Turkey Time

In the spirit of Thanksgiving which has only just passed, here is a non-comprehensive list of things I am thankful for that I have experienced with or received from Rebekah:

- Studying for Synoptic Gospels or Pentateuch late into the night, while still having fun

- Looking up pointless information on Wikipedia

- Talking about God and the Bible

- Saturday night coffee (with Anna! :])

- Ihe illuminated "J" painting she made for my birthday

- ALL of our Oxford/study abroad-related adventures... there are too many to recount!!!

- Intending to simply pass by each other but not leaving the same room for an hour because we started talking

- Her horse obsession (I now know more than I ever thought I would ever know about horses... well, to be honest, I only remember some of it)

- The weird noises she makes (I still don't know if I passed them onto her or if I got them from her)

- How we have to play "Who Can Make a Straight Face First" instead of "Who Can Keep a Straight Face the Longest" because we can hardly look at each other without breaking into a smile

- Her loyal friendship

- Her honesty and integrity

- Watching and making fun of the Twilight movies together

- Her reading voice that makes me drowsy

- The way we were able to make a delicious turkey together! (See below)

Before

After

The above turkey was cooked for our 3rd annual Oxford Thanksgiving dinner. This was both of our first times to make a turkey ourselves but it was quite delicious! Now we know what things to take out of the inside of a raw turkey before you cook it...

"L" is for the Way You Look at Me

Anna, Rebekah, and I just finished singing songs in The Den for two hours. Not really. But we did go there and enjoy some coffee while we played a game where we thought of a word and had to think of songs that had that particular word somewhere in the lyrics. The best part is, we discovered that Anna can't spell color words and also has a slight obsession with pumpkins.

Speaking of pumpkin, Anna's sister visited and they made absolutely delicious pumpkin muffins. I'd say they were deliciously moist, but I hate that word. Oh - uhh... I mean... they were "succulent."

I have to brag on Anna and Rebekah. They spent about 6 hours one Friday night making awesome Halloween costumes. Rebekah was a giraffe and Anna was a zebra. Everybody thought they bought them! See, that's how awesome they are. That and the fact that they know how to party on a Friday night.

Rebekah has a little dish on our coffee table filled with candy corn. It's really funny because she's used almost two big bags of the stuff and this dish is tiny. That's a lot of refills. Anyway, I think it's a nice way of welcoming guests, and after we all move out I can't wait to visit Rebekah's house/apartment to see what kinds of yummy stuff I can nick off her coffee table.

Random fact: Rebekah is terrified of having wrinkly clothes.

Wonderful quotes:

"You can't put a price on good donuts."

- Rebekah

"R-E-D-E, red! W-H-I-T, white!"

- Anna

Falling and Fall

The top news in our life right now is ....


wait for it ....


JOANNA'S ENGAGED!!!!

Yep, Jo is now engaged. It was very exciting to learn of this, and she's now busy preparing. I actually saw it first on Facebook, when Jo's relationship status changed to "engaged". Last night we had fun looking at venues and flipping through bridal magazines.

Other than this, our lives are mostly consumed with school and work. As many of you know, Jo and I both work together in the library on campus. We have to amuse each other somehow, and one way is by laughing at funny books. This one is just a very interesting book jacket for a book about St. Augustine. It's okay if no one else finds it amusing, but we certainly did.













As Jo mentioned in our last post, we eat lunch together before our Pentateuch class. We tend to have some pretty crazy conversations and we always have a ton of fun together. I'm beginning to think that other people come to the class early just to listen to our hilarious conversations. I fell out of my chair once before class. It was very embarrassing, and unfortunately JoAnna missed it because she stepped out of the room. I fell backwards in a way that I was able to hit the desk behind me, then the step, then the floor and then the the chair fell on top of me. The people already in the room all found it very funny.

We both love the weather right now. It is very autumnal and reminds us of our wonderful time in Oxford. Today we had lots of rain and crashing thunder. Some of the thunder was so loud that JoAnna thought her exploded when thunder sounded close to her car.

