Christmas with the Criswell/Weghorst/Cherry/Johnson's!

Christmas this year has been full of firsts! It was Kaitlyn's first Christmas, the first Christmas I could buy everyone presents with my own money (something I was VERY proud of) and the first Christmas in a long time we had all of my siblings together :) It was awesome.

I realize some of you aren't fortunate enough to have met my entire family, so this post is dedicated to them and our wonderfully crazy/dysfunctional holidays...

Christmas Tree!!

This is my beautiful sister Devon and my brother-in-law Justin...Together, they produced the cutest baby ever known to man, aka Kaitlyn Grace.

My other sister Kelly and her bf Ryan.

My crazy brother Kyle...

My "rents" overseeing the festivities ;)

Me with my favorite neice!

Here are some of my fav's of Kaitlyn...I got a little carried away, but how could I not?!

To My BFFAE

Who would have known
when we first started out
that the two of us would make it
through all the muck and clout?

We were young and reckless,
well i guess we still kind of are
but we managed to stay together
even though now you're really far.

You used to like frogs
but then they started to creep you out
and we used to always argue
and then you would inevitably pout ;)

We struggled through Jr.High
through bad haircuts and boys
you almost even hooked a few
even if they weren't so choice.

Then there came high school
and we both did separate things
you'd watch me throw
and I'd listen to you sing.

But graduation crept closer
and we chose our own schools
We both chose B.U.'s
so I guess that's kind of cool...

I'm glad you've stuck it out with me
I like to think I made you tough
and even if you're far away
you'll always be the "stuff".

At Last

Today I finished my last final! It's crazy to think that I am halfway through my freshman year of college :) Anywho, I am super-dee-duper excited about Christmas break and all that that entails.

I don't know how much I'll be able to post over break, but I'll see what I can do...

Here's to you...

Many Ginobili: My favorite all time basketball player, personal hero and potential spouse. I have been drawn to you since I saw you play your rookie year in one of many Spurs Championship games. Honestly, it was you that opened my eyes to the greatness that is The Spurs. Your hustle and aggressive playing style has served you well, taking you from an unknown Argentinian ball player to an NBA Champion and Olympic Champion. I will never get tired of defending you and cheering for you. To me, you are the epitome of basketball and everything I would ever want in a player.



Matt Bonner: My favorite redheaded player. I love you because you remind me of myself. My heart soars when you actually get to play. Though most people probably don't know who you are, I will always be your number one fan. Your physical mentality in the paint and excellent 3-point percentage has made you an excellent contributor (when you actually get in the game). But hey, I don't care that you don't play a lot... I'm content to see your red hair sitting along your teammates offering encouragement and relief when you can. I like to think if I was a NBA player I would be you.



Fabricio Oberto: My second favorite Argentinean. You my friend, are a grease monkey, but your powerful play in the post has been tremendous these past few seasons on the Spurs. You came into the NBA a virtual unknown from Argentina and I have watched you blossom in to a smarter and more agile player. I am always impressed by your heads-up play and determined mindset. Even when I'm angry at stupid mistakes you make I know you were a great investment. I have no doubt you will continue to grow into an excellent ball player.



Steve Nash: My little buddy. I hate when The Spurs play The Suns because I respect you so much. Your quickness is unmatched and I am hard-pressed to think of anyone who's basketball knowledge and passing skills can match yours. Even though you are in your mid 30s, you can outplay any 20 year old put in your path. You are so fundamentally sound it's scary...watching you play reminds me of why I love basketball.



Chris Paul: You are one crazy little ball of fury. You have taken The Hornets from virtually unknown to Championship contenders. I admire your determination and hard work. It's not everyday a rookie can carry his team farther than they've ever gone before. It's hard not to be a Chris Paul fan when you play basketball the way you do and still manage to keep your attitude in check. I have high hopes for you mister...



Beno Udrih: Oh Beno...where do I begin? You are another player that is vastly underestimated. Not only are you a lefty, which for whatever reason is a big plus in my book, but you are also from Yugoslavia. How cool is that? I first noticed your awesomeness your first season on The Spurs... and even though I can't claim you anymore, you still hold a special place in my heart.



Dwayne Wade: You are one of the few "big hype" players I bought in to. I'm not going to lie, I like that you seem to be a genuine good guy that doesn't let his ego get to him. You took The Heat to new heights and even though it didn't last forever, I have no doubt that you will do great things (regardless of your team).



Tim Duncan: I love me some Timmy. You are one of the quietest superstars on the court today. I have no doubt that The Spurs would be minus quite a few championships if you hadn't been on the court. I have watched entire games before I realized how much you've impacted it, and believe me, I mean that in the best way possible. Please don't ever get old.




Shane Battier: Now that Mutombo is retired, you reign as my favorite Rocket. I love your hustle and smart play but most of all I love that you give me a reason to cheer for The Rockets. You single handedly redeem them.



Rasheed Wallace: Oh Rasheed...I don't even know where to begin. You are the most ridiculous, foul mouthed, insane player and for whatever reason, I can't help but love you. You always make me laugh, but I still respect your great play on the court. I would never want my children to imitate you, yet I find myself wishing every team had their own Rasheed to shake things up.

"Lazy Sunday"

You're Welcome.

If my life were a movie...

Now I realize this may come across as incredibly vain, but I think it would be really funny to see my life played out in a movie. Granted, I should probably wait a few years to see if there are any major plot twists, but if I were going to have a movie made of the past 18 (almost 19) years of my life I would want it to be acted out with the best possible cast.

Cast Members Include:

Laura Prepon as Me:


Geena Davis as my Mom:


Maurice Bernard as my Dad:


Rachel McAdams as my sister Devon:


Jimmy Fallon as my brother Kyle:


Sarah Silverman as my sister Kelly:


My grandparents played by James Garner and Gena Rowlands:


Ellen Page as Marie:


Tom Hanks as Jeremy:


Adam Goldberg as Andrew:


Vanessa Hudgens as Danica:


Katie Holmes as Lauren:


Amber Tamblyn as Allison:


Katherine Heigl as Jessie:


Eva Mendez as Danielle O:


Topher Grace as Daniel:


Bradford Anderson as Ian Dabomb Deetz:


Alexis Bledel as Molly:



I tried to include as many people as I could think of, but if you are reading this and aren't on the list let me know. Also, if you would like someone else to play you, just write who you think would be a better you in the comments...I'll take it in to consideration ;)

Instructions

I wish people came with instructions. Think how much simpler life would be if every time you were interacting with someone that you didn't know that well (or someone you don't understand) if you had the option of just peeking at their tag. Ideally it would be similar to clothing tags, but instead of instructions to wash, there are instructions on how to handle this person.

