Vérité

goodbye

2009-02-09T16:15:00.000-08:00

i have become fascinated with Tumblr... it's Anna's fault!! so that is my new home now....

come here!

:]

hello there.

2009-02-09T15:55:00.000-08:00

some oldddddd photography of mine....
i love seeing the world through the lens of my camera <3

found on "FFFFOUND"

2009-02-05T16:30:00.000-08:00

2009-02-05T16:26:00.000-08:00

ro-man-tic
–adjective
characterized by a preoccupation with love or by the idealizing of love or one's beloved. imaginary, fictitious, or fabulous.

2009-02-05T16:25:00.000-08:00

...this will be me and keith someday :)

life

2009-02-05T16:00:00.000-08:00

[photograher: the 10 cent designer]

life.
is better when it's simple.

heights

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

[photgrapher: by the wayside]

2.3.09

2009-02-05T15:34:00.000-08:00

i'm finishing up a paper.
surprise, surprise!

i'm writing it on "Christian Science Believes..." and then going through their major doctrinal beliefs and refuting them with Scripture. for example, they say ... that man originated not from dust, materially, but from Spirit, spiritually (Miscellaneous Writings 57) but we read in the Bible that Genesis 2:7 says “the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” and Genesis 3:19 says “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."

this week we've gotten around, oh, 5-8 inches of snow here in Beckley. yeah, big whoop.

2009-01-31T16:19:00.000-08:00

so far, this weekend has consisted of eating pizza at 10pm last night, talking on the phone with my fiance until midnight when my dear friend Kara arrived from Alabama. this morning we chilled out, played some ping-pong and then ate lunch... then took a walk to the frozen and snow-covered pond before she left with her brother. since then, i've been working on Earth Science and writing a paper on Dichotomy and Trichotomy. Now I'm heading back to my dorm room where I'll work on even more homework before taking a relaxing shower and heading to bed.

i miss summer
and can't wait for spring!

i want a new camera. mine barely works. and the batteries are dead =(

byebye

in 130 days i will marry my best friend

2009-01-27T16:02:00.000-08:00

the past weekend i worked like a woman on a mission.
My mission: Wedding Planning.
Among my many errands, I

confirmed bridesmaid dress styles/delivery
confirmed tux style/colors and got a fit-by date
reserved a block of hotel rooms for the out-of-town guests
priced the wedding cake at a bakery
bought bubbles and yellow ribbon (to tie on the bottles) for the guests
looked over flower choices and got some great ideas
narrowed down invitation choices
worked on the guest list

Lastly, I organized a huge wedding planning notebook that I'll be keeping all my info for everything from the ceremony details, tux rentals, flowers, and music, to honeymoon directions and our registry.

Now I must put wedding-related stuff out of my mind until next weekend. Or I will never get my homework done.

2009-01-27T15:58:00.000-08:00

worshiping in the Congo

[i found this picture in the Jan. 17th issue of World Magazine, taken by Sherrlyn Borkgren]

film by Anna

2009-01-20T17:32:00.000-08:00

taken Oct. 2008 while we were out climbing one warm afternoon

2009-01-20T06:36:00.000-08:00

here, there's snow
everywhere!
it's very pretty and soft and white, but way too cold.

i can't wait for the fresh, warm spring breezes of March and April.

it's Tuesday morning, around 9:40 and i'm eating a bowl of raisin bran (technically a mug of raisin bran), listening to Feist, and getting my books together for class. today i have computer applications (cake!), major cults (intriguing), and earth science (slightly boring-- we're learning about rocks).

bye now!

2009-01-19T17:52:00.001-08:00

sjkdfhk

lauderdale by the sea, FL

2009-01-15T15:34:00.000-08:00

2009-01-01T11:52:00.000-08:00

с новым годом!
Bonne Année!
Happy New Year!
Ano Novo feliz!

2009 is here
another fresh start
another January 1st
another day of life
a brand new year full of surprises!

I'm so excited about this year! so many wonderful new experiences and events will take place; some i already am planning on and some i have no idea about are gonna happen!
biggest excitement:
my marriage to my best friend!

to ring in the new year and celebrate sisterhood,
next week my sister and i are flying to Florida for a few days of beach sunning, swimming, and exploring :) can't wait!!!

just a few... i'm getting rusty...

