Ryan and I went to Waco on Sunday.

And now we are getting married!

He proposed on the Lake Waco Dam during a gorgeous sunset. (pictured above)

The ring is beautiful

It was a bit too big though, so now it is in the process of getting resized. I miss it so!

I can't wait to live with Ryan! To commit to be together for our whole long lives. But first there are so many decisions--colors, place, people, day, hair, dress and on and on. Phew. I've never planned a wedding before! The idea of doing so is exciting and stressful. Glad we have people around to help!

I was reading in Genesis 1 this morning and had a realization, something I hadn't noticed before. Maybe you guys have already thought about his but--we were intended to be vegetarians?

29 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food." And it was so.

To me that sounds like all living creatures were to eat only plants. That makes sense I suppose. It's hard to imagine all of creation being in harmony if some animals had to kill others for food. So eating meat is a consequence of the fall? That's interesting. What do you think?

This doesn't make me feel like I need to become a vegetarian, by the way, anymore than I feel like I need walk around naked.

It's over! My first semester of graduate school is done. And wowee it has gone by fast. It usually does though. Grad school has not as been as hard as I thought. It has been challenging in ways, but in good ways. Not like I-have-to-shove-all-this-information-in-my-head-for-a-test-tomorrow kind of challenging. But rather more like I-have-never-written-this-way-before kind of challenging, or I-have-never-thought-about-this-before kind. The good kind, not the silly kind.

For my last class of the semester, I participated in a potluck with my ceramics class. There was so much food! I barely made a dent sampling all of this. For the event I made sweet potato fries. They didn't turn out very crispy, but other than that they were good. I just thought you would be interested in knowing that. I love sweet potato fries

Now that class is done, I'm taking up where I left off at the Lone Star's Simplicitea's Tea Room. Heather trained me to work the cash register on Wednesday.

And my head hurts now so I'm going to stop looking at the computer. I'm not even going to proof read this so I apologize for the mistakes.

Since living in Denton, I have been going to The Village Church and have really been blessed by doing so. It's slowly becoming my new church home. The reason I'm telling you this is to ask for your prayers for Matt Chandler, the lead pastor of the church. I don't know if you've heard, but on Thanksgiving, Matt had a seizure and subsequently found out he had a brain tumor. This past Friday he underwent surgery to remove the tumor, and next they will do a biopsy of it. This past Sunday they showed a video of Matt during the service saying some encouraging words. I want to share it with you--Matt is such a compelling teacher, even in this five minute video clip. So click here to watch it. I just watched it for the third time myself.

So if you could, please pray for his wife, kids and church family. Much appreciated!!

So Thanksgiving--I know I promised you some pictures, but I just put a whole album of them up on facebook. I don't feel like going through a lot of uploading again, so just go there if you are interested.

And I felt like I had a lot more to say but i guess I don't. I'm in the UNT student union building, doing some studying and such until my class at five. I was hoping to procrastinate by blogging, but I'm not having anything to say . . . so there goes that . . .

I guess I'll say that I've really enjoyed my ceramics class this year, especially these last couple of weeks. Our final project is to create any amount of pieces of whatever we want. I have no idea how he is going to grade that, but I've really enjoyed doing it. I've realized how awesome it is to have an unlimited amount of clay, an unlimited amount of glaze, and people to fire everything for me and so have been furiously making as much as I can until the semester is over and I no longer have those things. If you are a person that I would get a Christmas present for, you might should expect some sort of ceramic mug or bowl . . .

Also, if you haven't noticed I've dyed my hair a dark reddish brown color. It's not permanent, don't worry. Here is a picture as evidence.

It's me and my momma. (You may have seen a similar picture already on her blog)

So there's one Thanksgiving picture for ya!

We are now on the other side of Thanksgiving. And it was such a wonderful Thanksgiving! I'm glad I decided to spend a few days at home, instead of just Thanksgiving day. It has been a great time with my family and a great time to rest.. What has put an extra dash of wonderful into it is having Ryan with me the whole time. He is sitting beside me right now actually, studying for another test. This year he got to experience a Carmack Thanksgiving. Lucky guy. And lucky Carmacks!

