During our family's annual birthday celebration my grandpa was telling a story about an interaction he and Grandma had with a deer while they were on vacation.
Apparently they were driving down a woodsy neighborhood road and there were some women walking down the street towards the car. In between their car and the women was a deer. The deer was focused on the pedestrians, so Grandpa slowed down and approached it as slowly and quietly as they could.
The car got right up next to the deer before the deer took its eyes from the women and noticed Grandpa and Grandma. Of course, then it took off running.
I can't help but wonder how often we are that deer. We are the deer focused on what's ahead, the women walking towards us, rather than noticing what's going on around us.
I am that deer. I'm focused on my future career, job opportunities, and the next step rather than focusing on the here and now. I'm concerned about what I'm going to be doing when I get back from China rather than focusing on what I'll be doing while in China.
Are you the deer? Are you looking at what you'll be doing this weekend rather than what you're doing today? Are you expecting something when God's working in a different way?
Oh, deer,
<>< Katie
Showing posts with label car. Show all posts
Showing posts with label car. Show all posts
Monday, June 27, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Storm
It's that time of year again when thunderstorms stretch all of the way across the country.
We had a great one the other night! The sky would not just illuminate so it looked like daytime but it would light up with sometimes three or four distinct lightning bolts.
Even though I was driving, every time this would happen, I would squeal with joy. "Did you see that one?!" It drove my sister nuts.
Sitting next to me in the passenger seat she was less than thrilled to be out in a storm. Before even getting in the car, she repeatedly told me to drive safely. She asked several people to text her if our Tornado Watch turned into a Tornado Warning. She was counting down the minutes until we made it home safely and praying the storm would pass quickly.
I too was excited to get home. I wanted to sit by our Palladian window and watch the lightning. She wanted to sit in the basement away from all windows.
Two reactions to the same thunderstorm. Likewise, there can be two reactions to the same life storm.
The reaction of Christina: praying it passes quickly, closing your eyes and hoping for a safe delivery to the other side, and wincing when the lights flickers.
The reaction of her older, wiser sister: enjoying the journey, getting a thrill from the unknown, and hoping the power goes out so the views are undistributed.
God, let me enjoy life storms as much as I enjoyed that thunderstorm. May I not just pray for it's quick passing but may I see Your peace amidst and through the storm. May I rejoice in every trial, see Your hand in every situation, and delight in the journey rather than waiting for the final result. If that's what it takes to praise You, bring the storm!
It makes me think of the MercyMe song "Bring the Rain"
Learning to enjoy the storms of life,
<>< Katie
We had a great one the other night! The sky would not just illuminate so it looked like daytime but it would light up with sometimes three or four distinct lightning bolts.
Even though I was driving, every time this would happen, I would squeal with joy. "Did you see that one?!" It drove my sister nuts.
Sitting next to me in the passenger seat she was less than thrilled to be out in a storm. Before even getting in the car, she repeatedly told me to drive safely. She asked several people to text her if our Tornado Watch turned into a Tornado Warning. She was counting down the minutes until we made it home safely and praying the storm would pass quickly.
I too was excited to get home. I wanted to sit by our Palladian window and watch the lightning. She wanted to sit in the basement away from all windows.
Two reactions to the same thunderstorm. Likewise, there can be two reactions to the same life storm.
The reaction of Christina: praying it passes quickly, closing your eyes and hoping for a safe delivery to the other side, and wincing when the lights flickers.
The reaction of her older, wiser sister: enjoying the journey, getting a thrill from the unknown, and hoping the power goes out so the views are undistributed.
God, let me enjoy life storms as much as I enjoyed that thunderstorm. May I not just pray for it's quick passing but may I see Your peace amidst and through the storm. May I rejoice in every trial, see Your hand in every situation, and delight in the journey rather than waiting for the final result. If that's what it takes to praise You, bring the storm!
It makes me think of the MercyMe song "Bring the Rain"
Bring me joy, bring me peaceWhat about you? Do you prefer the stormy parts of life or the peaceful? Can you dance in the rain or do you ask for smooth sailing?
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain
Learning to enjoy the storms of life,
<>< Katie
Monday, January 17, 2011
Snapshots: Precious, Priceless, Nerdy, Compassionate
Snapshot One: Precious
Neal bent over to zip his daughter's (age 4? 5?) jacket as they walked towards the caf door. She let him zip it all the way past her chin without protesting. When he stood, she took the cookie in her hand and tried to put it in her mouth, colliding with the jacket zipper instead. Twice she pulled her hand back and jabbed the cookie more forcefully into her jacket. Finally she used her chin to open the zipper just enough to free her mouth and enjoy the caf's mass-produced sugar cookie.
Snapshot Two: Priceless
My friend Emily saw some firemen, in full uniform, building a snowman outside the firehouse. I'm jealous I didn't get to witness this.
Snapshot Three: Nerdy
Elizabeth's boyfriend Andy came into our apartment with a fanny pack of medical stuff that's his to keep. Of course, he had to try it out on himself and Elizabeth. It was hilarious because he's trying to take her blood pressure while she was going out her daily routine, typing papers, and conversing on Skype.
Elizabeth: What was it?
Andy: Good.
Elizabeth: Really?
Andy: Well, I couldn't get the bottom number because you kept moving but the top number was good.
Sometimes Andy and I fight like brother and sister. I consider it good practice because I don't have any biological brothers.
Katie: Nerdy.
Andy: If saving lives is nerdy, then yes.
Katie: Yes.
Andy: I'll keep that in mind in case you ever need to be saved.
Actually, I own and proudly wear a shirt that reads, "Talk nerdy to me." Andy designed it.
Snapshot Four: Compassionate
We were driving through town and saw an SUV stalled on the other side of the median. It had been turning left and died just before it got out of the intersection and into the lane. One intersection away from Wal-mart, this ranks up there as one of the worst places ever for a car to die. The passenger jumped out and started pushing on the side of the car. A few vehicles went around them, and a police officer continued he day obliviously. One car pulled over, and the male driver jumped out to help. A few seconds later, a mini van pulled over, and the male driver jumped out to help. A jeep blocked the lane and intersection behind them with emergency flashers. Together they got the SUV to the side of the road just after our light turned green again. There are caring people in this world!
Neal bent over to zip his daughter's (age 4? 5?) jacket as they walked towards the caf door. She let him zip it all the way past her chin without protesting. When he stood, she took the cookie in her hand and tried to put it in her mouth, colliding with the jacket zipper instead. Twice she pulled her hand back and jabbed the cookie more forcefully into her jacket. Finally she used her chin to open the zipper just enough to free her mouth and enjoy the caf's mass-produced sugar cookie.
Snapshot Two: Priceless
My friend Emily saw some firemen, in full uniform, building a snowman outside the firehouse. I'm jealous I didn't get to witness this.
Snapshot Three: Nerdy
Elizabeth's boyfriend Andy came into our apartment with a fanny pack of medical stuff that's his to keep. Of course, he had to try it out on himself and Elizabeth. It was hilarious because he's trying to take her blood pressure while she was going out her daily routine, typing papers, and conversing on Skype.
Elizabeth: What was it?
Andy: Good.
Elizabeth: Really?
Andy: Well, I couldn't get the bottom number because you kept moving but the top number was good.
Sometimes Andy and I fight like brother and sister. I consider it good practice because I don't have any biological brothers.
Katie: Nerdy.
Andy: If saving lives is nerdy, then yes.
Katie: Yes.
Andy: I'll keep that in mind in case you ever need to be saved.
Actually, I own and proudly wear a shirt that reads, "Talk nerdy to me." Andy designed it.
Snapshot Four: Compassionate
We were driving through town and saw an SUV stalled on the other side of the median. It had been turning left and died just before it got out of the intersection and into the lane. One intersection away from Wal-mart, this ranks up there as one of the worst places ever for a car to die. The passenger jumped out and started pushing on the side of the car. A few vehicles went around them, and a police officer continued he day obliviously. One car pulled over, and the male driver jumped out to help. A few seconds later, a mini van pulled over, and the male driver jumped out to help. A jeep blocked the lane and intersection behind them with emergency flashers. Together they got the SUV to the side of the road just after our light turned green again. There are caring people in this world!
Friday, November 26, 2010
A Close Encounter
I am thankful for the grace of God and His arms of protection.
After safely driving eleven-plus hours, Amber and I were within a mile of our destination when life could have changed dramatically.
Katie: Your roads are narrow here.
Amber: Not really. It's because I'm driving in the middle of the road due to the deer. If I go back where I belong they're not that narrow.
Katie: I guess so.
As she was returning to her place in the middle of the road, a deer as tall as the car charged our passenger side.
I only saw the buck out of my peripheral vision, but Amber saw him head-on. We cannot explain how. He was in her blind spot, so we think she might have looked at me to talk. If she hadn't, his antlers would have been through the window (and possibly into my head?). As it were, she swerved towards the center of the road the same time the deer changed direction and ran parallel to our car.
Katie: Did you hit him?
Amber: I DON'T KNOW! Did you hear anything?
Katie: Nothing that sounded like deer-hitting noises. Only gravel squishing noises.
Upon further inspection of her car, there are no antler scratches and no deer fur.
There is no reason we should have made it home unscratched. We were charged by a buck! And yet we did. Because God is good. All the time.
<>< Katie
Of course, when we got home a mile later, the adrenaline was still pumping and going to bed was not an option, even though we had to be up again in less than seven hours. That morning was rough.
After safely driving eleven-plus hours, Amber and I were within a mile of our destination when life could have changed dramatically.
Katie: Your roads are narrow here.
Amber: Not really. It's because I'm driving in the middle of the road due to the deer. If I go back where I belong they're not that narrow.
Katie: I guess so.
As she was returning to her place in the middle of the road, a deer as tall as the car charged our passenger side.
I only saw the buck out of my peripheral vision, but Amber saw him head-on. We cannot explain how. He was in her blind spot, so we think she might have looked at me to talk. If she hadn't, his antlers would have been through the window (and possibly into my head?). As it were, she swerved towards the center of the road the same time the deer changed direction and ran parallel to our car.
Katie: Did you hit him?
Amber: I DON'T KNOW! Did you hear anything?
Katie: Nothing that sounded like deer-hitting noises. Only gravel squishing noises.