Napkins

Lately, life with Rebekah has been full of sound effects (from Rebekah), work (please, if you need a book or article, use ILL and we will get you what you need), lunchtimes (I now make my lunch and bring it to campus - it reminds me of high school but saves so much money), and the five books of Moses (our one class together this semester, and the last class we will ever have together).

Tonight we went to The Den to grab something to drink. We didn't want coffee because we wanted to be able to sleep tonight. So she got a raspberry Italian soda and I got a strawberry Italian cream soda. She also got a raspberry scone. As we were walking home, all of a sudden she stops and looks down at the scone in her hand and sees a bite taken out of the surrounding napkin. Yes, it would appear that our dear Rebekah enjoys eating recycled paper. Or, as she put it, she has "ingested a napkin."

I suppose that will be all for this post. As always, a few special quotes:

"All the Bible majors were like, 'Hahaha' and everyone else was like, 'You just shattered my faith!'" (Rebekah)

"We probably have fuzz in our water like all day long." (Rebekah)

Pure Silliness

I know that you have all been religiously checking this blog, anxiously awaiting a new post. I can assure you that JoAnna will soon give a real post. But while you wait, I present you with this most awesome photograph.

I find this to be one of the most hilarious pictures of JoAnna and me. I was looking through Facebook pictures today and came across this one. Of course, I laughed out loud. It is so characteristic of our relationship.

And yes, that is the Parthenon in the background.

We're Back!

JoAnna and I have once again been reunited. We only saw each other for a couple of minutes, but that's the most we've seen each other all summer. I am looking forward to a wonderful senior year with JoAnna, Anna and our other roommates. Jo and I will once again have a class together, and we're both excited at that prospect.

If you thought our blog was incredible this summer, just wait until this semester. If on the other hand you have found our summer posts to be somewhat boring and nondescript, which is much more likely, then you are in for a treat. The accounts of our antics this coming year are guaranteed to make you laugh. Unfortunately, despite the guarantee, we cannot give you any money back if you do not laugh. Luckily, you don't actually have to pay to read this, so what do you really have to lose?

How to Beautify Your Search Page

Dear Cockroach Killer,

I watched the movie My Sister's Keeper, and I couldn't stop tearing up or crying the whole time! I felt so sad afterward. I recommend it if you need something to help you cry because it will probably make you. Or if you just want to watch a movie you've heard was good, because that's why I watched it...

I definitely miss hearing all about your dreams, so thank you for that tidbit. I had one last night about someone telling me how to find out if there's someone in one of the rooms of your house - someone who shouldn't be there. I was told that you're supposed to sneak in the door of the room, look left and right, hide behind the door, and jump out and yell, "Boo!" Quite the roundabout way of discovering an unwanted house guest, if you ask me.

Recently, I came across a very interesting way to personalize your web-surfing experience. If you go to the Google homepage, on the bottom left there is a link that says, "Change background image." Click it and you can change the background of the Google page! For some reason, I thought this was really cool. Probably because I changed it to an aerial shot of Oxford that I took during our time there...

Your friend,

Ant Killer

Another Dream of Mine

JoAnna,

It makes me awfully happy that you think of me when you have water at your side. Maybe you can start thinking of me every single time that you take a drink of water. Then you could think of me all the time!

I have a friend who calls me cockroach killer. Can I call you ant killer? We can both have epic names relating to obliterating insects. How exciting is that!

Since I don't see you daily and haven't been able to share my dreams with you, I though I'd share a short one here.

I was being followed because I had some secret biotechnological weapon. My plan was to use it to destroy the world. I couldn't let anyone find out, so I was going to hide it in my shoe. However, I heard them talking about patting me down. Instead I hid the packet, which contained the weapon, in an ink pen. I barely managed to stuff it away before they caught up with me and I was able to convince them that I never had anything.

I know it's really random, but when do my dreams make sense?

Thirst

Dear Rebekah,

I'm so glad you didn't fall off the face of the earth! I'd be devastated partly because you would be gone from my life and partly because that would undermine all the arguments I grew up learning about how the earth was most definitely not flat.

