Friend Appreciation Post

I just wanted to take a minute to brag about my friends.

I think I have the best friends in the whole wide world. Seriously. My friends are funny, smart, loving, generous, kind, and so great. They encourage me, laugh at and with me, stick up for me, help me, and love me. It's pretty great.

This last week I have gained a deeper appreciation for my friends. So...I wanted to tell everyone about it.

So friends, thanks. You are great. And I love you, too. :)

Life in the Tree Fort

Living off campus is a whole new experience. It's quiet, I get homework done, I get to use my own oven, underclassmen think I'm cool.... Like I said, a whole new experience. :)

A month or two before I moved back to Kansas, Leah's, one of my housemates, friends' floor full of international students helped move things into our apartment. They named our apartment the Tree Fort, because we have a few trees surrounding our house. The nickname has taken root, and I hope will soon be branching out to our other friends. (It is trending on twitter #TreeFort !!)

We have had quite a few laughs here in the Tree Fort. Each of us thinks we are funny. I think I'm hilarious, Leah thinks she's hilarious, Sarah thinks she's hilarious, and Shannon thinks she is hilarious. Even if someone else doesn't think I am funny, I think I'm funny; same with the other girls. For some reason we all think it's really funny to pretend like we are all asleep when someone comes home. You might think this is a childish game to play...it is. But it never gets old. It is funny every time. One evening Shannon came home and we decided last minute (as usual) to play. We turned the lights off and, since we were all in the kitchen area, just hit the floor with our eyes closed. Shannon opened the door, waited for a solid 15 seconds, then I think someone started laughing (which is typical). Shannon told us how she thought someone broke into our house and killed us, which living on Yuma isn't all that far fetched. (She's also a theater major, if that tells you anything!) :)

Cooking is a whole new experience as well. A couple of us...okay, none of us except Leah, really know what we are doing. I kind of know what I'm doing, but sometimes it just goes...awry. Last week I decided to fry up some chicken. Well...I set the smoke alarms off in the apartment. I thought it was pretty funny, but our house smelled like fried chicken for a long time. I didn't burn it, it just got really smokey. We also have this garlic salt that is unlike any garlic salt I've ever had. This stuff is potent. A little bit of this will give you enough sodium to last a week. Needless to say, I've had some very, very salty chicken. 

One great thing about living off campus is inviting underclassmen over. I know they want out of the dorms sometimes, the girls want to cook/bake, the boys want real food, and people always want to not pay an arm and a leg to wash their clothes. Thus they come to the Tree Fort! It gives us a great opportunity to practice hospitality, get to know underclassmen better, and pour into girls in a whole new way. The Tree Fort is a pretty relaxing place to get homework done, or watch a movie and unwind (my favorite!), or to laugh, bake, cook, do laundry, or basically anything else. 

I believe God is blessing our house. We all come from very different backgrounds, majoring in different things, think differently, and are passionate about different things. But we are all focused on Him. I think He can and does use the Tree Fort to reach out, minister to, and bless our friends. It's always awesome to see how God can take something that we think is a disaster and totally use it for His glory. Although this living situation is not anything like I thought it would be last semester, God is totally blowing my mind and teaching me so many things. To God be the glory!

Over and out.

Humbled by a Bookshelf

Do you ever just feel really ambitious? Do you ever think to yourself, "I could totally do this in under X minutes,"? Have you ever gotten a bookshelf that you 'get' to put together yourself and you are just SO pumped about it? Well...I have.

Last night I went browsing in Target with my friend, Shannon. We (ok, she) stumbled upon a bookshelf that would be PERFECT in my room. So...I snatched that little bugger right up. And when I say "I", I really mean Shannon; and when I say "snatched" I mean...it wasn't that easy. We check out, head home, and Shannon carries the newest addition to my room right up to our apartment.

