in the 27th

10 years ago...and 10 years later...

2011-09-11T17:25:00.001-07:00

10 years ago I was 17 and a Senior in high school

10 years ago I sat at FPD and listened to the announcement that our free nation was under attack

10 years ago I cried when I saw a man (a father, a brother, a son) fall from a twin tower

10 years ago I watched a nation come together in the fight against terror

10 years ago I celebrated when our President George Bush said "Every nation in every region now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists." and "Whether we bring our enemies to justice or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done."

10 years later I am teaching Seniors in high school

10 years later I sit at home and listen to recounts of that fateful day and am still in shock

10 years later I cry when I see the images replayed and when I think of all who have fallen

10 years later I watched a nation rejoice when Bin Laden was taken down

10 years later I celebrate our freedom and our resilience as a country

10 years ago or 10 years later I will always be proud to be an American.

9.11.01

{Let's Start Over...}

2011-06-07T13:41:00.001-07:00

I'm Lindsay. And this is my blog. And I have neglected it for over a year.

I did, however, start another one - Teaching in the 915.

It's about my teaching escapades. But I haven't written on that one since April.

So, I have decided that I was start over with my blogging ventures. Hopefully, Ill be more successful since it is summer and for the next 2.5 months I am pretty FREE to do WHATEVER I WANT! I cannot even tell you how exciting I am about that!

This past school year whooped my butt. I got my own classroom so I thought it was going to be easier than floating like I did last year but I was wrong. This year was more emotionally exhausting than physically.

I had a rare bunch of kids - convicted criminals, only-spanish-speaking, kids whose parents are in jail (for murder, yikes!), repeats and threepeats, 18 and 19 year old freshmen, and kids who live on their own and somehow come to school everyday. I had military kids, black, white, hispanic, and asian kids. I had kids who couldn't read or write. I had some kids that I only saw once in a while because they were absent almost everyday. I had drug dealers, drug users, and drug smugglers. I had thieves, attempted murderers and liars.

I am tired. So needless to say....

.... I am super excited about this summer! I have lots of plans, lots of people to see, lots of traveling and I CAN'T WAIT!!!!

HAPPY SUMMER 2011!!

Sustainable Summer

2010-05-31T10:41:00.000-07:00

As the school year ends, I think about what I am going to do this summer. I am going to the beach with some friends and going to North Carolina and Georgia for a few glorious weeks. But I am going to have a lot of free time. So I thought to myself...what to do, what to do?

Mikell and I have been trying to be a little more environmentally friendly. We try to recycle, I use tupperware instead of sandwich bags for my lunches, we have energy saving light bulbs, we use biodegradable trash bags, hand soap, and tooth pick flossing things...but that's about the extent to our greenness. We know we can do more.

Now, we can't grow a garden in our apartment (even tho I am dying to have a topsy turvy) but we can be better about eating more organically and supporting our local farmers.

Being a nerd (and having a chemistry degree) I get really worried about using the smelly cleaners in my apt - breathing in all those fumes...YUCK! So I plan on making our own cleaners.

Mikell has a bunch of old shirts that I want to make into cloth napkins (need to buy a sewing machine).

We are leaning towards being a one-car family. My engine blew up about a month ago and my car is STILL in the shop getting fixed and we have been carpooling to work. It's so nice to have him drop me off in the mornings and pick me up in the afternoons.

And lastly, cooking. I love to cook. So hopefully we will be eating out less and staying in more.

Those are a few things I plan to do this summer. And I'll keep you updated on how sustainable we become.

.Mijos.

2010-05-16T16:00:00.000-07:00

2010-04-20T17:39:00.000-07:00

I just want to write about school....about my students...because my heart breaks for them on a daily basis.

Last week, while Mikell was in Maryland, I had a Spain moment. I missed it...so so much. I sat in bed and cried and watched all the announcement videos from when I was there. I watched myself "fly" and dance with Chris Hylton. I watched Stephanie kick butt and Elaine drink cafe. I watched Ross .. well.. be Ross and Carole be Carole. Dean danced, Joan gave birth to Shrek, Alex played bass and Sara didn't have a clue....and I cried some more. I was so alive in Spain - spending so much time in a different culture was exhilarating, learning a new language was exciting, hanging out with Spaniards was my life...it was a great life - and last week I missed it dearly.

After watching all the videos, I felt dead. Everyday I go to school, teach, wear myself out, come home and crash. Last Friday I fell asleep on the couch at 8pm. I don't have friends like I did in Spain, I am not a part of a community like En Vivo and last week I had a day where that bothered me. I miss the relationships. I miss hanging out. I miss playing 'signales' and acting like a fool to get people to come to en vivo. Essentially, I miss pouring myself out to people.

SSOooo, as I laid in bed crying, wanting nothing more than to be in Salamanca, I realized that I have the same opportunities I had in Spain everyday at school with my students. I realized that my students need me. They need me to love them, to talk with them, to teach them, to act like a fool so that they learn, to be an example of Christ to them.

They need me. And sometime I think they need me more than the Spaniards did... and here is why:

Today, one of my 14 year old freshmen told me she lost her virginity in middle school and got caught by her mom. So instead of fessing up to what she was doing, she told her mom that he had raped her.

My students wished me "Happy 4-20"

One girl came to class with her boobs practically hanging out of her shirt. When i told her to cover herself or go change she asked me why. I replied by telling her that I didn't want to look at her while I was teaching to which she said "that's what they are here for."

They do not care if they fail. At all. So they are all failing.

I have 2 students who are pregnant. Which to them is no big deal. 130 out of every 1,000 teenage girls become pregnant in El Paso.

One of my freshmen is on probation because he alluded the police because he was in possession. Apparently he is a drug dealer.

There are about 350 students per grade at my school. Only 70% graduate. That means that every year 105 students who should graduate don't.

I have a 17 year old freshman.

Some of my students are having sex during their off-campus lunch.

One of my students has had a body cavity search because the administration thought he was selling drugs at school.

One of my girls went to alternative school this week because she got busted at prom with alcohol.

A couple of my students can't read.

I hear more cuss words in one day than I heard in four years at GSU.

I've been cussed out by a student.

One of my girls had a Bible in class and it had a white cover. One guy was completely confused as to why it was white. I asked him what he thought the Bible was supposed to look like - he told me he thought they were all brown. When I told him mine was pink and green he said that it wasn't a Bible, that it was a book.

My sophomores didnt know what aids, limited, dew and dispersed meant.

My students need me. I know that. I just hope that I can make a difference.

.School Stories.

2010-03-29T17:38:00.000-07:00

Things my students think/do at school:

My students thought I was lying when I told them I was on homecoming court, was the captain of the cheerleading squad and dated the captain of the football team (I took little offense to that haha)

One girl asked me if driving on the roads in El Paso was weird. I told her no and asked why she asked that and she said “because you’re only used to driving on dirt roads.” (I didn’t tell them that in college we would ride dirt roads for fun).

