winning or at least my team is winning this knowledgenet contest. it's a web server that we have that contains documents that might be helpful to other associations. it's kinda cool, and we earn points that can be used for airfare and other stuff. oh, I have so much work to do.

so here's my last set of thoughts. i was reading this book and it was talking about guidance and how sometimes we don't want to be under authority because it makes us uncomfortable. well here is another way of looking at it. god let's you and i dance, then we will be more willing to go under his guidance. my other thing is i have been working on praying. at times it has been a strong suit, and then for a while it fell by the wayside. sometimes i feel that if i am not where i want to be spiritually, then there is no reason to pray. but i am learning more about prayer. i know it is a powerful tool, but for me it takes a lot of effort. but i am proud to say that for the past month and a half, i have been consistent in praying as i walk to work. i didn't think that it was good enough, because most days that's the all time i would spend with God. however, a friend pointed out to me that since that was an area that i was struggling with, just maybe God was using that as my quiet time and teaching me how to pray more effectively. it's like second nature now. i think we forget sometimes that our quiet time isn't a set of rituals that someone has set up for us, but it is a moving of the spirit.

well that's all for now.

so tired

my body is exhausted and i am feeling most of it today. i went camping with my small group over the weekend. well i don't know if i would call it the weekend. we left fri. night and drove through rain and fog for 3 hours. david and i were the last ones to arrive and not much later did everyone decide to go to bed. i was a little disappointed, but it was cold and rainy, and i still wanted to hang out. so it rained all night long. a big storm was passing through and dumped about an inch of rain on us. i stayed dry for once. one other couple basically slept in a puddle, and another couple, who btw had a huge tent, went and slept in their car. so, no one had a really enjoyable evening. when we woke up we couldn't find one of the couples. so we went and looked in their car and there they were all snuggled up. i don't know how they did it, because he's like 6'5", and she about 5'10". while we ate breakfast we tried to decide if we wanted to stay another night. nobody wanted to say let's go, so we took a vote, acorns for going home, rocks for staying. needless to say we left later after our hike. we all decided to get together for dinner, because we had all the stuff. so we ate and played catch phrase. it was much better than the cold rainy night we would have had. the only bad thing about it was there was a stench going around, not from the fire or the outside. we had to stop the game several times to let the aroma leave.

anything else interesting....i finished the chronicles of narnia last week, david also won a ticket to the movie, a finished two other books, and i am currently reading breaking the bondage of legalism.

sonic

so as i sit here, eat my budget gourmet, and read my book, my mind is off thinking about how good sonic would be right now. I haven't had sonic since before i got married and i have been craving it for so long. my mouth is watering thinking of a nice cold cherry limeade. tell me this, why have comercials for sonic if there isn't one within 100 miles!!! huh, huh. it just makes me want it more.

personality

Your #1 Match: ENFJ

The Giver You strive to maintain harmony in relationships, and usually succeed. Articulate and enthusiastic, you are good at making personal connections. Sometimes you idealize relationships too much - and end up being let down. You find the most energy and comfort in social situations ... where you shine. You would make a good writer, human resources director, or psychologist.

Your #2 Match: ENFP

The Inspirer You love being around people, and you are deeply committed to your friends. You are also unconventional, irreverant, and unimpressed by authority and rules. Incredibly perceptive, you can usually sense if someone has hidden motives. You use lots of colorful language and expressions. You're qutie the storyteller! You would make an excellent entrepreneur, politician, or journalist.

