would you rather...?

I would rather wash 100 plates and bowls than 30 forks, spoons, knives or utensil.
but I have lots of styrofoam plates and only metal silverware.

I would rather take 7 100-question multiple choice tests than write a 4 page essay.
but I am majoring in history and not geography.

I would rather bake, cook, clean, and make gifts for people all day than go to school.
but I am a college student and not Mrs. Clause.

I would rather be sleeping right now than writing this bloggie.
but I can't get to sleep and just now realized I should go read my Bible.

Nightie-night

sh-sugar town

I've become pretty much obsessed with my sock monkey Christmas pj's from Target that my mama gave me last December, wearing them almost every night. They are flannel with a button up top complete with pockets and also have Christmas trees around them...totally dorky, but i love 'em!

So, when I went into Target last week and saw their flannel pajama sets on display, I was ecstatic! I can't decide the ones I would like the most this Christmas: eskimo girls that look straight outta It's a Small World, owl covered, or puppies with presents and bows...

:) well, now I know what to put on my Christmas list along with a new phone

Papa

Last week, I had a really awesome dream. Like maybe even the second best dream of my life!

I was wading around in the ocean.
I look around, and some of my family is there- my mom, brother, and two grandpas...others like maybe my dad but I can't remember.
Suddenly I realize that my Grandpa Buster has gone too far out and is about to drown.
I'm the closest one to him, so I swam over and got him to shore.
As we stood on the beach he said "Thank you so much, Jenn-ay" (no lie, my Papa Buster's Arkansas accent has always sounded a bit like Forest Gump.)
I was overwhelmed by happiness- my Grandpa Buster started developing alzheimer's about 10 years ago; it's been at least 5 years since he's called me by my name without having to be told who I am.
So, the rest of the dream I just sobbed with joy while my Grandpa hugged me. [good thing my roommates are gone, cause I've started crying as I'm retelling this]

I've never really known my grandpa that well at all; my grandma (his wife) died about 15 years ago, he always had a big sense of humor but I remember him being more quiet. I feel like this man I know now who doesn't know me isn't really my grandfather, but more like a shadow sometimes mimicking my Grandpa Buster's kindness and humor. His wife was 'Catholic' (but I don't ever remember her going to church) and I don't think he knew/ knows Jesus.

It is something with I struggle with- these last years of his life seem like he's being cheated out of the chance to love the God Who made and loves him, Jesus Who died for him, and being with the Holy Spirit...but I know that he had also been given 70ish years to accept salvation. I'm left wondering why this happens, where my Papa really is, and where he is going once he dies. Through this though, I know I have to place more faith in my God that is so much bigger than me.

photography? photography.

Ever since high school, I've wanted to try photography. I can't get over how pictures can display beauty through someone's unique perspective-I always wanted to show others a new way to look at something through photographs I had taken. I just assumed that photography was easy- just view and snap. Not much thought, more feeling out what you want to take a picture of. In the last couple of years, I've realized how wrong I was.

Two weeks ago my amazing friend Ashley offered herself as a professor for a sorta Photgraphy101 class for Jessie, Christie, Andrew, and I!

Our first week, we learned about composition, and we were given our first assignment: focus on compostion while taking pictures of red subjects. In true Flagstaff style our class+Adriane met beneath the shade of some trees on north campus to share and critique our photographs. I LOVED everyone's photos- it was so neat to see what subjects they chose and how they captured them! Overall, I was pretty proud of my final products...so here they are:

Obviously I had the honor of 'working with' my incredible and beautiful roomie, Adriane. As of our last class meeting, Adriane has joined as a student and I can't wait to see what her photos will look like!

*warning: when getting your pics printed, the store you go to may cut off the edges of your photos. I had to learn this the hard way :[ and haven't yet found out how to prevent this unfortunate occurance

beddie-time blog

Yep, it's 11:05 Sunday night and I am sick- not just sick as in coo', but cold virus kind too. I should be resting but I don't wanna. I wanna write, right now.
*****Halfway thru writing this, I realize it's pretty much a journaling of my wkend. If nothing else, read the parts proceeding the astriks, they're the realll important stuff! *note: pictures hopefully up tomorrow

So today's bloggie will be about my weekend, which started Thursday at 5:15 after my last class for the week. I came home and waited around for one of my freshman year besties to arrive for birthday celebrations to commence for her in our room. What I thought would be a pleasant evening hanging out and watching a movie ended up being a 20ish minute visit before her and my roomate drove off into the sunset to get Taco Bell...I was a little confused but figured whatever-- it's her birthday and if that's what she wants to do, ain't no whipped cream off my sundae.

