I found this fabric set today. Isn't it fun!?! I would love to make something out of it. I just have to budget some money for it first. It would make a fun Christmas quilt or table runner or an apron. This is Michael Miller fabric (I found it on Etsy today).


This is also on my wishlist. I want to try making these. :) I found them here and several places online, but I don't want to pay shipping. So I think I will check around the fabric shops in Salisbury and see if anyone has them for sale in their shops.

My siblings and the Huntingtons have been working on this. It is going to be entertaining.

I received a present that Jared opened yesterday. I was cutting up vegetables in the kitchen and he came in and said, "if I promise to write three thank you notes may I open one more gift?" So I said yes. And he brought in this package that looked like a framed picture. I wasn't really paying attention because I didn't care that much about presents at that moment. I was trying out new kitchen stuff!! Jared couldn't figure out the card and so he came over and showed it to me. I couldn't figure it out either... maybe you can.


So we decided that maybe the present itself would hold some clues... So we opened the UGLY gold wrapping paper and it was a old bulletin board attached to a large think wrapped in a big white sheet. I still wasn't really paying attention and was sitting over at the counter thinking, "that is weird... I hope it is something that we will actually like...".

And than Jared opened it and showed it to me and I wanted to cry... This is a bad picture of the painting. But it is a huge canvas of Corduroy that my sister painted. Isn't it beautiful? I will try to get a better picture of it later once I hang it up in the living room. Sarah, you are amazing and I am so honored to receive one of your paintings!! Thank you so much!

Preview of photos are online...

Visit Jen Seay's website to see previews of our wedding photos. Thank you all for coming!!

Faith & Jared Shelton!!!

I am started to get excited today because I started thinking about all the people that are coming to my wedding from far away and close by.

People are coming from:
Germany
Nepal
Mexico
Ukraine.

They are also coming from:
North Dakota
South Carolina
Colorado
Delaware
Maryland
Massachusetts
New York
Tennessee
Pennsylvania
Florida
Alabama
Mississippi
Virginia.

I think I named them all. :) That is so awesome! I love visiting with people.

Going to the gym makes me so hungry!

Also, I can't wait for everyone to see the yard. It looks so nice thanks to so many people. Thanks mostly to my wonderful family who spend hours and hours each day watering and weeding. Also thanks to Aunt Suzanne for coming over to water and weed and the Balls for bring mulch. It looks so lovely. It makes me feel so loved and happy!

I had an amazing day at the Taylors yesterday! It was a great, relaxing fourth of July!! Thanks, Uncle Bill and Aunt Suzanne for having us down to your home. :D

Summer... Doing nothing and at the same time lots of stuff.

This is what I did today:
7:30 - Get up
8:00 - Write 4 thank you notes
8:30 - meet with my DJ about music
9:00 - load up the car with stuff to take to Jared's house
9:30 - leave to take Hope to the Libby's to babysit for a Bible study
9:35 - Stop at Chick-fil-A for free breakfast on Thursdays
9:40 - stop at bank to cash some checks
10:00 - drop Hope off at Libbys
10:10 - start picking Blueberries
11:30 - buy 15 pounds of blueberries and 1/2 peck of peaches
11:40 - break into the Shelton's house and leave them a bucket of blueberries
12:00 - pick up Hope from the Libbys
12:15 - wave to Eric downtown Salisbury
12:30 - visit Sarah at work
12:45 - visit Mrs. Shelton at work and buy more fabric
1:00 - McDonalds to buy lunch for Hope and me
1:15 - Jared's house to unpack clothes, kitchen stuff, books, and sewing things
1:30 - start first load of Jared's dark clothes
3:10 - start second load of Jared's light clothes
3:20 - leave the house to take Mrs. Shelton a quilt, sheets, and some pans
3:30 - drop off Mrs. Shelton's things at her work
4:00 - arrive home and start packing some more things
4:10 - Try to decide what to make for dinner
4:15 - Go to take a shower

45 months...

It is hard to believe that Jared asked me out 45 months ago. It doesn't seem like it has been that long and yet, I feel like I have know Jared forever. Thanks for all your love and support of us over the past four years! It is going to be so much fun moving into a new stage of life with my best friend. :)



























Here is to many more great memories!!

Totally love this. I have to make these sometimes. The blog I found them on has directions on how to make them. Check it out. They seem pretty easy. :)

Some of the many things I have done this summer so far:

- celebrated my birthday yesterday with the Maddox Family

- dress finished (thanks Mama Cindy)

- 40 pounds of blueberries picked so far

- 10 pounds of blueberries frozen

- had my hairs cut (Thanks Mrs. T)

- flowers bought and picked out

- wedding cermony planned

- photos picked out
- organized Jared's kitchen

- painted shelves for our house

- took my schoolbooks to Jared's house

- started planning decorating for the backyard

- had my teeth cleaned

- I received my diploma in the mail with my birthday cards!!

- started sewing an apron

- painted the whole upstairs and stairs (first coat only)

- packed all my craft supplies

- kept up with all the thank you cards

- watched Father of the Bride for the first time with Jared

- and I have sort of helped in the yard and cooked a few times

- and tons of other things

I thought I was going to have tons of time this summer... HA.

I picked sour cherries off our cherry tree today, pitted them with our awesome old cherry pitter, and made a cherry pie!! It turned out really well. It almost looks fake.

I received an email today that said, "GradImages is proud to be your school's official event photographer. We understand how excited you and your family must be on your recent accomplishment. Click on the button below to view and order all your photos from the ceremony."

So I clicked below on the link to their website (which I am not including so that no one can order this for me). And there was only one photo on the website under my name...

Take it all in. Stare at the beauty of this glorious photo. How did anyone ever think I would want to order a copy of this?!? Scroll back up and look at it again. Isn't it wonderful?!? Wow, that is scary. ha ha ha. This is possibly the worst photo of myself that I have ever seen.

It has been a week since surgery and I am allowed to go to the gym now!! YAY! I am also only putting one drop in my eyes instead of five different ones (and that one ends on Friday). I also find out Friday how good my vision is. It was 20/20 in the right eye last week and he said it would only inprove as time goes on... So we shall see. It was pretty exciting being able to see lines of text that I couldn't normally have seen before. I have tried to take off my glasses at least five times in the past week (and they haven't been there...).

I tried on my dress yesterday and I am having the bottom hemmed up about an inch or inch and a half. It is going to look awesome. I am glad to check having the dress fixed off my list. Now that is finished. Thankfully, the rest of the dress fits wonderfully; I am just a bit too short for it.

I made dinner last night (chicken poppy seed casserole) and I am making dinner tonight (probably pancakes, or waffles, or swedish pancakes... something breakfasty). I love to cook. I look forward to using my own dishes and cooking in my own kitchen. What fun.

I miss Sarah. She is housesitting and it isn't the same without her especially since she lives next door to my room. It is quiet and lonely without her there.

I finished my four books for May, but I have them written down in my journal and I don't have my journal with me at the computer right now.

