Last Week in the 216

A late posting, but better late than never. Or maybe not, but posting anyway. I keep letting things hang out in the drafts folder and never actually scheduling them to post. Sorry! 

On our last week in Cleveland we...

(Sunday before) Went to dinner at Carrie and Abe's house and then out to ice cream at Sweetie Fry, where they told us that Baby Rickenberg was on its way. Cat's out of the bag now, which is why I mention it. 

(Saturday before) Carrie and I huddled under blankets on the couch watching season 3 of Call the Midwife. We've been Call the Midwife buddies, loving the time together even though we have to put the subtitles on to understand them and are completely terrified at some of the scenes.

(Sunday of) Went to our last church service at Gateway, where we both teared up and wondered why on earth we would leave this place. They brought us up and announced that we were leaving, which almost made me cry, except that they made a joke and I laughed instead.

(same day) we tried Zoup! a soup and salad place that went in that week. It's a chain but we'd never been and it isn't in Tallahassee which stinks because we loved it. I had a Cobb Salad (mistake - I hate gorgonzola/blue cheese) and mushroom bisque (my second favorite soup - favorite is lobster or crab bisque).

(Monday of) worked with Evan for the last time! We were all roomies for three weeks, plus I basically lived with his sister for two years in the Reilly building, plus he got me this job, plus told us about our church. So a picture was needed.

Had my last week of work. My boss gave me a hug, and I teared up.

(Tuesday before) Had lunch with Lana at Hodge's downtown. I had the shrimp and grits and it was phenomenal. We got stuck at a light right at the big outdoor chandelier they put in and snapped a few pictures.

We had the hanky pankys and the deviled eggs - both amazing.

It was instagrammed, obviously.

My wonderful dish.

Lana got a sampler and it looked good, but I think mine was still better.

Afterward, we walked to East 4th street and she bought me a Cleveland shirt and magnet to represent while I'm in Florida.

(Tuesday evening) sorry, roomies. Had to snap a shot of the roomie situation. Cozy.

(Wednesday of) My last day of work! After I clocked out, we took pictures.

(out of order; the Sunday we moved) We came home from church to a deer in our yard! On occasion we'd seen them there before, but not all that often, though since we lived in a really suburban area, I'm not sure where they lived. 

Thanksgiving 2012

So this year, there was no Macy's Day Parade watching on Thanksgiving morning.

(that used to be one of my favorite starts to the morning)

Instead, I dragged myself out of bed to work at 6:30. Carson dropped me off and went to his office to grade papers. It didn't exactly feel like a holiday, except that there were many more customers than usual. We were very busy, and I was exhausted when I left at a quarter to 2. 

Carson picked me up and we rushed home so that I could get ready, which happened in record time. He'd made a pumpkin bread since I didn't have time (meaning that I didn't really want to get up before work to do it) and we grabbed that and headed over to our friends, the Wilsons for a Thanksgiving feast. It didn't occur to me to take pictures, but everything was so tasty! There was turkey, Cajun stuffing, a really yummy green bean casserole, bread, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and gravy and more. After a little bit, we had dessert, which I couldn't finish. It was great!

We hung around and talked for a few hours, and then headed home. We flipped through the Black Friday sale papers and just hung around being still for a little bit, since we'd been around people all day.

Just a disclaimer here - the reason I like Black Friday is because my dad and I would get up really early the day after Thanksgiving to hit Staples, Radio Shack and Best Buy. We'd finish up the shopping trip by searching for gifts for my mom's birthday on December 1st (hint, hint... it's coming up!). The day after Thanksgiving is more of a sentimental thing than anything... it's fun to find cheap things but I'm mostly in it for the memories and the fun. 

Then we decided to go to Target, which was opening at 9pm. The line was wrapped around the building when we arrived, right at 9, but we were in the store less than ten minutes later. I took this terrible picture with my cell phone since I didn't bring my camera.

We went because I bullied Carson into going, just because I like the thrill of the lines and the people rushing around. We weren't there for a large TV, which is good because I'm pretty sure those sold out before we got in there (it was seriously less than 10 minutes!). We were there for the cheap fake Christmas trees. I felt a little bit like I was betraying my upbringing by purchasing an artificial tree but the deed is done and I'm now in the market for a good Christmas tree scented candle :)

After Target, we went to Michael's and got some on-sale Christmas decor. We'd considered going to Old Navy too, but they didn't open until midnight and we weren't really planning on buying anything, so we just went home.

The next morning, Carson left at 5am to get in line for a bookstore that was giving away gift cards to the first 100 people in line. He was seventh or something. I worked that morning, and then we went to dinner for date night, then a few other places to see if we could catch sales. We found the entire Harry Potter series on DVD for pretty cheap and came home with that as well as a few small Christmas gifts and an advent calendar.

