Well it's about time I start this back up again. I've been so busy lately that tonight, I almost forgot how to relax. How sad is that?
To give a little back drop: until December 16, I am doing my student teaching at a middle school in the mornings with ESL students who are high in their English skills. Then I go to an International Center where all the students from the county, both middle and high school who are very low proficient in English, are bused and taught English at this center. Most of the students are of Latino descent from Mexico or other South American countries and speak Spanish. There is one girl from Japan and one girl from Micronesia.
So i'm not very used to this Latino culture. It's very different from what I've known of the Japanese culture. They are loud and they are kind of mean. Nothing against them, but just they are a little more aggressive then anything I've known.
Today, I was standing near a table of students after they arrived and I was looking directly at two students who didn't know I was watching them. One of them flicked the other one off with their middle finger and the other one did the same back. I let off of them telling them that I am always watching them. The one got really red and apologized. It was shocking to see but at the same time, I feel like this is good experience in dealing with high school and middle school students. It's toughening my skin.
These students all have crazy stories. Most have only been in the US for less then a year. One girl is 16 and married, two girls have babies, one 14 year old is engaged. It's just an eye opening culture.
Some of the students don't want to be there, some don't even want to learn English. No respect. But there are the few who work hard, who are daily striving to learn, and make what you do as a teacher worth it.
There's one student in particular who would just sit and not do any of his work. He's the student who has a rough home life, no one who loves him, who people have given up on. But I knew today that I couldn't give up. Yesterday, I wanted to give up and let the students be but today, I didn't give up. I sat by this guy, I smiled at him, I prayed for him, I loved him. Hopefully, that will rub off on him and soften his hard casted heart.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Hypothalamus Love
So for class we had to make a video about a part of the brain. So my creative juices went flowing and this is the creation we came up with. Enjoy!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
A rainy sweatpants and sewing kind of day
Last night, while everyone in Knoxville was downtown watching fireworks, I stayed at home working on some things and relaxing on the couch. I feel asleep to a TV show so around 9:30, I decided to go to sleep. It was so nice to sleep long and hard. I woke up naturally around 7:30. Rain was pitter-patting on my trailer as I read and drank orange juice. I changed into some sweatpants and decided to start my day. It's labor day which means I don't have school, it's raining and what better thing to do then sew and stay inside. I had a list of what I need to make so I got started.
This was a piece I bought at a goodwill with intentions on altering it someday. It was a size 22 and I guess sort of a thing you wear over you shirt... I'm not quite sure...
I followed the tutorial here and used the useful sewing tools that Sherri gave me for graduation and made....
a cute elastic skirt! I don't have anything that matches it at the moment... but I'll figure something out. :) and it's only 11am on my wonderful relaxing labor day
What will the rest of the day have in store??
Love,
Sarah
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Earthquake Relief Day 1
Going to Japan this summer I knew I had a short schedule. 2 and a half weeks is nothing when going home AND going to another country. My dad was giving me a few suggestions for trips we could take and one of them was to go up north to Tohoku where the earthquake/tsunami hit. I jumped on that idea! My family had gone up once before and they were willing to go again. I always watch the news on TV or see pictures of places that were devistated by war or by natural disaster but it never fully becomes a living and active m event until I see it with my own eyes so I was excited and nervous to go up and see it all with my own eyes. We left around 4pm and with a 6 hour drive before us, headed up north. It was night when we reached a karate dojo in an area about 30 min from the coastline and away from the tsunami hit area. This was the base camp for Be-1 and organization created for the disaster relief by some Team Expansion missionaries. The karate dojo is where the teams slept and supplies were stored. It was late by the time we got there so we went right to sleep on sleeping bags and cushion mats.
The next morning, we woke up to a bright sunny day surrounded by rice fields. We got ready and headed to a communal room to eat breakfast. There we met the rest of the Be-1 team. The Be-1 team fluctuates almost daily with people coming up for a few days to months. Some were American college students here to help, others were Japanese natives wanting to help, some missionary kids, and even a Nisei Japanese-American person from California. Around 9 we all headed out to the earthquake area. I had my eye out watching to see if I could tell how far the water came in. We were driving into a city called Ishinomaki that was devastated by the tsunami. Sure enough, about 20 min car ride from the ocean we started to see water marks on signs that were about waist and knee level. There was a river that had flooded with the tsunami. Most every restaurant around that area was already open and houses were cleaned out and looked new again. My dad said when he came through this area right after the earthquake, there was just mud all over the place, and were were still far from the coast! This made me wonder what the coast looked like.
