Five Years

I was up late finishing a rather lengthy paper (if you must know, I started it just hours before), so when I went to bed, I was still hyped up on caffeine and whatever it is that staring at a computer screen for six straight hours does to you.

I was talking about my internship to Ukraine this summer with someone earlier in the day, so that was on my mind. Also, my jaw hurts a lot when I'm stressed, and I originally hurt it in Ukraine, so memories were just coming back.

Anyway, I was thinking about how it's been four years since I went on a summer trip to Ukraine. So much has changed in my life since I was there, so I was thinking over how those things will affect this summer's experience. And then I thought that to be fair, I should think back to all that has changed since the last time I graduated, since it's been nearly five years.

In five years, I think that I've changed more than I expected. My ideals are different, my day-to-day life is different. The place I live is different. I'm not sure if I expected so much to change. I feel like it's more circumstantial than me as a person, but those things affect who I am, so I guess I really don't know.

I love lists, so how about one of some things that will have changed in the five years since I last crossed a stage in a cap and gown?

- I went to Ukraine (summer 2007)
- I started at Moody online as a Bachelor of Science in Biblical Studies major (applied as a communications major but there was only one major online then) (2007)
- I spent my first year of college living at home, and most of my time working and with girls from the Sunday school class I helped teach (2007-2008)
- I went to Ukraine and China (summer 2008)
- I got accepted to the Spokane campus and moved away from home (summer/fall 2008)
- I went to Ukraine again (january 2009)
- I met Carson (THE most unexpected part of the whole thing) (spring 2009)
- I got engaged to Carson (summer 2009)
- I didn't go to Chicago because I got engaged (august 2009)
- I took a leave of absence from school to get married and to be able to afford school (spring 2010-spring 2011)
- I married Carson (may 2010)
- I worked at a daycare. Still a little scarred. (2010-2011)
- Carson moved away over the summer... and we all survived (summer 2011)
- We became members of the really great church we'd been attending (summer 2011)
- I returned to Moody halfway through my junior year (spring 2011)
- I made it through the majority of two very heavy full-time class loads without dying (2011-2012)
- I am still approved to graduate, but with a Bachelor of Arts in Intercultural Ministries (may 2012)
- I did not fail any classes (that was a HUGE fear...I was never in a classroom setting until Spokane)

Notable differences: 
I live 2800 miles away from where I did 5 years ago
I stuck with a major
I have a different last name
I possess a Washington Driver's license.
I have better hair, thanks to the weather (and probably thanks to time and looking back at mistakes).
Caffeine now affects me!
I wait until the last minute on papers in a scary way.
I have conversations about laundry, dishes and household items in a way that I used to think was reserved for

Similarities:
I procrastinate. I've just gotten better at it.
I think the square footage of our living space is the same (meaning that my room back home and my current apartment are relatively similar in size, not that my family lives in a 700 square foot place)
I am planning to move.
My last name hasn't changed in Moody's system.
I still hate job interviews.
I am planning a summer trip to Ukraine.

Random Post

If I'm not feeling like getting up and looking at my hair in the mirror, I take a picture of it. This does not ensure hair that looks the way I'd like, because I am not very good at taking these pictures. But it passed the test here, and since I don't have to see the back of my hair, I'm okay with it. 

This was done as Carson napped.

 Just another "check to see how it turned out" shot.

 And a sort-of outfit shot.

We went to Hobby Lobby. Carson hadn't been. We purchased blank cards and ribbon for a project. We also discovered many things we'd like to have. Thank goodness we couldn't afford it all. This mirror was one of them... it was as tall as Carson.

Sunny Day

We went to Coeur d'Alene a few weeks ago. Carson rode his bike there (it's around 40 miles away) and I met him there after class. We met in front of Lake Coeur d'Alene. It was a beautiful day, one of the first warm ones we had and there were so many people there enjoying the beach and the park. We enjoyed the little town, and then went to an early dinner at Tomato Street. 

I really only took this picture for the picture of the babies behind him. Creeeeeepy!