They think I lived on a farm – no matter how many times I tell them I didn’t.

One guy asked me what we did for a Senior prank when I was in high school. I had to tell him that we didn’t do a prank because the class above me did some stuff that caused damage. Naturally he asked me what it was and when I started explaining him that they had bought cans of worms out a machine that’s like a coke machine I started to feel super country.

They think I am really southern – and really pale.

A couple people asked me what I did in high school for fun and I told them we went cow tipping and jumped hail bails and rolled people’s houses. They didn’t know what rolling people’s houses meant....after I explained it – one girl looked at me with big eyes and exclaimed “those places do exist!!!”

They are SHOCKED when they find out I have a myspace and a facebook. I mean seriously people, my generation invented it!

A girl came to class with a latex glove (why I don’t know) and blew it up then asked me if I had ever milked a cow. I told her that we actually had to practice on a latex glove before we were allowed to milk the cow and the teacher whose classroom I was in was sitting behind her desk laughing at me (she is from El Paso).

They don’t know what dew is because there is no grass here.

When some of my students introduce me to students who are not in my classes they tell them that I am from the dirty.

Atleast once everyday someone tells me I look like a student.

One guy has asked me out to lunch (inappropriate much).

.Spring.

2010-03-25T18:33:00.000-07:00

I walked outside tonight around 7pm – the sun was starting to set and the air was still warm. However instead of enjoying this, I was fighting back tears. It’s spring. But I don’t smell honeysuckle.

Mikell and I have been in El Paso for a little more than 8 months but this changing of the seasons has made me miss Georgia...has made me miss home.

I won’t smell honeysuckle this year. I won’t sit on the porch at Jim Shaw’s and eat oyters and drink beer. I won’t see Cherry Blossom trees or go to the festival. There won’t be green kudzu covering brick walls and railroad tracks. No wisteria will hang outside my window. I won’t sit outside Gallery Espresso overlooking a square in Savannah and drink iced coffee. Mikell and I won’t go to church then lay in Forsyth Park all afternoon and play catch. We won’t walk down Broughton street. I won’t get sweet tea from Nu-Way then lay out with my sister. There won't be April showers nor May flowers....

Resolutions Smesholutions...

2010-03-22T19:25:00.001-07:00

Welp....here's an update about my New Year's Resolutions (in case you were wondering):

1. Being a better friend - I am doing well in this. For once. Bess and I have been successfully pen-palling each other and it has been fantastic! I love getting real mail. I highly recommend writing letters. Also, I have definitely been better about calling people. Yes, I may only talk to you once a month BUT that is once a month more than I had before.

2. Write more - I am pretty sure you can use my blog as an indicator of how well this is going.

3. My dreams of running a 1/2 marathon went down the toilet when I got a job. I literally cannot muster up the energy to do anything other than sit my fat butt on th couch and watch TV. HOWEVER, today is a new day! My 'love weight' is taking over and I am not happy about this. at. all. Mikell lost close to 30 lbs doing the biggest loser at his office and now I feel like a porker. Tonight starts weight loss yoga with Bob...oh Bob. A small, measly start..but hey, it's a start. (My weight loss goal is 25lbs by August).

4. Project Life - I got my kit yesterday and it my friends is fantastic! I am obsessed!! I have about 55 pics from Jan 1 to now - should have about 80....so it's going so-so. Hopefully though now that I have my kit I will be better at doing it.

5. Mikell refuses to teach me how to play the guitar. That's not true at all. I just have not really asked him yet.

So that's how my resolutions are going thus far....there is definitely room for improvement.

Hope your resolutions are going well!!!

I'm a Teacher.

2010-02-22T18:41:00.000-08:00

sporting a Burges High School t-shirt

And that's all i have time for right now. It's quite overwhelming actually. Sorry to keep you readers (the 5 people who actually read this blog) uninformed about my educational journey - but you will have to wait yet a little while longer....

.....Because I am working on lesson plans for tomorrow.

01.08.10

2010-01-11T14:21:00.001-08:00

You have no idea how happy this makes me. Freshman and Sophomore biology here I come!

01.07.10

2010-01-11T13:50:00.001-08:00

Baby Love

01.06.10

2010-01-11T13:49:00.001-08:00

I wish I could sleep as well as he does.

01.05.10

2010-01-07T13:59:00.001-08:00

fisheye on the fish haha

01.04.10

2010-01-07T13:57:00.001-08:00

01.03.10

2010-01-04T10:46:00.001-08:00

01.02.10

2010-01-04T10:45:00.001-08:00

01.01.10

2010-01-04T10:44:00.001-08:00

Goodbye Oh Nine, Hello One Oh

2009-12-30T17:44:00.000-08:00

As the New Year approaches, I start to think about new years resolutions. Why do I make them? Who knows, because rarely do I keep them. But I have decided that this is the year that I will make a more conscious effort to be committed. I have thought long and hard on these resolutions and they will inevitably increase my quality of life and will make me a better person – so why not try to keep them???

So here they are folks, my 2010 resolutions:

1. I resolve to be a better friend. Since I have moved to El Paso, I find it more and more difficult to stay connected, not facebook connected, but truly connected to my friends. I think that the ease of facebook and the internet has created a false sense of friendship and that I no longer want. I want to be a true friend. Bess and I have decided to be pen pals which I am really excited about. I think that there is a charm and a closeness you get from receiving real letters in the mail. Also, I love the fact that I will have a tangible, hand written letter from a friend. But this, I hope, will not be the only person I talk to. I want to talk to my friends on the phone...and that is something I will have to work on.

2. I resolve to write more. This past year has been a crazy one.... I turned 25, I graduated (finally), I got married (woop woop), I moved across the country, and I passed my teaching certification test (still praying for a job). However, I have very few journal entries from one the most exciting/craziest times of my life. And the few I do have are from when I was stressed out or sad – nothing happy!! That’s so awful. But I want to remember this time. I want one day, my children, my grandchildren, and even my great grandchildren to be able to have a written record of my life...from my perspective. I sat in my grandmother’s kitchen over Christmas and listened to her tell stories of my great grandmother and I loved every second of it. I love learning about the history of my family. It’s so mesmerizing and interesting. I want to be able to leave something that future generations can have – to know something about me and my life –and maybe even learn something about themselves from me.

3. I resolve to run a ½ marathon. Now I know the half marathon is in march but still – it’s gonna be a struggle for me to get there. SOoo it’s a resolution.

4. I resolve to do Project Life. As I get into the writing/family history/please remember mode, I am excited to embark on this project. I do believe that it will be a hard one. Since I am not a scrapbooker but love to take pictures (and since I NEVER print any pictures – one of the drawbacks I think of digital cameras) I think this is perfect for me. I am to take one picture a day for an entire year and journal a little about each picture/day. I found this idea from here and here. I got the kit for Christmas so I have no excuse not to do this. Poor Bubby (mikell = hubby bubby, therefore bubby) may be the subject of many a photo. But I know I will appreciate this project when it’s finished and I can look back at it.

