Bits of days

So, at work I'm responsible for keeping up with mailing lists for our newsletters and such. When we mail stuff out, we get some back - undeliverable, return to sender, etc. Today, we got this one back:

That little sticker made me sad.

So, I was curious. I tried to find the person's obituary, but all I found via Google was an entry on someone's blog about the person's whole career. It felt a little weird that I could find that much information, but it was really interesting. (Needless to say, I never really figured out why they were subscribed to our magazine, couldn't connect those dots. Who knows!)


This is a moon plant that my sister gave me back in March or April. It's supposed to bloom only at night, hence the name, but I've only checked on it during the day/evening, and the bloom has been about half opened. This was the first time it had ever bloomed, and I was SO excited. I'd been watching it grow for months, and then last Tuesday or so I was walking in the side door of our house and noticed that this big green bud was growing - woah! After all that waiting, beautiful growth! It reminded me of how God faithfully brings unexpected blessings to us.

This is my lomography fisheye camera. I like it a whole lot! I learned about toy cameras for the first time when tahni got a holga, and then I got curious and eventually I decided to buy this one. It's SO fun! The photos are really unpredictable, but that's what makes it an adventure! (I'll post some of my favorites so far - like the above banner image - from it sometime soon. I am far from good at using mine, but I think it will be really fun to learn! Slightly unrelated - I found this image today and was inspired - it is titled so strikingly well.) So... the more toy cameras I find online, the more I add to my mental Christmas list - like this Russian one, this adorable lil guy, and this digital (!!) one.

Yesterday after work the sun was shining and I had some free time so I ran across town to a field that I had been reminded of on Monday. I snapped some shots with my lil digital camera and my lomo, but since I haven't developed the film yet and who knows how it will turn out, here are a couple of the non-lomo shots...


I love College Station sunsets. They always seem to be brought to your attention at just the right time...

my office

I've been meaning to post this for a while. I guess it's a little late since I've been at my job for 4.5 months! I like my individual office - I have lots of privacy, and freedom to decorate how I want. And although I do sometimes miss having more interaction with people throughout the day, it's easy to get up and go talk to some of the sweet ladies I work with. I am very grateful for my job and the kind people I work with! Anyhoo, I've decorated my office some, and since most of you probably won't ever come visit me - which is a shame since I'm just in Research park! - here are a few photos of it. I've added a few things since I took these, but you get the idea.

This bookshelf is very functional, but also randomly light blue and unattached the the wall it is beside. I took all of my teal and red things up to my office, and I like the mix of pictures from London with ceramics from China (and home).

I found this cute little tiny bus from Panama in my office and it is seriously now one of my favorite things ever. (It probably was left behind by our old director, who traveled a lot.) It's just so cute! I like to look at the tiny little people and vegetables in it, and then drive it across the top of my monitor. :)

Lots of knick knacks, including: my Mary Englebreit tear-off calendar, the box of scripture Mag gave me for my bday, Garret and I from our 5-year mark, phone charms from China, and Mongolian leather products.

Clockwise: Lonely old red bridge columns in the Thames - one of my favorite sights in London, plum (I think?) tree at the farm, awesome desert in China (sorry about the finger prints), and the view through a window in the Great Wall.

I like my desk :)

This is the view from my desk. If I open the blinds of the window in the hallway (to the right in this photo) then I can see a little sunlight, so that's nice!

In conclusion, even though you just got a glimpse of my office, you should still come visit me some time! :)

Shnniiippits of life

Okay so this is actually a pretty random assortment - not really of my life per-se (sp? per say? hmm - help, the English major is floundering!) but maybe more-so just an assortment of things that I have had in or around my brain in the last few days/hours. There really is some interesting stuff in there I promise! ;)

• This wedding video is magic. Garret works with 8mm film a lot at work, so maybe he could somehow both marry me and film our ceremony at the same time... hmmm! Jk, I want his FULL attention, I promise! (I'm not really worried about that, either.)After watching that video, I'm definitely putting visit Aspen in the summer and ride in a ski lift through the mountains on my life to-do list. Oh wait, we're hopefully going to get to do that on our honeymoon, except it will be the Smokey Mountains - whoop!
  
• I looove this sign, and that song. :)
• Today I went to a lunch workshop held by an organization of university/local communications peeps - ProComm, held in The Zone. I felt like a grownup, the food was really yummy, the view was great, I enjoyed getting out of the office a little, and the speaker, Jackie Huba, was really engaging. It's interesting figuring out how we could use social media well in our office.
• If you ever have a craving for awesome, random dance mixes (that one contains Dolly Parton's "9-5"!), check out this DJ's blog! He's got lots of free downloads and it makes good background or dancing music! A few of the songs are shady, sorry, but most of it's just plain random - a really unpredictable, fun mix of old and new.
  