I sit here in my room looking around, and I am struck by the oddest sight: four water bottles glimmer their shiny surfaces at me. I realize that I am turning into you. I always need water by my side. As of now, I have:

- a bottle on my nightstand, almost gone, but there to quench middle-of-the-night thirst;

- another bottle on my nightstand atop my current read, completely full and unopened, as I just placed it there to accompany my PB&J sandwich;

- a bottle totally empty on my dresser;

- another bottle not quite as empty as the one on my nightstand, also on my dresser.

I think I may even have one in my purse!

Anyway, I thought that was humorous. So I think I'm slowly morphing into another version of your unquenchable self. Either that, or I'm turning into that little girl from Signs.

Just so you know, I've become a battle-hardened warrior over these past few weeks. Yes, I am accomplished in the art of ant killing. Various outbreaks have occurred in our home, and my mother has taught me well. Armed with a can of Raid, I can do anything. Mostly I just use it to conquer the little buggers, though.

I really enjoyed your little story about your visit to that patient. I am glad that you were able to laugh at yourself for it!

Until next time,

Jo

I Didn't Fall Off the Face of the Earth

Dear Jo,

I promise I didn't fall off of the face of the earth. In fact, I've written to you every day but the letters must have been lost in the mail. Hmmm, or maybe not. I suppose that excuse doesn't work when we're posting things online.

I am missing you a lot as well. This next year will be a good one, though it is certainly crazy to think that it will be our last at ACU. How time flies! I thought of you and Anna when I went to the Houston Zoo this past weekend. It will be tons of fun all living together soon. Indeed, I have three and a half weeks left of my internship. This summer has certainly passed quickly.

I am so glad you had a good time with Justin. I wish that I could also come and see you. A nice vacation in California sounds lovely right about now. Of course, spending time with you also sounds lovely. You mentioned that the water in the Pacific is quite as clear as the Aegean. That is certainly true, but you can take pride in knowing that it's clearer than the Gulf of Mexico at Galveston. And colder too.

I'll leave you with a little story that you might find amusing. Earlier this week I went in to visit a patient. I looked at my patient list and walked in prepared. The patient had a sheet pulled all the way over their head and the patient's daughter was sitting next to the bed.

"Hello, is this Mrs. So-and-so" I queried. The daughter looked at me strangely.

"No. This is my dad. Mr. so-and-so."

At this, the patient pulled the sheet down from his face and simply said 'hi.' Needless to say, I was quite embarrassed. I suppose I'll check my list a little more carefully from now on.

Love, Rebekah

Summer Continues

Dear Rebekah,

I am missing you sorely. I am missing Abilene and everyone there a lot, too. It's funny how that happens when one is gone for a while. Fortunately, more than half the summer is over and we shall be reunited once again. Story of our lives, eh?

I hope you are having a great time in Houston still. I have been having fun here. Justin recently visited for 10 days and we had a lot of fun. Now that he's gone I've been thinking about Abilene and how I only have one more year there. And then I wonder where I'll be and where you'll be and if we'll be near each other enough to go out on coffee dates. Anyway, all this to say, I miss you a lot. I miss laughing about absolutely ridiculous things with you. I miss "researching" random things online with you. I miss "doing homework" with you... and how it always ended up in something random.

Lately there has been nothing too interesting to write about. I've been rereading a book I read in middle school called Firegold, and it's almost as good this time around. Not quite. Funny how things you read a long time ago for the first time were always better.

I was in Target last night and I saw the Pillars of the Earth book you were reading that one time... that one about the monk and the cathedral builder. Did you ever finish that? Was it good? Anyway, I think you got a good deal checking it out of the library, because it was selling for just under $20.

I am coming back to Abilene in just about one month. I will probably write before then, but just in case I don't... see you soon!

Love,

Jo

Reminiscing, Mostly

My Dearest Rebekah,

I apologize for my online absence... I am going to be honest and say that I have not felt like writing or thinking. Summer has got me in its clutches and it does not want to let go.

I am so excited about your teapot. That British shop is awesome, I bet. I'm glad we have one in Abilene. I must say that I wish I were drinking more tea this summer than I actually am. But when my dad gets a pot of coffee going, it's so much easier just to mooch off of that.