I think mine would look something like this...

"Handle with care: Loves sunshine and smiles, but is known to get a bit carried away. Do not mix with obnoxious personalities. Needs Jesus, laughter, naps and the Spurs."


So what would your tag look like?

Forbes gets it right

Forbes just released the best "prime-time bargains"...basically, the best basketball players for the buck. They compared player statistics to pay to see which players are making the biggest impact and are basically settling for less pay than they deserve.

Guess who was number 1...MANU GINOBILI. He beat out Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant to take the spot of #1 prime-time bargain for a guard*!

Now I finally have proof :)


*I realize that part of the reason some of these guards (like Kobe Bryant) aren't at the top is because they make WAY too much money to qualify as being a "bargain".

The View

Can I just say how much I HATE The View?! Seriously, it is the worst show ever...I'll try to present my argument in an organized way:

1. Any show where they are going to discuss political and world issues, but have an unbalanced panel, is like a bomb waiting to explode. It just needs the right issue to make it go off.

2. Though the women on the show might be mildly intelligent, it usually just leaves me thinking about how utterly ridiculous and foolish they look when they argue and yell over one another.

3. For me, it's hard watching women make fool's of themselves, but remain totally serious about it. It's different if I'm watching Paris Hilton's Super Awesome Fabulous Fun Life on MTV...she KNOWS she is ridiculous (or at least I hope she does). But the women from The View seem to think they are God's gift to womankind. Bleh.

4. Besides giving women a bad name, Joy Behar gives red heads everywhere a bad name...and I just won't stand for that. There are too few of us to be associated with the likes of her.

5. Your IQ actually decreases the longer you watch it (it's a proven fact).

Baby it's cold outside...

It is freezing 0utside (literally) and it is AWESOME! Though I'm assuming the grounds crew didn't get the memo because a few of our trees were covered in icicles...which leads me to believe someone left the sprinklers on. I'm okay with it though, they were really neat looking.

P.S. I don't know when I started saying "neat" but it really needs to stop. I feel like June Cleaver.

P.S.S. I'm really excited about Christmas! It's gonna be super neat ;)

Closing time.

16 more days, 2.5 more weeks and only a couple of finals stand in the way of me and the end of my first semester here. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I have hated it here or anything, but when all is said and done, I will be glad when this semester is over and behind me. It has been challenging in ways I hadn't anticipated and rewarding in ways I couldn't have imagined.

All that to say that now that the school year is winding down, I have decided to write down some of the things I have learned in my first semester of life at DBU. Enjoy!

• Never judge a book by it's cover. A great example of this would be my roomie...all the hot pink, pom pom waving and makeup had me hesitant at first, but she turned out to be one of the best possible roommates I could have gotten. We get along great, and as ridiculous as she is, I love her.
• I am naturally really optimistic. If there is a silver lining to be found, I WILL find it.
• God always provides, but rarely in the way I expect.
• I love learning about scripture. If I could take all Religion classes, and no core courses...I would.
• I thoroughly enjoy being spontaneous.
  
• College exams really aren't as hard as people make them out to be...or at least the ones I've had thus far haven't been too bad.
• There is nothing like sitting outside by yourself. It's a rare treat, but it's really refreshing and peaceful.
• Absence really does make the heart grow fonder.
• Tofu will never be good...I don't care how you prepare it or what you serve it with.
• Working in the "typical" office as a student worker is really boring.
• I REALLY hate talking on the phone, especially to international students. Judge me all you want, it stinks.
  
• Using the weekends to catch up on all the sleep I missed during the week is FAWSOME*.
• I love teaching and sharing with other people about the bible. But I'm still working on what people I'm allowed to teach. I should probably stick to kiddos.
• Usually things are more complicated than I would like them to be.
• Cafeteria food gets old REAL fast.
• Being on a beautiful campus makes me happy.
• I love that all my classes are "Christ-centered".
• I study best early in the morning.
• Real work NEVER gets done if I'm in bed.
• College life is great and all, but I'm really excited that I get to graduate and be an adult in a few short years.
• I NEED alone time sometimes, but I am miserable if I'm alone when I don't want to be.
• I really took for granted having a car and going places whenever I wanted.
• Some things (like shopping) are much more enjoyable when done alone.
• I might have a learning disorder. I'm still deciding if it's legit.
• Hot chocolate makes me feel really good about life.
• Skipping class as a reward is excellent. But getting carried away and skipping too many is not.
• Freshman chapel stinks (the other two chapels during the week are usually really good).
• I miss being able to cook!
• I will never be one of those people that stresses about grades all the time...but I usually end up feeling guilty that I'm not concerned about them.
• Studying at the library is prime. But I get really upset when people are not completely silent.
  

*Fawsome: adjective, a term coined by Ernie Halter. It means freaking awesome...obviously.
Judge me if you must. Daniel will understand ;)

I'm cursed.

I've decided that I am completely cursed when it comes to electronics. I don't know what it is, but I always manage to break/leave behind/misplace my phone. This time I forgot my charger at home. Which means I will be without it for a couple of days till my mom ships up my charger. It could be a good thing. It's been a while since I've had to go without it. Maybe it will be refreshing, but my gut says it will just be frustrating. Ah well, I'll make d0 with what I've got.

I'm convinced life would be much simpler without technology. Or at least less stressful. But then again, maybe that's the curse talking...

#7: Medicine

I just took Robitussin cough medicine, which I haven't taken since I was a kid (even then I've probably only taken it twice). Well, I have been coughing like crazy, so I decided it would be in my best interest to medicate my troubles away. My inner dialogue went something like this...


ME: "I'll just drink a little bit of this 'long-acting' Robitussin and I will be healed and rejoice.
Surely it can't be as bad as I remember, maybe I was just being dramatic.
I should get something to wash it down just in case..."

*drinks medicine of death*

BLEH! Definitely worse than I remember.
Another one of the many reasons I choose not to get sick.


I don't get why medicine has to taste so bad*. I mean seriously, is there is no possible way they could have made it taste better? With all the modern advances in science and technology, they couldn't have managed a better tasting cough serum?!



*If you are one of those wierdo's that thinks cherry/bubblegum flavored medicine is yummy then you can just take a hike because I think you are full of it.

The Standard

Warning: this is going to be extremely sappy.

