What if it's Him?

Something to think about:

December

Friends.
Life, as of late, and as you can probably imagine, has been wonderful.

We LOVE being married! It's so much fun having someone around all the time. We feel very blessed that we, as Jason Mraz puts it, "fell in love with my best friend".














We had some fantastic lattes a couple of weekends ago. Here's one of them- and props to our friend, Dallas, for creating exquisite latte art. I never did get that down.

















We've also been doing a fair amount of coloring for my classroom. I feel like every free moment I have includes coloring pictures to cut out, glue on tag, cut out again, laminate, and cut out a third and final time. I presume that next year will have a lighter coloring/laminating load. For now, I have a wonderful husband who continues to color with me- and incredible in laws who sat for three hours with me over Thanksgiving break- coloring, cutting, snacking, cutting, laughing, cutting.......and coloring.




















Last weekend we went out and bought our first Christmas tree. It was a really fun evening- we ordered in pizza and decorated. Here I am with my pizza and milk, and Nate with his.















Nate dominated the lights- a job that was always my dads growing up. Here, we continue the tradition of the "man job".




















Next, I was "workin' it" with the ribbon.



















And the final product:



















I've been working on a tree skirt this weekend. I found two different fabrics, cut a 42inch diameter circle, quartered them, and stitched them back together. Then I cut the circle out of the middle and am now in the process of stitching the rope around the outside edge. Should be able to finish it up tonight. :)

































We tried some ear candles to see if we could cure my daily plugged left ear. I don't think wax is the problem....we didn't get very much out.... it was an interesting experience, however.

And I'll leave you with this: Can you guess who decided to graffiti the bench in Kindergarten? :)

Just Stay Close

My Kindergarten kiddos are.....precious. And crazy. And really wound up today.

Earlier this week someone told me,
"Mrs. Eigsti, I went to the zoo yesterday"
"Really? What animals did you see?"
"The crackadillos"
"No kidding? Wow! What did it look like!?"

no response.

At recess yesterday another one was twirling a long black something in his hands, wrapping it around his wrists and telling me a story. I stopped him and said, "What are you playing with?"
"A rope."

I took it from his hands and saw that it was one of our Sudanese girls' braided hair extensions! I started laughing so hard- then I pocketed it (I couldn't let a child continue playing with someone's braided hair that he found on the playground!) and I preceded to hide it on Susan's keyboard for her to find later in the day. :) What a surprise!

Life is good. My mom and her Bible study girls are coming tonight to go to a Mercy Me and Bebo Norman concert with Nate, Ann and I. I'm really excited to see everyone. The music will be great too....

AND, I joined the church choir and have found my heart to be flittering every time I think of the music. Singing with people of all ages and walks of life- hearing all the harmonies together- it does something for my heart that I've not found anywhere else. It's like I can literally feel it swelling with joy.....something strange and difficult to explain. All I know is that I love singing and I'm super excited to be part of the choir. :)

Falling into the season

We're making Ciabatta bread today. It started last night with the "starter" and has turned into quite the process. I did, however, get to use my new dough scraper- a gift from one of my bridal showers- a new tool that I had had mistakenly taken for granted. I used it this afternoon and fell in love! If any of you are avid bakers, I suggest investing in one- they're relatively cheap- under $10 at Kohl's, or TJ Max......and they're phenomenal for scraping semi-sticky dough off of floured surfaces. :)

Our honeymoon was a complete success. I'll post more photos later when I'm on Nate's computer- he's got all the photos. Or, perhaps I'll just direct you to the link on Nate's webpage so you can see lots of them for yourself. One of my favorite parts BY FAR was the monkey- I'm now trying to convince Nate that we need one for a pet.....

Meg

In honor of one of my great friends, Meg, I am posting our absolute favorite picture from the trip. Meg, happy birthday, babe!!!!

We'll be leaving the sandy beaches today to come home to cold Nebraska weather. You can expect more photos from the trip in the next couple of days. Hasta la vista!

We're Here!!!!

We arrived yesterday to our honeymoon in Cancun!!!
Here's the swans that were waiting on our bed. Our room was complete with white robes, slippers, a welcome package of champagne and fruit, fresh flowers, etc.....this is luxury that we've never known on a vacation! It's wonderful!!!

This is the view from our room. It's beautiful and overlooks the pool area and the Carribian Sea.
Nate took a little swim.......

And we are LOVING our time here!

After an afternoon of swimming, relaxing in the sun, we showered and got ready for dinner. Right around that time, our first tropical storm rolled in. It was beautiful! Here we are in the "hallway"- which has no outside walls- on the way to dinner.