I was just reading our earliest posts on our blog. Man, life was great when we lived in the same room, eh? Now we're hundreds of miles apart. I'm glad we're out of silent Sikes, though. Now at least we know who lives in the rooms next to us. Our lovely, amazing housemates!

Today my dad and I ordered Papa John's pizza. I have decided that their regular sausage pizza isn't my favorite, but their crust is pretty good. Definitely isn't worth the price though, especially if you have it delivered. Just a tip.

Can you believe it, I haven't been to the beach once this summer. Thankfully Justin is coming and will help change that (I need someone to go with first). I wish you were here so that we could go together, too. Unfortunately, the Pacific's water isn't quite as clear as that surrounding Greece, but it's still refreshing. Remember searching all over Athens for a decent beach? At least we got better luck with the islands. And that beautiful sunset? Ahh man. I'll remind you even more clearly:

Talk about beauty!

And finally: Today at Burger King my parents won a little apple pie and a milkshake. How, you ask? By playing the Team Edward vs. Team Jacob scratcher game! Yes, BK has Twilight toys for their kids meals and scratchers on their value meal cups. Now when I go into my favorite fast food restaurant I get to see large cardboard cut-outs and life-size plastic window clings of a pasty British blood-sucker and a beefy snub-nosed mutt. So much for keeping my tenders and fries down. I'm excited to watch Eclipse with you so we can enjoy making fun of the terrible acting. I'll go no higher than a RedBox fee, though.

Much love,

Jo

I'm a Little Teapot

Jo,

I just thought you might like to know that I just bought myself a teapot. It's cute and sturdy and I'm very excited to use it every day next year. It's from a a British shop here in Houston, so it's actually from Britain as well. I got some Tetley to go along with it, so that's extra nice. And some Ribena. And some Walker's prawn cocktail crisps. Goodness, I miss England.

Love, Rebekah.

P.S. Are you still alive? I haven't received a letter from you in such a long time.

P.P.S. I'm not actually upset that you aren't writing. I know that real life is busy. Plus you texted me today, which was especially exciting.

Happy Birthday to You

Dear Jo,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Just don't go too crazy.

Love, Rebekah

Reindeer, and walruses and polar bears! Oh my!

Dear JoAnna,

I am very sorry that you have not been able to find a job. The economy these days!

And I am also sorry about your dishwasher. Maybe when you wash dishes by hand, you can pretend that you are at our house and we’re washing dishes together. Now doesn’t that sound like fun? We had a similar situation here, as our air conditioning went out. The temperature was at least 92, which is not actually all that pleasant.

I am not as sorry that you have finished The Two Towers. In fact, I am actually rather happy. You may not have known it, but LOTR happens to be my favourite book. Like, in the whole wide world. On second thought, I may have mentioned that once or twice.

In all honesty, I’m not entirely sure what to say about the Anti Monkey Butt Powder. In fact, I’m not entirely sure what having a monkey butt entails. I can’t imagine it would be pretty.

I bought some dental floss today and, unfortunately, ended up with the wrong kind. How could dental floss be the wrong kind, you ask? Well, it’s the wrong kind when it costs $6. Someone stuck it on the wrong hook and I was very sad. Because I was with other people and the store was closing, I was not able to exchange it. This all reminds me of a time when I paid € 4.70 for a coke in front of the Sagrada Familia.

LYLAS, Rebekah

P.S. Do you remember in middle school, when we all used to sign-off on notes with "LYLAS," or some other equally inane acronym?

P.P.S. Did you know that National Geographic books expeditions? Maybe we should try one of those. They will even take you to the Arctic. Reindeer, and walruses and polar bears! Oh my!

Feeling Like a Monkey

Dear Rebekah,

First, I must comment that surely, although it may be somewhat cheesy, Glee is the funniest show out there! Sue Sylvester nearly makes me pee my pants every week. Unfortunately, this summer is only re-runs, but at least it gives you a chance to catch up. ;)

I have yet to get a job, even though I applied to at least 8 places (I lost count). Who knows if I will get an offer. But I do know that it's a lot of work just doing dishes at home anyway. Imagine washing dishes for three adults, two kids, one toddler, and one infant - at least twice a day. Oh, and did I mention that our dishwasher is out of commission?

