Randomness

My mind is a great big bowl of randomness right now. How's that for a description? :) Anyways...instead of this being a one-thought post, I thought I'd list out the random thoughts I'm having right now. So without further ado, here is your portion of my randomness...

1. I am so very happy that I FINALLY caught up on my grad school work. I've been a little behind for the past month or so ever since some stuff happened with my family and it's just been building and building slowly by slowly. But tonight I finally caught up! YAY! :) And not only did I get caught up on my overdue tasks, I also worked ahead some and finished things due for the next 2 weeks! So double YAY! :)

2. I went walking around the field at school tonight with my roomie. Can I just say... I absolutely positively HATE going. I dread it. I grumble and complain to myself. But then it's like magic...I start walking and begin feeling GREAT! Then when I'm finished I feel totally AWESOME! I love it! Is that weird? Am I the only person like that...who absolutely dreads the thought of working out but absolutely loves the feeling afterwards?

3. I went to the fabric market with some friends today and found 4 (yes, 4!) different styles of fabric I like...for AWESOME prices, I might add! :) That never happens, so YAY! :) And I already have a dress style in mind I want 3 of them made into and I'm going to venture out of my normal outfit making realm and get (wait for it...) pants! (big gasp!) I know...I said I wouldn't ever do that out of African fabric, but you know...I'm really liking the long shirt/tunic look, so I think I'm going to do it. :)

4. I bought a pair of Chanel sunglasses today...and only paid about $3 for them! :) ...P.S. They were total knock-offs, but hey, who cares? :)

5. I just got an email from someone that hurt my feelings. I really want to call my mom and cry "on her shoulder," but I'm trying to be a big girl about it. :(

6. I miss having a balcony. Honestly, that's the only thing I miss about living on the third floor of my building. I wish I could just sit outside, read a book, feel the wind blowing, and just enjoy relaxing outside. But alas, our one outside place is a small courtyard with really high walls and above the walls are other people's apartments and clotheslines, so it's totally not fun to sit out there... Maybe I'll go up to the roof and sit up there... I don't know though. Is it really worth it to go up those 4 flights of stairs? :)

7. I've been making a list of things to do in my classroom next week. I'm so excited to rearrange my room and get lots of new fun activities set up! I think my kids are going to LOVE it! :)

8. I'm worried about my dad. I know he says he's doing ok, but I'm worried. And before anyone preaches to me, I KNOW! I know I shouldn't worry. I know I should give it all to God. I know that. Trust me. ...but you know, that's easier said than done sometimes...

9. It's 12:05 a.m. here right now. That means it's WAY WAY WAY past my bedtime. Therefore, Elisabeth is now signing off. Goodnight Blog World. :)

Spring Break Reading

Spring Break Reading…

I’ve always loved to read. I still do. I just don’t have time for it much anymore, other than the required readings for grad school, A/G licensing classes, and teaching. So I made plans to do a lot of FUN reading over Spring Break. Here’s my list…

1.     Little Women

2.     Little Men

3.     Crimson Tide

4.     Life of Pi

5.     Three Cups of Tea

6.     Daughters of Islam

7.     Mere Christianity

8.     The Foolishness of God: A Linguist Looks at the Mystery of Tongues

9.     Teach Like Your Hair’s on Fire

10. Teaching Students with ADHD (…and yes, this is fun for me)

What are you reading?

“Everyone eats and drinks, but few appreciate taste.” Confucius (551-479 BC)

Post 1 of my 5 Senses Posts...Sense of Taste

“Everyone eats and drinks, but few appreciate taste.” Confucius (551-479 BC)

I absolutely LOVE this drink...caffeine free diet mountain dew ... liquid gold, I tell you, liquid gold! :)

...my favorite holiday treat - candy canes 

Almonds

Salads = Yum! I could eat salad 3 times a day and not get tired of it! :)

French Fries are definitely my biggest comfort food item. I love them! ...I guess it's a good thing I don't live in the US then, since I'd totally be at the drive thru getting these way too much if I was! :)

Grilled Hamburger...my absolute most favorite food!

Key Lime Pie...my favorite dessert!

Peanut Butter M&M's...my favorite candy!

Pecan Pie...how can you be from the south and NOT like this yummy goodness? :)

...my favorite restaurant...I like pretty much everything from Taco Bell! ...which presents yet another reason why it's probably good that I don't live in the US. :)

Today I am...

Outside my window... There are kids playing. One's African. One's Middle Eastern. They are giggling and talking and having what looks like a really fun time.

I am thinking... about how I really should be studying, but am not since my brain really needs a break.

I am thankful for... electricity. I will never again take electricity for granted.

I am eating... nothing. I'm full from the salad bar, corn dog, and peanut butter m&m's from Junior Carnival tonight :)

I am wearing... jeans. PTL for Jeans Friday! :)

I am wishing... that the electricity situation in Dakar would get better, but it doesn't seem likely.

