Kapachino

A-Z

I got this meme quite awhile ago from Spring, and I’m using it not because I necessarily need some blog fodder, but because I so enjoyed reading her entry that I thought it would be fun. It’s taken me awhile to complete. Don’t get your expectations up, though, that doesn’t mean this is going to be good or anything.

A: Attached or Single? I am very happily engaged. See that picture in my header? That’s David, my fiance.

B: Best Friend? Becca Hoelscher. That’s her married name. I met her my freshman year of high school and followed her to Tabor College. We went to church together and also played soccer together both places. She lives in Wichita now, and I miss her all the time. Here we are together at the beginning of August, pre-baby:

And now she has new little boy, Elijah James, born September 6. No pictures yet.

C: Cake or pie? Cake, especially of the chocolate variety. I don’t really like pie, but I can tolerate a few bites. I don’t like the crust.

D: Day of choice? By all accounts it should be Saturday, which has for a long time been my only day to sleep in. On Saturday there is still one more day off to look forward to. But oddly, I think I enjoy Sundays more. I love my church, and it just seems like more of a day to relax and be with family than to get errands done.

E: Essential item? My FranklinCovey planning system. I think I would have a panic attack if I lost it.

F: Favorite color? I love blues: Carolina blue, steel blue, Air Force blue, cobalt. I’m also really into sage green these days. At the hospital on Fridays we are allowed to wear any color of scrubs that we want, so I bought a pair that are light pink. I have had many people (all female!) tell me that it’s my color.

G: Gummy bears or worms? I’m not a fruity candy eater, but given the choice I’d take the bears, because they’re cute.

H: Hometown? Houston, and I will remain here indefinitely. (Side note: Please don’t talk bad about my city in my presence. I will take it personally, no matter how irrational that is.)

I: Favorite Indulgence? Pedicures, or Dutch Chocolate Blue Bell ice cream, or maybe just letting Cleo lick my feet.

J: January or July? July, because I hate being cold.

K: Kids? Definitely, in ten months we’ll be expecting our first one. Just kidding, David!

L: Life isn’t complete without? Jesus, love, family, and all that good stuff.

M: Marriage date? October 3, 2008. Wow, that’s close. Deep breaths.

N: Number of brothers and sisters? Two younger (and cooler) brothers.

O: Oranges or apples? A good orange, I think. Or sliced red apples with caramel. But bananas top them all.

P: Phobias? Live shrimp and roaches.

Q: Quotes? Here are a few that I like.

“We are prisoners of hope.” -Archbishop Desmond Tutu

“At present we are on the outside of the world, the wrong side of the door. We discern the freshness and purity of morning, but they do not make us fresh and pure. We cannot mingle with the splendours we see. But all the leaves of the New Testament are rustling with the rumour that it will not always be so. Some day, God willing, we shall get in.” -C.S. Lewis, “The Weight of Glory”

“The Mississippi’s mighty; it starts in Minnesota at a place that you can walk across with five steps down. I guess that’s how you started; like a pinprick to my heart. But at this point you rush right through me and I start to drown.” -Indigo Girls, “Ghost”

R: Reasons to smile? I have the day off tomorrow. I’m getting married in a couple weeks to the man I love. My entire, wonderful family will be there. And also: “He who did not spare his own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32

S: Season of choice? Summer! I love the warmth and the laid-back atmosphere. But I like all the seasons, really, in their own way. Even winter, because of the cute clothes and my birthday.

T: Tag 5 people? Anyone, but I’ll call out a few people for fun:
MagsMac - I want to see more personal posts from you!
David - Because that would just be awesome.
Tabaitha - I think you’d have fun with this.
Sarahthe - You always have something interesting to say.
Megan Kline - Something has to tone down all that seriousness going down on your blog!

U: Unknown fact? This is a tough one. Between my parents, my brothers, and my fiance, most things about me are known. But here is one: I like to sleep with my fingers stuck in my eyes. Kind of in the corners. I have no idea why, but it is comforting.

V: Vegetable? I dislike them. Do potatos count? Alright fine, broccoli. With lots of cheese.

W: Worst habit? It’s STILL texting and reading while I drive. That New Year’s resolution didn’t last, so I’ll probably re-resolve it next year.

X: X-ray or ultrasound? Never had an ultrasound, so I guess I can’t answer this question. Clinically, they view very different things.

Y: Your favorite food? That’s so hard because I love food. I’ll go ahead and say cereal, or quesadillas, or fried rice, or chicken cordon bleu. Is it cheating to pick more than one?

