I went to my first NFL game today. Neither team was one that I particularly cared about, but…it was still a fantastic time. Here are some pics of my friend Erin and I enjoying the festivities.
nosebleeds
so excited
believe in nowsweet view of the city
sweet view of the city
So, I went home to Indiana for Thanksgiving. My dear old dad was kind enough to buy me a ticket and fly me out. It was so great to see so many people. True, I didn’t get to see “everyone” since I was only there for a few short days, but the ones whom I did get to see made my mini-vacation quite wonderful. It’s crazy seeing babies grow up, and friends fill their bellies with new ones…(is that awkward to say? Oh well, it’s already out there.) It’s weird to think that all my friends back in Indiana are in that married/children stage of life. It’s a beautiful stage…to visit for a week. 
My friend Donna here in Charlotte is having a baby soon. We threw/through (I’m just not really sure which one is right in this case..) her a baby shower at school. I ordered a baby shower cake that said Congratulations Donna! When it got to school It said Congracrualatons Donna! Really? You decorate cakes for a living? Post that word up somewhere in the bakery…
Last night we had a Christmas movie marathon/pajama/christmas cookie party. I felt like there were a zillion people here. Probably cause there were. But it was awesome, and it was awesome looking around and seeing people sleeping on pretty much every inch of our floor. Here is the funniest story of the night…including some background info…
Probably about a month ago I got a card in the mail from Wong. It’s pink and covered with hearts and says…Good Luck on Your Exams! When you open it, it plays this extremely high pitched song that I didn’t recognize, but the song never stops playing it’s like that song from Lambchop. I couldn’t actually focus to read Wong’s letter while the song was playing so I disassembled the whole inside of the card to get it to stop. Last night, I woke up (remember, there are people asleep everywhere, and my room is full of purses and things..Christine happened to be in my bed too. All of a sudden I hear someone’s cell phone and I look at the clock in my room and it says 3:40…I waited patiently for the sound to stop but it never did, it might have even gotten louder, or I was just more aware of it. Finally, I said “Christine, What the heck is that?” She got out of bed and was looking around…I seriously still thought it was someone’s cell phone…but we soon realized it was Brandon’s crazy exam card! WEIRD. I had taken that thing completely apart and it hadn’t played music in a month!…….yikes
I leave for Africa in 13 days. That is so insane to me. Until yesterday I don’t think I had time to really process that yet, but it’s like actually happening for real….crazy. Pray for me, as I get ready to go , and that my traveling goes safe and smooth, I know I am supposed to be brave and grown-up and all that jazz, but trying to get all of Brandon’s junk food through customs makes me a little nervous.
In further news, It’s Advent! My favorite season of the whole year…instead of writing about it again, check out last year’s advent post, it’s a good one…
oh wow. What an eventful evening.
It all started with planning a coffee date with my friend/coworker Sommer. 
On my way to our chosen coffee shop, she called me and said that she had unfortunately locked her keys in her car. 
I picked her up and we headed to my house to get some heavy artillery to remedy the problem. 
She also called a locksmith whom hung up before she could ask him how much his services were going to cost her. So she called back….but there was no answer.
After several long minutes of trying to break into the car, we realized our hanger wasn’t working. (It’s hard with automatic locks.) BUT, our locksmith had arrived to hopefully, save the day. He got out of his car and told her it was going to cost $65.
She politely told him “No Thank You.” and that we would find someone else to do it. He was polite at first, trying to convince her otherwise. She reminded him of the fact that she had called him to find out the cost, but he did not answer his phone call. He wasn’t satisfied. he said it was going to cost her $35 dollars anyway because he had to drive out on a Sunday night in the cold. She basically told him that this wasn’t her problem, he should have answered his phone, and he couldn’t make her pay anything. (You go Girl) All this time, I am but a mere spectator, admiring the way that Sommer is handling herself so calmy…
and then 
….
The next thing I know the guy is telling her that she should go to that really hot place where people go when they die if they don’t have Jesus, and that she’s a piece of something smelly. (He was really angry.) And then he says that he is going to have her car towed, which I told her was impossible. They are both sharing words while dialing their phones, and I stood by like 
. Worse comes to worse and I hear Sommer saying into her cell phone. ” I need a police officer here because I am being harassed by a locksmith.” Then, the locksmith was in his car and gone, and I was scared so I made Sommer come get in my car with me while the nice police lady gave her the number of a different locksmith and we recounted over and over again what had happened like we had just gotten into a fight on the playground.
Then, the nicest man ever from 1-800-pop-a-lock came on over and popped the door open in 2 seconds flat and barely charged us a nickel…ok it was more than a nickel but it felt like nothing compared to what he had been through.
So…in summary…
24.7 locksmiths of Charlotte 
pop-a-lock
One of my favorite pastimes is singing in the car.
I don’t mean like singing along to my favorite tunes all sweet and innocent, I mean full open mouth, turning up the radio all the way so I can’t hear myself and occasionally waving my arms.