I'm sure I have mentioned to some of you how much my grandpa means to me. He is the epitome of the perfect man, not in a weird way, but he has always been what has set the standard for me (as far as what I look for in a guy). I know that may sound weird to some people, but it makes perfect sense to me. So after I talked him up this much, I have decided to give those of you that haven't met him (basically all of you) a little insight to what makes him so great.

He is from a really small town of Mississippi but he actually met my grandma at Pearl River Junior College where he was playing football and basketball. He was raised to be a southern gentlemen, in a time when that was the norm, and she was only 16 when they met because she graduated high school early. They hit it off from the get go. Two years later, when they graduated from Pearl River, my grandma moved to New Orleans to work with a few of her girlfriends. Judge me if you must, but it was like something out of a movie when I read the letter my grandpa wrote to her in her yearbook. SO cute. He went on to play more college ball at William Carey and finish his education, and they got married shortly thereafter and had their first child (my mom) in 1956.

Now, I'm sure I'm romanticizing this a little bit, but if you saw the way my grandpa cared for my grandma and looked at her, you would have a hard time imagining it being any other way. My grandma's health isn't the best, so my grandpa spends the majority of his time caring for her. He is so kind and patient with her. I love watching them interact. Especially when my grandma is feeling particularly feisty.

Besides the fact that he is wonderful with my grandma, he also has a great sense of humor. He makes me laugh every time we are together, even if I've heard the story 100 times already. I wish I could have known him when he was younger because I think he would have been a total goofball. His sense of humor and mine match really well, so it's really fun when we get to hang out.

To top it all off, he is and has always been a great spiritual leader in my family. I know without a doubt that he lives his life according to his faith and convictions, and I admire that kind of maturity.

I encourage you to meet him if you can. His name is Henry Elbert Johnson. Look him up. He is my grandpa and my hero and I love him...a lot.

My life is a whirlwind

So this last week has been super hectic, so I'll stick to the highlights...

• 96 on my sociology test :) woop!
• Mr.Big Chief (DBU's annual man pageant) was hilarious
  
• I finished my killer history paper. 5-6 pages on Colonial History= Gross
• I went to the homecoming gala which featured music from Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic musicals (ex. Oklahoma, Sound of Music, etc) SO good and it was worth 2 chapel credits. Totally worth it.
• It seems like all my classes are online..in other words, NO CLASSES last Friday!
• My service project at Grace Temple Baptist Church is really growing on me (maybe i'll post more about it later)
• It was COLD for the first time up here. I got to wear my coat and everything! Super exciting.
• We played catchphrase at church today

That about sums it up. Hopefully more to come. Now that I'm done with homework the world is mine for the taking!

Cold Weather Bliss

Some of the things I love most about cold weather...

1. Cold weather food (ex. soup, smores, hot chocolate, etc.). Mmm.
   
2. Getting all bundled up :)
   
3. Not having to shave as much. ha. (judge me if you must)
4. Sleeping...ESPECIALLY napping (this isn't necessarily just for cold weather, but it's easier to snuggle up when it's cold).
5. Christmas music... It's growing on me.
   

#6: My Favorite Bundles of Stink

Recently on "God's Campus", we have experienced a dramatic increase in the number of friendly neighborhood skunks. We don't normally have a problem with other pests (I am yet to see a roach, rat, opossum, or snake), but for some unexplainable reason, skunks have made DBU their new campus of choice...I'd like to say it is their unexplainable need for salvation that draws them here...but who am I kidding, if animals were supposed to have an afterlife, skunks most certainly would not end up in heaven.

They have tried to combat our fury little friends by setting out traps and such, but believe me when I say these traps are almost worse than letting them run free and procreate. At least once a week students are expected to battle the aftermath of a skunk capture. Not even the fresh "Mountain Creek" air can wash away the sins of our skunk friends.

I guess what I'm saying is "Why skunk-friends?! Why DBU?!"
I just don't understand.

It's Christmas Time (kinda)

You're Welcome.

#5: The "hallelujah" moan

I don't know what it is about DBU, but I have heard more moaning since I've been here than ever before. It's completely ridiculous... and frankly, I hate it. It's not the "oh crap, I don't want to do my homework" moan that you would assume students would make, it's more of a "I agree with what you said/hallelujah" moan. At first it didn't bother me as much. I would hear it during class or chapel and just brush it off, after all, I know whoever moaning has the right to "hallelujah" moan as much as they want. But after a while it started to get to me...

The only time it becomes a real issue is in my Intro to Christian Ministries class. There is this one girl who "hallelujah"moans every 2-5 minutes. At first I thought she was just reassuring the teacher that she was awake, but at this point in the semester I'm convinced that it's a disorder. NO ONE needs to moan like that all the time. Maybe I would understand it better if our professor was preaching about something that was really convicting or powerful, but 98% of the time that is not the case. She is moaning about the history of the baptist church.

You probably think I'm exaggerating, but I assure you, I am not.

#4: Ed Young

For those of you who don't know, Ed Young is a pastor/author/tv mogul in the Metroplex area. He is the head of a very large and "dynamic" church called the Fellowship Church, and last week he was our speaker at chapel. In fact, his church is so popular that it now has around 3 satellite campuses. He's not really my favorite speaker, but I try not to be too critical (especially with our chapel speakers considering he was one of the more entertaining ones).

Anyways, that's all besides the point. What I don't understand about Ed Young and pastors like him, is the need for the "shock and awe" effect. Right now Fellowship Church is starting the Seven Day Sex Challenge where (you guessed it) married couples are supposed to have sex for seven straight days*. This isn't the first time I have heard of challenges like this in these churches, I just don't really understand why they go about it the way they do. Christians are infamous for being prude and closed lip'd about sex, and while that isn't always true, for the most part it is.

I just question the motives behind these "challenges". Is it purely to help strengthen and repair marriages, or is it for publicity? After all, I only learned of this whole shenanigan via the local news. I don't get why some churches have resorted to these gimmicks and attention-grabbers to help pump attendance and enthusiasm...I'm pretty sure the bible speaks for itself. I think that breaking barriers and thinking outside the box is all fine and dandy in theory, I just think that there are other ways pastors could go about this.

Sidenote: I would really like to see the attendance records for the next couple of weeks at that church.



*Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying anything about the challenge in and of itself, just the way the church is going about it.

#3: Balaam

26 Then the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff. 28 Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?"

29 Balaam answered the donkey, "You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now."

30 The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?"
"No," he said.

31 Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.

