Just a glimpse...

Don't know if you know...

2011-08-09T22:27:00.000-05:00

... how completely I care about you.
... how quickly you can put me in an emotional tailspin.
... how much it hurts when you let me down. Even (especially) when you don't realize it.
... how good a no-holding-back cry feels. Especially when done in a hot shower.

I do think you know how much I worry about you.

I wish I could have a hug like I used to get them. Because that often does a lot to make the bad stuff better.
I wish we could laugh like we used to. Because you're really good at making me smile.
I wish we could talk, about stupid stuff, about serious stuff, about any stuff like we used to.

I miss you.

Love them.

2010-10-10T22:11:00.000-05:00

Bless You

2010-08-06T21:58:00.000-05:00

Your voice cut through the noise of the market from half a block away. I heard your hands clapping, keeping time. I heard your soulful voice, singing the words of a song I sang as a child. But the joy I heard behind it gave it so much more meaning. I walked further, looked across the street, and saw you smile. And it brought the song to life so much more.

I walked across the street, meaning to just drop a couple bucks in the cup at your feet, and the smile grew on my face as I urged myself to hold it together, but could feel the tears forming in the back of my eyes. I got closer, and saw your smile grow even bigger, as you shook your head ever so slightly, while you kept singing, and you spread your arms out. You reached out to hug me, a complete stranger.

You, a later middle-aged man, who appeared a little down on your luck, but seemingly with more heart and peace than so many others.

Me a younger woman who just an hour earlier was talking about how lucky I am by the worlds standards.

Two strangers, meeting on a corner, drawn together by the words of a simple song.

You sang, “He’s got the whole world, in His hands…He’s got the brothers and the sisters, in His hands…”

In the instant you smiled at me, broke from singing for just a second, put your arms around me, and said to me “Bless you, sister,” I truly felt like I was in His hands. The perspective and joy you gave me in that moment is worth worlds more than the small amount of money I placed in the cup at your feet.

I turned to walk away, with tears now rolling down my face. Changed.

Thank you, brother. Bless YOU.

Hmmm...

2010-06-09T07:37:00.000-05:00

"Beauty is discovering God's presence in the midst of chaos."

Reason #47....

2010-05-23T16:25:00.004-05:00

The concept of "best friend" seems to disappear from spoken vocabulary around the age of 19... but it hasn't left the way I feel.

Mine gave me reason #47 (no I didn't count - just estimating) that I love having her in my life yesterday. I got a picture text from her (and if I had a phone with that new-fangled technology that would let me download the picture to my computer you could see it), of a kind of rough looking upholstered chair, asking "How hard would this be to reupholster? It's only $5!" After a phone call and a couple more texts telling her it might be tough, but it would be fun, she came back with "I got it for $1! I'm so excited!" Shortly followed by "I love that I have a friend like you who entertains me with these projects."

I love that too.

And another reason I love her...

She let's me be a part of this sweet girl's life.

Couldn't be more disappointed...

2010-05-11T22:20:00.002-05:00

...ok, I probably could be more disappointed, but this bit of news upset me tonight.

Did you know.... Ann M. Martin (of The Baby-Sitter's Club fame) herself did not in fact write all 213 volumes of the series? She estimates she only wrote 60 to 80 of them. Granted, the series was only around for 14 years, and writing them herself would require a pace of more than one a month. I suppose I've still been living in the world where Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, and Stacey (on a side note, my favorite babysitter from my own childhood was named Stacey) met three times a week to talk about the kids they watched, solved mysteries while watching approximately 20 kids between them, went on vacation together (with all the kids they sat for), and I didn't do the math but instead hoped that this one woman was this prolific a writer and fabulous a storyteller.

Crushed, Ann M. Martin. Crushed.

2010-03-30T22:08:00.001-05:00

Desperate.

Lonely.

Ugly.

Angry.

Forgotten.... this just might be the worst of all.

Power of Observation:

2010-02-04T21:21:00.003-06:00

A quiz of things you see everyday.

This one's for you AD. Are you brave enough to take the quiz? And then post your score?

http://www.oldjoeblack.0nyx.com/thinktst.htm

Revel in the Mundane

2010-02-02T21:03:00.004-06:00

Trying to take some time to appreciate the little things. A recap of the minor, but beautiful, from last week.

Monday: 30 extra minutes in my workout thanks to the guy who walked in an took the bike next to mine.

Tuesday: A picture, even if only for me employee id!, that I thought truly looked like me, and I found "acceptable," and it only took one take!

Wednesday: The realization that I really do want to go back to school - it just felt right!

Thursday: A surprise lunch invitation from Matt, and he offered to pay! It was so nice to see him excited about school - even if it was chemistry, botany, and some plant imaging thing!

Friday: Slippers under my desk at work that made my day just a little more comfortable.

Saturday: Clean sheets and a new, warm blanket on my bed made me fall asleep feeling like I was floating on a cloud.

Sunday: A hug goodbye from one of my four year-olds at Sunday school.

In the midst of the busy-ness and stress that comes with everyday life, I'm taking some time to revel in the stuff that really matters.

I believe, help me in my unbelief!

2010-01-31T19:55:00.003-06:00

"I don't think you believe you deserve to be happy."

***********************************************

"Scattered words and empty thoughts...
Seem to pour from my heart.
I've never felt so torn before...
Seems I don't know where to start.
But it's now....
that I feel Your grace fall like rain.
From every fingertip, washing away my pain.
'Cause I still believe in Your faithfulness
'Cause I still believe in Your truth'
Cause I still believe in Your Holy Word
Even when I don't see, I still believe."

***********************************************

"Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in pace and be freed from your suffering." Mark 5:34

Snowed In

2009-12-08T22:23:00.006-06:00

With the storm we're getting hit with, and the amount of snow expected between this evening and tomorrow night, I'm not going anywhere. Which makes it the perfect night for writing out some Christmas cards. This year, I've decided to abandon my usual tradition of making my own cards, which often keeps me up 'til the wee hours of the morning a few nights in December, in favor of sending out store-bought cards. I'm making an effort to at least write a personal note in each one to make up for it, but the extra sleep this will allow me is worth it. (One lucky blog reader may even see their name in this picture if they look close enough!)

Accompanying the cards it a nice glass of vino. Don't worry, not enough to effect the notes being written!

Also on tap, I'm hoping to do a little vampire reading!

If you're anywhere in the path of this storm, please stay safe, and enjoy a little down time as you're literally buried in the house.

Easy Christmas Makeover

2009-12-06T21:16:00.012-06:00

Somehow, decorating for Christmas always becomes more of an ordeal than I originally think it will be.

As soon as I hung my huge ornament star (that I redid this summer to get replace the gold frame with silver) over my fireplace, I knew the three circle prints on the wall next to it would have to go.

But new artwork wasn't exactly in the budget. What's a girl to do?

With a few sheets of mat-board, some fun pink card stock, chipboard letters, silver glitter, and hot glue, and after glitter was spread all over my counters, table, and floor....

I came up with this. Glittered chipboard letters mounted on pink card stock mounted on white mat-board, which I hot glued to the glass of the original pictures.

About $15 and an hour later, I have some fun, easy, reuseable Christmas decorations.

And just because this sweet little cat is providing me some much needed comfort and cuddlin' lately, I thought she deserved a spot on the blog. Love you Lucy.

This post is linked to DIY Day at A Soft Place To Land. I haven't participated before, but have looked at and got ideas several times. For more DIY fun, check out all the cool stuff here!

Broken and Waiting

2009-12-05T23:06:00.009-06:00

This is what life has been feeling like lately.

I'm trying desperately to hold on to the fact that my broken-ness is only a small part, and sometimes a necessary part, of a much bigger, much more beautiful picture. (If I'm honest, I'm more desperately trying to remind myself to hold on to that fact.)

We CAN pick up the pieces. We CAN move forward trusting that that one broken piece does not define the entirety of the story. We CAN trust that the bigger picture is good and true and beautiful. We WILL be able to understand. Eventually.

...

Waiting on peace, hoping for patience, and knowing it will all make sense sometime.

Christmas Tree Lights: 1. Katrina: 0.

2009-12-05T01:35:00.009-06:00

It's 1:25. In the AM.

And I'm fighting the good fight.

Hopefully there'll be a well-lit tree for you to "ooh" and "ahh" at by the end of this weekend. Wish me luck.

Tears rush in.

2009-12-01T22:16:00.004-06:00

Life was shaken up recently.

Not mine directly, but life of one of the people closest to me.

