Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary...

Nathan might be tired of this nursery rhyme:

Mary, Mary, quite contrary
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
And pretty maids all in a row.

The other day I was incessantly chanting the little rhyme while we perused Menard's looking for potting soil.  We had to get into the gardening spirit, after all!  (Nathan claims he's never heard that rhyme before--I think he thinks I'm a little crazy sometimes.)

Our little garden is growing so well!  We're very excited because we thought our patio may not get enough light. However, this morning I heard Nathan exclaim, "It looks like a real plant!"  I came out to look and he excitedly showed me one tiny cilantro leaf on one of our seedlings.

One tiny cilantro leaf!

We also made it to Manhattan's farmer's market this morning.  Apparently it's one of the oldest in the state, dating back to the 70's.  We had some good finds!

The loot

We found a lot of great things!  Counter clockwise from the top are the following: Napa Cabbage, Mixed Spicy Greens, Local Honey, Asparagus, and Green Onions!

I was really looking forward to the asparagus, so I'm glad they had some at a reasonable price.

I'm glad it's spring, and excited to see if our garden will produce for us this year.  But for now, the farmer's market has some great, fresh produce.

Day 16

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A picture of someone who inspires you


This one is easy for me, but may catch you off guard...

Leonardo da Vinci

He was an engineer and an artist.  I want to be just like him someday.  Except female.  And really only in the art and engineering way... no other way.  Did you know that he taught himself to write cursive backwards so that no one could read his work?!  They only discovered this was so when someone held it up to a mirror.  How cool is that?  Seriously.


And someday I want to go to Paris and see the Mona Lisa, but that's unrelated to this post and more relevant to the last one.

Day 15

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A picture of something you want to do before you die

My friend Nathan the Engineer is president of the skydiving club.  I think I first met him when Amy the Engineer and I were taking Thermodynamics 1 (ick).  We gracefully thrashed our way through, and he probably got an A (I definitely didn't), and Amy definitely got an A (she loooves Thermo... weirdo).  There are three things that Nathan has tried to get Amy and me to do since we've been friends:  go to Aggieville and get a "Dead Nazi" shot, go skydiving, and go to ColdStone on student night.  Only one of them's happened... and it involved chocolate, if that helps you figure out which one.

I actually have a bucket list.  I made it a few years ago when there was something I wanted really badly, and it was all I could focus on.  I made the list to remind me that I had other, better goals.  One of the things on my list is "go skydiving", shhh... don't tell my friend Nathan.  I'm not exactly sure that I want to do it... yet.

Here are a few other goals:

Make a friend from every (inhabited) continent.
Still waiting for Australia.

Donate my hair.
Accomplished 10/2007

Make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Israel.
Accomplished 3/2009

And... a lot more!  But, I can't find my list.  It's actually a photo album, so when I complete one thing I can put a picture in the album.  Maybe someday it will be full of fun memories!

Day 14

(Full list)


A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without

Dear Handsome, 
I am a better person because I know you.  You challenge me with your life; you are wise and humble.  You are the most loving person I've ever met (and maybe the silly-est, too), and your love challenges me to be more like Jesus.  Maybe someday I can learn to chop wood and ride a motorcycle just like you do.  I'm looking forward to the rest of our lives together, as long as the Lord wills!
All my love,
Lauren

Day 13

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A picture of your favorite band or artist song

Hi.  It's been a while, I know.  I've typed a lot of words in the last week.  I ended up with 1,724 words about natural gas trash trucks (and I'm not quite done), and none about my favorite band/artist.  I've been suffering from writer's block... actually, my favorite band/artist depends on the day (or minute?), and so I've had a hard time choosing.  Now, since this is my blog and I do what I want to, I edited the requirements (again).  Here are some of my favorite songs (right now)!

P.S.  I apologize for the cheese-tastic-ness of the last two videos, I guess it comes with the territory.


"Now that you'll listen, I'll tell you that I'll love you for you, not for what you have done or what you'll become."


"Thirty-five cents off a ground round? Baby, cut that coupon out!"


"You can't jump the tracks, we're like cars on a cable and life's like an hourglass glued to the table. No one can find the rewind button, girl, so cradle your head in your hands and breathe."

Day 12

(Here's the full list.)

A picture of something you love

At the risk of sounding like I'm giving you a "Sunday School" answer, my first love is Jesus Christ.  Everything that's good in me is because of Him.  I owe my allegiance to Him, the God of the Universe.

Now, here are pictures of other loves:

Silly-ness with Handsome

The Cutest Nephew in the World

Fun with my Girls

Pine Cove

Eating Glue....
Wait, what?

Day 11

Hey-o, everyone, it's April already and I'm not even halfway through this list!


A Picture of Something You Hate* Strongly Dislike


Hate is such a strong word--so I edited the requirement.  The following are somethings I really, really dislike.

I don't ever remember liking blueberries, although mom says I did at one point.
I do know that they are sooo good for me and full of antioxidants,
I just don't like the flavor... at all.

I have a bone to pick with this song**.
It stands in direct opposition to my theology (what I believe to be true about God).
Nothing is better than giving God the praise he deserves.
(I just don't think we have the freedom to claim what this song does, even if it feels right.)

*One thing I hate is Satan.  There's no picture of him, but he is so tricky and full of destruction.  He is the father of lies and the deceiver.  He is a source of pain, confusion, and terror in our lives.  I really really really look forward to the second coming of Christ when Satan will be thrown into hell, never to torment us again!

**If you disagree with me, it's okay, as long as you know why.  I think it has a catchy tune, and that Amy Grant has a lovely voice, but that is no reason to fill my mind with it.  It is important to know why you believe what you believe and not let everything labeled "Christian" into your life.  (I hope we can still be friends!)