Numbers 22:26-31

Now, I'm not quite sure what Balaam was thinking, but if my donkey started talking to me, I'm pretty sure my first reaction wouldn't be to threaten it. I would probably try to run away...but maybe that's just me. I just don't understand why he argues with it! If he is gonna stick it out and have a conversation with his donkey, why would he be mean to it? Even if he didn't know God was the reason it could speak, common sense says he should be a little bit worried in this senario. This whole story is crazy (and by "crazy", I mean "stinkin sweet"), but I think the most ridiculous part is that he would threaten this talking animal. Seriously Balaam, what were you thinking?!

#2: Old People

Let me start by saying this, I am not typically an emotional person. I have my moments and my breakdowns, but normally, I'm a pretty private person and prefer not to cry in public.

That being said, the one thing that can pretty much make me cry every time without fail is old people. Whether they are sick and dying or being cute with their spouse, old people just get to me.

Example: On Grey's Anatomy (a show I watched for the first time tonight) there was an older couple that was clearly in love. OF COURSE, the wife dies and the husband is left helplessly trying to keep her alive. It was ridiculous...I fell apart.

I just don't understand what it is about Old People! Clearly I'm not the only one that has a soft spot for them since television producers and writers are exploiting this weakness. I just wish they would post some kind of warning when they do stuff like that. It would probably look something like this: "Warning: Excessive Elderly Cuteness/Heart-Wrenching Story About to Rip your Heart Out and Render you Completely Emotionally Drained". That way I would at least know when to leave the room...

My first/last political post...

Let me start by saying this: this post has nothing to do with my love/hate/indifference towards Barack Obama.

But you've got to give it to him...the man's got charisma.

#1: The "I-want-you-to-know-but-not-really" line

So today marks the beginning of my series about the things I don't understand. It's pretty self-explanatory...

#1. I don't understand why people talk out loud to inanimate objects and then look at me like I am crazy or just plain rude when I ask what all the fuss is about. I notice this a lot with my roomie, she always talks to her laptop (usually things like "Ahhh" or "Oh MY Gosh!", etc.), well I always take this as a cue that she wants me to know what shes gasping over. But when I ask what all the commotion is about, 50% of the time I'm met with a look that tells me I'm being intrusive or I have somehow crossed a imaginary I-want-you-to-know-but-not-really line. It just doesn't make sense to me!

Early Morning

There are many facets of having a roommate that I've had to adjust to over the course of the semester. Since my roomie is a cheerleader here, she has a different morning schedule than I do (cheer practice 3 times a week at 7 am).

Luckily, I'm a morning person. I love to get up early and be ALONE. I usually allow myself an hour and a half (at least) in the morning to get ready for the day, do a devotional, etc. Well even with my hour and a half of "me" time, I still am not up by 5:45.

Meaning I have to incur the wrath of my roommates alarm clock. You see, when I hear an alarm clock go off my first instinct is to wake up...completely. Not press snooze after it has already gone off for 5 minutes, and then listen to it go off in another 10 minutes. It's torture some mornings listening to her alarm go off when I know I am missing out on another 45 minutes to an hour of prime sleep. But I'm learning to deal, and it is probably making me a better person. Or at least that's what I keep telling myself.

The odd thing is, lately I have had the opposite problem.

Out of courtesy, whenever one of us is sleeping while the other is getting ready, we typically get ready in the dark (unless turning on the light is a necessity). Over time, I have learned how to choose an outfit, brush my teeth, put in my contacts AND put on make up with only a dim closet light guiding my way. The only problem is, lately I keep thinking she's in bed when she isn't! Today I got completely ready in the dark and didn't even realize she wasn't in there until she told me about it this afternoon! And that's the second time this week!

It's kinda funny to think about. Part of me wonders if God was looking down from heaven and chuckling as I balanced the mirror in my closet drawer and made feeble attempts at applying mascara. I imagine it would look ridiculous if people knew I was the only one in there trying not to wake up my sleeping ghost of a roommate.

Let Your Requests be Made Known...

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

I don't know about you, but it seems like every time the "whats your favorite verse?" question gets brought up, 1 out of every 7 Christians lists this as their favorite verse. I just have to wonder if they are reading the same verse I am... or if all they see is, "as long as I love the Lord, He will have favor on me and give me what I want". The problem is, I don't think that's what the scripture is saying at all, in fact, I think it's saying quite the opposite. If your delight is in the Lord, then your desire will be for Him and to serve Him and follow His will for your life. The desires of your flesh will be crucified in order for His desires to take priority.

You see, I want my desires to be in line with His, and more than anything I want to live according to His word and His will for my life... yet there are always desires hidden beneath the surface that crave the things of this world. Things that are not necessarily "bad", but things that are not promised by Gods word. For me, this has manifested itself as a couple of things...my desire for friends here at school, and my dream of one day being a mother. Now don't get me wrong, I don't think either of these things are condemned by Gods word (or are "bad" in and of themselves), but I know that I have not been promised either. They seem to fall in this "gray area" of desires. I can say confidently that I would rather live in Gods will than have either of these things, but I desire them nonetheless.

Here is where my dilemma begins... what I don't understand is why we need to pray that He will grant us the desires of our hearts if we make His desires our own? I am probably just missing something, but if we are truly followers of Christ then His will should be our own, right? And maybe I am wrong again, but I do not feel like I have to ask God to complete His will. He is God Almighty and I have faith that His will is going to be completed with or without my prayer. However, I try to be obedient and present my requests unto Him, knowing that He hears them, and hoping that they are in line with His will. I just don't know what to do with these "gray area" desires. I know the Lord knows my heart, and since these wants are not a necessity or even a priority, I don't feel like I should bring them before Him. Am I wrong? If my primary desire is for His will to be completed in me, what do I do with these secondary desires? I feel selfish even bringing such petty things before His throne. I wish I could purge myself of these things, but they seem to stick with me. Simply put, He has created me with a passion for people and a love for babies. I know that He is supreme in my life and is completely sufficient, so should I even bother asking for these other things? When Paul says "let your requests be made known" (Philipians 4:6) does that only include the requests that line up with His promises and truth?

I don't know if any of this makes sense, I just wanted to see if anyone had some insight or words of wisdom for me...

It's a Man's World

Here are some fun facts I learned today...

• 75-80% of people arrested are male
• men commit 83% of violent crime
• men monopolize organized, corporate and political crimes
• for every 1 violent offense committed by a woman, there are 6 violent male offenses
  
• males kill other males 86% of the time

C'mon fellas, what is all this about?!

