emma, emma

while i have a few years on emma, i am blessed to identify with her world "with little to distress or vex her."

"emma woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her." {emma, jane austen}

"success supposes endeavour."  {emma, jane austen}

"i lay it down as a general rule, harriet, that if a woman doubts as to whether she should accept a man or not, she certainly ought to refuse him.  if she can hesitate as to 'yes,' she ought to say 'no' directly.  it is not a state to be safely entered into with doubtful feelings, with half a heart."  {emma, jane austen}

"you must be the best judge of your own happiness."  {emma, jane austen}

"it is always incomprehensible to a man that a woman should ever refuse an offer of marriage.  a man always imagines a woman to be ready for any body to ask her."  {emma, jane austen}

"that is the case with us all, papa.  one half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other."  {emma, jane austen}

"there are people, who the more you do for them, the less they will do for themselves."  {emma, jane austen}

"nobody, who has not been in the interior of a family, can say what the difficulties of any individual of that family may be."  {emma, jane austen}

"emma was sorry;--to have to pay civilities to a person she did not like through three long months!--to be always doing more than she wished, and less than she ought!"  {emma, jane austen}

"but one never does form a just idea of any body beforehand.  one takes up a notion, and runs away with it."  {emma, jane austen}

"human nature is so well disposed towards those who are in interesting situations, that a young person, who either marries or dies, is sure of being kindly spoken of."  {emma, jane austen}

"'if you are very kind,' said he, "it will be one of the waltzes we danced last night;--let me live them over again.  you did not enjoy them as i did; you appeared tired the whole time.  i believe you were glad we danced no longer; but i would have given worlds--all the worlds one ever has to give--for another half-hour.'"  {emma, jane austen}

"what felicity it is to hear a tune again which has made one happy!"  {emma, jane austen}

"it may be possible to do without dancing entirely.  instances have been known of young people passing many, many months successively, without being at any ball of any description, and no material injury accrue either to body or mind;--but when a beginning is made--when the felicities of rapid motion have once been, though slightly, felt--it must be a very heavy set that does not ask for more."  {emma, jane austen}

"when people shut themselves up entirely from society, it is a very bad thing; and that it is much more advisable to mix in the world in a proper degree, without having in it either too much or too little."  {emma, jane austen}

"consider what you are about.  perhaps it will be wisest in you to check your feelings while you can; at any rate do not let them carry you far, unless you are persuaded of his liking you.  be observant of him.  let his behaviour be the guide of your sensations."  {emma, jane austen}

"what an air of probability sometimes runs through a dream!"  {emma, jane austen}

"seldom, very seldom, does complete truth belong to any human disclosure; seldom can it happen that something is not a little disguised, or a little mistaken; but where, as in this case, though the conduct is mistaken, the feelings are not, it may not be very material."  {emma, jane austen}

i enjoyed this book.  lots of fun quotes and drama, drama, drama.

'if only' could break your heart

"ashley.  he was the center and the symbol of scarlett's ruined life.  for love of him she'd ignored the happiness that had been hers for the taking.  she'd turned her back on her husband, not seeing his love for her, not admitting her love for him, because wanting ashley was always in the way.  and now rhett was gone, his only presence here a spray of warm golden autumn flowers among all the others.  she'd betrayed her only friend, scorned melanie's stubborn loyalty and love.  and now melanie was gone.  and even scarlett's love for ashley was gone, for she'd realized--to late--that the habit of loving him had long since replaced love itself." {scarlett, alexandra ripley}

"'miss scarlett, you done what you had to do.  can't nobody do more than that.  the good lord sent you some heavy burdens, and you carried them.  no sense asking why they was laid on you or what it took out of you to tote them.  what's done is done.  don't fret yourself now.' mammy's heavy eyelids closed over tears that glistened in the dim light, and her ragged breathing slowed in sleep."  {scarlett, alexandra ripley}

"no woman can be truly beautiful who is not also sometimes truly ugly"  {scarlett, alexandra ripley}

"secrets.  they keep their secrets, she thought.  except from each other.  everyone pretends about everything.  {scarlett, alexandra ripley}

"'if only' could break your heart." {scarlett, alexandra ripley}

"life goes on.  a mighty good life, too.  i made up my mind i was going to be happy and i guess i am.  i've just got to notice it."  {scarlett, alexandra ripley}

write upon my heart

thank you, lord, for a beautiful service this morning.  a reminder that your child so very much needed.

