i'm back!

well, it's been a pretty long while since i've been on here. almost 2 years. wowzers.

things are good. i did move to indianapolis, and i'm still here 2 years later. life is so very different, and so good at the same time. i have been teaching preschool since i got down here (with a short break to nanny, but that was TERRIBLE)... and i'm currently looking for a new job. i'm moving to carmel, to a one-bedroom apartment (i miss living alone) in a month and a half. i'm really excited. it has lots of storage, built-in shelving, and SPACE. plus, it doesn't hurt that it's walking distance from Noah. things there are good, too, by the way. he's awesome, and i feel lucky every day.

other news: i'm going to japan in july! i never thought i would even WANT to go to japan, but here i am, with a plane ticket and plans for tokyo... Grace (my church) is taking a team to serve the missionaries serving in southeast asia. we'll be helping run a conference for them-- providing worship, some teaching, food, and -- my part -- VBS. i think it will be really fun, and i'm excited to see what God does. it's nice to give them a break. plus, the team I'm going with is awesome. Noah, a bunch of our friends from junior high, and some other great people that i'm still getting to know. i'm pretty pumped.

i have a job interview tomorrow morning. the school is in carmel, which will be near my new apartment, and isn't too far from where i am now either. it has a gymnasium, a big, very nice-looking building, and provides benefits for their teachers. in the job description, it talked about looking for teachers to elevate the profession, so that it's not just seen as "babysitting" or "day care"... so it sounds like a good fit. wish me luck!

i'm not sure what else to say tonight. i have a wonderful life, and wonderful people to share it with. i'm a lucky girl!

another of my friends from high school got married last night. a bunch of our high school friends were there, and it was great to catch up with everyone. it was fun, but it always makes me think about how we're growing up and how we're in a totally different stage of life than we were back then and how i would have thought of people in our shoes as "old".... so i guess i'm old. weird. i still feel young

i might be moving to indianapolis. i'm looking for jobs and there's some down there and there are nice apartments and tracy lives there and i'd really like a chance to start over right now. i'll really miss everything here, and i don't want to leave. but i think i might need to.

i have a few friends that are making really bad choices and i have to talk to them about it and tell them that they're screwing up. that's hard. but that's real love and real friendship. the hard part will be if they don't care and don't listen... that's so hard.

i'm in a really weird spot in my life right now, like the proverbial fork in the road, and i don't know which way to go. don't you wish you could see where each road would lead before you had to choose? i guess i just have to trust that God will go with me down any of them, and see if i can't figure out if there's one he favors above the rest. feel free to throw up a prayer or two for me if you will :)

as long as you're praying, say a few for my newly married friends, and for Evan who just got sent out to boot camp for the army national guard, and for a friend of mine who really needs Christ.... thanks :)

here's a less serious and more silly request for you all: go here. it's a good time. promise :)

happy sunday! hope you're enjoying your summer... love you all.

i just thought this was a beautiful expression of hope in a relationship. thought i'd share. i have no idea where it came from or who said it, but i liked it.

maybe i could be your alarm clock, every morning you'd wake up to me, i’d be the first thing you see, every morning from now on. as for me at the break of dawn, i hope, i dream, that someday you’ll be close to me, and i will be something of yours.

why not? i know you love this stuff

PAST*
1* First grade teacher's name: mrs. bruinekool
2* Last word you said: bye
3* Last song you sang: michelle branch- you get me

4* Last person you hugged: mom

5* Last thing you laughed hard at: comment on what not to wear

6* Last time you said I dont remember: earlier today talking to my mom
7* Last time you cried: i don't remember. HA
9* What color socks are you wearing: none

10* What's under your bed: boxes of crap
11* What time did you wake up today: 10-ish

12* Current taste: what?
13* Current hair: blonde in a ponytail

15* Current annoyance: having too many things to do today
16* Current longing: to be with a certain someone
17* Current desktop background: picture of the beach from when i was in florida
18* Current worry: trying to find a job
19* Current hate: the ugly coat on the girl on what not to wear

20* Current favorite article of clothing: new dresses

21* Favorite physical feature of the preferred sex: muscular shoulders and upper arms

22* Last CD that you listened to: michelle branch- spirit room
23* Favorite place to be: in bed
24* Least favorite place: ?
25* Time you wake up in the morning: depends on the day. 7-ish, or 10-ish
26* If you could play an instrument, what would you play: guitar or piano
27* Favorite color: pink, blue, green... ?
28* Do you believe in a heaven: YES
29* How tall are you: 5'3"
30* Current favorite word/saying: ?
31* Favorite book: too many to list
32* Favorite season: summer
33* One person from your past you wish you could go back and talk to: ryan vanda (random... just thought of him yesterday and wondering where he is)
*FUTURE*
35* Where do you want to go for college: oh my gosh, i'm too old to do this survey