All in all, a relaxing and fun weekend.

My Weekend Plus House Pictures

So, more on that weekend I spent alone recently. Basically, I took pictures and recorded almost every moment because I didn't really talk to anyone the entire time.  

I went to Wal-Mart (for toilet paper and a dowel rod), to Jo-Ann's for their Halloween/Autumn clearance and to the grocery store for food. 

I ate things like this. Those noodles are pumpkin shaped, by the way. I think the shaped ones taste better than the regular ones.

I also ate this, with sprinkles because I love them. The sprinkles were better than the ice cream, because it was mostly just plain chocolate, instead of the nuts and caramel it promised on the carton.

Our organized back entry.

I took this so that you could see the strange colors in this bathroom. Look at those tile colors - gray and terra cotta? I used the bathroom things that we've always had because buying a new shower curtain to "match" this color combo seemed pointless. And those lime green towels are courtesy of my poor taste from my first apartment, when my decor theme was "colors of the rainbow". See here for proof.

 When I painted, I got it on my face and all over my arms and legs. No idea how I accomplished that, or why I decided to kiss my reflection.

It rained all weekend, so I definitely drove to work. A coffee shop in the rain is the perfect place to work.

I worked on Friday. Update on that: I not only know what I'm doing, I'm also getting to be faster at it and I ask fewer questions. Yippee!

My somewhat organized dresser. I wish I were a person who had a nice clean dresser, but since I must have my things accessible, organized works for me. There are bobby pins in that "pearls" container.

I think I took this late at night.

Here's our room right now. I added a lamp on Carson's side after this picture, and our landlord keeps promising to change that window (you can't tell, but it's terrible) and with it the blinds (those are worse) AND the trim upstairs so those are exciting changes we anticipate.

I promise that when I measured, my holes were in the same place. I'm blaming the frames for this one.

I switched out some pictures. Love this shadowbox so much. 

Although we usually use brown or white towels in here, this is the bathroom. Crooked picture and all :)

I love having a mantel! I keep changing it, even though no one ever goes in here to see it, since we still don't have a couch. I bought that sign at Jo-Ann's on super sale and love it - it's tin. On the bottom right here is a basket of children's books people have given me (I guess I could say I collect them) and some I loved as a kid and found on Amazon.

The mantel again, complete with Peter Rabbit books, a coffee-filled hurricane, fake gourds and a clock still on Pacific Standard Time.

change

Change is upon us.

I think change used to be more of a surprise. Now, it's more of a familiar friend. We aren't sure what it will be, but we recognize it.

I didn't mention it online yet, but my last day of work was last week. No more being there at 7:30am.

This week marks the last week of the semester. Classes are finished, papers turned in, presentations given, exams passed. Whew. I think this makes me a senior... finally.

This week, Carson will take the GRE. Pray for him!

This week, Carson will graduate. He's finished his undergrad! Yay!

Next week, I will start full-time classes. Well, one class. It's a three week intensive. I have four directed study classes this summer also. And my online class for the summer began this week. So I'll be busy studying this summer, which I'm not entirely thrilled about.

The week after next, the real challenge will come. Carson is moving.
Yes, just Carson. He'll be working a full fire season this year (till about November) since he doesn't have school in the fall. He will live in the place we lived last summer. And yes, I will stay here. It makes sense logistically even though it kind of stinks.

For five months. 


Okay, it really stinks.
But it's only three hours away. He'll be busy, I'll be busy. It will be hard. But we plan to talk a lot, travel when we can, and write letters like we did when we were dating long-distance. Like the summers before it, it will be a little different.

Different is the new normal.

Change is upon us.

recently

Today we've been married for a whopping TEN months! A year ago it felt like the wedding was forever away... it went so fast!

We have been house sitting for about a week now. It's really quite fun to stay in someone else's place... quiet, a little bit like a vacation, and a little bit closer to work for me!

It's mid-terms week! I didn't have any excruciating tests to take, but Carson did... he takes things like that so well though!

Carson's been studying for his GRE exams and looking into grad school programs.

Spring Break begins on Saturday! We want to go somewhere for a few days but haven't nailed down details.

We recently dressed up to go to a nice dinner and then didn't feel like it so much... so since we were dressed up, I made Carson smile for a picture after we went to a sketchy (but really yummy) calzone place instead (we intended to take it to go but they brought it on plates so we stayed).

That Conversation in the Car

I work closely with a person that gets on everyone's nerves.

And you can keep reading because I'm not going to talk about why.

Tonight, we had a work meeting. Someone is going to get laid off in the next couple weeks due to lack of enrollment. Just for a month or two, hopefully, but it looks like that's what is going to happen. Pray for that!

Not the point.