Tomorrow I am... going to be studying ALL day for my midterm, barring a short break somewhere in there for sanity's sake. :)

I am reading... all about the fun-filled world of Multicultural Education. Seriously, this exam is consuming my every free moment (outside of teaching and lesson planning of course).

I am hoping... that I can get a good night's sleep tonight. I've forgotten what that's like.

I am hearing... nothing at the moment. It's almost "too" quiet...

I am looking forward to... being done with my midterm this weekend.

I am dreaming of... the future.

I am not liking... the incredibly AWFUL power cuts we've been having. Having an average of 4 to 6 hours of electricity a day is a big huge PAIN, just so you know...

A few plans for the week ahead... midterm, 4 page paper, grading, report cards, parent-teacher conferences, spring break...and hopefully some sleep somewhere in there

Honestly speaking...

After seeing a similar post on a friend's blog, I started to think about the things that we often hide from one another. God’s been dealing with me on honesty. I tend to hide things from everyone. I don’t let people see the “real me” per se. So here goes… total honesty about yours truly.

To tell you the truth...

• Contrary to what people believe – due to my frequent FB status updates – :) I don’t like sharing my feelings. In fact, I absolutely HATE doing so. I would rather keep everything bottled up inside and let it “eat away” at me than share it with someone else, whether that be family, friends, whoever.

• I have a really close friend here in Dakar. …probably (no definitely) the closest friend I’ve ever had. This is such new territory for me. We moved so much growing up (like every 1 ½ years or so) that as soon as I’d get close to a friend, we’d move again. Because of that, I developed this fear of getting too close to someone. And as a result of said fear, I tend to push people away when I see that happening. But I don’t want to lose the closest friend I have just because of my insecurities and fears.

• I’m not a hugger. If you want to hug me, fine, but don’t expect me to come up and hug you. It’s nothing personal. I just don’t go around giving out hugs. I’m not a good sympathizer (is that the right word?) either. I feel extremely awkward in situations where people are hurting and crying, etc. I tense up. I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what to do. Therefore I usually leave the room. *P.S. I do write notes to people. I do offer encouragement that way. So I’m not totally heartless. :)
• I despise darkness. I slept with a nightlight in my room even through college. I just HATE the dark. …ironic since I now live in a place where the power’s off more than it’s on most of the time.

• I’m 25. It bugs me when people say things like… “You’re still young. I didn’t get married ‘til I was X years old.” or “Maybe God just wants you to be single.” or any other variations of those phrases… Don’t get me wrong. I’m happy with my life right now. I’m enjoying being my own person, doing what I want, when I want (mostly), and not having to worry about someone else. But I would like to get married. I truly want God’s will in my life and I truly believe that He has someone out there for me. I really just don’t think God would let me keep wishing and hoping and wanting for this to happen, just to have me be single for the rest of my life. After all, my absolute biggest fear is that I’ll never get married.

• I get incredibly nervous speaking in front of people (well, in front of adults). I will worry so much about it that I will literally get sick before I go up to speak. It never fails. But put me in front of a group of kids and I’m fine. :)

• I’m insecure in my status as a missionary. I’ve had “well-meaning” people tell me that I’m not really a missionary, that I’m just a teacher. …and this has come from people both on and off the mission field. I want to say, Don’t you realize the mission field that is my classroom? You don’t see the Muslim girl I pray with every day…the one begging for a Bible to take home, even though we all know Mommy and Daddy wouldn’t approve…the one praying that her family would know Jesus since, in her words, He loves everyone even when they’re bad…the one that sits quietly and attentively through every Bible lesson, soaking it all in. No. They don’t see all of that.

11 in 2011

We are 8 days into the year 2011, so I thought I would finally blog my New Years Resolutions.

Yes, I am "one of those" people who does New Years Resolutions. I sometimes wonder why I do them because it seems as if I've totally failed at most of them every year, but here's hoping that 2011 will be different.

So, instead of calling them Resolutions this year, I am calling them "Hopes," since I hope I follow through with these Resolutions/Hopes. :)

1. Read the entire Bible (again). 

2. Fit in fitness. 

3. Get organized...home, teaching, grad school classes, Berean classes, etc.

4. Read more books.

5. Be more confident in speaking French. 

6. Get better in French. I'm not able to take classes right now, but I can at least practice more at home...practice more with the local shop owners, church members, random people I meet on the street. 

7. Limit coke. I'm not saying completely cut it out...just limit it. :)

8. Journal more.

9. Eat better.

10. Manage/Eliminate stress. I know Christians shouldn't be stressed about things. We've got God on our side after all, but this is something I struggle with a lot. 

11. Get more sleep. 

My New Weapon

This, my friends, is a great invention. It is my weapon in Battle Mosquito. I love it!