5. I resolve to learn how to play the guitar. I’m not saying I am going to pull a James Taylor and lock myself away for the next year..I’m just saying I think I could learn a few chords. I think it would be fun to sit and play and sing. I will have to hire Bubby to teach me. Good quality time for us I think – just gotta convince him.

Ok so those are my resolutions. I get excited thinking about them and can’t wait for 2010 – I feel it’s going to be a good one!!

One Wise Little Monkey

2009-12-28T10:29:00.001-08:00

My nephew, Hawkins...this was not prompted. I thought it was funny/cute.

Say What?!?!

2009-12-16T07:29:00.000-08:00

Mikell, my older sister Ashley, and I have decided to do the El Paso Marathon....well, the half marathon. This may come as a surprise to you because I am not a runner. I repeat, I am not a runner.

So then 'why' you may ask????

After putting on some 'love weight' (as Khloe Kardashian so elegantly puts it) I find this 1/2 marathon as motivation to drop a few of those L-Bs. We are training for 12 weeks, which in and of itself seems tough!

I got new running shoes for Christmas (as did the hubs), a killer sports bra, and wonderful yoga pants - I mean, if I am killing myself I might as well look and feel cute! Monday was the first day of training and it was 'stretch and strengthen day' - I found a stretch and strengthen yoga youtube video that I thought looked pretty good. BUT after 10 minutes and practically doing a not intended somersault in my living room I decided to look for another video. Thankfully I found a yoga for runners which was much better - I didnt think I was going to face plant into my carpet every two seconds....it was much better for my well being.

Yesterday, I put on my new shoes and my new bra and headed to the park behind our apt...it was cold and new shoes = new blisters....lovely. But I finished my 3 mile 'run' (which means jog for a 1/2 mile then fast walked the rest) in 40 minutes....at that pace it will take me oooooooooh only 4 hours to finish the 1/2. WHICH IS UNACCEPTABLE. I mean serioulsy, if Oprah and P.Diddy (or Puffy or Diddy or Sean Combs or whatever the h is name is) can do a whole marathon in about 4 hours then SURELY I can do a 1/2 in 2.

This lovely marathon, sponsored by Michelob Ultra, costs a whopping $45 and all I gotta say is when I cross that finish line someone better hand me a beer!

Yum Yum

2009-12-04T13:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I wanted to eat a potato. I wanted a big, fat, loaded, baked potato. BUT I knew that wouldn't be enough for Mikell for dinner so I made baked potato soup! And it was warm and yummy!

I got the recipe from here. I made a few changes - didn't use as much flour as told and added some chicken broth in place of some of the milk. I also used baking potatoes and I think next time I will use red potatoes.

It was a warm, hearty dinner. A good soup for a night filled with snow.

It's Christmas in El Paso

2009-10-21T12:30:00.000-07:00

This morning as I was getting dressed I got a knock on my door. To my surprise, I opened the door to find a UPS man with a box that was quite large. At first I thought it was a package of pillows from my mom but saw that it was from my grandmother - I had no clue what it was.....

Living in El Paso is very different than living in Georgia. The culture here is very Mexican, the landscape is very brown, and the temperature (even now) is very hot. Having been raised in the South, I find myself holding onto and searching for things that remind me of home - even simple things like a big glass of sweet tea. I have learned that there is a special charm in south, one you can't find anywhere else...from sitting on the front porch watching fireflies to the smell of honeysuckle; from football games on saturdays to drinking sweet tea with every meal; from riding dirt roads late into the night to large families gatherings that you can't wait for...the south is where my heart is.

I feel that my family is a pretty typical southern family. We cherish our family and hold tight to it's traditions. Christmas at Grandma and Pawpaw's house is one of those traditions. One, that in my books, can not be beat and if you could come and spend time with my family you would understand why.

Christmas at my grandparents house is magical. It is something that is looked forward to by all...all 17 of us...and for the past 25 years it has been my favorite time. Walking into her house you know that you are at home, that this is where you want to be. The first thing we always do is look at her trees - she usually has 2. And they are gorgeous - I can honestly say they are the prettiest trees I see all year. Her ornaments sparkle and the tinsel shines and you can tell that she has meticulously placed everything so that it's perfect.
And it is....it is perfect.

She hangs a small red bell at the bottom of the tree so that the baby can play with it - because there always seems to be a baby. She has ornaments my mom made when she was younger hanging beside huge glittery bobbles and crystal drops. Santa hangs beside snowmen, and nativity scences glisten in the lights. It is truely something to behold.
As I have grown up Christmas has changed...I am now "Santa" along with the other adults in my family as we pass out presents and sip on toddies - Grandma with her old fashioned, Pawpaw with his scotch. It is a time that I cherish; moments with my family that I hold close to my heart.

(my favorite)

...as I begin to open the this big box I am filled with excitement - what could it be? There are tons of little packages wrapped in tissue paper and bubble wrap. I take one and open it carefully to find a beautiful, glittery, Christmas ornament. Tears fill my eyes as I continue through the box and open more.

Christmas ornaments...like my grandmother's...fill the box. I am overwhelmed with joy and blissfully covered in glitter.

Now, everytime I hang an ornament I will think of her. I will one day tell my children that my favorite ornaments on our tree came from Grandma. And hopefully one day I will send my newlywed granddaughter a box just like this one.

Blanket for Baby Ella

2009-09-26T15:40:00.000-07:00

A few post ago, I blogged that I was crocheting a baby blanket. Well, this is the third time I have attempted to crochet a blanket - so Mikell and my family had their doubts. Especially Mikell, since I had started two for him but never finished. I am more than pleased to announce that I FINISHED IT!!!! YAY! And I already gave it to mom-to-be Emily. I now feel a little 'still' as I sit and write this, not sure what my next project will be. Maybe I'll finish Mikell's :)

Mi corazon esta en Espana todavia...

2009-09-10T14:16:00.001-07:00

Madrid, 2007: The beginning.

We walk around a little more and then just decide to go to the grocery store, buy some food, maybe something to drink and go back to the hotel to hang out.

Chris and I find our way to the wine aisle and we each pick one out based on the ‘coolness’ of the bottle, since neither one of us have heard of any of the brands.

Why yes. I would love to have a glass of wine and talk a bit. Get to know you a little better. Where did the british accent in my thoughts come from? Strange.

Carole and Ross buy some Baileys as does Steph. Dean doesn’t get anything and Sara and Alex buy something to share. Not a couple my butt.

When we get back to the hotel we all pile into the boys room because theirs is the biggest and I realize we don’t have a wine bottle opener.