Case in Point

Ernie is on the left, Tony is on the right. They kind of have a little word fumble in the middle...but it is still one of my favorite recordings of this song.

Ernie Halter and Tony Lucca- Whisper

One of those days...

Today has been super stressful and aggravating, so tonight as I sat down in an attempt to mellow out (after a long battle with my online test) I started thinking about the music that calms me down. The songs and artists that I listen to after days like today. After much careful consideration, I decided on a few must have songs on days like today...songs that refresh me and calm me down.

1. Crazy- by Patsy Cline
I could listen to all of Patsy Cline's songs over and over and over again and never get sick of them. There's something about her voice that speaks to me...it's therapeutic.

2. Arms of a Woman-Amos Lee
This song is one of my favorite all time. It makes me forget everything going on around me and focus on nothing in particular.

3. Home- Michael Buble
This one is new to me, so it's yet to lose its "new and magical" appeal. I could (and do) listen to it over and over. The only downside is it makes me incurably homesick, which is not normal for me.

4. Don't Know Why- Norah Jones
Norah Jones is probably my favorite female artist (living). I wish she would get together with Ernie and record an album...even though she is 1000 times more famous than he will ever be.

5. Whisper- Ernie Halter
My love and devotion for Ernie is unceasing. His music makes my heart happy. It's hard to explain, because I know other people don't get it, but his music just does it for me. It makes me want to fall in love.

6. Blackbird- The Beatles
Possibly one of the best songs ever. And I know some of you are going to bash me for this, but Ernie sang this when I went to his show and it made me fall even more in love with this song.

7. Death of Me- Tony Lucca
I have been in love with this song/Tony Lucca for quite some time now. He is one of my favorite acoustic artist, but most people haven't heard of him (surprise surprise) He appeals to my folk-y side.

8. Gravity- Sarah Barielles
This song is beautiful. Sarah Barielles has a beautiful voice. The end.

9. Man on the Side- Ernie Halter
This song is sinful it's so good.

10. Georgia- Ray Charles
Ray Charles makes me wish time could rewind about 50 years. If I could choose to get serenaded by anyone in the world (dead or alive), he would definitely be a contender.

Pinch Me

So tonight on a whim I went with a friend of mine to a mutual friends Indonesian church Anniversary Celebration. It was a childrens musical called "Neck Up Check Up". Pretty stinking cute. I have decided I really want an Indonesian baby...super cute.

Well as soon as I walked up to the church they told me about a raffle they were doing...the grand prize was a laptop. Normally I don't even bother entering these things, but at the insistence of my friend I filled out a name slip.

From the start I kinda felt like I was going to win. I can't explain it other than to say that I knew it would be such a blessing (a laptop wasn't in my budget this year so I was currently working with a desktop, not horrible, but definitely not that great for college life). Anways, to make a long story short I ended up WINNING it! It's super cute (it is a mini so it is pretty small).

I don't know how to explain it other than to say it was totally a blessing. God is good, even when I'm not expecting it. The funny part is afterwards when I was talking to my friend she told me that she kept thinking I would get it too! Anyways, just a super awesome blessing :)

Friends and the Random things I love

Today I was reminded of how much I love my friends. So this post is dedicated to you guys and the random things that I love about you. I'm not going to name any names, but I'm pretty sure you can figure out who you are, or pretend that you are someone else...whatever works.

1. It's hard to explain what I love about you friend...you just FEEL like home. Even if we don't talk for weeks, I know that I can call you up or see you and things will be the same as they've always been. You're so comfortable to be around. I could go months without seeing you and not realize how much I missed you until the next time I saw you. That might not sound like a good thing, but trust me, it is.

2. Oh you, what is there to say about you?! You are the smartest person I know. I wish I had one-tenth the intelligence and insight you have. I never know what you're thinking but I love that about you. You have been, and will always be, a mystery to me.

3. You my friend, are the person I love to fight with. You're wittier and a much better debater than I am, but I never seem to learn my lesson and always come back for more. I love that you challenge me. And even though we never seem to agree on much, I get along better with you than 99.9% of the world. I don't think I'll ever understand our relationship but it just seems to work for us.

4. You are my faithful friend. For some reason, I have never doubted that you would be able to accomplish anything and everything you set your mind to. People underestimate you, but I know you will do things I could never dream of.

5. You make me laugh more than anyone else I know. Not in a way that anyone else would understand, but in a way that is unique to us. Sometimes I think that I am the only one that appreciates your humor and you are the only one who appreciates mine. Every time I'm with you my sides ache. I don't know how you do it, but you always bring out the best/worst in me. You are by far the silliest person I know...and I love you for it.

6. I love that you have so many different types of laughs...there's the laugh when something shocks you (eyebrows raised mouth WIDE open), then there's the laugh when you think something is hilarious (your whole body responds and your nose is scrunched), and the half-hearted laugh which is just a very small version of the "hilarious" laugh. I also love that I have more inside jokes with you than anyone else in the world. You are one of the few people I can sit in silence with for extended periods of time and never feel uncomfortable. More than any other friend, I know that you will stick it out with me till the end.

7. Even though we aren't that close, there are so many things I love about you. You are truly beautiful inside and out. You make me want to be a better person and you humble me with your grace and compassion. You are the embodiment of so many of the things that I lack, and even though you are honest about your flaws, it only makes you that much more lovely.

8. I love that you aren't afraid to call me out and be completely honest with me. Our relationship is a weird one, but I think we're both okay with that. You made me deal with things I never thought I would have to and I don't think you will ever understand how much that meant to me.

9. You are the most awkward person I know. THAT alone is what I love about you. You're also a pretty cool kid.

10. You are everything I expected you to be in a way that I never expected. I had so many idea's about you that were right, but instead of those being negative, they ended up being really positive things. You fit the stereotype and break the mold at the same time.

Cutest. Baby. Ever.

My mom sent me these pictures of my niece (Kaitlyn, 4 months old) today. You can't really tell in these pictures, but from what I hear she's the spitting image of her Aunt Dani :)

Silly Girl

I don't know about you, but I'm getting a little tired how serious things have been lately. Between the upcoming election, theological debates, and all the pointless junk college throws at you, I'm ready to just be silly and carefree.

Today I woke up feeling like a million bucks. I don't know how else to explain it. I sincerely hope I'm not the only one that feels this way from time to time. I couldn't pinpoint an exact reason for my happiness, I just knew that today would be good. That being said, nothing all that great came of today, but it was still an awesome day. Days like today remind me of how simple I am and how complicated the world is. I just want things to be easy and even though they rarely are, sometimes I just feel like celebrating the fact that I woke up and that I have a God that loves me.

