Work

Hello friends. I feel like I've been out of the loop on the blog world lately. Funny the things that happen to you when summer ends and work begins again. I am loving this school year, but I also love coming home where I can kick off my shoes, greet my buddy, Whelan, and remove all my jewelry...in that order. On that note, I did have to take out my nose ring for school but I have a clear retainer now so that it doesn't close up. Mr. Principal wasn't a fan of the nose jewelry & he let me know it.

I was assigned to work in 5th and 6th grade this year and let me tell you, 6th grade is a different animal. In the first two weeks, I've already dealt with two break-ups. One was on the first day of school with a puppy-dog eyed girl pitifully saying, "He broke up with me..." Next was a sad and teary-eyed boy holding a folded up note from his girlfriend that read: "So sorry...I am breaking up with you!!!" (Exclamation marks included.) I forgot what it was like to "go out" with someone in middle school. Oh wait, I never did. Boyfriends didn't happen for me until high school. Possibly a blessing in disguise.

The older kids are kinda fun in their own way, but I miss the little ones on occasion. Like today at afternoon bus duty this baby boy came up and told me that his tummy hurt and he was ready to go home. I said, "I know buddy, its been a long day." I rubbed his sweet, fuzzy, little head as he stood next to me and after awhile he rested his head on me and wrapped his arms around my waist. We sat down on the bench and he fell asleep sitting up. Poor guy was exhausted. I had to wake him up when his bus arrived. Those things don't happen with middle schoolers.

Either way, I'm looking forward to whatever the rest of this year holds! So thankful for a job that is different and challenging every day. Thankful I am able to pour into the lives of others and how they pour even more so into mine.

-Caroline

Corn & Farewell to Summer

Happy August 1st, y'all! 'Tis the season for back to school. I'm trying desperately to hold on to the last little bits of summer as I shuck a dozen ears of corn on the back porch this afternoon. My grandparents picked it themselves and hand delivered it to my house, so it was the least I could do to shuck it and cut it all off the cob. 

Part 1: Shuck

I only found 1 worm! Too bad....that's my favorite part. He wasn't moving though. I guess 2 weeks in the fridge will do that to ya. 

Part 2: Rinse off 

Part 3: Cut off the cob

Part 4: Holy huge-amount-of-corn Batman

Part 5: I need a recipe! Suggestions please. 

Side note: Is it possible to have a corn shucking allergy? My wrists are blotchy, red, and itchy!

The Day I Got My Nose Pierced

Much to the chagrin of my mother and grandmother, I had a hole poked through my nose. You see, I've been thinking about doing this for awhile. By awhile, I mean over a year. I'm not sure what prompted me to desire a nose piercing, but something sparked it and I think they are just the right amount of spice. I needed a little something. As one of my friend's said, "Is this because you're almost 30?"

I've had the stick-ons from Claire's since last summer. I would test them out when I was feeling sassy & I always got good feedback. I guess I started feeling sassy on the regular so I decided to go for the real deal.

Only two things were holding me back. A) The impending sense of dread over how much I knew it was going to hurt to have a needle stuck through my nose while being fully awake and un-numbed. B) The fact that I may have to take it out as soon as I go back to work in a month and then I'd probably have a scar....all for nothing.

So this is how it all went down. My favorite sister drove me all over town the week before to check out different places. The first place I went did not impress me. Dirty. Ditsy. Dark. The second place was better than the first but I felt like the girl I talked to wasn't chipper enough. Cathlin quickly informed me that most people who do tattoos and piercings for a living are not the bubbly type. This girl was cool, calm, collected. Pretty nonchalant about the whole deal. I suppose she does this all day long and I was just another customer. To me, it was a big deal. I am a clean slate. No tattoos...nothing but my ears pierced (if it counts, I did have a second hole in my ears back in middle school but those have long since closed up). Basically, I'm a virgin customer.

Since I was flat broke that day, I excitedly told the girl I would be back Monday once my paycheck rolled in and we would go through with it. I don't think she cared.

