Thankfulness #8

My church family. They really are like a family for me. My own family is so far away, and it's nice to have people in the here and now to share life with.

Thankfulness #7

My sewing machine and the fun of seeing a project come together.

Thankfulness #6

Plenty of clean drinking water.

Thankfulness #5

Cold medicine to treat the symptoms. It makes the cough easier and eases the cough-induced headache.

Thankfulness #4

That I have such a nice husband. He's a truly kind man. What Grandma said the first weekend she met him sums it up: "I don't know how you could do any better."

That was 3+ years ago, and I'm still amazed that such a nice fellow is my husband.

Thankfulness #3

Rain. You know the sound of raindrops on the roof, but have you ever stopped to listen to it on the pavement, on the grass, on a wet parking lot?

When I lived in Hawaii, it rained a lot. I loved the rain when I was at the beach, and swimming in the rain was delightful. Think of the sound of the raindrops on the water as you're swimming.

Questionnaire

• What time did you get up this morning? 9:00, then out of bed at 9:45.
• Diamonds or pearls? Pearls. Their luster and humble sheen is lovely.
• Last movie you saw in the theater? I do not remember!
• What is your favorite TV show? Haven't watched tv in a long time. TV show I miss the most: Jeopardy! Alex would tell me fun facts while I cooked dinner. Miss you, Alex!
• What did you eat for Breakfast? Coffee and orange juice with my cold medicine mixed in. Yesterday: Egg sandwiches.
• What food do you dislike? Grits. And lima beans.
• What is your favorite CD at the moment? Hmm...I've got a series of mix CD's I put together to energize me for housecleaning.
• What kind of car do you drive? Toyota Echo. It's my first car and I love it.
• Favorite sandwich? Homemade white bread with ham, bacon, lettuce, mayonnaise, cucumber, salt, pepper, and cheese. Yumm. Sometimes with Dijon mustard, too.
• What characteristics do you despise? Pretense
• Favorite item of clothing? My corduroys that fit me well. Love them.
• If you could go anywhere in the world for a vacation, where would you go? British Isles with my husband
• What color is your bathroom? Unfortunately, it's a peachy-pink. The previous tenant painted it. It's hideous.
• Favorite brand of clothing? Eddie Bauer.
• Where would you retire? I don't know.
• Most memorable birthday? 26th--deeply in love, spending the weekend at Grandma and Granddad's--Mom and Dad were there--and so was my honey. That was the weekend they officially met him: my husband.
• Favorite sport to watch? Volleyball. Also Olympic-caliber Track and Field.
• When is your birthday? In December.
• Are you a morning or a night person? N.I.G.H.T.
• What is your shoe size? 9.5
• What did you want to be when you were little? Teacher, astronaut, mom.
• What are you today? I'm currently unemployed but I'm trying to find another teaching job after a short sabbatical.
• What is your favorite candy? Bit o' Honey.
• Your favorite flower? Rose, Carnation, Lily (the big tiger lilies). Bachelor button. Daisy. Wildflowers in Colorado. Bluebells (they are sooooo blue!). And plumeria. White plumeria.
• What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? May 26 -- Ian's school year ends.
• What are you listening to right now? Nothing
• What was the last thing you ate? Sunday potluck at my church
• Do you wish on stars? Falling stars, yes
• If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Right now I feel like I'd be a purple crayon from an off brand...when you color with it, the marks wouldn't be very vibrant and they'd be streaky and unattractive. I feel moody.
• What is your pet peeve? When people use apostrophes improperly (you don't need to use an apostrophe when pluralizing, people!)
• Last person you spoke to on the phone? Husband.
• Favorite soft drink? Coke, but I haven't had one in a looong time.
• Favorite restaurant? In the world: Giuseppe's in Colorado Springs because we all go there together; it's tradition. For everyday? Hah! Steak n' Shake, Wendy's, and Panera (though Panera is pretty expensive and I can never find a coupon).
  Hair Color? Dark blond.
• Favorite day of the year? The first day of summer vacation when you get to sleep in, the bedroom windows are open, there's a nice breeze blowing in, and you can hear the ch-ch-ch of sprinklers off in the distance. It's even more delightful now that I'm married: I get to roll to my right and bump into my most favorite person in the world.
• What was your favorite toy as a child? Barbie.
• Summer or winter? Summer for barbequeing and eating al fresco; winter for fireplaces, big cups of hot chocolate, and cozy sweaters.
• Hugs or kisses? Both.
• Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate
  When was the last time you cried? This morning in church.
• What is under your bed? Storage, empty suitcases-inside-suitcases, and stuff.
• Who is the friend you’ve had the longest? Mike.
• What did you do last night? Watched a movie with my husband (No Reservations...glad I only spent $1 on it at the Redbox)
• Favorite smell? Rain
• What are you afraid of? Being alone
• How many keys on your key ring? Ummmm...7 or 8?
• Favorite day of the week? Depends. Usually Sundays.
• How many states have you lived in? --Colorado, Georgia, Tennessee, Hawaii, Pennsylvania: 5
• Do you make friends easily? Yes
• How many words did spell check have to correct? None. I spell them right the first time (usually).

