A Nerd and A Free Spirit

Tea With My Love

2012-01-26T22:02:00.001-06:00

I'm going to start this by saying that I'm trying to get in the habit of blogging, even when I might not have anything to say. At least if I just do it, I will start thinking about it more. So, this is kind of a random post, but you know what? At least I'm posting it.

Mark and I recently enjoyed "high tea" at a little tea room. And the cool thing is, he was excited about it. I try not to brag openly about my sweet husband too often, because, well, I'm completely spoiled and people wouldn't believe all the stuff he does for me. He's completely awesome and treats me much better than I deserve. He is up for literally anything, and never complains. From shopping to tea rooms, from indulging me in my random dance parties to letting me tell him all about my homework, he is such a good sport. And genuinely. If it's important to me, it's important to him. But the tea room, this was his thing. (-:

Mark decided to go "pinky up" with his tea cup. They had Earl Grey, my personal fav, so it was perfect.

We had yummy sandwiches and scones, and then we had some awesome desserts.

I remember when I was little I would make Earl Grey tea like every night and drink it while I read. That's probably why I was able to stay up so late reading because I drank that tea, now that I think about it. Ha. Plus, I usually read books that scared the jeepers out of me, so I would too scared to sleep. Flashlight under the covers, anyone? Oh yes, I was such a rebel. Of all things to get in trouble for. (-: All that to say, I've loved tea my whole life.

We had a great time with fun conversation, and I'm so thankful for a wonderful husband who is my best friend in all the world. Every day I just sit back and think, "Who knew marriage could be so completely awesome and such a delight?" I am continually blown away. Good stuff. Better than I could have ever imagined. Party every day.

"There is no more lovely, friendly, and charming relationship, communion, or company than a good marriage."

- Martin Luther

Xoxo,

Kathryn

I Was Attacked By the Glitter Fairy

2012-01-08T14:22:00.000-06:00

You may or may not know that I am not a fashionista. I don't know when it started, but just to give you an idea, this is me... IN HIGH SCHOOL:

Now, let's talk about this for a minute. The obvious error here is that I was wearing OU paraphernalia, but we are not here to talk about sports. I want you to notice that I am wearing navy slacks. Navy slacks, folks. Drink it in. Next we will look at the turtleneck. There was a point in my high school career that my friend, Bardot, actually told me to stop wearing turtlenecks. I think I wore them 3-4 days a week. But the glory in this ensemble is that I chose to tuck in my turtleneck. Into my navy slacks. And topped it all off with a brown and silver belt. The clincher here is that I was probably the ripe old age of 16. Now. Take another look. Me. 16.

I feel as though I could rest my case there, but I will go ahead and give a few more examples. Until my senior year of college, I always pushed my hair behind my ears. No matter how long or short, I pushed it behind my ears. I just thought that was what I was meant to do. My eyebrows were huge until close to the start of college, and I had every color of flip flop, because I wore them basically every day. The only positive thing about this situation was that it really didn't bother me.

Once I started doing pageants (shocker, I know), and after everyone that knew me picked themselves up off the floor, my pageant directors started telling me that perhaps, just perhaps, I should use at least one hair product and maybe not push my hair behind my ears. Maybe, just maybe, I could learn to wear heels. Maybe I could even get a pedicure - I had never had one until then. Basically I was the "before" on The Devil Wears Prada.

I would be a fake if I said that now I'm a fashion guru (clearly can't name one). I still have the tendency to carry the same purse for...two years and counting. I wear an "outfit" and my sweet but honest friends tell me to never wear it again, and I am always trying to figure out if an outfit works. I spent months last year (here) trying to figure out why my hair was a big grease ball. This is why I buy clothes straight off of mannequins. Its like I didn't get that part of my DNA.

Then we have my sister. She was a born fashionista. She came out of the womb wearing the latest styles, a coach purse in hand, and makeup straight off the Mac counter. While my sister was growing up and doing makeovers with her friends, I was reading books. And writing. I do have some awesome handwriting.

So, as always, whenever I see my sister, she usually looks really cute and trendy with some outfit she has pulled off with perfect makeup. This scenario played out recently over Christmas. She had this eyeshadow that had just a touch of glitter that was a really pretty dark brown/gold and some of the glitter was on her cheeks. Very glamorous.

And I thought, well, if she can wear it, I can. So for Christmas, with a gift card, I got the exact eyeshadow. It's called "Midnight Cowboy Rides Again" by Urban Decay. I think the most I have ever spent on eyeshadow is $3.99 for a set of three colors, but this stuff was $17.00. So this was a really big deal. Here it is:

So I went and got this fancy eyeshadow and was so excited to try it out. The next morning, I put that new glitter eyeshadow on. And I looked at it. And it didn't look like it looked on my sister. It was much lighter. Well, I figured she must have had on more than one layer. So I put on a second. And then a third. And then a fourth. And I was so confused. It wasn't the same dark brown that it was on her. But I knew it was the same eyeshadow. Dumbfounded, I finished getting ready and left for work.

Driving to work in my '98 Accord, I was looking in the rear-view mirror at my face. In the sun. I swear I thought I was staring at the angel Gabriel himself. It was ridiculous. There was glitter all. over. my. face. You see, it didn't just stay on my eyelids, since I had felt the need to put on 100 layers, it fell off and landed all over my cheeks, and all over my entire face. Have you ever tried to get glitter off your face? Well I have. And let me tell you, it's not possible. And you might almost wreck your car. I decided to wait until i got to work to deal with the situation.

Thankfully I beat my boss to work and went to the bathroom to try to remove the glitter. I brought a kleenex and it just didn't cut it. Glitter wasn't going anywhere. So, I then resorted to getting a couple of small band-aids. Yes. I used band-aids to remove the glitter. Except the band-aids weren't big enough. I filled up the entire surface area of the sticky part with glitter, and there was still glitter all over my face.

And then my boss arrived but he wanted me to come OUTSIDE in the SUNSHINE to help him carry in some stuff. Here goes nothing. I walked outside in the sun to grab his stuff and what did he say? He said, "Oh, you have on glitter make-up today!" Glitter make-up. Yes, my My Little Pony and I thought we would match so I threw glitter all over my face. It's like when someone gets a really bad haircut and someone just says, "Oh, you cut your hair!" See how sly that is? No compliment. Just a statement to say something so that their jaw doesn't remain hanging in mid-air.

I responded that I had some issues with some eye shadow and he tried to tell me it looked great. Come on, now. People need to stand up and tell me when I look ridiculous. Perhaps if people had started doing that earlier, I wouldn't have worn that denim Winne-the-Pooh shirt with Doc Martin boots and tights in high school. Someone has to stop the madness.

So what did I realize? Well, I realized that apparently my sister put some dark brown eyeshadow on under the one light layer of glitter make-up. What a novel idea.

Lord, help me.

~Kathryn

A Year In Review

2012-01-01T00:19:00.001-06:00

Well, it's that time - the time to review the year. In order to save some cash, I didn't do a Christmas card this year, so this is the first time I'm really sitting back and thinking about the year.

