A List of "Withouts"

Without trials there can be no maturity.
Without clouds there can be no silver lining.
Without clouds there can be no appreciation of sunshine.
Without rain there can be no rainbow.
Without rain there can be no vegetation.
Without the stress of the storm we cannot realize the worth of an anchor.
Without darkness there can be no rest.
Without darkness we cannot see the stars.
Without night there can be no sunrise.
Without threshing we cannot use the wheat.
Without injury and irritation the oyster will not produce a pearl.
Without a hammer and chisel the stone cannot become a statue, a work of art, a masterpiece.
Without crushing the flowers there can be no perfume.
Without trials we cannot be like Jesus.

~ Elizabeth George

Drumroll please...

Here are the answers
1)The pencil was invented in 1550, and it was a type of a paint brush
2)The eraser was added in 1858 (before the eraser they used bread crumbs)
3)There 2.8 billion pencils made in a year
4)A pencil can write 35 miles (in one line) or 45,000 words


Random facts I know, but interesting
Thank you for playing

How much to you know about the pencil?

In class today I learned some interesting facts about the pencil and I thought it would be fun to see how much you know. :o) NO CHEATING!! Take your best guess and I'll give the answers in a few days (or when I need another break from homework)

1) when was the pencil invented?

2)when was the eraser added to the pencil?

3) about how many pencils are made in a year?

4) how long can the pencil write? (distance of one line or amount of words)

Please Pray!!

Well, today was the second day of classes and already I feel like I have WAY too much to do this semester. So I just wanted to ask for prayer if you think of me. This is my last semester at Masters. I'm really looking forward to being done, but there is a lot to do before I get there. I don't think I've ever taken as many units as I am taking this semester. I know that the Lord will give me strength to make it. Also pray that I can find some sort of job for the semester. Just so that I really don't have any time at all :o).

The Life of a Snowman

Well the Lord blessed us with a day of beautiful snow while we were in Wisconsin.

So of course we HAD to build a snowman.

Just the beginning

It's hard to tell, but there is something there.

TADA

But a few days later the snow was melting,

and our snowman was starting to look very sad.

His face fell off!

In the end our snowman had a very sad New Years celebration.

(I think I need to write a children's book about this snowman) :o)

Kind of a White Christmas

Here are some pictures from my family's trip to Wisconsin.

We were there for almost a week, but there was only one day that we had snow.

Just enough for building a snowman. It was fun!

We stayed at my mom's cousin's farm because Grandma's house was too full. Sharon (Mom's cousin) has a dairy farm and Julie and I got to feed a week old calf. It was fun! The house was really cute and my Grandma lived there at one time.

ok well I have more pictures to post, but the internet at home is not fast...at all. I'll have to go to the library and post the rest. We had such a fun time with all of our family in Wisconsin. Please be praying for my Grandpa. Yesterday he had surgery. In the past his surgery recoveries have not gone well. But PRAISE THE LORD this one has gone better. He went home today and seems to be doing well.

Home for Christmas

Well, I survived finals! Praise the Lord!!
It is so nice to be home for a while. I came home a day early and surprised my parents. I drove up to see my house completely decked out in lights. (if you haven't seen them yet you really should, my dad is incredible)

Finals Week!!!

Yes it is finally finals week! And I am already exasted!

I have pretty much decided that I will not be getting much sleep this week. I know that I am a procrastinator which is why I have so much work to do to finish up this semester. But I also had a week of Christmas concerts which really threw me off.

I'm praying that the Lord will give me an amazing amount of strength and that I won't end up getting sick. I'm also praying for a good attitude. I tend to get really grumpy and complainy (my own word) when I don't get enough sleep. But there are a few Starbucks nearby and I just got a gift card for there in the mail today!! Thanks College group back home!!

It will be so wonderful to go home at the end of this week. That will help me make it through!

Well, this was a well needed break, but I have to get back to the books! Have a good week!

Week of Craziness

Yes this is a week of craziness for me. Why you may ask? Because Christmas Concerts have started at TMC. Tonight we had our first performance and we have one Wed, Thurs, Fri, and two on Saturday! Phew! It is one crazy week. I am exhasted already, but it is a lot of fun too. If you think of it though please pray that I will get enough rest so I don't get sick by the end of the week.

As for last week...I had such a great time at home for Thanksgiving! I was in desperate need for a break and it was so wonderful. The homework didn't get done, but I was able to relax and spend time with my family and a few friends. Our house was packed for Thanksgiving dinner and, other than being called an old maid by a certain 6th grader, it was a great time. (Don't worry I'm not really upset, it was really funny)

Coming back to school was hard though. It was nice not to set an alarm. But really there isn't much left of the semester so I'll be home very soon.

(My amazing mom made these adorable centerpieces for the table. She can teach you if you want to learn how :o)

Well...time to get to the homework!!

