tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39253623621915519002024-03-14T01:40:08.362-07:00Adventures of ClairebearAdventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-69955193332160166702014-07-09T14:13:00.000-07:002014-07-09T14:13:09.056-07:00What Grandma Gave Me <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I spent the majority of my childhood overseas, away from extended family, and sometimes feel like I didn't get to spend a great deal of time with my grandparents. But as I look at the blessing that Grandma, Virginia Owen, was to my life, I realize that there really were many memories made, stories told, and lessons learned. In an effort to post quickly and not post perfection, this blog is just a conglomeration of the things Grandma gave me. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFc3CHHPw2vOE4hUqCE7s4Z8aAr-xhRVIrO5un5TsWZ0eh9LDC-2g4wkCBmBEveiXVO5Y0W9DatpsP4A5KFcff0OCF1r5FVAiTep29ZKV2ATq6D9KeTFwJH8NRMKsgI1rQt63_UvC8f52N/s1600/IMG_1677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFc3CHHPw2vOE4hUqCE7s4Z8aAr-xhRVIrO5un5TsWZ0eh9LDC-2g4wkCBmBEveiXVO5Y0W9DatpsP4A5KFcff0OCF1r5FVAiTep29ZKV2ATq6D9KeTFwJH8NRMKsgI1rQt63_UvC8f52N/s320/IMG_1677.JPG" style="cursor: move;" /></a><b>A Love for Creating:</b><br />
My grandma was an excellent seamstress and crafter. Although I wouldn't call myself an expert crafter or seamstress in the least, I love to create. I don't remember the first time my grandma let me practice sewing in her sewing room lined with shelves of fabric, multiple sewing machines, jars of buttons, and drawers full of embroidered patches and spools of thread. But I was probably four or five. One Easter, my brother and I went down to the "bay house" in Rockport, TX with my grandparents. In between fishing sessions Grandma helped us sew our own quilts. Mine had a patriotic theme, and Garrett's had a Dallas Cowboys theme. Years later, while Lorenzo and I were dating, he said he wanted a t-shirt quilt. I hadn't sewn in years, but from what Grandma taught me years before, and a little help from youtube I made Lorenzo his very own t-shirt quilt. <br />
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<b>Forgetfulness: </b><br />
Anyone who has known me for very long, and probably anyone who has known my grandma for very long, would say we are slightly forgetful or absentminded. When I was probably 9 or 10, I tried to collect stamps. Grandma took me to the post office one time to help me expand my collection. There was some kind of nice coffee table book about stamps for sale that I wanted. Grandma told me that she would buy it for me then, but save it to give to me for my birthday or Christmas. We'll just say, 19 or so years later, I still have not received a coffee table book about stamps for my birthday or Christmas. A few weeks ago when my parents said Grandma was sick,(not at all expecting that she would pass away) I decided I'd send her a get well soon card and a couple pictures of Thomas. I bought the card, wrote in the card, and didn't get around to printing pictures of Thomas for a few days. Finally a week or so after I bought the card, I sent it to Grandma. I think she would have gotten in the mail sometime towards the end of last week. At least I hope my forgetfulness and dilly dallying didn't keep the card from getting to her in time for her to see it. <br />
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<b>A Little Baylor Bear: </b><br />
Grandma's mother, Grandmother Hightower, graduated from Baylor University, and Grandma also attended Baylor for a time. I believe she only went to Baylor for a year or two, before she married my grandpa and moved to be closer to him. But she was always so supportive of me going to Baylor. Someone had given her a little pin of a bear when she went to Baylor. When I started at Baylor she sent me that pin, with a little note that said, this Bear needs to go back to Baylor to graduate. <br />
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<b>Memories and Family History:</b><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">Grandma always had a story to tell. I have many memories of sitting around the dining room table at the bay house, or in the fifth wheeler, listening to Grandma tell about her childhood and her relatives. I don't so much like to tell stories, but want to make sure that memories are recorded, thus...things like this blog. I won't give the details here, but a couple of my favorite stories from Grandma involve something about trading guns in Mexico and a donkey, and a stolen gravestone being thrown in the Brazos.</span><br />
Grandma was always making sure that there was correct information about family members, where they were from, and when their birthdays were, etc. When we went down to see her one of the last times, she got her little notebook out and noted Lorenzo's name and birthday in the book...officially part of the Owen clan.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0QCtZ9ub_3S9udogej5a7SgtTB1VbjJ2AUfbV2Ki0gY7xwWuqWmDtUTXQxNcc9sBfNKqRvafT7pqS-WWplmQzXB8i_Iq-6YSTpQEUxjPnxXA3P63_h5Jplh_7A5etOphYQdme2lzG23yC/s1600/IMG_1667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0QCtZ9ub_3S9udogej5a7SgtTB1VbjJ2AUfbV2Ki0gY7xwWuqWmDtUTXQxNcc9sBfNKqRvafT7pqS-WWplmQzXB8i_Iq-6YSTpQEUxjPnxXA3P63_h5Jplh_7A5etOphYQdme2lzG23yC/s320/IMG_1667.JPG" /></a><b>14 karat gold and hypoallergenic please: </b><br />
These were words my grandma and I were both very familiar with. Grandma and I were both allergic to metal. Grandma would always tell me how they had to sew little pieces of fabric over the metal snaps on all of my baby clothes because my skin would get irritated from the metal. When I was a little girl Grandma started giving me a special kind of lotion that would help keep our skin from breaking out into a rash from wearing jewelry. Every once and a while over the years, she'd give me another bottle of it, but hadn't given me one in probably 8 or 10 years. We went to visit Grandma for her birthday in April, and while we were talking in the living room, she went to the refrigerator and got two bottles of that lotion out for me and my mom. I'm not sure why my grandma had two spare bottles of lotion in the fridge, but I'm glad she did, cause I've been using it on Thomas for the past few months, and it always reminds me of Grandma. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhoMkX_SqjUZEIBLQSLJUYzCTh_Me181FhIsqMASxOVrQvbx6ED4qPFeSJWRNVauPDZ5W1KPKKmCRQ4EpP8nmargOVnGfN_rwlSfiVO208CRHFC7EukrjpECAX04AfHP0jDxUxaQ3xaUR7/s1600/IMG_1678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhoMkX_SqjUZEIBLQSLJUYzCTh_Me181FhIsqMASxOVrQvbx6ED4qPFeSJWRNVauPDZ5W1KPKKmCRQ4EpP8nmargOVnGfN_rwlSfiVO208CRHFC7EukrjpECAX04AfHP0jDxUxaQ3xaUR7/s320/IMG_1678.JPG" /></a><b>An Ivory Cross: </b><br />
My grandparents went to visit my dad while he lived in Tanzania when he was in his 20's. At that time, buying and selling ivory was legal. Grandma must have bought several simple ivory cross necklaces to give as presents back in the states. She gave me this cross necklace when I was probably in my early teens, possibly younger. I think she gave them to my cousins as well, but it was always so special to me, to have a little piece of Tanzania, a place that was so far away, but so close to my heart. <br />
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There are so many things I could say about Grandma. The things above that she gave me are pretty trivial. The things that I hope to get as I get older and grow into more of a daughter in Christ, are her soft spirit, her genuine kindness, her generosity, her class, and her poise. I will always be thankful for having such a wonderful Grandma. <br />
<br />Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-48949693254644316632014-06-24T20:23:00.001-07:002014-06-25T19:50:39.685-07:00The Birth Story of Thomas Owen Pablo-Part Two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAj5n-mO9EyYM0N3lmNyYeOzaYFy_YqGfwIaskgzZDh76AdtIfv5ehE_u7dZ8Im90tyI1q3GecnkUK8tfXEhalhSKZQ7_T3wtXUiLoY-TzTqnwUpx6-bZoul70QJnYY9mzV_FBRr7MAaN/s1600/IMG_3186.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAj5n-mO9EyYM0N3lmNyYeOzaYFy_YqGfwIaskgzZDh76AdtIfv5ehE_u7dZ8Im90tyI1q3GecnkUK8tfXEhalhSKZQ7_T3wtXUiLoY-TzTqnwUpx6-bZoul70QJnYY9mzV_FBRr7MAaN/s320/IMG_3186.PNG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7XENUPT17kD2CBMD6co6EiK744peHsadHhO1OoUSOfc5vbeTspxnGVz2OfTihweijcBcDKlxlgzVGD7qphbQAdMyFjSDwHESdbV0m-PUAf-aKTOumcpduEZ_SB-nRY3w_iL_ARxkb9xVN/s1600/IMG_1200+copy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7XENUPT17kD2CBMD6co6EiK744peHsadHhO1OoUSOfc5vbeTspxnGVz2OfTihweijcBcDKlxlgzVGD7qphbQAdMyFjSDwHESdbV0m-PUAf-aKTOumcpduEZ_SB-nRY3w_iL_ARxkb9xVN/s320/IMG_1200+copy.png" /></a></div><br />
This post is coming a little late, but Thomas's birth was quite memorable, so I don't think I'll have too much trouble remembering things. This might be too detailed for some, but is mostly just to have it in writing. :-) <br />
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Right after Lorenzo went to work on Friday, I started having steady but not at all painful contractions. They lasted for a few hours, and then stopped. Lorenzo and I had an appointment with our midwife(who had stepped in while our original was out of the country) around noon. Our midwife and student midwife both said Thomas could come tomorrow, or next week. And that we should just keep them posted, and update our doula. <br />
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My mom came into town and we spent the afternoon together getting lunch and running some last minute errands. I was having some contractions in my back, that were a little painful, kind of like someone was shocking my lower back, but I could still walk and talk just fine. About the time my mom left it was time for Lorenzo to come home from work. <br />
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After Lorenzo got home from work my memory gets a little fuzzy. I know I wasn't in a lot of pain yet. I know we went for a walk, and we ate dinner. At around 9 or 10 at night the contractions started to get more consistent, and more painful, and only in my back. Lorenzo used the contraction timer on his phone, and my contractions were lasting about a minute, and coming about every 4 or 5 minutes. He texted the midwife and she suggested I take some benadryl and take a warm bath and try to get some sleep. I laughed when Lorenzo said that, and told him, there would be no sleeping, but I took two benadryl and a bath. I called our doula, and told her what was happening, and she said that the baby was probably in a bad position and I should do some exercises to help get him in the right position, and maybe go to a chiropractor first thing in the morning. <br />
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At about 11 Lorenzo and I got in bed. I tried to get some sleep while Lorenzo watched TV and played candy crush. As Lorenzo was playing on his iphone and dozing in and out of sleep, I started to have really painful contractions in my back. I think I told Lorenzo this was NOT the time to play candy crush, and NOT the time for him to sleep. Lorenzo texted and called our doula several times throughout the night, and she said she'd be over first thing in the morning, thinking the whole time that our baby was just in the wrong position. <br />
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I purposely didn't look at the clock all night, in hopes that time would go by faster. I spent most of the night in silence, praying that the Lord would give me strength and endurance, and keep our baby boy safe. In the dark and quiet of the night, I felt like Lorenzo, God, our baby, and I, were the only beings in the entire universe. Philippians 4:13 ran through my mind over and over again, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." I was so thankful for Lorenzo through all of this, and so thankful that he had paid attention through all of our birthing classes and appointments with the midwife. The one technique (the double hip squeeze) that we had learned in our birthing class, that I thought Lorenzo didn't know how to do correctly, ended up being the ONLY thing that helped all night long. <br />
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11PM to 4:30AM was a blur. Lorenzo had called and texted the doula a few times, but we had mainly been in go mode, working through nonstop contractions. At about 4:30 in the morning, Lorenzo could tell that my contractions weren't stopping. If anything, I would get a break of 20 or 30 seconds in between each one. I told him that I felt like I needed to push and that I wanted our doula to come. He called our doula and she said she would be over soon. A little after 5 our doula showed up. She was immediately able to help me calm down and breath easier through the contractions. After about 10 or 15 minutes she said we should head to the birthing center....which was 45 minutes away. The thought of driving 45 minutes seemed impossible, and I didn't think I was going to be able to handle these contractions for another four or five hours. <br />
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As we drove out of our apartment complex, the Matt Maher song, "Lord I need You" came on the radio. And all I could do was try to sing along, and make that my prayer.<br />
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"Lord, I come, I confess<br />
Bowing here, I find my rest<br />
Without You, I fall apart<br />
You're the One that guides my heart<br />
Lord, I need You<br />
Oh, I need You<br />
Every hour I need You<br />
My one defense<br />
My righteousness<br />
Oh, God how I need You"<br />
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After driving down the road for about 15 minutes, the urge to push was getting too strong to stop. Our doula, who had been telling me to breath through my contractions and not to push, changed her tune, and calmly just told me to do whatever I needed to. What seems like seconds later,(it may have been a minute or two), Thomas was born, as Lorenzo was driving down the interstate, in our Honda Civic. I didn't even know what had happened until after he was born, and I heard his cry. I think Lorenzo and I were both in shock. The doula picked him up, wrapped him in a towel, and placed him in my hands. He was moving, crying, and absolutely perfect. Lorenzo finally found a place to pull to the side of the road, and turn around to see our beautiful baby boy. We were in awe, and not at all worried that our son had just been born in a car. <br />
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At that point we decided to drive back to our apartment, instead of going to the birthing center, which we were still about thirty minutes away from. Our midwife and assistant midwife arrived at our apartment about five minutes after we did. Thomas and I both ended up being perfectly fine. It was a crazy, crazy, night. One which I hope never to repeat. I had originally been afraid that I wouldn't be able to go through a "natural childbirth". But now I feel like I can conquer much more than I thought I could before. Through the whole experience, I grew even closer to Lorenzo, and even closer to the Lord. And, now our son, Thomas Owen Pablo, has a pretty awesome story to tell people when he's older.<br />
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It was an experience to say the least, not the experience we wanted, but I did learn from it. I think everyone involved learned from it. I would certainly use a midwife in the future. My advice for mommies to be, would be not to feel like you're going to be a burden by calling your midwife during the middle of the night, if you're having contractions. In the future I will ask for help from the professionals early. And tell them I need help and to come, if asking or explaining is not enough. I will not be worried about coming off paranoid, or as an inconvenience. I think more than anything, I learned that it's important not to put too much importance in an experience you hope to have. I so hoped to have a peaceful birth out in the country at a beautiful birthing center, surrounded by my birthing team and husband. It didn't quite turn out that way, but in the end, that's really ok. God was most definitely present, and was most definitely watching over us, and that is what matters. <br />
