A Thought On Love

So, I heard a quote in a movie last night. I'm interested in getting some opinions on it.

"Sometimes love isn't fireworks. Sometimes love just comes softly."

Thoughts? Please comment...

I'm In!

It has finally happened. I was beginning to wonder and doubt if it would ever happen, but indeed it has! I officially moved into my new house yesterday. Last night I slept in my own bed in my own room in my own house! It was absolutely fabulous. My head hit the pillow... and eight glorious hours later, I woke up :) I assumed I would have a somewhat uneasy first night, but I was wrong. Charlie stayed in his room and didn't bark once! (which was really quite shocking) I still have a car load of things to take over from my parents house... all the things I have been living off of while I stayed with them. But for the most part, I am moved in.

Thanks to eveyone who has kept me in their prayers lately. :)

Pictures to come soon

A Brief Update.

--- My house is livable now. I could move in tomorrow if I wanted. And I am completely excited!!!! I still do not have a stove or a couch, but this is simply because I haven't gone to pick one. Here are some pictures of the house to date.

--- The puppies will be ready to go to a good home on March 2. There are three. Two girls and one boy; all of them are mostly white with a few brown spots. And they are all absolutely precious. So, if anyone wants a puppy just let me know.

--- I've been doing some reading lately. I've been in a big John Grisham mood. I read The Broker last week, finished it, and immediately started reading The Appeal. I haven't finished The Appeal yet but so far it is fabulous. I couldn't sleep so I picked it up to read and didn't stop reading until it was 2am and I was 130 pages in. I love being able to read for fun :)

--- There is a possibility I may get to go to a show in Atlanta this weekend. I'm quite excited about that. But at the same time, I'm trying not to get my hopes up...

That is all I'll bore you with for now :)

Just thought I'd update a few things...

...My Aunt: She is doing much better. She got to go home a few days ago. She'll be doing physical therapy twice a week for quite a while, but she is at home :) Thanks for praying. Please continue to do so. There is still a long way to go :)

...My House :D All the plumbing got fixed yesterday. (Yay!!) So, now moving is right around the corner. I need to find a couch and love seat (Or perhaps a couch and 2 chairs... haven't decided yet...any opinions?) and I'm trying to figure out what tv to get.

So I guess not much is going on, but yet so much is going on.... more later :)

February celebrations

So, I've decided to look for some fun holidays this month that do not point out the fact that I am single... Here is what I've found so far:)
February is...
...Library Lovers Month
...National mend a broken heart month
...Dump your significant jerk week (7-13)
...Jell-o week (8-14)
...International flirting week (9-15)
...Random acts of kindness week (11-17)
...International friendship week (17-23)
...National pancake week (22-28)
...Wear red day (6)
...National gum drop day (15)

So I'm going to celebrate :D

Memory Lane

So, those of you who facebook have inevitably seen the "25 random things about me" note floating around. It got me thinking and I decided to post some random pictures of me that remind me of funny (if, perhaps only to me) stories that accompany them. I hope you enjoy... but if not, I at least had a great time meandering down memory lane.