2008-12-31T10:31:00.000-08:00

2008-12-30T15:32:00.000-08:00

What is love? Alright. You know how when you're listening to music playing from another room? And you're singing along because it's a tune that you really love? When a door closes or a train passes so you can't hear the music anymore, but you sing along anyway... then, no matter how much time passes, when you hear the music again you're still in exact same time with it. That's what love is like."
-- unknown

2008-12-30T15:31:00.000-08:00

Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God

-motto of Benjamin Franklin

2008-12-30T14:59:00.000-08:00

so... my sister and i have had a great day!
we cleaned house for, oh, about 3 hours: mopping, dusting, vacuuming, de-cluttering, etc.
thennnnn, we began packing for our trip to Florida next week! yes, just the 2 of us are vacationing for about 3 days at the beach... and will come home
brown and beautiful
(ok, well, hopefully we'll be slightly tan)

as the sun set, i made homemade lasagna (which i just pulled out of the oven). once it was baking, dad and i made a quick run to the library where we rented an Agatha Christie movie, "The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim".
now the house is clean, the soft candlelight is glowing, and the aroma of hot lasagna is wafting through the kitchen and family room...
so tonight we'll have a murder-mystery dinner-and-a-movie night!
au revoir!

a day

2008-12-28T17:14:00.000-08:00

ahhh Christmas Break

what a luxury- to sleep in and have no deadlines or assignments due at 8am the next morning!

i've been enjoying time with my family... the little things like staying up late watching a funny movie or playing Apples to Apples while eating leftover snacks from Christmas parties :)
yesterday after sleeping in, mom made us a yummy breakfast of stuffed French toast-- i'd never had it before! she took 2 slices of Pepperidge Farm cinnamon swirl bread and made a grilled sandwich, filling it with a mixture of walnuts, butter, cream cheese and brown sugar... yummmo! we then worked on cleaning the house, putting gifts in their new proper places. i separated my gifts: some will go back to school with me and the rest will stay here in storage to take to my new home! at 12:45 mom, rebekah and i left for a friend's wedding at our church. it was a lovely wedding-- the bride was beautiful, the music meaningful, and the people joyus! it made me feel even more excited about 5 months and 1 week from now :) i actually feel some relief now, after seeing how they did their wedding and the beauty in the simplicity of it...

once we came home, i took the dogs that my sister is dogsitting out for a 30 minute walk in the warm moist air.
(today the weather wasn't as good... much chillier)
around 7pm, dad and i went to the YMCA and swam for a long while. it was such a good feeling just gliding through the water and kicking my legs. after swimming laps, we climbed out of the pool at 8 and went to the locker rooms. i spent some time in the steam room and sauna before drying off and getting dressed- jeans, chacos, and my fiance's warm hollister hoodie :)

by the time we got home, mom had dinner ready- hot dogs, fresh slaw, and crispy steak fries! later, we watched the Incredibles before heading to bed.

it's good to be home.

2008-12-28T17:13:00.000-08:00

"To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.” 

c.s. lewis

the world of pictures

2008-12-28T16:57:00.001-08:00

i need to take pictures again. it's been way too long... i love taking a whole slew of photos and then after uploading them to my laptop, editing them and feeling that thrill of being somewhat of an artist.

i think that will be another of my goals for break.
1) read the book of John and a Psalm a day
2) get lots of planning done for the wedding [an unending task that won't be completed until late on June 5th]
3) write a poem
4) take some b/w photos
5) make the bridal registry
6) order bridesmaid dresses

anything else?? i'm sure i'll think of more things...

2008-12-27T20:53:00.000-08:00

i need to get back into writing poetry... i miss the feeling of words flowing from my brain, down my arm, out my fingers, and across the page...

how about i make the effort to write

one

poem while on break? i have time... and i know i have plenty of ideas...

so for the sake of old times, how about i post one of my older poems...