Chris, we have to find something to open this with.

Yeah we do, I didn’t just buy this for nothing! Let’s go downstairs and ask the front desk.

No we can’t do that! We aren’t supposed to bring any food up here!

Oh yeah, well, hmm.

Let’s go see if we can get into the kitchen.

We go downstairs and can’t get into the kitchen but we can get into the dining room and see that the tables have been set for tomorrow’s breakfast.

Ok so I know what we can do, I say, recalling my sorority days. We can get something to somehow push the cork into the bottle instead of trying to get it out. It works I promise. I’ve done it before.

Chris looks at me with a big smile on his face. I love you already he tells me and laughs.

We grab a spoon and high tail it back to the room hoping we don’t get caught stealing it.

We will leave it in the room so we aren’t actually stealing it he reassures me.

We get back to the room and everyone is there sitting in pajamas just talking and hanging out. Here we are. The spain team. It’s a Kodak moment, one of those that you don’t ever want to forget.

I go into the bathroom with the spoon and push the cork into the bottle and wine sprays out all over me. I start cracking up and Chris comes in with a questionable look in his face.

Be careful when you push in the cork because wine will spray out I say between laughing fits. Look at my shirt! I am soaked!

Chris is laughing and grabs the spoon. I try to stop him from making the same mistake I did but he won’t let me. And red wine sprays everywhere.

I told you! I say laughing.

Oh man! Ah red wine! LINDSAY!

Oh no, don’t yell at me I tried to tell you!

We dissolve into a fit of laughter and clean up the bathroom as well as ourselves.

We are going to be close friends, I can tell. Not because he wants to drink wine with me and talk, but because I already feel like I have known him for years.

We come out of the bathroom and everyone is still there, listening to music, playing on computers, lounging on the beds. We sit and we talk and we bond and we get to know each other.

And we become friends.

We become a team.

Unemployment has its perks.

2009-09-01T13:43:00.000-07:00

Although I complain on a daily, and sometimes hourly, basis that I don't have a job/it's a pain in the butt to find one/I don't know what to do with my chemistry degree, being unemployed has a few perks (being poor not one of them).

The past couple of weeks I have been reading (Pretty in Plaid -HILARIOUS!!!), crocheting a baby blanket, and cleaning and organizing. But my favorite thing so far has been cooking. WHO KNEW?!?!?! I sure didn't. Before I got married I was still in college and did not cook much. Zaxby's was pretty much my menu (oh how I miss thee) and Starbucks was my home. I mean, I felt that I had cooking potential, and honestly was quite nervous when I had to cook our first meal...but I must say I am pretty good at it - and it's fun!

I like spending the time to make a good home-cooked meal. It's kind of therapeutic. I don't however enjoy the grocery store, that is unless I have Starbucks in hand...and then it's not too bad :). I have made all sorts of yummy dishes - bbq chicken pizza, sun dried tomato stuffed chicken (my most impressive feat), ravioli-spinach lasagna, jalapeno chicken, and the list goes on. Last week we had our 'house group' over for dinner and even the little things made me happy....like putting lemons and limes in a pitcher of water. It was refreshing.

Today I debated going to get fast food or just making something here. Well folks, I made something here and it was DELISH!

I kind of had a modge podge of things in my fridge and wasn't quite sure what I wanted. I had just bought tomatoes so I thought a tomato sandwich sounded good - I grew up on tomato sandwiches and they remind me of my grandmother. We used to eat them together on our family beach trips with a glass of sweet tea - and well, nothing beats a simple lunch with your grandmother.

BUT, tomato sandwiches don't really fill me up - ya know? We only have salsa verde doritos (AMAZING - and to all you Georgia peeps, if you want some - I will mail them to you) and I am kinda tired of those...HHHmmmm what to do?

So I made a concoction of sorts. I boiled some eggs, made some pesto mayo, cut up my tomato, baked some french fries, poured a glass of tea and VOILA! A yummy lunch! Made by moi :)

586

2009-08-31T11:26:00.000-07:00

586 families are waiting

These are some of the faces of families waiting for homes. If you look you will realize that these are pictures of birthdays, family outings, graduations, Christmases and weddings. They are of children that have dreams, mothers that only want to give food to their children, and fathers that have promised they will provide for their family. Each of these families has come to us asking for our help; for your help. We are asking you to help us make that possible. Right now there are 586 families who are waiting to receive homes. Without your help they WILL NOT receive them. Each of these pictures tells a story; would you be willing to be a part of their story? ~ Brittany Girle, Team Coordinator

A Message from David...

586 — It is 586 miles from El Paso to Austin, TX. 586 is the area code for the northern metropolitan area of Detroit. In 586 B.C. the Babylonians destroyed the temple that Solomon had built. 586 is typically the number of homes that Casas por Cristo will build in a year and a half…but not this year. With the misrepresentation of the situation in Juarez presented by our national media, the mass number of team cancellations and the lack of new team registrations, the number 586 now has a new significance. At our April Pastor’s meeting we had to tell our Juarez pastors that we would not be accepting new applications from families in need. Today, 586 is the number of families that are on our waiting list. These families are waiting, holding out hope for the promise of a better life, a better home, a better future. Holding out hope that they too can be the beneficiaries of the love of Christ.

Over the past few weeks, I have personally led two groups through a build in Juarez. And these builds have been some of the best experiences in all of my time here at Casas por Cristo. Since the added military protection has arrived in the city, the mayor of Juarez reported that crime has dropped by nearly 98 percent. That is a staggering figure and one that I found hard to believe until I saw the situation in Juarez for myself. I saw children playing in the streets and families out in front of their houses enjoying cool nights outside. The atmosphere in the city was one of calm. Tom Hawks, a recent trip member from Salina, KS put it this way:

“To anyone who is considering whether they should join Casas por Cristo in building a home in Juarez, please don’t let Satan stop you from doing God’s work. Not only will the life of a family in Mexico be changed, but your life will also be changed. Your faith will be tested, your eyes will be opened and our prayer is that you will be found faithful. Life in Juarez was as normal as in the past. Children were playing in the street, business was being conducted as usual and people were happy to carry on with normal life. The only difference I saw from our past trips was that there were a few more Mexican Army soldiers patrolling the streets of Juarez.”

I have also come to look forward to the random military check points. That may sound strange, but let me explain. The people and community of Juarez are very familiar with our ministry and very respectful of our teams. But the added presence of the Mexican military brings soldiers from different parts of Mexico that have never heard of Casas por Cristo and have never seen groups of Americans coming to serve their people. These random check points have become an opportunity for me to spread the ministry of Casas por Cristo and through these discussions, the soldiers are beginning to know us and the love of Jesus Christ that we share. Their impression of Americans is also beginning to change. They are beginning to see people that love their fellow countrymen. In this way, our influence is growing in a very unexpected manner.