My brother Matt was in a car accident two and a half weeks ago, and, being the worrier of the family, it's hit me pretty hard. Not as hard as the car that hit him while he was on his bike. He's a blog reader, and I'm not sure how ok he is with me sharing much here (Matt - don't worry, the readership of this thing isn't huge), and I know this isn't his "method of coping" - something we discussed in some detail at an impromptu family meeting earlier tonight, but... for those of you out there who are on the same page as me, tonight I'm asking for prayer. For healing for him, for patience for all of us, for compassion, and really just a sense of peace that everything is going to work out.

I need this boy to be ok.

And I'm thankful that he understands that tears rolling down my face aren't all bad, and they don't scare him away.

Tonight, there may be more tears. Hopefully in the morning they'll stop for awhile.

Tonight, I'm thankful.

2009-11-25T23:39:00.003-06:00

Tonight, I'm thankful for a quiet Thanksgiving Eve.

Tonight, I'm thankful that I don't have to worry about cooking a turkey just right for a houseful of guests.

Tonight, I'm thankful that I won't spend the night cleaning every last corner of the house worried that someone will find the dust I missed.

Tonight, I'm thankful that some Thanksgiving Eve in the future there will be a family of my own here with me. Who I'll have to clean up after and cook for.

Tonight, I'm thankful for a family right down the road, where I can go tomorrow to watch the Packer game, eat turkey, and not be asked if I'm sure that I don't want mashed potatoes, because they already know I can't stand them.

Tonight, I'm thankful that I really don't have much to worry about, but confessing the fact that I still do.

Tonight, I'm thankful for all the crazy good things I've been given, but confessing the fact that many days I still want more.

Tonight, I'm thankful for a God who loves me in an immeasurable way, enough that I don't have to change for Him, but so much that He makes me want to.

Tonight, I'm thankful.

Baby Reese

2009-11-11T21:53:00.005-06:00

While I haven't okayed it with her parents, I'm calling myself an honorary Aunt to this sweet baby girl. I got to spend about an hour holding her a mere 6 hours after she was born - sweet smelling, soft baby skin. It was wonderful!

Welcome to the world Baby Reese - your mom and dad love you tons, and so does your "aunt"!

Blue Ribbon Coming Soon!

2009-11-02T20:45:00.005-06:00

You saw it here first folks. The prize-winning, purple, painted pumpkin! This baby, it all it's bejeweled and glittered splendor, is going into competition tomorrow.

Wish her luck, and I'll let you know the results soon.

By the way, if you're thinking to yourself, "Gee, Katrina, that's a mighty small pumpkin." You're right. It's barely the size of a baseball. This is all I was given to work with people. I do what I can.

The Rock-ster

2009-10-21T22:34:00.006-05:00

I made myself a fall to-do list, and one item was to actually carve a pumpkin this Halloween. It's been several years since I've done this, and decided I needed a little bit of the nostalgic, traditional October stuff this year. Don't get me wrong, my life right now is really too busy to devote a night to cutting up a pumpkin, but I'm working on this whole "hurry" thing, and gave myself a break tonight.

Check out the finished product.... if you've ever visited the L's house, you'll recognize this little face.

Hurry

2009-10-20T22:20:00.004-05:00

The fact that I've been absent from here (and it hasn't been for lack of things going on or opinions to voice) should tell you a little about why this quote rings so true for me tonight.

"We need to ruthlessly eliminate hurry from our lives."

Amen sister (or more accurately, brother).

Need to go let that one sink in a little.

Hopefully you'll see me around here soon.

Here's to you Pail and Shovel Party

2009-09-04T18:06:00.003-05:00

30 years ago this morning, 1,008 plastic pink flamingos greeted the UW Madison campus on Bascom Hill in a prank organized by the Pail and Shovel party.

3 days ago the Madison City Council sealed their place in history by naming the flamingo Madison's Official City Bird.

The Pail & Shovelers didn't pass health care reform, and they didn't do anything about the war on terrorism or global warming, but they knew how to draw attention and pull off a fairly harmless prank. And I'm smiling about it 30 years later.

A weekend of wedding fun

2009-08-30T20:58:00.014-05:00

Congrats Ty and Amanda - love you guys!

My mom on Brett Favre becoming a Viking:

2009-08-18T21:17:00.002-05:00

"Oh, I still like him. He's cute and sweet, just a little misguided."

Couldn't agree more! Well, not sure about the "sweet," or "little," part. More like kind of a jerk, and very misguided.

Waiting on a Whisper

2009-08-16T00:05:00.003-05:00

"... Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper." 1 Kings 19:11-12

I just need to learn to be quiet enough to hear it.

8 pounds of love

2009-08-12T20:50:00.006-05:00

These two tiny cats, weighing it at about four pounds a piece, have turned my life upside down lately. From waking up to four eyes staring at me (or two sandpaper tongues licking my face), to finding my favorite purple chair covered in gray hair. But also having two creatures who adore me waiting at the door when I come home at night.

10 points to the first person (commenter) who can identify the real names of the pop culture duo Lucy (left) and Ethel (right)are named after!

Grandma Bea Update

2009-08-10T21:43:00.003-05:00

Good news! Grandma's surgery today went as well as could be expected! The long recovery process is started now, but we made it over one big hurdle. Apparently late last night she and "the girls" (my aunts) had the nurses cracking up. When my aunt brought my grandma a balloon (after taking it from the gift shop that was closed at the time, but looking straight into the camera saying "I'm buying this balloon. I'll be back tomorrow to pay for it,") grandma replied by saying "I'm so glad I'm here so I can get this balloon!" So glad she was upbeat right up until the surgery. Here's hoping she keeps it up over the next days, weeks, and months.

Prayer please.

2009-08-06T22:39:00.003-05:00

I realize I've been a bad blogger and left you all hanging waiting for word on the car (there is a new one, and pictures and all the details are coming soon - I promise!), but there are more pressing things on my mind right now.

I'm coming to you (all 5 readers I have out there) asking for prayer.

My grandmother had a heart attack early this morning, and is scheduled for open-heart surgery on Monday. Likely quadruple bypass. Please cover her, the people at the hospital taking care of her, my dad who is dealing with a lot of it, and my whole family, in prayer.

I'll try to do a better job of keeping you posted.

In Him.
Katrina

Saying Goodbye.

2009-07-30T21:07:00.000-05:00

That kind of woman.

2009-07-27T21:36:00.004-05:00

"She wears her heart on her sleeve as big as Texas. She cries big and loves hard and sings like there's no tomorrow... And in her eyes I can see the wings of the angels who loved her up in heaven." -Julie Abbott (a woman whose blog of her artwork I can't seem to find now that I want to)

THAT's the kind of woman I want to be.

Dinner Conversation

2009-07-17T22:12:00.005-05:00

Last night, over dinner my brother and I discussed...

Ideal vacation spots
Ideal everyday-life cities
Communism vs. Socialism
the merits of a Liberal Arts education
Nationalized healthcare
what kind of uncle he'll be someday

Did I mention this was dinner at the Food Court at East Towne Mall? That's right, all that talk over T-Bell and Sarku baby!

Have I mentioned that I adore this kid?

Tagged - more random things about me

2009-07-14T22:15:00.005-05:00

I got tagged by Kaitlyn, and because I love the brutal, bare-her-heart honesty of her blog, I'm participating! After you read these (hopefully) 7 new things about me, go check her out!

I love string cheese, but can only eat it as strings (like by peeling it lengthwise, can't just bite into it).
I recently got two new pets - the cats my parents have had for the last 11 years. They live with me now, and except for all the hair they shed and I vacuum up nearly everyday, I love having them around. But even after 11 years of calling them by their names, it's still a little strange to call a pet Ethel (Lucy and Ethel after "I Love Lucy").
When I was in elementary school, my mom and I spent Saturday mornings in the winter at The Rollerdrome (the roller rink in town). I was fairly decent then. Probably not anymore.
I took an entreprenuership class in grad school, and started a mini jewelry business. I'd love to have an Etsy shop now, but am nervous that nothing would sell.
In a golf outing yesterday, I won the Women's Long Drive contest on the 18th hole. (Yes, I'm bragging a bit here...) 275 yards, in the fairway. No lie. It was pretty impressive.
Every phone call with my brother ends with the lines "Love you Brother." "Love you Sister." Just a thing we do.
Moving back to Madison has been one of the best decisions I've made in the past few years, but if I'm honest, it's left me fairly lonely for the past year as well. I'm choosing to learn something from it this time rather than letting it bother me as much as it may have in the past.

A Bit of an Update

2009-07-09T22:45:00.002-05:00

Still around, just haven't felt like writing or sharing much lately. Hopefully the few of you out there will still be around when I get back. If not... understood.

