From tutus to blue jeans

Mom and Dad came to see my last college dance performance! Since I chose to go out of state for college, visits are sometimes hard to come by but mom promised she would come see me dance before I graduate! I am thankful for videography which has allowed me to show my family most of my performances! This weekend was the Dance Ministry Performance on campus! I have come a long way as my parents reminisced about how I'm still running off stage just like I used to, except this time I was barefoot and in blue jeans instead of little pink slippers and a tutu!
My parents surprised me by arriving very early Saturday morning. I thought they were coming Saturday afternoon but dad said they slept through the night like it was Christmas...I think that means they were excited! They left at 3/4am and got here around 10:00! I was barely awake and rather confused to which Evan can testify. I had a performance the night before and was still sleepy! Anyway, we enjoyed breakfast at Broadstreet Cafe and explored Goodwill and some bookstores! We love books and my parents have been trying to help me build up a first grade teacher library! They even got me some groceries which is always a blessing for a college student :)
Round two of the performance was Saturday night and I enjoyed another fun warm up class that I now deem should be re-named sweat class....it definitely did the job!



Here we are waiting back stage! Thanks Matt for taking pics!



There was one little hiccup with the music but it was still a wonderful performance and we are so thankful for the cast and crew and all their hard work! What a blessing to dance! I was reminded of dancing for my glorious King and Audience of One!
I am quite sore and rather tired today but thankful that I have been able to dance so much in college! It will be interesting to see how dance will appear in the rest of my life!

February 14th

Got to celebrate Valentine's with a bunch of first graders! We love gummy worms and Valentines. Enjoyed some sandwiches, chips, and cupcakes! Blessed and surprised to receive some other lovely notes and goodies from friends! Though some loved ones are here and others are far away, wanted to send a special wish of Happy Valentine's Day!

"...he is perfectly contented to be just what God has made him, to go where his Master sends him, to do what is placed in his hands to do. He is so far from thinking himself essential to the prosperity of the Church and the redemption of the world, that he hopefully, and even confidently, leaves that in the care of the Supreme."-E. R. Conder and W. Clarkson

Another Week

This week the kids finished their term with Mr. Tom (click here to find out more!) the artist....
They completed their books (wrote a How-To story) and did a great job!



Friday they made cards! Most of them made Valentine cards. One of our boys wrote one to a little girl in the class, it was cute! I got to help him spell her name and I felt like a little match maker. Anyway, Mr. Tom showed them how to make three different kinds of paper hearts! They were SO impressed and thought he was like magic!



Then they learned how to be magical too! I even tried my own hand at it and made a card too!


Mr. Tom's work, the kids' work, and pictures from the past few weeks should be displayed at an artist reception on March 8th from 5-7:30 at the Municipal Art Gallery in MS.

Friday we celebrated Abraham Lincoln's bday! I know it is not until Sunday but we were ready! We made log cabins to go around our milk cartons and I took a picture of one of the students' work because this idea is just too cute!



Had breakfast at the Corner Bakery this morning with a friend and let me just say the "Farmer's Scramble" is the way to go! It lasted me all day through warm up class, tech rehearsal, and dress rehearsal!

Catch Up

As a student teacher I often find myself saying, "I have to catch up on my life..."
It's kind of silly and a bit of an exaggeration, I simply mean in the week I guess I am experiencing adult life because I got to school and don't have a whole lot of time for much else but that's why I have a new found love for the weekends....and Fridays!

I was sick last week and can not believe I have been for a little over a week now! I still have sickness in me! Yuck! When I get sick, apparently I get really sick. Unfortunately, all my student teaching friends got sick too! Hopefully they will feel better soon!

So Friday we had King Cake (that's what happens when you go to school in MS) and made paper books! Let me just say, first graders do not know how to sew. If you show them which wholes to pull the thread through they can get it. I don't know how many times I said, pull pull pull pull because they didn't understand that concept and then they would run out of thread but it would really just be left behind! One of my students said, this is my first time sewing! She was excited, which is great! I snuck a picture of the last class' paper hanging up drying in the window.


This was the seed paper hanging up to dry.