So today I'm just gonna blast some feel-good love songs, and dance around my room...because at the end of the day, I'm just a silly girl.

Sad Songs

I've recently discovered that I'm a bit of a sucker for sad songs.

Ironic, no?

Best Weekend Ever.

So this past weekend was one for the record books. I wish I could explain how awesome it was, but I'm not that skilled of a writer. For now, I'll just give some highlights...

1. Danica and drove up to see Marie at OBU!
2. We dined INDOORS at sonic, using a telephone to place our orders.
3. I toured OBU (Oklahoma Baptist for you Ouachita-ers) and fell in love with the campus/entire school. Someone remind me why I chose DBU?!
4. I learned a new interesting phrase from Maries "Christian" friends...
5. We went shopping. Add another dress to the pile.
6. I discovered Michael Buble (where the heck have I been?!)
7. Huge Ice-cream cones at Braums. I got Chocolate Cherry and Peanut Butter Cup :)
8. Marie and I got our nose's pierced and got to watch Danica panic.
9. Took WAY too many pictures.
10. We rewrote our FH lists...now we've seperated the "musts" from the "wants".
11. I shared a exceptionally narrow twin bed with Danica.
12. We got to visit Marie's favorite church. I really liked it. Good choice, Conswela.

I know there were so many other things that happened this weekend that were noteworthy, but that's all I have for now. It was sooo good. Everyone should get one weekend away with their besties every now and then.

Favorites.

In an attempt to organize all of the best things in the world, I have decided to compile a "favorites" list. Buckle your seat-belt, it's gonna get pretty spectacular in here.


Movies

1. A Beautiful Mind (best movie ever)
2. Now and Then (the movie of my childhood)
3. Pride and Prejudice (because I'm a sucker)
4. Prince of Egypt
   

TV Shows

1. Law and Order SVU
2. Big Love

Books (warning: my favorite books are normally only my favorites because they are the one's I've read recently, so they're fresh on my mind)

1. Kite Runner
2. Memoirs of a Geisha
3. The Secret History

Breakfast Food

1. Everything Bagels
   
2. Chocolate Chip Pancakes

...neither of which I ever get :(


Drink

1. Iced Tea

Day of the Week

1. Thursday

Sports Team

1. Spurs (duh)

Book of the Bible

1. Hebrews

Board Game

1. Life!

Article of Clothing (it usually depends on my mood)

1. Athletic Shorts...because I'm really classy.

President

1. I'm partial to Regan but not because of his politics.

State (besides Texas)

1. Montana
2. Utah
3. Georgia

Season

1. Fall or Spring

Actor

1. Adrian Brody

Actress

1. Laura Prepon! (I try to stick with my kind)

Color

1. Red (though I'm starting to lean towards teal/turquoise)

Ice Cream Flavor

1. Cinnamon

Musician

1. Ernie Halter
2. Amos Lee

Holiday

1. Christmas!

1 Timothy 1:15-17

Last night I had a dream. It wasn't one of my typical-yet-random, helplessly silly dreams...this one was different.

In my dream I was seated on the ground with a group of about 15 girls. I don't remember who they all were, only that they were girls that were vaguely familiar to me (one was the girl who sits next to me in history). As the dream continued on I realized that I was in a bible study/accountability group. We spent some time talking (as we girls tend to do) and the next thing I know the lady in charge was assigning our task for the session. We had to write our biggest struggle/weakness on a piece of paper. I complied. After that she informed us to rotate our papers to the left. I was completely horrified. The thought of letting these girls know my weakness was unbearable. As my paper was passed from girl to girl I watched their faces...shock, pity and ridicule were among the most common expressions. I wanted nothing more than to go and grab my paper and hide it away from their judgmental eyes. As if to add insult to injury, as I read the papers passed to me, I realized how seemingly harmless they all were. The longer I sat there the more my flesh screamed to run away... but I couldn't leave. So I simply sat with my head hung down in shame.

When I woke up, I didn't know exactly what God was trying to tell me. I'm normally not a big believer in the whole "all dreams MEAN something" philosophy, but I knew this dream was different. So I prayed. I prayed that God would reveal meaning and insight. And like He always does, He showed up in a BIG way.

It has been so long since I have really been convicted by my sin. Not sin in general, but MY sin. I have spent so much time trying to encourage other people to rid themselves of the sin that so "easily entangles" that I had forgotten that I am among the filthiest of sinners.

I praise God for days like today. Days where He pierces my heart with His truth. Days where He reminds me of how undeserving I am of His grace. Days that strip me off my pride and false sense of righteousness.

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
1 Timothy 1:15-17

For the love of the game

So tonight, sitting courtside at the season opener (aka Midnight Madness), I remembered, for the first time in a long time, just how much I love basketball.

I love it all, the squeak of the shoes on the hardwood floor, the intensity and passion, but mostly I love knowing how much hard work and dedication the players put forth. Though I know I can't consider myself a legitamate "player" anymore, I'll always be a fan. Basketball has captivated me like no other sport has. There's nothing quite like watching a competitive game full of up's and down's... nail-biters or tear-jerkers, I love 'em all. For me it has always been about the feeling. The satisfaction I got after two or three hour practices. Leaving the gym reeking to high heavens but feeling like a million bucks. The sprained ankle that you have to battle through. Ending a game, reguardless of whether I won or loss, and knowing that I gave all that I had. This is what basketball means to me. It's not about the overpaid and overpublicized players that you see in the commercials and it's not about winning (though I do LOVE to win)...it's about the feeling.

It's almost like a drug for me. Tonight I got a taste of what I've been missing these past few basketball-less months. I guess I'll just Count the Days until season starts...

Finally

Today has been a monumental day.

Today I got my first paycheck...ever (which seems kinda weird since I feel like I've been working my entire life).

I know what you're thinking, and yes, I should have been paid multiple times by now, but for whatever reason they just got around to writing the check. The funny thing is, I don't really need the money like I thought I would. It's more about the feeling of accomplishment.

Realistically, today is just the beginning of the next 50 years of my life.

But for now, I'll sit back and enjoy staring at my name and the little black numbers underneath it.