<---The first picture is of me at about 6 months old. I was born with a thick head of jet black hair... and then bit by bit i lost it ALL and was blad for quite some time. My mother tells me that she would take my hat off and there would just be big chucks of hair in them. My hair did eventually grow back (thankfully) but it grew back significantly lighter, almost blonde and then darkened to the brilliant brunette that it is today. Strangely, the one color I wish my hair were is the only color it hasn't been.... :)
--->This is not a particularly clear picture, but it one of the few I could find that had me with this stuffed animal. His name was Marzipan. And he was one of my absolute favorites. I got him for Easter when I was two, or near to two.
<---I'm not sure why, but this is my absolute favorite picture of me as a child. I don't even know where it was taken. School perhaps? I don't know...seems to good to be a school pic. I think it is the necklace. I remember that necklace and I remember thinking it was the most beautiful thing in the world. I was two in this picture as well. I don't think I look anything the same now. --->This was me in my room when I was about four years old. And that is Mother Goose sitting on my bed :) You could lift up one of her wings and it was a tape player She would read a story, her mouth would move with the words and there were books you could follow along with... six of them i think. I LOVED her. She didn't last long because she had no handle and so kids typically picked her up by the neck and it broke her. I kept mine in a basket, so I still have her in my closet and she still works... I hope it still works when/if I have kids. By the way, yes, I realize I just referred to a toy as a her, but when I was four I believed she was a her... not just a toy :)
<--- I was about four here as well. Our family (me, my parents, my aunt and uncle, and once they had her, my cousin) all would go to the beach every summer for many years. This was one of the first years I really remember going. I remember that i felt so beautiful in that big yellow hat and with a suit that had a skirt on the back AND a bow... I just thought there could be nothing prettier.
--->I was five here. The picture itself isn't that special, but I remember the day quite well. My mom wanted some black and white pictures of me so she had me dress up in all sorts of outfits and she took my picture... a lot. I remember liking this one and one where i put on as many pieces of jewelry as I could find. I think she has that one framed in her house.
<---This picture has two stories. The first is the doll I'm holding. It was my favorite doll the entire time growing up. Her name was Samantha... I named all my dolls either Samantha or Elizabeth, and called them all either Sam or Lizzie. The second thing is the fact that I had the chicken pox. I was in the first grade. I got out at noon for Christmas break and me, my mom, aunt and cousin all went shopping and i complained that my back was itching... it was the chicken pox... and it took exactly 2 weeks to get over, i never missed a single day of school. Go figure.
--->This was also when I was in the first grade. It was the only year I actually took dance lessons. I decided to take piano instead because my 6 year old brain thought it was more practical. I danced in the recital to 2 numbers Tap - the song was "five foot two" and ballet - the song was "mickey mouse's birthday party" Yes, I thought the song was stupid when I was 6 too.
<--- This was my first time to ever wear hair rollers. I thought I was officially all grown up. I still remember how it felt outside as I took the picture.
---> This was nothing but a total and complete Diva moment. But it was out of character for me and I think it is hilarious that it was captured on film.
<---This was a picture of me in kindergarten, I'm not sure of the year. I have no idea as to the reason, but I simply refused to smile. I don't know if I was mad, or upset, it seems I was just stubborn.
---> When I was in the second grade I got really really sick. It started from an allergic reaction to cigarette smoke (which, by the way I am quite allergic to). I ended up with Microplasma. I would just lay in bed for days at a time not sleeping, just laying. Or I would get up walk across the room, get a book, then be too exhausted to read it so i'd have to rest first. I missed close to a month of school and whn I came back it could only be for a few hours at a time. Picture day was one of those days and my eyes tell how tired and sick I was.
<---The picture on the far left is a picture me dressed up as a doll. I was going to be in my first church musical and I was so excited, but I got sick the day after that picture was taken and never got to be in it. I was however in the next musical. I sang a song.. I don't remember the name of but one of the lines was "down in a creek bank by the old holler log" - That song still gets in my head from time to time.
--->These were taken at my seventh birthday party. I was obsessed with Elvis and my dad had a plumber friend who was also an Elvis impersonator. and so I had an Elvis birthday party. I was in absolute Heaven. I liked Elvis so much at this age that I even had Elvis trading cards. Yes, the dorkiness started early with me :)



There are probably more pics with much funnier stories, But these will do for now. Thanks for going down memory lane with me. Hope you enjoyed the ride :)

Updating 1...2...3...

A list of updates:

1. My Aunt - Doing much better. They determined that it was a medicine she was taking that caused the TIA. They took her off the medicine and gave her some blood thinners and they said that should fix things, well... cause things to not get worse. She is still in SICU and waiting to start physical therapy. She can't walk at the moment nor can she use her right hand well. We are praying just as much that she keep her spirits up and not get depressed.

2. My house - My bed is now in my new house. (Thanks to some wonderful friends). That was a weirdly emotional experience... Sort of a good-bye to an era type of thing. I'm not living at my house yet however, because i have no appliances and therefore no way to eat... well, i guess i could live on raman.... ;) I do have a refrigerator (thanks to a grandfather with an extra fridge in his basement), but it won't be actually in the house until tomorrow.

3. My new diet plan - Knitting. I've decided i stress eat too much so I've taken up knitting as something to do with my hands, something to keep my mind of snacking. I'm bound and determined to be healthier.

Not a long list, but I'm tired and would like some sleep and the house if finally getting quiet :)

Please Pray

Last night my aunt, the one i am close to, went in the hospital. She had a small stroke and she has some bleeding on the brain and a possible mass in her brain. They are running more tests this morning. She is currently in the ICU. This is all I know at the moment.

my dad is going to be in the hospital today as well. He is having a test done because his heart is not doing well, at all.

It is going to be a long day. I'm at work now getting things lined up for my dad and getting payroll done, etc.. while my mom takes my dad to the hospital... then after i finish here, i have to get ready and go up to the hospital, see my aunt, then bring my dad home, because they have to put him to sleep and he can't drive... get him settled and comfortable here then go back to the hospital.

