fun stuff

I found this yesterday, sent it to Mark, and bookmarked it on my computer at work. Seriously... I can't help but start cracking up - the third time the cameraman (I'm assuming a dad-type person) makes that "bing!" noise, I just lose it. SO FUNNY. What a great site to have - I think it will come in handy for those stressful moments that can pop up.

For any who are interested - Mark and I loved Freedom Writers - it was a cheesy, uplifting movie - but without the cheese. In a sense, you know that things are going to end up well, but there are some awfully intense moments along the way - really powerfully done. And I like that kind of movie anyway (even the cheesy ones). $16.00 well spent.

Got a busy weekend - we're going to see Jerry Seinfeld at the Wharton Center on campus tonight, heading toward Detroit tomorrow for a HOSA conference (Brooks and I have been recruited to help with some as-yet-unnamed tasks... it should be fun. I always like doing these). Saturday night is church and hanging out with Brooks and Abbey, Sunday is a fund-raiser spaghetti lunch thing, and then visiting with Mark's brother and SIL, and sister and BIL and nephews. Should be fun. I'm excited, but afraid I'll burn out by Sunday night (which is poor timing for a burn-out). However, I feel like that may be a self-fulfilling prophecy - so I've decided it's going to be fun and energizing to see so many people, be able to serve and hang out and play games and connect. Bring it on!!

it's the small things

It was so nice to spend last night at home - we had BBQ meatloaf, mashed potatoes and corn for dinner, I did get to workout (10 tough minutes of pilates counts, right?), I wore my sweatpants all night long... it was definitely much needed. I find that it usually just doesn't take much for me, you know?

Tonight, Mark and I have our weekly "date" - I think we'll go to dinner and then go see Freedom Writers. Brooks gave us "dinner & a movie" for Christmas, so I'm excited to use that. Here's the trailer for Freedom Writers:

a whole night!

This afternoon I will leave my office at 4:30, drive home... and STAY there! :) This doesn't happen very often, so I get excited when it does. I'll probably do really exciting things like lay around in my sweatpants, read a book, workout (I hope I hope), cook dinner, and watch Scrubs with Mark and Brooks. Generally, I really like to be busy - but I can only go non-stop for so long without, well, stopping. (guess it's not really nonstop then, huh?)

Tomorrow - I work until 11:30am, then I'm having lunch at P.F. Chang's with Jane, then it's off to coffee with Mere at Beaner's. At 4:00, I'm getting a free facial - one hour of fun pampering - I won a drawing that I entered at Main Dish Kitchen, woohoo! And then it's date night with my hubby. Sounds like I've got a good couple of days coming up here.

In all my busy-ness, I'm finding that there are lots of things I value, things I want to be central to my everyday life, that I'm neglecting. That's not good. A couple of years ago, I was trying to work on my discipline with things like working out, reading scripture, drinking enough water, etc. I created a system where I set goals, and gave myself little rewards when I met them for a week/month/whatever. I think I may need to do that again. I like rewards... so do cute puppies!

a little of this...

My little sister is coming to visit this weekend (Mark is out of town with friends) - I'm excited! I love having her come - we laugh a lot, eat good food, watch movies, and generally revert back to a version of ourselves from 1996. It's awesome.

I VERY much enjoyed my afternoon off - I got to have lunch with my friend Meredith, and go to Starbucks with Nat, Huntar and Christy (friends of mine from Mason Middle School). I laughed a lot, and was really blessed by the company and the love I experienced with those ladies. It's so cool to see God glorified through seemingly silly things - like lattes and lunchtime.

On a completely unrelated note - my eyes hurt. I think I spend too much time at my computer (although there's no good way around that at work). By the afternoon, they feel like they're about to fall out of my head. I need to bring some eyedrops in to the office...

almost there!

I've adopted a new work schedule - longer hours on M,T,Th, F - and every Wednesday afternoon OFF! So far, the long hours are wearing me out a little bit, but I'm excited about having the afternoon off work - and hoping that it totally makes up for getting up a half hour earlier every day. I'll keep you posted. But it's nice to be almost done with work for the day at 11:30am!! I could get used to this.

treachery

I detest driving in the wintertime. I only live about 11 miles from work, but I was physically exhausted by the time I got here (which was 7:00am - an exhausting time to show up even on a warm and sunny day). Right now, the roads have a layer of ice, then one of snow, and now another one of ice. It's absolutely delightful. At least I'm here, and I'm not leaving again for another 8 hours.

An update on my trust post - In true "God fashion", I've been treated to an interesting array of wake-up calls on my heart and attitude, and His character. Since I don't really like leaving everyone with the mopey-ness of the last blog, I'll share a little of what He's been showing me.

1. I'm a chosen, beloved daughter of the Creator of the universe. The hairs on my head are numbered, and He loves me, delights in me, and finds joy in me. This one is extremely hard for me to believe at times - but it's really true.
2. God sent His only son Jesus to die for me, His daughter, in order that I might be rescued from my sin. God went to ultimate lengths to repair our relationship.
3. When I look at those two truths - it seems so childish for me to question what He has in store for me. How can I not believe I will be provided for? Not that God's amazing love for me means He will give me everything I want, and a wonderfully easy life - but I can know with absolute certainty that my life is not haphazard. His eye is on the sparrow - how much more so is it on me?

So, while I'm still struggling with the fact that I want (I want I want I want) things to go a certain way, and there is no one who can tell me if they will or not... I know that One who is much smarter than I am is in control. And that's OK. Not easy - but it's not supposed to be easy.

trust

I've been thinking a lot about trust lately. Not in a "you-look-kinda-sketchy-I-don't-know-if-I-can-trust-you" way, but in a "what-does-it-really-look-like-to-trust-God's-design-for-me" sense. Unfortunately for my wishing-to-be-lazy self, it looks as though the answer isn't easy. At least not in the beginning. I enjoy planning things, I prefer to know what's coming, and I like to feel prepared for what lies ahead. I feel as though I'm standing on the edge of something, and I know exactly what I want the journey to look like - timing, results... all of it. But right now, all I can see is where I'm standing, and maybe one step ahead. Beyond that - pitch black. It terrifies me. I have no doubt that I will move forward - there's no question in my mind that I will walk into the blackness. I'd just like to know the path, how long it will take, and other *minor* details like that.
I know that I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
I know that He will make my paths straight.
I know that He gives peace that passes understanding.
I know that He knows the desires of my heart, and that He has plans to prosper me and not harm me, to give me a hope and a future.
It's just so hard to live that. To really lay back in pure, trusting obedience and accept that God knows and loves my heart, and knows better than I do what is good for me. I need to stop wishing I could control this, and find a way to take joy in His awesome power and purpose.
Any ideas for a woman who loves to plan, and wants desperately to know what is coming?

the family at 422

Here are the two men who live in my house - duking it out over the football game on Monday night (which actually, sadly, turned out to not be much of a battle). Despite the intensity of the picture, no one in our house had very strong feelings about the game (Brooks's fiancee is from Columbus, OH, and Mark just happened to have a Florida sweatshirt) - we turned it off to watch 2 episodes of Scrubs together, then went to bed by 11:00pm. Didn't know how the game ended until Tuesday morning. Die hard fans, we are not. That's good, though - because no fistfights actually break out because of something silly like football - but the smile-y pictures (while handsome, of course) are just not as funny.