I can't decide what flowers I want my bridesmaids to carry. I don't really care and yet I do care. That is the problem I am facing right now. Today I am going to figure that out and finish my resume and start filling out job applications.

Pretty dull. I know.

They are finished!!! 44 thank you notes are finished. I put the last 22 in the mailbox this morning. Thank you all for you wonderful presents. I feel so loved. I really enjoy writing thank you notes. I am looking forward to getting to write more after my wedding, especially because I will be able to sign my name, "Faith Shelton" (I should probably start practicing that) and write my new address as the return address!! What fun.

P.S. The below photo is for Joe Howard to show how he has changed me from using one boring stamp to many fun stamps. I'm lazy though and only decorated a few of my envelopes. Ha.


Welcome June!! 20 days until my birthday and 40 days until I marry Jared.

I posted a blog list below the Second family links on the sidebar. Scroll down a little bit and check it out. If you want your blog added to it just let me know.
- Faith

BOOTFOX IS BACK!!!

Check it out!!

Last Thursday night I spent in Silver Spring because I had to be at graduation the next morning at 8:00am. I did not want to drive up by myself Wednesday night and my Dad kindly offered to drive me and spend the night at 9501 with me. I was pretty happy about having a driver and someone to stay with me because the Grandi's house can make very strange noises at night and it always sounds like someone is walking around downstairs or creeping up the staircase. Plus, the doors shake when the wind blows and it still startles me. I didn't realize how happy I was that someone was staying with me until I woke up Friday morning and realized that I had slept the entire night quite soundly. I felt like I had had such a great night sleep. I usually don't feel very rested when I have to stay by myself. It was so wonderful to wake up and feel completely safe and rested. I love my Dad. He was so sweet to drive me up to Silver Spring late at night and keep me company on the two and a half hour drive. He is great. I feel so loved and taken care of.

EDIT: Thursday, May 28, 2009
I would also like to thank my Dad for driving me up to my lasik surgery today and driving me back. He was so sweet and took care of me all day. He made sure I was well fed and that I got sleep and that I put in the right eye drops at the right time. I thank God for giving me such a loving and caring father. I love him very much. Thanks Dad for spending so much time with me. :)

I turned in my last paper and took my last final today.

I am finished graduate school.

I cannot even begin to express how excited I am. I nearly danced out of the door of my classroom where I took my last final. It was all I could do to keep from laughing and cheering. All of my graduate student friends are so jealous that I finished in a year; no on finishes a graduate degree in only a year at Maryland (unless you are crazy determined to marry Jared this year and not next year). By the grace of God I survived and now I can start with fun stuff like visiting Michelle this weekend, going to La Tolteca on Thursday, planning my wedding, and spending lots of time with Jared and my family.

la la la

Cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudels...

These are a few of my favorite things:
(and for my shower or birthday or wedding you can buy any or all of these)

* (&) Ampersands (anything with them on it or in the shape of them... paper weights, bookends, pictures, cards...etc. I like them in silver the best, but other colors would be fun as well).

* Polka dots (sheets, cards, curtains, aprons ... etc.)

* Extra 5 quart bowl for my Kitchen-aid mixer (I can't seem to register for this at Target or Macys - sad sad)

* Stamp pads

* Alphabet Stamps

* Bath and Body --> Sweet Pea lotion (the stuff in the glass bottle is my favorite, but I like any of the creams) and Jared has the Pumpkin Spice wallflower (so you can buy refills if you want).

* Victoria Secret --> Love Spell is my favorite scent.

* Picture gift cards!! We want to get a lot of pictures printed out and put all over our walls. So either frames (which I have tried to register for the ones I like so you get the general idea) or gift cards to go get pictures printed out. We really want one of Annie's pictures printed on a canvas.

* Quilting material --> the plastic cutting squares, the rolling cutters, the quilting board, thread in all colors, material (or gift cards for material)... Talk to Mrs. Shelton and she could probably offer suggestions. :)

* Sewing machine :) YAY!!

* La Tolteca

* The Story of Ferdinand (the Bull) - childrens book (love)

* Robert Munch collection of books (called Munchworks I think... love)

* Pippi Longstocking Books!!! (love)

* Corduroy books (love)

* The Story of Ping (the duck - another childrens book ... love)

* Put Me in the Zoo (love)

* Harold and the Purple Crayon Books

* Any or all Dr. Suess Books

* Go Dog Go

* Jeeves and Wooster books

* Olivia books

* Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel

* Any Babar books

(I love all the childrens books that I have put on this list, but I especially love the ones that I wrote "love" next too).

I'll add to this list as time goes on.

A sneak peak at the groomsmen...

Here is the best looking groomsman in my wedding modeling the suits Jared picked out. Anna has more pictures on her blog. Click HERE to see them. I love white shirts and vests together. The ties even match the dresses almost perfectly! I doubt any of my bridesmaids will be willing to model their dresses. So you will just have to wait until the wedding to see them looking awesome. Everyone is going to look so wonderful. These are the details I like about my wedding, along with shopping for wedding bands with Jared and making the invitations and stuff like that. Those are actually enjoyable and relaxing. I like the simple things that don't require anyone else and their input. ha.

2 months

* Rings purchased
* Invitations finished and mailed

God has richly blessed me with the most wonderful fiance (for me) ever. I am continually amazing how we think the same way about everything important. And he is so sweet and considerate and helpful. He helped me so much with the invitations when I was feeling stressed and he has done so many other things (even just little things) that have just made my life easier and happier. I thank God for Jared and his wonderful self. I am greatly blessed.

Oh, and my parent"s yard is looking AMAZING!! They are doing such a wonderful job making it look nice for my wedding. We should have taken before and after pictures. It looks so good. And the corn in the garden is up!! Sweet!

Favorite New Jars of Clay lyrics
I don’t understand why we can’t get close enough
I want your kite strings tangled in my trees, all wrapped up
I don’t understand why we can’t get close enough
I’ll be the comets that are falling from the sky you light up

You’re my shirt iron-on, I’m the tick, you’re the bomb
You’re the L and the V, I’m the O and the E
Am I speaking clearly?

I forgot to post these this weekend. These are the books I read in April:

* Humility - C.J. Mahaney
* The Mystery of Marriage
* The Awakening
* This Momentary Marriage - John Piper

I haven't started any for May yet because I have been so busy. I guess I will read all four books in the second half of the month. This year I am 13 books in 4 months. Woohoo!! I can't believe I have made it four months so far. :) Oh, and all my paperwork for graduation is in. Now I just have to pass my three classes, write another 5000 word paper (I have 2500 words written so far), make two powerpoint presentations, give two powerpoint presentations, do two sets of homework, grade two sets of labs (48 labs), and a final. Sigh. School is almost finished!! It is wonderful. I can't wait!!!!!

I am doing something today that I have never done before... I am willingly skipping my afternoon class * ... And not just any class, I am skipping the class the my adviser teaches and there are only 12 of us in the class. He is bound to notice I am missing. I hope I graduate. heh.