Also I got a picture of the finished books! I think they are going to be displayed in an art museum somewhere around town. Tomorrow we are supposed to decorate the tales of the thread kind of like a bookmark or tassel.

It has been so cloudy and rainy. Today it got colder and cloudy. The sun came up for a little bit this morning, which was lovely, and then it disappeared! Anyway on Friday I woke up to the sound of rain. I walked past all the little streams and rivers around campus later that day. I always think, I should buy an umbrella, rain boots, and a rain coat. All of which I have yet to purchase for the past four years I've been here. I know it's not rainy like Portland but sometimes it sure does seem like it! I love the rain, don't get me wrong but I always think, I need rain boots! I should work on this.

Caught up with Evan this weekend too....it was a late night video chat but apparently we got a lot done in 3 hours.



I had dance all weekend! Well, really all day Saturday! We went to a nursing home for dance ministry and then had the Collaborative Arts Concert that night! Since it is a smaller concert, we had a warm up class and dress rehearsal that afternoon. There was a great turn out for the show and it is always neat when visual artists, musicians, and dancers all work together! I was in a piece called "Open Hands" choreographed by my two friends Anna and Libby. They did a beautiful job and it was a blessing to be able to work with them! It was based on the story of Abraham and how God provided a sacrifice for him; he had to have open hands and let go!


Here is our cast!

As we rehearsed for Dance Ministry the other day, I stopped and thought. The piece I'm in for that performance is called, "With Everything." It is a huge cast, I'd say around 20 people! I wondered if when we all get to Heaven we'll meet up and perform it! We could dance in front of our King, live and in person! What a glorious day it will be when dancers dance, musicians play, artists draw, and everyone worships in their own way in the presence of the Lord! Our God is an awesome God!

Almost Tuesday

"....with my God I can scale a wall...As for God, his way is perfect."

God gives strength-Psalm 18:32 and 39
God gives a perfect way- Psalm 18: 30 and 32
God gives a shield-Psalm 18:30 and 35

Check out Psalm 18:29-39

The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior!-Psalm 18:46

I meant to take a picture but I forgot.

We have an artist at our school this week. Actually he came on Friday and the kids made paper, from paper. I know it sounds kind of interesting but we are into three R's at the moment. Can you name them?

Did you guess them?

Reduce
Reuse
Recycle!

So the artist, his name is Mr. Tom, blended up some paper (added some water) and made pulp. We have also been working on writing How-to paragraphs so we learned "how-to" make paper!

1. Stir up the vat. (use your hand don't forget to roll up your sleeves)
2. Make sure the screen is facing up and the deckle is on top (yes deckle is the name of it! we learned a new word too, don't worry)
3. Then hold it like your driving (thumbs on either side in the middle)
4. scoop up the fish paper (pulp)
4. Do the vatman shake (I know, it sounds like the Batman shake, I wanted to call it that!)
5. Partner takes off the deckle.
6. Flip it over onto felt like a book.
7. Press out the water with a sponge.
8. Pull off the screen.
9. Cover with felt......

Then the assistant and I press them onto the window to dry. I'm pretty sure we put up over 100 sheets of paper. Today we actually made seed paper and I liked these better. The colors were more vibrant and the paper a bit thicker. Apparently you scrape off the paper when its dry with the help of a credit card (like scraping off ice, minus the cold). I meant to take a pic of all the paper drying but by the time the day was over I had forgotten. I'm sorry! Friday we are supposed to make books that will be displayed in an art museum around town?? Something like that, we'll see how it goes! Maybe I can find a picture somewhere in this whole process!

In other news, I rocked one of my first graders' world today by drinking soup out of a can. It was one of those microwaveable Campbelle's cans. He kept asking questions about it, like why did you shake it up when you were drinking it. Then they were interested in sodium because they read that mine had "25% less sodium".

Also, kids know when you are sick. I'm pretty sure five of my kids noticed my voice was a bit off today....
Ms. Schreck, your voice isn't right. It's not yours. Your voice sounds sick.
I learned my lesson. Give me some Vitamin C please!

