our precious bilbo

Our precious: Bilbo 

So, Kevin and I have been wanting a puppy for a rather long time.  

It's sort of impossible to live in Colorado and not own or want to own a dog; it's even more impossible to work at the Idaho Springs Starbucks, surrounded by only the most avid of dog-lovers.  

Dogs are expensive.  Especially, we've found, corgis.  Especially corgis that aren't mixed with something else, particularly chihuahua.  We wanted a corgi.  It's become a practice of mine, when I've absolutely exhausted my typical online demands (a la Facebook, Failblog, news sites, etc), I'll look up corgis up for sale or adoption in the Denver area.  Friday, I found an interesting ad.  There was a litter of Pembroke Welsh Corgis (aka the type the Queen prefers) almost three hours away from us, but the price was right.  Kev gave the lady a call, who said she had only one male left.  We braved Friday evening traffic, stopped to get Chick-fil-A, and made it to the place just after the sun had set.  Needless to say, although the breeder didn't have papers for him (because when she bought the father, that breeder didn't get through the necessary paperwork, or something), we fell in love with this little guy and brought him home.  Well, first, we went to the hospital, because our best friends were having their baby.  Funny timing, we know.

Anyway.  We love him.  Bilbo has one of the best personalities I've seen in a dog: he's playful, but quiet.  He rarely whines, and I've heard him bark (almost whispered, like he's not sure he wants to commit to it) maybe twice?  He knows to use the bathroom outside (except when he was so excited yesterday at church - sorry about that, again, guys).  He is perfectly content rolling around on the floor by himself, chasing his tail or the rope toy we bought him.  He jumps on me when I sing (delightedly, we think), and he wrestles with Kevin like a champ. 

He's just the best.  

stuff my kids said [7.2-7.3]

Just take a look at this awesome schedule I had for two days of subbing!

Exclamations:

I chipped my finger!

One name is grape, and one name is pock! 

His name is Captain America!  I'm serious! 

Hair accessories:

Look - my headband can easily blend into your shirt, Miss Anna!

This clip is special because I found it at a park.  I mean... who wouldn't want a clip?? 

Fourth of July!

Happy Birthday, America!  ...Can America eat a cake?  (Response from another kid: YOU can eat a cake for America!)

On pets:

I don't have a cat... I have a brother.

Advice:

Stay away from those kinds of trees... there could be some fire drops left. 

Coloring:

One girl: Suns do not have eyes! Another girl: Well... I can do half eyes! 

No-nos:

One kid, during lunch: You have a coconut on your peepee!  Me: Oh, we don't say that... Another kid: Yeah, because coconut is a bad word!

a little over a month from now....

...my best friend is getting married.

And I get to stand and testify to her love for him and their love for Christ.

6 month check up on 2012 goals

1) Learn German.  Ehh.  This one is on hold for the time being.  Faith and I are learning Koine Greek, instead! Rosetta Stone's too danged expensive!


2) Read through the complete works of Shakespeare.  Gonna work on this one this summer!  AKA soon.


3) Go hiking/camping on a mountain with Kevin.  Also a summer goal.  Probably going to count this as completed when Collette & Pete come out and visit (which we so very much hope they will do!)


4) See sunrise on said mountain.  See above.


5) Use the paint supplies I have acquired.  Well, I've only got blank canvases.  No paint.  So...


6) Use the Pilates DVD and mat I bought myself for Christmas.  For two weeks, I was pretty faithful with this, but things got busy & I got lazy.  Will have to pick it up again.  Oy.


7)  Write a letter to a friend a week.  With this, I've done okay.  I wouldn't say it's been one per week, but at least three a month!


8) Journal weekly.  Yessah!


9)  Read through the collected works of Milton.  Erhm... after Shakespeare.  Promise.


10) Read through the collected works of Lewis.  Have read The Great Divorce, and am half done with The Four Loves.  For my thoughts on these, see my other blog! 


11) Read through The Making of a Sonnet, and attempt one a month.  Nope.  Haven't been feeling it.  But might be a good fall-winter activity.  Will see.


12) Work harder than absolutely necessary.  I think I've got this one.  But, to be continued.


13) Develop relationships with the girls in the youth group.  Yes!  So far so good!  Also, to be continued!


14) Sing out.  Yes... but I need to be reminded of this kinda often.


15) Develop better posture.  Oy.  I need to see a chiropractor.


16) Complete the application process and become a certified teacher in the state of Colorado.  Yes!  Finished the application, just waiting to hear!