We've been spotting many friends like this one. They hide on the walls and scurry a little if you take pictures of them. :) I want to take one back for a classroom pet, but I'm not sure how he would like flying!

And this was my dinner last night- lobster and shallots in a butter creme sauce with steamed vegetables and sweet potatos. YUM!

Sunny Beaches Up Ahead!!!

Friends, as the bitter winds push their way into the great land of the corn, I want you to know that my hubby and I are getting out. We're leaving. We're off to sunny places, sandy beaches, swarming sharks and hours in the sun. That's right, we're honeymooning!!!!! Can't. Wait.

Here are a few pictures from our weekend at the farm:

Me and Papa Eigsti

That's right. This is me and I'm DRIVING the combine. Picking real live corn. (!!!)

Me and my sweet hubby- :)

Mama Eigsti, wife, man. I love these people!

And this poor little fellow laid here twitching his right leg. He was being a bit dramatic, if you ask me. Not for long, however. Moments after this shot was taken, one of the farm kitties came and crunched him right up. Poor little guy.

October's Kisses

I am in love with this moment: sitting with my husband in PJ's, October breezes gently pushing into our home, the Sunday newspaper and fantastic shopping ads strewn across his lap and spilling onto the living room floor, fresh coffee and blueberry muffins, and Justin King's guitar pulsing through my veins..... this. is. life.

I love our weekends together. I love fall. I love looking out and seeing the lawn littered with yellowing leaves. The sound of the branches rubbing their palms together....and the kick of water as the washing machine steps into its rinse cycle. These moments remind me what it is to slow down; how beautiful life is when spent with people you love doing things that make you incredibly happy. We are infinitely blessed.

I am in love.

Too stinkin' Cute

Many of you have heard of a small child in my room- the "Pint Size", I like to call him. He's from a middle-eastern country and has the cutest accent I've ever heard. Here's what happened today:

He likes to mess with things he isn't supposed to. He should have been sitting on the carpet like the rest of the students- but instead was standing next to our counter playing with my bell. It was a bit chaotic as everyone was just getting to and settling in for an afternoon story- a new book donated from a book-fair parent....

anyway, Pint Size was standing by the counter holding onto my silver bell that I tap with my hand for a nice "ding" when it's time for them to listen for instructions. Somehow he fumbled it out of his hands and it landed on the ground with a loud "ding"- at which point, he threw up his hands- fingers pointed, arms straight above his head and meeting in a swimmers starting position and in one fell swoop, he dove to the ground and started "swimming" across the carpet. The other students watched with bewildered expressions- glancing between the swimmer and myself to see what Mrs. E was going to do. I could barely keep myself together. The only thing I could say was, "Oh. My. Goodness."

These. moments. are. priceless.

I love my job.

N's New Puppy

This is the dialogue that occurred between kindergartner N and the rest of the class during "Kindergarten News" this morning:


N: I got a new puppy.

Mrs. E: You did?! That's very exciting! What kind?

N: Uhh.....

Mrs. E: Is it a big or little puppy?

N: Big.

Mrs. E: New puppies are so cute and so much fun! I'm really excited for you. What did you name him?

N: Mr. Eigsti!


I laughed. I don't think he really has a new puppy. And I sure hope they aren't naming their dogs after my husband!

Also, yesterday someone asked me if I could clip his "Finger-tail".

They're so stinkin' cute!

New Name, New Blog!

Friends, come visit me at my new blog! If you're using google reader, don't forget to put my new address in there. My new url is heathereigsti.blogspot.com - see you there!

weather

Here's something great: when I go to my igoogle homepage, the day of our wedding shows up in the weather- it's THAT CLOSE!!!!

I'm officially on "wedding leave" from school and I'm loving it! I slept in (really late) today- and now I'm going to make a pot of coffee, turn on some great music, open up the windows and enjoy the fall weather at home before I venture out. Nate is coming for lunch from work- :) Then I've got lots of running around to do today- can't wait to see you all THIS WEEKEND!!!!

Kindergarten

THIS is where I'm spending all my time.

Surprise!

I've been busy. School, moving, and planning a wedding for NEXT WEEK (!) have been keeping me in a whirlwind of decisions, errands, lesson plans, showers, etc. It's been SO MUCH FUN! I've had lots of company, Nate and I have spent some wonderful evenings in our apartment putting things away, rearranging what furniture we have, which is sparse and nearly-newlywed-ish, and we love it! We're definitely looking forward to the days when he doesn't have to pack up and leave at the end of the evening. It's time for him to stay here!

