The Child is Here!

Finnian has made his long-awaited arrival!!! Hip-hip-hooray!

He was born last night (Sunday, March 28), at 6:19. He was 7lbs 6oz, and was 20" long. A real tiny thing. :-) I mean, not so much, but he sure seems tiny! The last baby in our house was Fisher, and he was huge! He's got long reddish-blond hair and his eyes seem to be blue. You never know if they will stay that way, but it seems likely.

Him and Mamma came home today, around 6. I got to hold Finn for the first time, as we weren't allowed in the hospital, because of H1N1 lockdown. :/ Grrrr. Anyway, I held him when they got home, and he is absolutely the most perfect little thing ever!

I am so glad to have him. :-)

Kidnappings, and Shankings, and Boredom.

I am terribly bored right now. Which is terrible. I absolutely despise being bored.

My mind wanders to very odd places when I become bored. And I start wishing that someone would try to kidnap me so I can shank them, and other peculiar things of that sort. Morbid things. Things that one should probably not think.

Or I begin to think of covetous things, like I wish I had a car. Or a driver's license, at least. Or a job. Or a trip to the mall. Hmmmm...

I have officially come to the conclusion that boredom is a very unhealthy state of mind. I must do my best to escape this trap.

Joyous News.

I just realized that I never shared my wonderfully exciting news with the world of Blogger. Which is... I recieved a letter on Monday from the grand cosmetology school, and they accepted my application and I am allowed to participate in the test, which is taking place this Saturday! That is to say, tomorrow. Isn't this positively joyous news?! I want to run through the streets shouting, "hurrah, hurrah!" at the top of my lungs, but I don't think the neighbors would appreciate that very greatly.

Neverland.

Why does everyone have to grow up?

I think growing up is a horrid thing.

I think we all should move to Neverland, where we never have to grow up and do grown up things.

(Of course, this is only a "phase," as grown-ups call it. I am quite sure that probably by tomorrow I shall wish to be grown up again.)

But for now, I'm going to make believe that I'm in my own Neverland.

I'm never growing up!

Reunion.

Edward and Martin are planning a reunion for tonight.





This way, if everything goes according to plan, Edward and Martin will be reunited this very night.





Planning a reunion is a great way to reunite two people, such as Edward and Martin.





Edward and Martin are eagerly anticipating being reunited at the planned reunion.





By this time, my talk of reunions and reuniting of Edwards and Martins and plannings has probably brought you to one of two things :





1 : tears of frustration and/or confusion, OR





2 : laughter. Just laughter. OR





3 : you may be shaking your head in puzzlement at my stupidity and idiocracy.






I'm just guessing, but I would guess that the majority of you are participating in that third action that I listed.





Maybe not. Maybe you are participating in the first one, or the second one. After all, they are options. Valid options.





Oh, never mind.

Innocence Again.

INNOCENCE AGAIN – switchfoot

do you remember when you were way back then?
you held the world inside your hands.
when you told me love was the strongest stuff.
your strength was innocence.

but, oh man, the signs of the time are omens.
you're starting the day in no man's land again.

who are you gonna be?
when you're on your knees, who do you believe?
fear is lonely, man.
you've been given innocence.
you've been given innocence again.

you should know by now that the darkest hour is when your broken heart goes down.
it's a bitter end, when the sweet begins.
grace is sufficiency.

but, oh dear, we'll never deserve it.
no dear, we never could earn it.
now, here the choice is yours.

who are you gonna be?
when you're on your knees, who do you believe?
fear is lonely, man.
you've been given innocence.
you've been given innocence again.

grace is high and low.
grace is high and low.
grace is high and low.
we'll never be the same.

A Note to Finnian.

Mister Finnian has yet to make his long-awaited arrival. I have grown quite tired of waiting.

Though he seems to prefer taking his own sweet time, it is my opinion that he has deprived the world of himself fully long enough, and should quit being such an unobliging young fellow instantly and make his appearance soonly. I should rather like to see him, and any time this weekend would be positively ideal.

