A list.

A day in the life of me:
-Wake up long before the sun, and get ready for the day
-Walk through the cold morning air to the cafeteria for yummy breakfast
-Head to the thrilling class of organic chemistry
-Attend chapel
-Go back to my dorm and utilize my hour-and-a-half break to plan my schedule for next semester, read a couple chapters from a textbook, and check my email and facebook
-Eat lunch before heading to my favorite class, Christian Thought
-Go to my APA Research Writing Class (or not)
-Work on homework for a while, and then decide that a nap is in order
-Wake up in time to grab dinner right at 5 before heading out to babysit
-Walk through the mist that the clouds are spitting out to my babysit-ee's house
-Play with an 11-month old until he is cranky and tired enough to go to sleep
-Feed him his bottle, read a couple of books and attempt to calm him with a few Christmas songs...and put him to bed
-Help a 2-year-old brush her teeth, get her pajamas on, and convince her that she doesn't really need to take her Elmo toothbrush to bed
-Fold clothes and pick up toys
-Walk back home in the fine mist and cold night air
-Stop at the starbucks that happens to conveniently be on my way home
-Kill a few minutes warming myself in Starbucks while talking on the phone with my brother
-Resume the walk back to school, only to stop and watch the fire station across the street: the alarm goes off and I can easily watch through the windows. The firemen casually put on their gear, and slowly but surely walk into the garage and climb into the truck and pull out. Not nearly the speed-drill feel I was expecting.
-Walk into the dorms and quickly head to my friend the grand piano for some bonding
-Notice the large spotted spider that is on the outer side of the window
-Go outside and balance on one foot, remove shoe, kill spider with a slight amount of wrath, scrape spider webs off shoe, and place back on foot
-More bonding with my piano friend
-Back to dorm to grab bag and Bible
-Head up the hill to pursuit
-Have an amazing encounter with God and fall in love with Him all over again
-Come back and blog.
-Eventually, I'll go to sleep.

Awexa!!

If you don't know by now, I adore children of all ages. I find great joy in building things with legos just so that they can be destroyed (several boys have taught me that this is their true purpose). I have become a master at building race tracks for hot wheels cars. And not much amuses me more than playing house with a 2-year-old with dolls who are missing clothing and miniature kitchens with plastic food.
Even though there are times that I would rather go do something more relaxing like take a nap or watch a movie, by the time I get settled in I am glad I went. I can honestly say that I have never regretted a single night spent with children. I savor a good challenge of a strong-willed child. I can be more stubborn than they, and I understand their manipulation strategies. I will not be defeated!!. Even though this can be stressful at times, it is all worth it when I come back again and I am greeted with a huge smile with little arms thrown in the air as they yell "Wexa!!" It is worth it in the times when I can rock an infant to sleep with a quiet song. It is worth it when the 3-year-old studies me for a minute or two, and then states with finality, "Awexa? I sink you're a nice girl. I wuv you." It is in these moments that I can't help smiling and I feel like my joy is so full that it's leaking out of me.
I hope that in some way I can portray even a fraction of the love for them that is in my heart. If I can accomplish that, I am more than content.

"Don't touch the light!!!" "But it's so beauuuuutifuuuuuullll....."

I have recently discovered a small idiosyncrasy of mine. No, it's not other people's spelling errors - I've known about that one for years. Rather, I have realized my frustration with the casual use of certain adjectives. Words like beauty and love are so overused. It actually bothers me quite a bit.

I think one thing that factors into this is my knowledge of God. Even in my limited understanding of all that he is, I understand that he is beauty and love personified. At night when I look up at the speckled sky - that is beauty. When I am in that quiet place where I am overwhelmed by my Father's graceful presence - that is love. And so to use these terms on anything less is almost sacrilegious. I don't think there's anything wrong with describing a football pass as beautiful (actually....) and I won't hurt you if you say that you're in love with coffee. But honestly? If we are capable of properly using the English language, maybe we should be more original. Just think of all the possibilities!

"This coffee is so delicious it fills my digestive enzymes with joy."

"This music is so amazing it makes my very soul quiver in excitement."

"You look so fine today, that if you were a cookie I would eat you."

etc, etc......


So try something new. Be creative. There isn't any fun in being cliche anyways.

Mmmmmm......

Fall seems to have finally arrived. The leaves are beginning to change color, and it's finally not warm enough to go outside in a t-shirt. The chill of the wind gives me a desire to curl up on my bed with my fuzzy blanket and read a good book. Add a little Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, or Norah Jones, and it's almost perfect. What could possibly make this superb combination even better? Nothing but my lifeblood: coffee. I have realized that when I spread out my consumption a little: maybe once every two days or so, it seems even more euphoric.
As a poor college student I have realized not only the expense of Starbucks, but also the joy of good coffee in my dorm room. After teaching my roommate what the French press is all about, she now loves it almost as much as I do. There's just something about walking into the room to the smell of fresh coffee and the soothing voice of Frank. All I can do is inhale, smile, and say with a sigh, "Mmmmmmm...."