Keesh!

There is a Quiche Lorraine cooking in the oven. Sounds hard, but it's freakin easy to make. Carolyn is showing me her nose hairs right now. We just spent about a billion and two hours at Coffee Station. In the other room, John Mayer is singing about someone's body (apparently it's a wonderland). It is a very good day.

So yeah, Carolyn and I went to Coffee Station to study, but ended up studying 1 and 2 Thessalonians for a good 3 hours, I bet. Tiffany was with us, and it was absolutely phenomenal. There is nothing that gives me joy like studying God's Word with other Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Ahhhhh I get excited just thinking about it!!! I didn't read anything about Sam Houston, and now I am feeling guilty. Just to inform you on how awful my brain is, for about 2 seconds (as I was typing "Sam Houston"), I thought that Sam Houston not only played a great part in Texas' history, but was responsible for the chain of the most popular superstores in the USA. Good grief. Then I remembered that that was Sam Walton. They do have kind of similar names, though.

Carolyn has just grabbed my scissors and is cutting Milky's fur off. I am seeing chunks of it fall into her lap as I speak. He is looking more and more like a hobo hamster. She just felt sorry for him because it's so hot in my room right now. Carolyn kind of loves animals a lot.

Back to the 1 and 2 Thessalonians thing. I really loved this verse, so I am going to share it with y'all.

"And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming." - 2 Thessalonians 2:8

WOW!!! Seriously? Just by breathing, God's power is so amazing that it will overthrow the antichrist, and simply His splendor will destroy him. WOW. I am amazed by that! We were talking about this verse, and Carolyn said something about, "I don't want God to just breathe, but I want Him to get out a sword and stab it in him!!!!" But then we thought about 2 Timothy 3:16 - "All Scripture is God-breathed..."
Then we thought about Hebrews 4:12 - "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any two-edged sword..."

Another WOW. I love how you can connect different parts of the Bible like that! God-breathed. God's Word. Sharper than any two-edged sword. That probably isn't right or something, but it made sense to us. Just His breath is sharper than any sword. He doesn't need to grab a sword and stab the antichrist. Simply his breath and splendor is enough to pretty much slaughter him. My God is awesome. :)

Almost every time I go to Coffee Station I end up just reading my Bible. Maybe I should just live there! It's really cool. I have amazing conversations with really awesome people there. If you ever see me sitting in Coffee Station, please stop and say hi to me (even if I have no idea who you are). I love meeting new people! I will most likely be with my sister. We look like this:

...and now I've just invited creepy stalkers to visit us!!! :-/

Anyways, our quiche is done. Sometime I spell it "keesh" in my head. The keesh is done. Gotta go eat that!

-K

There was a Good Quote but I Forgot It

I told you that I would write about marrying someone with piercings (and/or tattoos). I was kind of serious, actually. I made the mistake of telling my mom and Nana that I could marry someone with a piercing or two at dinner the other day. You never know. I kind of like that look, to be honest. I don't want to marry a "bad boy". You know me, that would never happen. I just don't have a problem with piercings (depends on the place, though) on some guys, as long as their hearts are in the right place. I'm trying to think about how to word this without sounding cheesy, weird or dorky. I know some Christian guys with piercings and/or tattoos and they are really great guys. Plus, man looks at the outside and God looks at the heart.

Which is really true, I found out. My mom just kind of laughed at me and my Nana got this really scary look on her face. I think I may be going to hell now. (Haha.) I love my Nana, but we are very different when it comes to a lot of things. She is very conservative and very much a southern Baptist. She likes the clean cut guys. I do too, kind of. I also like the kind of guys who don't shave for a while and don't do their hair sometimes. And maybe have piercings. Okay that just sounds weird, now. I'm just not opposed to it.

I received a very long lecture about how awful it was to have piercings and tattoos if you're a guy. Apparently heathens do that sort of thing.

I just laughed a lot in my head.

I'm done with that topic, now.

My mom and sisters are leaving tomorrow morning. I sure did have fun with them while they were here! We watched Charlotte's Web tonight, and I decided it is one of my new favorite movies. I decided that I live in the past, or something. I love childrens' books and movies. Tiffany and I went to Barnes and Noble the other day and spent about an hour looking at books we read as children.
Make Way for the Ducklings
Goodnight Moon
Island of the Blue Dolphins
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Goodnight Mr. Tom
The BFG
Some other ones I can't remember now.

I loved being a child. I loved to read. Even now, I love picture books almost more than "grown up" books. When I find out that I am pregnant with my first child, I will go to the bookstore and buy the classics. My children will have an extensive library. I can't wait to read to them every night - I want them to grow up the same way I did. Lots and lots of picture books. :)

I want to go to a church that has no politial affiliation. That's not to say that Community Church does - actually, it really doesn't. No one talks about politics or bashes Hilary or Bush. Of all the churches I've ever been to, this one talks the least about politics. I was reading Blue Like Jazz and it made me think about how I don't want to go to a Republican/Democratic church. I don't think politics and religion should go together. Jesus' agenda never included politics while he was on Earth. He never gathered with others to argue whether or not we should ban gay marriage or whether abortion was wrong or not. He came to love, to forgive, to feed, to restore, to heal, to care for. He cared about people, not policies. I have never been a huge fan of politics. I think that is mainly due to the fact that I didn't spend long enough in any particular country to understand the political systems. We don't need to assume that Jesus would have been a Republican if He were here. I don't think he cares about that very much. He just cared about people. I want to be that kind of person, too. I don't want to bash homosexuals. I want to love them and welcome them into the church. I want them to know that Jesus loves them but He doesn't approve of their lifestyle. Protesting and yelling and shouting hateful words never helped anything. That is such terrible ungrace. I'm pretty sure Jesus would never do that. He would give people hugs. He would heal them. And then He would tell them to go and sin no more.

I got a little off track with that one. But that is what I have been thinking a lot about recently.