17)  Learn more about pre-K education.  Finished ECE101, just begun Guidance Strategies!


18) Collect and read as many of my childhood-favorite books as I possibly can!  Doing okay with this one, too - read The Prisoner of Zenda, and recently acquired the Roll of Thunder series!

How are YOU doing on your 2012 goals?? 

As you can see, I've got a lot of work to do..........

but 9/18 seems to be right on track!

one year

On this day last year, Kevin and I arrived in Colorado.

2011

2012

a tale of two hamlets

Forgive the corniness of the title.  It gave me great joy.

So, long story short: Petco killed our Hamlet.

Long story long:

We hadn't had him a week, most days he slept and shook, then, he was freaking out: 

flipping all over his cage and biting himself.

We realized he didn't have any fur left on his front legs, and his mouth wouldn't close.

He seriously looked possessed.

After trying to treat him ourselves with a homemade remedy for mites (it wasn't mites),

we took him back to Petco, where they bought him back and sent him to the vet.

...FOUR WEEKS LATER...

I get a phone call (yesterday) telling me he's finished his last round of meds and is ready to be picked up!

JOY OF JOYS!

Today, Kev and I drive down (~30 miles away) to pick up our Ham.

We enter the store.

We approach a salesperson.

We tell her we're here for our hamster.

She rolls her eyes, and begrudgingly speaks to us.

"Yeah, he didn't make it."

...

Wait - what?

Apparently he had died yesterday.  After the phone call was made.

We didn't get any sort of call telling us the poor little guy "didn't make it."

Now, I'm confused.  

When we had him admitted, the salesperson said it was because we purchased the wrong bedding and it was choking him; the salesperson was supposed to have told us which bedding to use.

...

I'm still really wanting a hamster, though, so we head home (quite upset), 

and stop at a PetSmart on the way.

Their selection of hamsters was pleasing, and we picked out a replacement Hamlet.

This one is active: running all around his cage and in his wheel and drinking water and doing the whole circulation again.

We ask the salesperson what type of bedding to use; he points it out to us; it's the same thing we used for Hamlet I, which supposedly had KILLED HIM.

As we go through the paperwork with the salesperson, 

he explains that all of their animals are "vet assured".

...

Conclusion: 

Petco sold us a defective, already sick hamster.

That, or he found out he would have to come home to us and decided to end it.

Rest in peace, Hamlet I.

All hail and long live Hamlet II!

oh life life life

It's been a while since I've blogged about... anything, really.  Besides just my records of the hilarious and/or insightful things my kids say at the preschool.  So.  Here's why.

I'm not sure exactly why I do this to myself.  I guess I just figure that I have "all the time in the world" now that I'm out of college, and living "real life".  Au contraire!  If I thought I was busy then - a 20-credit undergrad student, working at 20 hour/week job, trying to have some semblance of a social life - what am I doing to myself NOW?  Let me give you the run-down of what my "semester" looks like this year:

- Working full-time at Starbucks.
- Working part-time at Evergreen Academy.
- Being a housewife (seriously - I'm making a career out of doing laundry, dishes, cooking, etc) and loving on my husband, keeping that relationship real.
- Being an obedient servant of God (all that that entails, some listed below, some just having to do with my personal spiritual life... this is a relationship that demands up-keep, as well!)
- Being a friend and mentor (I have more of a social life now than I ever did in college - what?!)
- Singing and playing piano for Saturday evening services at our church.
- Supporting Kevin and the youth group by attending Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings (mostly regularly).
- Taking an online course at Red Rocks (it's a 101, but still is work).
- Working on learning 15 new songs to be the piano accompanist for the spring musical at the local high school (boy, am I rusty - but excited for the challenge and the chance to get involved with the youth!)
- Trying to finish this 700 pg book... just to be DONE with it already!
- And now because Kev and I have decided that what I need is more peer-fellowship - I'm joining a Bible study with a friend and some other ladies down the mountain.

This is my life, guys.  I love it.  I love what I do, my friends, my life.  Truly.  But I feel like I'm killing myself sometimes.  Like, I never have time to breathe.  I have days off, obviously, but those days are taken up with all the other busyness I have to "get done".  It's so easy for me to get overwhelmed and stressed and take it out on people closest to me (i.e: Kevin).  Not good!

So, here are some things I need to be constantly reminding myself.

