Day Four: Thanks Galore, to Sarina!

Day Four is for someone who has been a huge part of my life the last few years... We were roommates for a short time at one point, as she took my first out of country trip with me (not including Canada). We found ourselves walking the streets of London together, writing papers and seeing plays, and having way too much fun sometimes... We tend to have a lot of luck when we have traveled together. We took a trip to the American Idol Finale and got into the second day with no tickets, sitting in the 6th and 10th rows, next to celebrities. We went to Hawaii, which is awesome within itself, and then got an unexpected upgrade to drive around a Spyder 2010 Convertible. We've spent hours playing "people watching" games with our eyes and Ipods, and played "name that tune" on airplane rides. We have sung and danced together... We have laughed more together than I have with many of my friends, and yet we can still have serious conversations too. She is the perfect friend to me.

Day four of my thankfulness is dedicated to, Sarina Thomas!

She is a true friend, and an amazing example to me. I look up to her in MANY ways, and admire the choices she has made in her life and the person that she has become. I aspire to be more like her in most things that I do. She is thoughtful of others, creative, quirky, spiritually in-tune, hilarious, and one of my best friends. I am SO thankful for YOU, Sarina.
*muah*

Song of the Day: Thriller, Michael Jackson... Girl, dance your heart out! Enjoy!

Michael Jackson - Thriller | Music Videos | SPIKE.com

Day Three: Give It Up for Mama Kay!

Onto day number three among my thankfulness messages! This day must go to one of the most fabulous girls that I know. She has a heart of gold, truly cares about others and how to make them know they're loved. She has a passion for the gospel that radiates. She certainly knows how to break it down on the dance floor, and move her saucy Latina hips! Haha... Because of her, I am more confident in who I am. She makes me laugh all the time, and I always know that I can count on her for a comforting word or some needed encouragement. She looks past all my faults and takes me for who I am, and I am SO thankful for that. I enjoy her bluntness. She is not afraid to tell you what she thinks or how she feels, but she knows I'll dish it right back if needed... She is one of my dearest confidants, and I truly appreciate her and all she has helped me become.

Day three is dedicated to, Kay Figueroa.

Thank you, Kay, for being who you are, and thus, helping me know that it's okay to shine. I love you a lot, girl. I am thankful for YOU, Kay.
*muah*

Song of the Day: Lolli Lolli (Pop That Body) by Three 6 Mafia! This is for you, Carmel Lolli! Love, White Chocolate Lolli... (Warning: For those who would be offended, the video has scantily-clad girls. There is no swearing or anything worse.) ENJOY!

Lolli Lolli (Pop That Body)

Two Goes To Drew!

Day two on the thankfulness front will be dedicated to a friend of mine who has always been there to make me laugh, and to make me think. We have had some of the best conversations... conversations that make me want to change for the better, to work hard and to grow as a person. I am better because I know this person. He has one of the best laughs I have ever heard - gets me goin' every time - and the best facial expressions. If he could HOLD those facial expressions just a LITTLE longer before laughing, he could be an actor - and a good one at that. He's one of the best people I know, and I feel blessed to have him as a piece of my life...

The second day is dedicated to, Drew Chapman.

I am thankful for you, Drew. Thanks for being a close friend, confidant, and mentor. I look up to you a lot, and you make all those around you better. I am thankful for YOU.
*muah*

Song of the Day: So Much To Say, Dave Matthews Band... Enjoy, Drew!

Dave Matthews Band - So much to say

Rob | Myspace Video

The Best Way to Be Thankful is to Say Thank You!

I was thinking about how I could focus more on the spirit of Thanksgiving throughout this month, and show my gratitude to others. As I was riding my bike this morning, dropping Nico at school, I came up with a plan... a plan to share my gratitude with the friends and family around me. I came up with a plan to post a blog each day that will be dedicated to a person, or a few people, who have influenced my life for good in some way. The person may or may not ever read their entry, but I hope all the same that they know how much they mean to me. The song of the day will be one that reminds me of that person in one way or another...

Since I was late on the uptake, I have decided that I will continue this until the end of the year. So, with that said, let us begin.

The first day of thankfulness is dedicated to...

Natalie Struiksma!

My younger sister is one of the BEST individuals that I know. She has a tender heart and really cares about other people and about animals. She is an incredible artist and we share a passion for theater and the arts. She's one of my closest friends and I love her SO much. I am thankful for, Natalie.
*muah*

Song of the Day: All I Can Do by Jump 5. She knows why... Enjoy!

