Who is that Girl?

Just a few oldies. . .

 on this Wednesday. . .

 

for your enjoyment. . .

and my embarrassment!

{baby in the car seat = sister.  little boy = brother. the blonde in each photo = me, of course}

Whether wordless or wordfull, share you Wednesday with us and link up with a lovely photo 

at Hannah's Aspire.

For Who? For ME??

I've been given my first blog award by the lovely Hillary!  This lady has even published a book, so I'm both shocked and honored to learn that I was one of the bloggers she had chosen for this award.  : )

I don't know how soon I'll be able to write the "About Myself in Seven" considering my coming days will be filled with exams, quizzes, papers, and presentations. . .

but I do want to express my honor and gratitude.

I've often pondered my lack of a blogging niche, but describing my multi~faceted~ness as "versatile" makes it seem like a positive thing!
Thanks Hillary! I'm not blushing ~ but beaming!

 

MiScellaNy MoNdAy

source

{1} someone get these squirrels a Nicoderm patch.

In the winter/spring of 2009, I spent a semester at the Philadelphia campus belonging to my former college. Part of this experience included taking courses at Philadelphia's own Temple University.
Fun fact about Temple University: The squirrels that frequent Temple University's campus allegedly have a nicotine addiction because they chew on the cigarette buttes galore smoked and littered by the Temple students.

{2} the three~story crash.

Speaking of college craziness, an apartment in a local college complex collapsed last Friday night. A party was in full swing on the third floor, the floor gave way, and many people crashed through to the ground floor. The result: crushed pelvic bones and clavicles, injured spines and numb legs.
I tell you this because my young 15 year~old friend was one of those who fell. Her eye was busted and people fell on her head after she crashed to the ground from the third floor; she was taken to the hospital in one of the ambulances.
I stopped by her home on Saturday to check in with her and give her a get well gift card to her favorite restaurant, Chipotle. She is doing well, but please pray that the vision in her injured eye will be restored and for the other people injured in the accident. I'm thankful that no one's injuries are life~threatening.

{3} almost autumn. fairly fall.

source

All of the "autumn is here!!!" gleeful celebrations make me think, "Oh yeah? Where?" We're still having daily temps in the 80s around here.
I've already made the first step in transitioning to this new season, and that is accepting that I'm back in school. ;-) The second step is one over which I have no control, and that is for the weather to match the season. However, we've been experiencing such beautiful days, it's difficult to wish too hard for some aerial crispness. One seasonal trademark that I HAVE been enjoying, though, is apple cider from our local orchard!

{4} not a bed of roses.

Have you heard of Iya Isoke? She's a poet laureate in Harrisburg, PA, a place where I have many fond memories. {If you're ever in Harrisburg, you must visit City Island and Cafe di Luna}. But back to Iya Isoke. . .
She once spoke a quote about the practice of writing to which I deeply identify. These words may as well be my own, if only I were as eloquently articulate and poetic:

"I have tried looking at the world through rose~colored glasses, but the thorns of reality continue to pierce my eyes, and so I blink back the bloody tears and write what I see."

Miscellany musings to share? Link up with my bloggy friend Carissa at lowercase letters.

Counting the Endless Gifts {89-99}

"Sing to the Lord of the harvest, maker of field and of sky. God of the seasons both fallow and full, speaking the world into life.

Come to the Lord of the harvest, come to the table; rejoice! God, who has given the hunger for song, fill us with breath and with voice.

A field of voices raised up and gathered, now we offer a harvest of song. Hear our hallelujah! Hear our grateful amen!"

::pumpkin smoothies

::veggie croissants

::new friends

::concerts, dramas, and musicals

::cornfields topped with a golden~baked crust of tassels

::apple spice cake

::skies splashed with sunplosion, tree silhouettes in the foreground, rays streaming

::learning new teaching strategies and child development principles

::the ability to miss, to feel, to grieve an absence

::baristas who know me by name and begin to make my drink as soon as my foot crosses the threshold

::second chances


Song is "Sing to the Lord of the Harvest"
Lyrics by David Wright
Music by James Clemens
Copyright 2004

Head First Into the Books

{via}

Now that school has resumed {the time distinguished by my running around like a chicken without a head}, I'm not too sure how often I'll be able to steal away moments to blog. I hope I can keep up somewhat with my "out loud" musings, as this is a creative outlet I've really enjoyed during my semester off school.