Here's a picture of the three of us at the New Year's Eve party - we needed a least one of our little "family" before the holidays ended. It's a lot of fun (for all of us) to have Brooks living with us. By the time he gets married in July, he'll have been at our house for almost a full year. It'll be strange to not have him around anymore after that (but ultimately, probably much better for his marriage to not have to share a house with us.)

only 7 days overdue...

Here's a couple pictures of the mini-crowd (about 30 people) we had at our house for our NYE party this year. As I mentioned in an earlier post, we did it up "007 - Style" and people seemed to have a lot of fun. Hosting parties used to be semi-stressful for me, but I had a really good time with this one (and I like that my house gets a pretty good cleaning once in awhile!!)

whew

Today was really fun. I saw 21 students throughout the day - between Orientation and walk-in advising. I have to tell you - there's something awfully rewarding when you're able to sit down, connect with someone, make them laugh, and answer their questions. It doesn't sound like a hard job, and it's really not (as much as we like to pretend it is sometimes). It can be emotionally draining at times - but it's also really uplifting and encouraging. And I know I've said this before, but it bears repeating.

It's so humbling to realize how LITTLE it takes to make a difference to someone else. I have no excuses not to do it more often. Minimal (but genuine and well-meant) effort = all the difference in the world to (fill in the blank as it applies to your life).

I'm going to go home and put my feet up now. They hurt a little. But my heart feels great!

too funny not to post...

Your New Year's Resolutions

1) Get a pet rooster 2) Eat more Cheetos 3) Travel to India 4) Study magic 5) Get in shape with stripping classes

What Should Your New Year's Resolution Be?

my mouth tastes funny

I had a chicken enchilada & rice for lunch (hooray for Lean Cuisines!) - and now my mouth tastes funny. I'm sure that brushing or chewing some gum would solve this problem. Ought to get around to that before my office is flooded with students for Orientation Advising (yep, it's that time of year - AGAIN). I really like Orientation - it's fast, you get to see a lot of students, and I like the challenge of leaving students feeling heard and valued. It's going to be a busy afternoon in our office!
(warning - complete change of subject with zero transition)
I'm one of those people that really isn't friends with anyone from high school anymore - we all kinda lost track of each other (actually - I don't know if that's true. I lost track of everyone). I exchange Christmas cards every year from my friend Cory - and I love getting her cards - she always includes a picture of her daughters (she has four now!) and a note. This year, I was home for Christmas and ran into my friend Susan at church on Christmas Eve. It's so strange to have a long history with someone, but feel like total strangers at the same time. I've decided I want to try to get back in touch (at least with Cory and Susan - I'm not even sure how to find some of my other old friends) with some people from high school. Any advice on breaking back into our friendships?

grr

Blogger still won't let me put up pictures - so I'll try to keep this short (nothing's more intimidating than a huge block of words with absolutely no pictures!) :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! To jump feet first into sounding cliche - I can't believe it's 2007!! We had a blast at our New Year's party - we had about 30 people over at our house for a 007/James Bond theme party (and a few people confessed to not catching the 2007 - 007 theme tie-in... they thought we just really liked James Bond...) It was good to have people over - Mark and I have historically spent some very quiet, low-key NYEs - that's not bad, but last year we sat at home by ourselves. This was better.

Back to work for real now - lots of things to catch up on and handle, so that should be fun. I love time off, but I tend to be kinda lazy - and it's nice to get things done.

Any New Year's resolutions this time around? I'm having some trouble coming up with one... I have lots of goals floating around my head all the time, but there seems to be a level of seriousness attached to declaring something a "resolution." I'll keep you posted.

welcome!

(I had a picture to add to this post, but Blogger is being cranky right now)

It's good to be back - I had about a week off of work around Christmas, and this is my first day back in the office (then I have 4 days off before coming back full-swing. I know, my life is hard.) It was SO nice to have some relaxation time - we visited with family, caught up with some friends, and recharged our batteries a little bit.

Not a whole lot happened in the past 10 days that was noteworthy - I just have a fabulous general feeling of contentedness. I treasure those moments when they creep up on me (unlike Paul, I have not learned the secret to being content in every circumstance....) - but I'm getting better at it. God has really blessed my life with lots of gifts - it's so good to sit back and enjoy them!

accomplishments

Yesterday I...
Drove Sam (our neighbor) to school at 7:30am
Unpacked from the weekend
Went to the dentist (regular check-up & cleaning - except the new hygienist I saw absolutely terrorized my poor teeth. I was happy to leave there...)
Went to work - saw 4 students, caught up on emails
Went to the gym - ran 2.5 miles on the elliptical
Went to Meijer - bought stuff for dinner
Ate with Brooks - salsa salmon, Caesar salad, biscuits
Wrote out 30+ Christmas cards while watching Friends with Brooks
Fell asleep on the couch at 9:30pm

I like productive days - you can look back and think that your time was well spent - and yesterday, I did a lot of things I'd been meaning to do for a long time (like the Christmas cards, and working out...)

Tonight my coworker Jayne and I are going out to eat, and probably getting a little Christmas shopping done, too. I'm excited to spend a little more time with her - we're the same age, did our Master's degrees together, but have so little time to socialize while at work (go figure). Hopefully I feel really accomplished by 9:30pm tonight, too.

movies and stars

I'm Feeling: a bit headache-y, actually
Background Noise: What Child is This by Sarah McLachlan

Last night we tried to figure this out - and I think Mark and I have watched 12 movies in the past 10 days... 4 in the theatre, 6 at home/rentals. YIKES!! I like movies a lot, but that's about 24 hours worth of sitting on my rear end and staring at a screen. I think it's time to get some stuff done...

Our weekend "away" was fabulous - we slept in, stayed up late, went shopping at the outlet malls, watched movies, cooked dinner, ate out, laughed a lot. On our way up to the cabin on Thursday night, we had an amazing display of Northern Lights, (not quite as bright as those pictures, but definitely a large, glowing green band in the sky... it was awesome!) and TWO shooting stars (that shot straight through the pretty light show we were watching). The next day, we saw two separate rainbows on the way to the outlets. God was putting on quite a show for us... it was awfully cool.

