Finish This: Week Fifty-one {and Merry Christmas!}

Merry Christmas to all! Can you believe that it's Christmas Eve already?! And next week is New Year's Eve, and then bam - 2015! Jeepers creepers.

Bek, don't get ahead of yourself. Today is a day for family, singing, candles, and link-ups. Stay focused!

By now, I hope you know the drill. I'm linking up with the awesome hostesses of Finish This: Nicole at Three 31, Jen at The Arizona Russums, Becky at The Java Mama, and Lisa at Coastlined.

{Next week is The Great Big Year in Review post - I'm so excited to hit "publish" on this puppy! If you'd like the prompts so that you can participate, comment below or email Nicole and we will hook you up. You don't want to miss this big kahuna of a post.}

My favorite Christmas tradition is opening one present from my parents on Christmas Eve... it's always pajamas and my sisters and I always wake up Christmas morning in new pajamas. For several years my mom has been complaining that there are no. more. pajamas. anywhere {with four girls, it's close to true!}, but somehow she works some Christmas magic and we always get pjs. It's my favorite. {I thought about sharing a picture, but then I thought you readers might not appreciate it.}

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My most memorable Christmas was probably 2012, because my grandpa was having a good day and he was able to stay awake and play dominoes with the family for a couple hours. It was one of the best days in Grandpa's last year, and my mom rightly noted that Christmas Day 2012 was a true gift, because it ended up being Grandpa's last Christmas with us on earth. I treasure my memory of that year.

The best gift{s} I've ever received, besides the grace and love of God, growing up in the best family ever, and having the most fantastic friends in the world, was the TARDIS blanket from my sister last year. I'd been asking for TARDIS slippers and she kept telling me she was not getting them for me. I didn't believe her, but it turned out she was telling the truth. My mom gave me the slippers and my sister gave me a warm snuggly blanket. I was shocked that a) she was telling me the truth and I hadn't believed her and b) that such a beautiful blanket exists.

The gift I'd rather forget was totally my idea and my sisters were dragged along in my madness. After performing The Nutcracker for two years {and between the four of us, there were only a couple dances we weren't in}, I convinced my sisters that we should perform it {AGAIN!!} for our parents... in our living room... with music for only 4 songs. So we practiced every time the 4 of us were left alone together, and on Christmas morning, that's what we did.
My poor, patient sisters... my poor, long-suffering parents...

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There you have it - Christmas memories galore! I hope your Christmas is holly-jolly, calm and bright, and full of the love of Christ!

7 Quick Takes: Focus on the Awesome

Thank God it's Friday.

This week has not been the most fun ever, so I'm choosing to focus my 7 Quick Takes on ways this week has been good and why this weekend is going to be awesome. Check out Kelly {our wonderful guest host} at This Ain't the Lyceum for all the link-up fun.

1. Haters gonna hate, but the soundtrack of my week has been Christmas music. Kelly Clarkson, Michael Buble, Frank Sinatra, even Andrea Botticelli have made this rough week a bit more bearable. Thank you, musical geniuses, for singing happy songs so beautifully.

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2. My sister Jayna came over on Monday night, which is always fun. When we were at the grocery store getting hard cider, she introduced me to Strongbow Gold, which may or may not have bumped Angry Orchard into Third Place in My Heart. If hard cider is your thing, I recommend you give Strongbow at least one try. It's super yummy.

3. On Tuesday, I had a mole removed {side note: I love my dermatologist. She made the whole needles/surgery/stitches thing so painless and pleasant, and her staff checked on us like 4 times after I said I was feeling a little lightheaded. If you're in the area, I highly recommend her!}, so now I have stitches and a huge bandaid on my left forearm.
I was feeling good last night, so I ventured out to Zumba. Just to be safe, though, I didn't really use my left arm, because stitches breaking open and blood gushing was something I avoid AT ALL COSTS.
So I one-armed Zumba, and afterwards my instructor told me that she would have me teach sometime, because if I can one-arm class, then no one else has any excuse. Ha! Good one.

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4. After work today, I am heading east over the mountains to visit Dahlia. Hooray! She is just lovely to be around. We can fly across the continent or sit on the couch all day, and either way we will have fun together.

This weekend, we are planning on scrapbooking and crafting. AJ, your Christmas present will hopefully take shape this weekend!

5. Speaking of Christmas presents, I'm feeling really on top of it this year. I have gifts for 2 out of 3 sisters already, and several yarn-related gifts are already finished. The gift I'm most proud of, though, is for my grandparents {trusting that they a) do not know this blog exists and therefore b) will not be reading this post}.
My sisters and I are using Shutterfly to create a photo book of the four of us. I only need two-three more pictures {ahem, sisters} and this album will be complete! My goal is to order it by Thanksgiving, so we are rocking it out.