I also took time over spring break to welcome our first teams that were building in Ciudad Acuña. What a blessing. This community has welcomed us with open arms and is excited about what we are doing. I invite you to come and join us in this quaint sleepy little town on the Mexican border. You will find it to be quite a different atmosphere from the one that you have experienced in Juarez. And at the same time, you will find that very familiar love and appreciation from Mexican families receiving the blessings and provision of Jesus Christ.

586 — it is a number that can be much more than a hurdle…it can be an opportunity. You have the opportunity to change the lives of 586 families. It is still not too late to plan and register a trip for this coming Summer or Fall. Help us to continue to share the love of Jesus Christ. Help us to continue Building Homes…Changing Lives…and Saving the Lost!
~ David Robertson, Executive Director

These families are waiting for YOU!

For more information please go to www.casasporcristo.org

Help us build homes for families in Juarez, Mexico!

Dear Texas, If my identity gets stolen, I blame you!

2009-08-27T12:51:00.000-07:00

Besides planning the wedding, picking out china, choosing bridesmaid dresses, finding shoes and all the other wonderful bride duties a girl has, she also has the daunting task of changing her name. This has by far been the most ridiculous process I have been through...probably ever.

Let's begin:
Since Mikell and I moved to Texas 2 weeks after being married, I had to wait until we got here to change my name. So, not a big deal right? That's what I thought too.
First up: Post Office
Post Office? Yes, post office. We have to get an address. I go to the post office, stand in line for 20 minutes to then be directed to another line which is a mile long. No thanks. I decide to go back a different day. So I make it back a week later. They give me an address, but no keys to the the box at the apartment complex. First of all, I think this is strange. Whenever I have had an apt, when I signed the lease, they would give me keys to the apt and keys to the mailbox. Not in Texas...you have to register with the Post Office. I now have to wait 2 weeks to get keys and have to go to the Post Office to get mail. Not too big of a deal, just kind of inconvenient.

Second: social security office. I stand in like for about 20 minutes (not too bad) then sit down at the window. I come prepared, with paperwork printed off and filled out, marriage license, license... The ss man hands me the 'proof' sheet to make sure all is correct. I look at it and it says 'Lindsay Hope West' Not what I wanted - I filled out my paperwork for my name to be Lindsay McGrail West. I kindly tell the guy no, this is wrong, I want to be Lindsay McGrail West, and he replies "why do you want to be hypenated?" Hyphenated? I don't want to be hyphenated. I explain to him that I don't want my middle name to be Hope that I want it to be McGrail then he tells me I can't do that. I asked him why and he said because on my birth certificate it says Hope as my middle name. Yes but also on my birth certificate it says McGrail as my last night? He says no, that he can't do that. Sadly I accept and am now Lindsay Hope West. Strange, but since losing McGrail, I feel like I have lost a part of me.
He informs me that it will be 2 weeks before I get my new social security card.

Step Three: Driver's License Office
I go stand in line for about 10 minutes to get a number to stand in another line. I come prepared with paper work filled out, birth certificate, social security card, GA driver's license... I sit and read my book for about 45 minutes before being called to the desk. I hand all my paperwork to the DLO lady and she goes and makes a copy of it, and another copy, and another copy. So now there are approximately 3 pages with ALL MY INFORMATION on them...UM HELLO! Identity theft much? She said the copies weren't coming out right - geez woman, you do this all day everyday. So i proceed to pay her $24, take my picture for my new license and she hands me back a piece of paper and says it's my temporary Texas driver's license. I should get mine in 8 weeks. 8 weeks? You mean 8 minutes right? Nope, 8 weeks she says. So I now have NO photo identification of any sort with my new name on it - for 2 months.

Place Four: Library
Mikell and my apartment is about 5 miles from the public library which I think is fantastic. I decide to go get a library card and book and enjoy the rest of my afternoon reading and drinking ice coffee from Starbucks. Easy enough right? WRONG! I had to argue with the librarian about giving me a freaking library card because I HAVE NO PHOTO IDENTIFICATION! A LIBRARY CARD! OMG!

I now am walking around with a) my stupid temporary worthless piece of Texas drivers license paper, b) my passport with my old name on it, c) my social security card, and d) my marriage license.

Seriously?! Texas - get it together!!

Pulls!

2009-08-20T19:29:00.001-07:00

our apartment is white. hospital white and our couch is beige and all the furniture we have is brown. so needless to say, our apartment is very BLAH!!! i keep telling Mikell we need COLOR!
today i went to hobby lobby (LOVE) and found these pulls which i have now put on some doors in our apt. my favorite one is the bird but its small so that one is going to have to be changed.

what do you think?

You might be a nerd if...

2009-08-11T23:41:00.000-07:00

...you want these things ... and I do!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

2009-08-04T18:30:00.000-07:00

The Pizza Hut in Spain had the most amazing bbq (barbacoa) pizza. I was reluctant to try it, I'll admit...but I fell in love! So the other day I was perusing a recipe website and found a recipe for bbq chicken pizza! SOOOOooooo I decided I'd try it. I made a few adjustments to the recipe but all in all it was delish!

I had to make the tomato chutney from scratch because apparently El Paso doesn't know what it is. But instead of the Jamaican Jerk seasoning (which El Paso also doesn't believe in) I added bbq sauce and hot sauce a) to thicken it up a bit and b) to make it yummier!

It wasn't as good as Spain's - but it was good! I think Mikell was pleased. ;)

Made in Mexico

2009-07-30T22:20:00.000-07:00

These past 2 weeks have been busy busy busy! I went on my first build with Mikell two weeks ago with First Baptist of Beaumont Texas. The family definitely needed a house. It was so humbling to see the conditions they were living in. Something that we could never even imagine without seeing it, and then still after seeing it not fully understand it. We were in Acuna, Mexico and it was HOT! One day it reached 114! The team we were with had been going to Acuna for 10 years so they knew some swimming holes that we fully enjoyed!

This past week we had a GEORGIA TEAM!!! It was a nice surprise Monday morning to hear some southern accents! They were from Elberton, GA, a little town 45 minutes away from Athens. We had a great week - we were in Juarez, Mexico which was not as hot as Acuna which was a blessing in itself. We finished the house in 3 days and were able to cross back Wednesday night.

Mikell and I are worn out - I don't think I have ever done this much physical labor! But it is more than worth it. I will never be able to comprehend how thankful the family is to get a house, how much it means to them. I am just blessed to be able to be a part of this mission.

Dirt....

2009-07-15T12:31:00.000-07:00

...DESSERT! Last night Mikell and I made dirt dessert for tonight's dinner/bible study. It is the first dessert we have made together...it was fun - and looks delish (hopefully it is)!

Married Bliss

2009-07-13T12:39:00.001-07:00

Our amazing wedding photographer, Jenny Evelyn, has posted some of our wedding pics. And I am in love!

