few and far between

So I have looked and looked at this blog over the past week and kept thinking how much I needed to update, but it never happened. Sadly, school has taken over my life. I haven't sewed a single thing since the week before Cider Days and I keep putting off sewing-related things b/c when it comes down to it, I just don't have time to do my homework, hang out with Jeff, hang out with friends, keep the house reasonably clean, AND sew. I'm truly sad about it, but its true. My hope is to at least make two things a month, but we'll see...

In other news, I have been challenge in my faith somewhat these past few weeks. It all started with me uttering the word "postmodernism" in a class at Evangel and feeling a bit strange about the reaction of several class mates as well as my professor. Turns out all is well and more people agree with me than not, but for a week or so I didn't know how I was going to do it... reconcile my open-mindedness with my faith. All I am going to say about it is that its God's job to change people, not mine. I point, I speak what He wants me to say, and above all else, I love.

Okay, my food is getting cold (i'm at mudhouse) and I need to read some for class. On the subject of not updating much lately, does anyone read this anymore? Give a shout out if you stop by.

mucho love,
Mitch

Updates

Cider Days Pics--FINALLY! Jenn and Jeff were huge helps--HUGE. The whole day was rather exhausting in that there was a lot of traveling to and from KC the day before and of... on top of all the set up for it and an early morning I was super sleepy by the end of it. I made a decent profit for one days' work and decided to cut my losses for Sunday and just not deal with it. Glad it worked out that way. Overall though there was a lot of good reception to mine and Tessa's items and it sold fairly well.

I haven't even looked at my sewing machine since last week and I'm sorta nervous about that. I really want to keep creating, but all that free time at home I usually have is being eaten up by grad school assignments and reading. I am going to keep on with it though, just maybe to a smaller scale... and NO booths at arts shows for sure.

time helps

I am doing better today. At work and am currently caught up on everything here (hooray!) I found out I have many more assignments to work on for grad classes than I thought but oh well... such is the life of a busy person.

Thanks for everyone's thoughts and prayers. I guess I needed them more than I thought--I ended up crying in front of everyone in my Foundations of Counseling and Guidance class last night and got sent home early by my professor, Neva Hilton. What are you supposed to do when the class is talking about death and leaving a legacy and you're so thankful that your grandfather left an amazing one for you?

In other news Jenn is back in town and there are best friends' birthdays to celebrate this weekend. I am looking forward to it. I love giving good b-day presents and am still contemplating this year's gifts for Mara and Kesha. They are both such AMAZING friends and I want them to know that... I value them more than most things.

Oh, one other thing--i bought this really cute dress for the visitation in KC the other day and am wearing it to work today. I like feeling pretty after a hard week. :-)

funeral

Boo for funerals and visitations. Its not that they are awful, b/c they aren't-- they just have a way with sticking in your guts for a while and making you contemplate things. I came back home from the whole thing yesterday with Jeff. Its sorta been a relief and its also been hard being back. My sister and my dad are still in KC to support my grandma and my mom, which makes me feel the same way... I went back to work today and just couldn't get my head in the game.

The funeral was nice though. There were so many memories people talked about that were light hearted and funny, as well as inspiring. That man had a way of touching people's lives--always talking to folks asking them "do you know the Man?" (I guess he recently said that to his dental hygienist. ha.)

Life is interesting. I was reminded how easily it can be taken away, and yet how sturdy and enduring we are. I also have thought a lot about how I treat my family and close friends--how I want to always be pointing them to the one who gave life just like him.

We will miss you Howard Boyd...

There wasn't much of a "take two" for my Cider Days updates... I was planning on telling everyone about the awesomeness of Project Rescue and how I'm going to donate 10% of my earnings from this weekend to it, I was going to show some pics of new things I'll be selling, and then Thursday we got some bad news: my grandfather, Howard Boyd, at 91 years old passed away early in the morning 9/13. He died in his sleep.

He was an awesome man. Had a way of making jokes out of everything. He wore flannel shirts. He had the beginning stages of Alzheimer's and couldn't remember who I was the last time I saw him about three weeks ago. He loved reading the Bible. He really wanted to stick around to take care of my grandmother who was in worse shape than him, but i guess you can't plan everything.

I will be at Cider Days on Saturday but unfortunately not on Sunday. I am crossing my fingers that everything gets sold by Sunday, but if not my awesome friends Kesha and Mara will be holding down the fort. Sunday is the visitation from 4-6pm and Monday is his funeral. Its all taking place in Kansas City where he is from and has lived with his wife for as long as they've been married.

Anyway, I'm sure this will mean that I won't be able to post for a while until everything has settled down. I'll make sure to take pics of Cider Days though and will post when I get the chance.

-Mitch

Cider days take one

Here is the info for Cider Days on what to expect to pay, do, etc. straight from the GO BLOG website.

Get ready for autumn this Saturday and Sunday at the 10th Annual Cider Days on Historic Walnut Street. You’ll find regional artists and crafters, performance stages, a Scarecrow Village, a Historic Homes Tour and more. All of that for only $3 per person and free for children under 10. While you’re on Walnut Street, pop into darklight gallery & studio (1111 E. Walnut St.) to check out the new “fall” exhibit with artists from as far away as Chicago and Austin—and as close as Monett.

I'm excited. I'm excited. I'm excited. I'm excited.

