reminiscing

ohio (and indiana) winters

nataliedee.com          

 this is definitely how it feels today as we are supposed to be in columbus, OH right now, but instead, the roads are frozen over and im still sitting in my room in nappanee watching pride and prejudice and drinking more coffee. not much different from usual, just a different location...

well dang

just go to the website....these two are from Sept 07

whoops

nataliedee.com

other too big...take 2

comic

nataliedee.com

my sister showed me this awesome online comic strip

miss you tim and christine :(

aren't they just so dang cute?

revival of the punk

whenever i actually need to study for long periods of time and cram, i always end up listening to my old punk/hardcore music.  today's choice is a band i used to very much enjoy...an old christian punk band from ohio called Relient K.  since i'm studying for finals, i thought this song was appropriate...(just listen to the song and don't watch the video because it's really boring)

the moon

a lovely song by glen and also a unit im planning for finals

off to nimbus

heck freaking ya

lovely poem

For A New Beginning
by John O'Donohue
"To Bless the Space Between Us"

In out-of-the-way places of the heart,
Where your thoughts never think to wander,
The beginning has been quietly forming,
Waiting until you were ready to emerge.

For a long time it has watched your desire,
Feeling the emptiness growing inside you,
Noticing how you willed yourself on,
Still unable to leave what you had outgrown.

It watched you play with the seduction of safety
And the gray promises that sameness whispered,
Heard the waves of turmoil rise and relent,
Wondered would you always live like this.

Then the delight, when your courage kindled,
And out you stepped onto new ground,
Your eyes young again with energy and dream,
A path of plenitude opening before you.

Though your destination is not yet clear
You can trust the promise of this opening;
Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning
That is at one with your life's desire.

Awaken your spirit to adventure;
Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk;
Soon you will be home in a new rhythm,
For your soul senses the world that awaits you.


Another blogger had posted this poem and I loved it so I thought I'd share it with you all...

composition

We did a painting together as a house when we all lived at the Plumer House.  

Here is it's beginning...

do you agree?

A guy i knew from high school took this picture while he was hanging out in Zambia. It touches on so much, but at the core, that education is a right as much as freedom of speech or heath care.  That idea is being debated a lot these days in US legislation as well. 

What do you all think?

pride and prejudice

i utterly love this story, both the film and the novel...and i especially love watching it around the holidays...

here's one of my favorite clips. they're so awkward :)

the goodness of God

Here's an illustrator's journey to his love of coffee

song stuck in head

i listened to this song this morning...its been around ever since...

here's the pop-ish mtv version:

now here's the cool electric guitar version where i really wish the crowd wasn't singing along...


but i just rather enjoy it when he belts it...fun music

glorious ruins

Dan Allender talks about how we are glorious ruins: having been made in the image of God - the glorious part, yet fallen and stained by sin - the ruin part.  I like that idea because i feel like it encompasses a way for me to handle satan's condemnation assault that he likes to siege on my soul. I can say "no, i'm not a worthless piece a crap, i'm a daughter of Jesus!" and at the same time "well, you're right. I'm not perfect...I'm broken, and messy, and bleeding, and awful, and angry, and selfish...but that's why I need Jesus".  It helps me stand in my identity as a follower of Jesus...and as such this dead leaf reminded me of that...the death that is in my flesh, but yet the beauty that God brings out through me. 

i heart glen

just playing some songs on guitar...particularly enjoying this song...