Have you ever done something really strange when someone wakes you up in the middle of the night? I seem to often.
My first year at TMC my roommate stayed out late all the time. There were a few Saturdays that I had to work at 6am and I was always scared that I wouldn't wake up in time. One night Stacey came in around 1:30 and I sat straight up in bed all panicked and started to get dressed for work. She laughed at me and told me to go back to bed. She still brings that up every once in a while.
Last night I must have been sleeping really hard because when my roommate Ashley came in I thought there was a spider in my bed. She said I sat up really fast and was looking around in my blankets. I totally remember all of this, but I was really out of it. I think I dreamt that I saw a spider. Then after I laid down again I started hitting my blankets "just in case there really was a spider." Ashley and I had a good laugh about all of that this morning.
All this to say, you never know what will happen when I get woken up in the middle of the night.

If only I could get away with answers like these. :o)

My aunt just sent these to me. I read them to my roommate and we couldn't stop laughing. :o)
Have a great day!!!

Subject: Children’s science exam
Exam Answers.
Q: Name the four seasons.
A: Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.
Q: Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink.
A: Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists.
Q: How is dew formed?
A: The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire.
Q: How can you delay milk turning sour?
A: Keep it in the cow.
Q: What causes the tides in the oceans?
A: The tides are a fight between the Earth and the Moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature hates a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins in this fight.
Q: What are steroids?
A: Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs.
Q: What happens to your body as you age?
A: When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental.
Q: What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty?
A: He says good-bye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery.
Q: Name a major disease associated with cigarettes
A: Premature death.
Q: How are the main parts of the body categorized? (e.g., abdomen.)
A: The body is consisted into three parts - the brainium, the borax and the abdominal cavity. The brainium contains the brain; the borax contains the heart and lungs, and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels, A,E, I, O, and U.
Q: What is the fibula?
A: A small lie.
Q: What does "varicose" mean? (I do love this one...)
A: Nearby.
Q: Give the meaning of the term "Caesarean Section"
A: The Caesarean Section is a district in Rome.
Q: What does the word " benign" mean?'
A: Benign is what you will be after you be eight.

randomness

I"B GOD A CODE

by Kenn Nesbitt
"I'b sick," I pout ad blow my doze.

"I'b misseeg all by favorite shows.

I hab to stay id bed, you see.

My mob wode led me watch T.B.

She breegs me chicked soup

ad says that I should try to get sub rest.

Bud I'b too bored ad icky feeleeg

tired of stareeg ad the ceileeg,

achy, cougheeg, stuffed up too.

Bud thaks for askeeg. How are you?"

Yeah I'm feeling like I'm getting a cold. Fortunately I don't sound quite like that poem yet. I'm drinking Emergen-C right now to try and get rid of it fast.

Today one of my profs told our class that it is 2 months away from Christmas Eve. AAHHH!! This was not what I wanted to hear. It really woke me up to all the work I have to get done for the semester. Immediately I felt overwhelmed. But I thought about it and gave it back to the Lord so I know it will all work out for His glory. But it is kinda exciting to think that Christmas is so close. I'm looking forward to being with my family and relaxing, and playing in snow (hopfully). This year we are spending Christmas in Wisconsin with my grandparents. I am really excited to see them. It has been a few years since I have been there and they won't come to California anymore. :o) So it will be nice to be with them and my grandma makes really good deserts.

I've been stalling to write about something. I wanted to think of a creative way to write about it, but I haven't had a whole lot of time and just couldn't think of anything. So here it is plain and simple. I got my first speeding ticket. :o( I was driving home a few weeks ago and talking to the girls who were in the car with me. I5 just wasn't very busy and I wasn't paying attention...until I saw the CHP car behind me. I looked down and saw that I was going very fast. I wanted to cry but I didn't. I almost wish I did. I really dreaded telling my parents and put it off till I got home. I cried and told them and they just said "ok". I don't know what I expected but they were fine with it and knew I learned my lesson. And I have learned my lesson!!

Well, there you have my random blog. Now I'm going to sleep and get rid of this cold.

Little boys Church

After a hardy rainstorm filled all the potholes in the streets and alleys, a young mother watched her two little boys playing in the puddle through her kitchen window. The older of the two, a five year old lad, grabbed his sibling by the back of his head and shoved his face into the water hole.
As the boy recovered and stood laughing and dripping, the mother runs to the yard in a panic. "Why on earth did you do that to your little brother?!" she asks as she shook the older boy in anger. "We were just playing 'church' mommy," he said. "And I was just baptizing him.....in the name of the Father, the Son and in...the hole-he-goes."

birthday cake adventure

So today is my friend Stacey's birthday. My roommate and I thought it would be fun to get her a little cake and take it to her house to surprise her. We had it all worked out, bought candles and matches and the cutest little pink cake. So we got to her front door and lit the candles. The only problem was that it took her quite a while to get to the front door. So there I am holding this little cake, and the candles are quickly melting. There was also a cute little curly ribbon on it that very soon melted in the growing flames. My roommate was ringing the doorbell and knocking and we were both laughing hysterically. Finally I decided to just blow the candles out. There was a lovely puddle of wax on the top of the cake and running down the sides. Finally Stacey opened the door and we lit a few remaining candles, sang "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" and told her to blow the candles out fast. It was so extremely funny. She had been in the bathroom and was the only one home. So much for having it all worked out. Hopefully it was a good birthday surprise even though the cake looked pathetic. It just showes that we care.