Here are a couple of pictures from one of my bridal showers. This is mostly for marth, because she wants pictures of my hair to see what she's working with for the wedding. :)

Me and Rissa- the maid of honor and BEST FRIEND EVER! (since Kindergarten, at least!)
This is Nate's mom, grandma, me, my grandma and my mama.
Rissa, me, and my moms. :)
And this is one of those silly games where "oops! you're getting ready to leave for your honeymoon and the lights went out! Find an outfit to wear on the plane so you and Nate can leave quickly!" I did pretty well for not peeking!
That's all for now. School is going really well- getting better every week as the kids and I learn more about what it means to be in Kindergarten. I'm falling more and more in love with them every day and have loads of stories to tell everyone. I'll write them down- soon. I promise. :)

Have a great week, everyone! I'll be a Mrs. VERY soon!!! Can't wait!

Really, I am.

I'm surviving. Really.

Yesterday was the first day of Kindergarten. Today was the second. I didn't realize that they wouldn't know how to stand (or walk) in a line together. I did a lot of mental adjusting yesterday. Today was better.

I promised that I'd share student stories as they came. Here's one of my first:

After recess, we came inside and I had all 25 kiddos huddled around me in my rocking chair on the carpet. Little Enas- a short, compact person from Iraq who speaks very little English, and whose first and last names I'd love to tell you because that's what I shout when he pretends he doesn't understand -or hear- my instructions....he came up to me in the middle of a "Little Quack" book with a panged look in his eyes, "teacher?"
"Yes, Enas?"
"My feet...."
"Your feet?"
"Yes....my feet"
"What's wrong with your feet?"
"They're broken"
"Your feet are broken?"
"Yes. My feet are broken."

It occurred to me that we had been out for recess in the gravel and many of the other students had been emptying their shoes out in the trash. Poor little Enas' feet hurt from the rocks in his shoes, and the best way he knew how to tell me was to say that his feet were broken. It was so sweet.

I also had a little boy come up and wrap his arms around my knees after open house on monday and say, "I'm so glad you're my teacher, Miss Ice Cream." I guess it's close enough to Eigsti... :)

They may not know how to line up, and they may be really naughty right now as they learn to follow school rules....but I think I'm falling in love with 25 small people..... :)

It's you that I hold onto.

That post was started yesterday afternoon- interrupted by a very pleasant surprise. I was at Scoot's, looking out our front windows and saw my parents pull up in their car! They live 2 hours away, so I never expect to see them roll into the coffee shop unannounced. Maddie was with them. :) Maddie is their 7 (maybe 8) year old Golden Retriever, who has become as much a part of the family as my brother or myself.

So, they stayed at Scooters for quite a while- enjoying the outdoor patio and some black tea. I popped in and out when I could- between customers. I worked a few more hours and then met Nate at my house to make dinner for my mom. Dad, Maddie, my brother James, and a couple of buddies were headed out for a night of camping at Branched Oak. Mom was staying with me. Surprise!!! :) I was so excited.

Nate made a fantastic dinner of Butterfly chops, steamed green beans, fetta, basil and fennel (I know, sounds strange- but it was great), and mushroom and pine nut cous-cous, one of our favorite foods. We ate out on the deck, the weather was beautiful, and the company was fantastic.

After dinner we went to my new classroom- I couldn't wait to show mom my new space. They helped me for hours and hours- arranging and rearranging. We didn't get home until midnight and I think I was the most exhausted of us all. I was so thankful for their help. :)

Like a mother's morning dress...

There are so many things happening. Period.

I've spent 2 weeks in teacher meetings and working in my classroom- dropping into the coffee shop every few days to work a shift here and there. This is my last weekend at Scooties- and I'm feeling very ready to move out of this season of life. Working here has been a huge blessing. I've met countless friends through Scoots, some of which have become very dear to my heart. I have grown, I have been challenged, and hopefully I have been used in the lives of those around me- I'm sure in ways I'll never know.

This has been a place to (sometimes) relax, catch up, invest in others, serve, learn how to love better, and to be loved by my coworkers and friends who stop in to visit. I will miss many aspects of my job here, but look forward wholly to evenings and weekends at home. I cannot yet wrap my mind around time with Nate- uninterrupted by a work schedule and having to leave in the evenings to serve coffee.

I've got it.

I got the job! I am officially a Kindergarten teacher!!!

I got the call Friday afternoon- hours after Jane called me.

