i think i created a monster!

ok so after i posted about how amber had not posted in a while, then she posted again!! So not to be outdone, here's post number 2 of the day!

By the way audie if you read this blog, please act like you are surprised with your present in about 30 minutes when you get home! i worked really hard to make sure that you had no clue that it was coming to the house today, so if i screwed up by posting on my blog about your gift i'm gonna be pissed!

almost as pissed as i was when Jillian kicked off Jake the Pilot, but it's all good it looks like he comes back swinging this week!!

Julia

don't freak out!

the world is not ending just because i'm posting for the first time in about forever.
Let's just say that Amber over at Tweet Tweet Chirp Chirp was basically my excuse for not posting for a while. I kept saying to myself, well i know i havent' posted in about a million years, but she hasn't posted in about 9.6 million so it's ok. Surely i'll get back on the horse before Amber does! Yeah right, amber posted earlier today, so i figured i needed to get my act together!

so what's been going on?? well i started my chruch interneship, that's been going great, but making me much busier than i though i would be. this week is definitely my busiest so far.

We're going to a wedding this weekend! so excited to see two good friends get married. This will be the first wedding i have gone to in a while that i'm not in, so it should be great to just observe things!

Audie and my anniversary is this coming week. 2 years of marriage is kind of crazy. I can't believe that we've beeen married that long, and at the same time it seems like we've been together forever. it's timeless, like any great relationship!

For our anniversary Audie got me a Kitchen Aid stand mixer! i have totally wanted one forever, and so it was really nice to get one! last year we didn't get each other gifts because we were kind of strapped for cash, we just went out for a nice dinner. This year we're giving each other gifts, but not going to dinner together specifically to celebrate.

Also we just got cable, internet and dvr set up! another reason to post, because i can do it from a internet connection that i paid for! so pumped!

so i'm going today to get audie's present for our anniversary, so excited about surpising him with a macbook pro laptop. We're replacing our old desktop computer. We're going to donate the old one because it's still working, but not working good for our puporses. Since you get an iPod Touch for getting a laptop at the Mac store with your student discount, he's getting both as a surprise!

ok that's enough for now, lots of love folks!

Julia

bachlorette thoughts

the bachlorette last night was pretty great! i have started to like some of the guys and really dislike some of them. so Jillian here are my thoughts on some of the guys:

Jake the Pilot: i love him so far! i really liked how goofy he was on their date last week, and how he wasn't afraid to look kind of stupid in front of her. also you could tell that he was nervous- too cute! so we'll see how things work out but i think that he's my front-runner right now.

Kyptin- I'm not sure if that's how you spell his name but i really think he is a cutie! i think that he's just an all around nice guy, and so i want him to continue!

Wes the Country music guy: so i know that Jillian really thinks that his singing is really sweet/sexy/cool. But i disagree! first off to the producers: stop showing the same part of that song to us!! if you are going to continue to show him singing the same freaking song over and over then show some other parts of the song!! please!! Jillian- don't you think it's a bit strange/weird that this guy's song is so similar to a garth brooks song? also do you think it's weird that he only plays his own music and not anyone else's? he just seems like he doesn't have any other qualities than his music. i think it's a bit fake feeling, and some of the other guys think he's just here for his music, and i agree.

Tanner the foot guy: this guy has a weird thing with her feet! it is getting a bit ridiculous!! i mean i get it that some folks have things that they really like on a woman's body, but come on, talk about something else! during last night's episode she put her feet into his lap (i think adding fuel to the fire) and he could barely string together like 4 words he was so distracted by the loveliness of her feet! WEIRD!! i mean if a guy is a but/boob guy that's not all he talks about- so he needs to get it together and get in the game 'cause we're getting a bit tired of the foot thing.

Dave the angry guy: So at first i really liked him because he got so nervous the first night he really forgot what he was supposed to say, kind of cute! but now i have reconsidered!! he reminds me of all the nasty/disgusting/mindless frat guys i knew in college, and the stupid/cocky cops/military guys i know now. i just think he is full of himself!! and his anger issues are quite concerning- because i don't think its ever ok to even think about beating up another person- much less voicing that desire outloud in a real conversation! i think that last night he had way too much to drink, and got angry over the stupidest thing- the other guys that are participating- he knew when he signed up for this that there would be other guys involved, so you can't get mad now!

