whisper words of wisdom

adding another book to the library

2010-12-24T08:55:00.002-08:00

Merry almost Christmas, friends and family! I have created a new blog for Philip and me. I may or may not still post on this blog. I haven't decided yet. Here is our new address:

http://philipandandrea.blogspot.com

Pretty simple. :) I hope your Christmas celebrations are merry!

homebody

2010-10-21T21:25:00.001-07:00

Philip and I came home from choir practice at Logos and spent the evening in the kitchen and living room, baking pie, eating dinner, doing dishes, starting laundry, clipping Ophy's nails, and doing little household chores. We turned on some music and lit some candles to get rid of the fish smell. I love the low lighting and the relaxing music.

Mmmm. Nights at home are entirely underrated.

Now for some Gilead. Or perhaps Leviticus.

nuggets of wisdom

2010-10-09T09:36:00.002-07:00

I spent Thursday and Friday up in Surrey, B.C. at our annual teachers' convention. in the past, I've been excited for the convention to arrive (no students! I get to go to classes and be taught!), but I've immediately been disappointed by the keynote speakers. In general, they have been good people with a large amount of knowledge, but with little understanding of how to connect with a room filled with hundreds of teachers, yearning for practical bits to take back to the classroom.

This year was different. our convention theme was "educating for global discipleship", meaning, "How do we teach our kids to walk with Christ in light of the global community?" Our two speakers shared personal stories and presented us with practical and meaningful applications.

Our first, Dan Egeler, grew up in Africa as an MK. He is now working for ACSI in Colorado Springs as the Director for International School Services. He has experience with schools across the world. Dan talked about the clash of worldviews in our Christian schools (humanism vs. Christianity) and how easily humanism can sneak into the way we teach. "Education can be our salvation!" He told a story of a group of students who were assigned to write a Christian response to "Dead Poet's Society" (which uses the catch phrase "Carpe Diem.") These students chose to respond: "Carpe Aeternitatem! (Seize Eternity!) Why settle for just one day?" Dan challenged us to address the fallacy of individualism and live life in the light of eternity. We are on a faith journey together, in community, with our students. He pointed out that gratitude makes the difference between a mature and immature Christian. Do we live lives of gratitude? Do we model gratitude to our students? I felt convicted by these words. How often do I complain or have a bad attitude, all the while shaming my students for doing the same thing? I need to see my work, my students, my own life, in the light of eternity.

The second speaker, Mike Goheen (the Goheens were old family friends who lived in Sioux Center for a few years), teaches worldview and theology at Trinity Western. His speech touched me even more. He spoke of the history of education and how it has been shaped by the economic climate of the western world. Again, education becomes the vehicle for our salvation. It will take us to a new world if we perfect it. Nietzsche described the 18th century as "God being killed", and by the 20th century, our new religion is consumerism. Education becomes a means to an end: If I get a good education, I can get a good job and then live a successful life filled with everything I need and want. Mike talked about the criticism of this worldview from the viewpoint of the Vatican. The first two are widely accepted, the last two are not:
1)There is an unequal distribution of goods.
2)Excessive consumption threatens the environment
3)Consumerism creates ungodly character
4)Consumption has become the primary goal--to the detriment of our own being.
As the prophet Ezekiel says, "When culture serves a god other than the living one, they will reap destruction." This kind of economic idolatry is impacting our Christian schools, and we don't even recognize it happening. We marginalize subjects that don't raise test scores; we marginalize continuing education for teachers, and we face parental expectations and the accompanying consumeristic ideology.
Mike then placed before us the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-20. This should be our new starting point. Our goal is to make disciples. A true disciple is to center his whole life on Christ, obey him, and become like him. A true disciple will challenge the social and economic structures in place today, and be willing to suffer for it. A true disciple will hunger and thirst for justice.

Wow. I felt convicted by these speakers and what they had to say. I think the most disturbing thing is that we don't recognize that our schools are serving this purpose. It makes me sick, and it makes me sad. I feel like Philip and I are really trying to not get wrapped up in money. We're trying to be smart about it and put it towards the most important things (donations, tithes, paying off loans, etc.) I don't think the point of Mike's speech was to shame anyone for spending money. I don't see a problem with Philip having an iPod touch or with me buying a new pair of shoes just for fun. But I think he was saying we need to keep our priorities straight and recognize the path our schools are following.

I guess I don't know how to end this, so I'll just stop. I'm grateful for the chance to be refreshed, renewed, and reminded of the bigger picture.

shine a light on me

2010-09-29T19:16:00.002-07:00

Random picture from my Yellowstone adventure with the siblings. I think I may have been faking sleep in order to make the picture funnier. Everyone else was sleeping for realsies.

School is going well--in fact, I feel a little guilty that I'm not more stressed out. Can I still be a good teacher even when I'm not stressed? Not sure. But I am enjoying the fulfillment of working with the same kids day in, day out, working in my field, and the paycheck (first one tomorrow!).

We have a Sufjan station on last.fm. I just heard a song by Great Lake Swimmers. I think it was called "Concrete Hearts." It was soothing and relaxing. Philip is out tonight hanging out with the youth of the church, so it's my night to veg out and eat popcorn and read and watch sappy chick flicks. I look forward to it each week, now that I have less down time.

Life is changing but staying the same, too. We had a great visit from Philip's parents and from LQS (one of my favorite people!) We love visitors, and it's worth all the craziness. Hint: Come visit.

This post is a little disjointed. I felt like updating but not in a diligent, coherent way.

I'm establishing the bad habit of coming home, putting pjs on and vegging out with food and tv or a movie. The other night we committed ourselves to not turning on the computer after 6ish p.m. And I read almost the whole book of Genesis for small group. The hard part was deciding to turn off the computer, but once we did it, we really enjoyed the quiet atmosphere of background music, soft lighting and candles, and a Good Book. Today we went for a bike ride in the beautiful fall weather. I would like to commit myself to being more intentional and active so that vegging out is more well-deserved.

We'll see how this goes.

Can anyone else not believe it's almost October? (Did that even make sense?)

everybody's got a seed to sow

2010-09-06T21:41:00.004-07:00

School started last Monday. I was anxious the full week before, but once Monday arrived, I felt good. I had slept well and was feeling excited and only a little nervous. Feeling relaxed as a teacher is great! Of course, there is always some kind of stress available, but I'm making the choice to not be stressed about it. Instead, I'm joyful and excited to face the challenges that are coming my way.

Fourth year exceeds first year. And even second and third years.

This weekend, I had a major bout of nostalgia. We recently realized we won't be able to go anywhere over Christmas this year, which sucks. This will be the first year I won't be in Iowa for Christmas, but we won't even be with Philip's side. It will just be us. I'm a little nervous. I think it's coming out in waves of nostalgia:

-I bought crayons yesterday. 25 cents!
-I've been singing Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant several times.
-Philip and I have been looking through my high school yearbooks.
-I saw a beach towel that Al had when we were growing up.
-Philip & I watched Big this weekend. Tom Hanks has always been amazing.
-I'm missing the 80s. Yeep!
-I hula hooped at the farmers market on Saturday. I'm starting to write my birthday list.

Anyway, it's been fun to look back and remember "the good old days." At least I've had time to make WA home before having to miss out on an Iowa Christmas. I love living here. Hopefully that will help get me through the holidays. I'm grateful to have Philip here to make memories with, too. It will be special for us, I think.

The weekend is ending. It's been a good one. Lots of friends, ridiculously unhealthy food, and naps. And I'm actually feeling rested and ready to return to school tomorrow. We're starting The Giver this week, which I'm super excited for. It's a great book with great discussion material--perfect for my 8th graders.

Here goes!

give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!

2010-07-13T22:13:00.003-07:00

I am employed! I am having a hard time actually believing it; after a year of uncertainty and financial strain, we are out of that valley! Everything for this job came together so quickly and effortlessly, it was clear to me that God orchestrated it. I'll be teaching middle school language arts at Lynden Christian, the place where I did part of my student teaching. My dear friend, Shelly, who teaches at LC, let me know of the opening last Thursday as soon as the staff received the email. I immediately contacted the principal, who attends our church and was my supervisor for my student teaching assignment.

To make a long story short, I had a good interview today and was offered the job an hour later! The principal said the decision was unanimous (I had been interviewed by 5 people) and they were ecstatic (yes, he used that word) to welcome me on staff.

How unexpected. And full of grace. When I look back over this past year, I see that God has challenged me and grown me in ways that would not have happened had I been fully employed. I (we!) have had to rely fully on Him for provision and strength, and He gave it to us abundantly.

I know this year of teaching will bring many challenges and obstacles, and I'm looking forward to all of them. Most of all, I'm looking forward to belonging somewhere again. I've belonged in our small group and in our church, but the I've felt detached in the employment sector. I can't wait to be part of a staff again.

Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement. We really appreciate it...and I won't turn them down even though I'm not unemployed anymore. :)

Praise the Lord!

they were shining there for you and me

2010-07-01T09:07:00.002-07:00

Well, I was going to load pictures. But Blogger is dumb. Maybe I will ditch it for something else. Is there any way on Blogger to load more than 5 pictures at a time? Or rearrange the order without complete redoing it? For now, you'll just have to check out the album I will be putting up on Facebook in the next week or so once I get around to it.

Anyway.

California was fabulous. Not necessarily relaxing, but fabulous. We did everything I listed in my last post and more. It was truly delightful! Some of the highlights were:

-experiencing sunshine!
-eating breakfast on the porch
-bbq with Philip's cousins
-seeing Andrew & Melissa's new place
-spending a great couple of days at Yosemite with Mom & Dad and Rod & Vonnie
-seeing bears at Yosemite!
-spending all that extra time with Philip
-taking Highway 1 up the coast with Dad & Mom (very very curvy!!)
-camping in the beautiful Oregonian "wilderness" with Philip's extended family
-reading Lord of the Rings aloud in the car since our CD player apparently stopped working...
-celebrating our anniversary with a $5 pizza and a nice hotel room with a TV!

We arrived home on Monday afternoon and greeted our kitty. She forgave us pretty quickly for abandoning her for 11 days, which was considerate of her. Now it's back to the grind. The unpacking isn't all finished yet and there's lots of cleaning that needs to be done. I went from seeing Philip 24/7 to barely seeing him at all, since he's volunteering this week at a Cub Scout camp in the evenings. It took a bit of adjustment, but we're getting there.

I also had an interview yesterday with a woman from our church who owns her own tutoring business. She started it one year ago, but it's rapidly growing and she needs to hire an additional tutor. It sounds like I'll get the job and I can even do it during the school year, depending on what I find out about next year. Still haven't heard from the school in town about an interview. I'm grateful to my knitting instructor from church who dropped my name to this woman while I was on vacation! God really does provide in various ways through various people. Praise God!

And a FB album of our CA adventures is forthcoming.

anticipation

2010-06-16T14:19:00.003-07:00

Today is an exhausting day. I'm getting ready for our trip to California (we leave tomorrow), and there's way too much to do.

In my younger and naive-er days, I thought all a trip really meant was packing. Mom would be stressing out because of all the stuff there was to do, and I was like, "Really? All you need to do is throw some clothes and toiletries in a bag, grab some books, and we're good to go!"

Now that I'm old and wise, I know the truth. I've been insanely busy today and I haven't even started packing yet. I've been doing laundry, cleaning the apartment, baking bread so we can eat sandwiches in the car, writing up/sending minutes from our uber long chorale board meeting last night, loving up the poor, neglected kitty, taking care of applications/interviews, emailing people about vacation plans and directions, preparing for cat and plant care, emptying garbages, eating leftovers...

And I'm sure I'm forgetting something. We still need to go to the library and pick up books on CD, organize the music we want to take, pack the camping box, pack the bag of food and the cooler, pack our clothes, pack our electronics and accessories, purchase a travel mug so we actually have two (which means going to our neighborhood coffee shop...and what's the point of going unless we get coffee, too?)...

Plus, I'm somewhat anal about the state of the apartment. Who wants to come home from vacation already having laundry to do, pictures to download, and tents to air out and have to clean the bathrooms and vacuum? Maybe I should be less anal. Genetics is not in my favor on this one.

Regardless of the insane amount of work this vacation actually is, I'm so looking forward to it. Anticipation is such a wonderful thing. We've been planning this vacation for months and months. And finally I get to say, "Tomorrow at 2:30 we're leaving whether we're ready or not!" Plus, it's a road trip. None of that stress that comes with air travel. We can travel at our own pace (which in this case, means booking it to make it to Ripon by early Friday evening). I love love love road trips.

Things I'm looking forward to on this vacation:
1)Seeing Mom & Dad
2)Seeing Mom & Dad Van Dyken and all the siblings
3)Seeing other Ripon relatives/peoples
4)Lake Pinecrest
5)Yosemite
6)San Francisco
7)Hwy 101
8)Warm weather
9)Sunshine
10)Taking tons o' photos
11)Camping with the Havemans
12)Staying with Nick & Lari in Portland
13)Celebrating our first anniversary! (whether it's camping with extended family or taking off early to do our own thing)
14)Spending quality time with my husband

and there's lots more.

In employment news, I feel like I've taken some important steps. I'm not going to have daily employment this summer, but through the workings of friends and connections, I am tutoring two or maybe three students in math this summer. I'm really looking forward to working one-on-one with the kids, having a reason to get up on some mornings, making a little money, and staying in the field of education.

I'm also waiting to hear back from a small Christian school where I applied for a job. I was supposed to hear about having an interview today or tomorrow; no word yet. But I feel optimistic. I've met the principal and toured the school and I actually took initiative on this! I feel that the school and I are a good fit for each other, but right now the only choice I have is to trust God (and there are worse choices, right?)