I am thrilled!

If any of you have Kindergarten experience or ideas, please let me know. I've also been talking with a few parents of young children to see what they liked or disliked that their children's teachers have done. Any advice is strongly welcomed.

Thanks for all your prayers and support. I'll continue to keep you updated on the progress of things!

Either you've got it, or you don't.

I was at work today and felt my phone vibrating in my pocket. I looked at the number and saw 436-... and knew it was the district office. I answered and heard, "Heather? Hi, this is Jane from the benefits and human resources department at the district office. You've been hired to be a new teacher?" (note the question.)

My heart started to flutter, "Really?! What grade level?"

She paused. "Didn't someone call you?"

"Uhh....no? Not that I know of..." knowing full well that I had been watching my phone all day waiting for a call.

"Oh no. Well, you're on my list, but.....um...well, can you hold on just a minute? Don't go anywhere..."

Hold music hummed through the phone as I stood behind the counter on my cell phone, stomach bouncing. I don't like to be on my phone at work, but no one was in the store, so I waited. Just then, I looked up and saw two smoothie girls bee-lining it straight for the doors. I was forced to hang up. I guess district office lady might think that we were disconnected, but I had no choice!

Anyway, she called back and left a message and when I returned the call, she said that she was trying to find Kay, the head honcho who tells everyone if they have a job or not. I'm still waiting for the call. I told her that waiting on something like that dangling in front of me would be pretty tough over the weekend. She laughed and agreed and said that she'd try to find our lady before the end of the day.

For now, I'm waiting. I'm watching for a vibrating phone on the table....and trying to keep myself busy in the meantime. :)

Thanks to all of you who have called or written to check up on the progress. I'll post as soon as I hear something.

Draw near to God and HE will draw near to you. (james 4:4)

It seems that in the past 15 hours, the Lord has been moving mountains in our favor. Nate and I went shopping last night *again* in search of a wedding band for me. We've been looking for months- pretty much since he proposed- to no avail. Many of you have heard or seen our frustrations and it seemed like everywhere we went, they had the same wrong rings. I was starting to feel defeated. "We're going to look at wedding rings" was not a statement of joy, but rather one heavy laden with the negativity that usually accompanies losing.

So, we set out again last night. The only reason this outing was enjoyable to start with was the fact that Nate was there. It's a strange thing in love- the way simply being with him makes my world seem less chaotic, more doable, less threatening. Life's winds can be whirling around us in a million different directions, but when I'm with Nate, we're able to find a calm. I love that.

It was the 4th and final store for the evening. We had 45 minutes until the mall closed and I'd heard, "Oh honey, let me clean your ring for you," three times already. (I don't think my ring has been this clean yet!) We explained what we were looking for and ran into the same situations as all the stores before. My shoulders fell farther with each passing minute and I began to think that our options were to a) leave defeated for the night and try it all again next week to see if anyone had magically ordered in my "perfect ring" or b) custom make something that was going to cost thousands of dollars to make. I was not OK with the latter.

Natalie, the young woman who was helping us, was very patient and listened to exactly what we wanted. We visited and tried ring after ring next to mine. At some point, I think it was Nate who suggested getting two separate bands- one for each side of my engagement ring. We tried a couple of channel set princess cut bands, but they just seemed too bulky.

Natalie leaned into the case, "Now I'm not sure if you'll even like this, BUT...." She brought out two very thin, very sparkling bands and placed one on each side.

I fell head over heels for it.

"Yes. I love it. This is it."

I think Nate let out a sigh of relief that could have blown little Natalie over, had she not been prepared. "This is the first time I've seen her smile like this since we've started looking for a band..."

Needless to say, we were both relieved, exhausted, ecstatic, hopeful, thrilled, etc. We went home with twins, two shiny, sparkling rings in two matching boxes, with two matching grins, knowing we had found the perfect fit.

We came home to great news about a wonderful couple of friends who are moving back here after years in Kentucky.

I woke up to a phone call from a dear, dear friend in Japan. It was so good to hear his voice.

I have an interview today at the school I want to be teaching at. I want to be part of their team. I want to be the new young teacher who is still hopeful and energized about teaching. The one who feels like she can take on the world and move every child in her classroom. I want to encourage other teachers, be the one who people say, "there's just something about her".... the one who is used as a tool to bring light and encouragement, hope, laughter, a fresh point of view....and also the one to learn from teachers who are amazing; teachers who have been there for years and know the ropes like the back of their hand. I want to learn from them. I want to grow for knowing them. I want to be part of a team. I want to be part of their team.

