Survey for School!

Friday, December 26, 2014

What will this year be like?

I wonder...

What will my future be?
I wonder...
It could be so exciting
To be out in the world
To be free
My heart should be wildly rejoicing
Oh whats the matter with me?

I've always longed for adventure
To do the things I've never dared
Now here I'm facing adventure
Then why am I so scared?

I Have Confidence, from The Sound of Music

It's a good thing God is going with me.

Monday, December 8, 2014

When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer

I love this poem.
When I heard the learn’d astronomer,
When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me,
When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them,
When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured with much applause in the lecture-room,
How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick,
Till rising and gliding out I wander’d off by myself,
In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,
Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars.

This Year's Christmas Song

My favorite day of the week

Monday is my Saturday. Most weeks I work from Wednesday to Sunday and then on Monday when everyone else is getting back into gear, I relax. This is the day to set base camp in order or work on a project or read a book. I also get to be with my family who I miss when I am gone. I love to help with their school. I must admit, my occasional Saturday is much better because then everyone else is in slow/work-around-the-house mode too and Papa is home which likely means we will all be doing a project together.

The other day I asked Laura if I could retire from farming earlier than the start of my trips. It was a hard decision because I had wanted a cow for so long and I am the one who talked Papa into it. I love going to the barn and enjoyed it more than a year but for about a month now when milking time came I hated to leave. I think it is because I only have so much time at home and that took 3 hours out of my day. Anyway, milk cow Mocha now belongs to Laura. I think she will be great at farming.

The second piece of breaking news is that last night I put on Katie's flip-flops and they fit! My sisters are growing.

Friday, November 28, 2014

My Favorite Job

This week was one of the busiest weeks of the year at the bakery. Wednesday we made 120 dozen dinner rolls besides pumpkin pies, fruit pies, cream pies, cookies, cakes, cheese balls and loves of bread. 

Pumpkin rolls went hard and fast too but some of the other girls were able to make boxes and boxes of those earlier in the week. Most of the orders were before noon so even though I got home about 2:30 p.m., there were three girls there by five thirty a.m. and the two other girls and I were there by six a.m. It was loads of fun. It's like having a baking day with your best friends who pray before each meal and love the same God you do. I just keep realizing how blessed I am to have such a job. I know I've only had three jobs so far but I think this one will be hard to top.

I was at Aunt Margie's yesterday morning so everyone at home made the family thanksgiving dinner without me and I came home to a beautiful table set with lots of good food. Leftovers from this time of year are almost better than the big meal. We'll have sandwiches and sweet potatoes and cranberries the next few days. On Saturday Granddad and Granny will have the extended family feast but since this house is done with Thanksgiving, we are on to the next holiday.
Smooth Jazz Christmas music is playing. Mommy's Christmas Cactus is blooming. About half of my presents are bought or made. Plans are to put up the tree this afternoon. Debates are taking place about where it should be. And I only have one month left to get my act together for my trip around the world!

Friday, November 14, 2014

My new FAVORITE place

This morning I took the College Comp. CLEP test at GC. I am glad it is over but I won't get the results for a while because it is graded by actual people. Anyway, I finished about 11:00. I had Ann and La along since Ann had a test at 1:00 and La could study in the school library. We went to BK for lunch and then had an hour to waste. So we went to this little cafe in Deep creek. Each of us had been there once or twice before but just for a few min. so Papa could get coffee or something. This time Annie treated us to hot chocolate and we all went to the back where there was a nice little lounge with a fireplace.

 I got pumpkin hot chocolate which is better than pumpkin coffee and also better than the other girls' 'smores hot chocolate even though it sounded better.

 Bad camera but isn't this a cute clock?

 Ann is trying not to worry about her test which, of course, she passed.
I am already planning my all day study visit. I will go on a Friday or Monday...or maybe tomorrow...after my busy work week. I will wash my hair the night before and braid it wet and sleep in it because I like those waves and I am afraid of a curling iron.
For most women, they would not have enough time to take care of our hairstyle every day. So we need some simple and easy but still look fabulous hairstyle ideas sometimes. If you always don’t know how to deal with your hair before going out, this post will help you a lot with 18 cute[Read the Rest]
I'll wear it like this and dress up nice. I'll go in the morning and bring school books and some money for lunch-yes they serve sandwiches-and plan on spending the day. I will sit in the back by the fire and use their nice wi-fi if I need it. I may even buy a nice mug and sip a hot drink all day. It will be Christmas only better! 

Baby Bunnies

La has some rabbits that recently had babies. They are really cute now that they have hair.
before
 after


I just came back from dropping Ann off to babysit cousins at the grandparents and I have to say this. One of my favorite things about Grandad is that when I meet him on our driveway or his no matter how far it is he will always back up for me. :)

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

In which I nearly choke and Katie turns 10

Cinnamon hardtack! :)  
 I made all of this in one day. 20 batches. Merry Christmas! Think of me whenever you get hardtack from the bakery.
For Katie's party she had a Silly-Sally restaurant. Joshua down to Zach were waiters and waitresses. 
They named their Silly-Sally restaurant Colored Leaves. In this kind of restaurant you have no 
idea what you are ordering because the menu says things like lava instead of salsa and 
healthy gasoline for tea.
 Papa took La and Ann out and bought them scarves. I am promised a scarf too when I am off work the same time Papa is. We like to dress up for "restaurants."
 This was the first time mom did not have to be in the kitchen for a restaurant.



 Peaking into the kitchen.




 I loved Kate's dishes.

 Ann is faithful with her camera.
 The theme was butterflys.




 Happy Birthday Miss Kate!
Ya'll know I can't resist the morning sunrise. Had to throw it in.

Monday, November 10, 2014

Ok folks! here's the plan...

For those of you who do not know my long term plan you can read this, this and this post.

I found a birthing clinic in Texas just across the boarder from Mexico that has a short term program for people like me. It is one of the schools that I looked at before I applied to Newlife. I will be there 4 weeks Jan-Feb, probably staying with one of the students.

After that, I am on to the Philippines. Papa talked with a man at the Shindig who is doing a lot of evangelism work in the Philippines. I will be staying with his wife's niece and helping with their children and mission work for about 4-6 weeks. I also hope to visit Newlife for a week or two while I am there and apply to the school again for Aug. 2015.

I should be home in April. I'll try to work a few months as these trips do take a chunk out of my savings for school and then off again for 2 1/2 years in Aug. I hope to do some sort of fundraiser here in Nov.-Dec. I'll keep you posted.