I am [blank] because...

I am weird because...

I sleep with my hand between my face and my pillow. Without fail.

I drive with my left foot on the dash on road trips.

I can sleep with my eyes open.

I spit seeds like a man.

I can jump like an athletic man.

I could live off of potatoes. 

I would rather eat real food than dessert or candy any day.

One of my ears is bigger than the other.

I dance and sing in the car rather poorly.

I'm not very good at word games.

I am a bad friend because...

I sometimes replace meaningful conversations with plans to have a conversation.

I often find myself looking for ways to trump another's story.

I sometimes feel awkward for no reason.

I forget to return calls.

I occasionally see situations and activities as more important than people.

If I happen to have people in my trunk, I'll drive down all the brick roads.

I am a good friend because...

I am an encourager.

I believe the best about people.

I can take a joke.

I will readily acknowledge that my friends are funnier than I am.

I have an espresso machine and I'm willing to share the love.

I am sad because...

I wish I could bring all my closest friend together in a community
and we could all be neighbors and friends.

I might never meet Tim Tebow or Ryan Gosling.

I have to choose between Dark Knight Rises opening night and a Cards/Cubs game.

I have to choose between a meet and greet with Rend Collective Experiment/Tenth Avenue North and my brother's graduation from boot camp.

My parents didn't name me Julia.

I am excited because...

Life is good, exciting and keeping me on my toes.

I'm learning new things.
I'm spending Friday at Schlitterbahn!!!

I can make a meal without burning anything.
My new roommate is a ton of fun.
My life is laced with encouraging friends.
I'm headed for Colorado in just a few weeks for a dear friend's wedding.

I am me because...

I am becoming an expert on using others' creative ideas thanks to Pinterest.

I am a go-getter.

My memory is often like a steel trap.

I have my own business cards.
I don't have any sisters.
I grew up in Alton.
The first CDs I owned were Styx, Sugar Ray, Stevie Wonder and Billy Joel.
The first CD I bought for myself was N'Sync No Strings Attached.
I drum on the steering wheel, dance, and sing at the top of my lungs in the car.

I am a nerd because...

I know exactly where the epoxy glue is in the hardware store for when my car falls apart.

I used to dance to Richard Simmons in my pajamas.

I know how to change the oil in my car.

I used to read the Star Wars chapter books.

I like to analyze music chords for fun.

I can provide a detailed scoring of a baseball game.
I used to dominate at Guitar Hero.

I am learning and growing because...

I am getting ready to start my second year of teaching.

I'm learning to love reading.

I'm practicing parenthood as I'm enjoying my fifth summer nannying!

I'm involved in a small group that contains most of my closest friends since my move to KC.

I have godly friends who are the "third leg" to my spiritual walk.

I've recently taken on the responsibility of being the VBS coordinator and director.

I'm trying new things... like sightseeing, geocaching, knitting, and sewing.

I am allowing the Creator of the universe to write my story.

I am redeemed because...

Christ chose to sacrifice His life for mine.

that "hedge of protection"

The time: 4:55 p.m. on Sunday, June 10, 2012.
The setting: Emily and I are sitting in church waiting for a friend to meet us there. Church starts at five and we haven't heard anything. So, I text our friend Isaiah, asking him if we should keep a seat saved. The reply I got made my heart stop.

"We wrecked. On our way to the hospital."

Just the night before, I went riding with a couple friends and experienced the thrills of fast, powerful motorcycles. We had a blast. We laughed. We, err, I sang my heart out to the deaf ears of my helmet and the not quite deaf ears of my driver. I held on for dear life. I admired dusk in the countryside. I laughed at other drivers. But I did NOT think twice about whether or not I would make it back alive.

Sunday, June 10, 2012 at 5:15 p.m. Emily and I hopped in the car and blitzed it to the hospital. My craziest driving in... ever. We had texted them and asked if they needed anything. Naturally, the answer came back (sooner than I found out they were both okay) "food. we want food." Alright, then! We stopped at McDonald's and brought them lots of food... and no straws. :( The one time straws really matter! Emily and I sat and waited with Cory and Isaiah as they gritted their teeth through the blood and road rash. But at the end of the night, God had spared two lives that aren't finished. His plans are bigger.