And, honestly, when I look back, I keep thinking, "This was a tough year." Don't get me wrong, it was a also a great year, but I would be lying if I said it was rainbows and unicorns - and I love unicorns. But it really was a hard year, with lots of lessons learned.

So what did we learn?

Well, I personally learned (and am still learning) a lot about contentment, as you can read about here. This was our toughest year financially. No family "vacation" was taken, there was the start of paying for my grad school, there were more major unexpected financial burdens than usual, and a large portion of the year was spent on "extreme budget lockdown." But I learned that all of our needs are met. And I've learned to live on less. And I think that will be invaluable in the future. Our victory in this area came from me completely paying off my undergraduate student loans. And hopefully, this year, we will make some major headway on Mark's loan. (-:

I learned that going to school full time and working full time is really hard, and also really rewarding. I love both of these things, but sometimes it seems as though there just aren't enough hours in the day. Sometimes I feel like I get up (late), go to work, drive home, do homework, go to bed (late) and start all over again. Sometimes I think my poor husband is getting the raw end of the deal. But then I think about how during football season this whole entire fall he got to watch every game to his heart's content while I worked on sermon outlines, and then I don't feel so bad. (-:

I learned that I'm not as cut out for foreign missions as other people are. I want to share the Gospel, but maybe not perhaps in places where there are tarantulas in my shower and you have to pour water in a toilet to get it to flush - that is, unless I know without a doubt the Lord is calling me to that. (-: But I also saw the hospitality and generosity of people who were incredibly poor, and was reminded not to take anything for granted.

I am still learning about friendships. I reconciled with someone from years ago, and understand even more fully how important it is to be open and honest with those you love before it gets to the point of no return. I learned the incredible value of seeking to be objective. I've learned lots in this area, but not without some wounds that are still hemorrhaging.

I've learned about family. Family is not defined by blood - but by love and support. And as I sit looking at my family and thinking about the obstacles we've overcome in a year, and the encouragement, love and support we've given, I'm overwhelmed. And I all-too-clearly know that some people won't understand it and they don't have to. But I know I'm blessed.

We learned through some home-improvement projects gone bad that gender roles really don't do anything but cause problems. And that whatever the problem is, we can either fix it together, or play to each other's strengths. (-:

So it's been a tough year. But it's also been a great year. We got our sweet puppy Boo in January and he is such a blessing. I successfully maintained my gym membership for a year and can say I am much more fit today than I was a year ago. Mark learned a lot in his new job and I love him more today than I did a year ago. It's so nice to be married to your best friend. Seriously. Karlie had a great first semester at OBU and got a 4.0! We are so proud of her. I finished my first semester of grad school with a 3.33 and am 20% finished!

The good, bad, and the ugly, that was our 2011.

How was yours?

Happy New Year from the Johnson Family!

~Kathryn

Christmas Dance Party

2011-12-13T21:23:00.000-06:00

Just a taste of Christmas at our house.

~Kathryn

Silver Bells

2011-12-12T08:47:00.000-06:00

Blog friends, excuse me for a moment as I post a video that's primarily for family who missed our church's Christmas concert and missed my song. (-: Feel free to listen as well, though, it's a bluegrassy Silver Bells. (-:

~Kathryn

Advent

2011-12-03T16:57:00.000-06:00

Well, hello, Christmastime. My, you sure snuck up on me this year. But you are here. And I love it.

I remember being a little kid and decorating our family Christmas tree while listening to Emmylou Harris' "Light of the Stable" Christmas album - still my favorite, by the way. I remember pulling out all those popsicle stick ornaments and exclaiming, "Look at this one!" or "Look at the ornament so-and-so gave me!" as my brother and sister and I proceeded to decorate the bottom half of the Christmas tree (our arms wouldn't reach past the mid-point). There was always an argument over which tree-topper we would use that year - either the star or the angel - and somehow the next morning all the ornaments were spaced evenly on the tree all the way up to the top. I don't know how that happened. (-:

I hope we can all look back and think of at least one happy memory. I don't want to forget mine. I know it's easy to forget - we have gifts to buy, parties to attend, and food to prepare. But don't get lost in the hustle. Take in the magic. The hope. The anticipation. A Savior is coming. He is. He brings Good News and Great Joy!

Find your magic - maybe it's in twinkle lights. Maybe it's in working on gifts to give to your loved ones. Maybe it's in wrapping presents. Maybe it's in sitting by a fire. Your favorite Christmas album. Caroling. Cookie making.

Moments only become memories when we are intentional. Be intentional this season. Stop. Take a breath. Soak in the Gift. Think about the Hope of Advent.

~Kathryn

Thankful

2011-11-24T11:23:00.002-06:00

What are you thankful for? No really. Think about it. I've been thinking about it lately. I guess really it's easy because a couple of the things I am most thankful for are currently sitting on each side of me watching the parade with me.

I'm thankful for my sweet husband, Mark. Do you ever love someone so much when you think about it you think you might just explode? That's how I feel. And I'm thankful. He is the most serving person I know - you just have to be around him for a few minutes and you will be blown away by his servant's heart. I am also so proud of him - he's basically a genius. If I have a question about anything sports related, if I need directions, or need random trivia answered, I just ask my hubby and he knows. It's remarkable. And he also gives such good perspective on anything. If I'm handling something in a way that I shouldn't, if I talk to someone in a way that is not kind, or if my perspective is skewed, he gently tells me, and for that I am so thankful. While he supports me, he holds me accountable for my actions. He's my steady beat. (-: I am also thankful that he, like me, doesn't care what other people think. It's kind of a bad combo at times, but boy, we sure have fun. Mark will have random dance parties with me in our music room, he will participate in the girliest of events if it is important to me, and he loves me. And I love him.

I'm thankful for Karlie Ann. I'm thankful that she keeps me on my toes in the way Mark and I relate to one another. I'm thankful for the fresh perspective she brings to life that only someone who has experienced deep loss can bring. I am regularly amazed at her level-headedness and the way she doesn't get wrapped up in so many things girls her age do. I am thankful that she calls Mark or me whenever she needs anything, no matter what time. I am thankful that her calling to missions reminds me that perhaps I should be more mindful of missions myself. Many people really don't understand our relationship with Karlie and I can't expect them to - but I am thankful that our family has been forever changed for the better.

I'm thankful for our home. We regularly say, "don't you just love our home?" It's perfect for us and I love it. Of course I could go on and on about the things I am thankful for.

To sum it up, thank you, Jesus, for everything. For allowing me to be a part of your purpose, and for this season of my life, which is currently pretty great.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

~Kathryn

A Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

2011-11-14T08:00:00.000-06:00

Happy November, everyone! Isn't this just a delightful time of year? I think it is. I love all things family friendly, making new traditions, and creating memories. So, we went to the pumpkin patch. I believe this will be a great new family tradition.

Mark and Karlie and I loaded into the Accord and headed toward our pumpkin patch of choice. This particular patch edged past the others due to the simple fact that it actually had real, live camels. That won it for me.