I really enjoy deep conversations. Small talk is fine, and sometimes you have to start off there because that's polite. It's what you do when you first meet someone. But sometimes I just want to get right to it. I want to ask people what their greatest struggle is. I want to know the lowest point of their life. I want to know what gives them much joy. I want to know the real person deep inside. I want to discuss things that are not shallow. Sometimes this happens with strangers, and I like it a lot. I just don't know a lot of stuff about intellectual things, and I don't know how to make myself sound smart in those circumstances. But I will listen. I'm still learning, and I don't have an opinion on everything. That's okay though, because everyone learns. I think a lot of opinions are just people repeating stuff they've heard before. That's all an opinion is, isn't it? People hearing someone say something, and then they think, Hey, I agree with that. I want to think that, too. So they say that's what they think, and it becomes their opinion. I mean, that's what I do. I repeat stuff I've heard and say that it is what I think. It all seems so shallow, now that I've put it that way. But I do like to have deep conversations a lot. Mostly about the Bible. I have realized that I am learning a lot about the Bible. I am still a baby when it comes to some things about the Bible. God is still teaching me, and I'm still growing. I love it.

Since it's getting late, I am going to wrap up now.
Life is beautiful.
God is great.
I am satisfied.
- Katherine

Actually, it was a Thursday.

Yesterday, one of my dreams came true.

I woke up early (6 am) to go to Coffee Station with Tiffany. That was pretty fun. But by the time I went to class and got home, I was pretty tired, so I took a nap. I set my alarm and when I woke up when it went off, I was still tired. So I tried to fall back asleep.

As I was drifting back off to sleep, I heard Anna yelling in the living room.

"What!? What are you doing here?!!??!?"

I thought she might be on the phone with one of her high school friends who had come into town or something.

A few seconds later, she knocked lightly on my bedroom door, then proceeded to tell me that there was someone with a package at the door for me. I jumped out of bed, slightly confused, and ran into the living room.

"You're joking. Someone is here that we know."
"No! Seriously. I'm talking to my mom on the phone. There is someone outside who wants you to sign for a package."

Finally I decided to open the door and see for myself. I expected someone to jump out at me, like Brad (who used to live in the apartment across from us). He rarely visits, so when he does, it's a big deal.

I tried to open the door but I could only get it open a little crack. Something was tied to the door, keeping it shut.

Half delirious, I looked down to see Tawny's dog leash tied around the handle and dangling to the ground.

My family had flewn in from England without telling me! I was absolutely shocked. Of course, my brain wasn't working enough for me to figure out that my family didn't actually live in England anymore. I heard giggling, and then Claire, Christina and my mom appeared from around the corner.

I started screaming.

I have never been surprised by someone like that. I've always wanted to, but it's never happened. My mom and two of my sisters drove all the way to College Station without telling me! I was so excited! It's my Nana's birthday today (the big 7-7) and my mom decided to surprise her. She decided to surprise Carolyn and I, too. :)

I have been having a blast with my little sisters. I took them to Coffee Station and we hung out on the couches upstairs. It's been so much fun! Tonight, we are going to see Ocean's Thirteen. I heard it was really good, so I'm pretty excited about that.

I need to help Carolyn with her homework now. I will write about marrying someone with piercings later. (haha)

-Katie

Do You Love It?

The sickness is gone. (Insert Hallelujah chorus here.) Thank goodness! I can breathe and I have enough energy to run around and keep busy like normal. I am very surprised because I didn't get a sinus infection. Normally my snot goes green and (sorry is this too much information?) I cough up a bunch of phlegm. Not this time! I think it was just a regular cold, something I haven't had in years. All that is left now is a raspy, sexy voice. Heck yes. (Haha!)

Sometimes I talk to myself in my head. Do you ever do that? I make up stories and I write things in my head. It always goes really well. In my head, I am a wonderful writer. I publish stories that would be best sellers if they ever reached the shelves of stores. But that's the problem - they never make it onto paper. These stories normally get written when I am walking to or from class, or while riding the bus. They are funny. I am a funny person, in my head. By the time I get home, though, I forget them. America will forever be deprived of my literary works.

I have a confession: I have been watching the worst TV show ever. My sister and my roommate and I have been renting a TV series from Hastings that is probably turning my brain to slush and replacing my vocabulary with phrases such as "That's hot." "Goodnight sexy." "Do you love it?" and "Hey gorgeous."

That's right.

We've been watching The Simple Life.

I actually really really disliked Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie, and I still don't like them a whole lot. But The Simple Life makes me like them a little bit more than I used to because they are so stupid and funny! I just can't imagine how someone can have absolutely no common sense. I enjoy watching them make fools of themselves while trying to do normal tasks: vacuum, change a diaper, put icing on a cake... etc. Anna, Carolyn and I enjoy saying "Goodnight sexy" to each other before we go to bed. Wow.

On a more serious note (and this is like an oxymoron), I have been reading Blue Like Jazz again. I bought the book two years ago and read it, and I loved it. Then I let someone borrow it, and I haven't seen it since. So on Sunday, I went to Half Price Books to see if they had it. They did! I bought it again, and I've been reading it. I love it.

Carolyn and I have started a mini-Bible study together. We are going through 1 and 2 Thessalonians. I am learning a lot! We started today and read the first chapter of 1 Thessalonians. I want people to know that I am a Christian just by looking at my actions, just like the Christians in Thessalonica. How amazing!

Sometimes I wake up and I don't know where I am. I have to think for a few seconds what year it is, and whether or not I am in college. I forget that my family has moved back to Texas, and that I am about to start my third year of college, and that I no longer live in England. It is the weirdest thing. I can't begin to explain the thoughts that race through my head in the morning. Life is very strange, sometimes.