I was honestly planning on spending the weekend at 9501 because I have a ton of work to do before graduation, but I was talking to Jared earlier this week and he sounded like he was having a really rough week. I thought it would get better, but when I talked to him yesterday he sounded really discouraged. So I called him at lunchtime yesterday and asked him if he would like to have dinner with me tonight and see me this weekend. And of course he said, "yes". I figured you have to skip class at least once in your life, right? :) And cheering Jared up is worth the downgrade from an A to a B any day.

* I have unwillingly skipped a Friday of classes for my cousins wedding three years ago. I also have skipped one Friday lab for the women's retreat, but I okayed it with the professor and he said we weren't doing anything in class other than going over homework problems. I don't count either of those as skipping class.

For the many of you that have asked to see Jared's house I post this picture.
I was telling him that I love pink dogwoods and I wished that we could have one someday. So he sent me a picture and said, "like this one?" Apparently Jared has had a pink dogwood in his yard since he moved in last May and I never noticed (in my defense I have only been over there four times and the tree wouldn't have had its flowers in bloom when I went).

So here is a picture of my adorable house-to-be!! And my lovely pink dogwood-to-be. So exciting. I can't wait to be able to wake up and look out my front window at this beautiful tree. Love love love. Isn't Jared's house adorable?!? I adore it. And he has planted a whole bunch of bushes and plants recently too so the front looks even better. :) Oh, and note the white handrail... I painted that with Anna's help.

I love Jared.

New favorite Britain's Got Talent act: Diversity

Classic Chariots of Fire. I love that song. wow. I love it. And the lead dancer is a physics major... so that is pretty much awesome!! And that little kid is adorable!! Oh, and the two guys backstage are hilarious at 3:13. I can't wait to see how they top this.

My final paper is off to Jared for proof reading. It will be bound and on my professors desk by Monday evening, Lord willing and the creek don't rise. :) YES!! I am off to go start my next paper and write some answers to my homework questions.

stats:
(because I would care about things like this... numbers are cool!!)
* 61 pages (not including the references, table of content, executive summary, title pages, etc)
* 209 paragraphs
* 1013 lines
* 10057 words
* 50304 characters (which means my average word length is more than 5 letters long)
* created January 13th
* first draft finished April 25th


To finish before graduation (countdown):
* three sets of homework
* one final to take
* a ten page single-spaced paper (6000 words)
* two powerpoint presentations
* two different labs to grade (48 labs in total)
* fifteen classes, 1125 minutes of class (18 hours and 45 minutes)
* one final to proctor
* one final to grade


27 days until graduation!
32 to perfect vision!!
77 days (11 weeks) until marriage!!!!!!

And happy 43rd month anniversary, Jared!! It has been a wonderful 43 months. I love you, dearly!

Check out this new blog.

http://chronicwarfare.blogspot.com/

Tonight I am going up to Odenton to see Michelle and eat pizza and watch movies... Last time I saw her was at my wedding shower back in March. I am so excited to get to see her again!!

Back in October of 2007 Michelle and I started watching Christian Bale movies. I am not really sure why, but now it is just the thing to do. We planned our first CBAD (Christian Bale appreciation day) while stuck in the back of a crowded SUV on the way up to an Orioles baseball game and while eating uncooked chicken fingers (GROSS) at the game. Michelle claims that these two events bonded our lives together. We hadn't really ever done anything together before that day. It was then that we realized that we both like green pepper and onion pizza and that our families never ordered that combination. So we decided that the main food of CBADs would be Ledos green peppers and onion pizza.

After that first CBAD was started hanging out more and going to the gym and cooking dinner together. Christian Bale movies are hard to come by these days since we have almost watched them all (American Psycho will never be part of any CBAD), but we usually start off by watching one of his movies and then we can watch something else. heh. We've watched some movies that are quite memorable (some good memories and some we would rather forget). It is always fun together with Michelle and take a break and relax. This year it has been a little harder to find time for Michelle because she graduated and live about 40 minutes away, but I think this is our 5th or 6th CBAD of the school year (that isn't too bad).

Oh, and it isn't a CBAD unless we eat an entire large Ledo's pizza for dinner and breakfast the next morning!! Lovely! Ledos is always an adventure as well. Life is great. I am going to miss having Michelle less than an hour away from me to hang out with once I move back to Salisbury, but she knows that my guest bedroom is always open for her. heh. I actually registered for the same quilt that is on her bed for my guest room; so she will feel right at home when she comes to visit. Long live Michelle, CBADs, HSM, and Ledos pizza!! Thankfully, there is a Ledos in Salisbury. :D

I miss being a part of Jared's life.

In the past two days I have written 7 pages of my research paper for graduation. That brings my total up to 18 pages (or 36 pages once I double space it). Double spacing the paper is one of the most exciting parts. I keep waiting to do it closer to the end so it will be so exciting. Woohoo. Last night I called Jared and, while he was marking up a copy of a new blueprint for a job he is starting soon, I marked up lab reports, highlighted useful sections of journal papers, and wrote a few sentences here and there for my paper. It was just nice to hear his voice every so often while I was working. I look forward to just BEING in the SAME place as he is. That will be so nice. Being apart for three years has been rough. Sigh. I am tired of it.

I look forward to missing Jared and realizing that all I have to do is walk into the next room to see him. I want to hear his wonderful sweet voice singing and whistling around the house. On tiring days full of mundane work I want to be able to see his smile, hear his laugh, and feel his warm hand in mine telling me that everything is going to be okay. I want to be able to eat dinner together instead of listening to each other describe our meals over speakerphone. On rainy days I want to just sit home and accomplish stuff around the house. When he gardens and fixes things around the house I want to be able to stick my head out the back door and tell him I love him. I just want to experience life in the same dimension and place as the person that I love the most!! I miss being a part of his life and I miss him being part of my world.

Being married will be wonderful and no one can convince me otherwise!

This video is incredible!! This is from Britain's got Talent. I love seeing the crowd's faces before and after she starts to sing. It is priceless. Plus, I love the song.

Click here to watch.

Last Chances to see Delirious...

June 14th - Long Island NY - free

August 6 - 8 - Hershey PA - free

September 4 - Frenchtown, NJ - prices come out in May (it is a festival)

Dad, I am thinking the festival sounds pretty neat. I think it is going to be 30 bucks for the festival, but you will get to see some other bands too. Last years line-up looked pretty awesome. You can see it by clicking HERE. It is better than going to a conference like the first two. Anyhow, think about it and let me know!! I definitely want to see them one more time before they stop touring. :)

God willing, I am:

* 43 days away from graduation

* 49 days away from perfect vision!!

* 93 days away from being Jared's little wife!


I scheduled my lasik surgery today. Sweet. I am having it done with the guy who did Tiger Wood's eyes. heh. He is really awesome. I met with him today and he is one of the nicest doctors that I have ever had to interact with. So happy! God is good. I'm very excited!

