Nothing But Blue Skies

Thievery!

2010-12-22T10:20:00.000-08:00

I have an iPod Touch. Strike that. I used to have an iPod Touch.

I was having coffee with one my volunteer leaders at Starbucks the other day and my iPod was stolen out of my purse. Neither of us noticed the thief taking it, but take it he did. I have figured out who it was and when it happened, but that doesn't make me feel better. Now I just miss my iPod - the music, the apps, the wireless ability...

As I have been living an iPod-less life for more than a week now, I have been reflecting on how attached to the technology we have all become. When my iPod got stolen, it caused me to see how addicted to it I truly was. I listened to it A LOT, and I used the apps quite frequently as well. The thought of not having an iPod is strange and slightly debilitating. Do I just run out and get a new one? Should I wait until I get an iPhone (most likely in March - though there is hope on the horizon that I could I get it in January!)? If I am getting an iPhone, does it make sense to have an iPod at all?

Ten years ago there was no such thing as an iPod and we were all fine. Even cell phones were still rising in popularity as opposed to being assumed, as they are now. Again, we were fine. I remember driving to school every day my senior year of college and not once making a call or shuffling through over 1000 songs to find the perfect one and it did not faze me.

Are we really that dependent on technology now that going a few weeks without is so strange? Apparently yes. I could spend time waxing poetic about how we need to become less addicted and take time to go without our many devices... but that would just be a lie. Instead, I think I will surf on over to the Apple site and drool over all the iPod possibilities...

Great TV Shows

2010-12-12T00:10:00.000-08:00

The other day a few of my kids were at my apartment and they mentioned that I must really love Friends. They noticed I had the DVDs of all ten seasons. I also own the entire series of Sex and the City, Felicity, and Ally McBeal. What I love about having a whole series is how I can pop that DVD in and be guaranteed either 30 minutes or an hour of great TV.

Today's shows are good, but I am not sure there are any that I feel that strongly about. A different student recently said that How I Met Your Mother is his generation's Friends, only better. Now I enjoy HIMYM, but it does not make me laugh as much as Friends does. Not only that, Friends was clever and the writing was great. While I think that is sort of true about HIMYM, often I think they just go for cheap and easy laughs by being dirty.

The best show on television right now, in my opinion, is Friday Night Lights. Its in its final season, but since I don't have DirecTV, I won't see it until this spring. What about you? What are your favorite TV shows?

Double Life (or reasons I haven't been blogging)

2010-12-07T21:31:00.000-08:00

Well, what do you know? 2010 is almost over. If you scroll down a bit and look in the right hand column you will notice that I have blogged a total of 8 times this year (including this post). By far, this has been my lowest blogging year. Why you ask? Well, you probably only ask that if you don't know me, but that is okay...

I have two words for you: Grad School. I have two more words for you (one is a hyphenate!): Full-Time Job.

Hey, guess what is hard? Being a student and a full time youth worker! I go to school with some people who, like me, work full time, but unlike me, also have families. How do they do it? I always remind myself of them when I start to feel overwhelmed.

Anyhow, the lack of blogging this year is due to school. It is super hard to keep up with my classes and work. At the end of the day all I want to do is curl up in front of the TV, but I usually end up doing assigned readings in Greek. True story. The end of the quarter is this Friday and I still have work to do, but the end is in sight! Who knows, by the end of 2010 I may have blogged 10 or more times! Here's hoping!

Letter to Advertisers

2010-04-30T23:07:00.000-07:00

Dear Subway Ad Department,

Here is a note for you - the buzzing of an alarm clock is one of the worst sounds known in the world.

Apparently you don't know this because you are using that sound at the beginning of your commercial for your new breakfast foods. Here is the thing, I have no idea what the food is that you are selling. All I know is that when that sound comes on I dive for my remote and fast forward through it or press mute if it's on live TV.

Essentially, your commercial is turning me into someone who can't stand Subway breakfast foods because of how irritating this commercial is.

You may want to consider that when making ads. I am just saying...

Thanks, Hannah

Book Review

2010-03-16T16:46:00.000-07:00

I just finished a very interesting autobiographical book called I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced. It is about a little girl in Yemen who is forced into marriage, is beaten and assaulted by her husband and somehow finds the courage to seek a divorce, even when no one in her own family will listen to her. Whenever I read books about injustice toward children it stirs up horror and frustration within me. How is it possible that a girl who is still a child, in every sense of the word, could be forced into marriage to a man who is 25 years her senior? do we really live in a world where that is still possible? Apparently so, since Nujood was divorced in the spring of 2008.

The book is well written (by Nujood Ali and Delphine Minoui), creating vivid pictures of modern day Yemen as well as a colorful cast of characters from the judges and lawyer involved in Nujood's case to her family and her terrifying in-laws. One of the most tragic moments in the book for me was after Nujood is married. Even in the midst of her horrors, she asks her husband if she can please go and play with the other children her age in the village. He won't allow it. How can this little girl be a wife when all she wants is to go and play with other children? Awful. While the court system is filled with judges who want to fight for Nujood and a female lawyer who takes the girl under her wing, I could not help but wonder that the same government of those courts was also the one that allows for marriage to children. How does this double standard work? In the epilogue Minoui writes that a new law has been passed in Yemen raising the legal age for marriage to 17, a vast improvement, but one that the president has not yet begun to enforce. The book is provocative, thought-provoking, and very much worth your time. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it for you.

Delight-FULL

2010-03-08T23:42:00.000-08:00

Have you ever watched a movie that maybe like, 20 minutes into it, you already know that you love it? I am only half way through it right now, and I already want everyone I know to see (500) Days of Summer. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a delight! He was a child actor, and so often they struggle to become great adult actors, but I already know that I will want to see most of the movies he makes.

Here is the thing, I downloaded this movie on February 12, (incidentally, that was also that last time I blogged, hmm...) and it has sat on my TiVo "now playing" list for just about a month and I have not wanted to watch it. I have heard only good things about this movie, but still... I just never really had the urge to select it for viewing. I only turned it on tonight because it was going to expire on Friday, so it was basically watch it or lose it. Now, I spent money on it, so I thought, why not? I will just watch it.

It is quirky, funny, charming, painful at times, and just... well, it makes you want to be in love, that's for sure, even while it is brutally honest about how hard relationships can be. I mean you root for Tom, the main character, even while you are laughing at his pain. Then you are suddenly aching right along with him, because rejection sucks.

I have finished the movie now, and it was just a treat. Just go get it, right now, and watch it! I promise you will love it.

Coming Up For Air

2010-02-12T00:53:00.000-08:00

I can't believe the last post I wrote was before I went to visit Ashley! When I scheduled my trip to see her I knew full-well that I would be coming home only a few days before my middle school winter retreat. At them time, I had decided that I would just be prepared for the retreat early. Why do I do that? I am in my 30s and I act as though I have never met myself. Me, prepare weeks in advance? Yeah, right.

Basically, here is a run down on my life since I got back from my trip. Work like an insane person, go to class, work more, class more, work more, take Greek mid-term and feel super under prepared due to aforementioned work-load... The truth is that I love both my work and my classes, so I am motivated to do both and disinclined to give either of them less than my best. Unfortunately, since my work involves caring for teenagers and my classes involve my own edification and education, it is my classes that take the hit when I get overwhelmed.

Over the past six weekends I have been out of town for three and headed to class on the other three. I am ready for a break, but don't really see one in sight. Thankfully, I won't be heading out of town again for a little while. I am really excited for some down time. Perhaps I will find time to blog more frequently. Until then, stay tuned for some long overdue updates!

California Dreaming

2010-01-14T22:04:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I am headed to California for the weekend. My dear friend Ashley lives in a town just outside of Fresno (pronounced Fres-YES!) and we are super excited to see each other. It's been about a year, which is too long for us! While I am there we are going on a mini-trip to Vegas BABY for a night!

Now I know this trip will be super fun and I am thrilled to see my friend, but there is one thing I am... well, a little disappointed about. Here is the thing, when I am going to the desert for the weekend, this is what I expect to see:

Here is what I have discovered I need to expect:

Really West Coast? You can't summon up some sun and warmth this weekend? C'mon now, treat the Northwestern girl to some good ol' sunshine! Pretty please?

Catching Fire

2010-01-02T13:17:00.001-08:00

Well, I finished Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins' second book in The Hunger Games series. It was great! The book ended in the best and worst way possible - leaving readers on a cliff's edge that we will not come down from until the third and final book is released in late August. I simultaneously wish I had discovered these books earlier and that I had never found them at all. Eight months of waiting for the conclusion to this excellent series seems like torture!

Lately I have been taking books out of the library and/or trading books on Paper Back Swap, which is a great website that keeps voracious readers in books for only the cost of postage! It is one way that I have been working on being responsible with my finances, but I bought The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, intending to sell them on Amazon since I couldn't get them fast enough through either the library or the swap. Combined, since they are both hardcovers, they were a little bit more than $30. It is a testament to how much I enjoyed them that I have decided to keep them, rather than sell them. I just think I will want to read them again right before the third book comes out.

Catching Fire was almost as good as the first book and, like so many middle books in a series, it has left me knowing that the third book will probably be the best of all. For example, in The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of The Ring and The Return of the King are both far superior to The Two Towers, but the second book is vital to the series and sets up so much of the third book. So now the long months of waiting begin... truly, read these books! You will love them!

Good Books and Colds

2010-01-01T23:01:00.000-08:00

Hello 2010! How exciting! A new decade! And how am I celebrating? With sickness...

I caught a cold during my visit with my family and have really just given in to it today. I think I may be over the worst of it, but there is nothing so miserable as welcoming in a new year by swathing oneself in blankets, going through boxes of kleenex, and moaning every now and again just to make sure the vocal chords are working a little bit.

Fortunately, I picked up a new book the other day and have whipped through it! I am onto the second book in the series and will probably finish it tomorrow. I love it when I get a hold of a book and it gets a hold of me! If you can handle books that have a heavy premise but are enthralling then I highly recommend picking up a copy of Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games. But be warned - it is the first of a three book series and the third book will not be released until August. Also, you should not sit down to read these books unless you have hours to commit to reading - they are intense and suspenseful and you will not be able to put them down.

The Hunger Games tells the story of Katniss Everdeen, a tough 16 year old girl living in "District 12" in the country of "Panem" built on the ruins of what was once known as North America. Every year the Capitol of Panem require 2 "tributes" from each of the 12 districts to take part in the Hunger Games - a fight to the death where only one can win - the victor having killed off all of his or her competition. The games are televised for the entertainment of the country, and as a reminder of the control the Capitol has over the districts. Sounds dark, doesn't it? And it is, but at the same time you see this girl fight for her life and it is impossible not to root for her!

When I heard the premise of this story I was not excited to read it, but I am excited that did anyway! So if you are in need of a good read, seriously, get your hands on this book! You will not regret it! I will post about the second book, Catching Fire, when I finish it... probably tomorrow!

Unsatisfying Escapism

2009-12-21T09:29:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I finished the book I had been reading and got a nasty surprise - the ending was terrible! The book was the 6th in a series and the third in which the main character is married to her husband. I loved the way the author made their marriage all complicated and hard but something they both worked at, it made it seem more realistic. The books are mysteries, however, and people always die in them - and this time, RIGHT AT THE END, the author killed off the husband with a heart attack. LAME! I just could not believe it! I have started the 7th book (there are 8 in the series) and its okay, but I really miss that character.

Then, to make matters worse (Survivor Spoiler Alert)...

I watched the finale of Survivor: Samoa last night and the person who should have won, Russell, lost to the cute little blond girl who did NOTHING to win! I was disgusted with the lame bitter jury. A bunch of people blinded by their own failure into voting for someone who was absolutely not as good a player at all. The thing is, Russell ran the entire game, made every single decision about who was going home, led a revolt that got rid of 8 people from one tribe, even though his own tribe had only 4 members, and basically was the entire entertainment value of the show and he lost. Man!

Both the book and the show let me down in one day. Rough!

So. Much. Precious.

2009-12-14T22:54:00.000-08:00

My sisters are remarkably gifted at making sure their boys look cute at all times, but one thing I have heard them discuss for many years (and noticeably more since Sarah had her little boy 15 months ago) is how hard it is to find great, cute, fun baby clothes for boys. I always thought they were exaggerating a little bit, to tell you the truth, but I was wrong. I have only had a niece for 2 weeks, but the level of preciousness is very high around her.

Yesterday I got to spend the afternoon and evening with Sarah, Thomas, and Charlie while Josh played hockey. It was a blast to help Sarah out and I got to spend some really good time with both of her kids - I even gave Thomas a bath and put him to bed! While there, I witnessed the most precious thing I have ever seen - my niece's bunny slippers. Yes, at 14 DAYS old she already has bunny slippers! Gah! The cuteness overwhelms! I mean look at them:

In that moment I understood the plight of my sisters to dress their boys so well - good job Sarah and Reba! I also understood how much smooshy, gooey, cuteness we will all be going crazy with for Charlie. She is just going to be spoiled - I don't see a way around it. But I know she will be a sweet and kind little girl (I know her parents - it's guaranteed).

