Lichi-loos, the kids table, and other family memories...

I really miss you, family!!! I'm really looking forward to Spring Sing weekend because I will be in Searcy, relishing much-needed family time. When random things happen throughout the day, I think about you people a lot more. For instance, the first word in the title of this blog refers to what my sister and I used to call the hairstyle that is fixed at bathtime for kids--how the shampoo magically holds hair up in place. See picture on left. This used to be so much fun!

Secondly, Bryan and I went to the mall the other day, and after a bit of shopping, we had lunch. We thought it odd that the parents, just one set, were sitting at one table while their two kids were sitting at a separate table a little ways away from them. Bryan brought it up, saying that he would think it would be more fun for them to sit and eat as a family, and I said that kids loved having a kids table. Remember our kids table at Christmas time? I know, all you cousins out there are having them with your own families, you being the adults and Joshua, Caleb, Carter, Ashlyn, and Johnathan being the kids. Kalleigh is an "adult" as she cannot do anything by herself except look adorable. We always had the best kids table, though, all 12 of us sitting and laughing. And then, the tables turned. The rules became that once you got married, you were no longer at the kids table. The weirdest one of all--but my favorite, actually--was one where all of the "kids", meaning cousins, got to eat at the adult table with Mamaw and Papaw!! That was fun. Who can know Mamaw and Papaw and not think they are the coolest!!

A third thing that makes me think of (LONG for) home is the weather. It is 20 stinking degrees here--MAX!!!! Don't get me wrong, the snow is absolutely beautiful--just COLD. I'll get used to it eventually. But I long for days of past when I would wear a tee-shirt in th ehouse and then throw on a nice jacket to go outside. Nice thing, though, I can make snow cream anytime I want to. I made it here, people not having heard of it before, and it was a big hit!!!

Well, if any of you lovely people want to leave a memory of hanging out all together with family, I would LOVE it. In the meantime, I'm saying a special prayer tonight for my family. I am so lucky to have such a beautiful family. Love to ALL. ^_^

Useless lump--don't knock it til you try it

I've been described as many things--happy, silly, funny, crazy--not really but in a fun way, a little dorky at times, etc. Tonight, I refer to the title of my blog. I think it is healthy to do this every once in a while. Not too often, of course, or this loses its luster. Now, you busy moms, mamaws, and nanas out there may have forgotten what this is like. This is what you do. you go home, relishing the fact that you worked hard all morning, and in between chasing dogs in and out of the house, letting them find relief outside, you lay on the couch like a useless lump. Another important part to being a good UL is that you can watch something on tv that you taped forever ago but had no time to watch until now. For instance, the Grammy's. I was not particularly impressed this year. There were some good performances, yes, but for the most part, I'm tired of all the new stuff. I love the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but if I hear "Snow" ONE more time--no, there's something about it that's addictive. I think it's that I love to harmonize with it. Curtis cousins out there? Still harmonizing to things? Here's a hint--we HAVE to get together for Christmas! There is talk of doing so for next Christmas--I think it's next one--and I want to sing with everybody. Ok, back to the Grammy's.
I agreed with Holly--loved Christina Aguilera's performance save the last note and the ultra-high "whoooo" near the end. She is amazing and extremely talented. No more James Blunt, please. Big deal, you're beautiful. You are a Rod Stewart wannabe and will not last as long.
Justin Timberlake is extremely talented. I am tired of his name. I have a tendency to shy away from names that everybody is talking about. This is why it took me forever to watch "The Notebook", although I watched it and then liked it.
Good call having the Police reunite for the show. What a tremendous opening!
Anyway, I relaxed a whole bunch. I recommend it for anybody who's busy most of the time. Take time to relax every once in a while. God did--why shouldn't you?
Love to all!!!!!

Eleven Perks ^_^

Whee-hoo!! Bryan and I just celebrated Valentine's Day. We both work now, and unfortunately one of the days we work is Valentine's Day, so we celebrated tonight. we went to a restaurant called Casbah. Big Burrito Company owns Eleven, Casbah, Kaya, etc. and so Bryan gets to eat at these restaurants with a %25 discount. Pretty cool!! Casbah was NICE. We had appetizers that were AMAZING. He had mussels, not that he needed any more than he already had (yuk yuk.) I had mac 'n cheese. Believe it or not, it was better than Kraft! Ha. It was amazing. It had lamb sausage in it, and the cheese was SO creamy it just melted in my mouth. For dinner, I had a pork chop with butternut squash risotto and greens, and he had duck. WOW. It's so cool to me that Bryan gets to make stuff like this!! I feel accomplished when i make parmesan oven fried chicken. Refer to "the Book." Anyway, it was a very romantic evening. We got all dressed up and had a great time. We also had dessert and espresso. Felt like we were in Italy again. I hope everybody gets to go to Italy sometime. Food is much better when enjoyed in a restaurant in Italy, and enjoying espresso afterward with dessert, either a tort or piece of fruit or small cookie.Our desserts tonight were huge, of course, but that's because Americans like big portions with everything!This is why I did not gain weight in Italy and gained as soon as I got back--that and the fact that in Italy we walked EVERYWHERE. I digress. Everybody, go to Italy--it is a piece of heaven!!