2/28/08

Late afternoon sunshine

yet the icy air fills my lungs

hair tumbling over my shoulders

Walking

head down

ice crunches beneath my sneakers

hands in pockets

eyes blinded by the golden sun

frayed jeans and worn sweatshirt clothe me

Thinking and ready

for new experiences

This dead season

leaves me feeling empty and lonely

like the branches on oak trees

My face is warmed by the sun

My soul is chilled by the wind

i walk

on and on

thinking and wanting more

knowing there is a purpose

All i need is to look up

breathe

and talk to the One

Who created me

The One who is writing

my love story

my life story

He includes the funny moments

empty moments

quiet times

my failures

and

successes

i am never alone

i have a best friend with me

every moment of the day

and night

Someone to talk to

Someone to thank for life

Sunshine makes me blink

pierces my gloom

fills my view

all i can see are rays of golden

bright

afternoon

sunshine

a fresh feeling of hope

melting through my cold soul

seeping into my heart

filling me with warmth

leaving my past like the pages in a book

i'm ready to follow the path He has for me

There Once was a Puffin

2008-12-27T20:33:00.000-08:00

[ dad taught me this poem and i had it memorized at the age of 2]

oh, there once was a Puffin

just the shape of a muffin and he lived on an island

in the bright blue sea!

He ate little fishes,

that were most delicious, and he had them for supper

and he had them

for tea.

but this poor little Puffin, he couldn't play nothin',

for he hadn't anybody

to play with

at all.
so he sat on his island, and he cried for awhile,

and he felt very lonely,

and he felt

very small.

then along came the fishes,

and they said, "If you wishes,

you can have us

for playmates,

instead of for tea!"
so they now play together, in all sorts of weather

and the Puffin eats pancakes,

like you

and like me.

-Florence Page Jaques

2008-12-25T22:14:00.000-08:00

"A person is a person, no matter how small"

- Dr. Seuss

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Goodnight!

2008-12-25T21:39:00.001-08:00

as i awoke this morning and our family began opening presents together in front of our sparkly and colorful tree, the realization hit me.

this is my last christmas with my family.

but it's something to be excited about!

because next year, i'll wake up next to my husband and spend christmas with him!

what a wonderful life i live.

i have a family that loves me.

a grandma and cousins, aunts, uncles galore!

too many memories to count... so many good memories.

as i though back tonight over the 19 years God's blessed me with, i felt overwhelmed with joy. pure joy

He's given me

life

family

dear friends

peace

precious memories

people to hug

people to love

new beginnings

forgiveness

eyesight

laughter

eternal life with Him

i could go on and on.

suddenly, i felt completely overwhelmed with beautiful memories over the years...

exploring through the woods with our cousins and getting dirt under our nails and pine needles in our clothes

Christmas mornings spent with Grandma

laughing with each other until we collapsed on the floor

drowsily watching Christmas movies while a fire blazed in the fireplace
hunting Easter eggs and getting so excited to find each brightly colored one

splashing in the cool creek all day until Grandma called us in for dinner and coming in with sunburned skin... then gobbling up a summer dinner of grilled chicken, fresh tomatoes from the garden, buttery corn on the cob, and homemade cornbread

venturing through Disney World with our cousins and feeling like it was all a magical dream

dressing up like girls from colonial days and walking through Williamsburg, surrounded by the smell of shrewsberry cakes and ginger beer
going to the park on warm summer evenings and swinging on the swingset till dark.

i am thankful.

God is good!

i hope you had a merry christmas

always remember the first christmas thousands of years ago, when our Saviour came to earth in human flesh for the purpose of redeeming us from our sins.

this is the greatest undeserved blessing of all!

ryan adams

2008-12-18T13:20:00.000-08:00

Dancin' where the stars go blue

Dancin' where the evening fell

Dancin' in your wooden shoes
In a wedding gown

Dancin' out on 7th street

Dancin' through the underground

Dancin' little marionette
Are you happy now?

Where do you go when you're lonely

Where do you go when you're blue

Where do you go when you're lonely

I'll follow you

When the stars go blue

Laughing with your pretty mouth

Laughing with your broken eyes

Laughing with your lover's tongue

In a lullaby

Where do you go when you're lonely

Where do you go when you're blue

Where do you go when you're lonely
I'll follow you

When the stars go blue

The stars go blue, the stars go blue

old pic i took...

2008-12-18T13:09:00.001-08:00

this is the door to the house my grandfather was born in... if only homes had beautiful details like this today

simple things...