I have to thank my friend Tiffany for introducing me to the greatest place on Earth: Coffee Station. Well, she didn't really introduce me to the coffee shop - I mean, I knew about it before, and I had been there a few times. Normally I go to Sweet Eugene's, because that's what people talk about most. Honestly, though, I'm not a huge fan of Sweet's Coffee. No offense to them. It all tastes the same to me. And it's normally crowded with people who have nothing to do but take up a whole couch and listen to their iPod and study. I can't ever find anywhere to sit there. Tiffany told me that she goes to Coffee Station all the time, and that she's friends with the people who work there. So last week, Carolyn and I went there in the afternoon. I loved it. It was quiet and had a really relaxing and cozy atmosphere. We sat on a very comfortable couch and drank vanilla chai lattes and I tutored Carolyn in math. It was delightful.

But the best was yet to come.

I got sick, so I didn't go there for a few days. Then Sunday came, and I got a call from Tiffany after church. She said I should come to Coffee Station. So I grabbed Carolyn, and we went to coffee heaven.

The first thing you should know about Coffee Station is that the people who work there are AMAZING. And I mean that. I have met four... yes... I think four, people who work there. Every time I go at least one or two (sometimes three) of them are there. They are so friendly! That is why I have been there for the past two days. And I stay for hours. I have met Vlad, Chad, Danny and Andrea. Go meet them. You will be impressed.

The second thing you should know is that the people who study there are amazing. They have fun. They talk to you. They will take their earphones out of their ears to talk to you. They will host hug demonstration seminars with you (no joke haha). They will sit on the floor, in the middle of the store, after it closes and talk to you. They will play hand clapping games with you. They will sit at the same table with you. I love them.

The third thing you should know is that the drinks are awesome. This kind of connects to the fact that the workers are awesome. Yesterday I ordered a vanilla chai latte, and Danny handed me the drink. He told me it would be the best chai latte I had ever had. He was right. He spent a lot of energy on the making of that drink. It was perfect. And he put whipped cream on top. No one ever puts whipped cream on top. I am a huge fan of Coffee Station now. And today, Carolyn and I had sweat dripping down our backs, so we told the workers that we wanted something cold. Something fruity. Something fun, and sweet. And we told them that we wanted it to be a surprise (at this point, we knew we were getting Italian Cream Sodas). Oh, boy, did they have fun with that! We got our drinks and then we had to guess what flavor they were!!! Carolyn's was Raspberry Blackberry and mine was Raspberry Lemon. Amazing.

That, my friends, is one of the reasons that I don't ever want to leave college. I went to Jupiter House in Denton and the workers were cold and impersonal, not to mention impatient (when there was no one in line behind me!). College Station is where it's at. More specifically, Coffee Station is where it's at.

This is another place that I am a fan of: Hastings. We have rented 8 movies there so far this summer. It's a fun place! And they have vanilla chai lattes for under $2. They don't beat Coffee Station's, though. I tried to find a picture of Coffee Station, but I couldn't. Maybe I will take some.

I'm sure you are sick of reading about coffee, so I will end this little post. Peace out.

-Katie

Berry Lime Sublime

*Sneeze* (And that was a for real sneeze, not one that I just made up for this post.)

You can see from the beginning of my post that I am sick... and very very bored I might add. I could tell on Wednesday night that I was getting sick, and sure enough, yesterday I woke up feeling pretty crappy. What made it worse was that I had a test today, and I felt lousy the whole way through. I couldn't remember things I had studied, and I got everything mixed up in my mind. Hmmm. Oh well, it's over.

I took a two hour nap this afternoon, which is so unlike me. I don't really ever take naps. But my head was pounding and I laid down on the couch and was out. I really haven't been doing anything today.

Anything.

I got home after my test, and I've been laying around ever since. I'm very bored. I wish I didn't feel sick, because there is a lot of stuff I would really like to be doing right now.

I'm a runaround kind of person. I don't like to be still for too long. I like to get out there and do it. When I'm tired, however, I need my recharge time at home. I guess I need my recharge time, because there is no way that I am going out right now.

I will stay in for the rest of the evening with... well probably myself. *Sneeze* Anna has a hang out thing and Carolyn's friend Lindsey is here for the weekend. I bet they will go out and do something, too. If you feel like hanging out with a person who is constantly blowing their nose and sneezing, give me a call.

Ok, enough about being sick. I wanted this to be a real update.

There have been many days where I have been so moved to write, but I couldn't (studying). And now, I have absolutely nothing, and I don't have any passion stirring up in me. It's mainly just mucus.

So what's been going on with me?

I went to a women's discipleship class for church on Tuesday. I can't express how excited I am about this! Meeting and talking to "older" women is something I am very interested in. I want to hear about their lives and their struggles, the ups and downs, what they've learned along the way... I can't wait to get to know these women better. It makes me excited just thinking about it!

Two of my British friends will (hopefully) be coming to visit me in August. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!? After all this time... they will get to see where I live! I can't believe it, and it feels so unreal. I'm not sure what we'll be doing (advice, please?), but hopefully some great American pastimes. Like shopping. (Ok, that is kind of a joke, but I'm sure I'll take them to the Galleria or something.)

I just found out that my sister made 100 on her first math test. I've been tutoring her for the past two weeks, since she's not a "math person" and I am a math & science education major. It's been a tough struggle, but she did it! Actually, she was allowed to retake her exam. She studied for 5 hours every day, and always was on top of her homework. She worked HARD. And yet when she first took the exam, she got a 59 and couldn't understand why. She had studied so hard, and her mistakes were stupid ones. So she went and talked to her prof, and he said that he believed she was a hard worker and good student, so she could retake the exam. She got 100. This makes me think about what kind of teacher I want to be. I firmly believe in giving everyone second chances. I have experienced awful teachers this past semester and I know how frustrating it can be when you don't get credit for things you should get credit for.

Paris is back in jail. Heck yes. That's all I'm saying about that.

Anna is getting a smoothie for me right now from Jamba Juice. She's so sweet like that. :)

Well my friends, I will have to update again when my brain isn't so fuzzy.

Life and Luncheon

My days are normally pretty strange.

I wake up, feeling rather tired and almost sick, and take a shower. My shower normally wakes me up, and without it, who knows what I'd be like! After my shower, I do my hair and makeup, get dressed, eat breakfast and head out the door for class. 9:05 am. Every morning.