Now sometimes around midnight I get really good ideas. This was one of those times. It was just about midnight and my wheels were a churnin'. I decided that I was going to quickly and quietly put my shelf together! "It won't take very long," I thought to myself. "I could probably do this in 20 minutes. Psh. No, I can do it in under 20 minutes. Ya. Then I'll brag about how cool I am," I thought. (Okay, I didn't actually think that last sentence!) Yep! I was feeling ambitious.

Here it is! Oh ya, easy peasy lemon squeezy.



Pretty self explanatory. I don't need directions. (But I better keep 'em just in case.)

I grabbed Leah's tool kit and went to work. How hard could it be? I get the frame set up, ready to be screwed together. Whew! That only took...20 minutes! I even took a picture!

So. Proud.

Notice anything wrong? Go on, look again. At the bottom. Ya. I just spent 20 minutes screwing this sucker together, and...I had a board in backwards. Awesome. I chuckle and think, "So much for my 20 minutes. Ha, I'll get it in 30." And set to work.

This is it! I got it. For sure. Everything is screwed in and...then I notice the boards are different lengths. (Look at the picture above again.) The bottom left is sticking out, like it should be. The bottom right...eeeh...not so much. Cool. I WOULD get the only bookshelf where the holes are not right. So I sit there, puzzled, not knowing what to do. Thankfully my awesome, manly friend, Derek, was awake. I sent him a picture of my problem and he knew exactly what to do (of course). I had another board backwards. I couldn't stop laughing. How does this happen?! Oh well. I flipped it, and got everything screwed in correctly.

A little over an hour later...I finally have the frame put together.

Next step: put the back on. That will be easy. It requires a hammer and 28 little nails. Awesome. By this time it's about 12:30 a.m. "I can hammer quietly, no big deal," I thought. Have you ever tried to hammer quietly? Well let me just tell you, there's no such thing. After hammering in the corners and a lot of laughing at myself for being so ridiculous, I decided I better save the rest for a more appropriate time.

After about 2 hours of man (woman?) labor, the finished product!

What I learned from this experience: guys are (typically) better at this kind of stuff. I have a new found appreciation for the male species. Congratulations, men of the world, Derek Birney gave you some brownie points. I would personally like to thank Target (for selling the shelf), Leah (for letting me use her tool kit), my neighbors (for not killing me for hammering at 12:30 a.m.), and for Derek and men everywhere (for...well, for being men).

I hope you enjoyed this little excursion. Until next time.

Over and out.













Thieves of Your Thoughts

"You'd never invite a thief into your house. So why would you allow thoughts that steal your joy to make themselves at home in your mind?” -Unknown

I was once reading a book, The 4:8 Principle by Tommy Newberry, that had the above quote in it. This book is centered around Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." It calls attention to our negative thoughts, whether they are degrading towards ourselves or to other people. God already calls us to thing about noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy things, but sometimes we need a fresh, gentle reminder

The thief quote has been on my mind for the last week or so. After thinking about the times this quote has entered my mind, every time it has been because I am complaining in my head how much I hate Kansas, how much I want to be home, how hot is, how annoying something is, and so on. The Holy Spirit is using a quote I read a couple years ago to call me out on unhealthy thoughts. (That's pretty neat!)

If we dwell on negative things, or have a bad attitude towards something--can't look at something with fresh eyes in a more positive way, it will start showing in the way we respond to people, our mannerisms, how we present ourselves--it's noticeable, very noticeable. For example, when I leave home and come back to Kansas the first week or so I am pretty mopey, sad, quiet, and basically not myself because all I can focus on is what I left behind--friends, family, mountains, beautiful weather-- and came to hot, humid, and flat. I forget to focus on the good and the blessings I have here--great friends, new scenery, beautiful sunsets and sunrises. It's all a matter on how you look at life. You know the saying, "Are you a glass half empty or half full person?" Quite honestly it's a valid question. How we view the different changes in our life, how we handle the less than perfect situations--that is what's going to build (or tear down) our character. It's through changes and difficulties that we are able to grow and blossom into the people God created us to be.