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Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-59400084284103773332014-04-10T09:50:00.000-07:002014-06-24T20:34:27.426-07:00The Birth Story of Thomas Owen Pablo-Part 1I hate to say that it has been YEARS since my last blog post. Working with refugees there have been many experiences and stories that I've wanted to share but being in the world of nonprofits and social work, sharing work related details is a big no no. But, to catch you up really fast, I've been in Fort Worth for almost four years, married to an amazing man for almost two years, and a mother to an adorable little boy for almost three weeks. The name of my blog is Adventures of Clairebear, and if there ever was an event in my life that deserved to be called an adventure, the birth of our son, Thomas Owen Pablo, would be one. Ive split it up into two entries, the first leading up to the birth and the second, the actual birth. <br />
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I've always been a wimp when it comes to handling pain. When I was little the doctor would have to get multiple people to hold me down to give me a shot. Over the years I've learned to cope with needles a little better but still don't do well at the dentists office and the thought of having to spend any extended period of time in the hospital raises my blood pressure. Because of all of this I had always been afraid of having a baby, until I started learning about midwifery. Over the past couple years several of my friends and coworkers had out-of-hospital births using midwives. Someone told us to watch "The Business of Being Born", a documentary about natural child birth. It completely changed my views of child birth and let me actually look forward to the idea of having a child instead of being terrified about it. So, when we found out we were having a baby, we decided to go the natural, maybe not so conventional route, and found a midwife, a birthing center, and a doula, and I was so excited about all of it. <br />
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People would ask if I was nervous about having the baby, and said that I was crazy for not having the option of an epidural or any kind of pain relievers. They asked if it was safe to use a midwife, and asked if there was a hospital close to the birthing center. Some people were fascinated, and some seemed concerned. The birthing center we found was beautiful. It's out in the country, surrounded by pastures, and looks like a nice bed and breakfast. And they have a pet donkey that was also pregnant, and surprise, surprise, that was a big selling point. I was very excited about the possibility of going for a walk in the pasture with the pregnant donkey. Our one concern was that the birthing center was 45 minutes away from our apartment, which seemed far, but as a first time mom, 45 minutes didn't seem like that big of a deal. <br />
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In November there was a very serious typhoon that hit the Philippines, and our midwife had the opportunity to go serve as a midwife there for a few weeks. She was very thoughtful in making sure that I was ok with her going. Selfishly I wanted her to stay in the country, but clearly I knew it was much more important that she go take care of women in the Philippines who wouldn't have the chance of any kind of prenatal care or anyone to help deliver their babies. And, Lorenzo's half Filipino, so how could we say, no don't go help. And, she was planning on being back in the US two or three weeks before I was due, plenty of time for her to be the midwife at our birth. <br />
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She set us up with another midwife that she works with, and there was a student midwife that we had been working with throughout my pregnancy who we felt very comfortable with and would still be at all our appointments. About four weeks before my due date I was told that our original midwife was going to stay in the Philippines longer than originally planned. She would now get back to the US five days after my due date. I was disappointed but felt comfortable with the new midwife and wasn't really worried.<br />
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And on the same day we got that news I found out that our baby was breech, so I had bigger things to think about than who would be at our birth. Thus commenced a week of lying inverted on an ironing board, listening to a hypnosis CD, getting acupuncture, going to the chiropractor,putting bags of frozen peas on my belly, and praying a lot. Thankfully, by the end of the week he was back in the right position. Over the next couple weeks I thought I felt him flip back and forth a few more times and just decided our baby must just want to keep us on our toes....and he did, until the day he was born. Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-16299906893374950462010-10-07T20:43:00.000-07:002010-10-07T22:03:34.640-07:00Peer Pressure-tweet tweetMany months ago I posted a blog about Twitter and my feelings towards it. I still feel the same way, but now, I find myself in a predicament. My friends from church ALL have twitter and are in communication with each other quite often. I've resisted, I've held off, but I'm not sure how much longer I can resist. I don't really feel like I'm missing out, but they all tell me I am. <br /><br />So, I thought I should write some pro's and con's, or better, maybe some rules of appropriate tweeting etiquette. I may offend you, you may have done these things in the past. I apologize, and we can talk about that another time. <br /><br />My main reason I do not want twitter: <br />I think it is just plain rude to tweet, text, play a game, IM, surf the web, or look down at your phone for any extended period of time when interacting with a real live person, in person. <br /><br />My twitter etiquette rules: <br />-An occasional tweet or text is permissible. However, if you are with someone you do not know well, you should not bring your phone out at all, unless absolutely necessary.Is Twitter ever absolutely necessary?(do not set it on the table, do not hide it in your lap, don't position it in your purse face up so you can see who's contacting you) <br />-If you are with friends or family and you need to contact someone, 2-3 texts or tweets over a few hours time is ok. I personally think it is less rude and more efficient, specifically if you are making plans or have actual important business to attend to, to excuse yourself, and make a quick phone call. <br /><br />I fear that over time we might lose the art of conversation, becoming more and more socially awkward and unable to engage in casual conversation. Why? because of things like twitter. <br /><br />But, I do understand it is not logical to think, my getting twitter, will cause others to have bad tweeting etiquette. I can chose to follow my own tweeting etiquette rules, in consideration of others, but my getting twitter will not improve or worsen their habits. <br />And I'm not sure I should stay away from twitter if it's something that is becoming more and more popular. However, I'm also not sure I should get twitter just because everyone else is doing it. <br /><br />I think I'd like to go live in a hut with no cell phone reception, no home phone, and no Internet at home. Sure, I'd invite my friends and neighbors over for tea all the time, walk to the local Internet cafe quite often, check up on things, use their little phone booth to call internationally, but I would not feel the need to constantly check up on absolutely everything. :-) But until then, guess I'll just have to decide....to tweet or not to tweet.Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-55033907662000175472010-07-19T19:54:00.000-07:002010-07-19T20:58:17.671-07:00God's little birthday squirrelMy time in Fort Worth has had its ups and downs, sometimes I've thought, this is exactly where I'm supposed to be, and sometimes I've thought, I should've gone to Thailand, or anywhere else. Usually I think this on days, like today, when I'm sorting through piles and piles of background checks, reference checks, check requests....checks, copies, emails, checks....at least in Tanzania the electricity would go out, or we'd run out of paper or the Internet wouldn't work, but no such luck in fort worth, Texas. <br /><br />Anyway, on Saturday evening I decided to go for a little run at TCU and I was met by a cute little squirrel next to my car, and it reminded me of my 23rd birthday. On my 23rd birthday I was at Baylor, my favorite place to be during the summer. And on that day I went to my favorite spot on campus, book and apple in hand, to camp out and read for a while. <br /><br />I found my spot, on a concrete step, under a tree. I heard a little chattering, really almost a little bark. I looked over, and there he was, a little squirrel standing a few feet away from me, not a gross, sickly looking squirrel, a Baylor squirrel,a well groomed, well fed squirrel. I glanced over, smiled at the squirrel and kept reading. I bit into my apple, and saw the squirrel in the corner of my eye, waving his little paws in the air and chattering at me. I kind of wanted to give him a piece of my apple, but I kind of thought he might pounce. The little squirrel jumped up on the step next to me,so I tossed him a tiny little piece of my apple, he scurried over and nibbled away. I tossed another piece, he scurried closer, now he was inches away from my hand....you're probably thinking, squirrels have teeth, some have rabies, squirrels are not pets. But I broke off a piece of the apple and held it in my hand, and the little squirrel cautiously came over, and nibbled away at the apple in my hand. In that moment little squirrel and I became buddies, at least for about fifteen minutes, while I sat and fed him bits of apple.<br /><br />This might sound silly, but growing up I usually had some kind of pet, and often it was some kind of pet I had caught in the backyard, like a frog or a caterpillar, or a chameleon, or a turtle. I love probably any kind of animal, although, I try not to force wildlife into captivity anymore. <br /><br />But I think that on my 23rd birthday, God gave me that little squirrel as a reminder of Gods perfect and wonderfully made creatures, I'm not sure if God gives birthday presents, but if he does, I think he gave me that squirrel. A little joy on my birthday. <br /><br />That's my story for today. Next time...look forward to, the dog show experience, dining TZed style in Fort Worth and maybe an update on the never ending school search, job search. <br /><br />Tutaonana.-I'm also working on my Swahili these days. :-)Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-18759823147028567242010-05-31T21:24:00.000-07:002010-05-31T21:55:01.163-07:00TrustThere are a few wise men from the past hundred years I would liked to have met, three that come to mind right away, C.S. Lewis, Jim Elliot, and Oswald Chambers. Tonight, as I was getting ready to go to bed, I read June 1st from My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers. Yesterday in Sunday school we talked about trusting and following God in the little and big things, one of the many verses we looked at was Proverbs 16:9 <br />"A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps."<br /><br />Here is one paragraph from June 1st: <br />"It is much easier to do something than to trust in God; we see the activity and mistake panic for inspiration. That is why we see so few fellow workers with God, yet so many people working for God. We would much rather work for God than believe in Him. Do I really believe that God will do in me what I cannot do? The degree of hopelessness I have for others comes from never realizing that God has done anything for me. Is my own personal experience such a wonderful realization of God’s power and might that I can never have a sense of hopelessness for anyone else I see? Has any spiritual work been accomplished in me at all? The degree of panic activity in my life is equal to the degree of my lack of personal spiritual experience."<br /><br />hmm....so much in this little paragraph, what jumps out at me is "it is much easier to do something than to trust in God" and "The degree of hopelessness I have for others comes from never realizing that God has done anything for me." <br />trusting and realizing/acknowledging what God does for us are not foreign ideas or hard concepts to grasp, but often not easy to put into practice. In a time when Iwant to know what the see the big picture, I want to see past the next little step God has for me, this is a good reminder, it is much better to live and serve, here and now, than to worry about things a year or two or ten from now. Well, unfortunately, that's all for now, maybe we'll revisit Oswald's June 1st in the near future.Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-66729618275941533652010-04-28T14:30:00.000-07:002010-05-24T20:54:50.660-07:00Who would've thought?Right now I find myself thinking, who would've thought that I would be living in Fort Worth right now. Who would've thought I'd be here and not in Africa or some other country across the globe. But, I find myself here, I think, in the exact place God wants me to be, at least for right now.<br /><br />The past few months were filled with possibilties of job opportunities, one that I really wanted and didn't get, one that I got and didn't really want, and the one that I ended up with: Catholic Charities in Fort Worth, working with refugee minors. After more than six months of moving and new jobs and new places and more moving etc...I feel like I am finally settling in, a feeling I never really had when I was in Dallas. Why? I don't really know, maybe because of the place I lived, or the job I had, or just because I really knew I wasn't going to be there very long.<br /><br />I've been at Catholic Charities for two weeks now, so far, it's been going well. I pray my usual, "please let my boss look past my forgetfulness and clumsiness and see my dedication and good attitude."...kidding...kind of. I'm pretty sure I'm ADHD, so, I'll just say, sitting at a quiet cubicle for hours, being asked to remember lots of little tiny details may not be my forte, my solution, lots and lots of post it notes and an ocassional dab of whiteout. For my next job, I think I'd like to work outside....or just think, philosophize about life....preferably outside.<br /><br />Lets see....news?? I bought a couch, I'm living in an apartment for the next year. I'm currently searching for a church. A group from First Baptist Kaufman is starting a church here in Fort Worth, I think I'm going to check that out! I've been to a couple other churches so far, one that I really liked, so we'll see what happens.<br /><br />On a similar note....maybe slightly offensive note, I find people in Fort Worth to be more down to earth than people in Dallas, or maybe just the ones I've met. Maybe I'm just thinking this because of a book I recently read, "The Dallas Womens Guide to Gold Digging with Pride." Absolutely hilarious, the best $3 half price book purchase I've ever made.<br /><br /> well, it's my bedtime. Hopefully I'll write something more interesting soon. Some work anecdotes, new Fort Worth Adventures!Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-6545126466508304302010-03-20T13:58:00.000-07:002010-04-15T19:49:56.638-07:00If i tweeted I would tweet this, but I don't, so I put it in a blog.<div>Facebook, IM, Blog, Skype, Text Message, Email, Cellphone. I see no need whatsoever for twitter. There are so many forms of communication, why do we need one more? But, sometimes I do find myself thinking, "if I had twitter, this is what I would tweet". Yesterday I found myself in this exact situation, sitting at Starbucks at a table by myself when all of a sudden I was thrown in to a situation that most definitely needed to be tweeted or shared with someone, anyone. So what did I do? I put it on facebook, and then later thought, wow, I sunk to THAT level, putting something not important whatsoever on facebook. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 260px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460559148237603218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzj8Fx0pjQ2-Zs5rx_fbE2B6V-5LJYvCASy6gjHEEcRGj_PlkQDvMilSlEfIwbt5MnaTHFNalNJqhzZ2t18hdVmw89xO-aE6Vdb41BRrKdtS1f0IN3uyWBVrnpTQWxKl4meqLakd-bZun/s320/twitter.jpg" /><br /><div><br /> </div><br /><div>So, here are some things that I would tweet if I had twitter, but I dont. And after you read them, I'm sure you'll be glad I don't have tweet. </div></div><div><br /><div><strong>Yesterdays "tweets"</strong></div><br /><div>Browsing books at Barnes and Noble on a weekday, meeting a friend for lunch, sitting in the park, perfection.