Finn, if you are reading this, then - oh, wait. Nevermind...

Flappacino.

I was recently debating the official meaning of the word 'flappacino' with some of my co-workers. Apparently the origin of this word is rather debatable.

Arguably, the word in question originated from the word 'frappucino,' which is, of course, a blended coffee drink. Apparently 'frappucino' evolved into 'flappacino' when someone suggested a flamingo frappucino.

The other opinion stated was that the word was used in this context :

"HEY! Would you mind shuttin' your flappacino? I'm tryin' to talk here!"

I wholeheartedly support the second opinion.

Ohhhh, yes.

That's right.

Mmmmmhmmm.

Working...

I have been working for my uncle the last two days. I feel rather important, saying it like that. Like I'm actually old enough to have a real job that requires manual labor. Which isn't necessarily true, especially since I've only worked two days in a row, so far. It's my first year working pollen, so at this point it's still rather fun though. I don't think manual labor is supposed to be fun. I suppose it won't be once I've done it for a few days.

I worked Thursday, and Uncle Dave pretty much just showed me the ropes. I helped run the sifter most of the day. It's actually a pretty interesting process, preparing pollen for the trees. Or rather, extracting the pollen from the flowers. Or whichever one it is. Hahaha - anyway... that's that.

Yesterday, we had to get a shipment off by four, and only realized that at two o'clock. So we had two hours to get the rest of the pollen off the racks, finish sifting it, bag it up, and put it on ice. Not to mention running to WalMart to buy three ice chests to ship it in. We didn't think we were going to make it - but we did, with exactly four minutes to spare. We were excessively proud of ourselves, as you may well imagine.

Afterwards, Uncle Dave and I sifted a whole bunch of pollen joined with some intellectual conversation.

Well... 'heigh-ho, heigh-ho, it's off to work I go!'

P.S. I can't believe I just quoted that song. For the record, it's like the lame-st Disney song ever, for the most part. Unless you're a bearded man who's shorter than me and likes to march around with an ice pick. Or whatever it is those guys march around with. Anyways...

A Saint Patrick's Day Greeting.

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY!!!!!

This is like my favorite holiday ever. Just kidding. I don't like holidays that box you in too much. I mean, you've got two options :

1 : wear green, and match everyone on the planet and their aged mother's dog, OR,

2 : don't wear green, and get pinched twenty-seven million times during one twenty-four hour period.

Not that I don't like Saint Patrick's Day. Irish people are amazing. I've always been glad I've got some Irish in me. I've also always wished I had naturally red hair - this situation I cannot remedy. It is very unfortunate indeed. And this topic is irrelevent, so...

Top o' the day!

♥

Join Me As I Contemplate the Profound Truths of Life.

I've been in a rather ponderous mood lately. Here, on this blog - my blog - you are privileged to experience the result of my contemplations.

First of all, Sadie Hawkins Dance is my Da's favorite song ever. At least, it is right now. He has been singing/playing it incessantly, which, in turn, must mean it's his favorite ever.

Second, judging from past experience, boys are nothing but fiendish bums. Nothing more. Now, this statement could well be quite misunderstood, and of course I don't like being misunderstood. No one does, of course. Therefore, I will clarify my statement by restating that I said boys were fiendish bums. Not men. Also, I said from past experience. Which does not mean that a future experience could not change my mind, although frankly, I do not expect that to happen.

Third, chocolate is the best thing this side of heaven. Period.

Fourth... well, there is no fourth. I can't think of a fourth.

Therefore, this post must be over.

Pondering Daylight Savings...

Today, in case you hadn't previously noticed, begins Daylight Savings Time. I happen to have some exceedingly strong feelings concerning this matter. They are these :

1 : Daylight Savings Time is a ridiculous concept.

2 : I commend Benjamin Franklin for the things he did for our country, but this was most assuredly not one of those commendable acts which I can so genuinely appreciate. In fact, I rather loathe him every time I think of it.

3 : Daylight Savings Time should be stopped immediately.