(Jennifer - don't worry another blog will be coming soon...the one you have been waiting for)

stalling

I thought it was about time I posted something, but I really don't have anything to post about. So I found this cute comic. I am also stalling from doing my homework and/or going to bed. My dad laughs at me cause I tend to call home when I don't want to work on homework. But little does he know I can stall in other ways too. :o) Like writing a blog about pretty much nothing.

Roly Poly

Do you remember when you were younger and you thought that roly polies were the greatest thing? I used to go out searching for them and play with them.
Well, they just don't seem as cute and cuddly now as they did then. This afternoon, my roommate was going to vaccume so I was moving some things out of the way and there in the corner was a pile of dead roly polies. I have no idea how they got there or how long they were there! We were completely grossed out!! And pretty much jumped around the room squealing.
After that episode was over I vaccumed them up. Unfortunately the vaccume cleaner was a mess and our entire wing smelled like burning hair, which made me feel pretty sick to my stomach. I didn't think that my room was that dirty, but evidentally I didn't look very hard.
Anyway, thats my story and what a great adventure it was. YUCK!! I guess it could have been worse. :o)

Before the throne

Before the throne of God above

I have a strong and perfect plea.

A great high Priest whose Name is Love

Who ever lives and pleads for me.

My name is graven on His hands,

My name is written on His heart.

I know that while in Heaven He stands

No tongue can bid me thence depart.

~
When Satan tempts me to despair

And tells me of the guilt within,

Upward I look and see Him there

Who made an end of all my sin.

Because the sinless Savior died

My sinful soul is counted free.

For God the just is satisfied

To look on Him and pardon me.

~

Behold Him there the risen Lamb,

My perfect spotless righteousness,

The great unchangeable I AM,

King of glory and of grace,

One in Himself I cannot die.

My soul is purchased by His blood,

My life is hid with Christ on high,

With Christ my Savior and my God!

- Charitie L. Bancroft

~

This some has been such a great encouagement to me lately. Especially the 2nd verse. "When Satan tempts me to dispair and tells me of the guilt within" I only need to look to Jesus and be reminded of the fact that He died for me and made me pure of all sins past and present. That is so wonderful!! I praise the Lord for saving me and making me His child!!

Plato who??

The only problem with this picture is that the kid with the Play-dough looks nothing like me.
I'm taking a class called "Philosophies of Education." So far we have talked about Confucius, Plato and Aristotle. And I feel like I have missed the whole thing. I am just not a deep thinker and don't get most of it. I'm going to have to do some major studying for the tests in this class.
So I think that this comic represents me very well. I'd much rather be playing with play-dough any day than learning about Plato.

God is SO good!

I just got some really good news today and I wanted to share.
To start off with my first day at Masters last week was a nightmare. I went into the financial aide department to figure some things out with them and it turned out that my paperwork wasn't finished for the year. It was a big mess and all I could think about was the huge loan I was going to have to get for my last year of school. Not fun. I struggled a lot with giving the entire situation over to God and trusting that He had a plan.
Well, today I went in the office to see if my financial aid package was finished so that I could get my loan processed. It was done and when I looked at the package I saw that I had received 4, yes 4, grants! I was not expecting this at all! I had received a letter this summer saying that I would not receive the cal grant again. And I got it. I have no idea what happened, but what I do know is that God provides. I am so thankful! Now I have to get a small loan to pay for the rest and I'll be all set.
It just shows that this is where God wants me to be right now and that I can trust Him at all times!
Praise the Lord!!

Summer fun

Well I thought it was about time that I put some pictures in a post. So here are some from our family vacation. It consisted of 1 day in San Francisco. Short but fun.

The fam drove to SF and went to the Monet exhibit. Wow! I have never really gone anywhere to look at artwork and it was incredible. I know that I don't look very excited, but hey it was a big building and I was getting tired toward the end. (Julie and I had fun taking pictures in the car of the way home. :o)

On a side note, can I just say that I LOVE my little sis!!

Ok, so after the exhibit we went to Giradelli Square. It was a lot of fun. And good chocolate. In the end it was a nice day out with my family. Pretty much the only time we went out to do something together over the summer. Other than little things.


My mom really liked this at the museum, then we got in trouble for taking pictures with a flash. :o/ oops. But that is Mary Queen of Scotts. We don't have any pics of Monet's work, becuase we would have gotten into BIG trouble.

Well now that I have stalled enough from doing homework I had better be going :o)