Mark's on his way to the UP right now, to return on Thursday - so I'm gonna write Christmas cards, work out, have dinner with a friend from work, wrap some presents, and get ready for next week while he's gone. I always miss him when he's gone, but it's so nice that we just got to spend a good chunk of time together.

looking forward

A lot of times when I look forward, the result is that I stress myself out. Things are busy, and I have an uncanny ability to make it seem like I'll never be able to relax for the REST OF MY LIFE. It's never true, but sometimes it feels that way.
However - today, when I look forward, I see some fabulous, relaxing stuff coming my way:
-tomorrow - I'm taking the afternoon off work, getting a massage with my friend Jane at 12:30, then going home to pack because Mark and I are...
-spending Thursday night through Sunday at Uncle Tom's Cabin (it's Mark's actual Uncle Tom's cabin up near Midland, not some strange literary theme park...). Just the two of us - movies, board games, books, cooking dinner... I'm so excited.
-next week, I'm off Thursday, and don't go back to work until the 29th. We'll have a Christmas dinner with just Mark, Brooks and I; we'll travel to IL to celebrate Christmas with my family (which includes going to the lovely Christmas Eve Service at my old church - although I'm partially heartbroken to not be at Riv...)
-we're having a New Year's Eve Party - 007 (James Bond) theme - it'll be crazy, but lots of fun (although, once again, partially heartbroken that we can't party with Dan and Suzanne and some other friends because they're hosting a party too...)
-back to work for real on the 3rd of January, starting a new semester. I've rearranged my schedule to hopefully have every Wednesday afternoon off (I'm not so excited about the earlier mornings, but I'm completely pumped to have an afternoon off each week!)

So that's it. Even though I still have some Christmas shopping to do, and some Christmas presents to finish making - I'm not that worried. I'll have lots of time, and right now, I feel really good about the things to come!

lazy weekend, busy Monday

No joke - everyone needs a weekend like mine once in awhile. Mark and I had unprecedented amounts of free time, and it was fabulous!! We went to the movies (twice!), had dinner together, ate lunch with a bunch of friends, and just enjoyed being able to relax, ignore the laundry, and be in each other's company. Just what the doctor ordered...
And that made it a lot easier to come to work on a very busy Monday. Finals week is upon us, but that often brings the students out in droves - worried about grades, admission to the college, courses for next semester, and much more. It was a rewarding day, however, busy as it was. Lots of fun meeting new people, and (hopefully) easing some anxiety.
And I'm off for our last WyldLife of 2006 - we'll be on hiatus until school is back in session!
Happy Monday!

changes and choices

I'm not sure why this has been on my mind lately, but I've been reminded of how easy it is to think that life is beyond our influence. I tend to let myself feel like I'm in a little boat on a VERY big ocean - waves push you around in different directions, and there's just not much to be done about that.
But I just don't think that's true. I may not have much control over the waves - the big events in my life - but I have every control over how I respond. When I was driving home yesterday, it occurred to me that I used to be a lot better about keeping my mindset positive and improvement-focused. That bummed me out. I'd really like to turn that around - and the cool thing is that I can just change my mind. I may have to remind myself of the change fairly frequently in the beginning... but it is possible.
Honestly, a big motivator for me is to be the kind of person that other people want to be around. I've been feeling overly busy and lonelier than usual, and it's easy to feel sorry for myself at those times. But I also know I'm not doing everything I can to be desirable company. No one really likes to hang out with someone who is whiny, or needy, or depressed or cynical. We like people who laugh, people who like us, people who look at life with hope and love, and people who want to serve those around them. I want to be that girl.
In summary... a quote that I find fairly compelling in this area:
"Find out who you are and do it on purpose." - Dolly Parton (the fount of all wisdom) :)

extreme makeover: blog edition

Thanks to Zoot's Free Designs - my blog finally has a new look! Hooray!
What do you think??

oh that it were true...

You Are Sunrise

You enjoy living a slow, fulfilling life. You enjoy living every moment, no matter how ordinary. You are a person of reflection and meditation. You start and end every day by looking inward. Caring and giving, you enjoy making people happy. You're often cooking for friends or buying them gifts. All in all, you know how to love life for what it is - not for how it should be.

What Time Of Day Are You?

my job has a mental disorder

If jobs could be diagnosed with mental illnesses, mine would be manic-depressive. Monday I had 11 appointments, Tuesday I had 6 in the morning, and 2.5 hours of meetings in the afternoon. Two busy busy days.
Today - I was supposed to have a staff meeting, but that got canceled. Now I don't have anything until the freshman seminar class at 1:30 or so. And that's it. Nothing else today. I can work on other projects and things, but basically, I am sitting at my desk. Alone. Weird.

a whole week!

I've been neglecting my blog duties of late, and I apologize... it's mostly because there's not anything new to report, and it gets dull to type the same things over and over (and, I'm sure - to read the same things over and over).

At any rate - I'm excited because (although I have to work today) I have a long weekend coming up. And Thanksgiving is an awesome holiday. It's full of my absolute favorite things to eat, lots of family, focusing on good things that we're thankful for, and it's the kick-off to the Christmas season... from Thanksgiving until New Year's is pretty much my favorite time of year.

Tomorrow Christmas dinner is at Mark's mom's house - it will be overrun with family as always, I'm sure. On Friday, my parents and sister will arrive in MI, and on Saturday, my brother and sister-in-law will join us, and we'll have our own little family time. It's been over a year and a half since most of my family has been out to MI (Meg just visited a couple of weeks ago).

I'm praying for a great weekend - the weather should be gorgeous, and I know the logistics will work out fine and dandy. But I specifically am hoping for everyone to feel loved and blessed as a result of the time they spend with family and friends this weekend - that God would just reach into the middle of our time together and do His thing.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Top Ten Reasons I'm a Dork...

10. This week, I downloaded directions on how to draw a turkey - I wanted to have a turkey on the chalkboard in my office.
9. I color code my calendar - green for work, blue for YoungLife, orange for Mark, pink for me... you get the idea.
8. My dad, sister and I laughed for ten minutes last night about what it would be like if our butts had knuckles (all rooted in my dad coining the nickname "butt-knuckle" eons ago... in case you're wondering, a butt-knuckle is like a goofball, only more ornery)
7. My sister and I habitually buy at least one bottle of sparkling grape juice whenever we're together, and we finish the whole stinking thing. Fast. Then we burp a lot...
6. Driving home last night, I got real sad because I realized I'd left my copy of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at work (I've read the book at least 3 times already). Then I got real happy because my booksfree.com books arrived in the mail, so I had something to curl up and read anyway.
5. I separate all the silverware in my dishwasher. And everything has to point up, except the sharp knives (obviously!). I'll reach in an rearrange gooky silverware if someone else does it wrong.
4. I seriously look forward to watching Scrubs with Mark and Brooks at night - we all sing along with the theme song at the beginning, and mock the funny sound that wraps up the end of each episode.
3. I'm making myself a pair of flannel teddy-bear pajamas. Yes, I just had my 26th birthday last month. Teddy bears are for grown-ups too...
2. I have a folder on my computer designated for the spreadsheet I've created just for myself. There are currently 7 excel files in that folder. They are all color-coded also... of course.
1. Really, I'm a dork because I want to be. I like math problems, I re-read books over and over, I like going to matinee movies with my little sister, laughing with your dad about butts is always funny... is there really any other alternative to dorkhood?