And now the Christmas season will be unleashed in its full force and fury. Before Thanksgiving, there are hints of it here and there--a few bold houses who turn on their Christmas lights, a few wreaths and trees put up in malls, a Christmas song heard here or there--but now things will really get rolling. No more Thanksgiving to hold it back.

I'm also about to embark on my last two weeks of school for the semester. I have some big projects and papers due in the next couple of weeks, but they have all been started so I'm not too worried about it. I just need to continue to diligently work and it shouldn't be too hard.

I'm excited about next semester. I seems like I will be learning more practical art teaching things--like about curriculum and assessment. This semester has been more theoretical. I also will take a watercolor painting . Wee!

Stay tuned for Thanksgiving pictures.

'Tis the week of Thanksgiving. Yay! I'm excited about eating all sorts of pumpkin-flavored things--pumpkin bars, pumpkin bread, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin pie. Pumpkin-flavored things are the best sort of things.

I am a bit caffeinated right now, so be warned. My writing may be sporadic and varied. I am at The Hydrant right now and just finished a wonderful soy cappuccino. I find it easiest to do school work outside of my apartment, and that is why I am here. I also just like being here; it is much more comfortable than the library, though less distracting than some other coffee shops.

This past weekend has been a great weekend. Friday night we celebrated Ryan's 24th birthday by eating a delicious meal of bratwurts, sauerkraut, and quality beer, and finishing it off with cheesecake (the best kind of cake . . . especially if it's pumpkin flavored. It wasn't, but I can imagine). Friends from around the metroplex came out to celebrate.







And then last night I witnessed my first live proposal. One of Ryan's old roommates asked his girlfriend to marry him in front of a sea of their closest friends. I was honored to be apart of it. I don't have any pictures of that but I'll let you imagine it: We all were outside, surrounded by christmas lights and candles. The soon-to-be-engaged couple arrived well after everyone else, the girl thinking they were walking into a general gathering of friends. But, to her confusion, everyone was silently staring at her and her boyfriend when they walked outside, and a special song began playing on the stereo. She was really cute, confused, and excited. Then her boyfriend began to read her a letter that brought tears to everyone's eyes, especially hers. Long story short, he placed a ring on her finger and everyone cheered. The party continued and then moved to the Greenhouse. It was wonderful.

And now back to the books!

Edit:

Here's a picture of the engaged couple I've taken from facebook

I read through the book of Jonah the other day. I really like that book. You should read through it too, it's only four short chapters long and easy to do in one sitting.

It's slightly comical how Jonah is so defiant against God--and kind of whiny. For one, he ran away from God's command and got swallowed by a fish because of it. But God had mercy on him and let the fish spit Jonah out, after Jonah humbled himself and asked for God's forgivenss and help:

"[Jonah] said, 'I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple'" (2:4).

That's in chapter two, which has Jonah's beautiful prayer. But even then, Jonah argues with God in chapter four. This is when Jonah becomes particularly prideful and just plain whiny. He disagreed with God's decision to have mercy on the city of Nineveh, who had turned from their wickedness after hearing God's message spoken through Jonah.

"But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord, 'Isn't this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate god, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to dies than to live.'" (4:1-3)

Jonah doesn't understand that what God did for Nineveh, is the same as what he did for Jonah himself by forgiving him for running away. It's also funny because this has to be one of the only times in the Bible when God's graciousness and compassion are spoken about as a bad thing.
Of course Jonah wasn't the first to try and run away from God (Adam and Eve) and certainly not the last (me). It's easy for us to think Jonah is just plain silly, but we do the same things.

Anywho, I just wanted to share that. Because I like it.

Today! . . . Is! . . .

Ryan's!! birthday!!

Wasn't his beard so big and fluffy this past summer? And it has a bit of a red tint (and every once in awhile a white hair). He is 24 today. For a short time we were the same age--23--but today he has leaped ahead in time. He will have to teach me what it is like to be so old.

