my yellow shoes

Gentle Goodbye of Winter

2011-02-10T06:36:00.000-08:00

I grew up in the south. and by south, i mean south. not necessarily just crazy-redneck-south, but citrus trees and beaches near by and warm weather all year long. Basically, no snow. Nope, this little one grew up in Camden County, nestled right between Jacksonville, Florida and Brunswick, Georgia. The last actual accumulation of snow was in 1989, and before that--1958. The point is, I never imagined that waking up to snow could be a normal thing. It snowed again last night here in Athens. This time, unlike the road-closing-snow we had last month, the snow just barely blankets everything. I love the perfectly tailored little bushes in my neighborhood; the snow collects on them making them look like little green and white bon-bons. (I tend to yell "happiness overload" to my roommate when we drive by. i LOVE them.) Anyway, this time it was a soft snow, and one that I feel like mother nature sent as a gentle goodbye to winter.

Thank you, mother nature. Im tired of winter and ready for some sunshine.

In other news, I got my GACE scores in yesterday, and I passed! I am one piece of paper away from being a completely certified Georgia Art Teacher! (that piece of paper should come in the mail any day now : ) ) I was so excited I shrieked at work when I read the email. There is no excuse now, I have to get a job. so, HELLO WORLD. hire me, wontcha?

2011-02-07T13:20:00.000-08:00

So, January has left and February is here, and I didn't even give this lover's month a proper introduction or hello. I guess its better late than never.

Well. Lets look at that January list.

I did in fact finish the book Secret Life of Bees, however I did not return it to Katie. I did tell her though. The book was a lovely read, and I can't believe I put off reading it for so long.

I did make a January playlist, and put it in my journal. The new Decemberists album had quite a few songs on it--a favorite being the January Hymn. And Creepin' on In by Dolly Parton, featuring Norah Jones was also a frequently played song.

I did schedule several meetings with Fledge, but they all had to be rescheduled. Can I get half-credit for that?

I made no books, but I did gather papers for the start of it.

I did start a painting! I am doing a rather large painting for a friend, and I am excited about everything that it entails!

I did cook quite a few good meals, but none of them were in the crockpot. I made a BEAUTIFUL barbecue chicken pizza on my pizza stone, though. With made-from-scratch dough and homemade Barbecue sauce. I even tossed the dough in the air. I should get extra points for that.

I took down most of the christmas ornaments, but I will be honest and say that the christmas tree is still not taken down. It is half taken down though. But that happened in February.

I did get my parents awesome birthday presents, and I even got to give it to them! My parents came up to visit this past weekend to celebrate birthdays, eat good food and they even had an educational experience at Starbucks.

I did start my resume. Its a lame start, but I sent it off to be edited. Its a work in progress.. as it always will be, right?

I did, as mentioned in the previous post, finish 24.

And, last but not least.. I had a kickin' good time turning 24. Kat's Martini was the last drink of the evening, and oh, it was so good! She even left RPM to go to trappeze on her day off to make my drink! How presh. Dinner at Casa Mia, as usual, but with new friends this year. And, the best part... I didn't loose my phone or ANY of my belongings this year.

All in All, January was a good month. Lots of Lazy days, with a few really productive days squeezed in there. Lots of snow and ice. which means lots of cooped up days with blankets, hot toddies, and netflix. Visits with friends and family, a PLUS.

AND NOW!

February. or as my friend Jessica is calling it, Februlearning. Because I will have no list this month, just one simple goal: learn something new everyday.

Want to know what I learned about today? Check out this article on the Phenomenon of the Devil's Footprints.

Good for my soul.

2011-01-12T15:51:00.000-08:00

So. I've been literally snowed in for the last three days. You think I would have accomplished a lot of things--there are so many things on that January list that could have been crossed off. However, I put ALL of my energy into crossing off number 16. Thats right, I finished season 8 of 24. in less than 48 hours. I am that committed. its an end of an era.. and its a very sad thing. Thats all I am going to say, because if i say anything more I will overflow and spoil everything for anyone who hasn't seen it.

anyway. Snow days give me happiness overload. the snowcapped everything. icicles. snowmen. neighbors coming out to play. snow just brings everyone together, and on my side of town, it was beautiful to see everyone walking around. Walking into town, walking the dogs.. or simply just taking a stroll. I love it, I love it, I love it! And, I have an incredible fascination with icicles. I don't believe that they are real. The idea of water freezing before it hits the ground: crazy. when jack frost beats gravity, lets just say, I'm impressed.

Its been wonderful to hang out with my roommate for this long, too. Even though we have lived together for almost six months, neither one of us had the schedule to hang out for extended periods of time. It was good. and Maisie always makes me laugh. and Laughter is good for the soul.

I have a feeling tomorrow things are going back to normal. I just got a text from my boss saying its back to normal operating hours. the universe is about to shift back into the everyday routine. so off I go to enjoy the last few moments of this snowcapped dreamworld.

2011-01-09T12:09:00.000-08:00

Okay. So the resolution list was put up, and I can check off one thing already. But lets be honest, its pretty hard to pin a list up (or write it in a blog) and try to get to it all year long. Even looking over my list a few moments ago, I thought to myself several times, "you can do that later in the year." But when? I need deadlines. I need more specific goals. so I decided that I need to make a month by month list of things to do. So, Here it is.

75 Cent Wreath

2011-01-07T06:01:00.001-08:00

One really great thing about working at Starbucks is that I get to keep most of the christmas decorations after the holidays. My home is full of little leftover holiday orphans. One of my favorite items I have collected is a beautiful holiday wreath made out of christmas ornaments and balls of yarn. When I was taking down the Christmas decor, I decided that I needed a wreath to replace the holiday one-- my front step just looked a little too boring without any sort of decoration.

I was discussing this with my brother and he encouraged me to make my own. He is one full of ingenuity and always finds a way to make something grand out of completely recycled materials. I was challenged. I balled up plastic grocery bags and wrapped them in yarn that was leftover from a previous project. I used up my entire stash of grocery bags, as well as most of my brother's. I found some wire in the studio and wrapped the wire several times around the bottom of a bucket to make the wreath base, and used tiny pieces of wire to "sew" the balls of yarn to the base. The silver balls are old ornaments my grandmother found on the side of the road and gave to me. Honestly the only cost was the 75 cent dragonfly ornament I found in the clearance section of walmart.

Tada! A beautiful wreath to adorn my door and welcome the the new year.

Quality time spent in Asheville: CHECK.

2011-01-05T23:40:00.000-08:00

So. Its barely the first week of the new year and I can already cross something off my list! Two of my best friends moved to Asheville, NC over the last year and although I have visited them more than once, it was very brief. I wanted to spend some quality time in the city. I wanted to sit and drink a cappuccino. Wander around town. go out for drinks at night, then sleep in late and eat breakfast as the sun is setting. (okay, that last one wasn't really a goal, but it did happen. and it was wonderful.) I wanted to go to their favorite restaurants. I wanted to feel like I used to with them--like nothing mattered when we were together. I didn't want to be pressed by what time I had to be at work or how long the drive is, and if I'll make it in time for my shift.

I welcomed the new year on the streets of Asheville. It was glorious. I was surrounded by most of my closest friends and we hadn't a care in the world. just being together. we stayed out late, and then slept in late the next morning. The first day of the new year was spent cooking a glorious breakfast (by which time we finished and ate, the sun was indeed setting). We sat around the dining room table, drank coffee and ate until we were busting at the seams. We talked about resolutions and goals, and memories of the last year. We sipped on cappuccinos and wrote in our journals. Later we went to a tapas restaurant (beteadubs, I love tapas. but micah ogle, does not. i learned that) and ordered almost everything on the menu and sipped on Macallan 12. The next day was spent walking around town taking pictures and walking in and out of shops and drinking cappuccinos and searching, unsuccessfully, for a mug to go in my collection. Apparently asheville doesn't go for the "touristy" stuff. I am kind of okay with that, but I do really want a cheesy mug that says asheville on it.

Anyway. I of course could spend much more time there, and I expect I will, but this trip made me feel like I know where my friends live. I can picture where they live rather than just their living room. I experienced some new things: new places, new food, new coffee, new scotch, new corners and new streets. new memories.

2011 checklist. I am about to dominate you.

Resolutions

2011-01-01T15:46:00.000-08:00

so. heres my list so far of twenty eleven goals.

paint lots of things. and sell them. and maybe give a few away.

TRAVEL. lots of places. take a road trip with Maisie to Chicago. Go back to Las Vegas. Head Northwest with Micah. Spend time in charleston. and nashville. Go ABROAD.

get a teaching job.

Start an Etsy shop.

take more photos. and get a new lens.

Scrapbook. and by that I mean, make at least one book that summarizes college. from start to finish.

discover new music. and make monthly playlists.

Spend quality time in asheville.

Learn about wine.

send a care package to Morocco.

Give away a lot. Minimize.

Cook more. remember that crock pot you threw a fit for? use it.

Enjoy the mornings.

Sew. make bags. makes things with fabric that i've made.

Enjoy a plate of fresh seafood-- its your favorite.

Make things out of dirt. do ten-minute pots.

Write in a journal that I make.

Send a journal to Africa and Europe. More specifically, to the people I know there.

grow my hair out.

send more handwritten letters.

run a race. okay. lets start with run. . . okay. lets start with buy running shoes.

buy running shoes.

Finish reading these books: 1000 splendid suns, Dry, and Secret Life of Bees, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.

(give Jess back Extremely and Incredibly Close

Read these books: Stieg Larsson series. Red Tent. Eat Pray Love. Frannie and Zoe.

Get a tattoo.

Work on fixin' the silent stutter.

Set up a studio with inspiration boards.

make more things out of wood. lets start with a light table.

draw more.

serve more.

join a small group.

Knit. or crochet. really just make something out of yarn.

Learn to "put up."

thats it for now.

2011-01-01T14:56:00.000-08:00

2010. a year of change. and perseverance. challenges, hardships. as well as celebrations. lots of celebrations.

2009 ended well- on a barrier island with one of my closest friends. 2010 started in my car, racing to get back to athens by the stroke of midnight. alas, East Campus Road right behind the stadium is where Micah and I ushered in the new year.

It was a night of dancing and good friends.

So. 2010 highlights:

I started my Last semester of COLLEGE! woohoo. I learned to weld. I went to Pubprom and made new friends! Im pretty sure I turned 23..I finished the Harry Potter Series.

Oh my- I fell in LOVE. in love with Tim Riggins.

Lets restate: I fell in Love with TV.

24. Bones. FNL. Prison Break. Netflix became my best friend.

oh: Guest Check dates. and tall soy chai

I got a blackberry! but technology continued to hate me.

I learned to screenprint and fell in love with fabric design.

I had a yardsale. July was full of yardsales and goodbyes. I moved out of Chase Street Villa. and my best friends scattered.

I moved to the EAST side. to a small apartment. I started Student teaching. I fell in love with drawing all over again. I worked... A Lot.

I finally graduated.