6. The best part of my grandparents' gift is that we'll be able to give it to them in person. My family is traveling to the Frozen Tundra on the 26th to spend a few days with my mom's family! I'm really excited about this, and I'm already worrying praying for good traveling weather. Because of some health issues, my grandparents haven't been able to come out and visit us since I graduated from high school, so this is quite the exciting visit. Any upcoming holiday trips for you, dear readers?

7. Finally, coming back full circle to the week/weekend/awesomeness thing, I am spending Sunday afternoon with a friend looking at apartments for her and her new job! It's very exciting - this is a fabulous new job and totally in line with her passions and calling, and the apartments we're looking at are really cute.

This week hasn't been the best thing in life, but there have been some light spots and this weekend is going to be fantastic. Happy Friday!

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Finish This: Week Five

Linking up with Jen at The Arizona Russums, Becky at The Java Mama, Lisa at Coastlined, and Nicole at Three 31.

I will never outgrow holding babies, staying up way too late reading, hating, fearing, and killing spiders, sleeping with Sylvester, wanting to live in both Washington and Kentucky, drinking mojitos, and wiping ketchup off my hamburger from Dick's Drive-In.

I splurge on good shoes. Good books. The clearance rack at Target.

My worst habit is leaving things in a pile for weeks on end. The house is clean...except for all the stuff sitting on my desk and dresser. But if I can shut the bedroom door, it still counts as clean, right?

My passport represents adventure! Last year, I traveled internationally three times within 12 months, which is pretty cool. You can read about two of those trips here.

My most ridiculous fear is probably having my car blown up because of someone's cigarette. I wrote about it here, for your amusement reading pleasure.

My favorite thing to give is time, because then we're both getting something! But if this prompt is asking for something tangible, then I will say I love to give books. It's the gift that keeps on giving :)

Ta-da! Go check out the link-up to read more.

Happiest Season of All

I read this post recently and the whole thing really spoke to me {I was going to name a specific paragraph, but then I reread the post and decided it was all really wonderful}. I love that Advent is not waiting meaning sitting on your hands, but it's really about preparing and making ready and fully embracing the season in which God has placed you.

This season, and maybe even the whole of 2014, I think God is focusing on how He pursues me. I was reminded of a story in this book and how much God has both given to and given up for me. Yes, gifts are a bit cliche this time of year, but this Sunday my pastor shared some really lovely and practical gifts that God has given to His bride, like the fruit of the Spirit. God has given us gentleness, patience, self-control, etc. I love considering how richly God has blessed and equipped believers for our daily lives.

God has also blessed my family with togetherness! Christmas is my favorite time of the year because ALL the sisters are home! So far we have never been apart over Christmas, and I hope that this tradition can continue forever :)

Praying God's abundant blessings over you and your family this Christmas!

Christmas is Coming!

But the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary will be here first!!! People.... Saturday....this Saturday.

I love my church and meetings and stuff, but when I heard that our congregation meeting was cancelled this week, I almost jumped out of my seat with joy. We will surely finish Season 7 was my first and unholy thought. {I regret nothing.} EDIT: Just got an email prompting me to buy tickets for the showing on Monday. Done and done; like a true fangirl, I got up early the morning tickets went on sale.

But to stick with the topic suggested from the title, Christmas is fast approaching. It seems especially fast this year, and while I know that part of it is that I'm getting old {depending on who you ask, of course}, I think a big part of the seemingly rapid pace towards Christmas is the fact that I'm not counting down the days to going home before the holiday. You guys, this is the first time in 3 years that I don't have to get on an airplane before I can be home for Christmas. If the angels weren't already singing, I would tell them to start!

The challenging aspect is that Christmas shopping has yet to happen. I take that back. I've bought one gift. Yikes.

After reading Jen Hatmaker's book 7, I've been thinking about Christmas in a different light. I mean, we all know that Christmas is not about gifts or stuff, but about God's story of redemption unfolding on earth. Yet...we still buy each other gifts. I think reading 7 messed with me more than I admitted to myself, because I can't think of Christmas in terms of stuff anymore.

It's hard, because I don't want to be a Scrooge at Christmas. But I don't want to just be a consumer {purchaser} of stuff. If I'm going to buy something, I want it to be meaningful, and not just in the "how did you know this was what I wanted!?" way.

