Project November Day 16

Day 16: Something you're proud of

Today I'm proud of something relatively simple. After school several BFA staffers got together for our first card making session of the season. We turned on Christmas music, sipped cider, and worked on Christmas cards while unwinding after a stressful week.

Typically when I am in the card making or scrapbooking mindset, I am very indecisive. It often takes me a ridiculously long time to decide on which paper to use, and then my brain is so full of ideas that I can't narrow it down to one I want to actually do. Tonight, however, was a different story. I knew almost instantly which paper I would use and what my design would be, and I was able to crank out three designs tonight! That may not sound like much, but I made six of each, or 18 cards in less than three hours.

Seriously. Exerting that much brain power on a Friday night after a long school week is worth mentioning.

Project November Day 15

Day 15: Five weird things you like

The smell of crayons. It brings back memories of visiting my Grandma Forrider's house and cracking open her huge Tupperware container full of Crayolas so that my cousins and I could color together.

Shopping alone. During my first year after college, I did a lot of solo shopping since I had moved away from all my friends and family. It sort of turned into a routine. Now I prefer it over shopping with a crowd!

Vegemite. I had the chance to try this craziness when I visited Australia in 2005. I wouldn't necessarily eat it every day, but I enjoyed it more than my WCC girls did!

Wearing glasses. I've had to wear some form of corrective lenses since I was about two years old. When I finally got contacts in 11th grade, I thought I had finally arrived. But hard lenses are a hassle, and lately wearing my cute brown and turquoise glasses has been way more convenient than dealing with painfully dry eyes and putting drops in between every class!

Oral hygiene. I am incredibly vain about my teeth. I never had cavities as a child, and after my parents put a ton of money into my orthodontist, I decided I wanted to keep these pearly whites, well, pearly. So I brush and floss rather obsessively. And I LOVE my dentist. I've gone to the same dentist for my entire life!

Project November Day 14

Day 14: Something you are currently worrying about

It's hard to pin it down to just one thing. Probably the best way to describe it is that I'm worried about making the right choices with my life. I'm doing the best to follow God's leading but there are times when I just feel completely lost. Am I making the right choices? Am I doing the right things? Am I using my time and resources to their full potential? Years from now, will I regret the choice to do __________ ? Am I honoring Him with my choices or am I honoring my own selfish desires? Really, all I can do is listen for God's voice and hope for the best, but that doesn't mean it's easy!





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Project November Day 13

Day 13: Five words or phrases that make you laugh

Quimakinfuname! This one stems from a silly memory of my brother. We were goofing off one day and I had blurted out "Quit making fun of me!" but it came out as one big word. It's not quite enough to just say it though, it has to be said by my brother, and in a certain tone of voice.

Are those real? Another family memory, this one much more awkward. If you know me personally there's a good chance you've heard this story already. Let's just add to the awkwardness and admit that my grandma is responsible for this one.

Obviously. Whenever possible, my roommate and I respond to a statement by saying the word "obviously" using the Snape voice. See video below for reference.

Pivoooot! Just watch this clip.

Whaaaa? ... and any other phrase uttered by the Minions of Despicable Me.

Project November Day 12

Day 12: Something you miss

This one is easy, almost too easy. Living half a world away from my family and the place where I grew up means there are a lot of things to miss. In the quiet, quaintness of my small German villiage,  often miss the convenience of things like Wal-Mart and the Starbucks drive-thru. I miss the comfort of familiar things like worshiping in my home church and my parents' pup Duke snuggling with me before I get out of bed in the morning.

And while those are perfectly ok things to miss, that's just it - they are things. What I truly miss are my friends and family back home, and the opportunities to simply experience life alongside them.

To be able to go shopping with my mom, watch TV with my dad, or talk in funny voices with my brother while eating whipped cream from a spray can.

To call up a friend who lives an hour away and be able to get together for coffee.

To spend time with my grandparents while they are still relatively young and able to enjoy my company.

To get to know my younger cousins and be involved in the formation of their young lives.

Those are some of the things I truly miss.

Project November Day 11

Day 11: A quote that you try to live by

(original source unknown - spotted on Pinterest)

I struggle with being still. I am a workaholic. I am constantly working or thinking or doing and often times my own plans get in the way of something God is trying to tell me. Usually I have to become completely overwhelmed before I am reminded that I need only be still and hand everything over to the Lord, because He will fight for me. I don't need to waste time worrying or stressing because God is sovereign and no matter what happens, He sits on His throne and He is watching out for me.