-Life as an El Ed Major....who's almost done!

This is why we teach.

The world is a hard place. People need someone to show them love. To show them that they can succeed.

It happens

This is just my favorite! I'm not sure where it came from/who created it but thanks Evan for sending it to me!

Start your week off right

Love it!

Interesting

On Bible Characters: The rich young ruler, Sara, Peter, and Paul....."The one who made a name for himself is nameless. But the ones who called on Jesus' name-& his name only-got new names and even more, new life."

-Max Lucado, Cast of Characters: Common People in the Hands of an Uncommon God, copyright 2008, p. 200

Birthday Week

This week three of my friends turned 22! We have had lots of great surprises for them! Kimber met a big group at Berry Berry Good, Katie enjoyed pizza and Quelf, and Kim had a surprise breakfast!
We also survived our first week of student teaching; I only rewarded myself with a mountain dew almost every day ;)! Only about 70 more days!

Words for the Soul

You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless, and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.
-Psalm 10:17-18

For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face.
-Psalm 11:7

God is amazing.

God is amazing. Period.
Out of the blue, in the middle of Language Arts small group. a little girl asked a question. She was really trying to figure something out. You could see it on her face and could tell in the way she phrased her question. She was working on connecting the dots. The most amazing part? I was so caught off guard (though I should not have been) that I probably only said about two phrases, if that and the kids just had their own little conversation.....

"Is God tinier than everyone?" to which one student said, and they both agreed, "No! He's bigger!!!" another said, "Ya, He died on the cross." The first little girl said, "You know what! He's coming back but we just don't know when...."

Best part of the whole day!!! God is amazing!

Please Watch This!

"Dress up the outside make it look nice and neat. It's funny that's what they used to do to mummies while the corpse rots underneath."

"When I was an enemy.....Jesus looked down and said I want that man."

"Religion says Do, Jesus says Done."

"Kneeling at the cross saying, 'Come on there's room.' "

can't believe student teaching is almost here! 7:15 is going to come rather early but excited to see all my lovely small group ladies, my fabulous roomies, and of course good ol Jacktown AND today is going to be an extra special day because I get a visitor in GA!!

Um. Speechless.

London knows how to do some Fireworks. Can we PLEASE go??!!!

It's a New Year

Well it's a new year and I have been wanting to blog but not sure what I should write about. As I struggled to untangle a new necklace I got from my uncle for Christmas, I knew this would work.....

I got a new necklace for Christmas. It's quite beautiful. Unfortunately, when I took it out of the box it was all tangled. As I started to unravel it, I realized I was only making it worse. I tried to look at in a different light to see if that would help. Nope, still trying to untangle it. Usually I'm pretty good at untangling them but this one was tough. I went from one position to the next, trying as hard as I could to undo the knot. The harder I tried, the tighter it got. I finally went downstairs and showed mom. Let me just say, mom is always right. She looked at it, said that's a beautiful necklace and with no concern at all told me how to fix it. Just get a sewing needle, stick it through the whole and it'll come loose. So I went back upstairs and tried. It took me a little while. I would almost get it and then lose it. Finally, though I'm not quite sure how, it worked! Mom was right and I had my beautiful necklace back!

Great story, right. Well it gets better because as I sat there SO frustrated I realized that that story sometimes resembles my life.....

Sometimes I can do some damage and get my life all in a knot/tangle/mess. I wonder how often God looks at me as He's trying to make me new and says well, that obviously didn't get her attention, perhaps if I put her in a different situation/a different light she will understand. When I continue to be stubborn, I wonder if he says, I guess I'll have to use a different tool with her.

I'm often blown away by his patience in my life. I worked on that necklace for a mere 15 minutes or so and was about to give up. I even asked for help, got the right tools, and then almost gave up! My transformation will take a lifetime and God still doesn't give up on me. He uses all the right tools, knows all the right people to place in my life, and takes care of me.

I love that He can look at me in my sinful mess and say with complete assurance and calm, this is what she needs, this is what I'm going to do. She'll be beautiful!