Welcome to the World Baby Girl!

2009-11-30T22:27:00.000-08:00

My sister and brother-in-law, Sarah and Josh had their second baby today - a gorgeous little girl named Charlotte Elizabeth! Welcome Baby Charlie, Aunt Hannah loves you!

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!
Congratulations Sarah, Josh, and big brother Thomas!

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!

2009-11-27T00:24:00.000-08:00

I had a wonderful day filled with family on turkey day this year. I am consistently grateful that I live so close to home again. I love having holidays with my family. Everyone was here this year, which made for a crowded table with lots of conversation and more dessert than you can shake a stick at. Delicious!

Now I am ready for Christmas! My mom and I are ushering in the season of giving by going out to face the masses on Black Friday... yikes! Hopefully we will get some great deals on gifts for one and all.

The best gift this Christmas is already obvious, however: my sister, Sarah, is having a baby in a few days. I cannot wait to hold my first niece after four delightful nephews. There is simply nothing better than a new baby to bring more joy to our family. Thanks Sarah and Josh!

Purse Thief

2009-11-25T16:16:00.000-08:00

I think my dog is trying to steal my purse.

I know that may sound absurd, but every time we are in the car, she jumps out of her seat and ducks her head through the handles of my purse. Then she tries to jump back in her seat with it. What is that? Does she think I won't notice?

Here is my real question: What does she intend to do with the money? I assume that is what she is after, although, she will disappointed with the paltry sum, should she ever succeed. I think she would blow it all on treats. She loves treats and will do almost anything for them.

I guess this just means I will need to vigilantly guard my purse against my canine robber.

Homework

2009-11-07T22:18:00.000-08:00

When I was in high school and college I got my work done on time, all the time. I was very good at budgeting my time for assignments. Now that I am an adult in grad school I have trouble with this. I waited to go back to school for quite a long time because I relished the homework free lifestyle I was leading. It has been a hard transition to jump back into doing homework. Today I had class for 6 hours (something that happens every other Saturday!) and, for the first time, I failed to turn in my homework.

Here is the thing, I could have jammed it all in last night, but it would have been a weak attempt at an assignment designed to enrich my life. So I didn't jam it in. I actually decided not to on purpose because I want the life enrichment. When I chatted with my professor today I didn't even feel guilty since I was trying to do right by the assignment. He was totally fine with it and told me I could bring it in next time we meet. I will lose 10% on the grade, but my integrity will be intact, so I think it's a bargain.

The attitude I have about school is so different now. I love it, and I also feel much more in charge of my education as a grad student. Getting grades is still a strange experience. I guess I am just glad that I now favor the education over the resulting grades.

Greek Grace!

2009-11-05T22:08:00.000-08:00

I have Greek on Thursday nights in Seattle this quarter. Every week, I head up to the Emerald City to sit in a classroom slogging through the tough task of learning a dead language for three hours. Normally, I like it a lot. But some weeks are harder than others and tonight was a doozey!

My Greek mid-term was due this evening and I spent a lot of time studying for it this week, so I was not prepared to sit and discuss Greek for three hours tonight. All of my classmates seemed to be on the same wavelength. We were tired and having a hard time focusing.

God must have heard our pleas for relief however, because the power went out about half way through class. Since it did not come back on for about 15 minutes, we were all sent home over an hour early! Don't you just love moments like that? I sure do!

Clean Office = Workaholic?

2009-11-03T22:40:00.000-08:00

I cleaned my office at work yesterday. I filed papers, dealt with finances, threw out the stuff I don't need anymore. It was glorious. Then today one of my colleagues helped me install my new desk hutch. A hutch came with my desk, but it was badly damaged after I put it to work, bowing in the middle. It had been driving me crazy for some time. I bought a new hutch from Craigslist, but i intended to use it at home. Unfortunately, the dimensions listed were wrong and it would have been about two feet too long for my home desk. So instead of feeling let down, I saw an opportunity to rid myself of the bowing hutch at work.

I loaded the hutch up then sat back and reveled in the glory of a clean, efficient office. Then I worked until 7:15 in the evening. I just really got going and it felt great! I love when no one is in the office - I just get so much done. So the lesson I learned today is that, in my life, a clean desk and work space make me a workaholic... Not so good, but I will be better at creating balance. I will, I will, I will!

Directing

2009-11-02T10:26:00.000-08:00

I love directing. I was a theatre major in college and thought it was because I loved being on stage and acting so much. Wrong! I discovered that my real love is actually for directing when I had to take a class on the subject. I thought about going into theatre professionally for a while to direct as my job... but I just don't have the passion for it that I have for ministry.

Now I have a very expensive degree that I don't get to use very often. I recently posted my feelings on this here. The great thing is, however, that I do get to direct a musical every year. This fall I am directing "It's A Wonder-Full Life" which is a children's church musical that is a total rip off of the similarly titled movie. It's actually really fun to use my degree in this way. You know how lots of these little children's church musicals are super cheesy and lame? Not the ones I direct!

When I was younger I would have been embarrassed by using my degree in this way. Now that I have more perspective on life, I just love that I get to direct! And honestly, when you remove some of the pretension from theatre, it opens up a whole new world of fun!

On Apartment Living...

2009-11-01T14:16:00.001-08:00

I have lived in an apartment for a good ten years now, with the exception of my 14 months in a house in New Jersey. I have lived in 5 apartments in four different apartment communities. Generally, it's not a bad deal. You get all the landscaping done without lifting a finger and if something goes wrong, they come fix it right away for free. Unfortunately, you also get no equity. I am not sure if this is a good thing or not, but I totalled it up and realized that in a decade I have spent $64,825 on rent to date. And that number will only continue to climb. I will never see a penny of it again. That is... well, it's sucky.

I cannot afford to buy a house at this time, however, so I will stay in my apartment and continue wasting my money. The one really hard thing for me about living in an apartment is that I always have to take Rosie out to "do her business." When we stay at my parents' home I just let her out in the backyard. She gets to run free, off-leash, and boss around the two golden retrievers in residence. She loves it and I love it!

Normally I just don't worry about this too much, but I was running late this morning and I did not have the 5-8 minutes to take my dog out. I almost didn't, which is the scary part, but I decided that it is not fair to punish Rosie for my tardiness. So I was just that much later to church.

Since beginning seminary, I feel like I have only pushed home ownership further into the distance. As in, I am now investing in my education again, thus I am incurring more debt, thus I can REALLY not afford to buy a house.

The thing is, although I have thrown this huge amount of money into the black hole of rent; although I wish I could give Rosie a back yard; although I would enjoy having a bit more space between myself and the neighbors; although I have pushed away home ownership in favor of education... I wouldn't change those things. I don't mind living in an apartment because I love the choices I have made that have gotten me here.

So while I am still a renter, at least I am a happy renter.

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T22:49:00.000-07:00

Today our church hosted a community-wide Harvest Festival and it was a roaring success! We were hoping and praying for good weather, which we really have no right to hope for since it's the end of October and we live in Western Washington, but still, pray and hope we did! And the Lord gave us a great day! It did not rain, which meant we were able to have the giant inflatable obstacle course outside and having the bouncy house outside, which we were doing weather there was rain or not, was awesome!

We had about 300 people turn up, which was the number we were shooting for, so I think all of us who planned for this day for MONTHS felt really great! My favorite part of the day was having my sister and brother-in-law, Rebecca and Robb, there with their three kids and two friends as pictured above. Running around with five little boys was a treat. It was so neat to see the festival through their eyes. They were amazed at winning a whole cake in the cake walk. They had boundless energy to run the obstacle course again and again. It was just so fun!

I was at the church at 8:45 this morning and I did not get home until 6:30 this evening, so I am bushed! It was such a wonderful day and I am glad it went so well. Now I am thrilled about the extra hour of sleep as we turn the clocks back tonight! Yippee!

Drowning

2009-10-30T23:06:00.000-07:00

Lately I feel overwhelmed by life. I knew that taking two classes a quarter would be a big adjustment, but it just feels huge. I know, two classes doesn't seem like a lot, but 3 is full time and a quarter is 10 weeks, so really it is kind of huge.

I have also been feeling really blessed with school recently. I have made several new friends and we are growing closer, which is awesome! I think when you suffer through learning Greek with people, you just share a bond!

I love my job as well. I feel so blessed to be in a church that I love, working with people that are a delight, and spending time with just the most incredible teenagers. It is all so good.

So what do you do when you feel like you are drowning a little bit in good stuff. It's still drowning...

I really need to find a system for how to manage my time differently.

Cleaning the Shelves

2009-10-20T21:38:00.000-07:00

You know what makes you want to clean off your bookshelves? A million new text books!

Tonight I started listing books for sale on Amazon that I used to hold as precious commodities never to be surrendered. Namely: theatre books. I have a small library of plays and theatre theory books that I love. I have been collecting plays since I was in college studying theatre, but now I am in grad school, studying theology and my theological books are big and take up a lot of space. Sure, I could get another bookshelf, but I don't want every wall in my apartment covered in bookshelves.

I have a method of what I do with my theological books when a class is over. I take them to my office and put them on the shelves there. But, after only a couple of classes so far, my shelves at work are bursting at the seams. And the truth is, I have had small piles of books sitting in front of the books that are actually on the shelves in my apartment for months. So tonight I said, "No More!" I picked the books on theatre theory that I no longer need because, let's face it, I am not now, nor will I ever be a theatre professional, and I listed them for sale. I didn't list any plays, just books on theory. But it feels good to be readying myself for cleaner shelves.

It also helps me feel more and more resolved in my desire to study theology. I loved my education in theatre. I really enjoyed that time in my life. But I am not disappointed that I did not follow that path. I love what I do and I am convinced that my professional life will be in the field of ministry in some form or another until I retire. Perhaps I will work in the church, perhaps for para-church organizations... I won't know until that time, but I know that I love ministry. I love having an impact on peoples' lives and helping them grow closer to God.

I will always be a well-educated fan of theatre and an advocate for the arts, but I am no longer deeply tied to that world. And that is just fine.

I did it!

2009-09-30T23:52:00.000-07:00

I really wasn't sure if I was going to actually blog every day this month, but I did! It has been fun to blog every day, but I don't think I am going to attempt it for October. I just have too much going on. I will try to keep blogging more often, however. This month has reminded me how much I like this habit of online journaling.

Tomorrow I start Greek, which totally terrifies me! Somehow, I will muddle through, but I have some serious fears about learning a language with a completely foreign alphabet. I just can't picture myself looking at those funny characters and being able to make sense of them. And so goes the tradition of theological study... One by one generations of men and women marching into classrooms and facing the terror of the original biblical languages. Of course, the cool part is that I will soon be able to read the original text of the Bible. Wow, I just cannot wait! Who knows, maybe I will love it. Maybe for me, Greek will be beautiful.

Sunny Mornings are Beautiful

2009-09-29T08:58:00.000-07:00

I love it when I get up early and the sun is streaming into my living room. We are supposed to have a typical fall day in the Northwest today, but when I woke up and walked out into the living room, it wasn't rainy and dreary outside. It was gloriously sunny! I was so surprised I re-checked the weather forecast to see if there had been some dramatic change. It still said that it is supposed to be overcast, with a high of 55 degrees, so I guess the sun is on its way out. But it is still such a great way to wake up.

Sunny mornings make me feel like the entire day is off to a good start! I am going to take the feeling and run with it! Today is BEAUTIFUL, darn it!

Oh, crap, the clouds just rolled in.

Fair Scones

2009-09-28T21:45:00.000-07:00

One of co-workers (and good friend), Trista, brought fair scones to the office today. She picked them up at the Puyallup Fair on Sunday. I haven't been to the fair here, or any fair really, in a long time. They just don't draw me in... but that scone was so good! I microwaved it for 10 seconds and it was like buttah! That and the rodeo at the fair may be enough to draw me in next year... only time will tell!

I loved the fair growing up. My dad would always make us go through the livestock barns, which I actually really loved, even though the smell was terrible. My mom wanted to go through the exhibit halls, which offers the chance to buy a bunch of crap that will end up in the garbage, but was so awesome, you just had to have it!!! I loved that too. I always wanted to go on the rides, although the Pirate Ship ride was killed for me in junior high when I saw a girl toss her cookies over the side while I was in line... Yuck.

The part of the fair everyone always agreed on was the food! Fair food is horrible - Elephant Ears, Beer Battered Fries, fried everything, barbecue meat slathered in sauce, even the scones, are all the worst possible thing for your body, but it is all so delicious! You don't even feel that guilty because, "Hey, its the fair, and it only comes once a year!" Uh huh, sure. You know if they served beer battered fries in the food court at the mall people would line up in droves.