North Carolina

Men's Basketball Champions in 2009

* I remember watching the UNC game in 2005 (when they won the national championship). I think I might have watched it with Jared. heh. I know I watched the final four with Linnea (Jared was off singing in some competition where he was telling Hannah that he loved me) and we drank icees and my siblings made fun of me for being excited about mixing three flavors of icee together. heh. Good times!

So maybe big things happen in my life when UNC wins the national championship. Last time Jared asked me out and this time we are going to get married. Maybe be will have our first child the year they win their next championship. :)

They also won in 1982 -- which is the year before Jared was born and my parents were married... You could tie that in there somehow. In 1957 my Dad was born and without my Dad being born there would be no me. So that year is significant. And I really don't know how the year 1993 affected either of us. But UNC won that year too. Maybe I should just limit this analysis to the years that I have cared about UNC basketball. In that case, just read the first two paragraphs and move on.
Go Tar Heels!!

Wow. It is the end of March. I just finished my fourth book today at the gym. This is cutting it too close for me. I don't have time to really sum up any of them, but here is what I read this month. Oh, and I am running out of books to read so send me any books that you think I would enjoy!!! I need books. Or at least I need a better selection of books... I just have a few right now so I am going to have to read the ones that I have. I like choices.

* The Silent Boy - Lois Lowry
* The Great Divorce - C.S. Lewis
* The Scarlet Pimpernel
* Respectable Sins - Jerry Bridges

I've also finished 15/30 thank you notes and have written 6/50 pages of my main paper. I've read 9 journal articles in the past two days and I am working on two different homeworks and a case study. So, I don't know where the April books are going to fit in, but I am determined to find time for them. I can't give up now!

Oh, and thanks to everyone who was involved in my wedding shower. I felt so loved and special. It was better than I thought. Thanks! Planning it around my favorite foods was such a great idea!! I loved it. I will always remember it fondly, especially when I use my awesome new cookbook with all my recipes from everyone. Thank you thank you Aunt Suzanne, Hayley, and Sarah, Mom, and everyone else. :)

And to think, I even got notes from people that live far away from me. Thanks Hornors, Stef, and Sarah Foley! Everyone was so sweet to me. I didn't expect notes and presents from people that couldn't come. That almost made me cry. It was so great that even though they couldn't be there they still took the effort to make me feel so loved. I have my stack of cards sitting by my bed and I read them when I get discouraged. :) They remind me of how good God is to me. I am richly blessed with some great friends both at home and far away. I am looking forward to seeing ALL of you in July!

So far this weekend I have graded almost all my labs, helped Luke with math, gone to breakfast with Hannah and Elijah, tried on my wedding dress, and gone to dinner for Hope's birthday. ha. Coming home is such a distraction, but it is good. Seeing Hannah and little Elijah this morning put me in a much better mood than I was in yesterday. heh.

Off to go study for my midterm.

o v e r w h e l m e d

Oh my goodness, I have so much to do. I don't know if it will ever get done. I need to lock myself in a room for at least the next two or three weeks to accomplish it all. I knew April was going to be this way.

I had homework due Monday and I have more to do for Thursday. I have labs to grade and more coming next week. I have two midterms to study for (one is on Monday!!). I have more homework due next week. I have a 6000 word paper to write about structural steel and I have a 50 page paper to write about flexible macroelectronics. I have a presentation to write about pre-fab steel. I have to teach labs every week and I have to grade an exam next week for my students midterm. sigh.

And that is just school... I want to visit my little nephew this weekend. My dress has been in since the beginning of March and I still haven't tried it on and probably won't this week. I should be deciding things for my wedding, but I just can't focus any attention on that. I am supposed to be doing pre-marital counseling with Jared, but I have also had no time for that either. I am going to have a ton of thank you notes to write after this weekend. I need to wash clothes from my trip and put away my clothes. My room is a disaster (both here and a home). I still have one more book to read for this month to reach my goal. There is no food in this house, but I don't have time to grocery shop. Last night I ate baked beans and grapefruit. It was interesting to say at the least. And I continue to eat my food left over from England (pretzals, chocolate covered raisens, and digestive bisquits). I have to schedule lasik surgery and find a place that will do traditional lasik instead of some expensive custom lasik that they are now all switching to. And although Jared said it was okay if I didn't spend time with him, I really need to spend time with him because I miss him. Oh, and I would really like to watch UNC play basketball the next two weekends, but I might just have to read about those games. I don't know if I will have time for that.

AH!! I have to go do work. Maybe you will see me in 40 days when everything is over. I will need several weeks to recover from this. If anyone wants to do anything mindless in May or June, let me know. The end is in sight, if I reach it.

3. 22. means 111 days...

I'm back. The flight back was the worst landing that I have experienced. It was rough for half and hour and I was so sick. The guy four seats over from us threw up; I really felt like it, but I refused. ha. I'm now unpacking and doing homework that is due tomorrow. The trip was awesome. Germany was so amazing. Wandering around the Maginot line for three hours with the Sperows was so much fun!! London was pretty cool. The Underground is impressive; I enjoyed riding on it and changing trains. I saw Sherlock Holmes's house, ate in the pub where Narnia and LOTRs was read for the first time by CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien, and saw so many other neat things. I will try to have pictures uploaded and more stories by next week, but I have a midterm and lots of homework and 60 pages to write by the end of April... (I could start that later, but I should probably work on that now).

Oh, 111 days until I marry Jared and I don't have to leave him anymore and we can take little trips together. Isn't the date cool? It is 3.22. and we have 111 days left... how neat is that little number trick?!?! I love it.

And Sarah is a great travel partner if you are looking for one. She loves to travel.

Day four:
Monday, March 16, 2009

Today Sarah and I left on a train at 9:05 and headed to Heidelberg (which really isn't early unless you stayed up until 3am talking - I love Sarah). It is really weird traveling when you don't know the language. Two college guys found out that we were American because they handed their camera to us and said, "photo photo?" And since we responded in English they decided to sit with us. BLEAH. And ask us dumb questions the entire trip. I can't even explain how many stupid questions they asked and how they talked about how they were over here for three months, but had no idea what they were doing (each of them told us something different) or what the countries looked like or what tickests to buy... it was pretty sad. They didn't even have a map!! Man, I is funny now, but it was annoying then. ha. Sarah and I thought we were helpless until we met these guys. Wow.

We arrived in Heidelberg at 11:00 and took a bus to the bottom of the hill where the castle (click castle for the home page and pictures) sat, but we decided to go find lunch and wander around the old town for a few hours first. About 2:00 we figured we should stop wandering, give up on finding lunch, and get up to the castle if we wanted to see it. Several switchbacks later, we made it to the top and the back of the castle (things are so poorly marked around here as touristy things go... I mean shouldn't there be huge signs all around pointing you up the right roads? We just took random roads until we found the hill and some paths going up to the castle).

