Blogging

So I'm not very good at this blogging thing.  I thought last year about writing about running, especially after I finished my first half marathon in November.  The writing never happened.  Other things came up to take up my time.  Today, I want to write about all my craft projects I completed in 2012.  I think this is a good place to catalog all my projects and track just how far I've come.

I always try to make some of my Christmas presents.  I feel they are more meaningful when they are homemade.  I made a Shutterfly book for my BIL, Dave, and a Shutterfly coffee mug for my sister in case she plans to go back to work, she can show off her kids.

I made this for my newest niece, Emma:

I had started it in October knowing she was on the way, but not knowing her gender (hence the blue and green). It is knitted from a Bernat pattern and I just LOVE how pretty and delicate it is.  It took many, many hours to complete.

For my secret santa, I created this:

It's a crocheted infintity scarf.  It turned out a little bigger than I planned.  I used a pinterest pattern I found online and made it in pink since Sara said that's one of her favorite colors.

For Becky, I made this:

I found the knit pattern in a magazine my secret santa gave to me.  I made it in orange because Becky looooves her Tennessee orange.  This also took many, many hours to complete.  Many of those hours were in Michigan while Michael practiced.

After Mom and Dad bought me a beautiful Amish quilt for my 30th birthday, I started to think about learning to quilt.  I decided it would be wise to start with something I thought I could finish successfully, and after receiving some awesome homemade gifts from coworkers for Christmas, I decided to return the favor with some potholders:

The one on the left is the first one I made and I gave it to my mom, because it was the first, and because it was rather obvious it was the first.  I still have some learning to do.  I neglected to take pictures of the other 3 finished products before sending them off to their new owners.  One went to Michael's mom and one to Kirstin and one to Jess.  

2013

I just bought a sewing machine in the new year and I am already working on my first throw sized quilt top. It's going well so far.  Michael did not approve of some of my color choices.  I need some practice in that arena too.  I can't seem to stop working on it.  I already have 24 of the 35 blocks completed and one of 7 rows sewn together.  I also have almost completed another baby blanket that I am preparing for my next niece or nephew, since I know Angela and Dave are planning to have at least one more.  I have a knitted scarf started from the Hokie colored yarn my secret santa gave me.  Expect many more craft postings in the future!

Entitled

I get so frustrated with my coworkers sometimes. I am reading "Kisses from Katie" about a girl who goes to Uganda after high school and adopts a bunch of kids and gets others in her new community fed and sponsored for school. The kids she is dealing with have NOTHING. Many have family who have died of AIDs or malnutrition or a curable disease. They barely get to eat. And the people I work with talk about how they deserve to get a raise or more money than time and a half for working overtime.  The people in Africa work so much harder to barely SURVIVE and we complain about $0.60/hr!  It makes me sick and frustrated! I want to enlighten people to how much they really have. How fortunate they are. I want them to stop complaining over the petty things they might not have. We have so much in this country.  We should be giving it away to others. Instead we hoard and complain that we don't have enough. I am equally guilty of this at times. But I do feel fortunate. And I often feel that I don't give enough away.  I have WAY more than I deserve. I live so comfortably. I always have enough to eat. I have an extra bedroom/bathroom with 2 beds!!  God, help me to find a way to share my wealth with those who need it. Help me find the words to enlighten others to their prosperity. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Big week

I had my last theory class this week (just gotta finish the paper by Mon - hopefully with good result) and I spent some time in my new job. The job will definitely take some getting used to and figuring out. 

Back to a normal kind of week next week.  Big game Sat night (VT v. Clemson in the ACC Championship). Hopefully we can redeem our one loss for the season.

I really need to get decorated for Christmas and CLEAN MY HOUSE!

Freedom

Happy Veteran's Day!

Last night I was looking up the results from Tuesday's election and I noticed the low percentage of people voting.  I think it's sad that there are people in the world who don't have the right to vote - who are ruled by a tyrant or a dictator and would LOVE the opportunity to choose those in power making the decisions that effect their lives. I have to admit that I probably don't know enough about those I elected, but I did vote. I exercised my right as an American citizen.  I love living in a country where we have such freedoms and where I can meet with my Bible study group and not be afraid of being harmed. We are so lucky here and take it for granted.  Just like we take our salvation for granted.  We still have those freedoms thanks to the men and women who over time have sacrificed their lives, time with their families, and selflessly give of themselves for something bigger (our nation and what it stands for). I'm so grateful!