<br /></div><div>Sitting at Starbucks searching for apartments in Fort Worth. Anybody know of any good apartments in fort worth? </div><br /><div>AHHH My boss just walked into starbucks and sat at my table, I did NOT go to work today. I am so unlucky!! (for any curious future employers, I did give notice I would not be at work, but still felt kind of like I got busted)</div><br /><div>If I get pulled over for speeding can I ask to be put in jail for a few days to avoid lunch duty at work?</div><br /><div>Who decides who gets to be on reality show? I think I could win the amazing race, who wants to be my partner? </div><br /><div>Other states should be jealous of Texas during Spring time....and all other times as well. </div></div><br /><div>Wants to read a good book, suggestions? </div><br /><div>YAY!! microbiology test over! probably failed, but over! Unknown bacteria discovered, E.coli! </div><br /><div>S-U-C-C-E-S-S Thats the way we spell success!! </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>There ya have it. a few random thoughts, and here, a pic I would have tweeted too. but this is totally worth it! A beautiful afternoon in Independence, TX. </div><div> <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460561253085400930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSCeFpHFYu9_HtZLx241J42U2mVSYCyJJ6RWaRCs_dIwgwd36icuWApMBHt2etqe9S_fMZJCPK7KORHwE1n7LJdWj7VrgFrm5YMg4DShYAFf6mChZiqadeHbltQMJKlMzZBkMJr70uxJd/s320/P1290544-1.JPG" /></div>Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-5387143207105978402010-02-23T17:03:00.000-08:002010-02-23T18:20:25.700-08:00Sunrise<div> </div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441628552920510018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-pHIngoLjKLFow-To8MHAXcP78IbZxm1zdJCAzNtfSZNTJnfxy4wLifgUuatXoFnY08AWYB5FlWN72whecWvqWCsJ-T0AR0315cFBnlYziB6NIZObtqVBUZjTcMxpAZ0yrhqIS0bkikXJ/s320/236_32650.jpg" /><br /><br /><div>This morning, as I was driving to work, I noticed something that I do not often notice, and really, do not often see....the sunrise. I only caught a glimpse of the sunrise, I was driving west, into Dallas and I saw it in my rear view mirror. It was a beautiful sunrise, and a lovely, necessary surprise early on a Tuesday morning.</div><br /><div>There are not many sunrises I can think of in my life that I have thought, wow, that is a beautiful sunrise, I will remember this forever. There are various reasons for this. The sun rises in the morning, very early in the morning. There have not been very many times in my life, until the past couple months when I was awake, coherent, and looking at the sky when the sun was rising. Even during the past couple months, I am usually too distracted because I'm running late, or too annoyed at the fact that I have to wake up so early to notice the sun rising in my rear view mirror. The rear view mirror is small, and only catches the right part of the sky at certain moments during the drive when it is not being blocked by buildings or cars or trees. </div><br /><div>Some nights during my life I have, like many others I'm sure, especially MK's, usually at some kind of conference, stayed up all night long with friends, in hopes of seeing the sunrise. I have never, in any of these situations actually seen a sunrise. </div><br /><div>Something that I have seen many times and absolutely love seeing, no matter what....sunsets. I have never seen a bad sunset, I'm not sure that I've ever seen a sunset and thought, wow, I wish I were not awake right now, or missed the sunset because I was too busy. And my theory, one is able to see sunsets more clearly and more often than sunrises. </div><br /><div>All of this talk of sunrises and sunsets to say, I was thinking, in my kind of cheesy mind, sunrises are like new experiences, new possibilities, awkward meet and greets, the first day of class, those moments when you don't know what the day has to bring. Sunsets are like closing ceremonies, finales, despedidas after years of friendship, the sense of accomplishment at the end of a productive, good day, or the sense of relief at the end of a not so good day. </div><br /><div>Right now, I'm at about 5 o clock in the morning and the sunrise is coming. I'm not sure what the next few months have in store, and especially, what I will be doing in about 3 months. But for some reason, seeing that sunrise this morning, gave me a little bit of peace, a little bit of confidence, its OK if I'm not sure right now, and even though I'm extremely stressed out and exhausted most of the time, this is just the beginning. That might sound bad, but I don't mean, "this is just the beginning" in a bad way. I mean it in a good way, there are good things to come. </div><br /><div>The day is young. Getting something started is always harder than keeping it going, or looking back at it after its done. Getting things going when you don't know what is really going on, or what you will be doing exactly is even more difficult, but as I have seen in the past, God works things out, and the day ends with a beautiful, relaxing sunset to celebrate, soak in, and reflect on. </div><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 228px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441628276568901042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFl6ecB_FoWzpaeJlw63hhW11OwAD3c3sk1plhRiOrZ6jMXHn6s9TYQ8y65-XrR4xsRaUu1N1HXVDUzjnxBab-egC2FYZFbS1H5MY38rfb61knA0D53XZvxHq2I3jAbM0N_12EaNm9Xp1a/s320/232_32646.jpg" /></div></div>Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-11922302472127678392010-02-16T18:25:00.000-08:002010-02-16T19:08:20.339-08:00a new semesterIt's been quite a while since my last update. I guess, kind of a lot has happened, but kind of not a whole lot at all. And this will be a quick little post because I need to keep studying for my nutrition test.<br />I think I'm just going to make a list :-) just because<br /><br />1. I started taking my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">pre</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">reqs</span> for nursing school in January. I'm taking nutrition, developmental psychology and microbiology.....I am enjoying the classes and I'm learning a lot, but it's definitely different than the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">poli</span> sci and philosophy classes I took at Baylor. Unfortunately you can't really argue your way through a microbiology test.<br /><br />2. I'm still working at the Elementary school in Dallas and trying to figure out what I'll be doing next year. It is rarely boring and the kids are always up to something, or have something funny to say or ask. Today one of the forth grade girls quietly passed a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">piece</span> of gum to me at the end of math class, trying to hide it from the substitute teacher. I just said thanks and took it, and then thought to myself, wait, kids can't have gum at school. and then thought, was my breath that bad that she had to risk getting in trouble to offer me a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">piece</span> of gum? Oh, well I really had wanted a piece of gum all morning.<br /><br />3. I've moved back in with my parents in Kaufman. I've been commuting to Dallas everyday. The drive is pretty far but at least I'm sleeping at night and not being woken up by transvestite neighbors tromping around in the middle of the night, or barking dogs early in the morning. I did have a little freak out moment when I went to church with my parents on <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Sunday</span> and five people in a row exclaimed, you're back in Kaufman! Are you back for good? And I didn't know how to respond, yes...no....I feel like I should answer, "I work in Dallas, hang out in Dallas, have an apartment in Dallas, study in Dallas, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">occasionally</span> in Terrell, I spend between 2-5 waking hours a day in Kaufman, I'm not sure where I live." I've spend my whole life not knowing where my "home" was, and now I cant even figure out were I live.<br /><br />4. Lets see....exciting news....it snowed on <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Thursday</span>! Proper snow!(as the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Scots</span> would say) We had about a foot of snow on the ground, I guess for people reading this, that isn't news, because apparently it snowed in every state except Hawaii, so what is that, snow in like 57 states? ;-)<br />I made a snowman with my mom and dad. I had never made a life size, proper snowman before. We used a carrot for his mouth and everything. My dad even got out the ruler and smoothed it all out and made sure it was smooth and round.<br /><br />5. Other news.....Since my last post I've been pulled over once and had one little fender bender, which I still believe was not my fault. My poor car.<br /><br />6. One thing that I always appreciate: bathroom stalls with places to hang or place your belongings, best combination ever: a restroom stall with a place to hang your purse and a ledge to place books or other belongings on.<br /><br />7. Something that slightly bothers me: when you go to weather.com to the location search box it says, "Enter ZIP, city or place(e.g. Disney World)." Every time I see that I wonder, how many people actually need to know the weather at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Disney</span> world. It seems kind of like a mean little trick to me, why don't they just put (e.g. Fiji or St. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Barts</span>)?<br /><br />8. I have done my procrastination for the evening, now it's back to studying. Oh, one more exciting piece of news, Molly is coming on Friday. I really only get to see her for a day, but I'm so excited! And I think we're going to have an adventure, I'm sure I'll blog about it!Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-7185304433054869322009-12-14T19:44:00.001-08:002009-12-14T19:44:19.986-08:00O Christmas Tree<p>One of my very favorite things to do at Christmas time is to decorate the Christmas tree. I like putting up all the other Christmas decorations around the house too, but really I love looking through all the ornaments we’ve collected over the years. Every year my mom gives my brother and me each an ornament, I usually give someone in the family an ornament, and of course other friends and family etc give ornaments as well, so this makes for one giant tree filled with memories and meaning. I decided to take pictures of some of my favorite Christmas ornaments. :-) </p> <p> </p> <p>I think my mom gave this Starbucks coffee cup to me our first year in Kaufman. I liked Starbucks at that time, but I had no idea how many hours I would spend in coffee shops over the next four years. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycF49owroI/AAAAAAAAAR4/wSEF_6-KxBA/s1600-h/cup5.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="cup" border="0" alt="cup" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycF5K5Z6OI/AAAAAAAAAR8/093CtM10yEE/cup_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" width="221" height="156" /></a> </p> <p> </p> <p>My dad teases my mom every Christmas because of her large quantity of snowman decorations. I should count the number of snowmen we have in our house…there are a lot. Last winter when I was studying abroad I found this snowman with shamrocks on it in a shop in Dublin. Funny how you can make anything Irish by painting a shamrock on it. </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycF5ir2x1I/AAAAAAAAASA/lZwz7B0Pc7U/s1600-h/P623034413.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6230344-1" border="0" alt="P6230344-1" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycF5zsnMgI/AAAAAAAAASE/WpzfhRfrAt8/P62303441_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="121" height="191" /></a> </p> <p>When I was four my grandma took my brother and me to Hallmark to pick out ornaments while we were on furlough in Texas. I picked out a crocodile wearing a scarf. I still think its one of the coolest ornaments on the tree. It’s a scarf wearing crocodile, AND when you twist his tail his mouth opens! </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycF6XOACtI/AAAAAAAAASI/OJmM39Vag5k/s1600-h/P623034913.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6230349-1" border="0" alt="P6230349-1" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycF6zcLvFI/AAAAAAAAASM/Ty-TDXlUOeY/P62303491_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="115" /></a> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycF7V1QL-I/AAAAAAAAASQ/0O_y187O2xM/s1600-h/P623035813.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6230358-1" border="0" alt="P6230358-1" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycF7ylaWRI/AAAAAAAAASU/3IVCLgx-oYE/P62303581_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="187" height="131" /></a>   </p> <p> </p> <p>My parents love New Mexico, we’ve been there as a family a couple times. I think my mom bought this ornament in Taos the summer before my senior year of high school. If you have never been to New Mexico, you should go on a road trip, last New Years me and my friends drove all the way to New Mexico…basically just to play in the snow….best road trip ever! </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycF8AvruwI/AAAAAAAAASY/dVkv74rsS9s/s1600-h/P623038013.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6230380-1" border="0" alt="P6230380-1" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycF8WVq2kI/AAAAAAAAASc/KDUSvWjZtGo/P62303801_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="205" height="155" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>We have a few very random ornaments, like this little puppy wearing a mask with antlers. His present says “from your secret pal.” Through the years we have also had barnie, barbie, startrek, leggo, coca cola ornaments, ornaments that say things like, “to my favorite granddaughter”, “best grandmother” and things of that nature. My grandma worked at Hallmark for a couple years and after Christmas they would just throw all the ornaments and christmas decorations in the dumpster, so she took boxes and boxes of Christmas decorations, hence all the random but some very cute ornaments. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycF9JuLLvI/AAAAAAAAASg/Q5gutFNOqL0/s1600-h/P623040615.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6230406-1" border="0" alt="P6230406-1" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycF9csZIBI/AAAAAAAAASk/nmoKnziagVQ/P62304061_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" width="209" height="158" /></a> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>We live in Texas, We are Texans. nuf said</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycF-GGfy1I/AAAAAAAAASo/NkcsGZ-R-3A/s1600-h/P623040313.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6230403-1" border="0" alt="P6230403-1" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycF-fG_PHI/AAAAAAAAASs/ZI8jWMCt6iw/P62304031_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="214" height="149" /></a> </p> <p> </p> <p>These are two of my favorite ornaments, probably because they are from East Africa. I’m not sure who gave us the Africa ornament. I’m guessing it was one of the missionary wives in East Africa. There was a tradition that every year one missionary woman would give, often make ornaments for all the missionary kids. I got the star ornament when I was in Tanzania with the Giddens five years ago, oh how time flies! </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycF_TcCTtI/AAAAAAAAASw/lTHk4S0Fzeg/s1600-h/P623039312.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6230393-1" border="0" alt="P6230393-1" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycF_wWwxwI/AAAAAAAAAS0/Mcnr85PydFA/P62303931_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> </p> <p> </p> <p>Every year a couple from my parents Sunday school class give my parents an ornament from Neiman Marcus, this little shiny gold Chinese man is my favorite. </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycGAm_65dI/AAAAAAAAAS4/Yc-uiyiXwU0/s1600-h/P623037312.