On a random note... have you seen the Visa commercial about "when is the last time you went to the aquarium, with your daughter, on a Tuesday?" Love it. Completely reminds me of my dad. Granted, I'm 27, not 4 like the girl in the commercial, and it wasn't the aquarium, but my dad and I took days off on Monday to golf. Just the two of us. And it was wonderful. Just one of the little things I love about my dad.

Oh, and I beat him on the front 9. And I pulled off a birdie on 18 to tie him for the round.

Birds or Blossoms?

2009-06-02T20:44:00.003-05:00

The question is, do I leave the nest alone, and let the plant die if necessary? Or upset the pretty little nest and risk the lives of the 5 potential birds sitting among my begonias?

I'm leaning towards leaving the nest alone.

In case anyone is curious, I've been told (by a bird-lovin' friend) that they are probably purple finches.

L-A-O-D-I-C-E-A-N

2009-05-29T23:18:00.004-05:00

I have a bit of a reputation among some of my friends for watching strange sporting events. Of course, I'd argue that they aren't that weird, and some of them aren't really sporting events. I make a point of watching the three races of the Triple Crown and the Little League World Series along with all the other more normal televised events.

One of the other weird ones I typically watch, is the spelling bee. And it just happened to be on tv last night. I owe my pastor and friend back in Sheboygan, Jeff, a big thank you for letting me feel like a spelling champion. Because of multiple messages I've heard at Crossroads (my church in Sheboygan) about being "lukewarm", not only could I spell the championship word (Laodicean), I could also define it AND use it in a sentence.

So, thank you Jeff, for letting me feel like I could have held my own had I been on that spelling bee stage last night. But more importantly, for helping me understand how important it is that I NOT be like the Laodiceans, and not grow lukewarm, complacent, and indifferent in my faith like they did. But instead grow, seeking God more and more everyday, and living the faith I profess.

Bench Makeover

2009-05-28T21:53:00.010-05:00

Last post I gave you the before picture of the ugly stool I found.

Here, in pictures, is the makeover of that very stool. Warning, it got uglier before it got better.

A little scraping of paint...

A little stripping of paint...

I forgot to get a picture of the repainting. Basically just a coat of primer with spray paint, and a coat of gloss black with spray paint.

A little un-upholstering (and revealing even further ugliness!)...

And a little reupholstering...

And the result... a much cuter bench that now resides in my pretty bedroom!

Two Pictures: One Pretty, One Not

2009-05-20T21:49:00.005-05:00

First, the pretty.

Aren't they precious?! Precious is kind of an under-used word. But it kind of reminds me of my grandma when I say it. Not that my grandma says/said it, but it sounds like something A grandma would say. Enough of that, let's just say I've adored this little bouquet for the last few days after picking it up at the Farmer's Market this weekend.

And, the not so pretty.

This little stool was a flea market find this weekend (along with the hubcap in my last post). Too bad it's just plain ugly right now. I feel like it has so much potential. It could be cute! So this is my latest project. Any thoughts on how to clean this baby up? How do I get that white/rusty paint off? (I want it black.) And do I reupholster it black and white? or teal and white? It will eventually find it's way in to my teal/black/white bedroom. Stay tuned. There's sure to be more pictures of the whole pretty-fying process.

I'm not a car girl by any means.

2009-05-17T21:26:00.006-05:00

My somewhat beat up older car with it's quirks is fine with me. I know next to nothing about cars. And I'm not all that impressed by nice cars (although they are fun to ride in Brother!).

So it's a little strange that I have this little wall dedicated to cars in my entry way. But I absolutely love it.

The pictures are a gift from my sweet friend E (Sorry that my picture of the wall is pretty boring.), one of the hubcaps is an awesome roadside find, and the other is one I got a great deal on at a flea market!

Love it!

That Bird? Mine.

2009-05-14T21:01:00.003-05:00

I've claimed this bird as my own. She made herself a nest right above the main entrance to my condo building, which is right outside my door. A couple weeks ago, every time I walked out the door she was spooked and flew to a nearby tree. She'd sit on the branch, just a few yards away, just watching her nest, and watching me. Over the past few days, she's either become even more protective, or has warmed up to me, since she won't leave her nest at all.

I'm choosing to believe it's the latter, and am claiming her as my own little bird.

To my mom...

2009-05-10T21:58:00.003-05:00

who has not only been the best mom I could ask for, but also best friend, example, role model, and woman I know, thank you mom. I love you more than I'm able to say.

Sheboygan = Dead Zone?

2009-04-29T21:15:00.003-05:00

Starting to wonder if my phone doesn't work when making calls to Sheboygan County.... 4 people not returning my calls!

Beautiful Day!

2009-04-24T13:59:00.006-05:00

It's April 24th - a Friday. In Wisconsin. And it's supposed to be over 80 degrees. All of that together means I would be crazy to not take vacation! I decided at about 3:30 on Weds that I'd be taking a day off, and I'm so glad I did!

I've already played some golf, met Nicole, did lunch with Matt, and am now soaking up some sun at the Union. Can't ask for much more.

2009-04-19T13:13:00.000-05:00

"Why are you looking for love, Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough?"

Spring has Sprung!

2009-04-18T17:34:00.006-05:00

This little treasure can only mean one thing...
...the Farmer's Market is back! Today was the first Farmer's Market of the season, and you can bet I was there! This is one of my favorite things about being back in Madison. It was a beautiful spring day here today, which made the walk around the square wonderful! Hot, Spicy Cheese Bread from Stella's Bakery is a must anytime I'm there. Over a pound of hot, melty (and spicy) cheese in this baby - it's amazing!

I also found some pretty little pansies - some of the flowers are half purple and half orange. They made themselves right at home in a cute pot on my porch, right next to my fun new adirondack chair with brightly striped cushion (where I spent some time reading in the sun today).

All of it just screams Spring, and I love it!

A new attempt at Easter eggs

2009-04-16T21:57:00.003-05:00

I know it's a few days late, but here's my attempt at naturally dying Easter eggs this year. Check out what blueberries, grape juice, coffee, turmeric (what you really use turmeric for, I'm not sure), and red cabbage can do!

Don't know that I'd really recommend trying it, it made the house smell kinda crazy, and wasn't all that successful, but it was fun once!

Missin' ya

2009-04-13T22:34:00.002-05:00

Missin' my Sheboygan people tonight. Just feel like I could go for chips and salsa at Chili's (folks in Madison aren't nearly as enamoured with it as all of you are), or the incredibly fast service at El Camino, or just hanging out at Apache or 18th St or Heather Valley... you know who you are.

A New Command

2009-04-11T22:10:00.005-05:00

I've definitely been living a life of busy-ness the past few months. I've kept myself occupied with anything and everything. Most of it good stuff, but "stuff", nonetheless. I've been very good at filling my time, but not necessarily so good and filling my heart.

Holy Week crept up on me this year.

A few weeks ago I posted about the 40 days of water challenge. (Yes, I did it, with just over $100 headed to the Blood:Water Mission. And for those of you who are curious, my first non-water drink on Friday was none other than Diet Coke!) The whole challenge kind of coincided with Lent, but that wasn't really what I was doing it for. I really wasn't in the mindset of anticipating the remembrance and celebration of what Christ did some 2,000 years ago. I've heard other people talk about what they "gave up for Lent," and went on to question their faith in my head, almost chastising them for their sacrifice, but wondering how much of the other 325 day of the year they surrender things to Him. They're ugly, ugly thoughts on my part. I haven't really cared where their heart was, or what pain they were carrying around, or what brought them joy. I've just belittled their way of celebrating the Easter season. And what's uglier to me, is that I've hardly been celebrating it in any way myself.

On Thursday of this past week, at about 3:00 in the afternoon, I realized that my church was having a Maundy Thursday service at 6:00. It hit me that day that Easter was just 4 days away. I did a little schedule juggling and was able to make it to the service. I remembered going to a Maundy Thursday service a time or two before at the church I grew up in, and walked in thinking, yeah, it's the day we remember the "Last Supper." But on Thursday, I learned of another whole part to that last meal that I hadn't put together before. That same night, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, (check out the end of this post for a cool story on that!) and later said to them "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John13:34-35.

Wow.

Love. That's it. That's how they'll know I love Him.

The word Maundy comes from the Latin translation for commandment. So really, this past Thursday we were to remember the new command that Jesus gave on the night before he died on the cross. Simply to love. Sound simple. But is really hard in practice. Lately, I've gotten so caught up in what's going on in my life, and with keeping myself busy, that I haven't loved anyone. Convicted - completely guilty.

