Re-living Jr. high days

Last night the roomates and I (minus one) went to a "Jr. High Dance" party. You had to show up wearing a typical outfit from junior high. *shriek!* Oh, the horror!! We had to go back and look at BAD pictures of ourselves to get costume ideas. I can't believe we thought we looked so cool! And yet there we are in our acid washed jeans, hair pulled up and to the side with a big clip or scrunchie, blue eyeshadow and pink frosty lip gloss, double (different colored) socks, LA gear hightops with spandex, bright neon/flourescent colored shirts pulled to the side with a ruberband or clip...oh man. And yet those styles were popular. You wanted to fit in, so you dressed that way. I wonder what we wear now that 15 years from now will make us cringe?

After the party, we went downtown to El Palomar (mexican restaurant) and got lots of fun stares from people. We talked about fun memories from Jr. high. I realized I was in Jr. high from 1989-1991. My days were filled with New Kids on the Block, MC Hammer, and Vanilla Ice. I am OLD.

I'm my own worst critic

I was kind of in a funk all day yesterday. Especially when I went to work around 3. I was feeling all weirded out and attacked spiritually. I was calling people asking for prayer. Then, around 5 I was thinking, "Oh my gosh, Sarah. Think about what you are talking about tonight!"

Evangelism.

Of COURSE Satan doesn't want me to share about that. After that, my boss and I prayed, I prayed with the student leaders (we meet before the college group), I prayed alone.

Looking back on the talk...I dunno. I think it went all right? I honestly think I am my own worst critic. I was hoping that what I was saying made sense. Was it resonating in the students' hearts? Was I going too fast? Was I not going fast enough? We had some new people there last night...did they feel uncomfortable? I didn't feel as prepared as I had my first time. Did that come through in the talk?

I was looking around about 15 minutes into it, and some students had that "glazed-over" look on their faces. Ack!! Am I boring?!?! But then I realized I have the same look on my face when I hear other people speak. It doesn't mean I'm not listening or I'm bored. I just sort of get in the zone as I'm listening and I'm sure I get that expression on my face, too.

Oh well. However funky I felt beforehand and however bad I scruntinized myself afterwards...hopefully the Lord will use it.

** A praise! I went to the doctor yesterday and got some antibiotics, cough syrup pills, and an inhaler. I was coughing like crazy all day and even up until the student leader meeting. We prayed that the coughing would subside until after my talk and IT DID! I didn't cough AT ALL during my talk, but as soon as I finished and Charlie (my boss) started playing a worship song, I had to run to the bathroom and I proceeded to have a 10 minute cough attack. How amazing is that!? The timing couldn't have been better. In between my crazy coughing, I was like, "Thank you, God! Thank you, God!" If that attack had come up during my talk, I wouldn't have been able to continue. I love stuff like that.

Speaking tonight

Tonight marks my second time speaking at the college group. (My first time was back in October) My boss, Charlie, and I are doing a 2 week series on "New Years Resolutions". Last week Charlie spoke on "I resolve to be a better follower of Christ". Tonight is "I resolve to share my faith with others". I am bit nervous, but not as much as my first time. =) I'll let you know how it goes!

Oh, and I'm fighting some lame chest cold or something, so I might be hitting the doctor's office today. Yeah for antibiotics!

A very full weekend

On Friday I went and saw the movie Tristan and Isolde. I had such high hopes. Bummer. Long, quite dull, it didn't really flow. James Franco, although very easy on the eye, tried desperately throughout the entire movie to have an English accent. (And I emphasize tried) And plus, I felt every scene he was in, he was crying. After about 247 scenes with him tearing up, I was about ready to throw popcorn at the screen. And I didn't even have popcorn. I'd give the movie a C.

On Saturday I got to spend time with a good friend I haven't seen in a long time. Her name is Jessica and we are in the pix standing under the lovely Old Navy sign (Solid Tees-2 for $12!) Love her.

