the year in review:2005

January: celebrated New Year's at the "Osterhouse"; moved out of my own place in Lawrence, KS back to Mission, KS and in with my friend Cindy; started a new job as an Office Manager for a consulting firm on the Plaza; gave away my black lab Coal to a teenage boy who works at the vet and lives on a farm; began at least once monthly, usually more often than that, lunches with Jon; ran into my ex named Kendall at Time Warner; watched the Super Bowl at Woody's; started meeting with a new small group that was short-lived but the women were still fabulous; wrote my first Journey piece; saw my friends Michele and Dale off to South Carolina

February: went on my first ever business trip; had a bunch of car problems; spent an entire weekend (day and night) with my friend Elizabeth; had dinner with ex named Kendall who wanted to start something again but I refused him - the dinner provided good closure; went to Kirksville, home of Truman State University, with my friend Heather to visit her parents for a weekend; found a band-aid in my food (I actually had to spit it out of my mouth) at Outback Steakhouse and vowed never to eat there again; went to an Oscar Party

March: celebrated St. Patty's Day; celebrated my cousin Ali's 16th birthday; realized that 10-year reunion was just a few months away and started a weight-loss program, promptly failed miserably, and gave up; my friend sent me flowers on the 5 year anniversary of my mom's death; spent a great day with my friend Lydia visiting the arboretum and eating sushi

April: saw Nida's mom and stepdad off to D.C.; went to a bonfire with Anand and got lost on the way; dressed like a hippie and went to a 70s party out at Bret McClure's place where I ran into a couple guys from high school - Nick and PJ; ran into a few other guys from high school - Rod and Jim and Rob - at Fuel and thus our little "clique" of many years ago was somewhat re-formed; sand volleyball season started; went to Springfield for the weekend with my friend Mikki to see her boyfriend's band play; took my cousin Ali to see Mercy Me in concert, possibly the greatest concert/worship experience I have ever been to

May: started a blog; found out I have PolyCystic Ovarian Disease and may not be able to have children of my own; participated in the Amazing Race in Kansas City; got a love note from my friend Nida; on Friday the 13th had an egg fall from a tree and miss my nose by 1/2 an inch; tried to convince a guy his name was Dave when it was actually Steve; went on an all-girl retreat with the Gathering; participated in a corporate fast for the Gathering and then broke it altogether at Olive Garden; bid my good friend Anand off to be a F.O.C.U.S. missionary; started a coed book group reading Captivating; received public praise from my boss; fell in love with the movie Horse Whisperer all over again; went to Juyapalooza Part Deux

June: had an alarm clock fall on my head; had a crazy man get out of his car (that also contained a doberman) and stomp over to my window and proceed to yell at me while flailing about; had dinner at Tasso's with a fabulous group of people and even saw a belly dancer; saw Footloose live; celebrated my sister Lisa's, Moose's, Deanna's, Michele's, Ryan's birthdays and my sister's, my aunt and uncle's, my grandparents anniversaries; saw the movie Crash and LOVED it; wrote about my mom on what would have been her birthday; pondered what it would be like to be such good friends with God that he has a nickname for me; said goodbye to a newfound friend as SpankinHankins moved to Springfield; turned 28 and had the best party ever; looked into attending Forerunner School of Ministry which is connected to IHOP and God slammed that door in my face; became engaged

July: went to First Fridays in the art district in KC; saw War of the Worlds and thought If not for Dakota Fanning this movie woulda been a waste; discovered the Jesus that rides a Harley through Jeff over at SoIGo; discovered frills and the art of feminine dressing; was awed by a fantastic fireworks display put on by God; prayed for the people in London-town; revisited 1995 in many ways; attended 10-year high school reunion; discovered just how strange my friend Jon Pruitt is when he declared to me he daydreams about getting mugged at gunpoint; decided to move out of Cindy's place and in with Nida; wasted words and compared a boy to gatorade; started reading Wild at Heart and Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2; ate with my hands when my friend Anand made me a traditional Indian meal

August: became increasingly dissatisfied with my life; went to Manhattan for an extended weekend at my dad's new lake house - only I worked all weekend; made a compilation cd of all my favorite songs from commercials; welcomed my nephew into the world; said goodbye to all my friends and family as I made the impromptu move to Alaska to begin a new life; bought Kelly Clarkson's Breakaway cd

September: settled into classes at ACC and began adjusting to community life and living with much younger people; wondered about the difference of being saved from something and being saved to something; took lots of pictures of this beautiful place I live in; had a bonfire on the beach; did the Polar Plunge; was accused of being too white

October: published my testimony on my blog; was chosen to go to Fall Blast in Koyuk, AK (up by Nome) where many incredible things happened and met God in many unbelievable ways; realized that for the first time I am not doing things for the approval of others but for the approval of God; discovered Veronica's; had the most amazing worship experience in the backseat of an old van to the sound of Shawn McDonald; was elected to serve the students as a member of S.A.L.T.; became perfectly flawed; went to Anchorage for the weekend with Jesse

November: went to Homer, AK - a little fishing village - and fell absolutely in love with it; saw The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and decided I am going to have to read the 4-part trilogy; started and finished reading The Magician's Nephew and The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe; realized that I am no better than Lot's wife - I am just a pile of salt for all the "looking back" I've been doing; discovered that in a plane crash landing in water all you need to do is just loosen your shirt a little; was given an Eskimo name - Iirpak, meaning Big Eyes; had an incredible date with Jesus on the day after Thanksgiving; had much to be thankful for; spent Thanksgiving weekend in a beautiful setting

December: participated in Schnupps week - an intensive counseling clinic; said goodbye to a fellow-student; studied mad hard for finals and had it pay off in the end with all As; slacked on blogging; went home for break; got sick; went to Cali for Christmas and New Years; got sick and went to the ER; missed my ACC friends immensely; saw old friends, met new ones; spent time with family; saw The Chronicles of Narnia; got to hang with my cousins; celebrated my friend Peggy's engagement; had dinner with 9 of the best girlfriends currently in my life