What's Your Personality Type?

thankfulness

so this morning i decided to share with everyone some things that i am thankful for. the beautiful weather we are having right now. it's sunny and cool and crisp. lower 70's, just the way i like it. last week we had nothing but rain, and despair set upon the city. i guess there is always despair surrounding this city, but last week was truly evident of this. it's like in the Narnia books, when the are fighting the evil and wickedness of the world; it's dark and depressing. but then Aslan comes and brings with him a sense of light and hope. i really appreciate CS Lewis and the way he intertwines the truth about God in his stories. i am currently reading the 6th one, the other book i was reading was even more depressing. i needed a break from it. the gloominess also reminded me of a series that was being taught at our church about what god think about poverty and those types of things. i didn't hear the whole series, but what i took home from it was that we all have a responsibility to do something. this is where i think that it gets tricky. last night we briefly talked about spiritual gifts and how some people are given the gift of speech and some service. now, i definitely see myself as a service oriented person, hence that's why i am working for a non-profit org., however, i don't think that means that while i am serving that i am supposed to keep my mouth shut and not say anything, because why serve if i don't say why i am doing it. i guess i have been thinking about what my role is supposed to be in all this. i am really not used to sitting back and not helping out, but i guess that's one of the things that i need to be taught-patience, waiting for God to show me where my talents will be best used. i was reminded of this yestarday as well.

another thing that i am thankful for is the church that we have been attending and the friendships that have developed. without them, i definitely wouldn't like it out here. the relationships are different from my dear old friends, but it's nice to have some one to hang out with. we all hung out on sat, all day. we are also going camping this weekend.

i am also thankful for my husband. he has been taking care of me while i haven't been feeling well. he even picks me up every day from the metro station, so i don't have to walk home.

it's supposed to say 25. so i guess i do act older that i am

what's your age

You Are 25 Years Old

Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe. 13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world. 20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences. 30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more! 40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.

What Age Do You Act?

small goup photo

below is a picture of my small group friends. i though it might be good to have a visual of the people that i mention in my blogs. we had a really good discussion last night about what we all wanted out of the group. after two months it's nice to be getting started. i have to say that i am very greatful for the time that we have had to get to know one another. i have always surrounded myself with christian people and without them i feel vulnerable, i think we all do. this weekend i think the girls are coming over to hang out. i'm sure that we'll find something to do. the guys are going shooting! woo-hoo.

well i appreciate you all posting. i was super excited to have something to read this morning.

( l to r) jessie, amanda, nicole, ryanne, and me
they weren't to excited about this.

posting

so maybe I have to much time on my hands, but people should really update at least every other day. i check my blog all the time to see if anyone has anything new to say. maybe i spend to much time in front of the computer, which is true, but... humor me people and just write. and i thought i would be the one to slack off.

monopoly

today after eating lunch at potbelly's, you should definitely check one out, i went to mc donalds for a large drink and a chance to play monopoly. well, i was hoping that i would be an instant winner, but alas i wasn't. what a bummer. i remember the good ole days when my good friend carrie would give me her game pieces to use. so carrie, since i'm not there, where are your loyalties lying? huh, huh? ahh, i miss the lazy days of college. now dont get me wrong, i like work, but i love being lazy.

i am trying to place an order at borders.com, and my cost is 23..... i need to order over 25 to qualify for super free shipping. anyone have any good ideas for books? i am going to be having a book club with some friends who aren't believers, and would like a book that would not be offensive to anyone, and scare them off, but would also be a jumping off point of where to start. it doesn't have to be a christian book, but maybe one where there is an underlying meaning. suggestions are welcome.

since i was talking about sisters earlier, i decided to share some more on the subject. first, i was at hechts (famous) returning something, when i saw jessica simpson's jeans on sale. i know it might sound a little ridiculous but i had credit and wanted to buy something. so, i picked up a pair. i kinda wanted some 7 jeans but they didn't have any in my size. anyway i wasn't able to try them on because we were running late for church. i hope they fit, and if they don't well i'll just return them next week.

sisterhood of the traveling pants comes out this week. if you haven't seen it you should. i almost think the books are better, but the movie was cute. it reminded me of a new now and then. a lot of sister like relationships are made through friends, and we have lots of movies that portray those relationships. now and then, uptown girls, and ya ya sisterhood. those were the ones i could come up with on the spot. i am assuming that in her shoes will fit this category as well. did anybody see it? was it good? my sister wants me to wait to see it with her, but that's not for like another month. i may have to see it this weekend with the girls from my sg.