Tonight, I remember what He did for me, dying on the cross, because He LOVES me.
Tomorrow, I'll celebrate how He conquered death for me, because He LOVES me.

My Worst vs. Your Best

2009-04-01T21:42:00.006-05:00

"As women, we compare our worst to everybody else's best."

(I'm almost embarrassed to tell you who said this where, but I will, because she's completely right - Marie Osmond on Oprah.)

So true Marie, so true.

When are we going to start appreciating our "bests", rather than obsessing about our "worsts"?

A rant about taxes... but probably not what you're expecting.

2009-03-28T23:53:00.003-05:00

Maybe it's just because so much of my time lately has been spent doing taxes, but the commercials I've seen for Associated Tax Relief, or Taxmasters, really make me angry!

These people (sure, I know they're actors, but that's beside the point) go on camera, smiling about how they "owed the IRS over $135,000, and Associated Tax Relief saved us over $99,000!"

People... if you owe the IRS, you should pay the IRS! The rest of us do! No, not fun to pay taxes, but do you drive on the roads? Do you appreciate the fact that there are police and fire departments that will help you when you need it? Do you use city water? Because you aren't paying your taxes, I'm paying extra so you can use all of those services! I definitely understand the desire to minimize taxes, but once it's determined what you owe, I kind of expect you to pay it!

No Ark Necessary

2009-03-16T22:15:00.002-05:00

I'm 16 days and about $50 in!

(click the picture for more info)

101 Things

2009-03-11T21:01:00.008-05:00

In case you care about this kind of thing (and absolutely no offense taken if you don't - promise!)...

Before the "25 Things" phenomenon on facebook came the "101 Things" trend on blogs. Given that you're reading a blog, and not facebook... here's a list more than 4 times as long as the one you would find on facebook. Hang on, here we go!

At the age of 21, I was served with papers saying I was being sued.
I waited over 4 years to actually go to court for it. I literally shook the whole 50 minutes or so I was on the stand testifying.
The case was thrown out a few hours after I testified - in essence, we won.
I buy celery almost every time I grocery show, sure that this will be the time I eat it all.
I throw it out 9 times out of 10.
I question myself nearly everyday.
I'm fairly sure I'm allergic to shrimp, considering I very nearly threw up on the way to the bathroom at Kiku's in Sheboygan mere seconds after eating it.
I think I could have married the guy I dated senior year of high school. Until the military took him away from me.
I have what some would say is an unhealthy obsession with the news.
Ok, really just with all NBC affiliated news.
I rarely send greeting cards with pre-printed messages in them. If it's an important enough occasion for a card, it's important enough for a personal message.
I hate socks.
I'm a big University of Wisconsin Badger fan.
But my favorite piece of Wisconsin clothing is not red... It's my 5 year old, purple, Wisconsin t-shirt.
I brush my teeth in the shower.
I hate texting.
But when I do, I try to use correct grammar. Commas, periods, apostrophes. All of that.
I enjoy doing taxes.
Punctuality is huge for me. I would rather wait 15 minutes for someone/thing, than make someone else wait 5.
But I wouldn't rather wait because someone else is late. If I'm early, that's fine. If you're late, that's not.
And that doesn't apply to getting to work. I can almost never make it at 8:00. 8:15 is no problem, but 8:00 doesn't work for me.
My blog started as a dare from AD, to see if I could blog as much as JB. I've met JB once, and am fairly certain he doesn't blog anymore.
I love hugs. But none of those weak, one arm type hugs. If you're going to do it, do it right.
I thoroughly enjoy playing with spreadsheets. At work, at home, doesn't matter.
You can call me a geek. I call myself one nearly everyday.
Despite being about 5'11", I wear heels almost everyday. Flats are just no fun.
Unless they are flipflops. Those are definitely fun.
34" would be the perfect inseam length on pants. But almost no one makes those... 33" or 35" sure, but very few 34".
I once got in a major fight with a roommate over a cardboard box.
I could watch almost anything on Bravo, TLC, or HGTV.
Except "Little People, Big World," or "Jon and Kate Plus 8." Just can't get into those shows.
I must have live plants in my house.
I cry at Hallmark and Disney World commercials.
I was on a high school basketball team that went 0-20.
I got a concussion playing high school golf. I was hit in the head with a ball, on the fly, from 130 yards away.
(This won't mean much if you don't golf...) I golfed two whole high school varsity golf seasons without hitting a driver off the tee.
I hate the sound of windshield wipers on a dry windshield.
I sneeze everyday at about 10:00 in the morning. At least 3 sneezes, sometimes up to 6.
I can't drink a margarita that has salt on the rim.
Every place I have lived (with the exception of dorms and apartments in college) has been within a quarter mile of an interstate.
I like the sound of traffic at night.
I was born despising both the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings. It's in my blood.
I have never seen any of the Star Wars movies.
Of The Wizard of Oz. My mom thought it was scary, and never showed it to me as a child.
It wasn't until I was in college that I really even became aware of the movie. But then it became obvious that it was strange that I hadn't seen it.
I have a strange fear of someone coming into my bedroom through the window in the middle of the night.
This started when I had a second story bedroom, with a window that faced a fairly busy street - one with traffic throughout the night. My parents tried hard to convince me that no one would bring a ladder into our front yard with that big of a chance of being seen. It didn't really help.
I hate mashed potatoes.
My life would be a bit more relaxed if I could nap for a half hour everyday.
I'm a INFJ per the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator.
I've sprained my right ankle so many times that I can almost turn it completely sideways without it hurting at all anymore.
That comes in handy when wearing heels in Wisconsin winters.
I love Chinese food. Americanized Chinese food.
I had a dachshund named Roustabout.
My parents had him put to sleep while I was taking a nap one day (I was about 4 years old.) I still bring it up when I want to take a shot at them.
I took my drivers test in a "new" Volkswagen Beetle, 3 months after it first came out. I thought that was my key to passing, even if I didn't really pass.
I cheer for the underdog in nearly every game that doesn't feature the Badgers, Packers, or Brewers.
My favorite pair of flipflops cost me $2.50 at Old Navy 3 and a half years ago. They're still going strong!
I love talk radio.
I genuinely like giving gifts more than receiving them.
Except homemade gifts. Those are great to receive!
Very rarely do I make my bed in the morning.
But I often make it just before getting into it at night.
I attempt the crossword puzzle in the newspaper everyday. I'm patiently waiting for the day I finish one.
I would love to learn how to play the guitar.
It is virtually impossible for me to fall asleep with wet hair.
I can drink white wine, but not red.
Megan the wine girl on my favorite radio show says that's because my palate isn't mature enough yet.
I worked with Megan's husband Dave as a recreation leader at a park for three summers.
During one of those summers, Dave and I helped the kids make homemade root beer, complete with dry ice. We then had the brilliant idea to throw the extra dry ice in the toilet. It smoked for hours. And we ended up staying at the park hours after rec was normally done waiting for the dry ice to disappear.
I really don't like peanut butter and jelly.
Coming up with 101 things is a lot harder than I thought it would be.
I have a picture (painting/print/whatever - not a photograph) of a pig jumping off the end of a pier into water. Absolutely everyone that comes to my place, stops, looks at it, and asks some kind of question. But it makes people smile too.
Nearly every pair of shoes I have comes from Payless. Out of necessity, not frugality. I wear a size 12. No one else sells 12s.
I love me a good fire on a cold night. Just like the one I'm sitting next to as I write this.
The smell of lily of the valley is one of my favorites. It reminds me of the summer days when my mom would cut a few stems, and leave them right next to my bed to fall asleep smelling.
I love that my family uses the same jokes over and over with each other, but still laugh every time. And always follows it up with the line "It's the first time I've heard that one... Today!"
I really want to give up facebook, but can't quite make myself do it yet.
I'm a sucker for a good parade.
The saying "It is what it is," drives me crazy.
Ordering a "tall" coffee at Starbucks drives me crazy too. It's a small, people.
Ever since living in Sheboygan (and having Chili's be the default, out-to-eat restaurant of choice), I can't go there without ordering bottomless chips and salsa. If you haven't had them, do it. They're fabulous.
I wish I was a better cook.
I use the word "perfect" far too often.
I love stale popcorn.
I follow about 15 or so blogs, most of them of people I don't know personally.
Before I was born, my mom painted one whole wall of my room with a huge frog (we're talking 5 feet tall by 5 feet wide), with a rainbow over it. Not exactly sure where the idea came from, but I loved it! I'm a little surprised it didn't scare me.
I used to think I was given my middle name because of the children's librarian at the public library near our house. It took me awhile to realize that my parents probably didn't know the children's librarian until after I was born, and already named.
I often think of my 19 year old brother (7 years younger than me) as my older brother, and often treat him that way. He's one of my best friends.
I will probably always have a soft spot in my heart for Sheboygan. A few of the friends I made there are people that feel like home.
I think the series' Law & Order and CSI have gone too far with their series within a series concept. Enough already.
We had the world's best backyard for slip-n-sliding at the first house I lived in. We're talking a double hill, that was long enough to set up two slip-n-slides end to end. Our house was the place to be on a hot summer day.
At the next house we lived in, we got a pool in the backyard. Another good place to be on a summer afternoon.
My favorite vegetable is broccoli.
My favorite pasta is rotini.
One of my favorite things at my grandma's house was her picture hallway. She had taped hundreds of pictures up on the wall in her hallway, of everyone important in her life. Mostly candid shots with great stories to go with them.
She recently took them all down, and it made me kind of sad.
I went to see Jesus Christ Superstar (with Ted Neely himself!). I was absolutely sure I was being tricked into going somewhere else, and actually got a little suspicious of AD. The whole day was one of the strangest/funniest I've had in a long time. But I'm pretty sure no one else would find the story nearly as entertaining as I do...
I'm a closet Neil Diamond fan. And while I'm admitting it, James Taylor too.
The most overused phrase among people I'm immediately related to is, "What'd you have to give for that?"
For this blog post, about 2 and a half months of effort! This was what I had in mind when I mentioned something about having some kind of special post for the new year on December 30. Was it worth the wait?