We drove more towards the coast and what struck me was that there was big hills and mountains in a close vacinity wth all these houses and then the ocean. It would have been easy for everyone to run up these mountains and stay safe from the tsunami. I'm sure some did do this. Still in an area 5-10 min from the beach, we pulled into a neighborhood where the Be-1 group is renting a house from a Japanese person while they move away because the house is devistated. The Be-1 group is renovating it and putting new walls and flooring up. In this area the tsunami came up to the first floor. The 2nd floor is perfectly fine. Some older houses had damage both from the earthquake and tsunami but most were livable because only the first floor was devestated. But if you think of that, most every house, the kitchen and bath is on the first floor so families can't do much if they were to live here.
Our mission for today was to do two food drops. First we went shopping. We went to a local justco and got around 10 carts and packed it full of veggies. The total food products came out to $500. We loaded those into the car and made our way to the drop site. Another church had come up and loaded a huge truck with supplies. Together, we spread out the food on a tarp so that the people could walk by with their bags and receive the food we give them. I was in charge of some of the fruit. We had everything labeled with how many of each thing the people received but we as the team handed out most of the items and placed them in the people's bag. It was super hot out by this time. The sun was blaring and we had to set up while the people waited in line. We set up two canopy's for the people waiting in line and handed out drinks. About 100 or more people came through at that time. When most of the food was gone and the line of the people had gone down, we packed back up and headed for the coast.
It is custom for Japanese people to give back when someone has given something to them. There was one main lady of the neighborhood that had called all the people to come to the drop. She was a short older lady and she was super funny. While the people were going through the drop, she would yell comments to the people to hurry through the line so others will have a choice. She would say things like, "Run through the line like you ran when the tsunami was coming!" We were kind of shocked but she was doing it to be funny. Anyways, after we had packed up, she came back with a basket full of snacks for all of us. The Japanese people just don't know how to receive a free Christlike gift!
Anyways, so we went to the coast and stood on the 2 story seawall with breakers and watched the ocean for a while. It was a moving experience looking at the water thinking that a few months ago, this water came crashing down into the city. At any moment there could be an earthquake and a tsunami and come crashing in. The sea wall we were on was pretty high too and the water had to come over this and crash all into the city blowing houses away. The area right behind the sea wall there were some houses still standing but some were gone. Oh how violent the ocean can be. Only God is more powerful then the waves of the sea.
We had a group prayer time on the sea wall and we prayed that hope will be restored to these people and only a hope that can come from Christ.
After the prayer time, we took a group picture :)
We then headed straight to the second drop. This time it was in a smaller neighborhood and a lady let us use her carport to spread out the tarp and use it as the food drop. This lady must have been rich because she had a three story house and it looked like a business right beside her house. She was also an older lady widowed. This time everything went quicker and smoother because we knew what to do. We had the people come by and we started running out of a few things. The line wasn't as long, maybe 50 people or more.
It's not like these people can't get any food. It's just that most of the cars were ruined when the tsunami hit, and most of the stores near the area were wiped out so if the people don't have a car or bicycle, they can't get food as easily as before. So our drops were just to help out a little bit and show them that there are people who still care for them. The lady, Suzuki san, let us use her house for going to the bathroom and such and in her house, you could distinctly see the water line on the wall paper. After we packed up for the drop, Suzuki san called us all into her house for cherries and a drink. Half of her flooring was gone in the room so we had to squeeze together to sit on planks of wood. You could see the foundation of her house through the floor. She was still a very joyous persons and even though she wasn't a Christian, we will all be praying for her.
We then headed back to the Be-1 house to wait for some other people. Andrew, one of the Team Expansion intern for the summer was going to mix cement to fill in a hole for the next-door neighbor lady. The Tsunami had ripped a hole into an area right on the side of the house. We all stood outside and talked to the lady and hung out while Andrew worked. We got to hear the story of what the lady, Kazumata san was doing when the tsunami hit. She evacuated to a shrine in the mountains but she ran most of the way. She didn't see any of the water but she said she could hear it and she started running.
