A NEW ME
Today, Mike took me to Bella Salon for a manicure, pedicure and haircut! I feel so feminine. I now have a chin-length bob! I like it a lot!
posted by kristen stewart | 14:46 | thoughts? |

29.8.03
LIFE IS SILLY
Mike and I spend so much of our time together cracking up. I never knew he did such good impressions until I married him. Plus, we're just goofy. Here's a good example.

Mike - We got the CBD Academic Catalog in at work today. I was salivating. Man, there are so many good books I want.

Kristen - So, do you consider academic books good gifts to receive?

Mike - Yes! You can get me books for every holiday. You can even buy me books for Father's Day!

[Kristen begins laughing hysterically]

Kristen - Well, dear, you aren't my Father. The only way you can get a Father's Day gift from me is by impregnating me. I will buy gifts for you on behalf of our children until they are old enough to buy them themselves.

Mike - That's at least one more book a year. I say, let's go for it.
posted by kristen stewart | 09:33 | thoughts? |

TIRED
School starts Tuesday. I'm exhausted and my classroom is not ready. Unfortunately, we don't have access to our building today. I really need a break.
posted by kristen stewart | 08:58 | thoughts? |

27.8.03
VARIOUS THINGS
First, Mike and I met the Real Live Preacher yesterday, and some other salon blogging folks, who post anonymously, and a local pastor, Richard. We had fun conversing with all of them.

J.T.'s younger brother posted a few pictures from our wedding. Well, from the guys hanging out beforehand and the desecration that was the Volvo after the reception. At least you get to see Mike in his tux.
posted by kristen stewart | 10:26 | thoughts? |

25.8.03
BUSY WEEKEND
Since Mike works late on Fridays, our weekends are truly contained to Saturday and Sunday. This weekend was busy. Saturday morning and afternoon, there was a Back to School bash where I teach. Then, we had friends over for Mexican and Margaritas and a trip to Amy's Ice Cream. Sunday morning, we went to church and then met Phil and Kathleen at Kerbey Lane for lunch. Mmmm-mmmm gingerbread pancakes. We had a lot of fun hanging out with them, and they came back to the apartment and inspected all of the decor and books that we've been blogging about, which was very cool. We're looking forward to making a trip up to Dallas to hang out with them there. Then, when Phil and Kathleen had left, I threw together a broccoli salad and we headed out to a missions potluck dinner that lasted late into the evening. When we came home, i was so exhausted. Are weekends supposed to be refreshing?
posted by kristen stewart | 13:15 | thoughts? |

24.8.03
SABBATH REFLECTION
The Church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord,
She is His new creation by water and the Word.
From heaven He came and sought her to be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her and for her life He died.

Elect from every nation, yet one o’er all the earth;
Her charter of salvation, one Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy Name she blesses, partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses, with every grace endued.

Though with a scornful wonder men see her sore oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder, by heresies distressed:
Yet saints their watch are keeping, their cry goes up, “How long?”
And soon the night of weeping shall be the morn of song!

The Church shall never perish! Her dear Lord to defend,
To guide, sustain, and cherish, is with her to the end:
Though there be those who hate her, and false sons in her pale,
Against or foe or traitor she ever shall prevail.

’Mid toil and tribulation, and tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation of peace forevermore;
Till, with the vision glorious, her longing eyes are blest,
And the great Church victorious shall be the Church at rest.

Yet she on earth hath union with God the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is won,
O happy ones and holy! Lord, give us grace that we
Like them, the meek and lowly, on high may dwell with Thee.
posted by kristen stewart | 21:51 | thoughts? |

23.8.03
A POST THAT'S NOT ABOUT SCHOOL
I like Austin, don't get me wrong. However, driving in Austin is likely to shave several years off my life. First of all, there are frontage roads. These are confusing Texas roads with no names that run parallel to all the major roads, but have lots of lights and turn only lanes. Then, there is the Texas heat that bakes the lines off the roads. Finally, there is the lack of directional and cautionary signs which lead one to often turn the wrong way down one way streets. If I die of a heart attack, I'm blaming the unlabelled one way streets. Friends, Austin is a scary place to drive. Lucky for me, I work two blocks away. I may have to cease and desist from travelling uncharted routes until I have this Texas-driving thing down.
posted by kristen stewart | 22:31 | thoughts? |

22.8.03
MORE CURRICULUM
My literature proposal was approved. We're reading
Charlotte's Web by E. B. White
Annie Henry and the Secret Mission by Susan Olasky
The Great Brain by John D. Fitzgerald
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
opt. 5th The Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

I am afraid my life really is as dull as my blog. I teach (or, rather, prep to teach), meet parents, cook, clean and do wifely things. Hopefully in the future I will at least think exciting thoughts to post about. The good news is, I'm really happy.
posted by kristen stewart | 16:35 | thoughts? |

20.8.03
CURRICULUM
This is what I am teaching, just in case anyone was remotely interested.
Bible - Daily readings and memory passages set by curriculum committee
Mathematics - I'm using Saxon (mostly 3, perhaps a few in 54)
Grammar - Easy Grammar 3/4 with Daily Grams
Spelling - Megawords
Vocabulary - Focusing on Latin roots and Literature, of my own design each week
Literature - pending approval
History - First Semester - Early American History (the Colonial period and Revolutionary War), Second Semester - Texas History and state projects
Science - Mostly nature study with sketching and observation with a few (tbd) unit studies
posted by kristen stewart | 20:37 | thoughts? |

SEARCH REFERRAL
The last google referral I got was for "what if your tattoo scab comes off and it is cloudy?" which happens to be one of my own eternal questions.
posted by kristen stewart | 08:49 | thoughts? |

18.8.03
THE ADVENTURE BEGINS
Life is getting complicated. I'm now not only the new wife of Mr. Michael Lawrence Stewart and a new resident of the complex city of Austin, I'm also a new teacher. I met my first students (cute as buttons and VERY shy) and their parents today. Praise God for translators. Mike attended a Spanish language bible study tonight while we were meeting and is walking around chanting portions of Psalm 19 en Espanol. He might learn a practical language yet! ;o)
posted by kristen stewart | 21:33 | thoughts? |

17.8.03
SABBATH REFLECTION
Let us, with a gladsome mind, praise the Lord, for He is kind.
For His mercies aye endure, ever faithful, ever sure.