The Quarter-Century Club!

I am a fourth of a way through my life... considering the fact that I might live to be 100 years old. Now, if I only live to be 70 or 80 years then I should have written this post long before this blog was invented. Just sayin'. I am also now considered a "menace to society," in case you believe that still... I think I'm over that.

I am 25 year old now.

I'm waiting for a big change to happen. I'm waiting to feel different. In fact, I've been waiting for over a week now.

Nope. The change isn't coming. The only time I felt weird was when I thought, "In five year, I'll be thirty..." but that thought fled quickly and was replaced with what to eat for breakfast.

My birthday weekend was a great one - simple, but fun. It was filled with friends and my current "family" here in Germany, good food, thoughtful gifts, lots of laughter, and plenty of dancing. Let's start at the beginning, shall we?

This picture to the right represents the power of me being 25 finally... Okay, really I just wanted to take a picture with this funny-looking statue.

I awoke on the morning of Saturday, November 6th, to children and adults running up the stairs in my house, bursting open my door, and singing me happy birthday. I sat up, smiling, but a bit confused... many of you can recall how I am when I first wake up from a random accord. The kids quickly forgave my awkwardness and handed me what Nico called, "The Main Gift." I smiled as I opened the paper to reveal... a mini, mini cooper! Haha... The past few weeks, whenever the parents asked me what I would like for my birthday, I dodged the question by saying, "A car. I want a mini cooper." I have done this in past years of my life too. I told them about the times my parents bought me collector hot wheels cars - especially, this little red one - as a joke. They decided to carry on the tradition. Haha! Classic.

That afternoon, Koko and the boys (Patrick had to work) took me out to lunch at this little place downtown - very good food! We ate lunch, walked around the city, and got a Starbucks hot chocolate. Mom, you would have been proud. Haha! Koko also handed me my actual "Main Gift," while we were out and about.

First, she handed me a beautiful, little, gold bag. Inside was a sterling silver and amber ring. It's this cool swirly design... I love it! The only I have is my fingers swell often (I know, I should drink more water), so it can't be too tight... and it can't be loose either. The only finger it fits really well on is my ring finger on the left hand. Now, in Germany this is no issue, because people often don't wear wedding rings, OR half of people wear them on the right hand. It's just a different culture, and different traditions. Plus, no one assumes you are married or taken from a ring on your finger. However, in Utah...

In Utah, I have to be slightly more careful if I ever want to be asked out when I get home. People can obviously tell it's not an engagement ring, but people read into things and make assumptions from something as small as wearing a ring on the "wrong finger." Bizarre, I think, but it's the culture. So, we'll see... but I might have to ditch the ring when I get home and wear it as a necklace. I haven't decided if I care enough, yet.

The second thing Koko handed me was a ticket - a concert ticket... the see Jamie Cullum. JAMIE CULLUM. I was ecstatic! I have fallen in love with his music over the past year and own all his records. If you don't know him, he's a British, Jazz singer - like Michael Buble - but he writes all his own stuff and plays piano. The concert was that following Tuesday night, in Dusseldorf, and I could not wait! Below, you can catch some videos and pictures of the concert... INCREDIBLE. He sounded great live, his band was SO talented, and he made things fun. He had the crowd sing in this chorus round on one song, and it was SO beautiful. I just stood there in awe. It was also cool to see how different it was from in the states... part of it might have been who I was seeing (a jazz singer out of Britain), but I don't think it was completely so. The were older people on the standing floor seats, and people weren't really singing along unless we were encouraged to sing. There was more, but there's the jist of it all. Below are the links for the three videos I recorded while there!



Back to the actual day of birth celebration.

After lunch and gift giving, we headed back to the house, where we met up with a group of my friends from church to go ice skating. We ate cake first, made by Koko (chocolate and raspberry -YUM!), and then headed out. We got there and everyone kinda changed their minds. The place was more crowded than planned and more expensive than people thought. I was a bit annoyed because in my mind I was thinking, "This was everyone else's idea for my birthday - not mine. Did no one think to check prices and such before coming here? Is a crowded rink really going to stop people?" It was what it was, but we turned around and headed back to my place. I was surprised with myself, because I was actually in such a good mood, that I just let it roll off my skin. I was smiling and laughing, and just ready to do SOMETHING. Haha!

