When the Magnolias Bloom

Moving along!

2010-10-15T21:06:00.002-05:00

You'll now find me at

http://lehameaudelareine.blogspot.com/

EDIT: Please don't mention Mark over there. The fact that I'm posting this bog to my Facebook as well means he'll see it!

Learning How to Love

2010-09-19T18:52:00.006-05:00

I consoled myself by saying there was no way I couldn't fall for him upon meeting him.

Tall, lean, with large, elegantly boned hands and a well-groomed mustache, he was completely opposite my small, round, long haired and beskirted self. A well-fitting brown jacket and trousers, a black linen vest and a white shirt, rounded off with a burgundy bow tie of all things, and topped off with a silver pocketwatch chain, black hat, and briefcase, made him look so very much older than 22. And as I sat opposite him at our little table in the University Center, I was struck by one thing; he looked, he spoke, he acted like a man.

And he proved himself to be one. He didn't only stand up when a lady left the table or eat his lunch fastidiously, he also revealed himself to possess a profound, deep, adult faith in God, one most people don't achieve their entire lives.

To me, he was perfect. And utterly deserving of love.

I spent a couple of weeks completely starry-eyed. He couldn't do or say anything wrong in my view. The three days a week that my best friend, through whom I met him, and I would have lunch with him at school became the highlights of my week. I began attending the Latin Mass community where he and his family attend. Actually, I really could take up volumes on the things God has taught me in the last few weeks that I never would have learned had I not met Mark and began attending Saint Michael's...but we'll focus on the most important one, because it relates to the Greatest Commandment.

How to love, both God and those around me.

As time went by I began to notice that this sterling young man did indeed have his tarnish. After all, we are all sinners. Not one of us is perfect but Christ, no matter how we may feel about a person. I'd never go on a litany of his faults, but this young man does possess a few, and while they may endear him to me, they irritate our mutual friend to no end.

My good friend Mark is indeed deserving of love, as are all God's creations. But he is not perfect. And as much love as Mark is deserving of, Christ is even more deserving of my love.

If I can fling myself with abandon into caring for Mark, who is flawed, if I can feasibly consider the idea of following an imperfect man to the ends of the earth...then how shall I feel about Christ? Should I not fling myself into love for Christ with even more enthusiasm? And since I already know where He leads me, to salvation and rest, through green pastures and beside still waters, why should I be unwilling to follow Him to the ends of the earth?

We seldom think of love for God in terms of the way we're taught to think of romantic love. There have been days where, right at lunch, when the campus is abuzz with people walking to and fro, I've wanted to hop on top of the clocktower and yell out how amazing I think Mark is. Why should I be any less willing to do that for God? Or at the very least, in situations that would require me to speak up about my faith, or to show it by example, why should I shy away?

If I place Christ at the center of my love then the way I look at Mark, for the time being at least, must also change. This dear young man may seem utterly perfect in my eyes...but it may not be God's will that he and I should be more than dear friends. I don't know what God has planned for me. My poor human heart has a hard enough time figuring out what He wants of me right this moment!

But I love Mark. As hard as I have tried to remain Miss Elinor Dashwood about this whole thing I can't help but feeling an ache worthy of Marianne whenever I'm around him. Simple, silly, foolish me! I feel utterly ridiculous that I so love to make him smile, that my breath has caught the few times our hands have touched.

And so I have had to learn how to love. I have had to learn how to love my Lord with all the enthusiasm I can muster, and to never place a mere fellow human above Him in my heart. (And actually? When I'm regularly attending Mass, praying throughout the day, and reading and studying deep, weighty theology...that hasn't been difficult. God, after all, asks nothing of us that He doesn't also give us the means to achieve.)

And I've had to learn how to love Mark, that dear, dear young man, as my brother in Christ.

And I will confess, my friends, that has been hard.

Coming Monday

2010-09-07T19:58:00.003-05:00

Another post on Natural Beauty...namely, how to even your skin tone with a homemade powder! The cheapest foundation powders are chock full of chemicals and the natural ones run as much as $65 a pop...But I'll show you how to make your own facial powder for dimes, for a variety of skin tones!

Hmm

2010-09-06T09:30:00.001-05:00

I'm considering either revamping this blog or moving to a new one. I feel like a fresh start would really get me back into blogging again.

Me? Sing in a Choir?

2010-09-03T09:37:00.001-05:00

Possibly in the near future! The Latin Mass community I recently started attending is in desperate need of female altos...and fortunately, I just happen to be one!

Asking for Strength

2010-09-01T09:02:00.001-05:00

School, persistent sinus headaches, and financial woes are upon my household. Please pray for us!

Pining?

2010-08-27T18:59:00.002-05:00

I've been getting a lot of relationship advice lately.

Some of it, like the advice on Mr. Doug Phillip's "How to Evaluate a Suitor" CD, has been life-changing.

Some of it has been just plain bad.

Some people have even cornered me in public and admonished me like a five year old that some of my behavior is not appropriate. I've been accused "chasing" a guy.

This was utterly shocking to me, as I'm not the type to chase at all. I've always been the type to wait for the young man to make the first move. Such was the case with the young man I've mentioned in the past, who I've been good friends with for almost a year before the idea of pursuing something more even entered my head.

As I said, I've been friends with this young man a while. As such I'm comfortable being myself around him. I'm comfortable texting my friends. I'm comfortable messaging them on Facebook. I'm also quite comfortable baking them the odd pie or pound cake when they've had a bad day. (Just ask my former roommate.) Apparently this behavior is "chasing" a guy, even when we've been friends for a while.

I would think completely changing the way I interact with someone the moment they become a romantic interest would be more chasing, but oh well.

To be fair, I haven't actually been out on any kind of date or had any serious conversations on relationship or other matters with this young man outside of as just friends. He's heavily involved with his church, working two jobs to pay for school, and school itself, which just started this past week, and we as such haven't really "gone anywhere."

And just to make things a little more complex? This Monday my best friend introduced me to an old friend of hers, who is equally as mature, if not moreso, than the first young man, equally as intelligent, and equally as "removed from the world." Unlike the first young man, who we'll call George, this second young man, who we'll call Mark, is deeply Catholic, which is the faith in which I have grown up and with which I am most familiar.

For all of ten minutes, I was in a terrible tizzy.

And then I realized that my life is most fortunately NOT a Jane Austen novel. Because as much as I love them, I wouldn't really want to live in one. I don't need to lock myself in my room and weep, nor do I need to spin a web of drama as apposed to a support group.

I've been given a very rare opportunity here. An opportunity to put my head above my heart. An opportunity for discernment and prayer, a chance to grow closer to God. And a chance to NOT fall head over heels into an attachment without considering all aspects of the situation.

After all, why do I really need to be caught up in young men, chasing them or otherwise? I have the love of a vast extended family, and most of all of my God and his Son.

So who's pining?

Crazy Day!

2010-08-23T17:46:00.001-05:00

My first day back at classes today. Will post tomorrow a recipe for a nice homemade gift.

Natural Beauty Monday - The Dauphine on Teenage Skin Woes

2010-08-16T00:26:00.003-05:00

Disclaimer: I am no scientist, nor am I a dermatologist. I have tried to do my research well using reputable sources, but I may get some things wrong. Do let me know if I have so I can change it.

When that controversial Queen Marie Antoinette arrived in France, she was just a young teenager, as was her new husband. Together they were Dauphin and Dauphine, or, simply the Crown Prince of France and his wife, the future Queen Consort.

Now, young Louis was not known to be a handsome fellow. He was rather on the large side, awkward in social graces, and his young skin was covered in that plague of adolescence; acne. And so the porcelain-skinned Marie had this advice for her new husband, which may sound strange to us, and utterly simple;

Wash your face with lavender water several times a day, and drink lots of donkey's milk.

That's it! And according to sources, it worked!

So why did this utterly simple formula work so well?

Lavender has many, many amazing qualities. The scent is soothing and calming, of course, but beyond that even! It can be just as calming to a rash or to red skin as it is to a flurried mind, a good quality in an anti-acne remedy. The essential oil has been shown to have antibacterial and antiseptic qualities, and since acne is caused in part by bacteria, it delivers a double punch.

Another good quality of lavender water that I've found is it works very well for evening out skin that is dry in some places and oily in others. When the skin is naturally moisturized, and spritzing skin with even just plain water can help with that, it secrets less sebum (oil) to counteract dry spots, thus resulting in less oily skin. Amazing, isn't it?

Lavender water is extremely easy to make on your own, even from the bare bones of the recipe. If you have a good nursery nearby, you can go out and find your own little plant and set it up for a season. Once it blooms, you'll have your own little lavender crop! You can grow from seed as well; it's much cheaper, but you'll have to wait a little longer, as lavender does not flower in its first year. NOTE: If you plan on using lavender for cosmetic purposes, make certain you never use pesticides on it.

If you can't grow your own lavender, it's not difficult to find online from bulk herb suppliers, or even locally at specialty and culinary shops. (It's great in recipes too, whether sweet or savory!) You can still provide your own water for the recipe, after all!

All you need is two our three handfuls of fresh (one one handful of dried) lavender blossoms and four cups of water. Tie the lavender up in a piece of cheesecloth to save having to strain it later and boil your water. Toss in your lavender, cover, and let it simmer about five minutes. Remove it from the heat and let it steep. I usually start in the morning and that evening the steeping is done. Pull out the cheesecloth bundle, bottle the liquid, et voila! Lavender water! You can add a tablespoon or so of vodka as a preservative, if you like. It's also simple to make lavender water with essential oil; just add thirty drops, give or take a few for preference, to four cups of water.

You can put some on a cottonball and wipe your face with it twice a day, or you can do what I like to do, which is to find a small spray bottle and mist my face with it after I shower.

Another thing I liked to do, back when I was younger and my skin was more troublesome, was to add a few drops of lavender oil to a bottle of witch hazel. Witch hazel is a wonderful astringent for very stubborn skin, just make sure to moisturize dry spots after using it.

Now what's this about donkey's milk?

Donkey's milk is not exactly popular in the modern world, and as such there has really been little research on it, but a few things are certain. The most notable is that it is very low in casein, the primary protein found in cow's milk, and very high in lysozomes, which are enzymes known to consume biological debris such as the natural hormones present in milk from a pregnant animal. It also contains high levels of many of the vitamins you would find today in "Hair, skin and nail" supplements.

Because of its chemical makeup, primarily the presence of both natural and unnatural hormones, cow's milk has come under fire as a cause of acne. Cow's milk can also cause an increase in blood glucose, which in turn can increase insulin, which, by chain reaction, increases sebum production.

Right now there is little evidence for or against this part of Marie's cure, but it could possibly be that it's not necessarily the donkey's milk that helps acne, it's drinking it instead of cow's milk. Unless you have a female donkey around, you may not really be able to test this. But you can try goat's milk, which also has a radically different protein and amino acid structure from cow's milk. It also is easy on lactose intolerant stomachs, and you may even have a mild cow's milk allergy you didn't know about that is contributing to your breakouts.

Goat's milk can be a little expensive, however, unless you have a goat of your own. And if the idea of keeping either a donkey or a goat around for milk and pet purposes intrigues you, may I direct you to Storey Publishing's excellent line of "Guides to Raising" particularly their title on Miniature Livestock.

If any of you have experiences with either of these tricks, tell us in the comments! We'd love to hear your advice. Also let me know if you have any success with these ideas, or other tips for troubled teenage skin.

Who knows? Perhaps her Majesty knew something scientists, and the beauty industry experts, don't.

Home-Grown Beauty

2010-08-15T15:19:00.003-05:00

(No, I'm not talking about the kind we Southern gals naturally have!)

I know this was not my intended next post, but it's been on my mind lately. As a society, women, and, increasingly, men have been convinced that we all simply must run out and spend ourselves into debt over new and "breakthrough" cosmetics. My sister-in-law, who has been staying with us for the week, laments over how much her Proactiv makeup and skincare costs, but feels its her only option for her acne-prone skin.

This is simply not true, like most of the things society tries to convince us of using the TV. A dear friend of my family currently has a rapidly expanding small business creating homemade body scrubs, and her recipes are some of the most simple, honest, and natural I've seen.

I don't know about you, but I feel pampered when I use something simple and natural. And I feel a little victorious when I use something that was at least partially created using something I produced myself. So...Starting this week, and ending when I run out of recipes, each Monday I shall be posting a recipe for a homemade product, for men, women or both, that you can make using at least one ingredient you can produce yourself!

Tomorrow? An infamous queen's teenage beauty secret!

If Life is a Highway, Consider This a Wheel Alignment

2010-07-29T17:36:00.002-05:00

If I told you I’d spent the last nine months in a runaway red Mustang, it wouldn’t be completely untrue. After all, that is my best friend’s car, and we were roommates up until very recently.