You mentioned that you have been tired lately. I do not have a cure for that, other than the obvious rest and coffee, but I do have a solution to another problem. If you are having trouble with your butt looking like a monkey, you might want to try some of this handy dandy Anti Monkey Butt Powder - It's a "Sweat Absorber and Friction Fighter"!:

This can be found by Gold Bond Powder in Wal-Marts everywhere.

In other news, I finally finished The Two Towers a couple weeks ago. Good thing it only took me about a year to read.

And now for some real news. This article says that "they" have found that short people have a higher risk of heart problems. That reminds me of that short people song you showed me. Anyway, I just thought I'd comfort you with this tidbit, just in case you heard this news before I could relay it to you: I am under the height range considered "short." So if you go down with heart problems, I'm mostly likely coming with you! Talk about loyalty.

With abundant love,

Jo!

P.S. I just checked. Flights to London Heathrow from Houston (G. Bush International) on British Airways leaving next Tuesday are coming up as $1389. I say we buy for sometime more in the future rather than right now... As much as I'd love to go right now (especially with you).

P.P.S. Sorry about the car door. Hope you found some ice.

Letters from Rebekah

Dear Jo,

It's funny that you should comment on the humidity difference between California and Abilene. I was already planning to comment on humidity as well. I, however, have gone the other way. Sometimes I think I need a mask and oxygen tank to breathe down here. It's like swimming through the air.

I started watching Glee once Lost was over. My hosts thought it would be a fun show to watch together. It has great music, but you must admit that the show's a little cheesy.

I ran into my car door the other day. Only one other person saw, but it was still embarrassing. I opened my door and stepped out of the car, walking right into my door. I just thought you should know that.

I though of you when I was shopping the other day. all of the grocery stores here have international aisles that include British food. I wanted to by some Ribena, but it was $9 for a bottle. In the end I had to decide against it. I think it would almost be cheaper to just fly to England myself and bring some home. Want to go with me?

Love, Rebekah (your most favouritist friend)

P.S. I hope you find a job. Or maybe you've already found one...?

Letters to You

Dear Rebekah,

I am glad that we've decided to write each other letters over the blog this summer while we're halfway across the country from each other. Such a good way to keep in touch! And hopefully it will be even slightly entertaining to our readers.

One of the first things I noticed when I came back to Southern California was that it is so dry here compared to Abilene! I actually have to use face lotion here and put lotion on my hands. I didn't really have to do that in Abilene. Also, there are actually hills, which is quite a relief. In addition, the lesser degree of humidity is so freeing. I feel like I can breathe again. So, there are pros and cons of being away from Abilene besides the fact that I'm away from you (which is definitely a con...).

In other news, I am still looking for a job. I hate job searching! It seems like nobody wants new workers at this time. But to take my mind off that whole deal, I've been to the library twice already, but unfortunately I didn't get to stay as long as I would have liked. It's okay, though, because I got some C.S. Lewis books and a couple books about Ireland. I know how you like Ireland. I wish we could go back together. Especially for the video-game-like crosswalk sounds.

Well, I had better be going. I miss you so much and hope everything is well with your internship!

Your friend,

Jo

So Far Away

JoAnna and I are once again far, far away from each other. She's back at home and I've started my summer internship.

We did take one final together and Jo and I stayed up for hours studying diligently for it. That evening she gave me a little wind-up horse that she stole from some kid or something like that. After that we started discussing horse gaits and practicing them. Watching Jo trot, pace and lope across my tiny bedroom was incredibly amusing. If you ever get the chance, ask Jo to canter across a room. You are sure to be entertained.

Once again, we'll see what happens with this blog during the summer. Here are my words for Jo, and all my other friends spread out to the ends of the universe for the summer.

Somewhere out there

Beneath the pale moonlight

Someone's thinking of me

And loving me tonight.

Somewhere out there

Someone's saying a prayer

That we'll find one another

In that big somewhere out there.

And even though I know how very far apart we are

It helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star.

And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby

It helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky!