Here are some of my faves :)

2009-07-13T12:36:00.000-07:00

Mikell and I are starting a blog, The West Word, to keep our supporters updated on our life in El Paso. We figured we needed someway to stay connected to everyone while we are out here.

Read and enjoy (although most postings will be the same as this blog, minus the girlie stuff haha).

A New Start

2009-07-09T08:33:00.000-07:00

YAY! Mikell and I are married and have moved to El Paso, Texas!!! CRAZY!

We moved in yesterday in the blistering heat and I am so happy to have it practically finished. We are super lucky to have so many people support us while we are out here - our apartment is starting to feel like a home!! Mikell went back to work today and I am here trying to finish some cleaning and organizing (obviously working hard haha).

After the apartment is put together I get to start studying once again - ugh. I have to take my TeXes test next Friday for my teaching certification. I need to brush up on my biology and physics before I take the test. Oh joy. And then for the job hunt - hopefully I'll be able to find a teaching job - keep that in your prayers.

I'll post some pics once the apt is finished :)

FANTABULOUS!

2009-06-10T16:59:00.000-07:00

So you know the GREAT website that I WON an italian gift set from? Well, good news my friends.... she is having another give away! WOOP WOOP

Check it out!!

The Bachelorette Blogger

2009-06-09T21:20:00.001-07:00

So for some UNKNOWN reason I have been hooked to the bachelorette this season - which is my first time watching. But I have found this blog which recaps the bachelorette episodes and is HILARIOUS! so I thought I would share.

Read on Kiptynite lovers, read on!

I WON!

2009-05-10T21:36:00.000-07:00

and I never win anything! So you can imagine how excited I am.

I found this blog, through Elaine's blog, and decided - what the heck? I'll put my info in, why not? AND I WON!

I am super excited about it too - Mikell and I will have a cool Italian spaghetti measure, 2 tea light candle holders, 1 cork wine stopper, and a cork olive oil spout pourer thing. And just last week I told Mikell that all I wanted to do was eat spaghetti and drink wine with him! HOW CRAZY IS THAT! AAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNDDDDDDDDDDDD miss Laura Bowers gave me a wine bottle opener this weekend as a shower gift!!

It's funny how things work out like that.

But before I get married....

2009-05-07T14:44:00.000-07:00

I AM GRADUATING!!!

praise the Lord!

it's an end of an era - seriously.
7 years, 2 countries, 3 schools, and a billion majors later.

I AM FINISHED!

45 Days!

2009-05-06T10:24:00.001-07:00

UNTIL I GET MARRIED!

HOORAY!

Happy Cinco de Mayo

2009-05-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

One night in Spain Carole, Chris and I went to Chupi Daniels after leaving a going away party for our italian friends Elizabeth and Manuela. While at the chupi, we went a Mexican guy named Pablo (I think) and he taught us how to take a tequilla shot. What?! You may be asking...well let me inform you. Apparently us americans do it all wrong. Pablo told us to start with the lime, then take the tequilla shot, but then to follow the shot with sangrita. Sangrita is a sweet, spicy and sour drink which is made from orange juice, tomato juice and hot chiles! Unfortunately the chupi did not have this sangrita he spoke of she we simply just ate the lime then took the shot - which was actually not bad at all!! He said this is the tradition way to take shot because it follows the colors of the Mexican flag...green, white, then red.

Also, did you know that cinco de mayo is not the celebration of Mexico's Independance? It's the celebration of the victory over the French at the battle of Puebla (or something like that ;) .

Mansions and Magnolias

2009-05-02T13:37:00.000-07:00

So I finished my final portfolio and I must say I really enjoyed doing it! I learned alot in my photography class even thought at times I found it to be terrifying! I can't wait to take what I have learned to Juarez, Mexico to document Casas' mission to help those in need. In the fall, a photographer, Tony Skarlatos, is coming on staff so hopefully Ill be able to learn more from him.

Here is a collage of my final portfolio:

Fantabulously Frugal

2009-05-02T12:23:00.000-07:00

AWESOMENESS

check it out

Southern Comfort.

2009-04-22T17:35:00.000-07:00

So for my final portfolio project I decided to take pictures of things that reminded me of the south. More so, things that reminded me of Macon. Here are a few:

No Doubt

2009-04-09T19:40:00.000-07:00

so....bess and I are going to the no doubt concert in june. i know, i know... you are soooooo jealous. well...you should be! It's going to be sooooooo much fun! YAY!!!

Just Blogging Away!

2009-04-08T17:36:00.000-07:00

I read this on a friends blog the other day and thought I would share it. I always have good intentions to writing things down but rarely follow through. I know I kick myself when I look back at my Spain journal and only have about 15 pages of stuff written down. My friends blog entry has lit a new fire within me to write more. Enjoy!! (It's kinda long but I really love it)

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Why I Blog (and Scrapbook)

I think that people have different "types" that make up their identity. Like, some people are inherently teachers. Some are inherently artists or musicians or athletes. I am inherently a historian (and a student, and a secretary, in case you are wondering. Very fascinating stuff, I know.)

I believe that we are supposed to write down what happened (i.e. history). This is not morally neutral to me. When I was in college, I took a class in African American History my Junior year, and our major paper had to be on some aspect of the Nashville Civil Rights movement. At the public library (which had a civil rights wing), an introductory pamphlet mentioned the movie theater stand-ins, which sounded like an interesting topic to me. However, when I started researching it, I could find nothing on the stand-ins. Normally, in college, if I couldn't find anything on a topic, I'd move on to an easier topic. However, the fact that there was nothing written on the stand-ins made me panicky. Here was something that happened. It was important. And no one had written a thing about it.

So. I pulled up the microfilm for every issue of The Tennessean (Nashville's newspaper) that came out during the months I'd heard the stand-ins occurred. I spent hours and hours in the downtown public library literally getting motion sick as the microfilm reel slowly rolled by, and printing out any stories that covered the stand-ins (I realize I'm revealing myself to be the major nerd that I am, but I'm going somewhere with this). I then started making some phone calls. I called a reporter who worked for the Tennessean in the late 60's who had talked at our school about something unrelated. The reporter told me that John Seigenthaler was working in Nashville. From reading the book, The Children, I knew that Seigenthaler was Robert Kenney's personal assistant whom Kennedy sent to check out the civil rights movement when JFK was president. It was Seigenthaler's subsequent beating with a lead pipe while witnessing the Freedom Riders in action in Alabama that got the Kennedy's personally interested in civil rights. So I called him and interviewed him. (He has that lead pipe hanging on the wall in his office.) I also tracked down a white preacher, William Campbell, who was a player in the Nashville movement. I interviewed him in his log cabin in the boonies. I turned in the paper, got my grade, and then my professor urged me to take it further. So my dad got me an interview with Congressman John Lewis, who was central to the Nashville civil rights movement. I remember Lewis called me while I was driving home one day, and I conducted the "interview" on the side of the road using whatever paper I could find in my car. The congressman also put me in touch with Bernard Lafayette, another major figure who was now a professor at a northeast university, and I interviewed him, too.