Here are some pics of us being happy after dinner, and here's also one i snuck in of Stryker--he's so cute!! The hat, by the way, was Bryan's and got shrunk. Oops. Love to ALL. ^_^

Antiquated Thinking

Who decides what counts as antiquated thinking? Who decides that it is antiquated, not classic? Maybe it doesn't matter until it affects someone personally. Antiquated thinking began sometime before the present, although it doesn't really matter how much time passed in between the original idea and the present. Sometimes, thinking becomes antiquated in a matter of minutes, as opposed to the idea of independence, for one, which will never go out. Everybody wanted independence in 1776 and they still want it now--but I digress.
How do we know that thinking is old? Maybe it's more of a subjective thing. Take the Bible. God created the heavens and the earth. We all know that. Some people say that thinking is antiquated, but it will never be in my book, at least to the extent that I'm discussing antiquated thinking--thoughts that are due for a change.
For an example of antiquated thinking, I will use something silly. Back in the day, at my high school, people couldn't wear jeans to classes. They had to wear dresses--women, not men. ^_^ The school board decided the thinking was antiquated, or they would not have started allowing women and men to wear jeans to class.
That's fine until we get to more difficult issues. I'm being vague, I know. I just thought it was an interesting topic. I conclude that thinking becomes antiquated when people decide it is antiquated, and there is a majority vote.
So where do we draw the line between stubbornly sticking to antiquated thinking and being brave enough to stick to your guns? Isn't it only between the person and God? God is the one who knows the motives and intentions of the person, right? And if a person can honestly say they're opening up their mind to be filled with God's spirit, should he be condemned for sticking to his prior thoughts?
Just a (antiquated) thought...thanx for listening!

I've got Confidence!

Do you remember the song?
"I've got confidence my Lord is gonna see me throu-ou-ough!
No matter what the case may be (my Lord)
My Lord is gonna fix it for me (because)..." and so on and so forth.
I had a good night. It's so much easier to be confident after having a good night, isn't it?
Well, no matter why the reason, I've got confidence! It's a nice feeling.
I hope that two things occur from people reading this blog:
1) People sing the song to the point where it gets stuck in their heads--or they skip the devotional song completely and sing "I've Got Confidence in Sunshi-i-i-i-i-ine..."
2)People feel better after reading this blog. Have confidence! God is there and will make it ALL better. ^_^
Love to ALL. ^_^

Time-out

Okay, so I know all you people with kids know this word. Well, dogs have to have them too. Stryker gets in these kicks where he'll just start barking at me. He thinks that barking will get him what he wants, but all his needs are met except one. He's hungry. Yes, I feed my dog regularly, but here's the thing. He sometimes wants to eat on his own terms, not when I tell him to. Usually I'll put the food in front of him, and he'll dive right in. Today, however, he was picky and decided not to eat all of his food when it was in front of him, so we picked it up. At 2, he started whining for his food. And now he's in doggy prison, hence the title, "Time Out." Well, sorry, big guy, but if you don't eat when we tell you to, you can just wait until your next meal! Dogs are funny. They can be temperamental, just like people. They are better at unconditional love, though--they don't hold grudges. I won't elaborate--everybody has seen the forwards. Aren't forwards funny? They all end up saying the same things, whether it be truths that make you feel good, truths that make you feel bad, or just funny or dumb-funny jokes. I read them anyway, though, just to see what some random person on my list thought that I just HAD to read. But I digress.
Lately, Bryan and I are working hard, trying to learn our new jobs. He's working by himself tonight, working the line, doing the best he can. He says it gets really busy at Eleven. (The restaurant, not the time. Ha.)
I am in the meantime learning the menu for Applebee's, making sure that I know everything that is in every item on the menu. It's a lot of information!! I used to think it could be easy to be a server, and it will be, I just have to get into the routine. I know I can do it though. Besides, this is the money i need to earn before I get back into school in August. I'm PSYCHED. (Haven't gotten accepted yet, but it's only a matter of TIME.)
Love to all!

He got the job!!!!!!!!

I'm SO happy for him. Bryan is so excited. This is a top notch place, and he'll do really well in it. He actually will start on salad prep, coldside/sandwiches an 'at, but after they see what he can cook he'll go up on the line, I'm sure!!! He made up a meatloaf recipe yesterday, and it was really good. The sauce on top was made of ketchup, brown sugar, and chili. MMMM. Yes, I'm lucky to be married to a chef! I did make my parmesan oven fried chicken the other day, though, along with Aunt Donna's recipe for sweet green beans. They were a hit. I may never be up to Mamaw stature when it comes to cooking, but I'm improving.

Bryan, though, b/c of school and of the MANY cooking magazines he's read and programs he's watched, i.e. Molto Mario and Iron Chef, has no limit to his cooking talent. It's fun to be the wife and sing his praises!

Oh, and for those who want to see where he's going to work, here's the website. Those who are close to Pittsburgh, i.e. the Haughs ^_^ should take a day trip to Pittsburgh, do some good shopping, and finish up with a good meal at Eleven. Don't know yet, but maybe we can get a family discount!