• This post about "telling time" on Girl Talk was really good. As I seek to get ready for marriage, this balance of being both a strong and submissive wife, definitely comes up. I want to learn how to "tell time" in a godly way! I've been reading about the book Womanly Dominion and I def want to pick it up soon. I think we studied similar stuff in the first aspect ("Mistress of your Domain" - mistress as in in-charge, not as in adultary - just clarifying) of the Five Aspects study we are doing in D-ship. It's packaging/presentation isn't especially trendy, but I HIGHLY reccommend that study!
• Some more Etsy favorites (that I won't be buying this month bc I'm trying to be good): Fruits of the Spirit print, Love Defined art, and this is SUCH a cute print!
• Yes, I am fairly addicted to looking at wedding blogs. There, I admit it. Me and my Google Reader are, like, almost-bffs. Anyhoo, this was one of the most attention-holding posts that I found today - so many things in these photos that make me smile and giggle - that happy-go-lucky blue sky, those yellow shoes, and... llamas!?!

Alright already, I'm out.

lunch break

Just chilling in my office for lunch today, and trying to read/watch/listen to things that are life-giving or at least thought-provoking while I eat my yogurt...

• This video on missions was really moving.
• I love listening to Lindsey Kane.
  
• This article on the Michael Vick controversy and what it says about American culture was thought provoking.
• This short, cute story was funny.

(This was def better than my usual routine of looking at wedding stuff on Etsy. It's addicting.)

on being a grown up

Random thoughts after almost two months of supposedly being a “grown up”…

Since graduation, there’s been lots of transitions. My days have consisted of work, time with Garret, discipleship, time with roomies, and working out. And of course Many trips home. Garret and I have gone home SIX times since graduation! For sure, I am enjoying the lack of homework, and every time I drive by Copy Corner I remember how wonderful it is to no longer have to go on late night treks there.

For a while now, I’ve felt like my heart is hardening. Too much pretending, too much just getting through things. But, God is faithful and last weekend I reached my breaking point in several areas and the heart defrosting began. Now I just need to keep pursuing it. God is reminding me that in Him, I really can have a soft heart and sensitive spirit. I’m slooowly beginning to again more readily see His provision and care, both in everyday things and big ones. For example, one day a few weeks ago, my bff Kristi texted me to say that she’d gotten a teaching job, and seeing God provide in a big way made me start tearing up, and that made me happy. I’ve missed being weepy!

On a lighter note, here are some of my new favorite things:
songs: Hero by Connersvine, Mercy and You will be Whole by Lindsey Kane (Seriously - check those out. a-mazing.)
food: Special K protein shakes, grapes,
blogs: Girl Talk, Card Observer, Pioneer Woman, Surviving the Stores, Smitten Kitchen
stuff: my Mary Englebreit tear-away calendar – because it makes me smile every morning when I get to see a cute new picture for the day.

Garret and I are doing well. We've gotten to stay in College Station and rest lately, and that's been really nice. He is still enjoying working at a local video production company. He's also pretty excited about how well the Texas Rangers are doing this year.

During the month of June, I participated in my first camp at Cliff Latham’s Adventure Boot Camp for Women, and it was really great to have accountability and enthusiasm from friends and trainers to help me take better care of myself – and challenge myself! Even though waking up at 5 a.m. (usually actually about 5:17) was not very enjoyable, it’s been so much fun to feel like an athlete again. As I transitioned from college life where I walk to campus and class every day, to a 8-5 desk job, I wanted BC to be a real catalyst for positive change, and I think I’ve achieved that. I’m probably not going to do another camp for a while (for money and time reasons), but I’m trying to keep working hard on my own. Feel free to keep me accountable on that, because it’s definitely harder on my own. I really love walking and running around my neighborhood, so that is extra incentive.

That reminds me – lately I’ve been realizing how much I LOVE our neighborhood! I’ve always loved looking at old houses, and I’m so thankful for that going on 3 years now God has placed me in a wonderful house with wonderful girls, in a quirky/old/historical neighborhood. One of my new favorite diversions is taking long walks/jogs down little winding lanes I haven’t yet traversed. There are so many adorable houses, random woods, and quirky garden-jungles around here. It’s fun exploring :)

two two

I turned twenty two today! That's crazy! All in all it was a very fun day: quality time with Garret, fun party time with my roomies and some of my favorite people, ice cream, EA videos, and some dancin.

Me, with my birthday flowers from Mom, leis from the roomies, and silliness from Maggie ;)

I know it's been a while, so here's a brief serious and funny update on my life...

- I graduate in six weeks. This is craziness.
- I need a full-time job in BCS for after graduation.
- I'm struggling with managing my time well, and I've stunk at it for so long that I now have trouble not just resigning myself to the sleep-deprived cycle.
- This video makes me laugh A LOT!!
- I'm procrastinating right now.
- These are some of my new favorite songs: While I'm Waiting by John Waller, Yours by Steven Curtis Chapman, and I Don't Feel Like Dancin by the Scissor Sisters.