Sunday, January 29, 2006

Memory Lane

The rules for this particular tagging are as follows: Remove the blog name in the top spot from the following list and bump everyone up one place. Then add yourself to the bottom slot.

1. Kelly
2. Erin
3. Missy
4. Colleen
5. Sarah


Then you get to select five people to pass the love on to. (This thing has been around and back again, so if you've done it just ignore the tag)
1. Alison
2. Melissa
3. Cole
4. Virgina
5. Jocelyn

Now, on to the questions!

What were you doing 10 years ago?It was 1996, I was in my junior year of Nursing school, no boyfriend (had ended a 2 year relationship, and a teeny little rebound one, I am ashamed to admit) , had just moved back home from living in the dorm. The prof was kicking my BUTT in clinical. We woke up every Wed and Thursday, rode the elevator up to 9 Roberts, feeling nauseous and taking turns saying "I hate our lives." But we sure bonded that sememster....

What were you doing one year ago? Pretty much the same thing I am doing this year....only this year I am better and happier.

Five snacks you enjoy:
1. Doritos 2. Diet Coke 3. Pretzels 4. Oreos 5. Apples

Five songs, to which you KNOW all the lyrics:
1. Elevation- U2
2.Hey Ya- Outkast
3. I know all the words to Les Miserables. Yes. All of them. I can sing the entire 3 hour musical. And Evita. I know all the words to that too. OH gosh. And Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. All thanks to my voice major sister, Jenny. I mean that. Thanks.
4. Big Mouth Strikes Again -The Smiths
5. We'll Have Manhattan- Ella Fitzgerald
and many, many, many more.

(The FIRST song I ever knew all the words to was "Angels" by Amy Grant. I think this is hysterical! I chuckle every time I think about it! I was probably 7, and I STILL know all the words! "Take this man to prison, the man heard Herod say....." Maybe because Lori and I choreographed the entire thing. Oh Man. Good times. )

Five things you would do, if you were a millionaire
1.Be a SAHM
2. Pay off Debt
3. Spend the summer in Greece with the Fam, and traipse around Europe with the kids while Bill does research.
4. Go to Argentina yearly
5. Help people in the church here travel more.

Five bad habits
1. Worrying
2. Running the dryer "one more time" instead of just folding the clothes when the beeper sounds.
3. Not always washing my face at night. (Why is that such a chore?)
4. Complaining (see above)
5. Obsessively checking email

Five things you like doing
1. Reading
2. Traveling
3. Scrapping
4. Going to movies
5. Eating out

Five favorite toys- well, let's just say these are the things I use DAILY.
1. my Computer
2. my camera
3. my cell
4. my scrap supplies
5. my french press coffee maker


BONUS: What was I doing 20 years ago? Pretending to be Silverwind in Lori's bedroom! Singing into our pencils, and dancing all around the room! Also playing school. And office. And college (a COMPLETELY different game then school. You changed classes, you know, and had to catch the bus -ie the couch in the living room- to get there. Also olympics- figure skating or gymnastics, depending on the season. And house, and Strawberry Shortcake.

We had so many sayings that make me laugh to this day.

"Gaglets and Chokelets" (what we called Aplets and Cotlets, cause they were totally gross!)
"Shock and suh-pri-hise!" this said in a very choppy breathy voice. I don't know the origin, but it makes me laugh!
"Good morning, class, my name is Clyde, and I hate you." said in a very slick, snide voice while pretending to be the meanest teacher ever.
"call mom, call mom, call mom, call mom....." over and over again, because if you forgot to call when you made it across the park to the other's house, you had to come home. Amazing how often we could sing it (it acually works with any tune, feel free to try it, but our usual standard was "Fried Ham") , and it would totally vanish from the brain the minute the other person's door opened.

So why this charming little trip down memory lane? Cause I got to thinking about Lori, and what a long and glorious friendship it was, and how happy my childhood was because she was in it. And how, even if we never talk, I will love her forever, and hold her dear in my heart.

Here's a charming montage to go with the charming little trip. I've just noticed for the first time that in the top right corner, Lo is wearing a UofW shirt, and I'm wearing a Baylor shirt, which is where we both ended up!


And now, Bleak House is on Masterpiece Theater, so I must needs depart!!!

