tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52549847685031491042024-02-08T00:49:57.370-05:00words of whimsyCarolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.comBlogger347125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-78821770314680450932013-06-02T21:20:00.003-04:002013-06-02T21:20:56.393-04:00Three Songs for Sunday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This one that is the<i> </i>perfect roll-down-your-windows-it's-summer country song:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This one that all those smart Hollywood and music producer people realized <i>needed</i> to be a single:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And one because I couldn't get it out of my head for three days straight (and because there is just something so happy and inspiring about normal people dancing in the streets, amirite? The video reminded me of <a href="http://words-of-whimsy.blogspot.com/2012/06/come-dance-with-me.html">this song</a> a little bit...):</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Welcome to June, errybody.</span></div>
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Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-47144869162733387952013-05-26T17:25:00.000-04:002013-05-26T17:25:39.423-04:00Graduweekend<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">About two weeks ago, my dad pointed out to me that my highest degree was a high school diploma. Cool, thanks, Dad. Yet despite my five years at UVA, doing a combined Bachelors/Masters Education program, was unfortunately true at that point. But <i>no more</i>. Because last week, I finally graduated for real, with with a Masters of Teaching and Bachelors of English. (I was double-fisting diplomas, y'all.) Yay!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It was a crazy weekend, with family fresh from Kenya, hearing Stephen Colbert speak at Valediction, a party the night before with a whole lot of family and friends who came from out of town, chocolate chip pancakes and mimosas in the morning, trying to figure out how to attach that doggone <a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_5758708_wear-master_s-hood-graduation-gowns.html">hood</a> (and a lot of safety pins), a diploma ceremony in the basketball arena where I got to walk across a stage and try and figure out how to pick up two diplomas while shaking two people's hands, and it was all overshadowed by the impeding threat of thunderstorms. (I was prepared to walk down the Lawn in the rain...and then walk right off. Because, let's be real, Starbucks would have seriously trumped sitting in the rain listening to speeches by people I don't even know. <a href="http://words-of-whimsy.blogspot.com/2012/05/art-of-fake-graduating.html">And I'd done that part already</a>.) There was even a picnic at a vineyard despite the dreariness, and I only got separated/lost from people I knew once. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And with that, I am officially a University of Virginia alumna.</span><br />
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Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-41586152607247836782013-05-07T15:55:00.001-04:002013-05-07T15:55:59.192-04:00Oh Hey There<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>Quote Love: </b>"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><em style="font-style: normal;">How idle it is to call certain things God-sends</em>! As if there was anything else in the world." -Augustus William</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I know. <i>I know</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's been months and months, really a whole semester, since we last hung out together here. I am so sorry.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But now the semester is over, and, actually, grad school is over too and I'm graduating (<a href="http://www.words-of-whimsy.blogspot.com/2012/05/art-of-fake-graduating.html">for real this time</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">) in a week and a half and then starting out on a whole new phase of life and all that kind of crazy stuff, and I will be back here on the blog for all of that! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">More details to come on all of that, of course, but for now, it's just good to be back. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I've missed y'all.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">P.S. I was debating whether or not to say something like "If you've missed me these past many many months, show me some love in the comments!"...but I didn't know if that'd be tacky. So, how 'bout you just do you.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>[Pics from my Instagram feed. And one from <a href="http://words-of-whimsy.blogspot.com/2012/03/back-in-game.html">Abby</a>'s Instagram feed. Because I visited her in Texas, and it was awesome.]</i></span></div>
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Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-74141763066165933152013-01-14T18:59:00.003-05:002013-01-14T18:59:21.859-05:00Spring Semester Starts Here.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hey guys, today marks my last first day of classes. Except, appropriately enough, I don't have Monday classes. #gradschool. I guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow to end the longest break of my life (seriously, I haven't done anything since December 7.) Although, can I just say that this past weekend was the most perfect Cville weekend ever, and the best way to end the break with a bang? New friends, old friends, a little wine-tasting (twice), some Blue Ridge Parkway hiking (above) followed by a little Blue Mountain Brewery, and some Downton Abbey to top it off? Perfection.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Anyway. In light of the final stretch of school, which in turns makes me think about Making Big Life Decisions and words like Vocation, I wanted to share this passage by Kevin DeYoung that I like a lot (so much so that I wrote it in my journal once and rediscovered it this morning):</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"God doesn't care where you go to school or where you live or what job you take...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God certainly cares about these decisions insofar as her cares for us and every detail </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of our lives. But in another sense...these are not the most important issues in God's </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">book. The most important issues for God are moral purity, theological fidelity,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> compassion, joy, our witness, faithfulness, hospitality, love, worship and faith.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...We should spend more time trying to figure out how to act justly, love mercy </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and walk humbly with God as a doctor or lawyer and less time worrying about </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">whether God wants us to be a doctor or lawyer."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">- from <i>Just Do Something</i> by Kevin DeYoung</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Happy Back-to-class day, everyone! (Well, everyone minus me.)</span></div>