Love to all!!!

http://www.bigburrito.com/eleven/about/reviews.shtml

Snow, Dog Training, and American Idol

So pretty!! Stryker LOVES snow. He tries to eat the flakes as they fall down from heaven. Snow must come from there--so pure, white, and fresh. Doesn't get dirty until it touches our atmosphere! I'm enjoying the snow, although I'm having to get used to the cold. The snow's really pretty. It snowed all day.
Dog training is getting better and better. Stryker will be 2 in 2 months. He's old enough to start knowing what to do and what NOT to do, i.e. mark his territory upstairs or any other place in the house, and yet he's also young enough to learn better ways of walking. We have to train ourselves, too. My short arms make it difficult to walk him, holding the leash the way I'm supposed to hold it, but I'm learning. It's easier to guide him this way. We've been watching this show called "The Dog Whisperer" on the National Geographic Channel, and we've been learning what we've been doing right--and WRONG. It's all good--we'll get trained enough to walk him calmly past all the dogs, including this tiny little terrier who loves to get Stryker all riled up. The Dog Whisperer's cool b/c he goes to people's houses when they have trouble with their dogs--either they're too crazy or vicious, or they just won't listen to the owners, and then TDW trains them. Pretty interesting. Bryan especially loves it b/c he is really into dogs, different breeds, how they were bred, etc. He's as happy as a little puppy himself. ^_^
American Idol is always entertaining during the first couple of episodes. You hear the amazing and the horrible voices, and everybody says the same thing, "I can do better than that! How did they get on the show??" And yet, everybody knows that if we didn't have those horrible people that think they sing like (name favorite talented singer here) the show wouldn't be nearly as entertaining.
Well, hope you get to enjoy one or all three of these. Love to all! ^_^

The movie quote book

Have to thank Pete Vann for this idea. I saw Pete's my freshman year at Harding, and I thought it was the coolest idea. I never did it before, but now when I watch a movie, I hear something meaningful or just funny and part of what makes the movie that movie, and I have a scrap of paper nearby and a pen, I jump up and write it down. Much better is when I have the book nearby--usually do--always carry it in my purse. Eventually, when I write enough quotes down, I'll have to transfer it into a big HUGE book like Pete's. For now, the tiny little notebook will suffice. Some of them are encouraging:

"Every passing minute is a chance to turn it all around." ~Sofia, "Vanilla Sky"

"Do or do not. There is no try." ~Yoda, "Empire Strikes Back"

"It's only after we've lost everything that we are free to do anything." ~Tyler Durgin, "Fight Club"

"When life gets you down, just keep swimming! Just keep swimming, just keep swimming!" ~Dori, "Finding Nemo"

Some of them are difficult to hear but real, and some simply affect us deeply:

"Harboring resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die." (Don't remember what this one is from, but it's true.)

"Easy doesn't enter into grown-up life."~Dave Spritz, "The Weatherman"

"You wanna take a break...now? You take a break you'll find no peace. The way to find peace is to stick." "American History X"

"Sometimes to throw a punch, you have to step back. Step back too far, you're not fighting at all." ~Scrap, "Million Dollar Baby"

Some are just fun!

"You gotta eat lightning and crap thunder!" ~Mickey, "Rocky II"

"I don't want my wings cut!" ~Horace, followed by, "No man does, Horace, no man does." ~Dolly Levi, "Hello, Dolly!"

"90% of the people in the world are fools and the rest of us are in great danger of contamination." ~Horace, "Hello, Dolly!"

"Bueller? Bueller?" ~Come on, need I say more???

"Thank goodness men die young. It's the only justification we get!" ~Zoe, "Something's Gotta Give"

"That's right, who's your daddy!" "Wayne Rink!" ~ "Thirteen Going on 30"

Hope you enjoyed!!!

Yea for Bryan!!

Okay, for those of you who didn't know--I think that's everyone except my mom--Bryan had an interview. It went well! Like all interviews, this one made him a little nervous, but he went in and said all the right things, and on Wednesday he will cook all the right things!! It's a "cooking" interview--so they can size up his ability in cooking, etc. Whee-hoo! Anyway, this will be cool. This is exactly the kind of place where Bryan wants to work--really nice food, not just the plain boring stuff that lotsa restaurants like to display.

It's so funny how different we are when it comes to food. I don't mind eating P&J with a side of chips for days, but he likes more variety in his food. I like it too, but I don't care as much if I don't get the variety. He's taught me how to make a few new things. He even taught me how to eat pasta w/o meat sauce or a rich alfredo sauce. I like it cooked in simply olive oil and butter and garlic! So nice to find the differences in people and find out how to let them enrich our lives.

Okay--homework assignment from a future MFT counselor. Those who are married, go home to your spouses and tell them something amazing about them--something completely different from yourself, and have them do the same. Not married, do that with one of your friends. Either way, see how it bonds you closer together. And speaking of MFT, I have to send out my character references and have them come back and I will be one step further in applying to grad school! Wish me luck!! Love to all, K ^_^

PS--The picture is to encourage people to dream big. God loves us all and will help us through anything.

You are approved...

for a loan, for a credit card, for a mate, for a job, whatever you want approval for, those are beautiful words. Although there is a meekness implied, meaning you are at the mercy of whoever you need to approve you, there is a sweetness in being approved by that person or thing. I heard a commercial today talking about how a certain company would always approve a person, regardless of his credit. Sound familiar? How many of us have good credit with God? What can we do that gives us good credit with God? Do we really have that power? We are at the mercy of a God, who thankfully, loves us unconditionally and is always willing to approve of us, regardless of our credit. Isn't that a beautiful thing? Who do we think needs our approval? Are we being as merciful to them as God is to us? We do NOTHING worth of God's approval. No matter what good we do, we do bad, and if it were not for God, we would have no hope of being saved. Just wanted to be grateful for God's mercy today. God is beautiful and always approves, despite our credit.

and here's the sunset...

Pictures from Rome...mmmm ^_^

Be it ever so humble...