So once 7:30 rolled around Adriane and I headed off to IV large group.

*****One of my bffs/mentor, Ashley, spoke and it was great- her humor & heart for God and NAU students shone through as she talked about listening for and recognizing God's voice by discussing what Jesus talks about in John 10:1-21. She spoke truth and explained how it should be applied to our lives specifically. I really can't believe I get to be friends with such a cool kid!
From large group I got to longboard on over to Starbucks, the post-large group hang out. This week I got to hang out with some favs while sitting on the newly added patio around an extended table as my newest bff, Jon Watson, smoked his cancer-loving pipe (that I love and despise at the same time.)

Thursday night was also a planned sleepover at my amazing friend Jessie's apt, where 10 girls slept over after 'the boy' left. There was fun girl talk and I even got the privilege of being J.Fo's bed-buddy. After 5& 1/2 hrs of sleep I awoke to "I woke up wishing I was dead" coming from Jessie's phone but loved it. Slowly everyone ended up in the bedroom, beginning with Ashley-the-early-riser. She tried convincing me to cancel all my wkend plans to head down to Tuscon with her and half my other close friends but I just felt like I couldn't.

*****That morning I had choco-chip pancakes and eggs with some of the most beautiful women you could ever hope to meet :}

Friday was a lunch date with the roomies at the OG, followed by shopping at Old Navy. Friday night was another girls' night with Adriane and 2 of my favorite sophmores, complete with a viewing of "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants". Loved it!

Saturday my roomates shunned me, I had to watch a ridiculous movie for my Rel. class, but Saturday night was truly wonderful! *****Homemade spaghetti sauce, bread, and spaghetti with some amazing "Flagstaff family"...Aziel said the Tuscon ppl were really missing out and I realized I really did need this Flagstaff weekend. After dinner we went to my 1st NAU hockey game and I loved it. Then back to our room for pazookie and "Hitch". Jon Watson and Jessica S. (who I haven't seen all yr!) both came :)

Today: After 5ish hours of sleep, went to my NorthPoint, had lunch with a ton of random NP peeps and then got to have TCBY with the other members of the trio from last yr+ Adriane.

***********May your next weekend be as magical as this one has been for me**************

*bloggies to watch out for next (and by next I mean actually soon): my Illinois Roadtrip, the Movement, my first Bible studies of this year

Because Sometimes Giving Into Peer Pressure Is a Good Thing

***warning: i just found out how to add more than one photo to a post, so i may have went a little overboard

well, you asked me to craft a new blog, so here it is

[and by "you" i mean my lone reader/ follower, adriane]

and since all the cool kids make up neat lists on their bloggies, i wanna make one too:
My 2009 Summah To Do Fun List~

*Chapter Camp *

last year was incredible...i think i could actually write an autobiographical, teen best seller trilogy about it: the journey there, my experiences at chapter camp, and my life post chapter camp '08. hmmmm...i like the sound of this- good thing i have a blog as a sorta public idea notebook!

so yeah, i can't wait to see how God will work this time :}

*Disneyland ??? *

this year you get into the happiest place on earth for free on your birthday, and i really wanna be riding 'it's a small world' (without hearing Christmas carols) on may 21st this year!

so my dear friend ashley and i began dreaming up a trip to the park for our birthday, but with scheduling conflicts that got thrown out the window by the end of last semester....

then more recently my pal timmy got my hopes up when he volunteered to go with me. we even started really planning things out, but tim can be lame and the trip too expensive...

so now i am trying to convince my mommy to take me to disneyland as a birthday present and heartwarming mother-daughter trip. i love spending time with my mommy and still think the trip would be fun, but i am preparing myself for the strong probability of not hanging out with mickey, the world famous mouse, this cumpleanos...

*chillaxin with my family*

i am a homebody- like i really enjoy just spending a friday night at home watching a movie with my mommy, daddy, and little brudda as much as going out with friends.

*interning at my church back home in phoenix, Chaparral Christian Church*

i really love my church, have grown up there (starting in 5th grade,) and i can't wait to get to serve even more there. i don't actually know waht i'll be doing as an "intern", but i'm hoping to get to work with the youth group(jr. and sr. high) and get to sit in on some teachers'/ leaders' meetings maybe!

*lots of babysitting jobs*

since my internship won't be paid and will prob take up most of my day, i'm hoping for some paid babysitting opportunities to make some spending $$$

*visiting friends in flag*

at least a couple weekends outta the summer i want to be able to come up and hang out with my friends staying flagstaff

friends like ashley and stephanie, once they return from their world travels, and friends like brookie-ookie, and friends like timmy daniel...and hopefully adriane and i can come visit at the same time

*finally getting to meet my youngest cousin*

Sedona Adams was born last april and i still haven't got to see her in person. plus, the visit to colorado will mean getting to see uncles and aunts i haven't seen since last may and even my high school graduation party!