On Monday, once again, Cathlin drove me to the piercing place and I started filling out the paper work.  Adelle (my roomie) came as well to hold my hand and video the whole thing just like I did with her when she got her first tattoo. Just when I had worked up enough courage, the girl turned me away because I hadn't eaten in the past 4 hours prior to the piercing and she said she didn't want to pick me up off the floor in case I passed out. Understandable, but I hoped that I would have the courage to go back after being so close and then not going through with it. She told me to eat something with lots of carbs. So, Byrd Cookie to the rescue. I had a huge pimiento cheese appetizer with loads of crusty bread and a catfish sandwich with fries! Just following orders.....

So, fast forward and before I know it I'm sitting in the white chair with a cork up my nose waiting for her to shove the needle through. Much to my relief, it did not hurt at all!! I mean, really- not at all. I was so surprised. Maybe it was my adrenaline pumping or the fact that I had worked myself up to think that it was going to be awful, but I was shocked at the amount of painlessness!

My first fear (A) was conquered. Not sure about B yet (the having to take it out for school thing). I'm hoping to put in a much tinier stud for my return to work. For now, I just have in the same jewelry they used to pierce it, which is a tad bit bigger than I would normally choose. My mom reminds me of that every time she sees me. "I would like it if it were SMALLER."

And that's my story! I like it. Glad I did it.

Burlap Bouquet

I turned into Martha Stewart for an hour yesterday and handcrafted a bouquet of burlap roses. The best part, I didn't spend a single dime.

Supplies I used:

1 real genuine burlap potato sack (salvaged from the barn at my grandparents house)

hot glue gun

pinking sheers

broken off long wooden match sticks

a jelly jar

ribbon

*Pandora reggae music station playing in background (Matisyahu)

Few things make me happier than burlap, reggae, and being thrifty with supplies on-hand. I'm pretty pleased with the final outcome!

Here is the link to the on-line tutorial I used as a rough guide. Clearly, I improvised.

Lately

I'm eating cookie dough for breakfast. Again. But, its okay because its oatmeal raisin and I used whole wheat flour. So its HEALTHY! That's my justification.

My summer started out with me being super productive....cleaning house, doing morning yoga, cooking meals, reading chapters at a time of my book- All in one day! Now I might do one of those productive things per day.

Here's an update in list form:

1. I've been spending lots of time with this dude. My main squeeze, Whelan. I think he loves me being home. We play chase with the tennis ball and the laser light. Also, take naps.

2. I've talked Josh into Thursday night yoga dates. He's a good sport and we always go jump in the pool in our sweaty yoga clothes afterwards.

3. On weekends, we drink too much wine and cook delicious food. Here is one of our best meals thus far: Filets topped with mushrooms and onions, bacon wrapped sesame asparagus, chili lime grilled corn on the cob, and a summer arugula salad from Kasey's blog. Check it out.

4. I spent Father's Day on Wassaw and burnt the back of my legs to a crisp. I can't do 7 hour beach days like the rest of my family. Its not for me.

5. Grama came over for lunch one day and I cooked the healthiest meal imaginable. Then, she went to the hospital the next day...oops. (Its was unrelated and all is well!!) Anyway....Red lentils, sauteed greens (swiss chard & spinach), sliced avocado, topped with hummus and toasted walnuts. Its brain food. Packed with Omega 3's!

6. There was a leak in our garage and the ceiling fell clean onto the floor. Thankfully dad hooked me up with a good plumber & it was fixed in no time.

7.My new favorite restaurant is Blowin Smoke. I went twice in one weekend. Fried pickles, honey jalapeno margaritas, live music, outdoor atmosphere, dog friendly, enough said.

8. Most recent stop was Hilton Head to visit my old friend, Kendall. We packed lunches, sunblocked up, hauled the tent and chairs and floats to the beach, then packed it right back up about 20 minutes later. Looming black clouds fooled us. It never rained. Not a drop. But, it worked out okay because we ate our lunches in a sand-free environment, then went to Goodwill where she acted as my personal shopper and I racked up. I always love her taste and since she's super pregnant right now, she just picked out clothes for me!

