Money is not RED, Money is GREEN

So as of now, my mail is going to my mother's house up in Nashville. My future permanent address will be in Illinois at my cousins' house (though any mail can be sent to the seminary directly for me). Because of this, I forgot to tell you all some very exciting news. The best way is to just quote the letter my school sent me.

"Dear Alison,

I wanted to let you know what a pleasure it was reading your application. Your many gifts, intellectual curiosity, and enthusiasm make you an excellent candidate for seminary education. We at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago will be enriched by your presence here among us.

You have been selected ro receive an ELCA Fund for Leaders in Missions (FLM) Scholarship for $3,000. LSTC is pleased to also grant you a financial aid award of $6,200 which, along with possibly the Munderloh Foundation Scholarship, will bring your total grant to full tuition, based on nine classes for the 2008-2009 academic year....."

WHO'S EXCITED?!!? I knew about the FLM and the Munderloh (which I am still holding my breath for = $2,500)... but the very generous financial aid was news to me. How wonderful is that? When I was busy being all melancholy that I didn't receive a full tuition from FLM months ago and worrying about covering costs, God was busy taking care of me.

*Sigh*

It feels so good to be taken care of. Thank you LSTC... and of course, thank GOD.


Blogs to come in the near future when they have photo support:
*My last day of Starbucks where I was attacked with whip cream. COVERED from head to toe in about 6 full cans of whip cream. Multi colors, too. Thanks guys.
*The presents I have received from people that were so completely unexpected. With that, an ironic note on the "coin" left in our tip jar in the place of real money (one side says "Where will you SPEND eternity?") and how I can't wait to cure the wounds those people have inflicted on the public.
*More on how much GOODBYE sucks and how BLESSED I am. I know in my bones that I am meant to be in seminary. I'm so so so glad that I have the support I do. THANK YOU!

middle ear infections are not RED, well, maybe they are...

So I absolutely loved my vacation... except that I had been fighting a cold/dealing with allergies in those varying climates the whole time (and a week before). So after I got a little water in my ear because of the ocean, rode up into the sky and let my ears pop... my body revolted and my ears never unpopped. Just today, after taking some antibiotics, are they getting ANY better. Silly colds. Silly allergies. Yay health insurance....

In other news, I've been saying goodbye to Chattanooga. This of course means the place, but more so, the people. Oh, the people. See my littlest favorite person in the picture? That's L's beautiful baby girl, Abi. *Sigh*


I don't know if I will ever come back to Chattanooga to live but it certainly has part of my heart. It has been the first real HOME that I've made for myself and I don't think that ever leaves a person. Being on my own, meeting the people I've met, growing up, learning about love, discovering what family means... Couldn't have happened better anywhere else.


I'm packing up at the W's and sorting out the storage unit. Then all the stuff gets separated between Nashville and Chicago. I look forward to the day when half my stuff won't be in storage somewhere. Perhaps I should make this move a big cleansing of CRAP. I have a lot of it, you know. But I have pack rat genes and fear that as soon as I throw out something I will most certainly need it. That and I don't have ample funds to readily replace things... should I throw out something I might need. So, I don't know. What to toss... what to keep... what to move with me to Chi town. OY!


Alas, God has perfect timing and I am feeling ready for the next step of my life. So, despite how much saying goodbye hurts, I cannot wait to be in seminary in Chicago.


And one way between Chicago and Nashville on southwest is generally between $39 and $69... so I'll be back to visit. Soon.

Book reviews are not RED, they are READ

Yes, I've been reading. I thought I'd add the reviews I posted on Facebook's "BOOKS" application.

THE SHACK

I would like to say that I don't catch on to trends... but that would be a lie. I don't like the hype about them but I get curious. I have to read the book to put my two cents in. To know what the big deal is.
The first time someone mentioned "The Shack," I noted the title. The second time, I was getting curious. The third time, I wanted to read it. But life is busy. I have a stack of things to read already. I put it in my "to read eventually" stack in my head.
Then one of my best friends started reading it and liberally quoting to me parts of the book that he knew would get me. Would speak to me. And the book really did call out to me. Even better, he went out and bought the book for me right before a trip to the beach. Armed with ice water, sunscreen, and a pen, I opened the book. I finished it within the week. The whole book is underlined and circled. I texted quotes the entire time to my best friend. Read things aloud to my friend at the beach. It is BEAUTIFUL. Touching. Direct but tender in its approach. So much that I needed to hear about letting go and about loving people.
READ IT. Then let me know your favorite quote. Mine? "You don't have to have it all figured out. Just be with me." -Jesus to Mack