I've spent 2010 so far living like a typical college student, struggling to make ends meet and sometimes having to make the cruel choice between gas to get to class or groceries for the week. I learned quite a bit about my own resourcefulness, and a lot about how difficult things can be when you feel like you're the only one working to contribute to a home.

For private reasons, my roommate and I moved in with my parents about a month ago. She has since moved out into a one bedroom apartment in the same complex as before, which her mother manages. I for one am happy to be back home for now. It's been nice to be near my parents again, and to have a little extra money to buy books and things. Particularly since The Vision Forum's Baby Conference is now available on audio download. I certainly don't agree with everything Doug Phillips says or stands for, but I cannot deny that he is a wise man, and I always learn a lot from the lectures he and others affiliated with VF present.

I also had my debit card stolen recently, which was quite a lesson in forgiveness, believe me. My first reaction when someone spends $400 that aren't theirs to spend is not a pleasant one, especially if the $400 belongs to my family! But we've been reimbursed, and no long term damage has been done.

And finally, there is a young gentleman in Lydia's life! He's several years older than me, and we met during the Fall Semester last year. We've been quite good friends since then. I really...well, I have never met a young man like him before. He's about the business of man, consumed in his love for God and has a seriousness about him that is completely refreshing. He's also kind-hearted and funny, witty and as interested in the history and culture of the South as I am. We haven't "gone out" yet, as we've both been busy, but...who knows?

Glad to be back, at any rate. Heading to Arkansas this weekend to see my grandmother, aunt, stepbrother and step sister-in-law. While driving there I shall draft my post on my recent adventures in homemade cleaning products! This time, it goes beyond vinegar and baking soda.

Thursday

2010-07-26T19:17:00.001-05:00

This Thursday I will be back again! I finally realized I had way too much going on not to journal about it, and after that I thought, well, why not start this up again? So Thursday, a brief summary of the last few months. And after that? Adventures in "green" cleaning!

All is Calm, All is Bright

2009-12-24T23:07:00.003-06:00

Tuesday night, my parents and I loaded up and went down to our Civic Center Music Hall to see Mannheim Steamroller.

I've always loved their music, since I was a little girl. It was my Aunt Suzanne who gave Mom the Christmas Live! CD years ago. It quickly became a favorite. Every year, armed with a bag of gingersnaps and packets of apple cider, Mom and I would trim the tree to the rousing sounds of God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen and Angels We Have Heard on High, as well as the sweetness of Carol of the Birds. When they played those songs Tuesday night, I was thrilled. It was a beautiful experience, full of memories. But there was one song in particular that made me cry; even as I'm listening to it now, I have to dab my eyes a little.

It was many years ago that my mother's mother, my Mimi, attended Midnight Mass with her parents. At the parish of St. Boniface in Ft. Smith, the "German Church," as it was called, because it had been built of near-eternal limestone blocks and eternal love by the German immigrant population of the town, it wasn't uncommon to sing most if not all of the songs in German. One that they performed every year was an old, old carol, Stille Nacht.

Even when it wasn't Christmas, my Great Grandpa Bender would sing it as a lullaby to his children, especially his youngest daughter, his "Little Miss." My Mimi.

She in turn would sing it (in English) to her four children when they were young.

My favorite lullaby when I was growing up was Silent Night. Even now I can close my eyes and remember her voice, soft and low, as she sang me to sleep, rubbing my back lovingly.

Two Christmases ago I had the privilege of singing Stille Nacht to my Mimi, in German, as she would've heard it back then. She cried and hugged me close, "It sounds just like when Daddy sang it."

And so, I cried Tuesday night. They were tears of love and joy. In this past year, I've moved into an apartment with a friend of mine. I've completed a year of college. It feels strange to have been on this earth for nearly two decades. It feels strange not to have my mother right down the hall. I held her hand and leaned on her shoulder, and smiled through the tears.

The gingersnaps are homemade now. The cider is mulled. And the Christmas tree looks much more elegant now than it did covered in my kindergarten projects. Things change. They may be for better, they may be for worse, they may just be for the sake of change. But if we don't dive into them with the knowledge that God knows what He's doing throwing them at us, we're only hindering ourselves.

My mother and I are separated by a fifteen minute drive. My Mimi and I are separated by three hours on the highway. My Mimi and her beloved Daddy, who I pray I will someday meet, are separated by decades and distances man cannot measure. But it's alright. We will always have Christmas.

And we will always have Stille Nacht.

This Weekend...

2009-09-03T12:44:00.001-05:00

When I have some time to come up for air, I'm going to be posting some pictures, of our kitchen, a few endeavors we've been up to, etc. And in the next week or so, I'll be putting the finishing touches on a post about a "new" genre of music I've recently fallen in love with, that I want to share. It's utterly moving and deeply faithful, and I can't wait to show it off!

The Real "Enemies"

2009-08-16T16:59:00.003-05:00

I grew up in rural Oklahoma, and have lived in the state all my life. On things pertaining to our proud history I tend to be a bit of a stickler. I'm not a fan of Steinbeck for reasons of inaccuracy concerning my fair state in his writing, and it tends to set my hair on fire when people misrepresent parts of our history. And anyone with roots in Oklahoma will tell you one of our defining decades was the time between 1929, the crash of the stock market, and 1939, the outbreak of World War II.

It was a time of hardship and resilience, when the next generation of homesteaders, some of them my own ancestors, dealt with dry and overfarmed land that yielded little but dust storms. When the fledgeling government held the state together amidst economic depression, and where armed remnants of an age of outlaws crisscrossed their way through the state on their way to their own brand of fame and fortune.

Oklahoma had then a brand of lawman known for their toughness, Marshalls and Sheriffs unafraid to track down outlaws and bring them to justice, by court or bullet; the decision was often the fleeing suspects' themselves. They were men who got their rough hands dirty, who knew their guns like an extension of themselves. They were the men the FBI called on in its young years, when their polished agents had trouble tracking the country's most notorious lawbreakers; its designated Public Enemies.

Of course, it's doubtful J. Edgar Hoover would've called on these men to do what they did so well, had it not been for the advice of one man, a man who had worked with them before when he was head of the Investigation office in Oklahoma City.

A few weeks ago, my family and I went to see Public Enemies, the crime drama about the manhunt for John Dillinger. Johnny Depp of course plays the outlaw, and Christian Bale plays the man I've already mentioned, Mr. Melvin Purvis.

I couldn't quite get my finger on what bothered me about the movie as we watched it, so I pulled out my old Oklahoma History reader from high school when I got home. And there I found it.

To be fair, I think that the movie did a fine job of portraying him as an honorable, competant and human man. Evidence of his character is frequently shown, but too many facts are misrepresented.

First of all, Dillinger is portrayed as the films "antihero," and we're meant to grow attached to him, to root for him, etc. I'm pretty sure I was going against the grain to be pulling for Purvis the entire time, but I couldn't help myself. On the one hand, we had a man who broke the law, stole from banks across the country (thereby stealing from the bank's customers whether they realized it or not), and killed unsuspecting prison guards, not to mention, in spite of how plot-centric the romance was, was unfaithful to his girlfriend after she went to prison for his sake.

On the other, a farmer's son from South Carolina, a man devoted to true justice, who treated his men well and women, even suspects, with respect and kindness and chivalry.

*Shrug* Call me old fashioned.

In the film, as in American lore, Dillnger is often called a "Robin Hood" figure. Personally I find this very inaccurate. Robin Hood, in his best portrayals was a man looking out for an oppressed poor in a flawed monarchy, a just man in an unjust society. Not to mention his romances were virtuous. John Dillinger, on the other hand, robbed from the rich and gave to whom? Gun suppliers, speakeasies, and of course his own closet.

I read a fine article in a magazine of Jay's about the movie. It mostly focused on the highly accurate guns used, (including the GORGEOUS Mauser that Purvis carried in the Pretty Boy Floyd scene, but I digress...) but it did make some interesting points, being a conservative publication, about the morality of the film.

Christians have a comforting fact we can believe in, something that often perplexes those who don't believe in God's word and law as strongly. And that is that some things truly are black and white;

There is just killing, there is unjust killing.

John Dillinger was a criminal, and a murderer.

Melvin Purvis was an officer of the law.

Perhaps that was why, come the end of the movie, I wasn't sad for Dillinger's fate. I was sad for his "love interest," who spent years in prison for his sake. I was sad for the lives left shattered in the wake of his own. But I wasn't sad that a a man who dealt in death had met his inevitable fate.
One thing that did make me sad? In order to fit their version of the story, the filmmakers carefully worded the end notes to the detriment of dear Mr. Purvis.

Yes, shortly after the death of Mr. Dillinger he resigned from the FBI. However, most FBI historians assert it had more to do with Hoover than guilt over Dillinger. Hoover was all pomp and circumstance, the product of a wily publicist; the film did show this quite well. After several flashy arrests, on the virtue of his excellent record and personal style Mr. Purvis eclipsed his supervisor in the eyes of the press to become an absolute icon for several years. Jealous, Hoover privately pressured the better man to resign. Purvis was never after, nor entirely comfortable with the spotlight; he lived out the rest of his life back in South Carolina, where he practiced law. (And, interestingly enough, became partial inspiration for the timeless character of Atticus Finch.)

Finally, the filmmakers would have you believe, when they say "died by his own hand," that Purvis committed suicide over guilt and inability to live with himself owing to personal compromises he made during the manhunt for Dillinger. Melvin Purvis did die in his home, from a bullet fired from the gun presented to him upon his resignation from the FBI. All evidence suggests that it was a gun cleaning accident. It happens to even the best among firearms handling.

And thus ends my tangent on the late Mr. P, who, having lived in and been a part of Oklahoma and her history, even for a short time, is subject to the

LYDIA SLATTON SEAL OF REPUTATION AND FACT PROTECTION.

That's right. Bring it on, Hollywood. ;)

Ah!

2009-08-12T12:37:00.000-05:00

So sorry for the delay, things sudenly swirled into crazy around here. But I do have a plan, sometime in the coming week and a half for another juicy post.

Coming this week...

2009-07-25T15:24:00.001-05:00

What I've been up to these past months...In pictures!

Poking my head up again

2009-07-23T19:12:00.000-05:00

After a long time, I've decided I need to start blogging again. I have some nice, meaty post ideas in the works, as well as few simple ones and picture posts, namely our newly redone kitchen and the first yields of our brand new garden!

A lot has happened, I can't deny it. But that will come later...for now, I'm glad to be back in blogland!

~ Lydia

History, Challenges, and Preparation

2009-02-24T20:17:00.000-06:00

Hello, all! It's been some time since I've been able to post, but I've got some time tonight, so I thought I would update.

My discussions in history class have been very fruitful. I have a few classmates who have been surprisingly courageous in backing me up once I've started dialogue. I doubt I am changing our professor's mind, but I do believe I'm helping others like myself not be dissuaded. I have my first test in that class this Friday; wish me luck, we'll see how it goes.

I've found that college is a very indulgent environment, a microcosm largely unaffected by reality. At least half of the students I interact with on a daily basis smoke cigarettes, and another large percentage are involved in illegal drugs or underage drinking. Comments about the way I dress, flippant curse words, and frank talk about immorality are regularly filtered through my ears. I'm very, very grateful I do not live on campus, and can retreat to my home to think things through.

I know that trials are only sanctification tools in the hands of the Lord, and in that I can trust. As a Catholic, I am entering the season of Lent tomorrow. I will be getting up early to participate in a universal ceremony to mark the beginning of the season and remind us of our mortality. As a child, I loved the season of Lent more than any other. That still holds true now. Weeks of solemn chant, reflection, and fasting await me. It could not come at a better time, and I know my dedication to my obligations will keep me grounded in the whirlwind at college.

I wish you all a wonderful night and hope to update again soon.

...And Pass the Ammunition

2009-02-07T14:55:00.001-06:00

I had the good fortune to look ahead in the book we're reading for History, an awful discourse by Howard Zinn. I found out that there's a chapter we should be getting to in a few weeks that deals exclusively with Zinn's perceived treatment of women in American history.

Oh yes, I'm gathering ammo and making notes now. Dr. B says to "bring your guns" to class discussion. Well, that's just what I'm going to do.

On My Mind Today

2009-02-02T22:06:00.000-06:00

This evening I've been pondering the words of great men in our country's past. I don't wish to start a political discussion by going into further detail, but there's certainly nothing wrong with reflecting on one of the documents that created this country.

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Amid the Cold of Winter

2009-01-28T13:01:00.000-06:00

Ice and snow.

Willow Lake, iced over.

The geese of Goose Hill Terrace.

White Out!

2009-01-27T22:03:00.001-06:00

Tomorrow, classes are cancelled, as they were today and Monday afternoon. We're having a mix of snow and ice fall down and make everything pretty hard to drive in. Jay had to come rescue me Monday; unfortunately, that means my car is still stranded in the university parking lot! Our hope is that by tomorrow evening the roads will be good enough to go get it, though.