36* What is your career going to be like: hopefully starting soon would be the most important part
37* How many kids do you want to have: at least 2
*HAVE YOU EVER...*
39* Said "I love you" and meant it: yes
40* Gotten in a fight with your dog/cat/bird/fish, etc: um, my friend's cat scratched me and i threw it across the room... does that count?
41* Been to New York: yes
42* Been to Florida: yes
43* Been to California: yes
44* Been to Hawaii: no
45* Been to Mexico: yes
46* Been to China: no
48* Dreamed something really crazy and then it happened the next day: no

*RANDOM*
52* Do you have a crush on someone: yes :)
53* What book are you reading now? da vinci code, the devil wears prada, mr. maybe, and captivating... on a rotating basis

54* Worst feeling in the world: rejection, vomit, mourning
55* What is the first thing you think when you wake in the morning? NO

56* How many rings before you answer: however long it takes to get to my phone
57* Future daughter's name: .... ?
58* Future son's name:  ?
59* Do you sleep with a stuffed animal: not usually
60* If you could have any job you wanted: i'd keep babysitting, but with health benefits

61* Wish you were here: thanks...?
62* College plans: not to go back for a while now that i graduated
63* Piercings: ears, navel
*THE EXTRA STUFF*
64* Do you do drugs: NO
65* Do you drink: yes
67* What kind of Shampoo and Conditioner do you use: currently the john frieda blond stuff

68* What are you most scared of: not being able to breathe
69* What clothes do you sleep in: shorts and a tee shirt or tank
70* Who is the last person that called you: my mom
71* Where do you want to get married: anywhere that will fit my friends and family and is pretty
72* If you could change anything about yourself what would that be: that my thighs would shrink back to their old size
73* Who do you really hate: people who hate others
74* Been In Love: yes
75* Are you timely or always late: late almost always

76* Do you have a job: yes
77* Do you like being around people: yes
78* Best feeling in the world: love

79* Are you for world peace: obvioulsy
80* Are you a health freak: no
81* Do you have a "Type" of person you always go after: not really... cute and nice i guess
82* Do you want someone you don't have? no
83* Are you lonely right now: not really

84* Ever afraid you'll never get married: no 
85* Do you want to get married: yes

86* Do you want kids? yes
*IN THE LAST 48 HOURS, HAVE YOU...*
87* Cried: no
88* Bought Something: yes
89* Gotten Sick: no
90* Sang: yes

91* Said I Love You: yes
92* Wanted To Tell Someone You Loved them: yes

93* Met Someone: yes
94* Moved On: no
95* Talked To Someone: yes
96* Had A Serious Talk: yes
97* Missed Someone: yes
98* Hugged Someone: yes
99* Yelled at Someone: no
100* Dreamt About Someone You Can't Be With: yes

.

RULES: Write a statement intended for 13 different people. but the catch is... never tell which one is for who!!

1. i really like you.. a lot.

2. i love you and respect your opinion, but i need to make my own choices, so please stop.

3. i don't agree with all of your life choices, but i will support you anyway.

4. i'm so glad we have become friends-- i love you so much.

5. you know way too much about me, but i'm ok with that.

6. you are the ONE person who can always help me make sense of my life, even when i'm ridiculously lost.

7. i miss you and wish you didn't live so far away.

8. sometimes i don't understand how you decide what is right and wrong, and sometimes i disagree with your decisions.

9. i don't regret what happened, but i'm sorry that you got hurt.

10. i'm really glad he chose you, and you have enriched our lives as much as you have his.

11. i'm sorry that i haven't been what you wanted me to be, but i'm happy how i am.

12. i really wonder how your brain works sometimes.

13. you are the most important person in my life, and my very best friend.

A--Age you got your first kiss: 16
B-- Band listening to right now: none
C-- Crush: he knows who he is
D-- Death wish: not yet... old, in my sleep
E-- Easiest person to talk to: cris
F-- Favorite band at the moment: rascal flatts
G-- Gummy worms or Gummy bears?: either one, sour
H-- Hometown: lansing
I-- Instruments you play: none really
J-- Joints smoked: none. ew
K-- Kids: are cool
L-- Longest trip ever: arizona
M-- Mom's name: sandy
N-- Nicknames: lee lee, princess leia
O-- One wish: marriage and kids in the next 5 years
P-- Phobias: not being able to breathe
Q-- Quote: "
R-- Reason to smile: sunshine
S-- Song you sang last: michelle branch - you get me
T-- Time you woke up today: 10-ish
U-- Unknown fact about me: i'm wearing green shorts. now you know
V-- Vegetable you hate: most
W-- Worst habits: hating veggies, not cleaning my house
X-- X-rays you've had: back
Y-- Yummy food: yes please
Z-- Zodiac sign: baloney