Yesterday was my 24th birthday. So I am now officially in my mid-twenties. I'm starting to get up there in the years. Before I know it I'll turn around, and be....old. Get old is kinda a scary thing. Working at the exhibit I've gotten to see my share of old people and some of them I just feel so sad for. I mean they are out and about which is great, but some just move so slow and seem so sad. But then you have others who are so lively. I really hope to be the lively one when I get up there. I wonder where you reach the point that you start to be one way or the other. Well, at least that should still be quite a few years away, if I make it that long. You never know, this could be my last post, I could fall down my stairs tonight or have a wreck. Life's short no matter how you look at it.
Well on to a more cheery topic. I bought a really awesome CD yesterday, Kutless 'Strong Tower'. It is their worship album. It is awesome. I highly recommend it. I guess it was my birthday present to me.
I've about got everything packed up. Mom came down on Tuesday and helped me pack up some stuff and she took some of my bigger furniture with her. But it still seems like I have a lot of stuff here. And I don't know when I am going to pack it up. Maybe Sunday night. I don't know yet.
Tonight is going to be good, Aaron and Sonya are going to have a cook out (well, its pouring, so it may change to a cook in or something) and some of our friends from college are coming that I haven't seen since last summer. I am excited about that. So I am off to get ready.

Travel Log

You know you travel a lot when:

~ There are 5 Lonely Planet guide books in your living room floor.
~ You can find your passport easier than you can find your car keys.
~ You get 20 emails a day about travel discounts.
~ You have a subscription to Nat'l Geographic Traveler.
~ Your luggage is a permanent house decoration.
~ You know what time it is in 3 different time zones, not counting America.
~ The travel agent knows you by voice.
~ There are driving directions/travel itineraries scattered through out your house and car.
And finally....
~ You can get around with out having to look at the signs, in 3 different airports.

Last night I went to this fraternity shindig with a guy I work with. It was a lot of fun. There was dinner, so speeches, and then some dancing. 2 of the guys I work with are in this frat and I went with one of them and this other girl we work with, Amy, went with the other one. Then this other girl we work with, Nicole, is friends with another one of their brothers so she was there too. So it was almost like a Ink & Blood get together, but not really. So here are some photos of our fun night together!

Nicole, Tim, Me, Kevin, and Amy

Kevin and Nicole

Me & Tim

Tim, Me, and Kevin

Amy, Nicole, & Me

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Things I don't know how to pack/what to do with:

~Christmas Tree Stand
~ 5 Envelopes
~ Flamingo thing that you stick in the groud and attach a water hose to and its wings spray water
~ Swiffer
~ Fire Starting Log
~ Key Chain Collection from High School
~ Best Friend from High School's Softball Jacket
~ Pom Poms from 8th Grade Cheerleading
~ 8th Grade Cheerleading Uniform
~ Tacky Glue
~ Empty Shoeboxes
~ And more

What am I going to do with that stuff? I hate to throw it away, but who wants it? Right now it is all in the middle of my floor. A lot of things are in the middle of my floor right now. Sigh. Only 3 more weeks.

More Pictures!

Today I took my camera to work to get some more photos. I forgot about it right up till the time that I left. So I got some photos of me and my friend Laura goofing around.

Pictures!!

Finally! I was able to post some photos. I don't know why the program started working, but yea! So here are the only 2 photos that I have handy.
Here are me and my 2 great friends Tiff (left) and Kat (middle). We met my freshman year at UT, we were neighbors in Strong Hall. Ahh, the good ol' days, the memories. Right now Kat is in grad school in New York City and Tiff is working in Maryville. Sadly, I don't get to see these gals a lot. I miss you guys!



This is me and my friend John having some lunch one day. We use to work together at good ol' Pugh and Company. He's a really great friend. Since we are both working other jobs now we try and get together some for lunch when we can.



I'll try to get some more photos soon!

Time for a Lesson

A lesson in comments: At the end of every post there is a little line that says "# comments". If you are to click on that you can leave a comment about that post, about the blog, about whatever you'd like. I encourage people to use the comments section. I know people are reading it, the counter at the bottom keeps going up. (Thanks!) So lets get some comments going!!