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Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-5038856521714174632013-01-08T22:42:00.000-05:002013-01-08T22:42:27.778-05:00Scarlett & Gunnar<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I watched Nashville online this past week, and I just am in love with the songs that Scarlett and Gunnar sing. They are so beautiful. Listen:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And I was sitting there thinking about how hauntingly beautiful they are, and so very Civil Wars-esque (RIP?), only to realize that the first song is originally by the <a href="http://words-of-whimsy.blogspot.com/search?q=civil+wars">Civil Wars</a>. Of course. It's on their Live EP which you can download fo' free <a href="http://noisetrade.com/thecivilwars">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Do you watch Nashville? Or, if not, what's your favorite show right now?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">P.S. I am so glad that <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_aJHJdCHAo">Lennon & Maisy</a> are on the show! They are so talented.</span></div>
Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-33501806494994603842013-01-05T17:20:00.002-05:002013-01-05T17:20:45.314-05:00Twenty Thirteen<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>Currently Listening To: </b><i>Lights</i>, Ellie Goulding</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I hope that posting a New Year's post five days into the new year isn't indicative of what is to come this year. But, sadly, it probably is. I'm used to it by now though.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The thing about this year, though, is that it's the first one in a loooong time where I don't know where I'll be at the end of it, or even necessarily what I'll be doing. After May, when I'll graduate with a Masters in Secondary Education (holla), there are no guarantees or set-in-stone pictures in my head because I don't know what will happen. Sure, there are some dreams and questions, some fears and some excitement...but nothing solid. Right now the future is pure <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/47710077274170811/">possibility</a>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So here we go, 2013. The year where I have to make big decisions and take big risks. Where I'll apply for jobs and go to interviews and might get rejected. Where I'll more likely than not move out of the town I've lived in for five years and settle somewhere new. Where I'll be out on my own as a grown-up (what?). It's gonna be a big year. Let's do this.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>[image via <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/47710077274349460/">Pinterest</a>]</i></span><br />
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Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-67640624374725972412012-12-30T17:47:00.004-05:002013-01-02T21:53:14.097-05:00A Hilton Head Christmas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Two things:<br />
1. I joined 2012 just in time and upgraded to a smartphone. Consequentially, I got Instagram! PTL.<br />
2. I have spent the past two weeks (almost) in Hilton Head, celebrating Christmas and, other than going to the Outlets almost daily, doing not much else than being with my family.<br />
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However, thanks to #1, here are some Instagram snapshots of our time in HHI:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-wg8noqFLEsDv18puxuX4eEdqa1VlHpRulhHSVHC_Yemyrw4l_tLGfCRGZs6YTYuV0TZ_cDCJPJGHEzVaQSv792gQcfYVFimzoSHTW-a1t_HnSp1VbtBp88xkqXLAgj2oCSBjQBXnejI/s1600/IMG_20121221_105720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-wg8noqFLEsDv18puxuX4eEdqa1VlHpRulhHSVHC_Yemyrw4l_tLGfCRGZs6YTYuV0TZ_cDCJPJGHEzVaQSv792gQcfYVFimzoSHTW-a1t_HnSp1VbtBp88xkqXLAgj2oCSBjQBXnejI/s320/IMG_20121221_105720.jpg" width="225" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMftS1khapAqJI97tnKln81_f6JVU9n6ENezJh4IhMi57DaMuPYLyiXSBLUy9HSpx0lcQcsaTca5L-QUVjFVQorLSloSDA6is4m_E0BcjVAxqUOnEg4ZHcgTXOJ3u17g7ASTV3yjYh1AM/s1600/IMG_20121221_120851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMftS1khapAqJI97tnKln81_f6JVU9n6ENezJh4IhMi57DaMuPYLyiXSBLUy9HSpx0lcQcsaTca5L-QUVjFVQorLSloSDA6is4m_E0BcjVAxqUOnEg4ZHcgTXOJ3u17g7ASTV3yjYh1AM/s320/IMG_20121221_120851.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhytamCBJb2030H_9uS-9BZ4sRGsT4FRp3-PHXePZTx6KgoswpLNH86wjrBN8ytOMufpObM4x0gQN7ppYnTwbZ8NqvhyphenhyphenEyEJP6w02B5hBeQF2FYBAuMlfrgp1TYgLEeFp2rwoLPF6b5Y18/s1600/IMG_20121223_211422.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhytamCBJb2030H_9uS-9BZ4sRGsT4FRp3-PHXePZTx6KgoswpLNH86wjrBN8ytOMufpObM4x0gQN7ppYnTwbZ8NqvhyphenhyphenEyEJP6w02B5hBeQF2FYBAuMlfrgp1TYgLEeFp2rwoLPF6b5Y18/s320/IMG_20121223_211422.jpg" width="225" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmGFbaE3vFPlLY1e0XvROLmwqIw_eQdp8J09TC2ECJ5EsIvYXmKA7uambmuERn-ErDYilDzT6Mqn0bfmkVe_XOjpehKWfdCZcfPGizawbtzAC8ZyclxVOVj3z9-gQV3U7D7FHj_EFRAeE/s1600/IMG_20121226_173345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmGFbaE3vFPlLY1e0XvROLmwqIw_eQdp8J09TC2ECJ5EsIvYXmKA7uambmuERn-ErDYilDzT6Mqn0bfmkVe_XOjpehKWfdCZcfPGizawbtzAC8ZyclxVOVj3z9-gQV3U7D7FHj_EFRAeE/s320/IMG_20121226_173345.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXIaF9dkY-4YrUXrGp4B1TbewzLlXkAUVwBP4z1tAZGg1QIvRcA3cKconN-7Y17gcmkQSiISz_c8Y7BCYYk3JGqXecokKrjtPSCpfrZcjeo5Fz5mhp-JtmoAg-BY0ynywvvygiVKq3T7o/s1600/IMG_20121223_194948.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXIaF9dkY-4YrUXrGp4B1TbewzLlXkAUVwBP4z1tAZGg1QIvRcA3cKconN-7Y17gcmkQSiISz_c8Y7BCYYk3JGqXecokKrjtPSCpfrZcjeo5Fz5mhp-JtmoAg-BY0ynywvvygiVKq3T7o/s320/IMG_20121223_194948.jpg" width="225" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMTXZ8tnwuRRqZJVtgO2vHEOJ4t9iaLHQshTEu0LnNJPmHrLk_SFT2rhi_zapBHVr85cSQj6huw8ZCxQJUUa5KlXM0s8COJRr3Nwp_A_f1GIvfxdEWdzKopKkODr5jrmCnrtrEDlPdOXU/s1600/IMG_20121227_204831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMTXZ8tnwuRRqZJVtgO2vHEOJ4t9iaLHQshTEu0LnNJPmHrLk_SFT2rhi_zapBHVr85cSQj6huw8ZCxQJUUa5KlXM0s8COJRr3Nwp_A_f1GIvfxdEWdzKopKkODr5jrmCnrtrEDlPdOXU/s320/IMG_20121227_204831.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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Tomorrow I'll be riding the rails back to good ol' Virginia for a reunion of sorts with my college friends. I cannot wait.</div>
Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-71535859301751110432012-12-25T14:10:00.002-05:002012-12-25T14:10:47.551-05:00A Thrill Of Hope...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">“Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">because he has visited and redeemed his people.</span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">He has sent us a mighty Savior<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">from the royal line of his servant David,</span><b><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">just as he promised<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">through his holy prophets long ago.</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">...We have been rescued from our enemies<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">so we can serve God without fear,</span><b><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">in holiness and righteousness <o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">for as long as we live."</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Luke 1:68-70, 74-75</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">...The weary world rejoices.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Merry Christmas!</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>[Image by <a href="http://lindsayletters.com/collections/holiday-canvas/products/peace-on-earth-canvas">Lindsay Letters</a>]</i></span></div>