Patriot Patrol

A couple of weeks ago, there was an "unfortunate incident" that occurred on the normally pure, green grass of Dallas Baptist University. I am not under any false allusions about the security of this campus. It's ridiculously safe. Recently a friend of mine referred to as a "convent"... a statement that I thought was befitting of it's fenced-in-safe-and-warm feel. There is a campus wide curfew on weeknights and weekends, and there are only two entry points for the entire campus. It would seem virtually impossible to sneak onto campus and commit a crime in the wee hours of the morning. But, that doesn't mean students can not commit crimes against one another. The specific incident I'm referring to was one which included hate, vandalism and a very "unpatriotic spirit". A solider (and student) on campus had his car completely trashed and covered in sayings such as "soldiers are murderers!". Needless to say, everyone was outraged when they found out. Our picturesque, little campus had never encountered anything like this.

I write all this because though it bothered me that someone would do that, I wasn't all that surprised. It is, after all, a college campus. There are bound to be a few "rebellious" youth out looking for trouble and ways to cause havoc. However, not once have I ever felt unsafe at DBU. Actually, I have never felt safer than I do when I'm locked away atop my little "campus on a hill".

I have always viewed our security guards as a bit of a joke. After all, all they do 98% of the time is write parking tickets. But after the "incident" new extremes were taken to ensure the safety of DBU students everywhere. In addition to the already over-the-top security lock-down they have us on, we now have bicycle cops. Yea, security guards on wheels. Apparently our huge security trucks that they drive around campus are simply inadequate when compared to the rising crime rate. What I don't understand is why they would choose bicycles. Seriously? I can't think of anything less intimidating than a bicycle...they might as well have chosen scooters. How does a bicycle help them? Will it get them into places they couldn't get by truck going faster than they would on foot? When the big, bad DBU crime lords are tearing up campus, is the bicycle really going to be what makes the difference?

If the security office would have asked my opinion, I would have readily given it to them. But sadly, they did not, and now we will all have to live in fear of the patriot patrol.

P.S. As I'm writing this, I can hear sirens in the distance... seriously.

Kaitlyn

I had dinner tonight with some of my siblings, but most importantly, my niece Kaitlyn! Today she was officially 4 months old. She's constantly amazes me. She's already doing so many things beyond most babies her age (she can already sit up, AND push up in order to raise her upper body off the ground). I'm pretty sure she's the most awesome baby ever. Plus I think she's going to end up looking like me...she's already got my hair, toes and big noggin...all she needs now is charisma!


And in case I ever questioned it...I REALLY LOVE BABIES.

THE List

So last night I decided to reminisce and go through some of my old prayer journals. Honestly, I was looking for something in particular when I stumbled upon an entry from November 1, 2003...titled (I kid you not) "My Ideal Husband". Marie and I used to make these list with all the characteristics we would want in our future husbands. If I were to update it, there would certainly be somethings that would change, but I think the bulk of the list still holds true. At first I was only going to post a few, but I decided that it would probably be better if I just posted them all (minus a select few). Keep in mind I was only 13 when I wrote these.

1. Must be an active Christian man (by "active" I'm pretty sure I meant in the church)
2. Must be goofy
3. Must be 6'3" and up
4. Must luv sports, b-ball, football, baseball (and yes... I spelled love "luv" because it was cooler that way)
5. Must love, be good with, and want kids and dogs
6. Must have a sweet-tooth
7. Must be romantic, very in love with me forever and ever
8. Must find me attractive at all times even when I look bad
9. Must put God above all
10. Must be willing to do whatever it takes to serve God.
11. Must be friendly, fun to be with, a people person
12. Must love to read his bible
13. Must strive to be an even better Christian man
14. Must not smoke, cuss, or drink a lot
15. Must like my friends (at the end of this one Marie wrote her name in parentheses)
16. Must love to cuddle (I don't feel very strongly about this one anymore...)
17. Must respect me no matter what
18. Must make me feel special
19. Must be energetic like me
20. Must be tough
21. Must be at least a little macho (yea. I seriously put this on the list)
22. Must keep me in line
23. Must love cars
24. Must like country at least a little (this one definitely wouldn't be on my modern list)
25. Must not be shy (another one that would def. not be on the updated version)
26. Must not brag excessively
27. Must not be tattooed or pierced
28. Must get along with both families
29. Must be approved by Dad, Mom, Kyle, Kelly, close friends (once again Marie wrote her name in parentheses)
30. Must keep eye contact, and have a firm handshake
31. Must be a conservative republican (this was when I was going through my whole political awakening that only lasted a couple of months)

My personal favorites are 8, 21, and 30. ha. Apparently my affinity for list making dates way back...

The Good Stuff.

So these past few days have been really hectic and crazy, but now they over! Finally! whew. In the end, they weren't as bad as I thought they were going to be...

The highlight of the week would definitely be getting to see my brother and have dinner with him Thursday night. It was so good to just sit and laugh with him. Even though he's been gone for two years it felt like nothing had changed. I would have to say that that is one of the most awesome things about my family (and my brother inparticular). I am so excited about this week because while I'm home in Cypress I'm going to be able to spend a TON of time with him. haha. He won't know what hit him.

As far as the rest of the week, it ended up going by pretty fast. I think I did really good on all my tests (though the jury's still out on O.T.). I ended up with a 100 on my Sociology test! I felt extremely accomplished.

Other than that school is good. work is good. I'm just excited about life :)

Moment of Silence

Sadly, our beloved Manu Ginobili will have to sit out the first part of the season due to an ankle surgery he had at the beginning of September.



I know this is a sad day for us all, but I'm sure he'll be back to his normal awesomeness in no time...

Pff. Bump that.

This week is going to be a crazy one. I have 3 tests, 2 papers, and I'm working till 6 every night. That being said, I haven't studied hardly at all tonight because I just can't seem to focus. Seriously. I will just sit there and stare, have an inner monologue about how I should be studying or doing something productive, after that I will commence daydreaming and then stare blankly at the closest wall.

I have found that daydreaming is the best time waster ever...and it helps that I'm really good at it. I know what you're thinking, "how can someone be good at daydreaming?". Well trust me, I am. I'm rather creative when I want to be. (Nothing weird. don't fret)

Also, I got to go see Fireproof on Friday. I ended up really liking it. If you're really critical of movies then you will probably find something wrong with it, but if you can just sit back and take it for what it is then you will probably end up enjoying it. It had me laughing out loud, gasping, and on the verge of tears. Anyways, if you see it and don't like it, don't blame me. I like what I like.

