Birthday Video

{also horses in party hats and dorky sound effects}

Today is cute adorable little sis's birthday. 9 big ones. Since we can't be there, we thought we'd send some birthday cheer with a mini horse party. Because, if i remember correctly, being 9 meant that I started having posters on my wall. Of horses. And my dream was to someday own a big white one that I'd name Prince. {obviously}

Happy Birthday sis! Love you.

Untitled from miriam chesbro on Vimeo.

Click here to see Kaia's Video Bigger

Art Class & Swamp Thangs

I just finished reading through a million endearing foodie posts by Joy and got all geared up to make delicious chocolate coconut scones and soups and cinnamon apple pies and biscuits! and oooohhh....it all rushes out of me as soon as i walk into the kitchen. I'm tired. I reluctantly opened my cupboards and took down my favorite bowl for cereal. Poured some corn chex and prayed to God we still had milk in the fridge. Dinner.

This is my life these days. I feel swamped. I'm a mossy swamp thang swimming in murky swampy waters. Super swamped.

Who knows where I was going with that. But! I do know where I was going with these here photos...art class. Projects. Photo projects. Particularly photos that have something to do with artsy fartsy words like: line, movement, scale, balance, symmetry...you know. So here's a couple around the neighborhood photos for your viewing pleasure or displeasure.

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."

PSU, day 1.

I've got the first day of school jitters. I thought way too much about what to wear to school today. Packed an apple in my backpack. Got incredibly lost in the bookstore and almost peed my pants when i finally found my Italian book priced at $226.

Wait. I'm confused. You want to charge me $226 for this book I'm going to be reading while paying thousands of dollars to take this class? Do they realize the price of books every. where. else. in. bookstores? bah.

On an upscale note, I love my 2-D design art class i went to this morning. My teacher was dressed in a quirky mismatched outfit with dangly earrings, made funny remarks and seemed easy going. Everything I'd hope for in an art teacher.

I'm hopelessly lost when it comes to finding the different buildings, though. PSU is built right into the city. A benefit of this is the Chipotle right next to the art building. I can live with that.

So we'll see how it all goes. I have Pilates next. Then an African American history class, a philosophy class and a night Italian class.

I can already feel my brain thanking me for the stimulation and near future expansion. I also feel myself growing incredibly tired just thinking about the late nights. Thank goodness for the late night Thai food restaurant across the street from our house. Panang chicken to go please with a side of Italian tutor, thank you.

All things Chinese- [Part I]

I haven't talked much about China here. And I'm not sure why, now that I think of it. China is a big(ish) part of Chris and my life. (More of that last statement can be attributed to my husband who is currently getting a language degree in Mandarin, has been to China 8 times, loves Kung Fu, and recieved the new Karate Kid on bluray for Christmas last year per his request. He wishes he was Chinese and says he's an egg. White on the outside, yellow on the inside.) I, on the other hand, adore Chinese people, but gladly return home to the land filled with cheese and granola.

Anyhow, we were just there again for a few weeks with a group from our church. We were there helping out a Christian ministry that works on college campuses sharing Jesus with students who are interested.

Part I of the trip was all things travel. Have you ever heard Jerry Seinfeld's bit on traveling and airports/airplanes? Do yourself a favor and go listen to all of his "I'm telling you for the last time" stand up. We just re-listened to it with friends in town and I actually might have had to cross my legs to keep the pee in.

1.- I will do almost anything for a window seat. Give you the roll from every meal I receive on this 12 hour flight in exchange for your seat you say? Done.
2.- I don't sit like a normal person. I never have and a long plane flight is no exception. If I know you well enough...one of my limbs will most likely protrude over the unsaid but well known invisible line of seat etiquette. I will, however, share my 5 lb bag of gummy bears with you. This seems fair to me.
3.- I am grateful for this place to call home.
4.- I love being in big airplanes. People stretching up front in their slippers...movies, blankets, snacks...funny faces of people who've fallen asleep with their mouth open...puffy clouds, little cups of juice on my little table with my little light on...thinking, observing...watching movies I'd probably never watch except for that I have 12 hours of nothingness ahead of me and a screen permanently set 2 feet in front of my face begging me to watch it -enter Never say Never here-...
5.- Team mates. Could. not. have. made. it. without. you.
6.- This is a joke. Getting into Canada is harder than China Immigration.
7.- My favorite. "A smile is the light in the window of your face that tells people you're at home." -Unkown



We arrived on Chinese soil safe and sound. Ready. Expectant. Eager....

The pantry...

...is my husbands closet.

Don't believe me?

Our kitchen is also his recording studio.

I've been doing some thinking about this season of life.

Thinking about how our shower is so small I can barely shave my legs in it.
And how our lower kitchen cabinets double as bookshelves for all our...books.
And the fact that our freezer is a little door inside our regular fridge and coats all of our food in 6 inches of 'snow'.
And how we spend 80% of our time in our apartment sitting in front of our one heater.
We eat dinner, do homework, talk, watch movies, read, live in front of this thing.
Thinking about our boxsprings that are right on our uneven (beautiful) wood floors and squeak anytime you roll over in bed.
And of course the fact that we don't have a dresser and only one closet. Which, if you're us, comes to mean that my champ of a husband offered to use the pantry as his closet. Meaning you could easily flip your morning eggs and be pulling on some jeans without taking a step.

Really, it's convenient. And we all like convenience, right?

Honestly, I love it. I love our little home that has just has a few of our favorites. Our little sofa big enough for two. Always eating fresh food because I'm scared to put things in our freezer. And storing all of our belongings in trunks that double as coffee tables and side tables...

It's all in perspective.

confessions

-I substitute string cheese for meals
-I love Gilmore Girls
-I wash my hair as little as possible
-I can't whistle
-I want to sing like Ingrid Michaelson. Or you, Natalie.
{ I have choir voice}

And the big kahuna.

-Sometimes, I pick my nose. (gasp)

Most likely, you are all upstanding citizens who keep their hair glistening Pantene model style and eat healthy balanced meals and have an awesome raspy edge to your voice. And definitely never ever pick your nose. But who knows, maybe someone out there is still trying to whistle and can't quite give up string cheese.

And to you I say, "We're only human. And humans get boogers."

On the brain...

I've had a lot of things swirling around in my brain recently. Things being thoughts...which obviously swirl. Life is moving fast, and I've been finding it hard to keep up with everything going on. I've been thinking about...

how i should stop eating gummy worms until my tummy hurts
how i should start exercising to balance out gummy worm eating
how much i love all of the friends we've made here
how much i miss my friends and family far away
how we need to raise 6,000 for missions trip this summer (more on this later)
how excited i am for the trip this summer
how i should practice piano more...
how much i want to be a good gardener
how i've already managed to kill one of our plants

To be honest, I feel quite overwhelmed by life right now. There are a few big things that we're trying to figure out right now. The kind of things that make you wish you weren't a grown up but just 8 years old again, swimming at the lake....and only your homework to worry about.

But this I know to be true-
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Phil 4:6-7

And so, although my tummy feels gummy and my head feels full, I pray to know more peace. And I am thankful for the many blessings in my life.

{I'm the blondie}