200

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Have you ever loved a store so much that you have considered buying stock in it?  No?  I'm the only one.  Well, I love Bath and Body Works.  No, like I really really love it.  And this is my 200th post.  So, that pretty much explains why I am hosting a my first ever Swap.

  

Rest and Relaxation Swap  

What it is:

A swap is where you will be paired with another blogger or reader and swap gifts with each other fitting the rest and relaxation theme.

Rules:

You must be a follower of this blog.  

You must spend less than the twenty dollar limit.

You must send me an email with your name, home address, favorite color, and favorite scent.

You must send me the email before March 6.

You must send your package in the mail before April 1.

You must participate by a blog post showcasing your goods and link up to my blog on April 17.

You must have fun!

 Email:  

katherineezell(at)gmail(dot)com

I am excited to see how my first ever swap goes and it have an excuse to rest and relax.  I hope everyone wants to participate.  I mean really, who doesn't want a little r and r time?  And everyone loves to smell good.  Well, hopefully.  But seriously, get your email information in to me and get excited but this is going to be good.

Go email.

Music Time

Why am I completely into this song right now?  Because it's freakin amazing.

Ba ba bapa ba.

Let's Be Intentional

As I am walking back to the bus, a dusty hand grabs mine.  Hel-low.  How ah yoo?  The beautiful brown eyes are smiling more than any mouth could.  These are the only words that my dear friend knows in English.  She has no idea what they are going to say next or how I'm going to respond.  There isn't much to say that we are already expressing on our face.  A smile.  It can go a lot longer way than you think.

This is the second time in my life I have experienced such.  I got my passport when I was sixteen.  This was so I could ride the longest bus ride of my life across a desert and into Mexico.  Grace Baptist Church.  That was our destination.  By the end of the week, I had found a friend in a five year old girl name Abi.  Well, she really have five names that each deserved a snap as she said them but that's neither here nor there.  She didn't know English and I didn't know Spanish yet we formed a bond like no other.  Our favorite phrase?  Tu es loca.  No! tu es loca.    

I stepped off the plane in Lilongwe, Malawi the summer before I turned twenty-one.  Malawi had always been my dream destination since I was nine.  My fourth grade teacher had moved there to work at the African Bible College.  I finally made it and was more than excited to meet new people.  Children.  Children that grabbed your hand just because they wanted to hold it.  Children that call you their banja.  Their life long friend.  

My heart softened as children were so open and intentional.  Intentional.  That's it.  In both of my stories, the children were intentional.  It didn't matter that they had no clue what to say.  English.  Spanish.  Chichewa.  It didn't matter.  They wanted to form a relationship just as much as I did.  Intentional.  That's what I want to be.

And that's how you represent America.

Throwback

Happy Throwback Thursday, y'all!  

Grape Leaves and Good Books

This one time I had allergic reaction.

I like to organize my lye-berry.

I fell in love with a children's book.

My parents surprised me with dinner this week.

It's the simple things like riding around with friends.

and getting carsick.

Wanderlust

Wanderlust is a strong, innate desire to rove or travel about.  I was born with a huge bout of wanderlust.  Usually I am very proud of my wanderlust.  I travel.  I wander.  I find new and exciting things.  I go on adventures.  I culture myself a bit.  

However, my wanderlust seems to overflow to other aspects of my life.  My spiritual life.  My only life that matters.  I am prone to wander.  I run.  When things get real, I get in my car drive far, far away.  I drive away from the hands that heal and comfort and protect.  

I like to hold on to bitterness.  I like to hug pride and dig my claws into selfishness.  I want them near me because I am familiar with them.  They make me look more human instead of the alien that I am.

One of my favorite things about my salvation is that works mean nothing.  When you ask God for forgiveness He gives it then and there.  You don't have to read so many chapters in your Bible, you don't have to finish a workbook, memorize scripture, or give so much money.  He grabs you and pulls you into an embrace immediately.  

The thing is, that I'm going to mess up again.  I'm going to stretch my arm just so I can reach some selfishness.  I'm going to snatch bitterness back up.  This side of heaven, I'm always going to fail. God, however, is still going to be merciful.  He is still going to reach down and grab me up.  He is going to hold me.  He is going to see me grip the steering wheel so I can control my own life and He will wait for me to wreck and then hold me once again.  

This, my friends, is something worth having.  

A Savior who keeps saving.    

Read More Berks

Have I ever mentioned how much I love books?  Oh I have?  Well, dang.  If you have followed my blog for a while, you know that I like to obsess over discuss what I've recently read.  Since I last blogged, I've read four more books.  I know, I know.  I went through a dry spell.  It's called college.  Anyway, four new books.

The Wilder Life

by Wendy McClure

 

This book details McClure's quest to visit every Laura Ingalls Wilder homestead.  She takes the journey that Wilder herself took as a child, documented in her half true, half fiction books.  McClure even slices the fact and fiction from Wilder's book series as she discoveries the truth herself.  It was a very interesting read but one would have to be into the history of Wilder herself to stay tuned.  I was very much hooked and enjoyed the book.

 

All Roads Lead to Austen

by Amy Elizabeth Smith

 

Smith teaches a Jane Austen course at a California college.  Much of her life is dedicated to all things Austen.  Smith decides to travel to six different South American countries and start an Austen reading group in each.  Her goal is to determine if and how Austen translates into each country.  Her countries include Guatemala, Mexico, Ecuador, Chile, Paraguay, and Argentina.  This book really interested me not only because the Austen-esque writing but because it really helped me have a better understanding of the differences in six South American countries.  Because of that, this book was definitely worth the read.