I mean seriously - how often do you see a camel in Oklahoma?

On our way we listened to Linus talk about the Great Pumpkin:

Each year, the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch that he thinks is the most sincere. He's gotta pick this one. He's got to. I don't see how a pumpkin patch can be more sincere than this one. You can look around and there's not a sign of hypocrisy. Nothing but sincerity as far as the eye can see.

I just love Linus. I didn't see the Great Pumpkin this year, but maybe, just maybe, we will next year.

The pumpkin patch was everything we expected. There were lots of pumpkins in all sizes.

We also took the opportunity to take several goofy pics:

But wait: it gets even better. There was a petting zoo. Who doesn't love baby goats? Precious.

I also decided, since I'm thinner now, to redo my high school senior pics. (-;

We had a great time at the pumpkin patch. We even bought some fudge which was devoured in the car before we made it home. (-: This is one tradition I plan on keeping.

Happy Fall, Y'all! (-:

~Kathryn

Contentment

2011-11-06T10:21:00.000-06:00

I've been swirling this post around in my head for a while, but it's been hard to put "to ink." Because, well, I'm not very proud of it.

You see, I have been struggling with contentment. I know what you are thinking: How in the world could you be discontent? You are right. I have no reason. I have a Savior, a husband who loves me more than I could have hoped for, we are healthy, and all our needs are met.

So how did this happen?

Back in college I worked at a Christian camp one summer, and probably the best thing I took away from that summer was somewhat of a life motto for myself: Comparison is the thief of joy. The context in which I originally heard that phrase used was completely ridiculous. I mean, it was during an all girl swim party for all of us college camp counselors, and we had broken up into two teams - each team was creating their own synchronized swimming routines, and there would be a competition. (I told you, it was ridiculous.) My team was really proud of the routine we had so creatively worked to perfect, but then we saw the competition's routine. When we saw the other team, our hopes were dashed - their routine was awesome. We were suddenly all down on our routine, and then someone yelled out, "Comparison is the thief of joy!", and in that silly moment, that phrase stuck in my heart and I knew it meant more than that synchronized swimming competition. It was an outlook on life that would change me.

Comparison is the thief of joy.

You can apply it to literally anything. We can be perfectly content and joyful with our family, our appearance, our houses, our blogs, our kids' behavior, and then we see someone or something better. And that little seed of jealousy is planted. And we somehow start to feel like we deserve better. We deserve a better car. We deserve that pair of jeans, or that fancy shampoo. If so-and-so can have it, why can't I? And suddenly, we have lost our joy. We got wrapped up in ourselves and what we don't or can't have and began comparing ourselves to others. And folks, there will always be someone with better hair, a more brilliant personality, a quicker wit, and a smaller jean size. That's why this is so dangerous - we will never win.

Comparison is the thief of joy.

I heard that phrase that day and vowed to make it a personal mantra. When I found myself comparing myself to someone I was quick to say that to myself and "get over it" and move on. But somehow in the last few months my comparison had disguised itself as something different so I wasn't as quick to catch it. It charaded itself in feeling sorry for myself, thinking I deserved things I saw and wanted, jealousy, and greed - all of which were also true. But the heart of the matter:

Comparison is the thief of joy.

It hit me when I was driving. I do a lot of overanalyzing while I'm driving which usually doesn't do a whole lot of good - but this time it was actually positive: I realized that I wasn't content. That it wasn't my small wallet or my life situations or relationships that I couldn't control that were giving me a "justified" bad attitude. It was my heart. I had let myself compare myself to others or to some magical standard I believed I deserved to live up to. I had let my discontentment spill into not just a dissatisfaction with my finances, but a dissatisfaction to the way I was treated. And folks, that is not a good place to be.

There in my car, the Holy Spirit quietly revealed to me my sin: Contentment. Kathryn, you are not content. And honestly I didn't want to believe it at first. I thought, okay okay, I'll work on being more content. Days went on before it really started to sink in. But then it hit me: He was right. When I started being content and stopped comparing myself to others, I was joyful.

Comparison is the thief of joy.

And when I started being content and stopped being a diva, life started getting back to where it should be. And wouldn't you know that this coming week our pastor will be preaching on nothing other than contentment? When I saw that as the upcoming sermon message I thought, You have got to be kidding me.

Discontentment, you can't hide anymore. I see you, and all the sins that come with you, for what you are. And with the help of the Holy Spirit and some accountability from my hubby, you are daily becoming less existent.

I am encouraged by Paul's words from prison:

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through him who gives me strength.

-Phil 4:11-13

Anything the Lord is teaching you lately?

~Kathryn

Tim the Tool Man Has Nothing On Me

2011-10-23T21:59:00.001-05:00

I did something pretty awesome this weekend. Par for the course, I know, but this is something outside the realm of my usual modes of awesomeness. I fixed something. Prepare to be impressed.

You see, there was a little problem going on with our shower. Exhibit A:

And here's a fuller view:

Ew, right? Basically here's what we have: the grout and caulk stuff has deteriorated and is like falling out everywhere. This is also going on inside the shower at the same spot, but one thing at a time.

So. What does one do? Well, first of all, I went to Home Depot. And praise the Lord, but the "flooring expert" who helped me just happened to be a W.O.M.A.N. Yeah, that's right. Defying those gender roles. (Fist pump). So I told her what the problem was and she hooked me up with the goods.

This is one of the awesome tools I purchased:

Yeah, completely creepy. It's like Psycho going on. Basically, that thing helps you get all the messed up grout and caulk out of the cracks. So here I am in action (at least posed action - I can only do so many things at once):

I scraped and I scraped. Let me tell ya, I was pretty glad my biceps are ripped to shreds (clearly) from my recent workouts, because this was no walk in the park. I admit, I didn't do it perfectly and ~~might have~~ chipped some tile just a little bit because of my zeal. But I think I know how to do it better and by my own creativity and experimentation, I learned how to maneuver that tool and get that grout out! (-:

Here's the after:

Impressive, huh? All cleaned out and ready. Here is the proof of my hard work:

Yeah, ew.

The next step was the fun part. I had this grout stuff and I loaded it in a caulking gun and cut the tip off. Action shot:

I don't know if you have ever worked with grout caulk stuff, but that is weird. Let's just say I had to get my bearings. Since I'm keeping it real, this is what it looked like at first:

Do not judge me. That stuff has a mind of its own and goes everywhere. I got better:

And then I figured you can like smooth it out it with your finger:

Progress right? Well, here's the deal. They sold me all this stuff, like a sponge and stuff and I realized I didn't need that, because I could use my hands, so I got my money back on that and used my finger to smooth out the rest and.... duh duh duh... voila!!

Yeah. Legit. I did pretty much get that stuff everywhere, including on the floor, all over me, on a bunch of towels, but it's all good. Battle wounds. Here I am, super proud of my achievements:

You can do it, too! Plus, I got to listen to music the whole time, gettin' my groove on, and I successfully procrastinated my seminary homework, for which I am now paying the piper. Anyway, I hope I motivated you to try something new.