The highlight list for 2010 isn't that long. There isn't much to make a list out of. I didn't travel much. I didn't listen to great music. I didn't see really cool things. But it was still a good year. I did learn to deal with change. I did learn perseverance with school. I did work really hard. I learned what its like to say Goodbye to good friends. and the importance of keeping in touch. I learned that sometimes distance is good and needed for relationships. I learned that patience is key. and something to be learned. I witnessed beauty. and simplicity. and I learned how beautiful and wonderful little kids are. I spent a lot of time with my family.

Id say 2010 was pretty good.

but heres a cheers to 2011.

2010-05-05T14:54:00.000-07:00

I only have two more finals! woohoo!

I had my sculpture critique at eight o'clock this morning. Naturally, I woke up at 7:40.. on the couch. with everything still a mess. (i guess i should make it clear-- getting up at 7:40 isn't natural. getting up late is.) Anyway- For my final project I decided to make a clock. I started out thinking about how, even though military time is very simple to understand, it always takes me a minute to calculate what time it really is. So, the numbers start with 13 and end with 24. Thinking about the military made me think about my grandfathers--and how proud I am of their service. I recently learned what a Naval Mustang is, and that I am the proud granddaughter of one--Hence the reason for the horse in the background.

Anyway-- it was a fun project and I always love when I can make art that is functional and meaningful.

2010-05-04T13:11:00.000-07:00

so. its finals time. and as much as i want to stick my nose into an art history book or spend countless hours at the studio... I resist. These scarves are what I have been making in my free time! tell me what you think.

2010-03-17T13:15:00.000-07:00

2010-03-03T12:17:00.000-08:00

2010-03-01T13:11:00.000-08:00

Steel box project complete.

2010-03-01T12:20:00.001-08:00

should be paying attention to class. instead- im thinking about home.

sanity

2010-02-11T11:12:00.000-08:00

you wanna know why its been so long since i posted? because i have to freaking weld all the time (currently welding a 7 and 3/4 by 7 and 3/4 by 7 and 3/4 steel box.) and starbucks has become my life. and I am overwhelmed with ideas of paintings. and school is more than i expected. AND. (this is the one good thing )

ive been playing with this little one!Isnt she darling?! She is my beautiful niece Adah Catelynn! I have spent the last two weekends with her and my wonderful brother and sister in law.. so we set up a photo shoot for her! she is so photogenic.

anyway. back to welding and art history and painting. and drinking/serving coffee.
ill post something real. real soon.

love love.

2009-11-22T10:16:00.001-08:00

some pictures from my last project with Lindsay Reynolds!
inspired by: Oh Joy!

A list of ten things that make me happy and a tied up dinosaur

2009-11-03T20:58:00.000-08:00

ive had some reallllly long days lately. really long and verging on the side of crappy. and its just a shame because there are so many wonderful things! so. my post is dedicated to all the things that make me happy today.
1. red cups at starbucks came out today. even though i make like fifteen gazillion drinks in red cups-- they still make me happy. especially on the first day. and props to the design team- they look great.
2. on the note of starbucks: heres a little secret. In a few weeks, the caramel brulee latte will be coming out. im just gonna say that its DELICIOUS. and today i added a little cinnamon dolce to the mix.. poured the shot on top of that delicious soy/syrup mixture.. added a little whip and caramel crystals. um-hello happiness.
3. AND. one more for the bucks: thanksgiving blend coffee makes my mouth water.
4. lets talk about the leaves in athens. the ginko trees--definitely my favorite. they are beautiful! i love living in a place that actually embraces fall.
4. this weather. isn't it cheesy and cliche' to talk about the weather? I dont care. its wonderfu. and i could soak it up forever.
5. La Folie is now bottled and sold right down the road. this sour beer aged in oak barrels is one of the best of its kind. I have a bottle chilling in my fridge right now.
6. YAY. my best friend Ben is back from Europe and crashing on my couch. It feels like home again.
7. Thanksgiving is just weeks away. its my favorite holiday! i can already smell the fried turkey. OHMAGAH. my family really knows how to do it, and they don't play around. i can't wait.
8. although i like baseball-- i have hated the world series this year. only because they have taken over my favorite nighttime shows-- one in particular, HOUSE. but this list isn't about hates, its about likes. so i like that next week i get to watch a new episode that has been LONG awaited for.
9. i ALMOST have the glue out of my hair. you see, i decided to be a treasure troll for halloween. But I needed a quick spray. so I decided to grab the nearest bottle of spray adhesive to make sure that I had the best purple hair in town. lets just say that permanent spray adhesive doesn't easily come out of hair. if, at all.
10. I get to spend this next weekend with my some of my most favorite people. my brodder- his beautiful wife. and their darling 3 month old daughter.

okay. i have more-- but ten is good. and I need to focus on these things to forget all the other stuff. and to get me through this week. thanks for reading up !

oh yeah! the picture above also makes me happy. its from an installation at the art school that I took pictures of. Erin- sorry i don't know her last name- tied up all of her mcdonalds happy meal toys from the last like. twenty years. it looks awesome in the sunlight.

2009-10-28T22:49:00.000-07:00

childhood dream come true: YES! Tonight i saw Hanson for the second time in my college career! Two years ago my friend Theresa invited me to go see Hanson at The Roxy in Atlanta--I thought why not?! I was obsessed with them as a child, why shouldn't I see them, even if I was ten years too late? The show ended up being incredible. They had recently been to Africa, and a lot of their set was inspired by that trip. The music was great--upbeat with good lyrics. And of course, it took me back to my yesteryears. Even though I hadn't listened to their music in forever, I could still sing every word to their Middle of Nowhere CD.
Well, Theresa got tickets to see them at the Tabernacle for her birthday, and graciously invited me to go with her. I was stoked! Not only was I excited to see them again, it was a great time to commemorate two years of friendship with such a sweet, precious friend of mine. Tonight's show was even better than the first, AND teece and I were about ten feet from Taylor for the entire set. insane. I felt like I was ten again googling over these cute boys on stage. And P.S. I never found Zac to be that cute when he was little, but believe me, hes a little looker now.
Anyway--It was a great show and I had such a fun time. I couldn't get in with my camera, so the picture above is from their website, for those of you who dont know what these boys look like post 1997 Middle of Nowhere. (although this picture is from like.. 2007. Zac, of course, has long hair again.)

Dreaming of N'Orleans.

2009-10-25T20:22:00.000-07:00

so let me tell you how my morning started. lets start with this: i am working on my midterm--which is a collaborative project im doing with my five roommates. its awesome, and i am having a lot of fun with it, but i am more excited about it being done. [post on the final finished project later this week] of course, like always, i am cramming for it to be done on the last day. so i woke up early to get a start on things. i was working, well actually.. admiring some of the work i have done on it.. and noticed i left the lid off of my bottle of black india ink. sooo- i go to put it on, and in the process somehow knock the whole bottle over. on all the work i was admiring! i wanted to cry. instead. i wiped my dirty black ink-stained fingers on the clothes i was wearing. walked downstairs. and decided i needed doughnuts. but while thinking of doughnuts.. i was reminded of my favorite little place in new orleans.. and i wished so desperately to be this guy:

He sleeps like i do. im assuming--anywhere. and on breaks at work. He works at Cafe Du Monde. I dont know his name, I didnt want to bother him. But, I am not that guy, and I am definitely not anywhere close to being in New Orleans, nor at Cafe Du Monde. But then I remembered! I bought a box of beignet mix while i was there over the summer! So i wipped up some dough, dropped them in my little personal fryer, brewed some coffee and made myself a cafe au lait!Its as close as i was going to get this morning! I do have to say, especially for my first time, these little beignets were a little piece of heaven! and definitely lifted my spirits. So i stuffed my face with doughnuts and drank a cup of coffee and headed back up stairs to do some cleaning up.
Its 11:35 pm now, and I am still working on the project. I imagine i will see the daylight hours before I am finished, but it will be well worth it. Goodnight friends!

2009-10-24T09:41:00.000-07:00

umm...hello? yes. uh- i am going to be making something like this. because it looks like too much fun to not be partaking in. plus, i think my living room will look better with pink ribbony things on one wall anyway. who loves a photobooth? I DO.

photo from OH JOY!

2009-10-21T20:30:00.001-07:00

oh hello. i almost forgot, little blog, that you existed. almost, but not quite.
you want to know what i've been doing while i was gone?
well. first off. heres a series of paintings that i did for my studio class..
Its a series based on found writing. That was the assignment.. but heres my thought process for the most part...
While I was in Las Vegas over the summer, my super-awesome friend Micah showed my the artsy side of town. It was so incredibly beautiful! I never stepped foot in a gallery or in a museum, but there was art all around. (thats kind of how i feel all over the city) On this side of town, the graffiti artists are really embraced. Its amazing what some kids can do with some cans of spray paint--especially in an environment where it is embraced. Its not quite like that in Athens, GA.. but there are some beautiful hidden spots of writing and calligraphy and graffiti and stickers that I find absolutely gorgeous. I wanted to embrace this part of my own town. So each painting is at a particular point in the city-- and in that one spot, in every direction, I wanted to include the art that I saw. This could have been from flyers, graffiti, writing, stencils, whatever. Just whatever I found aesthetically pleasing.. so hopefully you find my interpretation of it all aesthetically pleasing as well.
They are currently on display at Transmetropolitan Downtown. Thanks to my beautiful roommate and manager there.

Well. painting. and classes. and writing. and tests. and oh- let me slip in some family time! ive been able to spend a great deal of time with my mother, which has been fabulous. My family lives about six hours away from me here in athens, and I rarely get to go home. She has graciously driven up here to spend time with me, help me out, and so that we can visit my beloved brother and sister-in-law and their beautiful baby girl Adah. its been great to sit with my mom. Its great to catch up, but its also great to have a relationship with her as an adult. It makes the world of a difference! ( i still feel funny calling myself an adult. we will run with it in this case) We can talk about anything. its great.
And. my mother and father just celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary. isn't that precious? i feel so grateful to be apart of a family that has stayed together through the test of time. My parents were high school sweethearts- and its still evident today.

aren't I lucky?! I know. and look how beautiful they are !

2009-07-20T20:14:00.000-07:00

look like an anne geddes print? nope. its my niece.

brief.. maybe. verbose discourse.

2009-07-01T10:43:00.000-07:00

July. lets talk. because you are a whirlwind. i like you, dont get me wrong. but youre crazy, and unexpected. thats all i need to say. can we slow it down a little?

Okay. i just needed to get that off my chest.
so lets, you and i, really talk about July.
the first of which is to say that im a proud aunt of a beautiful, precious, baby girl named Adah Catelynn Porter. I cant even tell you the feelings I had being in the hospital on the first of July. Birth- Newness. Freshness. Pure. Her heart is whole and she is just ready and waiting to be loved. She is celebrated, awaited, and cherished. There is nothing quite as beautiful. It made me so so proud of my brother and sister-in-law! They are going to be the most incredible parents. and I long for all the times where i get to spoil her and love her and be the crazy aunt frankie.