These are the things I know:
- This is a 101 course.  I can and will get a decent grade, basically despite my best efforts to the contrary.
- I am good at playing piano, and after I acquaint myself with the songs a bit more, I'll be fine.
- I cannot take out my stress on Kevin.
- Adarae is coming to visit me in five days and will make everything better! (Plus, days off work!)
- God is faithful, and I am able to please Him by my obedience in the little things as well as the big things.
- I cannot always please everyone - so I can't beat myself up for failing in the little things, asking forgiveness, etc.  I cannot let my fear of letting others down affect my day-to-day.
- I can love people in little ways that make a big difference.
- I can organize and prioritize: Do what matters most first.

stuff my kids said this week [1/27]

An original song:

I'm so awesome - everybody likes me!

Thoughts on the book I read them about astronauts:

Ughhhhh, I hate space!

A moon with lipstick?  Whaatttt?

Thoughts on having your own bed:

Sleeping with nobody is actually pretty fun!

Coloring:

I wish I could marry purple.

This is a sunburnt color.

This crayon is... naked.  (The wrapper had fallen off)  

Coloring all day wears me out! 

Chewing gum:

Miss Anna, you have the same gum as yesterday!  You never like to eat gum in the summer?

Affection:

Can I sit in your lap?  But I LOVE you!

(I asked a boy for a purple dinosaur he was playing with:) No! You're not my girlfriend!

I like you longtime. 

A natural conclusion:

You little BABY! (Hon, she's older than you.) Well... then I'm going to put marker on her face.

Travel stories:

When I went to Hong Kong, I got the last balloon.

I asked a little girl if she would want the same shoes as Hello Kitty:

But they're Hello Kitty's!  (What if she gave them to you?) She's not in the world, you goober!

Snack time:

They're yummy and crummy.  Rhymes.  I just did a rhyme!

Matters of height:

You know what?  My daddy drinks alcohol, and that's why he's tall!

A little boy walks out of the restroom before pulling up his pants, and one little girl remarks:

I never like seeing that.  Ever.

Two girls have moms that are both tall and dark-haired, one boy remarked:

Sophie and Brianna kinda have the same mom.

A little girl sniffs a My Little Pony:

It smells like my dinner.

Reality:

Star Wars is real life.  Because I saw it on TV.  They're REAL PEOPLE.  With real sticks! (Lightsabers)

Expressions:

You're running like a chicken with your eye off!

Truth:

Cake will make it better! 

al fine: goals for 2011

2011 is over.  Officially.  Care to see how I did on my goals for this year?

1) journal weekly (in my journal, not my blog)
2) teach like I mean it—student teaching was rough, but I can say with confidence that I started each day as if it were on purpose! And now that I'm working at Evergreen Academy, many more opportunities!!
3) graduate PBU (get certified, succeed as a teacher, all that jazz)
4) see an obscene number of friends get married!—and still so many coming up!
5) move away (pref. to Colorado!)--we're here!!  
6) twice a month, write a letter to a different dear (if distant) friend—yes!  I've gotten better at this one since the half-way mark!  I love love writing (and receiving!) letters of encouragement! 
7) get a piano—an electric piano counts.  I guess.
8) learn 5 new pieces by Chopin—I've *begun* learning two.  Shoot, I'll work on this one!
9) read (and appreciate!) a Russian novel--I read Crime and Punishment this summer.  "Read"-check.  "Appreciate"-...I'll let you know.
10) finish reading the works of Shakespeare in its entirety!--Will have to finish next year....
11) write something worth reading--this is up for debate.  
12) go hiking & camping with Kevin on a mountain--hiking, yes.  Camping, no.  
13) see sunset and sunrise on said mountain
14) learn to knit and/or crochet
15) research Trivits heritage
16) learn German… begin learning German--I downloaded a podcast that was supposed to teach you German.  I didn't make it far, but I made an effort!

17) learn to cook - not really Julie & Julia style, but kinda
18) give people the benefit of the doubt, every time
19) learn and play a number of different card games
20) acquire painting supplies, use said supplies

21) learn to love Kevin more than I love myself; support him; dream with him (aka be an awesome wife!)—definite improvements!

22) learn when and how to be a follower rather than a leader (and vice versa)—definite improvements!
23) read through the Bible again—Yes!  In just about six months!
24) have Kevin teach me Greek—in progress!
25) sing somewhere--every Saturday night, I get to help lead worship at my church!
26) grow a garden (even an herb garden, come on!)
27) learn to exercise (& do it regularly!)--Next year.
28) remember to not be too serious

29) study up on world religions
30) …get a new and decent job.