Sat. night I got to see my sister, Liz, in a stage production of Bye Bye Birdie. It was SO AWESOME! The cast was so lively and full of excitement. The Conrad Birdie/Elvis-type character was hilarious (pic above with ladies crowding around him), and I just LOVE seeing my sis up on stage singing and dancing her heart out. I am so proud of her.

And then today (Sunday) was my grandfather's memorial service. Gosh, what an emotional day. How do you put into words all you feel? Overall, I look back on it and say it was a wonderful time of celebrating his life here on earth and rejoicing because he is now in heaven. (**I had to include my favorite picture of the day. I got to my grandma's house and my mom came out in a nice dress, black tights...and socks. White socks. I flippin' LOVE my mom! "My feet were cold!!" she said. I just had to take a picture and share it with all of you)

I hope you had a nice weekend.

Oh deer

The other night I pulled into my driveway and I spotted three deer across the street, nibbling on our neighbor's lawn. I had my new nifty digital camera with me so I snuck out of my car and slowly started walking near them to get a shot. To my astonishment, they started walking towards me! I got my camera all set to snap a picture...and I went for it. *click* The flash FREAKED them out! They took off running in the other direction. After about two seconds, they started putting their legs together and hopping like antelope! They were pounding the ground! Oh my word, they are fast, strong, and powerful dudes! I had no idea. If they ran at me, I'd be dead. Now I can understand why cars get all messed up when deer run into the street. They've got power!

After all the excitement of watching them pound away into the darkness, I checked my camera and the picture didn't even turn out. Awhhh...snap. I need to figure out how to work the settings on this thing so I can take pictures at night.

Oh dear.

I am sad but I'll be ok

Two recent events have made me sad. The first being my dear friend, Lindsey and her husband Luke have moved to San Diego. Lins and I have been BFF's for over three years and almost two years of that we were roomates. Since college, I have had many, many roomates (sharing a room) but none was ever so easy to live with as Lindsey. It's so weird, I feel like I have known her for 10 years, not 3. We have both been through a lot and we have been there for one another and shared deeply. I had the honor of being her maid-of-honor two Augusts ago. Even after she and Luke got married, they were still only ten minutes away. But now they have left and I will miss her so much. Yes, we will still call and email, but it's not the same as being to see each other whenever we want. I am praying for them - that their transition will be smooth, they will make some fun new friends, and find a great new church down there.

The second event also happened this weekend and it was something I knew was coming. My dear grandfather (aka: Pop-Pop) passed away. I am so grateful the Lord took him quickly. I didn't want him to be in pain any longer. And now he gets to be with JESUS!!! That thought brings so much comfort. He is also with his parents, brothers, sisters and friends that passed before him. I am saddened by the news and I am going to miss him terribly. He was a very special part of my life. But I will be ok. I know where he is and who he is with - the king of kings!

Ice skating with college students is fun

We have officially started up again! The college group took a break for a month and last night was the kick-of for the Winter/Spring semester. It will be from now until the end of May without a break. Here we go!!

We went ice skating in San Jose at the same rink the Sharks practice at. It was great! We had a few falls, but that actually makes it more fun, right? This morning I saw some students and we were all complaining about how sore we were. I think we strained muscles we didn't even know we had.

(One of the "rink patrol" dudes came and informed me that we weren't allowed to take pictures inside the rink, but I luckily snuck these pixs in before he told me. Enjoy!)

Surf's up

Disclaimer: I'm not sure who that chick is surfing...I just liked her board.

I went surfing today with my roomate Jessica and we were so stoked! The rains have stopped (for now), the sun was shining, and the tide was excellent. A perfect day to bob on my board, listen to the sea lions barking, watch the pelicans dive-bomb for fish, and just basically enjoy the sun and the ocean.

I got WORKED!!!!

Man, oh man, the waves were crazy. Jessica and I both caught a wave or two but then after that...forget it! The sets would come in fast and furious, grops of 15 or more waves in a row. Which is great if you've caught a wave and are riding it in...not so great when you're trying to paddle back out and you keep getting pushed back again and again by all the waves.