Somewhere out there

If love can see us through

Then we'll be together

Somewhere out there

Out where dreams

Come true.

I had quite a few fantastic quotes to post, but I didn't actually bring them with me. So I guess you'll just have to imagine what Jo might have said. That could be fun.

Senior Status!

I am now officially a senior in college.

I have finished all the tests, papers, projects, EVERYTHING associated with being a junior and now I only have one more year left in college.

Unfortunately for Rebekah, she still has a test and a project go to this finals week. But she's almost there!

Last night, all 5 of us roommates were all together in the living room watching TV (Lost, naturally). It was so weird! We haven't gotten together to do something fun in a really really long time, if ever. You can count that as an historic moment.

Speaking of Lost, it is almost over! The season finale is on May 23rd, which is quite unfortunate simply because Rebekah and I can't be together for it like we thought we'd be. But I wish we could, because she can always answer my questions. She makes up for my poor memory... which is funny, because she says she has no memory, yet she makes up for mine... what's that say about MY memory??

The greatest news around campus pertaining to us is that all students who are going to be seniors next year are eligible to receive a "free" (yeah right, like we haven't paid for it 50 times over with all our "technology fees") 3rd generation iPod Touch. Needless to say, I was very excited because I have never had a real mp3 player before (I say "real" because I have used my cell phone's limited memory to hold a select handful of songs). But! I did not know that the iTouch had so much more to offer... like apps that you get addicted to. I must say, it probably wasn't the wisest timing in the world to give students an electronic distraction the day before finals week starts. Anyway, since most students seemed to already own iPods, I have been seeing a great many Facebook statuses outlining their plans for the sale of the devices.

The Notorious Quote Section:

"I'm about to fall but I really want to."

- Rebekah

"Be God's animal."

- Rebekah

"They're really gonna fall out once you start loping."

- Rebekah (who else?)

Guilt Post

So, I feel guilty that I haven't posted in a while... so here goes...

Probably the most exciting news is that there is only one week left of classes and then one week of finals! Yesss! Also, I got paid for the first time (finally) since beginning my job at the library. Score!

Rebekah and I set aside a time a few weekends ago to watch the second part in the Twilight Saga: New Moon. It was definitely worth not going to the movie theater and paying 8 bucks. Redbox did just fine with $1. Let's just say that now Rebekah has a new idea for decorating our living room... one that involves a Native American werewolf...

The library has this particular flowery scent to it now. You can especially smell it right when you walk in and - surprise - at my desk at work. Rebekah couldn't smell it for the longest time until she went to my desk. Anyway, turns out that she also has a lotion that smells like it, which may also be a reason for her problems in not smelling it. It's a good scent, but whoever controls it makes it SO strong. We're thinking it comes through the vents. But really, it's just a mystery. If anyone knows its origins and WHY the library smells like an overwhelming garden, please let us know.

Quotes from the past month or so:

"I have no memory." - Rebekah

"When I sing those songs, I imagine that I am a slave." - Rebekah

Coming to a Close... But Not Merely Winding Down

I am only posting to say that this is the most ridiculously busy semester of my life! Ahh! I'm buried beneath all these things I need to do. Class, homework, papers, projects, exams, church things, internship, work. And maybe it's sad, but I really enjoy my new job much better than my majors classes... hmm... maybe I should become a librarian? (I work with Rebekah in the library! It's lots of fun whenever we're in there together.) Or just loan out books and articles to people. I really like having an on-campus job. Great stuff. Really convenient, and I feel like I'm doing something productive and meaningful. One time Rebekah saved a boy's life while working this job. That's right. I am now positioned to save lives, one book or article at a time. Information leads to knowledge, and knowledge is power.

Anyway, in addition to busyness, it's been really really hot and humid lately. I hear rumors of rain tonight, which wouldn't surprise me. But it'll be gross, warm rain. Ew. Anyone who knows my weather preferences knows that I cannot stand humidity. It's disgusting. I really hope I don't ever have to live anywhere it's unreasonably humid.

