Tasty Fall Treats?

Last night I left work around 8:00 and headed over to a friends house about 1/2 hour away.  The gathering she had was well underway by the time I got there but it was still going strong.  I had called her right when I left to let her know when I would be there and she proceeded to tell me about the caramel apples they were making.  Gooey caramel with lots of different toppings and extras to chose from.  I had just eaten supper not too long before and wasn't too hungry when I walked in her house but she shoved an apple into my hands and said she made me a caramel apple and wanted to take a picture of some of us taking huge bites out of our apples.  So I willingly obliged, for the sake of the picture of course.  On the count of three we all took huge bites and after about .004 seconds I realized I had not bitten into an apple.  They had made me a caramel onion!  It was so so nasty.  I about hurled right there.  I didn't even swallow anything but the juice was strong enought that even this morning I still had the onion flavor in my mouth.  So disgusting!!!

Been Awhile, Huh?

I wish I had more to blog about but my life has become very routine in that I go to school and work and by the time I get home there's not a whole lot to do except go to bed.  Thrilling, I know. 


Okay, I know there's a lot more people that read this blog than just the people that comment.  I don't know who all does but maybe there's someone reading this who is struggling with the idea of maybe moving to Athens?  Maybe not.  But if you are, and if you know God is leading you there, to at least look into it, would you please obey Him?  The preschool is nearing the point of desperation in their need for two more teachers to go.  I know it's hard to think about leaving family, friends and comfort zones.  Boy do I know.  If any of you know my story of how I ended up down south, you know it was a huge struggle and that even while I was driving there with my car loaded up with all my stuff, I was praying that maybe God could change His mind and send me right back to central Illinois.  But also if you know my story, you might know that Alabama became home to me.  It has become just as much a part of me as central Illinois has.  You might also know that when I started feeling let to move back to Roanoke, it was just as much of a struggle as it was to move down there in the first place.  I know it's different.  I know it might be scary.  I know it's far away.  But it's so, so worth it. 


With that being said, most of you if not all of you reading this are not the right ones to go.  You are not being called from where you are.  But would you please offer up a prayer that the ones God wants to go would go.  That He would please fill the need at the preschool?  Thanks, and have a blessed day.

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Funny story of the day.  There is a old man who is ninety something that still hauls in grain to the elevator I'm working at.  Today he came in at the end of the day and I saw him get out of his truck to come inside for something.  He had a can of beer in his hand which I thought was unusual.  He comes in, sits down and starts talking, opens his can of beer, then a little while later walks out- beer in hand- and drives away!  Now, I know he wasn't drunk at all.  But seriously.  Did he not realize what he was doing was completely illegal?!?!?!

Day Of Labor

This is my 400th post.  I feel like I should be doing something special for it but....... maybe we'll wait till 450 or 500, huh?

The weekend started out with happy birthday to me!  Friday was number 28 for me.  I'm not old enough yet that I care about my age.  For the most part anyway.  After next year I might start caring.  I can't say it was my favorite birthday in the world.  In fact, I think it ranks in the top three bad ones.  Right after the one where I was sick as a dog and had a cherry popsicle for my birthday supper and the one where I begrudingly moved eight hours away from home.  It wasn't bad, per se, it just wasn't spectacular.  Maybe I'm supposed to be all grown up and mature by now but I still like to have my birthday be a special day.  But my mom was working all day, my dad was in the field, my closest cousins left for a mini vacation and all of my friends already had plans.  I can't complain though.  We did manage to squeeze in a lunch at Caleri's where I was served a birthday cupcake in a very special way:)

Not just anyone gets that serving platter, folks!  I also got to see my aunt and uncle that were up from Phoenix for the weekend.  Friday night a few of the family got together to spend some time with them and then I went into town and hung out with Jamie and Haley until Nate got home from the field.  That was the best part of my day.

That's the Phoenix family- Joe and Sue. 

Saturday I headed out to Bluffton.  Cassie came up with a couple vanloads of Athens people so I grabbed LeaAnn and we headed out there to spend the weekend with them.  And what a great weekend it was!  It was somewhat action packed but I only got a few pictures.  Us girls after we climbed the freakishly tall fire tower and me and LeaAnn on the swing that went a little too high for my comfort level.  Fun, though.

It was fun staying at Cassie's house and seeing more of her home life.  But then came the part of splitting ways, as we headed west and they headed south.  After seeing them I've been more homesick for Alabama.  Today in class I had the first near freak out moment of "What in the world am I doing???"  The teacher used a toy as an example for something and it was a toy we had at the preschool.  It just kind of drove home the reality of the fact that I'm no longer doing the only thing I've really known, which is child care.  I started to question whether or not I was really ready to step out of that comfort zone.  I know though, that this is right and I'm where I supposed to be.  So in that case, yes- I'm ready to step out. 
Anyways, great weekend with plenty of memories made. 