Thursday, January 26, 2006

Ache, Adulate and Auscultate

I ache everywhere. I have a tube sock filled with raw rice under my shirt, stuffed down my pants, held upright by my bra strap. I have it on my personage every evening. Usually on my lower back, and then when I'm in bed, under my right hip. But when I ache everywhere, as I do tonight, I put it long ways on my back hoping the warmth and comfort will radiate to neck and feet.

Bo sleeps with "Froggie" and "Spirit."
Emma sleeps with "White Bwankie."
I sleep with "Rice Sock."

I love Rice Sock.


Did a page tonight with the fabu mini kit from www.goodtothelastcrop.com. It's YUM-O.


Favorite blog post o' the week: here. It's very cute and doggie. Check out the comments for Emma's response.

My three current scrap crushes:
amber
anja
alison

I'd let people call me Arah if I could just be lumped in with these girls and their skillz for a while. (I wouldn't want to break up the whole A thing.) I Aspire to be like them. Admire their skills. Adore their comments. Adulate their pages. Adopt their ideas. A....you get the idea.

Listening to Linda Ronstant's "Feels Like Home to Me" which, even though it is a LR song, it is just so beautiful and so reminiscent of a very full time of life. (Music Match didn't have the Bonnie Raitt version, which would be infinitely preferable. )

Feels like home to me,
Feels like I'm all the way back where I belong.


So I think I'll go all the way back to the title and call this post...........

Tuesday, January 24, 2006

A great day.

oh boy, oh boy!
What a great birthday. Seriously. One of the best. This two peas love? Rocks. It's like getting presents all through the day!!!!! It was the one thing I secretly wanted and didn't tell anyone about!!! (Did I? If I hinted it was totally subconcious I assure you. I tried to be very un-announcing of my upcoming day o' birth)

So when it happened. I was all---




You'll observe the peeling lipstick and the sunglasses on my head. All part of the uniform, I assure you.

Work was as smooth today as yesterday was rough. That was a major bonus. I got to open all my cards and presents -which was a heap-big load of goodness! Money, gift cards, scrappy happies, sparkly things of delight and good bookage- "Card Art" by Steph McAtee and Em Falconbridge! (my specific request from DH- he came through!) Alison, Mom and Dad came over, and then we made the long journey to our next-door to our next-door neighbor. (Deja Vu!- I remember saying that as a kid!) Donna invited us over for dinner and cake (YAY CAKE!!!) because Jared's birthday is today! He is three. And, as he informed me, "Dat's old."


Jared is my boy. I'm crazy about this kid. He makes me laugh constantly. He is tolerating me, and saying "Hippy Birday" over and over for my camera. Love my Jared. Happy Birthday, kiddo.
So now, finished up a paper bag book I promised a friend, and blogging. I am debating the merits of staying up late to do some scrapping that must be done, or going to bed because I should sleep. Hmmmm.

It's been such a great, great day. It bodes well for year 31.

So come on, year, and gimme your best shot. I've handled alot now, overcome some stuff I thought I would bear the rest of my life, and done some things I never thought I could do. I still get a stomach ache when conflict comes along, but I look more people in the eye. I am more affectionate. I am more certain of myself. Less afraid. More willing to be a fool, and forgive myself. Not so afraid to fail. I'm not saying I'd love for this year to bring alot of challenges, troubles and drama. But, I'm pretty sure, because I live on earth and because I'm human, that it will. But I'm not looking for a safe future. I'm looking to follow Him wherever he leads.

Thank you everyone for making this birthday spectacular. All of you.

Your Loving and Grateful,
Sarah

Sunday, January 22, 2006

Catch up.

I swear there are two tags floating around that are gonna hit me any second!!! I'm behind! I need to do Alison's Jeopardy Tag FIRST.

Ok. My best six Jeopardy Categories.

Sigh.

I'm going from the top of my head here.

1) I'll take British Actors for 200, Alex.

2) Songs from Musicals for 300.

3) Birth weights of neices and nephews for 400, please. (Note that is not of my own children! Just the eblings!)

4) LM Montgomery and Maud Hart Lovelace books for 500 ( I did ALOT of reading during my home school days- I still adore Anne and Betsy!)

5)My sisters' childhood memories for 600. DAILY DOUBLE! SCORE! (They say I remember more about their life then they do!)