Having that scone today brought back a lot of nostalgic memories for me! And I have to say, even if it is terrible for you, fair food is awesome... some might even say it's beautiful!

Thomas is Beautiful!

2009-09-27T23:18:00.000-07:00

While I was away this weekend, my nephew, Thomas, turned one! I cannot believe he is already a whole year old. Time flies and all that I suppose. Thomas has been a great addition to our family. Sarah and Josh, his parents, are truly amazing people. I have always looked up to both of my older sisters. I posted about Rebecca earlier this month, whom I greatly admire, as I do our sister Sarah.

Sarah has had a lot of influence in my life. I could probably blog about that for days, but I will focus on one thing in particular here: Sarah taught me how to love being single. She was a single woman until just a few years ago when she and Josh tied the knot. Sarah is independent, successful, brilliant, and generous to a fault. Just watching her as a single person taught me... everything!

When she got married and had a baby a year and half later, she entered this new phase of her life that is also wonderful. She is a great mom and it is so beautiful to see her with her son. She and Josh are so wonderful and I appreciate their presence in my life. They are so fun to be around and they delight in their child.

How did a whole year go by so quickly? I am not sure, but it has been so fun to see Thomas grow and change and start to become the curious, definitely brilliant, sweet, and loving boy that he is sure to be. Happy birthday Thomas! Aunt Hannah loves you!

The Clevelands are Beautiful!

2009-09-26T22:22:00.000-07:00

I spent the last couple of days with two of my dearest friends, Josh and Gretchen Cleveland. It was a sheer delight! I was privileged to attend their wedding this summer and to be their first house guest ever. I graduated from Whitworth with Gretchen; Josh was in the class just behind ours. These college connections go deep! Josh and I have lived in basically all the same places and worked in many of the same churches since college and he is one of the people in the world who knows me best. Gretchen and I lived in the freshman dorm together, then in the same dorm as sophomores as well. She is one of the kindest and gentlest people I know. You just feel great after spending time with her. Josh is also kind and very thoughtful. Truly, I love them both. When I was getting ready to leave today I mentioned to Josh how wonderful it is to have friends that you just know will be your friends for your entire lifetime. I treasure their friendship. Getting to spend time with them was a treat!

FAME! is Beautiful!

2009-09-25T23:36:00.000-07:00

You know when you watch a movie that is so good, but so shameful? A movie that you will deny ever seeing, but the experience of seeing it gave you a feeling of pure joy... mixed with shame at your own level of dorkdom. Perhaps it is your love of Star Trek movies. Perhaps its movies that feature Steven Segal. Perhaps its teen horror flicks. For me, its musical movies. Not Rodgers and Hammerstein movies, but terrible musicals that are awful flops. For example, I am so ashamed to admit publicly that I saw From Justin to Kelly on opening day. Go ahead, judge me. I judge myself for that one.

Tonight, however, while I am still in the glow of deep joy from the experience, I admit freely that I just saw Fame! You know what, it was great! Sure, there are plot holes and the acting is not great, but it was still a DELIGHT! Even better, I got to see it with my good friends Josh and Gretchen. I laughed so hard at one point I thought I might die, but in a good way. I loved it. And if you are a nay sayer, I defy you to see this film and not tap your toes and fight the urge to sing along. Seriously, just go. You will like. For real.

Whitworth is Beautiful!

2009-09-24T13:32:00.001-07:00

Today I get to take 5 of my students to look at Whitworth University, my alma mater! I love this trip. Its fun because I get to see some of my students who are current students, I get to encourage current kids to consider a Christian school that I love, and I get to see some of my closest friends!

I will be staying with my dear friends Josh and Gretchen, who just got married this summer. I am super excited to spend some quality time with them. I am also excited to give them their wedding gift, which was not quite ready in July when they got hitched. I made it and I know they will love it. I am not usually that confident about things I make, but I know this will have special significance for them.

Due to a happy coincidence, I will be there for Homecoming weekend, so there will be lots of people I went to school with around. It will be a preview of my 10 year reunion next fall and I am cannot wait. I am excited to just see the campus as well. It is gorgeous and there are some new buildings I haven't been in yet, so it will be fun!

Oh, it is going to be such a great few days! Whitworth is one of my favorite places in the world.

Glee is Beautiful

2009-09-23T23:21:00.001-07:00

OMG I love Glee!!!!

I feel like all of my students (at least the girls) have texted that or posted it as their Facebook status over the past few weeks. And you know what, I agree! The show is hilarious and usually features some really great music. I loved the way they used Single Ladies tonight, so funny! As a music theatre nerd, of course I like Glee...

But what I really love about the show is Jane Lynch. She plays the cheer coach bent on bringing down the glee club and she is delightfully and happily politically incorrect, mean, sassy, condescending, and supremely self-confident. She made me laugh out loud twice tonight. I have loved Jane Lynch for a long time. Every time she is a guest on a show or in a commercial or, best of all, in the cast of a movie or series, she absolutely steals the scene! She is hilarious and I am so excited that she finally has a great part on a great show!

Glee was great tonight, but then they really sweetened the deal at the end when they showed scenes from next week and Kristin Chenoweth is guest starring. I LOVE HER! If you are not watching this show, you are dumb. You can remedy that easily by tuning in next week! It is beautiful and...

OMG I love Glee!!!!

Choral Singing is So Beautiful

2009-09-22T21:40:00.001-07:00

I love to sing. I have been privileged to sing with several really excellent choirs over the years. I like the challenge of making a beautiful noise all together, at the same time. I really feel in love with choral singing in college. I didn't get into the choir my freshman year, which broke my heart, but taught me to really appreciate my time in the Whitworth Choir for the follow three years that I did get in.

We sang some of the most beautiful music I have ever heard in college. Without a doubt, my favorite piece that we sang was by my favorite choral composer, John Rutter. My Sophomore year we sang his Gloria at Christmas. It is incomparably beautiful. Even now, when I listen to recordings of Gloria, I cannot help but sing along and be affected by the words and music.

After college, I have been in one or two groups, but it wasn't until I moved to Tacoma that I found the perfect match; a group called the Sacred Music Chorale. I have sung with the chorale for a few seasons now and I fully intended to sing with them again this year. I went to the first rehearsal and the music is just incredible this season. Then the reality of what my life will look like this fall set in. In addition to my work, I will be taking 2 classes a quarter at Fuller. A quarter is only 10 weeks, so there is a lot of learning that gets shoved into that time. To add to the commitment, I am beginning the Biblical languages cycle, so I will be learning Greek this fall. As I realized how much time these classes are going to occupy in my life (and it is time I want to spend) I knew that I had to give up the Chorale. I am so sad to not have the opportunity to sing with a group this fall, but I know it is the right decision.

In the meantime, however, I have been listening to a lot of choral music. Really, it is beautiful.

Job Satisfaction is Beautiful

2009-09-21T21:55:00.001-07:00

I have been at my current church for a little over three years now and I still love it! In November of this year, it will officially become the church I have worked at longest.

Tonight we had high school youth group and there were TONS of kids there, which was great! I incorporated a story about a gift my parents gave me a couple of Christmases ago into my lesson and brought that gift along. It is an immersion blender and I made a strawberry milkshake during my talk, which made students' mouths water, so after the lesson I told them I would gladly make them one if they got in line. I think I made almost 50 milkshakes tonight and I loved every second of it.

It is so satisfying to wake up in the morning and be excited to go to work. I enjoy my time in the office, I love the people I work with, my volunteers are the best, and I cannot get enough of hanging out with teenagers. They are simply amazing! Seriously, when you have a job that you love, life really is beautiful.

Neil Patrick Harris is Beautiful!

2009-09-20T23:10:00.000-07:00

Tonight I was so happy with Neil Patrick Harris as the host of the Emmys! Last year the Academy made the worst decision ever to have the show hosted by all 5 reality show hosts nominated for "best host." It stank worse than the year Fox decided theatre in the round would be a good plan (which wasn't). For that reason, I really loved that Jeff Probst, Survivor host and Emmy winner tonight, publicly owned the terribleness of last year by congratulating Harris during his acceptance speech.

Of course there were the requisite Kanye West gibes and boring acceptance speeches, but by having NPH on stage most of the time, actually utilizing him as a host, the show achieved something it has been missing for a few years: a pleasantly entertaining cohesive evening of fun. So good job Neil! I hope to see you doing this again!

Beautiful Sense of Accomplishment

2009-09-19T17:47:00.000-07:00

If you read the previous post, you know that I just finished a beast of a term paper. Now I have also completed the take home final, mailed both off to my professor and am officially done with "New Testament 2!" It was a good class, but writing a research paper takes a lot out of me. It is just so so so much work! There is a lot of reading to do, then you have to make sense of all that research running around in your brain, then you have to somehow narrow it down to one cohesive paper that will, fingers crossed, be good enough to merit a passing grade. The picture above is how I accomplished this feat. It is my set up of items required to complete a paper.

Item One: The card table set up behind my desk. I would not be able to see my computer if I had to keep all of the research material on the desk. It is also helpful in that I do not get overwhelmed with books that I need to quote all at once since they are behind me as I write.

Item Two: iPod and Speaker! I do my best research and writing when I have quality classical and instrumental music in the background. It muffles the normal "apartment community" noises and makes me feel smarter...

Item Three: The books! There are 17 featured in this picture. I did not use all of them as quoted sources, but each one of them helped me in some way, whether it was knowing what not to include, researching the era of the New Testament or commentaries on Ephesians, they all helped me get what I wanted to say on paper.

Now, with the exception of my Bible, I am excited to return most of these books to the library or find a place for them on my shelves! The Bible I will keep out for personal use.

I really do feel great that it is all over and done with. I have about 10 days until the Fall term begins and I start this cycle all over again. Perhaps this time I will be more on top of things. Greek 1, here I come!

Bride of Christ

2009-09-18T23:59:00.001-07:00

For the past few days I have been drowning in research and writing. The summer term ended today and I am glad to have now finished my paper! Here is an excerpt of the term paper I have been writing on Paul's metaphor of the Church as the Bride of Christ:

"The application of Ephesians 5:21-33 today should be no less profound than it was for the Greco-Roman recipients who originally read it in the first century. As with readers of that time, a surface perusal of the text may seem strange at first. The reason for the reaction now, however, has flipped from first century. No longer would a call for husbands to love their wives be considered out of the ordinary. Instead, the first question for members of Western societies is likely to be “Are twenty-first century women really supposed to submit to their husbands?” Once again, we must look to the context of the Ephesians passage for the best interpretation. In this case, verse 21 is imperative for understanding. Only in an atmosphere of mutual submission and love for one another can both spouses enter into the roles to which Paul still calls them. Modern day submission does not have to be the same as what it was in the first century. Likewise, the way a husband expresses love for his wife will probably look very different today. The bottom line for contemporary spouses, however, remains the same; mutual submission to one another will lead to a stronger relationship that will be a modern day picture of the gospel mystery of God’s love for his people."

Indeed, the way that God uses marriage as an example of the way he loves and is devoted to us and the way that we are to love him in return really is beautiful.

Rosie is Beautiful

2009-09-17T19:50:00.001-07:00

For the past eight and a half years I have had a loyal companion in my dog, Rosie. She is a Cocker Spaniel and the best dog ever. Although she has her quirks and weaknesses (I think I might go broke on carpet cleaners...) she is a sweet dog and I am so glad I chose her.

I wasn't really planning on adopting a dog the day I walked in to King County Animal Control's Eastside Adoption Center in Bellevue. It was a dumb time for me to get a dog. I was interviewing for a job in Texas, lived in a restrictive pet community, and worked constantly. I should not have decided to get a pet at that time... but she looked so scared in that little cage, sitting all properly right at the gate, unlike the other dogs jumping up and barking on their doors... I just knew she was the dog for me.

Years later, I know I was right and I am glad for that moment of insanity when I thought, "Sure, now is a great time to get a dog!" She has moved with me to Texas, New Jersey, and back home to Washington, so I have put her through several climate changes. I have made her ride in a car for days at a time during those moves as well.

The vet estimated her age at 2 years when I got her, so she is a little old lady now. She hardly acts like it, though, jumping up and down and panting like crazy when I walk in the door every day. I suppose I do catch her taking more naps more often now than she used to take.

She just got groomed today and I really like the way they did it this time. I was more specific about what I wanted and, as you can see above, she is just adorable!

Travel is Beautiful

2009-09-16T23:55:00.001-07:00

I love to travel and lately I have felt the travel bug kick into high gear. Maybe I just want a vacation. In any case, I can't afford to travel right now, my finances and busy life make it impossible for the moment. But if I could take any trip I wanted, with money not being an object, here is what I would do:

I would take a two week vacation in the British Isles. I would spend 4-5 days in London, would travel around the beautiful English countryside for a few days, would head over to Ireland and tour around the country, then I would finish with a few days in Dublin. I have never been to Europe and would really like to go. Perhaps someday... until then, I will just keep dreaming.