Jeff and I get to hang out ALL day together at this thing on Saturday and it couldn't have been better timing. We haven't seen each other all month or last month really, and could use some good crafty/people watching/goofy/fun time together. Right now he's getting ready for MSU's amazing blood drive next week and is working all sorts of ungodly hours while I am studying/getting ready for cider days/in class. Needless to say we don't have any groceries in the house and our dogs are getting restless.

coming up...

I'm getting really excited for Cider Days. Its supposed to be a high right around 70 degrees both days, Jeff is going to be with me most of the time, and when he's not I have friends coming, I have my display stuff ready, my 30+ items are priced... yeyeyeyey!

I still have a few things to do mind you, and I'm nothing short of exhausted, but its gonna be worth it.

More details to come. :-)

late night thoughts

You know how it sucks when you're trying to sleep and you just can't turn your thoughts off? That's me at the moment. Its 3am and the living room light is on at the Houghton house. I can't sleep because I can't stop thinking about strange stuff (like--when is the next designer brand like Porenzo Shouler or Libertine coming to Target?), and, of course, I am hot. I am always hot in bed. I sweat like crazy and stick to my sheets.

So this week has been good--lots of stuff to soak in now with a new schedule and new classes to ruminate on. Funny, I actually LIKE my Ethics class and am getting a ton out of that already. This week we were talking about how its majorly important to know yourself and your "issues" when you're a counselor. When you know yourself you're more likely to not put your own needs ahead of your clients'. I haven't thought much about my own issues in a while, to tell the truth...

A long time ago (it seems at least) I went on happy-pills to calm a great storm inside of me of self-doubt and since then I haven't wanted to face those little bugs inside of me. Thing is---everyone has them. Everyone, at some point, should probably go to counseling to work on their "stuff". Its not a big deal. We're human. We're made with really great gifts as well as great downfalls. If you operate on that worldview a little more it helps you not get so pissed off when someone treats you like this or that or says the wrong thing, etc... it helps you treat yourself a bit better too.

So that's been sorta cool to think about. I am also obsessed with a certain Christian band-- John Mark McMillan, at the moment. I drive around in my car singing these lyrics, i mean really singing them, and thinking about who God's made me to be and how I should really truly love that person. If you read this and know of any other good Christian music I could really use some stuff like JMM to listen to.

Also--Cider Days is coming up next weekend! I am sure I'll dedicate several more postings to that topic, (and hopefully they won't be written at 3am). I'm getting really excited and sorta nervous. I mean---I've never done anything like this before outside of attending so I don't really know what to expect. I have approx 35 items at the moment to sell, hoping to come up with five more by this time next week. hooray.

Okay, time to put this tired mind to bed. Or at least finish rambling and go check out Target's website.

-Mitch

New puppy!

My dad has a new puppy (well, its my mom's too) and its ADORABLE. Meet Lilly the 10 week old Beagle pup.

Opinions, Shmo-pinions

So I guess I am a rather opinionated person. I knew that... I mean, I know that. Jeff DEFINITELY knows that... but this whole grad school at Evangel thing I think is going to pull me to revisit some of those opinions rather quickly.

So I'm in this class called Integration of Christianity and Counseling. The whole point it to get us to think about our faith and how we should be incorporating it into everything we do... I'm good with that concept. I want to do a better job in my life of putting God above myself, more of Him, less of me, etc.

But why does that have to be so HARD?

I mean, I started reading the books for this class and each of them right off the bat I disagreed with. I disagree with a lot of Christian "fluff" (as I like to call it) because its just too fluffy. I hate sayings like "being saved," and the idea that someone's life can be filled with the Holy Spirit and they were never the same after that. It just makes it sound like there is an audible voice that other, better, Christians are hearing that I'm not.

From what I've experienced and what I have heard from other very close-walking (Oh no--Chrsitaneese fluff words, i am such a hypocrite) people is that it never turns out to be a sudden change in you once you come to trust God more or have the Holy Spirit talk to you or whatever. Its a WALK. Its a path. Its not automatic. I mean, i feel like I need to be "saved" every day. Some days I am, other days I am drowning.

Anyway, all of this is to say that I get all ruffled up when I feel like others are putting God into these easy to understand yet so hard to follow pigeon holes--as if we're all loosers for not "getting it." Its not that they're SAYING that, its that I feel that--with all my insecurities and weaknesses.

Of course you know its more about my weaknesses than that of others. Its more about how I see things than how they do that "ruffles" me.

Two dogs, one Winnie, One JJ, and One husband equals funhouse

here are a few pics to share from this week with Jenn. its been great to have her back (I WANT HER TO STAY!)





This weekend is getting off to a good start. First of all I worked so many dang hours this week that I got to take off most of Friday to play with Jenn. That was lotsa fun. We went shopping, ran into people, ate good stuff at Tea Bar and Bites... you know.

Then last night was Kesha's engagement party! She had no idea it was happening last night and a bunch of us had been keeping it from her all this and last week. It finally happened though. Charlie asked her by taking her out to eat, setting up candles with wine and dessert in his back yard, and asking her there. Cool thing was though that ALL of kesha's friends and family were there in the house waiting for it to happen. I don't think I'll ever forget having all these women--Kesha's mom and her friends and my friends, peeking out the blinds watching their every kiss and bite waiting for him to get down on his knee. Its almost indescribable how movie-esq the whispers were between us all.

Anyway, then today Jenn and I went flea-market shopping on Commercial street and had a blast. Waiting to meet up with the Ladies to go to Kia and then we're off to Jeff's show the Mystery Hour. It should be a good one with the guests and cool skits he's got planned.