Back to loving up the kitty. Happy summer!

i want to run the race with vigor

2010-05-25T10:19:00.004-07:00

I've felt discontent lately.

I feel as though this year has been full of surprises. Some good, some not-so-good. In the midst of these surprises, I've felt out of control. I don't know what will happen next. The moment I feel I'm getting into a groove of some sort, something new comes along and pops me out of the groove. I don't enjoy being popped out of my groove. I can't plan ahead, my expectations are unfulfilled or destroyed. I am a slave to my emotions at any given moment.

At the same time, I look back on the past year and feel incredibly blessed. God has provided much more than I could have asked or imagined and has given me a place to serve. I have a loving husband, a great apartment, wonderful friends, an inspiring church, a cuddly kitty, enough sub jobs to keep me busy and to keep the bills paid. Yet I'm discontent.

I feel homesick in the strangest way. I miss my family and my hometown, yet I feel at home here. I'm not immobilized by my homesickness, but it comes up again and again. The more I think about it, the more I think I'm homesick for the new creation.

I see disease, age, and infirmity cripple people I know and love. Accidents happen swiftly and bring irreversible change. An oil spill threatens ecosystems and the livelihood of thousands of people. An earthquake strikes without warning, killing thousands and leaving the rest without homes or hope. A lonely man makes an early morning phone call to an acquaintance, longing to fill the void.

Yet I have been blessed. What do I do with that? Where is my place? Who needs my help? I look for these answers, but not too earnestly. I'm afraid I might actually find them and have to do something about it.

I don't have any answers. But the following song brings me a little closer.

Let Me Sing (Andrew Peterson)

I wanna open up my eyes
And see a more beautiful world
Let the hand of God Almighty
Sweep his colors through my life
I wanna hold tight to the laughter
And ride it like a child
On the winds that billow joyful
Through the sky

I wanna open up my heart
But you know, sometimes it's hard to find
Because I've buried it beneath the selfishness
That I've hidden behind
I wanna stand my ground unshaken
But I wanna tremble when I kneel
And let my song remain unbroken
Through the tears

So let me sing for the love
Let me love for the lost
Let me lose all I have
For what I found on the cross
Let me trust you with my life
Let me live to give you praise
Lord, let me praise you
For the grace by which I'm saved
Lord, let me sing

I wanna open up Your word
And let the thirsty enter in
So they can drink deep of the water
You have given to them
I want to run the race with vigor
I want to fight the fight with strength
And let my song rise from a whisper
To a scream

I wanna open up my arms
And embrace that old rugged cross
I wanna take pride in the reason
And be humbled by the cause
And when this lisping, stamm'ring tongue
Lies silent in the grave
Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
I'll sing your praise
I'll sing your praise

So let me sing for the love
Let me love for the lost
Let me lose all I have
For what I found on the cross
Let me trust you with my life
Let me live to give you praise
Lord, let me praise you
For the grace by which I'm saved
Lord, let me sing.

results

2010-05-03T10:33:00.002-07:00

i just got my west-e test results back. i passed the math (barely), but i didn't pass the science test.

i feel so discouraged. here i am, paying hundreds of dollars to take stupid tests that have nothing to do with my ability to teach. i study for hours. i fail anyway. now i have to pay over a hundred dollars to take the test again. i hate this system.

i don't even want to teach middle school anymore, but if i don't take these middle school tests, i can't get my washington teaching license. i'm wondering if God is trying to tell me something, or if i just need to try again. i realize i get easily discouraged and i'm not so great at the "try, try again" mentality. i studied...don't i deserve to pass?

it's as though i'm back in high school again, or even early college. i don't know what i'm supposed to do with my life. part of me has no desire to get a full-time teaching job. teaching is a lot of hard work, and i've really enjoyed having the free evenings and weekends, no grading, and no long-term issues to deal with. the other part of me has really enjoyed subbing and loves being in the classroom with kids. i know i'm good at it.

but...

i absolutely despise tests that don't measure what they're meant to measure. i remember some of the questions on the science test, and they were NOT general, over-arching themes of science. they were minute, obscure details that i would easily know if i were actually teaching it (by reading the textbook).

in addition, it's difficult to part with money for something like this the first time. doing it the second time will be crushing.

at least philip and i had a good talk about it. i'm grateful for a wonderfully supportive husband. hooray for spousal encouragement. :) i guess i'll study some more and take the test again, and worry about the next step when it comes.

oh, sweet peace

2010-04-12T20:45:00.002-07:00

al & greg came this weekend and we all attended a wailin' jennies concert. it was exactly everything i hoped for and dreamed of. i love concerts where you can sit back, relax, listen, and sing along. it was delightful. and now my wailin' jennies pandora station is going full bore!

yay, jennies. and al & greg, too.

philip and i went for a bike ride yesterday afternoon. it was a beautiful, sunny day in bellingham. we pedaled slowly, enjoying the blossoming trees, green grass, and bright sunshine. twice we stopped, parked and locked our bikes, took our shoes off, and walked through houses on the market. one was a gorgeous old-school house with 5 bedrooms and three stories. the top story was one big bedroom with a deck, a fireplace, and 2 window nooks. it was also 449,000 big ones. the other house we checked out was one story with 2 bedrooms. beautifully painted walls (greens, yellows, and reds), but too small. it's fun to look at the great houses near our neighborhood and simply talking about what we'd like in a house someday. i always feel like a kid in a jewelry store when i do stuff like this: it's fun to look at the pretty stuff, but i sense that people know i can't afford it. however, the realtors were really laid-back, nice people who probably knew that most people were coming in out of sheer curiosity.

i have entered my final week of cramming before taking my standardized math and science tests for my teaching certificate. on the whole, i've felt discouraged, but today (at last!) i studied the portion focusing on changing percents into decimals, solving for 'x', and commutative properties of addition. see, this is the type of math i actually teach. not all that stuff about parabolas and antiderivatives and cosecants and other trigonometric functions. those phrases and concepts have triggered something in my brain...a memory of being in high school and almost but not quite understanding the concepts.

philip and i went for a walk to the library to check out a science desk reference book, since my study manual hasn't come yet. now i'm reading up on covalent bonds and the endocrine system. science fascinates me, but i don't get it. i hope to learn a few things while i desperately cram information into my mind in these next few days.

last but not least, i encountered a first this morning in subbing. i got a middle school job (starting at 7:30), which was awesomely surprising since today was the first day back from spring break. i got to school and headed up to the classroom, and the teacher i was subbing for was there. it turns out she had cancelled her previously planned personal day but there had been a mix-up with the sub coordinator. i talked to the sub coordinator and thankfully, she had another job for me today. great! except it started at 8:30 and i had an hour to kill. i went to woods' for some tea and to study math. it was actually a nice little break. i'm thankful i had work today. i feel that this particular school district takes great care of me, which i totally appreciate.

well, the periodic table is calling me. if only this test were only about memorizing the names and symbols of the elements. i'd be golden (Au) and would lead (Pb) the way in my class, breathing life and oxygen (O) into the teaching world, earning my nickel (Ni) and contributing more to our budget. however, i fear it may be easier to just swallow some arsenic (As).

if only i were clever enough to work in ununnilium (Uun) or berkelium (Bk).

perhaps another day. for now, my brain cells shall be dedicated to excessive memorization.

confessions

2010-04-02T16:35:00.004-07:00

i must confess right away that i'm blogging because it's a new month. i get pretty excited about new months. it's like new year's, except it's new month's. now i can see the new number at the top of my blog (4.2.10) i like chances to start over, and a new month seems to be a good time to do that.

and what better way to start off a new month than with easter weekend? i really enjoy this time of year, although i have another confession to make. my mind hasn't been in the lenten spirit this year. it's strange, considering philip and i are on the worship planning team. i attribute my mindset to the lack of tradition i'm experiencing. sometimes i think tradition is a bunch of bunk, but other times it truly feeds me. in the case of the liturgical church year, it feeds me. philip and i usually attend the early service at our church, which for lack of a better explanation, is the "contemporary" service. i've been through my phases with worship: growing up with hymns, experiencing the 90's praise and worship phase, turning back to hymns and their solid text and beautiful harmonies...and then back to the praise and worship setting. i love hymns; don't get me wrong, but our 8:30 service is praise and worship done well. huge difference. anyway, i still love hymns, but i'm finding my heart opening up more and more in beautiful guitar/piano/drums/vocals.

but during lent...well, i crave the tradition. i want to hear the familiar lenten hymns of sorrow and lament. i want to walk the lenten road, and i feel like i've experienced church services with too much joy. the services have been done incredibly well, yet i'm missing the sorrow of Christ's death.

i think tonight will cure that. our good friday service is tonight, and besides the fact that we're not having communion (which is strange to me after growing up attending maundy thursday celebrations), i'm looking forward to this service.

today, philip and i decided to fast and read scripture since we both had the day off. this brings me to my third and final confession for today...my fast only lasted until 11:30. my husband was cruel and baked bread. i also found out that i get extremely crabby when i'm hungry and at home. so i broke the fast and truly enjoyed the warm homemade baguette with cheese and butter. i'm disappointed that i didn't make it all day, but i don't feel like the day has been wasted at all.

"With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!"
-Mark 15:37-39

a morning resolve

2010-03-24T07:04:00.004-07:00

for the last several months, my routine has changed significantly. getting married, losing my job, becoming a substitute teacher with a constantly changing schedule, i never know what my day will hold. i've tried to keep it safe. on the days i don't teach, i spent too much time on the internet and not enough time engaging my mind and my senses with God and his creation.

it's difficult for me to be proud of the way i spend my time when i feel that i'm spending it avoiding things (a tough day at work, uncertainty, things i think are terrifying which probably are not). i've decided that in order to be proud of myself, i have to act in ways i would be proud of. amazing how that works.

last week, i signed up to pray for a man in our church who has been in prison for many years. while in prison, his life has completely changed and he now leads Bible studies for other men in prison. each year when his parole comes up for review, it is shot down and he continues to lead this study for another year. his parole is coming up again next month and over 100 members of our church has committed to praying for him one hour a week for four weeks. at first, i thought it would be really tough to find a specific time to do this, and i wasn't sure how i wanted to break it up. however, with philip's new job requiring him to be up at 5:15, we now go to bed at 9:00. i have decided that whether or not i have a job, i'm going to get up at 5:45, have the job site on the internet up, and spend that time waiting in prayer rather than cruising facebook.

on monday i prayed for this man for 40 minutes. it was incredible. i prayed scripture, my prayers went on tangents as the Spirit worked through me, and i felt like i was being the truest version of myself. i remember that my pake used to get up at 4 or 5 every morning and spend an hour in prayer for his family members. that always struck a chord with me. it reminded me of how prayer should be: unselfish, done in private (not as a show), and sincere. i don't intend to make a show of my rejuvenated prayer life. i merely wanted to share that i have been missing out for too long.

while we were on break at choir rehearsal last night, i read the following Anglican prayer on one of the bulletin boards:

A Morning Resolve

"I will try this day to live a simple, sincere, and serene life, repelling promptly every thought of discontent, anxiety, discouragement, impurity, and self-seekng; cultivating cheerfulness, magnanimity, charity, and the habit of holy silence; exercising economy in expenditure, generosity in giving, carefulness in conversation, diligence in appointed service, fidelity to every trust, and a childlike faith in God.
In particular, I will try to be faithful in those habits of prayer, work, study, physical exercise, eating, and sleep which I believe the Holy Spirit has shown me to be right.
And as I cannot in my own strength do this, nor even with a hope of success attempt it, I look to thee, O Lord God my Father, in Jesus my Savior, and ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit."

it's quite the list, but i like lists that give me things to work on. i hope this list will help me be proud of how i spend my time. and i think i'll start by praying for God's strength.

Ain't got time to die

2010-03-16T09:19:00.003-07:00

A few notes about our busy month of March:

Dad & Mom are here! We've had a great visit so far; our time has included lovely walks around Bellingham, a delicious bay-side seafood dinner, baking time, a stop at the Pickett House down the road, worshiping together, eating dinner with Grandpa & Grandma Haveman, and seeing the DC concert choir perform in Abbotsford. A side note: It's nice to be pampered once in awhile by my parents. :)
I'm really getting into reading books of the Bible, thanks to my husband and small group. I'm learning things about exegesis & hermeneutics I never knew before (including their definitions). I don't remember ever feeling anything besides obligation regarding Bible reading in the past, and now it's exciting to me that I enjoy it and am learning from it.
Work is slow (for me) this week due to parent-teacher conferences. I am looking forward to subbing for my friend Laura this week Friday! I'm realizing that I'm getting sick of subbing. I actually don't mind the actual classroom time...that's the fun part. I hate the instability and the not-knowing and getting up early and looking at a screen and having an inner battle each time a job comes up...to click or not to click? I much prefer being pre-assigned to jobs. It makes getting up easier and more rewarding.
Ophy is an enjoyable pet. I love having a cat.
I'm feeling frustrated with our upcoming concert this weekend. I feel overwhelmed by German and fast-paced gypsy songs. I have not put the work into this repertoire that it deserves, which makes me more miserable about it.
Philip's family shows up Thursday, shortly after my parents leave. I love showing off our new apartment and neighborhood. It's rewarding.
Happy birthday to my wonderful husband! I love you, Philip!

yays and boos

2010-02-23T07:37:00.003-08:00

a list.

we had a luffly weekend in montana with al and gregory. it involved walks, yummy food, hot-tubbing, books, and pixar films. yay for siblings!
philip began his new job, which he will be enjoying more once training is completed and he hits a groove. yay for happy work! boo for finding new insurance...
kendra has found a job and an apartment, which means she's leaving tomorrow but coming back in a couple of weeks! yay for more friends in the area!
i began subbing in another district. it's much smaller than ferndale, but i'm still picking up jobs there. yay for more money and another foot in the door!
my family's puppy (well, good old dog, actually) had to be put down last week. she was getting old and had lived out her good life. boo for losing a lifelong friend. we did have many happy memories together since the time we got her when i was 10 years old.
we have had ridiculously beautiful weather here the last month. tons of sunshine and warm temps. it started when kendra arrived, and ironically, it should be leaving about the same time she is. oh, well. yay for unexpected beautiful weather!
mom and dad dj are visiting over their spring break, and then the day they leave, the van dyken clan will be coming in for a long weekend. yay for seeing family and for them seeing us and our new place!

validation

2010-02-11T07:43:00.002-08:00

yesterday, as i was leaving my morning job for my afternoon job, one of the students in the class came and gave me a goodbye hug.

a little background: i have been in this particular class several times. two weeks ago, i subbed there three days in a row while the teacher was ill. this class is made up of the top 2% of the 5th and 6th graders in the district. all these kids are intelligent and self-confident...but this kid is the most self-confident of them all. i don't mean to say he's cocky, because he's not. he's loud, but he's one of the sweetest kids in the room. yesterday he was prancing around in dark shades because he had just had his eyes dilated. he was convinced he looked like michael jackson. he asked me for my opinion and i told him he needed a glove. so he found some cutesy girl's pink glove and paraded around. it was quite entertaining. shortly after that, his teacher returned and i gathered my things to leave.

