Where Will You Be?

Where will you be one week from today?

Wanna know where I will be? Here.

That's right, it's back to school time for me! I feel a little weird saying it and the best/worst part is when people ask me what I'm going back to school for. Here's a sample conversation:

Them: "Oh, that's great, you're going back to school. What for?"
Me: "Early childhood education."
Them: "Oh, so you want to work at a daycare?"

Noooooo... why would I shell out tons of money to go back to school (as in been there, done that, have the diploma to prove it) just to work at a daycare? I did that while I was in school the first time. So no, not to work at a daycare.

Sample conversation #2:

Them: "Oh, that's great, you're going back to school. What for?"
Me: "Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education" (figuring the longer title would stave off the "daycare" comments.)
Them: "Hmmm... oh what? I was looking at something shiny."

Is it just me or do people tend to zone out when you use words larger than two syllables?

So there you have it, for those of you who care. I will be doing about a year and a half at ECTC and then finishing with a(nother) bachelor's degree from Campbellsville. (Meaning yeah, we're moving back there... eventually.)

Am I excited? You bet!
A little apprehensive? Uh huh!
Taking precautions to not look too much like a non-traditional student? Absolutely!

Face to Face

So, may I just say that my current read Face to Face With God by Bill Johnson is one of the most challenging things I've read in quite some time.

Here's a little snippet:

"When we allow sickness, torment, and poverty to be thought of as the God-ordained tools He uses to make us more like Jesus, we have participated in a very shameful act. There is no doubt He can use them, as He is also known to be able to use the devil himself for His purposes. (He can win with a pair of twos.) But to think these things are released in to your lives through His design, or that He approved such things, is to undermine the work at Calvary. To do so one must completely disregard the life of Christ and the purpose of the cross. None of us would say that he died for my sins but still intends that I should be bound by sin habits. Neither did he pay for my healing and deliverance so I could continue in torment and disease. His provision for such things is not figurative: it is actual." (Face to Face With God, pg. 173)

Phew! That is so counter to a lot of what I hear going on in church nowadays. And I'm just talking about my own personal experience: to my statement, "My aunt has cancer" I receive responses similar to, "Well maybe God is using this to get her attention."

When I type it out like that it does sound like the Lord would have to be awfully manipulative to use something as terrible as cancer just to "get someone's attention."

I'm becoming increasingly convinced of two things: We have been taught that having faith means resigning ourselves to fatalism disguised as God's will, and it's that mode of thinking which will eventually lead to our spiritual demise. At best, we will end up living a half-life as believers who never fully realize the destiny that the Lord has for us.

But that's just an initial thought. I'm really enjoying this book and if you want to borrow it when I'm done, I think I'll probably let you. :)

Things in my Brain

So, this is a super random post but today Dusty got quite a shock when he went to butter his bread:

Quality assurance anyone?

Let's see... what else? According to this little snippet on msn.com life would be much, much easier for the entirety of the global population if medical marijuana were accessible to females. :) (My own words, not theirs.)

Also found on msn, and confirmation of why my head feels like it's stuffed full of pollen/ other allergens, Louisville, KY is the #2 worst city in the U.S. for allergies.

Also, my new favorite blog right now is Regretsy. Oh the horrible handmade things people sell!

Two Years Ago Today

Two years ago today I married my BFF!

In Louisville? Sign Me Up!

Oh Facebook ads, you never cease to amaze me! Check out this Snippet:

Where have a been all this time, living under a rock? Why didn't someone tell me the ocean moved to Louisville?!

More Gabby Pictures

Since quitting my job I've been able to spend oodles of time with the niece and it's be so wonderful! 18 months is a good age:


Some things I've discovered:

• Watching Sesame Street will not help put her to sleep for nap time.
• Watching Will & Grace (or Sport's Center apparently) seems to make her immensely sleepy!
• She is not a fan of chickens//roosters
• She is a fan of dogs//cats
• Her biggest word is "gorilla" (No lie... she even picks it out of her pile of flashcards)
• She LOVES being flipped upside down (thanks to her Uncle)
• Food: making it into the mouth is optional
• Words she can use in correct context that carry some foreboding: "Uh-oh" and "Diaper"

In short, Gabby is wonderful. In fact, maybe someday I'll have an 18-month-old of my own. But let's not get crazy.

There's Movies, and Then There's Movies

Movies I Want to See:

• It's Complicated (because ever since discovering 30 Rock Alec Baldwin has been making a comeback in my book//because Meryl Streep is delightful//because John Krasinski makes me smile)
• Death at a Funeral (even though this is a re-make, folks, based off this hilarious British comedy)
• Date Night (ok so I've actually already seen this one but I had to put it on here because it was sooooooo funny! Go see it!)
• Babies (because my friend Andrea said it was good and because I like babies)
• Mother and Child (because it's not a question of if we will adopt but when)
• Avatar (I had to put that small because Dusty and I might be the only people in America--or the world?--who have not seen it)

Movie(s) I Have No Desire To See:

• Iron Man 2

Relay Recap

Well, this past weekend was Relay for Life, which I'm claiming as the reason that my face is peeling (wind burn) and my house is a mess (preparation).

We had a pretty good turn out despite the elements (the wind was crazy and it got freakishly cold!) I've been told that in all the Meade County Relay raised about $65,000! That's $20,000 more than last year and they had the most youth participants that they've ever had. That especially made me proud considering the majority of our team was just that.

Thanks to everyone who came out to help! Here are some photos from the day (click to enlarge):

And So It Begins//My Niece is Adorable

Phew! My first official day of being unemployed since last August. I must say, I am beginning to remember what happiness feel like! Not that I'm not thankful for the (almost) past year of steady income/ health insurance. It was just sucking me dry, and I feel like I'm on to bigger and better things.

Or maybe just better things.

Tomorrow Cousin and I are starting the 30 Day Shred. I first read about it on this hilarious blog post about a year ago. Then about six months ago I actually bought. And now I'm ready to remove the cellophane and receive, apparently, the butt kicking of the year! At least I will have another person there to share in the agony. More reports to follow.

Yesterday was Mother's Day, as evidenced by the multitude of shout-outs on people's Facebook statuses. We spent the day at the in-law's house and may I just say, 18 month old Gabriella is my current "favorite thing." She is queen of hilarious antics but one of my favorites happens when you point a camera at her face and she does something like this and says, "Cheeeeeeeeeese!"


With every new stage she just gets more delightful!

I'm Diggin'

Do you read John Mark McMillan's blog? Well, you should.

Because then you would have read his blog post from today. And you would have discovered a rad, I mean rad band called Gungor.

Never fear, I've provided you a link for your viewing//audio pleasure.

Do yourself a favor and click here. Like, now.