I am Excite!

A Japanese exchange student named Miharu used to say that. And I am very much excited about opening Christmas presents and watching people enjoy what I'm giving them. I got a taste of it while exchanging gifts with the Teagues and now I can't wait for our belated Christmas!

Nocturne in C Sharp Minor

I'm listening to Joshua Bell's Romance of the Violin. I believe it was a Christmas gift a couple of years back. I particularly like Nocturne, Track #3.

Vernise, he Teague's grandma, Mrs. Kelley's mother, had a stroke Friday. She's having a really rough recovery. Some of her symptoms include restlessness and disorientation which translates into her not sleeping, trying to get out of bed on her own and thus falling. This is dealt with by always having someone sit with her. We, as in the Bavidos, have gotten to help out with this a couple of times and are on call. The poor Kelleys really need their rest so I really hope they don't hesitate to call us. Another problem is getting enough liquids and nourishment down her because she's been having trouble swallowing. Please be praying for Vernise and her family.

The job hunt continues. I had a job interview earlier this week for a legal secretary that I've already been turned down for. I have an interview next week for a volunteer coordinator position. I emailed a reminder or followed up today with a career services position for a tech school. I need to send off a resume tomorrow for a case manager position. Praise God, I'm doing much better on the motivation and not-getting-discouraged/depressed in relation to job hunting.

I've discovered that when left to set my own schedule that I sleep from 1 a.m. to 10 a.m. and am most reflective and thoughtful between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. I'm not really sure when I'm the most productive--perhaps the early afternoon?

I continue to be shocked and horrified by my own selfishness. Mrs. Teague had asked me to get her copies of the Bavido originals that had been read at our poetry festival. I completely forgot that BonnieJean, Isaac, and Dad had read their own compositions and just printed off the ones by me that had been read. How terrible am I?!

This and that

  I love my praying friends!  I have friends that I haven't seen or even maintained contact with, suddenly reconnecting with me and praying for me.  I have a group of ladies older than me in age and in faith that all pray for each other.  My Sunday school class prays for me.  My karate class prays for me.  My parents pray for me.  The Teagues pray for me because of the Friday Bible study.  Chera and JC pray for me.  I'm sure there are many more people that pray for me that I don't know about or just don't remember.

  It seems like I'm suddenly much more aware of who's praying for me.  I think even this is an answer to prayer.  I've been praying for a new understanding of God's love and working in my life.

One down

fifteen to go.  Yep, I survived my first week back.  Alas for my readers, my topics will probably be severaly tilted towards school news for these next fifteen weeks.  The good news is that my classes look very interesting, so y'all shouldn't be too bored with school posts.

I'm eating some very luscious potato soup and annabread.  Yum!  Mama is an amazing cook!

I heard "Starlings", one of the new songs by Brave Saint Saturn, the other day.  It's about the tragedy of senseless death, even those of starlings.  I think I'll play it for people when I tell them that what I look forward most to in the new earth is the people that will be there and the lack of road kill.  To me, road kill is a perfect picture of how bad we've broken our world.

Exciting baby news!  Number one, Sandy Gilliland is pregnant!  She's just ten weeks along, due in August.  She and Jamey will make excellent parents.  Number two, Erica went in for a routine check-up today and came up as preeclampsic.  Eek!  So, they induced labor and we're waiting on pins and needles for a phone call.  This is 24 days early, which isn't too bad compared to eclampsia.   I'm barely sitting still!

Tomorrow, Lord willing, Mama and I are going to go buy all my painting supplies.  I can't wait to start fiddling around with the stuff.  I want to get really familiar with my paints before we do our first canvas piece in a couple of weeks.

We wrote a pantoum today in Poetry class.  I think I really like that form and I was relatively pleased with what I wrote, but not pleased enough to post it here.

I have been really good about working out this week.  I have been really sore, but I can tell it makes me feel better generally.

Tomorrow is our first day of BonnieJean's Bible study with us and the Teagues.  I'm excited about it!

I'm going to bed now.  Love y'all!

I should be sleeping

instead of keeping these late hours I've been keeping...sing with me!...I've been tracing and retracing every step of every move...

That's a good song.  It's a tad unrelated, but good for a post at 10 p when you only had 6 hours of sleep last night.  Ha--listen to me!  I have obviously settled into break mode quickly.  6 hours of sleep used to be really good.

  Tomorrow we get family pictures done for the church directory.  I'm so excited.  Our pictures two years ago turned out really nice.

  I really need to jump onto Christmas shopping.  I haven't done any.  Good thing we're celebrating it a week late this year.  Our Christmas tree is up and totally overdone, just the way I like it.

  Last night was Twilight Prayer and Praise.  We almost didn't go since the roads were icey, but I'm glad we went anyway.  I feel full, replenished.  Christian fellowship is such a mystery to me.  Why do we self-destruct by denying it to ourselves?  Why do we see God differently when we're alone than when we're with a group?  Why did God make it where we need both?

  Poor Caleb has a terrible, croupy cough.  There's not much we can do for him. :(  And of course, we're having to practically tie him up to get him to slow down and rest.

  Friday I have a job interview with IBC at 2--please pray!  Friday is my last day at Donna's!  And Chera's going to call me Friday and I get to go to the homeschool band concert!  Oh, but Chera, if your throat is still sore Friday, don't call me.  I don't want your voice to run away like mine did.

  I have turned into quite the ogre while at home this semester.  I'm not quite sure why, but that doesn't really matter, I just need to straighten up.  I think the main thing is I need to praise more than I gripe.

  We had dinner at Mazzio's with the Teagues tonight.  They are so awesome!  Mama, Mrs. Teague and I discussed trends and situations, past and present, of the Christian music industry, economic theories of the advantages and disadvantages of deflation and inflation, psychotic habits of our own and our family's, and other sundry topics.  Stockton let me listen to an awesome Celtic fiddle piece on his mp3--it was beautiful.

  I'm going to go play or read something mindless.  My sinuses are terribly congested and I'm tired, so I don't feel like writing anything original or reading anything beyond a 5th grade level.  Love y'all!