22/30... is a solid C.  

Fourteen/Fifteen

HAPPY DECEMBER 14-15!

Life's crazy.

I'm thankful for funny encounters.  They just add a little something extra to a run-of-the-mill day.  

Yesterday, I was greeted at a luncheon by a lady I had met only once before.  Just a week before, actually.  She grabbed 'hold of me, hugged me tight, and said how good it was to see me and how long it had been.  Then she realized I was not who she thought I was.  I told her that I appreciated the hug anyway.  :)

Kevin, too, had a fun little run-in at the luncheon.  He had just gone up to the beverage table to get us a couple of coffees, when a lady grabbed his arm and asked (as he said, with crazy eyes): "Did you know they have chocolate tea?"  He replied that, no, he did not.  She just nodded (still with the crazy eyes) and walked away.

Today, at work as I handed a fairly regular customer (venti mocha) his change, he looked at me bashfully (read: awkwardly) and said, "I'm just curious... would you be interested in going out sometime?"  Oy.  I wear my rings at work.  I purposefully hold the window open in such a way that the sun can shine off the diamond.  All things considered, I think I handled it rather well - thanked him, told him I'm married, and then sidled out of view.  Awkward.  But funny.  Poor guy.  Apparently, he had asked out one of the other baristas earlier that summer and she, too, had turned him down.  Ouch.

And now for something completely different!

I'm thankful for opportunities.  I had an awesome theological/Gospel conversation with a coworker today.  Just joking around, he claimed to be goodness incarnate.  I said, "That's blasphemy!"  Which launched us into a rather intense discussion of what "goodness" is, original sin, who Jesus is, His deity v. humanity, the holiness of God, what it means that God cannot look on sin, why it is important for us to believe in Jesus' act of redemption on the cross and what actually took place there.  Seriously.  Who gets opportunities like this?  Who takes advantage of them?  While this guy and I are prone to disagreement and (heated) discussion, I appreciate his mind and the way he thinks about things.  I also sense his curiosity, hand-in-hand with a disillusionment with religion.  I hope to have more opportunities of this nature.  Pray for me! 

In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.

1 Peter 3:15

Eleven

HAPPY DECEMBER 11!

I'm thankful for quiet times.  Today, strangely, the Packers game was nowhere to be found on any channel in our apartment or in any sports bar we tried.  So, Kevin and I had a quiet and relaxing day in our cozy little flat above the "bustling" streets of Idaho Springs.  Maybe it wasn't so relaxing for Kev, who was stressing about the outcome of his game... but he had plenty of friends texting him updates.  

While Kevin studied for an exam, I was able to be so productive!  

I did some much-needed cleaning and straightening of the apt, 

proofread my brother's awesome poli sci paper, 

planned a Christmas party for our youth group, 

worked on a work schedule for Sbux, 

drank not a little bit of coffee, 

went grocery shopping, 

planned a menu for our friends' visit in a mere two weeks,

shopped online a bit for Christmas presents,

listened to a Christmas mix of James Taylor, Harry Connick Jr, and Mannheim Steamroller

read my Bible,

and started reading an exciting new book!  

i had a phase

I had a phase when I:

-only wore green earrings.

-only wore mismatched socks.

-didn't brush my hair (that phase is still in action.)

-didn't wear makeup (only recently started again... for student teaching, I didn't want my students to think I was tired all the time!)

-only read fiction.

-felt a calling to live in a ditch with my pig and my horse to help people who had broken down on the side of the road (that... was when I was seven.)

-wanted to be called Toby.

-dressed like a boy.

-dressed like I put outfits together in the dark (that phase... may still be a part of my life)

-would play Moonlight Sonata for hours and cry.

-listened to Dashboard and nothing else.

-drank all tea and no coffee (wowie, can it be believed?)

-wanted to believe in Santa.

-drew creepy and quasi-Gothic pictures with the greatest black pen in the world.

-would stay up reading Little House on the Prairie (et al.) under my covers with a flashlight.

-wanted to be a sporty girl.  (I tried soccer and track, not successfully.)

-listened to my parents' conversations at the top of the stairs - way past my bedtime.

-worried about death and tragedy before falling asleep every night.

-was obsessed with Lord of the Rings.

-played a game with my best friend in elementary school about medieval men and women (we were the only two characters, but would sometimes be men) with a little French Revolution thrown in for good measure.