2008-12-18T12:59:00.000-08:00

like the smell of mom's homemade cornbread baking in the oven
clean sheets
the yellowed pages of an old book
a hug from someone you love
walking through the first snowfall of the year
true love
eating a bowl of fresh cherries

laughter

these things make life worth living

2008-12-15T06:13:00.000-08:00

have yourself a merry little christmas

let your heart be light

from now on our troubles will be out of sight

family

2008-12-09T17:31:00.001-08:00

it's been a very good day

after an early start in the library, i went to Pauline and took a quiz which actually wasn't too difficult then debated in TheoProp that Ezekiel 28 is talking about Satan and not a human prince/king. And with that, I was done with all my major things for the year, besides finals!
Now I can kick back, relax, and delve into Christmas shopping/wedding planning!

After lunch, I took a refreshing nap before my mom and sister arrived to go Christmas shopping with me. We then headed to the mall where we strolled in and out of stores, surrounded by Christmas carols, while finding gifts for friends and family members and also picking up some great steals! One store is going out of business, and they're even selling all the furniture in the store; I bought one of those chalkboard/message board things for only $2 for our new home :)
It was so nice to just spend time with Mom and Rebekah-- just us girls. We had so much fun looking at wedding albums/scrapbooks at Hallmark. Rebekah found this hilarious book full of quotes about "Sisters." So funny yet so true!

After all that serious shopping and girl time, we decided on Chick-fil-a for dinner where we ate yummy fresh chicken sandwiches, steamy hot waffle fries, sweet carrot raisin salad, and sipped refreshingly cool lemonade. I then had the chance to talk to Dad on the phone and tell him of the great things I'd bought today :) It was good to talk to him... Last time I was home, he took me on a "breakfast date" which we've done since I was very young and has always been a special tradition!

I didn't realize how much I missed spending time with them... I'm so glad I have a family I can have fun with!

2008-12-06T21:21:00.001-08:00

i love my sister.

she has been my best friend since birth. well, ok, i will admit we had our arguments and fights... but in the end, we were always best buddies. i have so many good memories about times with her. let's see...

playing "house" with our dolls.

dressing up and pretending to be living in Colonial days.

playing "drive-thru" with our little kitchen.

jumping on our mini trampoline.

one time we got Dad's shaving cream out and covered the ENTIRE bathroom with it

playing with our Barbies and Kitchen Littles all afternoon!

pretending to be Indians as we "lived" and "cooked" in our indian tepee.

hanging out at our "clubhouse" in the backyard where we built a fence around it, made a fire pit, and used pine branches for seating.

putting our swim suits on and spraying each other with the hose on hot summer afternoons... then making mud pies and mud soup

riding our bikes up and down the street

baking cookies with mom and then once we were old enough, baking them all on our own.

playing "picnic" in the living room during the winter-- we used an ice bucket, coasters, and other items found in the bottom of the china cabinet and a old table cloth.

playing "beach" in the living room-- putting on our swim suits and laying out on towels to "tan."

going to the pool with Dad in the evenings and swimming our little hearts out.

going to the park and playing tennis... even though we were terrible at it.

pitching baseball in the backyard on summer evenings.

drawing with sidewalk chalk all over the driveway.

building snowmen, and once an igloo, in the winter.

going sledding until we were too cold, then coming in and drinking hot chocolate.

walking to the library together and loading our backpacks with books.

travelling to the beach with our family, getting sooo excited as we neared the coast.

there are so many more memories i have with my sweet sister, and i am so thankful for the times that we've shared together.

i love her so much!

counting down...

2008-12-06T21:18:00.001-08:00

181 days

until I marry the

man of my dreams

hello there

2008-12-04T18:03:00.000-08:00

so, i woke up this morning with a pounding head and realized my wonderful fiance was very generous to share the fever/achey body he had at the beginning of the week with me. It's ok though, I haven't been sick in a long while, so I can handle sleeping all afternoon and drinking lots of juice, water, and hot tea.
tonight he brought me a care package with popcorn, fruit teas, juice boxes, rice cakes, and a letter which definitely made me feel better :)
After dinner, i came back to my room to sleep while he went to work... i slept for a short while and awoke feeling a little better, so i browsed the internet for some wedding color ideas. once keith got off from work, he came over to the dorm and we played a game of Battle of the Sexes with Brandon and Heather and shared a supreme pizza ...
such good times at Bible College :)