Three verses come to mind-Romans 8:38-39 (I will never be separated from Christ), 2 Corinthians 5:17 (He is making me new!), 1 Peter 1:7 (though we go through tough times/fire, God will be glorified!)

Though it will take a lifetime, God sees the beauty, untangles all the knots, and is proud of His kids!

We Made it!

So we made it! Back home from the big Florida trip...now to catch up on everything else.
Loved travelin' with my car buddy-Isabear! She's great!



But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.-Psalm 5:11

BBQ

I don't know that I've eaten so much bbq in a week in my life! I was in FL and had bbq, kind of unusual but we made our rounds. Had some Texas bbq at 4 Rivers Restaurant and I don't know what other kind! I think I liked Bubba's BBQ the best. This place was quite something. I got the biggest drink I think I have ever seen in my life. Bigger than McAlister's! and they are pretty big! 4 Rivers also has a sweet shop where my cousin Shoshanah works and their desserts are wonderful! They have some pretty funky cupcakes too like the best seller-Mountain Dew and Doritos cupcake!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve we went to a lovely Candlelight service. I loved hearing and singing "O Holy Night' and "Agnus Dei."



The crew/fam!

Then we went home and had a few left overs and Christmas! We got presents from PJ the elf of course, shared some peppermint hershey kisses and toblerone, and gave dad birthday presents! Grandma got quite a few presents too! (Thanks Alli for the pics!)

Settlers of Catan

We also attempted playing Settlers of Catan! Somehow I had the longest road but still managed to lose miserably. Oh well, Josh was victorious 2x! and Grandma was really close the second time we played. Alli just missed winning the first time but played her turn anyway to see how the winning would have gone down. It's a strategy game but sometimes strategy just isn't enough. We still had lots of fun! (Again thanks for the pics alli!)

Barbara Manatee! Manatee! Manatee!

The highlight of our trip was going to see the Manatees (hard word to spell, I know!) They come to a warm spring in Florida because they have to have warm waters or they die! What an incredible creature! Visits like these make me marvel at our Creator! The little guys, well they aren't so little, have to surface about every 2 minutes for air! They snort and it's very cute! The warm springs and walk were just beautiful, I enjoyed the nature walk almost as much as the manatees! The water was crystal clear and gorgeous! We even sang the manatee song on the way there to get us in the mood! There is also a historic house on the site where we learned about the family who worked the land. Very interesting! Can't imagine what it would have been like to discover and live at a place like this!

We all went a little camera happy! Near the end of the trip my camera started doing the focusing thing and I was a little bit confused. I keep figuring out new things that my camera can do without realizing it. I didn't take the time to read the book so then things like this happen and I think Oh that's cool! So I took about two artsy pictures without realizing it.

Florida for Christmas

This past week we went to the wonderfully sunny and large state of Florida! It certainly did not feel like winter but we enjoyed some fun in the sun!

We got to see just about everyone from my dad's side of the family, which is kind of a lot! The Beates', Unce Dave and Aunt Liz, cousin Randy and his wife and soon to be little one!, Aunt Laura from Oklahoma, and Grandma!

It certainly wasn't the same without Grandpa but I'm sure he enjoyed his Christmas in Heaven, He got to spend it with Jesus of course!

The week started with a Christmas party-games and pizza! I did pretty well on the trivia and word scramble but I couldn't remember "Miracle on 34th Street." Uncle Mike won most of the competitions as normal. Unfortunately it wasn't dad, he is also named Mike, but Uncle Mike Beates. Although the pair did have an excellent Star Wars/Trekk themed Christmas mad lib. I personally liked the one Abbie and I created about Johnny Bravo and the 1,000plus pink reindeer. We finished the game with a paper plate illustration.




You had to draw a Christmas scene step by step with your plate on top of your head!




Pretty tricky and funny!



Winner! I'm not sure if he won this round as well but he won most of them, probably this one too! Yay Uncle Mike!

Happy Birthday

My Heavenly Daddy and my daddy share the same birthday! This year Dad turned 50! It was a quiet birthday but we were blessed to be able to share it with him and have fun remembering half a century....ok we didn't remember that much but we enjoyed the day!
This pic just makes me smile, we love you!