She went into her house and cut some watermelon and we all enjoyed some while we cheered andrew on. After the cement was laid, Kazumata san ran and got some shells in her house and placed them on the wet cement. It looked really cute! After this we all headed to the bath house to wash off for the day. We were SO sweaty and gross and the onsen was really nice. After that it was like 9 but we hadn't eaten dinner yet so we headed to a restaurant. By the time I got out of the onsen, I could barely keep my eyes open so when we headed back to the dojo for the night, I went right to sleep.
The next morning, we woke up to a bright sunny day surrounded by rice fields. We got ready and headed to a communal room to eat breakfast. There we met the rest of the Be-1 team. The Be-1 team fluctuates almost daily with people coming up for a few days to months. Some were American college students here to help, others were Japanese natives wanting to help, some missionary kids, and even a Nisei Japanese-American person from California. Around 9 we all headed out to the earthquake area. I had my eye out watching to see if I could tell how far the water came in. We were driving into a city called Ishinomaki that was devastated by the tsunami. Sure enough, about 20 min car ride from the ocean we started to see water marks on signs that were about waist and knee level. There was a river that had flooded with the tsunami. Most every restaurant around that area was already open and houses were cleaned out and looked new again. My dad said when he came through this area right after the earthquake, there was just mud all over the place, and were were still far from the coast! This made me wonder what the coast looked like.
We drove more towards the coast and what struck me was that there was big hills and mountains in a close vacinity wth all these houses and then the ocean. It would have been easy for everyone to run up these mountains and stay safe from the tsunami. I'm sure some did do this. Still in an area 5-10 min from the beach, we pulled into a neighborhood where the Be-1 group is renting a house from a Japanese person while they move away because the house is devistated. The Be-1 group is renovating it and putting new walls and flooring up. In this area the tsunami came up to the first floor. The 2nd floor is perfectly fine. Some older houses had damage both from the earthquake and tsunami but most were livable because only the first floor was devestated. But if you think of that, most every house, the kitchen and bath is on the first floor so families can't do much if they were to live here.
Our mission for today was to do two food drops. First we went shopping. We went to a local justco and got around 10 carts and packed it full of veggies. The total food products came out to $500. We loaded those into the car and made our way to the drop site. Another church had come up and loaded a huge truck with supplies. Together, we spread out the food on a tarp so that the people could walk by with their bags and receive the food we give them. I was in charge of some of the fruit. We had everything labeled with how many of each thing the people received but we as the team handed out most of the items and placed them in the people's bag. It was super hot out by this time. The sun was blaring and we had to set up while the people waited in line. We set up two canopy's for the people waiting in line and handed out drinks. About 100 or more people came through at that time. When most of the food was gone and the line of the people had gone down, we packed back up and headed for the coast.
It is custom for Japanese people to give back when someone has given something to them. There was one main lady of the neighborhood that had called all the people to come to the drop. She was a short older lady and she was super funny. While the people were going through the drop, she would yell comments to the people to hurry through the line so others will have a choice. She would say things like, "Run through the line like you ran when the tsunami was coming!" We were kind of shocked but she was doing it to be funny. Anyways, after we had packed up, she came back with a basket full of snacks for all of us. The Japanese people just don't know how to receive a free Christlike gift!
Anyways, so we went to the coast and stood on the 2 story seawall with breakers and watched the ocean for a while. It was a moving experience looking at the water thinking that a few months ago, this water came crashing down into the city. At any moment there could be an earthquake and a tsunami and come crashing in. The sea wall we were on was pretty high too and the water had to come over this and crash all into the city blowing houses away. The area right behind the sea wall there were some houses still standing but some were gone. Oh how violent the ocean can be. Only God is more powerful then the waves of the sea.
We had a group prayer time on the sea wall and we prayed that hope will be restored to these people and only a hope that can come from Christ.
After the prayer time, we took a group picture :)
We then headed straight to the second drop. This time it was in a smaller neighborhood and a lady let us use her carport to spread out the tarp and use it as the food drop. This lady must have been rich because she had a three story house and it looked like a business right beside her house. She was also an older lady widowed. This time everything went quicker and smoother because we knew what to do. We had the people come by and we started running out of a few things. The line wasn't as long, maybe 50 people or more.
