It's sad, really. To go this long...

...without knowing about something that could be crucial to my life experience.

See, we have this program called PhotoBooth on our computer. It's pretty fun. It lets you take pix of yourself or anything in front of the computer (obvious limitations here). Well, John and I have experimented with the effects and such, and occasionally I'll get bored with school work...that's when I try to find my best mug shot or glamour shot or nervous smile or scared face or whatever. Yes, I'm easily entertained.

Well, in all of my explorations of my ability for facial affect, I've found one startling aspect:

I have a lazy eyelid.

Ugh.

I should have been suspicious when my ACC school ID card made me look drunk. Or when my face is always the one "screwing up" the Ledbetter/Lewis family portraits (quotes are mine. Both sides of my family happen to be inncredibly photogenic). Or when people ask me, "why are you making that face?" Or when I put on eyeliner and notice that the lines go in two different directions.

How could this have happened??

Well, I'm going to go now. I have to cry tears of shame through my lazy eyelid. At least it will wash the crooked eyeliner away.

It's 3 a.m. on a cold, cold night...

...and I've just put on my pj's and taken out my contacts.

Shelly's "Fall Wine-tasting Party" was tonight. All the wine was red, so after a taste or two, I stuck to the sparkling cider. But still, I've not laughed that hard in a long time.

We ate snacks, told stories, had a bit of a dance party, and carved pumpkins.

Now it's time for bed. This is night #4 for John and Pam to be up past 2:30.

I think I know why I'm not a morning person.

It's official...

...I'm no longer a morning person.

Yes, I know, it's 2:30 in the afternoon when I make this statement.

That just says something about how much I'm NOT into mornings right now.

I'd like to change. I need to change. How do I change?

Suck. Why did I have to marry a morning person?

It's POURING rain right now...

...just sheets and sheets of it. It's the sort of rain that looks like it could carry on for three or four days.

I couldn't be happier.

I've prayed for every rain storm, and each was shorter than I hoped. I think this one is here to stay for a bit.

Here's my dilemma: I have to go to school. I'm supposed to be in the research lab right now. Instead, I'm studying, which is equally good, but I have to clock 10 hours at the lab, and I don't want to go on Friday.

But traveling to school, and around school, is no small issue when there's already 2 inches of water in the streets, I have no galoshes (Oh, how I want some galoshes!) and the temp in Garrison 105 is generally set to "freeze-your-toes-off." I like my toes. Ask Shelly. She'll tell you. I don't want them frozen today.

So here I sit, contemplating and studying. And contemplating. I don't want the rain to pass, but maybe it could give me an hour to safely drive/walk to the bus and arrive at school not entirely soaked.

If I didn't have a quiz today, I'd skip Research Methods. Because frankly, it's boring. Why today, Prof. Manheimer?

Let me stay home and enjoy the torrent of goodness. Oh good grief, it's beautiful.

Sometimes, a little misunderstanding...

...can go a long way.

And finding your way back takes twice the effort.

I'm tired and frustrated, and I'm not sure it will be worth it in the end.

Misunderstandings suck.

I feel like there's a lot to say...

...but ultimately, it could all sound oh so boring. I'd hate to do that to you. Instead, here's some snippits, just to keep it lively:

*As I sit in class today, the entire right side of my face, from my throat to my ear, including half of my tongue, is humorously numb. My dentist recommended that I only comsume a smoothie for lunch lest I accidently eat my tongue.
*Still on the subject of teeth...it's amazing what they'll tell you. For instance, my normally healthy teeth have revealed recent stress in my life. To be honest, I didn't know that I was stressed. Yes, I'm tired and very busy and making too many life-changing decisions in a short amount of time, but I was under the impression that I enjoy what's happening right now. However, bleeding gums during a general cleaning can indicate stress in a person like me. Also, I've started clenching my teeth at night. Now I wear a cute nightguard that I will affectionately call my "buck teeth".
*I'm supposed to complete 10 hours of research each week for the grad student that I'm working for. After about 8 hours, I get bored.
*I just found out about the man who killed children at the Amish school. The incident is sparking conversations about gun control in the US. I find myself disliking the arguments of the NRA and its supporters.
*I'm enjoying my new job at Sonic. I like the fast pace and chance to interact with others. The pay-at-the-stall credit card option has really killed my tips, though. I'm not sure how long this job will last.
*It's been over a month since I was offered my dream college-job at the hospital. I'm still not in the computers, I'm not yet allowed to attend orientation, and I'm waiting to know my training start-date. Sometimes waiting really hurts.
*My husband is crazy. I know this. What's fun is to be around when other people see that he's crazy. It makes me laugh.
*It's very exciting to watch two of my girlfriends anticipate the very-soon birth of their daughters after enduring multiple miscarriages. It's also fun to be a part of their support team since both husbands are employed by our church and get little-to-no medical coverage for pregnancy and delivery.
*I like hearing that my family is doing well and enjoying service to others. It's equally encouraging to know that my church family is handling potential crisis with utmost maturity and wisdom of Christ.
*John and I are attempting to practice what our pal Piper calls "christian hedonism". I do think it could radically change our lives.
*It's gotten cooler in Austin. There's talk of Fall parties. I like carving pumpkins.
*I can't seem to keep pants clean, long, and unshrunk. I really don't think my lengs are getting longer, fatter and dirtier. But my pants rarely last a month, and that causes problems. I think it's why I stick to skirts.
*Class is almost over. At first I wasn't sure, but now I'm positive that he's spent the entire hour-fifteen RE-covering material that we've already been lectured on. Which is why I'm typing this and not his notes. Don't worry, my GPA will be fine.
*I think I'm done for now. But I'll be back. As though you had to ask.