Ariel's bridal shower present

I took gift-wrapping in 4-H growing up. I tried to resurrect some old skills for Ariel's "Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, and Something Blue" present

Happy Thanksgiving :)

And if you have a minute, check out this E-card about Thanksgiving. I hope you can just sign in as a guest if they make you do that...it's pretty funny

red velvet whoopie pies

man, i got nothin on the Amish back home...

a frog caught

good times with good friends - coffee always included

how life feels these days...

i'm trying to work to simplify...promise

great cafe in boulder, co

the wetlands in nappanee

OBAMA IS VICTORIOUS

we have a new president elect. my mother will be very happy

last week

i saw him play last week...very AMAZING vocal chords

happy halloween - learning about candles

so random and amusing...

red lipstick

an essential component to any 50's housewife halloween costume

what are men compared to rocks and mountains

(not trying to be chauvinistic, its from a movie)

oh the glories of nature...

view from below

the one tree that decided to turn red

milkweed

day of opposite emotions

today was a sad day for me...like these wilty cherries at home in Indiana...However, it was also Sue Cepin's birthday! Happy Birthday Sue!!!

Obama in IN

this was at the fairgrounds 1 mile away from my grandparent's house where I was this past week.

-from Getty Images

Dobra Tea

i used to sit at this little tea house on Church St. in Burlington, VT after I got off work.  I was working at Dunkin' Donuts then, so I'd get off around 11, go home, shower, have lunch...and then venture over here before I had to be at my other job at 3:30.  This room you see above is one of my all-time favorite journaling spots in the world.  With awesome tea.  And they also have the best hummus plate I've ever had. I miss it greatly after looking at this pic. If you are ever in Burlington, go there. It'll change your life ;)

my default i try to avoid

This past week I didn't get a paper done that I needed to, and as of today, my grandpa is sick enough in the hospital that I am flying home on Monday...yes in 1.5 days and I just booked the ticket today.  He has water on his brain and his heart keeps trying to shut down.  This is really freaky, and I'm trying to fight to freak out as I'm missing lots of class, and I have big group projects going right now. 

All to say...this picture above is where I tend to go, and this semester is no different. If you guys could pray for me - that I could rest, grieve, and let Jesus be in control - that would be awesome.  And if you could pray for my grandpa as he's such a high-spirited guy, and this is really painful and difficult for him, as well as for my grandma.  They've been married for 58 YEARS, and I can't even imagine what she's going through.  

thanks everybody...whoever reads this and is inclined to pray :)

this image came from this site which posted where it originally came from, but the site was moved (attempting to respect copyright).

Sodom, south Georgia

this has been stuck in my head a lot. i really enjoy this song

oh the greatness...

iron and wine

this is Glen - we were so close!!!

singing "Say It To Me Now"

these were taken by a woman we met at the concert named Elliot. More to come

October sunset

WOW!!!...I can't even try...

what an AMAZING night! Annette, Lori, Lacie, Caitlin and I were leaning on the edge of the stage as Iron and Wine came on.  We stood there, amazed at the beauty that was displayed before us  and of course I forgot my camera, so pics will be coming when I can get them from Annette.   They played many beautiful songs and at the end, smiled at us as we thanked them :) Lovely!

Then...the magic began. Glen came out on stage with his old beat-up Takamine, and walked up right in front of us, slowly so we would move our arms so he could stand over us and play "Say It to Me Now"...AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Seriously...RIDICULOUS. Annette reached over and said, "We're getting spit on by Glen!" :)  The next two hours were just amazing...utterly amazing...and we got to meet them at the end of everything. I am so thankful for $41 and living in Tucson, and the chance to go see them play. Watching amazing concerts always makes me want to be a better musician...so I will be playing today. :) Yeah

creekside foliage

from our first Veteran's Day Pinetop adventure - Nov. 11, 05. 

Great show

Coleen and I went to see this band- Ra Ra Riot - at Plush and they were AMAZING! So great and fun to watch...:)

Once...T minus 3 DAYS!!!

for neil

Counting Crows video

whisper

Keith let me use his whisper lite a while ago, and I took this picture for him cuz I was so excited that I actually found the spot and had my tent set up, and was making dinner.  He was so helpful...thanks Keith!

knight and his friend

another big lake flower - red iris?

unique tree

this tree is along my favorite hike on Mt Lemmon.  it always makes me laugh and think of the chronicles of narnia for some reason...

this is what i feel like doing today

so i bought a slide after work...step 1

guess who i got to talk to today!

winter birdhouse