A New Color and Look

I've been packing for days now. It seems like the more I pack, the only thing that happens is that boxes get spread everywhere and I have more opportunities to stub my toe. Where did I get all this stuff? I don't need most of it, and yet its hard to get rid of cause I think, maybe one day I will need that. Or, there are the paper cuttings that I have from China, for 3 years now they have layed on my TV stand. I should throw them away, but everytime that I pick them up to do it, I remember China, and think how beautiful they are and I just cant. Maybe I can frame them....
And some how I have started a cleaner collection. I have 5 bottles of bathroom cleaner. 5! Why? I don't know that either. And then there are all those little things.....matches, index cards, stickers, papers, and the list goes on and on. There isn't a place for them, but I don't want to throw it away. Alas, but it does make me thank God for all the blessings He gives me. I don't need this stuff, I could live with a 1/10th of it, but I am blessed to have it all. I can see myself being like Jack from the movie 'Titanic'. There was a part in the movie where someone asked where he lived and he said "right now, the RMS Titanic." and the other person thought that was just horrible. But to him, he said, "I've got air in my lungs, and some blank sheets of paper." What else did he need? Nothing. And the same thing goes for us all. Im not saying we should all be wanderers, or Nomads, as a lady at church calls me, but for some of us, we don't need a house, or stuff. God says to look at the birds of the air and the flowers of the field. They are worth so much less than us, yet God feeds them and takes care of them. How much more will He care for us? I don't need half the stuff around me, all I need is some air and blank sheets of paper.

For Sale

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Beautiful Hands?

So it seems I may have some fun news to talk about. The people I work with right now are so fun. Last night after we closed the exhibit we to advantage of the bag screen that we use to show people a video presentation and used it to watch movies on. We saw Super Troopers and O Brother Where Art Thou. But the crazy fun came after the movie time. We made a 1:30 run to the Waffle House, this is now the 2nd time I've been to the WH with these people after midnight. Then we took what Craig likes to call a "Fun Run." Craig is our 38 year old exhibit manager who for some reason thinks he is old. He went to UT about 18 years ago, so on a Fun Run you walk around campus and reminisce about the good ole days at UT. So we started on the Hill, why I am not sure, and walk pretty much all around, telling stories and for some of us remembering the good days at UT. Also for some of us it was holding hands with a stranger. Yep, we were standing out in front of the library listening to Craig tell a story when these 2 guys came up to us and just started listening. Let me explain the state of these guys, first, it was about 3 am by now, we were on the campus of one of the biggest party schools in the US and its a Saturday night. You can take it from there. Anyways after Craigs story we started walking on and they followed us, so me, being Ms. Friendly, started talking to him. So as we are walking and talking he starts to hold my hand. A little strange yes, but I've decided sometimes it just easier to go with the flow than make a big scene. He wasn't hurting me, or doing any harm, so I thought ok, I'll humor him, right up to the point where he must have thought we could get a little closer. After he put his arm around my waist, I'd decided that was enough and kindly reminded him that I didn't think we'd known each other long enough to be getting that close. So he decided his time with us was over. Sad. Now before you all start thinking I was at risk for harm, all 5 of the other guys with me were keeping a close eye on me and would not have let me fall into harm.
But it starts a recurring theme with me. You see this isn't the 1st time some random guy on the street has just started holding my hand. Nope, 2 summers ago while I was in Mexico, my friend Ashley and I were asking for directions from this kid, yes kid, he couldn't have been more than 17, and then he decided he was going to way too so he'd walk with us, and as we are walking he just starts holding my hand, tight, like he will not let go. And on top of that, I couldn't understand a word he was saying. Needless to say we jumped on the 1st bus we could. Guys must just be attracted to my hands.

Be sure and check out Carmel's updated blog from her 40 days and 40 nights in Kenya. (Look to the left for a link to her page.)

Blah Blah Blah

Gee, my life is really slow going lately. Over the past 3 days I have worked, went to church, and drove to Virginia. Thats pretty interesting I guess. Monday I was at home sick and Dr. Noah, the man in charge of the exhibit, called and asked if I could drive his daughter to Lexington, VA the next day. So I said sure why not. So I spent 9 hours of my Tuesday on the road. It was fun though. But after that not to much else going on. The exhibit did decide to extend till May 1st which is really great for me. Ok, so I can't drag any more info out so check back later.

I think, of all the terrible things sin brought into the world, throwing up has to be one of the worst. Seriously, think about it, kids are all the time getting sick and throwing up. This has to be one of the times when they feel the worst. And it doesn't get any better when you grow up. It doesn't happen as much, thank goodness, but it's got to be the worst thing that can happen.

Not Much Going On

I was looking at my blog a min ago and realized I haven't wrote in a week. But it has been on purpose. Everytime this week that I went to write in it, I couldn't think of much to write. Not a whole lot has been going on. I've been working a lot so that doesn't leave a lot of time for other things right now. I think that the exhibit is going to be extended until May 1st, which is so great for me, cause then I will be able to work right on up to the time that I have to leave for Africa (almost). And that will give me time to move and spend some time with the fam. Its always great to see how God continues to provide for me. I have pretty much decided to go to Montana. I didn't hear from the people in Florida, so who knows if I will or not. So unless something crazy comes along between now and then, that's my plan. I won't bore you anymore with stuff. Ciao