Let us blaze His Name abroad, For of gods He is the God.
For His mercies aye endure, ever faithful, ever sure.

He with all commanding might, filled the new made world with light.
For His mercies aye endure, ever faithful, ever sure.

He hath, with a piteous eye, Looked upon our misery.
For His mercies aye endure, ever faithful, ever sure.

All things living He doth feed, His full hand supplies their need.
For His mercies aye endure, ever faithful, ever sure.

Let us, with a gladsome mind, Praise the Lord, for He is kind.
For His mercies aye endure, ever faithful, ever sure.
--Psalm 136, versified by John Milton
posted by kristen stewart | 19:46 | thoughts? |

15.8.03
ASK AND YE SHALL RECEIVE -- FOR MS. SILLIMAN
I hid the heinous 70s loveseat with this slipcover from Bed, Bath and Beyond. On our couch there are two pillows in this fabric from Pier 1. We purchased a toybox which we are using as a coffee table, this table (the longer version) and four unfinished pine chairs (which are not available online) all from Ikea. We have Ikea stain to transform the unfinished pieces into the same hue as the coffee table. The chairs are going to be cushioned and then dressed up with these slipcovers in cranberry which are on order from from Pottery Barn. Right now, we have one chair at the computer desk and three around the table, but when guest come they will migrate around, following the crowd. Our dining space and living room are one big room, which makes that easy. Fortunately, we had gift cards, etc. that made some of these purchases possible. In the next few weeks, once our bookshelves are built and all the little details come together, I will create a "walking tour" of our apartment, at the request of my family, who keeps reminding me that I got a digital camera for graduation!
posted by kristen stewart | 10:30 | thoughts? |

14.8.03
I HAVE SUCCUMBED

You're Canada!

People make fun of you a lot, but they're stupid because you've got a much better life than they do. In fact, they're probably just jealous. You believe in crazy things like human rights and health care and not dying in the streets, and you end up securing these rights for yourself and others. If it weren't for your weird affection for ice hockey, you'd be the perfect person.
Take the Country Quiz at the Blue Pyramid
posted by kristen stewart | 21:20 | thoughts? |

DECOR
I love decorating. It's my new passion. I run all over town trying to find JUST the right stuff to make our apartment homey. It's very fun!
posted by kristen stewart | 14:31 | thoughts? |

13.8.03
MY IMPRESSIONS OF MONROE, LA
Mike and I stopped in Monroe for about four seconds. Things I noted at the Thomas Road exit: The drive-thru daquari place wasn't bad. There were far too many people at Walmart for 9:30 on a Friday night.
posted by kristen stewart | 11:14 | thoughts? |

WE'RE COOKING WITH GREASE
Dial-up access has now reached our home and I corrected my name. Life is good.
posted by kristen stewart | 11:13 | thoughts? |

12.8.03
TABLES AND LANTERNS AND CHAIRS, OH MY!
I really enjoyed my first visit to Ikea. When we get all unpacked and settled, I'll post pictures.
posted by kristen stewart | 14:35 | thoughts? |

9.8.03
We're married and we made it to Austin. Lots of stories to tell, but no time to tell them. Boxes await in the apartment.
posted by kristen stewart | 20:55 | thoughts? |

1.8.03
WEDDING STUFF
Our wedding party is all here and life is grand. I uploaded our order of service and also the program. Sign in here as "thestewarts" with a password of "austin" and you can see. The cover of the program is in a nice script font that wouldn't render right, so I just deleted it. We printed it on white coverstock paper. Anyway, lots to do here, I just wanted to share a bit of what Sunday will be like for all of y'all who can't be there.
posted by kristen stewart | 11:54 | thoughts? |

Aaron // Alex // Amy // Andrew // Annie // Barb // Ben // Berek // Brandon + Wendy // Chris // Christin // Daniel // Dave + Melissa // Dave H. // Dave K. (mostly) // Davey // Dawn G. // deadyetblogging // Deacon // Dustin // Ellen // Emeth // Francis // Dr. George // Gideon // Hester // Isaiah // J.T. // Jake // James B. // Jason G. // Jason K. // Jason W. // Jeff M. // Jeff N. // Jen // Jenn H. // Jenn N. // Jenny // Jessie // Joel // John Ba. // John Bu. // Jon A. // Jon B. // Jon S. // Jonathan W. // Jonvw // Josh M. // Josh S. // Josh W. // Kelly // Laurel // Lucy // Matt B. // Matt C. // Matt H. // Megan // Melissa // Mike // Nate // Nathanael // Nick // Nikkiana // Paul // Paulo // Phil // Rachel // Real Live Preacher // Remy // Richard B. // Richard O. // Rick // Rob // Russ Y. // Sarah G. // Sarah H. // Sarah J. // Seth // Shane // Shimmer // Sora // Summer // Tim E. // Tim G. // Tom // Valerie // Valerie S. //