Believe it or not (you should probably believe this) the things that enter your mind, whether visually like through movies or real life, or through sounds, such as music or talking, tend to be the things that make themselves at home in our brains and coincidentally our hearts...which means they will be what we dwell on, what comes out of our mouths, and what starts showing in our lives. Think about it: if you listen to music with a lot of cussing in it, you'll start thinking cusswords, even if you don't say them; if you are watching inappropriate movies it'll be what you start thinking about. It's like eating McDonald's everyday for lunch and dinner. It appeals to you, draws you in, and you think it is harmless. But when you are constantly eating all the greasy 'food', the effects will start showing in your body, and even in your attitude.

The way I look at it is it's going to happen one way or another. Am I going to find the joy in it and bless myself, others, and God? Or am I going to have a pity party for myself and be mopey, selfish, and no fun?

Until next time,
  over and out.

A Poem for a Pomeroy

I have a friend named Devra.
I sure do like her, uh-huh.
She is nice, pretty, and sweet.
She made my life complete.
She is now a married mrs.,
Giving William lots of kisses.
They are living far away,
And I can't see them 'til my birthday.
Buuut...that's a long time,
So I decided to make this rhyme
Until then, my dear!
This is sincere:
I miss you and love you a ton!
Wo ai ni!!

Things My Grandparents Say/Do

I don't know about you, but I think my grandparents are hilarious. Their personalities and humors compliment each others very well. My grandpa likes to 'rattle off in the head', as Gram likes to say. How does Gram respond to it? Well, let me just tell you. At first Gram will just ignore him. Then, after about 10-15 minutes, she'll respond with something along the lines of "I'm going to smack you," or "Are you rattling off in head again?" He continues pestering, she continues ignoring.

Despite what she says, I think deep, deep down, waaaaay down Gram likes Pop's pestering because it's who he is. I happen to think it's funny...really funny. I cherish the moment Gram walks in the door from work, not only because I'm excited to see her, but because I know I'm about to have dinner and a show. It's the best thing ever.

With all of that said, I have listened, watched, and taken notes over the course of the last month of things that Gram and Pop say and do to each other. Below is a list of different things that I found precious and hilarious. Grab a friend, grab a box of tissues, and be prepared for an excellent ab workout, because these are classic quotes/stories from my very own grandparents.

-Gram went to visit my mom and siblings in Washington state for about 5 days. While we were waiting for her to get home I noticed Pop looking out of the window every five seconds to see if she was home yet. When I saw her pulling into the driveway, I said, "She's heeere!!" Pop looked out the window and very excitedly said, "Where!?" Then...he saw the car. He jumped off the couch and ran out the back door. Gram actually came in the front door. Pop realized this, came back in the back door, saw her, and started jumping up and down really fast half yelling, "You're HOME! You're HOME!!"

-Pop grabbed some goldfish and put them in his salad. He said, "It's like they are swimming through sea weed!"

-Fact: Pop LOVES ordering 'free' stuff from the TV. Every time he somehow manages to order multiple of the same thing. And every time Gram gets a bill. (You should hear her talk about it...it is so funny.)

-For this next quote you should know Pop uses a nebulizer. One night while Pop is 'talking' to Gram, Gram told him, "Oh, put your pipe in your mouth and smoke it and get over it."

-Pop: "I've had my eye on you for 40+ years. I've had my eye on you when you were just a skinny brunette. I had my eye on you when you were full bodied...with streaks of gray. And now I watch you...with a full head of white hair." Gram: "You are rattling off in the head again."

-Gram: "I like to eat corn on the cob cold with salt on it." Pop: "You are weird." Gram: "Uh...you do the same thing."

-Gram made spaghetti last night for dinner. Pop was teasing Gram about how she's been cooking spaghetti for 60 years and she never cooks the noodles long enough. This is what Pop said, "This spaghetti reminds me of Rice Krispies. Wanna know why? Because it snaps, crackles, and pops."