Thankful Thursday VII

As always: that I'm saved
For cold medicine and that it really makes me feel better
For telephones. I can call you if I'm lonely!
For voicemail. You can leave me a message if I'm not instantly available
For my husband. You know what he did this morning? He made my coffee, poured me an extra glass of OJ for my medicine, packed a lunch in case I wanted to each lunch away from home, and looked after me. Everybody, now: "Aaaawwwww!"
For the freedom to write a short list because I'm not so sharp right now.

Common Grammatical Errors that Annoy Me Every Time, but Mostly Because I Notice Waaaay too Many Details and Get Hung Up on the Little Stuff

• Confusing its and it's.
• Confusing there, their, and they're.
• Confusing loose and lose.
• Confusing accept and except.
• Using apostrophes to pluralize (see the footnote for an example of improper apostrophe usage). (Apostrophes are not like confetti, as in "the more the better;" there are actual rules about when to use them.)

Now, I'm a Grammar Legalist. I freely admit it. Grammatical precision comes easily to me, and I notice details nobody else seems to notice! (It's a gift and a curse, I tell you! *Sob*) I'm not condemning anybody with this list, ok? It's just a list.

...aaaand I know I don't have a leg to stand on, seeing as how I confuse the words "left" and "right." (Yes, I do. I confuse them. I have to point with my hand when giving directions; my husband has to point when giving me directions.)
(And don't try to teach me how to remember left and right. I've tried all the mnemonics. Pointing is the solution...and drawing arrows in my turn-by-turn directions.)
(Ironically, I confuse the words but not the ideas. I have an excellent sense of direction. Inherited it from my dad.)

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Here's an interesting Southernism: "ink pen." This rule seems to label this as a misuse, but don't forget the Southern accent: when Southerners say "pen" it sounds a LOT like "pin."

Improper apostrophe usage: Don't use apostrophe's for plural's.

Thankfulness #2: Easter weekend

Jesus freely took on the curse of being hung on a tree, freely gave himself over to death (the just punishment for sinful living) even though he did not commit any sins ever, but was not conquered by death! He rose again...death was undone. What a miracle. What a delight! What a surprise! It's amazing every time I stop and think about it.

We don't celebrate Easter at my church with a big annual hoo-ha with Easter lilies and special music and altar calls and stuff. Because...you know what...every Sunday is special! We celebrate the resurrection every Sunday. (Did you know that's why Sunday is the day we 'do church' and not Saturdays?) Every Sunday we get to take time, set it aside, think about the reality of our situation*, and praise God for his death and resurrection!

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*The reality of our situation: (1) we are sinners and justly deserve condemnation for our rebelliousness against God but (2) God is merciful and has redeemed us; Jesus gave himself for our sins on the cross as the perfect sacrifice.

Thankful Thursday IV

• SisterinLaw A is coming up for the weekend again
• Spending time figuring out a good and organized meal plan makes weekend cooking easier and less stressful
• Coffee
• Tea

Go see this whole post over on my main blog!

Daily Chores

In my quest to become a better homemaker (and believe me, I have nowhere to go but up), I'm trying to compose a list of Chores I Must Do Everyday, and Chores I Ought to do Everyday but Thankfully the House Won't Implode if I Don't:

::Chores I Must Do Everyday Before I Go to Bed::

• Wash Dishes
• Wipe Down Kitchen Sinks
• Wipe Down All Countertops and Stovetop
• Put Clutter in Living Room Away
• Straighten Couch Cushions
• Put Clutter on Dining Table Away

::Chores I Must Do Every Morning::

• Make Bed
• Get Breakfast

::Chores I Ought to do Everyday but Thankfully the House Won't Implode if I Don't::

• Wash All Dishes
• Wipe Down Bathroom Sinks
• Check Status of Laundry to Decide When to Do Laundry*
• Check Status of Husband's Bread to Decide When to Bake Another Loaf
• Sweep Kitchen

::Bonus List (List of Lists)::

• On Fridge: List of Random Things to Buy (ie, laundry detergent, flour, socks)
• On Fridge: List of Projects (ie, Organize Laundry Room, Clean Out Winter Clothing)
• On Fridge: List of Birthdays and Holidays so I Don't Forget to Send a Card

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*I know, I know, I should have a Designated Laundry Day, but I don't. That's not how I roll. I'm just trying to get the basics down!