If you're praying today, please remember me at 1:30....


On a lighter note, I haven't uploaded photos to my computer for a REALLY long time. So....it's time to play catch up. Here are some photos from the 4th July.... (I know, seems like forever ago).Nate and I were flossing our teeth after eating BBQ ribs....we're very classy people. :)

Playing with sparklers.

I LOVE him.


Mom, Nancy and I got our toes done and then met Amber and Rissa for my dress fitting. Then we went to Olive Garden.

My girls. Mom, Nancy, Rissa, & Amber

Our toes.

Here's my brother and my dad at a wedding in Norfolk. Aren't they sweet?

We've been doing some boating this summer. My roommate, John, bought a boat a month or so ago. This day we were enjoying snow peas from dad's garden....

He's so stinkin' cute....

John and Renae

Thanks for sticking through such a LONG post......

God is good. He takes great care of us.....and it seems that things just seem to fall into place once you refocus on Him.

My cup overflows.

Come again?!

My mom requested a recipe from ME!!! It's actually from Martha, but I made it for my parents the last time they came to stay with me. It's a great breakfast casserole.... and since she requested it, I thought I'd share it with the rest of you as well. Have at it!

Baked Egg Casserole

16 oz. shredded hash browns (simply potatoes)- not frozen
9-10 eggs
salt & pepper
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 pint whipping cream or 1/2 & 1/2
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. green pepper
1 lb. sausage, bacon, or ham- cooked


Heat oven to 350.
Spray 9 x 13 in. pan
Line pan with hash browns
Crack eggs on top of hash browns and break yolks- do not scramble.
Season with salt & pepper
add 1/2 cheese
pour cream over layers
Sprinkle onion, green pepper, meat and remaining cheese
Bake 40 minutes or until firm. Will get firmer as it sits.

*Can make the night before and refrigerate. Add about 10 minutes cook time if refrigerated.

if you only knew..how easy....it would be to show me how you feel...

Who misses THIS song?!

wouldn't it be nice....

There's so much going on now- with wedding plans, summer events, conflicting work schedules......it's been a crazy, crazy summer.

For those of you who are waiting to hear, have an interview on Thursday. !!!!! I'm so excited, but trying not to let my mind go racing into a classroom just yet. I have 2 "new teacher" books on Amazon- ready to be ordered, but I'm making myself wait until I have the interview and have a better feel for what this fall will hold.

The interview is at a school I really like- probably my favorite in Lincoln. The job is for either Kindergarten or 1st grade- levels that are much lower than I had anticipated myself teaching, but I know that I need to get my foot in the door. I've had some really encouraging feedback from other teachers at the school, and other people who know the principal well. They've given me hope, but again, I don't want to get my teaching supplies loaded up in the car until I have the go-ahead. If you're the praying kind, please remember me this week- as I go into the interview- that I would be prepared and confident, and just what they're looking for.

I'm quickly becoming overwhelmed with the tornado of events that are beginning to pick up speed. I know that this fall is going to be BUSY- and I'm already beginning to feel a bit batty. Today, anyway. Maybe tomorrow will look different.

We're having trouble finding a matching wedding band for my engagement ring. Nate had it custom made to be exactly what he wanted- and I LOVE it......so my stubbornness to keep my original band is proving to make the wedding band search more difficult. I've told these things to probably 15 jewelers in Lincoln: "Euro-shank, white gold, cathedral, channel, princess cut.... yap, yap, yap..." I wish someone would just have the right price, right shape, right weight, right setting....with a big giant flag waving, "HEATHER'S RING".

Wouldn't that be nice?

Keep yo' hands off, Mister.

Today I was hugged by a man.

Brook and I were sitting at the surfboard table at our little coffee shop and a 40-something male came in. He resembled a gray bear. As he inched his way in the door and came closer to the table, I slid off my chair to help him. I started toward the front counter and he stepped in my way, put his arm around me and proceeded to give me a good squeeze. It was awkward. It was really awkward. I glanced over my shoulder to look at Brook as I weaseled my way out of his hold, and found her chuckling to herself on the other side of the table.

I've never seen him before in my life. I think he needed a shower.

The rest of my experience with him was like nearly every other customer. He ordered. He paid. I made the drink. I gave him the drink. He said "thank you". He walked away.

whiner.

I think I just helped the whiniest man on this side of 9th street.

He was about 30. He came in with a beautiful young woman. As they walked in the door I heard him squeal, "I'm so hungry".