What are the top ten reasons YOU'RE a dork?

i OwE yOu!

I feel like I owe you - (it's hard to write that out full-length, just FYI) :D - a little bit more than just pictures of what food the silly online quizzes say that I am. You're probably thinking - "What's the down-low on Katie's life? I want to get the skinny, I wanna know what's happs, gimme the dirt..."
Okay, you're thinking none of those things (although if you are, I think your slang vocabulary is totally rad. like, for sure.).
I had four lunch dates in four days at work - Monday was Pizza House with Jamie and Shannon (gals I worked with in the College of Social Science), Tuesday was lunch with Lauren (always fun, plus she decided she needed to know my "boy history" - her words, not mine - which makes for funny lunchtime conversation), Wednesday was lunch with the 8th graders at Mason MS, and yesterday I ate with Jane (I really miss working with her everyday - what a FUN lady...)
Work is A-OK - busy some days, not so busy other days.
WyldLife is going great - we had almost 50 kids show up on Monday, and one kid already signed up for winter camp in February (he turned in the form and money less than 48 hours after we handed it out... that's a record for a middle schooler!)
This weekend will be (I think) pretty low-key. Mark will be gone, and Brooks and I don't really have much going on. Probably wash/dry/fold lots of laundry, and read a book or two.

Nerdy thing I'm most excited about this week: The equivalent of NetFlix for books - booksfree.com. The name is deceiving because it's not actually free at all - but it's essentially an online library that keeps track of the books I want to read and sends them to me automatically. I figured it's worth a try - I could read some great new stuff, and not charge a bajillion dollars at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com every month. I have a fairly expensive book habit. (ps - I know libraries are free, but I'm just too lazy for that. Plus, I have a habit of keeping things too long and paying late fees anyway - I'm pretty sure Mark and I are going to have to sell my car to pay the fee on an audiobook we've had for (literally) a couple of years.)

repeat?

So I know I just posted one of these, but I thought this one was funny too...

You Are Mashed Potatoes

Ordinary, comforting, and more than a little predictable You're the glue that holds everyone together

What Part of Thanksgiving Are You?

And accurate, because Thanksgiving without mashed potatoes is NOT Thanksgiving! :) Although I tend to come out as kind of bland, stable, ordinary, blah blah blah in these quizzes... should I be bothered by that?
(Can you tell I'm excited for the yummy food that's coming up in a couple of weeks?)

what kind of pie are you?

You Are Apple Pie

You're the perfect combo of comforting and traditional Those who like you crave security

What Kind of Pie Are You?

a little late...

Last weekend was a ton of fun - my friend Kristen and I met in Dorchester, Ontario (just outside of London) at a bed and breakfast called The Sycamore Tree - named after the Bible story where Zacchaeus climbs a sycamore tree to see Jesus, Jesus sees him and says "I will stay at your house today." I thought that was cool...

Anywho - we ate Hungarian and Japanese and Korean food, had massages/facials/haircuts, slept in, watched TV, read books, went shopping, ate gourmet 5-course breakfasts... it was a very fun, relaxing weekend. Kristen and her family (husband and two little boys) live near Rochester, NY, so we don't get to see them as often as we'd like. Plus it was great to have some girl time.

This weekend, my sister Megan is coming to visit me - I'm really excited about that. We always have a lot of silly fun when we're together - watching movies, eating a bunch of junk, and generally being weird the way you can only be weird with the people you've known since birth. Hopefully I'll have fun pictures to post from that.

how was YOUR Halloween?

The day began with a special message from Mark (yes, that's written in Halloween candy...)

After a very busy day at work (which involved a lovely chocolate cake that I did not get a picture of), I picked up Laura (my sister-in-law who officially became a Spartan this fall) and her boyfriend Mike - they wanted to help us hand out candy (for two VERY cold hours - we had 228 trick-or-treaters at our house. Yes, I'm a dork - I kept track)

Mark, Brooks and I got into full ninja gear (we had to use a special camera because ninjas don't usually resolve on film...)

Some of the boys that live nearby felt threatened by our ninja skills and decided to launch an attack (notice that Brooks is glowing with ninja power... or that's just his reflective running pants...)

All in all - a very fun Halloween. We handed out a TON of candy, still have a bunch leftover - we ate tacos, sat outside until our fingers and toes went numb, and watched an episode of Scrubs. Who could ask for more?

made my day

I had a great weekend with my friend Kristen - I will post a picture or two and more details later... today got away from me a little bit! :)

Today, my day was made by a birthday card I got in campus mail - signed in detail by all the lovely ladies I used to work with in the Department of Political Science. My new job is good - lots of great people and some cool new opportunities... but the growing pains and adjustments are hard. Sometimes I really really miss my old work "home" - and the card in the mail today is making me tear up a little. I sincerely wish I could have taken them all with me when I switched jobs - but "you can't take it with you," "this too shall pass," and all that jazz.

It's good to remember them all fondly, and know they remember me well also. I like that.

what do people need?

We abuse the word "need" in our culture... I need new shoes, I need an iPod, I need more time... I know I get caught swimming around in things I want, things that are really important, and things I actually need.
If anyone's ever taken a Psychology course, this pyramid looks familiar... it's known as Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. I haven't spent a ton of time analyzing the pyramid, or doing any research at all to see if holds true... but from what I do know - it's fairly accurate. The basic premise is that we cannot have certain needs met if our more basic needs are still unmet. For example, it's hard to feel a sense of self-identity and belonging if you're malnourished and homeless. We tend to focus on basic needs first, then our more complicated ones. Makes sense, right?

Today, my basic needs are well met. I have a warm house, lots of food, clothing - all the biological necessities to keep me alive. My safety needs are also well met - my home is safe, I'm in a relationship that's strong and getting stronger, and my town/state/country is not in a state of active warfare or anything. I start to get a little fuzzy once I move past this phase - granted, I have people that love me and groups to which I "belong" - but I think it's been awhile since I felt a true sense of ownership and identity in my extra-curricular activities. A friend told me on Tuesday that we all need to be surrounded by people who enjoy and love us exactly as we are (as well as encourage and push us along to become better) - as I've gotten older, that's gotten harder and harder to do. I've got a fair amount of self-drive when it comes to pushing myself to grow and change... I like that about myself, but it makes it hard to allow anyone to meet me where I'm at.

I'm not sure exactly what I'm thinking right now... I just miss the feeling of having friends that call you just to check in, people that you can hang out with and not have any anxiety or stress about how the time will go, and truly feeling part of a community where you fit well.