Vampire Slayin'

2009-03-03T21:41:00.001-06:00

"Wooden stake to the heart, and a little onion! That's all I need!"

Sure Matt. Garlic. Onion. Same thing.

Solid colors are predictable.

2009-03-02T21:30:00.012-06:00

I've heard my mom describe me as "our safe, predictable" kid. And I've always translated that in my head as "our too responsible, no fun" kid. And to be honest, I have always kind of resented it.

I'm realizing now how right she is.

I like normal.

I like safe.

I like predictable.

And lately, I feel like I've been swimming in a pool of uncertainty, which is not something I deal well with. I like to know what's coming tomorrow. I like to know where I stand with the people in my life. I like to know that the people I love are safe and happy. And it feels like I don't know a lot of those things right now.

So, yes mom, you are right. I may not be as much fun as spontaneity is sometimes, but I think you pretty much know what you're going to get with me.

Another description of me... from my roommate sophomore year of college, describing me to someone else on our floor. She said, "My roommate is the one who always wears solid colors." Just another indicator of the consistency I crave.

Update: A couple "current event" type comments about my desire for normalcy.... 1) I've made myself turn off MSNBC lately because the anxiety all the economic news of late causes isn't treating me well. 2) I would not do well on the Bachelor (not only because of this, but plenty of other reasons as well!). Jason is a dog, a low down dirty dog.

Best. Parking Ticket. Ever.

2009-03-01T21:24:00.004-06:00

Matt and I got surprise, free tickets to the Badger game today (Thanks P & V/K!). We parked in our dad's secret, "Permit Only" parking lot, and no we don't have a permit. After a big win for the Badgers, we came back to the car to find this.

That's one ticket I'll gladly take!

Anxious

2009-02-25T21:02:00.003-06:00

Found this quote today...

"When we reach the end of our strength, wisdom, and personal resources, we enter into the beginning of His glorious provisions."

The anxiety is turned up to high lately. Too close to home (and if I'm honest, probably too silly) to share right now, but... Prayers please.

Strugglin'

2009-02-21T23:08:00.006-06:00

When I posted a couple weeks ago, I pretty much laid myself out there emotionally. And then didn't say any more about it. That's not to say there isn't anything more to say, I've just been trying to figure it all out in my head. And in my heart really. If I'm being honest, and I started down the honesty road already so I may as well keep going, I've got some issues. In particular, big self-worth issues.

I know I'm not the only one that struggles with this stuff, at least I hope I'm not, but not because I want anyone else to have to deal with it, just because I hope I'm not alone in it...

I so often focus on the things that I find wrong with myself, whether it's the way my eyes get all squinty when I smile making every picture of me when I'm truly happy one that I can't stand looking at myself in, of the number on the tag of my jeans, or that tears come to me rather easily. Or I focus on the things that I don't think are all that "wrong" with me, but everyone around me seems to think are. Like the whole being single thing, or that I can only take so much time around people before it wears me out and gets me kinda grumpy.

If I make myself sit down and think about some of the good things about myself, I can get there. Like the fact that I care passionately about the people I love. Or that I have a distinctive laugh that I've been told people recognize and miss when I'm not around. Or that I really am blessed beyond measure.

It just makes me sad that those aren't the things that come to mind most often, or really at all unless I make myself. How do you manage to make the good stuff be the stuff you think of first?

2009-02-19T07:31:00.002-06:00

I've had quite a few "just post a few pictures and call it enough" blog posts lately. I think it's because I'm trying to figure out just how much of myself I want to put out there.

So Sweet

2009-02-15T15:01:00.009-06:00

A sweet (literally!) valentine from my sweet friend Erin, who never lets me forget that she loves me. Thank you E for knowing all the crummy stuff about me, but caring despite it. And thank you for sharing all the good stuff too! I consider you a sister and thank God for you everyday.
I only wish my baking and photography skills were half as good as hers.

Spoons in the Rathskeller

2009-02-10T21:36:00.002-06:00

A couple projects

2009-01-31T15:36:00.014-06:00

I got this mirror a few weeks ago, as a housewarming gift. It was salvaged from a hair salon that was being remodeled. Now, I definitely think every bedroom needs a full length mirror (except on those "ugly" days where you can't find anything to wear!), and my 6' x 2' one fits the bill, but it just wasn't doing it for me as it was.

Enter dad, a few feet of chair rail molding, and a can of black paint.

And you get a much better looking mirror!

Also, note the old medicine cabinet hanging in the hallway outside my closet on the way to the bathroom. Open that mirrored door...
And you get one fun jewelry cabinet!

Am I worth it?

2009-01-26T22:36:00.005-06:00

Here it is, me being vulnerable and throwing it all out there. It's 11:00 on a weeknight, which is close to 1:00 on a weekend (see previous post)....

I just sat in my bedroom with 4 girls from my small group for about an hour. Talking about life plans and God's plans and love stories. And I feel like I have none of it, that I want all of it, and that I'm not worthy of any of it. The Bachelor is taped, waiting for me to watch, but that's probably about the worst thing I could do. I am genuinely happy for the girls who were able to share stories about the awesome things going on in their lives, and the people who have been placed in them. But if I'm being real, I'm also genuinely jealous. And it's a completely hard place to be.

Believe me, I know I've had issues before (and still do, hello!) with feeling like I deserve to be loved, that I deserve to be treated with respect, and that I deserve to be cherished. I've had a man walk all over me for years, and I kept getting up asking for more. I've had a man literally hit me. I've had a man lie to me over and over and I've believed his excuses each and everytime. I've seen real love stories, and many times thought that everyone but me deserved it. And tonight... is one of those times.

I just want a love story! It doesn't have to be movie quality, just give me something real!

I've gotten good at convincing myself and other people that I'm just fine on my own, and that I'm completely happy on my own. When you get deep enough into my heart.... not true. Sure, I can survive on my own, but I don't want to. But then you hit the God issues of does it matter what I want? He gives us the desires of our heart, right? But will He give it to me? Do you love me that much, God? Tonight, I question all of it. I'll cry. I'll toss and turn in bed. I'll get angry. Give me the love story!

And this is all bigger than a man. It's easy to focus on that, because that's so forefront in 20-something's lives. And don't get me wrong, I want all that. I want to be a princess. And I want my prince. But I also want a life that's worth something, that is for something bigger than me, something that is for Him. Put me in a spot where I can do something for you, God. And would you mind giving me a man to do it alongside?

Am I worth it to someone? Am I worth it to You?

2009-01-25T01:02:00.003-06:00

Just feeling kind of crummy about things tonight and the past couple of days. I realize it's 1:00 in the morning, and this hour tends to bring on this kind of funk, and to make it pass the fastest, I should just head straight to bed after a little bit of prayer. Tonight, I'm asking for your prayers as well. No more details right now, they might get shared eventually... when I'm courageous enough to be that vulnerable. But for now, this girl needs a little sleep and a lot of love.

A little bit of sunshine

2009-01-22T18:37:00.006-06:00

I realize it is still January, and I live in Wisconsin, so we're bound to be back to below zero temperatures and inches upon inches of snow soon enough, but today, the sun was out and it was warm enough to drive with my window cracked a bit!

