Ebony...Something...Kendrick

Last night I had a long talk on the phone with Ebony and it was really great to talk to her. I can't believe it's been over a month since I've seen or talked to her and I miss her a lot.  We did a lot together in DC and I have a ton of great memories with her.  Ebony called me Erin Patricia Holahan after she found out that was my middle name, which seems to be what people do when they find out my middle name for some reason.  Anyway, one day I tried to call her by her middle name and realized that I didn't remember it at the time so I said "Ebony...Something...Kendrick" which was funny to us, but probably doesn't make for a great story.  By the way, her middle name is Lauren.  The reason I told that story is because my Nana always used to say to people she really liked "you're something else again" and that's how I feel about Ebony.  She is a great friend, a hard worker, and always willing to help out when she can.  She is very selfless and I'm glad that I can call her my friend.  

One of my first days working at Ebenezers I told Ebony that my house didn't have a coffee maker and I had to change that immediately so I was going to buy one after work. Well, not knowing the city at all, I was going to go to the only place I knew how to get to which would have been really expensive.  So, Ebony took me to Target and we got Ben's Chili Bowl for lunch.  It was such a great day and from that moment on we were bff's.  I'm so thankful for her and I'm so excited to see where she goes in life.  It's sad that we aren't in the same city anymore and we can't just get coffee or go to a fun place for dinner or find the only Pizza Hut in DC, but I know that she was brought into my life for a reason and this past year was just the beginning.  

We have a lot of goals separately, but one of our goals together is to write a musical.  I know that it sounds like a joke and it sort of is, but I think we can really do it.  Watch out because we're developing characters and you might find yourself in one of them ;)  Needless to say, Ebony is a joy to be around and spending time with her is effortless.  Here's to you, Ebony...

"May the road rise to meet you.

May the wind always be at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

and rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

may God hold you in the palm of His hand!"

pumpkin bread

I have found that there is something inside of me that comes alive when I am cooking.  Maybe it has something to do with the endless hours I have spent watching food network over the years, but I have really grown to love the time I spend making dinners or baking.  Yesterday I was feeling weird so I decided that I would make a huge pot of vegetable soup and a couple loaves of pumpkin bread and it totally changed how I was feeling.  

I have been using a vegetarian cookbook as a base for the meals that I make and it's been really good, but I want to learn more.  I have decided that I am going to take some cake baking and decorating courses as well as a few classes in cooking other kinds of food.  My favorite class that I'm signing up for is how to make butternut squash ravioli.  I'm really excited for that...and I think I might debut what I learn at Thanksgiving this year so stay tuned for more on that.  

Psalm 8:1-9

"O Lord, our Lord, your majestic

name fills the earth!

Your glory is higher than the heavens.

You have taught children and infants

to tell of your strength,

silencing your enemies and all who oppose you.

When I look at the night sky

and see the work of your fingers-

the moon and the stars you set in place-

what are mere mortals that you should think about them,

human beings that you should care for them?

Yet you made them only a little lower than God

and crowned them with glory and honor.

You gave them charge of everything you made,

putting all things under their authority-

the flocks and the herds

and all the wild animals,

the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,

and everything that swims the ocean currants.

O Lord, our Lord, your majestic 

name fills the earth!"

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today Clare and I took mom to Color Me Mine (I told you I was obsessed) for her birthday.  We had a great time and it was a complete surprise for mom.  We each painted something and it was such a great way to spend the day.  We got Cold Stone after that and then went to see Fame.  It was so special to be able to spend the day making memories with my mom...we had so much fun and didn't worry about anything all day!  We could have just bought her something that I'm sure she would have liked, but Clare and I thought that it would be nice to just spend the day enjoying each other and making memories that will last forever.  Now whenever we look at the pottery that we painted today we will remember this birthday and how much fun we have together.  

On a side note...I know that Fame has been getting bad reviews, but I really liked it.  I'm a sucker for movies like that.  I felt inspired and I could not stop dancing to the music!  It might not have been the most amazing movie in the sense of acting or technical things, but I was entertained!