There's no place like home! It was great. Bryan and I took the train to Rome January 3rd so that we'd be in Rome the next morning to take off for Philadelphia, and then switch to go to Pittsburgh. Rome had some really nice spots. We stayed at this place that had the most GORGEOUS view of the ocean. Wow, was it beautiful. We climbed along the rocks and watched the sunset--yes, I was in heaven watching the beautiful skies turn different colors. When I see something that gorgeous, I think of devotional songs or occasionally older hymns. I thought of "His Grace Reaches Me" and "Beyond the Sunset." Don't we all wish that being Christians meant we could always be peaceful feelings and dreaming of heaven? There are hard times that happen and at the time, we feel like nothing will get us out of those trials, and yet they make us deeply appreciate the times of peace. God is beautiful. He allows us to go through trials, yes, but God is beautiful just the same, and He's unchanging.

Now, there were moments in Italy where people took advantage of us being American tourists and took advantage of us--monetarily. To that, I say, people going to Europe, do your homework. Find places in those lovely Rick Steves travel guides b/c they really know what they're talking about!!!! They will also save you from paying too much! Anyway, the next morning we took off for the airport, got through all the lines, eventually got on the plane, and we sang, "Hallelujah!!" We love Italy and were so glad that we were there--I advise anybody who can to go to Italy and have a beautiful time--but with all the hassle with Bryan's medicine we were ready to come home and not worry about Bryan's health as much.

One of the nice things about international flights is that they have personal TVs. You can watch movies, listen to music, basically whatever you want. It's also a nice time to watch a movie you don't want to see in the theater. I hadn't really wanted to see Pirates of the Caribbean 2 in the theater b/c it wasn't worth it to pay $7 for a ticket, so it was perfect to watch on the plane. I actually liked it much more than I thought I would, and now I have to see the 3rd. Anyway, after it ended I figured I'd watch another one. 15 minutes in, the captain came over the loud speaker and said that there were complications with the navigation system, and so for the safety of everybody on board, the entertainment system would be off for the remainder of the time. Yeah, that's 8 more hours of BOREDOM!!!! Oh, well, better to know we'll get home safely, right? Bryan started making jokes like, Well at least if we;re going to crash, can we watch a movie while doing so? HA.

anyway, we got to Philadelphia, had 5 more hours to kill before our flight to Pittsburgh, so we walked around and just toured the place. It was great. Let me tell you--it was GREAT to arrive in Pittsburgh!!! The way I am, once I'm on the way home, I just want to GET THERE. It was great when we went outside and saw Donna--Bryan's mom--pulling up to pick us up. Whee-hoo!!!! She brought us back and we had dinner and just sat around talking together. Isn't family precious? I sure miss mine, but it was nice to share with Bryan.

Yea, we're home, and now the big thing is to get jobs here and be successful. ^_^ Easy, right? Bryan's getting interviews at random restaurants--really nice ones--and I applied for Geneva College today. I hope I get in!!! Love to all!!! Appreciate time with family!!!

A new appreciation for generosity...and food

Wow, there are many wonderful Italians here. They have embraced us with loving, wide open arms. First off, Bryan's birthday was the 24th. The restaurant where I wanted to take him for his birthday was closed that day, so we went the day before. He and I have tried many interesting foods while being here, and one of the ones he wanted to try was baccala--salt cod, a Vicentino specialty. We had it at the restaurant, and it was good. We also had some rabbit tortellini, veggies, and lots of really good bread. The desserts where delicious as well. Bryan loved it and was glad that I could keep it a surprise. I made the reservation a week before we went and was bursting with the secret until the day we went. ^_^ We had fun.
Anyway, the next day, we were invited to have Christmas Eve dinner at the house of one of the church ladies after church. We had some really good pasta and salad, bread, and...more baccala. Now, there are some foods that I can eat 3 or 4 times a week. Baccala is NOT one of them. This lady, God bless her, gave me a HEAPING portion, as well as a heaping portion of polenta--basically, grits. now, I got through half of each serving, very slowly, and thought that that was enough. I looked around at all the rest of people's plates and saw that they were almost done with their entire portions of BOTH. (Deep breath...hoooooooo boy) I scraped up some more food with my fork. Bite by bite I ate...and ate...and ATE. The last 5 bites I thought I would DIE! I finished, gave everybody a big smile, and said, "Che buono!!" which is a big compliment. The hostess smiled, and we were happy. ^_^ We ate little for dinner that night.
Now the NEXT day, we went to another ladies house, and we had Christmas dinner with her family. It was great. Again, a LOT of food. Italians can eat!!! I couldn't believe it--9 courses!!!! Now, a cool thing about the way Italians do food is that instead of 3 huge helpings of one dish, you have 9 small servings of 9 different things. They really like variety when they eat. We were fed appitizers when we got there, and then we got antipasto--a serving of other appetizers before the pasta. Very tasty. After that, we ate delicious pasta--fettucine and salmon. After that, there was a meat course--turkey and veggies. Then salad. After that, we had chocolate and fruit. Then we had cafe--espresso--and candy, and we took a 3 hour break to rest between food servings. Games were great fun. Bryan and I had a bit of translation help, thank goodness. one of the people in the family is really good at speaking English and translated for us every once ina while. Anyway, after we rested for a bit, we came back and ate more tortellini, more meat, more salad, and then we had dessert!!!! Italians can eat!!!
Now, I know I spent the past coupla paragraphs explaining how these Italians are different, but you know, I really hope I am like that some day. I want Bryan and me to be as generous to people we don't know as they were to us!! This was their christmas, and they welcomed us in, and they treated us like their family. This truly beautiful gesture is one of the things that God wants us to do for others. Although there are difficult times in our lives, we can always use our talents and gifts to help others and to make them feel special. I pray that I will someday help people in our future home as much as they helped us. How beautiful people can be! Love to all!