4 : This state should exempt itself from Daylight Savings Time, therefore stopping it immediately, and giving me my hour of sleep back. Doesn't the government realize how they have inconvenienced me by allowing this abomination to continue? I have an exit exam this week, for Pete's sake! Do they want me to fail?

Good heavens. A kid can't even get decent sleep in this country. Is that really too much to ask?

Trust and Disappointment and Sacrifice.

I'm kind of disappointed. You know how sometimes, you have really high expectations of a person because you know them to be a person who has set high standards for themself? And then they go and do something very silly. And you are disappointed in them, because this person whose high standards you admired and who you thought you rather knew just did something heinous and lame. And maybe it wasn't towards you, but whatever it was, it rather shocked you and definitely shook your confidence in that person a great deal.

Yeah, I am so very there right now.

It's pretty lame.

"...For the Lord does not see as man sees;

For man looks at the outward appearance,

But the Lord looks at the heart."

- 1 Samuel 16:7

God's been teaching me a lot of things lately. For instance,

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct your paths."

- Proverbs 3:5-6

And about trust : I'm realizing so much how I have to trust Him with everything in my life - not just the things I feel "comfortable" giving Him, not just the things I think I can "do without," or just the things I feel are insignificant enough that He can "handle" them without my help. If I want to grow, I have to give Him everything.

In 2nd Samuel 24, David disobeys God by numbering his people when God has forbidden him to do so. As soon as he has sinned, God confronts David in his sin through the prophet Gad, and he repents. BUT, his sin does not come without a consequence, and because of David's disobedience, the whole of Israel is struck with a plague that will last three days. It says in 2nd Samuel that 70,000 (yes, that's seventy thousand) people died. Gad comes to David again, and this time tells him to "erect an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite." (2nd Samuel 24:18). So, David goes to Araunah and asks if he can buy his threshing floor. Araunah says that David need not pay and that he'll gladly give him the oxen for an offering and the yokes and threshing tools for wood, also. David refuses, and says this :

"No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing."

2nd Samuel 24:24

David understood the value of sacrifice. It is not sacrifice if it costs us nothing. Sacrifice is "the surrrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim." It must cost us something, or the purpose is defeated. If it costs nothing, it is worth nothing to us.

Isn't that true? If we do not have to work or struggle or suffer to pay for it, then it is completely valueless in our eyes. That's why we have to give Him everything - even the really hard things. Even the things that are so close to us that we think no one could possibly handle them except us. And even when our flesh takes over us and we completely mangle the situation, we still don't believe that He could do it better. Even when our relationships with other people are a train wreck and who knows what's going on in our hearts, we still can't bring ourselves to believe that He knows already. And He could have way done a better job in the first place, if we'd let Him and stop getting in His way.

And maybe right now it sounds like I've got this all figured out. Like I'm not struggling in this area. Maybe it sounds like I've really got this together. But, uh - just between you and me - I don't. Oh, I understand it. But you know the saying :

It's easier said than done.

It's so very true. I know. I just... acting on the knowledge is harder than just gaining the knowledge. Go figure, right? Sheesh. Well... He never said it was gonna be easy.

No... He didn't say it would be easy. BUT, He did say that,

The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,

And saves such as have a contrite spirit.

- Psalm 34:18

Isn't that amazing? No wonder that a bit earlier in the same psalm, David wrote,

O taste and see that the Lord is good;

Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

-Psalm 34:8

There is a song rather to that effect, and it happens that I can't get it out of my mind just now, so here it is.

O taste and see that the Lord is good!

O taste and see that the Lord is good to me!

You turned my mourning into dancing;

Put off my rags and clothed me with gladness;

Now I will sing, and I will dance, I'll shout and not be silent!

O Lord, my God, I will give thanks to You forever!

O Lord, my God, I will give thanks to You!

The knowledge of His goodness is so great!!! I can't even imagine. In Job it says,

The Spirit of God has made me,

And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

- Job 33:4

I can relate to the Psalmist when he says in Psalm 8,

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,

What is man that You are mindful of him,

And the son of man that you visit him?