(Just FYI - I'm having a good day - I know this post sounds depressing, but it's really more just something that's been rolling around in my brain lately. Plus, it's sunny outside today - and that's FABULOUS!! :D)

do you ever wish life was like a musical?

Sometimes I do... I think it would be fun to bust out into song randomly (assuming, of course, everyone had dazzling vocal stylings with perfect pitch...), dance around when things are going well, and have music always playing in the background to clue people in to what's going on.

My hotel room in Indy had HBO, and I got to watch about 30 minutes of Evita - it came out 10 years ago (my junior year of high school) - and my friends and I were obsessed with it. I saw it at least twice in the theaters, bought the soundtrack, and owned the VHS as soon as I could(nope, not the DVD...). I still pretty much know all the words. It was fun to be transported back in time a little bit - think how much we laughed at each other's dramatic reenactments of Madonna's performance, how much we enjoyed every scene with Antonio Banderas (guys who can sing and dance are pretty hot - plus, guys that are hot are hot... it was a good combination for a 16-year-old theatre junkie).

I watched part of it this weekend after I got back - it was still amazing. I didn't have anyone to swoon with, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. There are scenes and songs that make me want to get up and dance... (and I did, once or twice...) and it definitely makes me wish that life could be like a musical all the time. Fun!

no restraint

One of the ladies in our office has a candy jar on her desk - and right now, it's brimming with caramels - the kind you really only see at Halloween. I'm pretty good at resisting certain things - but I've found myself grabbing one of these almost every time I pass her desk. They'll be the death of me! (probably not, but it's fun to be dramatic).

It's funny to think about the areas of life where I can show restraint, and others where I find it really hard. Most of the time, I feel as though I'm fighting against my natural inclinations - and that's a good thing, because we're sinful, right? But sometimes I wonder if I'm fighting with the way God intentionally made me. (Not to say that He made me to be a caramel-hoarding weirdo or anything...) I just wonder once in awhile if the reason that it's so hard to change things about yourself is because that's the way you're supposed to be. I think God doesn't always want me to be different - just to learn to use the gifts He gave me in a different way. For some reason, that almost seems harder to me...

ever feel like old shoes?

Today, I feel like an old pair of shoes. Worn out, ratty, and kinda useless. Here's the real kicker - I have no idea why!

I got back from Indy on Saturday - late afternoon - and had a fairly relaxing evening with my husband. Went to church yesterday, and basically spent the day hiding out, folding some laundry, watching a movie... nothing stressful at all!

So why, today, do I feel as though I've been run over by a truck? Any quick rejuvenation tips to recharge these lazy batteries of mine? I don't want to be so tired!

time to confer!

Tomorrow I leave for Indianapolis for a conference (NACADA - National ACademic ADvising Association). I know it sounds like a hoot, and you're all completely green with jealousy. You should be. I'm a geek, and I think it sounds like fun. My friend Shannon and I are driving down together, and we'll spend about 3 days in downtown Indy, going to sessions to learn about doing our jobs better, eating at fun restaurants and having a good time together. It'll be a nice break from the day-to-day office routine. But it means I'll be absent from the blogging sphere for awhile... no one may notice, since I've been slacking a little lately.

Had a good weekend, got some relaxing in, which is GREAT and much-needed... but somehow Monday can always make me feel like I didn't have a weekend at all. Yesterday was kinda like that. I'm hoping to rejuvenate a little bit with my travel, and then some down-time this weekend too.

BigfatexcitingthingsKatieislookingforwardto:

-a weekend with my friend Kristen - B&B, spas, no boys! :D (October 27-29)

-a weekend with my little sister - sushi, movies, sparkling grape juice, and being VERY silly (November 3-5)

target DOG!

My first job ever (aside from my free-lance babysitting career) was as a cashier at the Target Greatland in my hometown. I wore lots of red and khaki, called all the customers "guests" and all my fellow employees "team members," and got a whopping 10% discount on my purchases. I won't say that I loved it, but I had a lot of fun, and will always have a soft spot in my heart for Target.

Being part of the Business College means that there are recruiters here all the time, trying to win students over for their corporation. Yesterday, Target was here wooing our students. And I got a free stuffed "Target Dog" out of it! He's wearing a red turtleneck sweater with a "T" on it. I'm pretty much really thrilled about that.

Oh, and FYI (you know you were wondering...) the red bullseye on his eye is painted on for live "performances" and is digitally added to his commercials. Interesting...

I'm gonna make the charts!!

A student I had seen early last week came in for another appointment this morning. This poor gal (I'll call her "T") had had a crazy week - 2 tests, a project/presentation, work, and trying to visit the 200+ company Career Gallery that was on campus (to find internships). Needless to say, T was awfully stressed last week, and I sent her away with chocolate in hand (that makes everything better) - along with some practical assistance, of course.

This morning for our appointment, T was frazzled because she'd done poorly on a test last week, and gotten a very unhelpful response when she approached her instructor for assistance. We spent most of the 30 minute appointment trying to ease a little of the frustration and anxiety T was experiencing. No chocolates were given today - just Kleenex.

Here's how our conversation wrapped up:

T: I'll probably come in and see you again before I decide whether or not to drop this class.
Katie: Sounds great.
T: I may just come in and see you every week. (laughs nervously)
Katie: Not a problem - so far, my appointment schedule has been fairly open. (smiles)
T: You'll start to get real popular soon.
Katie: (heart melts a little)

Everyone who has ever had a job knows that there are days when you just don't feel like it. No matter how much you like what you're doing - sometimes, you catch yourself wishing for something else. Moments like that help to remind me that I really do like my job a lot, and that I'm good at it. And I didn't even do anything spectacular - I provide chocolate, kleenex, information and advice - and I listen to people who need to siphon off some stress.

Thanks, T. Come in as often as you want - it reminds me why I like my job, and why I do what I do.

okay, okay, I admit...

I'm a dork. And sometimes (okay, a lot of the time), dorky little things make me happy.

In the advising office, we have this little bell with a sign that says "Happy with our Service? Ring the Bell!" Most students don't notice it, and if they do, probably don't feel like drawing attention to themselves by ringing it. But today, one of my students left and rang the bell on his way out of the office. Made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

I confess!

I'm having a cranky morning. This past week has been kinda tough, and some of my frustration has (I believe) a legitimate base. However, I'm well aware that it's eating at me in an unhealthy way, and bringing out my not-so-favorite characteristics.

My problem is that when I get upset or frustrated with one area of my life - it tends to seep everywhere. Feeling lonely makes me cranky with Mark - stress at work makes me not want to participate in my other commitments - the house being a mess leaves me feeling upset with everything that is keeping me from being able to spend the time cleaning it up...

I'm not sure why I always react this way. I tend to put myself personally into things - which a lot of the time is really a great thing... but in these situations, it means I don't keep things in perspective very well.