Z: Zodiac sign? Aquarius. I didn’t know anything about it so I looked it up on astrology.com. Apparently I’m a humanitarian, self-directed, organized, mentally active, loyal, and appear “aloof and detached [but] inwardly sensitive and caring.” I’m with them on those…but I’m also supposed to have a “cheeky attitude,” be a vigorous, zesty individual, thriving on the unexpected, harmlessly “mad,” and I also have “rigid opinions.” Well, so much for astrology.

Guess the Movie

Ready for some more mindless fun? Below I have posted quotes (retrieved from imdb.com) from ten of my favorite movies. Without looking any of them up, can you guess which movies they are from?

1. “I have two guns; one for each of you.”

2. “–He fights for something that I never had. And I took it from him, when I betrayed him. I saw it in his face on the battlefield and it’s tearing me apart.
–All men betray. All lose heart.
–I don’t want to lose heart! I want to believe as he does.”

3. “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.”

4. “You need to find yourself a girl, mate. Or perhaps the reason you practice three hours a day is that you already found one, and are otherwise incapable of wooing said strumpet. You’re not a eunuch are you?”

5. “–Each time I tell myself it’s the last time, but then I get a whiff of her hot chocolate, or…
–…Seashells. Chocolate seashells, so small, so plain, so innocent. I thought, oh, just one little taste, it can’t do any harm. But it turned out they were filled with rich, sinful…
–…And it melts, God forgive me, it melts ever so slowly on your tongue, and tortures you with pleasure.”

6. “I’ve already wasted my whole life. I want to tell you with my last breath that I have always loved you. I would rather be a ghost, drifting by your side as a condemned soul, than enter heaven without you. Because of your love, I will never be a lonely spirit.”

7. “Flor! Look at this child! You could make a fortune doing surrogate pregnancy!”

8. “Oh, you’re right. And when you’re right, you’re right. And you - you’re always right!”

9. “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.”

10. “I used to be able to name every nut that there was. And it used to drive my mother crazy, because she used to say, “Harlan Pepper, if you don’t stop naming nuts,” and the joke was that we lived in Pine Nut, and I think that’s what put it in my mind at that point. So she would hear me in the other room, and she’d just start yelling. I’d say, “Peanut. Hazelnut. Cashew nut. Macadamia nut.” That was the one that would send her into going crazy. She’d say, “Would you stop naming nuts!” And Hubert used to be able to make the sound, he couldn’t talk, but he’d go “rrrawr rrawr” and that sounded like Macadamia nut. Pine nut, which is a nut, but it’s also the name of a town. Pistachio nut. Red pistachio nut. Natural, all natural white pistachio nut.”

Mixed Bag

I let myself go last week and only posted once. Sorry about that. To get back into the swing of things, I’m going to post this meme because I was tagged by Tabaitha last Wednesday, but I’m just now getting around to it.

10 years ago:

• I was a sophomore in high school, and my classes were pretty easy. 
• It was soccer season, so I was probably doing a lot of that.

Things on my to-do list today:

• Work
• Dry cleaning and alterations
• Laundry
• Print out a picture to send to Mary (our Compassion child)
• Go to bed EARLY!

What would I do if I suddenly became a billionaire?

• Pay off my credit card and my student loans. Also David’s truck.
• I’d probably buy a house too.
• Buy some things I really want, like a Tempur-pedic mattress.
• Support all the charities and organizations that I really believe in.
• Help people out when they need it.
• Travel.

Three of my bad habits:

• Texting and reading while I drive (but I’ve pretty much cut it out thanks to my New Years’ resolution!)
• Falling asleep at inappropriate times
• Avoiding any kind of confrontation or conflict

Five jobs I have had:

• Server at Johnny Rockets
• Counselor at Forest Glen/Camp Good News
• Maintenance at Tabor College
• Medical records at Texas Oncology Cancer Center
• Office assistant for a bankruptcy trustee 

Five things people don’t know about me:

• I have a pen pal in Australia that I have been keeping in touch with since 3rd grade
• I had three hamsters growing up and I named them all after types of bread: Muffin, Crumpet, and Biscuit
• I suffer from sleep paralysis 
• My morning routine rarely varies. Make bed, shower, dress, hair and makeup, breakfast, take care of Cleo, leave.
• You wouldn’t think it, but I was a stellar hurdler (100m and 300m) in junior high track.

I tag you!