The scenery and photography isn't great, but I just thought I'd share a little bit of it with you.

I'm going to enjoy it while I can!

**Updated with a pretty (albeit blurry) snow picture. Much better than the dirty, slushy snow in the picture above!

YOUR Inauguration thoughts?

2009-01-20T21:27:00.002-06:00

Come on people... tell me what you're thinking. Did you watch? Are you hopeful, excited, worried, scared? Anything?? Any favorite moments?

My favorite shot of the day had to be right after the inaugural address, when Sasha looked up at her dad giving him a thumbs up. Just a sweet father/daughter moment, that happened to be shared with the entire nation, and much of the world.

A few Inauguration Day thoughts

2009-01-20T09:55:00.011-06:00

What kind of gift could Michelle Obama have brought to Laura Bush in that pretty white box with a bright red ribbon?
What were Maila and Sasha up to all morning? (I'm a sucker for the family story.)
As Bush and Obama rode in that crazily armored car on the way to the Capitol, what could they have possibly been talking about? Weighty stuff or small talk?
I don't really remember hearing the "peaceful exchange of power" phrase before, but it is a pretty remarkable thing that one man, representing one party, willingly (well, at the will of the people) hands over leadership of the most powerful country in the world to another man, representing a different political party. In other parts of the world, that control isn't passed in such a friendly way.
How does the whole move into and out of the White House happen? That's a big place to empty out in a short time.
H.W. Bush could have done better than the bright yellow turtleneck and purple sweater. And I don't say that only because I can't stand the Vikings. Michelle Obama, on the other hand, is in her green (gloves) and gold. Hmm.... Packer fan from Chicago?!
I love it that Malia Obama pulled out her own camera to start taking pictures. I bet she'll have access to some great ones, but at 10, it's so much more fun to take your own.
Barack Obama looks so incredibly calm, in the face of some huge challenges facing this country. His demeanor alone makes me feel a little better.
The majority of the million or so people crowding the National Mall today won't hear a word that is said or see a thing that is happening (aside from on screen). But they are still there, weathering the cold, purely out of excitement and hope for what happens today. That's cool.
Interesting that the oaths for President and Vice President are so different.
The ceremony and pageantry are over. The real work begins. Regardless of your political tendencies, can we all agree to hope and pray for the best for our country and new president?

A day off of work

2009-01-20T08:20:00.002-06:00

and on the couch.

Here's where I'll be spending (much of) my day off. On the couch, www.msnbc.com on the laptop, NBC or MSNBC on tv, watching all things inauguration. Yes, you read that right. I took a day of vacation to watch Barack Obama being sworn in as president. I'm completely excited about it - him, the pageantry, the historical value, the promise, all of it! The optimism and hope Obama has inspired is exciting and much needed. My prayer is that it continues. He's not going to make this country turn the corner on his own, but hopefully will inspire each of us individually to adopt an attitude of service and responsibility for doing our part.

Stay tuned, might be more to come later.

I wish I had a decent title...

2009-01-14T21:21:00.006-06:00

It felt like a scene out of a movie. And I wish I could describe it more eloquently than I think I will, but here goes nothing anyway.

After work tonight I had plans to meet a girl from my life group (we'll call her R for the sake of her anonymity) for coffee, mostly as a "get to know you" type meeting. We've hung out together on Monday nights for a few months now, and knew each other at a pretty surface level. I won’t even try to tell you I know her real well even now, but it was nice to at least be able to start to open up and share a little more of my heart with her. We shared some of our struggles trying to find community at the point in life we’re both at. And asked some of the harder questions, that aren’t answerable over coffee for two hours, but somehow feel better just by getting them asked.

We sat chatting at our table, just a few feet away from two other women, who looked to be in their 30’s, sharing a glass of wine, chatting and laughing themselves. Without knowing anything about them, and I could completely be making this up because it’s the way I want the story to go, but it seemed to be two girlfriends catching up after work.

Just behind R sat a man and woman, who didn't draw much attention at first. At some point during our conversation, they must have gotten up, and walked past us, as R suddenly stopped talking and looked over my shoulder. The rest of the story as far as I can tell it, comes solely from the play-by-play I got from R and the two wine-drinking women sitting near us, as I couldn't turn around and look. The woman who was initially with the man, ended up sobbing in the arms of two girlfriends, as the man who was with her walked out the door. We don't know the story behind the tears, but came to a few broad conclusions based on a few phrases heard through the tears, and his quick exit. Thankfully the two other women were there to comfort her, offer hugs, and help dry her tears.

The three relationships found in this small coffee shop/wine bar tonight offered such a cool glimpse into the kinds of friendships I think we all look for at different points in life from different people. On one end, I completely enjoyed my spot in the get to know you type talk with a new friend. It's a fun place to be, just trying to figure relationships out. At the other extreme, I'm so grateful for the girlfriends who I can call when I'm on the verge of tears, yet know it's completely safe to totally fall apart with. And in the middle, some days I just need the girlfriends with whom I can share a glass of wine and chat about the little things going on in life, without the fear of sharing too much too early, or the energy it takes to be completely vulnerable.

Tonight, I'm thankful for the friends I have. All of you. The new, the old, the girls, the guys, the "shoot the shit" friends, and the "bare my soul" friends. I love you all.

And just because song lyrics are fun... "Thank you for being a friend, Traveled down the road and back again, Your heart is true you're a pal and a confidant. And if you threw a party, invited everyone you knew, You would see the biggest gift would be from me, And the card attached would say thank you for being a friend."

I've jumped...

2009-01-13T22:02:00.004-06:00

...on the Golden Globe bandwagon.

Nicole and I went to see Slumdog Millionaire tonight. It's the 4th movie I've seen in the last three weeks (Valkyrie, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and Doubt round out the list), and I have to say I think it was the best.

It was adorable, heartbreaking, intense, funny, and almost tear-inducing all at the same time. It's strange to think of Who Wants to be a Millionaire forming the basis of an award winning film, but it completely works. Apparently the movie hasn't been released in India yet. It'll be interesting to see the reaction to the film there. It shows the worst parts of the country (at least what I hope are the worst parts...), but also shows characters who are fairly happy in their situation, and is ultimately a story of love and promise and hope. And all of that because of a game show!

Definitely one to check out - It was worth the $8.75 (Can you believe that?!) to see it.

Weekend Update

2009-01-11T20:56:00.005-06:00

I got back from Sheboygan around 3:30 this afternoon. It was a whirlwind trip, trying to see as many people as possible, in about 24 hours. Despite a lot of running around, it was a great weekend. It was one of those that I wish I had pictures of to remember it by (well, there is one picture), but I'm glad that I didn't interrupt the time connecting with people and enjoying their company to take pictures.

I got into town at around 1:00 on Saturday, did lunch with Tracy and did a lot of catching up and some heart sharin'. From there I ran over to Carrie's to catch up on what's going on with all the people from work. Headed over to Erin's to do a lot more girl talkin', some laughing, some crying, and got some much needed hugs. Then went to the BSHC III - partied a little with all the accounting/finance people from work, and everyone connected with the an accounting/finance person even remotely. It was a great way to catch up with a bunch of people (probably about 40 of them there) fast. Although I did get cursed a few times for leaving a job that apparently no one wants, and is sill pretty much waiting to be filled. From there, Erin, Bry and I left to catch a late movie, and yes, we were those somewhat obnoxious girls talking in the theater right up until the actual movie started. (If you're still reading this, I'm impressed!) Erin and I went back and caught up a little more, and went to bed way too late, and also woke up way too late this morning for church! At Crossroads, I got to catch up with a bunch more people, and catch a service at my old home church. And finally, Tara, Erin, Bry and I all went to lunch - at Chili's of course! Our favorite place in Sheboygan!

Here's the one picture I have from the entire weekend - two of my favorite girls from my old home!

Bry and Erin (Hopefully they won't care that this picture is up here! Let me know if you do mind girls!)

And on a little more personal note from this weekend...

As I was driving through town yesterday, in the place I had lived for 3 years, I was completely at peace with my decision to move back to Madison. It was great to visit, and so nice to have people to see and places to stay, but it was also nice to come home tonight. It's right here. And I'll sleep well tonight.

Unwrapped!

2009-01-11T18:37:00.002-06:00

As promised, here's the after!

The whole idea was my "favorite things" (Not nearly as good as Oprah's old favorite things episodes!) for my favorite people. Thus the "brown paper packages tied up with string..... these are a few of my favorite things."

Under Wraps...

2009-01-10T10:14:00.004-06:00

I'm heading to Sheboygan today to see a bunch of friends, make a stop at Crossroads, and deliver a fun Christmas present!