 

Charlotte Au Chocolat

by Charlotte Silver

 

Silver's mother ran the Pudding, a gourmet restaurant in Harvard Square.  This memoir recounts Silver's favorite childhood hang-out and how it impacted her life as most of her younger years were spent at table A-1 drinking Shirley Temples.  My favorite thing about this book is the beautiful way Silver depicts each scene.  Her words drip with sugar and honey.  She paints a beautiful scene for each page.  I could read this book again and again just to experience one night at the Pudding.

 

Sickened

by Julie Gregory

 

I read this book in one day.  Gregory's story captured my every thought as I read her book.  She suffered from Manchausen by Proxy.  If you aren't familiar with the disorder, her mother created fictional stories of Gregory's health.  She took her to countless doctors and demanded that countless tests be run to prove her daughters disease.  Gregory did not, in fact, have anything wrong with her and was put in danger by her mother's abusive actions.  On top of all this, both of her parents were also emotionally, mentally, and physically abusive.  This story made me want to cry and be a foster parent.  This is definitely and must-read.   

In other words, read these berks.

Mug Swap

I participated in the #VDAYMUGSWAP with Rags to Stitches and Sew Caroline this year.  I was fortunate enough to get Cindi from Hello Cindi as my partner.  You should definitely go follow Cindi if you don't already.  Seriously, stalk check out her blog here.

Cindi did a wonderful job choosing what I love.   The day I opened the package, my friend snapped all these wonderful pictures for my blog.  Then, as luck would have it, my friend's photos got destroyed.  So last night, I was left taking awkward Instagram pics of myself in my jammies.  

Anyway, Cindi lives in Hawaii and sent me this super cute Hello Kitty Hawaii mug.   I love it so much!  She also sent some super yummy candies, a zipper key chain and hanging heart.  Everything was so cute.  My friend can attest that I squealed for at least 30 minutes after I opened the package.  

Thank you so much, Cindi!  I loved everything.  Also, thanks to Caroline and Alissa for running this show.  Happy (late) Valentine's Day!  

why yes, I am a little late

You can check out what I sent Cindi here.

Good Times

Laissez les bons temps rouler.

Let the good times roll.

I was in New Orleans today for Fat Tuesday.  My favorite Mardi Gras parade just so happens to be the Krewe of Zulu, which was this morning.  I've caught a lot of strange stuff over my years at Mardi Gras parades but this year I had a first.  I caught a bag of Zapp's chips.  Weird and delicious.

Check out this beautiful phone pic I was able to snap as St. Louis Cathedral was covered with fog this morning.

I forgot to mention that I was dressed as a cow girl.  My room mate was an Indian.  Native American.

Styling and Profiling

Just a little something-something for V-Day next week.  

VDay by katherineezell featuring opi nail polish

Purple People Eater

As you can see, I've had a bit of a blog makeover.  Thanks to Ashleigh Teel, my graphic designer friend.  She is awesome and has purple hair.  If you have anything you want designed, feel free to let me know and I can get you in touch with her.

I forgot to mention that I've entered this awesome giveaway at There's No Place Like Home.  There is some seriously nice goods that she is giving away.  Check it out!

Words cannot express how ready I am for next Tuesday.  I'm taking a group of my friends to New Orleans for Fat Tuesday.  It's my thing.  

Remember how I had a dream about Gustav Klimt making me a dress?  Well, I felt inspired enough to Polyvore.  

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I promise I will have a blog of worth sometime soon.  Maybe.

I Dreamed a Dream

Once upon a time, I had a dream.

I dreamt I was wearing an ornate gold gown.  It was covered with tiny semi-precious stones and it had a glamorous train.  I remember never feeling as stunning in my life.  Why was I wearing it?  I don't know.  I did know, however, that my beautiful gown was designed by Gustav Klimt.  He had designed it especially for me.  I was wearing a work of art!

Then I woke up.  And I realized that Klimt has been dead for 95 years.  I don't think I'll be getting a Klimt dress anytime soon.

Adele Bloch-Bauer I, 1907.  Oil, silver, gold on canvas

And that's why dreams are better than reality.

Updates and Such

Ello there!

I got my package from the V-Day Mug Swap and I absolutely love everything.  I can't tell you about it now, but it is awesome.  I sent off my package.  Hopefully Cindi from Hello Cindi will get it soon.  Feel free to stalk her blog and give it some love.  I'm sure she won't mind.  Also, remember that we will do a blog link up to share about the awesome swap on the fourteenth.

Someone please tell me that they watch New Girl.  And please tell me that you are super giddy about last week's episode.  I won't spoil it if someone hasn't watched it yet, but I can't wait to see what culminates from this last episode.  I want to write for a sitcom.

I've been making prints in printmaking (two).

Sometimes, I'm really disappointed in myself for all that I haven't accomplished yet.  I should publish a book.  I should sell my art.  I should at least have an esty.  I need to be motivated and improve my skills.

When I was younger and in high school, (like, six years ago.  gulp.  I'm getting older than I thought.) I really enjoyed listening to Mika.  You might be familiar with some of his songs.  I don't know.  I like Mika because his songs are so darn catchy.  Anyway, he just came out with a new album (Origin of Love) and I've been listening to it non-stop.  One of my favorite songs is a remix of Popular from Wicked.  

Warning.  There is a saucy word or two in the beginning of this song.  I couldn't find a clean version.  I'm sorry and don't mean to offend.