6) Songs you never heard for 800. (I know it sounds like number 2 for some of you, but trust me, it's different)



Well, I am officially a My Space person. I feel rather lame about this. I think my eblings have added me rather reluctantly to their list of friends. Probably afraid I will go on there and say things about them being babies and reprimanding their friends for all the funky stuff they got going on in their "space." But, I swear I'll be cool. I'll even say things like "fo shizzle" and "Whasssuuuuuuuup?" Yeah. I'm cool. Coolest aunt evah. Fo real. L8r Bro. OMG.

Another excellent, hilarious meeting last night. Just crazy. I mean seriously-when there are puppets involved, things are bound to get a little out of hand. We sang ALOT. We'd be talking, laughing, and someone would bust out another song as if it was part of the conversation. And it was. And He was glorified. And we enjoyed it! Isn't that lovely?

Today I have not left the house. Once. Not even come close to the front door. It's been GREAT. But tommorrow is another story. And so we plod on through another week.

Peace out. (says the cool Aunt)

Saturday, January 21, 2006

My Secret Heart

Homeward I'm heading I'm weary and tired
But a soft breeze tells of Your loving
Then I call Your name
You are nearer than my breath
And my heart sings the song of Your glory

And while I am sleeping You still sing to me
And the sweet sweet sound of Your longing
Awakens my love, Lord, I never want to leave
I am lost in the tides of belonging

And when I awaken my heart turns to You
And You are as bright as the dawning!
And we love each other as it was meant to be
For You are my light in the morning!

(tune: "Bonny bonny banks of Loch Lomen")

Lord, it is simple to love you, simple to know you.

Easy as breathing.

No more trying, no more struggling.

Just being.

Calling Your name.

Lord Jesus.

Thursday, January 19, 2006

Ahhhhhh Better.


Thank you, Memoirs of a Geisha.

An Historic Moment

The fact that I posted that layout last night has been irritating me all day. Which actually clarified something for me. I don't like it. Why did I share it? Impulse, I guess. Maybe a chance for me to think about what's wrong with it, get some ideas. So thanks all.


But now. (this is where the title starts to make sense)
I have taken it apart.
And am redoing it tonight.
I have a sense of it now.
And all those 7 gypsies rubons that I so lovingly saved and then lavished all over this page?

History. (sob)

And one of my favorite sheets of Earth Spice I also had lovingly saved?

....(grinding teeth here)......

Ok, well, maybe I can salvage parts of it.

So it's becoming obvious why I posted this page. Cause I loved all the parts of it. But as a whole. No.

Interesting, Nu? Learning experience, yes? And that's good.

Something new and better that I like will be up soon.
Watch this space.

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

A little game I like to play with myself.

Well, the old hip hurts tonight, and I think it's a combination of three things.

#1 I have a few patients at present that require some sort of lifting/turning, or combination of the two.

#2 I've been sitting at my desk on the edge of my seat, not using good ergonomics.

(I used the word "ergonomics," ergo, I get two points. It's my game)

#3 I was busy admiring my tae bo side kicks in the shadow of the street lamp walking home from the meeting tonight. Annette was doing a killer Neo dodging bullets. Like I can compete with that, no way.

Two Peas is down. It's killing me. Who woulda thunk I could become so dependent on contact with scrappers worldwide! Sheesh! Now that I've become brave enough to enter the PUB, I'm hooked. Sad, but true. (Two points because I'm blogging not peaing, and I took a bath tonight, probably only because I couldn't click my way around my favorite web hangout. Make it three points.)

I've started working on my biggest project yet. I'm a bit frightened, cause the competition is fierce, but each time I look at or think about it, I am so excited just to HAVE the thing, that I'm glad the contest motivated me to start it!!!

I'm also realizing how much I've depended on my little LSS down the road for good products. I can't find what I want, and I could always count on her to have it! (Except HS. That is nowhere to be found unless you want tapes and I have them.) It's closed. No one has Primas. I never bought a jar, but she had little baggies full of them from the bottles that broke, and I bought those (I was nervous about all those primas in two colors!) and now I can't get them anymore. I had my chance and lost it.

So let that be a lesson to us all! Seize the day! Don't wait until tomorrow to get the Primas! Follow April's lead! Buy them all! Now, ladies, now!!!
(Two points for that rousing speech of encouraging nature)

Had a wonderful late morning/early afternoon out with la Madre--Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Old Navy, Recollections, Targay (five points for target) and of course Corner Bakery. We were snatching up some special treats for my poor sweet niece Sarah, who is suffering terribly from one of the worst cases of Mono, and a couple of other complications that we can't quite get a finger on yet. She is a freshman, playing Varsity Basketball and Volleyball, and at present she can barely get out of bed. This has been dragging on for months, and she's such a trooper. She pushed and pushed herself, and now she can push no more. It's just horrible.