After said meeting, I offered to take a co-worker to the Plaza downtown to catch her bus. She agreed, preferring a warm car to a cold, dark bus stop. We began to talk, because even though we do work closely, we don't just sit there and chat. I was enjoying the talk, so I offered to take her all the way home. During the course of the conversation, it came out that she used to be a Christian.

Naturally, I was curious.

Apparently, she's been doing some thinking, processing what she's been brought up to believe, what she knows of the world, the way she wishes things would be...
and all that has lead to calling herself a "Pagan". I've heard the term but honestly thought it just meant a person who didn't believe in anything at all. Shows how much I know.

According to the dictionary (seriously, I didn't know!), a pagan is someone who holds a polytheistic religion... (Note: Polytheistic religions are those that believe in either lots of gods or just more than one... Buddhism, Wiccan...).

So anyway, she's not super sure what she believes, but she's pretty turned off from Christianity. She threw that background away for her current beliefs and has gotten some flack from the  people in her church. She wasn't bitter, just matter-of-fact. I'm sure it would be awful to have been involved in a church and then just be burned by people you thought knew and loved you.

As you probably know by now, this person is the person mentioned in my first sentence. And you know, I'm kind of glad. She doesn't bother me as much as others have claimed that she annoyed them. And I work with her everyday, all day. And we had that long conversation in the car.

So I'm really glad that I do work with her, and that she's not just a random person I'll never see again. But I would like you to pray about this.

Why and what?
That I wouldn't be trying to proselytize: Um, does anyone like someone campaigning for what they believe in such a way that they can't get a breath of fresh air? I think not. I want to lend a listening ear for sure, and a mouth that speaks truth. Not in a way that offends her, but not in a wishy washy manner either. Speaking the truth in love, words seasoned with grace... that kind of thing.

That she would come into contact with the truth, and that it would be clear to her: She's not so sure of what she believes, so when truth hits her, I pray that she is ready to see it as truth. I pray that she will see God as God and His Word as truth, without bias or presupposition or the hypocrisy that yes, sadly does exist among the church.

That Jesus would pursue her: Does He love her? Yes. Does He desire a relationship with her? I have no doubt. Did He possibly put me in such close contact to pray for her and share Him with my life? Maybe! I pray that I would portray a Lord others would want to follow and that maybe they would as a result of me.
It feels way NOT humble to say such a thing, so I also ask that you pray for humility for me. This kind of thing freaks me out a little bit and I get so unsure... pray that I would be in the Word and guided by truth.

Please pray, and ask me about it! My "shyness" can sometimes lead to "being quiet about the important things"!

Life isn't about me...

I spilled a bottle all over myself and a baby today.

That's like the tagline of how my day went. It wasn't the best day ever. Not bad, per se, but the formula smell seeping through my clothing really captures the essence of the day. Everyone was fussy, everyone in a weird mood. No one slept long enough. And perhaps I really DO mean everybody, employees included.

Those kinds of things don't make or break the day though.

They really don't even define it. They're just things that happened. Things I don't have to go home to and live with, but things I leave behind when I've punched the time card. I like that. Not that I wouldn't love to have a kid of my own (some day), but I'm glad that I don't have eight babies ranging in age from 3-12 months. Not that it's possible, I'm just glad.

Relatively, this was not a bad day. Certainly not ideal. But I'm (re)learning that life isn't about me.

These babies will learn it someday. For now, they cry when they're hungry, sleepy, want to be held, or have a "surprise" for me to change.

Me? Life can't be about me, because that's really not who I am. Not who I should be. As a job, I get paid to serve little babies. As part of life, I shouldn't be paid to have others first. It should indeed be who I am as a child of God.

Serving my family (which is just my husband for now), God, and those around me is what I should do, joyfully, with love. It should come from a thankful heart.

I know these things. I feel like I've known them forever. But they're truths that are finally seeping into my thick head mind as I read the word and hold babies all day.

Totally corny, but I hope this is a truth that seeps in and sets just as that formula smell.

... Speaking of, I think it's time for a  shower...

Hello, weekend!

This fall, I have not worried about midterms once. And I don't think I'm going to concern myself with finals either. I don't mind the lack of stress. Apparently midterms for Moody are next week. Halfway through the semester already? So quick!

I've received my first sign of working in a daycare: Yep, I'm sick. Sore throat. Hoping that if it's going to end up any worse, it will blow over by Sunday night. I was falling asleep all day on Friday, rocking babies and such. When I get sickish, I'm so tired. I'm NOT the little engine that could. I'm a sleep-all-day type. Huge wimp.

We've officially spent our first night apart in our new apartment. (Not like we did unofficially ever. But whatever.) Carson attended a men's retreat with the church. I joined the other girls in my building for a girl's night. More junk food than we'd like to admit and You've Got Mail (one of my all time favorite movies).