Color Me Mine

For my birthday last week Tricia took me to Color Me Mine where we painted pottery.  It was so much fun and really relaxing. Of course I painted a coffee mug and I think I'm addicted!  We were so into being artistic that we didn't even really talk much, but you know you have a great friend when just being together is enough-no words need to be spoken. It takes a week for them to finish it after it's painted and I picked my finished product up yesterday:

what will your routine look like?

why'd we buy these knives?

Have you ever tried typing without using one of your index fingers?? Well, that is what I'm doing right now and it's not easy!  Yesterday I was getting dinner ready...which is what I do now since I'm home all day and I actually love it...and I was singing while I cut up some vegetables.  This is not an unusual occurrence: 1. for me to be cutting vegetables and 2. for me to be singing, but I have never really done them together I guess.  I slipped and the knife cut my index finger worse than I've ever done before.  I don't want to be graphic, but those Cutco knives cut things really smoothly.  I held pressure on it for awhile and then put two bandaids on it.  I ate a cookie because that makes everything better.  I thought it was getting a lot better and I was excited!

I had tap dance class last night and when I came home I asked my mom to help me clean my cut.  As soon as we took the bandaids off the cut started to bleed again.  That's when I realized I cut it a lot deeper than I thought.  She was able to wrap it up in gauze and now I look really weird, but at least it's not bleeding anymore!!!  So, my advice is DON'T USE CUTCO KNIVES IF YOU WANT TO SING WHILE YOU COOK!!!

I'm 22, I'm 22...

*I spent the day with Bailey at the vet because she got stung by a bee, but I'm glad she's ok!*

*Mr. Dominic's for the annual birthday dinner!*

*Homemade Carrot Cake with pink frosting!*

There's a part in the movie Never Been Kissed where Drew Barrymore's character exclaims in her high school English class, where she is an undercover reporter, "I'm 17, I'm 17" in order to convince everyone else and herself.   I remember this line every year on my birthday because it's often difficult to believe that an entire year passed AGAIN!  

I celebrated my 22nd birthday on Wednesday and really spent a lot of time reflecting on birthday's in the past.  As I look back over my life I know I was with the people that I needed to be with on my birthday each year, but no year is exactly alike.  Last year I was in DC with wonderful roommates and friends who I had just met and eating cupcakes my family sent to the office.  This year I spent my day in Rochester with my family and actually had to take my dog to the vet unexpectedly.  It felt like any other day except that all of my favorite songs seemed to be on the radio and I ate a lot of cake.  While it may seem weird, this is exactly how I needed to spend my birthday this year.  It was a very relaxing day, nothing too crazy, but it was great.  After I took Bailey to the vet I went to my mom's school to eat Chipotle for lunch and hang out with her. Who better to spend your birthday with than the woman who gave birth to you?  The rest of the night I spent in my pajamas watching my new 8 Simple Rules DVD with my sister and eating a homemade macaroni and cheese dinner and relaxing with my family.

So many times I find myself comparing myself to other people and focusing on what I don't have, but the truth is I have so much.  This year I am going to focus on being content no matter what situation.  Whether alone or with other people, whether working or walking the dog in my sweat pants, whether cooking dinner for myself or my family, I know that as long as I'm breathing I have everything I need.  It's not about material things, but about the number of breaths we forget we take that God never misses.

Don't get me wrong...I got some beautiful gifts for my birthday and sweet cards in the mail, but even without that I am completely content to know that I am embarking on another year to grow a little more in wisdom and love.  I know I'll look back on September, 16 2010 and think "I can't believe another year has passed" and I just want to enjoy this 22nd year of my life to the fullest!

A whole new world

So, I'm back in Rochester and it's another surreal experience.  Right after graduation I moved to DC so it feels weird to be here and not be in school.  I've gone back to campus a couple of times since I've been back and it's a whole new world.  I've visited since graduation, but living so close and not going to school gives me new eyes.  I've really enjoyed connecting with people again and see how things and people have changed over the course of a year.  

I feel like the last year has been a whirl-wind  and I am still processing everything I have experienced.  I'm grateful that I have time to do so because I feel that so many times we miss out on what God has done in our lives because we don't take the time to process and digest exactly what has happened.  

It's a whole new world being back here and not being a student because that's all I've known while living in Rochester, but I'm embracing this time and learning a lot from it already!