I know you care. The point is, I had to write down this history. Had to. The thought of those people dying without it being covered was simply frightening to me. It wasn't about a grade; it was about it being the right thing to do. Because I am a historian:). And the stand-ins happened.

My kids' childhood also happens every day. And on a personal level, every one of those days is a stand-alone blessing from God. A gift. I was thinking about some childhood memories of my brother, and I realized that, despite his tragic later years, those childhood memories remain intact. They are happy. Period. And in times of sorrow, remembering the blessings is so important. I've given this some thought. And I've realized that my family's future may well be marked with tragedy, sorrow, and heartache. (I hope not, but it's possible.) But even if it is, nothing can take away these days of happiness. Nothing, except, us forgetting about them. And I know how I forget when I don't record things. And I think it would be such a hardship to go through a dark time and have no tangible memory of the times of light.

My blogs are about history, plain and simple. They may seem insulated and all about our little family, but that is my historical project, my area of expertise:). God repeatedly told the Israelites to remember the great things that He had done. And I want to remember the things He has done in my life. Because they happened. And so I have to write them down.

Piano Man.

2009-04-05T20:37:00.000-07:00

This is my friend from high school, Clisby. He is an AMAZING pianist. His mom is a Julliard graduate so talent obviously runs in the family.

I'm loving this weather!

2009-03-30T21:23:00.000-07:00

need i say more?!?!

Happy Spring.

2009-03-29T15:57:00.001-07:00

Documentary Photo Assignment

2009-03-24T21:17:00.000-07:00

So I had to do a documentary photo assignment for class. I was going to do the Balloon glow in Macon but it didn't work out. So i had been in NC for a week and here are some pics of Hawkins that I am going to use.

What if everyday was Saturday?

2009-03-11T19:38:00.000-07:00

I have only watched the trailor - but I am dying to see the rest.

A Map for Saturday.

a short visit with the grandparents

2009-03-09T17:45:00.001-07:00

here are some pics:

my aunt and uncle have a golden doodle dog, and its the CUTEST THING EVER!!!
i think she looks like a stuffed animal.

In Remembrance...

2009-03-03T12:13:00.000-08:00

There are few words for a thing like this. So instead, I will write memories. They were ages ago, but now feel like yesterday.

I remember the first time we hung out. We were IMing each other, because thats what you did when we were high school, and he asked me if I wanted to go get milkshakes. Well of course I did! I was in 10th grade and he was in 11th and this little trip to Steak 'n Shake at about 10pm started our friendship. I remember him asking for extra cherries and thinking that was wierd, but endearding at the same time. He was gentle, playful spirit.

I remember him asking me to prom in October because "Lulu, we should go to prom together. It will be fun!" Prom wasnt until April....
He picked me up and when we got in his truck he blind folded me. I had no idea where we were going but it was a surprise he said. We ended up at his house where he had set up a 'restaurant.' He had even made menus...LuLu's Diner. Later that night he took me and a bunch of friends out on his pontoon where we hung out and danced until late into the morning.

I remember going to playgrounds with him and having good talks.

I remember his sketches, his stories.

I remember him telling me I was his friend and listing the reasons why.

I remember him taking me to his house to ride four wheelers and hang out. We ended up sitting in his living room, me on the keyboard and him on the guitar.

I remember spending part of my spring break in Panama City with him, Kendra and Tim. I remember screaming things under water at each other trying to figure out what the other was saying. "Tim cups his balls in his left hand" is what he said haha. I remember being really embarrassed when I had to say that out loud.

I remember our conversation on my front porch.

Michael Sparrow
September 8, 1982 - March 2, 2009

Snowy Sunday

2009-03-01T21:04:00.000-08:00

IT SNOWED TODAY!!!

And I was super excited about it! I spent my younger years in Rhode Island and Indiana so snow it a very fond memory of my childhood.

Here are some pics:

I think this is sooooo cute!! Glad I was able to capture this moment!!

This picture of Kendra is what I am going to use for my portrait assignment.

and sometimes you just gotta take a pic of yourself haha.

Happy Weekend!!

2009-02-28T12:07:00.001-08:00

Paz

2009-02-24T18:56:00.000-08:00

As the days approach to a new chapter in my life, I wonder if I will ever make it back to the place where I found peace.

I think about and miss Spain on a daily basis. The coffee, the sidewalks, the people, the language, the culture, the simplicity, the calming yet exciting atmosphere...everything.

I found who I was in Spain and I think that's why I miss it so much. I broke away from the old and lept into the new and the unknown. I was very alive in that place and have slowly sunk back into the humdrum of daily life...

I am excited about moving to El Paso because it reminds me very much of moving to Spain. Going to an unknown place to live an unknown lifestyle. I will be living the modest life of a missionary wife and I cannot wait!

However ...

I want to go back, and I want to show Mikell the place that allowed to me to grow and mature into the person he is going to marry.

117 days.

2009-02-23T19:40:00.000-08:00

photo by Jenny Evelyn

In 117 days I will be getting married. I am so excited and ready to start this adventure with Mikell.

colorful kitchen

2009-02-17T21:39:00.000-08:00

I want this:I just LOVE it!!

photo from here

Geocaching!

2009-02-15T17:23:00.001-08:00

This past Saturday night Aubri, Andrew and I went geocaching in Statesboro. What is geocaching you ask? Well, let me tell you. It is hours of endless fun!!! Actually it is a little bit of a treasure hunt. All over the country there are things, called caches, hidden and then only way to find them is to GPS track them. IT IS SO FUN! You dont realy get a 'treasure' per say, but you get to sign a logbook saying you were there and that you found it. Sounds a little dumb, but honestly it is LOADS OF FUN! I can't even begin to tell you how exciting it is when you find one!

GO GEOCACHE!!

Photo Assignment Low Light and Black and White

2009-02-11T18:54:00.001-08:00

Low Light:

Black and White:

Fast Food Fast

2009-02-10T16:07:00.000-08:00

So if you know me you know that i LOVE french fries. I probably eat them everyday, no lie. Which, obviously, is not good for me. Because along with those lovely fried potatoes usually comes some sort of fried chicken and a coke. Those of course not being good for me either. So I have decided that for the next month I am going on a fast food fast. No fast food for me. However, I am aware that situations arise where you don't have another option but to eat fast food. So my solution to that is I can only get a salad and a water. This, how ridiculous it sounds, is going to be really hard for me. I love a good burger, salty fries and a bubbly coke...almost on a daily basis...but NO MORE!!

I want to be a healthy (and hopfully thinner) wife for Mikell and that is my driving motivation...if I can do this for a month then I am sure my whole outlook on food will change.