We wandered around the castle, took a guided tour, and wandered around some more. Then we walked around the gardens and in the moat. The grounds were beautiful. After all that, we walked down 310 steps from the castle to the city, walked over 2 kilometers back to our train station (which left at 17:05 or 5:05), road two hours home (7.05), walked 15 minutes (7:20) to the Sperows, and were greeted with, "we are so glad you are still alive" and dinner. :)

Dinner was shintzal, green beans, roasted potatoes, and brown bread, followed by Black Forest Cake and Lemon Celo. Mrs. Sperow says she loves company because she gets to have all her favorite foods. Believe me, if you come, she will feed you. I have eaten so much and gone to so many neat places thanks to them. I know they love company... So come and experience so many awesome things (hint hint Mom and Dad). Heidelberg seemed a little touristy, but other then that the city was gorgeous and fun to wander about (as you can see from the FIVE straight hours of wandering we did). My feet are tired.

I leave you with a picture of one of the towers that fell. This was done by the french during the thirty year war. The walls are 17 feet thick and they couldn't hurt it from the outside so once they got inside they blew it up from the inside. We saw it from the ground and it is really impressive. It is HUGE! Oh, and American tourists are so annoying and loud. It is embarassing.

Two days until London. Tomorrow we are touring France and some WWII historical stuff. Woohoo. Mrs. Sperow is taking off work early and taking us. :D It will be so much more fun.

A ruin must be rightly situated, to be effective. This one could not have been better placed. It stands upon a commanding elevation, it is buried in green woods, there is no level ground about it, but, on the contrary, there are wooded terraces upon terraces, and one looks down through shining leaves into profound chasms and abysses where twilight reigns and the sun cannot intrude. Nature knows how to garnish a ruin to get the best effect. One of these old towers is split down the middle, and one half has tumbled aside. It tumbled in such a way as to establish itself in a picturesque attitude. Then all it lacked was a fitting drapery, and Nature has furnished that; she has robed the rugged mass in flowers and verdure, and made it a charm to the eye. The standing half exposes its arched and cavernous rooms to you, like open, toothless mouths; there, too, the vines and flowers have done their work of grace. The rear portion of the tower has not been neglected, either, but is clothed with a clinging garment of polished ivy which hides the wounds and stains of time. Even the top is not left bare, but is crowned with a flourishing group of trees & shrubs. Misfortune has done for this old tower what it has done for the human character sometimes−improved it. --Mark Twain

And the only thing I truely miss is Jared...

Day one:

Friday, March 13, 2009
Sarah and I left for the airport, after only having five hours of sleep because we stayed up late to watch a basketball game with six overtimes. Wow! We tried to sleep on the plane, but they kept waking us up to feed us. First is was a snack, then dinner, then breakfast. No one I know eats dinner five hours before they eat breakfast... I hate flying, but I can honestly say this was the smoothest landing that I have ever endured. I didn't even know we were so close to the airport until I looked over out the window and the ground was right there and we landed. We sat in the middle of the middle row next to two big people. So moving around was pretty much impossible.

Day two:

Saturday, March 14, 2009
I am not sure where the one day ended and the other one began. I'll just start at when we arrived at the airport. We arrived and cleared customs super fast and looked at the clock and it was 6:15am and the Sperows weren't getting there until 8. YIKES. We both felt so tired and so BLEH after being in the same position for so long. However, after some people watching and a nice walk outside in the 30 degree day, we woke up. The people are really fun to watch over here.

The Sperows picked us up at 8 and drove us to downtown Frankfurt where we walked around the old flea market (thing tables and tables of the most random things... phones, camera, cutting boards, shoes, carpets, tin boxes, dice... it went on and on and on). Then we went to the old town part of Frankfurt and saw the town square!!! Oh my goodness, Germany is adorable. We had coffee at a little shop with a crazy owner named Luegi. He was Italian and had a son that set a Guinness Book of World Records record and other tale tales. Very amusing. Click to see a bad translation of a story about him and a video. Click story for the story and video for the video.

From there we went to Mainz, the home of Gutenberg. First we got lost in these crazy back streets (like you see in car chases in the Bourne movies, but much cooler because we are actually there!!) and for about half and hour we drove in circles because of our crazy GPS system. It was hilarious. Being with the Sperows is so much fun (Aunt Suzanne and Mom, you should definitely come visit soon. They treat you so well and know all these cool places to go, but not quite how to get there so ever day is an adventure and we get to see random little roads by mistake - I personally think they plan it - heh, but it is awesome and you should come!). We finally found the place we wanted to have lunch and we had sausage and soup and bread. So good! Man, the food is good around here. Mrs. Sperow gave us some of her Snitzal. Oh, wow. It was amazing. We toured Guetengerg's museum and read all the English words. We saw three REAL Gutenberg Bibles (SO COOL!) and some that were hand written and even older. I was fascinated by the security system. heh. It was really awesome. And we walked around the old town and all the neat little back streets and cool old houses. I can't even explain how adorable these towns are. So awesome.

Finally, we ended the day by going to Worms and just got to the Cathedral (they have an old one in almost every town) in time to see inside and see the crypt with old dead people from 900. Crazy. We walked around the grounds and the old town there and got our pictures taken at the memorial with Luther's famous quote (in German) on it. So great! The memorial had many of the reformers. And we got ice cream (which was also great) and then we came home. I walked where Martin Luther walked!!!

It is rather gray here and kinda flat. But the old towns have so much charm and history. Can you believe we saw a Gutenberg Bible and got to walk where Martin Luther walked?!? How is that for an awesome day. Well, I think it is dinner time. And then I think it is Apple Strudel time. Tomorrow we are having lunch at a castle and I am totally ordering schnitzel (because Mrs. Sperow let me try hers today - put it on my plate and told me to try it - heh, Jared it is great, we share food!! :) ) tomorrow. And for dinner we are having vanilla ice cream with hot raspberry sauce (called Himbeer). Yum.

P.S. Did I say that the Sperows are awesome and so much fun to be around. It is great to see them after so many years and actually get to talk to them. I was too little to actually hold real conversations with them when they left. They have treated us so well.

P.P.S. I got my first wedding gift today. :) They gave me one of those German things that has the fan blades and spins around. It has a nativity scene on the bottom. I can't wait to display it at Christmas. It will always be one of my favorite Christmas items, along with my runner that I made. I will get to tell my kids all about my trip to Germany and about the Sperows and how neat they are and how glad I am that they are in my life. God is so good to me. He has blessed me with so much. I don't thank Him enough. Just being alive is exciting and I am so grateful for the chance to travel around and with such cool people. Sarah is the perfect traveling partner. She makes traveling so easy. I love it. I love her. I can't believe how much great stuff I have seen and how much more we are packing into this trip. London is three days! I am so excited about that.

I miss Jared already.

I just thought you all should know that.

I never feel homesick, but I do right now and I haven't even left.