"wait! mrs. van! i need to give you a hug!" he proceeded to hug me (and then accidentally elbow me in the nose).

perhaps he hugged me because his teacher had just come in the room and it was a way for him to get attention (because while he's really sweet, he's also an attention-monger). maybe he felt like we bonded that day. maybe he was just hoping i hadn't left a nasty note for his teacher detailing his lack of focus. regardless of his motivation, it was sweet and welcomed by me.

i've learned that subs can often be taken for granted. i've felt pretty blessed in this regard...i sub a lot for teachers who leave good notes and trust my ability to cover for them. however, i've also been on the end that receives very few lesson plans and the expectation that i will make all the copies they need (and who cares what your name is?). it felt pretty darn good to receive the validation that one little hug gave me. maybe i'm still making a difference. even if these aren't "my" kids, i can still be a role model for them.

i probably read way too much into that hug, but i only want to say that it was nice to be noticed.

also, philip and i are leaving for montana tomorrow! bring on the weekend!

kiss my eyes and lay me to sleep

2010-02-01T08:24:00.004-08:00

i am desperately trying to think of a sentence to begin with other than, "well, it's time for an update." nothing. blech.

january is over. it was a busy month of subbing. praise God! i subbed more (full) days than any previous month. too bad i won't see the fruits of that labor until the end of february. being on a tight budget is becoming a game. let's see how little money we can spend this month! it's amazing what you can save by cutting out little extravagances. and it's amazing how much you still have to spend on the necessities. yeep.

last weekend (as in, 8 days ago), walhof dropped in for the weekend. it was a nice surprise. he left monday morning and kendra came in monday evening. philip calls us the revolving door of dordt alum. i'm ok with that. the last week has been crazy with full days of subbing, full evenings of introducing kendra to the community, and nights of deeper sleep.

today i have the day off. i didn't find jobs early this morning, so i blocked off my day to prevent a later morning phone call. i decided to take the time to bring kendra to various potential places of employment, do some laundry, and attend a worship conference led by sean hall with my dear friend lynda. we'll top off the day with kendra's quesadillas and knitting night. a good day, methinks.

yesterday was also a good day. we had church (a combined service, but we accidentally showed up for the early service!), a birthday dinner for doug (complete with lots of great people and delicious...i repeat, delicious food), bringing soup for the jesus gathering and attending worship, and debriefing with small group at our apt. it was truly a small group, too! i love everyone in our group, but i enjoy the times when the group is a bit smaller, for conversation's sake. good times.

i'm rereading harry potter. after spending 3 days in a classroom where kids worked independently and therefore reading an entire commentary on hp, i couldn't stay away any longer. i'm loving the second time through. i'm almost done with book 2 and i'm trying to ignore the cries of the other books on my shelf: "are you kidding me? i've been here for four years and you haven't picked me up once! love ME! read ME!" i guess they'll just have to wait.

oh. and i caved. or rather, philip caved. we made the mistake of going to village books on saturday. i found a half-price copy of eleanor roosevelt's political writings. philip said it was another late birthday present for me. sweet husband = happy andrea.

gifts

2010-01-10T20:18:00.005-08:00

this is what i felt like 6 months ago, applying for our marriage license 2 days before our wedding.

now that the ordeal of the wedding is over, i feel much better.

and 6 1/2 months later, i feel incredibly blessed. my husband is cheerful, good-natured, patient, and sweet 98% of the time (don't ask what my percentage is...) i am learning many lessons from him and we're figuring out communication and good attitudes. we love hanging out together; baking, organizing our apartment, sneaking up on the cat together, talking, and watching episodes of the office on netflix. i've learned to not take him for granted, but i learn it more every day.

this week, one of the women from our church lost her husband in a farm accident. he was only a few years older than us; she is left at home with 3 girls 6 and under. i have never met this family from our church, but i cannot fathom what she is going through. i feel so spoiled, taking my husband for granted while she would do anything to go back in time and talk to hers one more time. i can't imagine what i would do if i didn't have philip to come home to, to do things with, to talk to about everything. my heart aches for this woman i've never met. experiencing a beautiful and lifelong relationship with philip makes me mourn this loss with her, even if she has no idea who i am. today, i held my husband tighter and more often, and i pray that this sister in Christ can have the courage to continue her life.

the worst day...

2010-01-05T16:43:00.002-08:00

...actually began yesterday. i'm going to do this in bullet-point since i'm too drained to be very creative.

items contributing to my worst day:

receiving 3 text messages from someone i don't know calling me a foul name because i didn't reveal my identity (other than to say they don't know me)
drinking a tall mug of hot chocolate with whipped cream at 8:30 p.m., preventing me from sleeping easily.
imagining that the aforementioned texter was a creepy serial killer who found out where i lived, further contributing to my inability to sleep
hearing "noises" that sealed my inability to sleep
getting up at 5:45 only to find no sub jobs for the day
calling the eye clinic for the 4th time since Christmas, only to be told "we're still processing your request! we'll call back!" (liars), condemning me to continue wearing my blurry contacts
receiving 3 more text messages from a different number, being called more foul names and being threatened. because of my lack of sleep and the above factors, i had a very teary day.
verizon's idiotic website which frustrated me to no end whilst i tried to block the offensive texters from my phone.

thank goodness i have a wonderful husband who does things like files harassment reports with the local police department. it's interesting, since philip & i have been together, we've called 911 three times and filed a harassment report. before we were together, such things only happened in movies. hmm.

anyway, i hope to redeem today's downright suckiness by eating some nachos and snuggling with my husband after choir practice tonight. a good tonic, methinks.

winding down 2009

2009-12-30T10:58:00.006-08:00

dad & philip, hard at work

my wonderful oldest nephew, dillan

al & greg getting serious about quiddler

first christmas as a married couple!

'twas quite snowy...

mom & dad opening gifts on christmas eve

snuggle time!

philip & landon cheesin' it up!

making spritz cookies with mumsie!

Christmas in Iowa was wonderful, as usual. Although the cost of flying out to the midwest is considerable, it was well worth it. In spite of weather and terrorist threats, our flights went well. We spent time baking, playing games, eating, reading, watching movies, and removing snow. My favorite activity was sorting through Trav & Tami's enormous collection of Legos in order to put together some of the sets. I love organization...I'm a bit of a freak about it, especially when it's not my own stuff I'm dealing with. Another highlight was putting together the puzzle that Mom & Dad purchased for the whole family to conquer (although we were missing 3-4 pieces, including Morocco, where, ironically, Al & Greg were heading to on the 26th for their honeymoon). The snow and family togetherness made everything cozy and warm inside.

We flew home on Monday night and were greeted exuberantly by Ophy. She meowed many times that first exhausting night, but now she's contenting herself with sleeping near me, on me, on my pillow, etc. She's not too keen to let me out of her sight. I'm enjoying being back with the little snuggler.

Philip and I arrived at our 6-month mark on Dec. 27. It doesn't seem possible that it's been so long that we've been married, but on the other hand, it seems that we've been married forever. We're really enjoying being married and living in Bellingham, and we're hoping to look back on this time of financial instability as "the good old days." We have nothing to complain about: God has provided and we are blessed with wonderfully supportive families. Thank you, families!

We're looking forward to a new year and new opportunities here in Whatcom County. We're very involved in our church teaching Sunday school to K-4 kids, partipating in worship and worship planning, and I also play in the handbell choir. We're trying to strike a balance between involvement and sanity, and I think we're doing a fair job. I'm hoping to land some sort of permanent teaching job, and Philip is looking into options for further schooling for an education degree.

Well, it's time to go. Apparently I turned this into some sort of Christmas letter, so hopefully you all feel updated. Have a safe and happy New Year!

...and we've got 50-degree weather

2009-12-17T11:49:00.005-08:00

i'm looking at a bulging suitcase, wondering what to take out so everything that we really need fits. i know i don't need everything in there, but when there's room, i say, "hey! there's room! now i can pack that ______ i really wanted to take!" unfortunately, i forgot to factor in my husband. we both shove lots of last-minute stuff in, hence the bulge.

i cleaned both bathrooms and vacuumed and shook out rugs and paid the bills and delivered the key to our friend and am anxiously pacing around the apartment, either ignoring the suitcase or fretting that Ophy will be too lonely/scared/hungry/sad without us.

but i'm excited to go to iowa! i'm really excited to be done with the flying part, and thrilled that our whole family will be together this year (greg included)! hooray.

we had snow and ice earlier this week, but the rain came on Tuesday and melted it all away. now it's in the 50s and sunny, which is fine by me since we're driving to seattle tonight and flying tomorrow morning. no more sleeping in the airports for us! (unless denver decides to get all snowy).

all right. enough lollygagging. back to packing.

*edit: i lied. it's actually only 46 degrees. but after 2 weeks of abnormally low temperatures for this area, my internal thermometer is all messed up.

take a chance on me

2009-11-19T09:41:00.003-08:00

the wind blows fiercely. it's too soon to tell whether this is a common occurrence or merely early winter weather. i hope the fire on the power lines and the ensuing explosion is not a weekly show.

our apartment is lovely. we are really enjoying it, although i'm eager to have bookshelves put up so we can flatten all our book boxes and make some room in our office. from my perch on the couch, i can see three square windows, one set of patio doors, and a gorgeous half-moon window that lets in the light perfectly when the sun chooses to shine. we have 3 windows in other rooms, in addition to another set of patio doors in the master bedroom. someone pinch me! pictures will make their way here at some point.

subbing has been slow this week. the district i sub in is having parent-teacher conferences this week and next, resulting in early-release days and exhausted teachers who can't afford to take a day off. i expect a plethora of jobs the week after thanksgiving. until then, i'm enjoying the apartment. probably a little too much...i should get outside and go for a rainy-day walk. i've been cooped up doing dishes, rearranging, playing freecell, knitting, and listening to abba. they really are a delightful group.

bellingham is the largest city i've lived in. 75,000 diverse people walk the damp streets of the city. the lighthouse mission, an outreach to the homeless, is two blocks from our apartment. i love that living here is stretching my mind and making me see parts of humanity from which i've been somewhat sheltered. i'm also nervous walking around by myself, in the way that i was nervous when al & i took walks at night in her chicago neighborhood. maybe not quite that nervous...bellingham is a friendly city; a cultured city; full of sights and sounds and natural beauty and apparently, fierce windstorms. i'm glad i don't have to take it all in this week. i've lived in the area for over two years and i learn new things about bellingham weekly.

i feel pensive. and i smell delicious whole-wheat bread baking in the oven.

the mitten

2009-11-09T09:18:00.003-08:00

today i lost a mitten.

this morning when i didn't get a sub job, i prepared for my morning walk. it was rainy and windy out, so i bundled up. long johns, sweatshirt, jacket, hat, and mittens. my mitten are the cool kind that are fingerless gloves with a mitten top with beautiful brightly colored stripes. i usually don't wear mittens on my walks because i get warmed up pretty quickly, but i remembered that the last few walks i'd taken resulted in me pulling my sleeves over my chilly fingers. so i pulled on my festive mittens. satisfied with my state of warmth, i headed out the door.

well, it was quite blustery. i almost ran into a stop sign because the wind gusted at just the right (wrong?) time. i pulled my sweatshirt hood over my hat and my jacket hood over that. the rain was spattering my face, but i didn't mind. my head was warm, so the cool wetness on my cheeks felt refreshing.

some days i alternate running with walking, and today i felt the need to get my heart rate up (a good start for a monday morning!) i began jogging right after my stop sign incident. i jogged down south park street, counting my steps and saying bible verses in my head. incidentally, my favorite verses to exercise to are from psalm 23. this is how much i love running...i compare it to the valley of the shadow of death. but i know it's good for me, so i do it and say verses to myself. or pray really hard that i can make it to the place i'm planning to stop.

i jogged across depot and started on the bike trail through the city park. i love crossing the bridge and spitting into the water, smelling the evergreens and watching kids heading to school. at this point i was getting rather warm, so i took out my mittens and stuffed them into my pockets. soon my head was too warm, so i removed my hat and stuffed it into my other pocket, moving both mittens into the same pocket.