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6230373-1" border="0" alt="P6230373-1" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycGBLuefjI/AAAAAAAAAS8/vVOnn4eAlBw/P62303731_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> </p> <p> </p> <p>My parents first dog was an Airedale Terrier named Jake. I don’t remember Jake cause I was just a puppy when we had him. I found this Airedale ornament one summer and saved it for months and gave it to my mom. </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycGB5a2kXI/AAAAAAAAATA/x8yZDBYvatY/s1600-h/P623040813.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6230408-1" border="0" alt="P6230408-1" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycGCMlapoI/AAAAAAAAATE/sGsRKpSNfRM/P62304081_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="208" height="158" /></a>  </p> <p> </p> <p>Once again, we live in Texas. We are Texans. I think my mom gave these ornaments to us our second Christmas in Kaufman. </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycGCqIX99I/AAAAAAAAATI/vBJM0Yp1AvE/s1600-h/P623039613.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6230396-1" border="0" alt="P6230396-1" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycGC5P_NQI/AAAAAAAAATM/BGoTtd7kHPU/P62303961_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="148" height="196" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>Just about this exact time last year I was in Bath, England, shopping at a little German Christmas market. They had so many beautiful ornaments and I got a few of these hand painted ones, I’m not sure where they are from, I’d like to imagine somewhere in Eastern Europe, but I don’t really know. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycGDdSy0XI/AAAAAAAAATQ/im1QB8DoMQs/s1600-h/P623036213.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6230362-1" border="0" alt="P6230362-1" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycGD7VZBOI/AAAAAAAAATU/jUCW9W553TM/P62303621_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="204" height="178" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>Last but not least, I gave this ornament to my Dad six or seven years ago. My dad loves to hunt and loves rustic things, so I knew he needed this ornament. I found it in an Ecuadorian department store, I think that’s another reason I like this ornament so much, A rustic zebra print chair with a deer head mounted on it does not seem very Ecuadorian. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycGEtrxomI/AAAAAAAAATY/IRd5Kc71Ark/s1600-h/P623037814.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6230378-1" border="0" alt="P6230378-1" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SycGE-Pa-6I/AAAAAAAAATc/5Pu1StSknQs/P62303781_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="159" height="174" /></a></p> Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-55842431156539875352009-12-06T20:08:00.001-08:002009-12-06T20:08:28.203-08:00Maria’s and Gloria’s<p>This post is dedicated to my roommate Dana, she told me to blog about Marias and Gloria’s, I think she wanted me to blog about Gloria’s, but sometimes she calls Gloria’s, Marias, so….you get both. </p> <p> </p> <p>First: Marias </p> <p>When I think of a non American, mostly third world kind of cookie, I think of a Maria biscuit. This is the cookie you can expect to get at any kind of tea time, as a snack at someone’s house, or at church. </p> <p><a href="http://www.latinmerchant.com/images/product/1DessertNSnack%20(8).jpg"><img alt="See full size image" src="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:XblviRo8U7l6tM:http://www.latinmerchant.com/images/product/1DessertNSnack%20(8).jpg" width="172" height="130" /></a></p> <p>“A <i>María</i> is a type of sweet biscuit similar to a Rich Tea biscuit.  The biscuit is round and has its name engraved into its top surface. While the Rich Tea biscuit is the most popular version of this biscuit in the United Kingdom, it is the Marie version that is most popular in most other countries, particularly Australia, India, South Africa, and Spain. Like the Rich Tea biscuit, many consider the Marie's plain flavor to make it particularly suitable for dunking in tea.”-Thanks Wikipedia :-) </p> <p>Dana had never had Maria biscuits before. I randomly bought some at CVS this past week. I do not LOVE Maria biscuits, but  I was served them many a time as a child, and they are usually yummy. I bought them because I thought they were Marias with chocolate inside….they were not.  I guess that was just a suggested way to serve them….and I was tricked into buying them. But, anyway, I think Dana is a fan of the Maria biscuits, as am I, although now I’m trying to resist buying nutella so I can replicate the suggested way to serve the Maria biscuits. </p> <p>THEN, Dana and I went to World Market, where they had Digestive Biscuits for sale, which are kind of like a Maria, but better, especially, when they are chocolate digestive biscuits. However the chocolate Digestives were all sold out, so I bought the plain ones, why? I don’t know, now I’ve been left with two packages of chocolateless biscuits. </p> <p> </p> <p>Second: Gloria’s   <a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.addisontexas.net/REPOSITORY/ASSETS/RESTAURANT-LOGOS/GLORIAS%2520LOGO.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.addisontexas.net/where_to_eat/restaurants/glorias.asp&usg=___QeQnG3HT8Rl05-VN-a7lmTGGe4=&h=164&w=150&sz=52&hl=en&start=17&um=1&tbnid=6MIcRcr8P_wAhM:&tbnh=98&tbnw=90&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dgloria%2527s%2Brestaurant%252Baddison%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26um%3D1"><img src="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:6MIcRcr8P_wAhM:http://www.addisontexas.net/REPOSITORY/ASSETS/RESTAURANT-LOGOS/GLORIAS%2520LOGO.JPG" width="195" height="212" /></a></p> <p>Gloria’s is a great restaurant in Addison, just about half a mile away from our apartment. Gloria’s is an El Salvadorian restaurant during the day, but at night they clear out the tables and turn it into a dance floor, with a live band, the place is always completely packed. I used to go to Gloria’s kind of frequently, but I hadn’t been in at least a year. </p> <p>side note-I had a tiny realization on Saturday night, Dana and I usually decide we want to do something over the weekend, but we don’t usually make plans, which is where we were left on Saturday night, we had cabin fever and needed to get out of the house, next weekend if I want to do something maybe I’ll try to make plans before the night of. </p> <p>But still I don’t know very many people in Dallas and Dana’s friends mostly had other plans. The two of us were about to go to the Gaylord Texas a giant hotel in Grapevine, just to hangout, see what we could see and find something to do, when Elizabeth saved the day and said she would to Gloria’s.  Not everyone wants to go to a salsa club, where almost all of the music is…surprise, salsa, merengue or reggaeton, but thankfully my amazing friends Dana and Elizabeth are up for just about anything. So we got all dressed up, drove down to uptown to hang out with some of Dana’s friends for awhile, and met up with Elizabeth and headed to Gloria’s. I was so excited. We danced for hours, I think we all danced with some good and not so good dancers, had a few awkward conversations, laughed and gave each other funny looks from across the dance floor, and left with sore feet. You never know who you’re going to dance with or what they may say to you, I never know if I should speak in Spanish or English or just not speak at all. Its a lot of fun though! </p> Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-6984587727095471912009-11-29T13:32:00.001-08:002009-11-29T13:32:19.356-08:00The start of many bad hair days<p>On Wednesday I finally decided to get a haircut. A couple months ago, before I had a “real” job I gave myself a haircut because I didn’t want to pay for one. I live in north Dallas, which is kind of known for being an uppity, frivolous part of the city, so i thought I’d probably have to pay more than I’d be willing to. I used to go to Bodacious, the salon in Kaufman, where my parents live, but they weren’t open the day before Thanksgiving, so I decided to go to the mall in Mesquite. I’m not very picky about haircuts, I always figure, it’ll grow back, my hair is curly, the curls can mask a bad haircut. I went to Regis, at Towneast Mall (I’m naming the mall and salon as a warning to others). There were only three people working, and a not too young lady greeted me and told me to take a seat in her chair. I briefly told her what I wanted and she started cutting. By the time I saw what she had done it was too late…I looked completely ridiculous, I was trying to be nice, but by then the manager had come over and said, “well this is bad, we’re just going to have to give you a new haircut.” He started shaking his head, made faces and cut away…by the time he was done I looked like David Bowie from the Labyrinth. </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SxLoYcPYqEI/AAAAAAAAARs/-actY_7Jc8U/s1600-h/images%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="images" border="0" alt="images" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_rsdbIu2MGAQ/SxLoYpXM5FI/AAAAAAAAARw/DwOlSwz-WZs/images_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="89" height="131" /></a></p> <p>But he said that was as good as it was going to get, he wouldn’t make me pay and I could come back in a month for another free haircut. Ya cause after that experience I’d want to go back again. </p> <p>I never thought I was very picky about my hair, or I really cared about haircuts until today. Now I’ve changed my mind. Thankfully my friend Ana came to stay with us for Thanksgiving break and she was going to get her haircut at a Korean salon in Dallas. I guess I should mention, Ana is Korean. </p> <p>I’m not sure why, but it seems like all the Koreans in Dallas go to Korean salons to get their haircut. We went to Carrolton where there is a big Korean shopping center with everything from restaurants to a dentists office, bakeries, a yogurt shop, and H Mart, a full size grocery store with a food court inside. I was kind of amazed that all of this was here, in Dallas, and at the number of Asians that go there to buy their groceries and basically anything else one could ever need.  Almost all of the signs were in Korean, some in Korean and English. I was afraid people wouldn’t understand English, but for the most part, they did. I used to know some basic Korean phrases like, hello, good morning, my name is….days, numbers, but not anymore.</p> <p> But anyway, Ana and I ran into H Mart to get some little Korean snacks and she went and got her haircut. I was very impressed, everyone was coming out of the salon, Leekaja Hair Bis, with great looking hair. I wasn’t sure if it was just their hair, or the haircuts. I showed the Yuri, the lady cutting Ana’s hair, my horrible new haircut and she said she wouldn’t let me leave the salon looking like that, and while cutting and styling four other people’s hair, she sat me down and started cutting. Thankfully, she did a much better job than Regis in Mesquite. She was able to fix the disaster Regis created, I might not love it, I may still wear my hair up with bobby pins for the next couple weeks, but at least I don’t look like an 80’s rocker anymore. </p> <p>So, what I learned from this experience:</p> <p>1. Unfortunately I am one of those girls who cares what my hair looks like. </p> <p>2. Don’t go to Regis at Towneast  </p> <p>3. Do go to Leekajahairbis salon at Old Denton Rd and the Tollway</p> <p>4. If you are ever looking for a cultural experience or anything Asian, you can find it in Carrolton at…Old Denton Rd and the Tollway. </p> Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-45635827857187847622009-11-23T15:46:00.001-08:002009-11-23T15:46:42.726-08:00The reading spot<p>My first semester at Baylor I had a free period before my Swahili class in Morrison Hall each morning. I would usually leave my homework to do during the hour before class. Morrison Hall was caddy corner to Vera Martin Daniel Plaza, more often referred to as “emo park”, that’s where the “artsy, musical, hippy”, etc etc…kind of people would sit under the trees for hours talking, playing guitars, smoking, reading….. I was not one of these people, but during my first semester, that little park became my park. In the beginning I was pretty successful at getting homework done there, but after awhile it became the place I would go to relax, I started and finished many books in that park, said quite a few prayers, and had run ins and reunions with many friends and teachers. I even skipped class a few times just to lie in the grass or to just sit and pretend like I was doing homework. I think that spot was kind of like a little home for me. No matter what time of the day it was, no matter what the weather,(unless it was raining) I could go out there and collect my thoughts, breathe, enjoy the fresh air, watch the squirrels play, wait for a friend to walk by, listen to the bells of Patt Neff play “that good ol’ Baylor line.” Lately I have had the urge to drive to Waco just to go back to my little reading spot, people might look at me a little funny if they knew I was driving three hours to read on a cement step under a tree in emo park, but it might be worth it. </p> <p>This was just a short little post, I’ll write more soon…maybe about my job. I think my job usually consists of trying to get little kids to count little colored bears or learn their Spanish alphabet, when something really exciting and blog worthy comes to mind I’ll post it :-) </p> Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-27242308248053021132009-11-03T20:21:00.001-08:002009-11-03T20:21:25.242-08:00Martians, William the Kangaroo and Special Ed<p>This blog is just a compilation of a few random stories from my childhood and a short update on my job. </p> <p>I am still working at the school and I’m actually enjoying it! This is week four, so that in itself means something. Because of my “assertiveness” or maybe because of my “lack of flexibility” I am no longer “Special Ed TA” I am now, “ESL/Bilingual TA”.  I enjoy it so much more, and I feel like I am getting to help kids and work on my Spanish at the same time. </p> <p>I think its kind of funny that I was never a star student in elementary school and now I am desperately trying to get these kids to learn and pay attention etc. </p> <p>The teachers are always swapping stories in the teachers lounge about the boy that never does his homework, or the girl that always loses her work, or the kid that just doesn’t really try. I want to reassure them, “don’t worry, they’ll be fine! I never did my homework, I turned out just fine.” Well, I finally started doing my homework in the 6th grade. I had spent most of my recesses inside that year writing, “I will not lose my spelling homework” and things of that nature, over and over again. That is, until one day while we were making little science workbooks with pictures and facts about sea creatures, which I had once again, not completed, when Mrs.Sanders came over to me and quietly threatened me, “I’m sending either you or Katie to Special Ed. If you don’t start doing your work it’s going to be you.” There was NO way I was going to special ed! That was all it took, from that moment on I was motivated and I learned the importance of grades….maybe not for the right reasons, but it worked. </p> <p>Being back in an elementary school around little kids has made me remember my years in elementary school. So here are two little stories of my adventures and trials. My mom says I took things very literally and sometimes just didn’t quite get things when I was little. </p> <p>Growing up in Africa was an adventure in itself, add in a good imagination and being able to believe a lot of things, made for many exciting, adventurous days. </p> <p>I remember being in kindergarten, well Prep 1, at Isamilo, our elementary school in Tanzania. Every day at recess my friends and I would run outside to what seemed like a giant mountain, next to the dirt soccer field. We would climb up the mountain, my friend Jasmine told us she was a witch, and we believed her. Why wouldn’t my little African friend be a witch? One recess, being led by Jasmine we inched our way across a steep part of the mountain, more like a cliff, when we found a little crack between the rocks, that formed a miniature cave, the home of a baby kangaroo. If I remember correctly he went by the name William. </p> <p>Every day at recess for weeks, Jasmine the witch, would take us up the mountain and we would visit William, maybe bring him a little piece of a brownie left over from lunch, and peer into his little kangaroo home. We would tell him about our day and he would tell us kangaroo secrets, sometimes to us individually, and sometimes he would tell Jasmine and she would relay the message. I haven’t known any witches since Jasmine, and don’t know of any other miniature kangaroos living in miniature caves on African play grounds. I wonder if there are any Jasmines running around my school here in Dallas and if they have equally exciting adventures. I hope they do! </p> <p>When I started first grade we moved to the big city of Nairobi. It was kind of a wake up call, I felt like kind of like I was being forced to grow up, even though I was only six. My brother and I started riding the bus, but once again, we were riding the bus to school in east Africa. Our bus stop was across the street from some kind of Somali compound, which was kind of always a mystery to me. Our bus stop was by a fruit stand, a wooden kiosk with lots of little niches, built over a ditch, covered in gunny sacks. It was the perfect place to hide and crawl and climb. I became friends with a little girl at my bus stop, but the older girls that rode on the bus…not so nice. I was terrified to find out that they were Martians. I kind of knew what a Martian was from watching episodes of My favorite Martian on one of our two TV channels. But these Martians were not like My Favorite Mart<em>ian</em>. I didn’t just have to worry about being abducted by aliens in the morning, because these girls were also in my basket weaving class after school. While the nice Kenyan ladies were teaching us how to braid and weave baskets I was worrying about becoming a pod person and being abducted by aliens.