Mom and Jay are, unfortunately, classified as Essential Personnel in their departments, and as such have not had any days off for weather. So I've been cocooned at home, alternately scrubbing bathtubs and drinking hot cocoa. I've tried out a few more baking soda recipes, and have concluded that 1/4 c of baking soda, 1/4 c of cornstarch, and 3T of coconut oil mixed and stuffed into an empty deodorant container works much better than anything I've ever bought at the store for that purpose! It's definately not "clear dry," however, so if you wear a darker color, you'll have to be careful putting your shirt on.

I've been on a total denim skirt kick lately, and have been using my clothing budget to acquire some nice ones. I may do a clothes post in a few days, just ebcause I'm so excited to have winter clothes that aren't black!

I hope this finds everyone safe and sound. Stay warm!

Around Campus

2009-01-24T10:30:00.000-06:00

Friday I took my trusty camera with me to class so that I could give you guys a glimpse into a "day in the academic life" of yours truly. :)

The Nigh Center, the hub of activity around here. The first floor has food, books, and sitting areas, the rest is full of offices pertinent to student interests.

Broncho Lake, and some visiting geese.

The Liberal Arts Building, which houses History, English, Philosophy, etc.

The Music Building.

Old North, one of the original buildings from the school's founding after the Land Run of 1889.

The new Education Building. UCO is known in Oklahoma as the "Teacher's College" because of the large number of education degrees it awards.

Well, there you have it! A tour of the campus, or at least the sights I see each day I'm there. :)

Also, an update on the wisdom teeth; I'm almost 100% healed over now!

A Matter of Opinion

2009-01-21T17:11:00.000-06:00

Recently my dear mother, on persuasion of her boss, has taken up reading the Twilight series of books. I have not read any of them apart from excerpts, and I have no desire to read them in full.

Some of you may recall that I occasionally refer to myself as a "Recovering Goth." Everly, in particular, met me on a day when I was clad in head-to-toe black. I've read just about every piece of vampire literature in existence from the era when the genre became popular, and then some. The popularity of Twilight causes me to reflect on how vampirism was originally portrayed in literature; vampires, for all their glamour, were evil. Vampirism in the original mythos was a perversion so severe that the Devil himself would not accept a vampire's soul. In other tellings, vampires were themselves a form of visible, earth-dwelling demon.

I find it interesting that in our century something once used as a literary device to indicate ultimate evil has been "re-imagined" into something that is merely scientific; an imbalance in chromosomes brought on by infection by a certain venom. I may expand on my thoughts on this later.

I would also like to add this merely as a point of interest, and not in attempt to insult or distress anyone, but Stephanie Meyer's Mormon faith does have an effect on her writing. While this contributes some virtues, such as abstinence, it also raises issues. Her concept of the relationship and marriage between her two main characters is heavily flavored by the Mormon concept of "Sealing" a marriage. I'm no expert in theology, but I would imagine a scholar of Christian religion could find many more references amidst the pages. If you treasure the doctrines of your own denomination, this could unnerve you or raise issues; a devout Catholic (or Baptist, or Adventist, or...), for example, may perceive it to be akin to Mormon propaganda.

Not to mention as far as books go, they're quite poorly written.

This ended up longer than I thought. Hmm. Maybe I should research a bit more and write again.

A Day of Prayer

2009-01-20T15:20:00.000-06:00

I am taking today as an opportunity to pray for our country, its citizens, and its leaders new and established. Our new President has a daunting task ahead of him, as do all those with whom he surrounds himself.

In these uncertain times, what a comfort it is that we can rely on God.

Happy Birthday, General!

2009-01-19T21:11:00.000-06:00

Yes, yes, I know it's MLK Day. But so many bloggers, Everly included have that completely taken care of in more eloquence that I could hope to express.

So, I'd like to extend a humble bit of honor to the birthday of a great man, a brilliant military mind, and a pillar of Southern History.

Let's not forget to remember Robert E. Lee, a man Lincoln himself admired.

Ouchie!

2009-01-17T01:18:00.000-06:00

I had my wisdom teeth removed today. It was an adventure, to say the very least. But the oral surgeon was very knowledgeable, his assisstants friendly, and his surgery room wallpapered with a giant photograph of a forest path with oak trees, Spanish moss, azalea bushes, and pink roses. Be still my heart! ;) It was certainly the most pleasant dental work I've ever had done.

So, sterile gauze and I shall become good friends for the next 20 hours or so. For all the factors, and the depth of my roots (apparently), it was a relatively uneventful procedure that he said was actually simpler than he thought it would be at first.

Anyway, if you're plauged by wisdom teeth that occasionally like to cut through and hurt very badly, I reccommend going ahead with the procedure. Dr. Johnson actually said I ought to have gotten them out a couple years earlier, before the roots were mature. Apparently my teeth developed really quickly, which makes sense; I was the first one in my kindgergarten class to lose one. It's a very funny story involving a banana and Gullah Gullah Island, but I'll save that for another time.

Well, I'm off to grab a little shut-eye. Oh, by the way, I've been listening like crazy to Deborah Brinson's Let Dixie Remember, which I downloaded from Behemoth.com. It's absolutely gorgeous, and more than half is actual old Southern Civil War songs, or old Southern poems set to music. It's also available on CD from harpofdixie.com. I've also managed to find the lyrics to every last song (believe me, it was a Google treasure hunt!), so if anyone does get it, I'm happy to help out. ;)

Whew

2009-01-14T14:25:00.000-06:00

Well, today was my second day of college. Allow me to say it's interesting, and is going to continue to be so.

I have already learned so much in my first two days of music that it's my favorite class so far. Everything from my piano days is rushing back to me, and I'm really looking forward to deepening my understanding as time goes by.

My history teacher is very funny, and very knowledgable. The supplementary reader he has assigned us is very Marxist in interpretive nature, but I don't much mind. He's said that as long as I keep an open mind and am respectful, I am more than welcome to "butt heads" with him on historical interpretation.

English is a little disappointing, I must say. It will be my simplest class I can tell, but I do love writing prompts, and it's good to have peer review/editing as well as the opinions of an older expert.

Psychology is a requirement at my college, and so I'm glad I'm getting it out of the way first semester. It's all moral grey areas and pseudoscience as far as I've seen. Psychology is a pretty modern study, and is very subjective and bound by popular opinion. It is a large class, however, so hopefully I can pass through unnoticed.

Last night, I attended the official Watch Party for Crystal Darkness Oklahoma,a meth awareness campaign and documentary. It was an amazing night, very heavy and moving. When all was said and done, the planning committee, for which I was a consultant on certain aspects, was brimming with emotion. I've never gotten so many bear hugs from so many people in my life before.

Well, the mail is here! I'm off, lovelies.

Wish Me a Little Luck...

2009-01-11T17:03:00.000-06:00

...And a lot of strength. Tomorrow is my first day of college! I'm looking forward to my classes with a certain amount of trepidation. I'm taking:

American History, Origins-1877
English Composition
Intro to Basic Music Skills
Psychology

The last one I'm not terribly excited about, but the other three sound fantastic! I'm hoping that my mind will be able to sift through the falsehoods and political correctness so that I can gain only positive from my experience.

As far as a major, I'm considering either Philosophy or Humanities.

I promise I'll blog about my first day! :)

Baking Soda!

2009-01-09T15:07:00.000-06:00

I love baking soda. It is my new favorite household item. Today, I have scrubbed countertops, cleaned the sink, and done all manner of amazing things with simple, humble baking soda. Rather than needing six or seven cleaners, all I needed was a little baking soda and some water, and in some cases a pinch of vinegar to get to the tough things out. It's kind of fun to play chemist in your sink, and even soaked-in black paint goes away in a snap.

I've also found that a paste of 4 parts baking soda and one part water is the single best thing you can use to clean a toilet. In addition to the fantastic cleaning job, it deodorizes and gives off a great scent, completely free of any chemical odor.

I'm also getting ready to make a few personal care products, such as deodorant and toothpaste, myself, and I'll post those results as well.

Also, I've found that mineral oil with a pinch of lemon juice makes a fantastic furniture polish!

New Year's Resolutions

2009-01-05T23:13:00.001-06:00

For this year, I am determined to do all of my cleaning with simple ingredients. No more nasty chemicals for me! Vinegar and baking soda for all-purpose cleaning, mineral oil and lemon juice for furniture polish, and flax seed oil for leather polish. Wish me luck!

In the coming days, I'll also be posting reading lists and such for the next 12 months.

Lemonade!

2009-01-02T20:16:00.000-06:00

Dear Miss Everly has awarded me the Lemonade Blog Award, in honor of my pruported ability to make good things out of bad situations. *blush* I'm very flattered.

The conditions of the award are that I must post about it, picture included, and pass on the award. So...I pass it to the lovely Maggie Clitheroe and to dear Leigh, who make some wonderful lemonade. ;)

Another Year

2008-12-31T22:14:00.000-06:00

Hello, 2009! I can't wait to meet you.

Clothing Conundrum

2008-12-28T19:09:00.000-06:00

Mom and I have joined a ladies-only fitness center near our house, and I'm in a bit of a pickle.

How to dress nicely, modestly, and for ease of workout? Most workout-specific clothes are tight as can be. Sweats are terribly uncomfortable and unattractive.

If anyone has any suggestions for workout clothes that are appropriate to a young Christian lady, I would appreciate them greatly!

Christmas: In the Ozarks, On the Prairie, and With Dogs

2008-12-27T11:58:00.000-06:00

I had a fantastic time in Ft. Smith with many, many family members I don't often get to see. I got a whole stack of journals from my aunt, some teacups from Mom and Jay, a cameo from my other aunt and uncle, and won a Starbucks gift card in our gift exchange. But the best part? Getting to go through stacks and stacks of family photos and bring some home to scan...I'll post a few when we get them done.

I spent my Christmas Day at my Grandmother's house in the western part of the state, with my Dad and great-grandma present as well. We had a lovely time, with a nice, easy Christmas dinner. Between playing with Nanny's new dog, passing out gifts, and dropping a piece of pie on the floor, there wasn't a dull moment!

That night when I got home, our neighbors came caroling with a plate of homemade goodies, their cute dog in tow. It was the first time any of us had ever had carolers!

And yesterday, in the spirit of the season, we opened our home to a stranger; a young female dog we saw wandering around outside. She was very skinny, skittish, and had an old, worn collar on.

We started off in the morning by leaving food out for her, and by the end of the day she was eating lunchmeat out of Jay's hand. The forecast correctly predicted terrible storms for last night, so we brought her inside and gave her a blanket, food and water. She, in turn, gave us a wagging tail and kisses. By the end of the night she was a completely different dog, relaxed and happy.

As if it was meant to be, our friend Denise who lives a block away has been involved with a breed-specific rescue for years, and our new tenant was of that particular breed (boxer). She came by and the dog hopped up into her car, and off they went. She'll stay at Denise's house until a good adoptive home can be found for her.

Have a happy rest of the year, and whether you celebrated Christmas or not, I hope you've had a merry December!

Packing up

2008-12-19T20:00:00.000-06:00

We depart for Ft. Smith tomorrow, to spend a long weekend bathed in family tradition and Christmas cheer. Everyone traveling, be safe! I'll be back on Tuesday.

Thoughts on College, Part Two

2008-12-18T12:09:00.001-06:00

Or, "Everly, you took the words right outta my mouth!" :)

Often when I speak of not wanting to do anything “visible” with my life, instead finding greatness in serving God and bringing up the next generation, my mother insists that isn’t the problem she has. However, she did once blurt out during a discussion, “What if my life purpose is to have you so you can do something great? What am I supposed to do then?” Even if it’s not a conscious realization, I believe my mother feels inadequate in her own accomplishments and wants to live vicariously through me. If that is the case, no amount of interviews, acclaim, or attention on my part will ever satisfy her need to be appreciated. Only the deep gratitude of my stepfather, myself, and the people she works with and for will provide her with that.

What I don’t think she understands is that I do want to do something great. I want to do the greatest thing of all. I want to have children who will have children who will have children, and by doing so I will have far more influence than just writing a bestseller or being a successful doctor or lawyer. I can change the world, not through my own meager actions, but by having an army of descendants who hold to my convictions. I can be the “mother of thousands,” and my children and theirs will “possess the gates of those that hate them.”

But even if I could convince her of these things, there is still the “What If” factor that must be addressed. After all, we live in a society consumed by the fear of what-ifs. What if the stock market crashes? What if Iran attacks? What if the new President is assassinated? What if there’s a global epidemic of Avian Flu?

What if I can’t pay off my mortgage? What if gas goes any higher? What if I get in an accident on the way to work? What if I forget to take my medication?
But what if my house should catch on fire? Should I train now to be a firefighter? What if I am ever taken to court? Should I go to law school now, just in case?

