Still On My Mind

As I stopped this afternoon to pause and pray for the people of Sichuan I realized so many people here don't even know about the earthquake of 2008 or the people there. It only gained minimal media coverage. You may have seen it on CNN that day or your 11 o'clock news. In Sichuan we heard about it for weeks.

If you'd like to know more....or are wondering what you can still do to help...check out...

www.afterquakemusic.com

www.sichuan-quake-relief.org

Where were you...

on May 12, 2008 at 2:28 PM?

Don't remember?

It is a moment I will never forget.

May 12, 2008 was the day that an 8.0 magnitude earthquake rocked the Sichuan Province, China....Beichuan, Mianzhu, Dujiangyan, and the surrounding areas.

While life continued as normal in America that day, May 12th is a day that China will never forget.

On May 12, 2008...

87,000 people lost their lives.

1.5 million homes were destroyed.

On May 12, 2009...as we remember,

200,000 people still remain jobless.

20,000 people still remain missing, buried beneath rubble.

On May 12, 2008 I was in my apartment when it began to shake. I couldn't find matching shoes. I threw on flipflops and ran out the door, barely able to make it down the stairwell that was moving in all directions. I joined my neighbors along with Todd and Scott outside. We were all ok, and didn't realize until later that even though our area of town received minimal damage, our city would never be the same.

Chengdu, China is my favorite place in all of the world. My heart is there and my heart breaks for the people who live there. Most of them live in darkness, most of them do not know God. When tragedy strikes in America, we are lucky. We usually question God. We know and serve a HUGE and powerful God. We are able to see Him in circumstances, even when they seem grim. Unfortunately, most people in China do not even know God, so its hard to see Him in anything, you can't question someone you don't know about or don't believe in. So my hope and my prayer today, as we remember those who lost their lives in the Sichuan earthquake, and more importantly, those who survived, is that even in the midst of tragedy, and as the people continue to rebuild their lives, that it will continue to open the hearts of the people to the amazing God that I'm lucky to know. God is able to take rubble and turn it into something good and for His glory.

Happy Belated Mother's Day!

I celebrated Mother's Day a day early with my mom...and now I'm writing about it a day after...welcome to my life.

My mom is the greatest. I don't tell her often enough, but seriously, she is the best ever. Here are 27 reasons why she is the best...one for each year she has put up with me.

1. She raised my brother and I by herself after my parents divorced. She found a pay stub from when I was younger and she paid all of our bills plus all the extra stuff we wanted...on a salary of $19,000. I've never once been hungry or in need.

2. I wasn't the nicest child to my mom growing up. I told her many, many times that I hated her. She just took it and still loved me anyway.

3. My mom has bought me 6 cars over the years. 3 that I totalled. One brand new car. She didn't have her first new car until last year.

4. My mom worked full time, went to graduate school full time, and still had time to read me bed time stories, attend my school activities, and help me with school work. Parents who say they don't have time are lying.

5. My mom sacrificed hundreds of hours of sleep on my school projects growing up. We would stay up until 4 or 5 in the morning making my presentation perfect, editing my papers, or making elaborate tri-boards. I won Invent America, Science Fair, and many other awards thanks to my moms help.

6. My mom has helped me move more times than I can count. She even moved all of my furniture plus a washer and dryer all alone while I was away at camp during college. She is amazing!

7. When I started teaching, my mom called me every single morning for 2 years to wake me up. She was my personal alarm clock. It only ended when I moved to China and we had a 12 hour time difference.

8. My mom came to China for her spring break just to visit me...she brought the best American candy and food with her!

9. My mom put up with my brother and I arguing and fighting ALOT. I'm not sure how she lived in the same house with us.

10. My mom is strange and quirky. Every day I see more of her in me. I get my strange sense of humor from her.

11. I inherited my completely flat feet from my mom. They look like Fred Flintstones feet.

12. I also inherited not having 2 permanent teeth from her. My mom took extra summer jobs just to pay for all of the dental work I've had done over the years. She needs the same work done on her own teeth, but sacrificed for me, and has never spent the money on her own teeth.

13. My mom has the best handwriting ever. She loves doing caligraphy and personalizing things. I get my love for monograms from her. Our signatures look identical. I used to forge her name on notes in high school all the time.

14. My mom let me get any pet I ever asked for. I've had a million cats, dogs, hamsters, fish, gerbils, guinea pigs, rabbits, frogs, turtles, and chicks. She only said no to the goose and the pot bellied pig.

15. My mom loves KitKats. She thinks they are my favorite candy too. They are not. Every year for Christmas and Easter, Santa and the Easter Bunny always gave them to me....I wouldn't eat them so she got them all.

16. My mom keeps Diet Coke in business. I swear that the artificial sweeteners have contributed to her memory loss. She never drinks coffee but has to have Diet Coke to function. She only likes it in a can. Bottles and fountain drinks are gross to her.