As he perused our pastry case, he picked up a sandwich out of the cooler- all of which are properly marked to display what kind of sandwich they are, what type of bread they are on, and the different toppings that will be found on any particular sandwich.

"What kind of sandwich is this," he asks me.
"Well, it should say on the front. That one looks like turkey on wheat"
"Oh. How much?"
"4.95".
To this price, he tisks.
"Do you have bagels?"
"Yes. There are two right there", pointing to the obvious plate right in front of him holding two cinnamon raisin bagels.
"I want a plain bagel".
"Well, we only have cinnamon raisin".
"You don't have a plain bagel"?
"No".
"But it's Sunday".
"Yes, I realize that".
"But it's Sunday, you should have plain bagels."
"Well sir, that's all we have left from the day. It is 7:30pm. All the other bagels are sold by now".
"But I want a plain bagel with cream cheese. Where can I get one"
"I suppose you could go to Brueggers on 11th and Q"
"Where?!"
"11th & Q- just three blocks that way"
"THREE blocks?!"
"I thought you wanted a plain bagel really bad. That's where you can get one".
"ugh. What about these muffins?"

So, I'll spare you the rest of the dialogue. In short, he whined for another couple of minutes. He asked for coffee with free refills. I told him I'd give him a "to-stay" mug and he could have his first refill for free. He complained when I told him the price. He said yesterday it was cheaper. I said, no it wasn't. He then continued to make his lady friend microwave his muffin for him, and asked me to put steamed milk in his coffee. I did. When I took it to him, he complained that the Internet didn't reach through the windows to the patio outside. I assured him that it did. He insisted that the glass was too strong for the Internet to go through. I thought to myself- "this guy is a moron". His cute little friend stood back and smiled politely as she knew he was being ridiculous, but was not surprised in the least. This must be common behavior for him.

I'm so glad I'm marrying Nate. He knows that Internet can go through glass. And he's OK with cinnamon raisin bagels. :)

Whirling in Tool

I think it's fine time I add another post. We've had a busy couple of weeks- here are some highlights:

* Diablo Dr. block party 2008!
* Trip with Nate to N-town to visit mom & dad
* My cousin Casey's wedding reception back home
* 4th of July celebration at my parents' house with lots of family and friends
* A day of GIRLS in L-town with Mom, Nancy, Rissa & Bam which included coffee, wedding planning, pedicures, new purses, wedding planning, dress fittings, Olive Garden, more wedding planning, and sand volleyball
* another drive to mom & pop's with my big bro, James
* Going to the Talsma parents' house TWICE in a week
* selling coffee every now and then
* lots of sewing
* dog-sitting for a ratty little pup named Jax. He's tiny. He's not house-trained. And my roommate agreed to watch him. He's leaving soon. I need to buy new make-up brushes- mine were chewed up this week by a mangy little mutt. :(

I've got to run. This week I'm working on being more intentional with my quiet times. Life and planning for a wedding .....I've allowed them to keep me busy enough to not take time out for QT's. No good. This week, I will be more intentional. I challenge you to do the same.

A little bit of heat

Some of you know that we took our engagement photos a week ago. We drove to good ol' GI to meet with the photographer and had an absolutely fabulous time with him. We've been anxiously awaiting the new photos- but generally it takes a week or two to get them fixed up and ready for viewing. Lane sent us an email last night with a link to his blog. Here's two of the photos he took. These are the only two we've seen posted so far- but we're really happy with them.
It was the end of the day, we were hot and bug-bitten, sweaty from running around being ridiculously good-looking. (joke) We found this shower next to the lake and decided to see what kind of photos we could get. Here you have it.

Our photographer is fantastic. Spread the love, people, and check out his website.

He's so easy to work with- and we actually had fun! If you know anyone getting hitched, or anyone who needs a photographer for anything- I strongly recommend him. He's a good chicken.

Apologies.

Hey. That last post may not be funny to anyone but my mother and I. My apologies.

Here, hit THIS.

Brook and I were at work this morning and someone asked me what my wedding colors are. "Her culah's are blush and bashful", Brook chimed in with a southern draw. For those of you who haven't seen the movie, Steel Magnolias, you're missing out.

This movie always reminds me of my mom. We used to curl up and watch it on Lifetime about once a year. This is one of our favorite parts. We both love Weezer. We'd be sobbing and then laughing with tears running down our cheeks and Kleenex in hand.

So, here's to you, Mom!



And thanks, Brook, for reminding me of this great film. :)

This is the real deal.