Project November Day 10

Day 10: Five guys whom you find attractive

Ok, I have to admit this was a hard one. There are plenty of guys in my own life whom I find attractive for various reasons. Admitting it to them, however, is another story. In an attempt to avoid creating awkwardness for everyone, I'm going to limit this to people I will most likely NEVER meet in real life. Also, note that for each of these guys, physical attractiveness is a given...I'm trying to explain their other, more significant attractive qualities. Go ahead, judge me for writing a post about attractive guys. But before you do, hear me out.

Adam Young

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Based on his tweets and blog posts, he has a very quirky sense of humor that I enjoy greatly. Even though I've been listening to Owl City for years, I still catch something new each time I listen. His natural talent for writing such beautiful poetry is another quality, as well as his deep love for and dependence upon Jesus. I appreciate that he is able to communicate theological truths in a way that even nonbelievers enjoy hearing, and I love that one of his songs is almost always stuck in my head. They make me super happy. If I ever knew Adam Young in person, I think I would enjoy his company very much.

Zachary Levi

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He is one of my favorite TV actors (Chuck!) AND he has an amazing voice. Did you know he did his own vocals for the songs in Tangled? Swoon. Also, I tend to geek out over his nerdy tweets and Facebook posts referencing StarWars and other topics. Perhaps the icing on the cake is that he is a Christian, and openly so in the Hollywood setting. I remember how excited I was when I read this Relevant article and found out! My respect for him grew even more when I read this article, in which he shares a bit of his personal testimony. If Zachary Levi and I ever met, I think I would definitely like to be his friend.

Jordan Taylor

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He, along with his brother Josh and sister-in-law Kelli, is the face of Messy Mondays. Their videos use humor, hyperbole, and alter-egos to drive home a point. He addresses issues such as dating, church culture, and trending controversies.  Jordan's videos are the cheese to my macaroni Mondays. I think we would be great friends.

Ridiculously Photogenic Guy 

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In the middle of running a freaking marathon, he looks like THAT, while I, on the other hand, look like this ...

I think that says it all, folks.

Channing Tatum

That is all.

No seriously, I can't find a decent picture of him because recently he always seems to be half naked, and I'm not about to post that. But allow me to be a female for five seconds and admit that he is definitely attractive. Disclaimer: I prefer him pre-Magic Mike. I'm not thrilled about him becoming a sex object for middle-aged women ... or any women for that matter. Instead, I'd rather remember the uncorrupted version of Channing Tatum, as seen in Step Up, She's the Man, and GI Joe.

Project November Day 9

Day 9: Something you've always wondered "what if" about

For most of my adult life, I've wondered how life would have been different for me had my father not taken an honerable discharge from the United States Air Force when I was five years old. He had already completed two tours to Spain and Saudi Arabia while my mom stayed in Indiana with me and my younger brother. His next assignment was most likely going to be a more permanent station at one of the USAF bases in Germany, and our whole family would have gone with him. Instead, my family moved to Ohio and I lived there until I left for college.

I wonder what my family dynamic would have been like. Would I have chosen the same carreer path? Would my exposure to the missionary community have been the same? What would my spiritual growth and development have looked like?

I wonder if I would have become a military brat, or if I would have enjoyed living overseas as a child. Could I have learned German?

I wonder if I would have met students from Black Forest Academy by competing with them in sports like track and field. Is it possible that I could have even attended BFA myself?

Just a few fun things to think about.

Project November Day 8

Day 8: What you wore

 

gray knotieties hairband

painted copper earrings from Turkey (gift from Katrina)

 

 

kelly green scarf - thrifted

striped sweater - banana republic, thrifted

 

 

mint watch - timex, from walmart

bracelet - chloe vs. tank

 

 

gray dress pants - old navy

wool slippers - lidl

Project November Day 7

Day 7: What you ate today

Like before, this post is reflective of yesterday. So, here's what I are yesterday.

Breakfast: Oatmeal topped with almonds, craisins, and dark chocolate chips. YUM.

Morning snack: More almonds, craisins, and dark chocolate chips.

Lunch: Apples and oranges

After school snack (in German class!): Chocolate milk, Haribo gummies

Dinner: Frozen pizza (too tired to photograph)

Project November, Day 6

Day 6: Bullet your day

This was yesterday (Monday)!