DIY: Painted Verses

So one of the things I've taken up more recently is painting. I say "recent" but I guess that I'm actually talking about the last year and a half or so. But anyway, I thought that I'd share some of the recent verses and Scripture related things that I have painted. By the way, I'm planning to give these away or sell them at some point, so if you'd like something specific, speak up!

This is one of Carson's favorites. This was supposed to be our original house
color scheme, which he chose... so he loves the colors here.

This one was fun. I painted a gray background, then made my blue paint lighter
and darker to make an ombre effect.

This was for Easter. Not crazy about it, but it fit the season.

Gave this one to my nieces for Christmas, at Carson's
suggestion (hence the pink). It's a little softer in color in person.

Next Stop...

Hello friends!

Well, it looks like we've figured out the answer to where we'll be moving this summer! 

Cleveland, Ohio! 

This is probably the last place we expected to go, but everything seems to be working out so that we can make our 2100 mile trek in late Summer. 

Good thing we like road trips!

This means that I will be able to join Carson as we make our way over there and that we won't be moving until August. We were hoping for that! 

The school Carson will be attending is John Carroll University, located about 9 miles east of Cleveland in University Heights, Ohio. He has accepted an assistants position there that should last for the entire time he attends school there. We will be there for school for about two years, and then we will probably move somewhere else for Carson's PhD. 

This will put us mere hours away from family and friends on the east coast. We know a number of people from the Cleveland area, so we're hoping to visit with them when they come home on breaks and such. 

We'll keep you updated, but thought that you'd like to be excited with us on the discovery of finding out where our new home will be! 

DIY: Flower Collage

How about a fun, springy craft? 

This was time consuming but not really that difficult.

I painted the canvas purple first and let it dry.
Then I traced the top of a tube of paint to get a circle shape, and cut that out. I glued it a little to the side because I didn't want the flower to be centered.
Then it got tedious. I cut a million little leaf shapes. I started off drawing them and then cutting them according to the lines, but then free handed because I realized that it didn't matter what shapes and sizes they were.
I mod-podged them onto the canvas as I went, because someone encouraged me to, and I'm glad; all those little leaves would have gotten everywhere! I just kept gluing until it felt full enough, then went over everything with a coat of matte mod-podge.

Love the way it turned out; the different papers look so beautiful together! 

Resurrection Sunday

On Saturday night, we dyed eggs with Catherine and Levi. No pictures of the dying event itself, but I'll tell you - the guys were on their A-Game with the dying. Catherine and I were a little less creative. We played Battle of the Sexes afterward. Altogether, quite the night. 

The eggs from this little event were used later to make deviled eggs. No pictures of those either, because they were tasty and eaten before I could take a picture. 

On Easter morning, we presented baskets to one another:

And after church, we took a picture. I have terrible posture in these, but look at Carson's great smile!

You may also note from these pictures that it was rather warm - 60 degrees!

We got home and started making preparations for the dinner we hosted. This picture was only taken to showcase the hilarity of the apron Carson is wearing.

A break from the cooking for a photo-op was taken with some of the girls from the building:

Missy, Brittany, me, Steph and Rachel. Only Heidi is missing.

Our guests arrived at 1:30 and from there, we continued to cook. This was the final product (plus those previously mentioned deviled eggs)

After we were stuffed, Zack read us a children's book (Danny and the Dinosaur) because he thought it was funny that we owned some. Carson fell asleep before this, and Jerrad was fighting sleep too.

After a little time had passed, we enjoyed Erica's brownie-ice cream-chocolate-oreo pie. Excellent.

I'd also made rice krispy treats, but when I went to take the pictures in the hallway with the girls earlier, I neglected the melting marshmallows and forgot to ask Carson to keep an eye out, so they caramelized. They tasted fine but were really hard...

And after all that, we dyed eggs again. 

I was a bit more creative this time around and used tape to create this:

And Carson made a "Sumo" egg.

Then we took a group picture with the soon-to-be-Faltinowskis and the Fletchers

It was a lovely Easter!