Fourth of July. one of the greatest celebrated holidays. Happy Birthday America! I realized this year that i have absolutely no idea what to do on the fourth if i am not in Elberton on the lake with my friend Cameron. So, saturday morning, i drove there in hopes to find a big Bacon flag.. and sure enough.. i found the whole family sitting on the dock.
the fireworks are fabulous. the food- always good. blueberry delight? yes, please. lake? one of my favorite places. but most of all.. its just good to slow down and get away for a day. to play ladder golf and swim in dirty lake water. and attempt life on rope swings.
thank you, America.

Whew- classes. youre back in my life! thats right. i went back to college. and i had my first exam today! I am taking that stupid science class that i have put off for the last four years.. but its surprisingly alright. I feel like im in middle school again, though. excited for the first day, nervous for the first test.. wanting to make new friends and talk to that cute boy on the third row.

And if Im not busy with class, then i am at work. people just love their coffee-- which, thankfully for me keeps my starbucks in business. and thankfully, as well, i love my job, so i dont mind being there as much as i am. but i never even got the chance to write about my travels!
so here goes. a short recap.
Las Vegas/California.
the two go hand in hand. I traveled to Las Vegas to visit some friends of mine, but mainly because I was invited to be a counselor at a summer camp. we packed up 300 kids from las vegas, and took them to the beautiful 1000 pines camp in Ponderosa, CA. It was incredible: the view. the camp. the stillness. the craziness. I haven't worked a camp in a while, but i sort of pride myself on being a professional camp counselor. so i didnt really prep for anything. WHEW. boy did that kick me in the butt. but i dont think i could of even prepared myself for the things that lay ahead for me. the camp was incredibly exhausting--but in a good way. number one: i havent played outside in a really long time. my legs have fallen sadly out of shape since my days long ago walking up brumby hill. but mainly, it was just exhausting learning and teaching and trying to balance them both and be completely vulnerable all the while! But I loved it. I dont think i have ever longed so much for a group of girls to feel loved and cherished and to learn something new and fresh. (and im including myself in this group). there was at one point were i just fell to the ground and could do nothing but lay there.
The Lord became real and beautiful to me in a new way. I feel like i've regressed to a kindergartner in thought! Everything I learned I have heard before in my life. I had to learn all over again what sin and redemption and what the gospel has to say about it all. I think because I have heard the word "sin" for so long, it lost its reek. But i was reminded of the sin in my life, and more importantly, the redemptive power of the Holy Spirit and what He does to overcome the nasty sin that so entangles my life.
Everything was so simple, so basic, so elementary. but the words and truths that i learned that week are etched on my heart in a new and perfect way. I feel like i have to often be reminded that we are called to have faith like a child. And that i tend to make things way too complicated.

So the trip was a huge refresher for my life. and of course i felt like i was simply learning the whole week instead of teaching.. but i think thats the way its supposed to be, anyway. and that is just barely skimming the surface on my experience. the relationships i made that week are ones that i will keep with me forever. the memories made: i will cherish. I was reminded what I want to do in life, and to keep at the dream. and lest not i forget.. the beautiful, wonderful oh so delicious In and Out Burger-- only found on the West Coast.

I thought for sure that my trip to New Orleans couldnt top the previous trip. I almost didnt want to go! It had a completely different layout, and was completely different altogether, but it instilled and reinstated every truth i had just learned. just in case i didnt get it the first time! And it was so good to see faces that I hadnt seen in so long.

So both of these experience have had a HUGE impact on my life and thought for the summer and for the time to come, so I wanted to share a brief bit with the worldwideweb.

ON A DIFFERENT, lighter note

i am currently in LOVE with the song "Cowgirls dont cry" by Brooks and Dunn. Anyone that knows me knows that country music holds an incredible place in my heart. and lets not even talk about Reba McEntire! So this song has played the last few times ive gotten in the car and now i cant stop listening to it! and of course.. the best part.. Reba sings the last verse.
"Cowgirls dont cry/ride baby ride/lessons in life are gonna show you in time/soon enough you gonna know why/its going to hurt every now and then/if you fall get back on again/Cowgirls dont cry"

Im no cowgirl, although i wish i were every once in a while. (hence the boots i just cant get off my feet. literally) But the song reminds me of good things. and good lessons taught. and how .. well, honestly. life is hard- but get right back on.

okay. okay. enough babbling. i have started this post like five times. so sorry for the random tidbits that might not seem to fit. but alas.. its written. and posted. and not spellchecked.

just a few random babblings

2009-06-30T16:52:00.000-07:00

Here are some quick thoughts before I hit the road once again.

- number one.. im going to be an aunt in a matter of hhhooouuurrrss! My precious brother and sister-in-law are having a sweet baby girl! Do you know how hard it is to buy baby stuff? the number of cute things that a little girl would want is endless. every store has something that my baby niece must have. and i haven't even met her yet! just wait until i see her personality! ah. i just cant wait to love and spoil this little one.
-two. my life has been just a little bit crazy. i think last night was the first night in weeks that i have gotten more than five hours of sleep, and today was the first day in weeks that i have showered in my own bathroom. crazy. but its been so good.
-to finish that last statement.. its been so good- because Jesus has been so real to me. Ive learned so much. so much, that i find it extremely hard to write, journal, blog, or anything! my fingers just cant move that fast when i start to think about it all.
-im sort of hooked on coffee with chicory. I brought back some from new orleans. and by some, i mean a mere two pounds. for some that might last all year. for me. maybe two weeks. boooo.
and i dont even know what i really feel about it- its very strange. bitter, but full of body, thick and intense.. i have to drink it with milk, cafe au lait style. i dont love it, and i dont hate it.. i just cant stop drinking it to figure it out.
-hey.. i start school in just a few days.
-i left my chacos in las vegas. thankfully, beautiful ms. katie brought them back for me, but i have yet to receive them back. and right now, its okay.. because my TOMS are the best fitting right now. they are perfect- perfectly molded to my foot, dirty enough to add character, but not dirty enough to smell. everytime i put them on i can't help but smile. its amazing. i love when shoes make me feel like i can do ANYthing in them.
-my shampoo bottle has just a matter of days left.
-i am incredibly moved and touched by this story. as soon as i find thirty dollars, i am going to purchase a whistle. and one for micah, too. since he lost his.
-can i just tell you that i think i left my heart in las vegas? its beating there..
i can't wait to go back.
-July is going to be fantastic. i have so many fun and wonderful goals. I cant wait to explore what he has to offer.

2009-06-26T11:13:00.000-07:00

Yellow Shoes #17

Cafe Du Monde
New Orleans, LA

*okay. so in the last week. ive been hanging out in California, Nevada, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Georgia. I have a lot of updating to do- i just don't have the time right now. But next week, I cant wait to write about all these fantastic adventures. The Lord is teaching me a lot. so check back in. love you. *

AND. how fantastic is the above picture? its got most of my favorite things: Yellow shoes, crushed pennies,and cafe du monde. c'mon!

2009-06-21T12:10:00.000-07:00

Yellow Shoes #16
Ponderosa, CA
June 2009

*photo snapped by micah ogle.

2009-06-15T08:09:00.000-07:00

Hello Las Vegas! You are beautiful, you know. and, i love that you don't like humidity, either. I wish you grew grass here, but i forgive you. It makes me appreciate mine a little more. you've been good to me these last two days! You've given me a lot to see. Your art, its incredible. i like how you let the boys adorn their art on your walls. they are so impressive- i could never do with a brush what they do with a can of spray paint! its incredible. you know.
Oh, and lets talk about your sunsets. there is a beautiful relationship that the sky has with the desert. somehow, it will always be beautiful here. but each moment of the day- somehow you take my breath away.
and your people- they are fabulous. the real people, they are good. the locals. they love community, and i love that. i could live here. i will reside with you, LV, one day.
but until then, i'll enjoy these random visits, and get to know you a little more intimately each time.
im looking forward to our relationship.
thank you, my new friend.

good morning, morning.

2009-06-13T01:39:00.001-07:00

you are quite early today. there is something beautiful to me about mornings, especially the ones where you beat the sun. i almost feel like im one of few in on a special secret. only a select few are awake, and fewer than that actually get to really enjoy this time of the day. hmm. nothing beats it- fresh coffee, good-morning playlist, the smell of breakfast. fresh flowers- birds chirping. roosters crowing (at my parent's home, at least.) and on those lucky mornings- showers.
haha.

but today- its even earlier than usual- you see. im leaving on a jet plane.
not really- but i am catching a flight in nashville this afternoon for vegas (i feel like i always have to say "vegas baby".. no matter what)
so vegas baby. here i come.

i working with this cool guy, who happens to call the strip (or close to it) his home. I cant tell you how excited i am to be back in this cool city! i went back in november for the first time, and i absolutely fell in love with the city and all of its people. mark my words, friends, i will live there one day soon. there are radical things going on right now- huge things. This city will one day know who reigns on High. and i can't wait!

I will get to play in vegas (baby) but im really there to work a summer camp in San Bernardino for Micah's church. (I had to look at where that was on the map. about two hours east of LA.) California! this will be the first time i actually see California.. except for that short stint in the desert. I was looking for a california sign- so we drove a few miles into CA... ended up in death valley.
but all i saw was the worlds largest thermometer.. and lots of sand.
so this will be real. with people. and maybe some plant life? life in general?

so friends- if you are with me- please pray for me this week. im praying for revival and renewal. for me, and my senior girls that i will be working with. Hearts. pray for hearts! oh, how it is the wellspring of life.

i love you all.
my yellow shoes are packed.

my first

2009-06-07T11:21:00.000-07:00

It has been long awaited- I finally went to my first braves game at turner field! I feel like a real American now. My heart and soul are good- this southern void has been fulfilled. The night was amazing, even though the braves did not finish with a victory against the Milwaukee Brewers. But it was complete with cut-off jean shorts, bandanas, cheap beer, foot-long hot dogs, soft pretzels, and most importantly, amazing friends. What could make a saturday night better? i think nothing else.

currently working on..

2009-04-23T15:54:00.000-07:00

still working on this one. but i like where its headed..

number two.

2009-04-23T15:53:00.001-07:00

heres the next one.
its a little darker.. but oh well.

much to say.

2009-04-21T20:34:00.000-07:00

there is much to say.
april, you've been good.
and i will get to that,
but in the next post.
today- i just want to show
what ive been doing.
ive picked up an old friend--
a few friends, to be exact.
my brush and canvas-
its been so long since ive seen you!
and you make me feel good.
you encourage me.
i like you-

so here you are. number one:

two letters and the sun set of march.

