Be still, my soul; the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heavenly, Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still, my soul; thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence, let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul; the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.
Be still, my soul; the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul; when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
Hymn #651
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: Psalm 46:10
Author: Catharine Amalia Dorothea von Schlegel, 1752
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Spring
As I sit here with a used to be a migraine but now downgraded to just plain bad headache I can't help but be happy. Mainly this is because when I go to my handy dandy weather checking website it says that it's a balmy 76 degrees outside.
Are you kidding me?!
Spring is definitely here! (I'm ignoring the fact that Thursday's high is only 48.)
Here is a top ten list of things that I love, love, love about Spring:
10. My car runs better when it's warm outside. Don't ask me why, perhaps it's because we have this weird telepathic link. You see, I've found that I myself run better when it's warm outside too!
9. Two words: Open Windows. Because Spring in the Ohio River valley guarantees a constant breeze which I love having swirl around in my house.
8. Colors! Right now some of my favorite colors to wear are coral, purple, and any shade of green.
7. Speaking of green, let's hear it for green! The grass is growing and, more importantly, the farmers are sowing. One of my favorite things about living in Kentucky, and in rural Kentucky at that, is the way the fields seem to come alive in a matter of weeks.
6. Easter is upon us! Christmas is great but Easter has it's own feeling, you know? It's a feeling that encompasses the entire spectrum of emotions: from the despair of Good Friday to the jubilee that comes with Easter Sunday.
5. Produce: call it wishful thinking but I was at the grocery today and the produce section looked more vibrant than it has in months. And for that, I am very thankful, even if it is just my imagination.
4. Energy. I have more energy when it's warm. Taking walks, cleaning my house (which, oddly enough, I enjoy), cooking, baking... life is just so much easier when it's 80 degrees outside.
3. Blanket nights, in which we lay out in our front yard in the evenings on a blanket. Again, because I live out in the middle of nowhere it is for the most part quiet, peaceful. On top of that the stars are so bright! I definitely could not get used to life in or even near a big city.
2. Sandals. I mean I really love wearing sandals! On top of that I love getting pedicures. It's a win, win.
1. The number one thing I love about Spring? Spring brings hope. Let's face it, I am the eternal pessimist. But something about Spring seems to diminish that inclination in me, even if just for a while.
Are you kidding me?!
Spring is definitely here! (I'm ignoring the fact that Thursday's high is only 48.)
Here is a top ten list of things that I love, love, love about Spring:
10. My car runs better when it's warm outside. Don't ask me why, perhaps it's because we have this weird telepathic link. You see, I've found that I myself run better when it's warm outside too!
9. Two words: Open Windows. Because Spring in the Ohio River valley guarantees a constant breeze which I love having swirl around in my house.
8. Colors! Right now some of my favorite colors to wear are coral, purple, and any shade of green.
7. Speaking of green, let's hear it for green! The grass is growing and, more importantly, the farmers are sowing. One of my favorite things about living in Kentucky, and in rural Kentucky at that, is the way the fields seem to come alive in a matter of weeks.
6. Easter is upon us! Christmas is great but Easter has it's own feeling, you know? It's a feeling that encompasses the entire spectrum of emotions: from the despair of Good Friday to the jubilee that comes with Easter Sunday.
5. Produce: call it wishful thinking but I was at the grocery today and the produce section looked more vibrant than it has in months. And for that, I am very thankful, even if it is just my imagination.
4. Energy. I have more energy when it's warm. Taking walks, cleaning my house (which, oddly enough, I enjoy), cooking, baking... life is just so much easier when it's 80 degrees outside.
3. Blanket nights, in which we lay out in our front yard in the evenings on a blanket. Again, because I live out in the middle of nowhere it is for the most part quiet, peaceful. On top of that the stars are so bright! I definitely could not get used to life in or even near a big city.
2. Sandals. I mean I really love wearing sandals! On top of that I love getting pedicures. It's a win, win.
1. The number one thing I love about Spring? Spring brings hope. Let's face it, I am the eternal pessimist. But something about Spring seems to diminish that inclination in me, even if just for a while.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Sprout Some Wings and Fly(ing Lesson)
As promised forever ago, here's a conversation I had with Dusty involving his semi-recent flight lesson. But first, here's one of the three pictures I took:
(Editor's Note on the photos: When I was a kid my mom would take pictures on our first day of school. It was always by the bus and really embarrassing. Let's just say, that's probably about how Dusty felt posing for these pictures after the flight.)
Emily: "So Dusty, what did you think about receiving this as a Christmas gift this past year?"