We went back to the house to order pizza, listen to music, and play Dutch Blitz! For those who don't know, Dutch Blitz is a card game I've grown up with. I've only met one or two other people in my life who know the game and play it with their families. It was a Sunday tradition in my house - a staple activity. I LOVE this game!

Sidenote: There's a game like Dutch Blitz here in Germany that's really popular, but I haven't played it before. However, because of this game, teaching everyone Dutch Blitz was easy, and people were really good at it really quickly. My brother, Derek, could still have slaughtered everyone on the table though... He is SO fast!

After pizza and card games, I left with Luise, Glenn, and Rahel to go bowling and get cocktails with a group of their friends in Bad Honnef. It was a lot of fun! We had a nice group and I got to use a bit more German... I'm trying to, anyway. Haha! Following cocktails, our group of four went to a little club next to the bowling alley, and the rest went back in to bowl another game. It was a blast! When I first got in, I was surprised by how stiff everyone was dancing. I asked Luise about it and she said, "They haven't had enough to drink yet." I said I didn't care, went into the middle of the dance floor (which was inside an old swimming pool floor) and broke it down. Some people thought I was a bit crazy... really. I just didn't care what anyone thought and was having fun! After awhile others started to loosen up and the atmosphere improved, which was nice.

Sidenote: I think I've turned off my "like button." I mean, there have been a few cute guys here in Germany that I've been interested in or liked, but not really very many... and it has not in one ounce been a focus. I don't know how, but I think I just turned my mind off to it all and focused on the little boys I care for right now. That's why I'm here, and I haven't let other things be a huge center to my life. The girl here tease me, saying, "How are you going to turn that button back on when you get home?" Haha... I'm sure that will come naturally. :)

(I wrote the above "sidenote" because I was told boys were coming up and trying to dance with me here and there, and in all honesty, I didn't even recognize it. Not one ounce. I've always been a bit oblivious, but yea... Haha!)

We got home that night right before 3am, and after a shower I was out in an instant... It was a long, tiring, really great day, and I was thankful I had great people around me to share it with me. I really missed some of my friends and family from home, and couldn't help but think about my "Thuggin' and 80s Lovin'" party from last year, but this year (though much more chill) was just as good, in a different way.

Yep, that was the day that I turned 25. I am now, 25.
*muah*

Song of the Day: I should just use one of the ones posted above as my song of the day, but I REALLY want to post one that is on no Jamie Cullum album, that he performed at the concert. I didn't record it, and that makes me monster sad... The one I am posting is a good copy from someone else at the concert that I found on YouTube, but the first few seconds are missing... Eh! It's still AMAZING. Here is Jamie Cullum's song, Lost. It's a new favorite song of mine - so good. Enjoy!

A German Halloween!

This past weekend was Halloween. No news-flash there. However, in Germany things are just a bit different on this holiday. It is only in the past few years that this holiday has really begun to "take off," and it still hasn't expanded to the level of that in the United States. Carnival in Germany is more like what are Halloween is... except even more crazy and immoral. Sorry, but it's the truth. As far as dressing up and getting candy go though, Carnival is rather similar to the US's Halloween holiday.

Well, our family decided to spice things up here in Germany and do a Halloween party. Fourteen kids and costumes, twelve painted pumpkins, three games, four bahn-rides, one bonfire, twenty-four sausages, three apples, lots of sand, and even more screaming later... we had completed a rousing Halloween party in the Rheinaue.

It was CRAZY! Seriously, there were so many kids and they were everywhere and anywhere at times, but it turned out great and the kids had a lot of fun. I was glad I had offered to help out though, because there is no way that Patrick and Koko would be able to have done it alone... We were fine, but even for three of us there were a lot of kinder. However, I have to say, the three of us make a good team. On the way to the park, I often led the way as she made sure people in the back of the group were keeping up. Then, during the games we switched roles. Patrick rode ahead and got the pumpkins set up and the fire going strong on the beach. It went well, and it was fun!


Anyway, this weekend was a busy one, full of candy and children. However, it was also a good one. The picture on the side is of Nico in his cowboy costume, and it was just too classic of a picture to pass up... The lone-rider chillin' on the side of the road? Haha...

Seeing Finn in his skeleton and power ranger costumes, and Nico in his Cowboy and Ninga costumes (different ones for Saturday and Sunday) was hilarious... as it always is. Those two play dress-up more than any other kids I know... besides drama nerds. Love it! I even gave it a spin and dressed-up Saturday. What was I, you ask?