i left the bike trail, wound around the school and past the thrift shop, back to depot and down south park, enduring several heart-pumping running spurts. as i punched in the security code and waited for the garage door to open, i reached for my mittens and hat to throw in the closet. i found my hat, the cell phone, and a mitten. but only one mitten.

i dug deeper into the pocket. nothing. i checked the other pocket. empty. i looked inside my hat, my sweatshirt hood, and my jacket hood, just in case. nothing.

i tried to tell myself it was just a mitten. which is true. it's a material object and i shouldn't store up these treasures on earth, yada yada yada. but i knew it was within my power to at least look for my mitten.

i dashed upstairs, grabbed the car keys, waved goodbye to a befuddled Ophy, and jumped in the car. i drove slowly back over the route i had taken, carefully checking the side of the street i had been walking on. i looked over the whole route. except the bike path, where obviously i couldn't drive.

i pulled up next to the path and parked the car. i wasn't too sure i was allowed to park where i did, so i hoped no one would be by. i cut across the lawn and then followed the path, over the bridge, through the scented evergreens, and past the school. each time i turned a corner, i scanned from side to side and then squinted ahead for any sight of a brightly colored mitten. i passed plastic bags stuck to the fence, discarded candy wrappers and coffee cups (honestly, peopel!) i reached the point where i remembered removing my mittens and placing them in my pocket.

and then i saw something at the end of the path, as far as i could see. i knew it was something other than leaves and brush, but it could just be another monument to the dump. i told myself not to get too excited. i guess i could have started running, but i wasn't that desperate yet. i sped up my walking pace, keeping my eyes on the object off to the side of the path.

as i got closer, i could see colored stripes emerging. pink and teal, purple and gray, orange and cream. it was my mitten! it lay in the brush and leaves, lighting up the dreary path, spread out as if trying to be seen by its owner.

i picked up the damp mitten and held it to my cheek, grinning.

the pictures never post the way i want them to

2009-11-03T14:44:00.002-08:00

ophy explores

girlyman concert!

philip's in the music

abby's model pose

my impression of monet (ha, ha!)

we all be hitched!

al & greg's wedding

Also, we're moving to Bellingham in 1 1/2 weeks! Stellar!

she's only just begun

2009-09-28T12:50:00.002-07:00

it has been quite the whirlwind recently. besides applying for jobs daily and keeping on top of the chores the apartment brings, we found out my Bepa passed away last saturday. there are bonuses to being unemployed. like taking a 6-day road trip with my sister in order to get to the funeral in south dakota.

day 1: drove 10 hours to missoula
day 2: drove 8ish hours to sheridan, wy
day 3: drove 8ish hours to platte, spent time with family at the prayer/memorial service. stayed up until 2 a.m. bonding with siblings.
day 4: attended funeral, sang at funeral, attended burial, ate ham buns. left less than 24 hours after arriving. drove 8ish hours back to sheridan, wy.
day 5: drove 8ish hours to missoula. proceeded to watch 3 movies, read 1 book, take a nap, and go for a walk while al & greg worked at an auction.
day 6: drove 10 hours back to lynden and slept for 10 hours that night.

it was totally worth it. it was good to remember bepa (& pake, too!) they were very special people to me. not everyone gets to be the only grandchildren of wonderful grandparents. al & i both shared papers at the prayer service we had written about bepa. she was a feisty woman who always had a joke or a trick up her sleeve. i miss her. but i know she's back with pake and loving every minute of it!

we have a bit of a break from traveling. well, until wednesday, anyway. we're heading back to missoula for al & greg's wedding. it will be a grand outdoor celebration that is probably going to include snow, based on the most recent forecast...

book discussion

2009-09-09T13:11:00.002-07:00

this week, i finished reading a couple of books. one was reimagining church by frank viola, the other was the oh-so-controversial book the shack. as i finished the shack today, i was realizing that both books point out that much of our christian tradition is unfounded in biblical truths. why do we go to a building and listen to one person preach the word? why do we get caught up in religious activities rather than listening to the whisper (or shout, or dance) of the spirit?

naturally, we feel comfortable in something that's been part of our heritage in the last 500 years. i'm sure these ideas i'm reading about aren't new or groundbreaking to some, but to me, they are world-shattering. i felt defensive at some points while reading (but i'm still a christian! just because i go to church and sit in a pew and listen to the word being preached doesn't make me a bad person!) viola argues in his book that while god works through anything and everything, not everything is his best. the institutional church...is this really his best? numbing ourselves to the people around us (except during our 3-minute meet & greet) and insisting that going to a second service on sunday earns us "heaven points"? we might not say that out loud, but how many of us are really thinking that (perhaps unknowingly)?

i feel challenged right now. spiritually, mentally, emotionally...even physically. i want to go out and be part of god's kingdom building, but admitting that right now, that might involve only cleaning the toilet feels less than glorious. i want to challenge others in their faith or at least share the challenges i'm going through...but i find that i stumble over my words and my defenses are up. i feel as though i'm falling like i've never fallen before...living real life, even from the comforts of my cushy couch. i have no idea what the future holds, what tomorrow will bring, what job i'll be working at, what challenges lie ahead...but in a strange way, i feel more alive than i have in the past.

are we ever truly alive until everything we know is challenged or taken away? i used to go about my daily life, my daily routine, and feel safe. and yes, i still have daily routines and i still feel somewhat safe, but only when i ignore the little voice in my head that says everything is about to change. it's easy to hide from the truth and talk a big game. it's difficult to humble yourself and turn yourself completely over to god. thy will be done--the prayer that never fails, yet is terrifying to actually submit to.

i have so many more thoughts and so little talent with putting them down in an organized, sensible way. but i'm not entirely sure god or jesus or the spirit are sensible. in fact, i'm pretty sure that in our small group last week we talked about the spirit's presence being chaotic. so here are my chaotic thoughts.

i know lots of people who would disagree with some of the things i'm struggling with. those of you who find comfort in routine, i challenge you to invite the spirit to work. i am definitely one who resists change, but when i'm forced into it, i might as well make lemonade. let the spirit work. let him or her or it guide your life. breathe on me, breath of god.

time to find out

2009-09-01T17:45:00.003-07:00

in the last week, i have had 2 interviews. last week's interview was good, but i felt a little uncomfortable because i wasn't sure of the job description and my interviewers didn't share it with me. they told me they'd call friday either way (i initiated this question and specifically asked if i should call). did i hear anything friday? no. did i even call and leave a message for the principal? yes. have i heard anything since? nope. arghhhh.

today's interview went exponentially better than last week's. this job is half a mile away (rather than 25) and much more suited to my capabilities. i felt great during and after the interview. the ladies who interviewed me were wonderfully friendly and i nailed the questions with honesty and poise. they said they'd call me this afternoon.

i haven't heard anything yet. my mind is racing, going through all the possibilities. i really want this job. i feel well-suited for it. it would be perfect. i understand there might be better candidates, which would be disappointing, but understandable. but honestly, i just want to know. i'm left wondering again...did they decide not to call me and figure i'd get the message soon enough? i really would like to have faith in these schools, but the track record so far isn't the greatest.

i may be overreacting. it's not 6:00 yet...but it's time to find out.

we could all use a little change

2009-08-23T21:22:00.002-07:00

ok, i can't believe my comeback is titled with a smashmouth lyric. but it sums up my summer. because it's been over 4 months, i'm doing a list.

since my last post, among other things, i have done the following:

-finished teaching and said goodbye to all my kids. they said goodbye to me by dumping a tarp full of soapy water on me after lovely water balloon games. feelin' the love.
-became an expert guest-of-honor at bridal showers (3 in one week!)
-said goodbye to my fiance for 2 1/2 weeks and drove to iowa with mom, stopping in missoula to see al & greg
-spent over a week finishing up wedding details and visiting with friends
-bought lots of flour and sugar and helped al bake 9 wedding cakes (yum!)
-greeted philip and got used to being together again
-had a fabulous wedding celebration with the help of family and friends who rock
-wished i could have spent more time talking with the family and friends who rock
-spent our honeymoon in california, hiking, horsebackriding, having a ca reception, seeing the king tut exhibit in san francisco, and walked on the beach
-enjoyed NOT planning a wedding or worrying about small yet significant details
-arrived home and spent the next week helping out with vbs suppers
-went camping with our small group the first weekend we were back from our honeymoon
-cooked one meal in two weeks
-enjoyed time with dad & mom who drove my car back (with gifts!) and went to the de jong family reunion here in lynden
-flew to michigan unexpectedly for my cousin's funeral and spent important time with extended family
-went camping with al & greg in eastern washington
-watched numerous movies, filled out many applications, went for lots of walks, read tons of books...
-cleaned the apartment, cooked yummy meals, cleaned some more
-adopted a cat!
-and tons and tons of other little things.

hopefully this wasn't too long or tedious. sorry, no pictures. facebook has them all. check 'em out.

wow! it's almost september! when did that happen?...

spring break

2009-04-13T18:02:00.003-07:00

a beautiful easter promise as we drove through mount vernon

sharing smiles and sunshine with aaron

dillan creating a crossword

landon is entertaining aaron

playing bingo with bepa

ok, julie, i did this for you, so you'd better comment. :) spring break was good but exhausting. wedding planning is overwhelming, even when we want a simple wedding. now i'm feeling the normal homesickness coming off of a break. we had fun with dad and mom, trav, tami, and the boys, and many friends we were able to get in touch with. it's a little scary knowing this was the last visit before the wedding! so much will be changing soon and it's a little nerve-wracking. lots of prayers are appreciated!
today was a good day of getting back into a routine. on thursday morning, i take off with the 5th graders and their regular chaperone crew to rockport. we will camp there two nights and clean up the park. it's an ebenezer tradition and a good one. it will be three tiring days, but fun days.
only 8 weeks until school gets out. and no news in the job department. i feel like it hasn't hit me yet.
i hope this finds you all well. happy easter!

pleni sunt caeli et terra

2009-03-29T20:12:00.002-07:00

another week has gone by, and it's gone quickly. i've realized in the past week or so i've begrudged the time i still have in washington before going to iowa for spring break. i've been on edge, easily irritated, cranky, tired, and needing a break.

and i don't like the person i'm becoming! argh!

so, if you've received any of the brunt of my frustration, i apologize. i'm just antsy. i think i said that in my last post.

philip and i auditioned for a smaller ensemble within our chorale for the next concert. we made it and we're singing a mozart piece. i'm looking forward to being in a more 'select' group. i feel snobby sometimes because i feel that i learned great stuff in college and am still young enough to apply it to my voice. this is not true for many people in the choir. oh, well. it's still a fun group to sing in.

the weather today was beautiful. philip and i walked to a nearby ball field and played catch for awhile. i've realized i like portions of sports more than the sports themselves. for instance, shooting hoops, playing catch, or shooting goals. not a big fan of the pressure and competition of an actual game.

today i will be grateful for God's creation and the blessings he has given me right now.

"earth and the heavens are filled with thy glory."

blossom of snow, may you bloom and grow...forever

2009-03-20T17:52:00.001-07:00

feelin' antsy. ready for spring break.

our daily bread

2009-02-26T15:38:00.002-08:00

weather is incredible. we have gone from having abnormal amounts of snow and flooding to a beautiful 4-week stint of sunny, gorgeous, spring-feverish fresh-airy weather. then yesterday, it started to rain again, turned to sleet, turned to snow, and turned into a snow day. but today the snow is melting in the glaring sun, patches of green are pushing through, and anyone who built a snowman this morning probably can't see it anymore.

i used my morning to do my taxes, catch up on a few wedding plans, do laundry, go grocery shopping, and clean. now that i'm finished with all that, i have no motivation to write lessons or grade. motivation is a funny thing. i think i burned myself out with all my motivation this morning.

nothing has really changed in terms of what we know for next year. we're looking into indonesia and also some job possibilities in this area. the problem is that we're finally hitting a groove here in washington and we're not quite ready to leave yet. sometimes i feel like i'm living in an alternate reality because i know my life may be drastically different in a few months. it's easier to ignore the coming changes...pretend that they aren't happening, focus on my current job, get stuck in the daily rut and forget about the inevitability of unpredictable things.

in the meantime, we will keep plugging on, keep taking deep breaths and encountering each new challenge as we face it. i'm grateful that God does not give us more than we can handle, and i'm learning just what "give us this day our daily bread" means.

she's got a ticket to ride...and she don't care

2009-01-25T15:24:00.004-08:00

a little tipsy in bellingham on new year's day

last week sunday felt like april, so we enjoyed it. philip has some convincing to do.

last saturday afternoon at larrabee state park

we enjoyed the sunshine at larrabee

we went with my roommates to a fantastic japanese restaurant in vancouver. i almost choked on a squid because i tried to swallow it whole.

the traditional "we're in canada!" picture

The weather has been incredible here since Christmas. We had a few days of our first week back at school, and then we have had gorgeous sunshine for days on end. Not your typical western Washington weather! Philip and I have decided to live it up while we're living here in the Northwest, because I found out that my contract is not getting renewed next year. Everyone is making cuts, and Ebenezer is no exception. Right now we're basking in the unknown (can basking include terror?) We have no idea what our plans are beyond June 27. That's when we're getting married. Other than that, we could be going to the other side of the world to become fishermen, for all we know. Hooray, not having a clue about the future! I feel like I'm in college again.

Today, we got to church an hour early because we had forgotten about the combined service at a later time. So, logically, we drove north on every road going out of Lynden and found the border 6 different times. The funniest thing is that there are two parallel roads with a tiny ditch between them. The difference? One is an American road, one is a Canadian road. It's pretty funny. :) Philip, in his ever-present curiosity, got out of the car to examine the obelisk marking the official border. I was in the car, freaking out but trying to look cool in case border patrol was watching us on the cameras. It was an adventure anyway. We'll go back up there sometime and get some pictures, because it's pretty darn funny!