Upon further inspection of her car, there are no antler scratches and no deer fur.
There is no reason we should have made it home unscratched. We were charged by a buck! And yet we did. Because God is good. All the time.
<>< Katie
Of course, when we got home a mile later, the adrenaline was still pumping and going to bed was not an option, even though we had to be up again in less than seven hours. That morning was rough.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Perfect Timing
A few years ago at an outdoor music festival, I heard Peter Fuller (then the lead-singer of Newsboys) talk about God's perfect timing. In the middle of his statement about how perfect God's timing is, a train horn sounded in near proximity. The entire audience errupted in laughter. In his heavy Australian accent he looked at us and said, "A train interrupts my concert and you laugh?"
Well, God's perfect timing struck again and there was only nervous laughter.
I'd just gotten out of class at 10pm and was driving back to my apartment from the library. As I approached the stoplight I noticed a car cross the intersection and instinctively slowed down to stop at the white line. It was only then that I glanced up and noticed I had the green light. Maybe there was a malfunction? No, the other car definitely had a red light.
I made a quick glance around for:
Police officers. None. What are the odds?
Other cars. None. Thank goodness.
A green light. Go ahead.
At first, I didn't really think much of it. We all accidently run red lights from time to time. Not a big deal. Besides, it was late, and he probably got sick of waiting for the light to change. I was the only other car around. It wasn't until I was back in the safety of my apartment that I truly realized what had just happened.
Rewind. When I pulled out of my parking space, there was an exit to the left (the direction I needed to go) not far from where I was parked. Instead, I drove an extra thirty seconds, out of my way, to the right exit. Why? I don't know. I guess I just wasn't paying attention. It was 10pm! I'd just gotten out of my last class. Twelve hours earlier, I'd been dismissed from my first class of the day. Yes, one of those days.
It wasn't just because I was tired. It was because if I'd been to the stop light thirty second earlier... well, crash boom bash. We know this story. Been there done that. Unlike last time, this car wasn't starting from a stopped position. He was going and going fast. That could have been a really bad end to a long day.
I cannot take credit for avoiding that collision. I didn't do anything except absent-mindedly leave the parking lot. It was God who perfectly positioned and timed our cars for this to be only a "thanks, God" rather than a "help, God!"
Had any close calls lately? Whether you're aware of them or not, they've happened. Take a minute to thank Him for His perfect timing and arms of protection.
<>< Katie
Well, God's perfect timing struck again and there was only nervous laughter.
I'd just gotten out of class at 10pm and was driving back to my apartment from the library. As I approached the stoplight I noticed a car cross the intersection and instinctively slowed down to stop at the white line. It was only then that I glanced up and noticed I had the green light. Maybe there was a malfunction? No, the other car definitely had a red light.
I made a quick glance around for:
Police officers. None. What are the odds?
Other cars. None. Thank goodness.
A green light. Go ahead.
At first, I didn't really think much of it. We all accidently run red lights from time to time. Not a big deal. Besides, it was late, and he probably got sick of waiting for the light to change. I was the only other car around. It wasn't until I was back in the safety of my apartment that I truly realized what had just happened.
Rewind. When I pulled out of my parking space, there was an exit to the left (the direction I needed to go) not far from where I was parked. Instead, I drove an extra thirty seconds, out of my way, to the right exit. Why? I don't know. I guess I just wasn't paying attention. It was 10pm! I'd just gotten out of my last class. Twelve hours earlier, I'd been dismissed from my first class of the day. Yes, one of those days.
It wasn't just because I was tired. It was because if I'd been to the stop light thirty second earlier... well, crash boom bash. We know this story. Been there done that. Unlike last time, this car wasn't starting from a stopped position. He was going and going fast. That could have been a really bad end to a long day.
I cannot take credit for avoiding that collision. I didn't do anything except absent-mindedly leave the parking lot. It was God who perfectly positioned and timed our cars for this to be only a "thanks, God" rather than a "help, God!"
Had any close calls lately? Whether you're aware of them or not, they've happened. Take a minute to thank Him for His perfect timing and arms of protection.
<>< Katie
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
One of my Favorite Stories
On August 2, 1989, Freddy arrived home from a work dinner to find his house empty. Nothing unusual. He called his in-laws who lived down the street. He says he knew the moment his father-in-law answered the phone.
His wife, Parah, didn't know. She was too busy running up and down the stairs trying to relieve the cramps caused by eating a whole bowl of green beans for dinner. After the stairs, she moved on to the stationary bike before resolving herself to the bathroom floor. She still had three weeks.
A few hours later, they were in the car on the way to the hospital. Freddy's eyes rotated between the road, the clock, and his screaming wife. Less than five minutes. As they drew nearer, he expressed his lifelong dream of being pulled over at that very moment. Through gritted teeth Parah told him to shut up and drive the car.
One stoplight away and an ambulance appeared on the horizon. Freddy didn't stop to think. He knew he had to get his wife to the hospital before that ambulance arrived. He ran the red light and threatened to park in the ambulance bay. He parked in the on-call physician spot instead.
Inside of the hospital a few floors up, their sister-in-law Sasha heard about Freddy and Parah's late-night arrival. She slowly meandered downstairs thinking she had plenty of time. Stopping at the nurse's station to talk to her friends, she was told about a patient in Room One mere minutes away from giving birth. Suddenly the pieces fell into place and she rushed into the room, almost missing the birth of her goddaughter.
She wasn't the only one who almost missed it. The doctor almost missed it, too. He arrived at the hospital and poked his head in Parah's room. "Do I have time to change my clothes?"
"If you hurry," the nurse said.
They teased he could have been there sooner if Freddy hadn't been parked in his spot. Luckily, the doctor did make it back in time to deliver a baby girl at 1:35am on August 3.
That was 21 years ago tonight. How do you think I should celebrate?
<>< Katie
His wife, Parah, didn't know. She was too busy running up and down the stairs trying to relieve the cramps caused by eating a whole bowl of green beans for dinner. After the stairs, she moved on to the stationary bike before resolving herself to the bathroom floor. She still had three weeks.
A few hours later, they were in the car on the way to the hospital. Freddy's eyes rotated between the road, the clock, and his screaming wife. Less than five minutes. As they drew nearer, he expressed his lifelong dream of being pulled over at that very moment. Through gritted teeth Parah told him to shut up and drive the car.
One stoplight away and an ambulance appeared on the horizon. Freddy didn't stop to think. He knew he had to get his wife to the hospital before that ambulance arrived. He ran the red light and threatened to park in the ambulance bay. He parked in the on-call physician spot instead.
Inside of the hospital a few floors up, their sister-in-law Sasha heard about Freddy and Parah's late-night arrival. She slowly meandered downstairs thinking she had plenty of time. Stopping at the nurse's station to talk to her friends, she was told about a patient in Room One mere minutes away from giving birth. Suddenly the pieces fell into place and she rushed into the room, almost missing the birth of her goddaughter.
She wasn't the only one who almost missed it. The doctor almost missed it, too. He arrived at the hospital and poked his head in Parah's room. "Do I have time to change my clothes?"
"If you hurry," the nurse said.
They teased he could have been there sooner if Freddy hadn't been parked in his spot. Luckily, the doctor did make it back in time to deliver a baby girl at 1:35am on August 3.
That was 21 years ago tonight. How do you think I should celebrate?
<>< Katie
Friday, June 11, 2010
One Year Ago Today
I don't think I'll ever forget my last night in Costa Rica. I lived there for a month taking Spanish classes and living with a tico family. My final night, a big group of us went out to dinner. My host parents, my host aunt and family, one of my classmates, and myself. We went to a restaurant that serves all of the food on one plate and you kind of grab the food and eat it with your fingers. Yeah, not a germ-o-phobe's favorite restaurant. Top if off with the fact that I felt like crap and it was not a pleasant night. (I blame the chloroquine...next time I might take my chances with malaria). I tried to eat but really had no appetite. To distract myself from the nausea on the ride back, I started making a mental list of all of the memories/ stories/ things I'd learned that I wanted to share with Sra. Wright, my high school Spanish teacher. Learning a language is one of those things you remember learning every detail, at least for me. There were so many things I wanted to talk to her about, so I decided I was going to make a list on the plane ride back.
When made it home safely (that's actually a big surprise), and I stood in the family room contemplating checking my email one last night or waiting until I got back to the States. I decided to go for it. It'd be quick and then I'd go to bed and pray I was feeling better in the morning. Well, it wasn't as quick as I had wanted it to be. In fact, I learned that on the plane I'd be writing a different letter to Sra. Wright. One she would never receive. She'd passed away two days earlier.
The plane ride back was a roller coaster. Sitting behind me on the plane was not just a student from my high school but someone that graduated with me... took Spanish with me. I asked him if he'd heard and he said, "Yeah, it's a bummer." A woman dies and you say a bummer? That's worse than when I told a professor I was in a car accident on a way to her event and she said bummer.
I regretted not visiting Sra. Wright all of those times I'd visited my Alma Mater. She'd asked about me, but I never made it down to see her. I regretted not going in the one week I was home before leaving for Costa Rica. (Again, I blame the chloroquine... nine weeks of nasty pink pills meant nine weeks of feeling nasty). It helped me to know she hadn't been at school that day, but it didn't help much. I regretted not emailing her to tell her I was still using my Spanish and going to Costa Rica to learn more. I regretted not thanking her for taking the time to teach me. I regretted not being able to look her in the eye the last time we spoke. Her jaundice grossed me out. I'd known she was sick, but I never knew she was that sick. The word "cancer" was never shared, at least not with me.
I'll be honest, she was never my favorite teacher. I was disappointed when I saw her name on my schedule for the fourth consecutive year. In fact, there were many days I'd "Go to my locker" and get distracted by friends who had a free period; at least once a week I'd hear, "Katie, go back to Spanish." However, even the teachers we don't always appreciate leave lasting impacts on our lives, especially when you see them every day for four years.
Earlier this week, my sister Christina asked me to explain the difference between "por" and "para." I never get those two right, but I explained it to her the same way Sra. Wright explained it to me countless times. In fact, one day in class the example we were doing was a post card written to a teacher years after Spanish class thanking the teacher for teaching the difference between por and para. Sra Wright kind of laughed, "Please don't ever send me a post card thanking me for teaching you the difference between por and para. Por and para can't be taught... they must just be learned." That didn't stop her from trying.
