I would rather die.

I've never been one to shy away from bugs. I really don't mind them for the most part. Granted I don't want them crawling in my ears while I sleep, but really, how often does that happen anyway?

When I was a kid and I found out one of my cousins was terrified of daddy long legs, I instantly threw my fear of them out the window. I quickly learned it was WAY more fun to chase her with a spider in my hands. Which I did.

(Carrie - I put this picture of just for you because I know how much you LOVE spiders)

Same goes for cicadas and one of the neighbor boys growing up. Granted, I was NEVER afraid of those things... they rock! But anytime I held one near Matthew, he would freak. I caught a lot of cicadas while the Whiteheads were our neighbors.

I was the kid that really enjoyed making a bug collection in 4th grade. It was so fun! Pinning all the little critters down, examining them up close. Scoping out all the intricacies of the beetles and spiders. That was one project I had a lot of fun with. As a general rule, I like bugs.

There is one lone exception to the rule... the cockroach.

I was going to put a picture of one right there, but I just couldn't do it.

You're welcome.

That is the single bug that will make me stand on a chair and scream like a girl for my knight in shining armor to rescue me. I won't even pick them up if they're already dead and crunchy. Nope, won't happen. In fact, I just got the chills even THINKING about them. I've had several "lovely" experiences with them over the years. We occasionally had them in our house growing up. I think this may be due in part to the pool out back. Any how...

One time as a kid, I opened the drawer of a chest close to our garage and one of those nasty flying water bug/roach things few INTO MY FACE. I just about had a conniption fit. No lie. It was terrifying.

Another time, I was pulling a blanket up over me in the living room and felt something crunchy. Since it wasn't unusual to have leaves in our house due to the dog tracking them in then sleeping on the blankets, I assumed that's what it was so I crunched it with my fingers. Imagine my horror when I looked down and saw little legs crushed to bits. Yeah, I totally crushed a dead roach... with my fingers. I can't even describe the freak-out that I had at that moment. It involved me screaming bloody-murder, scrubbing my hands until they were practically raw, and I even remember holding "the hand" with my other hand, laying on the floor screaming with chills over how disgusted I was. I think I even mentioned something about 'cut my hand off!! cut my hand off!!"

I wasn't kidding.

Yes, so I may have been a semi-drama queen. So what?

This post does have a point, and I'm getting there.

Last night we were watching The Colony on Discovery. Does anyone else watch that? SO good. Very interesting concept. Anyway, they're low on food and so on the episode we watched last night, they did the unthinkable.... They cooked cockroaches AND ATE THEM. I shuddered intensely. I couldn't even watch. Just ask Josh. I sat there with my eyes closed and my ears plugged (I couldn't bear to hear the crunching as they ate them). It made me want to throw up.

I totally just got chills again.

I have come to the conclusion that there is no way on God's green earth that I could or would ever eat a cockroach. No way!!! I would probably expend way more energy screaming and flailing my arms about after eating one than I would ever get from eating one. It's just not worth it to me. Even on the brink of starvation, I wouldn't do it.

I wouldn't eat one for a million dollars. I wouldn't eat one or 10 million dollars. I might nibble one if it meant getting Obama out of office though...

Maybe. OK, probably not even for that.

I can't imagine a single situation where I would eat one. I'd sooner lick dirt or eat glass than eat a roach.

I would rather die.

Photos from the wedding!

I was finally able to finish up all the photos from the first wedding I shot back in July. My awesome sister-in-law, Emily, shot with me. Here's a glimpse of some of the final photos for anyone interested!

Frankenfinger

**WARNING - Not for the weak stomached! (no worries, I spared you the pictures... even I haven't looked at all those yet!)**

I'd like you all to meet my worst enemy....

We actually have a love-hate relationship. It's truly probably my favorite kitchen utensil. I love the awesome spaghetti sauce and guacamole this thing makes, but I hate what it does to fingers when you stick them in it.

Nevermind that you shouldn't stick your fingers in there to begin with...

What happened was this: I was making a dessert for a girls night and since I don't have a food processor to crumble the crust with yet, I was using this handy little device. It usually works great, but my butter was still a little hard and was clogging up the blades.

