i think she will get to wear a hood...

I have to send a HUGE shout of congratulations to one of my very, very good friends: Jenny Beth Fraley. She has made it into graduate school! This is very exciting and I believe she is going into something that she is made to do. I am so proud of her and her interviewing skills. And, obviously, all of the other skills that she posses to make it in. Her grades, her ability to not over promise and under deliver, her patience, her true genuine love for the people around here, and of course her ability to know all things. Way to go Jenny!! 

p.s. to be honest, the thing that I got most excited for when Jenny told me her good news was the possibility that she gets to wear a hood when she graduates. I think this is right?? I just always thought those looked so cool on the robes, and she will always have it I think, so she could totally wear it like the professors do and be cool. And besides, hoods look good on her!

the beauty of flowering trees

So, I just wanted to share with everyone my love with what it looks like in this city right now. In the past week, the flowering trees have bloomed. And they are not just here and there; they are everywhere! It is so great to drive around and see all of these trees lining the streets with pink and white flowers. Whoever decided to plant all of them is a genius and I appreciate their planning very much. I wish that you guys could come and see them in their beauty. 

(This is a picture of a tulip tree, they are all over the place and we have one in our front yard)

re·ju·ve·nate (verb)

It may be all the beautiful weather, or all the vitamin d I have soaked up from the sun. It may be from all the fresh air. It may be from the fact that I get to spend the day with two wonderful boys. It may even be that March Madness starts tomorrow, but I am feeling so rejuvenated that past few days! I think it is probably from all the good "hang out times" I have had in the past week. Small group last week was wonderful, a real girls night. We made dinner, did our Bible study and then watched a favorite of mine Ten Things I Hate About You. Then on Friday my sister and I went to her friend's house and had Chinese food and watched a documentary on Israel. (we also had a few very good laughs) Sunday was really the start of all the nice weather, so we enjoyed dinner outside and then huddled around a wonderful outside fireplace with blankets. I could have stayed there all night. And then yesterday I spent a few hours with a new friend and had great conversation at a cute, little coffee shop.

Needless to say, I have enjoyed my time with new faces the past few days. I am learning that quality time and conversations are important to me and are a source of refreshment for me, so the last few days have been very refreshing. But now, I am off to play outside...

Give me an "L"!

This is my friend Lindsay. And today Lindsay is 24 years old...

 

Happy Birthday Lindsay!!!!

For those of you who do not know, I lived with Lindsay over the past (lets just say) year. Her and I went to school together and were friends throughout school. Mandatory fun RA stuff will do that to do. However, it was not until we spent some time apart and then came back as roommates did our friendship grow into what it is today. This lady is wonderful and amazing and just so great! She deserves to have a wonderful birthday. She has been a very supportive and solid friend to be throughout the past year. I really cannot imagine what it would have been like it she was not my roommate. (Jenny, you and I would have been fine, but Lindsay was just icing on the cake..... the birthday cake!) It kinda makes me sad that we only had a short time together, relatively speaking, but I know she is a friend for eternity and I look forward to how the Lord is going to continue our friendship.

Here are some things Lindsay and I have in common:

- We have both owned the beloved blue Saturn at one point in our lives

- Our license plates are ONE number apart 

- We are both Sanguines and love to talk about it. 

- Pretzel time is one of the best parts of the day

- We love to make crafts and both have either a craft box or craft corner

- We love watching TV shows where good things happen to good people...

- A steadfast love for "Be a Man" from Mulan!

I love you very much Lindsay and dance well tonight!!!

a little bit of an update...

So, some of you may be wondering "what has amanda been doing since she moved? is she even working yet??" well, no. I am not working yet, but I have been doing a lot since moving here. I have been meeting people, getting my hair cut, going to the gym daily.... important things like that. 

As far as the job thing goes, I am working on that. I have been so blessed to be living with my sister and her husband and because of their generosity, I do not feel pressured to go out and find any old job, not yet at least. I am trying to be smart about this, pursue different paths and opportunities that come up. As of right now, I am just trying to apply to a certain amount of jobs a week. I am looking into nursing, but also exploring maybe a more creative-type job. In the mean time, this week I will start looking after two boys on Wednesdays. A good friend of my sister needs some time during the week, and I happen to be available and I happen to love kids. So, on Wednesdays you will find me hanging out with a one year old and a three year old. I am actually very excited about this because they seem like wonderful kids and I think we will have fun.

So, that is about it. I know it is not much, but I am feeling comfortable and at peace with how things are going. The Lord is continuing to teach me to reset the way I think things should go or will go. And, I am getting more and more excited to see how things are going to pan out and to see the little things that are settling in place...

VHS tape??

A funny story for you: I was on my way to small group a few days ago and saw some kids playing on the side walk. (Well, I heard them before I saw them really.) They were probably no more than ten years old and were screaming every few seconds. So, naturally, I thought something was wrong, until I looked closer and I saw this black, stringy, shiny stuff blowing in the road. It was VHS tape that the kids must have found and taken out and stretched it for a good two blocks, hooking it on light posts and garbage cans. BUT the wind kept blowing it into the road, where cars would run over it and each time this happened they would scream as loud as they could. I do not know if they thought it was funny, or really, genuinely angry at us drivers for running over their VHS tape. But at least they weren't playing in the street. 

spring...

I want it to come. Now, I do love winter and the snow and - if I am being honest - I even like the cold most of the time. But, I am ready for spring to come. I am ready to see green. 

And blue. 

And yellow. 

And red. 

And orange. 

And pink. 

And purple.

And any and all colors that are not brown, white or gray. I know that it is only March, but hey! it is already March, which means we are so close. I am just getting anxious and would like it to hurry up. I want to be able to open the windows and smell fresh air. 

However, while I am just waiting for spring to come, I was able to spend the last few days with my mom. It was so nice to realize "oh! i only live six hours away". So, since I do not have a job and I had some time before my calendar fills up with "plans", I went to see mom. It was such a good few days. The weather was beautiful when I was driving so I was able to listen to music, think and pray a lot. Mom and I just hung out and ran some errands, spent some time with the family, and watched some sweet reality t.v. It was good to spend time with her! They have had such a long winter up there and the snow is finally starting to go away. I think I heard someone say that they have had 180 inches this year. Isn't that incredible? Jenny did the math for me - because I was too lazy to do it myself - and it comes out to be 15 FEET! Man, think of all that snow. I know they want spring just as much as I do. 

But I know it will come soon and so I will be patient...