The same idea didn't stop her from trying to teach us the difference between "ser" and "estar" either. Remembering this brought tears to my eyes. She said, "Estar is used with changing things. The soup is hot- estar. Today I'm sad- estar. The one I don't really understand is death. To me, death isn't a temporary thing but the Spanish use estar."
Death isn't a temporary thing. Life is the temporary thing. How do we spend it? Running a million miles an hour too busy to notice the little moments or investing in children and teaching them something they have the capabilities to use for the rest of their life? Being too stuck up to laugh at yourself or stopping class to remark about the "delightful aroma" of fart in the room before leaving and locking your students in it? Do you put up with their "Senora, how do you say (insert some super random word here like "lipgloss" or "headphones" or "@")" or do you cut off their fun?
Thank you, Sra. Wright, for taking the time to teach us the difference between "por" and "para" but, more importantly, thank you for taking the time to invest in us. To show us we can do it even when we don't think it's possible. In the words of the Celine Dion song sung at Sra. Wright's funeral, "You gave me wings and I could fly/ you touched my hand I could touch the sky/ I lost my faith you gave it back to me/ you said no star was out of reach... you saw the best there was in me..."
Muchas gracias.
<>< Katie
When made it home safely (that's actually a big surprise), and I stood in the family room contemplating checking my email one last night or waiting until I got back to the States. I decided to go for it. It'd be quick and then I'd go to bed and pray I was feeling better in the morning. Well, it wasn't as quick as I had wanted it to be. In fact, I learned that on the plane I'd be writing a different letter to Sra. Wright. One she would never receive. She'd passed away two days earlier.
The plane ride back was a roller coaster. Sitting behind me on the plane was not just a student from my high school but someone that graduated with me... took Spanish with me. I asked him if he'd heard and he said, "Yeah, it's a bummer." A woman dies and you say a bummer? That's worse than when I told a professor I was in a car accident on a way to her event and she said bummer.
I regretted not visiting Sra. Wright all of those times I'd visited my Alma Mater. She'd asked about me, but I never made it down to see her. I regretted not going in the one week I was home before leaving for Costa Rica. (Again, I blame the chloroquine... nine weeks of nasty pink pills meant nine weeks of feeling nasty). It helped me to know she hadn't been at school that day, but it didn't help much. I regretted not emailing her to tell her I was still using my Spanish and going to Costa Rica to learn more. I regretted not thanking her for taking the time to teach me. I regretted not being able to look her in the eye the last time we spoke. Her jaundice grossed me out. I'd known she was sick, but I never knew she was that sick. The word "cancer" was never shared, at least not with me.
I'll be honest, she was never my favorite teacher. I was disappointed when I saw her name on my schedule for the fourth consecutive year. In fact, there were many days I'd "Go to my locker" and get distracted by friends who had a free period; at least once a week I'd hear, "Katie, go back to Spanish." However, even the teachers we don't always appreciate leave lasting impacts on our lives, especially when you see them every day for four years.
Earlier this week, my sister Christina asked me to explain the difference between "por" and "para." I never get those two right, but I explained it to her the same way Sra. Wright explained it to me countless times. In fact, one day in class the example we were doing was a post card written to a teacher years after Spanish class thanking the teacher for teaching the difference between por and para. Sra Wright kind of laughed, "Please don't ever send me a post card thanking me for teaching you the difference between por and para. Por and para can't be taught... they must just be learned." That didn't stop her from trying.
The same idea didn't stop her from trying to teach us the difference between "ser" and "estar" either. Remembering this brought tears to my eyes. She said, "Estar is used with changing things. The soup is hot- estar. Today I'm sad- estar. The one I don't really understand is death. To me, death isn't a temporary thing but the Spanish use estar."
Death isn't a temporary thing. Life is the temporary thing. How do we spend it? Running a million miles an hour too busy to notice the little moments or investing in children and teaching them something they have the capabilities to use for the rest of their life? Being too stuck up to laugh at yourself or stopping class to remark about the "delightful aroma" of fart in the room before leaving and locking your students in it? Do you put up with their "Senora, how do you say (insert some super random word here like "lipgloss" or "headphones" or "@")" or do you cut off their fun?
Thank you, Sra. Wright, for taking the time to teach us the difference between "por" and "para" but, more importantly, thank you for taking the time to invest in us. To show us we can do it even when we don't think it's possible. In the words of the Celine Dion song sung at Sra. Wright's funeral, "You gave me wings and I could fly/ you touched my hand I could touch the sky/ I lost my faith you gave it back to me/ you said no star was out of reach... you saw the best there was in me..."
Muchas gracias.
<>< Katie
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
An Airport Adventure
Alexis said it would be no problem to pick me up at the airport. We were both headed back to school from a break and she drove past the airport on her way. I told her what time my flight was arriving, and, despite my not checking a bag, we planned to meet at baggage claim.
The plane landed safely and I texted her tell her I'd just landed. I'd be there shortly.
"You'll never guess what I just did." She texted back. I thought she'd forgotten me, honestly. Nope, better.
She'd arrived at the airport, parked the car, and came into baggage claim, our planned meeting place despite my not having any checked bags. She walked up to the monitor and searched for flights coming in from Philadelphia, a city she's visited. She then looked to the beginning of the alphabet for "Arizona." It wasn't listed. In a near-panic, she called home and told her mom my flight wasn't coming in. I'm so glad her mom assured her my flight was coming and told her to wait for it.
When Alexis explained this to me on the bus back to her car--the wrong bus, I might add--I looked at her and could not stifle my laughter.
"Alexis, my plane didn't come from the whole state of Arizona. It came from Phoenix. 'P-h-o' right next to the 'P-h-i' of Philadelphia."
So she's a bit airport challenged... but I love her anyway.
<>< Katie
PS: Happy birthday, Elizabeth.
The plane landed safely and I texted her tell her I'd just landed. I'd be there shortly.
"You'll never guess what I just did." She texted back. I thought she'd forgotten me, honestly. Nope, better.
She'd arrived at the airport, parked the car, and came into baggage claim, our planned meeting place despite my not having any checked bags. She walked up to the monitor and searched for flights coming in from Philadelphia, a city she's visited. She then looked to the beginning of the alphabet for "Arizona." It wasn't listed. In a near-panic, she called home and told her mom my flight wasn't coming in. I'm so glad her mom assured her my flight was coming and told her to wait for it.
When Alexis explained this to me on the bus back to her car--the wrong bus, I might add--I looked at her and could not stifle my laughter.
"Alexis, my plane didn't come from the whole state of Arizona. It came from Phoenix. 'P-h-o' right next to the 'P-h-i' of Philadelphia."
So she's a bit airport challenged... but I love her anyway.
<>< Katie
PS: Happy birthday, Elizabeth.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Major Parking Lot Incident
A few years ago, my family went on vacation. Dad's our pack mule and therefore moving the suitcases into the hotel is his job. Naturally, he commandeered one of those bell hop carts most hotels have. We helped him unload the van and load the cart. Six suitcases, two computer bags, five backpacks, three purses, a brief case, eight jackets, seven shoes... the cart was loaded. Full. I don't think we could have fit another bag on it if we tried.
It was only at that point we discovered the problem: the sidewalk. There was no ramp into the hotel. We were going to have to take the cart over the curb. Not a problem, we had Super Dad. He backed the cart up a bit and prepared for his task at hand.
"Ramming speed," he said, running towards the curb. The cart bounced onto the sidewalk and directly into a plant.
"BUSH!" I shouted. There was no way he could see over the eighty-seven bags.
"Push?" He repeated, doing as he said.
"No! BUSH. Like the president," I clarified.
"Reverse," he said, pulling the cart backwards, off the curb. He realigned it so as to avoid the bush that may forever grow with a big dent in it.
"Ramming speed." He wasn't so lucky the second time. The wheel hit the curb and the entire cart fell over, toppling all of our bags onto the ground.
As luck would have it, another van drove by at that exact moment. They waved. Dad's face turned red. We women were rolling.
Of course, we had to unload the cart, put it on the sidewalk, and then reload it. Someone took the front as we helped Dad navigate (naviget?) through the hotel and up to our rooms. Still laughing, we passed a maid in the hallway.
"Everything ok?" She asked.
"Yup. We just had a minor incident in the parking lot," Dad said, brushing it off.
"Actually, we just had a major parking lot incident," Mom corrected.
Bell hop carts make my heart smile.
<>< Katie
It was only at that point we discovered the problem: the sidewalk. There was no ramp into the hotel. We were going to have to take the cart over the curb. Not a problem, we had Super Dad. He backed the cart up a bit and prepared for his task at hand.
"Ramming speed," he said, running towards the curb. The cart bounced onto the sidewalk and directly into a plant.
"BUSH!" I shouted. There was no way he could see over the eighty-seven bags.
"Push?" He repeated, doing as he said.
"No! BUSH. Like the president," I clarified.
"Reverse," he said, pulling the cart backwards, off the curb. He realigned it so as to avoid the bush that may forever grow with a big dent in it.
"Ramming speed." He wasn't so lucky the second time. The wheel hit the curb and the entire cart fell over, toppling all of our bags onto the ground.
As luck would have it, another van drove by at that exact moment. They waved. Dad's face turned red. We women were rolling.
Of course, we had to unload the cart, put it on the sidewalk, and then reload it. Someone took the front as we helped Dad navigate (naviget?) through the hotel and up to our rooms. Still laughing, we passed a maid in the hallway.
"Everything ok?" She asked.
"Yup. We just had a minor incident in the parking lot," Dad said, brushing it off.
"Actually, we just had a major parking lot incident," Mom corrected.
Bell hop carts make my heart smile.
<>< Katie
Friday, May 14, 2010
Finals Week
I'm kind of on a roll spilling secrets this week, so we're going to go with one more: I love exam week.
1. Boing, Boing, Boing
There is this unwritten rule against throwing bouncy balls inside the apartment. I grew up in a house with a strictly-enforced "no throwing balls in the house" rule, but apparently Andy didn't. It's not unusual to find bouncy balls whipped at you from across the room. Well, over the last semester these bouncy balls have disappeared into dark crevices of life. Since we're actively moving out, they've been reappearing and flipped into full action. Boing, boing, boing.