On an unrelated note, here's a cute pic of me and Boo for your Happy Monday:

~Kathryn

The Mystery of the Greasy Scalp

2011-10-18T11:48:00.003-05:00

Okay, I know. The title is, well, disgusting. But you guys. Seriously, it has been quite a life-altering mystery. But since as of Friday it has been solved, I feel secure enough in my self-worth to share.

It all started a few months ago. I would wash and condition my hair and then blow-dry, as I had every day since like 9th grade (late bloomer, I know). But then one day a few months ago, there was this oily spot right on the crown of my head - right after I washed and blow-dried. I was like, "What the heck?" So, I talked to my fancy Aveda salon hair lady and she suggested that I only put conditioner on the bottom half of my hair, we got a different shampoo, etc etc and..... no change. In fact, it started getting worse. Now, this had never been a problem for me before. I've never dealt with an oily head. But in the last two years I have switched to a more natural shampoo with much less lather, so I was guessing it had something to do with the shampoo.

So what did I do? Confession: I started using baby powder. I know. Shame of all shames. But you guys. I had no other option. I could NOT get my hair un-oily. And the baby powder was a good temporary fix. It soaked that oil right up... for a while.

These shenanigans went on for several weeks until one day I was sitting in my boss's chair at work, you know, wearing the boss pants, and diligently working. (Okay, he may or may not have been standing over my shoulder telling me to do stuff.) Ha. Anyway, the ole boss man is rather tall, and with me sitting down, he had quite the bird's eye view of the top of my head. And let me tell you, that was NOT a pretty picture. I had used significantly more baby powder that day because, well, pardon the pun, it was all coming to a head and the oil was getting out of control.

So what did my ever-encouraging boss say to me after looking at my head? He said, "What is UP with your HAIR?!"

And that, my dear friends, is when it all hit the fan. I was found out. A fraud. I had a disgustingly oily head. And I was disguising it with baby powder - apparently too much baby powder.

I had no choice. I had to come clean. I told him what I had been doing, thus explaining the white gunk that had built up on the top of my head, that clearly I couldn't see, but he could.

He did what every other good boss would do and started looking up "oily scalp" on google. Let me tell ya, do not look up your symptoms on the internet, unless you want to be diagnosed with 1. cancer, or 2. an incredibly rare skin disease. By the end of the day, I was convinced I had a serious medical condition.

So the next day I wasn't going to let the oily hair win. I washed my hair MULTIPLE times in the shower and used NO conditioner. And what happened? Nothing. Well, Oily Scalp Award happened again.

I knew this called for drastic measures. Forget the natural shampoo; this was a crisis. So I bought Classic Pantene. I washed my hair at night and again the next morning, more than once. And I scrubbed. And lathered, rinsed, and repeated. And... voila. No oil.

Seriously you guys. No oil. So, I thought, maybe my hair just needed to be stripped of that oil and then it would all be okay. But as soon as I went back to the fancy shampoo, the grease ball made another appearance.

So this Friday I went to my hair lady and told her that we have a problem. I told her the story. I told her about the baby powder. She was my priest; I was in confession. I could tell she was trying to maintain an "everything you are telling me is completely normal" face while inside she was screaming "YOU PUT BABY POWDER IN YOUR HAIR AND ARE USING PANTENE?!!!!" But, she knows that this whole fancy salon concept is rather new to me, so she graciously asked me how much shampoo I was using. I said I was using a nickel size amount or so. And there you have it.

Apparently I should be using a half- to dollar sized amount. Apparently I should also be getting my hair so wet that as soon as I put the shampoo on I can get a good lather. Okay, who knew? All I knew is that this shampoo was expensive and if I was going to use it, I was going to have to make it last. I could make a little bitty bottle last several months, people. I am a penny pincher deluxe.

So I went home after that haircut, put a big ole dollop of that shampoo in my very wet hair, and glory be, I had a really soapy lather. I rinsed. I blow dried, and I swear to you, I could have been on shampoo commercial. I'm pretty sure there was cheeseball music playing in the back ground as I finished my hair with my texturizing product. I might have danced around. I might have screamed. It was such an out of body experience, I don't even know remember what I did. What I do know is that the crisis is solved - my hair was no longer oily. At all. In fact, it looked pretty awesome. Thank you, Lord.

I also know this post is ridiculously long and pretty out of control. But I had to share just in case I could change someone else's life.

One question: Has anyone seen the show "New Girl" on Fox? OMG I LOVE it. K thanks.

Happy Tuesday!

~Kathryn

The Nerd

2011-10-09T22:03:00.002-05:00

My husband is a wonderful nerd. Most people don't guess incorrectly when trying to figure out who's the nerd and who's the free spirit.

He is such a nerd, in fact, that months ago he started planning a blog. Not anything extravagant, mind you, but he just wanted to be very intentional. He started working on post ideas, asking my opinion, and formulating in that sweet little nerdy brain of his what he would like the purpose of his blog to be.

At one point he told me his blog would "go live" on October 1. (-: As you know, it's after October 1, so you guessed it, the blog is live. I thought you might want a little peak at his wonderfully nerdy heart by checking out his blog. Mind you, it's the polar opposite of this little crazy piece of blog land.

So, go check out Mark's new blog, "Intentional Writings", and leave him some love.

In other news, I'm wearing sweats and working on a paper for seminary. This has been my life as of late. Nothing glamorous about it, let me tell ya.

Peace.

~Kathryn

Well, Hello, October!

2011-10-02T22:05:00.000-05:00

Dude. Seriously. It's October. I'm pretty pumped. I mean, we've got football season, we've got pumpkins, we are getting closer to the most wonderful time of the year, and last but not least, my half-birthday is celebrated during October. So I'd say it's an all around fabulous month.

But, September happened. And yeah, I haven't really said much about that month. Probably because my life has been consisting of this:

Don't let the artsy photo fool you. That is homework. Those are flash cards. I have a love-hate relationship with homework. I love the learning, but hate the work. Hmm.... So, I've been doing a lot of that. And that has left me... plum. tuckered. out.

What else happened in September? Well, our garage door broke. And that was pretty epic. Because, well, who knew garage doors are expensive to fix? And who knew that the garage door repair people aren't exactly your friendly professional repair men? I mean, this guy was nice and all, but I'm not gonna lie: when I first saw him, I thought it might be my last day on earth.

Mark affectionately referred to him as "grizzly adams", and he didn't fix the garage. So our cars are in the driveway until we are rich enough to fix the garage door, which is not today.

I also accomplished a goal of mine: I made my own laundry detergent. See how excited I am?

Yeah, it's super awesome. Clean clothes, and you have no idea how cheap it is. DO IT.

Here's the awesome pumpkin in front of our house for Fall:

We also celebrated one full year in our wonderful home. What a tremendous blessing it has been. Love. Love. Love.

And to Dave Ramsey's great delight, we paid off my student loans. Glory be. Now we just have Mark's student loans and we are golden. Two more years? We'll see! Woot.