They are, however, thankfully, at the same hospital.

This is on 3 hours of sleep.

My family and I need all the prayer we can get the next couple of days.

Precious Puppies

A couple of years ago someone abandoned this precious little puppy in my dogs pen. She was only about 5 weeks old and it was so cold out side. My parents decided to keep her. Her name is Olive (After Oliver Twist) but we call her Ollie. She is unbelievably sweet natured. Anyway, my dad's dog, a Jack Russel Terrier named Jack, along with Olive are now the proud parents of 5 beautiful puppies, all girls :) Here are some pictures of Olive, Jack and the puppies. They will need a good home in about six weeks... Anyone interested?

Nerd Flags and New Homes

I never know just how to start these things, so I suppose I'll just dive right in. It has been quite a while since I posted anything here with any sort of meat to it. I had a conversation with a good friend of mine just the other day and he made a logical argument which convinced me to start posting again. This time I'll make an actual effort to post at least semi-regularly. I bought a new book the other day titled The Professor (which I'll mention more about in a moment) written by one of my favorite authors, Charlotte Bronte. There is a quote in chapter one that well describes how I feel about this blog:

"The leisure time I have at command,....I shall now dedicate to that of the public at large. My narrative is not exciting, and above all, not marvellous; but it may interest some individuals, who,....will find in my experience frequent reflections of their own. The above letter will serve as an introduction. I now proceed."

I must now issue a disclaimer for this next section. I am an English major and have a serious nerd flag. I am about to fly that flag high :) I, as previously mentioned, bought a new book just the other day. I had never read it, never even heard of it and I had no idea what it was about. I knew the author and that was about it. Still, I found myself almost unable to sit still because I was so intensely excited. It was not, is not, the book itself that I found myself to be so excited about but rather, the very idea of written word. I find it to be passionately romantic, regardless of the subject matter. I believe that language spoken aloud is a wonderful thing (as anyone who knows me knows full well). However, I also believe that it takes a certain amount of bravery, commitment and thought to put thoughts to paper. It allows people you never know, and may never meet to see you and get to know you. It is an extremely intimate. As William Makepeace Thackeray wrote about Charlotte Bronte: "Which of her readers has not become her friend?" I feel as though I make a new friend each time I read a book. As I read the same book over and over that friend grows with me, teaches me different things. I just find it to be such a beautiful process. Anyway, with that said, and as I lower my nerd flag and put it away for a while I'd like to state that I am enjoying my new book thus far. :)

On a totally different subject. My house is nearing completion. (Yay!) I may even get to move next weekend. I would have moved this weekend but the rain changed my plans. My library shelves will not be built until several weeks after I move, so my friends will have to remain in their boxes for a bit :( I have quite a few pics of the renovation process... it was quite a change. Let me know if you'd like the link to them. I learned a lot in the process and I'm quite glad I did much of it myself rather than having it done. However, I'm also glad the things are coming to a close.

Well, I suppose that is quite a long post, but it has been quite some time and I had more than a few thoughts to share. More to come later. Feel free to comment :)

My New House

The Floor Plan and a picture of the outside of my new house. It needs some work, but I love it!

Moving

Well, I just thought I would update since A) I can't sleep and B) al lot has happened since my last post.

I am moving. The owners of the trailer park that I live in sold the entire park and gave us 30 days to be off of the premises. I was quite frantic for a while, but I now have a new place to live (next to a really good friend) and I have hired the movers. My dad is going to do the hook ups (power, water, etc...) So I am set. Moving day is March 28. That is cutting it a bit close, but oh well. I am moving somewhere better than I am at now and I will be next to a friend...So this is actually a good thing.

I would also like to say that I am so thankful God has blessed me. I went to the doctor the other day (strep throat) and I was sitting there, comlaining about the wait, and it just hit me like a ton of bricks... how ungrateful I am. There are those in the U.S. and all over the world who will die of things that could be easily healed with a medicine that I take for granted, and there I was complaining of a sore throat and a little wait. Things were really put into perspective as I sat praying in that waiting room.

Well, I think that is all for the moment...
Music of the moment: Sam Phillips "Reflecting Light" (You can download the whole song for free at http://www.samphillipsmusic.com/music.html ) Yes, it is from Gilmore Girls - The song where Luke and Lorelei dance at Luke's sister's wedding - But it is s good song.