{so faithful.  so constant.  so loving and so true.  so powerful. all you do.  you fill me.  you see me.  you know my every move.  you love for me to sing to you.  i know that you are for me.  i know that you are for me.  i know that you will never forsake me in my weakness.  i know that you have come down even if to write upon my heart.  to remind me of who you are.  so patient.  so gracious.  so merciful and so true.  so wonderful in all that you do.  you fill me.  and you see me.  you know my every move.  you for me to sing to you.}

so lord, i pray that you would write upon my heart this week...

tale as old as time

yes, it was one of those beautiful, friend-filled weekends. 

my close friend, josh, from freshman year was married this weekend.  it was a beautiful, simple wedding.  so many wonderful options for wedding locations around here.  the snidow chapel and the aviary.  well done, friends!  i'll miss having josh around.  he was one of my only friends, outside of my department, that remained on main campus.  now he is moving away.  sad.  congratulations, friends.  many blessings to you!  i've attached just a couple of pictures.  loved their balloon centerpiece at the aviary.  always good to see old friends, too!

tale as old as time, true as it can be.  how much more true can beauty & the beast get?  3D more true!  a couple friends and i went to see beauty & the beast in 3D.  loved it.  this must be my favorite disney princess movie, with the little mermaid coming in a close second.  also, because i love snagging a good deal, i bought the beauty & the beast dvd for $15 and got a free $12 movie ticket.  score!  (yes, i did have to pay $1.50 extra.)

this reminds me of one of my childhood memories - the {book it} program and the beauty & the beast hand puppets from pizza hut.  anyone else?  the book it program was great - you read books and got coupons for free personal pan pizzas from pizza hut.  reading and pizza hut pizza were two of my favorite things growing up.  and who didn't want to add a sticker to their book it pin each month?  one year when you used your coupon for free pizza, you also got a beauty & the beast hand puppet.  fun!

a belated new year

happy new year!  here it is, the 11th of january in a new year.  life really does go by much quicker when you are an adult.  oh to be a kid again!  okay, maybe not, but life sure did seem like it went by at a snail's pace when you were a kid, didn't it?

just for my record keeping, i want to briefly share what has happened in my life (and those close to me) over the last few months since i've last posted. 

*dear friends of mine, ashley and miker, welcomed their first child into this world.  emmie is such a doll and the new parents are doing a fantastic job.  so proud of them. *my sweet niece daniellah turned the big ONE.  she is growing up way too fast for aunt randa.  *two other close friends of mine, jenn and clif, became engaged and we are now having a fun time planning their wedding.  i am thrilled to be a part of their wedding in a few months.  it has been a few years since i have been in a wedding party, so i am excited to celebrate with the happy couple.  *my baby sister and brother-in-law welcomed their second child just before christmas.  baby gabriel is a total cutie.  love his chubby cheeks!  *wonderful friend, vince, was accepted into PA school.  so proud he has reached his goal.  praying that the transition for him and christen goes smoothly.  **truly love all my friends and family and am so excited to share in their accomplishments**

now, to evaluate my own 2012 ahead...

new year's resolutions?  i do not necessarily make resolutions, but i do have a few improvements in mind for my life.  this will be rather difficult for me, but i truly want to de-clutter my life, at least begin the process!  here are some other items i want to accomplish, in no particular order:

• grocery shop (lame, yes.  but seriously, my roommate and i went grocery shopping jan. 2.  first time since september)
• make a t-shirt quilt of my childhood-highschool t-shirts
• keep up with my 2012 project life album
• complete my sophomore year of college project life album
• complete my reading list that i started last year (preferably by the april deadline, but that may really be pushing it)
• graduate from my education specialist program
• continue paying a large amount of my student loans (i want to be done with salliemae.  she is no good)
• finish christmas shopping before december
• rolling all of the change in my ginormous crayon bank to use for a tropical vacation or a mission's trip
• get professional family pictures (yes, all of us, together, in one picture)

trips/events to look forward to in 2012...

• {beauty and the beast in 3d} - hands down my favorite disney movie.
• {josh and deborah's wedding in lynchburg} - another close friend from freshman year.  i have been so blessed to keep in touch with so many friends from freshman year.  love it.
• {spa weekend trip to myrtle beach} - first real spa trip.  okay throw a half marathon in there.  i'll be the one with the sign cheering on the runners.
• {march/april marathon birthday celebrations} - myself and lots of friends have birthdays back to back in march and april.
• {titanic in 3d} - roommate kristi has never seen titanic.  we'll be seeing it in 3d for her birthday since it is opening her birthday weekend.
• {jenn and clif's wedding in lynchburg} - stretch hummer, umbrellas, peacock shoes, and all!
• {graduation x3} - graduate from my education specialist program and potentially be done taking classes for a long, long time.  i say that now.  ask me if i'm taking classes again come fall...
• {tatiana and josh's wedding in orlando} - excited to celebrate the marriage of my dear freshman roommie.  goodness, time does fly.
• {high school graduation} - baby brother is graduating from high school.  last arnold to go through eastern.  at least for a long time til the brothers start having babies!
• {women's conference in orlando} - looking forward to spending this trip in scripture and learning from christian leaders.
• {beach} - a time or two cause a girl has to get her tan on.
• {mission's trip with christen} - praying about this one.
• {trip to memphis to visit christen and vince} - once they get settled, i'm going to see them (and elvis).
• {trip to visit mike and beth again in texas} - would love the opportunity to go visit the breams again in texas.  so much fun to be had in the big state!
• {nfl preseason game} - E-A-G-L-E-S vs. steelers.  bring it on, kristi! we love competition.
• {lodge} - because it's one of the best traditions for a group of sixteen people.
• {ringing in 2013 in boston} - a group of my friends and i decided it would be fun to start celebrating each new year in a different city.  destination new year trip anyone??!?!