New eyes and our trip to Venice...

Okay, so everybody has done something amazing. Not just cool, aMAZing. When you get to do it a second time, you can't believe your luck. You get to do it a THIRD time, you pinch yourself to make sure you're awake. Well, going to Venice again was really cool. I knew it would be cool again, but being there with Bryan was truly amazing. Aunt Donna, didn't Uncle Mike propose to you in Europe? I think I remember hearing that story. Anyway, Europe is even more romantic with my spouse. That's what I mean by "new eyes." I see his excited expressions when we see San Marco's Cathedral. I see his face when we go over the gigantic bridges and look everywhere, seeing water all around us. Venice is truly breathtaking. Bryan made it new for me, and so I had the best time I've ever had in Venice. Thank God for Bryan and our love! Okay, enough mush. ^_^
Anyway, we went to the most fantastic restaurant for dinner last night. We were actually looking for a really good pizza place that we'd read about in one of those travel books, you know, like Rick Steves or whatever. Upon getting lost (again and again) in those little tiny streets, we came across a place called La Zucca--means "The Pumpkin" which was also in that book. It was fantastic!! I had Anatra dall'Arancia, which is the Italian way of saying Duck a l'orange. Wow. Bryan had some really good pork and mixed vegetables. We finished with fantastic desserts. Whee-hoo, do Italians know food!! Anyway, all this to say that it's okay if you get lost in the streets of Venice b/c you may just find another amzing little diner or cafe. Well, here are pics from our trip!! Love to ALL.
By the way, Carrie, can you tell which picture was put on specifically for you? This is the only time this shirt will be in Venice since you WON'T FLY.

Okay, I can admit when I'm wrong...

I've been catching up on classic movies lately. Bryan couldn't believe that I hadn't watched all the Star Wars movies since I was a kid. It was kinda cool, though, b/c it was as if I were watching them for the first time. I loved them--had lotsa fun watching them. Another set of movies that I'd never watched before, the exception being the first one, are the Rocky movies. They are GOOD!!! I always heard them grouped in with "those guy movies that girls never want to watch," but they were good!!! Could not believe how much I liked them. Another thing--I had always made fun of people who watched boxing with their fists clenched in the air. I did that today, watching "Rocky IV." I think what I like about the Rocky movies is that heart is crucial to succeeding. I have heart, but sometimes I forget that and get very discouraged. We all do. I've been discouraged lately b/c of the fact that we're coming home early. Customs has been insane with what they allow to get through, namely, Bryan's medicine. There are too many fees, too many difficult people to work with. We've decided to come home. We plan on serving there, and honestly probably will do better there for the Lord than here. Here at the church, they don't seem to have much needed to be done. I am updating their bulletin board--their pictures have the kids as babies, and now they're 7. ^_^ Anyway, that all said, heart fits into this whole thing b/c it is easy to lose heart. I encourage people to watch the Rocky movies b/c heart can be gained by fighting for it, realizing your priorities, and having a God manager--get it? ^_^ Love to all!!!

Part Two: Those long awaited pics...

Part one: Those long awaited pics...

We're having fun!!! Bryan and I are enjoying our time together, enjoying Italy, experiencing its goodness. Italians may not know much when it comes to getting things done efficiently, but on some things, that's part of their charm. They sure know food! I also like the way that they relax on certain things. One example is, Sunday evenings, after 6:00 PM, people walk all over Vicenza, window shopping, drinking coffee and eating gelato, enjoying Le Dolce Vita. Wonder why that was the name of the movie? Well, anyway, here are the pics. I hope the videos work right!

Pizza with french fries

Have you ever had pizza with french fries? Very tasty, believe it or not. No, I'm not going back to the states and ordering pizza with french fries on it. I liked it, though. It also had pancetta on it--yummy, yummy pancetta, which is an Italian bacon. Last night, the doorbell to the church rang, and it was Francesco Fergnani and his family, offering to take us out for pizza. How fun! It was great. Francesco has the cutest little family. He and his wife, Lorenza, have two beautiful little girls. They are so sweet, Miriam and Anna. If I decide to finish grad school for marriage and family therapy, I will think of them often as an example for an ideal family. I know every family has their difficulties, but Francesco's family is wonderful.
Other people in the church are cool as well. Valeria and Piero are very kind people. Valeria talks really quickly, but she's so expressive that I understand her the best. Between her and Lorenza, I can usually figure out what is going on b/c they describe as they talk, so even when I don't understand the actual words, I understand the basic meaning.
Okay, I'll write more when something else happens. Oh, and Aunt Donna, I have a surprise for you!! (With our history in presents for each other, you probably know what it is...)