(and you've already heard me talk a little about this one, but here's the official buzz)
TWILIGHT

At first, this book really reminded me of one of my all time favorite WB television shows, Roswell. I own the three season box set on DVD. I've got the story down. Basically, a very normal human girl is put in danger and is saved by a mysterious (and gorgeous) boy who tells her to keep the secret. Of course, he lets her in on the secret. Why else would we stay tuned? Of course, things progress from there. It gets too intense and boy thinks it would be best for him to stay away from her for HER safety.
What I have to say... is that I might like the vampire version better. There wasn't a sense that Max might KILL Liz at any moment. I don't know if Stephenie Meyer watched Roswell or not. It IS a classic story line whatever way you cut it. The point, really, is that she does it BETTER. She takes the classic star crossed lovers and turns it up a notch. It is addictive because it is so easy to get into this story line. As a girl, I could completely see myself in a rainy town at a new school bored with life. Until... a vampire saves me from being crushed by a pickup truck. HELLO! Who wouldn't keep reading?
I am anxiously awaiting book four....

My blog is red and yellow!!

My blog had a facelift. I hope you enjoy it. I also hope you can tell me how to get that scandelous strip of blue off of my beautiful red, yellow, and brown blog. :(

I'd also like to know how to make my blog wider... I know for my screen it is merely half the width of the screen. Odd. Silly template. I wish I knew more html. Sibling?? Help!!

I am not RED!! Neither was E&R's wedding!

My mother says that my cheeks are beautifully blushed but not red. I'm going to go with that one.

Bottom line: Everyone needs to visit the beach at least once a year. I have never been a big beach person. I am a red head. I have extremely sensitive skin. I tend to not enjoy anything where I am outdoors for long periods of time. I burn. I encounter bugs. I get bit. Just not a very positive experience on the whole. BUT I do love taking a walk on the beach when the sun is not beating down on my skin. I do love letting the waves push and pull me in a very lovely kind of lullaby... and I even like (occasionally) getting caught off guard and smacked upside the head when a wave breaks right over me. It keeps me humble. Keeps me sandy. ;)

Let's see if anyone out there can get this quote. My mother was at a loss. "YOU... are like wet sand in my underwear." 10 points to the lovely lad or lass who guesses the movie and or actress who said it.

So the beach was lovely. I loved having mom time. I loved having family time. I loved having chill time. The original purpose of the North Carolina trip, however, was my cousin's wedding. I had a free flight to anywhere in the US courtesy of Southwest Airlines... and an invite to a wedding with family members I had not seen in years. Bonus: it was a trip with my mom out of town... with the possibility of an added beach trip. All signs point to YES.

I really enjoyed the wedding. What I find hilarious, however, is that it was such a complete 180 from the previous weekend's wedding. T&K's was last weekend. This is the happy couple in the photo (pro photos by Amy Callahan). It was just lightly religious (almost to the point of hilarity when there was a hint of religion in there). It lasted barely 15 minutes. The reception was short and sweet right after the ceremony in the church. Later there was a smaller reception with dinner and dancing. Short and sweet and to the point. Classic black, red, and white. Bride in classic white dress and groom in classic black tux. T was ecstatic and I loved seeing him so incredibly happy. I have to say that my brother was dashing as best man in his tux with a red vest. Anywho, beautiful wedding. That was week one (wedding four).

E&R's, on the other hand, was a catholic wedding. And though the service was not a full mass, it followed along the lines of a classic church service. E&R sat down. There was a sermon. There was singing. It was 45 minutes. (I LOVED it - a beautiful balance of everything). Also fabulous was that there was no handing over of the bride. None of this "who gives this woman?" talk because the priest did not believe in the tradition. He thought it treated women like they were possessions. So interesting. I always find it awkward when the father is standing up there for 10 minutes at the start of the ceremony between the bride and groom. Is anyone else weirded out by that? So I embraced that change. Then again, I also like the change up; "Who presents her" and the response is, "Her mother and I do." At mine, we aren't doing any of this placing my hand in my future husband's as a sign of handing over. At least, that is my current stance. MY wedding is a far, far, distant thing.

