a shiny noise-maker night.

One of my best friends had a birthday today.  Since his family is in California, his pseudo-family stepped in.  Gag presents dominate: a Justin Bieber poster and a Taylor Swift calendar.  (You should have seen his look of despair when he realized who graced the poster.  Priceless.)  Kayla made him a delightful chocolate cake with sprinkles on top.  We blew up a whole bag of little balloons and littered the floor with them.  Thomas contributed his brand new games, and I'd wager the entire building heard us yelling "ONE!" and "TWO!" during Pit.  In my experience, there are two people during every game of Pit who band together and make sly, under-the-table trades: tonight, Rachel and James fulfilled the roles.  Ernst was a good sport and played all the games he hated.  I wore a shiny gold noise-maker in my hair and thought, "I like birthdays."

:)

pretty excited to be living with this girl next semester... :)  

a lovely break

What a lovely fall break this has been!  I am on a farm in Boscobel, Wisconsin, surrounded by rolling hills and trees with orange leaves and cattle and barns.  Here, I have found a little piece of home. The scenery is different, and the people are different.  But in little corners I have found aspects of where I live:  cattle calling across the pasture for their calves, a brilliant sunset, worship music coming from the piano, and most of all, peace.

This morning, I met one of my best friends (and her sister!) for coffee and a spontaneous thrift store run.  I love it when you don't think you will see someone for months, and then suddenly it happens that you will see them right away!  It was lovely.

Tomorrow, we go back to Hillsdale.  Back to class, and homework, and people, and stress.  I am very much thankful for these few days to take a deep breath, relax and remember how good God is.

*insert Willoughby quote here*

(My apologies on having two goodbye-like posts in a row.  It just happens that way.)

I am doing something this week that I've never really had to do before...say "I'll see you in December" to so many people I love.  Not fun.

First, Liz and her family.  Liz and I have tried regularly to bridge the seventy-five miles between us since we met over a year ago. It's not too far, but it does make spending much time together a bit tricky.  When we do get together, we swing, and stay up much too late watching movies (from Jane Austen to Camp Rock - we have a Camp Rock 2 date, girl!), and go to Fazolis, and last time we got to ride in a limo.  Liz's family is one of the most fun families I know, and I love weekends in Grand Island!

Then on Friday, Dana, who I have only recently gotten to know.  Our first time hanging out, we went on a 28-mile bike ride, saw Inception (see we really haven't been friends for long!), and had an adventuresome time in the park.  The next time we tried our hand at homemade frozen yogurt.  Last week we went mini golfing.  I love her so much, and am so proud of her determination and ability to to shine through darkness all around her.  Dana you inspire me!  

On Saturday, I hugged my two older sisters goodbye.  I am trying not think about it too much.  They are living together in a cute little duplex in Lincoln, each going her separate way in the morning, each coming home in the evening to share a little supper and stories of their days.  They will love living together, and I am a little jealous and a lot sad that I won't be close enough to share suppers and laughs with them more than every few months.

After Sunday night pizza I said goodbye to Vic and Ruth, who have known me since the day I was born, and who I write down on every reference form and emergency contact paper.  

Then tonight, Annie, and her family.  I'm sure if you've read this blog much at all you know about Annie.  We've been having fun together for the past ten years. :) That pretty much sums it up.  I'm going to miss my sunshine girl.

And soon, I'll be waving goodbye to my parents and my younger sister.  I really dread this, but at the same time I know it is what's right for me at this point in my life.  So I'm squaring my shoulders and looking forward with hope, while at the same time anticipating December 17, when the semester ends and I will head home.

glasses

annie grace grace meany peterson

"Thanks, E. You're the best."

"Yes, yes. I know, daaahhhling."

;)

Thanks for teaching me how to wash dishes like a normal person. With a sponge. ;) Thanks for screwing around Walmart with me. Thanks for making me feel so pretty Wednesday night. Thanks for being my 'roadworker hottie' buddy. Thanks for kissing dating goodbye with me. ;) Thanks for rocking out to Britt Nicole with me. That might've been my favorite part. Thanks for letting me walk Leroy. Thanks for pulling the "really BIG pEn" out of your really BIG purse. Thanks calling me right after I tick you off. Thanks for being my friend. And thanks for teaching me what "BFFR" means. :)

I am going to start a fund. It will be called "Annie-needs-this-2008-Grand-Prix-with-heated-leather-seats-and-a-remote-start-so-donate-NOW!"

The End.

Oh, wait. One more thing.

I love you!

(One more. You are waaaay cuter than Britt Nicole. End of story.)

Janae

we're buddies

who take silly buddy-buddy pictures

because when we attempt to take nice ones, they never turn out. See?

I like this buddy a lot.

Ok, I'm done sapping. Sorry about that.

(I guess it's just a sappy day or something.)

too plain...too weird...bad color...

Yesterday afternoon KathleenKelly prom-dress shopped. And shopped...and shopped. Annie, Merrill and I went along - I think Kathleen invited us for fun, but we all took the opportunity to voice our expert-ish opinions also.

Sometimes I take a picture, look at it, and whilst heaving a sigh of considerable size I think "oh, if only I could take a picture like Stephanie at Grace Photography...or like Bethany Wissmann....but the harsh-reality truth is that I can't. Although these top-notch photographers probably laugh at my feeble attempts, I like to pretend that I can take pretty pictures.

See? (The secret truth is that I have this really superb camera I bought greatly discounted from my sister, but I can't figure out how to use the darned thing...)

I just think this is funny.

I don't know if we were all crabby, or tired, or what...but nobody looks too overjoyed in this picture. Personally, dress shopping is a great way to spend a Friday afternoon - especially if you're with good friends. :)

cool people wear coveralls.

2010! Woohoo! *throws confetti*

Our New Year's Eve festivities began with picking up a couple of friends from hither and yon, and then we commenced tamale making - one of our family's year-end traditions. Liz, Dad and I went out and gathered the husks while Mom mixed up the dough and filling.

Liz and I decided all cool people wear coveralls.

Gwagous girl!

After the tamale assembly, we went over to some friends' for supper. Ali, Merrill and Liz were kind enough to strike the Jane Austen Mr-Bingley-is-coming-so-we-must-look-perfect pose for me. =)


Awesome people. Fantastic party.
2009 wasn't the best, but 2010 is going to be magnificent!

a winter party...

...in which we decorated gingerbread houses! We teamed up, grabbed a house, and got to work. Well - everyone else teamed up. Jessie and I were supposed to team up, but she definitely got the short straw in a partner with zilch for creativity. So, she designed our house while I ate candy. It ended up being a sensational house. Check this out.

(when this side was finished, it had a referee, grass, yard lines and a crowd.)

(You can get the recipe for these awesome houses here.)

We also played a game where everyone had a Bible character's name on his/her back, but he/she didn't know who it was. You could ask each person one question about your character in an attempt to find out who you were. By asking questions about my character, I determined that it was a female in the New Testament, who was somewhat prominent, and who not only knew Jesus, but was related to Him...Elizabeth!

Sara, Esther, Lot's Wife and Pharaoh

got milk?

I love this lady.

a sewing day...

...with Sara...

Mistyn...

and Lori.

=)