sisters

last night i watched SNL for the first time in ages. the reason, ashlee simpson. now i know most people are probably not fans of the simpson sisters, but i am. i was hoping that the first song she would sing, would be "boyfriend", her current single, but it was not. i haven't heard this song all the way through which is why i wanted to hear it. the song was something else off her new album, due out oct 18. yes, i have actually pre-order it. anyway, i made it all the way through to the end, when i knew she would be singing, and feel asleep! i'm sure this doesn't surprise most of you, but i watched the entire show and missed the part that i wanted to see. i was very sad. today i finished up the newlyweds dvds. they were actually very entertaining. i got a good deal on them, and i am even going to rent them out to others. both of the sisters are releasing new albums this year, jessica's is due out in nov. go ahead and make fun that i know all these details.

random thoughts

yestarday, my co-worker informed me of a different route on the metro, which it technically should cut off five stops for me. i was flabergasted. why hadn't anyone told me this before. i decided to give it try and see me much faster it would be. the problem was that i had to find it first. since i only know how to get from my stop and one other stop in the area that i work, it was going to be a challenge. i tried to mapquest it, but as we all know it doesn't give the quickest way, but i wanted to give it a try. i started out following the map, but i second guessed it, and went a slightly different way. it was only supposed to be a half mile walk, but i think i made it a bit longer. i did find it though, i should have realized sooner to just follow the people and they would lead me in the right direction. but, when i got there, they were having train trouble. to many people or something, so after like 10 minutes of them trying to get the doors closed they made everyone get off. this proceeded to make me angry because i could wait for the next train, that was too come in like 2 minutes, but had to wait because of this stupid train which delayed that train, so other people should be able to as well. especially since they kept making announcements about the trouble, but people kept piling on the overcrowded train. so anyway they had the train leave with no passengers and we waited for the next train to come. this morning i decided to try this stop going to work. i was a bit nervous, because i wanted to find the quicker route, but was unsure where it was. thankfully i found it. i'm not sure which stop i will use from now on. this new one is much quicker, but on the original i have more time to read. what's a girl to do.

this was supposed to be an entirely different post. actually what i was going to talk about was my small group. we had a good meeting this week talking about what our goal for the group was besides making friends. after sharing i concluded that what most people were afraid of was sharing with those people that they loved. so, i suggested that within the next year, we plan a time when we can go out witnessing to others. i shared with them things that i had learned through my experiences with the BSU and suggested that we start to diligently prayer for those who were on our minds, and that God would grant us courage to talk to them. i think another great way to approach this is to do some prayer walking. what i am most excited about is possibly starting a book club. at first it was going to be our bible study girls, but i realized that a) there's only a few of us b) i don't want to get burned out on just hanging out with them c) i think it would be a great place for discusing books and beliefs. who knows. it wouldn't begin until next year. i know of one girl who said she would like to join, and there are some girls here at work that i could ask. i think that it would be a good time.

btw- there is this restaurant i pass every day called the well dressed burrito, i really want to try it. it's all the way over by the metro, and during lunch i don't feel like walking anywhere.

i am on my second book for the week. it's been hard to get into. bummer.

break through

i thought you would all like to know that i had a break through today. i finally learned how to use basic office equipment!!!! yea-me.

don't know how i feel about blogging anymore

i have to start all over again. this is ridiculous. all i wanted to do was change my background and this happens. i lose all my links, how annoying. i'm not so sure about this blogging thing anymore.

aarrggghhh

today has been crazy!!! people are calling me asking me questions i don't know, demanding products we don't have!!! it's ridiculous, and most of the people have been rude and not understanding. i can't wait for the weekend.

speaking of weekends i went to the redskins football game yestarday. it was my first pro-football game. the game itself was exciting and we won. as i watched the cheerleaders, they are really dancers, so i don't know why they don't call them that, i really started to miss my days as one. the thought crossed my mind that i should try out next year. it quickly passed though. the game was cool, even if we were 10 rows from the top. david's boss, game him his tickets for the game. for free. at fed ex field, they only sell season tickets, so the only way you can go is if you know somebody. i really feel sorry for the people we sat near, because they are going to witness these underage girls making fools of themselves. they were beyond drunk and really annoying. girls have no respect for themselves anymore. they girls were getting attention from disgusting guys. really girls have some dignity.