2009-04-01T19:42:00.000-07:00

dear manic march.
just look at your beauty above. never before have you shown your sun rays through the trees in my back yard like you did last week.
you were good. you brought snow and lots of rain, and beautiful 70 degree weather. who knew your month could be so diverse? but it was--it was! i enjoyed it. never before had i experienced two distinct seasons within a week. thank you. thank you for your weather. thank you for the blizzard. thank you for the rain.
i had a good time with you! i crossed some things off my list. i read a few good books--Grace Eventually, Unveiled.. I started The Scarlet Letter and Happens Everyday. I saw some good movies: The Great Debaters and Sleepwalking to name a few. OH- and march , you brought american idol back into our lives! how wonderful. and HOUSE. i watched a lot of house during your reign of time.
You were filled with picnics and new adventures. good beer and good food and good friends. and new neighbors- hooray! you brought some out of towners in town. i fell in love with new music. and fell in love with old music all over again. i ate new food at new restaurants! I put air in my tires and revived my bike! i felt the wind- it was wonderful! I made lots of things. and cooked lots of new things.
overall, march. you were good to me, so i thank you. i will miss you while you are gone, and looking forward to your return.

so dearest april.
you have big shoes to fill, but i have faith in you.
you can do it!
aim high! shoot big!
bring flowers with your rain!

signing off, grace to you--

frankie nicole porter

number seven-- check!

2009-03-29T19:10:00.000-07:00

so. i can successfully cross off number seven of the list
basil and cilantro now adorn my kitchen sink!

and husky sweet tomatoes are dressing my back porch.
and look at that beautiful mosaicked pot! job well done, catherine porter.

rain, rain, go away. come again another day.

2009-03-28T18:01:00.001-07:00

has the rain stopped?
long enough for some pictures, i do believe so.

2009-03-28T09:42:00.000-07:00

lets talk about my breakfast, can we? i had a waffle with lowfat vanilla yogurt topped with strawberries and almonds, and then lightly drizzled with local honey on top. sounds perfect, eh? it was, and it was delicious.
i am pretty sure that when i am older and have kids...i will never serve this breakfast to any of them. maybe on their birthday or something special like that.. but for a short time after breakfast, i felt like i was bouncing off the walls. i really felt the natural sugar rush. i can not imagine what it would do to little bodies.
anyway.
i cant have anything but a lovely day after a breakfast like that.

rainy days are meant for making things.

2009-03-26T14:28:00.000-07:00

i believe its true.
and believe me, its raining.
im trying to clean my room. but i keep finding things that
i never finished making
or
things that i have been intending to make.
so whatever.
cleanliness-- have i ever really loved you before?
lets make pretty things today,
march.
like little change purses with hearts.

she sews

2009-03-26T09:29:00.000-07:00

Its complete! the bag to the left is my latest project.
i am not even sure who taught me how to sew-- everyone in my family could sew, and would sew often. my mother, my father and my brother could all equally sew well. and of course my grandmothers and what not. and my entire family is really short, so of course just about every article of clothing had to be altered.
Ive known the basics for a really long time. i could always use a sewing machine, and if something had to be sewn together, i could probably make due.
however, i have had an increased interest in this art as of late. I got a sewing machine for christmas, and have just been going to town!
I first started with a vest-- and i did this for a few reasons. first, because its been a project i've wanted to do for the last two years. I found a very large, very old, vest at the salvation army that i couldnt put down for love of the pattern. I bought it with intentions to alter it.. it just took a while to get to it! the second reason is because i would hope that it would teach me to be a little more precise. well.. the final product is to the right.. and i was pretty precise. but i still need a lot of practice. so, the second project was to alter a bag that i had bought years before.
and let me tell you..I have this thing-- i really like tiny, useless, nerdy things. i love lapel pins, and i collect them from every place i go to. i like crushed pennies, and collectable spoons, and patches... and i have an incredibly large postage stamp collection. however, most of these things just clutter my drawers and tins all over the room. so i decided to make a bag to display my pins and patches, and maybe a penny or two. (i still have to think about what ever i am going to do with a postage stamp collection.)
so i took apart a bag that i bought from the store, and made a new front to it. i then just started adding all the clutter from the drawers to the bag! its a bit overwhelming, but its good to have it all in one spot, with all the ability to carry my books and display my nerdiness to the world.
In an effort to be a little more sophisticated, and maybe a little grown up, i decided to make another bag. this one is probably my favorite! the front of it is made of thick fabric that is left over from reupholstering. the back of the bag is made from leather left over from a project in school last year. the inside is lined with black fabric left over from camp, and there are fun little pockets inside made of the same swirley fabric as the front. i love the way it turned out, and its such a sturdy bag-- im sure it could hold anything!
well, my latest project (at the top) was inspired by a similar purse of my roommates. in the end, it doesnt really look anything like hers, but i still really love it. the fabric i found at the OCAF thrift store, and it cost my a whopping total of seventy-five cents. i just absolutely love the pop of yellow! i wanted to sew little yellow yo-yos on it, but decided to use the yo-yo backward to cover where the handles go through the bag.
its just a fun little bag, big enough to hold my essentials (being my journal and a book and all the other normal clutter a woman's purse holds..) yet, small enough to fit perfectly over the shoulder and under the arm.
its perfect! i hope you love it too!

Ale-8-One

2009-03-19T14:30:00.000-07:00

this is a late one. this was supposed to be posted after new years, then on my birthday, but a beautiful march afternoon fits just as well, right?

22 things to do before i turn 23

1. Bike more. not because i need to or have to. not because i need to exercise. bike because i love it. bike not because its good for me, but simply because its good. bike and feel the wind. smell the air. put some oil on my joints and make my knees move.
2. Eat at these restaurants:
(2a): Dondero's Kitchen. ive been wanting to eat there since maria dondero was my ceramics teacher.
(2b): Weaver D's. because i live in athens and i havent.
(2c): Wilson's Soul Food. because who couldn't use some more soul food in their life? and its nestled in between my favorite spots of downtown.
3. allow some elbow room in my soul. Jesus says we need to change every second to be more like Him. I want room in my life. in my heart. in my soul to be moved, molded, changed, and inspired.
4. make a necklace, and give it away. partly because i have more supplies than i will ever need to make one, and partly because i love making things. and who doesnt like gifts? someone will surely like to receive mine, right?
5. learn the single ladies dance.
this one is partly obvious-- who doesnt love beyonce? i do. and partly because my roommate can dance like its her business, and i want to dance with her.
6. volunteer somewhere that i feel needed. i have a lot of free time these days, and i want to be apart of something greater than i am. i want to give and feel that i am doing something worth while.
7. garden.
fresh herbs on my front porch.
i want to fill the pots my mother so beautifully mosaicked for me.
8. give. give away. give to people. give of myself. tip well. give away things i dont need anymore. sacrifice somethings i want to keep but should give away.
9. learn the camera.
i am no photographer by any means. i appreciate good work, and am surrounded by people who are legitimately good photographers who know their stuff. i have a camera, a nice one at that, i just dont know how the whole contraption works. i should know that. so that maybe one day, i can call myself a photographer. not a good one, but one nonetheless.
10. love. love more. give grace. forgive. live compassion. and dont be so critical.
11. get a tattoo.
12. paint for someone. draw. be more creative. be intentional in pen. be inspired by the things around me. the little and the big. the everyday and the out of the ordinary. dont just tackle big projects--doodle. draw. create. just because i can, and just because i should.
13. go out of the state. get out of the south. even if its just for a day.
14. take a road trip to kentucky, see some new colors, and drink an ale-8-one. and talked to tyler lyle while im there.
15. write my parents a letter and tell them how much i love them. they need to know that.
16. spend some time with Elizabeth Johnsen. and learn to love her well.
17. give up coffee for a little bit, just to drink it again and remember how much i love it.
18. eat at whole in the wall mexican restaurants with jessica.
18a. learn to love mexican food.
19. go back to school and love learning. be refreshed. renewed. and soak up all the knowledge i can.
20. cook fun things. new things. drink good beverages, and record them. figure out what beverage goes best with which food. take pictures and make a cookbook with my discoveries.
then, give the book away.
21. start my daughter diaries.
22. read a steinbeck book-- because i forgot how much i love him.

drinking in sunshine and coca-cola

2009-03-19T13:13:00.000-07:00

want to know what freedom looks like today? its sunny and warm, and ive been laying on a knitted blanket on my front lawn for hours. beautiful. i have my hair in a boy scout scarf tied up like aunt jemima would, and my dad's old sunglasses on. they look rather goofy, but i dont care-- i miss him. and it doesnt stop the kids from waving from their cars as their moms drive them down chase street. im currently listening to tyler lyle's album, being inspired by his authenticity, and challenged by his lyrics. im eating a prosciutto di parma sandwich from the favored and loved athens local Big City Bread, drinking in sunshine and coca-cola. im reading an assortment of words-- from Anne Lamott's Grace (Eventually), Athen's Flagpole, and the normal blog rolls.
its a rather good day.

*photo by micah ogle

2009-03-17T17:57:00.000-07:00

march. i like the rivers you've shown me.

he carries this lamb close to his heart.

2009-03-16T21:33:00.000-07:00

i was driving down south milledge a few days ago..
its strange, that road.
it was my home for so long, now i hardly see it.
oh that road. it floods my mind with memories. and takes me to a whole new place as the scenery changes from university greek row to greenery and livestock and ruins.
its really a beautiful conversion.
well. the new scenery reminded me of the time of year
you see, i almost forgot.
last week we had three distinct seasons within seven days.
but. the lamb doesnt lie.
my car almost came to a complete stop in the middle of the road as i gazed at the fields to my right and saw all the little lambs. i forgot! i forgot that this was my favorite time of year. i forgot that spring is almost here! i forgot that there are sheep in athens.. i forgot-- how beautiful and wonderful and necessary to drive down old roads!

-----------

but the lord almighty will be exalted by his justice, and the holy god will show himself holy by his righteousness. then, sheep will graze as in their own pasture. lambs will feed among the ruins of the rich. Is. 5.16-17

2009-03-07T10:56:00.000-08:00

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec is one of my most favorite artists. I think his gestural sketches are refreshing and beautiful, and oh! the simplicity of his work! its amazing how just a few confident lines can create something so beautiful and be so bold! but i think that i love him the most because his work was the first i ever saw in a museum. my poppa took me to the cummer museum in jacksonville when i was really young, and it was the first time i ever stood in awe in a gallery. it was the first time i saw something original and real, rather than some small thumbnail in a text book. And later, i remember my beloved brother coming home from paris and talking about his work and framing lots of his prints..

anyway. all that to say that i love his work and i am so excited about this new piece that is adorning my dining room wall! i found a plain old picture frame from the goodwill that i bought a few weeks back, and painted it this beautiful blue (im in love with this color! I bought an old school chair at a thrift store in this color and have been mixing paint since then to paint everything in my house!). I found a book of postcards that i bought at the exhibit long ago, and loved the yellow in this print. i painted the frame for something else, but happened to see it next to this lautrec print and it worked so well! And my yellow kitchen is in the shadow of this framed beauty, so it just ties the two rooms together!