I decided in a moment of sheer brilliance that I would just stick my finger in there and unclog it. For a split second, I thought, "ya know, this is stupid, you shouldn't do this" but then I remembered how smart I am and decided I could handle it. I carefully moved my other hand off the "on" button and began swiping but butter out.

Out of nowhere, my right hand decided it had a mind of it's own and went for the "on" button while my left hand index finger was mid butter-swipe.

You can guess what happened next.

As one who has had major issues with fear, anxiety and panic, I am amazed at how well I handled the situation though, quite honestly. I immediately ran it under cold water and told Josh to come quick because I needed to go to the hospital. This is before I even looked at my finger. I just knew. I wrapped it in a huge wad of paper towels (which it had bled through by the time we got to the ER!) and we were on our way.

Thankfully, now that we've moved, we're much closer to the hospital than we were in our old house. The entire way there I kept say "what was I THINKING!?!" I mean really, what WAS I thinking!? Who DOES that!?

Anyway, they got me back to a room fairly quickly where I waited to see someone. Ok... even though it was just a fingertip, it hurt so incredibly bad. I handle pain pretty well, but this? Oh man... You don't realize how many nerves are in your fingertip until you mangle it! I'd say the throbbing rivaled kidney stone pain. Yes, it's a different type of pain, but it is still pain!

I take it back... kidney stones are still worse...

So, after about 2 hours or so they came in and gave me the shot to numb my whole finger. I will spare you those details, but trust me... the way they finagle that needle around is not pretty or comfortable. The shot itself isn't so bad... it's what they do while the needle is in there.

I finally saw the doctor and he stitched me up good. Only 5 stitches on the 2 side lacerations, but I probably could have easily had more. He didn't want to stitch the tip up because it was so mangled and really, wouldn't have done much good anyway. Basically, the very tip top of my fingertip is shorn off. It's lovely.

After 4 hours, a few more bandages, some silver nitrate to try and get the bleeding to stop, and a 'script for some Vicoden and we were on our way home!

I was feeling pretty good at this point... I was numbed up and ready to go home.

A week after, I was bored and had a little fun with my finger when changing the bandages (don't worry, I covered up the nasty part so you can't see that!)

Meet Frankenfinger!

So anyway, it was an eventful evening. It's healing up just fine as far as I can tell. My super rad aunt removed the stitches for me a little over a week later, saving me a trip (and co-pay) to the doctor's office. She rocks. I'm finally getting some feeling back in parts of my finger so that's good, but I have a feeling it'll still be quite a while before I can play the guitar again!

I'm just hoping I get a sweet scar out of this deal! And no, I threw the dessert away. I didn't think the gals would like "cherry flavor" in their crust ;)

So remember friends, immersion blenders are not toys. Do not under any circumstances stick your finger anywhere remotely near the blades. Ever.

Hello? Hello? Is this thing on??

I realized I haven't written anything in over a month. How sad is that? It's just that Josh and I have been pretty busy this summer and, well, we're pretty boring :) I figured I better write something though or else I'd never get around to it!

We went on vacay to LBI in July and it was faaaabulous! I seriously think I could live there year round. Josh says "NO WAY" so sadly, I will only dream about living on the beach. For now. It's on my list of things to do before I die though! If you haven't been to LBI, you should go. It's awesome. Yes, it's the Jersey Shore, but it's NOTHING like the Jersey Shore that is publicized everywhere.. NOTHING at all like that. That area is further south I believe and I have no desire whatsoever to go to that type of environment! This area is much more family friendly, laid back and has a small town type feel to it.

We had a really great time up there, as usual. My folks were there and Daniel went up with us. Unfortunately, Emily had to work so she couldn't make it up this year. We got into Philly really early on the 3rd so we hung out around town for awhile. We stopped in at Jim's Steaks and got some Philly Cheese steaks. They're supposed to be one of the best ever and it definitely didn't disappoint. Josh and I both got Whiz on ours. Yum...

Look at all that deliciousness. It was gone in like 2 seconds.

In front of Independence Hall on July 3

Seriously, my dad can't go ANYWHERE without seeing someone he knows. This is a friend of his that lives in Philly and plays near the Liberty Bell on a regular basis. We stopped and dad played a song with him.

Once we got to the island, we pretty much stayed on the beach all day, every day. The water and weather couldn't have been more perfect. The water was unusually warm for early July and crystal clear! I mean seriously, how gorgeous is this place?! Even with a lousy iPhone picture it's beautiful!