Well I did it

I didn't want to, but I did. I said goodbye to Bryan today. I hate to see him take off on that bus to Pio-stinking-vene Rocchette. No, I'm sure it's a wonderful place. Chef Mauro and his family seem like really nice people, at least, that's what Bryan tells me. I just don't like to see him go! Before he left, though, we took a picture together in one of those photo booths, and it was fun. It's a pretty funny picture. We took a picture together that I will next week put on my blog, but we ran out of time this visit. We really enjoyed our time together, shopping together, cooking together, even cleaning together.
Okay, so what kind of work am I doing? I was given permission, first of all, to take the first coupla weeks and adjust to life in Vicenza. Lotsa things are like living in America--if you don't go out to eat, you cook for yourself. You clean, you watch movies or read if you get bored, although here I can always walk outside two steps and go to Teatro Olimpico, 15 more to go to Piazza Signoria, which has the best markets on Thursdays. It'll be packed with Christmas stuff the next few weeks.
Who's excited about Christmas??? ME!!!! I've been listening to the Mannheim Steamroller CDs like always, and I brought "It's a Wonderful Life" so Bryan and I can watch it together. We'll have fun celebrating his birthday, too.
Okay, I digress. Anyway, I will work with the Army Base, in a way, helping to advertise there for the church. I will put up signs letting them know we are here. With the church, I'm helping them organize a big dinner for another church. It's actually a weekend event that we plan with another church. We cook for them and just have fun together all weekend. Today, when I get back to the apartment, I'll study some more Italian, but everybody says I'm improving. Yeah!!!
Okay, nuff for now. Love to ALL!!!

Well I did it

I didn't want to, but I did. I said goodbye to Bryan today. I hate to see him take off on that bus to Pio-stinking-vene Rocchette. No, I'm sure it's a wonderful place. Chef Mauro and his family seem like really nice people, at least, that's what Bryan tells me. I just don't like to see him go! Before he left, though, we took a picture together in one of those photo booths, and it was fun. It's a pretty funny picture. We took a picture together that I will next week put on my blog, but we ran out of time this visit. We really enjoyed our time together, shopping together, cooking together, even cleaning together.
Okay, so what kind of work am I doing? I was given permission, first of all, to take the first coupla weeks and adjust to life in Vicenza. Lotsa things are like living in America--if you don't go out to eat, you cook for yourself. You clean, you watch movies or read if you get bored, although here I can always walk outside two steps and go to Teatro Olimpico, 15 more to go to Piazza Signoria, which has the best markets on Thursdays. It'll be packed with Christmas stuff the next few weeks.
Who's excited about Christmas??? ME!!!! I've been listening to the Mannheim Steamroller CDs like always, and I brought "It's a Wonderful Life" so Bryan and I can watch it together. We'll have fun celebrating his birthday, too.
Okay, I digress. Anyway, I will work with the Army Base, in a way, helping to advertise there for the church. I will put up signs letting them know we are here. With the church, I'm helping them organize a big dinner for another church. It's actually a weekend event that we plan with another church. We cook for them and just have fun together all weekend. Today, when I get back to the apartment, I'll study some more Italian, but everybody says I'm improving. Yeah!!!
Okay, nuff for now. Love to ALL!!!

TOTALLY NEW EXPERIENCE.

You will never appreciate going to the store and buying face cleanser until you have to do it in another country. What product is this? How does it work? Will it really get rid of pimples? Sorry, gross, but it is REAL LIFE and you cannot appreciate it until you have to do it somewhere other than you are used to being. No big deal. Well, not REALly. Just one of those things I am getting used to. I absolutely love it here, though. Vicenza has become my new (third) favorite place in Italy. Rome is cool, but it is not on that list anymore. Used to be my third favorite.
Julie, Lindsay, YES I am eating gelato for you. Rachel, YES, I am drinking cappucinos for you. Need to not gain that weight back, people, but eating this is a sacrifice I am willing to make. Still totally exercising. The DVD player in my room is pitiful. (No, I am not complainig about free, just stating a fact.) It is pitiful! that being said, when I use it to listen to work-out music, the music cuts out after 5 songs. At that point, I jog in place and wait *patiently* until it comes back. If I were in America, I would jog around outside, maybe, but Italians don't really do that. They don't have to exercise to be thin. So unfair!
I am having the BEST time here. I went to church last night with all the Ghana members, and I didn't understand a thing, except for when the Ghanese man next to me interpreted for me. Most of them speak Italian really well.
How am I coming on my Italian? Well, I've made it through half the "Italian for Dummies" book, and, well, they speak WAY TOO FAST. This American is having a bit of a hard time figuring out what people are saying, but luckily for me, they are patient. The ones that aren't just smile, stop talking, and walk away. Oh, well, I will be here for 3 months. There is TIME. ^_^
Okay, ciao mi amici e famiglia.

So happy to be HERE!!!!!! I love it in Vicenza. Now, I know you are wondering whatàs happened so far, but i will have an update later. I already typed it out but didnàt have internet access until now. In case youàre wondering about the "typoàs" itàs b-c the keyboard is a little different here. Oh, well. Anyway, things are good. The people at the church are fantastico!!! Iàm so glad that Iàm here. I studied more Italian today. Less people speak English than I thought, but itàs okay, weàre working on it. It will take time, but itàs all good. God is good and will help with the language barrier. These people are amazing!!!! At first, I was sad that I could not stay with Bryan, but I think God placed me here for a reason. There were several barriers on the road to this whole experience, so there must be a reason for me to be here!!!! In the meantime, Bryan and I really love it. He leaves for Piovene Rocchete tomorrow, (pout) but thatàs the reason weàre here.
Okay, more later. Love to all!!!!!

So happy to be HERE!!!!!! I love it in Vicenza. Now, I know youàre wondering whatàs happened so far, but Okay, more later. Love to all!!!!!