We purchased paint for the kitchen a few weeks ago and haven't gotten around to painting. I had Carson move the fridge before leaving for the retreat so I'm committed. It's paint that I didn't pick out - Carson found it and brought it home. Once it's up, I'll find out if I'm brave, stupid, or really brilliant for not insisting on helping decide the color. Hoping for the latter, and either way, it's going to stay there for awhile so I'll get used to it.
(this post will be scheduled so hopefully by the time you read this, paint will be drying.)

I'm in SUCH a mood to create house things. I want a table cloth or runner, to paint the table itself, to decorate our bedroom walls, to make throw pillows for the couch and our bed, to re-do the kitchen floor, to put curtains up and make the place more homey. And I want to make these things or spend under like ten dollars, which is virtually impossible.

A few weeks ago, I was thinking babies, babies, babies. I wanted one but not really to keep, just to keep for the day. To borrow, if you will. I now keep them during the day and realize that babies are cranky! I knew that but I keep getting a refresher in that lesson daily. I heard one crying in a store and while previously I would have been like "Oh, sweet thing!" I thought, "Oh boy. He sounds like he's hungry. Won't calm down for awhile. I'd better leave." Now I sound like a baby-hater. Oh dear.
I still love them; I'd just romanticized them and forgotten that they spit up and cried a lot. Now, I'm back in reality.

Our wedding pictures arrived last weekend and I adore them. I get to pick some out for printing. Can't wait to display them. Can I just print all of them? Please? I can't post them all (Oh, I would), but I have one as my Facebook profile at the moment. Beautiful. More might appear in random posts. I won't be able to help it.

Working forty hours a week didn't do much for my housekeeping. You would be appalled at the laundry waiting to be folded, the piles of papers to be sorted, filed and mailed, the dishes in the sink, and probably the clothes on the closet floor. I hope to make the weekend productive. And to make some sort of schedule so I don't live in a messy home for the rest of the time we're here just because I work. Yuck.

God Working... and BABIES!

I have started a new job. It's not in addition to, but in place of my retail job.
Why?
Honestly, I'm a horrible salesperson. For one, selling things just was not me. I floundered. I bumbled. I tried to go in the back and do freight all afternoon because I'd much rather be in the back than selling clothes. Two, it completely stressed me out. Like every day I'd be so tired from the stress of having to make my sales goals. The managers weren't mean or anything (in fact, I loved my co-workers) but it was just so not for me. I'm pretty sure their business is better without me there anyway. I felt like I couldn't represent them well. And I'm not a fan of not doing things well, you know?

Anyway, I'm working at a daycare full-time now. Yes, I'm exhausted at the end of each day and yes, I have spit-up on my shirt and a full bottle's spill on my pants (which I laundered last night. gah!), but seriously, I like this so much better! It's a weird switch from selling to taking care of babies (I've been with infants almost all week and hope to stay there) but it was a good decision.

So obviously, you're wondering why I was even at one job for three weeks. Let me tell you, God WORKED through that! Everyone I worked with at White&Black was unsaved. And I am. So that was an interesting dynamic - not a bad one. I was able to have several really good conversations with a few co-workers (planting seeds?).

And one of those coworkers and I exchanged numbers. She dropped me off at home and knows where I live. And we're going to hang out! So pray for this opportunity to share Christ with this girl. I feel incredibly blessed to be able to have this opportunity and hope we'll get together soon!

And because a post is not much of a post without pictures, here's a poster I liked, from Etsy. I'm not a coffee-drinker (Carson is - he likes his black) but I thought it was cute.

News

 Carson's doing well, if you're wondering. Studying like crazy, working at Super Supplements part time and several weekly hours as a TA. He took a Psychology CLEP test a couple of weeks ago and aced it (of course!) so he's prepping for more CLEP tests. We're both cleaning the church a total of ten hours a week for our rent.

Anyway, I wanted to let you know that I finally have a job! It's a huge relief to be free from the hunt. I haven't actually started; my first day is Tuesday, but the job is mine. It's at White House Black Market. Retail was the last thing I wanted to do, but not too many places are hiring so I'm glad to get this! It's a smaller environment than the last retail job I worked so I think I'll like it better.
Note: Forgive the name; it's a clothing store. That's why the link is included. I'm not involving myself in criminal anything :)

And the second piece of news... I applied for a Pell Grant! Financial aid, that is. And I have been given a pretty decent sum so if things keep going the way they're going, it looks like I will join Carson in going back to school as early as January! Though I'd really thought about getting my associate's degree in Biblical Studies, I've discovered that I really do enjoy school, and since I'm only three semesters from graduating, I really want that Bachelor's degree (it's in Intercultural Ministry). I'm hoping to finish everything by next Spring, so I'll really only be a year behind my original graduation date.