</p> <p>hmm….I think I’ll say that I just had a really good imagination and there was no correlation between almost being sent to special ed and believing in Martians and miniature kangaroos. </p> Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-60925130465974253432009-10-18T10:51:00.000-07:002009-10-18T16:01:56.854-07:00Expect the UnexpectedMy first week as a teacher assistant at Kramer Elementary has ended, and I will be back tomorrow for week two. I think that in itself says something. As life goes, things do not usually go according to plan, or maybe I should say, according to my plan. I left my apartment with plenty of time to get to the school, and also left the directions to the school sitting on the counter in the kitchen. So, I had to turn around, pick up the directions and dash to school....but not too quickly, since I just got a speeding ticket on <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Friday</span> night(I do NOT think i was actually speeding, but <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">that's</span> another story).<br /><br /> The principal was not in on <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Monday</span> morning, so the assistant principal kind of just sent me around to different places for the morning and just about noon told me that I would be working with the special needs students for the next couple hours....well long story short, the next couple hours turned into the rest of the day, into the rest of the week and "until further notice." This threw me off guard and caused me a great deal of confusion since my job title is bilingual ESL teacher <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">assistant</span>.<br /><br />So, for now, I am doing my best to stick with it, its definitely not easy, but I'm learning, hopefully I will learn much more because I know nothing and have no experience what so ever working with special needs children. It's only been a week, and I can already say, its been, challenging, at times <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">stressful</span>, at times joyful and at times rewarding. Most of the time I've wondered what I'm supposed to be doing, where I'm supposed to be going, what I'm supposed to be saying, and not knowing what is expected of me, if I'm failing or succeeding. But kids are still kids and bring many little moments of joy to my the day. The kids at this school, from what I've seen so far really are kind, welcoming, funny and try to help me and the teachers and the special needs kids.<br /><br />One absolutely wonderful thing about working at a school, the day ends at 4, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Monday</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Friday</span>! No nights or weekends, no working on holidays. Which means, for this semester I can spend time with friends, have time to relax or do whatever in the evenings. Next semester, I can take night classes and hopefully have time for homework.<br /><br />My last post was mainly about Patton...the crazy dog, well good news for me, Patton has a shock collar now, it <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">hasn't</span> been used yet, and I think it has one of those high pitched whistles on it, so maybe we wont actually have to shock him. But, I think my quality of life will be much much higher without his barking.<br /><br />Yesterday I went to the State Fair. I think I could dedicate a whole blog to the state fair. It was a lot of fun! I love going to the fair! I think it was even more fun for me because we got to use public transportation and take a taxi....<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">that's</span> one of those kind of weird things that I love that most people do not at all enjoy. Our fair experience was complete with corn dogs and other fried foods, a picture <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">in front</span> of Big Tex, the car show, African acrobats, a fair ride, and a juicer demonstration. We just missed the pig race, I was a little disappointed, but there's always next year....Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-28511976385808553092009-10-02T13:06:00.000-07:002009-10-08T09:56:09.179-07:00This time last year I was in Scotland, I think I had already gone on my trip to Dublin and was getting ready to go to Paris. ...things are a little different this year, I went to Kaufman a couple days ago, and I'm going to Italy(Texas) and Waco this afternoon. Not quite as <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">glamorous</span>.<br /> Right now I'm sitting in Starbucks, in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Westvillage</span>, a little more glamorous, enough so that I felt the need to look slightly fashionable and dressed up at 9:30 in the morning to sit in Starbucks to read BBC news and write a blog. I just discovered last week that if you have a gift card you can use the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Internet</span> for free! and all these years I had been holding a grudge against <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Starbucks</span> because I thought it was very rude of them to make people pay for <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Internet</span>.<br /><br />So, hopefully my days of, "I hate working retail and I need a job" are over! I got the job as a bilingual/ESL teacher assistant at an elementary school in Dallas. I hope that it turns out to be a great job, but even when it <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">isnt</span> perfect, I'm going to stick with it, at least for the children :-)<br /><br />Hopefully the next time I write an actual post I will have something to talk about. Because right now, not a whole lot has been happening....a major part of the past couple weeks...my attempt, mostly failed attempt to train my roommate Dana's dog. I'm not trying to train him to be a circus dog or to be a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">tv</span> star, like Wishbone, like I tried to do with my little <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">dachshund</span> Bob. I'm just trying to get him to stop his painfully <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">high pitched</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">incessant</span> barking, and trying to teach him not to pee in the house anymore. Maybe because he <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">isn't</span> MY dog I don't feel a particular <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">attachment</span> or affection towards him. To quote someones <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">facebook</span> status, its a "hate hate relationship with love sprinkles on top." You may think that sounds a little harsh, but last night I turned around in the kitchen to say something to Dana and stepped in a puddle of pee, a couple days ago, I was awoken at five in the morning by his barking, and a few days before that I woke up to the sound of him throwing up on my favorite quilt that I made with my grandma. He also discovered the trashcan a few days ago, and basically any time we leave the bathroom door open, or have trash in the kitchen he manages to make a big gross mess everywhere. I might stop by the pet store and buy one of those <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">high pitched</span> whistles or a shock collar...or both. I wonder if this is what having children is like? I start my job on monday, I think I'll like him a lot more when we spend less time together.Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-75527701148185234342009-09-28T15:54:00.000-07:002009-09-28T15:57:25.912-07:00He knows what He's doingEven when things aren’t going exactly how I think they should, I am always sure that there is a reason they are going the way they are and God will use them in the future.<br /><br /> Sometimes, times such as the past few weeks I start to forget that there is always a reason God does what he does. And even when I remember this is true, it doesn’t mean I always or even usually like it. It does seem to be true in my life, and I think in most, that when we experience the highest highs and lowest lows that we run to God, fall at the feet of the Lord in a way we do not tend to do on a daily basis, or at times we try to turn away from Him all together. I try to live daily with God, no matter what the current circumstances, but the past couple weeks I have gone back and forth between running to the Lord in need seeking his care and protection and then trying to run away from Him and my current struggles.<br /><br />But this time, maybe because of being in situations similar to these in the past, maybe from grower a little wiser over the years, and also probably because of lack of other options, lack of places to run or people to run to, I have been forced to stick in there and wait it out, wait on the Lord, and what he has for me. This has been hard for me, and I have questioned my choice a few times of staying in Dallas for the next five months and likely for the next few years, instead of going overseas. After talking to my mom and friends, and praying and thinking about the jobs that I have had over the past three weeks, I decided to quit all of them and focus solely on finding something that I feel is better suited for me than retail, hopefully some kind of job that I will enjoy, and maybe that will pay a little better than retail.<br />So, on Thursday I set out to apply for jobs online and to hand in my resume at a couple places in Dallas. For some reason I find job searching online and writing cover letters and all of that to be very tiring and usually a lot of work with no results, and it has been made even more difficult because my laptop does not function as a laptop and usually just does not work at all, frustrating and inconvenient.<br /><br />Last week after spending some time trying to use my computer, I was writing in my prayer journal, and asked the Lord to provide a laptop for me, I didn’t know how or by whom, but tried to have faith that God could and would provide for me. After finishing with my applications, resumes and cover letters for the day I was ready to go apply for several bilingual/ESL teaching assistant positions and schools in Dallas. I did not know if anything would come of it, but I was just praying for at least a phone call or an interview. My dad had texted me a little earlier in the day asking me to call him, so before I headed over to the school office I called him. He said he had been on the phone with my grandma and she was going to give me money to buy a computer! I was amazed and so thankful, God is good, His plan is perfect and He always takes care of His children.<br /><br />I went on to the school office handed in the resumes and early the next morning got a phone call from the principal of one of the elementary schools, that is only a few miles away from my apartment. The elementary school my mom had been telling me about for at least the past week. The principal asked if I could come in for an interview that afternoon, which of course I did. She said she was a Baylor graduate as well, and a political science major, something that hopefully will work to my advantage. I thought the interview went well, and she said she’d be back in contact with me in a couple days. I don’t know if I’m going to end up getting the job or not, but either way, I know it will be ok, either way, it won’t be perfect, but God will take care of me and everything will work out.<br /><br />An answered prayer in the form of a laptop was the perfect reminder that the Lord knows exactly what He is doing.Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-15364112464739524342009-09-24T11:29:00.000-07:002009-09-24T11:30:59.002-07:00Overqualified or Under motivatedI woke up this morning to General Patton barking at something in the window, he’s my roommate’s puppy, maybe the cutest dog in the world, but also probably the yappiest. I crawled out of bed and thought to myself, I feel like my life is one of those chick flicks or inspirational feel good movies, “recent college graduate moves to big city in search of job, after some struggle, some bad luck, almost giving up, she finds great job at huge corporation, finds love, befriends old wise hermit neighbor, finds meaning in life, lives happily ever after.” ….except real life is not a chick flick or inspirational movie, and right now I’m kind of just stuck in the first thirty minutes of the movie and it keeps replaying over and over again.<br />Today is Monday, last Saturday I quit my job at Tecomax and on Sunday I went to training at Anthropologie. On Friday, my fifth day being an Anthro employee, I got hired at Pier 1 Imports. On Sunday I had an interview at DSW. As of this afternoon I have worked at seven different retail stores, being interviewed and asked all of the same questions and giving the same obvious answers is getting old. Do you think coming to work and being on time is important? Why do you want to work for us? What does customer service mean to you? Will you be able to get people to sign up for this program or that credit card or buy more of these products? Anyone with half a brain would correctly answer these questions…but then my problem is, I get the job and don’t WANT to do these things. I’m sorry, in the grand scheme of things I honestly don’t care if we make $33,000 today instead of $38,000. After working jobs that I actually did care about and felt passionate about, with friends I loved, retail just doesn’t cut it.<br />Being trained to greet customers, smile, and convince them to buy more is getting old. I can’t say, yeah, I’ve got this, this is my seventh retail job and I spent the past two summers working sixty hour weeks befriending hundreds of students and parents every day, oh and by the way I graduated from college. I’m thinking maybe overqualified means, you’re probably going to have a bad attitude and think you can run this store on your own. Yeah, I think I could do it, but I don’t want to!!! and I pray I don’t stick around long enough to find out.Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-5454090680941599822009-09-21T18:19:00.000-07:002009-09-21T18:23:26.827-07:00Are you currently price protected?