Finally, I reiterate earlier sentiments about politics. I am weary of narrow-minded, judgmental, right-wing conservatism that makes me embarrassed of Christian Republicans. (I am completely aware that there are flaming liberals that I would be just as embarrassed of, thank you very much. ) I am continuing to pray for Obama and support his desire to unify the country instead of getting caught up in partisan politics. I encourage you to do the same, even if you disagree with some of his decisions.

And, on a lighter note, I am grateful for the taste of coffee with delicious creamer in it (Ok, Dad, you can scrape yourself off the ceiling now!)

there's a little magic in the air tonight

2008-12-31T12:41:00.007-08:00

I have a new nephew! Aaron Michael De Jong, born Dec. 18

Lack of communication leads to duplicate presents!

Nutty family members on Christmas night

Aaron is being "brothered" by Landon and Dillan

Trav and Tami sit back and enjoy their one quiet son

Distressing over Wii badminton

Dillan and Al...buddies!

Yoga class

Christmas with friends!

Philip and I pose with a trash can on our way to Columbia

Site of our engagement!

Minutes after it happened :)

My lovely Thanksgiving vegetable platter

Vancouver at night

Lots of new stuff in the past couple of months!

Philip and I got engaged on Thanksgiving and plan to get married next June
my sister Al got her master's degree
we have a new nephew, Aaron
I turned 25
Philip and I went to California for Thanksgiving and Iowa for Christmas
Lynden got about 2 feet of snow and we didn't have school for 2 1/2 days before Christmas break
I slept in the Seattle airport on my way to Iowa
I met up with Josh, Rachel, Becca, Walhof, Dave, Shannon, Jonas, and more over break! Good to see everyone!
Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas (ok, a few days late) and a blessed New Year!

hp anonymous

2008-11-20T21:35:00.002-08:00

i think i'm addicted to harry potter.

my toes are froze

2008-11-06T15:47:00.002-08:00

Blogger is still stupid. Why does technology hate me all of a sudden? Nick and Lari and Jasmine visited this past weekend. We played some Rock Band and did some sweating. If you're offended by my sweatiness, good for you.

In other news, I have never been so frustrated by some people who profess to be Christians. The recent elections have raised some anger in circles I am familiar with. Honestly, I am embarrassed to be a Christian if it means pinning all my hopes on a candidate rather than on the One who has raised up that leader. It drives me nuts when people think they know everything about running a country when none of them realizes everything that's involved. I stressed this to my 5th graders yesterday, and although they were disappointed that McCain did not win, they bucked up and we spent time praying for the president-elect. We would do much better as a country if we lifted up our leaders in prayer instead of criticizing someone whose job most of us would suck at. So, if you are one of the bitter people harping on Obama, I encourage you to use your time more wisely. God is not worried about the "wrong" person being in office. He can work through anyone, and I seriously hope that Christians do not doubt that.

Rant over. Go, Obama!

harder and richer

2008-10-30T17:06:00.003-07:00

I'm finally back! And Blogger is being frustrating with words and pictures and the layout. Grrr. So bear with me.
Pictures in order:

1) Al and I have matching hats!!!
2)Philip and Basil play hide and seek
3) Al and I take advantage of the beautiful Missoula fall...
4) Philip and Kermit share a good joke. :)
5) Mark attacks Philip's mother while Philip's father sits idly by...
6) We saw Fleet Foxes in Bellingham! Tickets were sold out, but Philip schmoozed with an usher who sneaked us in. The concert was amazing!
7) A stop at the Columbia River Basin on our way back to WA.
8) The Columbia River Basin.

So...life is good. See title of post for more info. I am trying to update, but I always run out of time. More later!

a book a day

2008-09-27T10:23:00.003-07:00

when i was in college, i did not read for pleasure. being an english major meant i had to spend the majority of my time reading and writing papers, and reading for pleasure was not in the cards. there were too many other things to do and too many people to hang out with. in the summers, i would indulge in brain candy just to remind myself that reading could be fun. what a wretched english major i was.

but NOW...i am not in college anymore. i am busy teaching and spending time with someone special and singing in choir, but i have discovered that i DO love to read. and not just brain candy, unless you call Jane Austen brain candy. which i don't.

right now, i am in the middle of about 6 books, although i suppose i should qualify that by saying i haven't picked up two of those books since at least june if not longer.

which books are these? you might ask. here is my current list (as of last evening):

anne's house of dreams (l.m. montgomery)
a break with charity (ann rinaldi)
the poisonwood bible (barbara kingsolver)
the bean trees (barbara kingsolver)
harry potter and the sorceror's stone (j.k. rowling)
asperger's syndrome: a guide for parents and professionals (tony attwood)

what books are YOU reading?

*note: thank you, philip, for encouraging my habit. :)

settling in

2008-09-18T19:29:00.002-07:00

we are settling into the fall schedule/weather/everything here. the temps are cooling down, the skies are clouding over, and the days are already flying by. it's practically october! i was going to post a couple of pictures from our day at larrabee state park last saturday, and i think i deleted the pictures without downloading them. let me rephrase that...i downloaded them, but they didn't show up anywhere. grrr. stupid lying 'safe delete.'

news in note form:

i made a delicious chicken and bacon dinner last night...i can cook!
i love the office.
i enjoy teaching.
philip and i are church-hunting, but we've found one we really like and feel welcomed at.
tomorrow is friday!
one of my kids is suspended tomorrow and two others are gone. i'm down to 13.
i did dishes this afternoon and it was great.
i love having someone to talk to about my day. it's awesome. thank you, philip!
bed is a wonderful place.
i need to drink a gallon of o.j. tonight to wash away my cold.
i'm going to watch a movie! yay, no lesson planning!

be healthy and well!

i promise i'm done with lesson plans tonight

2008-09-10T22:23:00.002-07:00

Twins-Mariners game in Seattle

Safeco Field!

I think it's still alive...

Picking blueberries near Lynden

Checking out Mt. Baker

School has started well...we are 3 weeks in and I'm enjoying my 5th and 6th graders and my free time (compared to last year). I have a couple of "problem students", but overall I'm enjoying the different challenges of the lower grades.
My last post was a negative weather update, but I'm glad to say that the beautiful fall weather has returned to the Northwest! We have clear skies and sunshine for the next several days for sure. :)
I have so many pictures to share and so little time, so this was a taste. Bon appetit!

drizzle

2008-08-24T17:26:00.000-07:00

today is rainy and cold. it feels like winter in lynden.

i miss summer.

2008-07-17T13:02:00.003-07:00

why do i wait so long to post? now i have too much to say and not enough creativity to say it in.

ergo, a list:

babysitting nephews increases my patience and is generally fun

working in an office all alone makes me grateful that i work with people at my real job

working in an office all alone is a nice break from working with people at my real job

i helped with dordt discovery days and learned about gamemaking on the computer and physics. both of these areas need a little work.

i watched all 15 innings of the all-star game the other night. i will always be a twins fan.

philip and i have one year behind us and lots of good memories!

more memories are on the way as we drive to california next week and then to washington the following week!

returning to washington will be much easier than moving to washington. this time i have my best friend with me!

pictures will come eventually. and that's a promise. unlike my sister, who promised to post more pictures and hasn't yet...

happy july!

i think i drive too much

2008-06-18T12:20:00.002-07:00

I say this because Mom and I drove from Lynden to Sioux Center in the last few days and I took about 10 pictures. Total. I chalk it up to driving many many many miles in my life and seeing the I-90 route many many many times as well. But I love love love it!

We stopped in Missoula for a girls' weekend and walked around a lot and ate a lot and enjoyed spending time with Al. Below is a picture from the Higgins Street Bridge in downtown Missoula, overlooking the Clark Fork (one of the 14 times Mom and I crossed it in our journey!). Pretty sunset.

I am in Iowa now...and the sunshine is fabulous.
Highlights of my Iowa summer so far:

having my nephews race out of the house and across the lawn to give me big hugs
sleeping in my cozy bed
eating with my whole family (minus Al...I wish you were there!)
running (er...walking with short bursts of jogging in between) with Phil this morning
SUNSHINE! WARMTH! ACTUAL SUMMER WEATHER!

from the veteran teacher

2008-06-06T18:05:00.001-07:00

that's right. a veteran teacher. oooh, that sounds good.

obviously, i am done with school, as of noon today (minus the staff meetings and final grades and cleaning up the classroom). i cried a little. i love my kids.

in other news, the birch bay tide is the lowest it has been in 90 years, so yuan and i went out and checked it out. we got wet and saw dead crabs. it was fun.

in other other news, i am apparently allergic to shellfish. i am sorry, my favorite asian roommate.

4.5 days

2008-05-31T17:02:00.004-07:00

top of the space needle

christa & al showing us the moves

al & phil being sneaky at waterfront park in seattle

view from 520'

the best sunday night tradition ever

al & i post-contra-dancing on memorial day...ahh, how we glisten!

rundown of the weekend:

friday night: phil and i vegged out and watched meet the parents and meet the fockers.
saturday: drove to bothell and saw kris and kim get married, ran into my old pastor from when i was about five, hung out with phil's aunt and uncle, met up with al and christa at the folklife festival in seattle, watched them dance, and ate thai food while listening to instrumental christian contemporary music, listened to wonderful celtic/bluegrass music, found out that there was a shooting at the festival near where we were at, but the girl who got shot didn't even realize it right away. oh, hippies.
sunday: went to church with phil's aunt and uncle, ate yummy mexican food, met up with the girls in the city, did some contra dancing myself, went up the space needle with phil, listened to some awesome drumming, got wine, aged cheese, and sourdough bread and had a "quiet" party back in bothell.
monday: last morning of contra dancing--even phil got out and danced with al. i danced with tom, paul (a 50 something with purple converses) , quincy, and al, said goodbye to al and christa, played frisbee with phil after finding his grandparents' old house, said goodbye to phil, and drove home to lynden.

i think i will stop now. it was a superb weekend. and now, only 4.5 days of school left. we're all ready to be done. yes. yes, we are.

my first pedicure!

2008-05-17T12:13:00.002-07:00

Denise and I got pedicures last night. Look how boring I am.
Sunny weather + heat + biking + new Camelbak + 13.5 days of school left = AWESOME.

ezekul saw de wheel

2008-05-12T17:25:00.003-07:00

lifting the cannon at fort casey

with the barnacles at deception pass on whidbey island

at the beach in stanley park, vancouver

birch bay scouting

al visited this weekend. it was stupendous and filled with water, as you can see.
i don't like saying goodbye.
only 17 1/2 days of school left.
only 4 units to complete before school ends.
only 3 units to start!
al bought me a jasmine plant and a pretty yellow pot. i hope i don't kill it.
i like junk food. and sisters. and movies. all mixed together.
it has been one year since i graduated from dordt.
i'm starting a bible unit on ezekiel, which brought back memories of chorale freshman year. (dooma-looma dooma-looma)
and...cut.

bored enough to make a change

2008-05-08T22:24:00.002-07:00

i am waiting for al to come. but my waiting is not in vain, nor in boredom. i gave myself the task of changing my blog template, and with the help of justine and a few questions for blogger, i did it. i was really tired of my old one. and this one is a tad bright and cheery for anything long-term, so i'll probably change it in the near future. but for now, i like orange.

19 1/2 days of school left.

i miss you, lauralee

2008-05-07T18:58:00.002-07:00

i'm a little dutch girl

2008-05-03T19:41:00.003-07:00

kissing tulips
angelique
tulip capital of the world

Ok, so I give up my rant. If you're still interested in reading about my life,
look at the post below :)

no pictures...how sad

2008-05-03T19:25:00.002-07:00

Blogger is dumb. I've been trying to post pictures and all it does is just sit there and stare at me and pretend to be working when in reality it is not doing a darned thing.

And the tulips looked so pretty, too.

Hmmm. Updates without pictures. Ok, I can do this.

In the last month I have:

-cut my hair
-had a lovely visit from Philip which included much catch-playing and movie watching and eating
-changed my calendar (no, really!)
-seen Mount Vernon tulips (that was today, and I have pretty pictures, but I don't want to go into all that ranting again)
-pared the school year down to 22 1/2 days!!!!
-had a garden planted in my backyard (notice that I did not plant it)
-finally seen Juno!!
-had my first and hopefully last experience with ROSS
-seen very little sun and warmth

Ok, so without the pictures, this post is blah. Hopefully this update will suffice until Blogger cooperates.

P.S. I signed my contract again for next year. I'm teaching 5-6 math and language arts. A welcome change!

in all fairness, i did warn you

2008-04-08T14:28:00.003-07:00

i told you that the last blog would suffice for the next month. and here it is, april 8. :)

i am sitting in the dordt library right now. i went to a dordt class yesterday. i saw a dordt play on saturday. i am being infiltrated with dordt. and i like it! even if it is just for a week.

here is a list of things i've done so far:
--1 shot of captain morgan (first things first!)
--1 game of sorry
--1 date with philip
--2 movies
--2 dordt classes
--2 covenant church services
--1 dordt play
--1 picnic with old roommates and friends on campus
--numerous hugs, hi's, and how are you?s
--1 lunch date with a friend
--1 haircut (goodbye, 6 inches of hair!)

people i've seen:
--scott & sheryl
--dre & jason
--josh
--matt & april
--joelle
--melissa s (in passing...sorry, melissa!)
--dave, shannon, and jonas
--mike, heidi, and adelaide
--MY PARENTS
--my puppy
--nate & kirbee
--justine
--shaffstall
--tj
and lots and lots of others...i can't keep track of everybody!

things to come:
--1 play rehearsal of justine's show
--2 family dinners with trav, tami, and the boys
--1 visit to bepa with philip and landon
--1 coffee date with teresa and baby katherine
and who knows what else???

i love iowa.