5:30 - Cell phone alarm goes off an hour early because it doesn't know about Daylight Saving Time
6:30 - Actual alarm goes off
6:39 - Second alarm goes off
6:48 - Third alarm goes off
6:57 - Fourth alarm goes off
7:15 - Jolt awake realizing I turned my alarm off, jump out of bed
7:01 - Get dressed, grab a pack of Ramen for lunch, make coffee for myself and Lexi
7:45 - Stop at Heitzmann's for a chocolate croissant zum mit nehmen (to go)
8:00 - Meet the carpool at the Ochsen, a gasthaus (guest house) in town
8:05 - Arrive at school, check email, make copies for class. Realize Katrina and I are matchy-matchy.

8:20 - Staff devotions - it's my turn to lead this week
8:53 - Greet students arriving on the bus
9:00 - Matins (assembly/devos/announcements) with the whole school in the gym
9:10 - Earth science with 8th graders. Retake a bad test from last week.
9:58 - Physical science with 6th graders. Finish experiment from Friday on potential & kinetic energy
10:42 - Ten minute break. Eat snack, use restroom, chat with students and teachers
10:53 - Life science with 7th graders. Try not to rip out hair.
11:41 - Prep period/brain break. Grade 8th grade tests, check emails, pass back graded papers.
12:25 - Lunch in the staff office with Megan, catch each other up on our weekends.
1:04 - More prep time. Try desperately to accomplish something despite intense post-lunch sleepiness. Play Draw Something with Katrina from our separate offices. Play Draw Something with Megan while we're sitting next to each other. Make copies for the rest of the week.
3:00 - Newspaper class. Teach kids how to use Google Drive, experience server issues.
3:45 - Students board bus back to Kandern
4:00 - Get a ride back into town from Brittany and Heather
4:02 - Arrive home, collapse on couch, try to watch an episde of Gilmore Girls and fall asleep
7:30 - Go to dinner with some people from church
10:00 - Return home, see my roommate for the first time all day, return a pair of pants to their former, "fat pant" glory so I can wear them tomorrow.
11:00 - Climb into bed with iPad, check email, Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook. Play Draw Something. Fall asleep.

Project November Day 5

Day 5: Zombie Apocalypse Playlist

Put your music player of choice on shuffle and answer the questions.

Overall theme of the apocalypse: Wreck-It Ralph - soundtrack

What plays when you kill your first zombie: Softer to Me - Relient K

What plays when getting chased by the hoarde: Hakuna Matata - Disney's Greatest Hits

What plays when you have to kill a loved one: My Friends Over You - A New Found Glory

Song that plays when you find a group of survivors: Without You - Ben Rector

Song that plays when you meet the love interest: Old Fashioned Letters - Jason Reeves

Song that plays during the final stand: Dear Vienna - Owl City

Song that plays when you think you’ve survived it all: Be My Escape - Relient K

Song that plays when you discover a bite mark on yourself: I'm Taking You with Me - Relient K

Song that plays over the end credits: Never Gonna Let You Go - Ben Rector

Project November, Day 4

Day 4: Dear 16-year-old me...

First of all, drop Spanish 4 and start taking German. Immediately. Ten years from now you will be so glad you did.

Don't date that boy from camp. And definitely don't believe him when he says he loves you. He will break your heart and you will be crushed. You deserve so much better than a guy who listens to you vent about the worst day of your life and then dumps you. Over the PHONE.

Stop hoarding math credits. Nobody, and I mean nobody needs seven math credits to graduate high school. Why would you subject yourself to crying over Calculus homework every night when you already have all your required credits? Because you're a glutton for punishment. Here's an idea: why not take a science class? Ten years from now you may regret not doing this!!

You are a decent shotputter. Your coaches may be ignoring your potential, but keep at it. After four years of working your tail off, you will finally be deemed worthy of wearing that coveted T on your jacket. But you know what? Don't even bother buying that letterman jacket. It's a waste of money. You won't wear it after you graduate, and your parents will say, "We told you so."

Oh, and lighten up. The world will keep spinning even if you get an A-.