Juan- now there is a lot of controversy about this guy 'cause Dave the angry guy got all pissed at him because he didn't think that Juan was being for real, that he was acting fake. Now i disagree with how Dave went about voicing his concerns- see above! - but i kind of see what Dave is talking about. Juan is just too calculating. every time he approaches another guy to pull jillian away he brings her another drink, or a blanket. he also always has a line about her dress, her eyes and the rest of the stuff. i mean i appreciate the thoughtfulness, etc. but he's just a bit too slick for my tastes! i like a guy that allows the imperfections to show at least a little bit. He's just oily feeling and a little fake.

ok so not that my oppinion of these guys is what matters, but you know i have to do the commentary to the show that i love to watch, and about those boys that i just love to hate!

so hopefully next week will bring more drama- i love the confrontation between juan and dave this week- though i want to know how jillian didn't get wind of all that happening- and i wish some of these guys would speak up about hwo they feel about these crazy guys! apparently next week they call out some guys who have girlfriends back home! oooohhhh i love drama filled summer reality TV!!

so loving the summer,

Julia

dinner tonight!

Ok guys and gals! I have an awesome recipe for you- i realize i have kind of dropped the ball on the recipes, so sue me! but after i got back from an awesome road trip with my friends sarah and meridith, we had a few days of slow down and relaxation. Then Sunday evening meridith passed out at work, hitting her head on the floor, and she got a concussion. She was in the ER for about 24 hours and I spent one night in the ER with her, and then sarah took the day shift. i had to go back Monday night so she wouldn't be by herself. yesterday i went and got her mom from the Airport so that her mom could take over all the mothering!

she's doing great now, just still on nausua and dizziness meds. now if her mom doesn't drive her crazy in the next few days it will be a miracle! not because her mom is aweful, but becasue let's face it once we all get out of the house having our mom/dad parent us again is like torture!!

ok on the recipe! this is my mom's mac and cheese recipe with a bit of a yummy twist (from another yummy recipe i had)! i definitely made this a few weeks ago and then have had cravings for it ever since!!! so now it's on the menu for dinner tonight- along with sloppy joe's ( they are audie's specialty) and roasted broccoli and watermelon for desert!! ok on with the mac and cheese:

Mom’s Macaroni and Cheese


1 box macaroni noodles
1 block of Cheddar cheese
milk
2 eggs
a few dashes of hot sauce -optioinal
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard - optional

• Boil and drain noodles, and place into a sprayed or greased glass baking dish.
• Cup up the block of cheese into cubes, and stir throughout the noodles.
• Beat eggs in a small bowl and add enough milk to fill the glass dish. Mix in the few dashes of hot sauce ( I use about 10-15 drops) and the ground mustard, if using.
• Pour the milk and egg mixture over the noodles and cheese.
• Bake at 400 degrees for an hour, or until the dish is totally solid
• Optional: grate cheese over the top about 10 minutes before it is finished.

so the hot sauce and mustard give the mac and cheese a real savory flavor and that little kick of spice. i love the change to my mom's traditional recipe, but try it both ways! hope you enjoy!

Julia

I'm back!

ok so i have officially been back since friday/saturday at 1 am, but since that means i have been exhausted ever since then i figure now is when i make my return to bogging. Not much to report- well really too much to say is the more likely problem after two weeks almost with the best girls in the world.

we picked out the cutest bridesmaid dresses ever!! so excited!! we traveled a LOT of miles to see a million things! um yeah too much to say at this point, so i guess i'll begin with this weekend- a whole lot a nothing!

sleep sleep and more sleep to recover from the 1 1/2 weeks of much travel, many strange beds, and not enough sleep because of the combination. Audie and i also watched Charlie Wilson's War! it was awesome!! too good!! we also will watch Valkarie tonight so i'll report back as to the goodness of that one.

ok that's all folks, at least for now!