Anyone else know what I mean? Have any tips?

split personality

I'm Feeling: chipper
Background Noise:

I went to an MBTI training on Friday (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator - it's a personality assessment tool). It was fun (to me) - I like those types of things. My problem with Myers-Briggs has been that every time I take it, I have a different personality.

It measures 4 different aspects of personality:
1. Introversion v. Extraversion
2. Sensing v. Intuition
3. Feeling v. Thinking
4. Judging v. Perceiving

I took the assessment again over the weekend, and my results declared me an ENFJ - with strong scores in the "N" and "F" categories, and very slight tendencies toward the "E" and "J" side of life. I think this is fairly accurate, although I'm inclined to believe I'm actually an introvert who likes to talk and interact with a couple people at a time. True extraverts like big crowds and new people - those things tend to drain my energy a bit.

At any rate - it was fun to "discover" my personality this morning when my results came back - and it appears that if ENFJ is indeed my true personality type, that I'm in the right line of work. Way to be.

rain, rain...

I like rain - but I mostly like thunderstorms and big, dramatic shows of nature's (God's) awesome power. Just gloomy, dreary rain isn't so much. Especially when roughly 75% of the past 2 weeks has been like that...

The cool thing is that the leaves are starting to turn - and since I also really like autumn, that makes me happy. I like crunchy leaves, chilly air, apple cider, pumpkins, and all kinds of other fun outdoor-fall type things. But it has to NOT be raining in order to enjoy. *sigh*

Had a nice, relaxing, semi-lazy weekend (I was productive in ways that make me relax, which helps me feel like I was lazy - it's a nice pattern, actually). Laundry, crocheting (yes, I'm basically a grandma), watching Friends DVDs, breakfast with a friend, church, bible study with my 8th grade friends. It was good.

Now it just has to stop raining.

yum!

I'm Feeling: hungry for chocolates...
Background Noise: When I Sing by ISH

So it looks like my family will be traveling to Michigan for Thanksgiving this year (not the actual day, but for the latter part of the weekend...) I have two responses to this scenario (which I readily agreed to):

1. Fun/Hooray - Mark and I, for the first time since we were married, won't have to drive to Chicago at any point over the holiday weekend. I've been making the trip since 1998... it'll be good to stay put for a long weekend.

2. Yikes!/Boo - I'm going to go crazy trying to get the house clean/ready to a standard that will impress/appease my mother. Our house is reasonably tidy most of the time - but Mark and I can be cluttery people, and I don't find cleaning baseboards as a useful way to spend my time.

Mostly, I think it will be a good thing. I mean it really might be. Or... I'm praying hard that it will be.

Cooler news - my little sis may come for a visit before then, which is always superspecial fun. I like when she's here. We don't get to hang out and be stupid nearly often enough.

i wanna be a...

photographer. I'm hoping to take a photography class through LCC next semester and learn a little more about the technical side (rather than just pointing my camera at something that looks pretty and pushing a button...)

I always catch myself driving or walking somewhere and thinking "I wish I had my camera." It happened to me on my way to church Sunday morning - I actually called Mark and asked him to bring the camera with him when he came (I was going earlier than him) so that I could get a picture on my way home. I actually took about 10 pictures total! I'm proud of myself... it can get exhausting to always talk about the things you wish you could do, or would do if you had time. I just wanted to suck it up and actually do it - rather than talk about it. And I did.

Got to relax this weekend, which was fabulous, and I have a busy week coming up, but I think it'll be really fun. That's what I'm going to expect, at least. :)

long-winded re-cap

I'm Feeling: upbeat
Background Noise: hummy computer noises

I got a subtle hint that I may be neglecting my blog - so here goes with an update on me...
Mark has been out of town since Monday morning, and he'll be back late tonight - everyone asks how I'm doing while he's gone, so I thought I'd tell you!

Monday was our first WyldLife event of the school year - we had about 40 kids show up (which is great!) and we had a lot of fun. I was in charge of the talk, and I think it went really well.
Tuesday I went to the 8th grade girls' basketball game (they beat Eaton Rapids), ate a steak dinner with Brooks (our new roommate for the year), went for a run with Lauren (which ended with my cruddy running shoes making my left knee HURT for a day and a half) and then went to our in-depth Bible study at 9:00pm (to return home at 11:40).
Wednesday - I had coffee with Meredith, went to a student organization meeting (I'm the advisor for the group), had dinner with Chelsie, then went home and watched Friends with Brooks.
Last night I went to the credit union to get a check cut in Canadian dollars (Kristen and I are going to a B & B in Ontario for a weekend in October and they don't take credit cards... sigh), then headed to Main Dish Kitchen (my new favorite thing) to make some dinners for the next month. Brooks and I ate a fabulous Taco Bell dinner together, then I went to Beaner's with Cheryl. Home by 9:00, watched more Friends with Brooks, then bed.

(Gosh, when I read back through that, I sound like Ms. Social... it's deceiving... :) )
It's been a busy week, but really really fun. I'm looking forward to being home this weekend, sleeping in, and seeing my husband again!

rough road

I'm Feeling: a little emotionally beat up
Background Noise: Shout by Tears for Fears

Every day in my job, people come to me with questions, concerns, problems, and issues to sort out. I try to listen, analyze, ask questions, and help point them in a direction that will shed some light on their lives. This entails making an effort to be approachable, ready to listen, friendly, and encouraging. Those are great things to try to be - but sometimes it really takes it out of me. I really like my job, and most days, I think I'm reasonably good at it. But I can start to feel a little frayed - the surface still looks OK, but underneath, I'm not holding together as well.

I've been feeling a little unsettled lately - like something is missing. I think I know what it is, but I don't know how to get it. Unfortunately for him, Mark winds up bearing the brunt of my emotional instability. Fortunately for me, he loves me a lot and does his very best to show that to me. However, our God created us for community, and no one person can meet all your needs.

I don't really have a question to ask, or a story to tell here. Just pray for me - for His grace and peace, for love and belonging, and for a place in my life to call mine.

slow day?

I'm Feeling: pretty durn good
Background Noise: office-y chatter

I think I might have a slower day in the office today (now I've jinxed it for sure...) Only 4 appointments with students scheduled, and no other outside meetings - yesterday I pretty much went back to back all day. It was fun, but a little tiring. The highlight of my day yesterday was visiting the middle school for lunch. School started in MI last week, and I've been missing my 8th grade friends (I can't believe they're in 8th grade already!!) They're hilarious and friendly and honest and good at making people feel loved. It's a great break in the middle of a work day.