And then the waves started having major fun with me. I was being thrown off my board, my board would go flying over my head, I would be trapped UNDER my board, and one time I was under my board (after a crazy wave) and my leash was strangling me around my neck! What the heck? I have never surfed in water this nuts before. To cap everything off, I once again got flung from my board during a huge wave and my board flew and hit some guy right off his wave AND board. Ahh! I felt SO bad. He was super cool about it, but I still felt horrible.

I think I might wait till the waves get calmer and steadier before I go out again. These were a bit too wild for me.

SURF'S UP!! Big time.

This book is killin' me...

Today marks not the first but the SECOND time I have left a coffee shop in tears. And it's all because of this book I am reading: "Captivating" by John and Staci Eldredge. (John wrote "Wild At Heart" for men. "Captivating" is for women) There is only one other book in the world that has made me cry and it was a fictional story. I guess I just don't get very emotional in books. But this book is killin' me! I feel like its words go straight through me and pierce my heart! I feel so weird sitting in a coffeeshop surrounded by adults talking, kids playing, teenagers flirting - and then there's me reading and getting all choked up and teary. Who cries in a coffeeshop? Over a book? And I've done it twice over the same book.

Ladies, if you have not read this book yet, PLEASE do. It completely captures the heart of a woman and why God made us the way we are. Heck, GUYS, you should read it, too. Some guys complain that they don't understand women (and sometimes I complain that I don't understand guys...maybe I should read "Wild At Heart"...) but if you read this book, you would have a better understanding of us.

As of now, I am only half-way through it. I guess that means I have more tears to come. (Man, it's SO good, but kind of draining at the same time) The link to buy it off Amazon is under my "books" list on my blog. Enjoy it like I am. Just don't read it in a coffeeshop...

Tristan and Isolde

Yup, I'm a girl. And yup, I like movies like this. It comes out next weekend, so I'll let you know if it's any good. James Franco (Spiderman's BFF) plays Tristan, a knight from England. Isolde is a princess in Ireland and their countries are enemies. It looks like a Romeo & Juliet type scenario. If you want to check it out, here ya go: http://www.tristanandisoldemovie.com/

I LOVE being female!!!

Happy New Years!!!

I hope you all had a fabulous New Years! We did something new in my house this year for New Years Eve. We decided we would ALL get each other dates and go see a concert downtown. It became New Years Eve Extravaganza!!! because we invited a bunch o' friends and they all had to get dates and so it ended up being tons of people and TONS of fun.

I am adding some fun pics from that night. There's a picture of me and the roomates, The Devil Makes Three (one of the bands playing that night), my date Dan and I doing the "cheesy Prom pose", and the net of balloons right above us the whole night that dropped at midnight.

At one point during the concert, here were the fun people around me:

* behind me was "Sketchy Old Man" who kept smiling at me when I turned around and at one point put a New Years Eve headband on my head. When I said thank you, he said it wasn't him-it was the random girl next to him. Although 5 minutes earlier I had seen him wearing it. Ri-i-i-i-ght.

* To my left was the obligatory group of "Drunk College Guys" who thought it was hilarious to dance together, drink their beers, and freak the women around them. (Thank you, Dan, for bringing me to the other side of you!!)

* Right in front of me was "Make-Out Couple". It was a litle distracting when I was trying to watch The Devil Makes Three and they would knock right into me. Repeatedly. But we sure did laugh.

* To my front left and front right were the "Pot Smoking Friends". Random men who snuck in their doobies and decided to share the smell with the rest of us. And since they were on the left and right, it was like POT SMOKING - IN STEREO!!!! We were surrounded and clouded in their mist. Dan asked me whether or not we should ask them if they wouldn't mind blowing directly into our mouths. =)

The bands were great (the first band was The Chop Tops-rockabilly/punk/swing and The Devil Makes Three are bluegrassy), the friends were so much fun, and we had a blast dancing. At one point, there was a break so we went into this other room and there was hip-hop music so we all busted a move! Woohoo! It was the best New Years Eve I have ever had. Bring it on, 2006!!!