Books I've Read and Movies I've Watched Lately

...I'll have to 'review' them...someday. Right now it's nearly eleven pm!

• The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
• The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman
• The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman
• The Waitress
• 3:10 to Yuma
• Whale Rider
• The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory
• The Last Mimzy

7 Random Things About Me

1. I'm getting better at this housewife/homemaker thing. I'm getting more purposeful about chores and planning ahead and getting ready for busy times.
2. My favorite seasons are spring and fall. Right now, it's spring.
3. I like the occasional foggy day. Something about the trees being hidden and coming slowly into view as you walk up to them is bewitching. Also, sounds are muted which adds to the bewitching nature of a foggy day.
4. With all the fuss about the Harry Potter books, I'm amazed that there isn't an actual real fuss about the His Dark Materials books. Talk about anti-religion, anti-Christianity, and anti-God! That's true heresy, there, people. Calm down about Harry and get going about something to really get upset about!
5. I don't like listening to pop radio stations in the car anymore. For me, it's either news and NPR or Christian Lite (the stations that play praise music during drive time and sermons etc. during the day).
6. I'm good at sewing, embroidery, and crocheting. And cooking. I got the gene from my grandmothers.
7. Bad grammar really annoys me. Cognitively, I get that it's not personal, but the constant barrage of bad grammar, spelling, and punctuation reallllllllly ticks me off! I used to be known as the Grammar Queen in college, and I once had a blog called Grammar Police Officer.

Friday 3/14's Annotated Grocery List

See what I hunted for this weekend...and see some notes at the bottom:

Milk (A)
eggs-4 doz (14.1 cents each @ A, 16.4 cents each @ W)
green bell (2.49/3 @ A...83 cents each; 82 cents each @ W)
butter-2
croissants-2
Sprite-1 can
yeast-C
carrots
bag o'chicken
broccoli
green beans
red bell
cocktail wienies (3.67/14 oz...26.2 cents/oz)
bfast sausage
undershirts for I? (tied to finding tshirt squares)
bagels
hash browns
egg colors
cheese (21.9 cents/oz @ A)
onion skins

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C-'coupon'

Since Dad is an immigrant from Latvia (they came over when he was four), I grew up coloring eggs the "American way" and the "Latvian way." Latvian eggs involve onion skins, and grocery stores just let me stand there and dig through the onion bins and fill a bag with the onion skins.

Thankfulness #1

Salvation.

Who:
I was saved. Me.

Why:
Because Jesus loves me. (Not because of anything else...like beauty, brains, brawn, personality, stature, birth order, ethnicity, natural ability...nope. Just because Jesus loves me.)*

How:
By faith in Jesus Christ alone.

From:
1. From eternal judgement in hell. 2. From a life lived in the dungeon of self-service. 3. From a life wasted on the emptiness of folly.

For:
1. For eternal paradise: being in God's presence, united with all believers, to worship God forever. 2. For a life lived in the freedom of God's commands.** 3. For a life spent on the fullness of Godly pursuits.

Salvation! Unless I focus my heart on this fact, I'll grow prideful (like I did something special/was something special to earn salvation) or depressed (like I'm not being good enough to maintain). The plain and simple truth is this: that I am saved because God loves me, and that can't change!



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These facts are based on these references:

*And because of him [God] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." --1 Corinthians 1:30-31 ESV

**The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. --Psalm 16:6 ESV

Introduction to Work in Progress: Lists

When I was in college, my English professors commisserated with me about the challenge of writing a first paragraph, a first sentence, or a first page. It's hard! Now I am writing a first post and I think it's going to flop, but there has to be a first, right? (The college professors advised me to start writing in the middle, as in Write the middle of the plot, Write the middle of the essay, Write the second point of your thesis paper first, and then write the introduction last. That was great for academic writing, but for a blog? Hah!)

Anyway, here are some stats (it's list number one! yay!):

• Name: Krista
• Location: Chattanooga, TN
• Other blogs? Yes -- Work in Progress
• Marital Status: Married
• Children? No (not yet)
• Languages: English (mother tongue), Latvian (fluent but rusty)
• Religious? Yes--I'm a Christian (to narrow it a bit--a Presbyterian who adheres to Reformed Theology)
• Family: Husband, Dad & Mom (still married to one another), Sister (she's married, they have no children), Aunt
• In-Laws: MominLaw, DadinLaw, SisterinLaw, and two BrothersinLaw (one of which is marred and has a child)

I can't think of anything else to put in the Most Vital to Knowing Me list.

I've had a few ideas bubbling around for this blog, and I decided to go for it. It'll reveal itself as it goes. Hopefully.