And, the most relevant to this situation, “What if my husband dies?”

What if I spend my whole life preparing to be a wife and mother, have upwards of five children, and suddenly our provider dies? What can I do then?

Of course, just because we’re a two-income family doesn’t mean that we’ll be safe if one of us dies. Look at my own family. If Mom or Jay died, what would we do? We would have to drastically adjust our lifestyle, because we would no longer be able to afford our current one. So, what if my husband died?

We would have to adjust our lifestyle.

If I spend my single and married years living frugally, saving money, keeping out of debt, and making extra money from cottage industry and writing, however, the loss of my husband isn’t nearly as scary. It might even be called less frightening than losing a husband in a two-income family bound by all sorts of debt.

We live in a world where we’re promised if we only shell out a few thousand dollars to earn a magical piece of paper, everything will fall into place and be perfect.

Plus, my mother even says she thinks I could make a living as a writer. I write well now, everyone says so. What will getting a degree do to help me finish and publish my first book? An English degree will teach me how to analyze all the mystery and romance out of classic novels in impeccable formatting, but can it teach me to write one?

I’m between a rock and a hard place. I belong under my parents’ roof, and I am commanded to honor and obey them as long as I am here. I disagree greatly with their desires for the rest of my life, but nothing can be done. They desire me to attend college, and so I will.

It’s less the issue of having to go to college, really. It’s far more about the fact that, on principle, we have these disagreements. They’re small potatoes now. But when I do marry and begin to have their grandchildren? When my daycare-sized gaggle of little ones and I spend a “school day” grocery shopping?

What will they think of me then?

Thoughts On College, Part One

2008-12-18T10:36:00.000-06:00

My parents have a very simple request of me, in exchange for allowing me to live under their roof until I am married. I have to be "moving forward." Unfortunately, my parents and I have a very different idea of what moving forward is.

All I want to do in this world is be a wife and mother. I feel God calling me to such a life every day. I've got a bit of a deficiency in a lot of the arts of homemaking. I can clean, I can sew passably, and I can follow recipes, but outside of that I don't know much. Budgeting, diaper changing, menu planning, and a number of important aspects of keeping a home are things I've never learned.

In my mind, if my chosen life path is to be a wife and mother, then moving forward toward that goal would be learning to do these things proficiently. I also wish to spend my time becoming a more mature Christian by attending church functions, helping the needy, serving my parents, and assisting a family of eight I know any way I can in exchange for knitting lessons and experience with infants.

My mother doesn’t think that being a homeschooling mother is an illegitimate occupation. It’s just not for her baby girl. In the same way many parents say, “I don’t mind *insert belief or lifestyle here* people, as long as my child isn’t one,” my mother doesn’t mind stay-at-home mothers. Just as long as I don’t aspire to become one.

Enter the reasons and arguments that I should spend my unmarried years preparing for a “worst case scenario” by attending college and developing a résumé.

Firstly, my parents are more than a little disconcerted by the fact that I’m really not interested in spending large amounts of time with my peers. I have a few good friends that I see from time to time, and I would not be adverse to making more Godly friendships or finding a homemaking mentor, but I really do prefer to spend time with my family. My parents are my favorite people in the world, and we share so many interests that it seems silly to spend time with people I can learn little from in comparison.

By and large, I don’t care for interaction with my peers. There are many exceptions, yes, but as for the people I would most likely meet in college? Boys, parties, and careerism are not my primary interests. By that same token, I would prefer not to be meeting a husband who belonged to the perpetually adolescent environment of a college. I want a man of vision, unafraid of entrepreneurship, deeply rooted in his ancestry, who will want to blaze a trail down a forgotten path of family life.

Furthermore, my mother thinks that “children need to go to school.” It escapes her, having grown up in a world where government schools are the norm, that for several hundred years of American colonial and national history, children didn’t go to school. They were educated at home by their parents, and brought up in the family business. America was not illiterate before the dawn of public schools; on the contrary, books like the New England Primer and the Blue-Backed Speller illustrate that the average twelve year old in the 1700s was far more educated than most high school graduates today.

That is not to say that public school is an entirely negative thing. But it started out as an option for parents who didn’t have time or means to teach their own, not a compulsory requirement for life in modern society. If I have the time and the means to educate my children, why on earth should I not do so?

I don’t think I need an education degree to teach my children about the world, about the Lord, and about the universe. I think that all I need is the wise counsel of older experts who have tried and true methods and the personal willingness to sacrifice my time and energy for their benefit.

It’s true that children need time to interact with others and learn social skills, but I personally think that adequate interaction can be provided by attending church functions and meeting up with other families at parks. Not to mention, if I have multiple children of different ages, my children will experience first-hand how to interact, cooperate, and respect their peers.

Ice!

2008-12-17T17:53:00.000-06:00

Our neighborhood pond is beginning to ice over! Winter is truly here.

We're also painting the cabinets this week, and it's quite a team effort. Going from pure white to a dark color is taking a lot of sanding, paint, and recoating. But it's so much fun to watch things take shape the more you work on them!

Good Heavens!

2008-12-16T09:41:00.001-06:00

Ah, the joys of aged plumbing. Apparently every time we run the washing machine, rancid water gets coughed up into the downstairs commode.

Lovely.

Names

2008-12-15T23:07:00.000-06:00

We have officially named our place of residence. Our little "cottage on the lake" is now Goose Hill Terrace!

Also, I've been going on a "name kick" after viewing a certain offshoot of Everly's blog that she has with Rita. So here are the combinations I have scrawled out in my journal:

Boys

Robert Edward
Thomas Jonathon
Tristain Gabriel
George Alexander

Girls

Wisteria Anne
Magnolia Grace
Milady Ione
Lillibeth Rose

As you can tell, I love floral names for girls, and pillars of Southern history for boys!

Upcoming...

2008-12-14T21:03:00.000-06:00

In the near future, meaning sometime before the first of the year;

1. My graphics post.

2. A post about college.

3. The beginning of a very important series. This may take the longest, as I have to order my thoughts and I want to do some revising as well as run it by a woman I admire first. And though I doubt my readers will necessarily learn anything "new," I hope they'll be given a stronger perspective on something and the tools to refute it, and that any who may stumble upon this may learn from it.

DC-Land

2008-12-09T22:35:00.000-06:00

Hey all! I'm back in Oklahoma after a wonderful journey to Washington, DC with my mother and her boss! We had many adventures, that's for sure, including the food we ate! From a sushi feast, to an hors-d'oeuvres reception, to a platter of Ethiopian food and teff-based bread. It was all delicious!

My first full day was spent at the National Portrait Gallery on G Street. I have to say, when I stood in one of the rooms, surrounded by portraits of Winthrop and Witherspoon and the men who founded this country hundreds of years ago, I got a little teary-eyed. Not only that, but the art and artistry were impeccable. Going through the American Art exhibit through the Gilded Age was really eye-opening as well, in terms of technique.

But the moment when the floodgates opened, and I began to cry for real, was when I stepped into the hall of Presidential Portraits. As a girl in Junior High, I studied the symbolism of the Landsdowne Portrait of George Washington. To see the painting, original, enormous, in front of me, of our first President and the General who led us to victory, was overwhelming.

So, of course, when we went on our after-dark tour of the monuments, I got a little sniffly as well. Particularly when I stood before the Arkansas pillar of the WWII Memorial, and remembered my four great-uncles who fought for our nation. They've all passed on now, but they all made it home from the war. (I'll be posting a bit about that later this week.) There were some very timely words inscribed on the Jefferson Memorial, and the statue was beautiful. The FDR Memorial was wonderfully thought-out, with some of the quotes in braille and every inch of it handicap accessable for those inspired by his legacy.

The Korean War Memorial was hauntingly beautiful, with 19 statues of soldiers creeping through a field. Perhaps it was because of my Grandfather's fighting in the war, or the eerie light in the evening darkness, or the amazing detail on the soldier's faces, but it send shivers up my spine. From there, we walked to the breaktaking temple that is the Lincoln Memorial, which rendered me speechless. It's hard to get a feel for how immense that statue is in pictures. And it's amazingly lifelike, it looks as though he could get up and speak to you. Our final stop was the Iwo Jima Statue, which holds special significance for the daughter of a Marine.

The next day I took a car to Mount Vernon and saw the home of our First President, which is so beautiful. I even got to participate in some authentic 18th-century dancing! It was delightful.

Today we took a cab to Union Station, which was very beautiful. We had lunch and then rode a train to Baltimore to catch our flight home. And now, here I am!

DC is a lovely place, full of bustling life. And it's definately a place every American should visit at least once. But it's all so crowded! I'm happy to be back among the rolling prairies of my home state.

Sniffle

2008-12-04T22:37:00.000-06:00

Mom and I are both sick. And hoping that antibiotics can rectify the situation before we fly to Washington, DC this Sunday. Wish us luck and a safe flight! I'm hoping it won't be too terribly cold.

Total and Complete Silliness

2008-12-03T12:27:00.001-06:00

For when you just need to laugh.

Weighed and Measured

2008-12-01T13:48:00.000-06:00

As I sit here at the computer, happily ensconced with my inordinately large bowl of Rice Krispies (the kind with the strawberries), I reflect back on the events of the day with mixed emotion.

The deeper I dig, the more I find the foundations of my whole conflicted sense of college in two incidents that occurred today.

When I met with my advisor, I found out I would have to take remedial algebra classes with a partner college that is on the complete opposite side of town from me. As if that weren't enough, she kept referring to my "academic deficiencies," namely my "algebra deficiency" and the resulting "physical science deficiency."

Deficiency! Right. Just because I scored a certain amount on a placement test that was sprung on me without any prior knowledge this morning in a fog of DayQuil, I am somehow "Academically Deficient" in comparison to the mythic "Ideal Student" that they all want adorning their class lists. To feel like you tried your very hardest under the circumstances given to you and to be stamped with a label like that is extremely cutting.

If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you insult us, will we not huff off and blog about it?

But, no matter! :)

I had the privelege of spending most of my free time this morning talking to a guy slightly older than me named Jessie. He's a member of the National Guard and has a pet hedgehog, and has apparently been living out of his Jeep for about a month and showering at a friend's house because of a conflict between his parents, which has left him without a place to go. He never did find out my name, but he said it didn't matter, as I was already nicknamed in his mind.

Mother.

That's what he called me, and that's how I signed the note I left on the windshield of his Jeep. (Which I could locate by the fatigues hanging in back, and the hedgehog curled up on a heating pad in the passenger seat.) His explaination?

I had a natural "knack" for mothering. I just "give off that impression."

Academically deficient? Pft! Who cares? I'm a natural mother!

What We Aim For

2008-12-01T08:02:00.000-06:00

I asked Mom how I looked this morning, in my long black skirt and pink, lace-trimmed shirt.

"Nice," she said with a rather lackluster demeanor that betrayed the fact she wished I was in jeans* and one of my "reimagined" band shirts. (read: ripped up and re-sewn.)

She turned to put her earrings on, looked me over again in the mirror, and said, in a rather funny British accent, "Quite modest."

I just grinned. Modest, after all, is what we aim for.

(* I have nothing against pants as a modest option for girls, it's a matter of personal opinion and conviction to me. But I myself simply cannot stand to wear pants! I haven't found a comfortable pair in years, even at plus sized stores.)

Quite an Adventure!

2008-11-30T15:50:00.000-06:00

My time in Texas was absolutely wonderful. We had a Thanksgiving feast, attended a Renaissance Festival, and as you may or may not already know, I got to meet Everly face to face! It was a wonderful experience, even if the chick strips were a little slimy. :) Hop on over to her blog, as she recounts it better than I could.

I'll be blogging later this week about graphics, my fantastic Aunt, and that which looms over my Monday morning; enrollment.

A Wonderful Feeling

2008-11-25T15:15:00.000-06:00

Walking past the laundry room, thinking you need to put in another load, taking a look at the hamper and realizing...

Hey! I already did that! :)

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! See you this weekend.

Hmm.

2008-11-25T10:16:00.001-06:00

This post as been in drafts for a long time, because I haven't felt entirely comfortable posting it. It seems like an odd time of year to be thinking on it, too, but there are a myriad of reasons it's at the forefront of my mind. I haven't brought it up before now because I in no way want to make it the primary focus of this blog. But I feel like I ought to come clean about it anyhow.

What's that? "Get on with it?" Alright.

I am an ex witch.

Yes, that's right. I'm living, breathing proof that what you consume in the media can and will affect your spirituality. However, it's not exactly the obvious choice that sent me over the edge. I will admit, years of Harry Potter reading probably primed me to be more receptive to such things, but I will also say I hardly think it's fair to assume J.K. Rowling is deliberately trying to lead children to Satan.

