Confessional Friday

Afternoon! Over a month since I last updated, but it's all right. Much has been going on and real life is a bit more important than internet life. Since last post, I have been to the fair with Austin and Audrey (it's tradition), performed a musical with the children of my church, had midterms, started back my K-2 class on Wednesday nights, been to Arkansas for another wedding (THE James and Sharon Rutherford), and attended a missions conference that may or may not have changed my post-college course of action (either way, it definitely changed my perspective on missions, or The Mission, as I should say)...

• I turned 24 years old a couple of days ago. It's funny to think about where you thought you'd be at what age. I can't really remember... pretty sure though I didn't think I'd be where I am. While I am anticipating the next phase, there is no question that I love and am grateful for the here and now. Slow, peaceful, preparatory, normal... which in my case means abnormal. :)
• My philosophy is: if in doubt, use a comma.
• My church choir has begun practicing for our annual Christmas Cantata (December 16th for those who want to come). This simply means that I am WAY TOO EXCITED FOR MY OWN GOOD.
• I've made this a few times. It's dessert in itself.
• Midterms for my 2 psychology classes were a few weeks ago. They went well and now finals are approaching! Can't believe they're almost over. Looking forward to starting my next subject and being finished with college so, so soon.
• Remember last time I said I was into the British Isles part of the globe? Well now it's southeast Asia (Philppines, Indonesia, Malaysia, etc).
• Several weeks ago when Mark and I went to Georgia for our friends' wedding, we stopped in at an Australian bakery in Marietta, which happened to be 5 minutes from the wedding venue! Below are pictures from our delicious late afternoon lunch.
• We are officially going to Colorado for New Year's. This trip will include but is not limited to seeing real snow, eating way too many Pueblo green chilis to make up for the severe lack of them in my life, going clubbing, visiting our old church, seeing favorite people, and basking in the vast blue sky of my favorite place on earth.
• This past weekend my church hosted a missions conference with To Every Tribe. They train and send out missionaries. This conference was so providential in my life. I don't know what's in store, but I am praying about potentially going through their program with the intention of entering the mission field. Scared and excited. :)
• Amazingly, yet another hairstyle idea worked for me, the sock bun! Pictures below.

photographs that are actually recent and somewhat relevant!

Australian Bakery

the classic Shepherd's pie and a Cornish pasty; it had been toooo long :)

mini pavlova; it was all right - Ellen's homemade was better!

inside the shop; flags of the various states

obviously.

they also sold a variety of Australian foods and ingredients you can't get in the states, including Violet Crumble <3

The Sock Bun

the sock bun, with a couple of added braids

from the back; it looks super fancy for only having taken about 8 minutes

I just adore it.

the other cool thing? your hair looks like this afterwards (okay well for stubbornly flat and straight hair people it's amazing - so much body and a few curls)

the crimped sections were the braids :)