Meta-Blog (In Which I Blog About Blogging)

2009-09-15T21:15:00.000-07:00

Look to the end of the right column on my blog and you will see that this is my fourth year as a blogger. You will also see that I was a much more prolific in my first year of blogging. A lot happened in my life in 2006. I got to live with Ashley in New Jersey for the first 6 months which cemented a friendship that I hold dear. I left New Jersey for Washington in August after spending several month seeking out a new church and going through a million and one interviews. I moved from a house in Jersey to an apartment in Tacoma. It was a big year for me.

Not that my life isn't full and a little crazy here and now. With my job (that I still love) and school (which is a good challenge that I think I love) I have a lot going on. But it has become harder to find things I want to write about. When I first started blogging, I thought in terms of "this would be a great story to post on my blog." Now I have gotten out of that habit.

Needless to say, blogging every day this month has been a good challenge for me. I like the theme of "Beautiful." It makes me seek out beauty every day. For example, the skies were totally beautiful today with just a few clouds and the bright sunshine. I also find that I think about my life with more introspection when I am blogging. Today, for example, I saw the beauty of team work in my life during our staff meeting. I realized that I really enjoy going to staff meeting and connecting with my colleagues.

All of that has pointed out to me that blogging is actually good for me. Although, who knows if I will keep it up once September is over... I guess I will just wait and see how I am feeling. In the meantime, for today, blogging is beautiful.

Reducing Debt IS Beautiful

2009-09-14T23:23:00.001-07:00

I have been working to rid myself of debt for about 4 years now. Every month I pay an unholy amount of money to credit card companies - more than my car payment - and I have been doing that for... oh, forever it seems like. Yes, I had that much debt.

Then, today I got a lovely gift in the mail - my biggest credit card bill. I say it was a gift because I have worked hard at getting that bill to the point where it is. My payments are taken out electronically every month, so I am not always good at keeping up with how close I am getting. Here is the thing - when I looked at the balance I felt like I was seeing light at the end of what has felt like a very long and depressing tunnel.

Let's face it - debt sucks. It is a cavernous pit and to escape it takes a lot of sacrifice. My dad always encourages me that I am actually doing something great and this time of paying off debt will end, but it just hasn't felt that way. Now it does, and I am finally able to say that reducing debt is beautiful!

Rebecca is Beautiful

2009-09-13T23:31:00.000-07:00

Today is my sister Rebecca's birthday (pictured on the far right). She is my middle sister and she truly is beautiful. I am not sure when we began thinking of one another by these titles, but my sisters and I all have designations: Sarah is the Smart One, I am Talented One, and Rebecca is the Pretty One. Of course, these are totally ridiculous definitions and each of us is much more than the title. In fact, all of us are smart and talented and pretty (as you can tell from this picture)... but Rebecca, or Reba as we call her, is very beautiful.

The thing that make her so beautiful is that she is an incredible person. She is a devoted mother, an entrepreneur, kind-hearted, and really funny. I have always looked up to her.

Happy Birthday Reba!

Beautiful Song

2009-09-12T23:03:00.000-07:00

I don't blog about theatre all that often, but I sure do listen to show tunes a lot. Generally, I like the songs from shows I have been in or shows that I have seen on Broadway best. Lots of the music is quirky and fun, but usually each musical has a showstopper that is just the best. Today, I decided to write about and post one of my very favorite songs.

The Light in the Piazza is a strange little show, but I loved it. It's about a girl who travels to Italy with her mother and falls in love with a local while there. Her mother tries to remove her from this man and they fight in the scene that leads up to the showstopper. I remember sitting in the theatre in Lincoln Center and getting chills when Kelli O'Hara performed this piece. Listen to it and tell me if it's not one of the most beautiful songs you have ever heard.

If you can't get it to load properly, you can view it here.

Heroes are Beautiful

2009-09-11T23:45:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe that 8 years have gone by since 9/11.

I lived in Austin, Texas in 2001 and was headed to the office for an early staff meeting. Instead of a meeting, we sat in horror around TVs and watched the coverage as the second plane struck, the towers fell, and the Pentagon was hit. We discussed how we would respond and quickly planned a prayer gathering for that evening - which was packed, as you can imagine. There was very little that was beautiful about that day, but one thing that has always struck me since is the heroic acts of the police, the firefighters, and civilians who helped people escape with their lives and recovered the remains of victims for weeks.

In the face of such horror, their courage and dignity was beautiful.

Church of All Nations = Beautiful

2009-09-10T21:35:00.000-07:00

In the summer of 1997 I went to Israel and Egypt for two weeks with my home church. My dad was the tour leader, so my mom and I got to go, and I got to bring my roommate from Whitworth, Lora. It was one of the best trips of my life.

Churches now stand on most holy sites. So when you go to Bethlehem, for example, there is a church celebrating the Nativity. In Jerusalem, there are countless churches standing on different "holy sites." Some of these churches thrive on the tourist trade and are clearly more about superstition than worship. I tried not to let that discourage me as we wandered through them. There are also some churches that will take your breath away and the Church of All Nations is my favorite.

The church sits at the site of the Garden of Gethsemane, so it is not commemorating a particularly happy moment in the story of Jesus, but that is what makes it so beautiful. The windows are made with tinted alabaster, which you can see in the picture, and it creates a very dark quiet setting, which is appropriate. During our two week trip we visited a lot of churches, but I loved this one the most. It just created the best atmosphere for worship and I loved praying in the dim sanctuary. It truly is an incredibly beautiful work of art.

America the Beautiful?

2009-09-09T23:01:00.000-07:00

Tonight I watched most of President Obama's address to congress about health care reform. He is so very articulate and I appreciated the way that he addressed the issue. He helped me understand what I can expect from this reform. I do not have strong feelings about this bill, either way, but I understand that many people do.

I was kind of entertained, but mostly horrified at the way that some of the people were acting during the address. One person yelled out "Lie!" after Obama made a point about illegal immigrants and their role in this bill. Just shocking. Here is the PRESIDENT of the country, addressing not only congress, but the nation as well, and that person had to voice their opinion? Wow. I mean, can we not respect the man who is running the country? Even if you disagree with him, to yell out like that on such a public stage was just rude.

I like the idea of healthy debate and really discussing the issues, but I don't like how much power lobbyists have in our government. I really hope the merits of this bill are discussed, rather than political maneuvers taking over the debate until it comes before congress for a vote. I can dream, right?

When you really think about it, having healthy debate on issues before they are set into law is beautiful. Let's just hope that can happen this time.

Beautiful Verse

2009-09-08T23:04:00.000-07:00

Here is my favorite Scripture:
Psalm 121

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?

2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;

4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;

8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

It always brings me peace and I love the flow of the poetry. Isn't it beautiful?

Beautiful Mess

2009-09-07T23:12:00.000-07:00

I am hosting a group of teenagers for a meeting at my apartment tomorrow evening (along with another leader, of course). I invite kids into my home because I know they really like to come over. When I was a teenager I felt super cool to be invited to my youth pastor's home. Now, as the youth director, I think its kind of funny that kids want to come over to my home. Sometimes things just look so different when you are on the other side...

Anyhow, tonight I am contemplating my own stupidity, as my apartment is a total mess. I will have a very busy day tomorrow as I prepare for our time together. It will be worth it, however, when the kids are all gathered around and we are laughing together. And then I will have the added benefit of a CLEAN home when they leave!

That will be beautiful.

Family is Beautiful

2009-09-06T16:33:00.000-07:00

Today I get to attend an unexpected birthday party! My nephew Jacob turned 10 years old yesterday (which boggles my mind!). His family took him camping for the weekend, but they got rained out, so they are on their way home and we are having a family birthday dinner at my parents' house. I was headed over to their house today anyway, so the timing is perfect.

Jacob is awesome guy. He is very unique and is one of the smartest kids alive. Jacob is passionate and really creative. He can make the most amazing things using only paper and scissors. He is totally captivated by the band Coldplay and refers to the main singer, Chris Martin, as though he is one Jacob's closest friends... which in a way is true. In fact, my sister Sarah and Jacob's mom, my other sister, Rebecca, took Jacob to see the band at the Gorge this summer. I have never been to a concert at the Gorge, though I have always wanted to, and my 10 year old nephew has. I am not envious of him, however, as I know that he appreciated it more than I ever could.

I feel blessed to know Jacob. I count myself doubly blessed to be his aunt. Happy Birthday Buddy!

You are part of what makes my life beautiful!

Beautiful New Flooring

2009-09-05T20:24:00.000-07:00

I love my apartment manager!

I know, that seems like a crazy statement, but it is so true! In the past few month, we got a new manager and a new head of maintenance at my apartment complex and I love them! The place looks better than ever and I am glad to call it home.

Here is why I love them. If you read my blog, you know that they ripped out and installed a new bathtub/shower recently. Sure, it took them a while, but it is done and now I don't have to worry about suddenly falling through the floor into my downstairs neighbor's apartment in the middle of a bath or shower. And I needed a new tub for over a year, but the old manager just wanted to make what I had work (which it never did!). Then, the new management comes in and *poof* new bathtub.

Only one problem remained.... The new tub is a little more narrow than the old, so the vinyl flooring in the bathroom was about a half inch shy of meeting the tub and there was a gap where the sub flooring was visible. I have been meaning to talk with the manager about this or to call maintenance, but I just have not had time. So I told my manager, Kim, on Wednesday evening when I was in the office paying my rent. Do you know what she did?!?! She sat right down and filled out an order to have the flooring replaced on Friday (a mere 36 hours later). And just to be sure all the vinyl in the apartment matched and was up to snuff, she decided to have it replaced in the entry and the kitchen as well!

Sure, its vinyl, so its not the best flooring ever, but it was done with such efficiency and it really does look nice. I was only in the office for maybe five minutes and she had faxed off the order! I mean, they are good here! I love it!

And I am not ashamed to say that my VINYL is BEAUTIFUL!

The Bathroom

Look - no gap!

The Kitchen (with a special guest appearance from Rosie)

The Entry Way

And, as you can see, they did fix the drywall in the bathroom!

Beautiful Toes

2009-09-04T22:47:00.000-07:00

Today I tried out at new nail place that was recommended to me by my hairdresser. She said they do amazing pedicures for an unbelievable price (about $10 less than I was used to paying). You know I love a bargain, so I wanted to check it out.

I went with my friends Kathy and Trista. We had a great time! Included in the basic spa pedicure was a paraffin wax treatment, 15 minute calf and foot massage, and of course the pedicure. And the chairs were really amazing.

Have you ever had a pedicure? Seriously, you should go just to sit in the massage chairs. They could charge people simply for the joy of sitting in one of these bad boys. This one was very high tech and even included, ahem, a seat massage... I opted out of that. It was just too weird trying to relax my legs and feet while my bum was... fondled... by the chair. Once I figured out how to turn that feature off, everything was great! It was delightful!

And now my toes are beautiful!

Seahawks are Beautiful!

2009-09-03T23:34:00.000-07:00

Tonight I got to go to the last preseason football game between the Seahawks and the Raiders. The Seahawks beat the pants off the Raiders and it was blast. They also sealed up an UNDEFEATED preseason! This was the second game I got to see this year at Qwest Field.

Before you get all jealous, let me just say that I only get to go because of the generosity of my sister and brother-in-law who are now proud season ticket holders. They decided to sign up for four tickets so that they can always bring friends... how cool is that?

Really, that is just a true picture of who they are. They know how much their friends and family love to go to games, so they provided a way for all of us to have that experience together. Without a doubt, Sarah and Josh are people who have such giving hearts.

And that really is beautiful.

Starbucks is Beautiful

2009-09-02T17:48:00.000-07:00

This morning I had coffee with a student at my local Starbucks. She is leaving for college tomorrow, so we got together to chat and pray before she starts this new phase in her life.

Today was also the first day of school for the majority of my students.

When I walked in to the shop I greeted my student (who already had her coffee) and headed to the bar to order my drink. It was there that I ran into a good friend whose kids started school today. She told me how hectic the morning had been going. As we were chatting another mom that we know popped in and I just laughed. She said there were a few more on their way to meet her for a morning coffee and celebration.

It was a true sign that they had survived another summer and it was the first day of school!

Beautiful.

Theme: Beautiful

2009-09-01T23:14:00.000-07:00

Once or twice I have joined in on National Blog Posting Month. It always happens in November and I had great fun when I did it... But it's really hard to post every day. Some days I simply don't have anything to say and I don't want to just put more noise up on the Internet.

Well, about a year or so ago, NaBloPoMo went a little crazy and started having the blog posting month EVERY MONTH! I have not joined in, but one thing I like is that they now have themes. I am not committing to this, but September's theme is "Beautiful." And, just like it is designed to do, that got me thinking...

Recently, a woman came in to the office after almost everyone had left. She was not a member of our church and did not know anyone. Because I respect her, I will not get very specific here, so please forgive me. Here is what happened:

She walked in and called out a shaky, "Hello?"