The boys even surfed with sharks!!

Just kidding... they're just dolphins :)

Here's Josh and Daniel boogie boarding

Like I said, the water was amazing except for the last day we were there. It was still warm, but it was ANGRY. The waves were big and constant... it just looked like the water was boiling. Hardly anyone was going out, even the surfers. They were getting beat to death just trying to get out and decided it wasn't worth it.

Luckily the bay side was still pretty so the boys took the wind surfer out for a bit.

This is the day we had to leave, July 10. We're standing on the exact spot where Josh proposed to me 6 years ago that day! (except he proposed at sunset and not 10 AM!) It was fun to be there again on the same day!

So that was NJ... Great fun and I so wish I was still up there!

Days of Elijah

The Days of Elijah - by Robin Mark

These are the days of Elijah
Declaring the Word of the Lord
And these are the days of his servant, Moses
Righteousness being restored
And these are the days of great trial
Of famine and darkness and sword
So we are the voice in the desert crying
Prepare ye the way of the Lord

Behold he comes
Riding on a cloud
Shining like the sun
At the trumpet's call
Lift your voice
It's the year of jubilee
Out of Zion's hill salvation comes

And these are the days of Ezekiel
With dry bones becoming as flesh
And these are the days of his servant, David
Building the temple of praise
And these are the days of the harvest
The fields are all white in the world
And we are the laborers that are in your vineyard
declaring the word of the Lord

Behold he comes
Riding on a cloud
Shining like the sun
At the trumpet's call
Lift your voice
It's the year of jubilee
Out of Zion's hill salvation comes

There's no God like Jehovah
There's no God like Jehovah
There's no God like Jehovah

More info about the song and what it means:

http://www.worshipleader.com/index.cfm?tdc=dsp&page=features_detail&aid=32

http://www.crosswalk.com/spirituallife/worship/11540702/

Somewhere in the Middle

"Somewhere In the Middle" - Casting Crowns

Somewhere between the hot and the cold
Somewhere between the new and the old
Somewhere between who I am and who I used to be
Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me

Somewhere between the wrong and the right
Somewhere between the darkness and the light
Somewhere between who I was and who You're making me
Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control

Fearless warriors in a picket fence, reckless abandon wrapped in common sense
Deep water faith in the shallow end and we are caught in the middle
With eyes wide open to the differences, the God we want and the God who is
But will we trade our dreams for His or are we caught in the middle
Are we caught in the middle

Somewhere between my heart and my hands
Somewhere between my faith and my plans
Somewhere between the safety of the boat and the crashing waves

Somewhere between a whisper and a roar
Somewhere between the altar and the door
Somewhere between contented peace and always wanting more
Somewhere in the middle You'll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control

Lord, I feel You in this place and I know You're by my side
Loving me even on these nights when I'm caught in the middle

Rambling

They say "Life's too short to stay at a job you hate"

That's true... unless you got a general communication degree and aren't qualified to do anything BUT be an admin...

*sigh*

Work Friday Haikus

Friday's here at last
Been an insane crazy week
I need a snow cone

If you retire
3 days notice - not enough
I think I might scream

Coffee urn is gross
You left it out for two weeks
I'm not cleaning it


Compressed air is fun
Entertains me all day long
Can is empty now

Please keep your voice down
Don't congregate at my desk
Expense reports suck

Painting with Light

This past weekend, Mother's Day weekend, we went down to G.R. for the annual LSSDS Dulcimer festival. So.Much.Fun!!! As usual, we spent some time down at the river.

On Friday night, we did some painting with light. If you haven't done this before, you simply must! It's so much fun. All you need is a tripod (or something incredibly steady to put your camera on) and some flashlights. We used flashlights and laser pointers.

Some of these pictures are a little blurry because either A) the people moved after we focused the camera, before the shot was taken or B) They moved when the light was on them. It's harder than you think to hold perfectly still for 15-30 seconds! Our group of participants was Daniel (brother), Emily (sis-in-law), Carrie (sister), Bobby Duke, Blake, Jessica, Josh, and me. My parents helped out a little on some as well.

Josh's name. He's there, but he didn't get the flashlight on his face before the exposure finished. Sad day. And he didn't want to be in anymore! So, my husband will be remain shrouded in mystery.