Good times and hard times at Christmas

Hi everyone, I hope you had a very nice Christmas. Now that I am back to work, the question everyone asks is, "How was your Christmas?" I don't know how to answer them. If it is just in passing, I say, "It was good," but if I have more time and feel led, I share a bit more. Because the truth is, Christmas WAS good. But it was also hard this year.

The main reason is because of my grandfather. We lovingly refer to him as "Pop-Pop". And Pop-Pop is not doing well. He is 85 (I think) and his health is quickly deteriorating. It has been bad the past three years, but I noticed it especially this Christmas. He struggles with all sorts of health issues: Parkinson's, depression, he has fallen three times this year and broken something everytime. He just fell last week and broke his arm and is now in a wheelchair. He can't talk, he just mumbles so I can't understand him.

This is hard, you guys. If any of you have had grandparents like this, you know what it is like. I love him so much and it is so hard for me to see him like this. He poor body is failing. I feel like he is on the brink, if that makes any sense. I got to sit with him on the couch Christmas afternoon and that's all we did. Just sat. I had my arm around him and told him I loved him and just sat in his presence. I could see his face twisting up in pain as he tried to get comfortable. I remember looking into his face and just thinking, "Oh Lord...please take him home soon." I want him to be in heaven where he will no longer have pain or suffering and will get to be with JESUS! It will be hard when he is gone because we will all miss him, but I feel like it is harder for me now...watching him struggle just to survive.

So, that kind of occupied my thoughts this Christmas. My family is wonderful though. Everyone was taking care of him, loving on him, making sure he was included in everything. On Christmas Eve we always go to the grandparents' house for dinner and singing. They wheeled him in to where we were singing "O Come All Ye Faithful" and I watched him mouthing the words with his eyes closed. I was so blessed by that. Although he couldn't sing the song like he once could, he still knew the words.

I will share one fun story before I close up. Everytime I think of it, it brings a huge smile to my face. This happened Christmas Eve at the service at my old church. All my relatives and I took up a whole row (towards the front of the sanctuary) and my cousin Jeremy (who is 5) decided he was going to go from lap to lap down the whole row. Now, my old church is a very big Presbyterian church. You sit and stand when they tell ya and there's not a lot of noise between things. It's pretty formal, I guess you could say. So, the pastor is praying and Jeremy is climbing from person to person. We're half listening to the pastor and half wondering why the heck his mom is letting him do this during PRAYER and it comes to be my turn. He climbs to me and then starts to climb over to my mom. His bottom is totally in my face. And then, JUST after the pastor finishes his prayer, Jeremy lets out the LOUDEST TOOT ever!!!! I mean, our church ceilings are HIGH...that thing echoed like you wouldn't believe. I was so shocked, I fully jumped in my seat. Then, my sister Liz and I were dying, shaking with silent laughter, trying to NOT seem immature but HOW COULD WE NOT?!?! The timing could not have been more perfect.

At home after the service, all my other relatives commented how not only did they all hear it, but the whole church probably did as well. My cousin Chrissy's husband (Mark) said, and I quote (pardon the language): "It was like the angry war cry of a turd." To make the story even better, we found out later from my aunt and uncle that he actually POOPED his pants when he tooted! I mean, that's how bad it was, friends!!

Gosh, I love my family. Through the good times and the hard times.

My favorite Christmas song

My favorite Christmas song is not a Christmas carol. It is a song by a Christian songwriter, singer, and musician: Chris Rice. The song is called "Welcome to our World". My mom is a huge Chris Rice fan so I remember going home a few Christmases ago and hearing this song coming out of her CD player. The words were so powerful to me. I had to hear it again and again. Still to this day, I hear him sing the words and they capture me. I am sombered by the rememberance of what Christmas is really about. Since then, I have to hear this song every year at Christmastime. It is my fav. Here are the words:


WELCOME TO OUR WORLD


Tears are falling, hearts are breaking
How we need to hear from God
You've been promised, we've been waiting
Welcome Holy Child
Welcome Holy Child

Hope that you don't mind our manger
How I wish we would have known
But long-awaited Holy Stranger
Make Yourself at home
Please make Yourself at home

Bring Your peace into our violence
Bid our hungry souls be filled
Word now breaking Heaven's silence
Welcome to our world
Welcome to our world

Fragile finger sent to heal us
Tender brow prepared for thorn
Tiny heart whose blood will save us
Unto us is born
Unto us is born

So wrap our injured flesh around You
Breathe our air and walk our sod
Rob our sin and make us holy
Perfect Son of God
Perfect Son of God

Welcome to our world

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Love, Sarah

My gift...