*visiting with high school friends*

we have grown apart since i gradutated, but i still love hanging out when a couple of us are home

*vbs*

yep, i love being a "teacher" or "helper" at CCC's vbs. i may not love getting up at 7am for a week or trying to clean out corn starch- h2o goop from carpet and giant tubs, but i absolutely love the little kiddos that come :]

*kids' fine arts camp*

apparently CCC also wants to have this for the vbs-age kids. i love arts and crafts, so count me in!

*being a counselor kids camp in sedona*

i look forward to this as much as chapter camp. CCC rents out a beautiful (but practically spider and skunk infested,) camp ground for a week for 2nd-6th graders to come to. a lot of work and waking up by 7, but it's incedible to just hang out with these guys, and i especially love worshiping with the kids

*getting tan*

hard to believe considering that i'm now whiter than casper, but when i was little people thought i was a sun-bleached blonde, blue-eyed mexican child because i was so tan

*longboarding as much as possible!*

despite the soul-crushing heat of phx

*completing my summer reading list and movie list*

you'll just have to tune in later to find out what's on those :}

....now i know why they make lists on these things, it's a fun mental organizational activity!

LOVE

i have decided that i love love.
[warning, i shall be using the word 'love' a lot in this bloggie]


i used to think/ worry about whether or not i'd ever fall in love with some amazing guy, and i still do sometimes. but God is definitely helped me realize that i don't need to stress over that. i think that's why i've come to love and appreciate other kinds of love. i haven't ever been 'in love' before but it's important to remember that falling in love with a guy isn't the only kinda love.


i love Jesus, God, the Holy Spirit ( i still don't quite understand the trinity thing, but i know i love it/them?)


i love my family and friends.

i love nature (...well, until it gets gross, then it's just sick.)

-the list really goes on and on, just like i hope your list of loves would-

....anyways....


i really wanna love to love; i already love the people in my life like family, friends, and people that aren't my friends yet but are so incredible that i wanna make 'em my friends. but i wanna love all people, and that's not always easy. it's never easy. i love all the blessings God has filled my life with. but i wanna love the hardships too, since i have seen the pattern emerge from my own life, the lives of others, and the Bible that God always manages to use those hardships in incredible ways.

lately when i read my Bible, i come across all these amazing passages about true, beautiful love. and really with anything i read or see, i'm always drawn to words or images expressing love. i made a collage on the cover of my planner over winter break, and without realizing it, i put the word LOVE right in the middle; i want it to be a conversation starter. i want people to look at it and not just automatically think that i'm in love with some boy.

hmmm, i don't know if i've just been writing in circles or not. or if i even made my point. if i did just loop this thing around to a point where you can't find any conclusions, please don't hold it against me- remember, this is only my second bloggie.

adios, amigos :}

startin' out......

there is still some snow outside so i thought this would be a nice photo to begin my first bloggie with (though i took this over a 1yr ago & is a placeapproximately 1700miles from where i sit)***

how appropriate- i put on my ipod and the first lyrics are "startin' out" in the format's song, 'time bomb'. i wonder if i'm allowed to reference something like a band name or song or whatever in one of these bloggie things. hmm, i just really hope that's not some sort of copyright infringement or something.

so, yes, if you can't already tell, this is my first blog.

get used to the lower case, i'm usually to lazy to push the shift button. it's hard when you only use 2 fingers to type. oh, and i'm pretty bad with seperating thoughts into paragraphs. then again, this isn't some kinda assignment and you don't have to read my bloggie, so if you hate it just stop reading. right...now.

if you don't hate it enough to have already stopped reading, thanks i guess :)

yep, i'm also a smiley/ expression inserter. i like it- just picture those expressions on my face, and it's just like i'm talking to you. lo siento if you hate that though (lo siento=sorry, en espanol)

oh that's another thing- i like to randomly use spanish, i feel obliged to professora hernandez to incorporate it into my life- i don't want to feel like those 4yrs of spanish classes in high school were a complete waste...so i will translate my spanish when i use it.

aaahahaha, ha. still reading? thanks for being so dedicated to my blog, friend.

i promise my future posts will be much more compelling or more profound or more interesting or funnier or something...wait, i shouldn't make that kinda promise. instead, let's just say 'i HOPE my future posts will be better'... oh look, by hanging in there you even got four upper case letters!

*so long for now, to you my friend- until we meet again :}
(that's courtesy of 'out of the box'- still afraid of copyright infringement or plagerism or whatever)