-Two days as a door to door saleswomanI’m not sure if you ever look at the F my life website, but my very favorite posting was from a girl who said, “I’m about to graduate from a very prestigious university. In three days I start working at a hot dog stand.” That’s about how I was feeling on my first day working for Reliant Energy. But I knew I was not better than anyone else sitting in that training room, we were all in the same boat, trying to make a living, pay the bills, haha, all that stuff. The first person that I had contact with at Tecomax(when I got to the interview I realized it wasn’t actually working for Reliant, but for their marketing agency) seemed like a pretty genuine, intelligent, good guy, and he said I could likely move up very quickly, which sounded good to me and the job he was potentially offering sounded great.<br /><br />Day one of training was pretty good. I listened to everything and took really good notes. The only thing that was bothering me at all was how much they kept talking about the money. I mean, that is what caught my attention, and the main reason I was still there. Then, on day two of training, the director guy of the office came in to give us a little pep talk and taught us how to be successful and the art of reading people. But what I got out of it was how to get people to think you agree with them when you really don’t and distract them into buying what you’re selling. Which, I do believe reliant really is a great deal, but I don’t exactly like the mind games.<br />I left training on day two excited for the next day. The whole time I had been praying about the job, cause the extreme emphasis on the money was starting to bother me quite a bit. When the people in charge were saying that the only reason they were doing their jobs was to make money I wasn’t ok with that. I do not want a job solely to make money. I want to have a job that makes a difference and helps people. But I was interested in what this whole door to door thing would be like, so I went for it.<br /><br />The next day I went out and knocked on 50 doors and of course, what would happen? It started pouring down rain! I got completely soaked! Looked like I had jumped in a pool kind of soaked. And I didn’t get anyone to switch to Reliant, but it ended up being a pretty rough day for everyone so I didn’t feel very bad. And I thought to myself, how much worse can it get I just walked around in the rain and in the dark for hours. I woke up the next morning and saw it was supposed to rain for the next five days….Day two didn’t go too well, it rained again, and mostly I just didn’t really enjoy the people I was working for. But thank the Lord, seriously, after MUCH prayer, at the end of the day an extremely nice couple with a beautiful little baby and german shepherds switched without a fight! I was relieved and felt successful, but not successful enough. I went in the next morning for an energetic peppy breakfast with the team at Denny’s and then I quit! Oh what a wonderful feeling, and one of the wiser decisions I’ve made in my life.Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-76964707916769100902009-09-21T09:30:00.000-07:002009-09-21T09:39:37.169-07:00The wonderful world of retailI'm just writing a short little blog mostly out of frustration, but don't worry I'll post another one soon that will be more upbeat and hopefully entertaining. It's 11:32 right now and I'm about to go for training at Pier 1 Imports. I should be excited about this right? or should I? This will be the third "job training" session I will be going to in the past two weeks...yes, this is my third job in two weeks. I will learn how to smile and say, "Hi, how are you doing today? What can I help you with?" I'll learn all about loss prevention and customer service and running stock and how to sign people up for credit cards, there will be lots of paper work Seriously...I don't know how people work retail on a regular basis, cause I feel like it is quickly killing my soul.(Maybe I'm a little dramatic.) I'm sitting at Panera right now, I've been searching for jobs online for the past two hours. This has become a routine the past couple weeks, search and search and seach, apply.....wait for a response....nothing. BUT when it comes to retail, apply, get called back, get hired immediately. I kind of feel like God is playing a joke on me, but I'm not finding it very funny. Oh, and I just realized I left my social security card at home, so now I have to run home get that and be late to my first day at Pier 1. perfect, haha.Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-46051942419920688522009-09-05T18:09:00.000-07:002009-09-21T18:18:15.700-07:00The Search BeginsOn September 1st I moved in to an apartment in Dallas with Dana, one of my friends from Baylor, and I was so excited. When I got to the leasing office on Sept. 1st the lady at the office was like, oh...you wanted to move in today?? but after a couple hours of filling out paper work and signing a million papers she handed over our apartment keys and we were good to go.<br /><br />In the midst of moving in to my apartment, I've been desperately trying to find a job. Up until about two months ago I was not planning on moving to Dallas, I was not even planning on staying in the country. I really wanted to go back to Africa or anywhere else in the world. But after much prayer and consideration I decided to stay in the area a little longer and try to go to nursing school. I've been interested in medicine my whole life, so why not go ahead and do it? I started with craigslist and applied for seven or eight jobs that I was definitely qualified for, but didnt hear a single word from anything...which brings me to the conclusion that craigslist must be fake. What comes after craigslist???? retail jobs at the mall....I have worked my fair share of retail jobs, some good, some not so good. But I have said many a time, I hope I never have to go back to retail again. I had an interview at Anthropologie, a trendy, really fun store at the mall, and still left the store thinking, gosh I dont want to work there.<br /><br />Thursday afternoon my friend Elizabeth and I were of course, looking and applying for jobs online, which I am still convinced are all fake, when I decided to look through the sunday newspaper lying on the dining room table. I found one little tiny listing for Reliant Energy, no job description at all, but I called and went in for an interview the next morning. The one thing I kept thinking to myself was, please don't let it be door to door sales. Jose, who I had spoken to on the phone did not inform me that there were going to be fifteen other people there at the same time, all to be interviewed. After sitting through the whole orientation shpeal and figuring out that yes, this was basically door to door sales, it was time for the one on one interview. the orientation shpeal did bring up the money side of the job which did sound quite good. After talking to jeremy, the recruiter I decided, why not, this will be yet another adventure. Now I can add door to door saleswoman to my long list of random jobs. Who know's maybe I'll love it, hopefully I'll be good at it, but if not, I'll know by friday.Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-64192727166550791102009-08-19T16:11:00.000-07:002009-08-19T17:19:22.177-07:00Baylor Days<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9sq5FvyqkKTuuzvkghXfR-uGLhxC6CKi9ogPyR6gVKFF5bT07rX_FewbWkIca6xRGz6FL9Kkle_WuG82yZwv3PFujXSgZS_LEbWGzrSCJXdGf8EFc2Aoj6WOnCfPDuwZRhKXjCA0PfU0d/s1600-h/P3090182.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9sq5FvyqkKTuuzvkghXfR-uGLhxC6CKi9ogPyR6gVKFF5bT07rX_FewbWkIca6xRGz6FL9Kkle_WuG82yZwv3PFujXSgZS_LEbWGzrSCJXdGf8EFc2Aoj6WOnCfPDuwZRhKXjCA0PfU0d/s320/P3090182.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371821900418943730" /></a><div>I haven’t written a blog since Scotland. I’ve sat down to write a few times, and have written a couple but I never posted them. So, here I go, for old times sake and maybe to let myself sit back and think about things for a little while. Sorry it’s a little scattered and a little long, I’ve said this about my blogs before, read part of it and come back later to finish it. <span style="font-family:Wingdings;mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings;">J</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Wingdings;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioXJImO1lheTGeg_-FhSzMVZDcGlaLMBsd9eikrLDCEkHG39RHqNjj_sZ1gbxISQtelC3uDjjb4CiVe3Gsjs4WgLXfuTPBRVqpFPw63XJPhFmoUofkZjtnaXi_vPFNEjRm7NVdSYQQ3wUT/s1600-h/P3090174-1.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioXJImO1lheTGeg_-FhSzMVZDcGlaLMBsd9eikrLDCEkHG39RHqNjj_sZ1gbxISQtelC3uDjjb4CiVe3Gsjs4WgLXfuTPBRVqpFPw63XJPhFmoUofkZjtnaXi_vPFNEjRm7NVdSYQQ3wUT/s320/P3090174-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371832866407106610" style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a></span><br /></span></div><div>Mom, Grandma, and Me after graduation, three generations of Baylor Bears. </div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Here is my blog, dedicated to Baylor and what it was to me: memories, friendships, sleepless nights writing papers, sleepless nights with friends, challenges, road trips, new homes, regrets, letting go of regrets, laughter, hard times, goodbyes, and wondering about the future. Oh, and a lot of learning in the classroom, a lot of long papers, and the gaining of much knowledge. ;-)</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQUoQnhnUAg3rf8FPShFjkp8bwUhM9syuJEs0NUh3FgaAP-I_FrECvr94Vov2GQnZSe765bs6C8QqkG-6VI7qTa4VZQrHDV2dfFNeAgg5r_7O3fS5VP40ATU_Z06QJRxDqJB3pigdXrvH/s1600-h/P3090163-1.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQUoQnhnUAg3rf8FPShFjkp8bwUhM9syuJEs0NUh3FgaAP-I_FrECvr94Vov2GQnZSe765bs6C8QqkG-6VI7qTa4VZQrHDV2dfFNeAgg5r_7O3fS5VP40ATU_Z06QJRxDqJB3pigdXrvH/s320/P3090163-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371830945907427170" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 230px; " /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQUoQnhnUAg3rf8FPShFjkp8bwUhM9syuJEs0NUh3FgaAP-I_FrECvr94Vov2GQnZSe765bs6C8QqkG-6VI7qTa4VZQrHDV2dfFNeAgg5r_7O3fS5VP40ATU_Z06QJRxDqJB3pigdXrvH/s1600-h/P3090163-1.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Me, Elizabeth and Nikki. Love these girls!!</span></a></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">It’s crazy how much can happen in a few years and how much a place can impact and shape you. I shouldn’t really be surprised. My whole life places have been changing me and permanently impacting who I am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Almost exactly three years ago I loaded up my car and drove to Baylor University. I didn’t know what it would be like, after an ok, but not great experience my first year at DBU, I was excited about a change but worried it wouldn’t actually be that amazing. The first year did turn out to be rough, there were a few times I didn’t want to stay, but thought to myself, you cant be the girl who transferred three times…so I stuck it out. And on Saturday, almost exactly three years later, I graduated from Baylor becoming part of “that good ol’ Baylor line” ready to “fling my green and gold” throughout the world, to wherever the Lord takes me.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFfZi_Zvi15jvbVWgs54BSKYL23Lpi4UlFxJGR12Hn7Mtu44unLFiGW0TLG1YfQYxoLU0_fO_SMRf30MRH-hdPxaK3mPZiEslVngTlphChMqeXIN9vpTwvsBZvTv_FIc9WhYhXT5JHWYRJ/s1600-h/P2270145.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFfZi_Zvi15jvbVWgs54BSKYL23Lpi4UlFxJGR12Hn7Mtu44unLFiGW0TLG1YfQYxoLU0_fO_SMRf30MRH-hdPxaK3mPZiEslVngTlphChMqeXIN9vpTwvsBZvTv_FIc9WhYhXT5JHWYRJ/s320/P2270145.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371824029584694514" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Crepes and coffee before Cole goes off to France</span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">In May I was so ready to graduate and not very excited about spending the entire summer at Baylor, in class every single day. But as August 15 got closer I started to get a little sad about leaving, mostly because the people here at Baylor, my friends and the people I worked with, became such a big part of my life. After leaving Ecuador and moving back to the states, Baylor became my home. At Baylor, God gave me the best friends I could have ever hoped for. And now, just like leaving home after high school or anything else, I know its time to part ways, leave Baylor and the wonderful city of Waco. I think my last final exam and research paper and a few days with way too little sleep also helped me decide it was really time to graduate. Its time to see what the next adventure in store is. Leaving and starting something new is bittersweet, right now a little more bitter than sweet. I don’t know how often I’ll be back, or how often I’ll see my old Baylor friends. One thing that I’ve tried to learn over the past few years is to be thankful for the time you have with people, and for the memories made, and not to think too much about what could have been or the times that could have been spent together.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_R7qCFTfALOOCuAEDu5ODTj9ACA8Z_FDKx4AJBsfxNPpVhlJz4YqDa-jMYbxj0BKrHBG94gGbHVEwiER_wNTTJzrwEEKk6kr25hwMm44YoL67MdtJVn_1LmmcLLyqukgYLdZQMqijmqE/s1600-h/P3090161-1.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_R7qCFTfALOOCuAEDu5ODTj9ACA8Z_FDKx4AJBsfxNPpVhlJz4YqDa-jMYbxj0BKrHBG94gGbHVEwiER_wNTTJzrwEEKk6kr25hwMm44YoL67MdtJVn_1LmmcLLyqukgYLdZQMqijmqE/s320/P3090161-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371830954802209250" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 230px; " /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">I have so many great memories from the past three years, too many to talk about in one blog. Even from this past summer, probably because they are fresh in my mind I have great memories. Maybe I’m easily amused, entertained, quick to find joy in little things, but that is fine with me. <span style="font-family:Wingdings;mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings;">J</span></span> Here are some little summer joys: On my birthday Richard and John baked and iced a cake for me, complete with the shape of Africa and Happy Birthday written in Swahili. The day continued with Nikki, Richard, John and I taking a swim in the Brazos River as Elizabeth kept watch from the shore. This was one of the grossest, smelliest things I have ever done, but still a lot of fun.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwoCLRTEpOB1RVXHV4sVwx6R0PQF59N-KQPN0mE1UjwAK091KNfoFS00npwBm5VZg1sca3M61cs5ZwsR6ylVJfmMBQtOiX0P0Q46bKl9mHNOzXmKt5Cplv_XvngsQExLA04QB104FOLHVj/s1600-h/P2010032-1.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwoCLRTEpOB1RVXHV4sVwx6R0PQF59N-KQPN0mE1UjwAK091KNfoFS00npwBm5VZg1sca3M61cs5ZwsR6ylVJfmMBQtOiX0P0Q46bKl9mHNOzXmKt5Cplv_XvngsQExLA04QB104FOLHVj/s320/P2010032-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371830929130991986" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Little Shop of Horrors in Fort Worth</span></a></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">More summer memories, I decided to start cooking again, after basically not cooking real food for the past four years. So, quite a few afternoons were spent messing around in the kitchen, and on the best of these afternoons the food would be shared with friends, usually followed by an intense game of Settlers of Cataan. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEm0IpYP8ud-9D98Su-BY7lMulJ0kFutic8OgRAvpduHZG6TSw75SI0Ti-Gv9ITyPmZfL8mXelRdsbbdrduYca04L4ax0GyeZ5sPmbp1gJH4xMvHhhj4OUXhUNVvSArP_0THv73hkdFu2/s1600-h/P3070153.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEm0IpYP8ud-9D98Su-BY7lMulJ0kFutic8OgRAvpduHZG6TSw75SI0Ti-Gv9ITyPmZfL8mXelRdsbbdrduYca04L4ax0GyeZ5sPmbp1gJH4xMvHhhj4OUXhUNVvSArP_0THv73hkdFu2/s320/P3070153.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371830938248967890" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The remains of Jonathons gutpack</span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">This summer was full of “firsts” and “things to do before you graduate” as well. I finally went to Viteks and got a gutpack in Waco. Viteks is a little hole in the wall barbeque place where you can get something that resembles a frito pie, and would probably cause congestive heart failure if eaten more than once a year. After two years of failed attempted to float the Guadalupe, I finally had my chance. It was a great thing to do during one of the hottest summers, EVER. I think enjoyed swimming in the Guadalupe more than the actual floating in the tube…I’m sure I must have been a fish in my previous life. There were a couple more late night excursions around campus…successful excursions thanks to unlocked doors. There’s something a little mysterious and slightly enchanting about walking around campus late at night, wondering if students a hundred years ago did the same thing trying to find secret rooms or little treasures around campus.