I walked out to meet her and was greeted with... despair. That is all I can come up with - she was a picture of despair. She brokenly asked for the pastor.

I brought her over to our pastor and she told her story. Our pastor was the picture of grace and compassion - basically a portrait of Jesus. He listened to her, was very gentle, and made plans for following up.

Though this woman came in to a church not knowing anyone, I am pretty sure she left feeling loved and cared for and heard.

It was a privilege to witness. And it was beautiful.

Change...

2009-08-19T19:16:00.000-07:00

Normally I think of myself as someone who handles change well. I don't cry over it and make all kinds of drama... but when the changes need to happen within myself, I find it pretty darn scary.

Very soon I will apply to become an Inquirer, which is the first step toward ordination in the PC(USA). I have had lots of friends go through this process and I thought the hardest part would be taking the Ordination Exams, which seem pretty terrifying by all accounts. However, as I read over the process of working with the CPM (that's the Committee on Preparation for Ministry), I felt suddenly very intimidated. There seems to be a lot of "to do" over the candidate - meetings, evaluations, meetings, forms, meetings, examinations, etc. In the end, a lot of people will be involved in the "evaluation of Hannah" and whether or not I am called to be a "minister of Word and Sacrament." Yikes!

I feel like a lot of work will happen within me over the course of seminary and ordination and I find myself suddenly a little gun shy about the whole thing. I know that there is a lot of time built in to evaluate how you are feeling called, and that is comforting, but it just seems like a process where I will need to be super self confident and I have never been very good at getting constructive criticism. I am also feeling unsure of whether or not I want all that change to happen. Will it help me grow or will it be a catalyst for frustration? I just don't know.

I suppose all I can do is take it one step at a time and trust that God will be with me in the process. But it is still pretty darn hard.

Commuting is THE DEVIL

2009-08-15T21:08:00.000-07:00

Dear Washington State Ferries,

You stink! When I am riding one of you, I find it quite enjoyable, but when I am driving to your main terminal around 5 in the evening on a weeknight, I DO NOT ENJOY IT.

Last night you gave me an hour of stress, heartache, and frustration as I tried to make a boat - a boat I left in plenty of time to make, and then I had to endure the indignity of watching the boat float away while you kept me trapped in line at the entrance booths. This was an hour I could have been using to drive to Bremerton ahead of the traffic. Instead, I got to drive in the thick of Friday night traffic.

I did not appreciate it and I expect your apology soon. Otherwise, we may have to break-up. Think about it.

Your spurned customer,
Hannah

My Other Blog...

2009-08-13T22:55:00.000-07:00

Confession: I have two blogs.

Before you judge me for being all split-personality, let me explain. The other blog is new and I am not the only contributor. Here is how it came about...

My friend Katie recently told me about her high school ministry's mission blog. They brought a laptop computer with them and blogged every day while on their trip. She told me how the parents all loved it and the kids got really into posting... so I stole the idea. This is something we do a lot of in youth ministry- stealing. We keep our ears to the ground and when we hear good ideas, we take them and, fairly often, claim them as our own.

Anyhow, I thought this idea was brilliant! A blog that we could post pictures on and have kids write on while in New Orleans! We could even tell other church members about it and they could see it too! You see how there were lots of positives... So I started a mission blog. It was a lot of fun to keep and some of the posts by kids are just awe inspiring. I highly recommend this one. So if you have a moment and you want to see what I do (and get an idea of why I love it so much) check out our mission blog!

www.mvpcyouthmission.blogspot.com.

Is She on Drugs?

2009-07-24T10:17:00.000-07:00

It's no secret that I am a big fan of the Twilight Series. I love the books and I loved the first movie. I think the casting choices are great, except that I cannot stand how AWKWARD Kristin Stewart, who plays the main character, is. At first, I didn't really mind it, but it seems to be getting worse as she becomes more famous for this role. Its like she cannot stand still and is shocked the reporters want to ask her questions about the movie... um, that's your job Kristin.

But now she has taken to a whole new level and I am forced to ask - is she on drugs? I mean seriously, what the heck is up with her in this interview? You don't have to watch the whole thing, but just check out a few seconds and you will see what I mean...

Well who knows, maybe she is just such a great actress that becoming the Queen of Awkward is something she is intentionally doing.

PS - she is making a Joan Jett biopic, which is why her hair is now a fugly mullet, so we must forgive her for that.

Grr...hrmph...ack... the bathroom.

2009-07-11T23:46:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, there have been many issues with my bathtub this year. Usually I am someone who loves renting because all the maintenance and landscaping is done well and is included in the rent. The only time I get really frustrated is when I feel powerless. The trade-off for all that maintenance work is that I have no control over what they do. Here is the story of why that is frustrating:

Several months ago I noticed a small 2 inch surface crack on the bottom of my bathtub. I called it in and they came to take a look. Nothing was done and I was told it wasn't a problem. In order to not write an entire novel of a post, let me just say that 6 months, 5 maintenance visits, and several showers that leaked into my downstairs neighbors' apartment later, they have finally decided the tub is irreparable and must be replaced. They tried various cheaper methods throughout the 6 months, but none of them panned out and by the end of my tub's days, that little insignificant crack had become a huge 8 inch money pit.

Two weeks ago I was asked to stop using my shower. They gave me the key to the "guest suite" where they house you when your apartment has to have major work done. It is not so nice, so I opted to live at home, and drive over (because it was too far to walk) to the suite for my shower every day. Then, miracle of miracles, they ripped out my old tub on Wednesday. I came home and there was just nothing there but drywall and cement flooring. The installers were scheduled to come on Thursday, which they did and installed my new tub...

After ripping out a lot of drywall and leaving about a 5 inch gap of bare studs all around the tub. Maintenance came first thing Friday and they were unhappy with the installers, to say the least. They put some truly lovely heavy-duty plastic and duct tape up so that the shower is now usable. They say the drywall will be fixed on Monday and completed for sure by Tuesday... I think I might believe them, actually. Its either that, or I just can't bear the thought of this for much longer:

Texas-isms

2009-07-07T23:35:00.000-07:00

I have recently begun to miss some of my favorite Texasisms. Most people from anywhere other than Texas are mystified by the huge state pride that all Texans possess. Maybe you think I am exaggerating. I am not. Every. Single. Texan believes that they live in the very best state and that everyone else is jealous. I kind of love that Texan Pride. But what I really love are the phrases that Texans use (and they are serious - so don't you dare laugh).

Here are my top four favorites. I highly recommend you begin slipping these into your vernacular:

Right Quick - Example: "I just need to finish this note right quick and then I'll be ready."

Fixing To - Example: "Whatcha doin'?" "I was just fixing to go to the store."

Y'all - Just the best word ever. "All Y'all" can be used when addressing a large crowd, but is to be used sparingly and only after you have been saying y'all for at least a year.

Howdy - What a great greeting!

Come on now, you know you want to try those babies out!

Youth Speak

2009-07-06T20:21:00.000-07:00

I work with teenagers and if you have ever read my blog, you know I love my job! Today I took two girls who are about to be high schoolers (and puh-lease do not call them middle schoolers or junior highers! Obviously!) to see a movie and then to dinner. It was a great time. These two girls are very sassy and they make me laugh really hard! You cannot imagine the conversations and questions 14 year olds come up with. Here was my favorite interaction today:

Driving in the car...
R: Where's the letters?
Me: What?
R: The letters that tell you how to drive. And what the heck is this thing? What's going on here?
Me: Oh, this car is a standard, or stick, you are talking about an automatic. In this car, I am changing the gears. You don't put it in drive like an automatic - you actually manually drive the car. This is the gear shift.
R: What? You are making this up. How do you put it in park?
Me: You don't. You just stop and put on the brake.
R: No you don't. That is dangerous. You are lying, Hannah.

Yes, that is me. Out to corrupt the youth of today by introducing them to deceitful concepts like manually driven vehicles.

Black Thumb

2009-07-03T10:43:00.000-07:00

Our new Associate Pastor is starting soon and to get ready for his arrival, a sweet group of ladies came in and painted his office and spruced it up with a very lovely plant on his desk and live tree in the corner. No one presented me with living vegetation when I started at the church, but I have to say I am grateful for it! They did a lot of wonderful things to welcome me, not the least of which was providing 10 high school boys to unload my moving truck!

The reason I am glad that no one gave me a living plant is because, and its time the Internet knew, I am a plant murderer. Its not that I don't like plants - I do! I even like indoor plants and enjoy the aesthetic they give a space. I just have no ability to keep them alive. Either I forget to water them or I over water them. Sometimes I put them in the wrong light. Sometimes they die of fear, having discovered that I am a plant murderer... All I know is that I have NEVER, not once, been able to keep a potted plant alive.

When I lived in Austin I decided it would be nice to have a deck garden. I bought a book on potted plant gardens. I had a friend with gardening expertise come and help me purchase and pot a whole slew of plants. Then I killed them all. One by one, they slowly died from neglect, heat exhaustion, over watering, and who knows what other ailments... It was very sad. And a huge waste of money.

My sister Rebecca is a great gardener. Her front lawn is always green and she has trees and flowers and tomato plants, and great big potted plants along the walk. Its beautiful. And I have no idea how she does it! We were recently talking about this and she very wisely suggested that when I make the leap into home ownership I should go somewhere with HOA fees that cover lawn and garden care. Indeed.

Meanwhile, consider yourself warned. If you ever feel the need to give me plant life, make sure it comes in a vase, not a pot. And if you need someone to come and water the plants while you are away - you should not ask me unless you have a vendetta against your greenery.

Summer Cleaning

2009-06-29T00:02:00.001-07:00

Summers for a professional youth worker are a strange time. While other ministry areas seem to be in their slow season, youth ministry (and children's ministry, for that matter) kick into high gear with big trips, summer youth group, and tons of opportunity to hang out with kids who are no longer tied down in school all day.

As an extrovert, I tend to come away from spending time with people full of energy! When an event ends, I come home and buzz around my home for at least 2-3 hours just looking for ways to expend energy. Even if I'm tired, I still have to burn off some energy before I can sleep. It has taken me several years to notice this, but I have come to believe that even though I am busier than ever at work in the summer, this is why I end up being so productive on the home front at the same time.

For example, we just returned from our first summer trip and I have spent the last two days completely doing all of my laundry, cleaning the apartment, and I have read two complete books. That is just in 48 hours. This afternoon I organized my cds - a task that has needed to take place for months and is now done. I even weeded out the ones I no longer listen to and listed them on Amazon. I have also caught up on the shows I normally watch. It is crazy!

Thankfully, I enjoy these energy bursts. They tire me out, help me get back to a healthy sleep schedule and are generally refreshing. Plus, who doesn't like the benefit of a nice clean home? Right now, however, the day has been delightfully productive and I am ready to sleep! What knows what tomorrow's energy might bring!

Enter the Obsession

2009-06-15T08:33:00.000-07:00

My friend, Jeannie Huskisson has spent the last week reading the Twilight series! Ha ha, success!

I tried to get Jeannie to read these books last summer, mostly to peeve my intern Travis (Jeannie's fiance at the time, and now her husband). Don't get me wrong, I knew she would love them, but my motivation for getting her to read the series was not as pure as that. You see, there was a war among the students in my ministry over these books last summer. Basically, it was as simple as an elementary schoolyard "boys are dumb, girls are stupid" argument based wholly on the fact that the boys didn't like the books because of how much the girls loved the books. We tried, unsuccessfully at the time, to get Jeannie to read them, but she stood by her man and refused. Until now! I will say it again, ha ha!

One of my favorite things about Jeannie is how avid a blogger she has become. She blogs at least once a day and it is such a fun read! But for a week now, she has not posted a single word. I had gotten a little worried until she confessed her Twilight addiction on their blog today. She blames me for it and I have to say, I am PROUD to take that blame! Jeannie, welcome to the world of Twilight! I can't wait to discuss the series with you!

Macabre

2009-06-11T08:47:00.000-07:00

As I was checking my e-mail and reading some blogs this morning, a little spider suddenly appeared on my computer. He was a fairly small little guy, so I wasn't freaked out. He did a happy dance around the edge of the monitor and even crawled onto the screen at one point. I wish I'd had my camera ready when he was on the screen itself, but I am glad I am least caught him while he was on the computer at all. Apparently he didn't think of himself as photogenic because the minute I took a picture of him he ran away.

Ugh

2009-05-23T14:07:00.000-07:00

Dear Television Network Execs,

You know, I don't even work in your industry, but I am pretty sure I could do your job better than you. Here are my main two complaints about how lame you are:

Complaint One: Cliffhangers
I remember the good old days when a television season would end and everything was all wrapped up nice and tight. Story lines were completed and we were left to wonder what would happen next, but in a really nice, what-more-could-the-lives-of-these-characters-hold kind of way. That always made me want to keep watching the show in question. For real, it did.