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Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-17811239216238473182012-12-16T16:45:00.003-05:002012-12-16T16:45:57.713-05:00I Did It!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Currently Listening To: </b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1rYmzQ8C9Q">Christmas Lights</a>, Coldplay</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Yesterday I Saw: </b>The Hobbit! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD66UCn7nNyA9-CtKF2bclUzUkhzzhn-xNGKSGMc44m2l6I5DwSv31WkOppjUs2WP-qjIP_FaUNrwRDq5ip-dhHH2agAEvb60vBjJ-AoJHKl_cgSLfwgg3u3fwRR8Oku402vCQfhXu2dA/s1600/scarf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD66UCn7nNyA9-CtKF2bclUzUkhzzhn-xNGKSGMc44m2l6I5DwSv31WkOppjUs2WP-qjIP_FaUNrwRDq5ip-dhHH2agAEvb60vBjJ-AoJHKl_cgSLfwgg3u3fwRR8Oku402vCQfhXu2dA/s400/scarf.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I actually finished my scarf several days ago, so apologies if you have been waiting with bated breath to see <a href="http://words-of-whimsy.blogspot.com/2012/12/knitters-unite.html">my knitting progress</a>. (I know you were.) I am much obliged to Julia, for helping me start, and Amy, for helping me finish.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In other news, I am in Hilton Head, and will be through Christmas. Yay!</span></span></div>
Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-78867040348932200682012-12-12T10:00:00.000-05:002012-12-12T10:00:05.782-05:00Jingles & Bells<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Regarding Christmas music, I stand by <a href="http://words-of-whimsy.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-jams-good-ones.html">this playlist</a> I posted last year.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I also adore and am instantly joyful whenever I hear this example Michael Buble Christmas jubilation:</span></span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="375" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5aw2yuYAKoE" width="500"></iframe>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: x-small;">(this, and <a href="http://words-of-whimsy.blogspot.com/2011/12/its-time.html">"All I Want For Christmas Is You"</a> are definitely top 5 contenders, as far as non-carols go.) </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But I also wanted to share with you some good news which, if you love <a href="http://words-of-whimsy.blogspot.com/2011/08/oh-ben.html">Ben Rector</a> like I love <a href="http://words-of-whimsy.blogspot.com/2012/04/this-time-next-week.html">Ben Rector</a>, will have you shouting "it's a Christmas miracle!" <i>Because</i> you can download his holiday album fo' free on NoiseTrade. Click on the pic below to take you there! <span style="font-size: x-small;">(Thank you to Abby for telling me about this last week!)</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://noisetrade.com/benrectorxmas"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvAC9LTpumzWF-kaZISF6OVMshIOZ72mYmfRA-hMOYscd2vs0FBrE5N58AkT8XoPyuvt3Yn_FJ-kB74zt6eq79Wo0iMI9b43DQtVBdl22ezoDtTMGT4A1KoeDZk0WKV1E_igeWXjs7M68/s400/benrector_jingles.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">You're welcome and Merry Christmas. </span></span></div>
Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-10666166936931084842012-12-11T00:04:00.001-05:002012-12-11T00:04:15.253-05:00My Kids<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Currently Watching:</b> Downton Abbey</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZyFm1I2JL3ofrr94_403Lu-4jqe_QFz32Bf-Va3QsH53y0p0HUnK5JKLFRzICSPPNAKiF-x7CjBLZz3ungqRZJEAZWe5ssRaYe7dllAUaZlEHFef1SaV0XcG9E2Odq__uxdNJwqO9Bd0/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZyFm1I2JL3ofrr94_403Lu-4jqe_QFz32Bf-Va3QsH53y0p0HUnK5JKLFRzICSPPNAKiF-x7CjBLZz3ungqRZJEAZWe5ssRaYe7dllAUaZlEHFef1SaV0XcG9E2Odq__uxdNJwqO9Bd0/s400/photo.JPG" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1st Block</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbRogXDypCVpB6VV4_WwLDf7Inm0iYymGk3pGRm6dgtxyctpaT_9B6m4sNKtvqeCok92Hjb1ukB5ltsEN6QdknITtekmqK6c6Lg-V9xTHtGXkmH195zPPU0zC_lh0q6yDkqbe-41ESvM/s1600/photo-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbRogXDypCVpB6VV4_WwLDf7Inm0iYymGk3pGRm6dgtxyctpaT_9B6m4sNKtvqeCok92Hjb1ukB5ltsEN6QdknITtekmqK6c6Lg-V9xTHtGXkmH195zPPU0zC_lh0q6yDkqbe-41ESvM/s400/photo-2.JPG" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3rd Block</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb8sbE5npmi7dsD_3iEg2p5Cuv1D0RYrNqTZ-HIL1BsfbVK2s-BJC01DCor3yO7lMIJV33pUfIV8_BHbsmDSavGj4ilCbhOXv2OhScgq2RuHq063YKTM6Cic2bAfdB5YteYh-ZWgAmpSY/s1600/photo-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb8sbE5npmi7dsD_3iEg2p5Cuv1D0RYrNqTZ-HIL1BsfbVK2s-BJC01DCor3yO7lMIJV33pUfIV8_BHbsmDSavGj4ilCbhOXv2OhScgq2RuHq063YKTM6Cic2bAfdB5YteYh-ZWgAmpSY/s400/photo-1.JPG" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4th Block</td></tr>
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It's my first official day of Christmas break, but I am definitely missing my kids. I am grateful, though, for the good time I had with them and especially for the beautiful binder I received full of notes and drawings they made me. "Thank you Ms. Black for teaching our class and how much effort you put in even though their wasn't any pay but even so we tried give you respect and love," says one note. And this one: "So I am sad you have to go but you will make a great teacher. But don't have butterflies because your class if there not that well behaved they can smell you fear..."*<br />
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They really are the best.<br />
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<i>*<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">After typing these up, I have realized the there/their confusions are more prevalent than I realized. Too bad I'm not there any more to help them work on that...</span></i></div>
Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-64917617408851573472012-12-07T00:09:00.001-05:002012-12-07T07:27:26.676-05:00Last Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKUN10KpDdDhkqvf_k3hI_rpLkPQiiI31zLa-fkqaABvynAk5KLPKILFgmXCNnwbU7rSjHGj6I1KU_0OYJBCmgovsFkwHiYhvZy4c0Jcb1O9Zw_2k1CiWvE2EsaKuiMkGf9Tj0reI1GA/s1600/tumblr_lwq9teAI191qzgt9no1_500_large.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="339" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKUN10KpDdDhkqvf_k3hI_rpLkPQiiI31zLa-fkqaABvynAk5KLPKILFgmXCNnwbU7rSjHGj6I1KU_0OYJBCmgovsFkwHiYhvZy4c0Jcb1O9Zw_2k1CiWvE2EsaKuiMkGf9Tj0reI1GA/s400/tumblr_lwq9teAI191qzgt9no1_500_large.png" width="500" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Tomorrow is my last day of student teaching. It blows my mind to be on<i> this </i>side of something that I've known is coming for several years now, that seemed so big and daunting when it was summertime and I was looking towards it (and it was big and daunting, I was right about that).</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And while it is nice to have made it through and survived and to get to have a nice long Christmas break now, it's a little sad, too. Because I really love my kids, and seeing them everyday and walking the halls of my school and doing lunch duty and photocopying things and telling students to get out their books for SSR has been my normal for about four months now.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">As I was thinking about this earlier, I came up with a few other things I am going to miss:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Post-it notes stuck to my computer with lists of names of kids who owe me work </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />- Learning fun facts about hunting (did you know that a deer doesn't respond to sound, aka you could yell "Deer!" and it wouldn't run, but rather movement?). Also, <span style="font-size: small;">how to wear your hat if you consider yourself country.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">- Havin<span style="font-size: small;">g the key to open stuck lockers, and saving the day for a student who <span style="font-size: small;">is scared of being late to their next class</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Being asked if I'm married three times a week<br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Hearing random statements like these (all verbatim, I write things like these down as soon as I hear them): "I'm horrible at whistling. I can call bats, though." "YOU're a hyperbole story." "Faith, you look like Rosa Parks." "Do you have a Mr. Black?" etc.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- <span style="font-size: small;">Playing <span style="font-size: small;">'four corners' on Fridays when we have a little extra time</span></span> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- The fact that 6th graders cannot keep secrets<span style="font-size: small;"> very <span style="font-size: small;">well, meaning that I have been trying to remove myself from conversations all week wh<span style="font-size: small;">ere they start to let s<span style="font-size: small;">lip something about what they are planning for me tomorrow<span style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span> <br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I can't wait to be surprised by it. </span></span></div>
Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-42461776288303022992012-12-03T22:53:00.000-05:002012-12-03T22:53:45.686-05:00Knitters Unite<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>Currently Listening To:</b> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYH4yLeBHOs">Don't You Worry Child</a>, Swedish House Mafia </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As of yesterday, we are an apartment of knitters. Lesson #1 happened last night, courtesy of Julia, and now we are on a roll. Or a skein, if you will.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Actually, I'm a little mad at my knitting right now because even though I'm doing all the right steps, and I just restarted on bigger needles (as opposed to the ones shown above) so I can actually feel like I accomplished something, it just looks like a tangle of knots right now. Apparently that's how it's supposed to look in the beginning, but I'm not convinced.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Have you ever thought about the mechanics of knitting? What is actually happening, and how it works? I hadn't. Did you know that you begin with a series of loops (stitches, technically) down one needle, and then you use your other needle to go through and around over, and loop more yarn through? That the process of knitting a row essentially involves moving all the stitches from one needle to the other, and kind of adding more as you go? And then you switch hands and do it all over again. And again<span style="font-size: small;">, ad <span style="font-size: small;">nause<span style="font-size: small;">um.</span></span></span> It is a very intriguing and complicated process..and obviously one that I am still trying to grasp the hang of.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Please wish me patience and perseverance <span style="font-size: small;">as I c<span style="font-size: small;">ontinue in this endeavor<span style="font-size: small;">. Fi<span style="font-size: small;">ngers crossed <span style="font-size: small;">I'll have a beauti<span style="font-size: small;">ful teal infinity scarf to show you sometimes soon. Ri<span style="font-size: small;">ght now, though, that's looking a littl<span style="font-size: small;">e ambitious...</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-89904717725578872902012-11-26T08:57:00.002-05:002012-11-26T08:57:32.776-05:00I'm Lichen This Hikin'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In the past month or so, my roommates Taryn and Abby and I have had several (two) hiking adventures. Our fourth roommate Julia has been absent for all (both) of our hikes, which is ironic because she is the coolest, adventuriest, outdoorsiest person we know (girlfriend bungee jumped and skydived in New Zealand. Need I say more?). But while she was at work saving lives in the ER, the three of us who are teachers took our days off to hike a little. As you can tell by the title of this post, we are incredibly funny people, and naturally some funny adventures occurred, including but not limited to realizing I had left the car keys in the car (thankfully, the car doors didn't lock for some reason, aka Jesus) and emerging on the Blue Ridge Parkway about a mile away from where our car was. I was all for hitchhiking, but not enough cars drove by.<br />
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Now that Thanksgiving Break has happened, Taryn, the photographer, has put pictures up so I can finally share them with you. (The trials of a blogger without a camera. Mine died a sandy death on Beach Week...RIP.) Get ready to be blown away by the glory of autumnal Virginia.<br />
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<i>Hiking Adventure #1:</i> White Rock Trail, Blue Ridge Parkway.<br />
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<i>Hiking Adventure #2:</i> House Mountain, Lexington VA<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLgnJcFaI-QD4jyWqtvdPEHE-m5CDYHzYKXES2mtHxltnrsfx3zJjYfVd_a-hky2Lnjnqs1puEkBuhSkLnNxouwOYPaTqdtpxM9-ZLLam7uX_ZzOF-6c3ANzx8LKV1s230Yn9V0uqQFg/s1600/390335_10151090241000895_1983507805_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLgnJcFaI-QD4jyWqtvdPEHE-m5CDYHzYKXES2mtHxltnrsfx3zJjYfVd_a-hky2Lnjnqs1puEkBuhSkLnNxouwOYPaTqdtpxM9-ZLLam7uX_ZzOF-6c3ANzx8LKV1s230Yn9V0uqQFg/s400/390335_10151090241000895_1983507805_n.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a view of House Mountain from Abby's home</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Hiking with these two has been a good time. And stay tuned...there's talk of hiking Old Rag in the spring! <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">P.S. My Thanksgiving was wonderful, thanks for asking. I spent it at the home of one of my favorite,