So what I'm considering for gifts this year is buying from organizations who are doing something for the least among us, organizations that {the majority} are non-profit and that need donations or purchases from people whose basic needs are met. Um, that would be me. So here are a few that I would like to present to you.

Jen writes about Open Arms, an organization in Austin that employs refugees at a living wage.

Davi writes about Love-Water.org that provides clean water to countries that suffer diseased water.

Love146 works to end child trafficking; Not4Sale also fights human trafficking and slavery.

Save the Storks offers free ultrasounds to women planning an abortion.

I'm sure there are hundreds of other organizations that are also accomplishing great things for those in need; these are just a few that are either recommended by trustworthy people and/or work for causes that are on my heart. If you know of other organizations that are employing people so they can be free {like Amazima - store here} or if the organization is working for a cause {like Bound4Life - store here}, please let me know.

And because she's amazing, Jen Rossum shared this guest post regarding budgeting and planning for Christmas shopping. Please ignore the fact that I ignored the third step about not starting in November. Ahem. At least you've got several weeks to go. {Fangirl comment: But there are only FOUR DAYS until Doctor Who!}

Brain Blip

You know it's a Monday when...

...you go to type "brain blip" as your title and type "brian" instead....yep

I totes had a post planned for Friday, and it was going to be really funny! But alas, I started working on a project for Victoria {ok guys, for realz- she's amazing, she's my friend, and I sometimes get to work with her! Totes fun!} and the Funny Friday post just didn't happen. Sorry, peeps.

So instead of posting about something deep and intense and serious, I'll be trying out something called "7 Quick Takes" which means you get to read my mind in 7 areas....more realistically, I'll be sharing my thoughts about 7 random things, and when you put the number in the heading, it makes it not random but official and bloggy-sounding. So there. Beat that with a stick. Except I don't know if I'll make it to 7...this is so totally a Monday, it's not even funny. But I'll do my best to overcome.

1. Anyone know any good ways to take off nail polish and get EVERYTHING off? Is there some natural way to do it, or some magic cotton balls you have to use to get it all off? Please share your secrets!

2. Wow, that was a lame #1. What a start we are off to... and now I better think of something quick so #2 doesn't flop also....deodorant is the only thing that comes to mind, so I guess we're going for a hardcore belly flop. Go big or go home.

3. Mom and I have watched 3 episodes of Call the Midwife, Season 2. Augh! So many changes! I won't divulge spoilers, but if you're watching, let me know where in the season you are!

4. Oh yeah, so that totes British takeover post last week? I really don't know how I left off Doctor Who... well, I do. I'm trying to save my episodes and find other things to fill my time {hence, CTM and other British shows that are not as emotionally involved}. But seriously...David Tennant. Totes adorbs.

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Butforrealztho....oh yeah, AJ, he's Scottish, complete with accent :D

5. How to compete with David Tennant? Let's not even try and purposely aim low. My bestie and I went to Target yesterday and bought a tea towel for our future place together. No, we don't have a place yet. Yes, we bought it anyway. We bought the teal one with forks, because we're mature like that.

6. My friend Dahlia is having a birthday party this weekend. So exciting! I got something for her last night at Target, but of course I can't say what.
I did warn her that I might buy this for her....she begged me not to, but I may not be able to help myself :)

                       buy it for Dahlia here source

7. Just found this on face.book. Pretty much sums up today.



Happy Monday!

Sunday's Ponderings

First of all, sorry for the one post last week. Sometimes two posts feels overwhelming, which is bad, because it shouldn't be. But it was a busy week, and we're going for flexibility, and if you have a problem with that, then you should probably find a different blog to read.

Yep, it's going to be one of those nights.

As you know, I'm looking for a condo or townhouse to buy so my bestie and I can feel like real grown-ups. I went to two open houses this weekend, and while there are some great places out there, so much depends on my budget, which right now is limiting.

So I'm contemplating ways to make some extra dough, and I'm also considering what my dad told me: people who are really successful do things that other people don't consider doing or aren't willing to do. He gave the example that the garbage man is usually the richest man in town because he does what no one else wants to do. So he encouraged me to find something that I'm passionate about and make that into my job. Do something that others won't do or aren't willing to do so that I can live in a way that others can't.

It makes sense. Dad bought a gas station when he was two years younger than I am. Dad is a risk-taker and a man of reason and faith, and he calls it like it is. He's very black and white. I am too, but probably not to the same degree. So I feel stuck, because I want to do something unusual and out there and something that I'm passionate about and that I can make a living off of and that I can pursue and all that, but I don't know what that something is.