4.5 weeks until the semester is over!!! I absolutely cannot wait. I registered for next semester's classes and I am pumped for them. I'm only taking 12 hours. It will be soooo nice. Rebekah is also only taking a small amount of hours. We also have another Bible class together! We are gonna party it up in the Bible building again next semester...

Another Week

School has started back up after Spring Break and we're back to the old grind. JoAnna and I both headed out of the state for the break. She went up north to Minnesota and I headed west to Colorado. One thing that both of our trips had in common was horrible weather during our drives back home. The roads were sheets of slick ice and snow whipped around in a blizzard. Thankfully, we both made it safely back to Abilene.

Both of us also ate some interesting food. JoAnna had an interesting dessert drink, the contents of which I've already forgotten. I do know that her cup broke and she was distraught when she wasn't able to drink it. I had mountain lion steak for breakfast one morning. So yeah, fun foods.

I'll go ahead and share a link with you, even though this isn't of JoAnna and me. It is, however, exactly like something we would do together. We're both very good dancers, you know. I hope you enjoy this fantastic dancing video.

Jo and I have been so busy with schoolwork that we've done almost nothing together. She hasn't even been able to watch Lost with me!! So sad. Hopefully we'll find some time to hang out in the near future.

Hmmm. What exciting lives we lead (not!).

Blustery Days

I think the most exciting thing that has happened lately has been the powerful wind (I said "exciting", not "good"). This is the kind of wind that makes your hair smell bad, keeps you from riding your bike up hills, lifts up various articles of clothing even while they're still on your body, and just all around blows. It's awful and definitely the worst thing about living in Abilene.

In other outdoor news, Rebekah has been enjoying her horse class very much. She learns about the animals she loves and then she gets to ride Hissy every Monday (I wouldn't want a horse with that name either). This past week she was overjoyed to be riding through the nearby wilderness, with tumbleweeds rolling by and everything. The works. I can just imagine little Rebekah, wearing her boots, up on a huge horse in the middle of nowhere. Aww how cute. I guess the guards in the bordering jail watchtowers thought so too, because they certainly didn't shoot her.

Something Rebekah has been doing - and what I wish I could make myself do - is making time for pleasure reading. A couple weeks ago she read this book about the moon turning blood-red, and basically it was supposed to seem like the world was ending, but it wasn't really anything that exciting. Anyway, the book she's reading now seems a lot better, even though it's probably 4 times the size of that moon one. It's about a builder of a cathedral and this one really dedicated monk.

On Tuesday night, I came home just in time to see Rebekah getting into her car. "What are you doing?" I asked her. "Going to watch Lost!" was her response. Confused, I approached and questioned and found out that our cable/remote control is messing up (yet again - welcome to our living room) and the channel wouldn't change from The CW (of all the channels to be stuck on it had to be that one...). So she was going to her parents' house a few streets down. I hop in the car because I came home in a rush specifically so I could catch all of Lost, and we head over. Thankfully, we were welcomed even though I wasn't expected (I always worry when I am an unexpected guest because I feel like I'm imposing). Her mom even made popcorn! All I have to say is that I love her family and am so blessed to know them!

This next week is spring break. This is a much needed pause in schoolwork and even a break from Abilene itself, for both of us. I am going up to St. Paul, Minnesota with a group of students from ACU to work with international refugees. Rebekah is going up to various places in Colorado with a few friends to visit one of their homes. Hopefully we will come back with exciting stories to tell!

Awesome Quote of the Week:

"My mind is like popcorn."

- Rebekah

Olympic Fun

So for the past two weeks in our house, the Olympics have been on almost constantly. I think the games are a ton of fun, and we all enjoy watching them. The closing ceremonies, however, were a bit odd. What with giant inflatable moose and beavers, huge lumberjack cutouts and Michael Bublé dressed as a Canadian Mountie, I found it all slightly strange.

Canada passed the torch on to Russia and they had a little entertainment preview for the next winter games. I learned that the Russian national anthem is perhaps the longest anthem in the entire world. Seriously, it goes on forever. And apparently 2014 will include ballerinas on snowboards. These ceremonies are getting so elaborate that I'm beginning to think the Olympic torch will be lit in orbit next time. It is Russia after all.

So yeah, strange closing ceremonies.

