Day 275: Dressing Up

This evening, I dressed Java up to take some pictures to make this card for Joel, whose birthday is tomorrow. It was difficult to get her to cooperate, as you can see in the first picture. She kept swiping at the headgear and didn't really want to sit still long enough to snap a good picture. I think the card turned out pretty well, though!

Day 274: Flutter By, Butterfly

This post may seem strangely reminiscent of yesterday's. And of course, that's because it is. The butterflies are still fluttering by and I took a few more pictures this afternoon.

I discovered how difficult it is to take a picture of a butterfly with its wings spread (at least with my camera, which has been taking bad pictures of late). They're fairly camera-shy little insects, and fly away if you get to close to them.

Day 273: Migration

Every autumn, the monarch butterfly migrates from southern Canada to Mexico. This small, delicate insects travel around 50 miles each day during the migration! I think that's pretty awesome!

Some years, we see thousands in Abilene, and some years there are fewer. This year we haven't seen quite as many as we sometimes do, but it's still pretty neat. It's hard to see, but even in the small picture that I took, you can count ten butterflies. I would have had more in a picture, but I wasn't moving slow enough to keep them from flying away!

Day 272: Good Thing, Bad Thing

Most people who have attended a youth group function have at some point played "good thing, bad thing." If you haven't, it's simply where each person lists a good thing and a bad thing, about their day or something. Sometimes it's called high, low or peaks and valleys instead. Well, I retook the GRE today, and here is my list:

Good Thing: the math portion now has an on-screen, four-function calculator
Bad Thing: some of the questions are no longer multiple choice, and are instead fill-in-the-blank

Good Thing: my math score most definitely went up!
Bad Thing: I won't know until November if I raised or lowered my verbal score

Day 271: Work

Snapped this picture as I was about to leave work today. Sometimes it's just hard to know what to photograph each day, as my days are all so similar.

Since last week, I've been training in the receptionist position at the doctor's office. It's more difficult than filing, but it's certainly more intellectually stimulating! I now check patients in, answer the phone and schedule appointments. I've certainly never worked a ten-line phone before!

Day 270: Baked Apples

Okay, that's some pretty terrible lighting under the yellow stove light. Whoops.

Oh well, these baked apples were still delicious! And what better way to welcome in fall! Baked apples always remind me of picking apples in back garden of the Oxford houses. Autumn isn't quite as crisp and beautiful in Abilene as it is in England, but I enjoy it all the same.

Day 269: Summit

I didn't really have anything to take a picture of today, so I just snapped one of the Summit brochure. Summit, which used to be called Lectureship, is the annual meeting held at ACU. Speakers come in from all over and talk to students and visitors. In the past couple of years, keynote speaker have included Shane Claiborne and Donald Miller, so we hear some pretty great stuff.

I missed out this year, and didn't attend a single Summit event. I already miss the days where my classes would all dismiss so that we could attend the lectures.

Day 268: Balloon

I've always wanted to ride in a hot air balloon, but so far I haven't had the chance. Every year there is a festival here in Abilene, and I watch the brightly coloured balloons rise into the air. And every year I wish I could take a ride in one.

Day 267: Power Steering

I thought my car was making a strange noise today, so asked Dad to check it out with me. We didn't hear anything when I drove around with him, so we popped open the hood.

And what is all that stuff? I have no clue. Anyway, he discovered that my power steering fluid was all gone. We're still waiting to see if there's a leak or not. I hope not, because that would mean a most likely expensive repair.

But I'm so thankful for my Daddy who can help me out with pretty much everything, including car troubles.

Day 266: Fire

If you live in Texas, you've probably seen a lot of this: smoke. With the extreme heat this summer, we've been plagued with lots of fires. This year, in fact, wildfires have burned close to 4 million acres - in other words, an area the size of the state of Connecticut.

This afternoon, a fire broke out a couple of miles from our house. It didn't burn any structures, thankfully, though it did take out close to 200 acres. By the time I saw the smoke (and took this picture), the fire had calmed down a lot, so it's hard to see here.

Day 265: Assessment Test

This evening I completed a "new candidate assessment test" for a job that I applied for. Along with math and vocab questions, I had to answer a ton of questions about my personality and how I work.

In this section, I was asked the following question. If you are given these two options, you would:
A) Always choose the first option
B) Mostly choose the first option, but sometimes choose the second
C) Mostly choose the second option, but sometimes choose the first
D) Always choose the second option

I'm still pondering why I would have to choose between some of the options. For example (in the picture):

Taking the logical approach vs. Design you own clothing

Huh? Why do I have to choose between those two?

Day 264: Awesome God

So, I know these pictures are very similar, but I like them both, so I'm posting them both!