2009-03-03T15:12:00.000-08:00

the weatherman predicted last week that it would snow. and i said bull crap (or something like that).
but mr. weatherman was right, and it snowed. but it didnt just snow.. it SNOWED. like, really snowed.
and let me tell you-- i grew up in a little town that adorns the southeastern coast. it has snowed once in the last fifty years there-- so if you can imagine a ten year old in a twenty-two year old body, you can imagine me.
it was ridiculous.
and what was more ridiculous was just a few days before the snowflakes fell, i could taste spring. it was like seventy degrees. and the day after-- it was sunny and clear.

so, job well done mother nature, to end on the note that you did.
it was a beautiful ending to the winter months.
a wonderful surprise.
and an absolutely fabulous way to start the month of march.
so MARCH.
here you are, in all of your glory.
march you are the month of newness. you let winter linger enough to remind us of the past, the cold. but you bring sunshine and spring time and newness.

so, march, i do adore thee.

things that i love thus far about this tertiary month:

*hot toddies.
number one: if you are any friend of mine, you know that i absolutely love honey.
so there is just something beautiful about honey, lemon and jameson all mixed together.
sunday afternoon my best friends and i sat in the upstairs of Transmetropolitan and sipped on hot toddies and watched the biggest snowflakes of our lifetime fall from the heavens.
thats a beautiful memory.
*snow
brings everyone together. i was in the downtown district of athens when it started snowing heavily, and everyone just came together. its like we all became ten year olds with houses-- we came out to play and throw snowballs. no one cared about the social norms or who was whom-- there was freaking snow on the ground! so we all played. community became real. and new friends were made.
*forgive and forget
i feel like february always just drags.. but there is something about march that just predicts goodness. and you cant help but look at the future with bright open eyes and a new fresh mind.
you forgive and forget.
spring is new life, and march is the tipping point for that.

yellow shoes #15
chase street
snow day- 2009

2009-01-31T13:09:00.000-08:00

this is what the sky looked like the day
the day i saw twenty- two.

'twas a beautiful day.

2009-01-05T11:36:00.000-08:00

2008- you are gone. forever to be lost in the hands of time. never to be seen again. only to be spoken of, looked back upon, and remembered. you were sometimes terrible to me. but mostly-- you were beautiful. you hold in the grips of your fingers some of my greatest hurt and most of my fondest memories. on your shoulders rest the wisdom gained. in your heart you hold lots of firsts and hopefully-- some lasts. 2008, you are beautiful because no year will ever come close to comparison.

I saw the lights and strip of Las Vegas.
I sank my toes into the nevada desert.
I witnessed the World's Largest Thermometer in California.
I walked the streets of Denver.
I laughed a lot in Nashville.
I gazed at tall buildings in NYC.
I smelled the savannah sunset.
I flew a kite.
I painted. really painted.
I danced, a lot.
I danced like no one was watching, really.
and sometimes, I danced until the sun came up.
I ate lots of good food. and lots of local food.
I became a better tipper. and gave more of myself.
I read more books than before, but bought more books than I read.
I enjoyed lots of christmas music.
And i made lots of playlists.
I expanded my vocabulary and fell in love with language all over again.
I cried.
and loved.
and hurt.
and lived.
I let go. of things that should have been long gone.
I voted. and learned of politics.
I learned what it meant to be a friend.
I moved into a great house with even greater people.
I cooked lots of dinners. and set the smoke alarm off a lot.
I drank good drinks. and lots of good beer.
Oh, and I turned 21.
I became a soon-to-be aunt.
I caught the sunrise at the beach.
I got a job that I love.
I learned to really love coffee.
I found community.
I got in touch with old friends.
and made lots of new ones.
I learned new games-- like corn whole and shuffle board.
I stood in awe at the enormity of the Hoover Dam in Arizona.
I gathered lots of useless facts.
I picked all the tangerines and kumquats I could handle.
I hugged the homeless.
I smelled New Jersey.
I fell in love with eggs again.
I celebrated halloween for the first time in years.
I listened to life-changing music and saw soul-moving concerts.
I dated. and enjoyed the freedom of singleness.
I jumped on the trampoline like a kid.
I found a church that i love.
I smashed lots of pennies in different cities.
I ran through the garden of the gods in colorado springs.
I collected lots of lapel pins.
I sat. and rested. and listened. and learned the importance of sitting still.
I ran with spontaneity.
I lived behind a lens.
I experienced freedom from the grips of school.
and greatly missed being a student.
I gained responsibility on a whole new level.
I ate a lot of japanese food, and drank a whole lot of espresso.
I witnessed love at its finest.
I regretfully learned that people steal sometimes.
But I learned that I don't need most of the stuff I have.
I received grace. a lot of it.
I baked a turkey for the first time.
I sat with my grandparents. and learned from them.
I appreciated family history. and knowing who you are.
I found myself.
I laughed at it, too.

this is my language

2008-12-13T11:13:00.000-08:00

so. i love making cards.
the greatest way to love me is to indeed write me a letter. and although i know that not everyone is loved best in writing, its definitely one of the best ways i know how to love.
so. i love making cards.

and one day- ill have my own card collection-
but for now.
i have a few christmas cards to send out,
and a very belated thank you card.

thank you today, for being productive.

2008-12-10T19:08:00.000-08:00

december. i need you to love me.

thats all.

thank you- you are good.

2008-12-05T09:37:00.000-08:00

Yellow Shoes and Log Trucks
and scary run down shacks
highway 15
Somewhere near Sandersville, GA

cotton candy and charm bracelets

2008-12-02T14:10:00.000-08:00

oh www. today has been a most magnificent day. I didnt have to go into work until noon, so i had the entire morning to soak in all of its glory. Amy Kime-- a dear friend from freshman year (notice im still wearing my high school ring in this picture. its from yyyeears ago) joined me for a gourmet (so she called it) breakfast in the dining room where sun rays fooled us into thinking it was a hot summertime day. the breakfast consisted of eggs scrambled with spinach, tomatoes, and feta, with bacon [congrats to me. this was the first morning i successfully, purposefully, burnt my bacon without setting off the smoke alarm] and publix whole grain toast with raspberry preserves. We had freshly ground and pressed thanksgiving blend coffee and somewhat fresh (im sure tropicana is on top of things) squeezed orange juice.

its good to gather with old friends. there is a beauty in sitting with someone whom you have seen change and grow and flourish through the years. Amy is a remarkable young woman, whose big toes usually grace the bottom of Jesus' feet because she follows so closely.

After breakfast I went to work [ps. im convinced i have the best job in the entire world . for this time in my life, at least]. Today i began my "coffee master" training. so let me sum it up: i got paid for drinking lots of coffee, and eating lots of treats. no, really. it was incredible.
AND. there is a lot about starbucks that people dont really know. i am currently residing in this hippie woven town with lots of "lets ban major corporations" groups. while i like to support locality, there are some amazing benefits of a major corporation.
for instance:
*starbucks has paired with a non-profit orgranization to set in place C.A.F.E. (coffee and farmer equity) practices- Basically the Bucks only buys coffee from cooperatives made up of small scale farms that ensure that it is the highest quality beans bought at fair prices, and that the farms are meeting certain social, economical, and and environmental criteria. There is complete transparency in economics, and Starbucks wants to make sure that all social and environmental needs of all the participants in the supply chain (from farmer to consumer) are addressed and met.
*Starbucks is currently the largest purchaser and supplier of certified organic and fair trade coffees in the world-- buying nearly 40 million pounds of coffee a year.

anyway. thats my little spill of facts for you for today.

but- for the last hour that i worked i got to just taste different coffees and decide what food was best paired with it and inform my partners and customers about the different select coffees of today. i loved it! i got to make people's day (or so i believed) by giving them free cups of coffee and little desserts. AND. im a nerd and just absolutely love [seemingly useless] facts.

anyway. the sun has set in athens, and i am freezing cold dreading the cool night frost that is about to set in. oh winter- here you are!

i leave with another quote from the wonderful book i am reading, cold tangerines:

"to choose to celebrate in the world we live in right now might seem irresponsible. It might seem frivolous, like cotton candy and charm bracelets. But i believe that it is a serious undertaking, and one that has the potential to return us to our best selves, to deliver us back to the men and women God created us to be, people who choose to see the best, believe the best, yearn for the best. Through that longing to be our best selves, we are changed and inspired and ennobled, able to see the handwriting of a holy God where another person just sees the same old tired streets and sidewalks."

2008-12-02T05:26:00.000-08:00

Yellow Shoes #13: Baker, California [home to the world's largest thermometer]

tiny umbrellas

2008-12-01T12:08:00.000-08:00

Sweet November has passed-- and Glorious December is here! I really can't believe it. I feel like this year just began, and here we are in the concluding month. I have a mere thirty days left to finish my 2008 resolutions- so i better get on it, or this year will finish without me even knowing it.
i love this time of year. i love that people listen to more music, that there are more lights in life, that people gather together more, that people take more time to think about the things that really matter. I love that its cold and I get to bundle up and sit next to fires. I love the exceptional amount of food that is made (and how i always have leftovers from lovely potluck dinners).
Oh- this year was wonderful and I have a lot to be thankful for. And this is a post that should have been done on thanksgiving, but i was enjoying the time with my family too much to spend time on the internet. So I did some thinking...
and though I am thankful for all the big umbrellas in my life- the fact that i live in a house and I have a great family and good friends, that I am alive and well and that I really dont have any big day to day worries. But its the little things that make everyday so fantastic-- and those are the things that make life what it is. SO i wanted to ponder on my tiny umbrellas. the tiny insignificant things in my life that i am thankful for. and heres what i am thankful for today:
*french presses and how they make coffee and tea so much better.
and *starbucks for letting me get a free pound of coffee every week.
*my korduroy comforter-- (i am some what narcoleptic..some would say) sometimes the thought of this big red blanket on my bed is the only thing that is going to make me exert energy to walk up the stairs and climb into my bed, rather than falling asleep wherever i am.
*books- books with aesthetically pleasing covers, and some with no visual appeal at all. books and how they look so wonderful adorning my shelves. lending books to friends... and then theres actually reading good books.
i love owning books. even books i dont plan on reading. [although, i do want to read them]
*my tangerine tree. somehow, this tree is like bread and fish-- it could feed thousands. i dont understand how it produces so much fruit, but it does. i recently came home with like three hundred ripe orange goodies; all to give away and eat and juice and love.
*Irish men? haha. they always look so good in the movies- and they tend to drink good beer.
*sweet tea-- the way jessica makes it.
*new music. mixed cds and itunes playlists and how music can weave together so many wonderful moments and memories and flashbacks all in just a few minutes.
*a good pair of slacks and a button down shirt and how i feel ten times more confident wearing that than anything else.
*oh- last, certainly not least. probably one of my most favorite of all things-- the fact that i have so many rhythm infused friends that love to dance, and the 283 bar on broad that DJ Alfredo mixes at.

oh. so. today. those are my tiny umbrellas. tomorrow will bring more. and these are the umbrellas that get me through the rains. i leave with this wonderful quote from shauna niequist:

"Before the wars are over, before the cures are found, before the wrongs are righted, Today, humble Today, presents itself with all the ceremony and bling of a glittering diamond ring: Wear me, it says Wear me out Love me, dive into me, discover me, it pleads with us...