But I thought I'd share a quick video link from the Olympics that I found highly amusing. I'm just sharing the joy of Olympic thank you notes.

We also had yet another snow day. Hooray for destroying the yard in snowball fights and building huge snow forts!

And a quick quote from JoAnna:

"I hope we're friends forever."

Snowballs and Kumquats

So, lots of exciting things have happened since you've heard from us last. Well, maybe exciting isn't the right word, but we haven't been completely bored anyway. We had a snow day last week and it was lovely. Well, we got Thursday afternoon and Friday morning off, so I guess that adds up to a full day. We had a gigantic snowball fight in our backyard and all ended up soaked.

Jo, Stacie, Holly and I all had fun standing around in the kitchen and laughing one night. It was late; we were being silly and enjoying kumquats. If you've never had a kumquat, you should try one. They look like miniature oranges, but the rind is sweet and the inside is extremely sour.

This evening Jo decided to learn how to French braid. Stacie taught her and I was the guinea pig that she practiced on. On a somewhat related note, Jo absolutely hates to have her hair touched. So don't touch it if you want to survive.

Now we're watching the Olympics again. We turned it on earlier but decided that watching people ski for 30 km is not quite as exciting as it sounds. Nevertheless, we sat and watched the hour and fifteen minute race.

JoAnna just got a text message and her text alert sounds like the little TV Land bell sound. I think of TV Land and M*A*S*H every time she gets a text. And now she keeps showing me pictures of dead albatrosses. Very morbid and sad.

Two College Students Share Life of Wisdom, Wit, and Wonders through Blog

Here's a thought. With all the negative media out there - the U.S. missionaries charged with trafficking children out of Haiti, the Colorado missionary charged with sexually abusing 18 Haitian schoolboys, the mother who overdosed her 4-year-old daughter, Facebook's site re-design (we all knew that one was coming, though) - Rebekah and I found it prudent to get something positive out there before we all become depressed zombies with no hope for humanity. Why don't we share the truth that there are still good things to think about in the midst of all this calamity?

So, I propose that we have a feature in every major news media outlet about us. Yes, Rebekah and I deserve to be at the forefront of the news. We are the poster children of goodness. Absolute goodness. And we're interesting to boot.

But seriously though. I'm tired of all the horrible stories being featured in the news... yet, it seems that whenever something good is in the spotlight, such as a New York taxi driver who returned $21,000 to one of his passengers, it must be pulled up through the miry depths of violence, hatred, debt, and disease. (Here is where I found that story. A single page dedicated to "happy, positive news.") However, I must admit, nothing gets my attention quite like that very same violence, hatred, debt, and disease of which I speak with such aversion. There seems to exist this tension among what we find interesting, what gets our attention, what holds our attention, what entertains us the most, and what makes us feel pity for others - which helps us be confident that there is someone "worse" than us.

Of course, this is not the case across the board. I just wanted to share my two cents about why we may be so attracted to negative news. And this actually was an update on an insignificant, two-minute conversation that Rebekah and I had about this topic. Mostly it was about how I wanted us to be in the spotlight because we are the epitome of good news. Oh wait. That's Jesus...

P.S. Rebekah just thought this was soooo funny. I guess there's not much else to get excited about in the middle of a freezing cold nowhere...

LOST!!!

I'm sitting here watching Lost with JoAnna. We've been waiting for this day for ages and I'm so glad that it's finally here. We're already very confused. And I might have to hurt someone if we don't get some answers this season. I'm a little ashamed, because I just hung up on a friend so that I wouldn't miss Lost.

It's been an awfully long time since either of us has posted, but I decided to take a little time to jot something down. Unfortunately the excitingness of our lives has seriously declined. Though I have had some fun playing with the toy horses that Jo gave me for Christmas.

School is back in session and Jo and I actually have a class together. We wake up early, walk to school and grab a cup of coffee before class. It's not quite so fun when it's as cold as it was today.

For some reason we still have Christmas decorations up. Our house is full of Christmas cheer with stocking on the wall, lights around the windows and bows stuck to the wall.

Yet another lovely quote:

"Why would I ever suck a cow?"