I can't help but be in awe when I see the sky lit up like this. And I can't help but remember how awesome God is.

This is one of the things that I love most about Texas: her beautiful skies. Here, it's possible to look up into the sky. A friend from the East coast once told me how exposed he felt here. Without trees crowding around, pressing in and obscuring the sky, he felt vulnerable.

I feel free.

Day 263: Heavy

I actually painted this little cross a couple of years ago. Each year around Easter, Highland gives us plain wooden crosses to decorate as we contemplate Jesus and his sacrifice.

Today I'm remembering this refrain in the midst of several ongoing tragedies at our church. We have two young children in our church (5 and 6 years old) who have been battling Leukemia for several years. Both children were in remission, but within the past month and a half, both relapsed. It is so difficult to watch precious young children struggle with such a devastating disease.

This morning, the mother of one of my brother's good friends passed away after a long bout with cancer. The children are my age and a little younger.

My heart is heavy, and I ask for prayers. That these children will be healed to the glory of God. That the peace of God surrounds their families, regardless of the outcome. And that Joel, his friend and her family are wrapped in God's comforting embrace.

And it's the last verse of How Great Thou Art that resounds on days like today.

When Christ shall come with shouts of acclamation

And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!

Then I shall bow in humble adoration,

And there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!

Day 262: Let's Go Wildcats

We headed to the metroplex this afternoon to watch some ACU football. The game was in Cowboy Stadium, which is huge (the third largest in the NFL)! I'll never have the money to go the stadium any other time, so we figured we'd go while ACU was playing there.

And check out at that gigantic big screen! When it was built, it was the largest HD television screen in the world, at 160 ft. by 72 ft! It brings to mind the possibility that Americans just might spend too much money on football.

Sadly, the Wildcats lost, 17-26. We played horribly, racking up 14 penalties for over 100 yards, two interceptions and two fumbles. Two of the penalties came on touchdown plays, essentially costing us the win.

Day 261: Water Bottle

I am the proud new owner of this Camelbak water bottle. So far I like it a lot, though I'm still a bit worried that it might leak water in a bag. I drink so much water anyway (seriously, I'm always thirsty), but this helps me drink even more!!

I went ahead and shelled out a couple of extra bucks to get the insulated version. I'm so glad I did! It keeps my water colder longer and cuts back on condensation on the outside of the bottle.

Day 260: West Texas Fair and Rodeo

This evening we headed over to the fair grounds for some turkey legs, funnel cakes and bucking broncos. It's been several years since I've been to the fair, but we used to go every year. As kids, I would bake, sew and draw and enter things in the fair. I used to win too!

There's a joke around here that the fair always brings rain. We have such dry and hot summers, and then this largely outdoor event comes around and it rains. And tonight, of course, it rained! We all ducked for cover and kids avoided the rides, but we are so thankful for the rain!

After dinner came the PRCA rodeo (that's Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, not the Protsestant Reformed Churches in America; if you Google it, you might get confused). My camera isn't great, and unfortunately this is the best picture I have from the rodeo. Ah well, you can still the see the power of that horse!! I always enjoy the rodeo, especially the barrel racing and bronc riding. And the steer roping and wrestling. And anything that involves a horse, really.

But as much as I love watching the horses, my favorite event might have been the mutton busting. Young children (around age 4-6), sit on the back of a sheep in a miniature chute. The door is opened, the sheep takes off running and the kid holds on for dear life. The kids with the best time wins. And let me tell you, it is absolutely hilarious!!

Day 259: Sunrise

If I have to get up early, at least I get to see the beautiful sunrise (which you also get to glimpse through another safely taken car-photograph). If I could drive to work looking at the beautiful skies each morning, I would be a much happier girl.

Sadly, those dark clouds didn't bring any rain at our house. But at least it's cool again today (it was over 100 again yesterday).

Day 258: Lunch

Without a doubt, this is the very best part of my job: free lunch. Almost every day, lunch is brought in for all of the staff. Today's lunch from Chili's certainly made for a tasty break to my hours of filing medical charts.

Day 257: Blinded by the Sun

The sun is rising later and setting earlier - a sure sign that autumn is around the corner.

However, it also means that as I drive to work in the morning, this bright ball blinds me as I drive.

In case you were wondering, I took this picture in a very safe manner. I simply pressed the button, without looking through the viewfinder. So, no dangerous picture-taking going on in my car!

Day 256: Remembering

Our flag is up in remembrance and honor of the thousands of people who lost their lives ten years ago today. So many things about life as we know it changed that day, and it is not a day we will soon forget.