The World is alive, blinking and clicking, winking at us slyly, inviting us to get up and dance to the music that's been playing since the beginning of time. if you bend all the way down and put your ear to the ground to listen for it."

2008-11-25T20:08:00.000-08:00

Yellow Shoes #12: Searchlight, Nevada

monumental moments

2008-10-23T13:53:00.001-07:00

today is a monumental day.

i pulled out my box of jackets and sweaters and pondered what i should wear today. i found my ol' faithful peacoat and put it on for the first time since the spring chill left and the sun came out and played. it felt great. it was a moment that i have been looking forward to since i put that box under my bed.

so here i sit, at walker's pub with pumpkin flavored americano in hand, peacoat on and all bundled up-- and i keep trying to read my book (currently reading: the Alchemist), but all i can think about is all the things that make me happy.
so what do i decide to do? make a list and blog.
because thats what bloggers do, right?
( i wouldnt quite call myself a blogger, but it seems fitting for the moment)

so. heres my happy october list:

1. pumpkin. pumbakin. punkin. however you want to say it or spell it- its here, its limited, and its good. no october list could start any other way. i have consumed enough pumpkin flavored things in the last few weeks to make up for the lack of since last october. heres my favorites:
a. dogfishhead punkin ale. preferably on draught from the trappezze pub downtown. its one of the only "black" beers that i can drink-- im not that hardcore. its dark in color but rich and hearty with hints of brown sugar and pumpkin and spices. its wonderful- and wonderfully paired with good friends.
b. uh- hello- the only thing that could come after beer is coffee. oh how i love love love coffee. and although i am a bit bias- starbucks really knows how to make good pumpkin spice everything. pumpkin spice lattes, frappuccinos, americanos. you name it- starbucks has it and its good. and what could be better paired with a pumpkin spice latte than a pumpkin cream cheese muffin? thats right, nothing.
c. pumpkins on porches and pumpkin carving bashes, and pumpkin seed roasts, and everything else that those round orange vegetables entail.

2. scarves. anyone who knows me well, or even at all, knows that i LOVE scarves. i pretty much wear them all the time, all year round- but now is coming the time to wear them out of necessity. and that just makes my heart happy and my neck warm. i am pretty convinced that you could wear the same black outfit every single day- but if paired with the right scarf, no one would question your fashion sense, or your smell.

3. the chill in the air.
this is a big one.
im a deep south girl- with southern heat in my heart. i like it hot. where im from- if its below 70 degrees, its way to cold, and the sweaters are out. and heaven forbid- if its below sixty- cancel school and stock up on food because its going to be a long cold winter.
ive pretty much always been a wimp when it comes to the cold weather. so the fact that i am enjoying the cool air is a big thing.
im going as far to say that today- i couldnt even put away my holey summer jeans. i have socks on almost to my knees, three shirts on, a peacoat and a scarf on- but i left the jeans with the holes on just so i could still fill a little chill on my skin.
little chill.

4. the fact that thanksgiving is in T- 35 days and counting. oh me oh my i cant wait! thanksgiving is just so wonderful! My father really knows how to do thanksgiving. There is no other fried turkey like his- and there is enough made to last weeks. and although its not quite as wonderful as when the turkey is first cut, having turkey and mayonnaise sandwiches the weeks following make me almost as happy as on the day itself.
and my entire family is going to be home this year! this is something that rarely happens- someone usually has to work, or we share the brother with the inlaws or something like that. but not this year- this thanksgiving is going to be one to remember.
AND. tryptophan induced napping?
yes please. i never need an excuse to nap, but when i have one, i take it.

5. and last but certainly not least. the colors that fill the air as autumn arrives. Athens is a beauty, a real gem, in the autumn as the ginko trees spill their lovely yellow leaves all over the city. and david condos sings best the meaning of the season:

" But even the most ravishing leaf Can only be held for a season, no matter how sincere the tree.."

there is just a beauty in letting go and moving on- and although bare for a moment- spring is not far off with new birth and new life.

so thats how i end this list of a blog. happy and warm- with the exception of my knees- and full of pumpkin. and of course, its time for a nap.

do you know what i love?

2008-09-15T18:48:00.001-07:00

do you know what i love? no really. like LOVE.
i love pickles. and everything pickle flavored.
i love pickle chips, and pickle spears, and pickle sandwiches.
i love pickle pops, and pickle juice, and fried pickles.

i love pickles.

i have always loved pickles-- dad and i would make them from the cucumbers we got from the backyard, and liz and i would split the jar one by one and eat an entire jar in one sitting everytime i spent the night at her house. [Mom would usually limit my pickles to one because she knew i had the ability to eat the whole jar at once- but no fear- i could walk next door and eat mandy's pickles.]
the skating rink i spent almost every night at would make pickle juice pops and sell them for $.25 and i am pretty sure that it was my favorite thing at the skating rink.
and my dad and i would always stop at the mom and pop down the road and get the reallly realllly big pickles in a bag, and see who could eat it faster.
pickles really had a big role in my childhood : )

im not going to lie- i still eat them everyday and still look forward to drinking the juice when i am through. im pretty sure my roommates think that its the grossest thing ever, but whatever, im over it.

WELL. tonight. i had fried pickle chips for the very first time from a restaurant downtown and it went straight to my heart. it might be my new favorite thing and i cant wait to try and make them myself!

thats all. i just wanted the world wide web to know how much i like vinegar soaked cucumbers.

walking tall

2008-09-08T21:39:00.000-07:00

perfection of the above picture:

dark, freshly roasted, pressed coffee sipped from a flawless, hand made, salt-fired mug

monday has made out for a great day. work starts it out too early- before dawn has even broke free from her covers. but the redolence of freshly ground coffee is enough wake me and shake me for the day ahead. i love my job. and i never thought i would say that at a place where i have to be awake at 5:15 in the AM. but alas, i do...oh how life has changed.
after work i started reading the shack by william p. young- i kind of feel like i am just jumping on the bandwagon; it seems as though everyone is reading it. but ive been wanting to read it for some time now. anyway- its a great story of how the Lord really meets us where we are- in the midst of our pain, our tragedy, our mess. He rides in on his white horse and says come on, im here to take you some place greater.
Im not in the midst of any of the above things [pain, sadness] like in the book, but the Lord has definitely come to my front porch within the last week and met me where i was. In my time of fretting, in my time of craziness and ridiculousness only brought on by myself-- He meets me there, has some coffee, tells me he loves me and that he'll clean up my mess..
i learned a good truth last year during some troubling times- its a truth that i want to cling to for the rest of my life, whether in troubling times or not... its that Jesus lived the life he did so that he can meet us in our place, he can lay beside us in our crap and say "I truly understand." but that he died and rose again so that we can get up out of the gunk, rise again and walk tall.

right now- im walking tall hand in hand with my father, and man it feels good.

do you hear the pages flip in the wind? its like bibles on sunday mornings.

2008-09-07T19:35:00.000-07:00

my eyes are soft and wise
they tell a story
of things left behind
defeat and glory
and i push every hinderance aside

and move forward.
-bethany dillon

heres to a new start.
a new book with fresh chapters.
pages screaming out life and adventure
of life well lived.
with tales of love and friendship and truth and wisdom.
of learning and growing and maturing.
of living in a grand orange manor
with ceilings that leak when it rains to hard
but walls that sing the melody of love
and a foundation that whispers the sound of grace
just as loud as the floor that squeals
from wood walked on too much.
of time spent on the front porch, and the back porch
and on the side porch.

life is grand and worth recording.
this blog has done very little to record such things thus far;
but believe you me,
this is a fresh start.

day 2.

2008-05-09T00:10:00.001-07:00

thirty days of creativity.

2008-05-08T03:13:00.000-07:00

i believe some of the best creativity comes from spur of the moment- gut instinct, total freedom 10 minutes spurs. i know that some of my best work comes from late night-im pushing to make deadline-work. when we are forced to put something down in an instant, its then that are hands are forced to speak for themselves without letting our minds ponder what could be planned out.

so in an effort to feed my creative mind, i want to have ten minute art everyday for thirty days.
this should be fun.

so heres number one.

2008-05-08T03:11:00.000-07:00

goodbye lamar dodd, for now. but dont worry, ill be back soon.
you will be missed.

benji.

2008-05-05T23:49:00.000-07:00

benji. another part of my painting final.

oil on canvas.
based on a photo by altmix photography.

theresa.

2008-05-05T23:46:00.000-07:00

this is part of my painting final.. its a portrait of theresa jurgensen. (actually part of a bigger portrait.. but this is the only part that i like, the lovely teece.)

oil on canvas.
based on a
photo by jessica rosenkoetter.

and, some more.

2008-05-01T15:08:00.000-07:00

cuppa tea.

2008-05-01T15:06:00.000-07:00

some ceramics.

2008-05-01T14:48:00.000-07:00

Hello May!

2008-05-01T13:24:00.000-07:00

Yellow shoes # 11. nashville lights.

Wow. I can't believe that april slipped through my fingers and its already may. time is really just flying by! But April did me well. It was filled with Birthdays, shows, school ending, lots of creativity, the sun finally coming out and letting us feel its rays.. new friends, new havens, new favorite places to eat, a few good road trips, and lots of yellow-shoe wearing.

lets recap.

*Gabriel Kelley and the Reigns! Benji, Jess and I saw these fabulous boys play at Eddie's Attic.. an amazing little venue in Decatur. Ive been wanting to see a show there for so long--and what a great way to start it off with these great friends.
*Jessica turns 22.. should i say more? my friends really know how to party.
*Lauren Barrett becomes Lauren Papa. The wedding was beautiful. These two are so in love, and nothing could have spoiled their day.. not even the monsooning downpour that happened on their big day. Of course, the wedding was still beautiful, and the ceremony was amazing. check out their beauty and david molnar's photo skills here...
*I got a job at Choo Choo korean and japanese express grill. and I ate/still eat a lot of good food there. yuuum.
*Nashville! nashvilletown is filled with old friends and new. i saw an amazing view of the city from Love Circle and the walking bridge
*New books: i am obsessed with amazon.. you could call me a junkie. heres my list of books i ordered this month
-Serve God Save the Planet by Matthew Sleeth
-The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
-A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken
-Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott
-Darkness Visible by William Styron
-A Grace Disguised by Jerry Sittser
-Three Cups of Tea by William Mortensen
-As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
*School. its finally coming to an end. and its about dern time.
*American Idol: its about time that kristy lee cook gets kicked to the curb. i am pretty sure i literally jumped out of my seat and did a few fist pumps in excitement. brooke, it was sad to see you go, but it was definitely time. jason should leave the show and come marry me, and then the davids can just tie.
*Im in love with Leona Lewis. I keep bleeding love.

"its good to have an end to journey toward, but its the journey that matters in the end."
my cheerleading coach in high school used to always say that. its such a cliche little saying, but it holds so much truth. the journey is what really matters in this lifetime.

sculpture? check!