I catch the bus and make my way to the Animal Industries building. It's the first time I've ever had a class in there. Supposedly the building's haunted, but I just think it's too cold.

Class is from 10:00-11:35, but I normally get out by 11:20.

After that, I'm done.

It feels weird a) to have the same schedule every day and b) to be done by lunchtime.

I'm not really sure what to do with my time. I need a job, but since I have to share a car with Carolyn, it's very difficult to do that unless I get a job on campus. And I haven't the slightest idea how to do that.

Pray for me, because I really need a job. I need to earn money and I need to fill my time up with something.

I just remembered that I have to read Velvet Elvis by June 12 (I think). I'm very excited about my ComGroup Girls' Book Club! Very excited.

College Station just doesn't feel right, though. I bet this is how it'll feel once I'm done with college. In a year and a half, I won't have this bustling metropolis to come home to after 3 months of being in a different country, or whatever. I guess that if I am a teacher, this will somewhat happen, but it won't be like this. Life won't stop in quite the same way. I don't want to leave college. Honestly, I'm scared of the "real world".

I guess I should go to bed. Tomorrow, I'm going to luncheon with my sister, my Nana, my Nana's cousin and her cousin's daughter. I love luncheon. (What does that word even mean, though? I don't even know.)

Goodnight, all.

21

So... It's my birthday. :)

To You

Hi.

So, I'm sitting here in my so-called "room" at home, listening to John Mayer and typing to you. I wonder who you is, exactly. You! Show yourself! Ok, just kidding. But I am curious.

I just finished reading a delightful book entitled Searching for God Knows What, by Donald Miller. He is one of the most amazing writers I've read stuff by, in my opinion. (Boy, that sounded eloquent.) This book says everything that I've been thinking this past year. All my feelings about the church are explained in this book, even though this book is not really about the church. It's a book about a general thought process, and general discoveries about Jesus and our purpose on Earth. I love the way that Donald Miller thinks. I want to marry someone like him - I don't mean that to sound weird, but I want my future husband to have that kind of mindset. I know that Miller isn't perfect, since we are all human, but I feel like his thoughts are right. I think if I were to ever meet him, I would like him a lot. He is not judgemental, he thinks things through and tests them with Scripture, he is honest without being rude and critical, he is open about his faults and imperfections. Quite simply, I love his work. I highly recommend this book!

I will be 21 on Sunday. That's hard to believe.

It's really cold in this room right now.

Last night, Carolyn and I fell asleep having a conversation about Christianity in modern America. It was Donald Miller's book that really inspired the conversation - I had so many thoughts running through my mind about the things he mentions in there. I told Carolyn that I wish that I could have been raised in a country that had never heard of Christ. I wish that I could have grown up without seeing pictures of the tame Jesus that we see in books and on TV - the one with birds on his shoulders and a glazed over, not-with-it look on his face. I wish that I wouldn't have heard rule after rule after rule and step after step after step of things you must do to be a "good Christian". I wish that someone could hand me a Bible and that I would be able to read it without all of that stuff going on in my head the whole time. I want to be able to picture Jesus without the white toga and the red (or perhaps blue, depending on the day) sash across his chest, blue eyes, milky white skin and a pretty non-scraggly haircut. I just Googled "Jesus" and looked at the images that came up. This is what I'm talking about. After looking through some of the pages of images, this is one that I saw more than once:

Something tells me that this isn't what He looked like. I'm getting off-point a little bit. As I was saying, I wish that I could read the Bible and let that be the only source that told me what Jesus was like. Of course, I wouldn't trade my life for anything -- I'm just saying that sometimes I get annoyed with who the world says that Jesus is. Carolyn and I talked about what the Last Supper might really look like, and then compared it to a communion today. I bet that Jesus' disciples would be freaked out if they walked into a typical American church during communion. First of all, they would notice the rows of chairs, all facing a pulpit. They would probably wonder what a pulpit is, and why it was on a stage, and why all the chairs were facing one direction. They would probably wonder why we had shiny platters with tiny crackers filling them, and why we were passing them around, and everyone was taking just one, and holding it in their lap quietly. Then they would notice the tiny cups of grape juice that we were passing around, heads bowed, all neatly organized and solomn. I bet the music would be strange to them, too. So... almost sad sounding. Why do we do things this way? How did communion morph into this sad, grave habit? I bet that the Last Supper was nothing like this. Everyone was lounging around in a rented room - probably not very nice looking. It could have been light outside, still, who knows? They were eating and filling themselves with wonderful food. I bet someone was telling jokes, and I bet that they were really enjoying each others' company. I bet that when Jesus started talking, everyone looked at him and thought "Here He goes again, saying stuff we don't understand..." since that tended to happen a lot. They all could have been tipsy, too. I bet there was a lot of wine. They were told to remember. They weren't sure what they were going to remember, at that point, but I bet that after Jesus died and rose again, remembering wasn't such a grave and solomn affair!

All of these things are just thoughts -- who knows what really happened, or what it was really like. I just know that being in America, and anywhere else for that matter, we have changed things to suit us and our culture. It's so sad. We have placed Jesus in a box, with a ton of labels placed on Him. And I really don't know how to say everything I am thinking... I do much better when I'm talking rather than writing (ask pretty much anyone). All I know is that I want to change the way that I live as a Christian in the United States. I'm tired of rules placed there by people who assume that Jesus identifies with their political affiliation, way of thinking, or even, rules placed there by myself. I want to follow Christ and Christ alone. I want to love others and build His church.

Man, I wish I was better with words. Just read Donald Miller's book, because it explains all that I am thinking.

Carolyn cut all her hair off today. I am so glad, because it needed to go (the split ends were getting awful). I am also slightly jealous, because I have always wanted to be able to wear short haircuts. However, having insanely curly hair prevents me from doing so. People always say that they are jealous of it, but I know that after even 24 hours of having my hair, they would want their straight hair back.

You can't see it very well in this picture, but I promise it's very cute!