funniest friends from college, Taylor. She lives in Memphis this year,
so it was so good to see her, but it was also wonderful to be at her
home in Poquoson, VA, to hang out with her family, and to meet a bunch
of new friends.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">P.P.S. This also happened when we were at Abby's home in Lexington, where we hiked House Mountain: </span><br />
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Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-36283958402840356822012-11-20T21:35:00.000-05:002012-11-20T21:52:45.492-05:00On Gratitude<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>Currently Listening To: </b>Brooke Fraser</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>About To: </b>pick up my friend Taylor at the airport and head to her house for Thanksgiving! Midnight roadtrip, here we come. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Step 1: <a href="http://kateelizabethconner.com/thanksliving-be-moved/">read this post by Kate Elizabeth Conner</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">In case you didn't read it, let me summarize it for you. What Kate puts forth about gratitude is that "our being “touched” is not the highest purpose of gratitude. The higher purpose is to be moved." There is a progression that takes place: gratitude brings perspective, which brings awe, which brings contentment - but this is not the end. Contentment should then bring conviction; conviction, <b>action</b>. "The logical extreme then, the inevitable end of gratitude, is a life marked by consistent, intentional, extravagant generosity."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I love this. And I am convicted.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">It brings to mind the book <i>One Thousand Gifts </i>by Ann Voskamp, which I read this summer. "We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks," she says. "Thanksgiving is the manifestation of our <i>Yes!</i> to his grace." Also: "What precedes the miracle is thanksgiving, <i>eucharisteo, </i>and it is a Greek word with a hard meaning that is harder yet to live. Do I really want to take up this word?" This book traces the difficult, glorious pursuit of living it out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And finally, another thought that intertwines well with this train of thought, by Karl Barth: "Grace and gratitude belong together like heaven and earth. Grace evokes gratitude like the voice an echo. Gratitude follows grace as thunder follows lightening."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I wish I had a concise way to wrap all these thoughts together, to weave them into a polished paragraph to finish out this post that leaves you inspired, but I don't. These are just the pieces that have been working their way through my mind these past few days and that are still sinking into my heart. And I hope they work their way into yours, too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/99008891778493900/">image source</a>]</span></span></div>
Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-75155430903165349602012-11-18T21:56:00.001-05:002012-11-18T22:23:04.643-05:00Post-Grad Life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Currently Listening To:</b> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhCOb9jS2tQ">Cruise</a>, Florida Georgia Line</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">In case you were wondering what grad student/student teachers do in their spare time, I decided to Things I Did This Weekend (spoiler: it's not the like the crazy days of undergrad where weekends involve 84038 different events with 487 different people):</span></span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Went to the <a href="http://words-of-whimsy.blogspot.com/2011/11/book-sale.html">library book sale</a> for their HALF-OFF days, and stocked up on Young Adult books for my future classroom library. (I had already bought a stack earlier in the week, so in total I ended up with 18 books for $1<span style="font-size: small;">7</span>.50. What a steal. Al<span style="font-size: small;">so, here is the stac<span style="font-size: small;">k of books I scored f<span style="font-size: small;">or FREE <span style="font-size: small;">from my<span style="font-size: small;"> school earlier this seme<span style="font-size: small;">ster<span style="font-size: small;">:</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">S</span>o, even if I have no idea where I'll be next year, at least my students will have books to read.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Checked out Charlottesville's <i>brand new </i>Trader Joe's (!!!!!). Along with half of Charlottesville. We managed to <span style="font-size: small;">somehow get an incredible</span> parking spot and made it out with scratch-and-sniff stickers and three-buck-chuck, so we're counting that as a success.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Watched UVA beat Seattle in basketball...after watching UVA lose miserably to UNC in football on Thursday night. <span style="font-size: x-small;">(Actually, this has been a big week for UVA sports in my life, in that I went to <i>two </i>football games in one week, after going to none all semester. The one last Saturday was a winner, with a close one-point win in the last couple seconds and getting to rush the field...<span style="font-size: x-small;">)</span> </span></span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Hardcore cleaned my room</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Saw a <a href="http://www.c-ville.com/events/that-night-follows-day-2/">play</a> in which two of my students performed<span style="font-size: small;">. (When I told my one student that I was coming, she ran o<span style="font-size: small;">ve<span style="font-size: small;">r and hugged me, then said "I just have to w<span style="font-size: small;">arn you that it is PG-13 because there<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">are <i>s</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>wear words</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>.</i>" Duly noted.<span style="font-size: small;">) </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Over<span style="font-size: small;">came extreme adversity <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">t<span style="font-size: small;">o s<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">uccessfully</span> make pu<span style="font-size: small;">mpkin <span style="font-size: small;">pie for a Thanksgiving <span style="font-size: small;">d</span>inner with friends</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And s</span>pent my Saturday evening huddled beneath blankets (our heat is broken) watching <i>Downton Abbey. </i></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">It's not glamorous. But it's been pretty enjoyable. Excited for only two more days before Thanksgiving break!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>[picture 2 via Julia, picture 3 via Kristen!]</i></span> </span></span></div>
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Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-33268972222191164062012-11-14T12:34:00.000-05:002012-11-14T12:34:34.323-05:00Daily Life With 11-Year-Olds<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Currently Reading: </b><i>Al Capone Does my Shirts</i>, by Gennifer Choldenko</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Today is Exciting Because: </b>Trader Joe's opens in Charlottesville!!!</span><br />