It's not like these people can't get any food. It's just that most of the cars were ruined when the tsunami hit, and most of the stores near the area were wiped out so if the people don't have a car or bicycle, they can't get food as easily as before. So our drops were just to help out a little bit and show them that there are people who still care for them. The lady, Suzuki san, let us use her house for going to the bathroom and such and in her house, you could distinctly see the water line on the wall paper. After we packed up for the drop, Suzuki san called us all into her house for cherries and a drink. Half of her flooring was gone in the room so we had to squeeze together to sit on planks of wood. You could see the foundation of her house through the floor. She was still a very joyous persons and even though she wasn't a Christian, we will all be praying for her.
We then headed back to the Be-1 house to wait for some other people. Andrew, one of the Team Expansion intern for the summer was going to mix cement to fill in a hole for the next-door neighbor lady. The Tsunami had ripped a hole into an area right on the side of the house. We all stood outside and talked to the lady and hung out while Andrew worked. We got to hear the story of what the lady, Kazumata san was doing when the tsunami hit. She evacuated to a shrine in the mountains but she ran most of the way. She didn't see any of the water but she said she could hear it and she started running.
She went into her house and cut some watermelon and we all enjoyed some while we cheered andrew on. After the cement was laid, Kazumata san ran and got some shells in her house and placed them on the wet cement. It looked really cute! After this we all headed to the bath house to wash off for the day. We were SO sweaty and gross and the onsen was really nice. After that it was like 9 but we hadn't eaten dinner yet so we headed to a restaurant. By the time I got out of the onsen, I could barely keep my eyes open so when we headed back to the dojo for the night, I went right to sleep.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
A new gift
So I may have discovered a new gift, a new talent that I never knew before. It never made an appearance before because the circumstances that I was in didn't allow for me to expound on this gift. Just at the right time in my life, it appeared, bursting forth with creativity. Isn't if funny how something in life don't have much of an impact until it hits you, right at that time in life that you don't expect it yet it was only in the time, not any others that it makes such a great impact. What I said just now probably doesn't make any sense to anyone reading, but at least I tried to explain it even if it's hard to explain.
So on to the new gift: COOKING!
Growing up, I would help mommy in the kitchen once in a while but I never experimented with recipes or didn't every on my own to into the kitchen to make things. By the time I reached high school, I was too busy with school that I didn't have any time them either. While in college in the dorms, I didn't have any necessary ingredients or any kitchen supplies to even attempt making anything other than curry rice (which I made quite a few times for birthdays and such).
But now is the time. 1. I'm in my own trailer with my own kitchen, own refrigerator, own food, own will power to not starve. 2. It's summer break and even though I'm in classes and I work some nights, I still have time for lunch and weekends.
So with all these elements coming together, I have discovered that I actually enjoy cooking and it sparks my creative juices to come up with my own creations that are yummy. It started a few posts ago about the pasta with olive oil and spinach and tomatoes. Another night, I mixed a bunch of left overs together for a concoction. Well today a few of my friends came over for lunch at our trailer and though each had their own lunch, I didn't know what to eat. All I knew is that I had spinach quickly rotting in the fridge and raw chicken in the fridge I needed to use up.
At the little Italian Kitchen where I work, they serve a dish called Stuffed Chicken with Gouda Cheese. It's quite delicious. So with that as my bottom level motivation, I went to work. (not knowing of course at ALL what I was doing or how it would turn out)
First I cooked the spinach in olive oil like my mom does at home.
Next I drizzled some olive oil in a pan. The chicken I had was thin sliced chicken breasts (it was on sale). I laid a chicken slice on the pan. Then I laid the cooked spinach on top. Then I sprinkled some cheese on top of the spinach. Then I laid the 2nd strip of chicken on the very top and topped it with parmesan cheese and regular cheese. Then I drizzled a little more olive oil on top and baked it for 15 min at 350 degrees.
I watched it a few time to make sure it was okay and when I pulled it out, the chicken looked done. I cut a piece off to try it and amazingly, it was delicious! I had two of my friends try it and they both agreed.