Carolyn and I also spent hours driving around Corinth, Lake Dallas and Hickory Creek (I swear I've never been there in my life). We drove by the house we were born in, the first church we ever remember going to, and our favorite play place as a child. Anyone remember these??

My old house: it looked 100 times better when I lived there (I think it's a college house now). My mom saw this picture and almost cried.


Lake Cities Bible Church - now a daycare. I wanted to take a better picture, but I think I would have creeped out the workers, who were all outside with the kids. I miss it being blue.

The entrace to the Fort. Almost exactly how I remember it!

The Fort - looking out towards the cul-de-sac. Many happy memories were made here...

Looking towards the bridge... this path used to be train tracks from the early 1900s.

I'm sure you are all very tired by this point (if you made it to this point!). I am getting tired, so I will make my way to bed. I hope you all enjoyed the pictures... whoever you is. ;)

Goodnight.

It Might Not Even Be Worth Reading...

For being at home, I have been surprisingly busy. Normally I end up not having enough to do, but not this time. I've been relaxing, some, but I think that since I have a car I can drive now, it's easier to stay busy.

Tomorrow, my friend Leigh Ann is coming to visit. Leigh Ann is my SiC (Sister in Christ) for FLiC (Freshmen Leaders in Christ). She will also be Carolyn's roommate next year, and is going to be living right around the corner from me! I'm so excited. Having her visit will be the excitement that I've been needing!

I went to church twice today, and heard the exact same sermon twice. It was actually really cool because I learnt more the second time than I did the first time. Maybe I should listen to all sermons twice, if possible.

I don't think I've been resting enough. I think I was supposed to lay around all day for the 48 hours following my surgery, but I didn't. I did the day I got my teeth out, but the next day, I was back doing busy stuff again, and I haven't stopped since! I just need sleep, I think.

Last night, Carolyn, Christina and I went to see "Meet the Robinsons" at the movie theater. We saw it in 3-D!!! It was AWESOME!!! Seriously, that is my new favorite movie. I loved it, and so did Carolyn and Chrissie. I probably enjoy kids' movies more than adult ones.

I think my blog needs some pictures to spice it up. I looked on my computer and found some pictures that I haven't put on facebook. Here they are:

This is James, my roommate Catherine's cousin - he tried to eat my phone once, and actually fit the whole thing in his mouth.

This is Ashely at U-Paint-It. We painted tiles one morning, and it was so much fun! We both put Bible verses on them. :)

This is where I'll be living next year! It needs some yardwork since no one is living there right now. I will be living in the part on the left!

Almost all of my paragraphs are the same length. I wonder what that means. Probably that I should go to bed and quit rambling. I need to clean up around here before Leigh Ann comes tomorrow. Plus I'm really tired. Goodnight everyone.

I'm Not as Wise as I Was This Morning...

At 10 this morning, I had my wisdom teeth taken out. I'd never had any kind of surgery before (not even cavities or braces) so I didn't really know what to expect. Turns out, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be! The whole proceedure took about an hour and a half. I got to lay down in the dentists' chair (I love dentists) and they put that weird thing on me to give me oxygen. The doctor came in and then turned the laughing gas on, and I waited for "something" to happen. Like, to start laughing or something. I felt pretty normal for the first few moments, and then something overcame my body, like nothing I've ever felt before. It was the weirdest thing! I felt heavy and weird all over. I had my conscious mind, and I could think about normal things, but there was this other part of my mind that felt really weird, and I started seeing shapes growing and coming at me. I couldn't stop the strange thoughts! After a few minutes, the dental assistant asked me if I was feeling ok, and I managed to mumble "I feel really weird" so they turned the nitrous oxide down a bit. I still felt strange, and I thought for a few minutes that I might die, which made me want to get up and run out of the room. I probably would have, except that I don't think I would have been able to due to the way the laughing gas made me feel.

They gave me some really strong anbesol-type stuff, and then some shots in my gums. That didn't bother me at all. I really am not that scared of needles, to be honest. The injections made me feel VERY numb. Thank goodness. After they poked around a little bit, I started to feel nauseous, so I told the doctor. He turned the laughing gas off and put the oxygen back on, and then sat my chair up for about 10 minutes. I tried talking to the assistant but I couldn't really control what my tongue was doing, so it sounded really weird. Finally, the doctor came back in and leaned my chair back again. He asked if I wanted the laughing gas, and I told him that I would let him know if I needed it, but to leave it off for now. I was completely conscious at this point - feeling pretty normal except for the numb mouth. The doctor pushed and pulled on my teeth and in about 5 or so minutes, they were out! I was so surprised that it only took that long. I have no idea what they did to my teeth to get them out, and frankly, I don't want to know. All I felt was a bunch of pressure. No pain whatsoever! I got to keep my wisdom teeth, and they told me how to care for the gaping holes that are now present in my mouth.

The weirdest thing was not being able to feel anything from my upper lip down to the bottom of my chin. I could put my hand on my bottom lip and chin and feel nothing (I should have gone to get a lip ring... hahaha). My bottom lip was the worst. Straight after surgery, I thought it was my tongue (because I couldn't feel that, either), and I kept wondering why my tongue was hanging out of my mouth. So I tried to suck my lip in so that I would look more normal. I would touch my lip with my finger, but still not be able to tell what it was. Without feeling in my lip, it was hard to tell! Eventually, I asked the dental assistant what I was touching: "Ith thith my lip ohh my tongth?" She laughed and told me "It's your lip." And I just laughed "Hahth Hahth Hahth!"

When I got in the car, apparently I was pretty funny, because my mom kept telling me that I was acting like I was high. I don't know why though, because I didn't use any of the laughing gas for the actual surgery. Hmm. They gave me a prescription for some strong painkillers, and I took a 1/2 a pill once the numbness began to wear off. The prescription actually said to take 1 or 2 pills at a time, and I'm really glad I took 1/2 because it made me sick. I switched to ibuprofen and I feel great. I just feel a little achey in the jaw, which is amazing because the last time I took ibuprofen was about 5 or so hours ago!