College

i have been reading everyone's enteries about the cooler weather and about being able to wear sweatshirts and jeans, and i must admit that i have been a bit jealous. but today is college day and we got to wear college shirts and jeans!!! now, i was really hoping that it would be cold today, because i wanted to wear a sweatshirt, i have so many. see the thing is, that i really don't have any mizzou t-shirts, shocking i know, but they are all from homecomings, and i don't think they count, but it was cool and therefore my sweatshirt got some use. i love it, and i do miss the days of waking up and leaving without getting ready. so, maybe i am not as jealous anymore. we are also having pizza for lunch, company sponsored. since i am speaking of college days, i find it very entertaining that i have made friends with two girls: jen and becca, they work together on some projects and have befriended me. it's one of life's little treaures.

something new everyday

let's see....i was having lunch with my co-workers, i have lunch buddies!!!...and we were discussing this inter-office thingy that we have. and i found out that you can earn points for free stuff, amazon, plane tickets, etc... i was blown away. i could have earned a free trip somewhere these past two weeks, when i have been doing absolutely nothing. so after lunch, i figure that i will have plenty of time to browse the site in hopes of earning myself something grand and wouldn't you know that i actually have work to do. nothing taxing, but still i was looking forward to earning my points. last year you earned money for surfing the site. each day brings something new.

when i had some time i did some surfing and came upon an article about public speaking. so, i peaked at it. there were several words that caught my eye and intrigued me to read farther. it said "don't apologize". now i know that may seem obvious or elementary, but it hit me. i have a tendency to apologize for no reason. if i mess something up or do something else my reaction is to say i'm sorry and take the blame, even if it not my own fault. this isn't the first time that i have realized my tendency to do this, but when i started my new job i made a point to myself not to apologize for things. so far so good. i realized that it makes me seem insecure and unconfident. something that i clearly proved in my interview. it's just something that i need to work on. i used to be so self-assured. well anyway...

i started this yestarday and i am finishing it while something downloads. i actually have things to do today. i can't remember what i was going to write yestarday, but i will fill you in on some details of my life in the past few days, i know that you are dying to read. i found out that two more couples i know are pregnant!!! ahhh...scary.. at least there is one other couple here who do not want kids just yet..thank you ryanne and jon. i finished another book, and i started the 5 cofn book. i am moving toward my goal, but other books keep getting in my way. i stumbled upon an author that i really enjoy, jodi piccoult, the book i have read of hers are the pact, i just finished it, and my sister's keeper. i am going to buy keeping the faith tonight.

since david will be working all hours of the day this weekend, i will have plenty of time to watch movies from netflix, thanks to kelly, read, and maybe even do some shopping!!! i get my first pay check tomorrow!! woo-hoo. however, it's direct deposit and i don't know if i'll get a stub. so much for framing.

long weekend

so all those of you that have been waiting for me to get my post wedding haircut, i finally did! and it looks amazing!! it's about 2 inches shorter and i have some resemblance of bangs, they are longer than i first wanted, but i think i'm glad that i didn't really get any. i know you're all thinking that doesn't sound like much, but it is a change, at least for me. i decided, before i got it cut at all, that i wanted to grow it out long enough to give to locks of love. it's something that i have always thought about doing, and now i can. so about in a year or so i will finally cut off my long hair and opt for something shorter. i get a bit scared when it comes to going to new people and getting a cut. the lady was nice and she did a decent job, but it cost me twice as much as i had anticipated!!!!! good thing i had my coupon :) so that's my haircut story.