And last but not least, I decided to switch out my wedding ring for something completely different. I had to special order it and it will take a while to come in, but I am so excited. Here's a pic:

Yeah, it's totes two-tone gold and a beautiful garnet. So excited. Love.

Well, those are my September updates. I know it's completely lame that I haven't posted. But dude, guys, I'm working full time and in grad school. It's all I can do to get enough sleep to function. Good news? In two weeks I will only have ONE class, so my load should be significantly lighter and we can be BFFs again.

Oh, and I've noticed a lot of posts about babies. Everyone in blog world and in the real world is pregnant. And we're talking round two here - my friends are having their SECOND children. When did my friends start having kids? Everyone is growing up so quickly! At our house, we are happy with our canine kids, thank you very much. But also happy for everyone else. (-:

Well, I've put off studying as long as I can. If you feel so obliged, you should comment so I know you haven't completely defriended me since my absence. Thanks guys.

XOXO.

~Kathryn

Joni Mitchell for John G (A Vlog)

2011-09-03T10:00:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, as I was procrastinating my homework, I pulled out my guitar and started playing lots of random songs. Then, when Mark and Karlie got home, they wanted "Both Sides, Now", by Joni Mitchell, which I hadn't done in forever. So Mark tuned my guitar into one of her very odd tunings, and I rummaged through the internet to find a remotely accurate version in that open tuning.

With my new fancy computer I recorded it for Mark, because it's his favorite, and then I just knew of one other person who would really appreciate it. The number one fan of my blog - my Uncle John G straight from sunny SoCal. He's one of my favorite people in the world, and I just wish we could see him more often.

Here I am - the one one the left making the weird face, holding the bunny, with my parents and John G, who is kneeling by my brother:

And here we are at my wedding - he flew all the way in from California and surprised us. It made the day.

And here we are, about a year ago, when Mark and I went to visit him in California:

He's pretty swell. So, I'm putting this song up for him - everyone else: you are welcome to watch it, although you might find it incredibly boring. (-: I figured since all the cool kids were doing Vlogs this week, I should, too.

I hope you like it, Uncle John! (-: xoxo (

~Kathryn

My Paper Heart

2011-08-22T21:52:00.006-05:00

Paper cuts. We all get them. The risk comes with the job of handling paper. Yet, somehow, each time we get a paper cut, we are completely caught off guard. The pain shoots through our finger, and we drop the paper. We rub the cut, the pain quickly subsides, and we then pick the paper back up and continue our work.

I’ve had some paper cuts on my heart this weekend. You see, we dropped Karlie off at her college this weekend. I debated on whether or not I should post this blog. I don’t want to pretend that I know what it’s like to drop a child off at college that I raised from birth for eighteen years. I am not that naive. I can’t fathom the courage that comes with that and I have a new respect in how well my mother handled that transition. But I do know how I feel, even from being with a child for a tiny fraction of that amount of time. And it’s my blog, so I do what I want. (-:

I got my first paper cut on Friday. We were shopping at Whole Foods - Karlie and I. She was getting snacks for her dorm, and I was doing our “regular” grocery shopping - except it wasn’t regular. Regular means I buy almost ten pounds of peanut butter, an $8 gallon of organic apple juice, and lots of milk. As I passed those items and others, I knew I wouldn’t need them this time, but I suppressed the thought. When we got to the check out line, I paid for my last item and immediately after my last item was scanned, coincidentally, there was that same $8 gallon of apple juice on the conveyer belt that another customer was purchasing. Karlie assumed there was a mistake, “Is that yours?” she asked. I quickly responded that it wasn’t, and I felt that paper cut and the prick of tears. It’s not ours because you won’t be here to drink it.

Saturday Karlie and I drove to her college together. She picked her favorite songs to sing to, I instructed her on how slowly she should be driving, where cops usually were, and how she should not be texting while going to and from college. We pulled onto campus and got in line to wait for the students to unload our car. As we were there, waiting on campus, yet in our car, Karlie started to get so excited. I wouldn’t have been surprised if she had peed herself. As she was getting more and more excited, I felt that paper cut and that sting of tears. This is it. You’re not coming home with us. I forced the feeling to pass, I kept my “cool”, and tried to celebrate with her, while all the time having a feeling of heaviness.

We spent the day decorating her dorm room, running errands on campus, and helping her get acquainted with her new home. I only lost my composure a few times while trying to maintain control of a situation that was not in my hands anymore. We stayed later than pretty much every other parent. And finally, we really had to leave. When Karlie realized we really were leaving her there, she, in a moment of fear, got those huge tears in her big blue eyes, and said “Please don’t leave me here. I don’t know anyone. Please stay the night with me!” Of course I couldn’t stay the night, and deep down I’m sure she didn’t really want me to. But I felt that cut, and I felt my own tears. I gave her a hug, told her she would be just fine, and reassured her that yes, she would make new friends, and we would see her in a couple of days. And then we left.

We drove home, and pulled up to the house. The very quiet house. The house with only one car in the garage. And we went to sleep.

I have received more paper cuts - paper cuts as I walk into her room and am surprised at how clean it is. (It was really only clean maybe five days ever while she was living in it). I never thought a clean room would make me sad. But it did. Paper cuts come when my phone or Mark’s phone makes any sound - and I ask, “Is that from Karlie?”, wondering how she is and what she’s doing - yet not wanting to hover.

I know there will be more paper cuts. But I know there will be so many more joyful events, so many reasons for celebrations, and so many more evidences of the Lord working out his plan in Karlie’s life. And I am so thankful for the front row seat I get - even if it does come with the risk of paper cuts.

I’d say the benefits definitely outweigh the cost.

~Kathryn

Let's Welcome Karlie to the Blogosphere

2011-08-15T18:43:00.000-05:00

Well, folks, Karlie has decided to start a blog. Of course, I couldn't be more proud. (-:

Since I haven't gotten the energy yet to post pics of the baby shower I hosted this weekend (sneak unfinished peek below),

and since I've had a headache for 11 days now and been doing a lot of this:

I'm going to leave the blogging up to Karlie for the day.

If you want to get a closer look at how awesome Karlie is, (and even if you don't, go anyway) then you should check out her new blog. She already posted her first post, and is working on picking her perfect layout as we speak.

Click HERE for Karlie's blog.

So give her a welcome to the blog world. You know we all love comments.

Happy Monday!

~Kathryn

I Love Harry Potter

2011-07-25T15:35:00.000-05:00

Yes, I love Harry Potter. And Hermione, and Ron, and Dumbledore. I also love Luna, Mrs. Weasley, Tonks, Snape, and sweet Neville. I love them all. (Well, except you-know-who... obviously.)

I started loving Harry Potter in the summer of 2007 - right after graduating from college. I had just started my first job and was temporarily living back at home with my parents. Every day after coming home from work, I would grab something cold to drink out of the fridge and head to my back bedroom, lay on the bottom bunk, and delve into the world of Hogwarts, Quiddich, and flying brooms. During the week I would read a book and then that weekend I would watch a corresponding movie. I read all seven books that summer.