This morning we went out for a yummy breakfast with his roommate, Carlos. We went to Old West Cafe. So good! My tummy is still so happy about it.

Ryan has a monster test tomorrow, so we are now--at this very moment--in the TWU library. He is silently studying next to me, looking so cute and 24.

And some new roommates. Lots of changes for my little fish. He seems to be adjusting well though.

First, he upgraded from a bowl to a ten gallon tank. I knew a guy getting rid of his tank and I got the whole set up for 15 dollars--tank, stand, filter, light, rocks, fake plant, massive rock. Sweet deal. So Louie moved into his new mansion yesterday (and now there is a constant delightful sound of water running in my room.

Then, his mom (me) was so excited about his big new home that she wanted to get Louie some roommates to populate it. So today, Ryan and I went to PetSmart. I got a black moor goldfish named Regina and a snail named Bruce (his friends call him Brucey). Here is Louie with Regina.

I've found it's easier to photograph a fish in a tank rather than in a bowl. If you look closely at the photograph above (and you can do so by clicking on it) you can see Brucey as an orange blob on the bottom left. He is doubled because I took the picture at a corner.

I'm excited about my new hobby of fish-keeping.


This past weekend was very family-filled. Friday, Ryan and I went to Colleyville to spend time with my family and partake in some Christmas card pictures (you can check out my mom's blog for the results). That was a lot of fun, always is. And then on Sunday we went to Ryan's grandparents' place and hung out with his family. His grandparents have a fun house with lots of animals--two dogs, two cats, three goats, one horse, a catfish filled pond, and ducks (did I forget anything, Ryan?). We took turns riding the horse--bareback. We also ate yummy lunch.

Now, I'm onto my flu-free week.

Man what a week . . . of nothing. My sickness (the flu) followed me around throughout most of the week. The only class I went to was ceramics, and I also missed a day of babysitting. I got pretty bored in the mean time. Here is a list of all the movies I've watched while sick: Frequency (that was actually when Ryan was sick last Thursday), Cars, Stardust, Cool Runnings, About A Boy, The Prestige, some of The Illusionist (The Prestige is so much better), and a couple episodes of the third season of Lost. And in the mean time, it has been gorgeous outside.

But enough complaining. I'm lucky to have such a flexible schedule to easily take so much time off. And I'm lucky I have my own personal nurse who is so good at taking care of me (and by that I mean Ryan). I'm now pretty much better, but still coughing.

I've also read a lot. I'm currently making my way through the Chronicles of Narnia; I have never read them. I figured that while I'm still on my C.S. Lewis kick, I may as well read his most well know fiction series. Before I started reading them, I didn't realize there was such controversy surrounding their order. I just picked up the book that had a "1" on the spine and assumed that was where I was to start. According to Ryan, though, it was different than how he had always seen them ordered. Oh well, I was already committed. I'm reading them in chronological order, starting with The Magicians Nephew. I finished that book and the next--The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe--while sick. Now I'm onto The Horse and His Boy. (In case you don't know, the other way to read them is to do so in publication order, starting with The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. That what the movies are doing.) Anywho, I'm really enjoying them. They are quick and easy reads and a nice way to pass the time when one has the flu, or any ol' time. Next maybe I should read The Lord of the Rings trilogy? It seems appropriate.

Perhaps I should be reading some school books too . . .
And I do, I just take a break with these.

It's got me. I thought I could elude it. I thought I could fight it, but it has taken me siege.

Ryan was sick Thursday and Friday. I took care of him--while washing my hands every time I passed a sink, taking Vitamin C, taking Wellness Forumla, and not kissing. But here I am, lying on my couch with a 101 fever. Ryan is feeling better though, so that's good. And my roommates are out of town, so I can't get them sick.

Ryan just left to get me some soup and chicken broth. He is so sweet. Today we have been together for fifteen months!!!

And Happy Halloween! Glad I didn't have any plans for tonight to begin with, now I don't have to feel lame about it.