I got cement.

CEMENT!

I am not kidding. I saw a really big box wrapped up all nicely with sparkly red paper. "I'll go for that one!" I thought. When it was my turn, I went over and realized it was REALLY heavy. Hmmm....I started ripping open the paper and then the box. Faster, faster...what's inside!?!?!?!?

An OPEN bag of cement.

Mike Murrow - next year you shall bring a REALLY nice gift to compensate for that one, ummkay? =)

The party was fun.

White Elephant Gift Exchange

This Friday night, our house is throwing our 4th annual White Elephant Gift Exchange party. It will be fun. Please come if you're in the area. I wonder what I'll get? The previous years have provided me with a much needed N*SYNC calendar, 600 colored cotton balls, Imodium AD and cinnamon spray for bathroom use, and a Homestarrunner beanie. (That one was actually a good one!) The choices are endless. Who will bring what? What do I deem worthy to give to a friend? What will we end up with when it's over? Ah, the joy of giving.

Dang you, My Space!!!

I can't believe it. I have become "one of them". I have done something I said I would not do. I have a My Space account!

I used to make fun of My Space. It used to be a joke. Like I'd play dumb: "What's My Space?" when everyone, their mom, and their dog was obsessed with checking their accounts every other minute of the day. It became very clear to me this past summer at Pondy that young people (esp. high school and college-agers) have gotten into this phenomenon and have no intention of stopping the insanity. So, I was like, "Well, I'M not going to get an account. I'm going to stand strong!!"

*sigh*

That was then. With my new job working with college students, my boss said I should get an account to see what the students are dealing with. He was actually ENCOURAGING me to get one! I gave a pitiful argument why I should stay strong, it's the principle of the thing, etc, but all my reasons seemed lame. He's right. Students put stuff on their My Space that they would never say to me or anyone else in person. It lets us into their world.

So, last week...I caved. I joined the cult. I do it reluctantly, though. Althought it is very eye-opening for me to see my students' issues and struggles, I wish there was another way. The internet seems so impersonal. But if this is how our world is doing things now, I better jump on the bandwagon. DANG YOU, MY SPACE!!

(hey, wanna be "Friends"?)

Ciao Bella!

Hello friends! I am back from the lovely country of Italy and have fully recovered after jet lag, time changes, and adjusting to work (after being on vacation for 10 days).

So, where do I begin? It was a RAD trip. Rad. We had such a great time. I will try and summarize as best as I can. Well, we first flew into Turin (or as they call it: Torino) and my youngest sis, Emily, met us at the airport. We stayed in this cute apartment with a kitchen so we could cook a lot of our own meals. Turin is right below France and Switzerland in northern Italy so on a clear day you could totally see the Alps. Because Turin is not a "tourist" city, no one knows any English which I thought was great. Refreshing. Authentic Italians!! =) Emily has been taking Italian for 3 months and is pretty much fluent so it was so fun listening to her speak with people.

The Winter Olympics in February will be taking place in Torino, so it was fun to walk around the city and see all the preparations taking place. We saw the main piazza where they will hold opening ceremonies. They are trying to make it look all nice with flowers and benches, etc. but right to the side of the square there is an outdoor vendor selling Orlando Bloom calendars. Gotta love it! I can go across the globe and still find an Orlando Bloom calendar. Er...not that I was LOOKING for one, but...um...moving on.

In Torino, we went to a Cinema museum which is the tallest museum in Europe (you can take an elevator to the top and look all around), visited an English speaking church on Sunday, went to their Egyptian museum (2nd best in the world after Cairo's - I saw a full-on mummy), visited all the cathedrals, and even saw the Shroud of Turin. Basically they say this "shroud" is the cloth Jesus was buried in when he was brought down from the cross. It is kept locked away in this one church but they have a replica out for people to look at and you can see an outline of a man with blood on his forehead, wrists, side, and feet. Even if it's not Jesus, it was really interesting to look at.