Hint: Answers may vary. Not enough? I'm usually black... and answers may vary. STILL not enough? I'm usually black, you can COUNT on me, and... answers may vary!


I was a Magic 8 Ball. Haha! I walked around and when people asked questions, I said things like, "Ask again later," or "Can not predict now." It was fairly classic... and simple. Lest you believe that I was the creative genius, let me give credit where credit is due. Thank you, google search. Thank you.

*muah*

Song of the Day: I am diggin' on this jam after watching Charlie St. Cloud. A decent film, with some good camera work. It was definitely a tear-jerker! Anyway, this song is at the end of the film and I instantly looked it up and downloaded it. LOVE IT! Here is Jack Penate's song, Pull My Heart Away. I need to check out MORE of his stuff, cause this song is THAT good. Cami and Derek, if you are reading this - I thought of you when I heard this - dig it? Enjoy!

Opposition is a GOOD Thing?

“Honest differences are often a healthy sign of progress." - Mahatma Gandhi

I see the world in two ways: Black & white, and Gray.

There are those who argue things really are all black and white, but there are others who claim though there is good and bad, life has a lot of gray within. Some things I would argue are WRONG, and I believe that everyone knows this. Other things I would argue are WRONG, but in most cases - not all. There are things that might appear wrong at first glance, but when we see the reasoning behind them, we find that we were mistaken... or we find we were correct, but the purpose of the action is understood. That does not mean it's excused... but sometimes it does. There are exceptions to every rule -EVERY rule. However, believing that you are a part of that exception is usually what gets one into trouble.

This takes us back to reality verses fiction. We all have our own, personal reality's that we live within. However, can our reality's be a juxtaposition that creates contention by the mere difference in the underlying of the "meat" of our beliefs?

Do we find ourselves relapsing into the reality of our youth because it's easier to handle?

I think sometimes there are things in my life that scare me BECAUSE there's gray present. However, difference is what brings me to life. I am so fascinated by the thought that anyone would prefer that the world was occupied by simple, undemanding sameness. In my eyes, there's nothing to work toward. It's robotic, and stagnant. I would rather have a world filled with difference and unique thoughts being brought to the table.

Different opinions or beliefs often cause tension or discomfort, but they also create learning opportunities and give us room to grow more passionate about our own thoughts, or embrace new ideas.

I'm sure this entry makes no sense to half of my readers, and perfect sense to others. That's okay. Love it, or hate it... the point is proven by this division. The point is that there are going to be divisions, but that's what brings joy to life. There must be "an opposition to all things," correct? I don't believe that opposition is always a negative word.

"Honest difference of views and honest debate are not disunity." - Herbert Clark Hoover

In the same mindset as "opposition," but slightly different from the topic I was just discussing, I am moving onto Isaiah. Haha! In Sunday School this week we were studying the words of Isaiah in the Bible. He can be a tough read. He writes in beautiful symbolism and confusing allegories for our day. However, he knows his stuff.

In Chapter 30, verse 20, he writes, "And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more..."

The verse bluntly says the teachers will not be removed from us in times of affliction or adversity. That is because the adversity and afflictions ARE our teachers. They bring us the greatest amount of opposition in life, and thus, teach us the most - help us grow more than contentment. I'm not saying that I crave adversity, or that anyone should go looking for it. You'll get plenty in it's due time - promise. However, when I go through trial I always arise more confident and more knowledgeable. In a spiritual sense, I also come out closer to my Savior. What the Lord gives is in our struggles, is really a teaching moment.

What is MOST interesting about this verse though?: That they call adversities and affliction the "bread and water." It is the essentials to live. If we are to truly live life, we have to have our "bread and water" to survive. Trials are essential to a full-life... to why we are here on this earth.

So, did I just get controversial, or what? Well, it's my opinion... You can disagree and say we don't need trials to live a full life, to grow and develop into who we were put on this earth to become. But, my opinion will not change. It's okay, because opposition is a good thing in numerous ways.

Now, I just have to remember this DURING my times of adversity and afflictions. Blast.
*muah*

Song of the Day: This is dedicated to you. You know who YOU are... or perhaps you don't, and therein lies the joy in this dedication. Here's Melody Gardot's, Your Heart Is as Black as Night. Enjoy!

Melody Gardot :: Your Heart Is As Black As Night (live)
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