I want to work more with people than with a computer.
I want to work with a purpose.
I want to use my gifts and talents that God has given me.
I want to do something that hopefully I could continue once I have kids.
I want to tangibly advance the Kingdom of God.

Any ideas?

Funny Friday, and Life Is Going Onward

I'll be home in 11 days, and boy am I going to miss living with my grandparents! Or Ding and Dong, as I affectionately refer to them :) They laugh harder than I do when I call them this, so don't think I'm being disrespectful. Anyway, these two keep me amused {and they keep themselves amused pretty well too!} and I hope that my stalker sister is up to the challenge of making me laugh each day :)

Scene: last night, Grams and Grandpa are sitting in the living room watching a movie. I couldn't tell if it was a Hallmark movie {Grammie's} or a cowboy movie {Grandpa's} but they were both watching it so I figured it was a cowboy drama or something.
On-screen, an older man is riding a motorcycle.

Grandpa: He's an old man and he's riding a motorcycle. Why can't I ride a motorcycle?

Grammie: Because you're too short. You wouldn't be able to steer it.

Grandpa: Well, I'll get a little one then.

Yes, friends, this conversation actually happened. And today is their 60th wedding anniversary. What a legacy of love and laughter.

Well, life does go on, doesn't it? Part of me has gone on like nothing's different: I've gone to work, laughed, gone to see The Lion King on-stage {marvelous! Post coming on that soon!}, and gone shopping. But another part of me is still in shock. Actually, I think I've entered the denial stage, because even though I know Grandpa is in Heaven, I keep thinking that I'll return home in a couple weeks and both Grandma and Grandpa will be in their apartment when I go visit them. But that is not at all the case.

L and I are doing a Bible study by Margaret Feinberg, and she has a little mantra for when life is overwhelming. "Breathe in. Breathe out. God is good. God is still on the throne." And that's what I've been repeating to myself. God is good, all the time, and all the time, He is good.

Comfort Zone

The company that I'm interning for is really focused on leadership, both personal leadership and business leadership. The owner is a great, godly man who is dedicated to growing leaders, and he has done hundreds and thousands of webinars, seminars, speeches, blog posts, newsletters, emails, and more all about developing leaders and growing people. He's fabulous.

So my task this week has been to go through and create a catalog of all the videos we have, and -you guessed it- the vast majority of them are of our owner speaking about leadership.

So I ponder...

In my Business 101 class {waaaay back during freshman year}, I learned that there are basically three specialties of business people:

1. People who start businesses {usually start, get it going, sell after a few years and move on to start something else}
2. People who run businesses {these are the people who buy the existing business & run with it}
3. People who rescue businesses from extinction 

My Business 101 class discussed this, and my teacher pointed out how rare it is for one person to have all three abilities, and that's what made Steve Jobs so amazing-he did all three.

I remember talking with my mom after that class and saying "You and Dad have told me I would own my own business, and I guess I always thought that meant I had to start it, but now I think that I would be good at running it without starting it!" Light bulb!

fast forward to now

The owner of this company is a true visionary. He has so many ideas, and he is always looking forward. He sees things way down the road and then sees where the end will end and then starts to make a new road. It is amazing.

It is not easy or natural for me to look that far down the road. Well, sometimes I try to convince God to let me plan out my whole life, but He just chuckles at me. But when I think about where I want to be in 20 years, I have a few ideas, but that's it. I think part of that is the learn-to-trust-God thing.
It feels like I see dots out in my future, but I don't know how they're all connected. There are many locations around the world that have my heart, and I don't know how God is going to use it all.

But let's get back to the business aspect. L and I have talked about this, and neither of us want to be THE person responsible for a whole organization. I would love to be in charge of something {can't help it- firstborn, administrator, management major}  but I want to answer to someone. I want someone else to tell me "This is the long term vision" and then I will say "Awesome. Here I go to do it."

But is that what God has called me to? Am I supposed to be THE person responsible for a whole organization?

These are a few things that I know and will hold fast to:

• God made different personalities and there is nothing wrong with having one and not another
• God has called me to do something and bit by bit, He's revealing it to me
• What God calls me to might will probably be uncomfortable
• God's grace is sufficient and His strength is made perfect in my weakness

just some thoughts...

Something Sweet

So I meant to post a sweet something on Saturday, thereby rocking the alliteration club, but alas. Here's what went down last week: mi madre arrived in the Frozen Tundra to help celebrate my grandmother's 80th birthday! The big party was Saturday and then Mom went home Sunday. So here we are at work on Monday.

