Hi it's Margolotta.

I have my own blog up and running now so I'll say "ta ta for now" to this blog and leave my mother and aunts in peace. If you want updates on my Guide Puppy please come visit me at:

http://thelifeandtimesofcaroline.blogspot.com/

I'll give you the summary of my guide puppy news. Her name is Tisha, she'll be almost 7 months old when she arrives. For her genealogy and pictures of her family go to my blog for details *hint hint* :) I also welcome any of the followers to visit me if they wish. Any friend of my family is a friend of mine.

Welcome to Whereever We Are

"Welcome To Wherever You Are"
Bon Jovi

Maybe we're different, but we're still the same
We all got the blood of Eden, running through our veins
I know sometimes it's hard for you to see
You come between just who you are and who you wanna be

If you feel alone, and lost and need a friend
Remember every new beginning, is some beginning's end

[Chorus]
Welcome to wherever you are
This is your life, you made it this far
Welcome, you gotta believe
That right here right now, you're exactly where you're supposed to be
Welcome, to wherever you are

When everybody's in, and you're left out
And you feel your drowning, in a shadow of a doubt
Everyones a miracle in their own way
Just listen to yourself, not what other people say

When it seems you're lost, alone and feeling down
Remember everybody's different
Just take a look around

[Chorus]

Be who you want to, be who you are
Everyones a hero, everyones a star

When you wanna give up, and your hearts about to break
Remember that you're perfect, God makes no mistakes

[Chorus]

Good morning. My son suggested this song this morning and I think it needs to be the theme song of this blog and all authors right now.

All of us struggle with perfection and the ugly counterpoint fear of failure. This means we look at where others are or where we perceive others to be and feel like we are not measuring up. I do this lots of times. We are who we are with the experiences we made creating our back story and the present we are in.

Do I sometimes wish I had a different, more ambitious back story? Heck yeah! But I am not going to have that. It isn't in my caretaker, mother earth bones. There is a reason Brigid, goddess of the hearth, keeps popping her head into my life. And isn't to kick me in the pants on the way to upper management/CEO. :-)

So...

Myrtle - Congratulations on making it through the tough years of supporting your family including working for an evil empire to keep the food on the table and the roof over your head. Those experiences make you stronger in dealing with your current congregations in the more rural parts of the state. I am celebrating with and for you in keeping track of the goal you voiced more than 10 years ago.

Maude - Congratulations on making partner in your firm. Your skill and ability in the aspects of architecture shine through even as other parts of your life exist in chaos. I have faith you will be able to weather the chaos as you continue to reach out to the lifelines offered. I am celebrating with and for you about your partnership!

Margolotta - Congratulations on pushing forward to head into the world in new and expanding ways even when physical pain drags you down. You continue to make small changes in your life in the anticipation that the physical elements will be resolved and you can again have more energy than the rest of your house. I look forward to seeing where your life adventure takes you.

-Mavis



photo from climate.met.psu.edu

Struggling

This weekend was a definite point of struggle for me. I think missing my oldest's 18th birthday and then all but him currently being sick is just hard on me.

But today as I was sitting in my small discussion group I realized how different than I am then others around me. We were discussing bring prayer to unchurched/uninterested in religion people as a group. My take on this was so very different than anyone else and then as we brought our discussions back to a larger group where we discussed our quadrant and others, I realized no one seems to think as I do.

I almost feel like I'm not good enough theologically to be here. Kind of sad to say when I know this isn't true, but it's how I'm feeling. I just wished I saw the world in the light these people do. I'm now worried about bringing my theological paper to class later today for fear that I'll have kindergarten theology when everyone else is presenting masters theology.

My rhetorical writing piece that I'll be discussing is actually the book "Jamberry" by Bruce Degan. I'm using it as a good example of written that is meant to be spoken and as such brings wonderful images to your imagination as you hear the words. Many of the children's books I know and love do the same things. They wouldn't be rhetorical writing from a classics study, but they do what go rhetorical writing does in my opinion, which makes you become part of the work by sounds and images.

I guess I should stop blogging and get back to my real life here on campus. It's only another 4 days but feels like an eternity with how I'm viewing the world right now.

-Myrtle

Humm, I like this theme of avoiding homework. My contribution to this blog is prompted by:

1) My life being very challenging right now

2) Homework is Hard. I did most of it earlier but now I have to read "Civil Disobedience" by Thoreau.

3) My own blog is about to be under deconstruction and moved.