Different thoughts on love

I sometimes think it's funny how differently Michael an I think about showing love to one another. I was talking with a coworker last night about a relationship she had had that didn't last, and I'm always so struck by the truths from the ideas of the 5 love languages (a book I have never read) and how those play out. 
The 5 love languages are:
1. Quality time
2. Acts of service
3. Gifts
4. Physical touch
5. Words of affirmation

Fortunately, I think I am low on words of affirmation because Michael tends to tease me mercilessly, but I think that everyone needs to experience a little of each. The premise is that you primarily show love in the way you want to be loved. So, since I am a quality time person (mostly), I want people who love me to just be around me. I often like to be doing something meaningful, but I feel loved when I have time with the other person and I will do my best to spend time with the person I care for.  Michael tends to be physical touch. He wants me to rub his back or scratch his head all the time and likes to cuddle.  He is wonderful sometimes at doing small acts of service (taking out the trash, helping with my dog, bringing my lunch to work when I leave it at home, etc) which is probably my number 2 and I try to show Michael I care for him by cooking for him sometimes. I'm careful not to do too much at this stage in the relationship, because I'm still afraid of being taken advantage of.  I don't want him to expect me to clean his house or do his laundry (tasks I hate anyway).  I could care less about gifts, which is probably my lowest and something that I think is pretty low for Michael too.

Michael has some interesting ideas on what girls want from a guy. He thinks that we say we want a guy who is nice to us and buys us flowers and tells us we're beautiful, but that if we find a guy like that we're actually not interested. Instead, he thinks we want someone who will keep it interesting. He says he has tried his techniques on me and I am the most successful relationship he has had, so it must work.  I think he is right in a sense. When I don't know a guy well, I don't want him to be so nice to me. If he doesn't know me, I don't understand why would he say nice, loving things to me unless he has ulterior motives (sex).  BUT I think there comes a point when a girl feels that a guy knows her that she wants unconditional acceptance for who she really is and to know that he finds her unique and valuable and worth loving. That doesn't mean be super sappy all the time, but I know that I would value special occasions.  Although, the teasing has me a little jaded and I might not believe it's real.

Stuff Christians Like

Have you ever heard of this site? http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/ It's a guy's blog about the sometimes ridiculousness of the Christian Church. He is a Christian guy so he has the insight. While he pokes fun, he had a real relationship with Jesus that guides his life. He is just able to see the humor in some of the things the Church does.
I thought of him when I was contemplating the Christian book fads. I was talking with my new grad orientee at work last night. I asked her if she had heard of the book Kisses from Katie which is a book a woman from my Bible Study first told me about. I think she bought it the day it came out and read it in 24 hours. I have not read it yet, but it is the story of a girl in her young 20s who went to Africa after graduating from high school and is now mother to a bunch of orphans.  She is living out her calling from God.  The book is based on her blog http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/. I love the concept of what she is doing and I look forward to reading the book, but knowing that Becky had just bought it and I had originally heard about the book in a different Christian circle got me thinking about the Christian book fad.  I remember as a kid it was I Kissed Dating Goodbye. Now as an adult, I see the Church all into Crazy Love and Radical.  I see all my Christian friends and Christian radio get so excited about movies like Fireproof, Facing the Giants, The Grace Card, and now Courageous (some better than others; typically with horrible acting).  I just find it interesting that the Church is not immune to new fads and ideas that prompt sermon series, movie nights, group discussion, etc. before fizzling out.  At least we have one Book that is not a fad, that we can cling to in all circumstances, and that we always return to to guide our lives. We seek new revelations as to the content and meaning of the words of Jesus Christ when, if we spend time with it, God should reveal himself to us in the text. I guess we love to share that with others (in books) when He does.

Warning: A little graphic

I am amazed at how nature takes care of the dead. On Monday evening as I was walking my dog before work I noticed lots of large carrion birds in the trees. I startled them and the trees were groaning and cracking as the birds flew off. I thought it was odd for there to be a flock of carrion birds - I don't often see them together. I walked a few paces more and smelled it.  Looking around I spotted a dead deer in the woods to the right. I don't know how it came to die (hit by a car and dragged itself into the woods?) but the birds were already hard at work and had the intestines spilling out of the animal's abdomen and backside. Morbid curiosity had me standing there at a distance for a few minutes trying to figure out what the animal was and how it might have died. I briefly contemplated it as a cruel Halloween joke. I wondered if I should call the police or someone to get the animal removed.  Then I realized that my dog was not on a leash and he would be very interested in the rotting meat. I back tracked to get him leashed before he could find it.  Tuesday morning revealed fewer birds and a bloodier looking carcass with less flesh.  My leashed dog had a fit wanting to check out the smell but I kept him away.  By Tuesday evening I could see ribs and by this afternoon all that seems to be left are the bones, head and tail.  Today's animal is positioned differently than the last couple days. I guess the wild animals are being thorough. It really does amaze me how quickly the animal was reduced to bones.  The fact that it gets eaten by those disgusting birds makes my skin crawl, but I am thankful that nature has a way of disposing of the rotting meat.  How amazing it is to go from a living, breathing creature to an dead object to nothing but bones in such a short time.

"As a father has compassion on his children,
   so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
for he knows how we are formed,
   he remembers that we are dust.
The life of mortals is like grass,
   they flourish like a flower of the field;
the wind blows over it and it is gone,
   and its place remembers it no more." Psalm 103:13-16