It is easy to be angry at the people who committed these acts of terror. It is easy to hate, and it is easy to let that hate fester and grow, until we hate all Muslims. And perhaps worst of all, it is easy to make ourselves believe that God hates them.

But God is a God of love. He hates these acts of violence and reigns of terror, but he loves his people, and desires to reconcile all of creation unto him.

And plenty of Muslims are good people, as we saw in Egypt. On January 28, 2011, just days after revolutionary protests broke out in egypt, the police were pulled from the streets. That included the police at Saint Catherine's Monastery in the Sinai desert, leaving the monks inside defenseless, and all the ancient treasures of the monastery unprotected. Soon the local Bedouin who lived around the monastery showed up with their Kalishnikov rifles - rifles that they were not supposed to have, and no one knew that they had. They surrounded the monastery and said, "We have been living here and protecting this monastery for centuries. And we are not going to let anything happen to it now."

And so today is not a day to let hate fester, or to plot revenge. That is not the way of the gospel. Jesus tells us to love our enemies, and to pray for those who persecute is. After all, Jesus broke bread with Judas. No, today is a day to remember those who were lost, and to honor that memory. And it's a day to love and hope for the future when God's reign will be evident to all.

"[The Lord] makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. He says, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." ~ Psalm 46

Day 255: Sphinx

We were driving home from Kohl's today when Mom spotted this stone sphinx in someone's front yard. Several other Egyptian statues also adorned the lawn. I certainly did a double-take at this strange sight.

Day 254: Cheese Grits

Anna came over this evening and we made dinner together, which was a lot of fun. We made porkchops with apples and cheese grits, both Pioneer Woman recipes, which you can find here. Pretty yummy.

And then we watched Secretariat, which was even better. Even after I had watched it just a few weeks ago. Go watch it! And then go watch footage of Secretariat's Belmont run on Youtube. And then lament the fact that the last Triple Crown was in 1978.

Day 253: Hummingbird

This little hummingbird is hard to see because of the dark green background. It's like a game of Where's Waldo. Except this little bird's name is not Waldo. Maybe I'll call him Roderick.

Anyway, Roderick's a beautiful green, and he's been coming around our house for several days now. He's incredibly skittish, and he seems to zip away if he senses someone by the kitchen window (where I took this picture from).

It's nice to watch Rod flit around the feeder, his little wings buzzing in a whir of feathers.

Day 252: Pumpkin Pie Shake

On the way home from church tonight, we ran by Sonic. Yum. I had the seasonal pumpkin pie shake, and it was pretty tasty. It's been a long time since I've had a shake from Sonic, and must admit that this silvery cup took me by surprise.

Yes, I am aware that it's not fall yet. But I'm more than ready, so I'm kind of pretending that summer's over.

Also, a girl in one of my classes in high school thought pumpkin was spelled "punkin," because that's how she always said it.

Day 251: Temporary

This is my new office, at least temporarily. Because I currently seem unable to get a real job, I'm working a temporary job as a file clerk at a doctor's office. I pull charts, deliver them to the doctors and nurses, and then file them back.

All day.

That is the scope of my job. It's incredibly monotonous, but I am certainly thankful to have a job, at least for a few weeks.

Day 250: Low

Near record lows? Say what? After months of record highs, the weather has suddenly cooled off. Praise the Lord! Highs all week are in the eighties - and today it barely hit 80. I suppose it's kind of sad that this feels so incredibly cool, but it's thirty degrees cooler then it has been!

We headed out to my grandparent's and grilled burgers. It was so refreshing to sit outside drinking coffee with dessert while we watched a fox play. They have such long and bushy tails! Seriously, a family of foxes lives in my grandparent's backyard.

What a relaxing evening!

Day 249: Molasses Cookies

We baked some tasty molasses cookies today, which made the whole house smell like fall. And even though autumn doesn't technically start until the end of this month, we're supposed to have cool weather this week! Maybe my baking of these autumnal cookies is making fall want to come a little sooner!

Day 248: Photobook

I got my photobook in the mail today, which is always exciting. I put it together pretty quickly in order to capitalize on a 50% off deal, so unfortunately there are some things I would have liked to change. Oh, well. I do like it and I'm glad to have my pictures printed and in a fun format. You can see the whole thing here, over at Shutterfly!

Day 247: Football Season

It's that time of year again: football season. That means football will now be on almost constantly. Tonight, we have the SMU/TCU game on the tv and the Abilene High game on the radio. Yep, at the same time. At least I get pizza out of this!

Day 246: HDTV

We're jumping on this trend late, mostly because it just hasn't been that important to most of us. But, we now have an HD receiver and DVR. Unsurprisingly, the DVR is pretty handy. It is so much easier to record shows - like the Pioneer Woman's cooking show on Saturday mornings.