I remind you of this because you seem to think that viewers will not return to shows if they are not left with life or death cliffhangers that have not been resolved! Rest assured, we will return - I am talking to you, Grey's Anatomy.

And with so much media attention, we already know the way that these so-called cliffhangers are going to resolve. We know T.R. Knight is leaving, so just let him die already. Clearly, Katherine Heigl is still on the fence, so you left her hanging in the balance to give her time to decide. Guess what, that is SO ANNOYING. Oh, and while I am on this topic, having Meredith and Derek say they are married doesn't count. Seriously, what a freaking cop out!

I am just tired of cliffhangers. They bore me and bother me. At the end of a two hour show, the reward should be an actual finish. What would American Idol be like if at the end of the finale, instead of naming the new Idol, Seacrest said, "And the winner of American Idol Season 8... will be announced next January at the beginning of Season 9!" It would be lame. LAME. Which is exactly what your cliffhangers are - lame. Which brings me to my next complaint...

Complaint Two: Premature Cancellations
Sometimes it takes time for a show to find its audience. Apparently this is something you have forgotten because you love to cancel shows after a few episodes or just one season. This problem is only made worse when you use the aforementioned cliffhangers and then never bring the show back. We are left to wonder what in the world happened to our characters, but we will never know because YOU TOOK THE SHOW AWAY! LAME! This has happened far too often lately (Kyle XY, The Sarah Connor Chronicles). Quit it! Let these shows live for a while! I mean, sometimes you replace them with the stupidest shows ever. It doesn't last long, though, because you cancel those shows as well... Its an ugly cycle which you are perpetuating.

And if you think I am wrong, let me just remind you that you almost cancelled Seinfeld after its first season. You didn't really get it and thought it wasn't going to be a success. Yeah, well, it was and its a good thing it aired in the early 90s or you would have yanked it after just one episode.

So, in summary, quit being so cliffhanger and cancellation happy. We don't like it.

Sincerely, Hannah

Awake

2009-05-16T14:50:00.000-07:00

Last night was our annual High School All Nighter. We had 32 kids come to the church to stay up all night long and party like crazy (without alcohol and all that bad stuff...). It was a big hit.

Then I came home and crashed. This is a day I am deeply grateful for being single because it means that I can just turn off the phone, close all the drapes and sleep peacefully. None of my volunteers have this luxury and I don't know how they do it. I mean, I am sure they sleep, but seriously, most of them have to get up after only an hour or so and contend with the needs of their families. I, on the other hand, have to set an alarm so I don't sleep all day long and completely ruin my sleep schedule.

I really have it down to a science. I do at least 2 all nighters a year, so I have little traditions that I follow. Usually I get home and take a quick shower to wash off the grime of being awake for 24 or more hours. Which, by the way, if you have never been up for an entire day, you should just know that by the end you will be really grodey. Then I hop in bed in my jammies and sleep for absolutely no more than four hours. The best part of an all nighter recovery day is hanging out in my pj's for most of the afternoon once I am up. For example, its 3 pm now and I am in my jams. I try really hard to make no plans for the recovery day and then I am usually good to go, having recovered pretty fully.

So here is a picture of me that one of my volunteers caught last night at about 2 am while we were at the bowling alley. You can see that the fatigue is starting to hit me. I will have you know, however, that I always stay up the whole night! Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go and recover some more...

We Get It Already! Sheesh!

2009-05-07T00:53:00.000-07:00

Dear Verizon Wireless,

You know that commercial you keep airing to advertise your "Friends and Family" Plan? The one with the 10 ice cream sprinkles and the big jar of sprinkles that gets dumped on the tiny little ice cream scoop to illustrate how awesome your plan is? Yeah, you know the one I am talking about. Well, on behalf of the Internet, I just want to let you know, WE GET IT, okay?

I am telling you this because that commercial is so very irritating and we are ready for you to take it off the air. The man and woman in it are strangely matched - she seems to be very insistent on repeating the plan to your "Verizon Guy" and the man just seems like a child ready to make a big mess, which is strange, since there is a child with them, but she doesn't get to take the child-like action of dumping out the jar of sprinkles. And also, WHO PUTS TEN SPRINKLES ON ICE CREAM? WHO? The scoop of ice cream really gets a raw deal in this ad, as you insist on leaving it practically naked with only ten sprinkles, then you drown in into oblivion with the whole jar dumping thing.

As a side note, you should fire the person who told you that tuba music is cool. It isn't. The tuba tooting background music only makes me want to turn the channel that much faster.

I understand your friends and family plan. It doesn't make me want to jump up and join Verizon any faster. If anything, it makes me think that all the money I would be paying for my plan is going to really lame advertisements. So, please, have mercy on us and rid us of the nuisance of that commercial! Thank goodness I have the option of fast forwarding through it on TiVo!

Sincerely,
Hannah

The Gazelle!

2009-04-24T11:18:00.000-07:00

I am secretly kind of addicted to infomercials. The people are so excited and whatever product they are promoting is guaranteed to change your life!!! Its really a great form of entertainment.

One of the products I have always really wanted is the Gazelle (pictured above), offered by Tony Little. Sure, Tony is super annoying, but the exercise looks fun and pretty easy. Well, the other day I found one on Craig's List for just $25! I immediately e-mailed the seller and I am going to pick it up today! Oh yeah, I am way excited! Once I get this beast home, I will post an update on how much I love it!

The Closets

2009-04-21T20:15:00.000-07:00

My lease at my apartment is up in August. I will once again be asked if I want to continue living in my apartment here in Tacoma for a new and improved, super exciting, raise in my rent! Oh how I cannot wait to pay more for the exact same thing I have now!

In truth, I love this apartment. It really feels like home now. I am close to work and I live in the community I do ministry in, so its really perfect. Its also gigantic for a one bedroom one bath place - almost 1000 square feet. I am not really sure why I thought about my lease being up soon as I drove home today, but it has me thinking about living situations...

The longest I have lived in one apartment is right here and now - just about three years. That means that I have lived in 7 different homes in the past 9 years. Ew. The real reason for the high number is that I moved a lot in my first two years out of school. I lived in 2 different places in the 9 months I was in Bellevue, and spent only 6 months in my first apartment in Austin (the lack of central heat being the main problem there). Bringing my total for two years to 4 residences.

The great thing is, I know I will sign another lease here, which means that I will live in this apartment for at least 4 years. The last time I lived in a single place for 4 consecutive years was when I lived at home before college. Wow. While there are a lot of things that make me happy about that, one thing that scares me is...

THE CLOSETS!

I have several closets in this apartment and they all have different purposes (linen, hall, bedroom, storage, coat). Each one, I am embarrassed to say, is chock full of stuff. Its understandable that I have lots of clothes in my bedroom, but why is my hall closet jammed? What am storing that I can't live without? Then there is the coat closet. Why do I - just one person - own over 10 coats? Am I expecting an apocalyptic winter in which I will need to don 10 coats at once? Am I so afraid of snow that I think I will, at some point, need to put on two pairs of snow boots at once? Am I going to sprout 10 new pairs of hands that will need to be gloved at the same time?

Basically, the byproduct of living in the same home for this length of time is CRAP accumulation. I should really be proactive about this and start cleaning out closets...

Yeah, we all know I am going to get right on that. And I am here to tell you right now, when I do move out of this apartment, it is highly likely I will blog about how miserable it is to move when one has accumulated so much stuff. When that happens, please, feel free to call me on it and point to this very post as the moment I chose to ignore being proactive in favor of watching American Idol.

New Blogs

2009-04-20T10:49:00.000-07:00

Every summer I hire an intern. It is a glorious time in which I get another full time youth worker to do ministry with and one whom I get to mentor as they grow. Its pretty sweet. Last summer my ministry career came full circle as I hired one of my former students from Texas to come work with my kids in Tacoma. That intern, Travis, was a big hit and we had a great summer of ministry.

This last fall, Travis got married and is now living in Austin with his wife, Jeannie, working as an intern at the church where I met him and used to work (yeah, its weird like that). She is a great girl and just started a blog detailing their life in Texas (she is a native of Washington). So far, she has posted every day and I love reading about their life. Some of what she says makes me reminisce about first moving to Texas. She posts about their friends who I knew really well when I lived in Austin, Joe and Trey, so its fun to catch up on them. She also posts great pictures from out and about in Austin, and it makes me miss that awesome city.

Mostly, her blog has gotten me thinking about how much I used to blog. I loved to post things almost every day, just little thoughts or stories, as she does, but now that has tapered off. Its not that I don't love to blog - I do! - its just that I don't have as much to say anymore. Perhaps I have just gotten out of the habit of thinking like a blogger; making mental notes about stories to tell, thinking of funny little topics to write about...

And I can't decide if I want to really rededicate myself to it, or if I just want to be content with posting once every week or two... Something for me to think about... In the meantime, check out their blog - its sweet and Jeannie is a good writer.

He Is Risen!

2009-04-11T22:30:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning is Easter! I love Easter.

I love the celebration and seeing so many people in church. I love the familiarity of Easter hymns. Mostly, I love the reason for Easter. I love that it marks the day that good conquered evil, that Jesus won, that He was proven to be the Messiah, even though his disciples were freaked out and sure he was gone for good.

I also love the memories of Easter from my own life. I remember how much I loved getting a new dress every year. I remember getting up and having to hunt for my Easter basket with my sisters. I remember sitting in church with my sisters as my parents both led worship (Mom would sing, Dad was the pastor). I remember doing pancake breakfasts as fundraisers once I was in high school.

And now, those traditions continue. I will get up "very early in the morning, while it is still dark..." but rather than creeping to the tomb like Mary, I will be creeping to the church to host our annual, you guessed it, Easter Pancake Breakfast fundraiser. I actually really enjoy this fundraiser because it means I get to spend Easter with my kids and volunteers - people I love, and because it ends early enough that I get to spend the rest of the day with my family. It is so sweet to live close enough that I get to spend all the major holidays with my family. After living away for so long, it is not lost on me that it is a blessing to be able to celebrate with family.

I hope you Easter is wonderful and that you get to spend it with family, celebrating Jesus' victory over the grave!

The picture at the top is from 1982. It may not be Easter that day, but you can tell how much my sisters and I are enjoying our super cute dresses with our Dad. Sarah is 10, Rebecca is 8, and I am 4.

You Go Me!

2009-04-10T16:33:00.000-07:00

Today I got a great surprise - a good grade in my first seminary class!

I loved the class I took over Winter Quarter, but it was hard. I liked to say that my brain hurt after class, having had so much information thrown at it! It was a good challenge and I really enjoyed the subject matter; postmodern theology.

I had heard the term postmodernism used a lot before I took this class, and it seemed to me that people used it to describe anything cool, hip, and now, but no one could ever really define it. Of course, I used to just smile and laugh along with others as they made snarky remarks about postmodernism, but in truth, I had no idea what they were really talking about. Now that I have taken a class on postmodernity I feel like I am beginning to grasp the concepts of this new philosophy. Truly, one could get a graduate degree just in postmodern philosophy and they would still have more to learn. Suffice it to say, that I loved the subject matter and thoroughly enjoyed the class.

When it came time to write papers, however, I felt almost overwhelmed by the material. The reading responses were only allowed to be 2 pages, so mine were single spaced in order to get them to fit, and I still felt like I was barely scratching the surface. My term paper, in which we were asked to pick something in popular culture and apply all that we had learned to it, then derive a way to apply it to our current ministry setting, was similar in the scratching the surface territory. I felt like I could write a book on my subject matter, the Twilight saga.

Now before you start rolling your eyes at that topic, let me just say that we were supposed to use something in popular culture that could be used within out ministry setting. I am a youth worker and I am surrounded by teens and parents alike who are obsessed with Twilight, so it was actually the perfect subject for me. Anyhow, I worked hard on the paper, but I felt terrified to turn it in, knowing that I could have done so much more, and worried that I had not done enough. The paper was worth 40% of my grade.

I have been praying for merciful grading every since, and I guess that is what happened, because I earned myself an A- in the class. I looked at my grade this morning and immediately called a few people because I was so excited I couldn't keep it all to myself. I know its just a grade, but it helped affirm my own knowledge that seminary is the right place for me to be.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am now a graduate student. Thank you very much!

Knitting Yet Again

2009-04-02T21:57:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been knitting more.

Just this last week I made a purse. I used a pattern I have used often and really enjoy. It only took me about a week to make it, so I felt pretty good about that. I made it to donate to our mission trip silent auction that is coming up in May. I thought it would be a good little prize along with a knitting lesson or custom knit order. I haven't decided yet. All I need to do is felt it and it will be ready.

I have a pair of wrist warmers that I made about a year and half ago that my friend Trista was admiring the other day. I keep them at work, where our office building heats unevenly and my office is on the chilly side. I use them when I notice my fingers becoming numb as I type away. Anyhow, she commented that she liked them, so I offered to make her a pair if she bought the yarn. I was secretly relieved that she agreed, as I did not have a ready follow up project for my purse and these wrist warmers were just too fun the last time I made them. I started them this evening and I am really enjoying the challenge.