Love,
Future Me

Project November: Day 3

Day 3: A book you love

There are plenty of books that I "love." I really geek out over the Harry Potter series and have always been in love with the Chronicles of Narnia. And of course, where would I be without my Bible? But today I'm sharing something different. A sweet story that stirs my heart and literally gives me warm fuzzies when I read it.

“Stories are light. Light is precious in a world so dark. Begin at the beginning.
Tell Gregory a story. Make some light.”

via Amazon.com

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo is a book I read in college for my Methods of Teaching Language Arts class. Honestly I'd never heard of it before then. As soon as I picked it up, I couldn't stop reading. I fell in love with a mouse. The story goes something like this: in a far away kingdom several unrelated characters experience pain and loss, and then learn how to cope with a broken heart. Throughout the course of the story, their lives begin to intertwine and their stories connect.

“There are those hearts, reader, that never mend again once they are broken. Or if they do mend, they heal themselves in a crooked and lopsided way, as if sewn together by a careless craftsman. Such was the fate of Chiaroscuro. His heart was broken. Picking up the spoon and placing it on his head, speaking of revenge, these things helped him to put his heart together again. But it was, alas, put together wrong.” 

 

“Pea was aware suddenly of how fragile her heart was, how much darkness was inside it, fighting, always, with the light. She did not like the rat. She would never like the rat, but she knew what she must do to save her own heart.”

A tiny mouse looking for a quest finds honor in being brave and pursuing a crazy love, a princess feels again, a rat seeks a different destiny for himself, a king smiles again, and a young orphaned girl is reunited with her father after years of painful separation. The power of a story, of love, of forgiveness... it's all here. Get yourself to the library and pick up this sweet read, I promise you won't regret it!

 

“Reader, you may ask this queston. In fact, you must ask this question. Is it ridiculous for a very small, sickly, big-eared mouse fall in love with a beautiful princess named Pea? The answer is yes. Of course it's ridiculous. Love is ridiculous. But love is also wonderful. And powerful.”

Project November, Day 2

Day 2: Something you feel strongly about

I feel very strongly that Christmas music should not be played before the Christmas season begins. I absolutely LOVE Christmas, but I don't particularly enjoy hearing Jingle Bells in October. When I was growing up, our family tradition was to begin decorating for Christmas on the day after Thanksgiving, and that was also the time we began listening to our Christmas CDs. The tree came out of the attic (yes, we were fakers!) and my brother's and my boxes of ornaments exploded on the poor thing. It made sense that once we acknowledged Thanksgiving, we could begin our preparations for Christmas.

Now that I live in Germany I have lowered my standards significantly, the main reason being that Thanksgiving is not recognized here. Because of that, there's just nothing to look forward to other than Christmas. We don't even get a day off from school! So I've been known to turn on my Christmas playlist before American Thanksgiving, but I still refuse to do so any earlier than November 1st. I will reply with a very convincing, "Bah, humbug!" if you try to get me into the Christmas spirit before then!

Project November, Day 1

Clearly my lofty goals for this year's photography project have failed miserably, since my last post was five months ago. I originally started this second blog to be an outlet, a place where I could express myself creatively with topics or ideas completely unrelated to my service at BFA. So, for the month of November I'm tackling a 30-day writing challenge that I spotted on Pinterest. I can't find the original source, otherwise I would give credit to the person responsible for the list. Also, I'm not using every single prompt - some I am rewriting to be more pertinent to my own life. So without further ado, today's topic.

Day 1: Five ways to win your heart.

This is probably referring to a romantic heart winning, but I've included ways that women can win my heart in non-romantic ways, too.

1. Serenade me. It doesn't matter what instrument you play, or what song you sing. Music speaks to me. What can I say? I'm a sucker for guitars and pretty harmonies. Extra winning if you write a song just for me.

2. Speak my love language, which is words of affirmation. I'm ridiculously sentimental. This past summer I cleaned out boxes and boxes of stuff from my childhood and threw away over ten years' worth of notes, cards, and letters from friends that I had saved because I was too sappy to throw them away. Now that I'm a teacher, I'm amassing a collection of handwritten notes from my students and encouraging letters from their parents, because their words speak to my heart and affirm my decision to become a teacher.

3. Give me chocolate. Obviously. Even better if the chocolate includes coconut, mint, or peanut butter in some form.

4. Make me laugh, or let me be free to laugh at stupid/nerdy/quirky things without feeling like a loser. Sometimes it's like I never left middle school.

5. Love Jesus.