-Psalm 8:3-4

What are we? Why does He care about us? Why does He think about us? Why? We are nothing! Why? Because He loves us! He created us! He created us to love Him and worship Him and live in perfect communion with Him! To abide with Him. That's why. And it's beautiful.

You look down from heaven and melt me with Your gaze.
You come down from heaven and wrap me in Your wings.

And it makes me feel loved again, so close in Your arms.

And it makes me feel home again, so close to Your heart.

♥

Tears Fall.

Tears Fall.

I have had the same dream many times, it haunts my mind.
It starts with a life, but it ends every time.
O, so many faces that this world will never see.
A reason for your life, but your heart will never beat.

Let the tears fall down.
Let them soften this ground.
May our hearts be found.
God, forgive us now.

O, what we have lost because we chose, we'll never know.
And loving you is better than being alone.
And all our claims to freedom have become these heavy chains.
And in the name of rights we keep filling nameless graves.

May our tears fall down.
Let them soften this ground.
May our hearts be found.
God, forgive us now.

I've listened to this song like a million bajillion times, and never heard the words, and then all of a sudden, yesterday, I listened to the words for the first time. And I literally cried. It's so sad! :(

The Ridiculous 48 Hour Weekend.

And... my ridiculous weekend is over.

Snowboarding was amazing. The snow was great. The only lame part was I had to sit in the lodge for the last half because I wasn't feeling well. :'( Sniff. But it was amazing anyway.

Vessels of Honor was also amazing. I chilled with Alisia pretty much the whole time. She's such a cutie. :) She kept me up telling me about all of her narrow escapes and such until around 1:30. Haha!

Self defense seminar was... nice. Good seeing all my friends of a weekend, though. :)

Aaaand, jus' got an email from my favorite cousin in Missouri and it pretty much made my day. Love that kid. :) He's like... the best.

There you have the crazy 48 hour weekend in a nutshell.

It appears that blogging was a trend. Problem is, I am not a "trendy" person... so here I am, still at it, while nearly all the other bloggers have disappeared almost entirely. I think someone should start a revolution. BRING BACK THE BLOGGERS!!!

Also...

"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in Princes." Someday my Prince will come... but his arrival should not be where my confidence lies. I can trust in the Lord for everything, Prince or no Prince. Jesus is my first Love! ♥ I am continuously having this revelation - and also continuously forgetting it - so I find it is best to remind myself of it on a fairly regular basis, else I am apt to get... distracted.

I was told today by a lady at the self defense seminar that she never would have suspected that I was a black belt, because I had a bow on my hair and my arm was all written on with Sharpie, and I was wearing dirty Converse. I was terribly tempted to tell her that that was because I was a ninja, and so no one was supposed to know - I was in disguise, you see - but then she was rather old, and I didn't want to frighten her too badly. ;) Hehe. I was rather taken aback though. I guess I've just gotten used to myself being a black belt and I don't really think about the way that I look when I say that I am one. I suppose you wouldn't assume that a smallish girl, as I am, who wears bows and dresses and Converse, would be a black belt. I dare say I don't appear very black-belt-ish on a regular basis. Only when I'm in uniform; of course, then one would naturally not have much trouble determining my rank. :)

Today while playing on a really cool site that has a bunch of author's quotes (I found it while doing research), I discovered a page that had just scads of Oscar Wilde quotes. And since he was like the brilliantest man alive, or dead, as it were, I looked through them... and came up with this one. It suited myself rather well, I thought :

"Quotation is a serviceable substitute for wit."

- Oscar Wilde

Well... I dare say 5:45 approaches rather quickly. And being as tired as I am just now, I believe I shall "hit the sack," if I may use the vernacular.

I rather like that word. "Vernacular." Maybe you hadn't already noticed. But I do. I rather like it.

In any case, off to the land of dreams I go! Or, maybe just to someplace a tad less dramatic. The land of... good night's sleep, perhaps.