Christmas

I think I have a new favorite/classic Christmas song. Take a minute to stop and think about the words of "O Holy Night"....it just might change your life!



Doin' a little research (I know wikipedia isn't always the best resource) and found that it was based on a poem....click here, here, or here to read the rest of the story!

For all the Little Ballerinas...

Just got back from a Floridian Christmas! Will post pics and a recap soon but until then, enjoy the video! Thanks to Joanna Tan for sharing it on facebook....

Sarah

Drove about an hour to Commerce, GA today for my bi-annual meeting with Sarah! We try to get together over holidays or breaks. Even though she's at Clemson and I'm at Belhaven, we found some spot sort of in the middle. Ok, its not in the middle but it's a lot closer thank Jackson, MS! Had Five Guys, probably one of the few times I actually eat there and walked around the Tanger Outlets. It's always great to catch up with an old friend from high school! She will be graduating with a nursing degree in the Spring and I'm so proud of her! She will be an excellent additon to the medical field! I didn't get a pic so this will have to do....hard to believe it's almost been four years!



Also, I can't believe it is almost Christmas!

Guest blog post! Read here.

What do you want for Christmas?

God's heart for missions....

"'But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?'"-Jonah 4:11

"Jonah was more concerned about shade from a tree than the salvation of a city."-Pastor at First Baptist Conyers

Reminds me of the song by Big Tent Revival, "What I want for Christmas"

Christmas songs....

Good Day

Pic compliments of Anna Lois Callen

Yesterday was a big day! Well I didn't do much school wise, which is great! Had two dance shows for fellow students who were in a choreography class. Their pieces were both based on the story of Abraham sacrificing his son and God providing the lamb. The first piece we performed took that idea and integrated the theme of birds and birdlike qualities while the second one had a theme of using hands, letting go and letting God take over. They were both really neat. After watching a video, I think it looked better than we felt performing them. It was a lot of fun and I was so blessed to be a part of it!

After dancing, I watched the rest of the pieces, had a quick warm up in jazz, and headed to our annual Olive Garden date! Since Freshman year, we have been blessed to have a girls' night at Olive Garden! I just want to try everything on the menu, but settled with spaghetti and meatballs. I know, go to olive garden and what do I get, the simplest meal! But I always have leftovers which is mostly why I get it :).

Watched some of a Friends episode with Kimber and then got to catch up with an old friend.

Didn't have to set an alarm this morning which is lovely as it's study day. Now the problem is finding that motivation to actually study for my two exams tomorrow.....hmmmmm.

Christmas Dance Extravaganza

Went back to our first visit with Dance Ministry and did a Christmas performance! It was full of tap, Jingle Bells, and Tinsel!

Singing Christmas Tree

We bundled up for the 79th Annual Singing Christmas tree at Belhaven! It wasn't the same as a lot of our friends who made it so fun graduated but it was still great. They have a new and improved tree! It's all green and much more sturdy! They even have greenery on the bottom rung and a new lighting design. There's a cross that shines on it for some of the songs! And with Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer....they called Rudolph "names like Justin Beiber" and Rudolph will "go down in history like Fithugh"-always love the inside jokes at Bu. It wasn't as cold as normal but it was still a good run. Best memory ever? When it actually snowed during the song "I'm dreaming of a White Christmas."
Compliments to Mysie for the phone pic!

Guess Who....

We went to the Bethlehem Christian Center to share some memorable and favorite book characters! Sometimes its fun being an El Ed major :)




Thing 1 and 2, The Big Bad Wolf and the pig (3 in 1), Tinker Bell, Fancy Nancy, Eloise, Junie B. Jones, Lion, The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, and Little Red Riding Hood came to visit.

People are so creative, I'm sure Ms. Quinn has fun seeing everyone over the years!

Gave my presentation for Kingdom Life so I am finally done with the class otherwise known as Kingdom Strife! It wasn't so bad after all. Happy to say, I'm still sticking with Education and I'm pretty sure after four years of worldview, I should not be lacking in that department and I know what I believe!