Dusty: (insert smug chuckle here) That's a little bit of a selfish question isn't it? No, I mean, I was really excited... I had suspicions that that's what I would be getting this year but that didn't diminish my anticipation and my uh... thrill.
Emily: "Harrumph! Anyway, tell me a little bit about your relationship with airplanes and flying in the past?"
Dusty: Well really back when I was a kid and even through most of high school I wanted to be a pilot. One of the things that diminished that desire in me may have been when I discovered I couldn't be an air force pilot because of my poor vision. I know as a kid the thought of flying was always something that excited me. I used to study different kinds of planes and learned how to make all kinds of paper airplanes...
Emily: "So you were a nerd?"
Dusty: Hush! Anyways, I guess you could say that finally getting to fly an airplane was part of fulfilling a childhood dream of mine.
Emily: "What were you thoughts leading up to your flight experience?"
Dusty: I was looking forward to it. I was definitely keeping close tabs on the weather; just trying to prepare myself mentally to enjoy the experience.
Emily: "Did you have any reservations about taking to the skies?"
Dusty: Not for safety or anything like that... I felt like it would be a good experience. The only reservations I had was knowing I couldn't afford to continue taking lessons.
Emily: "Tell me about the flight experience. What was your favorite part?"
Dusty: It wasn't as stressful as I thought it might be. It was actually quite simple, of course I wasn't learning anything intricate at all, mostly just basic turns and keeping the plane straight and level. My favorite aspect of it was getting to fly over the Ohio River and seeing all the landscape from that perspective.
Emily: "Speaking of the Ohio River, what was your flight route?"
Dusty: Well we took off from Bowman Field, and by we I mean the instructor pilot took off from Bowman Field; we flew in the direction of Churchill Downs past the Louisville International Airport. Once we got past the air traffic there he let me take over. We headed North towards the river and once we got to the river he let me turn in and follow the it up about thirty minutes. Then we did a u-turn and headed back to Bowman Field where he took over and landed.
Emily: "What kind of plane did you fly in?"
Dusty: I think it was a Cessna.
Emily: "Was it awkward flying with the flight instructor?"
Dusty: Yeah I feel like the flight instructor was about the same age as me. And that might have been a little bit awkward. We got to talking while we were up there and I learned a little bit about him and he told me his ultimate goal was to be a missionary pilot, so it was cool to be able to share that experience with someone I knew was another believer.
Emily: "Would you do this again? Do you desire to continue pursuit someday of a pilot's license?"
Dusty: Umm... yeah I would definitely love to be able to get my pilot's license some day so that option is definitely still on the table.
Emily: "Any final thoughts or words?"
Dusty: Thanks to my beautiful wife for the experience!
Emily: "Awww thanks honey, way to suck up."
(Editor's Note on the photos: When I was a kid my mom would take pictures on our first day of school. It was always by the bus and really embarrassing. Let's just say, that's probably about how Dusty felt posing for these pictures after the flight.)
Emily: "So Dusty, what did you think about receiving this as a Christmas gift this past year?"
Dusty: (insert smug chuckle here) That's a little bit of a selfish question isn't it? No, I mean, I was really excited... I had suspicions that that's what I would be getting this year but that didn't diminish my anticipation and my uh... thrill.
Emily: "Harrumph! Anyway, tell me a little bit about your relationship with airplanes and flying in the past?"
Dusty: Well really back when I was a kid and even through most of high school I wanted to be a pilot. One of the things that diminished that desire in me may have been when I discovered I couldn't be an air force pilot because of my poor vision. I know as a kid the thought of flying was always something that excited me. I used to study different kinds of planes and learned how to make all kinds of paper airplanes...
Emily: "So you were a nerd?"
Dusty: Hush! Anyways, I guess you could say that finally getting to fly an airplane was part of fulfilling a childhood dream of mine.
Emily: "What were you thoughts leading up to your flight experience?"
Dusty: I was looking forward to it. I was definitely keeping close tabs on the weather; just trying to prepare myself mentally to enjoy the experience.
Emily: "Did you have any reservations about taking to the skies?"
Dusty: Not for safety or anything like that... I felt like it would be a good experience. The only reservations I had was knowing I couldn't afford to continue taking lessons.
Emily: "Tell me about the flight experience. What was your favorite part?"
Dusty: It wasn't as stressful as I thought it might be. It was actually quite simple, of course I wasn't learning anything intricate at all, mostly just basic turns and keeping the plane straight and level. My favorite aspect of it was getting to fly over the Ohio River and seeing all the landscape from that perspective.
(Sorry for the exposure in this shot. As you can tell by his face, he was growing increasingly annoyed/embarrassed and I got flustered. Rookie mistake.)