2008-04-26T12:40:00.000-07:00

Project Three: Armillary Sphere
This was actually a fun project. Kinzey says that a sculpture's shadow is just as much a part of the art as the sculpture itself.. so one should know how to map out the heavens. Thus, make an armillary sphere.
I dont know how to map out my shadows.. but this is the work that I got out of it.

Final Project: Bucranium Its obviously not an ox skull.. I decided to do a chicken skull instead. Kind of morbid. but what else is to be expected from kinzey?
We have had to do some pretty weird sculptures.. one of which was to design our own coffin.. uck. but I later found out that he used to be a facial and skull re-constructionist, and so that would somewhat explain the fascination that was fleshed out in our assignments.

oh, im glad to be done.

What do I know today ?

2008-04-25T17:14:00.000-07:00

I know that I love old buildings. I was out looking for houses today and ran across an old abandoned condemned house on the east side. my tires came to a screeching halt as i passed by it.. and i quickly put my car in reverse and drove up the old rocky driveway.. and as i stepped out of my car with camera in hand.. i felt like i walked through a passage of time. I dont know what fascinates me with these old places--maybe its how my imagination runs as i try to think about how it originally looked. or maybe its the thought of possibly capturing some beautiful in what is called condemned.. or.. finding life in the midst of something dead.
like the rose in the concrete or something cheesy like that. whatever it is.. my new years resolution was to stop at all the places that fascinate me and snap a shot.
so- today i did.

"How does it feel? sometimes it feels as though your attention has wandered for just an instant. then, with a start, you realize the book you were holding, the red plaid cotton shirt with white buttons, the favorite black jeans and the maroon socks with an almost hole in one heel..all of these things have vanished. and you are standing.. naked as a jaybird.. in a ditch on an unidentified route.
Sometimes you feel as though you have stood up too quickly even if you are lying in bed half asleep. You hear the blood rushing in your head, feel vertiginous falling sensations. Your hands and your feet are tingling and then they aren't there at all..."

-The time travelers wife

yellow shoes #6

2008-04-20T15:34:00.000-07:00

Dudley Park Greenway, Athens, Ga. April 20, 2008

shaven heads and bottlecaps.

2008-04-17T22:51:00.000-07:00

can i please just tell you about my day?

so- i woke up at four in the afternoon. yes, the afternoon.
i havent slept well in the last few weeks, so part of me rejoiced.. and a little bit of me was upset that i slept through two studio classes.. and my favorite classes of the week for that matter.
i woke up at ten, and was like.. "all right! i have a few more minutes before i have to get out of bed.." and then i rolled over and looked at the clock again.. and it said 3:35.. holy moly.

so. i wasted my day away in dream land.
got up- made an incredible breakfast, and enjoyed my deck and the afternoon sunshine.
it was wonderful.

then- met my friends downtown for pizza at transmet.
and let me let you in on a little secret. --i hate getting gas--
stopping at the gas station is painful for me.
spending money. touching the pump. all the germs. all the grossness.
all of it. i hate it.
so i most often just dont do it.
i would rather break down on the side of the road..

so i did.
i ran out of gas while looking for a parking spot downtown.
welcome to my lovely crazy life! : )

so-- let me sum up my day in a nutshell: slept til four in the afternoon, ran out of gas.. and i finished the day by shaving my friends head and sorting all three hundred and something of his bottle cap collection.
productive, eh?

tomorrow starts a new era.. a get up and get going era of my life.
this weekend will be crazy productive. you just wait.

the dogwood trees are barking.

2008-04-15T21:31:00.000-07:00

There is no other feeling quite like driving down milledge on a spring afternoon. *although i confessed to my friend in the car today that i secretly hate driving down milledge at five oclock when all 90,000 students at UGA are trying to drive on one road.. i was simply exaggerating.* other than five oclock traffic... i LOVE it. seasons are better in athens. i am convinced of this for sure. although i hate to see the daffodils pass, it only means that tulips and dogwood trees are blooming. amidst all the columns on sorority row and all the runners on the sidewalks.. (who always convict me of not exercising enough as i drive past them) there is a sea of color that can get lost in. i love it. i love the energy. i love the shops. i love the colors. i love it. i love it, i love it!!

it just puts me in a good mood. spring time is just great: colors and flowers and new life. and an end to school! i have less than ten classes left and i cant be more ecstatic about finishing up this semester. for many reasons: the first and foremost being that i am done with classes.. there should be no explanation needed for that one.. i rejoice in knowing i will never step foot in Dr. Payne's art history class ever again.. but in greater news, it also means a new phase in my life. new steps. this summer starts a new chapter in my book. and i am terrified and thrilled all the while.
i have spent the last three summers working at one of the most amazing places on earth.. and every summer since fifth grade before that camping at one of the many 4H centers.. however.. this will be the first summer of reality. just working. and living day to day.
im spending my summer in athens, one of my most favorite places on earth.. with some of the greatest friends in the world.
and one of the biggest things about this semester ending... is the fact that i am finally blessed with being able to take a break from school for a while. I am taking next year off.. and just working. I need to get my head together.. and i hope in the next year I can get a clearer vision of what I need to do.. while getting to do the things i love. i hope that in the next year i can do the things that I want to do. i want to read, paint, shoot, and live. truly live. live without expectations, live without fear, live without restraint. i want to walk in freedom.

and i am ready for it. gosh, am i ever so ready for it.
my yellow shoes are ready to embark on a grand adventure.

in other news: i tweet now. frankienicole.
oh, what a funny world of technology we live in.

hey- i love you.
and i am learning to love you more. and better. and harder. so continue to bare with me.

lets start this adventure.

2008-04-14T22:20:00.001-07:00

restoration.

2008-04-11T11:57:00.000-07:00

oh- beloved blog.

ive been unfaithful.

do forgive me.

life has been pretty crazy beautiful these last few weeks. but spring time is here- and that makes everything okay. i feel like i am one of the only people who can enjoy the yellow tint that april brings. I dont have allergies-- and yellow is one of my favorite colors.. so i just enjoy seeing it on everything! : )

its the little things that make me happy.

like the extra pop of popcorn after you take it out of the microwave

or hitting all the green lights on the way to school.

finding wheat pennies in my change or

sitting on the roof with a new friend.

these are the things that have gotten me through this last week.

oh. the next few weeks are going to be ridiculous. school is winding down--which should be all the reason to celebrate. however--for the slackers like me. this means that i dont have much time left to pull up my grades. yuuuucck.

oh- school. i hate it and love it. and live in a delicate tension between the two.

but on news of that. I have been doing some really cool projects, and pictures will be up soon.

colorado

2008-03-11T12:18:00.000-07:00

that, my friends, is the view that i woke up to.

So my spring break has panned out to be a lot different than I expected, but great nonetheless.

I was at the Atlanta airport ready to fly to LAX, and couldn't get on the flight. In the last few moments before takeoff, I jumped on the plane to Denver, Co. Only moments before I called Jessie Pollett and said, "Hey--can I come visit... tonight?!"

what a grand reunion it was to see ms. jessie pollett. my life has definitely been lacking without her these last few months!! Jessie and I drove to Colorado Springs last night, which is where she is currently going to school at Focus On The Family Institute. i LOOOOVEEE this place and I am so ready to pack my bags and come to school here! I went to her eight oclock class.. (funny. i cant even make myself get up for my 11 oclock class) Mike Haley, prostitute-turned-pastor spoke in an incredibly captivating way about gender issues and Carrie Gordon Earll spoke on bioethics. My mind has been so challenged just within the last few hours here!

so. right now.. I am sitting in a coffee shop sippin' on some honey goodness and gazing at the rockies to the west. my cheap airplane headphones are in, im listening to joshua radin and I am getting lost in my dreams of living in colorado. im sitting in front of a fire, enjoying the heat and the crackle. the weather is perfect, enough to wear a coat and feel great. its good to be in cold weather that is so enjoyable.

im convinced that life couldnt be better.

2008-03-05T07:07:00.000-08:00

march thus far: pick up the game.

I had a critical essay due this morning at 10:10.. so naturally what did i decide to do?? Wake up in the a.m. and start it. I never wake up on time on a normal basis.. so i don't know what makes me think I am going to get up in time to write a 2500 word essay?! And, to top it off.. i thought that 2500 words comprised maybe a three page paper.. thats a cold face lie. not that its an incredibly long paper.. but having that realization during crunch time sucks.

anyway- the paper is done.

So- earlier this week I had several waterfalls in my living room. For some reason, it started raining inside.. but not outside! I think my roommate drain-o-ed the pipes through. oh well, it made for some wet laughs.

And- last night I got yet another driving citation: Failure to obey a traffic light.

I swear the light was yellow.

all that to say- the mood of this week is about to change. tonight I am going to parrrttaay. Lets have reason to rejoice-

february is over, march is here.. my paper is done and spring break is almost here!

-----------

yeah yeah yeah.

my coffin

2008-03-04T11:42:00.000-08:00

sculpture project: check.

my soul is better by the water.

2008-03-03T12:13:00.000-08:00

I flew home this past weekend. I usually always drive.. and a 50 minute flight was a whole lot better than a six hour drive. I dont think I will ever want to drive home again.

I caught a midnight flight on friday, first class for the first time, arriving in jacksonville early on saturday morning. Its like my pores opened up and I could breathe for the first time in a while. I often feel like the old man in the movie Big Fish. Just like he needed to be in water, I need to be near the ocean. I got off the plane and instantly smelled the pulp air and the salt water. The smell that makes foreigners cringe is the smell that makes me feel at

home. its heavenly.

My soul is just better near the water.

And, I don't think anyone makes me feel more loved than my dog, Snazi. His greeting never gets old, and He acts like He hasn't seen me in ages every time!! One thing I love about pets is how they live to be loved, and needed. And sometimes, its just good to feel needed, even if its by a dog. And look at him--> isn't he just adorable ? He's good.

----------------

well.

Hello, March. four days have gone by. I've been anticipating your arrival for some time, but now that you are here, I wasn't quite ready.

This month is going to be good. Its going to be a month of restoration, of abundance. Of good times and laughter. of hard times and trials, but lots of Hallelujahs. I claim that, now.

so.

Today, I am ready for you.

give me all you got.

soul food.

2008-02-29T11:59:00.000-08:00

"I had soul food yesterday."

i remember starting a journal entry in the fall of my freshman year that way--after one of the first conversations I had with Lauren Barrett. She is just one of those people that inspires.. she is a life giver; One who points to Jesus with every breath she takes. She is truly one of a kind-- and someone that I am incredibly blessed to call a dear friend. I probably wouldn't have made it through my freshman year in college without her friendship, prayers, love, and definitely cooking. : ) She is engaged to Matt Papa, an incredibly talented musician and song writer. He is gifted with leading people to the throne room--His worship brings Heaven to Earth! i very much encourage you to listen to his music!

I was blessed to spend the evening with Lauren last night- and it was definitely soul food. I ate at Atlanta Bread Company for the first time, a place I have been wanting to eat at for a while! We talked until the place closed--it was good to see and hear what the Lord is doing- and to hug a friend that I haven't been able to hug in a while. She loves, and she loves well.