Other randomness? Hmm. Some sweetie pictures I took of Em today. She was busy hanging up her pictures. I love the girl with the "wainbow hai-ow dats wike a vohcano." Can you see the circles under her eyes? Her allergies are bad, and the crazy thing doesn't like to sleep! She's a night owl like her dad (and her mother is becoming, against all that is right and natural) and doesn't sleep during "woom time."




So last but not least. I did this layout with the Captured Elements paper today (yum) and I did it really quick, and I'm not sure what I think about it.

I'd like some real feedback. Feel free to not say "Oh, very cute. Love the key. " or say it if that's what you think, but I'll wonder what you think about the fonts and the stamping in that case. Two peas is back up, and it's gotten no praise. Maybe that says enough. What is that word that you want to use about a stellar layout. Refined? Perfected? Professional? Well, I think it's missing whatever that is. Oh well. Here it is. Handmade in an hour and all. (-11 points for all that deflating.)

I have a point.

No really.

One point.

I WIN! Hooray!!! I love my game!!!

Monday, January 16, 2006

Because Sylvia Needs to Know

That I appreciate it, that I "got" it, that I loved it, and that I will not stop teasing her about it anyway!!!!!

"What, you ask, was the beginning of it all? And it is this. Existence that multiplied itself for sheer delight of being and plunged into numberless trillions of forms so that it might find itself immeasurably"

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science"-Einstein


I should google it to make sure I'm spelling it right. But I won't, just so you understand that I'm not that smart about these things, not really even sure what I'm talking about- just a subtle reminder that you shouldn't consider me an authority on Mandlebrot Sets.

Mandelbrott Sets. Whatever. That's how it sounds.


ETA:I had a funny story regarding one of my patients here, but took it off. Bill's comment is related to that.

Sunday, January 15, 2006

Happy Belated Birthday Anja!!!!

Um, and yeah. I hope it's ok that I totally stole that picture off your blog. And you aren't really that pale.

Bad scanner, bad!!!

We had another speedy weekend. Here it is Sunday night already, and the boys home from school tommorrow. I'm headed off to work. Yippee.

It was a good weekend- didn't get as much scrapping done as I normally like, but did get out to Ikea with Mom and Alison which is always great fun! Got these super cool orange trays that look like funky versions of the mini-trays the waiters in Buenos Aires brought our coffee out on.

Meeting Saturday night was GREAT. We had different groups of three plan some way to help us mem0rize some of our songs. We were laughing so hard not only at the skits themselves but at each other laughing! I have some pictures to post, but they would require so much 'splaining- and unless you understood the way we meet, then they would probably just look like party pix. But I love the fact that we come together to know the Lord, and have so much fun participating!!! A guy from New Mexico came to visit and stayed with us, and our kids fell in love with him. Emma was all pouty this evening wondering when Kevin was coming back. (It was great to meet you, Kevin! Come back anytime!)

Today we went to eat at Rise n Shine, our local greasy spoon, and then I wandered around Recollections for a bit while the kids played over at Donna's and Bill watched the game over at Dan's. I had almost convinced myself to go for HOF, laid the rules on my scrapping table and started pulling pictures, but then my stomach started hurting. Maybe next year. Maybe if I give myself just a BIT more time, eh?

Went to see Memoirs of a Geisha AGAIN tonight with Mom, Kim and Annette. Love, love, love that movie. Love it. The colors, the music, the story- it's just a feast for the eyes and ears.

Ya know, sometimes the posts are just a little boring.

And sometimes that's OK.

I am what I am.

Thursday, January 12, 2006

Rak-a-lakin' and Tag-erific

I got raked. Woah, did I get raked. I got Gab-raked. If you have not been so honored, then you are missing out. Check it:


So immediately started playing:


And I got tagged by Colleen --

Four Jobs I've had:
Home Health Aide
Fragrance Model (sounds glamorous? NOT AT ALL. Got very boring. Even working for Ralph Lauren. You know, I was one of those chicks in the mall who try to give you a sample of perfume and you, if you are like most people, act as if they are trying to spray poison on you. Nice.)
Babysitter
Waitress

Four movies I'd watch over and over again:
Amelie
Moulin Rouge
Strictly Ballroom
Henry V (the Kenneth Brannaugh version)

Four Places I've Lived
Irving,TX
Atlanta,GA
Lithia Springs,GA
Arlington,TX

Four TV shows I love to watch (but seldom do!)
Surprised by Design
Today Show
LOST
Everybody Loves Raymond

Four Websites I visit daily:
Two Peas
Good to the Last Crop
Bloggerville (oh, come on, that's way more than two!)