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEnRKQXiT5ZUusNc29O60aeYTK1q9utaqbypj9y44b47rBLIYDD48uTu0PthsnHDsbUMjnQAsFGo8zjl_94XJ8lHCNadwrjF7xps0i90hTJtUgVd-a2ohUC1n1YtT5iZlC7L-x7ZhLyhG/s320/P2050087-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371824013962372754" />Independence</o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">We went to Independence one last time, to help with Line Camp, which was a huge part of my Baylor Experience. We helped set up chairs and luminaries, climbed the columns one last time(don’t tell <span style="font-family:Wingdings;mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings;">J</span></span>)and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>sang that good ol’ Baylor line as two hundred freshmen joined the Baylor family.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxYsURTY22Jxqi6D_BSKST5TyRtZ8nDGcbHe7-KdtmiZ5mSD5eA8qzpfjXYTwsn4v3EzfcBpSDeBmglQzX96YVK8lwgVBzAPRAIzD10OxM-j35yrWJCZJltbgPiWcfNuzgCnO9tFB-KS7U/s1600-h/P2050127-1.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxYsURTY22Jxqi6D_BSKST5TyRtZ8nDGcbHe7-KdtmiZ5mSD5eA8qzpfjXYTwsn4v3EzfcBpSDeBmglQzX96YVK8lwgVBzAPRAIzD10OxM-j35yrWJCZJltbgPiWcfNuzgCnO9tFB-KS7U/s320/P2050127-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371824019368762498" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">Many afternoons, but not enough, were spent sitting by the pool soaking in the sun, and enjoying probably the last summer of no real full time job or responsibilities. After two summers of orientation, line camp and welcome week, this was the perfect summer to relax, enjoy friends and make a few more Baylor memories. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQkxDCRrkWmfBwvlU2AOc8_crrnsXDN5hDmi0OrauZWkGzb_gPwS1tbLVf8iLxLxYOoJ2wjUEba1jy-XWDrtvDdTYuA2C9YhRs4Xub9Qj-O1K6lZUTD5BuMIx9LrQpjUBdyPnpiaT-62bm/s320/P2260135-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371824039172172562" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">But, speaking of memories, here are a few of my favorites from the past three years: paddling across the Brazos on a floating dock, late night excursions around campus and tree climbing, road tripping to independence to see an old friend, road tripping to New Mexico to play in the snow, a mission trip to Kenya with a group of constantly singing music majors, and late nights in the new student programs office getting ready for orientation and just those normal days of lazy afternoons with friends, avoiding the next paper to be written and test to be studied for. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcpYhUN1FwHL2QHPuYM9TT6iTH20HJyC6CWIBZ8lj92H9MwILqYYgTuXZbAhpZXUSV8J134O1iIq011pI49fgEF0TObu2-2op6AAAhDT_7OOSIw6v8xR2sj2ScYB2hrAnfyfWTjct8yiA/s1600-h/P2050059-1.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcpYhUN1FwHL2QHPuYM9TT6iTH20HJyC6CWIBZ8lj92H9MwILqYYgTuXZbAhpZXUSV8J134O1iIq011pI49fgEF0TObu2-2op6AAAhDT_7OOSIw6v8xR2sj2ScYB2hrAnfyfWTjct8yiA/s320/P2050059-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371832845720208242" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px; " /></a></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">This is just a little bit of what Baylor was to me. They say college is supposed to be the best time of your life, I hope that the best time are still ahead, but I have to say, the past few years will be hard to beat. But now, I look forward to living with an old friend from Baylor, finding a job and probably starting school again in the spring to become a nurse. Since I’ll be going new places, and meeting new people, I’ll probably try to start blogging again. And to finish this up, I’m thankful for my time at Baylor, the friends I made there, the things God taught me, the life lessons learned an the wonderful memories. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmzGVvEpk4h-vpC61pkN0AJo2EFHWvEw0yUYi8BhhcrON6ywLV8QX5jNc1o0FxFcdcSFP38aErplq9UkagLArXBHUP8es2Lp_oD2JoU5JBXebEcIQzsXww7QGfDcJKuJgTGwjIzoj1W0LX/s1600-h/P3090179-1.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmzGVvEpk4h-vpC61pkN0AJo2EFHWvEw0yUYi8BhhcrON6ywLV8QX5jNc1o0FxFcdcSFP38aErplq9UkagLArXBHUP8es2Lp_oD2JoU5JBXebEcIQzsXww7QGfDcJKuJgTGwjIzoj1W0LX/s320/P3090179-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371832871901092386" style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a><br /></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div></div>Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-79101217255395307222008-12-17T19:35:00.000-08:002008-12-17T19:50:02.500-08:00Christmas, Exams, and Goodbyes<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbW4YjlxnfOvNiUiPuC_2l8Hy2DfDhJFVbG6q36JMUdTAI8ekcHk9kh6SeHHOgDhfADu2YX689hDXcN7GCIF3MqQq4itYrzjg3hg4FkP0DrY76CeajPl0Pi1t9cK_ZGdmsU2d_S-Z33CC/s1600-h/arthursseat+(64)-1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280971750685045234" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbW4YjlxnfOvNiUiPuC_2l8Hy2DfDhJFVbG6q36JMUdTAI8ekcHk9kh6SeHHOgDhfADu2YX689hDXcN7GCIF3MqQq4itYrzjg3hg4FkP0DrY76CeajPl0Pi1t9cK_ZGdmsU2d_S-Z33CC/s320/arthursseat+(64)-1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div>My time in Scotland is about to come to an end. I have two more full days here and then its back to Texas. As I write I’m sitting in a coffee shop off Rose Street where I’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ve</span> come probably too many times, always to write my blogs. It <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">isn</span>’t a cute cozy unique little coffee shop, but it <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">isn</span>’t a Starbucks either! Every time I come the same Spanish guy with one really long rat tail is working, I think he’s probably thinking, why does that American girl always come in and order the same thing and sit at the same table with the same little computer and type away for hours? And now its kind of strange…I won’t be coming back.<br /><br />I better stop being all nostalgic, I always get really attached to people and places and even thought they say the life of an MK(missionary kid :-)) is one of constant goodbyes, I don’t think it makes me any better at it. But I think I have learned the importance of friendship and being grateful for the time we have together even if it’s short and has to change. I think every where I’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">ve</span> lived or traveled to in the world, I’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">ve</span> wanted to go back to. Except, maybe Louisiana, after three years there, I have no strong desire to go sit in the dirt, under a pine tree, covered in sweat with mosquito’s and love bugs buzzing around my face, but maybe that’s just me. Scotland on the other hand, I want to come back to. I think I will, it’s kind of on the way to Africa, or any where else on this side of the world.<br /><br />I finally finished all of my not so wonderful classes yesterday. I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">didn</span>’t think exam week was ever going to end! Fingers crossed and by the grace of God maybe I passed all of my classes(<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">hmm</span>….I don’t think I actually just ask God to make me pass my classes)....what was I thinking coming to Scotland taking third and fourth year classes and traveling almost every weekend. Oh well, it was an amazing semester, despite the crazy anthropologists, boring politics, and an awkward philosopher.<br /><br />One thing about Edinburgh, there are always interesting people walking around….I’m pretty sure Sherlock Holmes just walked in the coffee shop, minus the pipe, but you <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">aren</span>’t allowed to smoke inside, so he probably just has it in his pocket. ;-)<br /><br />So, where to begin, I haven’t updated the blog since Thanksgiving, before I left for London! Christmas! I absolutely love Christmas!!!! It is by far the best holiday and my favorite time of year! I know if it were Christmas time all year long it <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">wouldn</span>’t be the same, blah blah blah, but really…and occasional Christmas song in April…June….September…I think it’s good for the soul.<br /><br /><div><br />Christmas has come to Edinburgh! It came right before I left for London in the form of the German Christmas Market and Winter Wonderland on Princes Street. Being in Edinburgh for the past month has been very <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Christmassy</span>, and wonderful! The stores along Princes Street all have little Christmas sections with little stocking <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">stuffers</span>, Christmas cards, Christmas pudding, and so much more! Lights have been strung in the trees along the street, and probably the best of all, the little winter wonderland has come to town! I haven’t been able to get any great pictures of it yet but, hopefully I will before I leave. Little wooden kiosks have been put up all along the sidewalk where vendors sell crafts and jewelry and other <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Christmassy</span> things that no one actually needs to buy, but its fun to look at! They also sell candy, bratwurst, crepes and mulled wine, a yummy hot wine with spices in it! Next to all of this are the carnival rides, including a bright colorful <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Ferris</span> wheel. Then right down the steps is an ice skating rink. Down the sidewalk a little ways from all of that are….reindeer! Scotland knows how to prepare for Christmas!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWYswZekit2o2Dk-inq4gBgJB190XiYd0Sirv_b0MW19w4uvBq7qRu23duvZaYdEtiSzirY4aK4iXx4XZIEO7ga50o37HPxs6TE7GNgO6Xi2202QjbYiXeByxGrrnvpD0j-utAgAmE7LP1/s1600-h/arthursseat+(19).JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280970552280646930" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWYswZekit2o2Dk-inq4gBgJB190XiYd0Sirv_b0MW19w4uvBq7qRu23duvZaYdEtiSzirY4aK4iXx4XZIEO7ga50o37HPxs6TE7GNgO6Xi2202QjbYiXeByxGrrnvpD0j-utAgAmE7LP1/s320/arthursseat+(19).JPG" border="0" /></a><br />A few weeks ago one of my friends from Baylor told me she was coming to Scotland for a few days! I was so excited, she had been studying abroad in London, so she came with two other friends from Baylor and wandered around the city for a couple days. It was so great to hang out with some good ole Baylor bears again. J Even though I was supposed to be working on essays and studying for exams, I joined them and did some touristy things. We went to the Edinburgh Castle, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Arthur's</span> Seat and of course, the Christmas market on Princes Street. I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">wasn</span>’t sure if going up <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Arthur's</span> Seat on an icy day would be a wise idea, but you can’t be wise all the time. So we hiked up <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Arthur's</span> seat, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Kellsye</span> and I were the only ones who hiked up all the way to the top, it was a little icy, but it was pretty and snowy at the top! I don’t see much snow in Texas, so I was so happy, and we just ran and jumped in the snow for a little while. We met a couple Spanish guys and a Korean up at the very top, we <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">weren</span>’t the only crazy people who decided to walk up <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Arthur's</span> seat that day. Well…with my wonderful luck and clumsiness I managed to drop my camera down <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Arthur's</span> Seat, yup, I just stood there and watched it bounce down the rocks about twenty feet. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Surprisingly</span> it still works, but it’s a little banged up, and it’s being held together by about 30 colorful rubber bands.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4aUGGek4_YPuxye6U8B519iznCiUwfZMjHMCQ3Xzmwh0XesrnTCNII6dsi4WVctWF1MGp48e2yQtPDjYFI7P5rjcxIbRCuOZV5Th0ckwPB358w6_WQBqTQaKV7cz0VSTLZ_IlhBAJSVvE/s1600-h/arthursseat+(66).JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280970552441857218" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4aUGGek4_YPuxye6U8B519iznCiUwfZMjHMCQ3Xzmwh0XesrnTCNII6dsi4WVctWF1MGp48e2yQtPDjYFI7P5rjcxIbRCuOZV5Th0ckwPB358w6_WQBqTQaKV7cz0VSTLZ_IlhBAJSVvE/s320/arthursseat+(66).JPG" border="0" /></a><br />When we went to the Edinburgh Castle we just happened to be walking down the Royal mile as the bell stuck two, which sounds just like the bells at Baylor, when they start playing That Good Ole Baylor Line, our <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Alma</span> mater. Just as I started to sing the song in my head, Lucy started to sing out loud, and then all four of us raised our bear claws and sang That Good Ole Baylor Line right there as we were crossing the street on the Royal Mile. I’m really sad to be leaving Edinburgh, but I’m really excited to get back to Baylor in the spring! Welcome Weekend and Orientation here I come!!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjotN3NiPnTlgyR6cxXplI0EO71VmyVNifZdCJrtWDcvVyzyj7Y2oCkNOWD47sCQri_Cx7mVyoMwn_oz3CBMTHnPxmUwZqVx8Ge_LuKqXKsLOITkthDQL9Nla3-tWxkwArLBgndzTETnQUa/s1600-h/arthursseat+(54)-1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280970559837383266" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjotN3NiPnTlgyR6cxXplI0EO71VmyVNifZdCJrtWDcvVyzyj7Y2oCkNOWD47sCQri_Cx7mVyoMwn_oz3CBMTHnPxmUwZqVx8Ge_LuKqXKsLOITkthDQL9Nla3-tWxkwArLBgndzTETnQUa/s320/arthursseat+(54)-1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The longer I’m here, the more it starts to feel like “home” which makes sense, and is probably a good thing. A couple months ago, I thought, wow, I have so much time here, and now I’m thinking, wow, I need a little bit more time here! I’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">ve</span> made some friends that I’m really going to miss, and in the past month I think that’s a lot of what has made me feel at home. Where to start…it’s the little normal things, like running into friends at the library, getting random text messages about snow sightings, and going out for coffee that make me feel at home.<br /><br />Thursday night, when I probably should have been writing my philosophy essay I went and hung out with my two wonderful American friends Heather and Katie. Heather actually goes to university here, which I think is really cool, and has been really helpful and encouraging, when I’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">ve</span> been a little confused about how things work here. Oh, and she’s from the south, and says <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">yall</span>, which warms my heart a little. And Katie, of course, is my travel buddy, and I’m so so thankful for her! Heather decided we needed to experience the greatness of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Farmfoods</span>, the frozen food store, before we left, so we had a dinner of fried chicken and French fries and watched The Phantom of the Opera, a good college life kind of night!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-bbIVz8wRXVXnj_T1PMdT1htGaM0JIXagsf5S4zV3p4DT3vT1qZB_joRpMi4ha_CwADxfG9UdF1dtZy3Munq1-QoiJQ_Tx4gLBjLoFxxLfbRhkmoH8Ykr8ZdCURjD38WAmnkZ_eLOP9b/s1600-h/londontrip+(8).JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280970562263048274" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-bbIVz8wRXVXnj_T1PMdT1htGaM0JIXagsf5S4zV3p4DT3vT1qZB_joRpMi4ha_CwADxfG9UdF1dtZy3Munq1-QoiJQ_Tx4gLBjLoFxxLfbRhkmoH8Ykr8ZdCURjD38WAmnkZ_eLOP9b/s320/londontrip+(8).JPG" border="0" /></a><br />A couple of weeks ago, right after our little Swahili Club Christmas celebration, while I was waiting to leave for London I went and hung out with Amy and Andrew from Swahili club. They’re both Scottish and a lot of fun! I told them about Baylor having live bears and the tradition of the Sic ‘em, so I taught them how to do a Sic ‘em and said they thought Baylor sounded like a cult…<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">haha</span>…..maybe kind of.