2008-12-02T21:07:00.000-08:00

this

what

True Love

looks like

Daughtry

2008-12-02T21:02:00.000-08:00

I'm going home

Back to the place where I belong

And where your love has always been enough for me

I'm not running from

No, I think you got me all wrong

I don't regret this life I chose for me

But these places and these faces are getting old

So I'm going home

I'm going home

Dec. 2, 2008

2008-12-01T06:29:00.000-08:00

in case you were hanging on to the edge of your seat last week
just dying to know how wonderful my break was,
i will finally end your misery by telling you
how refreshing, fun, and productive
the week was.
Keith and I went to NC and spent time with his family: Turkey shoot, Christmas parade, an early Thanksgiving dinner with 32 people in one home, played with babies, watched "27 Dresses" and "Expelled", met up with one of his good friends, took a ride in his '69 Chevelle, went home-idea-shopping, and ate at Bojangles... It was all such a great time!
Then we came back to WV and spent time with my family: Thanksgiving service, Thanksgiving Day with my cousins/aunt/uncle/grandma, watched "Elf", sat by the fireplace, made homemade butter, did some Christmas shopping, baked sugar cookies, decorated the tree, and watched home movies from Christmas 1994!
On Saturday, Keith went back to NC for his great-aunt's funeral. :(
I slept in then Dad took me to breakfast at Bob Evans... a special treat we've done since I was little. After yummy biscuits, hot coffee, scrambled eggs and ketchup-smothered home fries, we met up with mom and Rebekah, and went to *drumroll*
David's Bridal!!! I walked in, wide-eyed as I took in all the white shimmering satin, lace, brocade, taffeta, crystals, and tulle. A lady who worked there helped me find the dress I had in mind, took me to a dressing room and got me zipped up into a beautiful, white, satiny creation. It fit like a corset! But yes, I fit perfectly into a size 2 dress! As I stepped out of the dressing room, onto a pedestal, and was surrounded by floor-length mirrors, my heart soared and I knew that this dress was The Dress I would be wearing on my wedding day!

Now I'm back at school... blahh... only 2 weeks of classes, then finals!! Then.. CHRISTMAS BREAK! Whoohoo :)

goin to NC with my fiance

2008-11-21T06:09:00.000-08:00

(photo by ccgd on flickr)

( photo by the darling life)

drivin through the thick white snow
heading down to North Carolina
gonna sing to some songs and fall asleep
while he drives
then arrive at my future family's home
for thanksgiving

... Get to spend it all with my fiance!

a fairy tale or reality?

2008-11-18T05:30:00.000-08:00

Last night, in the middle of a beautiful snowstorm, Keith and I drove to The Char (the most up-scale restaurant in Beckley) where we had a lovely candlelight dinner. We drove around before getting there, as I had no idea where we were going.... As we arrived at The Char, Keith still had me fooled, saying he wasn't sure if we had to have reservations since he'd never been there. We walked into the dimly lit room and were seated at a table overlooking the pond and white snow-covered hillside. We could see the snow pouring down under the streetlights down the road. It was perfectly cozy and romantic. As I sat down, I noticed a bouquet of red roses, an envelope that said "To my Valentine", a Nora Jones CD, and my favorite Dove chocolates! I was completely surprised! There was only one other couple in the room, so the ambiance was quiet and personal. We just sat and talked, and I still was completely oblivious to that fact that he was planning on proposing! At the end of a wonderful dinner (it was around 9pm), Keith said "Before we leave, I want you to read this", and picked up the envelope on the table. He asked me to read the card out loud; inside were "50 reasons why I love you". He had written out 50 things from "the list" in his journal. The very last one said "I'd love to hear your answer to this question..." At that very moment, in one smooth motion, he slid his chair back, dropped to one knee, pulled out a beautiful wooden box and opening it, said "Elizabeth Valentine Hodge, I love you, and I can't promise you a big house or fancy cars or the best clothes, I cant even promise that we'll never fight or that you'll never get annoyed with me, but what I can promise is that I will strive to be a godly husband, provider, protector, spiritual leader, and that I will be faithful to you, and love you until my dying day. Will you marry me?" I was laughing/crying and he had tears in his eyes; it was the moment I'd dreamed about all my life! My first words were "Is this for real?!?" Then "YES! Of course!" He slipped the most beautiful engagement ring on my finger-- it's a white gold band with a perfectly sparkly conflict-free diamond what reminds me of a snowflake!
As we stood up to hug each other and share a kiss, the servers and the other couple in the room began clapping and congratulating us.
It still seems surreal... like a fairy tale or dream. I'm so thankful it's reality and that I will be married (yes, MARRIED!!) to my bestest friend in the whole world!
What a wonderful dream-come-true