the rest of my weekend was spent with quasi-friends. a few girls from our small group got together and hung out while we ate and knitted. i finally know how to do the purl stitch. you are supposed to learn that one second, but i'm kinda backward and i somehow managed to learn the knit stitch first. but my good friend jessie helped me. it was really good to hang out and get to know the girls better. yestarday we went to baltimore and watched the orioles get spanked by the stupid red soxs. it was embarrassing, almost as embarrassing as there being more sox fans than orioles ones. we walked around the city with friends of david's co-worker. don't worry we had meet them once before. it was nice having a tour guide of the city.

anything else interesting....i went to 2 book festivals this weekend. one in dc, which was huge. the jr league was volunteering and i talked to a lady about joining. i think i am going to sign up next year. they do lots of volunteer stuff throughout the city. i got sue monk kidd's autograph. i meet a friend down there and we grabbed lunch. oh, and there were demonstrators everywhere! it was so weird and so cool at the same time. the ladies in front of me were remarking on their protests in the 60's. there was also counter demonstrations going on. i guess that's one cool thing about dc. the other book fair was in baltimore. we just happened upon it. i got some movie posters. it definitely wasn't as large. so i guess that's about it..i am so tired from all the excitment.

understanding

does anybody know a good book to read about legalism?

tummy pains

today i arrived at work a bit early, because the metro was freaking fast, so i thought it would be nice to stop and get a bite to eat and drink before my stressful day :) every day i pass by this restaurant/cafe, like panera, and wonder what the food is like. today, i take the plunge and go in. my first new thing of the week. i thought they had bagels and such, but what i came accross inside was a tasteful display of desserts. instead of getting what i would normally get, a chocolate muffin, i decided that i would try one of their advertised fruity health drinks. now, i am not normally a blueberry lover, but that was the only flavor, and it had these things in it that were supposed to help your body absorb calcium and stuff. since i could use some calcium, i dove in. well it tasted rather good, i must say. however, the latter results weren't so good. i'm not talking about massive gross explosions of any sort, but about an hour later, i think my body started rejecting it. i think it thought it was those foreign bodies bad for the body. boy do i have my body fooled or what. at least i am having pizza for lunch, so maybe i can set things straight.

books, books, and more books

too much work and not enough time to read. i am starting to miss my days of leisure, now that it's fall and all these books are finally being published. those years of high school and college that i failed to leisurely read during, what a waste! i am in the middle of the secret life of bees, whose content maybe controversial to some people. the author is going to be in dc this weekend for the national book festival, so i am going to get your autograph. today a book i have been waiting to read comes out, Goodnight Nobody, by jennifer weiner. i just found out in two weeks, another book everyone worth knowing is coming out. i have been waiting for lauren weis.... to write another book since i read her first one. and nicholas sparks is coming out with another book in october. so that's 3 right there, plus the one i am reading now, and i want to finish the harry potter series, since i have 3 people telling me that after the fourth one i'll be hooked, and i have 3 more books in the chronicles of narnia, which by the way i have to finish before the movie comes out in nov?, and then there are the other 2 which i've had for years and one other one that looks goods. needless to say it's a lot. man oh man how i love to read!

good times with old friends

old friends are the best! i talked to one of my oldest friends tonight. we kinda have an unique relationship. see, we meet the summer after our eighth grade year at a camp in middle eastern mo. we quickly became friends, however i don't quite remember what draw us together. we were inseperable the whole time we were there. the only draw back about our relationship was that we have never, except for maybe a few times, spent much time together. our friendship bloomed through 10 page letters, all throughout high school. see she was from columbia, and i st. charles. between when we meet and when we graduated i think we maybe saw each other 3 times. usually it was when i went to chicago, or she came to columbia. now you may be thinking to yourself, how could a relationship like that last for so long? my take on it is that we both needed a friend that was impartial that we could trust to be honest with each other. we lost touch for a few years. but, we have rekindled our relationship.we now correspond through e-mail and maybe a phone call 3 times a year. i know most people wouldn't think that we could be close, but she knows so much about me and has seen/read me through a lot of things and vice versa. one thing that i have realized since i moved here is, friends close to the heart, no matter how far a part will always remain close. distance and time may seperate two people, but they will always be able to pick up where things left off. i am a firm believer in that! love can do so much!