Four places I've been on Vacation:
Vancouver, BC
Germany
San Juan Islands, WA
Hawaii

Four foods I love:
Sonic Breakfast Burritos
Diet Coke
Southwestern Cobb Salad at Chilis
Candy

Four places I'd rather be:
over at Donna's with Annette :)
Recollections
Scrapping
Paris

Four Bloggers I'm Tagging:
Virgina
Annette
Mom
Bill (HA. Double Dog dare you!!!)



ETA: Yeah, I totally lifted that card off of kellicrowe. I said it on 2ps and forgot to say it here, lest anyone think I be not honest or fair. Kellicrowe, not that you'll read this, but there should be a caption under that card that reads "You're the meaning of my life, you're the inspiration!" With some smarmy musak in the background.

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Strange Sighting

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT*****A woman was seen this very evening out in the middle of the street skipping, singing, giggling and leaping. Please lock your doors and turn out the lights, in case of disturbances.*******

And what, you may ask, does a 30 year old, who will be 31 in two weeks, and who was asked this very morning- "Have you put on some weight?" and who recieved her first ticket EVER (expired registration) today, who's dryer and shower broke all in one week, have to skip and leap about?

I'll tell you.
THIS.

ohmanohmanohman.

Sunday, January 08, 2006

Humor Me.

SO PROUD
to announce, once again, that Emma has a great sense of humor.
She is cracking us up these days.

Today at breakfast, I was telling Cole how Aaron had asked Bill if he wanted to play basketball on Saturday.
(Bill's more of a compy type than a ball type, for those of you who don't know that)
and EMMA
says in full accent and inflection

"The bounce is gone from his bungee"
(from Wallace and Gromit) sounds like "Tha boonce is goon frrromis boongie"

I was so proud I could spit.

And I thought her Awntie Jinnie would like to know that the dream is alive.


And because I've opened the gates, I have to say them all:

"This is Preston, my doog. "
"Can't stand the stoof. Brings me oot in a rrrash."
"Porridge today, Gromit! Tuesday!"
"Not even Wensleydale?"
"We'll call him Shorn!"

Now on to Creature Comforts, which, if you have not seen, is a MUST SEE.
"We do not have all the...you know...techonological adwances, like, you know...the double glazed windows and such, but I would like to live in a hot cahntry! Where there is water to, you know, dive, to sweem in."
"I like to escape into books and things."
"Well, I don't like be coold, and I don't like being rained on, and I find that here I'm often coold, and I'm often rained on."

*Sigh* I love Wallace and Gromit and that lion in Creature Comforts. Oh Man. And when my kids do the quotes? Well, then I know I've succeeded as a mother.

Friday, January 06, 2006

Copernicus' Theory


Remember that post about failure? Yeah, well, I totally need a dose of my own medicine. Yesterday was discouraging. Today, still nothing encouraging...that sparkly New Years anticipatory feeling like something good is gonna happen and it's gonna be TIME...gone. I don't think that I'm gonna get calls for anything I've submitted to, which is alot. So last night, I decided to forget it all and CLEAN MY HOUSE.

That really does a body good. Getting off the compy for a while (I'm back on now, all good things must come to an end and all that) It felt good to make a list. Eat lunch with Emma. Do laundry. Vaccuum. (I'm lying now.)

But all in all,present dreams and hopes being left out of the equation, I've got plenty to be thankful for. It's a good life. Got this flyer and the smilies in the mail yesterday and thought I'd "cwaft" as Em likes to call it. It's nothing but a colorful reminder.

Oh and here's the funny for the day. We had Les Miserables in concert on while we were cleaning, ( Emma called it "Parmajaques" REFUSING with much fervor to call it anything else) and she was telling me that Daddy had told her that "dat guy in da bwack" was the main part of the story. She asked me just a minute ago if she was the main part of the world. Absent mindedly I said "yes" and she said "I bet Bo wishes he was the main part of the world." I said "Well he is the main part of his world." and she said
"Yes, but I'm the main part of the WHOLE WORLD."
"Oh, like Jean Val Jean?"
"Yes. Wike John Bow John."
And so are we all, my dear.