Eventually, I will have to just suck it up and admit to myself that I have made excuses long enough and the time has come for me to knit a sweater. In fact, I should probably have made several by now. I don't know why the project intimidates me so much. I think I am more than experienced enough to handle to difficulty. So as soon as these little warmers are done, I think I will set about working on my first sweater. I will post progress when I finally start it! For now, its back to the wrist warmers and the final episode of ER.

They Really Are Geniuses!

2009-03-21T16:06:00.000-07:00

Recently my iPod died.

It was working fine when, in the middle of a song, it just died. I tried to reset it, but when I did it made the sad iPod icon. This is very bad. This icon indicates that your iPod is severely injured in some way. I tried to revive it myself. I went on the Apple support page and did everything they told me to, but my iPod was not coming back. The last little line of support said that if nothing else worked, even resetting your iPod, you could bring it in to the Genius Bar at the Apple store closest to you and they might be able to help.

I held little hope in my heart that the so-called "Geniuses" would be able to bring my iPod back. I even looked at different iPods I might replace it with. I was just pessimistic that anything could bring it back to life.

The time came for my appointment with an Apple Genius and I had an almost religious experience. I walked into the pearly white glossy front gates of the Apple store closest to me and I was greeted be a very happy young woman in a bright orange shirt. She asked if she could help me and when I mentioned my appointment, she pointed me toward the back of the store where the concierge, Drew, could help me. She sent me on my way with a smile. When I got to Drew, he said, "Hi, are you Hannah?" I was surprised that he knew me, but I was excited. I could tell this was going to be good. I told him that I was, indeed, Hannah and he said that all I had to do was wait for a moment and he would come get me and take me to my assigned Genius.

As I waited, I noticed that everyone in the fairly crowded store looked so happy, customers and workers alike. It was like a magical land where no problem could not be fixed and everyone's desires would be granted. I began to feel a glimmer of hope for my iPod. After a few minutes, Drew came and brought me over to Mark, my Apple Genius.

Mark was such a nice guy. He was wearing a Royal Blue shirt that stated he was a genius and he took my iPod with great care. As I described the problem, mentioned the sad iPod, and told him all I had done to try to get it to work again, he began to look, well, deeply troubled. It seemed to me that all hope for my iPod's recovery was lost. But Mark plugged it in to his computer and did some stuff. Then he told me he'd be right back and took my iPod into the back where only seriously injured products are taken. He returned, plugged it in again, did some more stuff, went into the back once more, and then . . . a miracle occurred.

He fixed my iPod. I don't know how he did it, but my iPod was recovered! No more sad iPod icon, just my perfect and regular menu on the display! Sure, I had to reload all my music, but it works like new! Even having to start the song list from scratch makes it feel like a whole new iPod! When Mark handed my my little musical friend I looked up at him in wonder and said the only thing that came to mind:

"You really are a genius!"

Now, whenever I think about Apple products I begin to drool. I daydream about MacBook Pros and teeny tiny desktop computers. I fantasize about being a complete Apple convert. One day, I know this dream will come true. Until then, I think I will go listen to my iPod.

Even More Peculiar

2009-03-05T16:24:00.000-08:00

Back in January I posted about seeing a woman give treats to some dogs behind a fence she was walking by. I haven't thought about it since, but I was reminded of it yesterday when I had a realization...

As I drove home, I came to the same corner where the woman had surreptitiously given the dogs treats and noticed something new. The dogs, well, aren't dogs. They are, in fact, little goats. I mean, teeny tiny goats. I even got closer for a better look to make sure.

Seriously, who has goats as pets in their suburban neighborhood home? I wasn't out in the country! I was around the corner from the church. Why do these suburbanites have goats as pets? And even stranger, why was this woman giving treats to goats? Really, what do you even give goats as treats? At petting zoos you can get little pellets for a quarter, but who has those laying around the house to put in their pocket before their morning walk? Apparently, this early morning walker does. Strange.

Nightmare

2009-02-26T14:12:00.000-08:00

Last night I hopped in bed and did some reading for my seminary class. It was very interesting and I was really enjoying it. My goal was to finish the section before going to sleep. My body, however, was way too into the whole idea of slipping into unconsciousness and ignored my goal. I gave up and put the book down, turned off the light, and quickly fell asleep.

About two hours later I awoke, heart-racing and really hot, from a terrifying nightmare. Occasionally I will have these kinds of nightmares that seem hyper real and are circumstantially realistic enough that the horror of them seems completely plausible. In my dream someone was trying to kill me and they were threatening my middle school kids at first, and then my family. Finally, it came down to a choice of sacrificing myself or a total stranger to the whims of this killer. I awoke just before making a decision, but just as the killer finally entered the dark room. It was awful. I know, it sounds totally weird to be dreaming of this kind of thing, but there it was.

Only when I have these kinds of dreams do I strongly dislike living alone. I woke up and was paralyzed in fear for a moment. As I shook off the fear (and the covers - I mean I was so stinkin' hot), I still couldn't fall back to sleep easily. I ended up turning the light back on, getting a drink of water, and laying awake for about thirty minutes in the middle of the night before I was able to drift back to sleep. Thankfully, there were no more nightmares!

Root Canal #2

2009-02-17T22:00:00.000-08:00

Oh, yes, that's right. Today I had my second root canal in a year. What a blessing. Oh how I love the canal. I especially love paying for it. And all the pain. And the recovery process. Its just the most fun ever.

Can you sense the sarcasm? I sure hope so, 'cause I am laying it on pretty thick.

Today I went to the dentist's office, or as I call it, my own personal Hell. Every time I go to the dentist I feel like a delinquent with a mouth full of wooden teeth and germs. In truth, my dentist tells me I consistently have one of the cleanest mouths of all his patients. What I really have is soft enamel which makes my teeth want to rot and fall out at a much faster rate than most humans.

Honestly, I am really grateful to be able to afford the dentist (though it did take a significant chunk of my tax return) and to have the pain in my teeth I have been experiencing fixed. I really love my dentist, even though I have a large and wholly irrational fear of visiting him. He is a Christian and loves to talk with me about the Lord. He is also really funny, which makes the whole process easier. And, the best part - he has no problem using a very large amount of Novocaine to ensure that I can feel absolutely NOTHING - a key dynamic to a successful dental relationship for me. The result is that I look like a stroke victim for a few hours after I leave, but it is so worth it.

Now I have had two root canals. Next week I go back for a possible third, but I am praying for a simple filling instead! Please Lord, let it just be a filling!!!

Coming Clean

2009-02-11T12:25:00.000-08:00

I am so far behind on my reading for class. One of my New Year's resolutions is to do all the reading for my class and I still want to, but the amount of reading is kicking me in the pants. I need to read about 150 pages a day in order to catch up by class this week. If it was a novel, 150 pages would not seem so daunting, but this is tough academic philosophical stuff that I have to really concentrate on... ugh. How can I still be such a procrastinator of a student? I thought I would do better than this! I know I will get the reading done, but I am not looking forward to how much work I have made for myself.

81-100! Woo-Hoo! That is the whole list!

2009-02-10T16:38:00.000-08:00

Reminder: The experiences I have had are in bold and I have commented in green under some of them. The experiences I have not had are in italics.

81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
My wonderful 2004 Saturn Vue! You never stop loving your first new car!
83. Walked in Jerusalem
A highlight from my life. If you haven’t been to the Holy Lands, GO! It is worth it!
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
I am pretty sure I have read the whole Bible, but never in order. I will definitely have by the end of seminary.
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
I was very young, so I don’t remember!
89. Saved someone’s life
I called 911 for someone threatening suicide. It was awful. Thankfully, he says that night helped him turn the corner.
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
Many people! My favorite – Tommy Woodard from the Skit Guys. My least favorite – Harvey Fierstein – kind of a jerk.
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
My grandmother, just this last year.
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
Howdy! I worked at a church about a block from the Alamo for three summers!
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
Right before my school pictures for fourth grade. I am red eyed in the pictures from crying.
100. Got married as a teenager.

61-80

2009-02-05T15:44:00.000-08:00

Reminder: The experiences I have had are in bold and I have commented in green under some of them. The experiences I have not had are in italics.

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
Sure, I mean, I live in the Pacific Northwest!
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
Once, and it was a bad experience. I can’t actually donate blood anymore. I have funky veins that resist the needle by diving under muscle. Its ugly.
65. Gone sky diving
Again, I cannot see the desire!
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
Who,me? Okay, yes, me.
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
I still have them in my storage area.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
Indeed! You know, it’s cool to have all these East Coast experiences!
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
No, but I have made quilt squares.
73. Stood in Times Square
Many, many times! I love it!
74. Toured the Everglades
Haven’t made it to Florida, yet.
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
Ugh, yes. My arm, my finger, my tailbone, and my ankle. Sheesh, I must be a klutz.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
Not yet.

41-60

2009-02-04T14:52:00.000-08:00

Reminder: The experiences I have had are in bold and I have commented in green under some of them. The experiences I have not had are in italics.

41. Sung karaoke
It was a tradition in college!
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
I don't get why this is such a big deal. Its just a geyser, people. How is this such a huge American tourist attraction? It screams really boring road trip to me...
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
I almost didn’t mark this, because I have not been to the countries that I think of as truly African, but I have been to Egypt, so yes, indeed, I have been to Africa!
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
Every year on the houseboat trip.
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
An essential part of childhood! Though I probably didn't do it past the age of 5 - I like to be clean more than I like to play in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
I started my own Sensaria business in Texas. I also almost opened a coffee shop in Austin.
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
Many times. I always find it very humbling. The people who work with the homeless all the time are personal heroes of mine.

Experiences, part deux

2009-01-29T11:38:00.000-08:00

Back in December I started posting a list of 100 experiences that I have, or haven't had that I saw on The Simple Wife. I actually had the entire list completed, but posted only the first 20, thinking I would break it into a 5 part segment. Then we had a ginormous snow storm and it all went down the tubes. So I decided it is time to try again! Here is the first and second segment together - a refresher and a new list! I will post the other three in the days to come! Enjoy! The experiences I have had are in bold and I have commented in green under some of them. The experiences I have not had are in italics.

The first segment:
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
While back packing. I actually found it kind of terrifying.
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/World
17 times! But is has been several years. Space Mountain is my favorite!
8. Climbed a mountain
Mt. Uncompahgre in Colorado. It is 14,312 feet high. It was the best and worst experience of my life. And no one can take it away from me!
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
Countless times.
11. Bungee jumped
And I never will! I just do not understand the desire to do this!
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm
Hello! I lived in Texas for four years!
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
Ugh, the worst!
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
No, but I've seen it more times than I can count.
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
No trains, but I have slept on an overnight bus several times and on overnight flights.

And the new segment:
21. Had a pillow fight
Of course. I am woman and I work with teenagers!
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
Hasn’t everyone done this?
24. Built a snow fort
As a kid. It would take a lot to get me out digging in the snow now. It’s just so cold!
25. Held a lamb
Maybe not quite held one, but I have certainly pet several.
26. Gone skinny dipping
This is what happens when you have a hot tub as a teenager. But it was always just a bunch of silly girls – nothing naughty!
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
Not in Venice, but at the Venetian Hotel in Vegas… Does that count?
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
I think once, when I was a kid.
32. Been on a cruise
Not yet!
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
Indeed! I loved visiting the Amish. Thanks Ashers for this cool experience!
36. Taught yourself a new language
Some Spanish. And soon, Greek and Hebrew – yikes!
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
Probably in college, before life got really expensive!
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
On the way to the top of the mountain!
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David in person.

SHOCKING!

2009-01-27T17:24:00.001-08:00

My "check engine" light has been on in my car for almost a year. It came on about 15 miles after I picked up my car from the mechanic and wrote him a check that made me cry and wave bye-bye to my 2007 tax return in March of 2008. I was deeply stung by the cruel nature of that light to pop back on after giving me only 15 worry free miles. And I was terrified to go back to the mechanic, having no cushion left to cover more fees.

Unfortunately, I have to get my car emission tested before I can renew my license plate tabs which expire on Saturday. And, did you know, that your car will fail an emissions test if the check engine light is on? Its a heart breaker! I mean, the car works perfectly. There is no trouble at all, except that ugly orangey-yellow light staring me in the face all the time.

So yesterday I headed back to the mechanic with a sinking heart. I knew I was about to wave goodbye to this year's tax return in much the same way as last year and I was not excited about it. I had plans for that money, you know! And now I was going to have to toss it on my car again before I even have it in my pocket! Grr. The silver lining was, of course, knowing that at least I could afford to have my car fixed and all of my physical needs are met every day, blah blah blah, but it was still stinky.