I got to keep all 4 of my teeth, which is funny. They are really ugly and I'm considering using a toothbrush and toothpaste to get them cleaner. But that's just creepy, so I won't.

If anyone wants to come eat ice cream with me, let me know. :)

Well, I should be getting to bed soon because apparently I need a lot of rest (even though I slept most of the day because that codeine made me drowsy). Peace out, wise ones!

-Katie

Yo Shorty, It's Yer Birfday (Well, Almost...)

Normally, at this time, I am in England, enjoying the 50 degree weather and the drizzly rain. I think that this is the first time since 1997 that I have spent a mid-May day in Texas. I'm trying to rack my brain to see if that is correct... as far as I can think, it is. This Texas weather is starting to get to me! The heat gives me headaches if I am in it too long. Is there a country where it's 75 degrees year round? I want to move there.

As I mentioned, this year will be the first year in a decade that I have spent my full summer in Texas. I haven't had a real 4th of July celebration since that year. This will be the first year in ten years that I haven't traveled to a different country. This is going to be a weird summer.

I went shopping today, and for the first time in literally years, I bought shorts. It's not that I don't like them, or that I have some modesty issue. Shorts look weird on me. I don't know why, but they look strange. Maybe it's because I'm so tiny. Every time I try on a pair of shorts, I look really weird... the back sticks out and they go all pointy. I think you'd have to see it to understand. Today, however, I found two pairs of shorts that actually looked okay on me! I will be wearing them until I gain 10 pounds and actually fit a normal pair of shorts. Speaking of not fitting, I swear that I am shrinking. I bought some dress pants today that were a 0P (that's a zero petite). I think that's as small as they go. Why am I so small?! I don't get it. Sometimes, even size 0 doesn't fit. Good grief. I used to be a 1. Hopefully, when I get pregnant, this will all change. (Wow, I must be the only girl on the earth wishing she was fatter.)

I have a headache from the heat, so I'm going to go relax and take a bath. Plus, I need to shave so I can wear my shorts tomorrow.

I Believe (And Other Thoughts)

I believe that it's okay to cry during cheesy movies.
I believe that it's okay if your parents are on facebook.
I believe that you grow up without realizing it.
I believe that inside jokes never get old.
I believe that it's okay to eat cereal for dinner (sometimes).
I believe that graffiti is art (well, some of it).
I believe that singing at the top of your lungs with the windows down is a summer must.
I believe that too many college-aged people are getting engaged.
I believe that God has a purpose for you right here, right now. Find out what it is!
I believe that Disneyworld isn't all it's cracked up to be.
I believe that chavs are entertaining.
I believe that it's essential to leave your home country at least once in your life (if you can afford it).
I believe that people have begun to forget how special handwritten letters are.
I believe that people are amazing. All of them.
I believe that people look best when they are natural.
I believe that you should never underestimate what God can do!

This is just a random list of stuff I've been thinking about. Some are kind of silly, and I just came up with them right now. What do you believe? (Sorry, I know that sounds cheesy.)

Today was Mother's Day. I feel like I don't appreciate my mom enough. She is a stay-at-home mom, and has devoted her life to raising us 5 girls. Dang, that would be a hard job...!! We gave her the CD I mentioned in my previous post, as well as two cards (one funny, one serious). My dad is in Asia and had flowers delivered to her, as well as a card. She's reading the card right now. :)

I must admit, I feel a little bit stuck now that I'm in Little Elm. I find myself thinking, "Now what?" as I wake up every morning. I wish I knew more people here. I know I keep saying that, but I'm the sort of person who gets lonely very easily. I guess that's the curse that comes from being an extrovert. We were at Denton Bible Church this morning (where my family has started going... again...) and I ran into a bunch of old friends. I barely remembered them, because we were friends when we were 10 and younger. I guess I half expected them to still be that age. I gotta tell you, it's weird seeing all these people suddenly 10 years older than they were when you last saw them. A lot of them want to hang out with me, but I feel so weird. Some of them continued their homeschooling all the way through high school, and I admit that I feel like I can't really relate to them very well. I loved homeschooling, but I am so glad that my parents eventually put me into private school! Something tells me that I would be a very awkward 21 year old if that had not happened.

I guess I'm not really 21 yet. Give it two more weeks (exactly!). I can't believe that I'll be celebrating yet another birthday. I feel like I just turned 20! I asked for a new laptop, since mine is almost shot, but we'll see. I would really like a MacBook, but I know that's out of the question. Something tells me that it would be a much better computer than this Dell.

I was wandering around the garage today, looking at all the boxes that have been hidden in a storage unit in Dallas for the past 9 years. I found my T-square and my old wooden drafting table board thing (not sure of the exact technical name) on top of some boxes. Something in my heart leaped a little bit, and then it started to ache. I thought back to the technical drawing class that I took when I was 10. Ten. That sounds so young - and yet we were taught how to draw things in perspective. I made a to-scale model of the bank on the Denton Square. I was so proud of that model! It took me such a long time. I had to draw it out using my t-square and pencils on special paper, and then I cut it out and taped the insides together. I wonder if that model still exists. I don't know why I have this love for architechture and drawing. I really do wonder if I am in the wrong major. Maybe someday I will go back to school and become an architect. That would just be funny.

My mom just got a blog. She's been asking me to help her set one up for months, and now she finally has one! If you want to read it, it's http://welliewalker.blogspot.com :)

Well, I should probably be going to bed soon. We may be going shopping tomorrow, and I'll need energy for that! :-P

-Katie

Life in Little Elm

Well, I'm home. If home is what you would call it... I'm not really sure anymore. I think home is probably College Station, now. Anyways, I'm in Little Elm. It's a happening place, let me tell you! I have spent the day (so far) sitting around, drinking white hot chocolate and watching The Office. Very productive. I am also ripping Justin Timberlake's new album to iTunes. Carolyn and I bought it yesterday to jam to on our way home. I normally don't buy a lot of mainstream pop stuff, but we were in the mood for silly car music. So we bought the edited version of FutureSex/LoveSounds. What a stupid name for an album.