I loved the battle of good vs. evil, I loved the way the characters developed and grew up, and I loved the Harry Potter world my imagination created.

Obviously, in 2007, all of the movies weren't out yet - so I have watched them as they have come out - and this weekend marked my last date with Harry Potter. So, I did what every other loyal fan does. I bought tickets to the midnight showing and dressed up.

Here I am in my Gryffindor ensemble:

And here I am with my friend Elizabeth - we have on matching ties. (-:

We also have a friend who happens to be Harry Potter's look-a-like, so of course I got a pic with him.

Told ya - and here we are, all smiling:

Did we love it? Duh. I am sad it's over? You have no idea. And I have to admit that while I was skeptical of how the last movie would be (I didn't love the ending in the book), they made it incredibly awesome and I loved every second. We have spent way too much time talking about the characters and their roles and dissecting the movie since seeing it. It. Was. Awesome.

Another pretty great aspect of this fabulous midnight showing was that we got on the news. Seriously:

We are pretty legit. (-:

Since you are reading this blog, you must be somewhat of a blog reader, so you will likely enjoy this blog post by Andrew Peterson entitled, "Harry Potter, Jesus, and Me". It's fabulous, and well worth your time.

So, do you love Harry Potter? Did you go to the midnight showing?

I can't wait to see it again.

Happy Tuesday!

~Kathryn

Karlie

2011-07-21T22:15:00.006-05:00

I've had several requests from people to explain who Karlie is and how she came to be a part of our family. So, I thought I would try my best to capture how our lives have changed over the past nine months.

As you know, we moved into our new home on September 30th of last year. We kicked off our first day in our house by eating wings from the local wing place on the furniture-less living room floor, and praying together that the Lord would use our home to honor him and minister to other people. We didn't have a clue that exactly one month from that day that the Lord would take us up on that request.

The first three weeks in our house were filled with a unpacking, a one week vacation to California, and a week of me being gone all day every day for opera. I had hardly gotten to even see my house during the daylight!

After we had been here three weeks, we found out about a girl who needed a place to live. Karlie was a 17-year-old high school senior with striking blond hair, beautiful blue eyes, and a laugh that you can hear from a mile away. Long story short, her father had unexpectedly passed away a couple of years before, and her new home situation since then was anything but stellar. So, it was a perfect storm. She needed a home, and we had three empty bedrooms.

We knew Karlie from church and knew she was a great girl, so after finding out about her need, Mark and I said "Are you thinking what I'm thinking", and within twenty-four hours we decided that we really wanted her to move in with us. (Crazy, I know, but when you hear that still, small voice, you listen.) So, that Saturday, she came over and we talked about what she could expect, and she decided to move in on a "trial basis". And, as they say, the rest is history.

We skipped the diapers and went straight to high school.

So, what's it like living with a teenager? Well, I'm definitely up on my cool youtube videos and lingo. Our front door is like a swinging gate, and our back door - well, let's just say we are air conditioning the neighborhood. (-: Our trampoline is getting used, and one bathroom could win a competition for the most toothpaste residue around a sink. Christmas morning became even better than I thought possible. I have a personal fashion consultant, and Melvin and Boo got a new friend named Bella. It means late and loud get-togethers, and lots of music. There's dance parties and lots of laughing. There's scholarship applications. Due to our house becoming party central, our refrigerator has become a free for all, meaning a half a gallon of milk might only last one day, and a pound of peanut butter usually lasts about a week. Ha. It means helping with homework, listening to lots of speeches for class, and holding up flashcards for tests. But you know what? I love every second of it.

Living with a teenager also means late night talks about boys and future husbands. It means dealing with hurting hearts and mean girls. It means curfews and an occasional broken curfew. (-: It means talking about dreams and college and aspirations and faith. It brings a close eye to the way Mark and I talk to each other. It challenges my fortitude when I sew a prom dress thirty minutes before the date gets there. And I love every second of it.

But beware, having a teenager become part of your family will change you. It will stir these protective and fierce feelings of love inside you. It will make your heart melt when a phone call ends with "I love you, Kathryn". It will make your heart ache with the thought of her going off to college and leaving the house too quiet. It might give you some rose colored glasses - as Mark would say, "she's perfect". It will teach you to make your marriage one that is a witness and an encouragement. It will scare you when you get asked really deep and meaningful questions. And it will make you want to go postal on anyone who is hurtful to her. And it teaches you even more about sacrificial love. And you know what? I love every second of it.

We are so thankful the Lord has allowed us to have this girl become part of our lives, and couldn't imagine life without her. We always knew we wanted daughters, but didn't expect to get one quite so soon. And it doesn't hurt that we have the same shoe size. (-: As much as we are dreading her leaving for school, we take comfort in the fact that she will be coming home for weekends, Christmas, and summers, and she will always be a part of our family.

I love you, my little lamb chop!

~Kathryn

My Staycation

2011-07-12T11:50:00.002-05:00

I took a staycation. And it. was. awesome. I have been wanting to take a staycation for a while, but wanted to do it at the right time. After working 29 days and only having two days during that time where I was off work and home, I figured I was overdue. So, I took advantage of the free Fourth of July holiday, and took almost a full week off of work! Here are some pictures from the week:

Fourth of July and our awesome outfits:

And here are Mark and I at another Fourth of July gathering, watching fireworks:

I feel like I need to add that Mark and I met at a fireworks stand back in 1998, so he always says our relationship "started with fireworks". This gives every fireworks display more meaning. (-:

I planted some beautiful flowers:

Someone got too friendly with the sprinkler and had to get blow-dried:

Someone else got groomed and is officially the cutest poodle ever:

I had girl time with lots of friends - and one friend and I happened to both have on polar bear pajamas, so I figured that was photo worthy:

I watched lots of Harry Potter in preparation for the newest movie this week:

Cookie baking definitely took place (more than once):

Mark and I attended a wedding reception and they had cupcakes that we got to eat and decorate:

And last but not least, I got to spend extra time with Jesus, and that was wonderful:

One of my favorite things was not setting my alarm each night when went to bed, and not waking up before around 10:00am. (-: That was pretty awesome.

So, I am a lover of the staycation. It was super cheap (I only spent money on flowers to plant, one skirt I bought, coffee at a coffee shop, and baking ingredients). For a vacation, you really can't beat that. And it was nice to slow down and not be busy.

Have you ever had a staycation?

~Kathryn

The Thing About Hope

2011-07-06T22:49:00.000-05:00

Mark: "What do you want to do?"
Me: "Let's stare into each other's eyes and talk about our hopes and dreams."