After 3 or 4 days in Turin, we took a train to Florence! (Firenze) One of my favorite cities in the entire world! I love love love Firenze. We did so much there. We went to the Uffizi gallery and saw art from Botticelli (including the "Birth of Venus" coming out of her clam shell), Michaelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Titian, etc. We indeed ate gelato even though it was FREEZING the whole time we were there and people looked at us like we were crazy, we saw Michaelangelo's David (I could talk forever about how beautiful this statue is), walked to the Ponte Vecchio, went shopping at all the outdoor markets, and on Thanksgiving Day, sisters Liz, Emily, and I climbed 463 steps to get to the top of the Duomo (Dome) Cathedral. So fun!

Things I love about Italy: the people (so friendly), the art (the Renaissance started in Florence), the food!, the little cars (I called them "Urkel cars" like the car Urkel drove on Family Matters) and scooters, the language which sounds so fun to me, the architecture including all the beautiful churches, cathedrals, and castles, the history of Italy, and so much more.

To cap off an already fab trip, we woke up the last morning there...and it was snowing. Snowing in Italy! It was very surreal. We looked out our veranda and saw snow on all the rooftops and on top of the Duomo. What a perfect way to end vacation.

I love my fam. It was so good to be there. I can't wait to go back.

ITALY!!!

Oh my goodness, I am so excited. On Thursday I get to hop on a plane and fly to Italy for 9 fabulous days! Vacation!!

My youngest sister Emily is studying abroad in Turin, Italy (northwest Italy...right near the border of France) so my whole fam and I are going to visit! (My dad is 100% Italian, so my sisters and I are half Italian and I always love rockin' the Italian pride)

We'll be spending a few days in Turin with Emily showing us the city and then we'll take a train to Florence and spend some time there. I was in Florence nine years ago and LOVED it, so I am really looking forward to going back. I can't wait to walk along the Ponte Vecchio, see the David and lots of other art in the Uffizi Gallery, eat gelato till I burst, shop at the outdoor markets, climb to the top of the Duomo Cathedral, and watch all the Italians whiz by on their scooters. *beep beep!*

Peace out everyone. Have a GREAT Thanksgiving.

Mr. A-Z

I had the opportunity this week to see Jason Mraz in concert. He was playing at the Warfield in San Francisco. GREAT concert! He is such a fun performer. He is goofy, charming, has a rad band, can hit notes and rhythms like crazy, and kept me laughing many times throughout the evening. I don't know his music too well, but I dig it after hearing him live. I went with two of my sisters, one of whom is a HUGE fan. She said she'd make me a mix of all his best songs. Sweet.

TRB

I love Mondays. Why you ask? One word, three letters: TRB. Oh, the glories of TRB on Monday nights! About two and a half years ago, our house began making this special dinner every Monday night. Before we knew it, TRB became a weekly tradition. Something to look forward to on your Monday-back-to-work-day.

T=tofu (cut up, cooked in olive oil and sprinkled with garlic salt)
R=rice (cooked in a big rice cooker left behind by an old roomate)
B=broccoli (steamed, then mixed with sesame oil, sesame seeds, and garlic salt)

Put all three ingredients together and you have a little bowl of heaven to feast on with chopsticks.

But I have come to realize that TRB is so much more than just the food. It's the atmosphere of a TRB night. Absolutely anyone can come join the six of us roomates and enjoy a delicious bowl of TRB, along with good conversation, the fun house fire alarm (almost guaranteed to go off every Monday night at least once), maybe a game, laughter, and overall just great fellowship with other people.

I have eaten approximately 130 bowls of TRB and I still look forward to it every Monday night. I wonder if I'll ever get sick of it? (Nah, I doubt it)

Come join us for TRB one Monday night. Your taste buds will dance and sing! And maybe you will too!