2008-11-15T20:54:00.000-08:00

goodnight moon

goodnight trees

goodnight stars

and watery seas

Borrowed Time by a Fine Frenzy

2008-11-15T20:03:00.000-08:00

thick as thieves

the last of leaves

in the winter sun

holding fast

this freezing branch

is home to us

step, step right over the line

and onto borrowed time

when it’s life, not waiting to die

waiting to divide to divide

counting stars

and passing cars

on the interstate

the end is near

I feel it dear,

but I am not afraid

step, step right over the line

and onto borrowed time

when it’s life, not waiting to die

waiting to divide to divide

but you say you’re getting tired

you’re tired and so am I

when you fall I’ll fall behind

2008-11-15T19:22:00.000-08:00

studying psych on saturday night...

Cognition: mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating.

blahh... no human interaction since 7:30pm.

it's now 10:30pm.

2008-11-15T06:33:00.000-08:00

simple times.

when life was dramatically different.

we spent a winter afternoon exploring the creek bank with the cousins.

this was about 2 years ago.

i can remember laying in the grass taking pictures.

one of the first times i began taking pictures artistically.

11/15/08

2008-11-15T06:07:00.000-08:00

good morning

it's saturday!

the window next to my bed

frames the bare brown trees, the ground covered with orange leaves, and the grey cloudy sky. i can hear raindrops pattering the ground below. it's most definitely a day to sleep in, be lazy, and just cuddle. i can imagine being in a little home of my own, spending the afternoon simmering a pot of spicy chili and baking some homemade cornbread, and then eating a bowl of it that evening with my husband as we curl up on the couch to watch one of our favorite movies.

*sigh*

i guess i just have to let dreams be dreams.

2008-11-13T17:15:00.000-08:00

so i'm sitting the library at 8:15 on a thursday night, and *gasp* i'm NOT doing homework!
today was a good day.
not all of it.
but enough to call it a good day.
i awoke at 7:20am, tuesdays and thursdays are my "sleep in" mornings.... i rolled out of bed and in my small dorm room lit by the grey morning light, pulled on a hoodie and jeans, grabbed some tea bags, and headed to the dining hall for breakfast with my marvelous boyfriend.
after some hot tangerine tea and yogurt and a lazy morning chat with Keith, i hurried back to my room to put together my outfit for the day.
9am class
10am class
11am class was cancelled!
at lunch i made a mini pizza from cheese and peperoni from the salad bar on a soft tortilla. keith and i ate with my roommie heather and her boyfriend brandon, and some other people, including my RA and her boyfriend; a professor; and 2 other students.
before my 12:40 class, i checked the mail-- and found a package from mom and a can of chocolates from the most sensational boyfriend on earth :)
in my 12:40 class, we were discussing "to drink or not to drink, that is the question" concerning cross-cultural relationships. when Dr.K asked for any examples, my hand shot up. i explained about how when i was in France this summer and how my family was offered champagne at someone's home and that rejecting it would have been a cultural slap-in-the-face, so our family drank the champagne. of course, there were people who didn't agree with me, but who cares. every where you go, people are gonna have different views, even at Bible college-- especially at Bible college.
after classes, i spent a few hours in (surprise!) the library, where i furiously typed away at a 12 page psychology research paper. almost done with it-- 2 pages to go! just gotta find more sources to cite (12 more, to be exact)
leaving the library, my head was throbbing... too much eye strain, i suppose.
i then met keith in the student lounge where i smoked him in a game of foosball :)
dinner was special tonight, as it was the Staff-Served Dinner. they served us thick steak, mushroom chicken, buttery potatoes, and steamed veggies. there were dozens of prizes.
but we didn't win anything.
i then had a meeting with my team-teaching group for PBT class. after that, i went back to my room and straightened up some while listening to the afters.
now im in the library. getting ready to knit. waiting for keith to get off work.

i really don't get too excited about the weekend.
keith leaves on friday.
doesn't get back till sunday night.
i miss him.

lots.

it can get lonely.

i don't like lonely.

unpolluted

2008-11-13T16:56:00.000-08:00

been browsing photo sites... and am finding myself longing for the beauty and mystery that accompanies the settings of the photos...
These photos were found here http://wrecklessphotography.blogspot.com

So Sorry by Feist

2008-11-13T16:47:00.001-08:00

photo by the Darling Life [http://thedarlinglife.com/]

I'm sorry
Two words I always think
After you've gone
When I realize I was acting all wrong

So selfish
Two words that could describe
Oh actions of mine
When patience is in short supply

just for the sake of my own sanity...