A Stolen Meme

I wasn’t actually tagged by my friends The Klines to do this meme, but I’m sure that if they had tagged anyone, like they were supposed to, they would have tagged me. So I’m doing it anyway.

1) One book that changed my life:

Practicing His Presence by Brother Lawrence and Frank Laubach. It completely transformed the way I relate to God.

2) One book that you have read more than once:

I don’t do this very often because there are so many books in the world that I want to read. Sometimes I get really scared that I will die without having read all the books I want to. I know it’s ridiculous. But I have read The Lord of the Rings a few times because it is my favorite, and I wish I lived in Middle Earth.

3) One book that you would want on a desert island:

Um, The Bible is the only one that would never get old. Cliche, I know.

4) Two books that made you laugh:

Huh. Apparently I don’t read humor very often. But The Know-It-All by A.J. Jacobs was funny at times, as was A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole.

5) One book that made you cry:

Oh my gosh, it’s totally embarrassing but A Walk To Remember by Nicholas Sparks had me bawling for hours, more than any other book I’ve ever read.

6) One book you wished you’d written:

A Prayer For Owen Meany by John Irving. It’s wonderful, and I love how every little detail means something.

7) One book you wish had never been written:

I honestly have no idea. I’m sure there’s one out there, but I can’t think of it offhand.

8 ) Two books you are currently reading:

The History of Love by Nicole Krauss and God’s Politics by Jim Wallis. I actually do keep my “Currently Reading” section up to date (see top right).

9) One book you’ve been meaning to read:

Just one? Well, I guess Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol has been on my shelf the longest. Although I have a list about a mile long.

Christmas Is A-Comin

Katy tagged me to complete this Christmas survey, and since I am full of holiday cheer, I would like to share it with you. Also, I tag Tabaitha, Megan/Peter, and Erica to complete it, if they so wish. Without further ado:

1. What kind of tree do you have?
We have about a 3-foot high artificial tree that we take very seriously. It is decorated with a theme of gold and cream colored ornaments, and it took us a good two hours to get it just right. Every time Cleo knocks an ornament off with her tail it is a crisis.

2. What is your favorite Christmas movie?
I think I have to say Home Alone. So hilarious, so classic. It totally reminds me of being a kid.

3. What is your favorite Christmas holiday food?
Fudge - HANDS DOWN.

4. Do you use wrapping paper or gift bags?
Wrapping paper. Gift bags are no fun to open or to look at, and one of my favorite parts of Christmas is wrapping the gifts in pretty paper and seeing all the different shapes and sizes of packages under the tree.

5. Do you have a nativity scene in your house?
Not in our apartment, but my mom has enough at home to make up for that, although I don’t know if she’s actually put them out yet. She also collects nativity ornaments and has enough now to make our tree one giant nativity scene.

6. What is your favorite Christmas song?
“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” and let me tell you why. Not only is it hauntingly beautiful, but the words really get to me:

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Just as Israel was lost in exile and yearned for the Messiah, we are in exile here on Earth, longing for Him to come again to make things right. I love the hope that this song brings.

Also, no one can sing “O Holy Night” like Celine Dion. It doesn’t matter what I’m doing, when she hits that note at the end, I am compelled to stop everything and experience it.

7. What is the most memorable gift you received as a child?
Probably my first bike. That one made me super happy. Also, my grandmother gave me Jane Austen’s complete novels and the Bronte sisters’ complete novels. I didn’t appreciate them at the time, but I am still reading out of them today.

8. What was the worst gift you ever received?
I love getting gifts and I’m usually happy with most things, but this year at our secret Santa at work I got a Texas Hold ‘Em travel game. First of all, I hate poker. Second of all, it’s not even a good gift for someone who likes it. How are you supposed to bluff against a computer?

9. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
I don’t get annoyed easily, but I will say traffic. I happen to work right next to the biggest mall in the area, which is great for lunch break shopping trips but not great for getting home in the afternoon. Also, there are certain songs that I would gladly never hear again in my life, but that seem to be very popular on the radio and pretty much everywhere I go.

10. Favorite thing about this time of year?
I can’t pick one thing. I love the time off from work or school, shopping, giving gifts, getting gifts, competing in the college bowl game pick ‘em with my family, spending time with them, decorating, the excuse to eat lots of chocolate, and the chance to reflect over the past year and to appreciate everything in my life. But especially remembering what I consider to be the greatest miracle - that a holy and awesome God became a human like me.