2008-03-08T13:22:00.002-08:00

Phil and I in a tree on Whidbey Island
Deception Pass: the Three Stooges
Taking pictures at Birch Bay (where else??)
Young adult bonding: Yuan, Kerri, Andrea, Tarantula Ted

Another month, another blog. We've been trying to get the internet at our apartment, but Verizon sucks. Don't be fooled by their helpful facades. It's all a lie.

In other news, in less than 3 months, I will be done with first year teaching. Huge sigh of relief to follow. It's going well, but I'm looking forward to some changes in teaching next year. I'll likely be moving down to the 5th-6th grades and teaching only math and language arts. We'll see...contracts come out next week.

Philip came to visit, and it was good to have him see my life out here and be with him for a week. Lots of card-playing and eating enchiladas and sightseeing and talking. A good week.

Mom and Dad come next week! Huzzah! They will hear my concert with the Whatcom Chorale, which is great, because they have only missed one concert in my entire life, I think, and that was in December.

Spring is coming to Lynden...I've been walking around town every Saturday morning, taking in the sunshine and green grass and blooming flowers. All the rain this winter might have been worth it. Maybe.

Ok...I hope this blog suffices for the next month. I have good intentions, but so did that road to hell.

is it june yet?

2008-02-09T13:55:00.000-08:00

My new room at the apartment...yes, there is sunshine coming in my (gasp!) WINDOW!
Birch Bay...always beautiful

So, it's been awhile. And I have nothing brilliant to say except that I'm completely discouraged as a teacher. I just finished grading Bible tests. One of my questions was "How can the adults in your life better support your relationship with Christ?"

Most of my kids made suggestions like, "Don't lose your temper. Don't blame all of us for something only one person does. Stay calm. Be patient. Be a good role model. Trust us...we aren't all bad kids. We aren't all selfish." The more I read, the more discouraged I felt because I have failed in all of these areas. What business do I have teaching these kids? I'm tired and discouraged and sick to death of teaching because I say the same things and run into the same problems every hour of every day. I feel like a complete hypocrite because my goal should be to model Christ to my students, and I have utterly failed in that area. How can I encourage the kids to have faith and be Christlike when I can't even do it myself?

dum-de-doo

2008-01-12T14:56:00.000-08:00

Recent happenings:

1) I said goodbye to my loved ones again and settled back into L-town. It feels normal.
2) I had a hellish week of school.
3) I signed a 6-month lease on an apartment beginning in February.
4) I moved some stuff into said apartment.
5) I found out that our third roomie is allowed to come back from Indonesia and work!!!!
6) My check-engine light went on. Again.
7) Did I say it feels normal to be back here? It's a good feeling. Finally.
8) I ate on my own this entire week without being upset about it. In fact, it felt kinda relaxing.

To coin the phrase...cheers.

all around the world

2007-12-29T09:23:00.000-08:00

I just spent the last hour getting lost in blog-surfing. I've read blogs by close friends and by almost-strangers. And I feel as though I've been having coffee with my best friend. I'm seeing that so many others are going through the same things I'm going through right now...moves, changes, goodbyes, crying so hard you can't stop because you miss the days when home was only one place and one set of acquaintances...
Home has been wonderful. Yet every morning I wake up and have to remind myself that I'm not here to stay. In about a week I will again be waking up in my basement bedroom in Lynden, making preparations for school on Monday and wondering what the heck my next P.E. unit will be (curse you, physical education!) These changes are so difficult...yet reading others' blogs puts my own situation into perspective. Change is inevitable. It's necessary.
I look at people like Carolyn in South Korea, Erika in Norway, Rachel in Nicaragua...they are so much further from home than I am. But in some ways I feel farther from home. Those people are surrounded by others who are far from home. In Lynden, I'm surrounded by people who know only one home...one place...one set of acquaintances. It's difficult because few others understand the way I feel. I'm scared of saying goodbye again and returning to the place I was so excited to leave last week. It's my life now, and as proud as I am of making it through the last 5 months, it's only the beginning.
Ok...on to happier things. This week has been wonderful. Phil and I have celebrated our 6-month anniversary with two dates. We took turns planning. Last night, I took him out for Mexican and ice skating!!!! And then we went to his place and watched The Ringer--well, I slept through it, but what else is new? He made dinner for me the other night and the townhouse's living room has never looked better. I've spent time with my sister and brother and sister-in-law and nephews. I took Dillan to see The Waterhorse yesterday and it was a great bonding experience. I also gave him his first couple of piano lessons last week. He is eager to learn. I miss him and Landon so much--they have grown up a lot since July. I saw my Bepa the other day, which was wonderful, considering the fact that I didn't think I would see her ever again when I said goodbye to her in July. I love being near my parents again, although we know that our relationship has shifted somewhat. I'm a little more independent and self-sufficient than last time we were together.
Another week to spend with family and loved ones. Thank you, Dad and Mom, Philip, Al and Trav and Tami and Dillan and Landon and Kasey, Becca, Josh, Nikki, Matt and April, Nick and Lari, Walhof and Paul, Chad and Ephron and hopefully Dre and Scott and Sheryl...for making this Christmas break a time to strengthen relationships. I love you.

have a cup of cheer

2007-12-15T14:13:00.000-08:00

kerri as zwarte piet...i looked something like this as well
kerri standing guard at our chosen tree
the traditional picture...me not getting my choice of a tree
my students decorating for Christmas

flooding at ebenezer!!!
the view of our backyard from the laundry room 2 weeks ago
dara and i making snow (errrr...slush angels) on the deck
dara dismantles the male snowman
our little Christmas tree

6 days. 6 days until a break, home, family, Phil, food, Iowa, Covenant, Dordt warts, traditions, games, dates, friends....the list goes on and on.
I am excited.
On the downside, my car is currently getting a new transmission. If you have a guess for how much that will cost, guess higher. Ouch.
Oh, well. It's just a car. And it's just money. More than ever I am understanding the importance of Christmas. It's a time of waiting, expectation, family, and celebration with ones you love. And I will get a 2-week dose of it in just a few days.
But for now...time to clean my house and finish Christmas shopping. Much love to all!

what they don't teach you in school (at least not that i remember)

2007-12-08T14:06:00.000-08:00

1. Waiting sucks. I guess I had to wait my turn to answer a question or to get a sip from the drinking fountain, but that's not even real waiting. Grrr.

2. Catching mice may be preferable to leaving out bags of poison for them so that they wake you up in the middle of the night with their chewing and you possibly find them dead 5 days later.

3. The first Christmas season away from home is very difficult. Because now every stupid sappy Christmas carol makes you cry because you're not hearing it in the familiar living room or with the familiar people.

4. Other people's Christmas traditions are not as cool as mine.

5. Adjusting to not having friends your age is difficult, especially after living in a college community (where something is ALWAYS happening) all of your remembered days.

6. Life apparently goes on even when you're down and depressed, dragged kicking and screaming into a world you're not sure you want to be a part of (and by dragged, I mean I made the decision to sign a contract that would take me 1700 miles away from life as I know it).

7. Time actually flies if you'd stop thinking about it. IT'S FREAKING DECEMBER ALREADY!!! AND I HAVE TAUGHT MY STUDENTS NOTHING!!!

*Edit: The latter part of #7 may not be entirely true. However, I don't have the courage to take a poll.

you came along one day and you rearranged my life

2007-11-26T20:50:00.000-08:00

thanksgiving day and haircut day! and we're still friends!
sarah and neil return to their childhood. apparently sarah had too much turkey. :)
columbia: the van dyken kids and their arm candy
my personal favorite
rod opening the tea i gave him for christmas; vonnie looks on
biker babe!
my hot biker guy
in between bike rides--mistlin park
mark is wiped out after the family christmas celebration
stay awake!

What a wonderful weekend. It was amazing. It's going down in the record books as an important weekend. The only bad part of the weekend was having to leave yesterday. It's going to be a long three weeks (I know, Phil, it will go fast) until Christmas.

Highlights of the weekend:

1)Looking for Phil at the Sac airport and seeing a mountain man!

2) cutting Phil's hair without losing his affection

3) holding hands all weekend

4) That one winery we went to...with the jazz trio...

5) sunshine and 50 degree weather in the mountains!

6) spending time at the cabin in the mountains

7) getting big hugs from Rod and Vonnie yesterday when I took off

8) riding motorcycle with Phil

9) playing Pepper with Sarah & Neil and Mark & Apryl

10) fitting in with the family

Only 3 1/2 weeks until Christmas. Long distance relationships suck. Anyone else have a tough time living in the moment instead of in the future? I thought so. I know what I want and now I have to wait for it. It's a new experience. I suppose it's what Mom would call a "growing experience." Thanks, Mom.
Keep plugging, everyone. It's the advent season. A time of expectation and waiting. We've been doing it for over 2,000 years. We can do it a little longer.

in this bittersweet world...

2007-11-12T20:09:00.000-08:00

cuddling at mcmenamin's

cardwell hill cellars...family-owned and operated
a bit o' booze
jaz, nick, and andrea at tyee winery
fall colors do exist in the northwest...

Why do I wait so long to post? Now I either have to leave nothing out or leave everything out. Grrr.

In the past few weeks, I have completed my first set of report cards, survived my first parent-teacher conferences, participated in Whatcom County's celebration of the CRC's 150 years, eaten out too many times, drank beer with my boss once, attended a play, and driven through torrential rain and wind in order to visit my dear Nick and Lari (oh, wait! That was just today!)

I think that's the short list.

I am counting down the days until Thanksgiving break. We are currently at 8. Not long. Yet I'm at the point where I'm again realizing that I need to live in the moment, because it's really all I have. Memories are good, but they can't take the place of the present. In our school office, we have a little sign that says, "Today is a gift...that is why it's called the present." And worrying about the future can't change it. I'm trying to enjoy the little moments that make up my days. It's a great idea, but tough to follow through on.

I will end with a list of the excellent movies I watched while cuddling with Nick and Lari this weekend:

1) The Ringer

2) Accepted

3) V for Vendetta

Watch them! They are stupendo!

life is unraveling and being woven together

2007-10-20T16:47:00.000-07:00

amanda and i at a park in chilliwack after teacher's convention
amanda and denise checking out the fish
an incredibly pc pose
october sunrise at ebenezer
this is from the front step of my classroom...

kerri and i ready to plow mt. shuksan
i be a photographer!
the meenderincks ignoring the "danger! slippery rocks!" sign
kerri and i in a tree...there IS a story behind this!
some pretty mountains

The honeymoon is definitely over. I'm realizing that when I go home for Christmas, I won't really be going home, because I'll have to leave again. Today, that realization really freaked me out. I was at Target today and it was CRAZY with families shopping for Halloween/Thanksgiving/Christmas/we need to buy stuff because we haven't bought anything for two days. And I really missed my mom. I saw tons of mothers and daughters, and all I wanted was to wander the aisles of Target with Mom and talk about how premature the holiday stuff is. I miss you, Mom. And Dad, every time I see an SUV (or a Hummer at a gas station...a frequent occurrence for gas-guzzlers, you know), I scoff and miss you, too.

I have tons of people out here to connect with...but they're not my family. I have officially reached the I've-never-been-away-from-my-family-for-this-long point and I'm still going.

As Phil says....life is unraveling and being woven together at the same time. Life as we know it is ending, but something new is beginning. It's scary and refreshing and scary and fun and really really scary. Hopefully the end result is a beautiful design. Hopefully.

a countdown: take two

2007-10-07T16:17:00.000-07:00

--days of rain in the last 11 days: 10
--days of school in the last 4 days: 0
--incoming calls on my cell phone in the last 24 hours: 10
*Note: Apparently Saturday is "I miss Andrea and I should call her!" day. It never rains but
it pours. Thank you, friends and family; you have shown me love.
--meals eaten in my home in the last 5 days: 0 (except for breakfast w/ Denise on Friday a.m.)
--hours of teacher's convention spent catching up with Dordt people: all of them!
--number of recent Dordt grads bumped into during said convention: 9 (I think that's all)
--number of full-spectrum light bulbs now installed in my room to give me the feeling of
sunshine: 4
--amount of french fries eaten in the last four days: 3 pounds-ish
--hours spent laughing in Ryan Stiles' Bellingham UpFront Theatre: 2.5ish
--text messages sent/received in the last 4 days: 58

I think I need to change my texting plan.

rainy days

2007-09-29T18:28:00.000-07:00

the melancholy is setting in. lots of rain. i'm missing home this weekend. missing my family and friends. facebook pictures are making me jealous of good times at dordt.

but i don't think i want to go back to that era of my life, either, because this is a good era, too. i got paid yesterday! HA! take that, college students! i got paid and it's not going straight to dordt college! at least not until november...

teaching is good. teaching is fun. teaching is my calling. and this weekend, i get to see denise and amanda and hannah and jason and margaret and probably more people i'm forgetting about. teacher's convention! 5-day weekend! (well, no school for 5 days, anyway).

ok. this post is dumb and self-centered. sorry i wasted some of your time, but it's your own fault for being on the computer...

september in review

2007-09-22T11:01:00.000-07:00

This is the mink (not a muskrat!) that USED to inhabit our pond. Don't worry; he's at a farm now happily catching ducks.
sunset on birch bay
kerri and i at boulevard park in fairhaven
flowers from philip
berscrumptious, denise, & i over labor day weekend
ferry ride from whidbey to seattle
arrrrrrrrrgh!
scary seattle carousel
kerri and i in blaine at the maritime park straddling countries at the peace arch border crossing

now i'm the bad guy

2007-09-17T17:37:00.000-07:00

i made my kids write lines last week. their memory verse....15 times. took some of them three hours. now they hate revelation 21:1-4.

ahh, classroom management.

let it be said of us...that we live to be a blessing

2007-09-09T13:42:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a good day.