No, the kicker for me came when watching two of the more recent (I say recent, it was about 1999.) Scooby-Doo movies. The newer releases are a far cry from back in the day when everything was given a logical explaination in the end. The first one, Scooby Doo on Zombie Island, featured a pair of solitary women who worshipped a pagan cat god. But even they were bad guys in the end.

Sooby Doo and the Witch's Ghost is probably the single biggest piece of pagan propaganda I have ever seen. There was obviously someone involved in the writing process of both films who has a strong pagan affiliation. The movie, which takes place in a quaint Massachusetts town during the fall, is filled with pro-pagan themes. Of course, we get the requisite Puritain bashing, but there are other things. The distinction is made between "witches" which are evil, and "Wiccans" which are merely kind, misunderstood herb healers who have the power to cast good spells. The conflict is actually resolved by Thorn, one of the female characters, reciting a spell from a book.

It wasn't tremendously popular and was a straight-to-DVD release, so it slid under the controversy radar as far as I know.

Anyway, the summer before seventh grade, a combination of being home by myself in the summer, lax parental controls on the computer, and the power of search engines had me looking at all sorts of things I ought not to.

To be fair, red flags went up immediately. After all, I was raised in a small town and had attended a Christian school, and later a Catholic one. References to "horned gods" certainly had me shaking as I thought of the implications of what I could be doing. Not to mention the so-called "rituals" seemed incredibly hoakey. But time desensitized me to such things, and after enough exposure, I bought my first book.

I won't go into all the details here, but just let me say this. It is a very short trip from dabbling in magic to getting in way, way over your head. It can all seem quaint and cottagey at first, working with herbs and charming wind chimes. And then maybe the unavoidably 80s glamour of standing before a candle flame in flowing black clothing catches you. I'm going to make a strong statement here, so skip over it if you don't think you can handle it, but here it is.

***Begin Statement***

There is real evil in this world. I have seen it, I have touched it, I have heard it speak to me. Witchcraft can start out in such a way as it seems harmless, but it all leads to the same place. It leads, unavoidably, to the Devil. All he wants to do is destroy you. And witchcraft is one of the single fastest ways to bring that about.

***End Statement***

In the end, I would just like to say to any contemplating it that come across this; don't do it. Even when I didn't consider myself a Christian yet, I was terrified of some of the things I had experienced. Witchcraft is the ultimate example of our society's belief that we are accountable to ourselves alone. You are playing with things that you cannot even begin to comprehend, with a purely evil power that dates back millenia. And any book, website, or movie that tries to convince you that your weak, frail, emotional human form can in any way tame and control it is leading you to disaster.

If anyone wants to know more about my personal experiences, or needs to talk about such things, feel free to contact me at thepeachmagnolia@gmail.com.

Weekend Musings

2008-11-24T11:14:00.000-06:00

I spent some time with Dad this weekend, and we had a lovely conversation over catfish sandwiches at a restaurant downtown. It was our first chance to talk about the election since it all happened. He had some wonderful insights as a former Marine.

He said when you're in the military, you realize that the President is your boss. It doesn't matter if you voted for him, if you like him, or anything like that. You owe him loyalty and respect as a citizen of his country. It's a good thing to remember.

In addition to scouring the city for a VCR, we also popped in Petsmart for a few minutes. I got acquainted with an interesting fish called a Ghost Catfish. It's very bizarre, you can see right through its translucent skin to its bones! You can count the ribs that stem from its vertebrae, it's very amazing. And once again I wonder how in the world evolution could explain a thing like that.

Still working on my graphics, hope to have them up soon. It may not be this week though, since we're leaving for Texas this Wednesday to have Thanksgiving at my aunt's! I can't wait to see everyone, especially the babies.

I think I might be...

2008-11-21T10:19:00.000-06:00

Calvinist. I'm not entirely certain, I'll have to read a bit more.

My search for a church has been rather disappointing. I found a Baptist group that claimed to be "family integrated" but still adhered to a lot of mainstream ideas about child training and Sunday School and the like. There's a Presbyterian church up the road that has a delightful little building and a small congregation; I've been in it before for a vocal recital. I think I may give it a try. And still, I'm considering a small Latin Mass community on the other side of town, because I'm not entirely sure I'm ready to give up the faith of my birth just like that.

All of this is, of course, coupled with the constant digestion of both new and old texts on doctrine, with the Bible at its heart.

In less heavy news...last night I organized the laundry room! It was desperately in need of it, and looks lovely now. :)

Coming Soon...

2008-11-17T10:25:00.000-06:00

We've got a wonderful, Ebay-purchased version of Adobe Photoshop that we installed recently. Mom has put me in charge of getting the hang of it, and it's been more than a little fun. I've discovered that I have quite a knack for it.

So, coming soon, a nice little batch of banners and graphics, with an antifeminist twist!

Trying Not to Cry

2008-11-15T14:05:00.000-06:00

When I briefly mentioned the desire to be a stay-at-home Mom to my mother this morning...

"Children need to go to school."

"So what? Are you just not going to use your own God-given gifts? What if my purpose in life was to have you, so you could share your talents. What happens if you don't?"

"You only get involvement in a child's life for about 13 years. After that, they don't want to be the center of your attention. What about the other 60+ years of your life when you don't have kids? What are you going to do then?"

"You want to know what I think? I think you're afraid of being out in the world. It just feels like the safe path, to have someone else out in the world for you and taking care of you."

"It's copping-out."

Culminating in an angry, resigned,

"It's your life, do whatever the *beep* you want with it."

On Conspiracy Theories, Worry, and The End of the World as We Know It.

2008-11-14T15:50:00.000-06:00

"I love peace and quiet. I hate politics and turmoil. " ~ Queen Victoria

If I allow myself to become too wrapped up in matters of politics, I go crazy. I can't sleep, I chew my nails, among other things. I absolutely cannot function properly when I allow myself to dwell too strongly on such issues. I'm convinced that women are not designed to handle such things, and that is part of why we are so suited to the home. Also, as followers of God we are not to be of this world. How can we set ourselves apart from it when we allow ourselves to constantly fear it?

God is sovereign over all things. Whether it is a salvation or a judgement, or something in between, it obviously fit into God's plans for this country to have Barack Obama elected. I pray for him every day, that he will have the wisdom to lead this country. I may not agree with him, but he will be my President, too.

Words like "secession" and "dictatorship" are flying around, as are comparisons of Obama to certain much-despised men of history. To compare Obama to Hitler, in my opinion, is not only foolish, but demeans the gravity of Hitler's memory itself. I see none of the mentally unstable, hate-based rhetoric in Obama, regardless of how socialist his ideas are.

Also, as to the end of the world that so many people assume is immanent...

I could take a long time describing how every time something goes wrong in the world, or a leader they don't like gets elected, certain groups of people like to cry "Apocalypse." But I won't. However, I will say this.

We do not know they day or the hour. No, we don't. I don't care how sure you are, who told you when it is, or why you think that way. We are not meant to know, precisely because if we DID know, we would all go mad. Not only that, but we would hide our true colors in an effort to "make right with God" before the end. Neither you nor I have any idea when this world is going to fall to pieces.

Therefore, wasting time worrying about it, or trying to pinpoint it, is taking away valuable time we could be using to do work for the Lord that is actually useful. He will provide, no matter what, or who, happens.

Surprise, Surprise

2008-11-11T16:08:00.000-06:00

Take the Quiz here!

No wonder Col. Brandon is my favorite Austen hero.

(Found on Day by Day, Lydia's blog.)

Once Upon a Time...

2008-11-11T10:42:00.001-06:00

There was a 13 year old girl. On the first day of school in sixth grade, she noticed a new teacher among the junior high students. He was an older man, with silver hair. He wore a dress shirt, tie, and slacks, and stood taller than all during the gym assembly's pledge of allegiance. She noticed the way he held his fist to his side, and immediately pegged him as a Marine.

Sure enough, she was right. When she got to his class that morning, the dry-witted teacher proceeded to tell the class he was their worst nightmare. Then he spent the hour recounting his long life, his long marriage (41 years this year!), his service as a pilot in the Marines, eventually rising tot he rank of Major, and how he wound up teaching social studies in a Catholic middle school.

The teacher had a no-nonsense way of teaching history. Even though he had to deal with the textbooks provided to him, he rarely used them. Instead he lectured, telling things the books never dared to think on and correcting biased notions. In addition to his regular duties, he also persuaded the principal to place framed copies of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence in the main stairwell for all to see and be reminded of daily. He wore his dress uniform every Veteran's Day, and loved to show off his officer's sword. And he always seemed to be the only teacher capable of fixing the copier.

In eighth grade they began to study American history, and his passion for the subject became clearer than ever. It was an election year, and tensions were high between the children of staunch Republicans and the next generation of neo-hippies. In every issue, he urged us all to evaluate everything according to the precepts of our Religion and the government outlined in the Constitution. Nothing, from the Civil War to Women's Suffrage, went unexamined by the microscope mind of the Major.

In addition, the private conversations they had, during days when the class was finished early, were things she would treasure for years to come. She learned of the teacher's admiration for Winston Churchill, the story of how he met his wife, and how he had been present at the fall of Saigon. Her respect for him and the convictions he held only grew.

For most of the students it was just another class. But not for the girl. For her, it forever changed the way she thought.

Major Whitten, I am forever grateful to you. You turned a complacent young girl into an active participant in her nation, her education, and her life. To put it mildly, I am in your everlasting debt.

Thank you.

Release

2008-11-09T16:33:00.000-06:00

The first few days of freedom from the music I threw out have been fantastic. I've barely thought about it at all. I've replaced it with film scores, hymns, classical pieces, and the occasional downloaded lecture. I've also picked up embroidery again to give my hands something to do, as I'm more able to think about two things at once.

Little by little, I feel the Holy Spirit convicting me. Things come to mind that I hadn't thought of before, and I feel contentment coming. However, there is unrest as well.

For one thing, I'm increasingly conflicted denominationally speaking. I pray that God will lead me to the path He intends me to follow.

And for another, my eyes have been opened to just how shaky the ground my family is on is. It feels like the house built on sand, and the rains loom on the horizon. I am constantly in prayer that God will use me to change the hearts of my parents from devotion to the world to devotion to Him. But the New Age "church" my mother attends is poisonous, and Jay goes to a "Christian" college that teaches some of the most corrupt doctrine I've ever heard and is littered with incompetant teachers. Needless to say, it does nothing for his opinion of conservative doctrine.

It is a daunting task that cuts to the very foundations of faith. It would be hard enough if my parents were strong, but merely misguided, Catholics or Protestants. But it runs deeper than that. Before I can even begin to convince them of the roles of men and women or God's design for the family, I have to convince them that the Word of God as handed down through generations is not the fabrications of a cartel of rich old men, nor is it irrelevant in the modern world.

It's not something I can do on my own strength, I know. I pray about often during the day.

But no matter what, I remind myself that He is sovereign. And I am more likely to win hearts for Him by going about my duties cheerfully than I am through any theological tirade.

Vexed

2008-11-06T19:26:00.000-06:00

I really don't know why I didn't see this coming.

Shortly after my post about music earlier this year, my heart hardened. I began to be angry at religion and God for making me feel conflicted in the first place. I bounced, once again, toward the other end of the spectrum. And the way was frought with thorns.

Whether you despise or love secular music, you can't deny that God has said that he is Lord, and there are to be no others before him. Well, I had made myself an idol of this music.

My all-consuming love for and affinity with this music was, quite frankly, standing between God and myself. Whether or not all rock music is bad is beside the point; in my personal experience, I had made a god out of it.

I used to scoff at those far wiser than I when they worried that listening to such music, which is very bleak and angry, wasn't making my depression worse. But now I'm not so sure. I think it's no coincidence that my darkest hours were soundtracked by it.

But the kicker came on the way home from voting. When that awful word fell out of my mouth, I gasped and apologized profusely. And then I began to think, if I'm comfortable talking so around my mother, who is to say I won't around my husband or my children? What hypocrisy will I commit when I try to gaurd them from the negative things this world espouses, but am steeped in it myself? How can I tell my girls they are precious and treasured when the music I listen to says some pretty clear things about the worth of women?

I strive to be a lady, and ladies simply do not speak this way. Ladies are not desensitized to the foulest of profanities. As a lady, I can no longer listen to this, at least for a time. As a lady, I can no longer make a god out of a man and his music. I feel certain this is the right course. It will be interesting to see if I actually miss any of this when it's gone.

And so I open my iTunes, scroll down to N, take a deep breath, and take out the trash.

In Fair Eureka...