-was really shy.

-would straighten my hair every day.

-aspired to be a singer (and comforted myself in scary situations that God wouldn't let me die because I needed to sing one day.)

-jumped on the trampoline every day with my brothers (mostly, Austin - aka Hasenpfeffer.)

-played Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego like it was my job.

-didn't like to listen to other people.

-read more than any other activity.

-was a lifeguard.

-didn't eat anything but popcorn and s'mores poptarts.

-wore Etnies shoes.

-tried to dance.

-stayed up till 3 am every night.

-saw Facebook as a valid means of socializing and meeting new people.

-my job was my life.

Q 9:20

Gospels and Acts - Class Four - "Literary Criticism: Mark and Matthew"
-Guidelines for research paper
-Analysis of John 3 and 4: Conversations with a Pharisee and a Samaritan woman
-Group analysis of Mark and Matthew
-Analysis of the account of Jesus walking on water


[Reading through the outline for the research paper]
"By 'arousing interest', I don't mean 'sensational' - something you'd read in a tabloid in the check out line at a King Soopers."

[Written on the board: IBS to stand for International Bible Society]
"It's not meant to be an autobiographical confession... IBS."
(He had to slow that one down for us, too.)

"You remember the < or = sign from high school math, I hope..."

"As for a conclusion... have one."

"For application, get into your time machine."

"Know how to use an apostrophe.  The universal misuse of it is... discouraging.  [Writes on the board: Its, It's, Jesus', Shepherd's - complete with explanations] It's not hard!  So do it right!"

"When the clock struck twelve, Michael J Fox did something... You don't have to force a transition.  Just get into your time machine."

[On Scripture as literature]
"It's high drama!"

[Reading aloud the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus in John 3 - parenthetical between vv. 15 and 16]
"And now to the verse that you all knew out of context..."

"And since you always wondered what Nicodemus looked like, here's one artist's rendering... with a full moon."

"Of all the Gospels, here are two examples of Jesus' conversations with individuals.  Unless you count His interview with Pilate... if He hadn't been silent."

"With apologies to an old Clint Eastwood movie, their conversation takes place at high noon."

"Then there's this wonderful overstatement: 'Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.'  After He's just recounted her entire marital and non-marital history!"

"Jesus is bringing the great reversal - tearing down rulers from their thrones and lifting up the humble (a la the Magnificat)."

"The floor is yours... but you knew that.  Your feet are on it!"

[John 4 - with the Samaritan woman]
"Which is interesting... by the end of the story, He still hasn't gotten His drink.  It starts off very promising..."

"That was the old King James 'Y-E-A', not the 'Y-A-Y' yay!"
(You had to see it.  But you can imagine.  It was funny.)

"If you want a break, do something physical: move, box, stand, walk..."

"Whatever the uncomfortable features of these chairs, they do swivel."

"Out of that wonderfully rich chapter six, which is beneficial for... somebody..."

"Why is that?  Do you have a martyr complex?"

[Student mentions that Mark seems to slow down time toward the end of his book]
"It's not quite as slow as 24... like that episode when it takes 15 minutes for them to figure out how to dismantle a bomb set to go off in two minutes?"

[Who is Mark?]
"Companion of Peter, best known for deserting him... later to be reconciled."

"You all know Diogenes Laertius... household name, I know."

"How they died says something about who they are!  It's about how you die that counts, not about how you lived.  Where do you stand before the LORD?"

[Passage in Mark and Matthew where Jesus walks on water]
"I'm sorry the lab isn't working... we won't be replicating it."

"You haven't read about John yet, you can just ignore that column."

[Written on the board]
"Peter's partial water walking."

"Does Matthew include the bit about Peter to exalt him, or... not to?"

[Trying to write on the computer screen...]
"That's a... real pen."

"Whether I was misled by a Sunday school teacher, or by my own imagination, I always thought Jesus was appealing to His divinity... was tired after a long day, took a short cut across the lake, and -shoot!- they caught Him!"

[Student: "Could you repeat what you just said?"]
"I could say it... differently!"

[How to respond when faced with the Divine]
"You pros...trate yourself.  Just want to leave out the 'r'."

"And then we have to throw Luke and John into the mix... but that's next week!

Q 8:30

Craig Blomberg (Kev's Gospel & Acts professor and renowned NT scholar) has graciously extended to me the opportunity to attend class with Kevin on Tuesday nights.  Auditing... for free!... a class at Denver Seminary!  What a dream come true!