The Mundane Life

Well not a whole lot has happened since last Monday but I see it's been a week now since I posted.  All that is about to change though.  Harvest started already.  It's still not quite going full force yet but most of the guys are in the field some.  Which means my job is about to start!  I went in a couple times last week and am going in tomorrow all day.  Next week I'll start full time.  Then until harvest is over my life will consist of purely school and the elevator.  Except for maybe Friday nights.  I don't think I'll be working Friday nights.  Well, and Sundays of course.  I really don't mind though.  It's a pretty fun job. 
So far so good with school, too.  I think both classes I will enjoy somewhat but both are going to take a lot of work.  Especially this week in Anatomy when we're doing basic chemistry stuff.  I've never had a chem class in my life.  It's only one chapter thank goodness.  I'm not too fond of it.  I'm excited to actually get into the differnt systems of the body.  That I'm interested in.
I think I'll like my Spanish class too.  Last week after the first one I left feeling completely overwhelmed and thinking it was hardly worth it.  This week I'm feeling a lot better and more excited about it.  I've already made a couple friends in there too.  One whose wife is an OT and is more than willing to help me in getting my observation hours done and one who is from Cullman, AL of all places!  Cullman is about 45 minutes south of Athens so we were pretty excited to make that connection.

*Sidenote:  Right now we have a guy from Haiti living with us.  He first came eight or so years ago through the Haitian Hearts program.  You may or may not have heard of it.  Basically we were his host family while he came to the states for heart surgery.  About a month ago he finally got a visa (after numerous other tries) and is here to stay for a few months.  His name is Steve.  Actually his name is Mike Steevens Domonique but we'll just go with Steve.  So if you read something about Steve, that's who you're reading about.

*Another sidenote:  Since being here he has really taken to the black culture that we have in the states and tries so hard to be like that.  He loves hip hop and always tries to dress like a rapper.  Problem is, all he can find around our house is old seedcorn hats and even older electronics to do the job.  Today he is sporting a seedcorn hat while jamming to songs on someone's reealllly old walkman!  I love him!

The Rock That Was Starved

I had the privilege of spending today with my two dear friends, Erin and Lisa.  We went to Starved Rock and Mattheisen (sp?) State Parks.  Lots of stairs were climbed.  Our first destination was Lovers Leap.  It was awfully romantic but we quickly tired of that destination and proceeded to Eagle Cliff.  There, we rebelliously climbed over the wooden walkway.  Yeah- we really know how to push limits and break rules:)  We tried taking a picture where we were jumping in the air.  It was a failed attempt but I actaully think it's my favorite one out of all that we took.

It was a really fun day.  I would say it was relaxing, but all those stairs kinda threw a wrench into the whole "relaxation" thing.  But fun nevertheless. 

I was supposed to start my classes tonight but got a phone call saying it was cancelled.  I was really bummed. I'm excited to get started with this whole school thing so hopefully my class tomorrow morning will still be in session! 

My Going Away Party

Sunday night was my going away party.  It was fun, sad, sappy......

A few of the ladies from church.  Louise, Kat, Corrine and Granny Barnes.  Granny is the oldest in church.  She is Louise and Miss Barbara's mother.  She looks like she could keel over any minute but she's actually pretty spry and active still.

JR and Louise ended up sitting here together at this little table for two and Kerwin decided they needed a candle!  JR is a jokester.  Between his accent and lack of teeth he can be hard to understand, especially when he's laughing hysterically at his own jokes.  But if he's laughing, we just laugh along with him even if we have no clue what he's saying:)

The whole Athens crew.  There were a couple missing that couldn't make it but for the most part this has been my church and my family the last four years.  I do love them!

Whenever everyone is at the Edelman house for something (such as a going away party) a very hard core, very competetive game of basketball ensues.  No, they did not get in a water fight when they were finished playing ball.  That is pure sweat.  Disgusting!!!

Cassie snapped this one of the kids flocking me when I went over to the preschool Monday morning quick before I left.  I just thought it was kinda cute:)

This week has been spent mostly trying to get everything organized and unpacked.  A lot of my stuff is in my grandparents basement right now.  Like my bed and kitchen stuff that I don't need while living at my parents.  But even so, it's hard to condense what I have here into one small bedroom.  Especially when, over the last four years, my bedroom and the rest of the upstairs has been converted into storage for my parents.  ("Oh, we don't use this too often, let's just toss it in Sarah's closet."  or "I have so many cookbooks in this kitchen, maybe I'll put some of the overflow into Sarah's room.")  Things like that.  But it's working out.

I have a job!  For now anyways.  Once harvest starts I'll be working at the grain elevator weighing trucks and testing moisture on the grain.  I worked there my freshman year of college and loved it so I'm pretty excited to do it again.  After harvest is over I'm not sure what I'll be doing but at least I have something for now. 

Yesterday I went down to ICC and got my books.  Besides shelling out all this money for tuition and books, I'm pretty excited about starting a couple classes.  Ask me again in the middle of the semester and I might not feel that same way.  But for now I'm excited.