2. Out to Dinner
I rode an hour with my adoptive family to have dinner with my parents. It was weird to arrive with someone else, eat with those people and my parents, and leave with someone else. Just to paint the picture for you: my dad is shy, naive, and quiet. So is Ruth. Dr. Z is a strange bird, and Mom is Sarah Palin. Yes, I think we were the waitress's favorite table that day. Well, we were her only table for awhile because we scared away the rest of the guests... Oops. By the end of dinner she'd challenged my dad to go trout fishing in the lake and offered to play frisbee with Malachi in the parking lot. On the ride back, we tried to use the words "indefatigable" and "perspicacity" in normal conversation. Bonus points if you could get them both into a single sentence.
3. How did this happen?
Allyson and I use two separate bathrooms, so how we met outside one to do this I'm still not sure. I had my "gooked" electric toothbrush in my right hand held high above my head. In my left I held Allyson's left wrist. In her right hand she had an open bottle of listerine. Realizing how silly we looked we burst out laughing and couldn't figure out what we were doing. Something about Allyson wanting to turn on my toothbrush and spray toothpaste all over the apartment...
4. Breakfast of Champions
The incentive to walk to the caf to eat breakfast before an exam is virtually non-existent. Luckily, we also have to use up our points and eat all of the bizarre food we've accumulated throughout the semester. Nikki ate a re-heated hot dog, chips, and old cheese dip. Allyson ate some chocolate cake with her whipped cream. Chris, an hour away and unaware of our creativity, had a peanut butter sandwich. I feel lame for eating an apple and peanut butter (by clutching the jar of peanut butter between my knees); I really don't like apples.
5. EXPECTO PATRONUM!
Allyson's taking a conducting class right now, so her baton is waving as she prepares. Carrie borrowed said baton and turned it into a Harry Potter wand. My favorite part is when she speaks into the end of the wand so that it can hear her better. :-)
6. (in the middle of a class discussion exam)
Dr. T: Alex Haley and Malcolm X co-write the Autobiography of Malcolm X, and they both have "X" in their name. Isn't that weird?
Katie: What do you have against people that have "X"es in their names?
Dr. T: Nothing... it's just... Saxon has an "X," too, and you're sitting next to each other.
Katie: It was the "X" factor that drew us together on this side of the room.
Dr. T: My middle name is "X."
Katie: Are you lying to me?
Dr. T: It's Xavier.
Katie: You are lying to me.
The rest of the class kind of stared at us.
7. Redecorating?
Nikki: Remember that one time our phones used the same charger?
Katie: Remember that one time you asked to borrow my phone charger and I said no because you licked me?
I do remember that one time when Nikki stole my phone charger and replaced all of the photos on my bulletin board with Kleenexes... Thanks.
8. Why is Cornhole in our apartment? (aka Bean Bag Toss)
I really don't know, but we played. Who says Cornhole's an outdoor game? We played in the living room with one person standing on the Platonic Love Seat and the other standing one of the arm chairs. I'm better inside than out.
9. Four Hour Exams
It started innocently enough at 6pm. By 6:30 our class of eight was seated around Dr. Paul's dining room table eating summer chili, chocolate-covered pretzels, and (get this!) fresh strawberries. By 7:15 we were having a living room discussion of the Christology of William Paul Young as found in his book, The Shack. By 8, we'd looked up the Wii Fit. For the next two hours we pondered how "Grandaddy" was born in 1975, is 5'7", and weighs 107 pounds... Either way, he looks great while juggling, hula hooping, and flying in a chicken suit!
10. Moving
This is my least favorite part of spring exam week: studying and packing at the same time. Some of my stuff goes to storage; some of my stuff goes home. Friday means 14 hours of driving, three cars and two drivers. Wait. Switch that. I guess I'm not indefatigable. By the time you're reading this, we've probably gotten a little giggly in the car. After retelling our favorite stories we'll start playing word games. Dad's a "numbers guy" so he loves writing sentences like "Tiny Tim tinkled in the timbers" or "Blue birch-bark burn on Bob's bum." Mom's a little bit better. :-)
Bon voyage and bueno suerte,
<>< Katie
1. Boing, Boing, Boing
There is this unwritten rule against throwing bouncy balls inside the apartment. I grew up in a house with a strictly-enforced "no throwing balls in the house" rule, but apparently Andy didn't. It's not unusual to find bouncy balls whipped at you from across the room. Well, over the last semester these bouncy balls have disappeared into dark crevices of life. Since we're actively moving out, they've been reappearing and flipped into full action. Boing, boing, boing.
2. Out to Dinner
I rode an hour with my adoptive family to have dinner with my parents. It was weird to arrive with someone else, eat with those people and my parents, and leave with someone else. Just to paint the picture for you: my dad is shy, naive, and quiet. So is Ruth. Dr. Z is a strange bird, and Mom is Sarah Palin. Yes, I think we were the waitress's favorite table that day. Well, we were her only table for awhile because we scared away the rest of the guests... Oops. By the end of dinner she'd challenged my dad to go trout fishing in the lake and offered to play frisbee with Malachi in the parking lot. On the ride back, we tried to use the words "indefatigable" and "perspicacity" in normal conversation. Bonus points if you could get them both into a single sentence.
3. How did this happen?
Allyson and I use two separate bathrooms, so how we met outside one to do this I'm still not sure. I had my "gooked" electric toothbrush in my right hand held high above my head. In my left I held Allyson's left wrist. In her right hand she had an open bottle of listerine. Realizing how silly we looked we burst out laughing and couldn't figure out what we were doing. Something about Allyson wanting to turn on my toothbrush and spray toothpaste all over the apartment...
4. Breakfast of Champions
The incentive to walk to the caf to eat breakfast before an exam is virtually non-existent. Luckily, we also have to use up our points and eat all of the bizarre food we've accumulated throughout the semester. Nikki ate a re-heated hot dog, chips, and old cheese dip. Allyson ate some chocolate cake with her whipped cream. Chris, an hour away and unaware of our creativity, had a peanut butter sandwich. I feel lame for eating an apple and peanut butter (by clutching the jar of peanut butter between my knees); I really don't like apples.
5. EXPECTO PATRONUM!
Allyson's taking a conducting class right now, so her baton is waving as she prepares. Carrie borrowed said baton and turned it into a Harry Potter wand. My favorite part is when she speaks into the end of the wand so that it can hear her better. :-)
6. (in the middle of a class discussion exam)
Dr. T: Alex Haley and Malcolm X co-write the Autobiography of Malcolm X, and they both have "X" in their name. Isn't that weird?
Katie: What do you have against people that have "X"es in their names?
Dr. T: Nothing... it's just... Saxon has an "X," too, and you're sitting next to each other.
Katie: It was the "X" factor that drew us together on this side of the room.
Dr. T: My middle name is "X."
Katie: Are you lying to me?
Dr. T: It's Xavier.
Katie: You are lying to me.
The rest of the class kind of stared at us.
7. Redecorating?
Nikki: Remember that one time our phones used the same charger?
Katie: Remember that one time you asked to borrow my phone charger and I said no because you licked me?
I do remember that one time when Nikki stole my phone charger and replaced all of the photos on my bulletin board with Kleenexes... Thanks.
8. Why is Cornhole in our apartment? (aka Bean Bag Toss)
I really don't know, but we played. Who says Cornhole's an outdoor game? We played in the living room with one person standing on the Platonic Love Seat and the other standing one of the arm chairs. I'm better inside than out.
9. Four Hour Exams
It started innocently enough at 6pm. By 6:30 our class of eight was seated around Dr. Paul's dining room table eating summer chili, chocolate-covered pretzels, and (get this!) fresh strawberries. By 7:15 we were having a living room discussion of the Christology of William Paul Young as found in his book, The Shack. By 8, we'd looked up the Wii Fit. For the next two hours we pondered how "Grandaddy" was born in 1975, is 5'7", and weighs 107 pounds... Either way, he looks great while juggling, hula hooping, and flying in a chicken suit!
10. Moving
This is my least favorite part of spring exam week: studying and packing at the same time. Some of my stuff goes to storage; some of my stuff goes home. Friday means 14 hours of driving, three cars and two drivers. Wait. Switch that. I guess I'm not indefatigable. By the time you're reading this, we've probably gotten a little giggly in the car. After retelling our favorite stories we'll start playing word games. Dad's a "numbers guy" so he loves writing sentences like "Tiny Tim tinkled in the timbers" or "Blue birch-bark burn on Bob's bum." Mom's a little bit better. :-)
Bon voyage and bueno suerte,
<>< Katie
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Burnt Popcorn
This week in my creative writing class we're been discussing point of view (pov) and tense. Personally, it's a bit basic because I know my preferred pov and tense. I know that if I'm writing creative non-fiction it's almost always in past tense, first person. Sure, the first person protagonist isn't always me but it's how I tend to write. My fiction pov of choice is bit more complicated. Almost always third person but beyond that I cannot/could not be more specific. Last week, I would have said omniscient. This week I'm not so sure. Senior year in high school, a classmate read one my writing assignments and commented, "This is written in third person limited. That's what Mrs. Martin said was the hardest to write, wasn't it?" I took that as a complement but brushed it off because, well, he wasn't the best student in our class. I regret not going back and investigating whether he was right in his judgment or not because now I'm quite a ways into a novel and I realized it's the wrong point of view. Sure, some parts can stay but most of it needs major revisions. I have my work cut out for me, and I realize this four days after spring break. Oh snap.
As a class exercise, I've rewritten this same scene multiple times from multiple povs.
<>< Katie
I first knew Chuck was over when I noticed his car in the parking lot as I walked back to my apartment as I late after class on Monday night. This meant I would not be accomplishing much in the hour and a half I had left of my day. As I walked up the stairs the smell of burnt popcorn was almost overwhelming. Of course, I wondered who did it, if the fire alarm had gone off, and how long the stench had had to clear. I turned the corner and had my answers before I pulled out my keys.
"Are we the ones who burnt the popcorn?" I asked as I walked through the open door. Bad choice. I regret opening my big mouth. Clearly the answer was yes. As soon as I made it through the foyer I saw Mandy curled up in a chair, her face buried in her knees. Chuck knelt beside her trying--and failing miserable--to console her.
"I set the fire alarm off," Mandy said looking up at me. Mascara and tears seemed to be hosting a marathon on her cheeks.
