Safer than a Known Way

Ashlee and I were talking about our shared love of Mandie books today, which now has me trying to think back and remember all my favorite childhood book series.

1. Mandie by Lois Gladys Leppard -  www.mandie.com

2. Laura Ingels Wilder

3. Anne of Green Gables

4. Narnia

5. And there was another series. I actually have a couple of the books at home, but I can't remember their names right now.

6. Nancy Drew

7. American Girl - before they were so popular. I liked Kristen the best.

8. My Canadian West Series and others by Janette Oak - (gosh... just early of an age did I pick up reading as I feel like I was awfully young to be able to actual read these books all by myself without any help.)

And I'll have to keep thinking. I'm sure there were more.

I got an email today from a Janet Norwood. I thought maybe she was someone sending out messages for the mayoral candidate - Mary Norwood (who I don't like and am not voting for unless claiming relation to her will help out my ministry in the years to come).

Here's the message from Janet: Are you ok????? I was thinking about you all night???? I have a hang over and I still have 4 and 1/2 hours of school to go and then Mary's tonight...what was I thinking.

Hmmm... I'm thinking she really must have had a rough night, as I don't think I'm the Christy Norwood she intended that email to go to... unless I had a REALLY rough night and have NO recollection of her or the night.

Life has been uber crazy, but good.

Last night I was driving up a side road next to Kroger when this big black SUV starts to peel out of a little very used parking lot next to Kroger, but slammed on its breaks when it saw me. I was far enough and going slow enough that I didn't even go for my break. I would have had plenty of time to stop had the guy not stop. Well, the driver of the SUV proceeds to SIT on horn while I drive past him and the passenger flicks me off with both his hands. I was so ANGRY. I wasn't the one who did anything wrong. I was the road driving straight and slow. I think they failed to realize (maybe they was getting high in the very dark of the abandoned parking?) that while they didn't have a stop sign, they weren't on a road and were at parking lot exit and therefore didn't have the right away. I was just on a straight shot of road. It wasn't two roads intersecting. And heck... I wasn't even up at where the exist was when they tried to peel out of it. I was so frustrated. I hadn't done anything wrong. They were they idiots.

This all happened after my monthly and LONG Neighborhood Planning Unit. I was on my way to buy some food for the week as well as the bread I need to bring this afternoon to our family Thanksgiving potluck lunch. I wasn't in the mood to be messed with. Well, I need to actually run and help with the potluck. I'll go ahead and post this, but will edit it a little later today and post more.

Just got done with an AMAZING potluck. Don't really know that I have the energy to write more just yet. Guess it will have to wait for another day.

... you live and work in the inner city when the hot news on the press and the exciting buzz of the day is about the new Subway located just 2 miles away. Yummy! I am enjoying a terikyki (spelling) 6-inch sub as I write this.

So... I decided to sneak into my professor's CCDA class on his new book (When Helping Hurts). I came 15 mintues late from lunch. (And well, two of my professors wrote the book; Steve Corbett was teaching a session at the conference.) My big boss - Bob Lupton (who is famous in this world) - was sitting on the floor in the back of the room with his wife Peggy. It was a large room packed full. I sat down on the floor in the back next to Bob. I'm sitting there for 15-20 minutes listening when Steve goes to talking about the principal of looking at the neighborhood's assets first and not it's needs... and suddenly I'm hearing "christy norwood" and him talking about my job with Bob Lupton and how I do that. It was a surreal experience. Well... 10 minutes later I decide I need to stand, so I get up and lean up against the wall and all of the lights go out (though thankful Steve is using a powerpoint and so it doesn't disrupt him). And I of course try panic inside wondering if the lights going off are me or not. It was me. It was a weird sort of small 4 little buttons that I had pushed when I leaned back. You know... I just don't think it's nice to turn the lights off on some someone who just gave you a shout-out. Opps!!!

On an exciting note... The CCDA is going to be doing little Saturday institute sessions for $25 for the whole day! They plan on doing one in Chattanooga in 2010! So excited!!! I was thinking at the beginning of this session about how strange it was that this conference that plays such a central part of my year is not known by those in my life outside of those with whom I work. Hoping to get people from my church and maybe even Shannon & whoever else can join me in Chattanooga for the day!!!

... I wasn't really sure what to title this entry. Actually, I generally struggle with that decision. I am just not that creative when it comes to the world of titles. I'm sitting in a rocking chair at the Starr household. I am giving Caleb and Ashlee Starr a much deserved 'date night.' Ashlee's sister is getting married this week. Her sister's been a bit high maintenance with the whole thing, so I decided I'd try and help give them something nice to start out the wedding weekend. Carrie and I cleaned up the kitchen. Ashlee is queen of hospitality and at making everyone feel welcomed, but all the people can lead to a mess. Cleaning up after everyone helps me and Carrie to feel like we earn our keep around here. :) I really do feel like God's permitting me to experience what it's like to live in an Acts 2 sort of community. I LOVE IT! The little girls are all tucked in bed and now I am getting some internet time before heading off to the CCDA conference. Not sure how frequently that will happen. I just tried to click onto the Sher's and Mom & Dad's blogs, but vox for some reason won't let me do that right now. Hope I don' have to wait all week for that. Didn't realize my fair pictures would be so popular. :) If I ever wondered if folks read my blog I suppose I won't have to wonder anymore. :) So what do you think? I'll answer any questions you have, Mom, just might not be much to answer right now.

It's been awhile since we've done one of these, so I thought I'd pass one of the Vox Question of the Days around the circle to hear what everyone says. I think I know the answers, but we'll see. I have a feeling I'll be in the minority on this one. :)

... right now has been on 'being still.'

A wide angle lense... AF Nikkor 20mm f/2.8D - Compact and lightweight ultra-wide-angle lens ideal for landscapes, interiors, architecture, weddings, events and more. It's going to be awhile though... this one is a little more pricey than my new 50mm portrait lense.

Okay... that one is my dream splurge rooted in reality. The price of a new one is somewhere in the $200's. My DREAM DREAM splurge wide-angle lens starts in the $2,000's. Yeah... ain't going to happen. I'd be to scared to use it... plus, feel to guilty and probably would think of all the other ways I could have used the money including paying off my car note a little bit earlier.

I took Ava up and through the play set many times. Whew - it was claustrophic with multiple other children skirming and screaming their way through it. Many tantrums, but also many smiles! I love these 3 little girls!