17. My mom loves antique cars. She had a red and white Chevy Nova when she was young and always wanted another. She bought one for herself last week as a Mother's Day gift.

18. My mom can't cook. She got it from her mother. Her specialty is spaghetti. We had it alot growing up. Like 4 times a week alot.

19. My mom got remarried a few years ago...to her best friend from growing up. They have cute pictures of when they were in high school. It's weird that Michael has known my mom longer than me.

20. My mom loves digusting foods. Fried chicken livers and Circus peanuts just to name a few.

21. My mom used to draw on my boiled eggs that I took in my lunch to school. They always looked like me or my friends.

22. I like to eat apples but not when they turn brown. My mom cut my apples every day growing up so that they were still attached to the core but were in slices I could eat at lunch. They didn't turn brown. I'm still not sure how she does it.

23. My mom loves to sew. She made all of my halloween costumes growing up. She made my jumpers, balloon suits, and skirts. She has a problem with starting projects and never finishing.

24. My mom always finds the best Christmas presents and buys them way before Christmas. The problem is she hides them and can't remember where she put them. I've gotten presents in March or April from the previous Christmas once she found them again.

25. My mom is messy and disorganized but she always knows exactly where things are. She likes organized chaos.

26. My mom was the fun mom growing up. She let me have parties and was always the mom that let everyone spend the night. I usually didn't even ask because she never said no.

27. I talk to my mom every single day. I usually call her when I'm driving. She never calls me because she knows that I'm going to call. I always ask her for her advice, but I rarely do what she says. I usually do the opposite, but in the end wish that I had listened to her. Mom is always right.

Happy Mother's Day Mama Mia! You're the best! Thank you for everything you do for me.

Happy Earth Day!

I'm doing my part to save the earth by using my super cute new Vera Bradley shopper tote....I'm one step closer to being "Granola".

It's a limited time only deal in stores. $12 and you can look cute while grocery shopping too. They made the bag with a version of the Night Owl design. Hurry to your Vera store and get yours before they run out!

Why is it...

that I always want Chick-fil-A on Sundays??

Chick-fil-A is hands down my favorite fast food restaurant. I love every single thing on the menu...and they even have Diet Dr. Pepper (not that I'm drinking caffeine). I've spent way too much money at Chick-fil-A over the years...from the one on campus at Georgia College and at Valdosta, to the school spirit nights at Mountville where I used to teach. My heart and my money belong to Chick-fil-A.

Since I'm craving a sandwich with extra pickles, waffle fries, a mint chocolate chip milk shake, and a sweet tea....I thought I'd post some fun fact about my favorite place...

Did you know:

- Chick-fil-A has sold more than 209 million sandwiches. Laid end to end, that is more than 13,280 miles of sandwiches. That is enough sandwiches to stretch from Atlanta to Seattle, Washington and back 5 times! Or from Atlanta to Moscow, Russia twice.

- If you stacked the Chick-fil-A sandwiches sold on top of each other they would reach the International Space Station. Chick-fil-A in outer space...now that's a good idea.

- The amount of Chick-fil-A nuggets sold would cover 1/4 of the Earth's circumference.

- You can get 52 combo meals simply by being one of the first 100 individuals at a new chick-fil-a opening. Thats worth over $260- You have to camp out the night before but its a blast.
- Did you know you can order (1) nugget! It’s true- ask next time your there.
- Coupons never expire. If you have an outdated coupon they will still honor it.
-The Chick-fil-A in LaGrange gives you a free sandwich on Mondays if you bring your church bulletin.
- The Chick-fil-a cow never talks. Its part of the rules! There is a moo manifesto!
- You can turn in your kids toy for a free Ice cream- as long as it has not been opened. No matter how old the toy is!
- If you buy 2 kids meals- you get 8 nuggets, 2 small fries, 2 drinks, & 2 ice creams for cheaper then you can buy a 8 nugget combo.

Feeling Preppy

I'm not sure what you would classify my personal style as...Classic? Preppy? Country? Southern?
But spring time makes me happy...and makes me feel preppy.
Some of my new preppy favorites are...
These new croakies for my sunglasses:


And I finally caved and got a car decal:


Check them out at http://www.thepinkmonogram.com/

The Cougar

Before moving to China I didn't watch much T.V., but thanks to an ex-boyfriend and many hours of free time, last year I discovered so many great trashy shows that I LOVE! Highlights of my week include Gossip Girl, The New 90210, and The Hills. So because of my new found love of trashy T.V., I have to admit I was a tiny bit excited to find out about a new show...

Meet "The Cougar"

The Cougar airs tonight on TV Land at 10pm.
Now I'm aware that with a show called The Cougar on such a fabulous station as TV Land, it can only promise to be bad television at its finest. I just hope it lives up to all of my expectations.