There probably won't be as many stories written about my kids {yes..MY kids..I insist that they are} because my academic schedule doesn't permit me to work like I have been for these past months. I will, however, be in a field experience in a local elementary school as well as in our university's early learning center. The privacy policies at these schools are more stringent than I'm used to; simply making up online aliases for the tots won't be sufficient I'm afraid. :-/

Perhaps the only written pieces that I'll be able to post are class writing assignments. You wouldn't mind, would you? I know you'd be so thrilled to muddle through some gritty first drafts and edit them for me! Awesome.

Maybe I'll have more free time than I currently anticipate, but just remember: even if I'm gone awhile and only post sporadically,

{via}

What are little BOYS made of?

.:Unwrapping the gift of the little boys in my life this Tuesday/Wednesday:.

What are little boys made of, made of?



What are little boys made of?



Smiles and stains. . .



trucks and choo~choo trains.




That's what little boys are made of.

7 Quick Takes Friday

~1~

Question: What could cause my "vain" twenty~one year~old self not to care if snot and smooshed green beans are wiped upon my white shirt?
That would be if this little dumplin' flips backwards in her chair during lunchtime. Which she did.


These littles always have the same look on their faces when they take a spill; they look utterly shocked, but at the same time, they look right at me and know I'm coming for them.

It wasn't until after I had comforted her, calmed her down, and had her focused on devouring her mashed potatoes again that I noticed my shirt was decked out with the beans that had fallen with her and her boogies. And I didn't even care. :-)

~2~

After taking this past semester off, I'm returning to college this fall. I transferred to a university here in my hometown, but I'm keeping the same major, of course: elementary education.

I'm learning that sometimes the plans we make for ourselves aren't always what God has in mind. Letting go is difficult, but "I'm had by the love unexpected, the hope still strong, the tender surprises only God can imagine," as so beautifully said by Ann Voskamp.

~3~

Here's another gal in the midst of making an academic transition:


Meet Princess Tiana, star of several Tiny Talk Tuesdays.

I would have included Princess Tiana's photo in my Lovely Photo Wednesday post along with the other little girl who is leaving the center, but I actually borrowed this pic from her mother's facebook and then edited it myself.

When I talk to Princess Tiana, I honestly feel like I'm speaking to an adult! She is so advanced and will do great in the Pre~K program. And she's clearly adorableness overload!!

~4~

One web tool that I have been utilizing and enjoying is the Colorzilla. This Firefox plug~in allows you to click on any color on any webpage and copy the color code to your clipboard; then all you have to do is paste the code where it belongs in your html! This point-and -click color dropper has been super handy as I've been making some changes to my blog. It's so much more convenient than trying to match colors and muddling through all of those six digit color codes!

~5~

One story that I saw on my Yahoo homepage a couple weeks ago that immediately captured my interest was about a woman who is making a dress every day for an entire year, using an old dress and making it new with a budget of $1 per day. That's 365 days, 365 dresses, and 365 dollars. Check out her site here!

~6~

I have enjoyed meeting up with my friend Marilea this summer and talking about everything from school and love to spiritual gifts and exorcisms. *Laughing* Marilea and I attended the same high school, but it's been since graduating that we've actually become closer friends. Funny how you think you know everything at 18, but things still manage to change! We've "met in the middle" and I'm glad for these life surprises.


~7~

"You did it: you changed wild lament into whirling dance;
You ripped off my black mourning band
and decked me with wildflowers.
I'm about to burst with song;
I can't keep quiet about you.
God, my God,
I can't thank you enough." ~Psalm 30:11-12