Thursday, January 05, 2006

Peeve

If you start a blog with

"I don't really have that much to say"

or

"Nothing interesting to write about"

Then proceed to fill a post with all sorts of newsy bits and fascinating anecdotes , do me a favor.

Go back and delete the first sentence.

Or, if not, admit that you are a liar.

Exhaust the moment.

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

Mary Rose


Happy Birthday dear sweetest of 13 year old nieces!!!

Monday, January 02, 2006

Missy

Because I really need to go to bed, I'm gonna blog.

I called my sister Miss today, cause I was feeling a little down, and thought, "Oh No! She'll hear my voice and know something isn't right and say 'what.' and then I'll just yada yada all about me and she'll worry." So I had a new thought "I'll see if I can call her and be cheerful, and see if she notices. If she doesn't then I can be so proud of myself for acting so well!"

So I call her, and am all cheerful, and she doesn't say "What." Now believe it or not, that's pretty dadgum amazing.

So I ask about her and the kids and before I realize it, I'm whining and complaining. Then I'm laughing because I thought I could call her and not try to get a little sympathy! Ha! That's a great joke!

So we chatted a bit and came up with some fantastic resolutions for the new year:

"Eat more sugar"
"Catch up on my TV watching time"
"Eat out more"
"Cook less"
"Carbo-load every day, and balance those carbs with some butter (gotta have the dairy!)"

This all from the woman who spends over17 hours a week teaching aerobics classes. And from the other woman who spends all those hours and more sitting on her butt.

We spent a considerable amount of time giggling and then seriously justifying these resolutions.

Then I told her what I had thought when I called her. She started laughing. She quoted me:

"Missy! I have Chicken Pox!!!"

Here's the story.

Missy was on her senior trip to Disney World. I was 8 years old. I contracted Chicken Pox while she was gone.

Now read into this.

Mom and Dad wouldn't let anyone tell her that I had Chicken Pox.

Today she said "Like what was I gonna do? I was 18! Jump on a plane and come straight home?" Then we both chuckled and said "well, maybe!"

We both have a very distinct visual image of the moment she returned home. She of me bursting out of the house, dying to tell my most sympathetic listener who I had been held back from and finally shouting out "Missy! I have Chicken Pox" (she said she was sure I had slathered on some extra calamine to make me look more pathetic.)

I carry the image of her dear face with intense love and sympathy, mingled with laughter and surprise at my outrageous appearance. I was so happy to see her I cried. And she brought me a Mickey Mouse Shirt.


I think one of the greatest gifts my family gives me is finding myself laughed at and loved all at the same time.

Sunday, January 01, 2006

New Year.

Hello 2006.

What do you have in store for me?

I can think of several things I'd like to request from you. Things that I don't have control over, that I want. That I want to happen to me. (become rich enough. make a name for myself. scrap for a living.)

I can think of things I'd like to be that I do have control over- the same things I've wanted since I was savvy enough to think about them, but to tell the truth, haven't made great strides in those directions. (lose weight. be more disciplined. keep the house clean. )

I can think of things I'd like to be without. (fear. depression. panic. concern for what others think of me)

I can think of things that I can do. (scrap. network in the wide world of paper. invest in the church here more. invest in my children more. spend more time with the Lord ON PURPOSE!)

I can think of places I want to go this year (bournemouth. buenos aires. santiago. st. paul. atlanta. jacksonville. vegas. {yeah, it's a scrapping convention, and alot of the cool kids are going.} )

I can think of ways I want to live (less introverted. more creative. healthier. simpler.)

But ya know what? This is a really long list of things that I probably won't achieve. It serves one purpose. To stress me out and remind me of how incapable I am of being this person I'm not.

So here's what I'm gonna do this year.

Rest. Trust the Lord. Turn to Him as often as I remember to. Remember Him. Remember who I am, and be Happy..... Wait. This is another list.

Let's reduce it even more.

We had a party over at Mom's last night, and we did a white elephant gift exchange, only it wasn't with gag gifts, it was with aspects of the Lord we'd like to have more apparent in our lives. I brought "an awareness of Him." Cole brought "roots." Annette brought "Exploration." Kim brought "Rest." Donna brought "Self Abandonment."

That was the one I got. oh yes.

Lord, You are my new year.