2008-11-05T01:54:00.000-06:00

Eureka Springs really is a wonderful little town, if you watch your step. (Literally and figuratively, they have some of the steepest staircases I've ever seen!) I'm considering either posting, or maybe putting together an Ebook for Christians wanting to vacation there. It has some very good Christian attractions, and some gorgeous old historic church buildings. But it's pretty much the "misfit bin" as one local puts it. If nothing else, it provides beauty unrivaled, and I hope to take you on a little tour here. :)

Here's T, our beloved Shih-Tzu, all ready to go!

Here we are just across the Arkansas border, taking a breather.

The sign for our charming little cottage...

...And my very soft bed.

A view of the magnificent Crescent Hotel from the gazebo on East Mountain, right up the road from the cottage.

Spring Street buildings.

The taffy machine at Sweet's Fudge Kitchen. (I highly reccommend the peppermint)

The Flatiron building. The Quilt Shop downstairs has some of the prettiest demitasse teacups I've ever seen!

The Basin Park Hotel, built in 1905. (For reference, it's to the left of the Flatiron.)

Pepper the working bunny. He'll hand you your receipt, bag, and change, coins and all! Plus, he gives bunny kisses.

The "Grand Old Lady" herself, the Crescent! (Built in 1886)

Our carriage tour driver and her adorable Yorkie, Princeton.

I'd be remiss if I didn't show you a real spring! This is called the Grotto, and it's a little cave that's always around 62 degrees! T went down to investigate, of course.

As you can see, he was worn out!

I managed to make it home with a book of paper dolls from the 1895 and 1896 Boston Herald issues, and a silver sixpence in a drawstring bag to save for my wedding! (Lord willing.) You know what they say...

Something old, something new
Something borrowed, something blue
And a silver sixpence in her shoe.

Vacation, Voting, and Vexation

2008-11-01T14:42:00.000-05:00

My dear parents and I are bound tomorrow morning for Eureka Springs, a gorgeous little town in NW Arkansas. I hope to have many lovely pictures to show you upon our return Tuesday night.

What??? Tuesday??? But that's VOTING DAY!!!!!

Yes, it is, my friends, and this is my very first election ever. We could get into a debate about the vote for households vs. individuals, but since this blog isn't for that at this stage, and voting is my Constitutional right and duty, we shall just focus on the fact that I'm extremely proud to be a part of the history of our country.

This morning (way early) Mom and I hauled ourselves down to the county polling place for in-person absentee voting. (Jay hadn't had thought or had time to renew his address on his ID card, so he had to drive way out to where we used to live.) By the time we got there at 7:30, the sun had not yet risen and already the line wound along the building, through the parking lot, and down the street for a grand total of about four blocks. We stood in line until about 10:45 waiting, and then we cast our votes for the next President of the United States! As well as various local candidates and issues.

Let me make it clear that I'm not terribly fond of either of this year's offerings. But, Oklahoma makes it very difficult for third party candidates to get on the ticket, and it's illegal to write in names. So...I did the best that I could in the circumstances I was given. Not voting, in my opinion, is NOT an option.

As for the vexation, well...after I come back a rather serious post shall materialize. Last night I asked God, in the words of a great woman, to "hit me over the head with a two by four" if this path, a path I'm often conflicted about, is what He asks of me in this life.

Well, on the way home from voting, He did. A word popped out of my mouth that just mortified and astounded me by how easily it rolled off my tongue. In front of my mother! It's not at all a word a lady, or a gentleman for that matter, should ever, ever say.

Suffice it to say I know exactly where this word came from and exactly how I became desensitized to it.

Something Awesome!

2008-10-31T13:00:00.000-05:00

Sense and Sensibility Patterns (remember that great apron and those little girl's dresses I posted?) now has ePatterns!

It's extremely cool, because not only are they more affordable to the cash-strapped among us (me!), but they're an immediate download. No waiting for your pattern to come in the mail!

Now, admittedly, I'll probably own every single pattern in physical form eventually. But if you hate waiting, or are pressed for time on a sewing project you want to undertake, this is an awesome solution.

You can find the newest ePattern offerings right here: http://www.sensibility.com/pattern/main/?page_id=50

I Hate to Give off the Impression

2008-10-30T11:59:00.001-05:00

That the past few months have been nothing but agony. I've actually had some wonderful moments. Between a family reunion we hosted, a family vacation (which involved a bird's eye view of the Grand Canyon), concerts and performances, and the acquisition of, among other things, a lace parasol and a corset, I've certainly had quite a time.

But I've begun to notice a pattern. When in the grip of Darkness, I grow further and further from God and religion. I sink into a pit of petulant self-indulgence. But when things even out, I feel fantastic, and am much more able to focus on my duties as a daughter.

In any case, now that I'm outside my own mind, I can ease back into the joy I felt this past spring...and I look forward to sharing it with you all.

May-October, on Fast Forward

2008-10-27T22:56:00.000-05:00

Shortly after I took a posting hiatus...

Conflict with my best friend resulted in us not talking.

Around this same time I became extremely suicidal, to the point that I had to be hospitalized for seven days. During this time I relied very, very heavily on music to help get me through. After I got out, I felt closer to those songs I mentioned back then than ever. As a result, I began to have a serious crisis of faith, not at all helped by a pagan stepfather and a Mom who attends a Unity Church. Not to mention I didn't have any Christian friends in my immediate circle.

I spent the summer being less productive than I should have been and trying to mull over what everything meant. During this time I almost made a few decisions I know I would have sincerely regretted. August rolled around, I went to a concert that completely blew my mind and I thought I had made my decision.

But now I'm not so sure. I'm starting college in January and I have no idea what I want to major in or what I want to do with my life, again. I have absolutely no clue who Lydia is anymore, or what the future holds for her. Pray for me, please.

Election Day Novena

2008-10-27T22:53:00.001-05:00

Borrowed from Priests for Life via The Catholic Knight.

O God, we acknowledge you today as Lord,
Not only of individuals, but of nations and governments.
We thank you for the privilege
Of being able to organize ourselves politically
And of knowing that political loyalty
Does not have to mean disloyalty to you.
We thank you for your law,
Which our Founding Fathers acknowledged
And recognized as higher than any human law.
We thank you for the opportunity that this election year puts before us,
To exercise our solemn duty not only to vote,
But to influence countless others to vote,
And to vote correctly.
Lord, we pray that your people may be awakened.
Let them realize that while politics is not their salvation,
Their response to you requires that they be politically active.
Awaken your people to know that they are not called to be a sect fleeing the world
But rather a community of faith renewing the world.
Awaken them that the same hands lifted up to you in prayer
Are the hands that pull the lever in the voting booth;
That the same eyes that read your Word
Are the eyes that read the names on the ballot,
And that they do not cease to be Christians
When they enter the voting booth.
Awaken your people to a commitment to justice
To the sanctity of marriage and the family,
To the dignity of each individual human life,
And to the truth that human rights begin when human lives begin,
And not one moment later.
Lord, we rejoice today
That we are citizens of your kingdom.
May that make us all the more committed
To being faithful citizens on earth.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Poking My Head Up

2008-10-19T06:44:00.000-05:00

Perhaps someday I will be able to tell you all about everything that has gone on since I last posted.

For now, however, I would just like to sigh and lament that once again, we have been given a "historical" film. And once again it is frought with post-feminist thinking.

I am not a proponent of women bending to the will of abusive husbands; any such man who feels it justified to treat a woman so cannot make the claim of godliness. That being said...

The Duchess staring Kiera Knightley is like The Vagina Monologues in Georgian gowns. The entire message is fiercely anti-male.

We come away with the correct message indoctrinated; men are not to be trusted. Particularly older men. Particularly the ones we marry. Men are vile, lust-driven creatures who are cold, selfish, distant and cruel. Marriage is an institution of control, and any woman who engages in it invites oppression. Our only hope for happiness in such a wretched situation is the taking of lovers. No matter their gender. I even get the vibe, at several points, that our children hold us back from the true fulfillment we could achieve in their abscence.

Hopefully I can spare at least one misguided fellow lady from viewing this gilded travesty by placing this out in cyberspace.

Busy, Busy, Busy

2008-04-24T09:08:00.000-05:00

Where does all the time go? I have an appointment this afternoon, there's a fundraiser at the Overholser Saturday...notwithstanding my usual duties.

Any time management tips?

Feel Free to Call Me Out

2008-04-23T09:32:00.000-05:00

But I'm incapable of apology at this point.

Discipline, the new Nine Inch Nails single, is fantastically danceable.

Currently Reading...

2008-04-22T09:53:00.001-05:00

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux.

For about, oh, the 80th time.

It's such a good book! It's part detective novel, part Gothic drama, part study of character. Erik is just so tragic.

Now That I've Had Time...

2008-04-17T09:10:00.000-05:00

To mull over what happened the other day, I'm going to go into it with a bit more detail. Mostly because I need the encouragement I know I'll get from you guys. You're all so wonderful, I hope you realize that.

In short, I was explaining my LAF bumper sticker after dance class this week, and one of my fellow dancers decided to rip me a new one in an email that night.

Basically, first she went on and on about how stay-at-home mothers are bad for children because they smother them and spoil them. And that being a stay-at-home mother isn't enough to "satisfy" your average intelligent woman.

Then she proceeded to attack my "Naive and antiquated" views on "women being Mommies and men taking care of them." And that I need to get real, because the "knight in shining armor" I pray for is never going to show up, and I'm just going to end up jaded.

She berated me for wearing old-fashioned, romantic clothing. She tore me down for enjoying sewing. "I always hear about how you want to be a mommy, but I never hear about you exploring your talents."

Just because a good number of my interests are on the domestic side doesn't mean they aren't legitimate interests! And just because I spend more of my time serving my family than indulging in hobbies 24/7 doesn't mean there's something wrong with me.

Does it?

I'm just at a loss so see how arrogant and jaded a 21 year-old would have to be to assume she has the wisdom and right to tell me these things.

Well, well

2008-04-15T17:18:00.000-05:00

Heaven forbid I should tell a friend of mine I'm not a feminist.

I've never felt so ganged-up on in my life, and by people I usually trust, no less. I didn't even say I was an anti-feminist...just that I'm not a feminist.

Ouch.

I don't feel all that well right now.

Please Pray, and a Playlist

2008-04-14T10:20:00.000-05:00

My great uncle Bill passed away recently. We weren't close, but I'm not sure how well Dad is taking it, so any prayers would be appreciated.

That being said, I'd like to give ya'll a little more insight into my world. So, I decided to whip up a playlist to show you what I'm listening to, at least right now. It changes often, but these are my most-played songs as of this week.

The Obligatory Note: I don't necessarily endorse the ideologies or other relevant aspects of the artists contained herein, etc. etc.

Stars and Butterflies - the new Pride and Prejudice has a beautiful score. This is sort of my 'happy song,' and I put it on when I wake up a lot.

La Follia - I love, love, love this piece. It's from the Baroque period, and is rather long, but worth it. I'm a sucker for violin.

Angels - This is my Mom's current favorite song. We're both big fans of groups that combine heavier rock with classical elements.

The Mystic's Dream - I love Loreena McKennitt, and this is my favorite track off of The Mask and Mirror

The Mummer's Dance - The best track from The Book of Secrets

Come to Jesus - I bought this CD when it came out, and wore it to bits. I love Mindy Smith's voice.

Fields of Gold - This song always makes me smile. I've loved it since I was little.

Lacrymosa - A haunting piece from Mozart's Requiem.

Lacrymosa - And a fantastic bit of sampling in a rock song.

Moonlight Sonata - what's not to love?

Ta-da! There you have it. Feel free to listen, repeat, skip, etc. :)

NOTE: if it's acting up or loading slowly, try clicking "Standalone player"

St. Augustine of Hippo

2008-04-13T23:21:00.000-05:00

da mihi castitatem et continentiam, sed noli modo

I know the feeling.

Change of Sewing Plans

2008-04-10T12:43:00.000-05:00

You'll notice that my little Sewing Projects list has changed a bit...I'm pushing the Rococo Blouse aside for a short while. Why?

Simply because of my recently acquired position as a voluneer at the Overholser Mansion, a tour home in our city.

I'm going to be helping out extensively in the planning of their Overholser Tea, which is this May. As the house was built in the early 1900s, the theme is period-correct to the time.

Enter my newest conquest, the 1910s Tea Gown!

I'm thinking...white and peach.

Bonjour!

2008-04-09T11:37:00.000-05:00

My French books came in today.

Je m'appelle Lydia, et toi?

Difficult.

2008-04-08T21:35:00.000-05:00

Oh, this is hard. This is so, so, hard.

Sitting in my iTunes right now are 171 songs by a single artist, which is technically a band, but not. The music of this artist has pretty much come to represent an entire chapter in my life, and I can pinpoint exact moods with certain songs. I know all the lyrics by heart. I had the obligatory lead-singer crush. I scrimped and saved for concert tickets. Needless to say, I'm very attached to this music.

With the exception of the 45-ish instrumentals, most of the songs have less-than-savory lyrics. They're either blatantly inappropriate, full of awful words, just downright contagiously angry, or even anti-God in some cases.