I was impressed that I even thought of that idea! I realized that cooking is kind of like sewing to me. Sometimes I'll just sit and envision how to sew something. I'll go through all the steps in my head and break it down to the very root of how to sew it. So now with cooking, my mind did the same and got me to this new delicious discovery. :) All I can do is thank God for giving me this ability and a chance for me to use it for His glory!
Belly full,
Sarah
So on to the new gift: COOKING!
Growing up, I would help mommy in the kitchen once in a while but I never experimented with recipes or didn't every on my own to into the kitchen to make things. By the time I reached high school, I was too busy with school that I didn't have any time them either. While in college in the dorms, I didn't have any necessary ingredients or any kitchen supplies to even attempt making anything other than curry rice (which I made quite a few times for birthdays and such).
But now is the time. 1. I'm in my own trailer with my own kitchen, own refrigerator, own food, own will power to not starve. 2. It's summer break and even though I'm in classes and I work some nights, I still have time for lunch and weekends.
So with all these elements coming together, I have discovered that I actually enjoy cooking and it sparks my creative juices to come up with my own creations that are yummy. It started a few posts ago about the pasta with olive oil and spinach and tomatoes. Another night, I mixed a bunch of left overs together for a concoction. Well today a few of my friends came over for lunch at our trailer and though each had their own lunch, I didn't know what to eat. All I knew is that I had spinach quickly rotting in the fridge and raw chicken in the fridge I needed to use up.
At the little Italian Kitchen where I work, they serve a dish called Stuffed Chicken with Gouda Cheese. It's quite delicious. So with that as my bottom level motivation, I went to work. (not knowing of course at ALL what I was doing or how it would turn out)
First I cooked the spinach in olive oil like my mom does at home.
Next I drizzled some olive oil in a pan. The chicken I had was thin sliced chicken breasts (it was on sale). I laid a chicken slice on the pan. Then I laid the cooked spinach on top. Then I sprinkled some cheese on top of the spinach. Then I laid the 2nd strip of chicken on the very top and topped it with parmesan cheese and regular cheese. Then I drizzled a little more olive oil on top and baked it for 15 min at 350 degrees.
I watched it a few time to make sure it was okay and when I pulled it out, the chicken looked done. I cut a piece off to try it and amazingly, it was delicious! I had two of my friends try it and they both agreed.
I was impressed that I even thought of that idea! I realized that cooking is kind of like sewing to me. Sometimes I'll just sit and envision how to sew something. I'll go through all the steps in my head and break it down to the very root of how to sew it. So now with cooking, my mind did the same and got me to this new delicious discovery. :) All I can do is thank God for giving me this ability and a chance for me to use it for His glory!
Belly full,
Sarah
Friday, June 10, 2011
Of mice and curiosity
Yesterday, our teacher talked a lot about curiosity. He read from a book where the author encouraged everyone to foster their curiosity and to find something each day that brings awe or curiosity of amazement of something and write it down. So I decided I want to do that. BUT not in the way that events played out this week.
Curiosity #1 Sunday: Bird Poop
Sunday was my birthday! I turned a big 22 years old. It was a really great birthday with some breakfast made by my best friend, some fun times with the kids at West Towne Christian Church, yummy lunch at Puelo’s Grill, a movie, and taco rice with some good friends. After the taco rice, I walked over to our neighbor’s house to borrow a lighter for the candle for my cake. As I was walking back across the road, I felt something hit my shoulder. I wasn’t sure what it was but I looked over and THERE WAS BIRD POOP ON MY SHOULDER!!!! I looked up and sure enough, a crow was sitting on the line, one lonely crow, just sitting there and POOPING ON ME!!! Well I ran back to the trailer laughing and crying, to get this mug shot taken of me.