"Let me put my stuff down and I'll give you a hug," I said doing just that. When it comes to rectifying situations involving my roommates, a hug is always step one. Step two was biting my tongue and not complaining about the frigid temperature and awful odor.
"We were going to watch a movie, do you want to watch it, too?" Chuck offered.
Who could think about a movie at a time like that? Sir, your girlfriend is clearly upset, our apartment will soon reach subzero temperatures, and I doubt the aroma of burnt-popcorn will ever dissipate, I wanted to say, but I didn't. Instead I ignored him.
"I don't want to watch that movie now," Mandy confessed quietly. I went into the bathroom and grabbed the air freshener. I could still hear them talking in the kitchen.
"Where'd you find that?" Chuck asked when I returned armed with Oust.
"My secret stash," I said covering up the burnt popcorn with strawberries and cream.
"Heidi, I wish you'd have been here," Mandy cried.
"Me, too," I said hugging her again. It was only half of a lie. I would have rather been here with Mandy and her fire alarm than taking notes in class at 10pm. I wish I had been here for her sake, not my own.
"I was here," Chuck interjected. I smiled at him. He's trying; he really is.
"Everyone knew it was my fault. I forced everyone out of the building," she groaned. Even my story about Emily burning popcorn during business hours and forcing an administrative building to evacuate didn't really help. It was time for Plan B: comic relief.
"Did you try waving the towel in front of the smoke detector?" I asked; she nodded.
"As soon as we stopped the alarm went off. I thought about blocking the detector, but I didn't think that would work," Chuck explained.
"Have you used a wet towel to clear the smell?" They doubted it would be beneficial, but I wanted to try anyway. At the very least, it might cheer Mandy up a bit. I put a fresh towel under the faucet, rang it out, and began to swirl it above my head.
Success! Well, I don't know if it really helped with the smell, but Liz smiled. In fact, I think I heard a giggle! And right then, that giggle was more important to me than the overwhelming burnt popcorn smell. Mission accomplished, Heidi. Well done.
Oh, but next time I try to cheer someone up with the helicopter-like towel maneuver, I might remember to close the blinds first. I think we had an audience in the parking lot.
As a class exercise, I've rewritten this same scene multiple times from multiple povs.
<>< Katie
I first knew Chuck was over when I noticed his car in the parking lot as I walked back to my apartment as I late after class on Monday night. This meant I would not be accomplishing much in the hour and a half I had left of my day. As I walked up the stairs the smell of burnt popcorn was almost overwhelming. Of course, I wondered who did it, if the fire alarm had gone off, and how long the stench had had to clear. I turned the corner and had my answers before I pulled out my keys.
"Are we the ones who burnt the popcorn?" I asked as I walked through the open door. Bad choice. I regret opening my big mouth. Clearly the answer was yes. As soon as I made it through the foyer I saw Mandy curled up in a chair, her face buried in her knees. Chuck knelt beside her trying--and failing miserable--to console her.
"I set the fire alarm off," Mandy said looking up at me. Mascara and tears seemed to be hosting a marathon on her cheeks.
"Let me put my stuff down and I'll give you a hug," I said doing just that. When it comes to rectifying situations involving my roommates, a hug is always step one. Step two was biting my tongue and not complaining about the frigid temperature and awful odor.
"We were going to watch a movie, do you want to watch it, too?" Chuck offered.
Who could think about a movie at a time like that? Sir, your girlfriend is clearly upset, our apartment will soon reach subzero temperatures, and I doubt the aroma of burnt-popcorn will ever dissipate, I wanted to say, but I didn't. Instead I ignored him.
"I don't want to watch that movie now," Mandy confessed quietly. I went into the bathroom and grabbed the air freshener. I could still hear them talking in the kitchen.
"Where'd you find that?" Chuck asked when I returned armed with Oust.
"My secret stash," I said covering up the burnt popcorn with strawberries and cream.
"Heidi, I wish you'd have been here," Mandy cried.
"Me, too," I said hugging her again. It was only half of a lie. I would have rather been here with Mandy and her fire alarm than taking notes in class at 10pm. I wish I had been here for her sake, not my own.
"I was here," Chuck interjected. I smiled at him. He's trying; he really is.
"Everyone knew it was my fault. I forced everyone out of the building," she groaned. Even my story about Emily burning popcorn during business hours and forcing an administrative building to evacuate didn't really help. It was time for Plan B: comic relief.
"Did you try waving the towel in front of the smoke detector?" I asked; she nodded.
"As soon as we stopped the alarm went off. I thought about blocking the detector, but I didn't think that would work," Chuck explained.
"Have you used a wet towel to clear the smell?" They doubted it would be beneficial, but I wanted to try anyway. At the very least, it might cheer Mandy up a bit. I put a fresh towel under the faucet, rang it out, and began to swirl it above my head.
Success! Well, I don't know if it really helped with the smell, but Liz smiled. In fact, I think I heard a giggle! And right then, that giggle was more important to me than the overwhelming burnt popcorn smell. Mission accomplished, Heidi. Well done.
Oh, but next time I try to cheer someone up with the helicopter-like towel maneuver, I might remember to close the blinds first. I think we had an audience in the parking lot.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Te Amo or Te Quiero
As per tradition, the night before a mission trip our friends gather on the floot and pray over those leaving. Last year when I went to Guatemala, Amber prayed in ASL. This year Amber was headed on an ASL mission trip, so I teased about praying in Spanish. I wasn't actually prepared to do that, but I did end with some Spanish just for kicks and giggles. I said, "Dios, Te amo" or "God, I love You."
Unlike in English, Spanish has multiple words for the word "love" and multiple ways to say, "I love you." When I first learned how to say "I love you" the teacher taught me "te amo," but I've since learned it's an intimate love typically only used between husband and wife. A better term to use on a daily basis is "te quiero" or more of a friendship love. I'm slowly working "te amo" out of my vocabulary and felt dumb when I said it in our prayer. Not really like Amber knew, but I knew I used the wrong type of love.
The more I was thinking about it, the more I decided I didn't actually mess it up. I want to know Him in an intimate way. I want to be able to say to Him "te amo." Don't you?
Te quiero,
<>< Katie
PS. The last part of our mission trip tradition will come to fruition on Sunday when I return to campus and take a window marker to Amber's car... dun, dun, dun. :-)
Oh, and by the way, where's the spell check button on the new blogger? Sorry!
Unlike in English, Spanish has multiple words for the word "love" and multiple ways to say, "I love you." When I first learned how to say "I love you" the teacher taught me "te amo," but I've since learned it's an intimate love typically only used between husband and wife. A better term to use on a daily basis is "te quiero" or more of a friendship love. I'm slowly working "te amo" out of my vocabulary and felt dumb when I said it in our prayer. Not really like Amber knew, but I knew I used the wrong type of love.
The more I was thinking about it, the more I decided I didn't actually mess it up. I want to know Him in an intimate way. I want to be able to say to Him "te amo." Don't you?
Te quiero,
<>< Katie
PS. The last part of our mission trip tradition will come to fruition on Sunday when I return to campus and take a window marker to Amber's car... dun, dun, dun. :-)
Oh, and by the way, where's the spell check button on the new blogger? Sorry!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Buckle Up... It's the Law
Sometimes I feel like our trips in the car should be a blog saga. Might I add, that the longest travel time is twenty minutes and the shortest is three. It's usually the same people, so this could be like a column in a newspaper but really it's a blog.
They all start in the same way: Elizabeth and me fighting over shot gun. Sometimes I win; sometimes she wins. Either way it's a physical struggle between the two of us. We're both the oldest of three girls so we know how to fight and don't always fight fair. Hair pulling is not out of the question.
On Tuesday, Elizabeth won, so Amy and I sat in the back. Once seats are assigned and we all crawl in the second fight beings: to wear a seat belt or not to wear a seat belt, that is the question.
"Are you wearing your seat belts?" Andy asks every time. For the record, my seat belt is always on. It's Amy and Elizabeth that he has to worry about. They have been known to unbuckle each other so they can honestly answer "no" when he asks "Did you just unbuckle your seat belt?" He still pulled over and refused to go again until their seat belts were on correctly.
"I'll put my seat belt on if Katie takes hers off," Amy argued. I took my seat belt off. She put hers on. I put mine on. She took hers off. "And keeps it off!" That wasn't part of the deal.
"No, no, no the law says everyone in the vehicle must have their seat belts on at all times," Andy argued.
"Andy, do you plan on crashing?" Elizabeth asked.
"I don't think anyone plans on crashing. I think that's why it's called an accident," I suggested.
"But, really, Andy, you're a safe driver; he drives ambulances. We'll be ok."
"Put your seat belt on anyway," he argued.
"No! I've got a great Mom Arm. If we crash I'll just use my Mom Arm to save myself," Elizabeth suggested.
"You can't Mom Arm yourself. That just doesn't work!" Andy argued.
"Fine the I'll Mom Arm you and your seat belt will save us both."
For some reason I don't think that's going to work either.
"I'll put my seat belt on if Amy puts on her seat belt," Elizabeth started.
"I'll put on my seat belt if Elizabeth puts on her seat belt," Amy countered.
"Ok, on the count of three the two of you are going to simultaneously put on your seat belts... One... two... three!" Failure.
"If you don't put your seat belt on Katie's going to hold your shoulders, and I'm sure her hands are cold," Andy told Elizabeth.
Ten minutes after we got in the car both girls put on their respective seat belts which remained on for the duration of our three minute venture. Although it is always a concern. If he hadn't been driving stick shift I think he would have held Elizabeth's hands in his to prevent her from removing her seat belt.
While we were driving we created a what-if scenario regarding the importance of seat belts. My own accident story apparently isn't good enough for them.
"What if a deer jumps out in the middle of the road, I hit it, and you go flying through the windshield because you weren't wearing your seat belt and your Mom Arm failed. Then you crack your head open on the road and blood is spewing everywhere!" Andy started our hypothetical.
"You're trained to handle that," she said mocking Andy's EMS training; this has become one of our favorite lines (third favorite to be exact. The first two are "That's what she said" and "-er? You barely know her!").
"What if the airbag pushed me backwards while seat belt-less Amy is pushed forward behind me so we clunk heads and both pass out. Now you're still bleeding to death in the middle of the street," Andy continued.