<br /><br />Yesterday I finished my anthropology essay and was completely done for the semester! So, in celebration, I made chocolate chip cookies, with the help of my friend and small group leader, Tim. Warm chocolate chip cookies, a good friend, and no more school stress makes for a good beginning to Christmas break!<br /><br />And wow, I just realized that all of those involved food, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">haha</span>, its <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">ok</span>, I’m going to try to run the half marathon at Baylor in the spring! There, now I’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">ve</span> said it, so I have to do it!<br /><br />If you’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">ve</span> read my other blogs, you’ll remember about my oh, so wonderful luck and my life’s resemblance to Murphy’s Law. I think God must be trying to convince me it’s time to go back to Texas because some things that have happened in the last week, have just not been going right. I’m wondering if all students here at the university run into as many problems as I do when it comes to studying and using computers and finding books and all of those kinds of necessary learning things. After one full semester I think if I were to come back and have another whole semester here I would be able to work the system. I think there must be some University of Edinburgh Wizard who, just as I need to do something, says, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">mwahahaha</span> you think the computer lab will be open, you think you’ll be able to get tokens to do your laundry, you think you’ll be able to get into that library, you think WRONG!<br /><br />Last week after getting back from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Inverness</span> I though I should do some laundry, but I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">didn</span>’t want to use the dryers that don’t really work, so I did what I usually do, turn up the heater in my room all the way, and open the window, it works surprisingly well…until I think I killed the heater. The first few days without the heater I was freezing, but now it’s not too bad, I also think it’s a lot warmer this week. we’ll hope it stays that way until I leave on Saturday. So that was Wednesday or Thursday of last week. On Friday, our entire building was woken up at 3:30 in the morning to the horrible shrilling, makes you feel dizzy and want to jump out of the window, fire alarm. Some poor jet lagged Canadian guy in our building <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">accidentally</span> set a plastic strainer on fire in his kitchen…..Then on Saturday we blew a fuse or something in our flat and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">didn</span>’t have any electricity in our bedrooms….then on Sunday night I got hives from eating <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">ramen</span> noodles….but now the hives are gone, and the electricity is back on, but still no heating. Oh and I was supposed to go to Sweden on Monday, but I nixed that plan. I decided the anthropology essay worth 80% of my grade was more important than going to Sweden for a couples days. But I’m happy about that decision, it meant I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">didn</span>’t have to stress about shopping, packing, and seeing friends all in two days, now I have three days! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">haha</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhejigoX9nS9p-DJ1BY-xR2QFPmCws33MMBsxs5FgNrg7trZz8PeuX-JHHm-5zb0Xx-3r5rd8GO_UmZ3AYz6v6RYM867pTdGkAhRAUByc3sPIJAxd_RoZJOFh8QY3CRbdydWy5u2eR-1LLy/s1600-h/arthursseat+(16).JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280971762422687618" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhejigoX9nS9p-DJ1BY-xR2QFPmCws33MMBsxs5FgNrg7trZz8PeuX-JHHm-5zb0Xx-3r5rd8GO_UmZ3AYz6v6RYM867pTdGkAhRAUByc3sPIJAxd_RoZJOFh8QY3CRbdydWy5u2eR-1LLy/s320/arthursseat+(16).JPG" border="0" /></a><br />I don’t know if I’ll be writing another blog while I’m actually here in Scotland, maybe if I feel inspired in the middle of the night Thursday or Friday I’ll write about London and my trip to the highlands, if not, I’ll update it when I’m back in Texas, and you can just pretend like I’m still off adventuring in Europe! </div></div></div></div>Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925362362191551900.post-42397933877985620892008-11-25T16:57:00.000-08:002008-11-26T05:54:38.373-08:00Thankful<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBnOE_SQj-GmSx2Z5j_n_JNbrEjm3lDJFZFGWH5XnrNIAv0ncaspAs8XuabQ8OQvHJl_2dPnadOdFLVnYYZU_AtJ-jB0XLu23RX1MXl1LVgFguEqjzXJFEMOh6xJ-k5fjfekz1m76wz-C/s1600-h/zoofun+(55)-3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272911781050710130" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBnOE_SQj-GmSx2Z5j_n_JNbrEjm3lDJFZFGWH5XnrNIAv0ncaspAs8XuabQ8OQvHJl_2dPnadOdFLVnYYZU_AtJ-jB0XLu23RX1MXl1LVgFguEqjzXJFEMOh6xJ-k5fjfekz1m76wz-C/s320/zoofun+(55)-3.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div>I’m trying to get all caught up on the blog, so I thought I should write one before leaving for London on Thursday night.<br /><br />I was telling my friend Molly earlier today that it’s getting a little hard to update the blogs because I feel like now, being here is just kind of life, just kind of normal. I say that, but then, I’m still constantly learning new things and doing dumb things, and having little adventures.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVlKlCG1hrrkId-D5egmOrVhUnREE6MP6MS0m3iY0H7GfOhhrEzPV8XD-wUNJ1dtli_WJiupc446rnJEPqt_ODv5uiVE3SueA1m-j0FP4l3wadW9aQanm7S3bBK9NVuBd_O-Mxial-UXom/s1600-h/fall+(44)-2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272912295466383730" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVlKlCG1hrrkId-D5egmOrVhUnREE6MP6MS0m3iY0H7GfOhhrEzPV8XD-wUNJ1dtli_WJiupc446rnJEPqt_ODv5uiVE3SueA1m-j0FP4l3wadW9aQanm7S3bBK9NVuBd_O-Mxial-UXom/s320/fall+(44)-2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />A few reasons why I’m thankful today, and then some wee stories :-)<br />-Having new friends to celebrate thanksgiving with, friends from around the world.<br />-Old friends and family around the world<br />-God’s perfect provision and care, even in far away places<br />-Being able to go new places, make great memories, and have lots of adventures.<br />-the beauty of Gods creations<br />-The heater in my bedroom that works really really well!<br />-I went to my last anthropology lecture today!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6W2f6VpNXfP-KRfuh1wtTXREzG-BCU7lgChKpEj2YqoF3ydrF6hHF6vV8ee5_oSKzyxu5tCo9JqYNStvb0LYGy3gfIk7il8LXQtuVbl7preTHBVPUMtnaB1Z1W001NMKBzGNNQIZrGFXr/s1600-h/zoofun+(76)-2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272911774734307490" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6W2f6VpNXfP-KRfuh1wtTXREzG-BCU7lgChKpEj2YqoF3ydrF6hHF6vV8ee5_oSKzyxu5tCo9JqYNStvb0LYGy3gfIk7il8LXQtuVbl7preTHBVPUMtnaB1Z1W001NMKBzGNNQIZrGFXr/s320/zoofun+(76)-2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />I had a successful trip to the Edinburgh Zoo with my flat mate Sammie and some friends on Saturday. We tried to go a few weeks ago, but the weather was horrible and they closed the zoo. Well, Saturday was literally freezing, and there was a tiny tiny bit of snow and ice on the ground, but we went to the zoo. I love going to the zoo, so even though it was freezing outside, I was set and ready to go. Since it was freezing a lot of the animals were inside, or sleeping, but there was still a lot to see. I made a little penguin friend. There were over 100 penguins, and one of the little guys waddled right up to the chain link fence where I was standing, so I slowly leaned down to look at him. I was wearing bright pink gloves, and anywhere my glove went, his little beak would follow. I walked down the fence a few feet, and he waddled beside me. I put my hand out to where he could reach it and he bit it! It was like playing with a little dog. I wonder if people keep penguins as pets. You’re probably not supposed to do that….<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK5qnx3xDG2jYbG9TqRbuKsdDtUcI5b5E6nwRvpTF6lL757-ZShyphenhyphenNcH_QZB-lfEUYq-R3d-_HLoO4oAZ_w6Cr32dKiFwwR2kR7AfMXfz44GZCW8C0UBwoWn14nHGzvwSrREmtLEn1k4tAH/s1600-h/thanksgiving082+(1)-1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272911782998155346" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK5qnx3xDG2jYbG9TqRbuKsdDtUcI5b5E6nwRvpTF6lL757-ZShyphenhyphenNcH_QZB-lfEUYq-R3d-_HLoO4oAZ_w6Cr32dKiFwwR2kR7AfMXfz44GZCW8C0UBwoWn14nHGzvwSrREmtLEn1k4tAH/s320/thanksgiving082+(1)-1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />On Monday my small group and another small group from the Christian Union celebrated Thanksgiving! I was so excited, because I love thanksgiving, cooking, holidays with friends, and good food! This will be my third thanksgiving to be away from my family, which is a little sad, but Monday night ended up being a lot of fun and a proper American Thanksgiving in Scotland with friends from around the world! We had soooo much food, I mean, my family usually goes all out, but there may possibly have been more food at our gathering on Monday night! Five of us were American, so we made all the traditional foods and it turned out great. The good food was followed by sitting around in a circle and saying what we were thankful for. Which, I don’t think I’ve ever actually done with my family, and the other Americans said they had never actually done that either, but it seemed Thanksgivingy. And then someone asked a question about politics, which is what my family almost, always talks about at Thanksgiving and Christmas (not kidding). But then I said something that kind of made everyone gasp, and I feel people in the room judging me, hahaha, and I thought, oh well, I am just continuing to surprise and make people a little angry throughout Scotland. But I quickly changed the subject and catastrophe was averted.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIrtl8G3YXYCnGEpws_T-ycEFsk2V4bayYxN_NoTAg-5g5F20q6YoXmhx06CeGMFVMqTGv6IcG5PcWqRwOC4D7LrDXXZJEozql5Xjmctl5cr2-QKYJyD1yFZzQNNk95N7AqRk0O77hl-lJ/s1600-h/thanksgiving08-1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272911790538164498" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIrtl8G3YXYCnGEpws_T-ycEFsk2V4bayYxN_NoTAg-5g5F20q6YoXmhx06CeGMFVMqTGv6IcG5PcWqRwOC4D7LrDXXZJEozql5Xjmctl5cr2-QKYJyD1yFZzQNNk95N7AqRk0O77hl-lJ/s320/thanksgiving08-1.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9L6H9bKFVyhfMqnlTOZDDC1GvkuBfv-xhdZM-Rm66NzsfsN0TVyfs1pQ5tpaSVTl9Xx4oRB6sdlyT20Pej-bvevtDsCrGnFeoncjfc4w2OPCBJEmlgvjF4N-IV52eCC_wVeI3_2eTpxvD/s1600-h/thanksgiving08+(4)-2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272912292663192642" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9L6H9bKFVyhfMqnlTOZDDC1GvkuBfv-xhdZM-Rm66NzsfsN0TVyfs1pQ5tpaSVTl9Xx4oRB6sdlyT20Pej-bvevtDsCrGnFeoncjfc4w2OPCBJEmlgvjF4N-IV52eCC_wVeI3_2eTpxvD/s320/thanksgiving08+(4)-2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />When I was preparing for Thanksgiving dinner it was kind of like a challenge, let’s see how quickly I can get all of the ingredients I need to make these three dishes! Well, I think I went to 5 different stores, walked a lot, and accidently road the bus for an hour in the wrong direction. But, I did discover something great! Sainsbury. Whenever I leave my flat, I walk out to the road and turn right. I had never ventured to the left before, because I heard that if you go to the left too far it can be a bit dodgy. But I heard rumors of this wonderful, giant supermarket, Sainsbury. I left my flat early, early in the morning, when it was still dark and went to Sainsbury, and yes, I was amazed, it was like Kroger’s or HEB or maybe even Wal-Mart. I didn’t know anything like that existed here! I found everything I needed, except pistachio pudding mix. On the way back to my flat it was really cold outside, so I decided to take the bus. I took the one that said Princes Street, City Centre, thinking, the street that I live on, goes towards Princes Street. Well…it goes towards Princes Street, if that’s where you’re trying to go….I ended up riding on the bus for over an hour and then walking fifteen minutes back to my flat. It would have taken me about 20 minutes to walk all the way from Sainsbury. But its ok, I got to see more of Edinburgh. </div><div> </div><div>Since I’ve only ridden in a car, three times since I’ve been here, I think there is a lot of Edinburgh that I don’t even know exists. Also, stores here seem kind of magical. From the outside they look really small and cramped, but then you go inside, and they’re like department stores. I don’t know how it works, but it reminds me of Harry Potter. One store, Jenner’s, sells everything in the world, I’m not sure exactly how it works, but it seems like there are different stores inside of the giant Jenner’s store. And it’s all decorated for Christmas!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxCOhESaFtILTqVzU3rTstN91Mgrv_AAeca08WW9lnpNQQpVQbarH8HvapCJL_GgJf8xL6sjrWdMN-04X7mWxkHZzmy1CVnl3Frwn502nYBcgWanxC5hILpTyu4uJ21aFVhCQbA-cXTt6P/s1600-h/zoofun+(80)-1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272911769458900306" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxCOhESaFtILTqVzU3rTstN91Mgrv_AAeca08WW9lnpNQQpVQbarH8HvapCJL_GgJf8xL6sjrWdMN-04X7mWxkHZzmy1CVnl3Frwn502nYBcgWanxC5hILpTyu4uJ21aFVhCQbA-cXTt6P/s320/zoofun+(80)-1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />This semester I have to read three books for an International Relations independent study course back at Baylor. I read one book about politics and war having to be separate from religion, one about political corruption in Africa and now I’m reading a book about socialism, written by a socialist. I have to finish it in a couple days…should be interesting. I thought I should find out more about it from the “socialism is a good idea” perspective, because that’s what a lot of people here think.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVmFxOEshvmd51SaS1H8UFTudqyYYdvibwXCvQT4NVSvsbBIBDzykN9uROWE6UaOfEZqDJX-cwKer-VmEHwIlt4nlUVS9Knq4xeg6N6jTCfNTFpbe2PRVHI7XQOS45mAVP0wdb8WxJxdL/s1600-h/books.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272913348955772338" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVmFxOEshvmd51SaS1H8UFTudqyYYdvibwXCvQT4NVSvsbBIBDzykN9uROWE6UaOfEZqDJX-cwKer-VmEHwIlt4nlUVS9Knq4xeg6N6jTCfNTFpbe2PRVHI7XQOS45mAVP0wdb8WxJxdL/s320/books.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Yesterday I got stopped on the street by a man who said he was a monk. I had seen him before, but never stopped to talk to him. There are always lots of people on the street who stop you and ask for donations for things. I was with a friend and instead of ignoring him, we stopped. He gave his little introduction; he was a monk, raising money for something. I was feeling generous so I have him a little donation, and then he asked if either of us were philosophers. I said I liked philosophy and he pulled a book out of his bag. “The Science of Self Realization” by his divine grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Conciousness. Great….I just gave money to the Hare Krishna guy...I thought he was a catholic monk! That made me kind of angry, so I said thats for the book and took it without making any extra donations. He said I could make a donation next time…um…no thanks. So, after reading about the great plans and promises of socialism, I’ll read about promoting the well-being of human society through teaching the science of Krishna consciousness….I’ve already had two people attempt to convert me in the past, didn’t happen…but I do want to read the book.</div><div> </div><div>Now that I'm all caught up on the blogs, I actually have to go read and do laundry...which is always fun....Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for taking the time to read my blog!!!! :-) </div><div> </div><div>Colossians 3:15-17</div><div> And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. </div></div></div></div></div></div>Adventures of Clairebearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06890459919317155415noreply@blogger.com2