Julia

this week

so this week, and next i'm in GA, with family and friends. And i'm too busy hanging out and loving every second of the time i'm spending with them to blog about it! sorry for the interruption for no news but things are good, i'm not dead and i'm having a blast, but missing the husband!

have a great week off everyone!

weeks recap!

Sorry guys, I realize that katie b. posts more in a day than i do in a month many times. But this week has been fairly busy- about as busy as summer time gets around here.

Sunday: not much happening around here, i think Audie and i just enjoyed the fact that we had nothing to do that afternoon.

Monday: Babysitting again. i watched my fav. girl again, picking her up from daycare and then putting her down for a nap that afternoon. more like a day of stuff to do. after babysitting i taught a friend to drive a stick shift, she did really great! she was my like second student ever, and she was driving in a neighborhood after only about two hours. Audie stayed home sick that day, and i think he passed it to me, because by that evening i was sneezing and stuff as well.

Tuesday: Orientation for Field Ed. So my supervisor and my reflection group leader were not present- which is the majority of what you do at orientation- meet and get to know them/ hear about what you'll do this summer during the internship. SO my day was basically pointless. a long day of doing nothing at the Div. school. I didn't really have to be there for most of the day so i skipped out on some things, but was present for the most important things.

Wednesday: again babysitting! another nice day with the girl! she was really funny, because her mom has been gone for the last week (she was in the hospital- she was fine, but still) the girl has been with dad, and has been totally missing mom. That afternoon when she woke up from her nap, and found me there instead of mom or dad she was pretty upset. after she calmed down we were playing, when she had to get in a bit of trouble for doing something dangerous- not a big deal i just told her no (a word she doesn't hear too often i'm sure- especially this last week, while dad has been in charge) But she got mad at me, and then pitched a bit of a fit- she threw herself on the floor, and then like screamed loudly. I told her to stop that or she would have to be in time out. And at that point she started 'crying' where she just made crying noises, but no tears were there at all. And when i told her that wasn't going to get her anywhere- she jsut made the noises some more and then would stop long enough to check if i was paying attention, and then when i looked at her, started 'crying' again. Kids are pretty funny, I told her to play something else and she pretty much did, in like 5 minutes i was her favorite again.

Thursday: not much going on here! i stayed home in my PJs all day- for the first time since school has been over!! reading and watching TV, and really resting with my cold. I still feel pretty crappy, but i think the cold is on it's way out, i'm totally living off sudaphed and robutussin, and the combo has made me pretty sluggish!

but this time next week i'll be in GA!! I'll give the low down later, but I'm pumped about $29 one way tickets that i got on tuesday, and i'm pumped to go home and see my mom, and then go dress shopping with the newly engaged Jessica, and when i get home, i'll be going on the road trip of GA with my two good seminary friends!

so see ya'll later, enjoy the longest post ever, and i hope you have had a great week too!

-Julia

summer is great!

AAhh, i love summer time! I have had the best few days! (i have had plenty of time to blog, but i have just been doing nothing and enjoying my time off)

Thursday: i babysat for one cute little girl Hannah, we went to the Life and science Museum in Durham, AWESOME i really recommend it! totally worth the ticket price. Anyway we went and so did like every school child in durham public school and their parents as chaparones. they were everywhere= too crowded and not too fun. Then we went back to her house for lunch and a nap! Then Audie and I just spent the night at home. (the girls and i were gonna do a sleep over that night, but finals wore us out too much)

Friday: we did get together for a poolside lay out day of reading, relaxing and chatting. But the sun did not cooperate, clouds and then rain ruined our day, so we went inside and watched Bride Wars- too cute! On the way home from sarah's i got an awesome call from one BFF Jessica about her getting approved for a new house. She bought a house!! that's crazy, but so exciting, she and her boyfriend are awesome good friends of ours, both were in our wedding (they walked down the aisle together!) and they had been looking for houses, waiting for a good deal/ good house. They found an awesome house- it was great news to hear! Friday evening a few friends and Audie and I went to the Durham Bulls game. Awesome seats for just $10. We were like five rows back from first base, right next to the Bulls dugout! we were really pumped and had a great time at the game- even though we lost 14-1. boo on the bulls! But the real drama of the night was that my car was broken. When my friend came over to go to the game he came in and told me that my brake lights were on, even though my car was NOT on!! really freakin wierd! anyway we took off one of the battery terminals so that the battery wouldn't run down.