"Katie, will you call 9-1-1 before you go crazy and start sanitizing everything?" Elizabeth asked me.
"I can't. My cell phone was in the bag you chucked into the elevator a half hour ago. Sorry," I said.
I was still sitting helplessly in the back seat, seatbelt fastened and hand sanitizer ready, as my friends struggled for consciousness when our hypothetical came to an abrupt hault. It was not by choice, however. You see at that very moment we learned the meaning of the word "irony." From the woods on our left jumped a deer. There was a mix of laughter and shock in the car as the deer disappeared into the woods across the stree.
No, Andy didn't hit it and our bizarre scenario didn't come to fruition, but I think Elizabeth and Amy will wear their seat belts next time we all go for a joy ride in Charlie.
And to think this post was going to be "Why I Wear a Helmet"... That'll be next week. :-)
Buckle up for safety, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah,
<>< Katie
They all start in the same way: Elizabeth and me fighting over shot gun. Sometimes I win; sometimes she wins. Either way it's a physical struggle between the two of us. We're both the oldest of three girls so we know how to fight and don't always fight fair. Hair pulling is not out of the question.
On Tuesday, Elizabeth won, so Amy and I sat in the back. Once seats are assigned and we all crawl in the second fight beings: to wear a seat belt or not to wear a seat belt, that is the question.
"Are you wearing your seat belts?" Andy asks every time. For the record, my seat belt is always on. It's Amy and Elizabeth that he has to worry about. They have been known to unbuckle each other so they can honestly answer "no" when he asks "Did you just unbuckle your seat belt?" He still pulled over and refused to go again until their seat belts were on correctly.
"I'll put my seat belt on if Katie takes hers off," Amy argued. I took my seat belt off. She put hers on. I put mine on. She took hers off. "And keeps it off!" That wasn't part of the deal.
"No, no, no the law says everyone in the vehicle must have their seat belts on at all times," Andy argued.
"Andy, do you plan on crashing?" Elizabeth asked.
"I don't think anyone plans on crashing. I think that's why it's called an accident," I suggested.
"But, really, Andy, you're a safe driver; he drives ambulances. We'll be ok."
"Put your seat belt on anyway," he argued.
"No! I've got a great Mom Arm. If we crash I'll just use my Mom Arm to save myself," Elizabeth suggested.
"You can't Mom Arm yourself. That just doesn't work!" Andy argued.
"Fine the I'll Mom Arm you and your seat belt will save us both."
For some reason I don't think that's going to work either.
"I'll put my seat belt on if Amy puts on her seat belt," Elizabeth started.
"I'll put on my seat belt if Elizabeth puts on her seat belt," Amy countered.
"Ok, on the count of three the two of you are going to simultaneously put on your seat belts... One... two... three!" Failure.
"If you don't put your seat belt on Katie's going to hold your shoulders, and I'm sure her hands are cold," Andy told Elizabeth.
Ten minutes after we got in the car both girls put on their respective seat belts which remained on for the duration of our three minute venture. Although it is always a concern. If he hadn't been driving stick shift I think he would have held Elizabeth's hands in his to prevent her from removing her seat belt.
While we were driving we created a what-if scenario regarding the importance of seat belts. My own accident story apparently isn't good enough for them.
"What if a deer jumps out in the middle of the road, I hit it, and you go flying through the windshield because you weren't wearing your seat belt and your Mom Arm failed. Then you crack your head open on the road and blood is spewing everywhere!" Andy started our hypothetical.
"You're trained to handle that," she said mocking Andy's EMS training; this has become one of our favorite lines (third favorite to be exact. The first two are "That's what she said" and "-er? You barely know her!").
"What if the airbag pushed me backwards while seat belt-less Amy is pushed forward behind me so we clunk heads and both pass out. Now you're still bleeding to death in the middle of the street," Andy continued.
"Katie, will you call 9-1-1 before you go crazy and start sanitizing everything?" Elizabeth asked me.
"I can't. My cell phone was in the bag you chucked into the elevator a half hour ago. Sorry," I said.
I was still sitting helplessly in the back seat, seatbelt fastened and hand sanitizer ready, as my friends struggled for consciousness when our hypothetical came to an abrupt hault. It was not by choice, however. You see at that very moment we learned the meaning of the word "irony." From the woods on our left jumped a deer. There was a mix of laughter and shock in the car as the deer disappeared into the woods across the stree.
No, Andy didn't hit it and our bizarre scenario didn't come to fruition, but I think Elizabeth and Amy will wear their seat belts next time we all go for a joy ride in Charlie.
And to think this post was going to be "Why I Wear a Helmet"... That'll be next week. :-)
Buckle up for safety, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah,
<>< Katie
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
How Katie "Broke" Elizabeth's Finger
My Melodramatic Life Part One: How Katie Broke Elizabeth's Finger
Elizabeth: We were getting out of the car, and Katie slammed the car door into my finger and MURDERED IT! See! It's gushing blood.
[Note the lack of blood]
Elizabeth: It's purple!
[Note the tan finger]
Elizabeth: I can't move my whole hand!
[she says waving to a friend]
Elizabeth: IT HURTS! [Wails in pain] I'm going to DIE!
Katie: Andy, would you look at Liz's finger please. Tell her how long she has to live!
Elizabeth: ANDY! Save ME! My finger is dead! Katie aggressively attacked it with the car door!
[Andy opens his EMS jacket, pulls out a bottle of ibuprofen, and places it ontop of the "purple" finger]
Andy: There you go.
Elizabeth: [Sigh of relief] That's better.
Andy: Now what happened?
Katie: She got in a fight with the car door.
Elizabeth: NO! Katie assulted me with Amy's car door! She slammed my finger into it and KILLED it! I'm dying!
Katie: We were fighting over shot-gun...
Andy: The two of you fighing over shot-gun? NEVER!
Katie: Yeah, well, I won for the first time in my life only because you weren't there to push me out of the way! Anyway, Liz isn't used to sitting in the backseat, so when she got out of the car she was a little too close...
Elizabeth: I was just excited to get here! I was running! And now it hurts! I'm DYING!
Katie: I opened the door and she slammed her finger into it.
Andy: So, Liz, you slammed into Amy's car door with your finger; Katie didn't slam the car door ON your finger.
Katie: Thank you!
Elizabeth: She MURDERED IT! Katie's a murderer! An Ax-murderer!
Amy: Katie, you have to walk back to our apartment because I need to take Elizabeth to the hospital. But not the close hospital, the far hospital because that's where Jo works and therefore it's the best.
Andy: I'll drive! I can get there real fast!
Katie: Yeah, in your car or in your ambulence?
Elizabeth: IT HURTS!! The medicine didn't help, Andy. Kiss it. That's what Katie did! Brad tried to kiss it, but he really just licked it. That didn't help! AHHH!!
Andy: Let me see.
Elizabeth: Don't TOUCH it!
Andy: How are you going to get better if no one can touch it?
Elizabeth: [moaning] I don't know.
Amy: We'll have to sign your cast.
Elizabeth: [Smile] Ok! [Viciously] But NOT Katie! Katie can't get anywhere near it!
Andy: They wouldn't put a cast on your finger. They'd splint it. I'm trained to handle that. If you broke your femur--which is very dangerous, so please don't do it--I am trained to handle that, too.
Katie: Last time I took biology I learned the femur is not in the finger.
Andy: Splint the femur; splint the finger. Same idea.
Adam: Liz, are you ok?
Elizabeth: KATIE KILLED ME!
Katie: Here we go again.
Elizabeth: She brutally slammed the car door into my finger...
Katie: But Andy put the closed bottle of ibuprofen on it, so we're good now.
Adam: Oh, ok. Good. I'm glad Andy were there to help.
Elizabeth: He WASN'T! He wasn't there and I was gushing blood EVERYWHERE! Worse than the other finger I cut while shaving this morning!
Katie: Liz, these are fingers. You only get ten! A new endangered species: Liz's fingers.
Elizabeth: AHHH!!! It's been a rough day for my appendages!
If she's lucky, she might live..
<>< Katie
Elizabeth: We were getting out of the car, and Katie slammed the car door into my finger and MURDERED IT! See! It's gushing blood.
[Note the lack of blood]
Elizabeth: It's purple!
[Note the tan finger]
Elizabeth: I can't move my whole hand!
[she says waving to a friend]
Elizabeth: IT HURTS! [Wails in pain] I'm going to DIE!
Katie: Andy, would you look at Liz's finger please. Tell her how long she has to live!
Elizabeth: ANDY! Save ME! My finger is dead! Katie aggressively attacked it with the car door!
[Andy opens his EMS jacket, pulls out a bottle of ibuprofen, and places it ontop of the "purple" finger]
Andy: There you go.
Elizabeth: [Sigh of relief] That's better.
Andy: Now what happened?
Katie: She got in a fight with the car door.
Elizabeth: NO! Katie assulted me with Amy's car door! She slammed my finger into it and KILLED it! I'm dying!
Katie: We were fighting over shot-gun...
Andy: The two of you fighing over shot-gun? NEVER!
Katie: Yeah, well, I won for the first time in my life only because you weren't there to push me out of the way! Anyway, Liz isn't used to sitting in the backseat, so when she got out of the car she was a little too close...
Elizabeth: I was just excited to get here! I was running! And now it hurts! I'm DYING!
Katie: I opened the door and she slammed her finger into it.
Andy: So, Liz, you slammed into Amy's car door with your finger; Katie didn't slam the car door ON your finger.
Katie: Thank you!
Elizabeth: She MURDERED IT! Katie's a murderer! An Ax-murderer!
Amy: Katie, you have to walk back to our apartment because I need to take Elizabeth to the hospital. But not the close hospital, the far hospital because that's where Jo works and therefore it's the best.
Andy: I'll drive! I can get there real fast!
Katie: Yeah, in your car or in your ambulence?
Elizabeth: IT HURTS!! The medicine didn't help, Andy. Kiss it. That's what Katie did! Brad tried to kiss it, but he really just licked it. That didn't help! AHHH!!
Andy: Let me see.
Elizabeth: Don't TOUCH it!
Andy: How are you going to get better if no one can touch it?
Elizabeth: [moaning] I don't know.
Amy: We'll have to sign your cast.