The sweet something is two-fold. One will be posted about later {with a picture!} but for today, here's what you get:
On Friday, Mom and Grammie and I went to the mall and were in a jewelry store. The man being helped before us was picking out a ring...that he was going to propose with. :) It was so cute to see him grinning and to hear him say "I'm going to talk to her dad and then ask her to marry me." He was probably in his 40s or 50s, which made it even cuter.

Alright, that's your sweet something today!

Happy Thanksgiving Back! Or, a crazy crafty week

Anyone catch that line from “You’ve Got Mail”? Anyone? AJ, I know you did. That’s why we’re bosom friends and why I’m going to see you in 8 days! :)
Anywho, it is officially the start of the holiday season! Ok, technically yesterday was the start since it was the first holiday of the season, so let me rephrase. It’s officially Christmastime!!!!!! Holla!
I don’t know about you, but even before this week I’ve been shopping a bit with my shopoholic grandmother, and I’ve actually purchased or made quite a few gifts already this year. So many that I needed to make a list so that I didn’t miss anyone or double up unintentionally.
Does anyone else have that one friend that you never know what to get them, but you know you should get them something because they need to know you love and appreciate them even if you disagree on the fundamentals of life?? Well, I have that friend, and I decided that I would make her something funny…something unusual…something that is slightly awkward but I think her sense of humor is just right for it. I made her a beard. Yes.  A beard. I crocheted it; I did not grow one myself and then give it to her. Yuck times two {one for me growing a beard and one for me giving her that beard}. So I crocheted it, and found that it is like the easiest pattern EVER, and that’s saying a lot because I only pretend to know how to follow patterns, but this one I actually did follow. Phew!
the moral of the story is, since I liked making one beard so much, I wanted to make more. But for whom??? I can’t walk around wearing a crocheted beard-I have a normal-person job. {I should have discovered this pattern while I was in school, like I dyed my hair pink while in school.} But then I thought, boys!!! My friend has a few sons who are not old enough to grow beards; how cute and fun would that be to make beards for her sons! Score!
Ladies and gentlemen, I crocheted 6 beards in less than a week. Bam. That’s a) how easy the pattern is and b) how obsessed I was this week.
Two items of business follow: one the link to the pattern: right here!!! two: a picture. well, as soon as my friend(s) try on their beards and let me take a picture, you’ll see that picture. So gimme a couple weeks. :)

Well, now I only have 2 more gifts that I want to make; however, the vast majority of my yarn is at home-home, so I will have to whip some things out when I get there… speaking of which, THE HOBBIT will be in theaters in 4 weeks. Actually, 3 weeks, 6 days, and just enough hours to get to the midnight showing :D In case you’ve been living under a stupid rock {Harvard Sailing Team reference-for you, stalker sis}, you.tube the trailer and start living your life! Augh!!
Well, it’s lunchtime the day after Thanksgiving- cold turkey, here I come!
PS- I’m grateful for YOU, readers! I know you’re reading this because a) you like me or b) you’re incredibly bored, but either way, I’m happy you’re here!

Blog Party Time!!!!

What day is it? Jan 31st! Blog party- woohoo!

A couple weeks ago I got an email from this lovely lady named Ashley. We sent a few emails back and forth, we checked out each other’s blogs, and we basically got to know one another and encourage each other in continuing to pursue all that God has for us. It was really fun, and I hope we continue it.

Yesterday, I went to the CPO (that’s College Post Office) and opened my little locker-like-box (it feels like a locker to me because each box has a combination to spin, and it takes me back to high school each time). There, inside my little box, was… a piece of cardboard. Boring! But on the cardboard was the word “package” and I thought to myself, what joy! A package! So I headed over to the window where we pick up packages, and the nice man asked me “What’s your number?” and I told him, and he went off to the world of boxes and all things mail-ish, and then came back with a pretty little box. “Have a nice day!” he told me, and I assured him that I would. :)

I didn't get to open the package immediately, because class time called, but that evening, I took a plastic knife and opened the package. And I’ll let the pictures do some talking now.

This was inside!


A lovely note from Ashley- so sweet!


it’s a fun little eraser shaped like a cupcake- how cute is that!


Um, Ashley MADE these earrings… did I have the best blogging partner? Yes, yes I did!


HOW CUTE IS THAT!?!?!?!?!?!? It’s a little pouch! There’s a button on the back side and a loop at the top {you can’t see it} that closes it. I love it a lot.


Finally, I told Ashley that I love to write notes, and so she sent me some note cards! If you happen to receive a note from me in the near future, thank Ashley! She inspired me with these notes. :)

Thanks, Ashley!!! And thank you Casey for hosting this blog party! Now, dear readers, go read about other partiers!