Here's just a glimpse at the "before" for you (and her, because she does occasionally make an appearance at the blog!). Stay tuned to see the "after!"

Is this a joke?

2009-01-09T18:58:00.000-06:00

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/28530958/

Sort of embarrassed about this...

2009-01-09T18:11:00.002-06:00

I got sucked into (no pun intended!.... Ok, maybe it was intended but I didn't want to admit it) reading Twilight. It's kind of hard for me to admit that I'm reading (and enjoying) a vampire love story. When I opened it on Christmas Eve, my 19 year old brother asked to look at it, and saw that my version of the book features an "Exclusive Poster Inside!" Matt (and most of you) will be happy to know that I have not hung the poster anywhere at home or at work. It remains securely inside the back of the book. But I have to say… the story is good. I have not, however, fallen madly in love with Edward the vampire.

I get it. He's gorgeous. And he adores Bella. And he does all those sweet things I dream of one day having a man do for me. But he's still a vampire! I don't know that I'd be able to get over that part of him. I understand it's this whole theme of looking past differences and accepting the baggage and crap that comes with everyone. Lord knows I have enough of my own. But having some kind of primal urge to kill me? I think I'd have a hard time getting past that one...

If you care...

2009-01-07T21:16:00.003-06:00

I wish I had something more significant to say today, but this means something to me...

3-0 in the Big Ten! Nice start Badgers!

AND...

There's a new Top Chef on tonight.

These two things combined are enough to make me happy tonight.

2009-01-05T20:32:00.004-06:00

My dad, who is a football watching, meat and potatoes type guy, called me tonight and told me I should watch Superstars of Dance, that it was amazing.

THAT is why I love you dad!

A Lorfeld Christmas tradition

2009-01-02T22:56:00.003-06:00

It's a bit of a tradition in my family to do a puzzle over the Christmas/New Year's week. Normally, this is something my dad and I do together. This year we did that (we're actually still in the process), but I set my own dining table up as puzzle central as well. The problem is, once I start, I can't stop... Here's what I accomplished over about 3 nights (no, not all in a row!) this past week.

To 2009:

2009-01-01T11:18:00.003-06:00

"Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man."

-Benjamin Franklin

"One resolution I have made, and try always to keep, is this: To rise above the little things."

-John Burroughs

"We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives... not looking for flaws, but for potential."

-Ellen Goodman

Goodbye '08, Hello '09.

2008-12-30T20:59:00.001-06:00

I feel like the end of the year deserves some sort of attention on this here little blog, but I'm still trying to figure out exactly how to commemorate it. Stay tuned.

Balance.

2008-12-27T00:56:00.003-06:00

Walking into my place tonight, arms full with boxes given to me by people who completely love me, I couldn't help but get frustrated when I had to lean just the right way to get my keys out of my pocket by myself, and get the door open, stumbling in the dark because there was no way I would be able to flip the light switch. I couldn't help but notice the quiet here, with no one else changing out of the holiday clothes to get comfy and ready for bed. No one else to laugh about the funny things we talked about during the day.

The holidays tend to do this to me, and I'm struggling to find the balance between enjoying the reason we celebrate, and just wishing it were over so life would be back to normal, and I wouldn't feel quite so UN-normal.

2008-12-25T14:09:00.004-06:00

Wishing you a Merry Christmas!

Hope you have a chance to relax and enjoy time with those you love.

"The sun cannot compare to the glory of your love; There is no shadow in Your presence; No mortal man would dare to stand before your throne; Before the Holy One of heaven; It's only by your blood and it's only through your mercy; Lord I come.

I bring an offering of worship to my king; No one on Earth deserves the praises that I sing; Jesus may you recieve the honor that you're due; O Lord I bring an offering to you; I bring an offering to you."

Christmas Projects

2008-12-17T21:41:00.004-06:00

A few of the projects that have been happening around here lately... Some gifts (so act surprised if you get one!) and the annual Christmas card that finally went out in the mail today!!

2008-12-17T20:48:00.003-06:00

If you've read much of this blog, you'd know I'm a fairly big political freak. I'm really not informed enough on New York politics to have an opinion on Caroline Kennedy's qualifications as a senator, but on the day she announced her intentions to petition for the seat, I thought this video was pretty cool.

Thankfully I have a dad who has always told me I could do and be anything I want to too.

Great night

2008-12-16T00:13:00.003-06:00

This will likely not be exciting for anyone but me, but I just got home from a FABULOUS night with friends from Blackhawk - small group, crashing Study Day worship at Blackhawk (not really crashing, we were invited, but it was definitely mostly college students who looked exhausted from studying :( ), and a drink and great conversation at Eno Vino. So needed that. Thanks guys.

Update on the snake...

2008-12-11T22:47:00.002-06:00

Since the post about the snake has gotten the biggest response of all posts lately, I thought I'd give you an update....
Via comments and phone calls, the vote so far is:

3 votes against the snake
1 vote for the snake (with a fairly long phone call in support of it)
1 vote for a dog

Now for the most important vote of all, mine, I vote against the snake, and for a dog... in a few months. I'm not trying to house-train a dog during a Wisconsin winter! Eventually there will be a puppy here, along with a ton of pictures on the blog.

2008-12-08T22:25:00.002-06:00

My brother just offered me $2 rent per month to keep a snake (preliminarily named Sam, Sam the Snake) at my house. The offer quickly increased to $12, which he said was "3 times his orignal offer." No, don't worry, your math isn't wrong, his is. And no, don't worry, the snake will not be showing up at my place.

Two fun things I love about my family...

2008-12-08T21:44:00.003-06:00

1) I love that all four of us, in three different houses tonight, on four different TVs, watched the same show, and called each other within 10 minutes saying pretty much the same thing - "This show is hilarious!" The L's love them some Boston Legal! Too bad tonight is the series finale! :(

2) I love that last night, while picking out our Christmas tree and taking our annual Christmas card picture at the tree lot, we managed to have enough fun to make a scene and have everyone wondering what was going on. (We even got a decent picture out of it!) And then had some fun with our waiter at Applebee's - enough that he started taking cheap shots at us while bringing us our order. I'm sure if I tried to tell the story here, it wouldn't come across nearly as funny as it really was, so I won't try, but I'm thankful for those nights where we can just completely enjoy each other's company and senses of humor.

Christmas Tree Pictures!

2008-12-08T19:47:00.020-06:00

The prospect of being snowed (or iced) in tomorrow has calmed me down a little and given me some room to breathe. I'm sure I'll be checking my work email throughout the day, but the fact that I'll be home has helped me feel like I can get a few of the things on my personal to-do list done during the day. It bummed me out that decorating my tree seemed like a chore this year, when it's something I normally love to do. Tonight, in my relaxed, breathing easier mood, the tree is now looking a little more like Christmas to me. Just a warning that it's not really your traditional Christmas tree, but when it comes to Christmas, I'm much more a pink and lime green girl than red and green!

Christmas Tree in my living room.

Jingle bell tree in my bedroom.

And a picture from the Christmas tree lighting I missed in Sheboygan!

And just because shoes are fun....

Fathers and Daughters

2008-12-07T20:20:00.003-06:00

I experienced the amazing way a dad loves his child today. First, my own dad did some pretty amazing things, and let's just say he loves me in a way I really don't deserve. His generosity and willingness to help me when it's not always convenient for him are such an example of his selfless love for me.

Then, when I was working at Pier 1 this afternoon, a younger dad came in with his daughter who looked to be about 5 years old. They were carrying a basket, filled with pink and purple ornaments. They were playing with the stocking stuffers, ringing jingle bells, and finding ideas for their tree. I approached them to see if they needed any help, and somehow the conversation turned to their "life situation." He told me how this was their first Christmas "on their own," as he put it, and were looking to find ornaments for a tree since they didn't have any anymore. I helped them find a few things they were looking for, but then couldn't stop watching from afar as they continued shopping. I realize that part of being a parent is doing these everyday things with your kids, but I couldn't help but see how much he loved this little girl, seemed to enjoy being in Pier 1 (as a 3o-ish year old guy, that isn't the usual reaction we get in our store), and was making this fun for his daughter. I just wish I could have watched longer.

Need a smile?

2008-12-06T23:11:00.006-06:00

A little progress is being made on getting my house ready for Christmas! Today the Christmas music was on, the tree and Nativity went up, and I took some Christmas card pictures.