Saturday: So far the day has been great. I got woken up to the news that Jessica- friend with the new house- and her boyfriend James GOT ENGAGED!!! too awesome timing James! they are such a great couple. They started dating about six months after Audie and I did, and i have been wanting them to get engaged probably worse than Jessica has! but they now are, and the rign si lovely! a beautiful antique- james' grandmother's! love it! sigh, love is in the air! ok well then since we were already up, from the 8:30 phone call from Jessica, we decided to go ahead and take the car to the shop. No news yet on wether little herbie ( that's my car's name) will be better soon or not, here's hoping 'cause i was supposed to teach a friend to drive stick this afternoon/ another friend on Monday. I kinda need my car for that!

Ok so anyway- summer is awesome i love having nothing to do! though it is a bit wierd having nothing to do, you know what i mean?

Ok well i'll update all of you when i know more about herbie's condition! love to all on a beautiful saturday!!

-Julia

Done!

20 minutes ago i submitted my last final! and a full ten minutes before the deadline! i was done at 9:30 but i had a friend proofread it with some fresh eyes- really good idea since the paper was for 50% of my grade! so i'm off to bed, then going to spend my first day off babysitting for the sweetest girl in the world!! then my two great friends meridith and sarah and i are all having a slumber party at sarah's- no husbands! then on friday will be the whole day spent by the pool, until we leave to shower and get changed and go to a Durham bulls game!! it's going to be a great summer, including some awesome reading, though Not one of you gave me any suggestions! it's ok we're still friends, but throw me a bone here- give me some suggestions for any good book you have read in your entire life that you think i should read!

ok bed is calling!

lots of love from officially a senior (third and final year) in Divinity school!

julia

halfway there!

Ok so i have completed two of my finals!! two papers down and a test and a huge paper left to go!

So i have completed two papers that equaled 17 pages and have done my portion of the study guide for my test on Monday. Tomorrow afternoon my study group is going to combine all our portions and discuss and study together, and i'll continue studying on my own Sunday evening and monday morning prior to the test at 1:30

After my test i'm going to start writing that massive ethics paper- 6000-8000 words (18-22 pgs) on an ethical issue. sigh- this is going to suck bad!! but Sunday shall be spent outlining paper and gathering sources, then after my test Monday- around 4:30 i will begin writing! hopefully it will all be done by Wednesday at dinner, though it isn't technically due until midnight. I will be writing until it is done though!!

And then Thursday is going to be spent in my PJS!!!! first day of summer break!!!! I'm going to read as much pleasure reading this summer as i can- And i'm taking suggestions- any book you think i should read leave in the comments! I already have several in mind, but any book will do! Also i plan on spending Friday poolside with my two best seminary friends - don't worry i'll have plenty of SPF. And in a few weeks we have planned a road trip of GA to show off my home state to the two of them!

Then i'll start my summer internship, go to AL with my whole extended family, finish the internship, have a few weeks off, and then school starts back- the last year here!!

ok so i went on a jaunt through my summer plans, but really i still have to write that paper, and study for this test!!!

but what am I doing for the evening?? Red Robin (awesome restaurant) for dinner- thick cut steak fries, an awesome burger- with onion straws, A1 and bleu cheese on it!!, and a strawberry lemonade -real strawberries!!! totally my fav. stress food- carbs, red meat and a pink drink! then a movie on the couch with popcorn with the hubby! loving it! i need a night off after all the study prep, and writing I have done this week to give me a surge of energy for the next half!!

love to all- sorry i have fallen off the face of the planet- finals are killer!!

PLEASE suggest books for my summer reading- hell suggest a million of them- i'm a fast reader and i'll have all summer!