Got a big weekend coming up - YoungLife meeting on Friday, which we are providing dinner for; then we drive to Chicago late Friday night to visit with my extended family on Saturday (got a cousin getting married next month, so it's wedding shower time!), then back on Sunday in time to go to a WyldLife junior leader training from 6:00-8:30. Phew! When I was a kid, I used to think weekends were for relaxing and catching up on things... now, I know better!

alive and well

I don't have much to post about today... but I wanted my few but faithful readers to know that I'm still alive and kicking. :)

Right now, my belly kind of hurts. I think it's because I ate too much too late last night. I don't get heartburn (knock on wood) but I always wake up feeling weird the next day when I do that. Not sure why I do it. I know I won't feel good when it's all over.

Why do we do things like that - that we know will make us feel weird or uncomfortable? I think humans can be pretty stupid sometimes...

cocktails and dreams

I'm Feeling: thoughtful
Background Noise: nothing really

Yesterday, I left my house at 7am and returned at 7pm. Work sure can take up a lot of your time. :)

However, I did have the distinct pleasure of hanging out with Mark last night - we ate dinner, walked around Burchfield Park for awhile, then came home and watched (a classic) - Cocktail. It was a good evening.

Lots of things have been rolling around in my mind lately - mostly about the kind of person I am, the kind of person I want to be, the kind of person God wants me to be (hopefully those last 2 are pretty much the same) - and how I get there. I like improvement, I like conquering myself, I like saying "I'm going to be better about that" and actually following through. But it's hard. Really, really hard.

Hi-Ho!

I'm Feeling: effective
Background Noise: none (I've gotten BAD about turning on my iTunes at my new job...)

First - guess who is the grand marshal of MSU's Homecoming Parade? That's right - Kermit the Frog!! Click on the link for some fabulously obvious jokes about his school spirit. (Secretly, I think it's awesome. Makes me want to go to the parade, and I never go to the parade. Someone was thinking!)

Welcome back from Labor Day! Happy First Day of School!

New York City was fun - except that all the tennis we were scheduled to see got rained out by hurricane Ernesto (the funniest name for a hurricane I've heard in a long time). Big ole bummer, but it was fun to hang with the fam, walk around Times Square, and visit fancy jazzy barbecue places. Thanks to my mom and pop for making that trip possible! (funny note: when I was typing that last sentence, it came out "mom and poop" - whoops!) Got home on Sunday, and had a really nice end to the weekend - saw a movie with Courtney, went to dinner with Kelsey, organized the pantry, did some laundry, and got to spend some time with my hubby.

What did you do?

look out, New York!

I'm Feeling: soooo stinking tired!
Background Noise: co-workers calling "good morning"

So tomorrow, bright and early, Mark and I head to Detroit to catch a plane to go to New York City to watch the US OPEN!! (I used the word "to"5 times in one sentence... sweet.)

My mom, dad, sister, brother, and sister-in-law will all head there sometime today, and we'll catch up with them tomorrow morning. We get to watch fabulous tennis, stay in Manhattan, eat really expensive food, and celebrate my brother's and sister's birthdays. Hooray!!

I'm really excited to go, although I haven't thought about it as much as you'd expect - the crazy new job is keeping me very pre-occupied lately. In a good way, I guess, but I'll be happy to spend a weekend with my family and focusing on something VERY different from work.

So, I wish you an early Happy Labor Day Weekend - spend some time enjoying your company, and make sure you relax a little bit!!

reinforcement

I'm Feeling: encouraged (and also a little sleepy)
Background Noise: a very busy office

I've been doing some work-related research - looking at career options for business majors, trying to figure out what information I need to best help students... and I stumbled across the Keirsey Temperament Sorter - which is a personality test based on the Myers-Briggs typology. I'm a sucker for personality tests - and I have a kind of unusual personality, in that I'm almost 50/50 in a lot of areas - I can be really introverted and also very social, I'm very logical and process oriented but also highly empathetic... it's weird. So it's fun to retake tests, because on any given day, I'll end up "sorted" into a completely different personality than the day before.

However - today, I'm feeling good about myself because of what I saw when I finished my test:
Idealists, as a temperament, are passionately concerned with personal growth and development. Idealists strive to discover who they are and how they can become their best possible self -- always this quest for self-knowledge and self-improvement drives their imagination. And they want to help others make the journey. Idealists are naturally drawn to working with people, and whether in education or counseling, in social services or personnel work, in journalism or the ministry, they are gifted at helping others find their way in life, often inspiring them to grow as individuals and to fulfill their potentials.

Weird - it sounds like my job!! It's kinda cool to think that I'm well-matched for my professional life - it's encouraging when you feel ineffective or intimidated. The gifts God entrusted to me are being used - and that's comforting.

What personality are you?

time flies

I'm Feeling: mildly irked that pictures won't upload into Blogger today
Background Noise: Feels Like Rain by Josh Schicker

Time is zipping right by lately - the school year was ending before I knew it, suddenly it was the 4th of July, then August and back-to-school rolled around... now, with the new job, things are moving at hyper-warp-speed like never before. In some ways, it's really good = time at work goes very quickly (translation: I'm NOT bored). In some ways, it's kind of a bummer = laundry didn't quite get done this weekend, and I keep playing phone tag with people.

Anyway - I'm liking the new job, although it's been crazy and busy lately - I think it will fit me well and the people seem great (we just need to have the time to actually talk to each other once in awhile).

I had lunch with Julie and Courtney on Friday, and lunch with Jane and Jen today - it's good to sit with people who know you and simply laugh about silly things. Very little pressure or expectation... and once again - the time flies right by!!

ghetto thugs?

I'm Feeling: worn out
Background Noise: I Take My Chances by Mary Chapin Carpenter

These are my ghetto-thug girlfriends from WyldLife (translation: funny white girls from Mason pretending to be tough at camp). It's a fun picture.

I've become one of those people who only knows how to post about work. I'm gonna try to not mention it today.

Had a big weekend: spent time up at TimberWolf Lake (our home away from home), had a big picnic dinner with our Mason WyldLife and YoungLife friends, and last night had a back-to-school type meeting with some leaders for YoungLife. It's good to be back into the swing of the school year, but I'm having some of those "Oh my, my calendar is SO FULL" moments lately. It'll all work out, this too shall pass... but for right now, I'm feeling kinda buried in things.

Probably running some errands tonight - and I think tomorrow evening, I actually get to hang out with my husband, who I haven't been alone with in over a week, I think. That'll be nice.

who? what? huh??

I'm Feeling: overwhelmed
Background Noise: hustle-y bustle-y office sounds

I'm betting that my blogging will fall off here for awhile - this new job thing is busier than I remember... I didn't take a lunch hour today, and I haven't stopped "going" since I walked in at 7:50 this morning. Phew!

So far, it's excellent - I really like the people and the work (I think - doesn't feel like I've been working much... just showing up at work), and it's good to be busy with things I'm good at and enjoy. I'm trying to not be my usual self and look too far into the future and get all stressed out. Stay calm, Kate... calm. :)

I'll try to not slip too far behind - I know there are one or two people who check my blog... don't want to disappoint the faithful followers.