I'm watching Rachel Ray- her talk show! Not the cooking show....a talk show. Who knew?

I found a couple of pictures from this summer that I thought needed to be added.

Here we are- ready for take-off. We look like the real deal, hey? And this was after a cousin's wedding on Saturday night.

We had our engagement photo session last night in GI. We had a lot of fun and got some great shots. There are a few that might surprise some of you....can't wait to show them to ya'll.

I'm going to extend the invitation again. Since we have so many friends who live far away, I'm reminding you that once Nate and I have our apartment, we'll have a place for you to stay. So, PLEASE, come visit. We would love to have you.

I cannot WAIT to be Nate's wife!!

when did this happen?

The more time I have to slow down and process life, the more I wonder, "when did this happen". I've been itching lately to get to a coffee shop to read, have a quiet time, slow down and process through things. I've wanted to invite someone to go- to sit silent with me or even at a different table. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that so many of my "coffee shop grab-and-go" friends don't live here anymore. And as I look back, it's been a process that's lasted years. It's been so slow and gradual...that I'm just now understanding that so many of "my people" aren't here. I can't just jump in the car with them and go. This is one of those facts about growing up that sometimes makes swallowing difficult.

Carissa- Kentucky, Martha- Michigan, Melissa- Georgia, Amber- Omaha, Meg- San Diego, Ashley- Kansas City, Lindsey- San Diego.... and what's more, the people who are still here, most of them have real-life, adult jobs that keep them busy during the day. And if that's not it, it's beautiful little children that keep them home...

I'm not complaining. I'm not wishing for things to go back the way they were in college. I'm just understanding now that things change. Life doesn't ever stay the same. Friends move. People have different schedules and getting together for an afternoon of reading or writing just isn't as doable as it once was. It's this whole growing-up thing that I'm not sure I'll ever be used to. It's life and it's happening. We embrace these moments that we have now; these seasons. We learn in them all. We grow through them. And we become stronger.

Maybe today I need to go at it alone. Maybe it's time to take a different friend who's never leaving. The one who's been waiting for me to slow down and spend time in the word. The Lord has a way of being coincidental like that. :)

non-fat, sugar-free, half-caff, extra shot, extra hot........blah, blah, blah..

Guess where I am? The title should give it away, come on.

I've been told that some of you are checking my blog on a daily basis, and I've failed you. I do not post every day. I appreciate your diligence, but cannot promise that I will start blogging every day. Sometimes I just don't have much to update you on.

Things are going well. Brook was feeling a little under the weather today, so she went home a bit early, which is why I'm here a little later than I had planned. And because of my extra chunk of time, I have a bit of time to write. :)

The lunch hour in the coffee shop is generally pretty slow- which leads to much reading and crossword puzzles. I can't do them without Brook, I don't have the details memorized like she does....she's one of those "remembers random facts" type of person. I am not. I won't remember a detail two minutes after you tell me. Ask for a big picture. I can do that.

A girl with very tight pants is walking in. Must go.

H

Rita in Daisy Dukes

We bought a table!!! It's beautiful. We went shopping last night with Nate's family after Emily's birthday dinner....and found a great deal on a table very similar to what we had in our minds. It's tall, dark, and handsome....and in order to see it, you will have to invite yourselves over for dinner- after September 13th. We'd be happy to oblige!

In other news, we're 6 addresses away from completing our guest list. Getting addresses is a LOT of work! Eeeesh!

I had a purpose to this post. I really did. I can't remember what my big news was going to be... so I guess I'll have to stop by later for an update. Have a great weekend!

OOH! I just remembered. It's a fantastic recipe for pasta....easy and as follows:

2 lbs. tomatoes- chop and remove innards
4 cloves garlic minced (you could do less)
1/8 (or so) cup olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 cup fresh basil chopped.

Combine all and let the juices marry for a couple of hours. I let mine sit all afternoon.
Make a box of pasta- I used spirals, but anything works. Prepare pasta as directed and toss in the tomato mix when you're ready to eat.

I also made a chicken breast that I chopped up and threw in for some protein. I seared that in olive oil and garlic, and then used some white wine to simmer it in until we were ready to eat. Chicken was tender and juicy and perfect.

This recipe also works best when you accidentally use your fiance's roommate's wine and drink it, thinking it's yours.

The children's laughter sang

I'm listening to a new summer mix from my great friend, Meg. Thank you, Meg. I love it.

