She's OLD!

My roommate hit the big 25 this month. We celebrated with a wonderfully crafted party in the which folks who dearly love Katie dragged out costumes and props and became singers extraordinaire!

Maria- of Sound of Music fame














David Bowie, Tom Waits, Audrey Hepburn, a go-go girl, Phantom, a Geisha


















Even President Bush turned up for the festivities.













Happy Birthday Katie! May this year of your life build you up, teach you more about joy, and most of all throw you soaring into the arms of God.

Balderdash

It's amazing that words communicate anything. We use them in so many ways, especially in English, that they have become sort of like tissue paper. We use them, but they are of little or indistinct value to us. They are disposable.

I spent this past Saturday night with 'the girls'. This amazing conglomeration of women make this world a brighter, better place. They make my heart lighter and they point out joys that have slipped past sometimes unseen. We spent four glorious, homework free hours playing the word game Balderdash. I love words and this game is one of my favorites. The point of the whole game? To throw people off track by giving odd definitions for a word pulled from a box. Amazing how distracted we can become by the wrong definitions.

Reminds me of my life. I get so easily distracted by work, or people, or classes or Starbucks (this last option, willingly) that I forget what my real purpose in life is, what my future is all about. I lose the definition in my life and just run through a maze of options - some funny, some deceptive, some scary, some downright stupid.

And what I need is the real Word in my life. In that Word I am free, I am filled, I am satisfied. I live today knowing that tomorrow is already taken care of, that Love is present, that Hope surrounds me and that ultimately - God is my purpose.

"For me to live is Christ..." Philippians 1:21

Four of my favorite things

This week I had the joy of attending a wonderfully wacky surprise birthday party for ... well.. for two of my friends cars. How weird is it that we sang happy birthday to two 10 year old cars?

In the midst of this occasion I was ordered (viciously, with the threat of prizes) to pick my favorite car. HA! As though I could pick just one! You see, I suffer from an addiction known as 'sport-car-itis', fueled by years of watching races with Pop, years of subscribing to cars magazines and spending time in auto mech. classes.

I did however narrow down the vast array choices to four. I think I would have to add a number 5 (can I really leave out the Lotus Elise 2?), but will leave this posting at my original list.

Here they are. Love them as I do!


Aston Martin Vanquish
Porche Carrera Targa






McLaren F1 LM

The Bugatti Veyron

Александр Сергеевич Пушкин

One of my favorite poets wrote these words long ago. Well, he wrote them in Russian. This is the translation.

I loved you; even now I may confess,
Some embers of my love their fire retain;
But do not let it cause you more distress,
I do not want to sadden you again.

Hopeless and tongue-tied, yet I loved you dearly
With pangs the jealous and the timid know;
So tenderly I loved you, so sincerely,
I pray God grant another love you so.


Ran across this poem again this week, stuck in my poetry journal. Amazing how words can bring up the past so quickly.

Makes me want to monitor my words and say things that will only bring back joy, and never pain. I also want to know.. does love ever really die? Or will there always be embers?

This much I do not know.

My new hobby

Yep. I have a new hobby.

Let me explain. I love to have things to do. I like to be busy. But I need something FUN to do in the midst of school and work. I have never been really crafty, nor creative in the artsy sense of the word, so when new adventures in experimenting present themselves, I am generally game.

So... my friend has a horse. Aramus is white and lovely. He is like a blank canvas. He was a prime target for some sort of mischief.

So I painted it. See?



I think next time there shall be more color used so all of him is colored:)

The leaves are gently falling

Fall is here. Crisy winds, falling leaves, pumpkin donuts:)

See my roommate? Ain't she cute?

I have made wonderful friends here, who allow me to be joyful in the moment, live like a curious poking child and when I am not in my normal frame of mind, drag me into happiness when I don't feel it.

This time of year, with the colors and massive piles of leaves is really a novelty for me. We don't get this much color back in Texas, except for at UT football games.

Which reminds me. The games are on!

Global warming, my toe!

I am a bit wary of this white falling stuff whirling past the windows as I type this. Though it has a sort of wild beauty to it, the idea of doomed ice balls hurling themselves at me when I leave these safe confines is frightening.

What an amazing world we live in. The cold also makes me think. Is there really such a thing as global warming? If so, why has it not hit Michigan yet?

I am also begging that a comparable school be opened in the Bahamas. Tomorrow. Please!

I am also reminded how fortunate (read that blessed!) I am to have warm clothes and a house that has fireplaces and we have heat at work. How great it is to be able to race around outside in the madness and have a refuge to hide in.