Long time no see...an update from yours truly

Well, it has been quite a while since my last post. Since I am so fond of lists I will proceed to inform you of what I have been p to in the form of a list...
1. Midterms: Let me just say that even the mention of that word sends fear into my heart. But luckily, I only had one technical midterm and one other test that was not tehnically a midterm during the week of midterms. Wow that was a lot of times to use the word midterms in one sentence, especially since I hate that word. Oh well. I am, however, happy that they are over and I did pretty well. Not as well as I had hoped, but OK.
2. Dancing: SO much fun! I am loving it more than I can say. I am going to start Salsa lessons on Monday. I was going to start this past Monday, but the teacher was out of town... bummer!
3. After dance fun: we have been having a blast. God has really blessed me by making some new great friends... (Don't worry, Old friends will always rock!)
4. A change of Plans: This past Saturday we (the gals and I) went to Montgomery to look for dancing shoes. But when we got there the stores were all closed. (On a Saturday...the crazy people) So we decided to not let the day be a total bust so we went to eat then we went ice skating. I had not done that since I was like 12. It was so much fun. (And I didn't even fall!)
5. Four weeks of Journalism tests: Yuck! I am not looking forward to all my journalism tests. They begin this Thursday and I will have one a week for 4 weeks... Pray for me. I will need it.
6. SPRING BREAK PLANS: Well, for the first part of the week, I am not sure what I doing. I know I am going to do some reading for fun, shopping (a given), hanging with awesome people, and last but certainly not least dancing! The last weekend of springbreak I will be in Atlanta for a lindy exchange! I am SO looking forward to that!

So, anyway... I think that is all for now... but I will probably write again soon because I am sure there is much I am forgetting.

Lata

A Post From An Addict

It is official... I have an addiction. Well, two if you count Sunkist - and I definitely would! And 3 if you count Gilmore Girls (Maybe I need counseling) My addiction is shoes... (big shocker) I found 3 pairs on Saturday. Plus I have yet to find a pair to wear to the Knights dance this upcoming Saturday night. I have only 3 days to find them... I need your prayers girls... My mission looks bleak. But, on the upside... I can't wait until Saturday The Knights are awesome...no, beyond awesome.

I am also quite excited about the fact that I now have all of my furniture. That means no more clothes or books staked up in piles all over the floor.

Anyway...Not much of a post today, I've had no breaksfast and no lunch and am quite hungry. Also, Charlie is quite quiet - That can mean nothing but trouble.

--Lata

I love a good list...

A list of no importance:
1. My homework load: big, not as big as it could be...but not as small as I'd like it.
2. My laundry: caught up!
3. My living room: clean and vacuumed
4. My favorite color combo of the moment: Brown and pink
5. The weather currently: BEAutiful
6. My thoughts on libraries: wonderful, almost magical places.
7. The two most romantic sounds: A tenor voice and listening to the one you love as they read.
8. My thoughts on "Nanny McPhee": There was and is only one Mary Poppins. Do not even try to duplicate.
9. Food I have been craving fo months: Chicken cordon bleu (Mmmm)
10. Things that I shourld be doing instead of updating this: about a bazillion
11. Number of pairs of new shoes purchased in the last month: 4
12. Total amount spent during last shopping trip (purchased a purse, one pair of shoes, 5 shirts and a book): $50-$55...I love end of the season sales.
13. Number of minutes before the best show: 31

Gotta Jet... oh no, Don't cry... More to come later.

Current Mood: Good hair day, new shoe, first kiss, kind of happy
Current Music: The "L"Train from the soundtrack "Shall we dance?" (it is in my head)

It's Raining...It's pouring...

Let me just say for the record that My hair was perfectly straight when I walked out of my house this morning, but due to dogs getting away in the rain, having to unload huge amounts of luggage from my car- in the rain and walking all over the place outside - in the rain... I now look like poodle! Not my best look, I must say. However, Despite my hair casualties, it is a truely beautiful day. I love the rain. (I prefer to be on a porch looking out into it, and not actually in it myself... but I'll take it both ways!) I am thinking I must take advantage of the opportunity and take a nap at some point during these storms. (This is where having a trailer with a metal roof actually comes in handy!) The sound of rain hitting that roof in very hard to ignore.

Beauty

My internet is down and I am at the library so this post won't be too long!

I don't know if anyone else happened to look up at the moon last night around 10 or so, but it was truely beautiful. A complete rainbow circled it like a ring. (Rainbows are always in complete circles but we usually only see on part of the circle.) The rainbow wasn't as bright because it was reflecting the moons rays, rather than the suns, But it was still one of those things that you look at and words just can't descibe it. I don't understand how people can look at something like that and not believe in God. I am so unworthy to be given things so beautiful. It was like God said, "Here, be happy" It worked for me anyway. Anyway... I hope everyone got to see it.