I was kind of relieved when I found I actually had a fever. It means I'm not being a baby and that I am actually sick. Good, that's done, now go away.

I also would appreciate it if it wasn't so durn nice outside. I want to go outside and play! Waa!

Just kidding, it's nice to just lie on the couch. We just finished watching Cars. Good movie.

So the weekend was a success.

Elise turned 23

Molly and David got engaged

Ryan found a praying mantis.

I caught up with some good friends

The goats were happy to see us




It was kind of surreal being in Waco. The whole weekend had me feeling like the past six months have been a dream, and I was going to wake up on Monday in my loft in Waco, and go to class at Baylor. It was weird. But good and refreshing all the same. I like being in Denton and having a life here, but I still treasure the past four years I spent living in Waco.

Really, I'm a very blessed person.

MM hm. I love french press coffee in the morning. Especially freshly ground, local Bookish coffee. Bookish coffee are Denton people who roast their own coffee beans. You order it online and and then they can deliver it to you, or you pick it up from their front porch.





Baylor Homecoming is this weekend. Sic 'em! My first Baylor Homecoming as an alum. So I'm going to be comin home. Excited to see some long-lost Baylor friends, like Rachael who is pictured above (in the middle). She lives in Boston now. And Julia (on the left) who is at Duke in North Carolina.

It's almost November!! I feel I still haven't gotten over the shock of October. That's the way it is though, time always goes so fast. You'd think we would learn that if time is always fast, then it isn't fast but is just going at its normal speed. But we never do. We think it should go slower. Why do we think that? Maybe because it did when we were kids. When we were kids and had nothing to do but play all day, time didn't go so fast.

Confession: I'm mainly writing this post so that the Twilight one will go down and not be the first impression newcomers have of my blog. Mission accomplished (the big picture helped).

Yes, I took the Twilight Personality Quiz on the New Moon movie MySpace. I was listening to the soundtrack, okay? (Which is supposed to be pretty good.) That's why I was there and I just got distracted. As for the results . . .

I don't really know how to take that. But at least I can be Dakota Fanning.

The weeks are starting to fly by faster now. I can't believe it's already Friday! That is evidence that I am getting used to this place and forming a routine. Along those lines, I have found a part-time job--after-school nanny. Starting this week, I will spend three afternoons out of the week hanging out with some cool kids. Yesterday I picked them up from their elementary school for the first time. It was a strange feeling, because the last time I was in a line of cars waiting in front of an elementary school I was in elementary school. I am being re-educated in children's television--Disney and Nickelodeon still reign supreme. And children's games--like Sorry, which I played a couple of times yesterday, while watching SpongeBob Square Pants. And I'm getting paid for this!

In other news: Today is Melissa's birthday! Weee! Here's happy Melissa on her birthday in 2007. It was that semester that we became good friends, living together in lovely Florence, Italy. Here, she is eating a yummy birthday dinner at our favorite--Il Gatto e La Volpe ("The Cat and The Fox"). So good! Looks like something funny is going on.

And this is us together that same night. Check out my long hair! And my nose ring! Crazy.

Anywho, she is at TCU now, getting a Masters in Art History. And I get to see her tonight!

Bad news: So I didn't get either of the jobs listed in the previous post. Good news: But I did get a telescope eye goldfish named Louie! Ryan gave him to me on Tuesday for our 14 month-aversary. Tuesday was also the day I heard about both jobs. I was bummed out, but I know its for the best. I wasn't supposed to have those jobs so I don't want them. Back to the drawing board (and time to work on a budget).

Here is Louie (it was hard to get a picture of him because he wouldn't hold still):



I like him. And he seems to be liking his new home. He would be happier in a tank though; that is in the works. It's peaceful to me to watch him swimming around.

What a beautiful day! I'm sitting outside on campus, doing some studying and such while I wait for five o'clock to get here, because with it, brings class. The History of Art Education, to be exact. I will always have a special place in my heart for history. On that note, I think it's silly to say you don't like history. I can understand if you don't like taking a history class, but history is something you are in right now. History is what brought you to where you are. Studying the history of Art Education makes me excited to become a part of it (I know, I'm kind of a nerd).