<br />
Here is one thing I love about teaching middle school: they do all the same things I did in middle school. I mean, the doodles, the funny sayings, the jokes.<br />
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You know that bubble-letter 'S' that looks like this?<br />
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They still draw that.<br />
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You know that thing where you write T-H-I-S across your fingers and draw a bug on your palm and say the "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqvdFNuaRCI">This is Buggy</a>. Buggy says "Hi"..." rhyme? They still do that.<br />
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Then there's the boy who likes to say "You dropped your pocket!" and laugh hysterically when you look down (I only fell for it the first of the 48392 times I heard this), and the girls who put exclamation marks after everything, even their names on the tops of worksheets. Seriously, it's like these things lurk in middle school hallways, just waiting for the next group of kids to attach themselves to.<br />
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But what else is funny is what happens when you give middle schoolers technology: you get to see typical middle school obsessions and behaviors unfolding in new ways. At my school, every student gets a Netbook, and one of my student has a background that rotates through pictures of One Direction. A lot of my students have iPhone or iTouches, and one kid showed me an app yesterday where you take a video of someone, and then you can add an effect where they are blown up or, in this case, a giant boulder drops on their heard. (It was actually pretty amusing.)<br />
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The moral of the story, then, is this: 11-year-olds will be 11-year-olds. And I get to be entertained by it every day.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">[<a href="http://bryangregorylewis.blogspot.com/2011/01/how-to-draw-cool-s.html">image source</a>]</span></i></div>
Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-40297570569910690042012-11-07T22:54:00.001-05:002012-11-07T22:54:54.461-05:00Trouble<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Our apartment has had a song obsession for the past week and a half:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We love to blast it and dance along, particularly in the kitchen, especially while cooking or cleaning up <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(see below)</i></span>. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Or just whenever, really. It got to the point that just now, we were about to start heading to bed (teachers and nurses living here, y'all. We aren't like those crazy college kids anymore.) and I was humming it and Taryn said "I have not heard that song in <i>two days</i>." Naturally, that meant we had to blast it and have a quick dance party before returning to the teeth brushing and whatnot that had been going on previously.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Apparently, we're not the only ones who think so: the apartment of male grad students we had over for dinner the other night also claimed it as "their jam." So, i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">f you haven't had a chance to dance to <a href="http://words-of-whimsy.blogspot.com/2011/04/taylor-swift-was-my-bff.html">Tay</a>'s new sound (listen for the dubstep!), please take a moment of out of your day and do so. You won't regret it.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">P.S. At first, "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjAuNhufppM">22</a>" was a strong contender for New Taylor Swift Song To Dance To All The Time. Being 22 myself, I was a proponent of this. ("We're happy, free, confused and lonely at the same time"...? Taylor, you give words to our 22-year-old souls.)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> But given that only 3/4 our apartment is 22 years old, we needed something a little more universal.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>[pictures c/o Abby's camera]</i></span></div>
Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-87970208247529660852012-11-04T10:45:00.000-05:002012-11-04T10:45:49.873-05:00Making A Comeback<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>Currently Listening To:</b> "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF2AlO8cKbE">Give Me Love</a>," Ed Sheeran. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: xx-small;">(obsessed with this ever since watching<a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151164496484773"> the Virginia Gentlemen sing it</a>. The solo was done by the little brother of one of my good friends. So proud.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Dear friends,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Welp, here I am. I mean, I've been here along, just not <i>here </i>here. I've just been spending my days in a middle school, teaching reading strategies and figurative language and discussion skillz and vocabulary and elements of literature to a crazy group of 6th graders. And laughing with them, listening to them, learning what they are in to (fact: mustaches are SO IN with 11-year-old girls right now. Why?), working with them on homework they forgot to do at home, helping them find lost assignments stuffed deep into binders, and just generally keeping them in line. Not to mention lunch and break duty, 6th grade team meetings twice a week and parent teacher conferences.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And when I'm not there doing all of that, I am here at home, writing the next day's lesson plan or grading assignments or trying to keep up with the work I have to do and post online for the Ed school side of things. (Because, after all, as I sometimes tell my kids and blow their minds, I'm a student too, still.) Or I am sitting on my couch trying to chill out after a long day watching <i>How I Met Your Mother </i>and <i>The Big Bang Theory</i> which so conveniently come on right after each other when I get home from school. And when I get a chance, I have adventures with my wonderful roommates (pictured above).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Maybe you can understand how Whimsy fell by the wayside.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But I am here with good news today! I am feeling very light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel-ish these days. Because this coming week is both a short week and my last week being in charge of all 3 of my blocks. And the following week, albeit a full week, is essentially my last week teaching...with less blocks and therefore a lighter load than these past six weeks. After that is Thanksgiving and getting to observe other classrooms in other schools, and then wrapping things up and saying goodbye to my own kids. (Sad.)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Back at the end of last year, the Ed school showed all us bright-eyed soon-to-be student teachers this chart of the phases of a first-year teacher (which is just concentrated into fewer months for a student teacher):</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am here to witness that this is 100% accurate and I am feeling a little bit March-April right now, amazed at the fact that I've made it through the hardest part of it.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, all that to say, as I phase out of student teaching in the next few weeks, I am excited to phase back into blogging. YAY!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>P.S. I'd like to give a shout out to Hurricane Sandy, for giving us two unexpected days off school last week but essentially bypassing us completely, which was EXACTLY what we needed and made this progression into the doable last few weeks happen all the more quickly.</i></span> </span></div>
Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-12620437880556839502012-09-16T19:20:00.001-04:002012-09-16T20:27:24.524-04:00Welcome Back, Fall<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Currently Watching: </b>Planet Earth. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(With my roommate who is student teaching in 4th grade, and has to take notes on parts that might be inappropriate to watch in class. I find that so amusing.)</span></span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="375" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/e5CMDmxtpbc" width="500"></iframe>
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I'm fairly certain that a week ago today it was still summer in Cville, but throughout the week it has crept slowly into the beginnings of Fall. It started subtly enough with some offhand comments about the incredible weather early in the week (brilliantly sunny without the humidity or heat, i.e. perfection) early in the week, but by the weekend I was wearing a cardigan. Fall can be pretty sneaky that way.</div>
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Last week was a busy week (I've completely taken on one block of sixth graders + I had a birthday + we had Back to School night) follwed by a busy weekend (my sister came to visit + I was sick + we celebrated my birthday by going to a Polo game), and next week is looking equally busy (I take on a <i>second </i>block of sixth graders!), so I think I will have to stop and remind myself to enjoy the quiet beauty that is Charlottesville seeping into Autumn. This might involve sipping some caramel cider while I write lesson plans, checking out the new Avett Brothers CD (the music video above is a good one, huh?) and wearing my new impulse-buy <a href="http://www.target.com/p/merona-petite-long-sleeve-shirt-dress-assorted-colors/-/A-14121263#?lnk=sc_qi_detaillink">perfect-teacher-dress</a> from Target. Actually, I am envisioning that all of these things could happen in one sitting...</div>
Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-40267351286722067612012-09-11T13:45:00.002-04:002012-09-11T13:45:43.120-04:00Melkam Addis Amet!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Currently Writing:</b> tomorrow's lesson plan</span><br />
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Today is Ethiopian New Year's!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiksaKi1EykaJhIryU3b2ZM-cmfxe56YoTI_eyDXOhyAsMjfvcBedf5atA49jCMTcAO4lKOZitngGeq2sH0YqbQOJPN2s_vV7FqupziIWoUz0tB4IvkL-CFqdELV1tDrWo2jLu7t7Tv8/s1600/143552306843288928_vJ26xbnC_f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiksaKi1EykaJhIryU3b2ZM-cmfxe56YoTI_eyDXOhyAsMjfvcBedf5atA49jCMTcAO4lKOZitngGeq2sH0YqbQOJPN2s_vV7FqupziIWoUz0tB4IvkL-CFqdELV1tDrWo2jLu7t7Tv8/s640/143552306843288928_vJ26xbnC_f.jpg" width="468" /></a></div>
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In the Ethiopian calendar, there are 13 months -- 12 months of 30 days each, then a 13th shorter month called Pagume, made up of all the leftover days. And in Ethiopia, today is the first day of 2005! (Another fun fact: Ethiopians also tell <i>time </i>differently -- it's six hours off from Western time, because they start counting the day when the sunrises (and, being so close the equator, the sun rises at a pretty regular time the whole year round.) So, for example, our 8:00 would be their 2:00. I'm sure you can imagine the confusion in planning that this can sometimes cause...)<br />
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Five years ago, Ethiopians celebrated the millennium, and they celebrated it <i>big. </i>And as that year was a leap year, it meant that New Year's fell on the 12th, which also happens to be my birthday! This meant the day off school and driving to the outskirts of town and midnight to sit on the car's roof rack and watch fireworks shooting up all across the city. Such a good memory.<br />
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So <b><i>melkam addis amet</i></b> to all my <b><i>habesha</i></b> friends!<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">[photography by Esther Havens, via <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/143552306843288928/">Pinterest</a>. Isn't it beautiful?]</span></i><br />
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Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-3250762403382901142012-09-09T19:50:00.003-04:002012-09-09T19:52:55.519-04:00Tea Party<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Currently Listening To:</b> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0g_IpgsRs0">Ronan</a>, Taylor Swift</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">In honor of my mom's birthday, which was yesterday, I'd like to show a little love to one of her favorite things: tea. She makes it about five times a day, and whenever I am there, she makes me a cup too. A hot cuppa (British style, with milk and sugar...or, as we used to say when we had a little <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14838/14838-h/images/peter11.jpg">Beatrix Potter</a> tea set that had a little Peter Rabbit illustration on the inside of the mug, "tea to his tail, milk to his ears") always makes me think of home and my mama!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBCc_ewEdzUYWpdY8NDMASD5hyh2f8N82d5x4J8cselC78-uJEvoYbQxiK5yMTLaFvFZxPXyv5vccq7A2vkkr24NOKZuvGHySORqFxaRre6lLC8T5ihYVXGiFHq6BdBgmJ7yalp8_0lWk/s1600/tea-revives-you-print-unframed_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBCc_ewEdzUYWpdY8NDMASD5hyh2f8N82d5x4J8cselC78-uJEvoYbQxiK5yMTLaFvFZxPXyv5vccq7A2vkkr24NOKZuvGHySORqFxaRre6lLC8T5ihYVXGiFHq6BdBgmJ7yalp8_0lWk/s320/tea-revives-you-print-unframed_1.jpg" width="254" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbvJhXlJ_Vz0NYeOF1wyeLwoLHmuG6UyonzvQMYhhqc7GXQTN3mc92cyyg3qarNX-o8no7w5apcSkqsl9yvR20mfT5ClEtuAN4I4fQZvPGNXybpxAd7OTl5GX_K_yfIepVupPfyZ9YKg/s1600/64668944619005616_TryrqMRV_f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbvJhXlJ_Vz0NYeOF1wyeLwoLHmuG6UyonzvQMYhhqc7GXQTN3mc92cyyg3qarNX-o8no7w5apcSkqsl9yvR20mfT5ClEtuAN4I4fQZvPGNXybpxAd7OTl5GX_K_yfIepVupPfyZ9YKg/s320/64668944619005616_TryrqMRV_f.jpg" width="225" /> </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">[<a