2008-11-13T08:30:00.000-08:00

Leicester Square (in London) is pronounced "Lester".
The first foundations of the Tower of London were laid in 1078, and is the oldest palace, fortress, and prison in Europe.
Jan van Eyck's painting The Arnolfini Portrait has the inscription on the wall "Jan van Eyck was here. 1434"

history

2008-11-13T08:12:00.000-08:00

it's not a good thing to give me a taste of some historical events. i usually then get addicted and want more and more, causing me to reject my other studies... i found a website about the history of medieval London; now I want to forget about other pressing assignments and just delve into history books.
if i had lots of money and plenty of time, i would get a degree in history... not sure how specific of a subject, but it would probably be European history. It's all so romantic and mysterious.
Oh, but i also love American history and learning about how our nation came to being. there are so many little details i've learned but have forgotten and now want to learn more about.

all that to say this: if i could choose, i would have been born into each century in a different location so i could experience all of those cultures, events, and life in a totally different setting.

breath of life

2008-11-12T10:21:00.000-08:00

these beautiful photos were taken by Joy Newell, I love her photography, Breath of Life

http://rippleview.com/joy/

how much longer until...

2008-11-12T06:22:00.000-08:00

Christmas break!?

things to do over the break:

read the Da Vinci Code again... love that book
finish a knitting project
make as much $$ as possible
watch some good classic movies
relearn some Christmas songs on the piano

soft yarn

2008-11-12T06:14:00.000-08:00

so... i just started a knitting project, not sure what it's gonna be yet.
maybe a small purse? or a cell phone cozy? hmm, better decide soon before it
decides what it's gonna be :)

hello. i am home.

2008-11-10T06:13:00.000-08:00

climbed lighthouses.
ate crystal rock candy.
sang songs.
dipped my toes in the icy ocean.
laughed with my brothers and sisters in Christ.
met new people.
made new friends.
ate tons of food.
saw a wedding on the beach.
was asked if we were engaged or married.
learned about Keswick Theology.
got a new recipe.
road trip.

had a wonderful week!

God knew just what I need to hear from Him today

2008-11-06T19:31:00.000-08:00

From Psalm 62 verse 5,

Let

all

that I am

wait

quietly

before GOD

for my

h o p e

is in

Him.

rainy

2008-11-06T12:03:00.000-08:00

wet
grey
windy day

cars
trees
blowing leaves

headlights on
midafternoon

chilly
misty
drizzle

trudging
forward
squinting

stepping inside
the doorway
aroma of pumpin bread
wrapping you
with comfort

cozy fireplace
scarlet couch

soft blanket
warm voices
hot coffee

this is what
home
should fee like

road trip

2008-11-04T21:43:00.000-08:00

i am leaving for another state tomorrow... just a 5 day trip
but i am excited! to get away from mundane classes and preview a
seminary with my godly leader of a boyfriend.
pictures will come.
prepare yourself for fun

love
me

Mountain Lullaby

2008-11-02T21:31:00.000-08:00

When the Moon peeks through the apple tree

and the Stars hide in the leaves

when the mist rolls down the Valley on kitten's feet

when the Sun is slowly swept away from the Lavender sky

Then the Mountains fill the night with a sweet lullaby

When the air is full of Lilac blooms

like the water in the Stream

and the Blackbirds on the branches begin to Dream

when the angels pour the Milky Way from the Heavens on high

Then the Mountains fill the night with a sweet lullaby

moonlight

starlight

soft

snow

in the meadow

fireflies

Glow

When the Morning is a mile away

down the hill and 'cross the creek

with the Owl and whipporwill playing hide and seek

when you're Cozy underneath your quilts

and you're closing your Eyes

Then the mountains fill the Night with a

Sweet Lullaby

2008-10-30T15:57:00.000-07:00

"To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love."
~Jane Austen

Isaiah 51:15-16

2008-10-29T11:00:00.000-07:00

For I am the Lord your God,

who stirs up the sea,

causing its waves to roar.