i finished captivating by stasi eldredge yestarday, and one of the things that continues to stand out in my mind is what she says about women and friends. first off, she says that you need them, who knew. she goes on to explain that each one of our friends is a vital part of us and that no one else can replace the part they have in our life. i feel that this is very true. she also says that you can have no more than three good friends at any given time. just look at jesus's life. he had the 3 and the 12. the heart cannot give to more than three people at a time. maybe i can use that to justify why some past relationships have failed, or that girls are jealous of other girls. i know that God heals those hurts, and gives us other people to feel the void. ok, enough with my soap box. i highly recommend this book to girls who have experienced some sort of self doubt, depression, or another form of unpleasant experience in their life. she uses biblical principles and her own experience to put things in perspective. i am very thankful that God has given me some girlfriends here. it was getting kinda lonely. but, all you friends back home remember you hold a very dear place and always will in my heart.

hmmm...

here i am at work again with nothing to keep me busy. i definitely thought that i would lose interest in posting these things, but i feel it is my way of keeping the world current with what's going on with me. Even if no one was to read it, it amuses me.

i added a new link today, if you didn't notice. it is to a friend's website of paintings. she does it for a living. maybe i'll highlight her today. i meet her at the small group that i am attending. she went away for a while then reappeared this past wednesday. tiff, she reminds me of you. i think it is the way she carries herself and her mannerisms. she is also petite with shorter blond hair. david doesn't agree, but i know i am right. i found out that she likes to knit and sew, as do the other girls. man i sound like an old woman. anyhow, her work is on display in a NC gallery. how would i describe her paintings.... simple yet unique. now, i have only seen them online. right now she paints in her walk-in closet. studio space is @ $300 a month here.

moving on...kelly some of the best books that i have read this year are undomesticated goddess, books by jennifer weiner, she has a new book coming out next week, and in her shoes will be in theaters in oct., i am in the middle of reading captivating, i am enjoying it. most books have been for pleasure i might add. when i am done with captivating i am going to start what's so amazing about grace and the da vinici code. both of which i received as presents almost two years ago.

i guess that's all i have for now. 2 more hours of work. woo-hoo! i get to leave early today. i know that many of you will be surprised to know this, but i joined the social committee at work. shocking, right? the cool thing is at the end of the month, it's college day, so you know i'll be sporting mu. however, i do wish it was cooler, so i could wear my sweatshirt. i do have plenty of those.

new job

since i am writing this, i must not be very busy. my first day of work, has been well...slow there is nothing for me to do! i have explored every link on my associations website and its fairly extensive. if you are interested the url is www.namss.org i will be working for a medical certification association, and since we do not take control until oct. i forsee many more days like this. but hey i am working right. i am supposed to have some html training as well as imis training the next few days, so hopefully that will keep me busy. as for now i should prolly go, don't know if they track what i do online.

btw-i went to an amazing restuarant for lunch. harry & david's i think. if anyone one comes to visit i'll take you there, but we have to go at lunch time. it's kinda pricey.

i have small group tonight and i am excited!! a new couple is coming and they both seem fun. plus we are having tacos!!

resolutions

yestarday i finished my 20 & 21 book since the beginning of the summer. at the beginning of the year when i made a resolution to read two books a month. i never would have thought that i would have completed that well before the end of the year. so, to date i have read 26 books, those were the ones that i could remember, and i have started my 27 book- if god is closer that you think, why is he so hard to find, john ortberg. you never know, i might finish it today, considering this is my last day of leisure.