But, man...they're just...clever. And catchy. And brilliantly executed.

And because they mean so much to me, they're indescribably difficult to get rid of. Even though all they do is cause awful thoughts and bring back awful memories.

I know they need to go. I know I should chuck the lot of them and never think twice about it. But I'm just not that strong.

It's so hard.

Posted Today

2008-04-07T14:06:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine talked me into getting a Myspace, so I thought I might as well use it for good. I posted this today.

Ladies and Gentlemen...

What you are about to read may shock and even offend you. I ask that you set aside your presuppositions, as the message I bear is urgent.

We’ve been lied to. All of us. Since we were old enough to absorb information, we have been fed a steady diet of complete and boldfaced deception. And for what? To serve the agendas of a now elite few, and, in many cases, for the sake of money.

Guys! You have been dehumanized. You have been brought up to believe that you are nothing more than animals who can’t control their urges. You’ve been told your lot in life is to spend your younger years as a promiscuous boozehound devoid of goal or honor. That all you can expect to become is a bumbling, obese idiot who is crude, lazy, and helpless without someone to direct you.

Girls! What about us? We’ve been led to believe we’re nothing more than eye candy, measured by the shape of our lips, the tanness of our skin, and the circumference of our thighs. We’re playthings in the eyes of the world, to be used, cheated on, and laughed about behhind our backs.

Guys, you’ve been slighted by a school system that forces you to sit still from preschool on. And by a culture that, through the power of suggestions, has robbed you of your God-given ability to lead.

Girls, we’ve been ordered to repress our instincts, to just dry up. We trade what we are born to be for a life chasing a perfect model of impossible self-sufficiency, and are perplexed when we wind up unhappy.

Yes, we’ve all been lied to.

But let me let you in on a little secret, one that a lot of people don’t want you to know.

Men, you were born to be Regents of the World. To lead, to pioneer, and to protect. You were made to do hard things, accomplish unbelievable goals, and raise civilizations from nothingness. It is you who lays the foundations, who slays the dragons.

Women, you were created for a beautiful purpose. You are designed to sustain nations. To give birth to children that can collectively shake the world. The future belongs to the woman who has raised her children well. It is us, the ladies, who set the standard of the worth of society.

Men, you have been told to get in line and keep your head down. But what about George Washington? Patrick Henry? Martin Luther King, Jr.?

Women, you’ve been told that "well-behaved" women never make history. I charge you to look to Dolly Madison, The Botkin Sisters, and to Mary herself.

I dare you not to swallow anymore lies.

I dare you to believe that we, male and female, are worth more.

I dare you to believe that we have a purpose.

And I dare you to believe we can accomplish it.

Will Be Back

2008-04-05T20:20:00.000-05:00

In full swing this Monday.

See ya then!

A Slightly Heebie-Jeebie Inducing Confession

2008-04-03T10:32:00.000-05:00

I. Love. Spiders.

Every time I find one in the house, I either let it "run alive" or, if it's a large type like a Wolf Spider, I catch it in a cup and take it out. When we moved into the house, it had been vacant for a while. You know what that means. More than once last summer I found a full, abandoned egg sac somewhere in the house and ever-so-carefully collected it and moved it to a protected spot outside...I even got to watch one hatch in the fall. It was absolutely stunning, with all of the little baby spiders putting out their lines of web, glistening in the sunset as they wafted away. Last fall I took a web walk with my camera when all of the new babies had matured and built webs everywhere.

I've even been known to discover long-term residents and grow fond of them. For example, last year we had Dierdre, an orb spider who built very ambitious webs that somtimes had fifteen foot-long support threads, and Phineas, a pale grey hunter smaller than my pinkie nail.

Yeah. I know, I'm crazy. But I love them! They're beautiful, and fascinating to watch and study.

I love reading about and identifying the different species, finding out how they build webs and reproduce, and everything else. They're one of God's great marvels. Thef act that each one in born with the inherent knowledge of how to build such amazingly complex structures! And not only that, their bodies produce everything they need. They can even survive without bugs to eat, because their digestive system can process the protein in their silk.

So, anyway, if anyone ever has a question about spiders...well, you know who to ask. ;) And next time you're tempted to smish one, stop and think about how truly marvelous they are.

Jenine, Mistress of the Mailbox.

gasp Tagged!

2008-03-29T09:15:00.000-05:00

Dear Maggie at Don't Know What I'm Doing has tagged me...This should be interesting.

What I was doing 10 years ago:

Ten years ago, I was seven years old. Wow. This time ten years ago, I was getting to know my then-future stepfather. I can't remember exactly, but by now, he and Mom were probably engaged. I'll admit, I wasn't exactly warm to the idea at the time. I'm greatful God has since worked in my heart to change that. They were married in July in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. I was also in school, obviously. Second grade, I believe. That would have made Mrs. Funk my teacher. She loved honeybees, and took us on a field trip to a bee farm.

Five things on my To Do List today:

1. Straighten up

2. Vacuum

3. Go to my doctor's appointment

4. Read a chapter

5. Go to dance

Snacks I enjoy:

Cheese nachos

Granny Smith apples

Raisins

sunflower kernels

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:

Ah, what a thought. First thing, I'd pay off my parent's house, and buy my own in Eureka Springs for the future. Then I'd give several million to all of my grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, etc. Maybe make a Family Fund that anyone who needed it could access. Then I'd help out my friend's father with their bills, and set up her aunt and uncle (and their six kids). I'd probably send a bit the way of my readers, as well. :) Finally, I'd go crazy with patterns and fabric and books and not emerge from my room for six months, once I've created a wardrobe that spans the 15th-19th centuries.

Five places I have lived:

A farm in the countryside by Cordell, Oklahoma

Clinton, Oklahoma

A townhouse in Oklahoma City

Yukon, Oklahoma

Back to OKC (current)

Five jobs I have had:

Babysitter

Cashier

Unofficial Secretary

Short-order Seamstress

Stay-at-Home Daughter!!!

Five people I want to know more about (a nice way of saying TAG!):

Everly P at Clickety~Clack

Leigh at A Lady's Wistful Moments

Emma at Charming the Birds from the Trees

Michelle at Ave Maria

...That's all I can think of...

What a Weekend!

2008-03-26T10:01:00.000-05:00

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, whether you keep Easter or not!

My grandparents came in from Arkansas and were with us from Friday until Monday; I'm always glad to see them. I also got to see my aunt and uncle, my cousins, and....my cousin's six month old! Baby Marshall is the absolute sweetest thing you'll ever see. My stepdad (his godfather) spent nearly half an hour playing with him, and it was the sweetest thing in the world to see, if a bit nerve-wracking! Men most definately play with babies differently than women do! :)

Our Sunday dinner was delicious. We had brown-sugar ham, fresh green beans, black-eyed peas, ambrosia, and lime jello salad. For dessert, we had a coconut cake which I baked from a recipe in Taste of the South, and an extremely unusual, but very decadent key lime bread pudding, also my domain, from a recipe Mom got at the Point Clear Grand Hotel in Alabama.

We went to an absolutely beautiful Mass, where all the stops had been pulled out. The music was exquisite, and the priest spoke well. Mom and I were just about in tears by the time it was over.

Through all this, Mimi and I found time to watch the Kate Beckinsale version of Emma on Masterpiece Theatre, which I highly reccommend to even the most marginal Jane Austen fan. It was delightful, and superior to the Gwyneth Paltrow version, in my opinion. I am a little miffed at the fact that I caught a preview for their new Sense and Sensibility, and they seem to have inserted a highly inappropriate plot device surrounding Marianne and Willoughby. Jane must be spinning in her grave.

I must say, it's something of a relief to be returning to my daily routine. The kitchen is finally back in ship shape!

Today's Prayer

2008-03-22T16:34:00.000-05:00

Dear Lord, help me to delight in the mundane.

Swamped

2008-03-20T10:13:00.000-05:00

Sorry I've been so absent...m grandparents are coming in for Easter, and this involved quite the list of preparations. I'll be back Monday.

Sewing Post

2008-03-12T17:11:00.001-05:00

Everly, to answer your questions...I myself do not have a copy of that catalogue, my grandmother in Arkansas does, though. A worthy splurge is the Vogue Sewing Book, which is available at any Barnes and Noble for $30, but it looks like there are some lower-priced used copies on Amazon. It goes into detail about colors, patterns, textures, and all manner of cuts and garment variations.

If I were you, first, I'd either get a book or look online and learn some basic stitches, or, if you have a machine, information on that. Sometimes fabric and craft stores have demonstrations or classes, as well. The only training I had was one day making a nightgown with my grandmother. Aside from that, I'm self-taught. If youhave a machine, look in the owner's manual and see how to set it for various fabrics. Put it on a light setting and practice straight lines on a piece of notebook paper.

If you haven't got a machine, don't fret. I do all my work by hand! Just pick up some basic needles, a bit of white thread, and some scraps of fabric (if you buy it, 1/4 yard of 99 cent muslin is just fine.) And practice basic stitches. Do this until you're comfortable.

Then get a tape measure and take down your measurements before you go to the store, so that you'll be able to look and see which pattern size you are. They're usually off a couple as compared to retail sizing. Look through the Simplicity and McCalls catalogues. Both of them have Easy sections, and that's a great place to start. Also, often times Hancock and Hobby Lobby put patterns on sale for a dollar apiece. Once you find something you like, look at the suggested fabrics and the amount you need, and pick something out. Sales are a great thing to take advantage of here, too!

From there, just follow the instructions on your pattern! It'll show you how to lay it out to cut it, what order to piece it in, and pretty much anything else you need to know.

As for some pictures, I've managed to pull a few together.

Here's a skirt I made from instructions online:

I've also got this wonderful apron I made from a Sense and Sensibility pattern:

Also, I've got the Easter dress I made for a friend's girl. It looked adorable on. The pattern is also from S&S:

Aside from that, most of my sewing goes to people other than myself, so I don't have a lot of photos. More are coming, though!

A Thank You

2008-03-12T15:06:00.000-05:00

Thank you ladies for the thoughtful replies!

Leigh - You're very right, I didn't do it for attention purposes. My parents are rather fond of it themselves; I would never have done it without their permission. I feel a bit of a connection with women of the past and across cultures with my little jewel.

Everly - You're absolutely right about legalism. It's a reason I'm personally glad that as a Catholic I have access to the teachings I do. I do know it's not for everyone; I hope this blog never causes a denominational clash, as I respect all true Christian paths, as well as the path of our Jewish fathers.

Maggie - It is indeed confusing, and I'm normally glad to have the guidance of the Church, but in situations such as these, where everyone seems to have a differing opinion, I do like to go back to the source myself. Thank you so much for the links!

Thanks also for your concern about me denying myself too much. The fact of the matter is I led a very secular life for a long time, and so it's important for me to check everything out. I still have my music, my sometimes obsessive hobbies, and my (many!) books. My dancing is also a very human pleasure in which I engage.*

Some things, of course, have to be thrown out. The best example is my music. A few songs I kept around because of the beat or music, but which had trashy lyrics, definitely had to go. In one case, I had several albums from the same artist that I finally decided were better off in the garbage, because the lyrics were either promiscuous, anti-God, or just plain angry and depressing. At the same time, I'll delete a song or two from a particular artist while keeping quite a bit around. (Heaven help the fool who comes between me and my Sting) And then there are some things that are just fine the way they are.

My main purpose in my more serious posts is, of course, to gain advice from everyone who dips in about the issues I have some trouble with. It's no substitute for prayer, I know, but you all are a huge help. It's extremly helpful to me to take in varied ideas about the same subject, especially when my own scope is narrow. And I thank you all for responding so kindly.

*A tangent about that: Last night I had my first class after my decision to stop dancing publicly, and it was amazing. I was able to see myself in a different light, and a smile kept tugging at the corners of my mouth. When I'm not worried about what other people (an audience) would think, it becomes all about me being thankful to God for making me a woman. And, yes, a few daydreams about the future. :)

More Seriousness

2008-03-11T10:48:00.000-05:00

Yes, that's right. Another serious post. I can't help myself; I'm making a life-altering transition here, and I'm trying hard to make it as completely as possible.

I would like to show you something I got this January. Something I find very pretty, even classy, but something about which I am extremely torn.

Frankly, I'm at a loss to interpret the Biblical stance on piercings. I've heard very convincing arguments both ways. The passage in Leviticus 21 refers to a specific practice of manefesting inner pain in outward cutting or gashes, or so I am told. There are several references to ear piercing in the Bible...but in context, it is a mark of enslavement.