Turns out, Blomberg has a penchant for saying funny things.  Not unlike a certain beloved former professor of ours from PBU.  So, I've begun a list.  A list of quotes.  Feel free to enjoy.

To give a bit of context, the class (first class of the semester) was an overview highlighting the events between the Testaments: Malachi to Matthew.  This may or may not clarify some of the more obscure one-liners.


[On a diagram of Bible translations] "The Message... it's kind of been hovering there all along.  Down there at the bottom."

"What's the opposite of an auditor?  A... creditor?"

"I have yet to figure out a method to convince people that I mean this [a student is not able to reschedule any missed quiz or exam, or ask for exceptions]!  ...Maybe some year before I die no one will ask.  We'll see."

"You're going to get a head start on next week's quiz.  I'm going to give you the answers to some of the questions... hidden in some of the things I say."

"I may not agree with everything in these books... I don't know if I agree with every word in my books!  Hope you're open to new thoughts!"

"Insert here oral file #38... that's a made up number... [lecture on expectations, turning in papers... and two minutes later], end of file 38."  Complete with air quotes.

"Greet one another with a holy kiss... don't worry, I've never brought myself to do it - you can relax."

"I don't know how far geography brought you, but hopefully India is a word you've heard of."

"This is the earliest known photograph... no... this is a statue."

"...Bad joke.  So bad, no one got it."  Seriously, so bad I don't remember what it was he said.

[Antiochus IV - desecrating the Temple] "...This does not go over well."

"Stay tuned for further developments!"

"Judas, called Maccabeas, led a revolt against the Syrians - was he the original Chuck Norris?  Perhaps."

"The Pharisees and the Sadducees, the two leadership sects - always need to pronounce that clearly."

[Describing the 6 Herods of the NT] "Herod the Great is the Herod who appears every Christmas."

[As he begins preaching, on a slight rabbit trail] "Haha, it's sounding a lot like a church, which, legally we are in the eyes of the IRS, so I'll keep going..."

random quotes dump

"I'm not ADD, I just- Oh! Look at the boats!" 
-Kevin Trivits.


"Rejoice in the Lord always, and I say again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Be anxious about nothing, but by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
-Philippians 4:4-7.


"Vengeance was his and he gave me back my life."
-Javert, Les Miserables.


"Twas Grace that taught my heart to fear, and Grace my fears relieved."
-John Newton, Amazing Grace.


"Oh the devil's singing over me an age-old song, that I am cursed and gone astray.  Singing the first verse so conveniently over me, he's forgotten the refrain:  JESUS SAVES."
-Shane and Shane, Embracing Accusations.


"This cake is... America!"
-Paul Miller.


"Why do she be so mad at me for?"
-Kanye... or... Shakespeare?  ;)


"It's really hard to goosestep when wearing flipflops.  And THAT'S why you don't see many hippie Nazis."
-Austin.


"Hey Austin!  Remember the joke?" ...obnoxious laughter...


"To denounce Jane Austen to an audience of English teachers is self-destructive behaviour." 


"NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition!!!"  
-Monty Python's Flying Circus.


"We have no other choice but belief."  
-Dashboard. 


"You wanna fight for this love, but honey you cannot wrestle a dove."
-The Shins.


"But I don't want comfort.  I want God, I want poetry.  I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness.  I want sin."  
-Brave New World.


"...And, when he shall die, take him and cut him out in little stars, and he will make the face of heaven so fine that all will be in love with the night and pay no worship to the garish sun."
-Romeo and Juliet.


"...So either by thy picture or my love/Thyself away thou art present still with me/For thou not further than my thoughts canst move/And I am still with them, and they with thee...." 
-Shakespeare's Sonnet 47.


"I'm not lost... I just don't know where I am!"  


"I can't hear you over all the fun I'm having!"  


"Nothing beats good pizza like buffalo chicken pizza."


"When life hands you sloppy joes... take advantage of it!"


"Love sux only when your heart is broke from the person you love."  
-On the wall of the girls' bathroom at a local high school.  Poignant.


ME - (to a friend in class) "Do you know how many people are after me?"
FRIEND - "Anna, we've been through this! No one is after you!  Quit being so paranoid!"
ME - "Um.  No.  I mean, after I do my presentation, how many more people have to go?"


"If he have faith, the believer cannot be restrained. He betrays himself. He breaks out. He confesses and teaches this gospel to the people at the risk of life itself."
-Martin Luther.