I think my sisters and I are going shopping later to get stuff for my mom for Mother's Day. I want to buy her the new Michael Buble album. She really likes him.

Well, I'm pretty hungry now, so I'm going to eat lunch.

I'm going to write a longer, more interesting post later.

I'm Tired, So What?

I am so bad at coming up with clever blog titles. Hmm.

For some reason, I am really tired right now, which is stupid because I woke up at 9:30 this morning! Maybe sleeping in make me even more tired? Who knows.

I have a lot of mixed feelings right now. I feel like a lot of things are changing, and I am learning a lot and there's a lot going on in my life. I wish that I could just drive out into the country and be by myself for a little while. I want to sit and talk to God and be still. Maybe I will do that once I get back to Denton. Although I don't really know where I would go. I also wish that I had more friends in Denton. I would really like to hang out with people there... but I don't really know anyone. And the people that I used to know... well I guess I don't know them anymore, and I probably wouldn't fit in. Wow, I sound like I'm in middle school... hahaha! But seriously, it might be weird hanging out with former homeschoolers! That was so long ago.

It feels like God is leading me to some really interesting places in my life right now. I am really enjoying learning and growing and developing my spiritual gifts. I want to use them to glorify God and benefit the Body of Christ. That's why I have them, right?! I have this huge desire to follow Christ and do what God wants. It's such a freeing feeling, to know that God has a plan and I don't have to stress out about what that is!

I bet that I am not making a lot of sense right now. It's because I'm tired and I need sleep.

Goodnight, world. :)

I'm Done

The semester is over and I am so relieved. I can't believe it.

It's just going to be busy until Friday afternoon....

And if you live in Denton, you should seriously call me or something. Even if you don't know me or haven't seen me in years. I will be there until the end of May, and I'll be bored.

-Katie

No More 3x5s

I went on a walk once.

The sun was starting to set, and it looked like a scene from a movie. I had to squint as I made my way through the fields. My skin was orange, contrasting with the pink and blue sky above me. My feet made a crunching sound beneath me as I stepped on dry straw. The next field was completely green.

I could see the church steeple in the distance as I stopped and turned around. The roofs were only just visible.

I turned around and kept walking.

It got quieter.

I was alone in my field.

I climbed on top of a hay bale and sat, taking in the beauty around me. By this time, everything was orange. My eyelashes scattered the sunrays when I blinked.

I wanted them to see this. I wanted them to feel the air, and smell the grass. I wanted them to sit next to me for a while.

There was no way that a camera could capture this moment.

I guess you had to be there.

I will forever remember that day.

Years from now, I will go back. I will pass my driveway, no longer a resident, and park at the top of the hill. My husband and I will get out, and I will take him to a hay bale by the stream. I will show him the steeple, and He will feel the crunch of the straw underneath his boots.

He will understand.

I won't have to show pictures anymore.

He will sit beside me for a while and take in the beauty around us.

Finally, he will understand.

No more 3x5s.

Mighty to Save

I just finished watching The Pursuit of Happyness with Anna and Carolyn. Talk about a sad movie! I feel so blessed after watching that. I can't imagine what it is like to struggle financially like that: to not know where you will sleep each night or where your next meal will come from. I am so incredibly blessed!

Now I have a knot in my stomach for some unknown reason. I feel nervous about something; there's a lump in my throat, too. I have no clue as to why I feel this way! I feel like this sometimes. Who knows.

On a better note, I just discovered that I made an A in my INST 310 class! I am so happy. I took my final earlier this afternoon, and I felt pretty good about it, despite the fact that I woke up at 5:30 this morning and felt weird for the rest of the day. I had to wake up that early because I had a test at 7:30. I hope I did okay on that one, too. I have tried really hard in that class! Ehh, enough about school.

I feel shallow right now.

I just read about Saul (Paul) in Acts 10. God is amazing! You never know what He’s going to do. A man who persecuted Christians over and over again is changed by God, and then becomes one of the most famous Christians in history. I bet the books he wrote are more read than any other books in the world. Wow. It got me thinking about a song I have been listening to this week: Mighty to Save. Should I write the lyrics?? Why not!!!

Mighty to Save
- Hillsong

Everyone needs compassion
A love that's never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness
A kindness of a Savior
The hope of nations

My Savior, He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever, author of salvation
He rose and conquored the grave
Jesus conquored the grave

So take me as You find me
All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
And now I surrender

My Savior, He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever, author of salvation
He rose and conquored the grave
Jesus conquored the grave

Shine your light and let the whole world see
We're singing for the glory of the Risen King, Jesus


My God really is mighty to save! He changes lives! :)

Ok I am really distracted now. Maybe I will write later.

-KLH

I Could Really Use a New Laptop

I wrote a post earlier today, but then my laptop decided to be lame and turn off in the middle of everything. It has a habit of overheating (which is strange, because I bought a stand for it so that it wouldn't overheat) and turning off. I am asking for a new computer for my birthday. Which is in 25 days. :) My computer is SO SLOW and makes a whirring noise 99% of the time. I'm pretty sure that's not supposed to happen. And I know the overheating thing is not supposed to happen. My hard drive completely crashed in the middle of my freshman year, and I know that wasn't supposed to happen either. I've had problem after problem with this machine, but I've learnt a very valuble lesson through it all:

Don't ever buy a Dell.