There was also lots of mingling before hand. I enjoyed that. Anyway, the food at the reception was fabulous. I mean, not just good. FABULOUS. I enjoyed pretty much everything I tried the whole weekend (ok, I don't much like orzo - but I try it every time just to be sure). This isn't to knock other wedding food, but besides K&D's wedding (they are both chefs...), food hasn't been anything stand out. So, way to go E&R.

Oh! My other favorite part were the colors. Purple and yellow. Pale purple and pale yellow. Gracefully beautiful and elegant. E actually wore a very simple satiny pale yellow hand made dress. She looked elegant to boot (she's sitting in the photo above). R had a yellow shirt under his tux and the groomsmen and attendants (and fathers and whomever else got the memo) had on yellow ties. Even one little boy had a yellow tie! I loved it. The flowers, the bridesmaid dresses (purple), the cake, etc. E&R even had little M&M candies with their names and the date on them in little boxes as favors. Yum!

Okay. I promise that is the LAST of the wedding stuff you will hear for a while. That's my last one of the season. I am done! There were only 5 this season. What slackers.

Sand is not RED, but my skin will be

I should be packing for I am North Carolina bound. My cousin is getting married on Saturday so I get to spend the weekend with select family members. Then my mother and I decided that we needed a little beach time. Ok, we needed a LOT of beach time, but we allotted ourselves a mere three days of glorious sand and sun. We've got a little condo, a deck of cards, our bathing suits, and some sunscreen. Good to go!

So if I haven't yet gone to the beach, where have I been? Well, lets just say I found a book and devoured it. Then I read the second book in the series. Then I immediately bought the third. They lasted almost two weeks. What were these fabulous attention grabbing books, you ask? Why, none other than the Twilight saga that has swept the nation. Catch the trailer to the movie (out in December) or read up on your twilight trivia at the movie website. I can't wait!! It really is an addiction.... The fourth book comes out the first day of August. I will be at Barnes and Nobles. Yes I will. Oh, here's something else to devour. Enjoy! (P.S. the picture in this post is Edward and Bella. Edward is a vampire. Bella is just a small town gal who fell in love with him. *Sigh*)

That's really been about it. Besides starting to say goodbye and preparing to move north, I have stayed busy with coffee and my two fabulous girls. I won't want to say goodbye to either of my families here so I'm trying to figure out how to best leave parts of my heart behind. No one said it would be easy!!

Toddlers are not RED, unless they're covered in paint... and then you have a problem

I absolutely adore the 3.5 year old that I live with. She says the most hilarious things. Asks the strangest, yet to the point, questions of anyone I know (including other three year olds). Haven't you heard that any great philosopher can be disproved by a three year old asking, "Why?" on repeat? It is so true. "Why?" to questions that can only be answered, "God made it that way" or "Just because." So frustrating on my half of things because I wish I could explain more. Par example:

Watching Aladdin: "Why is it a volcano cave?"
Listening to Music in the car: "Why is this song louder than the last song?"
Eating breakfast: cereal "Why is this a square?"

I also LOVE the way she prays. LOVE it. So simply pure and -- well, simple. She thanks god for the sunshine and the rain, for my friends at the coffee shop, for her stuffed bunny, for every member of her family (including me). Whatever is in her minds comes across in prayer and I adore her lack of filter. Why sometimes it isn't the most flattering prayer about those around her, sometimes it is shockingly beautiful.

This of course goes for random comments she makes as well. Today, driving, I honked at someone who cut me off and said they weren't paying attention. She asks me, "Were they on their cell phone?" I couldn't help but laugh. And just now, addressing a letter to my brother, she asks if I'm doing that because I love him. She likes to tell people that other people love them. It's a big deal lately. She told her parents at the dinner table matter of factly last night that I loved them. Too great!! (And of course I do love them, but I love that she picks up on it, too). Then again, I am also secretly afraid that she will burst out my affections for a certain someone in front of him and find me turning all shades of red. Alas...

I guess that's all I got. Everyone have a happy fourth of July. I've got a little less than a month left in Chattanooga and it is already breaking my heart. :(