The mechanic ran the diagnostic test (which alone costs $100) and gave me shocking news, I tell you! Super shocking! He told me the problem was my catalytic converter and it is very expensive to fix. You know it's bad when the mechanic says it's going to be "VERY" expensive. But he continued by saying that the government has this beautiful little regulation stating that they dealer must replace my catalytic converter FOR FREE if it fails before 8 years or 80,000 miles, which is the case for me! I called Saturn today and they confirmed this delightful truth! Then the mechanic decided he wasn't going to charge me for the diagnostic since they didn't really do anything.

That is right! I went to the mechanic and did not have to pay a penny. Tomorrow the folks at Saturn are going to fix my catalytic converter and I will have to pay them approximately $0 for doing so! When does this kind of thing ever happen? Yippee!!!

Good Times Were Had By All!

2009-01-24T12:33:00.000-08:00

Last weekend Ashley came up from California for a visit! We had a great time over the three days that she was here and we both agreed that her time just flew by! We saw a movie, went shopping, ate out a lot, and just sat around chatting. It was great. Rosie was particularly excited to see her Aunt Ashley, and this time she didn't even pee on her! I call that progress!

We decided to go to Leavenworth on Monday because Ashley had never been there. It was a great little day trip and a fun way to end her time here. I always forget about Leavenworth, but it is such a fun place to visit. We walked down the main street, ate a kitschy little diner, and soaked up the sun. Of course, we also did a bit of shopping and I think I have a new favorite spot in Leavenworth - a little store called Copper Creek. The store owner must have a blast buying for the shop. It was full of great stuff.

I dropped Ashley off at the airport on our way back into town. Next up is my turn to visit her. I am hoping to make it down for president's day weekend, which happens to fall on my birthday as well, so that should be fun!

Crossing the Line?

2009-01-22T23:14:00.000-08:00

On my way to work this morning I saw a woman out for a walk. I was slowing down to make a turn and I watched this woman stop at the fence of a house where the dogs had run up to her. In fact, I noticed how excited the dogs were when they saw this particular pedestrian as she started to walk by - it was that that had caught my attention in the first place. Anyhow, I saw this early morning walker reach into her pocket and feed what I assume were treats to the dogs THROUGH THE FENCE.

At first I just laughed, but I find the whole thing truly bizarre! Does this woman do this regularly? Is she a stealth treat giver to lonely yard-dwelling dogs? Was she, in fact, the home owner out for a walk and stopping by her own fence? I suppose I will never know, but honestly, who does that? Who randomly feeds dogs through a fence? Its moments like these that I am grateful Rosie is an inside dog.

Handing Down the Mantle of Power

2009-01-20T21:38:00.000-08:00

I Tivoed the inauguration this morning, as I had to go to work and thoroughly enjoyed watching it later. I just found the whole thing fascinating. What struck me most, however, was not the speeches or the prayers. What struck me most was the body language of two men - Bush and Obama. I noticed as they were getting ready to come down the steps of the dais on the capitol, Bush seemed to have a lightness about him that I have not seen for a long time. Obama, on the other hand, seemed to be totally aware of the presidential responsibility being laid on his shoulders. He is normally a very serious man, but I really felt like you could see him taking on the role of President. It was really interesting - a physical expression of the pomp and circumstance of the handing over of government.

The music was also fabulous! Aretha belting it out on My Country 'Tis of Thee (and it is hard to sing outside with a wind chill of 14 degrees) was inspiring. The four part ensemble with Yo Yo Ma and Ihtzak Perlman was breathtaking! Then the Navy Chorus singing the anthem of the nation was a great way to end the ceremony. Ooh, good tunes!

Good Times!

2009-01-16T09:55:00.000-08:00

Ashley is coming to visit today! I am so stinking excited! Her cousin, who was only 32, died suddenly last weekend, so she has had a hard week. I am really glad she can come here and relax and get away. I am not sure what all we will do, but I am thinking about going to this theatre festival. It sounds cool and I have a friend from college in it. I hope your weekend is full of fun and relaxation!

Ding Dong Day!

2009-01-06T22:46:00.000-08:00

When I lived in Austin, Texas I had the total perk of getting to hire a full time intern for the year. My first intern was a girl named Sam. She and I had gone to the same college and she bravely came to work for someone who was only two years out of school at the time! Hiring Sam was one of the best decisions I have ever made!

Although we didn't know each other very well in college, we became close friends through our year of working with middle schoolers together in Texas. I even gave her the infamous nickname "Samma Lamma Ding Dong," which she enjoyed, so you know she has to be a cool person! She lives in San Diego with her fiance and baby girl nowadays and I miss being able to hang out with her on a regular basis.

This is a picture of us in 2002 that Sam likes to call "What Were We Thinking!"

Sam had a blog for a while that was awesome! She is very witty and has a great perspective on life. But she stopped writing it as she got busier and life was too hectic. So what better time to start a new blog than when you are in the midst of planning a wedding and caring for your infant daughter? I am so excited that Sammy has decided to write again! I know you will love reading her posts! Welcome back to the blogosphere Samma Lamma Ding Dong! I am glad you are here!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-04T20:07:00.000-08:00

As 2009 is getting under way, I have been thinking about the nature of New Year's Resolutions this week. I find it makes perfect sense that most resolutions go by the wayside. The problem, in my opinion, is that we make these choices that are really outcomes and do not really think about how to put each into practice. With that in mind, here are my resolutions for 2009.

1. Lose some weight.
Yeesh, I hate even writing that on my blog because it is so personal, but I figure that telling the blogiverse this is one of my goals will be good motivation. I also have some practical steps that I am putting into place in order to achieve this beastly resolution.

2. Read every single page of the assigned reading for seminary.
In college I was really good at not doing all of the assigned reading for classes. I do not want my master's degree to be a repeat of that. Therefore, it is my goal to read all of the books assigned. I think this will be completely doable since I am only taking 1-2 classes at a time.

3. Pay off more debt.
This is the resolution most easily achieved for me, as all I need to do is continue to pay my bills. My goal is to be debt free by 2011. It is so close I can taste it!

What are some of your resolutions?

Layout!

2008-12-31T01:28:00.000-08:00

Oh, how happy am I right now? So stinkin' happy!

Many thanks to Ashley who discovered the best blog layout website ever, with the easiest and totally usable layouts for Blogger!

Enjoy the new layout! I know I do!

Stereo!

2008-12-31T01:10:00.000-08:00

For Christmas this year my parents and sister and brother-in-law gave me a new car stereo! I was fine with my old stereo until about 3 months ago when it abruptly stopped playing CDs and constantly made an irritating clicking noise, regardless of whether or not the stereo was on or off. One of my students even began to refuse to ride in the car with me because the noise was so annoying.

It was a beast to get the new stereo installed (Note to Circuit City: please work on your customer service, for real), but now it is in and it is AWESOME! The new stereo is made to work with my iPod, to which it connects through the glove box. That is right, the iPod is in the glove box and I can control it through the stereo. It also has a nifty little remote control. Perhaps that is superfluous, but it is one of my favorite features!

Thanks Mom and Dad and Sarah and Josh!

Fricking White Christmas!

2008-12-24T10:00:00.000-08:00

We woke up this morning to more snow. Not that the old snow has melted away - oh no, that would be too easy. And, yes, it is still snowing, thanks for asking.

Now, I am not a huge fan of snow on a normal basis, but when it keeps me from going to church on Christmas Eve, I am so not cool with it! Last year we did not go to church on Christmas Eve because my parents' church did not have services. (They had them the day before, which was a Sunday.) Now because of the snow, it is possible we may not get to go again. To me, it just doesn't feel like Christmas without going to a Christmas Eve service!

Sure, snow is lovely and all that jazz, but when it stops normal life its tracks, it gets old really fast! I know my friends from Texas would kill for snow on Christmas, but, trust me, if you were here, you would be bah humbugging like me right now!

The silver lining is that I was able to leave Tacoma yesterday and make the drive over to my parents. I had a moment of panic the day before when I thought about how hard it would be if I was stuck in my apartment for Christmas. So, at least I am with family for Christmas, and I am very grateful for that!

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

The list will continue...

2008-12-19T10:44:00.000-08:00

I would have posted the rest of the list of experiences by now, but I have been holed up at home due to snow and sickness. The list is currently being held hostage by snow and ice at the office. I am currently carrying around a box of Kleenex like its a security blanket and trying to sleep as much as possible. So please, stay tuned, and I will post again soon!

Experiences

2008-12-15T14:34:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite blogs to read is The Simple Wife. It is written by my sister Sarah's dear friend form college, Joanne. She is a truly cool woman. She recently posted a list of 100 "Have you ever..." experiences, citing that it has been going around in the blogiverse. I was enthralled, so I decided to answer the list myself. However, because I am a little lazy, I decided to post the list in 5 segments of 20. Here is the first set. The experiences I have had are in bold, and I have commented in green below some of the items.

1. Started your own blog
Indeed, and this is my 276th post.
2. Slept under the stars
While back packing. I actually found it kind of terrifying.
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/World
17 times! But is has been several years. Space Mountain is my favorite!
8. Climbed a mountain
Mt. Uncompahgre in Colorado. It is 14,312 feet high. It was the best and worst experience of my life. And no one can take it away from me!
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
Countless times. In fact, I am singing one this Sunday in church.
11. Bungee jumped
And I never will! I just do not understand the desire to do this!
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm
Hello! I lived in Texas for four years!
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
Ugh, the worst!
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
No, but I've seen it more times than I can count.
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
No trains, but I have slept on an overnight bus several times and on overnight flights.

Nachos

2008-12-09T23:08:00.000-08:00

Lately I have been reconnecting with my friend Gretchen. We went to college together about a decade ago. Last night she trekked down here to Tacoma from Seattle and we had a great night in, wearing sweats, eating nachos, watching a lame movie and playing Friends Scene It. It was delightful.

Gretchen had never seen High School Musical, having escaped teenage culture in the nick of time, and wanted to see what I had been complaining about. So, on a night with no teenagers present, two 30 year old babes watched Zac Efron sing his little heart out alongside Vanessa Hudgens in the original HSM. It was not as bad as I remember it being and Gretch and I had a lot of fun mocking it openly.

After HSM we moved on to Friends Scene It. I have been a long time fan of Friends and so has Gretchen. We found that we are very evenly matched at the game. It was very close and both of us led at different points. I would say it was pretty much a tie. We are both certain that playing this game will become a favorite way to hang out together!

Now that I will have class in Seattle once a week, I hope that she and I can hang out even more often!

Ahhh, Twilight!

2008-11-21T03:06:00.001-08:00

Tonight I went to the midnight premiere of Twilight with my friends Ruth and Trista. We had a great time! The movie was AWESOME! I give it two thumbs up. It was different from the book in several ways, but that is always the case when a book goes from page to screen. As the author's brother said, you can't put everything from a 500 page book into a two hour movie. All in all, if you have read the Twilight books, I think you will enjoy the movie! (And if you have not read the books, go immediately to your nearest bookseller and get yourself a copy!) I cannot wait for the next movie! Yippee! Now, I must sleep!

Blend In

2008-11-20T15:29:00.000-08:00

From my office, I have a view of a house that is gray. It has a nice big deck that looks out over the water (my office faces away from the water, so I see the deck). In the summer, the house can look almost white against the blue sky on a nice sunny day.

Today, I can't tell where the house ends and the sky begins.

Grmph

2008-11-19T14:08:00.000-08:00

I have been trying to change my template for this blog for a while now, but I wanted to try using a template from a website other than Blogger. I cannot get it to work, no matter what I try! I have selected this new layout as a compromise.

How do so many people I know have these really cool looking blogs using templates from outside sources, and yet I cannot do the same... Hmph.

In other news, I got a new computer at work today and I LOVE IT!!! I have needed a new one for some time now and I am super excited to have a fast and updated computer!

New School

2008-11-14T16:36:00.000-08:00

Well, its official. I have been accepted at Fuller Theological Seminary, Northwest in the Master of Divinity program starting in January!

I am pretty darn excited about this new adventure. I have said for years that I want to learn the stuff I will be taught through this program... its just that whole questions of whether or not I want to be ordained at the end that I still don't know. Fortunately, I plan to take about 6-7 years to finish my degree, so I have lots of time to figure it out!

Old School

2008-11-10T16:10:00.000-08:00

Today I spent some time cleaning out my office, making room for new books and purging the old. My office had been the youth office for a long time before I ever arrived here at the church and it has accumulated over 25 years worth of youth ministry curriculum and theory books. Until now, I have not had the necessary fire from within to face this demon and declutter the shelves from out-dated resources. Today, however, I had had enough! So I got out a box and started going through all the shelves of history, liberally tossing books into the box as I went. It was actually a lot of fun.

The oldest resource I found was a game book from the 50s. My favorite out-dated resources, however, were from the early years of Youth Specialties. I took a picture for you to see!

I just love the totally current titles for these books that were published in 1979! YS still publishes the best resources, in my opinion, and I love this little glimpse of their "far out" history! Just awesome!