I've been tagged, too

Sorry, I'm not computer saavy and I'm not sure how to cut/paste the rules and I'm running late for lunch-so see Ang's page for the rules!!

My 8 random facts:

#1 I am really scared of rodents-rats in particular (it was actually hard to type the word). My phobia has turned into a much more healthy fear as I've gotten older, but I must admit that I still to this day have nightmares about rats. Recently I was sharing a bed with my sister Jenny, and in my sleep in the middle of the night I was doing scissor kicks with my feet in bed. She was like, "what in the world?!" and when I woke up later and she told me I remembered thinking there may be mice in the bed and I was checking to be sure we were rodent free. Wow. My favorite rat dream was in high school and Andrea Arnold (now Moffat!) was chasing me down my street with a rat in her hand chuckling a menacing, witchy ha-ha-ha laugh as I ran from her in fear.

#2 I LOVE Europe. I don't want to live there, but it is seriously like a fairy land to me. I think it's so romantic-cobblestone streets, old architecture, colored buildings, twinkle lights (ok, maybe just in my imagination). But, seriously, I love it. I just need to convince my husband that going there would be way more pleasurable than Israel where he is dying to go and reminds me of this fact on a regular basis.

#3 I own every episode of I Love Lucy. I've loved that show since I was a kid and have aquired all of the dvd box sets in the past couple of years. One of my all-time favorite episodes is when Lucy pretends like there's a burglar at home just to see if Ricky cares enough about her to comes running home from work to rescue her. It's a riot.

#4 I re-read novels like no one's business. Over and over. My favorite authors are Robin Jones Gunn and Lori Wick, but I've recently really expanded my reperatoire.

#5 No matter how hard I try, I suck at reading non-fiction. I think I've completed maybe 2 non-fiction books. I know I could really grow from them, yada yada, but they just don't send me.

#6 I love working with teens. They crack me up and break my heart. Sometimes I want to kill them (or myself), but really, I love them. Which is convenient since I am married to a youth pastor-who, by the way-I think is AMAZING at what he does. Seriously gifted. And really smart, which also works out really well, because he loves non-fiction and fills me in on all I miss out on and I don't have to read it!

#7 I don't like football. This makes me the weirdo in my family. I cheered for it for 4 years, my entire family enjoys it, my husband and his Mom and step-dad are fans, but I just don't like it. I've tried, but no matter how many times people explain it, it just isn't exciting to me. Sorry, guys.

#8 I really like sourcraut. I especially love it on those Costco sausage dogs. I was really bummed when they stopped offering it with them....

I am tagging...let's see Andrea, Karyn, Erin, Megan, and Kristi-if ya'll see this. :)

my cultured husband

As I write this post, I think of the irony involved. My husband has decided that it's a shame his wife has no culture. Huh. Last time I checked I was a FOREIGN LANGUAGE teacher. In fact, I teach 2 foreign languages (though the one that isn't so foreign, especially in CA, I don't teach past the beginning level, but who's counting?). I have a degree in French, a masters in foreign language ed, I've been to Europe 5 times, yada yada. Yet, according to Curtis, I am sadly uncultured. Hmmm.

Basically, because I'm not a fan of seafood or Asian food, I suck. So, with less than a good attitude (sorry, babe), I accompanied him to a Vietnamese restaurant for Pho (sp?). It's a type of noodle soup. He usually gets it with yummy things like tendons in it (barf). I had the safest looking kind with chicken and no tendons. It wasn't bad-it was no Red Robin bbq chicken wrap, don't get me wrong-but worth it if it meant gaining some "culture" points in my dear husbands eyes.

I suppose French pastries and Belgium chocolates and Italian gelato (my type of culture!) doesn't count. Go figure.

it took me by surprise

When Curtis asked me if we could open our home every morning for 30 days at 8:30am to have students over for quiet times, my first response was possibly less than Christlike. I said yes, but I was dragging my feet a little bit...every morning? What about 10am?

We've been going for over 3 weeks now, and all but 2-3 mornings have had at least one if not several kids/parents at our house. And guess what? They are actually QUIET. They usually go for 50-60 minutes minimum, and they read, journal, and pray. One day I remember it was over 2 hours (I stopped after one and made my menu for the week :).

Here's the part that surprised me a bit...I LOVE it. I actually teared up yesterday thinking about how it was going to end soon (school is coming!). I teared up today watching one girl ask another about something in the scriptures.

Not only has it built community among our kids, but it's been so good for me. When people are coming over, there is simply no room for justifying away why you can't have a quiet time that day! I'm growing to cherish and need that time.

Has anything surprised you all lately?

The day has come

Well, it's been awhile since Curtis or I have blogged. My excuse? My best excuse is that we don't have the internet at home (hopefully this will be resolved soon), and also I want to post pictures (my sister is soon to kill me if I don't showcase her soon) which are on Curtis' computer and I just don't get to spend much time in his office when he doesn't need his computer. So, basically, we're lazy. I cringe to think what will happen when I'm working full time again!

Speaking of work (I'm shushing myself right now at the mention of this), I head back to school in about 3 weeks. Seriously? Could the summer really be almost over? I feel like it just sped by this year.

Last time I blogged I asked for prayer concerning our youth conference in Saint Louis. Thanks for praying. Physically, other than the massive amounts of sweets I've eaten this week with my cousin Kate who's been down for a visit, I'm feeling great. And the conference was phenomenal. I hope the kids got as much out of it as Curtis and I did. :) I know some of them are changed significantly, and for some it was just one more small step in their journey. But, really, when you get in a stadium with 9,600 other people to worship God...well, not a whole lot that I've experienced can compare. It was just amazing. The speakers were fabulous and extremely challenging, and the students at the conference were able to serve the city of Saint Louis in really tangible ways-building 2 habitat for humanity houses, feeding over 10,000 families with donated food they contributed, serving in the school district, etc. It was awesome.
I feel like we left with a fire in our hearts to be a part of a revolution to change the world by being the hands of Jesus.

Curtis gave the message at church on Sunday, and, with absolutely no bias at all :), I have to say that I am married to a very gifted man. It's so fun to see God moving in and through him.

This blog is getting too long, so I'll just say that while Curtis has been on his junior high road trip to Oklahoma this weekend (not kidding-I sat this one out!), I have been lounging by the pool getting brown, reading novels, and resting. It's been wonderful. For you Jane Austen fans out there, seeing "Becoming Jane" is a MUST. I cried my eyes out with one of our high school girls. :)

And, I promise that one of these days we'll post pictures.