href="http://www.willowandstone.co.uk/made-in-the-uk/tea-revives-you-print-unframed.php">source</a>] [<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/47710077273523305/">source</a>] </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLhfEf_QttP7lH0ewEz7Q-Bae7nn7sVm29Nva0Qfvem9mZzU6aJJViQLoWdBOZi6yl4nHOihIItUsWuPQbg5e-QfQNpkZsYbd3PlmQq33wDHUy2LC2zl0c2x2OBhGC0gd84ps6vX2zDeo/s1600/TEA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLhfEf_QttP7lH0ewEz7Q-Bae7nn7sVm29Nva0Qfvem9mZzU6aJJViQLoWdBOZi6yl4nHOihIItUsWuPQbg5e-QfQNpkZsYbd3PlmQq33wDHUy2LC2zl0c2x2OBhGC0gd84ps6vX2zDeo/s400/TEA.jpg" width="400" /> </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">[<a href="http://factoryroad.bigcartel.com/product/inkymole-everybody-loves-tea-print">source</a>] </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieLc6CLY8whyb7cSPuL3tFg1ujYdRiN7eyRd8lWzHezLaUIrYM954QdMRTa1vYKRHkfMC5CsqDkT-7MHOokrBCN4zFUWKltW44QLEakCjb66Z1qmCNktB1W6OFF4sMe5rV81Kb550FlIs/s1600/relaxation,tea,tea,time,etsy,illustration,prints-5652080d572b28501841b05650a2447c_h-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieLc6CLY8whyb7cSPuL3tFg1ujYdRiN7eyRd8lWzHezLaUIrYM954QdMRTa1vYKRHkfMC5CsqDkT-7MHOokrBCN4zFUWKltW44QLEakCjb66Z1qmCNktB1W6OFF4sMe5rV81Kb550FlIs/s320/relaxation,tea,tea,time,etsy,illustration,prints-5652080d572b28501841b05650a2447c_h-1.jpg" width="226" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4P1a8S4Z5qnNP1owW-CotyKzrryp_Zy40heiNvF75t23qJdQ1LaQnuH4OxkB6T-TjQj6b2rKKDXqAGwUOVXg6wsnags0C3Gfg3qVzgCK_B6YX3DScco2fyW5NlAlriyJwbapmCLXI7BQ/s1600/47710077273507786_kjkqzu3b_f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4P1a8S4Z5qnNP1owW-CotyKzrryp_Zy40heiNvF75t23qJdQ1LaQnuH4OxkB6T-TjQj6b2rKKDXqAGwUOVXg6wsnags0C3Gfg3qVzgCK_B6YX3DScco2fyW5NlAlriyJwbapmCLXI7BQ/s320/47710077273507786_kjkqzu3b_f.jpg" width="225" /> </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">[<a href="http://vi.sualize.us/a_cup_of_solves_everything_giclee_print_tea_watercolour_illustration_relaxation_picture_ncjU.html">source</a>] </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"> [<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/47710077273507786/">source</a>] </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYcmsUstEu3sbTbfuHpIv60-62fgOBbmZAh3NZDMqTIIQp8w1BtyAuVd45OsNb1_LnsM2MJeQaXM4urrYb3-R5LWCyZns_kXiklD0jfGatvivUqS2ekz8o5sQS2fMXfD7oRX5Ja45bgK8/s1600/tumblr_ma1slqFaf21rrfcyao1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYcmsUstEu3sbTbfuHpIv60-62fgOBbmZAh3NZDMqTIIQp8w1BtyAuVd45OsNb1_LnsM2MJeQaXM4urrYb3-R5LWCyZns_kXiklD0jfGatvivUqS2ekz8o5sQS2fMXfD7oRX5Ja45bgK8/s400/tumblr_ma1slqFaf21rrfcyao1_500.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">[source] </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Happy Birthday, Mom! I love you.</span></div>
Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-79506390043601028262012-08-30T21:58:00.000-04:002012-08-30T21:58:22.635-04:00Fun Facts.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: small;">We watched this in 6th grade yesterday:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="281" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YmwwrGV_aiE" width="500"></iframe></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I find it super interesting. And I know it directly affects a lot of people, but it definitely affects how we think about how we're educating our kids. As my teacher said, instead of teaching <i>things</i>, it's almost more important to teach <i>how to learn.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">In other news, my apartment just went to the gym together and now my muscles are in pain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">In other other news, I am so excited for a three day weekend.</span></div>
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Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-78641997090451663952012-08-28T22:15:00.000-04:002012-08-28T22:23:16.497-04:00Thought of the Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Currently Listening To: </b><a href="http://soundcloud.com/work-drugs/bon-iver">this Bon Iver remix</a>. Love it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtw_rlE9q2rcRu-gpRYHDHOLLw4vIc3wbhgntPrlvguHaH9UHvyUh5_ks-GRObGcq7_pOoV3XNl3GX-w5P4MvgJteVztsY0hqfvEb1vovEXqUu4xRdMWk96MhxHElexqR-ODhc5VmI4Fs/s1600/the+sea.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtw_rlE9q2rcRu-gpRYHDHOLLw4vIc3wbhgntPrlvguHaH9UHvyUh5_ks-GRObGcq7_pOoV3XNl3GX-w5P4MvgJteVztsY0hqfvEb1vovEXqUu4xRdMWk96MhxHElexqR-ODhc5VmI4Fs/s320/the+sea.gif" width="500" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not <i>too</i> <i> </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>strong</i>, but<i> too <b>weak</b></i>. We are half-hearted creatures, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>infinite joy</b> is offered us</u>, like an ignorant child </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">a holiday at the sea. <i>We are far too easily pleased</i>.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">- C.S. Lewis</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[via <i><span id="goog_585389725"></span><a href="http://words-of-whimsy.blogspot.com/2012/08/love-does.html">Love Does</a><span id="goog_585389726"></span></i>]</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[image via <a href="http://betseyr.tumblr.com/post/17294903383">le petit bijou</a>] </span></span></div>
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Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5254984768503149104.post-3430500564516094752012-08-26T21:41:00.000-04:002012-08-26T21:41:14.441-04:00Weekend<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: small;">I am feeling good right now, y'all. Because I went into this weekend with no plans, a little unsure about how this whole post-grad (sort of) thing will work out friend-wise (I think this is one of the trickiest things about moving on from undergrad but still being <i>here</i>. How do I figure out how to be in the same place but in a different context?) I ended up having all sorts of fun, though, meeting and hanging out with and new groups of people both Friday and Saturday night. And to top it off, I got to go to Target yesterday, and today I played volleyball and made cookies! Apparently, in some ways, I am fairly easy to please.</span><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
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<span style="font-size: small;">I also have been enjoying this song today:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="281" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hHcVTbyJqis" width="500"></iframe></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I don't always like Christian contemporary music <span style="font-size: small;">(it kind of all starts to sound the same...and you know how when you're scanning through radio stations you can always tell the Christian station within about .2 seconds of hearing it? Yeah.)</span>. But there are some exceptions, and this is one -- particularly because I feel like what it addresses is pretty deep and so necessary. And it's a cool video.<span style="font-size: x-small;"> (I also like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSH3Q6O_7w8">this one</a> off of their new album...mostly because I think the typography on the video is sweet.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Here's to another week (and this time a full week) at middle school! </span></div>
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Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399842239335740269noreply@blogger.com0