1. I got 9 hours of sleep.
2. The sun was shining brightly.
3. I talked to my parents on the phone.
4. I had breakfast with a dear new friend who is becoming a surrogate mother to me.
5. My dear friend shared with me information about the Whatcom County Chorale...which I hope to audition for this week sometime.
6. I cleaned the house.
7. I talked to Phil for 2 hours.
8. I did my laundry.
9. I took a short nap.
10. I went to a barbecue with Kerri and met some Bethel people.
11. I held a beagle puppy in my arms for a half hour.

Today is a good day.

1. I got 9 hours of sleep.
2. The sun is shining brightly.
3. I started adult Sunday school this morning and met new people.
4. Alvin and I sang in church and received glowing compliments. I have missed being part of the church in this way.
5. Bethel hosted a "Lunch on the Lawn" where the following happened:
--I talked to my 2nd cousin once removed and discussed various family reunions taking place in the past and future
--I talked with Alvin and Sherry (my "family") about the good old days
--I chatted with the pastor's wife about teaching and various curricula.
--I was invited to join a women's Bible study
--I have dinner plans and evening plans for Thursday night with the Vos'...faculty concert at LC! Go, Broadway!
--I had a discussion with my second cousin once-removed's wife about small towns vs. big cities.

I feel at home in my own church in Sioux Center, but I feel overwhelmingly at home at Bethel here in Lynden. I'm feeling more comfortable living on my own, because I'm realizing that I'm not on my own completely. I always have people to call, and I always have Someone nearby even when I feel alone.

I hope that I can bless others as much as they have blessed me.

no time...must sleep...

2007-09-04T18:33:00.001-07:00

This post will be sadly lacking in content because I don't have lots of time with which to dally on the computer.

School started and I LOVE teaching. I love my school and my coworkers and my kids...and there are tons of frustrations, but this is my calling for right now. Thank you, Lord.

I miss everyone. I'm tired of being without my college community. This transition will take awhile.

I had an AWESOME weekend with Denise, Berky, and Robin. Thanks, girls. Another sleepover soon, I hope!

Love and blessings to all. Pictures to follow eventually.

going somewhere sometime

2007-08-27T15:08:00.000-07:00

Yuanita is quite the wrestler. And this was after we actually wrestled. We were resting instead. I like Yuanita and Jana because they balance craziness and intelligence. Yuanita is crazy, and Jana is intelligent. = ) Hee, hee.

I miss people. I hate being so far from home when most people in Lynden have their entire extended families around. It's beautiful here, but I'm really a midwest girl at heart. I'm not sure I can stay this far away from my family for the rest of my life. Good thing I'm taking it one year at a time. Heck, one hour at a time. Right now, I feel particularly far from home because my Bepa is not doing well. She had a heart attack and a stroke this week, and she's very weak and can't speak (which for her is a rare and sad thing). I miss being with my family during this tough time...

Today has been crazy. We had inservice this morning and then I started outlining some science lessons. I left "briefly" to go to the library and got sidetracked by a FUN package from Frau Nikki and a phone call from Amanda, my dear neighbor to the north. So tonight, I need to eat dinner with Amanda and hang out with her, possibly help Yuanita pack, call Phil, call Mom, figure out a few more things for Day 1 of school...laundry...letters....when did all this stuff pile up? EEEEEK.

Prayers are appreciated. I feel about ready to explode. I miss you all.

ten and counting...

2007-08-21T13:49:00.000-07:00

Nope. Not how many days until school starts. This is how many spider bites I found on my left leg yesterday morning. My basement room, although I have made it cozy, is a breeding ground for spiders. I was not sure what the bites were, but my colleagues are thinking a spider had a hayday on my leg. In the meantime, it's red and swollen. Ick.

Days until school starts: 7.5
Number of students who left my class as of yesterday: 2
Number of students enrolled in my class: 21
Relief I feel at having fewer students: 100%
Number of subjects I feel prepared to teach: 0.5
Number of subjects I will be teaching: 6
Number of subjects I will be teaching if you count all the language arts components: 10
Number of times my principal used a fishing analogy at the NWCSI workshop: 8
Number of times I made fun of my principal for using a fishing analogy: 8
Dollar amount my salary dropped after making fun of my principal for using a fishing analogy: $3,000

Just kidding about that last one.

I am ready to have a hectic schedule. At least I won't have as much time to miss people.

the closer i get, the farther you run

2007-08-16T12:58:00.000-07:00

This Iowa girl lost the milking contest to a city girl! Score: 2 cups to 2.5 cups
Yuanita, Catherine, & Andrea ready to fly!

Ahh, the Northwest Washington Fair. I saw cows, horses, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, bees, flowers, and all kinds of vegetables. It was a good show. I attended with four other girls. Three of us were new to the fair, so the other two had a good time showing us around. Of course, we shelled out six bucks to take a couple of rides as well. The price we pay for fun...

Still working on my classroom. Still getting used to waking up in Lynden. Sometimes it feels like two steps forward, one step back. But I'm still making progress. And there's a bonus. I have a very grandmotherly neighbor who has all sorts of Ebenezer connections, and yesterday she baked me a blackberry pie. Never mind that I don't like pie; I like this one. She's the sweetest old lady ever and I think we will become good friends and neighbors.

So here's to taking two steps forward and one step back!

keep on the sunny side of life

2007-08-13T11:38:00.001-07:00

I don't know why my pictures are doing this. Argh. But I had a fun weekend in Sunnyside with Berky and Denise. Ha!!! You can all be jealous now!!! Ha, ha, ha!

Now back to planning. And attending the Northwest Washington Fair, which has made Lynden an interesting town at last! Much love to all. I will say more interesting things at a later time.

this is your life

2007-08-09T11:34:00.001-07:00

I listened to Switchfoot this morning. It reminds me of driving to Rock Valley very early in the morning for my 60-hour practicum. "This is your life; are you who you wanna be?"

I think I'm on my way to becoming who I want to be but have always been scared of being. Each morning I wake up and find things to love about my new surroundings, but it's much more work than waking up at home in Sioux Center. I know I won't be able to see the people I've seen so often for my whole life, and that makes me sad. But then I meet other people who are wonderful and I feel confirmed in being here. Yet I'm a little lonely.

I have a feeling I will love my job and I will love my kids. I just need to get into the groove. I hate not being able to watch the Twins game with my dad (these sickos out here all cheer for the Mariners!) and I hate not being able to get a hug from my mother and I hate not being able to run across the alley and hang out with Phil and the other guys next door. I hate the cloudy weather and seeing all kinds of families spending time together because I'm jealous.

I love walking on our cushy living room carpet. I love my pink shower. I love the Febreze smell in my bathroom. I love being able to say, "I'm Andrea De Jong. I'm the new teacher at Ebenezer" and hear the response, "Oh, wonderful! I've heard about you! I/my kids/grandkids went to Ebenezer and it's just like one big family!" I loved getting a phone call from one of my students' dads yesterday and being greeted as "Miss De Jong." I love that the weather is not unbearably hot and that right now, I'm wearing jeans and a sweater. I love feeling independent and knowing that I chose this place and this job and that God wants me here and He will bless me.

I'm not sure the loves outweigh the hates yet, but I'm not feeling intensely homesick. I can function. I have people to talk to. I have a purpose here. I miss you all and hate the thought that many of you will be together at Dordt without me in a couple of weeks, but I recognize that this is my life right now. I'm capable of changing it and accepting the changes God brings my way.

seasons are changing

2007-08-06T16:48:00.000-07:00

This is only one side of our yard...it's huge!
A small part of our huge living room
My teeny-tiny closet bathroom with standing room for one
My home-theatre bedroom...notice the levels?
The bottom level of my bedroom...see the projector screen?

I am now on the other side of the country. I'm sitting in Woods Coffee, enjoying a mate latte and some great coffee shop music while looking out on the mountains in the sunshine. While it's beautiful, I still miss my friends and family. Saying goodbye was difficult, but my last one (to my parents) was yesterday. Now I just have lots of hellos to say. = )

Downfalls of the move:

1. missing the familiar

2. seeing my bedroom for the first time and seeing only gray and black under fluorescent lighting

3. panicking about the future and whether or not I am actually capable of teaching

4. realizing that my parents had to leave and couldn't stay and play Dutch bingo forever

5. finding out that i have creepy neighbors who whistle at me and try to get my phone number

Highlights of the move:

1. Spending quality time with Mom in the car for 1,650 miles and with both Mom and Dad for almost a week

2. Realizing how generous and loving my parents are

3. playing "Dutch bingo on steroids" for 3 days straight

4. Going to church and getting tons of greetings from people who remember me

5. Discovering one of my roommates loves I Love Lucy and Yours, Mine, and Ours....and The Office!

6. Finding my own way here in Lynden...I'm capable of more than I give myself credit for

7. Making my room a completely different space with the help of my parents...homey and cozy!

8. Having a wonderful phone conversation with a friend and realizing that while I miss people, this move is going to be a good one for me.

*Edit: Sorry I didn't have a "before" picture of my room. It was too depressing.

help me

2007-07-22T14:55:00.000-07:00

family reunion: al, dillan, & i after hiking around devil's lake in wisconsin
the three musketeers: andrea, brittany, & kyla

I'm moving in a week. Change is a tough thing. I'm evaluating my entire life in Sioux Center and realizing that it will never be the same coming back. I wonder if it will always feel like home to me, or if that will change. Maybe I'll have two homes. That would not be a bad thing.

To all those out there who are facing big changes, I feel for you. Uncertainty is scary. But as my mother said this afternoon, without change, we can't grow. I rolled my eyes when she said this. And we both know it's trite. But you know what? Trite means that it's overstated, and that means it's true. And when I look back at the last 5 years of my life, I realize that I have grown a lot. Not without pain and frustration and heartache, but I've survived it. And a dear friend reminded me today that we don't do any of this on our own.

Lord, help me walk

Another mile, just one more mile;

I'm tired of walkin' all alone.

Lord, help me smile

Another smile, just one more smile;

You know I just can't make it on my own.

I never thought I needed help before;

I thought that I could get by - by myself.

Now I know I just can't take it any more.

With a humble heart, on bended knee,

I'm beggin' You, please, help me.

Come down from Your golden

And throne to me, to lowly me;

I need to feel the touch of Your tender hand.

Remove the chains of darkness

Let me see, Lord let me see;

Just where I fit into your master plan.

I never thought I needed help before;

I thought that I could get by - by myself.

Now I know I just can't take it any more.

With a humble heart, on bended knee,

I'm beggin' You, please, help me.

--Johnny Cash

in the dictionary...

2007-07-17T12:35:00.000-07:00

Andrea --

[noun]:

A deadly strain of projectiile vomit

'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com

did i hear a niner?

2007-07-08T19:44:00.000-07:00

I am in Wisconsin at our ninth family reunion. We started the tradition when I was six years old...every two years my mom's parents and their offspring get together at some sort of resort and chill and argue and eat and make fun of each other and play cards and eat and talk and swim and eat.

This year, we have six little fourth-generation-ers. SIX. They are seven, six, three, two, one, and 2 1/2 weeks. Needless to say, there is LOTS of noise. Granted, there always was lots of noise at our reunions because my extended family has hot air in excess. But I love them. And we have six huge condos, so there's always space to hide away.

Today, a bunch of my cousins and the little kids went swimming. We ran into two Dordt grads. One of them was in my class. It was crazy and random.

Back to vacationing. You may all be jealous now.

a count

2007-07-03T12:48:00.000-07:00

bowls of mac & cheese left cold on the counter: 1
phone calls that i didn't answer: 3
bumps on the head acquired by a 6-year-old from his little brother smashing a chair in his face: 1
tearful outbursts: 3 (including my own)
games of shrek uno played: 9
games of life played: 1
hours of tv as background noise: 4
loads of laundry done: 1
hours of sleep: 4.5

*edit* most of the sleep occurred before i started babysitting...

...and your name is....?

2007-06-28T08:20:00.000-07:00

I've had a lot of exposure to mothers lately. Babysitting my nephews has brought me into the realm of young motherhood, where women live to cart their children around to various activities. This morning, T-ball. I sat on my blanket, keeping one eye on my two-year-old nephew as he ran around a tree, and one eye on my six-year-old nephew as he ran around playing ball, which left both of my ears open to hear the conversations around me.

"I swear, he's grown three inches since last week! He's outgrown his pajamas, and now he's always cold downstairs because the bottoms only come down to his calves!"

"Well, I had to take ____ to dance class, and then run ____ here to play ball..."

"My boy wakes up early no matter what time he goes to bed. He went to sleep at 10:30 last night, and was awake at 5 a.m. because he had a bad dream!"

I'm on the edge. I don't really belong to the club. I'm only a part-timer--watching my nephews during the day twice a week. The other moms ignore me on my blanket as they sit in their lawn chairs and gab about dentist appointments and parent-teacher conferences. They don't recognize me (although I know I'll see them at swimming lessons in an hour). They call my nephews by name but don't ask for mine. The only time they acknowledge me is when their nine-month-old daughter crawls towards my lap or their 3-year-old son swings a bat a little too close to my head. Even then, it's a quick smile as they gather up their offspring and return them to the safety of their strollers and tot chairs.