Emily and I took Isaiah home, then stopped at Sonic for our own dinner since we were a little on the nervous side for round one of dinner. We were sitting there just soaking up everything that had happened that day while our arms did all the could to support the weight of our dinner. Then Emily asked me a question I wasn't expecting at all... "I bet you didn't think you'd get this attached to the people here, did you?" I just sat there and thought. I didn't. It was true. I moved here back in August just thinking it would be another "short" phase of my life and I'd move again a year or so later. Do I know when I'm moving out of KC? No. Do I know if I'll ever move away? No. But I can tell you for a fact... here and now, this is where I belong. And I LOVE it. I've made friends that I will keep for a lifetime. And if I move someday, I might just take some friends with me. ;)

God knew what He was doing when He led me here. But I finally learned a little more of why last weekend. Between my small group and other various friendships, I love people here. And they love me. I can't picture my life without a very large group of them... a group large enough and specific friends wonderful enough that I might just stick around for a while... :)

He rearranges our lives for the better. We have lessons to learn. We have new friends to make. We have hardships to go through. Sometimes it's a move. Sometimes it's an ended friendship. Sometimes it's an ended relationship. Sometimes it's a wreck. But the opportunities that come with those situations are priceless and perfect.

Emily summed it up well in what she wrote on our chalkboard last Monday morning. :)

 

 

summer crafts: flubber

This summer, I nanny two kids who can't seem to sit still and even a three minute car ride seemingly takes FOREVER! So, I've had to broaden my crafting horizons lately. :) Today, we made flubber. And it was a HIT! It took up about two hours of our day. :)

I found this video on YouTube that walked us through it step by step, but I'll show you a little of what I did, and how it turned out. :)

Directions:

1. In one container, add 3/4 cup water and 1 cup glue and desired food coloring.
2. In another container, dissolve 1 tsp. borax (in the laundry aisle at most stores) in 1/2 cup water.
3. Add the glue mixture to the borax mixture.
4. Mix with your hands.
5. Have a blast!!!

 Mixing up our flubber in pretty in pink! (four drops of red)

 Mixing up our flubber in Aztec blue! (four drops of blue, one drop of green)

 Feeling the goop between our fingers.

 Pink for the girls!

 You can even have fun doing it with friends!

Today's craft was a success. :)

 

the Lairium: moving in!

My friend Emily and I finally worked out our apartment situation and picked one! We moved in on Saturday and have successfully had at least two parties. :) 

Attempt number one:

The girls were posing up a storm instead of carrying things. ;) But Emily was the only one ready this time!

Moving is hard work... from the balcony. :)

Sunil taking care of business!

 Our personalities are reflected in our blankets! Hawkeyes, damask, STL Cardinals, and... Spongebob. :)

Climbing around behind our washer and dryer.

 

Dismount!

Our first Walmart trip... because we had to have toilet paper for our guests... and soda. :)

 

We found the Nutcracker wandering around Target.

Late night shopping trips...

The bed of my dreams. :)

Enjoying some organic milk in my Irish Coffee mug. :)

And I realized again my slight obsession with the color yellow... :)

Just Dance!

Let's go to the mall! :) 

So far, the parties have been a blast and the company has been great! More stories to come, I'm sure!

 

play by play... of the ATM...

I was surfing the interwebs when I found this. It's so true. It's almost an exact list of my ATM process. :/

MALE PROCEDURE

1. Drive up to the cash machine.
2. Put down your car window.
3. Insert card into machine and enter PIN.
4. Enter amount of cash required and withdraw.
5. Retrieve card, cash and receipt.
6. Put window up.
7. Drive off.

FEMALE PROCEDURE

1. Drive up to cash machine.
2. Reverse and back up the required amount to align car window with
the machine.
3. Set parking brake, put the window down.
4. Find handbag, remove all contents on to passenger seat to locate
card.
5. Tell person on cell phone you will call them back and hang up.
6. Attempt to insert card into machine.
7. Open car door to allow easier access to machine due to its
excessive distance from the car.
8. Insert card.
9. Re-insert card the right way.
10. Dig through handbag to find diary with your PIN written on the
inside back page.
11. Enter PIN.
12. Press cancel and re-enter correct PIN.
13. Enter amount of cash required.
14. Check makeup in rear view mirror.
15. Retrieve cash and receipt.
16. Empty handbag again to locate wallet and place cash inside.
17. Write debit amount in check register and place receipt in back
of checkbook.
18. Re-check makeup.
19. Drive forward 2 feet.
20. Reverse back to cash machine.
21. Retrieve card.
22. Re-empty hand bag, locate card holder, and place card into the
slot provided.
23. Give dirty look to irate male driver waiting behind you.
24. Restart stalled engine and pull off.
25. Redial person on cell phone.
26. Drive for 2 to 3 miles.
27. Release Parking Brake.

...when in Rome...