Elizabeth: [Smile] Ok! [Viciously] But NOT Katie! Katie can't get anywhere near it!
Andy: They wouldn't put a cast on your finger. They'd splint it. I'm trained to handle that. If you broke your femur--which is very dangerous, so please don't do it--I am trained to handle that, too.
Katie: Last time I took biology I learned the femur is not in the finger.
Andy: Splint the femur; splint the finger. Same idea.
Adam: Liz, are you ok?
Elizabeth: KATIE KILLED ME!
Katie: Here we go again.
Elizabeth: She brutally slammed the car door into my finger...
Katie: But Andy put the closed bottle of ibuprofen on it, so we're good now.
Adam: Oh, ok. Good. I'm glad Andy were there to help.
Elizabeth: He WASN'T! He wasn't there and I was gushing blood EVERYWHERE! Worse than the other finger I cut while shaving this morning!
Katie: Liz, these are fingers. You only get ten! A new endangered species: Liz's fingers.
Elizabeth: AHHH!!! It's been a rough day for my appendages!
If she's lucky, she might live..
<>< Katie
Monday, February 1, 2010
Magnificent Microwave Meals
This morning, I hadn't even put in my contacts yet when my roommates started sassing me. "Have you blogged yet today?" "PLEASE blog about last night!" "Katie, you're such a slacker blogger!" "Tell your eleven readers what we did last night!" They just like to see their times in print. Sorry to disappoint, ladies, but I am not going to explain how we managed to "seat" eight people on the futon... in three different positions. Enjoy the photo saga on facebook instead because words cannot do justice to the laughter that filled our apartment around 1am this morning.
Since school was closed today no one really wanted to eat in the cafeteria. We knew we'd be on day number four of whatever they could scrounge up from the back room and the pickings from that back room were getting grim on day two! Breakfast/lunch is typically one meal for us and can be made in the apartment thanks to our random supply of items.
Dinner, on the other hand, is more of a challenge since we don't have an oven/stove. Gourmet microwave meals only go so far. Either way, we needed to face the "icy roads" on the mile and a half trek to the grocery store. The problem is that none of the girls in our apartment who (a) drive and (b) have a car felt comfortable making this treacherous voyage. They called upstairs for one of the guys to take us to the store. It was around that time that I announced I wasn't going; Elizabeth felt my participation in this escapade was not optional.
Then why are we finding a driver? Even though I don't enjoy driving, I was well over-qualified for this dangerous excursion on dry roads.
"Get in the car, girls," I said and was expecting a repeat from the other night. Lucky for me, the only useless question was, "Which car is yours?" Clearly the one with out-of-state plates and no snow on it because I'm the only one with a real snowscraper. Pray for me in this foreign country...
Our spontaneous dinner plans turned from microwave lasagna to raw hamburgers in .7 seconds. Our apartment is going to smell like grille forever! However, I accept that because we had a wonderful time making hamburgers, chip dip, macaroni and cheese, and cookies all without a stove! That takes skill.
Since school was closed today no one really wanted to eat in the cafeteria. We knew we'd be on day number four of whatever they could scrounge up from the back room and the pickings from that back room were getting grim on day two! Breakfast/lunch is typically one meal for us and can be made in the apartment thanks to our random supply of items.
Dinner, on the other hand, is more of a challenge since we don't have an oven/stove. Gourmet microwave meals only go so far. Either way, we needed to face the "icy roads" on the mile and a half trek to the grocery store. The problem is that none of the girls in our apartment who (a) drive and (b) have a car felt comfortable making this treacherous voyage. They called upstairs for one of the guys to take us to the store. It was around that time that I announced I wasn't going; Elizabeth felt my participation in this escapade was not optional.
Then why are we finding a driver? Even though I don't enjoy driving, I was well over-qualified for this dangerous excursion on dry roads.
"Get in the car, girls," I said and was expecting a repeat from the other night. Lucky for me, the only useless question was, "Which car is yours?" Clearly the one with out-of-state plates and no snow on it because I'm the only one with a real snowscraper. Pray for me in this foreign country...
Our spontaneous dinner plans turned from microwave lasagna to raw hamburgers in .7 seconds. Our apartment is going to smell like grille forever! However, I accept that because we had a wonderful time making hamburgers, chip dip, macaroni and cheese, and cookies all without a stove! That takes skill.
"This tastes like a homecooked meal," someone remarked.
Correction: This IS a homecooked meal.
Sitting on the floor with real plates on our laps, we thanked God and each other for this meal. Every single one of us was vital in the creation of our dinner. I braved the weather and drove to the store. Adam and Allyson cooked burgers. Nikki found us a George Forman (shhh! Don't tell!). Ryan provided real plates. Amy found the ketchup, and Elizabeth used her mad skills to make Mac & Cheese. No one of us could take the credit for our meal. It was a group effort.
Just like every one of us had a unique role in tonight's dinner, we each have our unique part in the Body of Christ. In Romans 12, Paul outlines this idea when he writes,
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
Well done, ladies! (And gentlemen).
<>< Katie
PS: It has also come to my attention that Mr. Kassakatis has been spewing cruel words regarding my blog. This harsh criticism will not be taken personally for I realize Mr. Kassakatis is merely jealous that he cannot communicate as well as I do. I am truly sorry. (not so much).
Saturday, January 30, 2010
The Suite Life
The first and last time I bribe my suitemates to dinner by volunteering to drive in the snow...
Katie: Okay, girls, I'm going downstairs to get my laundry. When I come back we're going to dinner. Five minutes.
Elizabeth: We need ten minutes.
Katie: Be fast! I'm hungry, and I have a headache.
Nikki: I think Katie's just crabby because she hasn't blogged today.
Katie: I HAVE blogged today which you'd know if you ever read my blog.
Elizabeth: I think Katie should go blog again.
Katie: Seven minutes! You just wasted three sassin' me.
Twenty minutes later
Katie: Girls. Car. Now. Hungry. Headache. Remember?
Nikki: Go scrape the snow off; we'll wait here. Pull the car up right here on the sidewalk for us.
Katie: You want it on the second floor, too?
A few minutes later
Elizabeth: I'm wet!
Amy: KATIE!! Nikki hit me with a snowball.
Katie: Nikki, get in the car!
Amy: You need to drive me to the hospital.
Katie: I'm not driving you to the hospital.
Amy: But it hurt me!
Katie: Then you can borrow my bike, but this car is headed to the caf. Nikki Raye, get in the car!
Elizabeth: I'm cold, Roommate, close the door.
Nikki: I've hit two of my eight roommates with snowballs! No, I mean, two of my seven roommates. I'm going to get them all!
Amy: You're going to get yourself, too? There are only seven of us total.
Katie: Hit me with a snowball, and you're walking back from dinner.
At dinner
Amy: How's your headache?
Katie: Annoying enough that I've decided to name it: Amy Nikki Elizabeth.
Elizabeth: Why am I last?
Katie: Because you took my car keys. Give them back or we're all walking, and I have no problem walking in snow.
Elizabeth: [giggling] I don't have them!
Katie: I don't know which one of you has them at the present moment, but I know all three of you are equally guilty.
After dinner
Elizabeth: ["whispering" from the passenger seat to the back seat] Hey, Nikki, did you ever talk to Tony about that thing?
Nikki: Huh?
Elizabeth: You know! Amy, I think you were there, too.
Katie: Why are you trying to talk in code if Nikki and Amy were both there? Clearly you're trying to hide your secret from me. I'm a bit more perceptive than you've given me credit for being, thank you very much.
Nikki: Katie, let's just say things happen in our apartment that you wouldn't approve of.
Katie: Well, as long as they don't happen in, what bedroom am I? C! As long as they don't happen in C.
Amy: Well, there were two men in there...
[all three burst out laughing]
Katie: Stop breathing; you're fogging up the windshield.
Nikki: Oh, Kax. Hey! So I finally registared on the Wii today and it asked me if I was your friend. I sat there for a minute and thought before I decided to click yes.
Katie: You are not my friend right now.
Nikki: I'm sorry I hit you with that snowball.
Katie: No you're not but I forgive you.
Nikki: You're right: I'm not. [evil Nikki cackel]
Just before bed when I emerged from my bedroom for the first time in a few hours
Adam: Katie, were you doing your thing in there that whole time?
I gave him a confused look. Where I'm from, we always say "Mom, Puke did his thing" to mean "the cat threw up," and no, I did not vomit.
Allyson: Blogging.
Katie: Oh, no. I was writing.
Adam gave me a face that said, "There's a difference?" Silly science major.
This was last night. We walked tonight. Who knew it could take twenty minutes to walk less than a mile...
<>< Katie
Katie: Okay, girls, I'm going downstairs to get my laundry. When I come back we're going to dinner. Five minutes.
Elizabeth: We need ten minutes.
Katie: Be fast! I'm hungry, and I have a headache.
Nikki: I think Katie's just crabby because she hasn't blogged today.
Katie: I HAVE blogged today which you'd know if you ever read my blog.
Elizabeth: I think Katie should go blog again.
Katie: Seven minutes! You just wasted three sassin' me.
Twenty minutes later
Katie: Girls. Car. Now. Hungry. Headache. Remember?
Nikki: Go scrape the snow off; we'll wait here. Pull the car up right here on the sidewalk for us.
Katie: You want it on the second floor, too?
A few minutes later
Elizabeth: I'm wet!
Amy: KATIE!! Nikki hit me with a snowball.
Katie: Nikki, get in the car!
Amy: You need to drive me to the hospital.
Katie: I'm not driving you to the hospital.
Amy: But it hurt me!
Katie: Then you can borrow my bike, but this car is headed to the caf. Nikki Raye, get in the car!
Elizabeth: I'm cold, Roommate, close the door.
Nikki: I've hit two of my eight roommates with snowballs! No, I mean, two of my seven roommates. I'm going to get them all!
Amy: You're going to get yourself, too? There are only seven of us total.
Katie: Hit me with a snowball, and you're walking back from dinner.
At dinner
Amy: How's your headache?
Katie: Annoying enough that I've decided to name it: Amy Nikki Elizabeth.
Elizabeth: Why am I last?
Katie: Because you took my car keys. Give them back or we're all walking, and I have no problem walking in snow.
Elizabeth: [giggling] I don't have them!
Katie: I don't know which one of you has them at the present moment, but I know all three of you are equally guilty.