More updates to come!

God

Confessions. I haven't been to church in well over a month. Probably two. But it's not about church.

 I was having a conversation the other day and I was told that my views on "religion" were "black and white." Well, I kind of agree. You have to stand for something or you'll fall for anything. I have a hard time calling it religion though. Such a cold word. I really don't know what to call it. Faith? Relationship with God? The older I get, the more people I encounter who do not share my views on "religion." Probably 80% of the people I have gotten to know recently have different views on God. Surprise, surprise, right? But that's okay. It's taken me nearly 30 years to figure out that the world is bigger than Savannah, Georgia. It kind of hurts to type that.

I have such a hard time expressing to people why I believe what the Bible says. I understand that many stories from the Bible sound far fetched and out of touch with today's reality. I get it. We don't see many burning bushes or parting seas, or seas turning to blood for that matter, or water to wine or women turning to pillars of salt. Its weird...I understand. The creation story sounds fictional. But I choose to believe because of the feeling of peace I have come to know and the way the Bible feeds my soul. The more I learn, the more it all makes sense.

It was about 10 years ago when I started wanting to learn more about God's nature and his character on my own, not because I had to for school or any other kind of obligation. It was then that it started clicking for me. One of my favorite authors, Francine Rivers, explained it best. She wrote:  "I started to crave the Word of God...it was like food and clean, clean water..." Yep. That's pretty much how I felt. I couldn't get enough. Again, as she says, "It filled the emptiness inside me, it renewed me. It opened my eyes & ears & mind & heart & filled me with joy." And that's why I talk about it. Its hard not to share when you can pin point the root of all good things.

The only other way I can think to describe it all is back to my trusty old friend,  C.S. Lewis. He says:

" I believe in Christ like I believe in the sun- not because I can see it, but by it I can see everything else." 

Its the joy in the faces of my students, proudly belting out their off key performances of Adele & Katy Perry songs for a captivated audience at the last PTA meeting of the year.

Its the way one selfless little boy wins a prize at the end of math group for doing the best work and wants to give it away to the struggling little girl who hasn't yet earned a prize.

Its hearing the words "I missed you today," for no particular reason on a typical Wednesday night.

Its opening my old journals of favorite verses and having the familiar words speak comfort to my soul.

Its the feeling of understanding and being understood.

Its dogs smelling good like apples. 

Its love and joy. Its peace and patience. Its kindness and goodness. Its faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

(Galatians 5:22)

Possibly Having a Stalker

Strange things have been happening around here lately.

First things first. My mom called me a couple weeks ago and told me I had an E-bay package waiting for me at her house. It's been a couple years since I've dabbled in the E-bay scene, so out of curiosity, I had her open it. I thought surely I'd remember ordering something once I saw what was inside.

Well, this is what was inside. A poster. With man/woman/creation written in marker in this odd pattern. Is this a joke? Is this code for something? Who would even buy this? After racking my brain for a couple days, I resigned to that fact that it was some freakish mix up of addresses. And names.

Just about the time I had forgotten about the poster, I received a hand addressed envelope. The return address was a common man's name and last name (kind of like John Doe) with a PO Box only, from New York. Inside this one? Hand clipped makeup coupons. We're talking...this person went through the newspaper and clipped coupons. At this point I am starting to panic a little bit. My mom is convinced that its anthrax. I am feeling like this is the beginning of a Lifetime movie.

This past weekend, the pattern continued. Two more packages arrived, this time from China. One was labeled : Creative Item. Wasn't as exciting as it sounds. The creative item was a sim card adapter. The second package was five beads. Just five.

I'm kind of amused to be honest. Maybe something really cool and useful will be delivered next time. However, I'm pretty sure its time I investigate further before I end up on the news. Suggestions anyone?