Hey everybody!!!!!!

So happy to be HERE!!!!!! I love it in Vicenza. Now, I know youàre wondering whatàs happened so far, but Okay, more later. Love to all!!!!!

Part 2 of previous blog

 
 
 
  

New friends and old

One of my favorite quotes is "What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies..." Aristotle

I dedicate this blog to all my friends. For those of which I don't have pictures, SEND ME ONE!
Love you ALL ^_^

 
 
 
  

I'm the WORST picture developer!

I always take forever to develop them. Here they are, though, some pics of me in my dress, me and Mamaw, and members of my lovely family. Love to all!
Kristi ^_^

PS--WE LEAVE TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have to learn how to say "whee-hoo" in Italian...

I do know how to say, "I'd love it!" It's "Magari!" Italians love to say things concisely and to the point. all in one word, si possibile. Whee-hoo! I did learn a really fun way to say "Good luck." "In bocca al lupo" means literally "a wolf in mouth", but people say it to wish good luck. In response, people say "Crepi il lupo", which means "Hopefully the wolf will die!" Funny, huh? You know, just when I get more into studying and--now that I'm not working--have time to study, I leave my "Italian for Dummies" book in my car. Oh, well.
Anyway, the people are looking forward to seeing me in Vicenza, according to Francesco Fergnani, the preacher. I look forward to meeting him! It'll be FUN. Divertiro!!!! Okay, I know, ENOUGH ITALIAN. sorry, I'm just glad I know a few key phrases.
Nother subject. have not been as dedicated to exercise lately. Have not gained it back but have hit a slump. need to get OUT. huh, fun to type the first letter in the sentence in a lower case letter. driving you crazy Holly? ^_^ anyway, that's beside the point. so, I still have 7 more to drop before I enter the land of total health. I hope I haven't been too personal with this whole weight loss thing. I've been really excited, and who better to share excitement with than family and friends, right?
Stryker, i think suspects that Bryan and I will be leaving him soon. He can tell, and is more needy lately. wants our attention an 'at. 'sall good. We'll be back before he knows it. Honestly, it's a little strange to think about how long we'll be in Italy is as long as we've been in PA. It feels like another lifetime! God's funny. He puts you places you don't think you'll be until you get there, and then He makes you realize that He's been right all along. Why do we continually put up fights with him?
tomorrow's Sloppy Joe Singing, meaning we have church, and then we make sloppy Joe's for lunch. After that, we're going to learn some devotional songs to sing at church. It'll be great fun! I love to sing the newer songs. I do cherish the older ones, yes, but I look forward to sharing these with the church tomorrow. These people are amazing. I never thought I'd enjoy a smaller church as much as I do. Again, ALL GOD.
Okay, this was a long post. Love to all!!!!


Kim, just think about it--this could be Bison or Belle!
also, something messed up--the picture doesn't show on its own, so click on the brown box and it'll show up ^_^

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

Boy did I pick a terrible time to get hooked on a TV show. I don't know if this show will even be on in Italy, and much less, if I will have a TV. One thing I can count on, as far as TV is concerned, is that I will have my pick of Italian soap operas. They're a trip.
Anyway, I've become hooked on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Jonathan, I hope my blog does the show justice.
The writing is FANTASTIC. They are surpassing new levels of emotion--especially for Matthew Perry. I loved him on Friends. He had the best one-liners on primetime TV and still does. I've personally never been a fan of Bradley Whitford, who's the other star of the show. He's always played squirrelly, snivelly characters in movies, and I am glad to see him excel in other roles. Together with Matthew Perry, they make one fantastic duo.
I think this show will make people escape enough to enjoy the show, in that most people watching the show do not write for their own network. Jonathan is the closest of any of us to TV, as he may make it there someday, although my friend Lindsay works for a network as well. Good for those who dream big and fulfill their dreams.
Okay, to those who haven't watched the show yet, let's see if I put enough of an interest in the show into people who read my blog. ^_^

WE GOT THE TICKETS!!!!!

Whee-hoo!!! I'm so excited!!!! Bryan and I bought the tickets to Italy this morning! Thank goodness we're in the offseason, as far as travel goes. Tickets are usually a bit cheaper in the offseason, I think. Anyway, we're going to fly to Philadelphia on Wednesday, November 22nd. We'll be there that night and then most of Thanksgiving, and our flight leaves at 6PM the next day! I'm excited--I've never been to Philadelphia. Bryan and I'll check out the Liberty Bell an 'at. Whee-hoo! You may be thinking, hmmm, is she more excited about Philadelphia or Italy? HA!
Okay, here's the story on Italy. The apartment is ready for me. I'll stay there, while Bryan is in the cabin in the woods(hmm, sound like a song?) he told me he'd visit the apartment as much as possible, but he actually will be closer to the restaurant in the mountains by being in the cabin. I know, I'll miss him TERRIBLY, but we'll see each other as much as we can.
I get to work with the teens and young adults in the church. Most of them understand English, but I've been working on my Italian more lately. Learning more fun words, having a blast. We're going to study today, now that we have the tickets bought!! Studiamo oggi! (We study today.)
I'll also be keeping in touch with the soldiers at the base in Vicenza. Francesco Fergnani, the preacher over there, told me that with the language barrier, it's difficult sometimes to keep contact with them, but I'll be able to keep up with them!!! He said it will be one of my duties!!! I'm typing so quickly b/c I'm so excited. My hands are practically shaking!!!! Whee-hoo!!!!
Anyway, so I hope everyone will keep Bryan and me in prayers. With prayer and petition, this will be a mission with which God will be happy. Whee-hoo!!!!! (Does God say Whee-hoo? I think He does with some things, especially a lost soul who turns over his life to God.)
Okay, gotta go--so many things to do!!!!!!
^_^

To blog or not to blog--that is the question...