After taking about 20 pictures hoping to find one that would work for the card, I was definitely having one of those "Wow, every picture of me looks like crap," days. And those kinds of thoughts tend to start to spiral fast. In the process of running a few errands, I stopped at the gas station. Today, in addition to my caffeine boost, I got myself a little much needed self-esteem boost too. The sweet girl working at the Citgo just stopped in the middle of my transaction, smiled at me, and said "Your hair looks really pretty!" I realize how simple that sounds, but she made my day. I hope someone made you smile today.

21 days

2008-12-03T22:30:00.006-06:00

...until Christmas. And I'm not at all in the mood. I realize it's not about the lights, or the tree, or the fun pink wreath I have. It's not about the shopping, or the songs on the radio. But all of that stuff that provides a little atmosphere always makes it easier for me to start focusing on the real reason we celebrate. I often get so wrapped up in the to-do lists, that I miss the miracle of the baby Jesus. And even more so, I lose my focus on the grown-up Jesus. At this point, this is as far as I've gotten on getting my house ready for Christmas.

I'm praying I'll do a little better at getting my HEART ready for Christmas.

What's your favorite late night snack?

2008-12-02T21:57:00.006-06:00

If you ever lived in the dorms at UW-Madison, you probably recognize this box.

A late night order from Ed's or Carson's and one of these babies shows up at your door. This particular box showed up at my door on Sunday night, thanks to my little brother living in the dorm, experiencing the deliciousness that is Juston Sticks himself, and remembering how much I said I liked them!

I got to enjoy some myself the past few days, thanks to an order from Matt big enough to give me leftovers for a couple nights! (*Update: I realize how gross this may look in the picture. Trust me, they're wonderful.)

Thanks Brother! Love you!

Random....

2008-12-01T22:19:00.004-06:00

...but not insignificant.

1) Text message I got from my dad tonight that made me laugh out-loud: "I feel like a champion triathlete, I just completed the xword, sudoko and the kakuro!" Love that!

2) The cost of buying all items in The Twelve Days of Christmas this year: $86,609. Up 10.9% from last year. One question... how do you determine the cost of "Lords-a-leaping"? Ok, maybe this one was insignificant.

3) Looking for a little advice/accountability on this one. I'm having a rough time holding grudges lately. There are a few people in my life I feel like I need to have a real heart-to-heart with. And that's definitely a tough thing for me to do...

4) Lonely seems to be a very real feeling for me lately. And it's a bummer.

2008-12-01T07:34:00.001-06:00

Just a short post wishing you a Happy December 1st. I know the month always flies by for me with a ton of craziness (all of it fun, but crazy nonetheless), but I'm hoping you and I both get a chance to slow down a bit and enjoy it.

Was it worth it?

2008-11-29T22:13:00.003-06:00

A couple stories of Thanksgiving-time/Black Friday craziness...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/29/business/29walmart.html?bl&ex=1228107600&en=95e0984e8f92cc7c&ei=5087%0A
Was it worth it to get your $30 digital picture frame, or whatever the big deal this year was? Don't get me wrong, I'm all about the Black Friday shopping - you can definitely find good deals. But I don't know that it's ever worth someone's life. I think the most outrageous part of this whole story is the comments made by shoppers as they left the store. "I've been in line since yesterday morning." First of all, that's nuts. At least enjoy your Thanksgiving. Second, a man died. Let's show a little class.

http://www.madison.com/tct/news/316235
Yes, this happened at the Pier 1 store I worked at. I was "on-call" to work that night, and Thank God I wasn't called in to work. While I don't know specifics on what this was "worth" to the man who did it, let's just say, I'm quite positive it wasn't financially worth it.

Hope your Thanksgiving was restful, and relatively uneventful. But let me know if you got any good deals/finds on your shopping trips!

2008-11-25T22:23:00.005-06:00

A big thing happened this weekend....

I went to the library, got a new library card, and even checked two books out.

So you're saying to yourself, what's the big thing that happened this weekend Katrina?

If you've ever visited my place in person, you've likely seen something like this:

(that picture doesn't really do it justice...)

Let's just say I have this thing about buying books and making them my own. In the spirit of putting myself on a bit of a budget, I decided that the book buying fund was one that could get cut. At least until I read all of those sitting double-stacked on those shelves. Until then, to the library I go when I need that "new book" fix!

Hey E - see that black box on the low shelf?! ;)

Can you help a girl out?

2008-11-17T22:40:00.004-06:00

I've been given the task/honor/job of hosting Thanksgiving Day appetizers next week (it's coming so fast!), mostly because the family that is coming to town wants to see my new place. Let's just say I have a lot to get done in the next 9 days (cleaning and unpacking in addition to a lot going on at work!), and I'm not much of a cook. Does anyone have any good/easy/ delicious/impressive recipes I could try??? Help me out if you have anything! If I get any recommendations, I promise there will be pictures and a story of the whole process - it should be entertaining! Thanks in advance!

Refrigerator Love

2008-11-17T22:29:00.006-06:00

I realize it seems strange that 1) I'm taking pictures of my refrigerator, and 2) that I'm posting them on the blog. But what I see there has made me smile more and more by the day lately.

Those 5 cards you see there are from some pretty special people in my life, and three of them have been added in just the last two days! One is from grandma, one is from Nicole (my best friend in Madison whose made an appearance or two on the blog in both name and picture), one is from Kellie (mentioned in the last post!), and two are from Erin (one of my sisters from Sheboygan who is missed a ton and who deserves a shout-out on the blog because she's a fairly consistent commenter here on FF&TNP). Thanks for the mail girls! Anymore that comes will definitely find a place up there!

(Notice the two other little fun things - a penguin gel-cling thing that T (my "little sister" in Sheboygan will be getting in the mail soon herself) and the Badger Basketball schedule!)

One other note on the lame/strange picture... you know every blog post that has a picture automatically gets a little better than one that doesn't!

Met Baby Langdon

2008-11-16T22:01:00.003-06:00

Tonight I spent about an hour over at Kellie and Nate's meeting the first baby to be born to my high school circle of friends. It's always nice to hold a tiny baby (6 days old in this case!), but it was just as nice to be able to catch up with his parents. First off the baby details - Langdon Joseph was born last Monday morning, close to 8 pounds, and perfect in every way. Mom's doing great, even to the point of having him out and about a little. He even went to his first Packer Party today, and saw a good win!

I feel bad saying this, and it isn't meant to take anything away from the miracle that is the baby, but I almost needed the time to catch up with Kellie and Nate more than to see Langdon. Is that completely selfish of me?

Kellie and Nate, despite the fact that I don't see them all that often, are fabulous friends. They know what's going on in your life, and remember and think to ask questions about how specific things are going. They're genuinely interested, and can balance their 6 day old child with caring about friends. It was great to see the cool things happening in their life with their beautiful baby, and really good to have them as friends in my own life.

83 cents of bliss

2008-11-13T21:24:00.004-06:00

It's about the little things lately. Slippers, just sitting down on the couch, my fabulous gas fireplace that lights up with a fun little sound the moment I flip the switch, and....

Genuine Diet Faygo Redpop! This little grocery store find has made my night the last few days. It's the little things.

Operation Condo Update

2008-11-08T22:20:00.011-06:00

Closing on the condo was October 14th. Today is November 8. Here's the progress that has been made!

Living and Dining room (also where most of the unpacking is happening!)

Green kitchen - I love it! My mom and I found the square art over the sink (that you can't see) today on our marathon shopping trip down in Schaumburg, and I LOVE it in this spot. I'm not sure that the picture does it justice, but it completely ties in the vases and fun colored plates above the cabinets.

Hallway to the bedrooms, just wanted a picture of the fun rug we got at Ikea today.

Spare bedroom - there's a place just waiting for you all to come visit! The room is painted pink and gray, and just feels pretty glam. Still a lot of unpacking to do here, but I love how fun it looks.

My bedroom! So happy to have my own bed again! And the black wrought iron against the blue works.

I'm definitely excited about the whole condo thing, and having a place of my own. But I'm having some mixed emotions about the whole doing it on my own part. I've prided myself on being on my own, and being able to handle things without help (i.e. a man!), and there are days where it's easy to remember that and be ok with it. And there are days where it's so hard. The days when I moved boxes in on my own, making 10 trips down to my car, without someone to help hold the door, or another set of hands to help carry the awkward stuff. Yesterday was one of those days. Today has been better, and I'm thankful that I can lay on my couch, watching trashy tv, having popcorn that I don't have to share!

2008-11-03T22:01:00.002-06:00

VOTE
tomorrow (if you haven't already)!

I definitely have my own (strong) political opinions, but I feel even more strongly about exercising my right to vote. Your vote counts. It matters. Get informed. It is your responsibility. Stand in line as long as it takes. Make sure your voice is heard. Get out and vote!