Quad Life

Today we played apples to apples and had pizza. A few days ago we made snowflakes.....even if they turned out umm let's just say interesting.

It is hard to believe that this semester is almost over. I'm finding free time in my days and it is so unusual I am not quite sure what to do with myself anymore. Don't worry, I find things to do!

Thankfully, academics are winding down this week because somehow dance picked up. We are all looking forward to a Dance Ministry Christmas performance this weekend. The students also have a choreography showing on Monday so that means lots of rehearsals and a sore Emily but that's ok!

Listening to Christmas music is getting me excited about the coming season and New Year. I cannot believe this new year will be filled with many lasts and firsts. We are all about to begin a new phase of life.

At RUF last night we were reminded and challenged-Jesus' resurrection from the grave is our only hope, so live like it!

"And he said to them, 'Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him."-Mark 16:6

Ultimate Frisbee

Some people are just really good at ultimate frisbee. For some reason, I have not figured out the art of frisbee throwing. I've been taught how to do it, I've attempted to do it, but it just won't go where I want it to go. Sometimes I can run fairly fast so I could actually attempt to receive it. There's one slight problem. I am a bit short. So sometimes no matter how hard I run, there's still no hope.

I always forget why I don't play it more. It doesn't take me long to remember once I start. There is so much running. One time I played on the football practice field on a sunny day. It must have been near the beginning or end of the year because it was hot. Ultimate, in MS, in the summer is a bit dreadful but some people are troopers. They are like mailmen, rain or shine, they play! Almost every Sunday there was a group of people who would play in the afternoons. After that dreadfully hot hour of running, I took probably a year and half hiatus and didn't play again until the beach retreat. Apparently I'm not a trooper.

Needless to say, if you're specialty is ultimate, I'm impressed. If you can throw it upside down with two fingers, also comically labeled the "bunny fingers" by our HPCY, again I'm impressed. To those of you who dream about Ultimate Frisbee, well enjoy....

Merry Christmas Early

This is such a great clip, I think I can guarantee a smile....

I love my family

Mom: Hey honey, why don't you put the star on the tree like Elf does....
Dad: Because the sofa is not in the right spot!

also Indiana Jones never gets old, love the classics!

Stone Mountain

Spent the afternoon with Evan at Stone Mountain and didn't get too terribly lost (even if we did walk a lot) which is pretty good for two people who don't know their way around Loganville. Ok, I have lived here for two years now (so I probably should have known my way around) but I was at school for much of those two years. Unfortunately we bypassed the road that would take us to Starbucks but we did manage to find some Christmas lights and a Mellow Mushroom.



Stone Mountain is beautiful at night around Christmas! They have their big 'Snow Mountain' exhibit and are making lots of snow! The lights were beautiful and they had a cute version of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol!' It reminded me of all my theater friends at Belhaven. Harry Potter, Justin Beiber, and Dale even made it into the show!



If you ever go, I think you should try the Harvest Farm. We thought it was an actual farm, and it is but the word Harvest should have given us a clue. It's not an animal farm but a fruit farm. Alright, you have to use your imagination here but it is full of fruit (or colorful squishy nerf balls). We were warned not to 'bruise' the fruit (throw it at people) and got to climb around the playground, 'pick fruit,' and play fruit tic tac toe. That is the hardest tic tac toe I have ever played (see the pic above, you have to throw the fruit into the baskets) but, I won best out of three so it was worth it!

Happy Thanksgiving!

It must be thanksgiving.....

My voice is disappearing but that's ok. Watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, had hot chocolate and pumpkin pie (for breakfast, we were a bit anxious to eat it!), video chatted with Josh and Alli (we miss you guys!! and are so excited to see ya'll in a few weeks!), started Thanksgiving dinner, tried to get mom set up on pinterest, watched Bear play outside in the leaves, and now its football time (we sure hope the Dolphins come out with a win!).

I have been so blessed to have such a lazy day today!

I've got about four papers to write but it's Thanksgiving, I think they can wait...

Thankful that

"None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”
the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God." 2 Corinthians 2:8-10

the list goes on and on! What are you thankful for this year?

