8 things

8 things I am passionate about

• My faith in Jesus Christ
  
• My hubby
• My career
• Food, cooking eat, eating it, sharing it....
• Intentional relationships
  
• My memory foam mattress and pillow
  
• Helping others
• Preparing for/being the best wife and mother I can be
  

8 books I've read & enjoyed

• The Undomestic Goddess- so fun!
  
• Anything by Augusten Burroughs
  
• Pride and Prejudice
• The Power of a Praying Wife
  
• The Bible
  
• Let Your Life Speak (changed my life)
  
• The Other Boleyn Girl
  
• What to Expect While You're Expecting (no harm in preparing early, right?)
  

8 words/phrases I say often

• I love you
  
• Go ask 3 other people, and if you still don't know, ask me. (talking to students)
  
• I already gave directions for that. (talking to students)
  
• Totally (bad habit)
  
• Not right now (to students...seeing a theme here?)
  
• Wanna go for a walk? (are you smiling, Mark?)
  
• Does that seem like a reasonable answer? (again, students)
  
• Did you lock the doors? (to Mark)
  

8 things I want to do before I die

• Make babies with my hot husband
  
• Go on more mission trips
  
• Zipline in Kauai
  
• Taking a cooking class with Ina Garten (and eat with her after, she seems nice)
  
• Sing at the Metropolitan Opera
  
• Learn to play guitar
  
• Become a grandma
  
• Run a marathon...okay maybe a half marathon
  

8 things I've learned over the past

• People are more important than things and money
  
• The American cultural Christmas is over-rated
  
• Mark is truly the love of my life
  
• It's okay to recognize the gifts I have and use them
  
• No one cares whether my house is clean...except me. =)
  
• I am saved by grace through faith
  
• Debt isn't a necessary evil, it's just evil.
  
• It is more important to be who you are than who everyone else thinks you should be

8 places I want to see.

• Italy
• Jerusalem
• Point of Arches
  
• Fiji
• Egypt
• Inside the White House
  
• Africa
• Amish country
  

8 things I need

• To lose 10 more pounds (getting there!)
  
• A Mexican vacation
  
• A haircut...well, maybe just a trim
• To get used to my new glasses
  
• To get the clean sheets out of the dryer
  
• To go for a run
  
• To be thankful
  
• To stop getting so excited for fall decorating/baking- it's kinda out of control

Sunday night update...

Mark snapped this shot from our upstairs deck the other night- beautiful!

So, I've been a bad blogger, but as I skim through my blogging friends' pages, I see the same theme, so I don't feel quite as bad. =) It's summer, everyone's busy, and in the life of a teacher, the month of August is full of training, training, training, setting up a classroom, orientations, trainings and the like. I'm really enjoying it- spent all last week at math training and though it was exhausting to sit all day, it was so valuable and fun. I'm looking forward to a great school year, but before I begin in 2 weeks, I have a lot to do!


One thing I've really, truly enjoyed this summer is taking advantage of time with good friends and rekindling relationships that have been put on the back burner for whatever reason. I get so much out of a good conversation with a friend, even if/especially if all I do is listen. My friends truly are an extension of my family, and especially because I don't have a sister of my own, my girlfriends have become my sisters in spirit. I am nervous about finding the time to keep in touch once the school year starts up, but a few of my close girlfriends and I decided that we're going to just call each other, even if we only have 2 minutes to talk, rather than not call at all. I often find myself in that place of...

"I want to call ________, but I haven't talked to them in so long, I know it's going to be a long conversation and I only have 10 minutes and don't want to be rude and cut them off."

Do you ever feel this way or is it only me?


I'm realizing that I'd want to hear from a friend, even if it's just a two-minute call or one-sentence email...it's makes me feel connected and in tune with what's happening in their lives. I also love hand-written notes and cards and plan to do more of that, since it doesn't impose on anyone else's time but my own.

So, a lot of babble hear, but the main point is that I'm grateful for reconnecting with friends this summer and so happy about all the memories that were made!

In other news, Mark and I hope to embark on some remodeling this fall...I can hardly wait to put our own stamp on this home. We've been here for a year now, but haven't even painted because we know we want to make some pretty major changes and would have to re-paint anyway. It's been fun scoping out new flooring and stuff. The Lord has blessed us with a home that's way too large for just Mark and me- I just sit and look around sometimes and envision the hustle and bustle of little ones, family and friends in this place...
...but without the green carpet. =)

That's about it; I hope you're all surviving the heat around here- I want to also say hello to our friends, the Weiseths. They are embarking on a journey of adoption from Ethiopia- please pray for their family, which consists of two little ones of their own- they are a couple after God's own heart and are a powerful force for His glory in this world. I've put a link to their blog on the sidebar.

What I'm doing right now...

Enjoying a latte in my new mug...yesterday was my last day teaching summer school (WOOHOO!), so after packing up my room this morning, I ran some errands and have been putzing around the house doing chores ever since.




Getting ready to wrap this birthday present for a good friend and fellow wine-lover who is having a bday bash tonight at a fun place in Seattle! What's in the bag, you ask? Two funky wine glasses and a card...


Getting REALLY excited for these! Look how cute they are! No joke, when I planted this ONE tomato plant, it was like 6 inches tall. It is now taller than me and full of tomatoes, although they aren't all ripe yet.
LOVING this fun book! After all the hours I pour over curriculum books, teaching books, cookbooks, gardening books, etc., it's so nice to "watch a movie in my head" with a book like this! It's such a page turner and I'd recommend it to anyone- better yet, you can borrow it when I'm done!
It's also been really cool watching the Blue Angels practice right outside my window! I couldn't get a picture because they fly too fast. I love our little city by the lake!