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, [it was] very good... Genesis 1:31a http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Gen/Gen001.html#1

Merry CHRISTmas

Not much going on with me. However, I did get some exciting news about my cousin. They are adopting a baby and the baby was born on Friday morning. (yea!) What a great Christmas gift! They are still going through all the paperwork so keep them in your prayers.

Well, I can't write too much... I have some cooking to do for the Christmas get together with my family tonight.

Have a Merry Christmas everyone!

4:30 - up and at 'em

Today is Friday, Dec. 9, the 343rd day of 2005. There are 22 days left in the year.

Well, Hmmm It is 6:30 now and I have already been up two hours. I am not sure exactly why but at 4:30ish I woke up. And I am not talking about the kind of waking up where you are only half awake and so you roll over and fall back asleep. I actually like that kind of waking up because for some reason I think that the 2nd time you fall asleep, you sleep deeper and better. Also you get two dreams in one night (or at least there is the possibility of that anyway). But the kind of waking up I experienced was that of the overworked student I awakened and my head was automatically filled with about 3 gazillion (what a cool word, huh?) things to do... So I just went ahead and got up. Well I no sooner arrived in the living room than I had this unbearable craving for fetticini alfredo and skittles... (well not together you silly rabbit the skittles were dessert, of course!) So I had a lean cuisine thing of fetticini alfredo in the freezer but sadly I did not have a single skittle in the house. I thought that perhaps once I had eaten the fetticini I would have passified most of my craving and would therefore be content... Nope! I sat there for about 15 minutes until it became perfectly apparent that I would have to go to the store on a skittle run. Now, take into account that at this time it is roughly 5:30... And let me just say that it is much harder to find a 24 hour store in Auburn than it is in Birmingham.... I think it was the 4th store I went to that was finally open. But nonetheless, I had my Skittles... and my Sunkist! Needless to say that caffeine and a sugar buzz at 6:00a.m. I believe you could almost call it a high of sorts! haha Oh and did I mention that during all the craziness (well at least the craziness where I wasn't Skittle searching) I was watching Gilmore Girl episodes? It has truly been an awesome morning!

However I am sad to report that an unfortunate event will soon take place. At 1400 today, I will be taking my econ final. I mean the concepts of the class I understand, but the graphs I have a bit of trouble with. But, none of that matters because once the test comes, once tat dreaded piece of paper is slid onto my desk all information regarding economics flies out of my head faster than a woman will run toward a shoe sale. I mean the second I write my name of that scantron it literally appears to grow in size and the 100 question feel like a thousand and the only thoughts I can keep in my head are thoughts like "Where did the word bamboozled come from?" and "I need a new black ink cartrege." {By the by, I looked up where bamboozled came from and just for all of you out there who are as crazy as me and would like to know... http://www.word-detective.com/021804.html gives you the meaning and the origin as well as it can be traced... turns out Jonathan Swift did not like that word He said it was the, "The Continual Corruption of Our English Tongue." anyway... It is not under "read me" but it the first question after that.} So, what was I saying again... Oh yes... not looking forward to this particular final at all. This one is 35% of our final grade. However my Spanish one which I think I will do fairly well on is only 10%. Life and her irony!

Well, I think that I had better quit procrastinating and get to studying.
Tip of the day: Eat weird food combos
Music of the moment: Gilmore Girls soundtrack... Don't knock it till you try it!

God is Awesome!

Today is Monday, Dec. 5, the 339th day of 2005. There are 26 days left in the year.

Psalm 150
Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

I heard the song "Did you feel the Mountains Tremble" for the first time last week. Let me just say, that song is awesome... If you ever get a chance to listen to Sonicflood's version off their sonicpraise album you should.

On a different but related issue, there was this song that I used to sing as a kid with my mother. It was very simple, not much to it. But one of the lines was "He [God] could have made it [earth] black and white and we'd have never known". That particular line is so simple in text but so profound in meaning. I think about it every time I hear a song I like or I see a beautiful sunset. It is so true... God did not have to bless us with all the beauty that surrounds us. If it weren't there we would not have know anything different. It isn't as though we deserve it. I just feel so unworthy and so thankful... I just, well... The only words that do it justice are: GOD IS AWESOME!

Tip of the day: Look at the beauty around you. It's there!
Song of the day: Did you feel the mountains tremble