Hello. Kinda been in hiatus as far as the blog-world is concerned. Have visited other blogs, but just have not had much to say. Lately, my life is filled with Bryan, working, a combination of the two, and studying Italian with him. I'm getting better. Ricordo poco l'italiano.--I remember a little Italian--(the language, not an Italian person...)
it's fun. One of the things we're using to study is a CD of italian words that we listen to on the way to work. The woman that speaks Italian has a weird way of emphasizing her words. Bryan and I spend half the time learning, and half the time making fun of her. ^_^
Stryker's all well and good. Healthy as a horse and getting big as one.
Got my hi-notes done today. They're so much fun, and people like them. I hoped they would, but they like them more than I expected. Yeah. ^_^
I'm saving my money for the trip to Italy, so my membership to my gym has expired, and I do not plan on renewing until I get back in March. Kinda sad b/c I love the classes, but it has sparked my creativity as well. I make up my own exercise routines at home, and I try to remember the ones I did in class. Thanks again to Mom for buying me weights so I can try to keep a muscle. ^_^
Okay, that's all. Love to all!!!!

I usually don't do this...

Just wanted to make sure that people didn't miss my Oct. 12th blog. I had so much fun writing it, but then I added the dress picture, and I was afraid no one would go back to read it! Anyway, I hope you enjoy my blog with the fat people cartoon on it. I had fun with it. Thanks for indulging me! ^_^

Here's Julie's bridesmaids!!!!

The best husband ever!!!!!

Okay, so I missed my husband. I was gone from him for EIGHT WHOLE DAYS. The longest stretch EVER. Before, it was for the same reason--I was in a wedding--and I was gone 4 days. Eight was barely manageable. I love him so much!!! Okay, before you gag too much, I have a crazy story to tell you about the flight home.
My first flight was delayed. No big deal. I looked at my flight time and thought, with an hour flight, I'll still have an hour and a half layover. I was in the C boarding group, and for you non-flyers, that meant that I was the last to board. no big deal. I then was a little worried I might be stuck with one of those big-armed, hog the arm rest, fat men. or worse, I'd be stuck BETWEEN THEM.

wouldn't you love to sit between these two?

Anyway, I saw a spot between two thin 40's-ish men, and I figured this was going to be the best spot available, so when I asked if I could sit there, they said, "That depends, are you a Cardinals fan?" Then I said, "I was in Pennsylvania watching the Cardinals play the Pirates, and I cheered for the Cardinals!" They let me sit down.
The gentleman to my left and I talked the whole time. It's nice to not be the one boring somebody. We just kept talking! I think he'd be perfect for my mom. Too bad he lives in Kansas City. ^_^
Anyway, the plane landed in St. Louis, and then the flight was continuing on to Chicago. by the time we got to Chicago, there were FIVE MINUTES until the last call to board my connecting flight to Pennsylvania!!!! Freaked out, thinking about the fact that I could potentially miss my plane and have to spend the night in Chicago, I took off my HIGH-HEELED SHOES and BOOKED IT. I'm sure I looked hilarious, barefoot and sprinting while wearing a huge backpack, but I was a wreck! Plus, I heard a thud! behind me and then "Ma'am, MA'AM!" It was simply people telling me that I had dropped a book out of my backpack, so I grabbed my book and took off again.
I looked at my watch, which said NINE, and my plane was supposed to take off at 8:55. I got to B10 and said, "Is...the plane...still there...?" (all the while gasping for breath.) The guy said, "Don't worry, it's still here--oh, they probably didn't tell you that they would hold the plane, did they?" to which I replied, "nooooooooo!!!!!!!" Behind me was an equally out of breath and quite relieved girl that was on the same flight I was.
Anyway, I made it home safely. Bryan picked me up. BIG hugs, fun kisses.
So glad to be back. Had a wonderful vacation--thanx Mom for making everything so homey! I had fun in Texas playing with Kim's beautiful kids. Johnathan loved the puzzle I got him, so that was fun putting it together. Also, we watched my new edition of "The Little Mermaid." I loved seeing the way his face lit up!!!
Love to all!!!!!! ^_^

Hello all!

Life is good. today is probably one of my favorite days in a long time. Last night, Julie's lingerie shower went very well. We had a fun, most girly time. ^_^ Today was cool b/c we had the bridesmaid's luncheon, and after that I went to campus and hung out with people I haven't seen in forever. It's amazing how much Harding's changed--again!! Seriously--every time you turn around, there's a NEW BUILDING. Good for Harding. It looks nice!
Man, these kids are getting older and older. Kids that were in my baby brother's class are now SOPHOMORES AT HARDING. I'm not getting old, though. I refuse to get old. Older, yes, but NOT OLD. I don't get old. I just become better with age. Can I get an amen?
Looking forward to the wedding tomorrow. Julie will be absolutely gorgeous. We bridesmaids are wearing strapless apple red dresses. Whee-hoo! They're pretty. ^_^
Okay, well, hope we all enjoyed my blog. Love to all!!!!
K ^_^