-julia

AAAHHHH!!!!

so the last post with this title was a relaxed sigh of relief. This one is a scream of stress! So now i am totally into my finals! i have three papers due and one test to take. I have done nothing so far and i need some major encouragement!! it will all get done, but will my sanity last that long? that is the real question!

in other news: there is no other news, my life is school, everything else is on the back burner! my house is a mess, i have barely cooked dinner in the last few weeks, and laundry is piled up - clean laundry that needs to be hung up (that's my least favorite part)

so from the messy house- have fun for finals week- i know i won't!!

-julia

AAHHH!!

That wonderful sound is the result of Easter Break! two days off, today and tomorrow! lovely! And all my assignments are in - except for one sermon and finals. This is a glorious time in the semester, my stress is over for at least this week. Then i have my lat class days next week and then reading week and finals week. By may i should be totally done!!

So this week/ weekend is totally free for me! lots of sleeping and watching TV, reading for classes of course, and enjoying my stress free life for the moment. Because reading week is basically me writing a ton!!

I have three classes that instead of a final test. So i have a week to write a 7 pg paper about my theology of preaching, a 10 page paper about the mission of the local church, and a 18 pg paper about an ethical issue of my choice (probably premarital sex and the ethical implications therein) BIG fun i know!! and then i get to turn them all in on top of taking a Methodist polity test!

so now is just the calm before the storm begins! but for now i can say AAHHH nothing due in the next few days, lovely!!

enjoy the weekend! go to church and celebrate the rising of the savior!

Julia

Back in NC!

So we're back after an awesome, and tiring weekend with our family, including new miss Madison! She is way too cute, a great baby so far and is really fun to hold!

We spent basically all Friday and Saturday cooing and awwing over her and her every move. I have some awesome pictures and will upload as soon as i can get them all to my computer.

Also Sat. night we left mom, dad and baby and had dinner with James and Jessica!! it was awesome to see my good friends that i haven't seen in so long. Boo on Amber for not making it! -we understand but still had sad faces for the evening 'cause she wasn't there to enjoy it!

so everything here is pretty great! i have 7 more days of classes left, counting today, and then finals and i'll be done for good. Then i just have one internship to complete this summer, and one more year of school. But this time next year we'll be working on moving back to GA!! so excited about that!!

ok that's all i got for now!

Julia

Here she is!!

so cute- she was born around 3pm, 7 lbs 12 oz. 21 1/2 inches long!! so beautiful!! everyone is happy and healthy! More info/pics will be available for real friends through facebook but i thought i would show off that lovely lady!!

update #2

Ok so Leah has an epidural, and is feeling great. the midwife said that his or her estimation was for a 7 pm ish birth. so excited!! basically all involved (including g-parents to be) are at the hospital and are just playing the waiting game. Waiting for more dialation, waiting for the next exam/check of how things are going.

Side Note: Audie asked his boss and wound up getting Friday off from work, so he and I will leave for GA when he gets home from work about 7 tomorrow night!!! a whole day earlier than expected. we're hoping to jsut hang out with all the family and hold that baby!! definitely doing all we can to pitch in and help- cooking, cleaning, anything!

in other news: i have 3 out of 15 pgs for now. i'm working through one of my classes, and hoping to get it done tonight!! so that i can pack/enjoy my thursday!

love to all

Julia

Ok we're back on!

leah texted us this morning at 6:45 they are back at the hospital and were at four centimeters, She got the epidural and is just at the hospital waiting for things to start happening.

I am at school all day- going to class, working on the paper, registering for next semester. I don't know how informed i will be through out the day, but i will def. post when i know something- if only just to take a small study break!

love to all-

Julia

Update 1

so about 6 tonight Leah left the hospital again- apparently a very, very real like false alarm! not fun for anyone!!

also the paper is coming along, but slowly, i will let you know how things go along.

Julia

We're in Labor!!

YAY!! after two and 1/2 weeks of "it could be any moment" from the doctors Leah is finally in labor with my precious niece, Madison!! So excited! i got a text about 2pm saying that the contractions were about 6-7 minutes apart and pretty consistent so they were headed to the hospital and would keep us informed!! so sad day that Audie and i will not be making it to see an actual birth- but that is good in many ways too, so i'm not stressed!! and we'll be able to head to GA this weekend and help out with the new baby at home, which is even better- no hospitals, and no waiting rooms, and no limit to the baby holding!!! love it! I'll keep posting today- because i'm too excited to not!!