I bought a few new worship songs today from iTunes: Everlasting God, So High, Mighty to Save and From the Inside Out. Great songs...!!! I feel as if my life is overflowing with blessings, that all I can do is praise God! I feel so full of joy! No my life isn't near perfect, and I am faced with struggles all the time, but God never ceases to be good to me. It's hard to comprehend, but He loves me no matter what! I can understand exactly why Paul praised God when he was in prison. The joy that comes from praising my amazing Creator is phenomenal. :)

I wanted to write some of the lyrics out of one of the songs I downloaded, so here it goes:

From the Inside Out
- Hillsong

A thousand times I've failed
Still Your mercy remains
And should I stumble again,
I'm caught in Your grace

Everlasing, Your light will shine
When all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes
Beyond all fame

Your will above all else
My purpose remains
The art of losing myself
In bringing You praise

Everlasting, Your light will shine
When all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes
Beyond all fame

My heart and my soul
I give you control
Consume me from the inside out
Lord, let justice and praise
Become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Everlasting, Your light will shine
When all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes
Beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart
Is to bring You praise
From the inside out
Lord, my soul cries out

I Guess You Could Say I'm Slightly Overwhelmed

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

James 1:17

I can honestly look at my life right now and agree completely with this verse! I'm overwhelmed with the blessings that I've been given this semester! I saw my friend Ryan today, and he asked me how my semester was. I was absolutely bursting with stories of God's goodness and the bounty that He has bestowed upon me, but we had no more than 30 seconds to talk since we were walking to class. I tried to convey that this semester has been amazing, but those 30 seconds couldn't do it justice. God has been so amazing to me!!!!!! I will give you all a quick rundown of what has happened:

• My classes aren't amazing, but I am getting through them. I am learning patience from frustrating teachers and perseverance through difficult classes.

• God is teaching me so much about the way that He works. He is so surprising and works in unexpected ways! He has provided an opportunity for me to share my relationship with Christ with my Taiwanese penpal, Claire, through a class project. That is another big blessing – Claire is an amazing friend and penpal! I am challenging my own faith as I share what I believe with her. The joy that comes from this is astounding. I could talk for hours about it! :)

• I have an amazing SiC, Leigh Ann. We have met pretty much every single week since the beginning of September (minus school breaks). She challenges me, encourages me and constantly amazes me with her love for Christ. Her motives are pure and her heart is full. She is one of the most amazing people I know! Also, she is going to be my sister’s roommate next year!!!

• God has blessed me with new friendships, one of these being my math buddy (as we will forever refer to each other) Ashley. I call her my other whole, because we are pretty much the same person! It is awesome to have someone who is always willing to hang out with me and do random fun stuff with me, not to mention attempt math homework with me! I am blessed to have her as a friend.

• My sister is here at A&M, and it gives me so much joy! I love having her here! I think people think that we are joined at the hip, because we are always together. I call her about 20 times a day (thank goodness it’s free) and tell her everything. She is the hugest encouragement in my life! What makes me most excited is that I could be living down the street from her next year. I am so excited about this possibility!

• I have a car that I can drive around in now. You have no idea how big of a blessing this is. My life has changed dramatically because of it (thank you, dad!).

• I went on the most amazing mission trip over Spring Break, to Juarez, Mexico. It changed my life, and I met the most incredible people on that trip. Service is my passion, so to be able to serve others in that way gave me immense joy. I want to go back next year!

• I am so blessed to have Nana living in College Station. Although I don’t see her as often as I would like, I love having her here. She is a wonderful grandmother!

• I love my church. No, it’s not perfect, but I have learnt more there than at any other church in my entire life. I have a family there who cares about me a lot! I love the people that I have met there and the relationships that I have formed. I see Jesus in them, and it gives me great delight! I love the honesty and genuine hearts there.

• I love my roommates, and it has been a blessing to be with them this year (and last year). I will miss them a lot when I move next year, but I know that I will always be able to visit! I am excited about living with Jennifer, because I know that it is what God wants. God has a plan, and although I don’t know what it is, I am ready for it and I know it’s going to be awesome!

• My family is back in Texas, and I have driven home twice to visit them so far (and they have come here a few times as well!). I love having them here, although I do miss England. I want to grow closer to them.

• God is teaching me that only He satisfies. I am learning to be satisfied in Him (a lesson that I am confident we as humans must learn over and over throughout our lives!). Anything that I try to fill the void with falls short.

• Even though I would like to get married one day, I am content being single. Period. I am much happier without a boyfriend now, and I have been able to do so much more being single! I praise God for leading me out of my past relationship and into a deeper communion with Him.

• I am excited about the opportunities God is presenting me with for next year. I will be leading an upperclassman Bible study at the BSM, and it is so humbling! I know that it won’t be anything that I can do on my own strength. I need Christ, all the time. I need wisdom from Him, and I need His words.

• I love the random parts of life. Like, yesterday I drove past Navasota with my sister and two other friends, to a state park. We took old cereal boxes and paints, and painted underneath the trees. And the other night I went to Ring Dance and had an amazing time, with a wonderful date. And tonight, I had dinner with my friend Aaron. We talked for a long time about life, and it was spectacular. There weren’t even any awkward silences. Also today, I had a lunch date with my sister, and two of her FLiC friends. Talk about fun. I love random.

• I want to go on a mission trip next summer, and I think that just might be possible.

• I could sing of His love forever.

• (And I could probably keep writing forever!)

But I need to go to bed now. I hope you enjoyed reading my blog.... sorry it's been so short recently.

Too Many Chemicals...

I just cleaned my entire bathroom with about 6 different cleaners, and I'm pretty sure I'm high, or something. I can barely breathe and my head feels funny... hahaha! It smells like a chemical factory in there. Whew. At least the bathroom is clean and sparkling! I'm one of those people who actually enjoys cleaning. To some extent, it's theraputic. I know, I know, I'll make a good housewife. ;) haha! But man, I bet that 1/2 of my brain cells died in the past 30 minutes...

Ring Dance was really fun! Here's a picture:

That's Nathan in his corps uniform and me in my fun and beautiful dress! Melody did my hair and it was gorgeous. I think the best part of the evening was definitely the meal - Veritas is amazing! :)

I feel like a woman of few words right now. Which is weird, because I can talk a lot (anyone who knows me well would agree!). I really just want to go read the Bible right now instead of typing on this, so I think I will.

I'm reading Acts right now, and it's amazing. You should all read it!

Peace out.