PontifiKate

Hold It!

I may be in France with important Frenchy-type things to do, but no one gets away with insinuating that I won’t fulfill my duties as one “tagged”! I will stop everything and I will oblige… with great pleasure. :o)

10 years ago: I was 14 and starting 9th grade. Ugh: 9th grade! Nah, it wasn’t that bad. I got to exchange the glasses for soft contacts. I made it into the large show choir at school. I had my last year of piano lessons (until college). I had a great group of friends at Irving Junior High, and our last year together (we were split between high schools starting in 10th) was a blast. We had a couple of those murder mystery character parties and I thought they were the best things ever. Anne was at Irving with me (in 7th grade) and we knew ’most everyone in the school because we told each other about everyone we ever came in contact with. That was my family’s last year at the church I grew up in which I loved, but as I‘d just been through junior high there, I wasn‘t disappointed to hear we were leaving.

5 years ago: I was 19 and starting my first year at UNL (my second year of college). This was not a very good year. I had a hard time finding a niche because I was a transfer student who lived at home. I tested lower than I should have in French, so I had to essentially repeat the courses I’d just taken. I tried to get in with the UNL vocal music crowd, but had little success. I did, however, have an excellent experience in the UNL vocal jazz ensemble. This was RUF’s 1st year at UNL and I was the first student contact: no pressure. :o)

1 year ago: I was 23 and starting my 6th and final year of college. I had recently changed my major from French Teaching to just plain French and I wasn’t looking back (except to grumble). RUF was starting its 5th year at UNL, I was on ministry team, and I was becoming more and more convinced that ministry was something I’d love to do full-time. I was working part-time at the church office and loving it. Homework was a pesky side note I tried to ignore. Anne had moved back home and Sam was home (slimming down for the army) which meant that we had 4/5 G-- kids at home and 5/5 in Lincoln!

Yesterday: Daddy’s birthday. I wrote him an e-mail and called him. I cried during both. // Every day in France gets a little better, in all respects. Host sisters Audrey (16) and Marine (13) walked me to the nearest Target-type store (except that it wasn’t really much like Target). It was the first place I’ve gone that I’ve felt like I could find on my own in addition to finding my way back: a small but significant victory! At said store I bought another USA-France plug adapter in the hopes that my adapter was at fault and not all of my appliances and chords and IT FIXED EVERYTHING!! *whew* Oh -- and I more or less finalized with Patrice & Natalie (host dad & mom) that I’m going to live with them for the duration! A good day, all in all.

5 snacks I enjoy: Momma’s chocolate chip cookies, French bread and cheese, salsa & tortilla chips, gummy snacks, Chex Mix

5 songs I know all of the words to: The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air introduction, Un Bel Di (yes, really), I’ve Had My Supper (my favorite lullaby), A Song In My Heart (volumes I & II), most of P.D.Q.’s Oedipus Rex

5 things I'd do with 100 million dollars: pay off all personal & familial debts, turn 1836 into the best 1836 it can be, give new, quality cars to everyone I care about, give it to solid churches and ministries, be the patroness for a chain of Sam’s Trumpet House of Schmack music stores in the Midwest (By the way, how much is 100 million dollars?)

5 places I'd run away to: Lincoln, England, Switzerland, Italy, you name it!

5 things I'd never wear: black lipstick, rings on every finger, animal print fabrics, navy with black, gray with khaki (even though I’ve seen people wear it and I think it’s fine, I just can’t bring myself to it)

5 favorite TV shows: A&E’s Jeeves and Wooster, Buffy, Gilmore Girls, Seinfeld, the one I’ll think of later

5 biggest joys: my faith/an eternal hope, my family, answered prayers, Christian fellowship, the satisfaction gained from a job well done

5 favorite toys: my laptop, my camera, my Clié, uh… I’m out.

5 people I want to pass this on to: Ack! I hate this part. I would like to *invite* the following folks to give this a go if they are so disposed: Karen S., Valerie, Daniel, Micah, uh… whoever so desires!

posted by Kate @ 4:43 PM