Also i'm in labor of a different kind- a Methodist Doctrine paper!! uhh not exactly a bundle of jov, but a labor none the less! so as Leah is pushing out my niece i will be pushing out a 15-18 page paper that is due on Thursday! I have to get it done by the due date, though i guess Leah is hoping to have the baby before Wednesday is over (tomorrow is the actual due date for Madison) there isn't really a deadline going on. but hopefully by this weekend papers and homework will be all done and i can just enjoy that sweet baby!!!

we'll keep in touch, and i wil be writing a ton tonight in hopes to be done early- through we all know how good i am at procrastination!!

TTFN,

Julia

I'm IN!

So as i sat down the lady told me i had nothing to worry about, because the interview was basically a formality!! and then we chatted for 2 hours!!! how crazy- but really fun, we laughed and cried (really just me- i'm a crier) anyway really fun!! and it makes me want to do CPE like right now!! but i have to wait until Aug. to start!!

but this summer: i get to be in a church!! in DURHAM!!! last summer was amazing experience, but audie and i wound up shacked up in a cabin on a pond in the middle of nowhere NC for 10 weeks while i worked at a tiny church. it was awesome but living away from home sucked- no phone service, no internet, no TV, etc.

This summer i am going to be at a chruch about 20 min. from here, big improvment! i don't know all the details yet, and i'll update ya'll as i do, but pretty much i am pumped to just be able to sleep in my own bed all summer- unlike the twin day bed that i was in and audie slept on the floor on a mattress all summer last summer!

so thanks for all the prayers/ love sent my way today i felt every bit of it!!

now we celebrate!! i hope by going hibatchi tonight!

- julia

MIA

so sorry i have been MIA the last few weeks. I realized while texting Amber last night that because of my lack of blogging i have left many people out of the details of my life.

there are only three weeks of classes left!! and anyone who is in school knows that a wave of papers/ projects are due at this time so that they don't get too close to finals. so the wave hit this week. A 4-5 pg paper for Local chruch in Mission, a 8-10 pg paper for Christian Ethics (both due last wednesday), a 18-20 pg paper for Methodism due this coming thursday! in the midst of that i have gotten a stress (what stress?) induced cold/allergies have hit so i had to stay home tuesday becasue i felt like i had ben hit by a mack truck- but that allowed me to get both papers done by 10 at night rather than 1 or 2 am like usual so that kind of worked in my favor!

in the midst of all of that i preached for my class the monday after spring break (all went well- see previous post) and i had to have a 45 minute meeting with my actual prof. about it. Registration is next week so i had an advising meeting, and Field Ed. placements are made today!! so by five i should now where i will be this summer! also i have applied for Clinical Pastoral Education at Duke Med (2 reference letters, and 13 pages of single spaced answers to questions for the application) in the last two weeks and have my interview today at 3!

CPE is required for many people seeking ordination, but not for me. It's a program that is designed to help prepastors like myself get to know themselves in pastoral situations, through counseling and classroom time, reflective papers and verbatims that are analyzed by classmates and supervisors. it also helps me to learn how to react in pastoral situations. if i get in i will be serving as an intern chaplain for Duke Med. so i will be at the patients, dr. and nurses beck and call for any pastoral situation that they need- usually it is praying prior to surgeries, helping to give death notices to family members after a loved one has passed, or to lead group/individual counseling things- like a family struggling with wether to pull thier loved ones off life support. Overall it is an extremely involving process.

-maybe if Ted Kennedy comes back to Duke Med i can hang out with him!! i get a lab coat and id badge and everything!! i also get a few times where i am the ONLY chaplain present for 24 hours on the weekend- i get to sleep in the on call room and be there all night!!! aahhhh, how cool!!

i have applied to do it this fall and will get two course credits for doing it. so i will take two classes at the div. school like normal and then do CPE stuff for about 15-20 hours a week.

so wish me luck on my interview!! and ya'll have a good day!!!

TTFN- i'll post when i hear anything from them!
Julia