This is going to be a short post. I just wanted to give a shout out to my good buddy, Chris, in Japan. He gave me the book, "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers, maybe a year or more ago. It sat on my shelf for months and months...every once in a while I'd pick it up in an attempt to delve. I couldn't get into it for the longest time. But NOW! Now I'm 2 days in and halfway through. I probably would have finished it by now if I had no other duties in life. So Chris.....thank you. I love it. The timing is perfect. Now I'm really able to enjoy and learn from this book.

Hope this finds everyone well.....

to reawaken

It's been too long since I've written. Really written. Some of you know that writing is one of my favorite things in the world. I love the feel of words, the way they seem to crawl out of my head and place themselves on paper (or computer) when I give them the chance. Often, and sadly, I do not allow this opportunity. I can be witty and whimsical with daily blogs, but it's rare that I really sit down to watch the world; to live in it; to listen and smell and really see things.

So. I will attempt to slow down a bit more. I will try to get out and go somewhere just to be. Once I get into the groove, I'm really good at relaxing and making time for these things that are so good for my heart. I think working in a coffee shop has caused me.....or rather, I have let working in a coffee shop affect me in a way that doesn't have to be. By the end of a shift, I'm ready to get out; to get away from the atmosphere and be someplace else. But I'll just have to venture to different places- new coffee shops that I haven't discovered yet- or old coffee shops that I spent so much time in studying in college. I think I've felt a loyalty to my store- but that's silly. I can go other places. After all, there is that snow monkey plum iced tea just waiting for me at the coho. Martha, I will think of you every time I go.

And as for writing- whether it be in my journal or here on my blog, I'll do better. I'll write again. I'll slow down, and I'll really listen.

100 days!

We've got 100 days until the wedding. It seems like the first month has gone SO FAST! It's been a month today, now that I think about it. Happy 1 month of of being engaged, Nate!

We've got all the big things nailed down. The church, reception hall, DJ, florist, caterer, cake lady, dress (bought and hanging in my room), photographer, pastor, musicians, clothes for wedding party decided, honeymoon booked, wedding night hotel booked, hotel blocks reserved for out of town guests, gift registries completed, guest list narrowed down......I could go on and on.

The guest list. How awful trying to decide who we could "cut" out of the list. The church is small- only seating for 230....and we've got so many people that we want to be there. Plus, we have large families. It was a good task for our 5-hour drive home from Minnesota this weekend. We narrowed it down to the bare minimum....sadly, cutting out some of our good friends. So if you're some of those people who don't get an invite to the ceremony, know that it was a heart-wrenching task, and had we had more room to work with, you surely would have been invited. Good news is, the reception hall holds more people....so we have a bit more room to work with there.

We found an apartment that we really like. One of us will move in right away in September and the other will trail closely behind on September 13th. :) It'll be so much fun to be roommates! And those of you who are out-of-town friends, know that we specifically found a 2-bed/2-bath so that you can come visit and have a place to stay. Please, take advantage of us. (After Sept. 13th, of course!)

All that said, I'm still waiting to hear on a teaching job for the fall. It's a good thing that I have so many other things to think about- otherwise I might get a bit restless waiting. I have hope that there is a place for me for this fall. If you think of it, prayers are always appreciated.

Hope this finds you all well. Take care.

My life be like ooh ahh

We had a FANTASTIC weekend.

Nate and I spent a lot of time registering and making other wedding plans- and we had so much fun! I think the hard stuff is over and now we get to make decisions that aren't vital to a sweet wedding. Still a lot of decisions, but at least we have the big things nailed down. We booked the honeymoon yesterday afternoon- woo-hoo! I found my dress over the weekend with my mom, and have already tried it on twice since.... :)

We also had some of our greatest friends in town visiting from Michigan, Kentucky and KC (Kansas City). :) Here are a few shots from that evening:

G was having some trouble working one out. I think Nate was giving him some encouraging words in this one....he's great like that.And Ethan also enjoyed some one-on-one male bonding time with my man. They talked about all kinds of things, but I tried to give them their privacy and not listen in....man-to-man does not mean man-to-man-to-heather.
Carissa, is this what we were going for? I think I cropped all the right parts out! Great pic! Was SO good to see the Martins and their new fantastic edition. She's gorgeous. Simply stunning.

Here you can see how pretty she is...We tried to get some great shots...

Ethan even made it into this one! He couldn't stay away from the action!
And the Martins and Eigsti's tried time and time again to get a good shot. This was the best we could do. Scott.....Carissa, you should be so proud!!!!

Was wonderful to see everyone and their new editions! I guess we'll have to wait until September to get everyone back together!! Can't wait!!!