I have a lot of countdowns going on right now:
(God willing I will get to enjoy them all)

3 days until Germany with Sarah.

8 days until England with Sarah.

73 days until Graduate Graduation.

105 days until I turn 23.

111 days until I have been engaged for a year to Jared!

123 days until I marry my best friend, get to move into my own cute little house with Jared, and have my first kiss.

"Lucky, to be in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I been
Lucky to be coming home today!"

I heard this on the way home today. I like the chorus.

The Mission's Conference is this weekend. If you are in the Salisbury Area you should totally come. It is my favorite conference that my church holds. Friday there is dinner at 6 and the speaker starts at 7:15. Saturday morning there is a brunch at 9:30 ... I don't know where, but if you come Friday night you will probably find out or you can ask someone.

In other news, I have had an itchy throat all week, but today I woke up and it was sore. It still isn't really sore and I am not really congested, just a little bit. This is one of the weirdest colds I have had. I hope it doesn't get any worse because right now it is bearable.

Also, I want to watch Fireproof this weekend. Does anyone own it? I would go buy it, but I registered for it and so I probably shouldn't go buy it for myself...

Alright, I am off to the gym and then to hold extra office hours (becaues my office hours on Monday were cancelled and so was my lab) and then to class and then HOME!!! Yay!

I sure do wish I could spend my snow day with the person that I love. Three years of living over two hours away from him is hard. Sigh. I want to be able to have dinner with him whenever I want and to spend more time with him then just Saturday afternoons. Four months and nine days and I don't have to leave him anymore (and I probably will be asking for time away from him - ha). I miss my Jared lots and lots on days like today.

I worked hard finishing all my homework so I could enjoy the weekend with Jared. And I did have a marvelous weekend at home, but now I have no work to do and lots of free time. I wish I could work ahead in my schoolwork, but I've finished everything that has already been assigned. I already finished one book and two grapefruits.

Seven inches of snow is pretty, but it would be a whole lot prettier if I was sitting curled up next to Jared being read to.

Yesterday I finished my fourth and fifth book for February!!

In February I have read:
* The Messenger - Lois Lowry
* Eric Liddell Biography
* Gone Away Lake
* When Sinners Say I Do - Dave Harvey
* Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God - Noel Piper

Gone Away Lake was an awesome children's novel about these two cousins having adventures in the woods behind there house all summer. I really enjoyed that one.

When Sinners Say I Do is one of my favorite marriage books that I have read so far. I am giving it to Jared this weekend for him to read and then I told him that I would love to read it together once we get married. It is excellent. But I haven't finised John Pipers "This Momentary Marriage". I think, since I love his sermon series on marriage so much, I am going to LOVE him book. So it will probably end up being my favorite book on marriage.

Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God might have been my favorite book this month just because it is broken into five biographies of five women in history, Sarah Edwards, Lilias Trotter, Gladys Aylward, Ester Ahn Kim, and Helen Roseveare, and each section we only 30 - 40 pages long. That meant that I could work out for forty minutes and finish a whole biography of a person. I like reading biographies while I work out, but since I only work out three times a week it takes several weeks to read a book and it is hard to remember everything you read. Plus, it was really encouraging to read about all these women's lives. They were great reminders of living Godly lives that reflected our master.

Opening of Maryland basketball games...

The lights go out.
The music starts playing.
All the students start chanting.
Then they announce the players names. I didn't tape the names part.

Plates!!

Please click on the plates link and look at what I want my plates to look like. I want pretty much this exact pink banded plate. Problem - the only place I have found it is in a discontinued Pyrex brand. You wouldn't think that this color and plain plate would be THIS hard to find. If anyone knows or finds a place to buy some that look like this I would be so happy. Thanks!!

My goal this year is to read at least an average of four books a month.

In January I started and finished:
*Persuasion
*Hudson Taylor biography
* Gathering Blue
*Amy Carmichael biography

In February I have already finished two books and am half way through another one. The more I read, the more I want to read. It is great. If you have any suggestions on good books to read please leave me a comment. So far on my list of books to read this year (and ones that people have suggested for me to read) are:
* The Road
* 1984 (rereading it)
* The Great Divorce - CS Lewis
* Screwtape Letters (rereading it) - CS Lewis
* Gone Away Lake
* Eric Liddel Biography
* When Sinners Say I Do
* Respectable Sins (rereading it for small group) - Jerry Bridges
* The Awakening
* A Brave New World
* The Silent Boy - Lois Lowry
* The Excellent Wife
* Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God - Noel Piper
* John Adams (I am going to finish this this year!!)
* Trusting God - Jerry Bridges
* Stepping Heavenward
* The Godly Man's Picture - Thomas Watson

That is enough to get me through the end of the semester, but what about the rest of the year? Leave comment!! Recommend books, send me books, let me borrow books. Books books books.

Yesterday I had a snow day. Today I have class. I wish there were I-don't-feel-like-going-to-school days. That is what Sarah called them today and I thought it was a great name for them.

I don't know if I like my classes yet because I have only been to one of the three. I have this feeling I am going to end up liking two of the three, which is what I thought when I signed up for the classes. I would like the 3rd one if 1. The professor spoke better English and I could understand him better and 2. That the screen wasn't literally three feet away from my face and the classroom wasn't the size of a closet (miserable design for an engineering building). I really thought the class would be interesting and I want to learn about the subject. That is one of the most frustrating things about school, taking a class in something you want to learn about and basically not learning anything and feeling like you wasted your time. That has happened several times in College Park to me. :( Sad.

Anyhow, I am pretty sure I am going to like my other two classes, which I haven't had yet, but I have seen the syllabus for each class. We'll see tomorrow. I start teaching next Monday. I hope I like my class. heh. I hope none of them like me too much and ask me out again.

Sarah just bought me tickets last night for something really exciting!! YES!! And I am almost finished Amy Carmichael! I really like these missionary biographies. If you have not read one yet, do! They are really encouraging and challenging.

I'm an EIT (Engineer-in-training).

I just finally received my results Wednesday from that 8 hour exam that I took in October. I passed!!! I am so happy. I never have to take it again! 4 more years and I can sit for my professional engineering exam.

Top moments of 2008

1. Having my favorite person ask me to marry him. And lumped in with this one: wearing my ring around and staring at it during class, shopping for dreses with my Mom and sisters, and various other engaged/weddingish things. Also, going caneoing with Jared and going to see Wall E with him! Such a great day. Jared is wonderful. I love him very much!

2. Graduating!! It was about time. Also falling into this category: getting my two diplomas in the mail (which might have been more exciting then actually graduating - seriously), seeing my family and Jared at graduation, graduating with greek and engineering honors, and finishing all the classes that I never thought would be over.

3. The Delirious concert, in Richmond, the day after Jared and I got engaged. Standing in the front row, almost getting my hand shook by Martin, singing all my favorite songs, having Jared and my family there, and eating at my favorite mexican restaurant in Richmond. It was the best. Great great great night!