Get ready for this one, it'll melt your socks off it's so sweet.

-We (Gram, Pop, and I) were watching a TV show and a commercial came on. It was an advertisement for some mints in which a man and a woman got in opposite sides of a taxi, saw each other, turned away from each other, popped a mint, and it insinuated they went out after that. When it ended Pop looks at Gram and says, "Hey, got any mints?"

I hope this has given you a good glimpse of my grandparents, and of my (hilarious) life with my grandparents! If you have any funny stories from your grandparents, leave a comment, I want to hear them!

Until next time--over and out.

Montana vs. Kansas

Montana vs. Kansas. Mountains vs. Mountainless. Yikes.


Libby, MT

Manhattan, KS



See the difference? Libby has gorgeous mountains, lots of trees, a beautiful sky. Manhattan has...some cool colors...in the fall and spring. Why on earth would anyone go from the most beautiful place on earth to Kansas? That's weird.

Montana is...breath-taking. You say Montana and people have a gorgeous picture of mountains, open sky, and wildlife without ever having been there. Montana has a pretty good reputation, from what I've heard. People vacation to Montana, they don't vacation to Kansas.

Regardless of what non-Kansas folk may think about Kansas, it's actually a pretty great place. The best part of Kansas: Superman. Clark Kent lives in Kansas, automatically making it that much better. Apart from Clarky boy, Kansas has it's own kind of beauty. Sure it's flat, doesn't have a ton of wildlife, is windy all the time, and is really hot 9 months out of the year. There's just something about the place that you have to experience yourself in order to understand its beauty.

Despite my love for Montana and my adamancy against liking Kansas, it has grown on me. Change is tough sometimes. Especially when you are leaving something you love and going to a place you...don't love. You just have to take it one day at a time, try to appreciate your new surroundings. Even though Manhattan, KS is not Libby, MT, Kansas still has its own beauty, its own greatness, and Clarky boy.

Have you had to leave a place you love for a place you didn't want to live in? Let's hear about it!

Boys vs Girls

Boys and girls have a lot of differences, right? Boys are boys. And girls are girls. Think about it. Boys like manly things: hunting, fishing, wrestling, blood and guts, explosions, saving the damsels in distress. Girls like more feminine things: sleepovers, chocolate, shopping, anything with romance, dressing up, and being fought for and saved by masculine men. Of course those are stereotypical boys and girls. There are the girls (like myself) who like hunting and fishing and explosions. And there are guys who like shopping, occassional romance movies or novels, and dressing nicely. Either is fine, either accepted, and both are great.

But this isn't about the differences between guys and gals. It's more like the lack of differences, the similarities that society over looks, or maybe doesn't want to see. There are just some things that I've noticed and learned from talking to my guy friends and talking about guys with a couple of my best female friends that I figured I'd share with anyone who happened to stumble on my meager little blog!

First things first. Guys have feelings. Even the manliest men out there. They have emotions and need affection just as much as ladies do. Some won't want to admit this, of course. They are just putting up a front. God created both men and women as emotional beings, needing relationships and affection, and filled with emotions. Anyone can deny this, but truth will out.

With that said, I think it's important to say guys need ladies to guard their hearts. If we girls expect guys to guard our hearts, we need to do the same. There is always talk of girls protecting guys from lust, which I wholeheartedly agree that people, boys and girls, need to dress modestly. But that's a different topic for another time. Men invest in their relationships just as much as women do.  Why should their hearts be treated any differently from ours?

I think it's important for girls to treat guys with the same love, respect, gentleness, and protection as girls expect and demand from guys. They might not show it as often as girls do, but guys have the same emotions and feelings as girls. That's what I think.

What do you think? Agree? Disagree? I want to hear your feedback!! Thanks for suffering through this! Haha!