Curiosity #2 Monday: Mouse
Monday morning, as I was getting ready for bed, I hear a scream from the kitchen. I go out to see my housemate telling me to look in a jar of lard sitting on the counter. This lard was from the ground beef the day before and it was in a glass jar without a lid. I went and looked in and saw something brownish blackish. I didn’t know what it was and didn’t want to know. I looked again and it moved. My thoughts were poop? Frog? Mushroom? Finally from the side, I realized… IT WAS A MOUSE!!! THERE WAS A MOUSE SITTING IN THAT JAR OF LARD!!! All three of us freak out and so I put a plate over the top so it won’t come out. It was clearly stuck and couldn’t move much in the lard. We knew it was trash day so we needed to transport the jar outside. Danielle and Julia voted me to do the job :P With the camera rolling, I picked up the jar and ran it outside. Maika came over to investigae our screaming. Finally the trash guys came so we ran to them with our dilemma. I brought a container with a lid and they transfer our furry little friend into the container and they said they would let it go far away. Unfortunately this event made us all 1. Late for class. 2 Scared of mice in our house, it was a very funny and exciting moment of laughter and adrenaline.
hi little mousy mousy
if you have facebook, you should watch the video that my friend took of me taking the jar outside!
Curiosity #3 Tuesday: Green Pepper
Tonight, I went into work at the Little Italian Kitchen where I have been working for a few months now. It was really slow the whole night so I helped prepare for the next day by cutting up green peppers. The neat thing about the restaurant is that every thing is fresh and homemade. So I would cut the green pepper in half and cut out the seeds. These were really big green peppers and when I cut on open, the seeds were pinkish and looked like a flower. I just stood and marveled at how beautiful the inside of this green pepper looked! I walked over to another worker and showed him the inside and told him to look at how beautiful it was! He kind of looked at me weird. I love how even simple things like green peppers can make me marvel of how beautiful God’ creation is. I want to always show people and make them see even just a little curiosity in it’s simplest.
Curiosity #4 Wednesday: Beaver (or gopher… not sure which one)
As Claire and I were driving to Kroger tonight, Claire exclaimed that she saw a beaver or a gopher on the side of the road. We turned around and drove past it 2 more times just to look at it. It was right on the side of a country road sitting up and eating grass. Not usually do we see wildlife that isn’t road-kill.
Sharing the curiosity,
Sarah
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Lazy Saturday
I don't think I have ever really understood the concept of a Sabbath or really a day of rest. Even while I was in undergrad in the dorms, saturdays was the day I did homework or get caught up on things but it never was simply a day of rest. Today, Saturday, I have enjoyed it to the max. It's not like a laid down on the couch all day but I simply rested in my mind and my heart. I woke up around 10 after dreaming that I was running in a marathon... (I don't like to run and I kept saying that in my dream too...) After waking up, I just sat in bed and read for a while. I ate some breakfast and went outside to get some exercise walking the trails. I followed a little stream for a while and enjoyed being outside and the quiet and the beauty. During the rest of the day I got the chance to finally clean my room and decorate some. I let my creativity run by finishing a necklace holder for my bathroom. A few times, there was a rabbit outside my window which I watched. I love rabbits! I used to have one as a pet when I was around 5 or 6 years old in Japan. :)
Now it's just the perfect temperature outside and I want to go out again to take a walk. So, I leave you with some more pictures:
Now it's just the perfect temperature outside and I want to go out again to take a walk. So, I leave you with some more pictures:
a finished product of my room with a few decorations.
yes I know it looks cluttered but it's not, that's just how I display my junk...
my necklace hanger! isn't that soooo cool! I made it out of branches and yarn and tied them together and then tied buttons onto the branches to hang them from. I love it!
my dresser runner. I made this a few weeks ago. I was originally going to store my shoes in it but then it changed to miscellaneous items.
it goes clear onto the other side where I can store more things!
claire and I at a wedding last weekend. We had a mega wedding weekend where we went to two weddings in two states in two days. It was a lot of fun!
Love,
Sarah
Exodus 15:11
Friday, May 20, 2011
Growing up.
For the last 21 years of my life, I've always wanted to stay a kid. Nothing in me wanted to grow up. I dreaded graduating from college and starting "real life." I always like Peter Pan and dreamed of going to never-never land so I would never have to grow up. But I remember what happened to those kids in neverland. After a while, like Wendy, they all realized that you can't stay a kid forever.
And here I am, graduated from college and starting real life and to tell the truth, I'm loving it! All the dread leading up to graduation turned out for the good. I'm loving the independence, the challenge, the freedom, the stress, and the fun. I must say, it is hard to be starting Masters classes a week after graduating and that is resulting in many frustrating and about-to-pull-my-hair-out-moments but I am surviving.
