Soybeans and Bubble Tea

Last night a group of us U of I people went out for bubble tea. It was an experience. :) Guys should never be allowed to have straws and small round objects at the same time.

I tied soybeans to stakes today, and shelled and counted soybeans. I love my job.

Student trustee elections are going on- my favorite slogans, in no particular order:

"Pro-Tuesday"
"Pro-Kitten"
"Vote Kantas- He can divide by zero."

Today was also a good quote day in P-chem lecture.

"No numbers were harmed in the creation of this integral."
"This will all become clear after you've taken this course a couple of times."
"The reason it's famous is because people like to use it a lot."

O, and an excerpt from an email from my mother:
"Speaking of Jake, he asked last night "is Jenny coming home NEXT weekend?" and I thought "Aww, how sweet, he misses her." And then he said "because I need her to tie my tie. Matt didn't do it right." :) Isn't it nice to be needed?"

I have so much homework and studying to do, and I'm just not motivated. It's going to be a late night.

I go home on weekends....

But not this weekend. This weekend is parent appreciation weekend. So I am appreciating my parents by not bringing my dirty laundry home and eating all their leftovers. :)

You would think that with such a major event going on all of my roomies would be home. However, out of nine possible bodies who coexist here 5 days a week- I am the only one. Just me. All by myself. In this big empty house. *sigh* Haha. And that's why I never stick around. It's very quiet and I've been getting a lot done, so I guess that's not a bad thing.

Next week is going to be crazy busy.

Awake

I didn't fall asleep in class today!

It's kind of a weird feeling....

Soybeans

I spent the afternoon tying beans to stakes in the warm greenhouse. I think I'm going to like my job! And I already know I don't have to work the 10th so I can go to Bern/Sabetha! (Yes, I know the invite is cancelled...but Heidi and I and some other not quite as exciting people are coming anyway.)

I had another wonderful weekend and now I am sleepy. Friday G&G had the young group for a taffy pull and I had a great heart to heart with Tammy. (Sorry 'bout the coats guys). Saturday I went shopping in the afternoon, and then went to bible study. And it was so clear and cold- the stars were absolutely glorious. Shelly and I went out on our porch roof and stargazed until late. We couldn't find our star chart though...sad news. I reread one of my all time favorite books, The Harvester. Even if my sister thinks it's dumb. It's not! (you just don't know good books shelly- I'm bringing it home again and you have to read it).

I'm so tired. Gab and I stayed up way too late last night talking. :) O well. The whole reason I go to P-chem is to sleep.

Anyways. Time to hit the books.

O yeah, Heids just reminded me- happy President's day!

Woot

As of today, I am the newest employee at the National Soybean Research Center located on the beautiful campus of the University of Illinois. Ok, so maybe campus is kind of grey and dingy right now, but it'll get better. And I am super excited!

They are doing research on soybean diseases or something. It's perfect for me since its chem related and gets my foot in the door for ag research. When I interviewed they asked if I had ever seen an aphid. I just laughed and told them about the time I walked beans in a field that was infested with them and didn't get sprayed- I was covered in nasty reddish brown aphid goo by the time we got done. And they asked if I could drive a tractor. :) Total answer to prayer- Mark 11:24.

Blessings.

You are my sunshine...(bum bum bum)

I miss high school. Ok, not most of the time. But I definitely miss high school on Valentine's day. It was the highlight of my entire year. :)

Only because I got to skip all of my classes, wander around the halls, hang out with cool people, sing crazy fun songs, and watch everyone's eager, expectant eyes when we interrupted a class. Vocal Valentine's were the best!

Chorale always sold songs and flowers, and then spent V-day embarrassing people. If your friends were nice, you got "You are my sunshine." If they were out to make you turn red, we had a list to choose from. :) Baby Face, When I fall in Love, I can't help Falling in Love with you, It's in his kiss (I still hate that song), and one year Matt and I arranged "Let me call you sweetheart."

They've been going through my head all day. *sigh* :)

....wise men say, only fools rush in! but I can't help falling in love with you....

Stressed out

I have three tests this week.

My laptop just died.

I can't wait for Friday. :)

************************

Dad, tomorrow is Valentine's day. I'm not home, Shelly can't drive, and I doubt the boys will be much help: so you're on your own this year. :)

For once I don't have to stand in the card aisle looking at the "For my Wife" cards with all of the men who waited until the last minute and who don't have daughters to run to the store quick and pick up something for mom for valentine's day.

Wonderful Wednesday

We had a dinner party at 709, it was great! And then people came over after church. Good times. But I was too busy cooking/cleaning to get any homework done.

I miss the stars. It's always too cloudy, or too bright in town. Clear winter nights are the best for stargazing. Sunday night the stars were great over 74, but I couldn't really look at them cause I was driving.

Stars

In your multitudes
Scarce to be counted
Filling the darkness
With order and light
You are the sentinels
Silent and sure
Keeping watch in the night
Keeping watch in the night

You know your place in the sky
You hold your course and your aim
And each in your season
Returns and returns
And is always the same
And if you fall as Lucifer fell
You fall in flame!

And so it has been and so it is written
On the doorway to paradise
That those who falter and those who fall
Must pay the price!

Highlights

This past week was fairly uneventful, school and homework and that's about it. And a few other things.

• Sarah and Kat and I discovered a cute coffee shop- and they have Bluegrass jams every Tuesday night! I'm excited.
  
• Wednesday night we had a meeting to discuss the upcoming U of I invite. In case you ever wondered- Nic's eyes get really big when you give an approximate turnout of 250ish. (We were joking- sorta). "It's just like herding cattle!"
• My P-chem lab is on the fourth floor of Noyes and the vending machines are in the basement, descending at a rate of 2 stairs/sec, and ascending at a rate of .5 stairs/sec, how long will it take to go down and back? Given: 2 flights per floor, ~ 15 steps/ flight.
• I went home Friday afternoon and skipped out on singing at the home. But I was busy rendering unto Caesar so I had a good excuse. :) I absolutely hate doing taxes. And it should be so easy for me- all I have to file is the 1040EZ. But it's awful and I am always get so stressed and emotional for no particular reason.
  
• I owe the State of Illinois exactly 1 dollar. Ok, so I rounded a little because I refuse to write a check for $1.48.
  
• I spent the rest of the weekend in Gridley. Twas a wonderful time. I got to spend the night at my Grandma's on Saturday- I haven't done that since I was really little and she still lived on the farm. She is so funny. She turned 90 last November and she's just not sure she likes getting old. Best quote of the weekend- "When you get to be my age, people expect you to be a little queer." Which she isn't. She isn't even slightly eccentric, and she's still sharp as a tack, lives alone, and gets "Smithsonian." (Slightly envious of the Smithsonian) She baked a chocolate cake for me- my absolute favorite with the best frosting ever. I'm not sharing with my roomies.
  
• Jake got a new vehicle. It has remote entry and automatic windows. I am so jealous. My favorite quote from Jake about the olds- "Nothing screams old AC woman like a white Oldsmobile!"
  

Blessings.