let's see here....how are my other resolutions coming along. well, i was trying to watch afi's 100 greatest movies this year. i was actually on pace to finish while i was back in good ole mo, but since i have moved i think i have seen one. my library back had almost all the movies, so i watched them for free. it was fantastic. so far i have watched 52 of them. i think that's pretty impressive considering most of them were painful for me to watch. but here are a few of my recommmendations: guess who's coming to dinner, some like it hot, the african queen, doctor zhivago, and vertigo.

another resolution i made was to learn to drive a stick. i tried to learn while i was living at home, but my mom never let me drive the neon. so i came here to drive david's car, i didn't quite get that either. so, we bought a new car, and sold david's. a malibu to be exact. we got a good deal on it. so the stick thing, yeah i am still working on that. i just need practice, i know the basics.

learning to sew was the next one. i did make some pillows for my new bedroom, and my mom and i were so supposed to make a comforter, but we ran out of time. so she's still working on that one. i did learn to attach circular patterns to straight ones and how to insert zippers. i also made some belts with ribbon. so i think that i would consider this an accomplished goal.

my last one, has been the most challenging when i know it should be the easiest. reading the bible all the way through. i haven't been quite as successful as i would have liked. even when i have a daily bible sometimes it still seems overwhelming. but, i have figured out a good way to help me with this. since my commute will be a little over a hour both ways i have plenty of time for reading, and while i do usually read a fun book, i have committed to reading and praying on the way in to work. yestarday i tried it for orientation, and it actually made the day better. sometimes the easiest decision are the hardest ones for me to make. i think resolutions can be made all year long, if you are willing to stick to them.

one other thing that i have been trying to actively do is knitting. i am working on a scraf now and i am hoping to make some hats soon.

let me know how your resolutions are coming along if you've made any

i'm a newbie, so bare with me...

well, i can now say that i am part of the working world. i accepted my very first job yestarday!!!! i can't tell you how excited this makes me. for some time now i thought i would never find a job that i wanted. and God heard my cry and answered it a thousands times over. the awesome thing is, that i had the chance to decide between two possibilities!!! i actually got to pick the one i wanted the most. I was all smiles yestarday and even today. i am going out to celebrate with david tonight, that is if he ever comes home. he's had to work overtime a lot the past few weeks. so, when i wasn't interviewing i was at home all alone.

well...maybe you are wondering what this new job that has me so excited is all about. i am going to be working as an association assistant for a non-profit medical group. the company is acquiring them as a new client here in the next month. i will be part of a brand new team!! i don't know all the details, but it sounds like it is right up my ally. and every friday is jeans day. for those of us who were required to wear uniforms to school, we know that this is huge! i start on monday, so no more life of leisure for me, and that means that my reading will be cut down dramatically. the other awesome part is that they have offices in STL and CHI-TOWN. possible jobs back at home.

more good news...some of you know that i was lonely here, having no friends that were down or accross the street like in college. but God does answer prayers as i have been blessed immensely lately. we started visiting a church here, by suggestion of someone in our parking lot, who happened to go there and happened to be from KC. our first impression was woo baby. this was definitely one of the larger churches that either one of us had been to. i thought i would never like a big church because i would feel like no one knew me. after our initial shock, we decided to give it another try. we went to a class that was for young married couples, hoping to meet some people to connect with. well. let me enlighten you all on something i learned from this experience, young here means different things than it does it missouri. most of the people were in their early thirties and had been married for awhile. needless to say, we felt out of place, but we are determined people. we signed up to be a part of a Bible study, not knowing what we would encounter. we recieved an e-mail from a couple in our area who wanted to start a group. we figured we had nothing to lose so we met them and a few other couples at panera a few weeks ago. what we saw was a glorious sight. other young couple our age who had just moved to the area. the only difference was they had all been married for about 2 years. not bad right, they were young, our age, and without children. i made a comment about this because it was different than what we encountered at the church service, and what would you know one of the couples is expecting next may. i think this is how God displays his sense of humor to us. another key thing about this group is that i really connected with on of the girls. we are both midwestern girls and have some of the same interests. we have been able to hang out outside the group a few times. i am definitely feeling more at home here in dc now.