Mary Gets Married

On November 19, 2011 Two of our very good friends, Mary and Luke married each other! It's a special treat when two of your good friends get married.



We headed to Olive Branch, MS for the big day! Mary was beautiful and the two were so excited! I remember when they first started dating Freshman year. Time flies, we will always remember those game and movie nights! Throwing candy at them as they cuddled during a movie. Oh how we love our friends :)



We pray that God will continue to bless them as they begin this new life together!



Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Luke Andrew Mittwede!

49 Books Later

I did it! I finished my 50 Books Project. I read one over the summer but all the rest I read this semester! Here's the list....i didn't include the 5 controversial books I read because I did not like most of them and probably wouldn't recommend them to anybody to read. Some of them were highly offensive and just not worth reading.

10 Classics

Pinocchio
A Christmas Carol (daddy's favorite)
Alice in Wonderland (I finally read it! still have to see the movies)
Robin Hood (enough said)
The Tale of Peter Rabbit (love Ms. Potter)
The Secret Garden (favorite! great quotes)
The Night Before Christmas (everyone knows it!)
Treasure Island (adventure!)
The Cat in the Hat (on a rainy day...)
Winnie-the-Pooh (precious!)

10 on one Topic (Favorite Little Girl Characters)

Eloise Takes a Bawth (love this book! has some fold out pages!)
Olivia…..and the Missing Toy (never read Olivia before now)
Angelina at the Fair (sparkly cover, good message, everyone loves the fair)
Fancy Nancy Explorer Extraordinaire! (fun projects inside)
Madeline at the White House (love the story behind the book)
Junie B. Jones and her Big Fat Mouth (all my second graders read her)
Amber Brown Wants Extra Credit (fav. growing up!)
Pippi Longstocking (I dressed up as her for halloween one year)
Ramona and Her Mother
Nancy Drew: The Secret of the Old Clock

5 Caldecott Winners

Baboushka and the Three Kings
Make Way for Ducklings
Jumanji (classic! first introduced to this at my grandparent's house in Naples, they owned the movie and it was a bit scary when I was little)
Madeline’s Rescue
Seven Blind Mice (must read, love the illustrations and good message)

5 Poetry/Mother Goose/Nursery Rhymes

Mother Goose
Michael Foreman’s Mother Goose
Sing-Song: A Nursery Rhyme Book for Children (love!)
Amen, Brother Ben, A Mississippi Collection of Children’s Rhymes (interesting)
A Child’s Garden of Verses (love!)

5 Folk and Fairy Tales/Fable

Rumpelstiltskin
Sleeping Beauty
The Ugly Duckling
Cinderella
Little Red Riding Hood

5 Non-fiction

Noah’s Ark-Caldecott winner (silver medal)
Jonah and the Whale (and the worm)
You Can, Toucan, Math: Word Problem-Solving Fun (great for math teachers, could use for bellringers!)
Our Seasons (so interesting, great for science teachers)
Jump: From the Life of Michael Jordan (like the illustrations, well done)

Newbery
The Slave Dancer (sad but happy ending)
The View from Saturday (Favorite and a Must-read!)
Strawberry Girl (time period piece)
Missing May (short and sad)
Walk Two Moons (page-turner)

Video Time

Two music videos I've seen on facebook that I like.....

Yes, its a boy band!



My friend posted this one and it reminds me of what my mom always encourages me to do: figure out how to dance for fun, like no one is watching....forget about technique, a grade, and what other people think. Dance, enjoy it, have fun. Dance for the Lord, honor Him with your gift! Audience of One.

Another Friday

Face, to the ground I'm not proud of all You must see when you look at me
I tremble at first as You was the dirt
The dirt from my feet and I see my need for thee

You life me up, Holey One, Holy One
When I but come, You're enough, You're enough
You fill me up, with Your love, with Your love
To You I run, Holy One, Holy One

-Rush of Fools

Happy Friday! and to some of you happy start of vacation week!

It's beginning to look a lot like.....

