Sunday night volleyball

Shopping

Stylin' Sista took me shoppin' yesterday and it was a blast!!! She has so much STYLE! I am sadly very lacking in this ability. I like to dress nice, but I have no idea how to put things together and coordinate outfits. . . I just don't have that skill. Thank goodness stylin' sista is here to save the day. I just have to mention one funny thing. So, she helped me coordinate some great outfits (I will post some pictures later), and then asked me what shoes I would wear with them. Well, I must say, I wear my white skater shoes with everything. . . I am so sorry stylin' sista, but you have your work cut out for you with this one! : )

Ohio!!

Next weekend I am going to get to visit my very dear friend Sarah in Ohio. I am really looking forward to it. I miss her so much since she moved back! We will have so much fun!

who am I?

Have you ever had situations where you really wondered who you have become? I have always enjoyed people, I still do enjoy people, but only a couple at a time. I have found myself over the past couple years becoming increasingly more anxious when I am expected to be social around large groups of people. Church has become an extreme challenge as I feel expected to connect and socialize with so many people in a short amount of time. I enjoy one on one interactions in a quiet setting, or even two to four people, but beyond that I start to feel extremely anxious. I wasn't ever this way before and it is fascinating to me why I now feel very overwhelmed by large groups of people.

Beautiful sunrise

Not much to blog about

I feel like when I am in school, I have very little to blog about. My days consist of going to work, attempting to hit the gym for a little bit and then home to read, write, and do arithmetic. Yep, that is pretty much my life right now. Not very exciting huh? Oh, and I do play some volleyball, yeah, thats about it. I will let you know when things pick up. . . : )

Classes

Well, my classes officially started Friday. I am really hoping to survive statistics. I think I just might, with a lot of help from Danielle- Thanks Dan! I actually am remembering how much I enjoy math. I enjoy equations, problem solving, answers that are either right or wrong, no gray. I have always liked math, it has just been eleven years since I took a math class, so I definitely need some refreshing! My other class starts Saturday, so I will let you know how that one goes. I keep telling myself. . . one semester at a time. God will get me through.

Florida trip January 2009

Zoe
Jason, Dawn, & Trey

Jason, Ereina, & Trey

Florida wildlife

Our new floor

Happy New Year

Aunt Kath, Grandma Bunts, Mom, and Dawn
Grandma and Dawn

Sarah's Christmas present

Josh trying to open his Christmas present

The annual family photo- 2008

The beautiful Fitt Christmas tree

Christmas 2008

Michael and Dawn and the Wii

Dawn after playing the Wii
Look at my air. . .

My first toe socks

Thanks Andi

Our Christmas tree

Control Issues

So, this is probably not the best time for me to write this post. I have always found in the past it is best to let things "set" awhile before verbalizing my true emotions. That gives the Holy Spirit some time to work in my heart and get my motives right before I start babbling about how upset I am. There is no doubt in my mind (or in any of yours if you know me) that I struggle when things are out of my control. Now, I also am aware that this is an area that God has been refining in my life, and over years has worked on my heart in realizing that I have no control. He is in control. I know that, and I am not sure why He insists on continuing to teach me this lesson. Is it possible that I haven't learned it yet??? : )
So this evening I received another lesson from God in the fact that I have no control, that it is only important that my motives are right and that I am willing and actively serving Him, and that the rest is His responsibility. Something I had worked very hard and long on which I had really hoped would be a God-honoring ministry pretty much fell apart. I know God can work through these things, and I know it is His ministry, not mine, but I feel so disappointed.
I am processing so many emotions right now, and mostly just trying to figure out what God wants to teach me through this and how I can react without sin in my heart. It is astounding to me how God can take every situation and turn it into a "character-building experience."

Beautiful snow

Cookie Bake

Dawn and Sarah at the annual cookie bake

Redneck deer hunting

So here is the story. . . Crazy Dave shows up at our house with two deer in his trunk. Apparently, he was driving down 83 and two deer came running across the bridge in front of him and jumped off the bridge onto 83. They both broke their necks and crazy Dave pulled over and put them both in his trunk. I don't know any better way to put this then redneck deer hunting. Here is the infamous trunk. . . P.S. These pictures are not for deer lovers. . . . : )

Crazy Dave and the suicidal deer

Classes

YAY!!!!! I finished my first semester of graduate classes at LBC!!!!! I start back January 16th.

Raccoons

Nikki enjoying the sun

Totman/Martin/Goodling Family

Ereina and Trey dancing

What I learned from growing up in Africa

There were many life lessons to be had from growing up in Africa, and this post may have several parts, so here is Part I

1. There is more than one kind of zebra- there are two main varieties- Burchells- wide stripes, and Grevy's- narrow stripes. No idea if I spelled those right. And for those of you wondering- zebras are white with black stripes! : )

2. There is also more than one kind of giraffe. There are at least three that I know of- Masai, Boxed, and Reticulated.

3. Malaria is not fun. Seriously, NOT FUN!

4. Eating termites will not kill you. They are full of protein and really do not taste bad.

5. Always tell your teacher right away when there is a black mamba in your classroom. . . you do not, I repeat, DO NOT raise your hand and wait to be called on. This particular point I cannot stress enough!

6. Monkeys will grab food right out of your hand after jumping from a distance that is not imaginable to the human brain. While eating food anywhere within a mile radius of monkeys- stay in your car.

7. Never drive into the middle of a herd of elephants- they are bigger than you and they will charge your car. : )

8. Bartering for everything you buy can be a lot of fun once you get used to it.

9. Walls, security guards, and a guard dog will still not stop someone desperate to break into your house.

10. Kenyan chai is the best in the world! : )

Sunday raking

Sarah enjoying the leaves

Above: After raking

Below: Before

Sunrise

Isn't this beautiful??

Tagged continued

Okay, here are the two more weird things about me:

6. I enjoy eating peanut butter on my hot dogs. (Don't knock it until you try it!)

7. My list of hobbies don't really go together: demolition derbies, sky-diving, crocheting, scrapbooking, four wheeling, and reading. : )

tagged

I was tagged in Emily's post to come up with seven weird things about me, so here goes:

1. I actually think that I would be able to survive on nothing but hot chocolate and smores. And at some point I think I just might try it! : )

2. I eat the cake out from underneath the icing to save the icing for last. ( I know, I know, a lot of people do that, but you must still admit that it is weird!)

3. I refuse to eat anything that you have to break the legs off before you consume- sorry shrimp, you are out!

4. I like everything in my house to match completely. I bought a fish tank today with a black lid, I also bought black gravel for it, and the fish are black and white striped. I know it is excessive, but I like my pets to also match my house. (Our cat is gray and black striped.)

5. I am obsessed with trying to make my house smell good. I have candles, flameless candles, airwick fresheners, glade plug ins, and frebreze scent stories all over my house.

Okay, I know I am weirder than this. . . I can't think of any more. I will have to finish this later after I think some more.

Beautiful sky

The beautiful sky when I left work the other day. . .

You might be a redneck. . .

Today when I walked out of my house, this is what I saw. . .

You might be a redneck. . .