Is that too much to ask?

A Sock Dilemma

I think I need a more efficient organizing system for my sock drawer. The reason for this is that when a person can have as many socks as I do, and still not be able to find even one sock in a reasonable length of time, and then when they do finally find two socks, the two don't even match, I think that that is a good indication that the organization of that sock drawer is sadly lacking in efficiency. And I am ALL about efficiency. That's why I love sleeping in so much. And being lazy. It's so much more efficient than wasting brain energy on trivial things like homework and chores...

I have recently wondered at the well known tendency of mothers to like clean bedrooms. Why must one clean one's closet floor, anyway? It's not as if anyone looks in there, except the person to whom the closet belongs. And normally that person is not particularly partial to a clean closet floor. If that were the case, their mother would not need to tell them to clean it. After all, though, if one does clean one's closet floor, it is only going to get cluttered all over again, and then one would be forced to clean it, all over again, and this pattern could go on for... oh, well, the rest of one's life, I suppose. It's like one would become trapped in this pattern of closet-floor-cleaning. And who wants to spend their life cleaning their closet floor? Not I, I say, not I. It's a dangerous thing, this closet-cleaning. Beware of the trap.

I am currently reading a novel, by Agatha Christie. It's called A Pocket Full of Rye. If you know anything about literature, you probably know that Agatha Christie writes mystery novels. This is my first one, of hers, and I'm interested to see how it is. I was rather intrigued, though, because the murder occured in the first five pages. Obviously Miss Christie did not like to beat around the bush. Straight and to the point, she must be. Or, have been, rather. I think she's dead now. But whatever; that is beside the point. Um... moving on.

My mum bought a book at the concert we went to the other day. She's reading it right now, but I can't wait to read it for myself. It's called Emotional Purity, and I think it's going to be just the book I need to read right now. It's about guarding your heart and taking thoughts captive, and keeping your heart and mind pure, as well as being pure physically. Because people tend to overlook the emotional aspect and instead of saving themselves mentally as well as physically, they let thier thoughts run wild and they give away pieces of themselves to people who didn't even know. I won't claim not to be guilty of this myself, honestly. I really struggle with that, a lot, and I've reached the point where I know that I need to change that but I don't know how, so I'm interested to see what this book says.

Well, I happen to be going snowboarding tomorrow, and it happens to be past midnight, and I happen to be planning to wake at 5 in the morning... good plan? No... but, I have no other options, now that it's already midnight. Can't go to bed any sooner than now. In any case, good night!

"Would You Like to Try a Crappe This Evening?"

Today I wrote L♥VE on my arm. It pretty much looks just like that. It was kind of lame at first, but I fixed it so it looks better now.

I also went to a concert today. It was a lot of fun. I took one of my bestest pals, Anne, with me. We shared a good deal of intellectual conversation, and also fudge sundaes and french fries. That is to say, we had our own sundaes and fries. We only shared the conversation. I guess we didn't really 'share' that, either, we rather 'engaged' in it. Maybe I should have worded it that way the first time. But then I would have still had to clarify, because we didn't engage in sundaes or french fries, either. Maybe I should have just put them in two separate sentences. Oh well... too late now. It's already been said. And I'm obvioiusly much too lazy to go back and fix it now.

In any event, I went to this concert. There were some bands there... I hear they usually have those, at concerts. They were pretty awesome. I bought this t-shirt. It has a dinosaur and a sailboat on it. It also says "BarlowGirl" on the front. But I pretty much bought it because of the little green t-rex. I love t-rexes. Actually, I never knew that I loved them before. It was love at first sight, though, I suppose. ♥

I went to McDonald's, afterwards, with my pal, Anne. (That's where we got the sundaes and french fries.) When we ordered, the guy said, "Welcome to McDonalds. Would you like to try a frappe this evening?" Anne and I looked at each other, and said, "Did he just say, 'crappe'?" It sure sounded as if he had. In any event, we found the whole thing rather amusing.

Would you like to try a crappe this evening?