Christmas! Ok, I know, I know you can't have Christmassy stuff until AFTER Thanksgiving but let's face it, Thanksgiving is only a week away (and this makes me super happy for a number of reasons-especially since I get to see family and a friend, hopefully, this go around) and here at Belhaven we kind of get overly excited about Christmas, overly early....

sign number 1-Christmas trees go up in the Student Center
sign number 2-They start unloading the platforms for the Singing Christmas tree.
sign number 3-It's 80 degrees. Wait this shouldn't qualify, but trust me it does. MS weather is so odd that it could be snowing next week! Well not really but you get my point? We will never forget that day it was sunny and 70 and dropped to oh maybe 45 and clouds in a period of 3 hours! so even though it doesn't feel like Christmas it could next week!
sign number 4-We are decorating Gillespie lobby tonight! It will probably be completed with Christmas music and hot chocolate and sweets of course!
sign number 5-Kimber combo decorated our quad (Christmas and Thanksgiving) about a week or two ago.

I know, it's too early, but hey we are only here until mid December or earlier so most folks like to enjoy it while they can!

I must say I do love Christmas lights!

Today I had to read controversial books for my Children's Literature Class. Let me just say I hope to never read some of them again. Some of them were awful and I feel like they should not have been written. This makes me sad, but now I get to read Winnie-the-Pooh so I'm hoping and thinking this will make up for those other ones!

PS Is it starting to look like Christmas where you are? If so, what are the signs?

Camping!

Last weekend my feet were in the sand, this weekend they were in the leaves!!



I drove up to Clark Co State Park in Quitman, MS to join a few friends campin' in the woods!



I had dance ministry performance in the morning and after doing a few chores I headed out. I was a little nervous I was going to carry the traditional Schreck rain storm that somehow always develops when camping, especially since the clouds were rolling in on campus, but it held off!



We shared a delicious chili dinner with the Callens and sang some songs around the campfire. Then we had smores with chocoloate covered graham crackers! (I was thrilled because I didn't know these delightful treats existed!) I even attempted to roast some marshmallows! (Normally I just eat the fixings without smushing them all together because they are a bit messy.) Then we played Big Booty (which I failed miserably at, I got so stressed when they called my number :P) and then the animal game. I was better at this one but Kim, not so much. The elephant sign was tripping all of us up but sure made us giggle!

Then we got a special treat of cookie dough ice cream at another friends' camper! Finished the night talkin' by the fire. Oh and Ellen and I attempted some sand pictionary! It was a beautiful evening of about 50 or 60 degrees (much warmer than the previous night that I missed) and all seven of us girls squeezed in the tent while the boys braved it in the hammocks.



Ellen and I say Goodmorning! It wasn't terribly early but we were still a bit sleepy...




Sang worship songs and looked at Ephesians 4 in the morning before heading back to Jackson. I especially liked Ephesians 4:32, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, foregiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." I think we forget that our friends and brothers and sisters in Christ are not perfect. Nobody is perfect. That's why there's forgiveness.

We had lunch at an AandW great burgers, milkshakes, and floats!



They have chilled mugs you use for your drinks, so fun! (the above mug pic was taken by Mysie!)




What a blessing it is to sit outside! If God created such amazing seasons and nature that are so diverse and beautiful, Heaven must be incredible!

Sand on Friday

It's Friday! I wore the shoes I wore to the beach today....without socks. This could have been a bad life choice. I apparently brought back a lot more sand than I realized. But hey, it was the beach and you can't really beat that!

11/11/11 11:11am Did you make a wish today? Would you like to tell us about it?

Happy Veteran's Day! We cannot thank our serviceman enough! Praise the Lord for them as we continue to pray for our friends and family members currently serving!

Just to make your day, we attempted an awkward family photo at our late night breakfast hall party last night. For some reason I do feel quite awkward in this photo....

Some youtube videos are quite funny and cool.....



The best is the last scene...well there's some others that are good too



This guy is just great!

"The Encyclopdia is not something that will get your heart excited."-Ms. Quinn.

Ms. Quinn has read the whole Encyclopedia. She's amazing. She found the time as a 10 year old due to a bout of rheumatic fever that kept her bedridden for over a year!