After dinner
Elizabeth: ["whispering" from the passenger seat to the back seat] Hey, Nikki, did you ever talk to Tony about that thing?
Nikki: Huh?
Elizabeth: You know! Amy, I think you were there, too.
Katie: Why are you trying to talk in code if Nikki and Amy were both there? Clearly you're trying to hide your secret from me. I'm a bit more perceptive than you've given me credit for being, thank you very much.
Nikki: Katie, let's just say things happen in our apartment that you wouldn't approve of.
Katie: Well, as long as they don't happen in, what bedroom am I? C! As long as they don't happen in C.
Amy: Well, there were two men in there...
[all three burst out laughing]
Katie: Stop breathing; you're fogging up the windshield.
Nikki: Oh, Kax. Hey! So I finally registared on the Wii today and it asked me if I was your friend. I sat there for a minute and thought before I decided to click yes.
Katie: You are not my friend right now.
Nikki: I'm sorry I hit you with that snowball.
Katie: No you're not but I forgive you.
Nikki: You're right: I'm not. [evil Nikki cackel]
Just before bed when I emerged from my bedroom for the first time in a few hours
Adam: Katie, were you doing your thing in there that whole time?
I gave him a confused look. Where I'm from, we always say "Mom, Puke did his thing" to mean "the cat threw up," and no, I did not vomit.
Allyson: Blogging.
Katie: Oh, no. I was writing.
Adam gave me a face that said, "There's a difference?" Silly science major.
This was last night. We walked tonight. Who knew it could take twenty minutes to walk less than a mile...
<>< Katie
Friday, January 8, 2010
Are you going to pass me or not?
I enjoy people watching. You never know when you're going to see something that's worth using in a story (or blog).
Yesterday we were dumped with snow which made for some great people-watching as I drove around town today. The snowplow shimming around the corner to push the snow further and further off the road. The woman using all of her strength in vain to push the snow blower up her driveway caked with at least a foot of snow. The father (brother?) who lead his young son down the street with a sled ready to take advantage of this blizzard. My favorite, however, was the van that drove behind me through downtown.
He appeared out of nowhere and was not content to drive behind me. On days where the roads are properly plowed and there are no parked cars, this road has a left lane and a right lane. Much to Mr. Impatient's dismay, today was not one of those days. I drove in the left lane, the cleared lane. The problem was that he couldn't pass me on the left due to the no-passing zone (and the minor detail of oncoming traffic). Instead, he opted to pass me on the right. He'd move over into the half-plowed right land and prepare to make a move when all of the sudden directly in front of him was a displaced snowbank or a parked school bus or the mailman. Every time, he'd slow down and sadly return to his place behind me and I'd smile.
That sucks, I thought to myself with a little laughter inside. Not going to lie, I was amused by his poor luck and repeated failed attempts to get around me.
Eventually we made it to a stop light and he pulled up next to me. The light turned green and the race began. I know better than to drag race especially downtown, but I couldn't help myself. This van had been trying to get around me for at least a mile and I wasn't about to let him to it now! A few blocks there was a string of parked cars, and I was going to make it to them first because then Mr. Impatient in the right lane was going to have to return to his position behind Miss Always-Drive-The-Speed-Limit-Katie in the left lane.
Mr. Impatient doesn't drive the speed limit. He won. But only because I let him. Playtime was over.
<>< Katie
Yesterday we were dumped with snow which made for some great people-watching as I drove around town today. The snowplow shimming around the corner to push the snow further and further off the road. The woman using all of her strength in vain to push the snow blower up her driveway caked with at least a foot of snow. The father (brother?) who lead his young son down the street with a sled ready to take advantage of this blizzard. My favorite, however, was the van that drove behind me through downtown.
He appeared out of nowhere and was not content to drive behind me. On days where the roads are properly plowed and there are no parked cars, this road has a left lane and a right lane. Much to Mr. Impatient's dismay, today was not one of those days. I drove in the left lane, the cleared lane. The problem was that he couldn't pass me on the left due to the no-passing zone (and the minor detail of oncoming traffic). Instead, he opted to pass me on the right. He'd move over into the half-plowed right land and prepare to make a move when all of the sudden directly in front of him was a displaced snowbank or a parked school bus or the mailman. Every time, he'd slow down and sadly return to his place behind me and I'd smile.
That sucks, I thought to myself with a little laughter inside. Not going to lie, I was amused by his poor luck and repeated failed attempts to get around me.
Eventually we made it to a stop light and he pulled up next to me. The light turned green and the race began. I know better than to drag race especially downtown, but I couldn't help myself. This van had been trying to get around me for at least a mile and I wasn't about to let him to it now! A few blocks there was a string of parked cars, and I was going to make it to them first because then Mr. Impatient in the right lane was going to have to return to his position behind Miss Always-Drive-The-Speed-Limit-Katie in the left lane.
Mr. Impatient doesn't drive the speed limit. He won. But only because I let him. Playtime was over.
<>< Katie
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Chivalry is Alive and Well
This just in: chivalry is not dead.
We don't have a video of clip of that, but if we did... THIS is what it would look like.
Four friends approach a car, three men, one woman, no couples. One man opened the door to the front as if to get in. "Really? He should let her have the front," a bystandard thought to herself. He steps aside, allows her to sit in the front, and closed the door for her.
I really though you all should know that chivalry isn't dead. Especially you ladies! But men need to know it, too.
<>< Katie
We don't have a video of clip of that, but if we did... THIS is what it would look like.
Four friends approach a car, three men, one woman, no couples. One man opened the door to the front as if to get in. "Really? He should let her have the front," a bystandard thought to herself. He steps aside, allows her to sit in the front, and closed the door for her.
I really though you all should know that chivalry isn't dead. Especially you ladies! But men need to know it, too.
<>< Katie
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Dance-Party
I had a dance party in my car last night. There were only three invitations: Peder Eide (and his invisible band blasting through the stereo), God, and me. But we had a blast! Worship in alternative form! I checked my blind spot a lot (even though I was on a two-lane country highway) because my Heavenly Father is an artist and He painted a beautiful sunset just for me! I love Him! The light drizzle, awesome sunset, and country highway seemed like the perfect opportunity to praise Him with the dance. There were times when I wanted to lift my hands in the air and close my eyes (Except I didn't because I was driving).
Have you spent some good, quality time with your Abba Father lately? You don't have to say a word. You can borrow someone else's [words] if it helps. Just be with Him and do whatever the Spirit leads. Sing. Dance. Scream. Cry. Whatever feels appropriate. This is your Best Friend, remember, so there's no reason to be embarrassed. He loves you more than you'll ever know.
Have a party with Jesus today,
<>< Katie
Have you spent some good, quality time with your Abba Father lately? You don't have to say a word. You can borrow someone else's [words] if it helps. Just be with Him and do whatever the Spirit leads. Sing. Dance. Scream. Cry. Whatever feels appropriate. This is your Best Friend, remember, so there's no reason to be embarrassed. He loves you more than you'll ever know.
Have a party with Jesus today,
<>< Katie
Saturday, September 20, 2008
The Adventures of Katie and Laura Part Four: A Run-in with the Law
One Friday evening, Laura and I were sitting at the coffee shop and decided we needed to go to Wal-mart. Instead of going to our “normal Wal-mart” we need a change of scenery and headed to the other one relatively equidistant from here as the normal one. Except this one is over state lines. One the return trip, we crossed back into the proper state and less than a mile down the road was a group of police officers stopping every single car both entering and leaving the state. The car three in front of us was asked to pull over. The following two cars were allowed to continue on. We were asked to wait while a car at the cross road was checked. The police officer was kind enough to turn his flashlight off so he didn’t blind us as he stood next to our car preventing us from continuing our journey home.
When he returned, he requested Laura’s drivers’ license. I asked if he wanted mine, too, and he said only if Laura was driving with a permit. Of course, because she looks like she’s under 16. And I look like I’m several years old than she is. Clearly the police officer’s did not have any age-guessing perspicacity but that’s ok. He took Laura’s license and commented about where she was from: neither the state we had just left nor the state we had just entered, nor any other state bordering the two aforementioned states. He guessed she was here for education and she quickly gave the name of our school, less than ten minutes up the road. He handed her license back to her and said we were free to go.
The entire way back to campus, Laura and I brain stormed possibilities for the random security check point. We came up with everything from boredom to being worried about an alien attack (just kidding… but only a little). Our best guess was that they were preventing someone from entering or leaving the state. However, that did not explain why they only wanted Laura’s license and not mine. I admitted I had hoped they wanted mine so they could be completely confused as to why we represented two different states half-way across the country, neither of which were the two we were driving between. She admitted she wanted to be pulled over so she could inquire about the situation. We then imagined the two of us being asked to walk a straight line. Both completely sober: she’d fall over and I’d stumble and bumble my way through. As the flair says, “We’re not clumsy, we’re uniquely coordinated.”
Unique is one word for the night. I’d seen similar security check points in Mexico but never had to stop at one because I was a tourist on a big flashy bus. We did have to stop in the taxi when the taxi driver had to stop and prove he was really a certified taxi driver. That was reassuring to know since he spoke minimal English and I was not in the mood to translate and conjugate all in an attempt to communicate.
The only other time Laura had ever had to stop like that is when she drove over the border into Canada. She said today—all two minutes of it—was more of a shebang than that was.
We later learned there had been a strange car accident in the same spot a little while earlier (actually, we saw the repercussions of it on our way to Wal-mart). Luckily no one was injured (to my knowledge), but it is suspected that our police stop was a DUI check point. Good thing we decided against buying the beer at Wal-mart! (Just kidding… about contemplating to buy it, that is). Neither Laura nor I had ever gone through anything like that before, but Amber said she gets stopped for that all the time. Personally, I think it was a bit early for a DUI check point and those police officers should wait until bar time but that’s just me.
No spiritual connection at the moment. However, I do present to you a new vocabulary word:
Pusillanimous is an adjective meaning lacking courage, unmanly, fearful, and spineless.
Chillingworth in The Scarlet Letter is a pusillanimous character.
Check out the other stories in “Adventures of Katie and Laura” series:
Part One: Getting lost in a one stop-light town
Part Two: playing Marco Polo at the nursing home
Part Three: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
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"Be still, and know that I am God." - Psalm 46:10a
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