Moi!

Here is my brother, Daniel, cussing. Those who know us know that this is as close to cussing as our family actually ever gets. Unless you count "crap" as a cuss word....which I don't ;)

This is probably my favorite one.

Double light saber stab! This is a little morbid, what with all the blood and stuff, but that's how we roll :)

This one was a lot of fun to do. Daniel punching Bobby's head off

Supposed to be super fast punches

Ok, I won't leave Josh shrouded in mystery. Here's a picture of us on Saturday down at the river

The Negotiator

I've been feeling pretty down and very stuck-in-a-rut lately. I don't know why. I mean, life is pretty good right now (really, it is! Even my panic attacks are at an almost all-time low! Praise the Lord!) but I'm just feeling blah. Kinda like this (er, minus the "ded" part lol)

I feel like I need to get away and do something. I need a break from everything here to clear my head and get back on track! I just want to pack a bag for me and Josh and go have fun somewhere for awhile. Awhile meaning 7-10 days, minimum!

Obviously, I have a major itch to travel right now. Like, horrendous case of poison ivy type itch. That's bad. I really want to go overseas again. I love the States, but I want to explore more of the world. High up on my hit list right now are Greece, Italy, Ukraine (specifically Kiev!), and Israel. I've been perusing all the usual suspects : Travelocity, Kayak, CheapTickets, and Priceline. Scoping out all the options and how to get the best deal. And I've come to one conclusion.

I'm Cheap.

I admit it and I embrace it. I always shop sale racks and am not afraid to barter. Why would it be any different for travel?? Which brings me to.....

I love the Name Your Own Price feature on Priceline.com. Back when Josh and I got married, this is how we got our hotel in Houston the night before we left for Jamaica on our honeymoon. I put in a paltry amount and low and behold, it accepted it! We got to stay at a really nice hotel for pennies! Ok, so it was a Marriott... which I realize isn't the most extravagant hotel ever, but when you were lucky to get to stay at Motel 6, Econo Lodge, or a Super 8 motel (high living!) instead of a 20 year old pop-up trailer with glow-in-the dark dinosaurs on the roof, the Marriott is pretty darn magnificent!

Now, I'm not knockin' the camper by any means. I have a lot of fantastic memories in that little green Coleman with orange plastic beds! I spent many nights staring at those dinosaurs, praying the bear outside wouldn't come in and mangle me. True story. All good times. And I hope to someday have my own little pop-up trailer so that I can torture my kids by making them sleep on the furthest outside bed where the bears can get them because it's their brother or sister's turn to sleep on the inside bed. I absolutely plan on sticking my hand up the side from the outside and grabbing them, scaring them half to death. And I most certainly will hold their underwear out the door while yelling "Wooooooooweeee!!!" and shaking them around. Heck yes. If I had to go through that, you can bet my kids do too.

But I digress. That was a whole other rabbit trail. My point is Priceline and the wonderment that is Name Your Own Price.

Since I'm cheap and since I really want to go somewhere, I've been naming my own price all day, just for kicks. Unfortunately, my idea of cheap is the airlines' idea of "Absofreakinglutely Ridiculous". *sigh*. Normally I wouldn't play roulette with our hard-earned money, but I figure it's most likely not going to get accepted (glass half empty, anyone??) and if it miraculously was accepted, well... Josh loves me and would forgive me as we dined seaside in Italy. Right?

Alas, none of my bids have been accepted yet though. I don't understand why any of the airlines won't accept my bid of $250 for an overseas flight! I mean, c'mon! Work with me American! Work with me Lufthansa! Work with me Continental! C'mon William Shatner... Flex your bargainus maximus for me! I'm on a budget here!

I don't truly think I'll get anything, but it's worth a shot. I was shocked before, so maybe, just maybe I'll be shocked again! Maybe some head honcho at one of the Airlines (Hi Mr. Gerard Arpey! Remember me? I used to work for you! Give me a deal!) will see this (ha ha) and pity me and tell "them" to accept my bid, therefore giving me the trip of a lifetime! I'm not holding my breath...

In the meantime, I will go day dream about walking the streets of Jerusalem, visiting the Acropolis, seeing the Colosseum , or hanging out with my awesome cousins in Kiev...

A girl can dream, right?