Sunday, February 27, 2005

Mommy and Me


I joined Mom and some ladies from her church at a women's retreat this Friday and Saturday. Baptist ladies are so fun. Especially Mom.

What did I learn? I guess that I'm more valuable than I thought. Dr. Carolyn Gordon from Central Baptist Theological Seminary spoke on the theme of communicating love. On Friday night, we looked at the stories of some women in the Bible, famous (Eve, Naomi, etc.), infamous (Jezebel), and barely noticeable (Ever heard of Shiprah, Puah, or Abishag? Yeah, I thought not.) The point is, even those barely noticeable biblical women did some really important things, things valuable to their people and their God. When I am obedient, even in small things, I show love and it's important.

Wednesday, February 23, 2005

still sick...

Cough, cough. On Monday we went to the Mall of Georgia and a concert by the Concordia College Choir and it caused a relapse into influenza stupor yesterday.

I think I'm getting over my illness, though. I was able to go to the library and the grocery store and the post office. I made lunch and, so far, I've been sitting in the library with no problems. One more good night's sleep and I should be good as new.

Sunday, February 20, 2005

When Viruses Attack

Bleh. It's been a sick few days here. Matt started feeling bad on Tuesday and was stuck in bed on Wednesday with a fever and congestion. He was better on Thursday - good enough to go to Gainesville for some shopping.

Then Friday night my parents were here briefly picking up a loveseat we didn't want anymore. While we were out at Mama G's, I started to feel achy and really cold. Soon a sore throat and stuffy nose developed. I think I'm starting to get better now, but that may just be the Nyquil talking.

Tuesday, February 15, 2005

on being a Mrs.

When I was growing up, I don't think I ever thought that I would be a "Mrs." I mean, I guess I assumed I would get married, but I thought I would be a "Ms." It just seemed more fair. If guys don't have something in front of their name that indicates their marital status, why should girls have one? After I was married, I think it felt a little silly to call myself "Mrs." Why should I have to differentiate myself from single friends and co-workers? Was it that important?

This wasn't really an issue until we moved here. In Tampa, no one called me "Mrs." Everyone just called me Maureen. At work, at school, at church. Now, much of my identity when I work (in the library and as a substitute in the classroom) is tied to that "Mrs." No one would know who I was outside of my attachment to Matt, the chorus teacher. In a school environment, I have to have some sort of honorarium (is that what it's called?) in front of my last name, and, because of my attachment to Matt, it has to be "Mrs." That's how I volunteer my name now. One particularly dark night as I was walking home from the library, a student mistook me for another student from a distance. "Carrie? Is that Carrie?" he called. "No." I called back. "Well, who is it?" he replied. "Mrs. -----*!" I called with a laugh, surprised that I have come to define myself in such a way.

On a side note, I also wasn't sure I would take my husband's last name. I liked my maiden name. It was unique and still fairly easy to spell. It was attached to my heritage and my family. Why should a girl have to give that up and not a guy? I remember one of my third grade teachers telling us that when she and her husband got married, they picked a new last name for both of them. I thought that was pretty cool. Somehow, planning to keep my name became out of the question, probably because of how traditional Matt's family can be. A woman with a master's degree is kind of revolutionary and Matt's brother's ponytail will probably never be forgiven, so I certainly couldn't expect to be able to explain to them that I was not planning on becoming a -----*, as they assumed. So I turned my old name into my middle name, and maybe I'll weasel it into the kid's names too. (If we have kids. Someday, down the road.)

Life is what happens when you are making other plans, right? So I ended up married at 23, with a new name, and a big fat "Mrs." attached to the front. And deliriously happy about the whole thing.

Of course, Matt and I both wear wedding rings, and sometimes I wear my engagement ring. Clearly, I care for people to know I'm married. Taken. Attached. In love and loved in return.

Matt and I both looked at the pictures from the Valentine's Banquet and thought, Wow. We look old. Not in the sense that we are wrinkly or grey-haired. Just adult. Appropriate for a "Mrs.", I suppose. :-)

*Although, I 'm not sure much of anyone reads this blog besides family and friends, I've read enough stalker news reports to not want to list my real name.

Monday, February 14, 2005

Happy Valentine's Day!


Happy Valentine's Day! Enjoy the pretty pink lilies that I brought home from church.

Sunday, February 13, 2005

Valentine's Dinner


We began the Valentine's Banquet with a lovely dinner. Note the gorgeous table - I did a lot of work last week to set those up. The food was really good: we had salad with strawberries and almonds, chicken stuffed with spinach and cheese, basmati rice, assorted rolls, and chocolate seduction cake with raspberries.

Valentine's Banquet


Saturday night was the Valentine's Banquet at church. Apparently, Presbyterians are cool with dancing, so here's a (very blurry) picture of us on the floor.

Thursday, February 10, 2005

snow

I saw snow fall for about the 4th time in my life today. It wasn't here, it was up in Highlands, NC while I was helping set up for the Valentine's Banquet at church. It was really pretty and kept up all afternoon. Obviously, it's cold again round these parts - we might get some snow here in northeast GA tonight.

There is very little happening around here, or I'd have something more interesting to say. I have been knitting a lot lately - maybe I'll post some pictures of my finished work soon.

P.S. Dad, did you know that special dollies to transport stacks of chairs existed? Oh, the months of our lives that would have been saved from having to lug around church chairs!

Monday, February 07, 2005

Monday, Monday...

I'm subbing again! This time for dance classes. I subbed Friday too, for theater classes (I think I'm the official theater sub). It's good to be working.

This weekend was weird. Matt was chaperoning a theater conference out of town, so it was just me and Rainey. I did some cleaning and shopping and sewed a purse that didn't turn out very well. I don't think I'm a seamstress at all. Matt says I'm just a beginner. I'm not sure...

Anyway, Matt didn't get home until 2:30 Sunday morning, and I had waited up for him, so we were exhausted yesterday. Getting up this morning wasn't so fun either.

This Saturday is the Valentine's banquet at church that I'm helping plan with two of the other girls my age. I think I'll be pretty busy with that this week.


Wednesday, February 02, 2005

So it's Wednesday

It's very cold and rainy here. I have a bit of a headache too, but I'm in a good mood. I subbed all day for history classes and really enjoyed it. I like getting out of the house and doing something useful, even if I don't get much knitting done.