4. Living with the Howards. I was going to say Les Miserables and Fiddler on the Roof, but I decided to lump them in with all the things that are great about the Howards: Having meals made for me, having great desserts and ice creams around the house, being made to laugh all the time, and meeting interesting people when they come to visit. :) Yay!

5. Camping with my family! I love it. I am so glad we went last year. So much fun. That being said, I can't wait until Jared gets to come with us next year!

6. Making my quilted table runner with Jared. I need to get pictures of it, but I think it is so awesome and great. My crafts always come out a little lopsided and sloppy even when I try really hard, but this one is almost flawless and it just makes me so happy. I know it is because Jared squared all my corners for me and helped me pins stuff and iron it. He is great and I can't wait until it is on display in our own little house.

7. Our fourth of July party. Enough said. It is awesome.

8. Christmas. Getting my shopping done early this year. Making Christmas cookies and decorating them. Going to DC with Jared to see the Botanical Gardens and various other things. All the cookbooks that my parents gave me (such a surprise to get my favorite cookbook). The frames Sarah bought, the cute little Bath and Body set from Hope, the sewing stuff from the Sheltons, and my favorite present that I cried about, my scrapbook from Anna. So awesome I have wanted one for so long. :)

I guess also in here is buying all our Christmassy stuff for next year with Jared. 75% of our tree!! Lights for a dollar and bulbs for 25 cents! And making little stuffed felt ornaments with Jared - it is so fun when he wants to do craft things with me! Although, it is kind of annoying that is look better then mine (heh). Christmas is going to be so much fun next year!! Yay for us and yay for Christmas decorations.

9. Going to Colorado and spending so much time with Stephanie! I miss her greatly. Love love love! Spending time with Anna, getting to go to Whit's End (highlight of my trip), seeing Focus on the Family's headquarters (so cool), seeing Cater Rock, Pike's Peak, and the Air Force Academy (so neat). Did I say just spending time with Stephanie?!? Going to the little old amusement park with Sarah, Peter, and Anna and riding the little train. That was really neat.

10. Learning to forget about grades and spend time with my family and friends! I have to thank Jared for this one. Spending more time with my family and friends is totally worth it, much more then getting A's all the time. I learned that a B at the end of a semester that you know that you spent time with other people and made them happy, makes me much for happier then just an A during a semester where all I did was sit in my room and study. I guess I shouldn't have waited so long to learn that, but then my grad school wouldn't have been payed for, so I guess it had its benefits too.

11. TAing and getting into graduate school, at a top 2o engineering school, for free, and getting paid. Yeah, it was pretty sweet. I have to fight with them a lot to keep my non-thesis status, but only one more semester of filling out paperwork and I will be done forever!!

I am sure there are other great moments, but I can't think of them right now. So I am going to go back to reading my books and maybe I will add to this later, but probably not. I like spending time away from the computer during break. heh. But the main thing to take away is that I have so much to be thankful for! I love my family and I love my fiance and I love where God has placed me right now in life and I pray that he continues to show me how best to use my life to honor and glorify Him.

Happy New Year! May 2009 and be a grand year of growing closer to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Love,
Faith

NEW BLOG!!!

Sarah has a new blog where she is posting her scribbles. Someday she'll be famous and will be able to say you saw her scribbles when she was young. Head over to her blog and comment your email or send her an email and get signed up to see her drawings. It is great; you won't be disappointed.

GO SIGN UP!!!

Proverbs and Psalms countdown...

Sunday made for 203 days until my wedding. I worked it out that I would start counting down to my wedding then by reading from Proverbs 31 to Psalms 1. So starting Sunday I read Proverbs 31 and Monday I read Proverbs 30 and yesterday I read 29. If you want to join in and read with me you can. heh. I divided Psalm 119 into 26 sections because it was really too long to read in one day. I started 181 days ago and read from Psalm 1 to Proverbs 31. And that chapter (119) was a little rough because you couldn't really think about it at all. So I divided it to give more time to think through all it has to say. So anyhow, today is Proverbs 28. Maybe once I get back in school I will post my favorite verse of the day or something. Feel free to do the same if you ever read along, even if it is for a day.

Today is 200 days until my wedding!

One more...

One semester to go until school is finished forever!!

And my professor asked me to TA for her again next semester. YES!! That is so great because the department had me signed up for some other class and that would have been so annoying because I would have had to learn a whole new subject over again. This is good because I know all the experiments and how to grade for the labs and all that fun stuff. It should be a great semester next semester. I like all three of the classes that I chose. Great stuff. I am taking 1) Flexible Macroelectronics 2) Engineering Decision Making 3) Steel Structures. The only one that I think will be a lot of work will be that steel structure class, but that is cool. I am up for a challenge.

And I am HOME!!! What a wonderful feeling.

Broadway rhythm... everybody dance!

The Howards are taking me to see Les Miserables on Thursday!!! How great is that? I love Broadway. Love love love. If tomorrow were Thursday I would say (or sing) "one day more"... heh. Anyhow, they asked me tonight if I wanted to go with them and of course I said "yes!!!" Now I have something to look forward to in the midst of finals. Woohoo. I am so excited. Broadway thrills me. It is so much fun.

My countdown to freedom:
* Final tomorrow at 2.
* Final group paper due at 6.
* Final math homework due Thursday.
* Final Lab taught on Thursday.
* Final labs graded from Thursday - Monday.
* Final Monday at 8am. Bleh.
* Proctoring a final on Monday at 10am.
* Grading a final Monday afternoon.
* Final 15 page paper due.
* HOME!!!
* One last final due by Wednesday evening.

My sister and Annie are geniuses with the camera. They had some film to use up and asked Jared and I to pose for them Sunday afternoon. It was fun despite the rain. This is one of my favorites.

This is my Jared and me. I had the great pleasure of spending my entire thanksgiving break with him (and I basically mean ENTIRE). I did no schoolwork, but who cares about schoolwork when you have someone as great as Jared around?!? Jared knew I was sort of grumpy Saturday (for no reason that I can explain because everything was going very smoothly and I was having a lot of fun) so he spent the rest of the day doing things for me and cheering me up. He took me to get my watch fixed and he helped me quilt together the rest of my table runner and then took me over to his parents house and helped me iron the binding and cut out the borders and all the boring stuff in quilting... He let me do the fun stuff and he just sat around and helped in whatever way he could. Jared is wonderful. I so look forward to spending the rest of my life with him and trying to outdo his kindness. I think it will be fun, hard at times, but still fun.

And finally, thanksgiving was great. I did nothing, well no schoolwork. I hung out at my house a lot and of course went to the Robins for thanksgiving dessert leftovers. Jared and I watched A Christmas Carol, Toy Story, and Rudolph. We played scrabble and cribbage and did crosswords and quilted and ate tons and tons of mom's wonderful food!! I love spending time at home with my family and Jared and my friends!! It was so good to see Hayley this weekend and eat her delicious food as well. Woohoo. I love holidays. Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorites.

I love us!