And it's such a beautiful day! Sunny and 77 degrees to be exact. I'm looking forward to fall and cool-weather-clothes, but for today I am enjoying the warmth. But let's get cool soon, okay?

While school so far has been interesting and I have been learning lots, I am finding that I have entirely too much time on hands. Further, since there are many cozy and yummy coffee shops that I have been spending money at (plus, you know, bills) I am finding I have entirely not enough money on my hands. I can solve both these problems by finding a job, which I have been trying to do these past few weeks. I have a second interview at an Animal Hospital tomorrow, which looks promising and is probably one of the more random jobs I have applied for. I like animals though, and have some experience cleaning up after them. The job description includes heavy cleaning, office work, and assisting with surgeries. Sounds interesting. We shall see how that one works out. I had another interview last Thursday for a job that I don't know if I'm totally qualified for. It involves me and a classroom-full of at-risk high school students every morning. I would love to work with at-risk high school students but the scarey part is that it would be . . . just me and them. So if they think I am qualified for the job and give it to me, then great, but if they don't think I'm qualified for the job then I don't want it anyway. Hopefully I get one of the above jobs and not both nor neither.

You'll be happy to hear I bought an apparatus for heating water today that will not involve my burned fingers (see previous post). It's not a tea kettle, but a water heater. I broke my roommate's water heater by over-use (I drink a lot of hot tea and french-press coffee) so have bought a replacement. Yay!

This week I am going to try to spend less money at coffee shops and make my own coffee and study on campus more--like I'm doing right now. Maybe make the coffee shop experience a once-a-week thing.

And one more thing, I finished my reread of Mere Christianity and now am reading Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck. Reading it makes me feel like I am on vacation.

Wow, this turned out to be kind of a long post. I think its the caffeine.

Memo to self: Don't hold the mug with your left hand while pouring boiling water into it from a pot with your right hand. Instead, put the mug down on a flat surface (preferably in the sink because you will probably make a mess) and then pour said boiling water, with your left hand safely out the way. I really need to invest in a tea kettle, because they are made to have boiling hot water pouring out of them. My poor fingers.

I'm in the upstairs of a coffee shop called The Hydrant. It's my current favorite place to study. It's more quiet and more comfortable than a lot of the other coffee shops here. And the people who work here that I have encountered are really nice.

There is a guy tuning a piano in the room I am sitting in. And speaking of pianos, Ryan and I are going to see Regina Spektor on November 12th. You should come! Get a ticket! Google it! Something!



I like fall. I am excited about it. I'm excited about jackets and sweaters and scarves and hats. Of course, sometimes we to even get to wear those things in the winter. When does fall start. Has it?

Man oh man! It's almost the middle of September. Feel as though I should say some things on this blog o' mine.

It has been raining almost two days straight. I have been enjoying it. It's a nice excuse to stay inside and drink some hot tea with a good book. Not that I've really done that much, but is sure sounds nice! Speaking of books, I decided to give Mere Christianity another go-around. I'm about halfway through it right now. It's so good! C.S. Lewis writes like he is having a conversation with you. He is so good and reasonable and rationally explaining what it is that Christians believe, how Christians should behave, and why he believes Christianity to be the real deal. It's a great read for anyone new or interested in the Christian faith, or just anyone who is already a Christian and wants some encouragement--to know how to better articulate what it is they believe and why. Anywho, it's good. Elise also has loaned me her copy of the Time Travelers Wife to read next. Have you read that?

School is slowly picking up. Still don't feel like I have enough going on.

It has been really nice being so close to Ryan. He is taking a nap in my room right now. It's a perfect Sunday afternoon for that.

And now a word from Lisa Hannigan, one of my recent obsessions. You might recognize her voice as the female that often sings with Damien Rice.



And here is a word from C.S. Lewis from page 32 of Mere Christianity

If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth--only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin with and, in the end, despair.