Emily: "Speaking of the Ohio River, what was your flight route?"
Dusty: Well we took off from Bowman Field, and by we I mean the instructor pilot took off from Bowman Field; we flew in the direction of Churchill Downs past the Louisville International Airport. Once we got past the air traffic there he let me take over. We headed North towards the river and once we got to the river he let me turn in and follow the it up about thirty minutes. Then we did a u-turn and headed back to Bowman Field where he took over and landed.
Emily: "What kind of plane did you fly in?"
Dusty: I think it was a Cessna.
Emily: "Was it awkward flying with the flight instructor?"
Dusty: Yeah I feel like the flight instructor was about the same age as me. And that might have been a little bit awkward. We got to talking while we were up there and I learned a little bit about him and he told me his ultimate goal was to be a missionary pilot, so it was cool to be able to share that experience with someone I knew was another believer.
Emily: "Would you do this again? Do you desire to continue pursuit someday of a pilot's license?"
Dusty: Umm... yeah I would definitely love to be able to get my pilot's license some day so that option is definitely still on the table.
Emily: "Any final thoughts or words?"
Dusty: Thanks to my beautiful wife for the experience!
Emily: "Awww thanks honey, way to suck up."
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Bad Bloggy, Bad
The month of March has been horribly busy in a way that means it seems I'm going a thousand miles an hour and literally not doing anything at all.
I dread what April will bring- I don't have a free day until mid-month. The weekends are also getting a little crowded.
I'm actually even too busy to be posting at-this-very-moment but I will share an awesome photo my sis-in-law took of her daughter, known around these here parts as Gabby.
Classic!
I dread what April will bring- I don't have a free day until mid-month. The weekends are also getting a little crowded.
I'm actually even too busy to be posting at-this-very-moment but I will share an awesome photo my sis-in-law took of her daughter, known around these here parts as Gabby.
Monday, March 7, 2011
First Times
I have never been able to successfully make my favorite breakfast treat, monkey bread.
Oh you've never heard of monkey bread?
Why it's just raw dough dipped in butter, rolled in cinnamon sugar and baked in a Bundt pan!
It's just fuh-reakin' delicious!
And today was my day, folks! I did it!
Behold:
Oh you've never heard of monkey bread?
Why it's just raw dough dipped in butter, rolled in cinnamon sugar and baked in a Bundt pan!
It's just fuh-reakin' delicious!
And today was my day, folks! I did it!
Behold:
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
February Loose Ends//Here We Go March!
Looking back on what I originally planned to post for February, I've noticed there are several loose ends that need tying, namely things like the questionable decision to let a student hairstylist dye my hair and our all-girl middle school retreat.
All of things could be a blog post in and of themselves, I promise you.
So! As far as the questionable decision to let a student hairstylist dye my hair I am happy to report I love the results! The student hairstylist in question is none other than my sweet friend Jackie Patty, girlfriend of Cousin Luke.
She's quite wonderful really. I will definitely be going back to her to get my highlights touched up:
Dusty and I missed severe weather spotting training, but rest assured we'll be going to the make up meeting either this month or in April!
How did I spend my Valentine's Day? We went to Green Bamboo. Not beause it was Valentine's Day but because Dusty was going to make me dinner and I dropped a giant crap ball on him when I said, "That's fine honey, as long as it's not Indian. I'm not really feeling curry today."
Our all-girl middle school extravaganza was a success! I fairly often comment about that particular age group's lack of self-awareness, but who else would have a dance-off to Cotton Eyed Joe in a DQ?
~ A review of some of my current favorite things, including but not limited to music, books, movies, and food. Mmm... food.
~ My wonderful love Dusty will check in with a guest blog telling everyone about his recent flying lesson at Bowman Airfield. Here's a hint: it was quasi-awkward as only things involving Dusty can be.
~ Jury Duty picks up into full swing this month. Will I get chosen to serve? We'll find out!
~ What do you do every Wednesday night? I'll have a post about the phenomenon that is Game Night, in which myself and a few select friends find ourselves playing cards until 1 in the morning. It's legit, ya'll!
~ We are getting a special delivery at the end of this month, all the way from Kansas City, Missouri! You'll see what it is along with a list of reasons why it's so awesome.
~ Spring is coming and I can hardly contain myself! (!) I'll post about things I love doing when the weather gets warm.
~ Did you know I also have another blog running in which I post my pictures involving all-things Kentucky? You can check it out here. Follow me or add me to your RSS readers! I don't post all the time but I also plan to change that.
Happy March to you!
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