I don't know how or when this ridiculous conversation started, but it was before we were married and it takes place semi regularly. We like to talk about our hopes and dreams. And those big brown eyes are awful dreamy. (-:

I've been thinking a lot about hope lately. We've been talking about it too - Mark and I take walks regularly, and we talk about all kinds of things, including our hopes and dreams. Sometimes we talk about happy things, and somethings things that aren't as happy. Things other people would likely think are weird - like if hope is really a good thing or not. We always hear people talk about it, and I've started realizing that I have quite a love/hate relationship with hope. All you have to do is look at a few quotes about hope to see the extremes through which it is viewed:

Some people love hope:

Once you choose hope, anything's possible. ~Christopher Reeve

The miserable have no other medicine but only hope. ~William Shakespeare

Hope is putting faith to work when doubting would be easier. ~Author Unknown

Whereas some people don't:

In reality, hope is the worst of all evils, because it prolongs man's torments. ~Friedrich Nietzsche

There is nothing so well known as that we should not expect something for nothing - but we all do and call it Hope. ~Edgar Howe

Hope is independent of the apparatus of logic. ~Norman Cousins

And then we all know those sayings - like about how "hope is not a strategy", and how we should "never deprive someone of hope because it may be all they have."

Hmm...

I've always considered myself a hopeful person. I've "hoped for the best", and when things haven't been the best, I've hoped they would change. I've felt that sometimes hope really is all a person may have. And that when things are a real bummer, there's always hope, right?

But hope has been on my mind lately, because sometimes, hope hurts. I'm starting to understand what Nietzsche said when he said it prolongs torment and is the worst of all evils. It seems like hope doesn't allow for closure in a terrible situation. I mean, really, how long should a person hold onto hope before letting go and moving on? Sometimes hope really makes my heart ache. Wouldn't it be easier to just give up hope? So what about when hope starts to seem unrealistic and hurts more than it helps?

But isn't hope itself unrealistic by nature? It's thinking about something completely turning around in a direction we want. And generally, it's something that's out of our control as well. It's like this longing, deep within us, that we choose to keep alive.

It seems like sometimes if it weren't for blasted hope we could just move on. We could "get over it". We could have more realistic expectations. We could heal.

But can we have it all? Healing, realistic expectations, and hope? I mean who wants to be the person that gives us hope? And isn't there always hope through Jesus? And isn't hope like faith? That's what makes it tough for me. Even in the most "hopeless" situations, while hope is definitely not a strategy, it can be a comfort.

I guess, like everything, it's a balancing act. We have to balance hope with each situation. Maybe we should never give up hope, yet we should be realistic. We should allow ourselves to heal by accepting our situations as they are, and keep that little flicker of hope alive.

Because just what if, what we hope for actually happens some day, but we gave up on it long ago? What then?

So, even though it hurts an awful lot sometimes, I think I will choose hope. A realistic hope. A hope that allows for healing and moving on.

What about you? Are you conflicted about hope? Has it been good for you, or painful? What do you think?

As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.
Psalm 71:14

~Kathryn

DIY: Mud Pit Be Gone

2011-07-05T00:06:00.002-05:00

As you know, we own a home... or least we probably own the porch swing by now. I think the other 99% of the house is still owned by the bank. But you get the picture. Along with the awesomeness of having our own home means that I can't just call the apartment office when I need a light bulb changed. Those were the good ole days. Seriously. Because right now, I can think of about six DIFFERENT kinds of light bulbs that need to be replaced at my house. This is going to require me personally going and buying said light bulbs and figuring out how to change them. And while that might sound ridiculous, some of them are inside light fixtures. So not only do I have to buy the right size light bulb, I have to figure out how to get it in the fixture. This is a goal of mine for next week. Anyway, I have completely digressed.Bottom line - there's no apartment office to fix things. I am the apartment office.

So, owning a home also means I own the mud pit that has made itself right at home in my backyard. The mud pit that has become the personal playground of Boo, Melvin, and Bella. The mud pit that has made certain that grass has no chance of growing. The mud pit that laughs at me when I fork over money to yet again have Boo groomed because he decided to lay in the mud pit. This is the mud pit:

See that green square? Yes, that's a French drain. Unfortunately, that French drain is just slightly off from the mud pit and the water flows away from the drain, meaning, it's not really helping out. Everyday when our neighbors water their flowers, the mud pit returns.

So, the other day, my hero, Jeff, looked in our yard and was like, "You know, I think I can fix that". I, of course, got really excited because (A.) I clearly have no clue how to fix something like that - I mean, I'm having light bulb anxiety over here, and (B) I really wanted the mud pit gone. In fact, I got so excited that I started bragging to my neighbor - the neighbor with the flower bed and the sprinkler. He was outside, and I was "checking out" some drainage stuff, because I'm a drainage expert. He inquired about the drainage, and I started making all these proclamations about how my boss Jeff could totally fix the drainage problems easily, and he could do it for like $40. I think I might have even waved my arms around for extra dramatic effect. You could tell my neighbor was skeptical of my proud claims, but I knew it my heart Jeff could do it - so I told him I'd "keep him updated" - code language for "I'll let you know when I prove he can do it".

A couple of days later, the project started. We started digging (okay - mainly Jeff and Mark dug). Our goal was to put in another drain along the same pipe thing so the water wouldn't just pool. After finding the pipe thing, I got out all my fancy pants tools and started digging. myself. Here was my work site:

I love my pink tool kit. It's awesome. Here's what I had to drink while I worked:

Yes - sweet tea - with lip gloss marks. Because if you can't look good while digging a French drain, why do it?

And here I am, glad to be working outside on a beautiful day:

After making it completely through Joni Mitchell's "Blue" record and through most of James Taylor's "New Moon Shine", I had made some seriously impressive progress:

Yes. I dug all the way under the drain pipe thing and around it so that we could fit another drain in. This was pretty much the extent of my expertise. Digging. After that, I needed help. So, I took a break and waited for the expert.

Once the expert came, things started happening really quickly. There was a lot of sweat and grunting - it was like Bob Vila on steroids. Things just magically went into place. I clearly wasn't needed, but I watched and it was amazing. This is what the hole quickly looked like:

After cutting the pipe thing, Jeff stuck the new drain on there. We poured some water in to make sure it worked, and sure enough, it did. Then, I got to pretend like I did something really awesome:

Okay don't judge me. Someone has to put the lid on. And really, who's more qualified than me?

Clearly no one.

So, after the lid was on, we filled in the hole and smoothed the dirt around it, and this is what it now looks like:

Legit, huh?

So, the mud puddle is no longer. We are still watching to see how it holds up and if we need to put in one more. Either way, it's already way better, Mark and I learned a new skill, and I'm basically a professional drain digger. I know you are all so impressed. Might I add, this only cost $16 to fix - less than the originally estimated $40.

I hope everyone had a wonderful fourth of July. Oh, and in case you were wondering, the mommy bunny took the babies and moved them - probably because we were a little too friendly with them. Oh, well. (-:

Peace!

~Kathryn

A Bouquet of Newly Sharpened Pencils

2011-06-21T20:28:00.002-05:00

Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.

Ahhh.... "You've Got Mail". Don't you just love that movie? Don't you just want to be Kathleen Kelly? Don't you want to wear those cute jumpers and be able to pull off that cute short hair? And isn't her apartment just to die for? And the charming bookstore where she and her mother used to twirl. Be still my soul. I just adore that movie.

Ahem. I didn't get on here to talk about one of my all time favorite movies, but I am clearly easily distracted. I logged into blogger to tell about my newest endeavor, which will require some new school supplies, and maybe, just maybe, a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils.