Paper-Schmaper

So I have to write this paper for one of my religion classes about a bible characters call to ministry. I'm really excited about the idea of the paper, but I haven't decided who I'm going to choose yet. I'm a little partial to Jeremiah (for multiple reasons). But, I don't know if I should write about him because I think it would make it too easy since I already have a lot to say. Plus, I think it would be good for me to learn about someone else. The people I can choose from are as follows: Abraham, Moses, Jeremiah, Paul, Jonah, Gideon, Samuel, Elijah and Elisha.

Any input?

Genesis 29:20

So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

Genesis 29:20



Okay, so I know this may seem border-line sappy, but today we read over this scripture in OT and I loved it. It is so crazy to me that Jacob would work for seven whole years so that he could marry this girl. I mean obviously he thought she was beautiful, but is that it? Seven years of his life spent toiling away so that he could marry this beautiful girl?! At first I couldn't get over how crazy that sounded. I mean seriously, how many modern guys would WAIT seven years for a girl...much less spend the entire time EARNING the right to be her husband?! But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that this is one of the most awesome things I've read in regards to love and sacrifice (from a purely romantic standpoint)... Obviously Christ was the ultimate picture of love and sacrifice, but that's a whole 'nother post. I'm normally not a sucker for the hallmark movie/happy ending story, but the bible doesn't make it overly sappy and romantic. It's so plain and so simple..."and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her". Ah. Love it.

In a perfect world...

So tonight I was talking to some guys that do a service project with me every Wednesday about our Old Testament class. And I was talking about how much I LOVE that class and our professor... so imagine my surprise when they both say they fall asleep in that class all the time! I was shocked! It hadn't even occured to me that anyone could fall asleep in there. I'm still baffled by the whole thing. Am I that big of a nerd? I know I sit right in front of the podium, so I can't see like 95% of the class, but still. It's weird to me. And it wasn't like these were loser guys, they are both Christian Studies majors who say they love the Old Testament!

This got me thinking...what would the world be like if everything was "perfect" (according to me of course). So I decided on a few key things that I would change about the world...



1. Everyone would love/have a relationship with Jesus.
2. Everyone would love ME.
3. People would smile and laugh all the time
4. There would be no curse words...we wouldn't have any use for them.
5. Girls would wear dresses 90% of the time.
6. Once a year everyone in the world would join hands and sing "Let it Be".
7. Everyone would get/send at least one encouraging note a month.
8. People would argue for pure entertainment value, not because they were really angry.
9. Boys/Men of all ages would always be gentlemen.
10. Iced Tea would be served with every meal.
11. Movie tickets would never exceed 25 cents.
12. There would be a dance party every Friday night.
13. Ernie Halter would sing me to sleep every night.
14. Barney would be a real dinosaur that walked the streets of major U.S. cities.
15. Strangers would exchange high 5's and head nods and smiles on a regular basis.
16. No one would be skanky/inappropriate.
17. I would be able to read people's minds.
18. Large groups of people would burst in to song and dance, but not everyone would be singing the same thing.
19. Fingers and Toes would never get cold.
20. Everyone would wake up every morning well rested and with a positive attitude.



So I know some people won't like all of those, but I'm ok with that. It's MY perfect world.

Some "Loftier" Goals...

So recently I was informed that my previous post (about the ten things I want to do in the next ten years) was too easy. Though I do think that some of those things will take longer than others to accomplish (like going to Ireland), I realize that most of the goals I listed for myself I could probably accomplish by Christmas.

That being said, I have decided to set out some loftier goals for myself. Ones that are going to be harder to accomplish, and therefore, more rewarding. Goals that might really take me 10 years to achieve. However, I am keeping some of the ones from the previous post.

10. Go on a long term mission trip. I still really want to see this one materialize. I know it will come down to God's timing and His plan for me more than my own desires, but I really think it would be awesome to live in another country and just serve Him. Having my main concern be furthering the gospel as opposed to the worldly things that so often cloud my vision in the U.S.. That being said, I know that God's timing is far better than mine, so if He does not have this in store for me in the next ten years, I just pray He gives me the opportunity eventually.

9. Go to Ireland. I'm not giving up on this one.

8. Learn to speak another language and be able to use it from time to time. I kind of want to learn sign language. I feel like I would be better at that than Spanish or French or something. I have a hard enough time speaking proper English so this is definitely one of the "loftier" goals.

7. Get a dog. Though this may seem easily attainable, it is something I won't do until I have my own home. So I guess this one might as well be: get married, buy a home, then get a dog. That's the order I want them to go in. ha.

6. Read the entire Bible from start to finish. Not one of my loftier ones, just one I haven't sat down and actually done.

5. Go scuba diving.

4. Go to a Spur's game and sit courtside (or directly behind the players). I can't even begin to explain the kind of joy this would bring me. It is something I've always wanted to do and never thought possible.

3. Be able to do "the splits".

2. Take a tour of The Holy Land. This is something I've always wanted to do with my hubby, but it's also one of those things that I think won't happen until I'm much older...

1. Become more domestic. I'm not talking about cooking macaroni and cheese and tidying up the house... I want to be the next Sterle Coker. I doubt I'll ever achieve her level of awesomeness in this arena but I'd sure like to give it a shot. I'd like to be able to cook the best meals, maintain a clean home and be able to sew. I'll ask Sterle to take me under her wing and show me her ways...

ten more

Okay, like I said in the last post, I've been kind of in to lists all day. This time I think I will list ten random* things I want to do in the next ten years...



10. Go to Ireland. I don't know what it is about this place, I could claim wanting trace back to my redheaded roots, but I'm barely Irish so that doesn't really count. I mostly want to go because it seems like one of the most beautiful, scenic, peaceful places ever. Maybe I'll honeymoon there one day or something.



9. Leave the state on a completely spontaneous road trip. In my mind I would have someone with me on this trip...though I don't know who or where we would go yet.



8. Go on a "longer" term mission trip. I'm not sure how long just yet...longer than any of the ones I have done up to this point. Maybe weeks or months...possibly years, who knows.



7. Go on a date.



6. Go to a Mormon tabernacle. (Just for the experience not because I'm thinking about converting.)



5. Really experience snow. I'm talking snowman-building, thermal-underwear-wearing, fingers-turning-purple, snow-sports type of snow.



4. See an opera. (I'm not totally dedicated to this one but I do think it's one of those things that everyone should probably do in their lifetime).



3. Have a spa day with my girls.



2. Go camping again.



1. Go see SNL live in NYC.



So I realize a lot of these involve travel, because to be honest, I feel like there are just a ton of places I want to go!



*I choose random ones because I assume ones like "get married" and "start a family" are obvious.