And now on to the fun stuff!

The bad news:

I am taking way to many credits this term in a wide verity of classes consisting of Architectural Hand Drafting, Geology, US History II: the Civil War and Reconstruction, and Art History: American Residential Architecture. Three of these classes are asking for term projects as well as normal homework. "When are you going to do those?" you ask. Well to tell the truth...I have no idea.

The other piece of bad news is that I've been having gut problems. I was gluten and milk free for the last month or so. It was getting better and now it's worse again which means back to the doctor. The next step is either starting treatment for an Ulcer, an Endoscopy, or a Gastroscopy. The last two really don't sound fun, but not being able to eat isn't fun either and I am desperate enough now to try them. Being uncomfortable, in pain, or nauseated all the time really colours your view of the world and not for the better I'm sad to say.

The in between news:

A Guide Dogs for the Blind puppy I am very close to, she'd been living with me about half time for the past 6 months, was recalled for formal training last weekend. While I'm sad that I don't get to have her again and that Tazzi wont see her again, she taught him how to play which is a major break through for him, I delighted that she is getting to do what she was trained to do. She's currently being evaluated as a breeder, but if she doesn't do that I'm certain that she'll become a guide. A guide dog puppy becoming a working guide isn't as easy as it sounds, they have to have the right temperament, the right energy level, the right enthusiasm and a perfect bill of health, I think Delphine has all of those and she's a sweetie to boot.

And now what you've all been waiting for....The Good News!

My dietary requirements have given me a great opportunity to look at new and exciting ways of cooking.

I think my college major is going to be middle eastern studies, and maybe minoring in musical theatre or ecology. I'm working on my college transfer applications, so if all goes well I'll be moving next fall to either Corvallis, Oregon or Iowa.

And the biggest news of all. *do a drum roll in your head or on a table if your at one, please* I'm getting my own Guide Dog puppy in February. All I know right now is that its a female yellow lab that somewhere around 4 to 6 months old. I hope she has a good name. Because guide dogs has so may puppies and they don't reuse names until the owner of the name dies you can get some pretty weird names. A puppy in my puppy raising club is named "Trumpet", I just don't see that as a girls name. Another puppy I've heard about was named "Vulcan". By contrast I think Delphine is a perfectly wonderful name :) I hope she and Tazzi get along.

That's about it for now.

Delphine on a hay ride in Octobler
Tazzi and Delphine taking a breather after chasing each other all over the yard.

- Margolotta

Life as a Seminarian

In mid December I finished my first class as a seminarian. I was happy to put Greek behind me, although I will take several more classes which require me to know Greek as we'll be doing translations. I'm currently working through 2 classes (preaching and education). They are both part of my two week intensive time on campus in the frozen tundra.

My first week has been spent learning to set boundaries between myself and my church as they experienced their first crisis since I started working there in July. It's been challenging to say the least and by the end of the week I was learning to deal with them only on my terms so it was no longer messing with my sleep. (Too many nights of 2 hours sleep was playing havoc with my studies.)

I'm actually posting currently because I'm procrastinating. I know I need to work on one of my three papers for this coming week's preaching class, but I just don't feel like studying. Added onto that I need to create a posting for FeAutor and I'm not sure what I want to create there to upload. So instead I decided to let my families and friends know how I'm doing.

Have a blessed day.

-Myrtle

Ridiculous Obsession or Procrastination?

Procrastination is a beautiful thing!



Ridiculous Obsession is maybe even better.

This is what I've done when the homework was getting the better of me. I like to think the creative process was good use of my time and allowed me to assimilate what I was covering in the homework. Please don't disabuse me of this idea. I'll cry if you do.

The day I finished the plying of the Gale's Art Blue Face Leicester / Tussah Silk (75/25) blend in the Grape Vine color a pattern whose design process I've been watching was completed and posted. The pattern is by Hanna Breetz of the Evergreen Knits blog. It called Vermont Shawl. See pictures of it at Hanna's blog or on Ravelry

I am crazy in like with this shawl and I can't exactly figure out why. I am calling the one I am knitting Grape Vine in Vermont. Combo of the Grape Vine colorway name and the Vermont of the shawl name.

By the way this is the first larger project I've knit from my handspun. Maybe this is another reason why I am excited about the project. I've knit 4 hats and a scarf from my handspun all in worsted to bulky weights. This one is a heavy lace/light fingering weight.

BACK TO THE BOOKS... 2 quizzes to take before the end of the day.

-Mavis