Yes, I'm going back to school. I've been out of college for four years now. This is just enough time where I don't convulse when I think about opening a text book, studying for a test, or writing a paper. And while I admit I was not a model student, and studying was not my forte, I am genuinely thrilled to be going back.

At the end of my senior year in college, I started looking into the possibility of seminary. I picked the school I wanted to go to and even started getting letters from those hungry admissions counselors, but I knew in my heart I just couldn't do it. Not that I wasn't capable or didn't want to, but I had paid for my own college and already had a decent stack of student loan debt, and I just really couldn't justify going to seminary. That would mean getting farther in debt, and honestly, I don't know that I could have handled much more of the poor college student stress of trying to come up with money for gas, or anything for that matter. So, I put the idea on the back burner and put on my cap and gown.

Since I graduated from college and joined the grown-up world of working, I have every few months surfed the 'ole world wide web to see if my dream could somehow become a reality. Due to finances, the lack of a seminary I could or would go to near where I lived, and my needing to work while I went to school, it seemed very unrealistic.

But this time, after another dead end internet search, a friend of mine mentioned online seminary. Mind you, I found a fair share of ".com" seminaries - those sketchy schools that don't have a ".edu" at the end of the website. But, after I kept looking, one of my top seminary choices had just started a fully online program last fall. And it's definitely a ".edu" school.

My first question was about finances and scholarships, so before I really told anyone about my idea, I emailed our church to find out if there were any scholarship options. As soon as I found out there were, everything happened really quickly. I got two more scholarships, and within about two weeks of starting the process, I was accepted, and as of yesterday, I am enrolled.

So what degree program am I doing? Well, I will be working toward a Master of Arts in Theological Studies. It's a forty-five hour program. I plan on doing nine hours a semester, so it should take me about two and half years to complete. I am so excited, and nervous at the same time. I hope I still have the brain power to pull it off. There will be lots of reading and writing, and I even have to get proctors for my tests since I can't use notes/books/etc.

So, you could definitely say that this fall I will need a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils. Or at least a new Mac Book. (-: That's what I'm hoping for - that and some Bible study software.

So, that's my new endeaver. Class starts August 22. (-:

~Kathryn

On the Road Again

2011-06-15T15:07:00.002-05:00

Well, hello, everyone! I am blogging from a charter bus right now, somewhere in between Destin, Fl, and Tulsa, Oklahoma. I am on my way back from our church's youth choir tour. I feel really legit blogging from a wifi card on a bus.

Our trip has just been fantastic. We ministered to lots of people through singing the Word of God over them, and we had lots of great fellowship, and of course, lots of wonderful beach time. I don't have any pics right now of the choir singing, since I couldn't take pics while singing, but I do have some beach pics, which I will most definitely share. (-:

This is the view from my room - how stinkin' cool is that? I stayed with a couple of sweet ninth grade girls and another sponsor.

Karlie and I got to spend some quality beach time together, too. (-:

Being a church choir trip, I was on a hunt for a one piece swim suit. Now, I don't know about you, but I have the HARDEST time finding a one piece that fits. I think I have a long torso, so the one pieces never seem long enough. It's like I'm always having to try to pull them up and stretch them out and it's usually frustrating, and never flattering. But, this time I splurged. I bought a one piece that is supposed to be super cute and look decent. And I'm glad I did. You guys all need to check out www.modcloth.com and see their really cool and vintage one and two-piece swimsuits.

Mark didn't get to go. And I missed him a lot. I'm pretty sure he missed us a lot to. We sent lots of pics to him like these throughout the week:

We will be home tonight and we are excited to see Mark, Boo, Melvin, and Bella. We are very ready for that. (-:

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

~Kathryn

A Treasure in Our Garden

2011-06-08T08:00:00.002-05:00

Can I get a shout for the second blog post of the week? Woo!

As we were enjoying our family dinner Monday night (might I add, it was pretty darn good - we had pork chops, mashed potatoes, asparagus and salad - YUM!), we kept getting distracted by Boo barking in the backyard. He was barking and I asked, "Mark, what is he barking at?" Mark looked out the back door and said, "He's barking at the garden." So, we figured he was just being a goofy puppy. He will occasionally bark at a random object as if it were some sort of mythical creature. We go on regular walks around our neighborhood and every once in a while he will see someone's trash sitting out by their curb for the next morning and he'll bark. And I'm like, dude, it's a bag of trash. No need for alarm. ANYWAY, the point is, he sometimes barks at weird things, so I wasn't too surprised.

But he kept barking. We're talking non stop for like ten minutes. Reminder: we were trying to enjoy our family dinner. Finally, I had had enough, and figured the neighbors had as well, so I asked Mark if he would go see what all the commotion was about.

I watched Mark go out there and look in the garden. And then I watched him keep looking. And moving back one of the plants to look more closely. I knew something was up. He gave me a look, and I jumped up from the table, Karlie in tow, and we went to see what was in the garden. And lo and behold, look what we found:

Yes, folks, that is a nest of baby bunnies. Cue ridiculous squealing, picture taking galore, and mass pandemonium as we looked at the baby bunnies. It was pretty amazing. We looked for a really long time, called everyone we knew, and then we left them alone.

Karlie did some research and found out that we can hold them, because domestic rabbits don't mind human scent. And apparently, mommy rabbits feed the babies at night and then they are good for twenty-four hours. The mom leaves during the day so that the nest will not be obvious to predators. Apparently Boo is a good predator, because he knew they were there. Good thing we got that chicken wire around the garden.

Want to get a better look?

Oh. My. Word. Is that not the most precious thing you have ever seen? Karlie named her Annabelle. (I don't know if it's a girl but, oh well.)

And here's another little guy:

I checked on them again this morning and they looked like they were doing good. I'll keep you posted!

Happy Wednesday!

~Kathryn

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

2011-06-06T07:00:00.002-05:00

First, of all, I know. I'm like the worst blogger ever. I'm thinking about working on it. You know how like when you see a friend you haven't talked to in so long and it's hard to talk because it's like, "Wow, where do I even begin?!". That's how my relationship is with blogger. It's like I haven't blogged and there's so much back log and what do I even say? So, I will just start with the festivities of this weekend. Coming soon, I will update on my furniture projects, my awesome garden, and something new and exciting I am going to be starting in the fall. (-:

We got to go to the Driller's baseball game and had the most fabulously awesome time. I'll just post some pics to remind you what I look like since it's been so long.

We ate at this AWESOME burger joint. And we ate a lot.

At the game, we got suite seats.... pun intended. Here's our view:

We got cotton candy at the game. It was AWESOME. I mean, cotton candy is like pretty, sweet, and fun to eat. Best of all worlds. Plus it's got the novelty factor going on.

But, it does this to your tongue:

Can you tell my favorite flavor was blue? Yeah.

And here's our family pic after the game:

It was a wonderfully fun night. So, there's a little teaser. I'll try to be a better blogger again. Please forgive me.

~Kathryn