Here's to a healthy Lindsay. CHEERS!!

Black and White photos

2009-02-04T19:21:00.000-08:00

Here is what we did in class today:
We have a black and white assignment due on Monday so ill be camera happy this weekend! I LOVE BLACK AND WHITE!!

West Fest '09 Part 1

2009-02-03T12:19:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was a crazy one...but tons of FUN!

Mikell and I drove out to El Paso...26 HOURS!!!! It was a long trip but a good one - It was nice to just be able to spend time with Mikell alone because he is going to be in El Paso until our wedding.

Our first stop was Birmingham, Alabama where we got to hang out with Elaine and Keith. It was nice to see them - I hadnt seem then since August and Mikell got to put faces with names. We also got to meet some of their friends! We had a good short little visit.

Our next stop was Colleyville, Texas where we had a little party with a team Mikell had worked with from Assembly Life Church. It was amazing! They threw us a little wedding shower which was way more than we ever expected! It was refreshing to see adults have a passion for the ministry as much as Mikell does. Everyone was soooooo supportive and encouraging!!!

Our last, but not least, stop was the great city of EL PASO, TEXAS!!
I was only there for a short while but it got me very excited about our new life together there! Its a great little town with wonderful shopping (haha!!) And lots of starbucks to cure my cravings haha. I am glad I was able to make a little trek out there before our big move in June (West Fest '09 Part 2).

Pray for Mikell and the casas ministry as they continue to reach out to the people of Juarez!

Depth of Field Assignment

2009-01-27T18:29:00.000-08:00

1) Big DOF

2) Small DOF - I kinda cheated on this one and used a pic I already had :)

Shutter Speed Assignment

2009-01-22T11:51:00.000-08:00

We had to adjust our shutter speed and our f-stop and iso and all that (all of this is completely manual) to create two images:

1)Blur motion -the shutter speed is pretty long which means that the shutter is OPEN so you are capturing movement and letting lots of light in.

Pool Balls:
Critiques:
The pool stick is distracting.
I need to center it.
The exposure was perfect and the colors are great! (woop woop)

2.) Stop Action - FAST shutter speed, large f-stop. This is to catch, or freeze, something that is in motion. My shutter speed for this was 1/4000 which is 1/4000 of a second! SUPER FAST!

Balloon popping:
Critiques:
Background too light - which I knew when I took it and was mad that I caught the balloon in this one b/c you cant really see it.
Maybe should have been closer.
Exposure again was good!
Very fast!

So those are my first 2 things which I think I focused on the technical stuff too much, which I said and the class agreed. But I now know how to do it and I had fun doing it!

My next assignment is to play with the depth of field - and I will definitely concentrate on my composition more. I am not as nervous as I was since we got the first critique out of the way and I now know what to expect.

Happy MLK Day!

2009-01-19T10:11:00.001-08:00

A Good Day.

2009-01-16T22:16:00.001-08:00

Mikell and I went to Statesboro today for our final pre-marriage counseling session with Danny and we were able to see a few good friends at the CCF house. I had coffee with Aubri after our meeting which is always a favorite. It was a good day of community and hanging out - one that made me miss good 'ol Statesboro! Aubri was wearing her new Toms which, naturally, made me now want a pair :) I mean hey, they support a good cause!! Then Mikell and I headed back for an evening of Granny sitting.

I have set a new goal for myself....
Since I have to take all these pictures for my photo class I have decided that I want to take (and hope to take) one good picture a day. One that I am proud of and would like to share. I really like photography and have figured that the best way to strengthen my very weak skills is to practice practice practice.

Here are my favorites from today :)

This is Mikell's sweet, and sometimes a little crazy, grandmother, Granny.

And this is Mikell's dog Barkley. He lunged for my camera right after I took this picture - apparently he did like me being the paparazzi while he was trying to sleep - who could blame him.

Day 2

2009-01-14T22:50:00.001-08:00

Today we had to actually take pictures in class and it was SCARY! I was so nervous. I dont know why! haha

But we had to take pictures of landscape, some structural detail, and portrait. My portrait was bad so I didn't include it in this blog.

We learned about aperture, ISO, and shutter speed today and we have an assignment due next week for it. Then we have to get the class to critique it. I have a feeling this class is going to be a source of stress this semester. Myself and about 3 other people out of the 20 are the only ones who have not taken any type of photography class. It's very intimidating. Hopefully I will get better. Thankfully I have a good camera to play with!!

Keep wishing me luck!!

Intro to digital photo

2009-01-12T15:48:00.000-08:00

Today was the first day of my last semester - and thank God for that. I believe 7 years is long enough to be in college - however I do enjoy learning and I am excited for this semester to get going.

Anyway, My digital photography class was the only class I had today and to be quite honest, I am terrified.

I mean, I knew we would probably be taking pictures and all that but today it kinda set in. I have to take pictures. And try to make them good. And then have the class critique them. Good Lord. I am not the most artsy of people - hence the chemistry degree, but I do like having good pictures and taking them.

I will atleast know how to use my camera and adobe photoshop after this.

Wish me luck!

Samson

2009-01-09T15:38:00.000-08:00

This is my cat Samson. And he is the best cat ever. He will talk to you and I swear one time he said 'what' when I called his name. He is named after the Samson in the Bible because he has a whole lot of fur.

PS. I found it a tough task to take a picture of this animal. He was not a big fan of the camera but I thought this was a cool picture.

Happy 7th day of 2009!

2009-01-07T16:11:00.000-08:00

HOW TIME FLIES!!!!

Seems like just yesterday I was in high school and that was 7 years ago!! (---> cheering my junior year of HS - pretty scary huh?!? haha)

I think the older you get the faster the years go by which is sad. But in a way, it makes you appreciate your days.

This year I celebrated New

Years in Macon with some of my closest friends - and we went dancing!! We went to red eye (a little sketchy bar in Macon) to listen to Echo Speed who is playing at my wedding - so good - so much fun! We shook it 'til the wee hours of the morning! It was alot of fun!!

Also, today I went to look at wedding dresses and I think I found the one!! YAY!!! SO EXCITING!!

What Happened?

2008-12-29T23:15:00.001-08:00

My blog was REMOVED!! ugh i dont know what happened?!?!?! I typed in my address and BAM...not there... I tried to recover it somehow to no avail...oh well. sad times.

But on a happier note - I got a brand spankin new camera for Christmas! And I am super excited about it. Poor Mikell has been the subject of many a photo...he's being such a good sport. I am taking an intro to digital photography class next semester so hopefully I will learn a few cool tricks. Here are a few of my first photos from my NEW CAMERA!! woop woop

My precious nephew, Hawkins... isnt he ADORABLE. And one of Mikell playing the guitar...was trying to figure out the manual focus.....mmmmm still not good but am still working on it.