"When Christoph Römhild, a Lutheran pastor in Hamburg, Germany, sent Carnegie Mellon Ph.D. student Chris Harrison a list of 63,779 cross-references between the Bible's 1,189 chapters, the two became enthralled with elegantly showing the interconnected nature of Scripture. Each bar along the horizontal axis represents a chapter, with the length determined by the number of verses. (Books alternate in color between white and light gray.) Colors represent the distance between references. Graphic by Chris Harrison, Carnegie Mellon University"

SO COOL!!

Here's the deal, I have two classes next week: Tuesday 2-4:40 and 6-8:00. So I am planning on driving up to College Park on Tuesday (leaving Salisbury around 10:30 or 11) and going to school all day and then driving home that night... So, if there is anyone that wants to spend a bunch of hours at Ikea or on campus in the library you can come with me. You can go to Ikea for hours and hours and hours and then come pick me up when you are finished or you can just come read in the library for hours and hours and hours. If that sounds like fun to anyone, leave me a comment and I will try to work it all out. heh. You know you want to take me up on this sweet deal. :D

I have this thing for ampersands... maybe because the word is so fun to say. If anyone could find where I could buy bookends that were ampersands or any other nifty ampersandy things, that would be so awesome. I want to have them all over my house. I think they are so neat looking.

Jared & Faith.
Woohoo.

Ampersand

&

Ampersand

&

Ampersand

&

This was the most amazing rainbow I have ever seen. My camera phone doesn't do it justice, but imagine this so bright that you almost had to squint. It was so bright and the second rainbow was much better defined. I was happy that my camera phone picked it up this well. But it was breath taking. Wow. (I have the photos on my flickr, but I thought it looked more amazing pasted together).

For me the coolest thing about rainbows is knowing that they are a promise from God... how awesome is that?!? We have a visible sign of his love. Amazing.

Skype me...

I have finally downloaded and installed Skype to my computer. So leave me your user names and I will add you to my contacts and maybe I will talk to you sometime. I still need to get a mic, but I could listen to you talk. :)

Oh, my user name is gth.faith or search Faith Harr.

Bridesmaid skirt???

I saw this skirt at GAP today and I love it. I think it is perfectly adorable and it is in pretty much exactly the color I want. Could this work as a bridesmaids skirt? Comments. Discuss this and let me know what shirts would look good with a skirt like this. My dress is kinda fancy so the shirt would have to be rather fancy too. The skirt is Cotton/silk taffeta. Anyhow, I'm brainstorming ideas... Leave me a comment on your opinions because I don't really care as long as Jared is there. ha ha.

Plus, we could buy it on the first Tuesday of a month and get 10% off since I am a GAP card member. Or we could talk Hayley into getting a job there again for a short time to get some sort of sweet employee discount. :)

Happy gym face!!

After over four years of the same running shoes... I finally bought a new pair today!!! 1. Because they were R'boks which have been the only comfortable running shoe that I have found for my feet and 2. Because they were only 25 bucks at Rugged Warehouse and 3. They were in my size and 4. They are purple and 5. They are official super running shoes or something fancy like that. Anyhow, I love them and can't wait to break them in at the gym tomorrow. My feet are so happy in them.

I have a sweet husband-to-be. He surprised me with dark chocolate and a new charm for my necklace for no reason at all other than to be sweet. It is a UNC charm. How awesome is that!?! I can't wait for basketball season now! Woohoo.

Also, I love my family!!

Finally, GO VOTE!!

I am coming home this weekend. But if you don't see me this is why...

Things to do:
* Meet with the photographer (Thursday)
* Finish writing my cover letter, cv, and teaching portfolio
* Meet with SU (Friday morning)
* Reformation conference (Friday Night)
* Reformation conference and party (Saturday 3:30 - all evening)
* Grade 52 labs
* Study for a math midterm (11 chapters!! Yikes) and do homework for it and work a few practice exams... bleh. Favorite class (material wise) this semester, but that isn't saying anything.
* Write Estimation and schedule for a four story office building
* homework for ENRE684.
* Women's retreat meeting (Sunday evening)
* buy mango at Sams (because I am almost out)
* Go to La Tolteca (because I really miss it - this is definitely going to have to move to next week)

Oh, and church, spending time with the family, and seeing Jared as much as possible. He might just have to sit around and watch me grade papers this weekend. Oh, and Joe wants me to either remind me mother to make him fudge or for me to buy him a Smith Island cake. I don't see either of those happening this weekend, maybe next weekend... Don't worry Mom, I made him an apple cake last night. I think he will be okay if I don't get any of the sweet things for him.

If you want to see me just let me know. I have a few free days in February and March. ha ha ha. But seriously, if you tell me you want to do something with me I will make time in a few weeks. But right now I am definitely running on like two or three weeks notice. heh. Such is life. I can't wait until it slows down again.

I should be madly studying for the FE, but I had to take a break and tell you all what happened to me today. I think it is hilarious. So let's start off by saying at the TAs meeting yesterday we were all joking around about this kid that keeps coming to my office hours. The other guy TA told me that I better watch him because he probably has a crush on me or something. We all laughed about it and built our circuits.

Which brings us to today... I packed my bag and get ready to walk out of class. And this kid gets up to walk out at the same time. We walk down the hallway together and the hallway splits. He heads one direction and I head the other (to go out to my car). Suddenly he calls out my name and comes jogging towards me. And I figure he is going to ask a question since he is forever asking me to explain stuff. ha. He looks like he is at a loss for words at first, and I thought OH NO! This isn't good. So he finally says, "I was wondering if you would have dinner with me sometime..." And I went into panic mood and all I could think to do was throw up my hand and say, "Sorry, I am engaged!!" Poor kid. He made some dumb joke about me not being old enough to be engaged and then ran off. Jared asked me what his face looked like and I really don't know. I was trying to avoid looking at him. ha.

So now I am starting to believe the other TA and I am worried that that other kid we were joking about will show up to office hours with flowers or something. ha ha. I mean, who asks out their TA? Plus I am sick and I was wearing my glasses and jeans and a t-shirt today. What is up with this? Jared pointed out that he has obviously been thinking about this for a long time, which makes it even more funny. I joke around with all my kids. Do I have to worry about all 50 of these guys having a crush on me? But seriously, asking out your TA will you are still in class with her?!? What is that! I still can't understand...

Anyhow, I have never been asked out by someone out of the blue before. I thought that was so funny and odd and strange that I had to share it with the blogging world. :D I think I will start out next semester by holding up my hand and declaring that I am getting married in July. heh. Maybe that might work. Or as Jared said I could be mean, but that is no fun. Who wants to come to lab with a mean TA?

I am going to Reality Factor this weekend with the youth group! I look forward to it. Woohoo!

Next weekend (25th) I am taking the FE. YIKES!!

I have two midterms this week! And a ton of labs to grade... That is about all that is going on in my life right now. heh. Oh, and I am trying to fill out my applications for SU.