My name is the Lord of Heaven's Armies.

And I have put my words in your mouth

and hidden you safely in my hand.

I streched out the sky like a canopy

and laid the foundations of the earth.

listening to jj heller

2008-10-29T07:45:00.000-07:00

anna introduced me to this artist who sings so beautifully and simply.... sounds like a christian version of a fine frenzy

"you're brighter than the sun
you love in spite of us
you use the least of us
to prove the strong

aren't really strong at all..."

2008-10-28T21:00:00.000-07:00

this is

L o v e

cold

2008-10-27T06:09:00.000-07:00

windblown curls

numb fingers

blue and gray scarf enveloping her shoulders

it's a day for snuggling by a fireplace
with a bowl of homemade potato soup
soft blanket
and the one she loves
...

2008-10-24T06:24:00.000-07:00

like a shell upon

a beach

just another

pretty

piece
I was difficult
to see
but

you

picked

me
- A fine frenzy

2008-10-23T13:58:00.000-07:00

rainy summer day

good memories

coincidence?

2008-10-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

i attended Les Miserables at Queen's Theatre in London this past June and discovered a love for the theatre and musicals. once i came back home to the states, i've enjoyed listening to the soundrack.

this past week i began listening to the Sweeny Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street soundtrack and realized a similarity to LesMis. Sweeny Todd has a song, "Pretty Women" and LesMis has "Lovely Ladies".

Both are tragic musicals... Coincidence? I think not.

Check out Sweeny Todd soundtrack, it's beautiful!

entries from my European journal...

2008-10-22T06:27:00.000-07:00

June 7, 2008 10AM
Helen, our Irish tour guide, is telling us about Dante and the Renaissance... She said that "a Renaissance man" was someone who did too much or who did everything, who is always busy. So i guess Keith is a Renaissance man...

June 10, 2008
11AM
I'm sitting in Notre Dame. I can't believe I'm really here.
This place is amazing.
Detailed statues. Soaring ceilings. Dazzling stained glass. Dim ambiance. Hushed whispers echoing along with footsteps on the cold marble.
A girls choir from America (funny to say.. America!) is now singing... their light voices vaulting through this work of art.
I now feel this beautiful lonely mood.
Ironic, yes? I love it. How I can find beauty in loneliness. In sadness. Things that many people fear, I can embrace and love. If life were always filled with perfect happiness it would get boring. So I've come to appreciate sad songs and minor-key music. Poems like The Lady of Shalott. There's such beauty and mystery in them.
Maybe I'm just weird.

gifts we don't deserve

2008-10-22T06:01:00.000-07:00

life: [n] A source of vitality; an animating force; the experience of being alive

love: [n] A profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person; a person toward whom love is felt
if it weren't for these...

old poem...

2008-10-20T19:47:00.000-07:00

a delicate porcelain teacup

lacy veil

blue robin egg

purple crocus dusted with snow

fragile things

snowflakes

and fireflies

a baby's sigh

L i f e

is like

a puff of wind

lighter than breath

a raindrop poised on the tip of a branch

Life

is cradled in the hand of the One who crafted it

He meticulously designed our bodies with creativity

i wonder if He smiled while knitting me together inside my mother

He already knew every step i would take

each breath i would inhale

how many eyelashes would frame my green eyes

each little fingernail and

both tiny ears

He created each one

He didn't have an obligation to give me life

But He wanted to

He has no duty to let my

heart pump life-giving blood through my veins each day

But He does

i have one purpose

to bring glory to my Creator

my Savior and God

this is why i am alive

today

cafe

2008-10-20T12:40:00.000-07:00

i'm going out for coffee.

with friends.

that's not unusual.

i'm writing a new poem...

so stay tuned.

"Encouragement is oxygen to the soul."- Unknown

mmmm

2008-10-20T06:40:00.000-07:00

it's good to write again

i used to have a blog during the beginning of my freshman year of college... but it disappeared from the face of the earth.
i don't really know how.
but it did.

hello there

i am alive