Once again, I seek the consel my readers, as you all come from different perspectives, many of you are older and wiser, and you've all followed God closely longer than I. If there's some proof of its prohibition that I have missed, I'll throw the thing out, but right now I'm lost in a mire of differing opinions, from those who oppose it from an extrabiblical societal stance, to the "Do whatever the heck you want" idiology of people who throw out Mosaic Law althogether. :/

I Love These

2008-03-10T20:18:00.000-05:00

I learned so much the first time I found these online.

A Beautiful Sunday

2008-03-09T20:27:00.001-05:00

Today it was just too gorgeous to stay inside! Here's the view from our yard:

So I grabbed the remains of a stale loaf of bread and went to feed our neighborhood geese. They were very appreciative.

I managed to catch a few signs of the changing seasons; the first crocus I've seen so far, and a bird's nest!

How blessed are we, that God allows us to live in this wonderful world.

Cat Blogging

2008-03-09T09:45:00.000-05:00

Tiggy helps Mom decide what to order from the grower's Co-op.

Ouch

2008-03-08T22:23:00.000-06:00

I had my first car accident today. I was at fault; I turned with a car blocking my view and slammed (with low momentum, luckily) into the side of another car. I hit the back tire; thankfully, no one was hurt. The people were very nice and calm. Their car was pretty torn up, but my damage doesn't go beyond the superficial. Luckily, because of the way Beetles are pieced, we only have to replace a small panel.

To add to the fortune, the other car didn't have their current insurance with them. We had a very nice police officer come to the scene who chose not to ticket them for it, and as such didn't ticket me, either. Add to it that my parents aren't angry or upset with me, and for a first accident, it wasn't bad. The Lord's hand was on me today.

I'm going to have to take a part-time job to pay the insurance deductable, so I picked up an application at the fabric store by my house...We shall see how it goes.

In better news, I picked up a nice dress pattern for 99 cents at Hobby Lobby today. I'll mostly be making views A or D, but I may make a couple of the sleeveless ones to go under sweaters or jackets. I also got the most beautiful fabric I've ever seen, a soft white cotton with teeny eyelets and a purple rose print. It was pricey, so I just got enough to make a blouse with, I think I'll try my Dawn Anderson pattern.

If you all have time, please say a little prayer for me, that today will be my last accident for a while! :)

Update on the Dancing

2008-03-06T21:25:00.001-06:00

After much consideration, I've decided to stop dancing publicly. I have one prior committment tomorrow that I have to honor, but after that, no more.

It's been a tough decision, but I feel it is the best one for me. A dance designed around the natural movements of the female body can't help but be provocative and sensual, and therefore belongs where all other things of a provocative and sensual nature belong; in private. I don't think this is necessarily the case with all dances; with the right costumes most dancing can be nothing but beautiful. It's the nature of bellydance that makes it an issue.

In its original cultural context, men did not watch women dance, unless the women were also prostitutes as well as dancers. Even today, there are certain things you just don't do, such as place your hands on your hips, as it constitutes an offer. Mrs. Clitheroe made an excellent point that sometimes fabric isn't enough, and she's right. It doesn't matter how many skirts and belts I wear, I'm still moving my hips. A lot.

I had already reached the conclusion that I would stop dancing publicly when I married, but then it occured to me; even though we haven't met yet, part of me still belongs to my future husband, wherever he may be (Lord willing!). I keep that part of me safe for him in so many other ways; there's not a reason in the world why I should let my guard down for this.

I will continue to dance in class with the other ladies. And when the time comes, I will have a skill in which my husband and I can both take pleasure, far from prying eyes.

One of my Favorites

2008-03-05T17:52:00.000-06:00

This one always makes me cry.

My life flows on in endless song;
Above earth’s lamentation
I hear the sweet though far off hymn
That hails a new creation:
Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear the music ringing;
It sounds an echo in my soul—
How can I keep from singing?

What though my joys and comforts die?
The Lord my Savior liveth;
What though the darkness gather round!
Songs in the night He giveth:
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that refuge clinging;
Since Christ is Lord of Heav’n and earth,
How can I keep from singing?

I lift mine eyes; the cloud grows thin;
I see the blue above it;
And day by day this pathway smoothes
Since first I learned to love it:
The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,
A fountain ever springing:
All things are mine since I am His—
How can I keep from singing?

Success!

2008-03-04T08:50:00.000-06:00

Cooking Day went beautifully, with only a minor disaster involving a melted plastic bag. (Oh, the smell!) The way the book lays out the tasks and order of recipes is extremely helpful.

I served baked jambalaya for dinner, and it was a huge hit! It was the first time our family had sat down to a home-cooked meal in ages. Jay took some of the leftovers for lunch today. I'm so happy! It's wonderful accomplishment, making sure your family has good food.

Next stop...stuffed pork chops! :)

Signs of Spring

2008-03-02T11:32:00.000-06:00

The only way I can describe the weather today is that it feels like home. There's a coolness in the air, but also a distinct, moist-smelling humidity. It's not really spring in Oklahoma until a storm is on the way, and after all my years here I can definately feel one brewing.

I'm taking my camera out to Dad's this weekend; I'm dying to share the beauty of the open spaces and the sunsets. Maybe if I'm lucky, I can even get a few cloud shots. You can see for miles and miles out there, and sometimes can catch an entire storm in one frame. I might go take some pictures of around the house today...I'm in a photography mood.

My mother and I took a walk Friday, and saw a forsythia blooming. It's always the first flower, and it got us both excited. She's a garden nut, and is planning on making over our plain Jane yard this year...I can't wait!

Also, I'm taking what I consider a major step in my relationship with my father. I'm going to bring out a few things this next weekend, and we're going to have a sort of dressed-down tea. I think it'll be good for him, and it'll show him a bit more of my personality. If ya'll are nice, I'll post the menu later this week. ;)

Open Discussion

2008-02-27T12:03:00.000-06:00

This is a topic I've been praying about a lot, and I decided to seek guidance here. This is open to anyone who reads here as long as we keep it civil, of course.

I take a "bellydance" or "Middle Eastern dance" class on Tuesday nights. It's all girls, I thoroughly enjoy it, and I dress modestly when I do so. I always wear a v-necked, 3/4 sleeved top that doesn't show any clevage, and two long skirts layed over one another for extra fullness.

The movements are not nearly as suggestive as some "cabaret" type bellydance is...on the contrary, there is a great emphasis placed on keeping the movements from looking bad. It is primarly the movement of arms, really, and when you wear the right overskirt, most spectator's eyes are on the movement of the fabric, rather than on the hips.

My main concern is performing. There's nothing obscene about our dances in the least, as when we perform we do it in a studio-wide recital that covers every class right down to preschool ballet. Some girls show their stomachs when they perform, but I never have and never will. In fact, the long-sleeved traditional dance coat I have covers more than normal! I also feel that by and large the two international dance classes at our studio (bellydance and flamenco) involve more modest costume choices than your average requirement for a ballet or tap recital.

I know dancing in the Bible is not always presented in the best context, and that's why I'm seeking your collective opinions. As a girl seeking to follow God, is it immodest of me to dance in public? I love the rush and the atmosphere, but it's not worth it to me if it ends up resulting in a stumbling block for anyone watching.

Feedback is greatly appreciated! :)

Chapter Two

2008-02-25T13:10:00.000-06:00

Eileen found herself huming as she began to sort the clothes. A few T-shirts for the white pile, a pair of work jeans for the denim pile. The dark were mostly Shari's tank tops, and the brights consisted primarly of her own calico house dresses; she had a pattern for a drawstringed one that made excellent use of a few yards of $2 quilting cotton.

As she loaded the whites in, she let the words escape her lips

The trees they grow high
And the leaves they do grow green.
Many's the time my true love I've seen,
Many a hour I've watched him all alone.
He's young but he's daily growing.

Washer loaded and running, she smoother ehr blue T-shirt and walked into the dining room where the sewing machine was set up. And as she began to pin together the side seams of her latest project, her mind wandered back to the note.

She automatically knew there was no way the the looped handwriting belonged to her dad; she was too familiar with his chickenstratch. It couldn't be her ganrdmother's, either. No. She was instinctively certain it belonged to a man.

Dawson was her mother's name, the name on her birth certificate, but she was ususally called Slaughterback out of convenience. Whoever he was, he knew a lot about her. Straining her memory, she tried to recall anything that could help.

When she was sixteen, her father had explained it as best as he could. Her mother had died when she was six years old, that much she had already known, but she hadn't known any of the other circumstances.

He was meeting a friend from Ohio in Eureka Springs when he met Laura, and he loved her instantly. They spent the night together, with her assuming they would be married in a few days down at Judge Bean's. What he had neglected to tell her was that he already had a wife.

Now Laura, a waitress with no family, was pregnant in a strange town with nowhere to go. She was waiting for the trolley, and trying not to cry, when a woman with a nine-year-old boy walking dutifully behind her skirts took off her sweater and dropped it around her shoulders against the cold spring rain.

She spent the next six years living with the woman and her husband, deeply rooted Christians. The husband wouldn't hear of Laura working outside; instead, she and his wife froze dinners and sold them when they needed extra money.

Apparently, they had even wanted to keep Eilee after Laura passed, but couldn't. Shari couldn't have children, and when Laura died, she convinced her husband to fight for her, even though it took a scant few weeks of step-motherhood for her enthusiasm to fade.

It took Eileen a minute to realize she had stitched at an agle, right off the side of her fabric. With a shake of her head and a smile, she took her knew scissors out and began to snip away the wayward threads. It had to be from one of them, altough she wasn't sure why they would go all the way to Millicent just to drop off a birthday present.

"Eileen!"
"Coming!"

She heard Shari's coughing as she walked down the hallways. She was finished with her breakfast, and

"I need more coffee."

After Eileen brought it, she went back to her sewing, and her thought process. She kept at it, stitching and wondering until she heard the washer click off for the final time.

Whew

2008-02-24T17:58:00.000-06:00

I've been wiping down baseboards all day...it's amazing how dirt and hair accumulate when you've got three pets!

Wildlife

2008-02-23T12:04:00.000-06:00

Some things have come up, I'll post the book Sunday evening, but...

We have two foxes! We knew we had one, but we saw two walking across the yard last night. Maybe we'll have babies.

Also, today I saw something I've never seen before. A pelican! Out in our neighborhood pond! I love out house, we've got our own little ecosystem here.

Cooking, etc.

2008-02-22T09:35:00.001-06:00

First and foremost, thank you for the prayers. Jay's surgery went very well, better than was expected, and his healing time is shorter as a result.

In other news, I'm so, so excited! We just bought Once-a-Month Cooking by Mary-Beth Lagerborg and Mimi Wilson. Our family's so scattered that we don't have near enough time together on a daily basis, and I'm such a novice there's no way I could plan a menu on my own yet! I'm hoping this will give us the chance to sit down and actually have a meal together each night.

It comes very highly reccommended, although I hear there are some errors in the shopping lists. Fine by me, I've got the time to double-check them. :)

Also, no need to worry. If I don't have part two up by tonight, it'll be up in the morning. ;)

When the Magnolias Bloom

Moving along!

Learning How to Love

Coming Monday

Hmm

Me? Sing in a Choir?

Asking for Strength

Pining?

Crazy Day!

Natural Beauty Monday - The Dauphine on Teenage Skin Woes

Home-Grown Beauty

If Life is a Highway, Consider This a Wheel Alignment

Thursday

All is Calm, All is Bright

This Weekend...

The Real "Enemies"

Ah!

Coming this week...

Poking my head up again

History, Challenges, and Preparation

...And Pass the Ammunition

On My Mind Today

Amid the Cold of Winter

White Out!

Around Campus

A Matter of Opinion

A Day of Prayer

Happy Birthday, General!

Ouchie!

*Whew*

Wish Me a Little Luck...

Baking Soda!

New Year's Resolutions

Lemonade!

Another Year

Clothing Conundrum

Christmas: In the Ozarks, On the Prairie, and With Dogs

Packing up

Thoughts on College, Part Two

Thoughts On College, Part One

Ice!

Good Heavens!

Names

Upcoming...

DC-Land

*Sniffle*

Total and Complete Silliness

Weighed and Measured

What We Aim For

Quite an Adventure!

A Wonderful Feeling

Hmm.

Weekend Musings

I think I might be...

Coming Soon...

Trying Not to Cry

On Conspiracy Theories, Worry, and The End of the World as We Know It.

Surprise, Surprise

Once Upon a Time...

Release

Vexed

In Fair Eureka...

Vacation, Voting, and Vexation

Something Awesome!

I Hate to Give off the Impression

May-October, on Fast Forward

Election Day Novena

Poking My Head Up

Busy, Busy, Busy

Feel Free to Call Me Out

Currently Reading...

Now That I've Had Time...

Well, well

Please Pray, and a Playlist

St. Augustine of Hippo

Change of Sewing Plans

Bonjour!

Difficult.

Posted Today

Will Be Back

Whew

Sniffle

gasp Tagged!

Ouch