I was extended grace through Lauren and Matt. --A little back story: basically. i ran over my laptop the day after christmas. yes- with my car- completely. i didn't do it on purpose, and there really isn't even a great story to go along with it. I just happened to run over it. *welcome to my life* of course, I would run over a computer.

anyway- I have been without since, and didn't think I could afford a new computer for a while... Well, she said that she had a birthday present for me and that i had to close my eyes.. and I couldn't say no. She then handed me a mac computer.

holy moly.

When you aren't attached to material things, you can easily give them away. I want to be more like that.

2008-02-27T18:32:00.001-08:00

thomas can skate.

but i can't photograph.

satisfied.

2008-02-27T14:17:00.000-08:00

I read psalms 145 today.. and felt the need to share it:

I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;

His greatness no one can fathom.

One generation will comment your works to another; they wil tell of your mighty acts.

They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,

and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds.

They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of you righteousnes.

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.

The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.

All you have made will praise you, O LORD; your saints will extol you. They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures

through all generations. The Lord is faithfull to all His promises, and loving

toward all He has made.

The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.

You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all He has made.

The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.

He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; He hears their cry and saves them.

The Lord watches over all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy.

My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise His holy name for ever and ever.

2008-02-27T11:48:00.000-08:00

“Today may not have been the day that I wanted, but it was the day that I got. And who am I to ever complain about a Holy gift from God?”
-jason harwell

These lyrics ring true everyday.
Today has been a good day.
I woke up to the aromatic smell of fresh coffee beans being ground.. and mallory making all sorts of goodness in the kitchen. It made waking up at seven not so terrible.

I spent the evening with Lindsay, Mallory and Tia.. friends that I hadn’t seen in quite a while. I fell asleep on their couch, and had a dream that I lived with tigers. (?)Maybe I just missed my cat, obi (he had been at the vet). Anyway.. I woke up early and walked outside and was quickly reminded that it was still winter. It has been pretty warm the last few days… but this morning it was snowing. Not the stick-to-the-ground snow, but just little flurries. It was wonderful.

I went back home and had apple-cinnamon streusel pancakes for breakfast, left over from the evening snack the night before. Thank you mary hall. They were wonderful!
It was nice to get up and feel like I had a normal morning before I went to class.. but sadly, I fell asleep on the couch and slept through the first hour of my class. (thankfully, all my classes are three hours each, so if I am late, its not so bad..)

I think its just absolutely ridiculous what goes on in my head and what I can rationalize when I am sleeping.

For instance:
I can do anything in ten minutes. No matter what time I set the alarm for, I don’t have to get up until ten minutes before I am needed to be somewhere.
--what in my head says that I can get up, shower, eat, and travel to the place I need to be at in ten minutes????
Sometimes, class is just optional. Or cancelled. *see earlier post.
Surely, anyone can understand what I am trying to say, and nobody can see the drool.
"what the crap is that noise? and why is it disturbing my sleep?" as I through the alarm clock across the room.

And then there is the panic of when I finally realize what is going on, what time it is, and where I need to be.
such was my morning. I had rationalized in my head that I didnt need to get up, it was okay to be late, that I could be there in ten minutes, and if i was going to be late, I might as well be latttee, and get a good rest.
what the crap.
this is my life.
i gotta love it.

anyway.
here are some highlights of the week thus far:
I finally ate at the pita pit! And what glory it was! Thomas Manley accompanied me, and we enjoyed the sunshine and a great chicken crave pita. I dont know why, but I was convinced that I wouldnt like that place. it was a lie. its one of my new favorites.

Sleeping at Last. An incredibly talented group from Illinois that my friend Jessica Rosenkoetter, in all of her musical genious, introduced me to. They are incredible! Great lyrics.. their song Heaven Breaks is the song of the week.

It always starts like this, A harmless and simple thing to fix. Contagious and spreading quick… Like cracks in ice, Wholly claiming our lives While we sleep. We’ll pray for Heaven’s floor to break, Pour the brightest white on blackest space, Come bleeding gloriously through The clouds and the blue. Forcing one place from two, Killing formulaic views, Only love proves to be the truth. When heaven meets the earth, We will have no use for numbers To measure who are and what we’re worth. When Heaven meets the earth, We will have no need for mirrors To tell us who to be And where we fit into this awkward point of view. When angels meet the earth, may our bodies be light. When angels meet the earth, may our heavy hearts untie. When angels meet the earth, may our bodies be light. May our bodies be light for you

I started a new painting! I hope to finish it within the week. And--my djembe for sculpture class will be done tonight! (soooo.. I had to design my own coffin. [i know. right. its kind of morbid.] well, i decided that an urn would suffice.. and it might as well represent what I am going to be spending my afterlife doing.. and that is in worship! And you better believe I am going to have some incredible ryhthym and a beautiful voice!)

well. debebe bdedbebbebe (thats supposed to be the pig voice from looney tunes) thats all folks.

enough to breathe.

2008-02-25T11:37:00.000-08:00

Existentialism has been plaguing my mind today.

The idea that everything, every essence of existence, is always at the edge, at the brink of existence. Every moment is constantly grinding against the next moment of reality—so what is reality? The Present—right now—is warring with the edge of future.

the thoughts could trail on forever.. but i will save you the confusion.

I am, by no means an existentialist.

However, I am changing. constantly, infinitely: my existence, my reality. I can't quite put my finger on it, I can't grab it nor grasp it. Can I embrace it? yes, maybe. My essence is always on the brink of the future, leaving a trail of the past.

So what am I living in? What is my reality?

My only essence is Christ.

I am in a constante state of change, my essence has no foundation.

He is constant. He is stable. He is. period.

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him, all things were created: things in heaven and on Earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers, or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things and in HIm all things hold together. And He is the Head of the body, the church. He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in EVERYTHING He might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on Earth or things in Heaven, by making peace through his blodd, shed on the cross."

Colossians 1:15-20

I know not of who I am or of reality-- outside of the one who has all fullness and supremacy.

I am only sure of [His hope and glory] of His work started in me and the promise of completion.

And that is enough for me to breathe.

2008-02-23T13:22:00.000-08:00

"art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."

-Pablo Picasso

Rejoice with me friends! My painting is finished! It is just a rarity that I finish things, and that I am actually happy with the outcome. It was easy this time because I really liked the subject! I really love doing portraits-- there is something so great to me about capturing someone on a canvas: their spirit, their love, their beauty. And Jessica is a great friend, so I enjoyed the opportunity to do so with her.

taken care of on every side.

2008-02-22T12:03:00.000-08:00

So- I ran away this week.

not really. But I woke up on tuesday morning and decided that my classes were probably cancelled for the day and I should take advantage of it. I jumped in my car and drove to LaGrange. I love moments of complete abandonment like that.

I retreated to 415 Park Avenue: where a quaint little house with columns on the porch and daffodils along the drive sits. Its my brothers'-- and how i love him son. I am pretty sure that he and his wife could live in a cardboard box on the side of the road, and somehow they could fill it with so much love and make it an incredibly welcoming home There is a spirit that rests on him and his wife that just calms my soul. I feel loved. I feel safe. its just good.

and my brother's hugs are the best ever.

its the pick you up, spin you around, pop your back and squeeze the breath out of you type hug. you know-- the one that means something, and the one that makes you feel like the most loved person on the planet.

oh, love.

I've learned a lot about it lately.

I love that I have had a relationship with Jesus since I was thirteen, and every day he shows me a new corner of his heart, a room tat I haven't seen before.

Ive been reading in 2 Chronicles lately. (I am doing a Beth Moore bible study, she can rock anyones world)

There are three kings that I have been reading about: Ahaz, Mannaseh, and Hezekiah.

Ahaz: he was a dirty rotten king. He reigned for 16 years. He didnt do what was right in the eyes of the Lord--He made cast idols for worshipping, sacrificed on high places, and even burnt his son as an offering to the pagan gods. He was into some pretty nasty stuff. The Lord even sent a prophet to offer mercy. (Isaiah 7:1-13).

The Lord came to him and he refused him!

Glance forward. 2 Chron. 33:1-20.

King Manasseh. Still into all the same stuff Ahaz was into-- but even worse, this king was practicing witchcraft and sorcery among many other things. A prophet came to him, and he refused as well.

Well, the armies of Assyria came and invaded his land and took Manasseh captive. They put a hook in his nose, bound him in bronze shackles, and took him to babylon.

*You could say that He hit rock bottom.*

and of course, what does he do? He calls upon the Lord.

In His deepest distress, he humbled himself and sought the favor of the Lord.

and of course, God heard his cry. It says in verse 13 that the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea. Manasseh repented of his actions ridded the nation of foreign gods, and instructed his people to serve the Lord.

I am just amazed at the picture of God's grace and mercy in both of these stories. Both of these kings were engulfed in sin-- and some pretty nasty sin at that. The Lord extended his hand to both of them, and even after being rejected still came to King Manasseh in his deepest distress.

It goes to show that when there is true repentance, there is true salvation!

I dont understand that type of mercy.

but its what is extended in my life.

I may not be offering my son in sacrifice or practicing sorcery...but I am still engulfed in sin. and sin is sin-- and its pretty nasty and blinding.

and even sometimes I refuse the help of the Lord and run to my friends, instead.

but in my distress, when I hit rock bottom...He is always there with me, and He always comes to my rescue.

The third king I studied was Hezekiah. (2 Chron. 32:1-23)

He was a great King...He walked in the ways of the Lord. He restored Judah. Verse 20 and 21 state how he did what was good and right and pleasing and faithful before the Lord, and so he prospered.

However, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, came and invaded Judah. Hezekiah encouraged his men with these words:

"Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged because the kings of assyria and the vast armies with him, for there is a greater power with us, than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles."

The assyrian king used fear and inimidation, attempted to overwhelm them with force, and tried to undermine their faith. He told them that every other land who claimed their god would save them didnt.. and that surely their God wouldnt come to the rescue.

well. of course.

God sent an angel who anhilated all the fighting men... and so the Assyrian King withdrew and returned to his land disgraced.

*i love this verse..*

v22. it states the Lord took care of them on every side.

Beth Moore states: we can be faithful to God and centered on his will and still be attacked by the enemy. sometimes he attacks the weak, and sometimes he goes for the competent fully-surrendered servants. faith is sometimes the absence of fear. but sometimes faith is also choosing to believe even when one's heart is melting with fear.

In all three of these stories, there is just an overwhelming sense of love that God has for his people. He desires for his people to know him, to love him, and to be loved by Him. On one end of the spectrum we have Ahaz, and on the other end- there is Hezekiah. And across the spectrum God shows unconditional love and grace.

2 Peter 3:9 states "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promises- as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentence."

He is patient with me. even after i blantantly refuse him, and as I am engulfed in ugly sin, He comes to my rescue. He takes care of me on every side.. He keeps his promise.

this is my first.

2008-02-14T22:17:00.000-08:00

Ive been inspired.