captivating

as previously mentioned, i'm reading captivating: unveiling the mystery of a woman's soul with my bible study this semester. just the first few pages of the book excite me and have me wanting to curl up in bed with some tea and read from cover to cover. sadly, we have this whole "chapter a week" thing to do, so that we can actually get something out of our readings. :p (note the sarcasm here. i love you girls!) i thought i would share this quote that just resonated within me and might for other women as well,
"sometime between the dreams of your youth and yesterday, something precious has been lost. and that treasure is your heart, your priceless feminine heart. God has set within you a femininity that is powerful and tender, fierce and alluring. no doubt it has been misunderstood. surely it has been assaulted. but it is there, your true heart, and it is worth recovering. you ARE captivating."
pretty awesome, huh? that's just page x of the introduction. i'm telling you. go get this book. it's amazing and i know you'll agree with me. :)

for Ali

Wow. Nothing short of amazing, eigh? Most people think it's a marvel of modern photoshop; however, I like to believe it's a burst of energy anxious to grace us with his/her presence. :) With my sister-in-law expecting in early May, the arrival of a new Renfrow floors me. How amazing is childbirth? A little something I just wrote...

A mother's stomach
the fetus' cocoon
housing a beauty
to brush the canvas of life

a life paramount
remains as one
in the hands of her Creator

the growth lines
these "stretch marks"
are anything but...

they are
remarkable beauty
evidence of a love
with endless domains


how lucky she is
how amazing she will be

a mother

We love you Ali. I can't wait to be Aunt Ashley. :)

simple joys

"Don't sweat the small stuff."

Today I woke up dreading the work load ahead of me. I walked outside to the 16 degree chill of a Blacksburg January, knowing the day would only grow colder. On days like today I have to remind myself of the simple joys. This Wednesday I have class from 9-5 and mountains of homework awaiting me aftewards, so it's imperative to find pleasure in the small things. We have the most adorable, primative coat rack in our apartment that says in big, bronze letters "simplify." Take a deep breath. Read a good book. Remind youself of the simple joys today.

Some simple joys that I love:

-twinkle lights
-mittens
-The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle
-ribbon bows
-emmy kisses
-giggling
-the smell of freshly-baked cookies
-french braids
-Starbucks cinnamon dolce latte
-crayola markers (my personal favorite? macaroni and cheese)
-holding hands
- :)

tis the season...

...for engagements!!! wow, i never thought that i would hear of so many people i know about to tie the knot! and so soon!!!first of all, let me say CONGRATULATIONS to all of you beautiful girls. as is expected, a girls-only major is certainly conducive to multiple engagements in a short period of time. with that said, i must explain how when we see some new "ice," we all take the first ten minutes of class learning about the ring, the man, the future wedding plans, how he proposed, if she cried...you get the idea. the engagement spark has hit my heart as well and the wedding magazine section is one of my favorite areas now at barnes and noble. future wedding planner rather than first-grade teacher? not really in the stars for me, but certainly a current fascination that brings perpetual joy. :)

classic or classroom attire?

being an elementary education major, i have typically been surrounded by females in each of my classes over the past four years. in fact, we never had a consistent male in the undergraduate coursework and Will is the lone soldier in our el.ed. masters program. having said this, it is reasonable to expect that i am surrounded by every fashion sense imaginable. granted, we don't have the gothic category, but nearly every other arena is represented among the 49 masters students.

some of the girls in my major are up-to-date with the current fashion trends. be it the chunky necklaces, embellished jeans (which i still do not understand) or the infamous "bug sunglasses," these fashionistas look like they stepped right out of the january in style.

then there are the girls who step out of a talbot's catalog to come to class. whether it's jeans or a skirt, they have the pearl necklace, bracelet and matching earrings to boast. the pearl-accessorizers have multiple sizes of pearls in various colors as well. i must admit, since coming to vt i have bought a pair of cheap, belk pearl earrings and the corrdinating necklace and tried (emphsis on try here) to pull off this look. not really me, but undeniably a classic.

then there are the comfy girls. they live for comfort and make it their motto. whether it's jeans, sweatshirts, or sweatpants, these girls are awesome. i admire these future teachers, who are obviously on the right track, worrying about how it feels rather than how it looks. i, sadly, only own one sweatshirt and have more colored pants than i do jeans in my closet. not a member of this fashion clan either.


so where do i fall in this social order of fashion? i think it's a combination of each of the above. i try to be up-to-date with the latest fashion, but chunky necklaces and ballet slippers just don't fit with my cardigans. the pearls work well with my current wordrobe, again sweaters and cardigans, however i believe they are more apt for those who put lots of time into their appearance. no makeup and wet hair + pearls? not quite fitting for me. sadly, i own a true teacher wardrobe. sweaters, cardigans, lots of khakis, danskos, striped t-shirts- i'm straight out of a first-grade classroom. classic or too classroomy? hmmmm. i think i'll make a new years resolution: as of february 5th, i will try to dress less teacher-y and more "hip." doubtful. :)

children

you may be wondering where the title of my blog came from. welllll, "nothing without joy" is the motto i used in my philosophy of education. children are filled with joy and find it's presence in the everyday. here's a little bit of my poetry that conveys the point even further...

The Child

Her hands
wrinkle and scar invisibly
as she clutches a balloon string.
The five innocent fingers,
not yet aged with lines of experience,
have no boundaries.
These hands
promise a future.

Her eyes
are satiated with wonder,
in awe at a drifting balloon.
Her world is imaginative.
The tiny anthills are giant mountains.
Fresh grass creates a royal wonderland.
These eyes
appreciate a devalued world.

Her shoes
crumble with curiosity.
They are worn from wonder
as she chases a balloon’s path.
A questioning voyager
wears size four sneakers.
These shoes
begin to traverse a world unknown.

Her mind
explores nature’s bounty,
admiring the sky engulfing a balloon.
She surrenders to discovery
and searches for treasures in the ground below.
A dandelion is the approving toy.
This mind
dances, seeing a flower where weeds remain.

Her heart
burning with desire
for an unknown world.
She delights in the soaring balloon,
relishing a simplistic life in the clouds.
This heart
is the poetry
of a spirit often lost in life.