On Sunday, I went to West Towne church. The sermon was part of a series titled "The Me I want to be" and todays was about being dependent." That sermon was really interesting to me and my situation because it talked about how we need to be dependent on God. Here I am faced with my independence and freedom and it was a good reminder that I am not independent, I am dependent and always will be dependent on God and it's only by Him can I live the life I am living and try with everything I have to glorify him.
Here are some more pictures to chart my journey of independent dependence. (hmm I like how that sounds :) I should title my blog that...)
And here I am, graduated from college and starting real life and to tell the truth, I'm loving it! All the dread leading up to graduation turned out for the good. I'm loving the independence, the challenge, the freedom, the stress, and the fun. I must say, it is hard to be starting Masters classes a week after graduating and that is resulting in many frustrating and about-to-pull-my-hair-out-moments but I am surviving.
On Sunday, I went to West Towne church. The sermon was part of a series titled "The Me I want to be" and todays was about being dependent." That sermon was really interesting to me and my situation because it talked about how we need to be dependent on God. Here I am faced with my independence and freedom and it was a good reminder that I am not independent, I am dependent and always will be dependent on God and it's only by Him can I live the life I am living and try with everything I have to glorify him.
Here are some more pictures to chart my journey of independent dependence. (hmm I like how that sounds :) I should title my blog that...)
This picture appropriate documents our FIRST DAY OF MASTERS CLASS!!!
(I look so ridiculous...)
Our friend Neil came to visit!
(Ian, you should be jealous!)
Monday night went down to Pigeon Forge to see three of my classmates from High School! They were down for a choir trip. So good to see them!!
I LOVE SPINACH! My first time making mommy's famous dish of olive oil spinach and it was DELICIOUS!!!
My creation for today, olive oil cooked spinach and tomatoes with noodles :) Julia says I'll be a chef by the end of my year living in this trailer.
Well, Mommy and Daddy, your little girl has finally faced the reality of growing up and actually enjoys it. But don't ever forget that I will always be your little girl. :)
Love,
Sarah
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Beginnings
Well it's been over a week now since I graduated from college. At first I didn't see the significance of being graduated. It just seemed like another event and life would go on the same. Today at Kroger I ran into a girl I knew and when I told her I had graduated, she congratulated me in a very sincere way and it made me realize how big of an achievement graduating from college is.
Now a week after graduation, I have moved all of my life out of the dorms and into a three bedroom trailer that I will be living in a sharing with two other girls for a year. On Monday I will also being classes as I continue on a Johnson on the Masters program. I'm excited yet dreading it at the same time. This week of freedom of no classes and enjoying life after graduation was quick and tiring. Moving is way too energy draining and today was the only I have really enjoyed myself. Tomorrow I work at my wonderful Little Italian Kitchen all day, so today really was the only day to enjoy freedom.
I was all alone today, all day. It was nice and lonely at the same time. I unpacked, rearranged my room, started a sewing project, took a trip to Maine with the Hatcher family from the book Fudge-a-mania, made myself a first home cooked meal, bought groceries, and sat outside on my porch (isn't that cool that I can now say I have a porch?) :)
Now a week after graduation, I have moved all of my life out of the dorms and into a three bedroom trailer that I will be living in a sharing with two other girls for a year. On Monday I will also being classes as I continue on a Johnson on the Masters program. I'm excited yet dreading it at the same time. This week of freedom of no classes and enjoying life after graduation was quick and tiring. Moving is way too energy draining and today was the only I have really enjoyed myself. Tomorrow I work at my wonderful Little Italian Kitchen all day, so today really was the only day to enjoy freedom.
I was all alone today, all day. It was nice and lonely at the same time. I unpacked, rearranged my room, started a sewing project, took a trip to Maine with the Hatcher family from the book Fudge-a-mania, made myself a first home cooked meal, bought groceries, and sat outside on my porch (isn't that cool that I can now say I have a porch?) :)
Saying goodbye to my dorm room
and hello trailer
a proud graduate with her family
setting up camp
my first meal made with food bought with my own hard working money!
Menu: rice with furikake and salad with raw veggies!
It was delicious and no better than some Sound of Music to accompany me :)
Well I really hope I can keep this up all summer to let you all know what's been going on in my life and to share somethings I have learned from growing up and being a "big girl" now!
Love,
Sarah
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