I'm not a mother...but my name is Andrea.

away

2007-06-22T11:08:00.000-07:00

For the third weekend in four weeks, I am going away. This is the most exotic place yet. California and Montana, step aside. Lake Pahoja's taking over. I don't think it knows what is about to hit it.

montana in pictures

2007-06-19T18:17:00.000-07:00

road trip crew at rushmore: andrea, sarah, phil, dave
couldn't go through mitchell, sd, w/out getting a shot of the world's ONLY corn palace!
me and the bride being all sexy and stuff
me & al--sisters and cohorts in craziness!

al not following yellowstone national park directions
sarah, al, & phil on the yellowstone trails
sarah and i take a break on I-90 east
we went to wall drug and all we got was soaked!
kendra and nate: sunlight blessing
unexpectedly wet in yellowstone

a vacation in pictures

2007-06-11T11:15:00.000-07:00

day 1: bumped up to first class from salt lake city to sacramento--yeah, baby!
day 2: babysitting with the bride--we're going west on the wagon train!
day 3: more friends! yay! phil, laura, me, becca, sarah
day 4: the wedding! former d6ers--becca, laura, me, sarah, nikki
still day 4: mr. & mrs. elgersma
and it's still day 4: i caught the bouquet; sarah didn't appreciate my shoving her out of the way (notice this is the ONLY picture EVER of sarah not smiling)
day 5: becca grazes at casa de fruta--naughty!
mark faces danger at casa de fruta
mark, me, and philip boogie-boarding in the pacific
...and sarah's stuck in the wetsuit

day 6: the van dyken boys at yosemite
heather, we have not forgotten you!
sarah, me, becca at bridalveil falls in yosemite
day 7: winery #2
day 9: we skipped day 8 because day 8 sucked, which is why philip is sleeping on the airport floor here in denver

wave goodbye

2007-06-06T00:14:00.000-07:00

Today was our last day in CA. Tomorrow afternoon we fly back to Iowa. I feel as though I've been in California for a very long time, and I like it. Phil and I hit up three wineries today and tasted about 15 wines. Interestingly, the worker at one of the wineries was born in LeMars. Hmm.

Then we bought fudge in Columbia, a little historical gold mining town.

Then we went to a Van Dyken cousins shin-dig and ate and watched a video and hot-tubbed and jumped in the debris-filled albeit nice pool.

I'm not ready to go back yet.

one wedding and no funerals...yet

2007-06-01T16:17:00.000-07:00

I am in California. The best part was when Phil and I got upgraded to first class for FREE on our flight from Salt Lake City to Sacramento. Sa-weet.

The bride and I baby-sat 4 rambunctious children for several hours yesterday while the boys lolly-gagged on a boat. Ahh, gender roles. But Sarah and I had fun, especially when the day ended and we were still alive.

Decorating the church/reception yard today, and a wedding tomorrow (d.v.) We'll see if everyone survives...

remembering

2007-05-28T19:38:00.001-07:00

putting flowers on Pake's grave

singularity

2007-05-21T10:18:00.000-07:00

I have been single most of my life. And recently, I have been experiencing the "everyone in the world is dating/engaged/married except for me" syndrome. It sucks. Because even though I'm happy being single, I feel as though I shouldn't be happy. Sure, I want to get married someday, but I feel so far behind everyone else. I found out this past weekend that FOUR MORE of my high school classmates recently had babies. What the crap????

Is this all there is? I was searching for apartments online today and I drifted into the personal ads just to look (JUST to look). And there were a ton of ads! Some of them were funny, many were creepy, most had lazy spelling (which I cannot stand) and one of them stuck out more than the others: "Married man, 40, seeking married woman to cheat."

Now I am commitment-phobic and I understand why marriage is a tough thing...you can't always go with your feelings. Often you just have to stick with your promises you made on your wedding day. But just because I'm a commitment-phobe does not mean I don't believe in marriage. I do. Completely. And it makes me sick to think about people openly cheating. No wonder I'm freaked out about marriage when everywhere around me there are signs of failed marriages.

And yet there are signs of good marriages everywhere, too. Most people I am in close contact with are in successful relationships. Not that any of them are perfect. At all. But these people commit themselves. They promise to stick by each other through everything, even when they don't feel the same love they felt 5, 15, or 50 years earlier.

So--I don't know what my conclusion is. I'm not sure what my point is. I guess I just want to know that someday I will be able to fully commit myself to someone in spite of all the scary things that may come our way. And until then, I am drifting in the sometimes lonely but content realm of singularity.

the days go slowly by

2007-05-18T20:34:00.000-07:00

the boys caught a walleye...
he broke his dad's fishing rod...hmmm...

Today I went fishing with my West Sioux students. It was hot and windy and at least I didn't have to touch any icky worms.
Then I went to Tulip Festival. My nephews were sticky and cute. Pictures to come (after I actually take some tomorrow).
Post-graduation life feels strangely like my other college summers, except it is involving much less money-making. And a lot more eating. Boo for decreasing metabolism. Hello, Wally.
Well, I guess I'll go read a book.

graduation in pictures

2007-05-14T08:32:00.000-07:00

me & walhof--one more year, buddy!
me & sam
the after party: becca & sarah
grandpa & i (i got some surprise guests on friday afternoon!)
me & chad--ed 267 buddies

lq & i
jeriel, me & b me, heather, & becca
last night as students--sarah, jeriel, me
sv 407 + 1: me, becCA!, smarah, leather hink, nissi, slarah, b
heather & me (why's your diploma shut, h?)
phil & i
dad, trav, tami, mom, & i

the last awesome weekend

2007-05-08T15:46:00.000-07:00

sam, andrea, bhaak, & jeriel at tea time
vern with the living sculptures (melissa & becky)

Yes...the last awesome weekend has come and gone, but hopefully it kicks off an equally or more awesome summer! I am now unofficially graduated--my portfolio is turned in, my evaluations are done....the only things I need to do now are save all my G:/ stuff, turn in my mail key, and accept a signed diploma. Oh...and find a grad dress. I'm having issues with that. Whoever designs dresses nowadays does not design them for me. I may have to settle for a half a dress (a skirt).

Yesterday Phil and I were roped into taking lots of pictures of two girls covered in clay...in the name of art (see picture above). Typical Monday.

Josh slaughtered me in tennis today.

The picture-moving within the blog did not work. I don't know why. Grrr.

That is all.

aughhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

2007-05-02T15:18:00.001-07:00

I'M DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

do a devil's dance on the highway

2007-04-30T15:40:00.000-07:00

Storytime with Larry!

(Title: Paul, what does that mean?)

A few notes:

1. Excellent weekend. Excellent. Beautiful weather and only 3 days left at West Sioux (now only 2!) VERY LOUD, EXCITED SHRIEKING!!!

2. OJK has good lyrics now that I can understand them.

3. Graduation is in 11 days. Um, wow.

4. I like playing catch, except when my muscles hurt from disuse and then lots of use.

5. Spring is a fun time. However, it is not conducive to getting work done.

6. Maybe I will do nothing tonight. That's right, nothing.

7. Nutty bars are tasty, especially when they are free and the school janitor gives them to you because he's friggin' awesome.

8. How the heck do you post pictures in the middle of the text? I can only ever get it to post at the beginning. Me no likey.

9. This list is supposed to be a good diversion. I hope you lasted through it.

something important should go here

2007-04-25T15:13:00.000-07:00

5 more days. Hoo-ray. And I will feel on top of the world--or at least on top of a roof.
My nephew turns 6 tomorrow. I feel old.
Commiserating in the Bean is fun.
Chocolate really does improve the moods of women.
Cleaning my bathroom makes me feel competent. And nice-smelling.
I like pants. Particularly when they star in books.

had to walk the rocks to see the mountain view

2007-04-18T18:08:00.000-07:00

i love fresh air.

things need changin' everywhere you go

2007-04-15T11:45:00.000-07:00

there are problems everywhere. being finished at west sioux will not solve all of my problems because i will face them in lynden as well. i want to stop counting down days and enjoy what i have right now, because life isn't perfect anywhere and i might as well be content whatever the circumstances.
graduation is less than 4 weeks away. it seems so far from now, but i'm always amazed at how quickly time goes. time is a funny thing. i can't believe i've been at west sioux for a month already (although in the same respect, i've been there forever). i think i've grown for the better while there because i've experienced a wide variety of issues i may not have faced in a christian school. but now that i don't have the christian aspect in school, it means so much more on sunday. today in church we remembered the power of easter. easter was last week, but it is by no means over. every day, we have the chance to experience christ's victory over death by accepting his love, grace, and forgiveness.
lord, who am i?

easter weekend

2007-04-08T17:20:00.000-07:00

Sarah, Philip, David, myself, & Lauralee count our loot from the Easter egg hunt.

Heather & Becca at their art show opening

You know what's a good tradition? Easter egg hunts. I know they really have nothing to do with Easter, but have you ever seen college students race for chocolate eggs? Hilarious. And delicious! And today's Easter dinner was great. The people we had over were wonderful and easy to talk to...thanks, everybody!

I'm getting excited to move out to Lynden. I am looking forward to re-establishing relationships and getting out on my own. At the moment, I'm working on a couple of people, trying to convince them to move out with me. (Heather? Lauralee? Sarah?) After all, WA is a cool state and cool people should live there with me.

But first, finishing at West Sioux. During today's nap, I had a nightmare about West Sioux. I woke up and tried to be grateful for what it actually is rather than what was portrayed in my dream...

Spring break is agreeing with me. I like breaks. And I don't have to go to school until Tuesday! It's been relaxing--except for the grading I still have to do.

Leftover mashed potatoes!!!

of shoes and ships and ceiling wax

2007-04-03T19:28:00.000-07:00

Lynnea, Sarah M, Kelsi, Denise, & Sarah VD race to finish their bottles at the baby shower
BBQ in the alley!
Mmm, we're so carnivorous.

This weekend I attended a baby shower for Rosh and Shannon--I can't believe they're going to be mothers! Heather came down for the shower and the Peasants concert and the Sunday night post-church BBQ which is quickly becoming a tradition. Mmmeat.

Life at West Sioux continues to be frustrating and occasionally good. I feel that it's not helping me learn much about teaching, since my cooperating teacher (what a loosely coined term) doesn't seem to think I'm terribly capable. I can't wait until she has another student teacher who sucks--then she'll miss me. Oh, well. 19 more days. Anyone can survive that, right? RIGHT?

On another note, the weather has again turned bitterly cold. Oh, Iowa.

...six random things

2007-03-28T19:10:00.000-07:00

1. I enjoy sinking my feet into thick, flooshy carpet.
2. My favorite part of eating a brownie is when I put a huge chunk in my mouth and I can't even find my tongue.
3. When I wash my hands, I have to wait for the water to get excruciatingly hot before turning it off because hot water makes me feel cozy and happy.
4. When I was two, I crossed the street and fell asleep under my neighbor's tree. My mom didn't even know I was gone until the neighbor rang the doorbell and asked her, "Does this belong to you?"
5. I clean and organize my room for fun.
6. I used to be a fundamentalist; when my kindergarten boyfriend kissed me at school, I told on him.

And...count it!

i'll always be your love if you'll always be mine

2007-03-25T15:15:00.000-07:00

I am officially employed for next year--in Lynden! I got my first-choice job at Ebenezer Christian and on Friday, I accepted it. I'm excited to see all the wonderful people I met this winter and spend more time with them. Moving indefinitely is a little scary, because I know I will miss my family. But I also know I have "family" out there, too.

Come rain or come shine....

angel, you were born to fly

2007-03-22T18:35:00.000-07:00

Making decisions is difficult.

omahoma

2007-03-19T16:48:00.000-07:00

Re-living the Desert Dome experience: Dre and the Lizard of Death!
Josh and Dre cozy up with Phil and his relatives
St. Patrick's Day in Old Market: Andrea & Sheryl
Happy Birthday, Phil!
The most Josh-ish look I've ever seen...and I captured it!
Becca, Dre, Heather, & Andrea at the Omaha Zoo

Fun times in Omaha this weekend...much-needed fun times! Phil, Josh, Heather, Becca, and I drove down to visit Dre and her friends. We hit the zoo, the Joslyn Art Museum, and Old Market (where Scott & Sheryl joined us). Ahh, reunions. They are lovely. Best weekend I've had in a long time!

And I'm in the middle of making tough decisions about where to take a job next year. I'm still hoping for Washington, but we'll see what God has in store. I am doing lots of praying this week.

Quote of the day: If every day is an awakening, you will never grow old. --Gail Sheehy
(Thank you, Dordt planner.)

things i want to do before i die

2007-03-13T21:05:00.000-07:00

in no particular order

-own a kickass dog
-name a crayon color
-write a fortune for a Chinese fortune cookie
-fall asleep in a field of grass and wake up in a winter wonderland
-teach in more than one school
-waitress in a small-town diner where everyone's a regular
-visit Jhesica in Bolivia
-learn to develop my own photos
-bake a quiche
-visit Scotland and hear some bagpipes
-become flexible and learn ballet steps
-kiss a man I'm in love with
-sleep under the stars
-get rid of everything except the absolute bare necessities and live ascetically for a week
-direct a play
-build a snow fort
-get up on water skis
-start a fire without matches
-sing and play piano simultaneosly
-conquer the F chord on the guitar
-drive to Montana alone
-sew a skirt
-build a chair
-cut someone's hair without losing a friendship
-create a piece of art I'm so proud of I keep it in my living room in a place of honor
-lay on Vos' happy happy carpet again
-keep a plant alive