I also believe I may have mastered the art of what to do when someone actually catches me in the act of this ridiculousness. If what I just stated is true, then I feel that it is my duty as a fellow member of the highway choir club to share my insights.
The way I see it, in the likelyhood that you take a second during your rendition of Kelly’s “Since you’ve been Gone” to look over your shoulder to the onlooker in the vehicle next to you, you have 1 of 4 choices…
1. Immediately stop. As far as that high school boy in his pick-up truck knows, what he thought he just saw never happened, it was just a figment of his imagination. He probably doesn’t have enough freedom in his veins to do it himself and just wishes what he thought he saw had been true.
2. smile politely and then stop. So what if thriller is the best dance ever….that guy in his lexus doesn’t even deserve the chance to see your sweet moves, you’ve only just spent a second together at this red light, you barely know him. So, you look at him, smile sweetly, turn a little red, but deny him the chance to see the best display of zombieness he has ever seen.
3. keep going…just tone it down. So what? That girl in her volkswagon just caught you rapping better than jay-z, but the song isn’t over. Who is she to steal what could have been the highlight of your whole day or your whole r&b career? So you keep going, but you decide to keep the gang signs below the steering wheel, you don’t need her telling the story to all her sorority sisters.
4.roll with it It’s one of those days, you could care less if grandma blue-hair just caught you singing into your waterbottle. As a matter of fact, the only way this moment could get better is if she joined you, so you roll your window down, stick your arm out towards her and remind her to “Don’t stop believin….”
Those are just some ideas…maybe you have others? please share your wisdom with the group.
Birthday weekend has come and gone.
I’m 25 and I think I am really going to like it. The first week has been really exhausting, ok mostly horrible, but I am just sure that this is bound to be the best year of life yet.
Let’s back track a little bit.
Last weekend on Friday we headed over to Meredith and Brittany’s for her official housewarming party. She has worked really hard and her new place is super cute. I may or may not have stepped out of line and punched Scott in the chest during a rousing game of cornhole, but I felt horrible and made sure and apologized.
Saturday was the day of my pirate birthday parrrrrty. It was so cute and fun. (Atleast I thought it was fun.) I loved having all my Charlotte friends together and the super great Boggs’ came down from high point, and so did Lana which made the night extra special. There were plenty of pirate jokes and even a little booty shakin…so all in all, the party was a success.
Sunday was off to church, Ben is starting a new series on the holy spirit which I am really really excited for. Sunday afternoon I got to have a really nice skype date with Brandon. It was truly wonderful. I really do feel blessed by the small conversations we get to have. Even if it’s just a moment to say hi. They are like a breath of fresh air.
Monday was my true birthday. We made pirate hats at school, and my students walked around saying “Argh it’s me teacher’s birthday.” Which I thought was the darn cutest thing ever. Then, a couple of friends got together to go watch the colts win monday night football. I especially loved that night. I just love really fun get-togethers with small groups of people.
Even though school has been WILD (that is why there have been a lack of posts lately….) there really have been a lot of super fantastic things happening to the people I love…..for instance….(sorry if I leave anyone out)
My friends Julia and Michelle just ran a half marathon
Erica and Matt got married 
My friend Erin from back in JC is gonna have a baby!
Christine and Tracy got engaged in a hot air balloon in Asheville!
Ben and Erin are getting hitched too!
So are Devan and Paul…….and Austin and Freddie!!!!
It has seriously been one set of exciting news after another around here….and I’m loving it.
This was not one of them.
I am fasting and Satan knows it.
I have 20 students. 4 of which decided to lose their minds today.
The other 16 just held on tight for the ride. (Along with their teacher)
I cried at school in front of students for the first time ever.
The facts are…today was bad, but tomorrow will be better.
And then….birthday weekend. excellent.
This video makes me feel better…don’t you think?
The top ten reasons that this weekend was totally fetch: (in no particular order)
1. After a long summer on the poverty plan, I finally got paid.
2. One of my bestest friends from home told me she is expecting her first baby!
3. One of my closest friends from Charlotte/Taylor got engaged in a hot air balloon.
4. I had a short phone talk and a long and wonderful skype date with one, Brandon Wong.
5. I had a great coffee date with my friend Sommer Wynn, at which I began to plan my Christmas break adventure.
6. Julia dyed my hair an awesome color. (dark mahogany brown)
7. I slept in.
8. The colts played, and they showed it on tv. (we won’t discuss the final score.)
9. I trapped my first palmetto bug in the kitchen without screaming like a banshee. (it’s still there, and alive under the box.)
10. Julia and I watched “I love you man” for the first time, and I actually liked it.
God is good, all the time, and all the time, God is good.
Here is to a second week of first grade, that’s even better than the first. cheers.
but I left a coke zero in the freezer
First day of school tomorrow.
First grade.
kinda nervous.
lots of prayer please.
just another reminder of why I do what I do…
Day three in my room....not done by any means, but not bad
tomorrow's project...organizing the book barn.
and in other news….I had my first skype chat with Brandon last night. Well, last night my time, this morning his time….you catch my drift. He’s the best.
delighted.