Love!

what - no pictures??

I'm Feeling: perplexed
Background Noise: True by Ryan Cabrera

So I can't get my computer to upload pictures... going to have to tackle that one next week, methinks.

New Job Observations:
1. I'm in that weird busy-but-not-busy mode you hit in a new position - lots to learn, but not much to DO yet, since you don't really know HOW to do anything.
2. People are very friendly - I'm learning who likes to pretend to be cranky, and who actually IS cranky (just kidding - so far, I think it's just pretending)
3. My office needs a little personalizing, but I really like it.
4. My feet hurt (I'm wearing real work shoes, instead of my usual summertime flip-flops... gotta make a good impression).
5. I'm excited about all the new things I'll get to do - I think I'll be a lot busier here than in PoliSci - which is good (but I'm nervous that I may have gotten lazy...)

Big weekend - pretty much as soon as I get home from work, we turn around and head to TimberWolf Lake - a place I love - to spend the weekend serving for a family-reunion event there. It should be awesome - I just hope that I can turn off work-brain and enjoy the moments.

Have a great weekend - what are you up to??

quick like a cat

It's been a whirlwind couple of days - I'm at my new desk, in my new office, at my new job. Very cool. I'll try to post tomorrow, then I'm gone for a long weekend - an excellent distraction from the professional - hullaballoo (is there such a thing?) I've been going through the past couple weeks.

Adios!!

bugs and chairs.

I'm Feeling: whelmed (not over or under... just whelmed)
Background Noise: gentle hum of a moderately functional AC unit

Tomorrow is my last day in the Department of Political Science - and I finally got a new desk chair. No, it's not quite like the one in the picture - but it's pretty, it reclines, rolls smoothly, and the fabric hasn't worn out anywhere yet. I'd be bummed, except that it makes a semi-obnoxious squeaky sound whenever you move. So that makes me feel better about leaving it behind... isn't that awfully grown-up and mature of me?

In other news, I have four mosquito bites on my ankles that are driving me absolutely bonkers.

mmmm...

I'm Feeling: full of tasty lunch
Background Noise: She by Elvis Costello

One of my favorite little places to eat in East Lansing is Flat's Grill. They are the home of the "flat sandwich" - which really means that you've got all kinds of sandwiches offered quesadilla-style - tortilla folded in half, with lots of yummy cheese. I just had lunch there - my sandwich, plus chips & salsa and cornbread, and I'm a very happy girl. It's one of those local places that's distinctly East Lansing - gotta love the home-grown goods.

Hooray for Fridays, also... although I'm not quite sure what I'll do with myself tonight. Mark is going to Detroit to a Lions game with his dad and brother. Brooks (our housemate for the year) is on vacation. The night is mine... I just have to decide what to do with it. Any suggestions?

when you're not strong...

This is what we did on the ride home from camp.

It was amazing. :D

healthy eating

I'm Feeling: like curling up with a good book
Background Noise: Down in the River to Pray by Alison Krauss

Last night, Mark and I went to our friend Jacob's 14th birthday party. He has a beautiful, huge, in-ground pool with a diving board, a chocolate lab named Max, a pet turtle named Alabama (Big Al), and there were Cheetos, burgers, hot dogs and ice cream sundaes.

I must say - the delights of birthday parties do not diminish with age. I had a blast playing in the pool with my teenage friends, and I ate a burger, a hot dog AND my whole sundae (on which I put every available topping, including 2 cherries). I even got a treat bag to take home with me. It was a fabulous way to spend Tuesday night, especially with all the things going on with work these days.

don't leave, all the plants will die!!

I'm Feeling: a little emotionally worn out about leave-ing (get it? LEAVES... I know, I'm reaching...)
Background Noise: It Doesn't Matter Anymore by Eva Cassidy

I've embarked upon the journey (entirely new to me) of quitting a full-time, professional position. It is so much harder than I thought it would be. Of course, it's big news, so everyone wants to talk about it. Some people are excited for me, some are disappointed that I'm leaving, some are hard to read, some are stand-offish. Mostly, it's nice that people care - but I never really realized how hard it would be to leave a job I've worked hard at, co-workers I've come to respect and care about, and students I've gotten to know and enjoy over the past two years.

Enough brooding. Suzanne put this in her blog, and I thought it would make a nice distraction for me.

The first player of this game starts with "5 weird things/habits about yourself". In the end you need to choose 5 people to be tagged and list their names. The people who get tagged need to write a blog about their 5 weird things/habits, as well as state this rule clearly, then tag 5 more victims. Don't forget to leave your victim a comment that says "you're tagged!" in their comments and tell them to read your blog.

1. I separate all my silverware in the dishwasher. This makes putting them away SO much easier, it's not even funny. And, I have to have them all pointed up - except for sharp knives, obviously.

2. I don't care which way the toilet paper comes off the roll - I've realized human beings CAN adapt to either setting.

3. I (like Suzanne) make spreadsheets for fun. If I get a chance to use a couple of formulas and do some color-coding... even better.

4. I love to be organized, but when things get out of hand, I tend to like to cover them up and ignore them. Clean folded laundry that needs to be put away will stack up... the dishwasher will remain full of clean dishes, my flower beds become overgrown with weeds the size of a small child... It's not a great strategy, I'll admit.

5. I've become one of those people who won't leave the house without mascara on. I don't wear much makeup, but I've convinced myself I look like Frankenstein if my hair isn't washed and my eyelashes aren't coated with some sort of colored goo.  

my life is good

I'm Feeling: blessed, nauseated, calm, nervous and eager all at once (it's busy over here!)
Background Noise: none because my computer is being cranky

What an amazing week!! I got to spend 5 days with 14 absolutely hilarious, sweet, silly, and genuine middle school girls (some pictured on the left) at camp - we got wet and messy, stayed up til 2:30am braiding each other's hair, laughed a lot, went tubing, mountain biking, rock climbing, conquered the ropes course, screamed and sang and prayed and learned about Jesus. You can't ask for a better time. I could blog for weeks telling you silly stories - so if you want to hear some, just ask.

Also - Monday, right before we left for camp, I was offered a new position - working for the College of Business at MSU - and I accepted!! I'll be advising, teaching a freshman seminar on leadership, and helping to coordinate the C o B's new residential program for freshman. I'm super excited about the new job, and simultaneously feeling like puking because of quitting my current job and all the weird, random loose ends I have to tie up here. It's a really, really good move for me, but it's still hard to leave my current position. I pray that the next few weeks pass by quickly.

The job thing helps with my roller-coaster emotions - that was one of the big things that was up in the air that I couldn't control. Camp is always fabulous, because you get to forget about regular life for a week and just laugh and eat and praise God. Thanks for all your faithful prayers - hopefully I have lots of good stories to post soon!!