Day 30-a picture

YAY! IT'S FINALLY FOOTBALL SEASON - GO BLUE!!

Day 29-3 Wishes

I've been a little lax in finishing up the 30 day blogging challenge... since I only have two days left, I may as well get them done today!

3 Wishes:
1. Harsher punishments for anyone who hurts an animal. It is unconscionable that animal cruelty is not taken more seriously in the eyes of the law. Only when those who hurt animals are sentenced to jail time, will people take these crimes more seriously.

2. That my family would come to know Jesus. I will not call out specific people, but there are people that I regularly pray would come to know Jesus.

3. That sweet Oksana would find a family. I hope and wish that there are hearts stirring out there, and that someone would step forward and declare that she is their child!

The Day That Changed America

It seems surreal that it was 10 years ago that terrorists hijacked 4 planes all aimed at damaging America in ways still unknown. It was and is a moment that changed me. In that moment, my safe little world changed. Fresh off a year abroad, the world had never seemed smaller. Before 9/11, the world was a place ripe for exploration. It was a place I longed to travel extensively, and I flourished in the idea that I was a citizen of the world. In the year I spent abroad, I felt just as at home in Berlin, Freiburg, and Amsterdam, as I did in Ann Arbor, South Bend, and Lexington. I was a citizen of the world.

But, the events of September 11th changed that idea for me. I was never more aware of my status as an American, as I was that day. Watching the world's capitals react, I became inherently aware that I would always be an American to the rest of the world, and I was grateful. Grateful that I was born in a country that valued freedom and democracy. Born in a country where I had opportunities for fulfilling work, for an education, and for the rights to pursue my own happiness. I am eternally grateful for this shift in my own truth.

So, on this, the 10th anniversary, I sit and remember the moment my world changed. I will never forgot the call I received from my roommate exclaiming that classes at UM were canceled because we were being attacked, I will never forget the fighter jets circling Ann Arbor for days, I will never forget the fear that this could happen again, and maybe this time closer to home.

Today, I lift up those who lost their lives on September 11th, and the loved ones they left behind. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

Day 28-Something that stresses you out

I am EXTREMELY stressed out by the idea of animals that are being abused or mistreated in any way. I love animals so much and the more I get involved in animal cruelty awareness, the more I know about the inhumane ways they are treated. Animals are not objects, they are not unfeeling, they are not disposable. They think, they feel, they love, they adore, they desire human affection, they depend on human kindness, they are God' precious gifts to humans and it SICKENS ME that more people do not understand or care about animal welfare. I encourage everyone to dig deeper into animal cruelty case files, into the truth about animal testing facilities, into the lack of laws protecting animals who are beaten, killed, made to fight, raped, or starved to death. Our laws are deplorable, and need to be re-evaluated. Trust me, if you dig deeper, and actually educate yourself, you will never be the same. Yes, you will come face to face with some truly evil humans (monsters), but you will think twice about the way you live your life, and that's a good thing. Our animals depend on us. They are voiceless, and we have an obligation to speak for them.

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Day 27 - My Pets (or as I prefer... my 4-legged, fur-babies)

This is is Sam. He was my first cat. He was born in July of 2002 and is just a huge sweetheart. He was found by a shelter volunteer lying by the road in February of 2004 with several BB pellets in him, as well signs that he had been savagely attacked by another animal. He lost his eye because of infection, and still gets nervous when people tower over him, but otherwise shows no signs of the hard life he lived before I met him. He is such a great addition to my life.


This is Max. He was born in December of 2003. He has been with me as long as Sam has (except for the 4 hour delay between when I picked up and Sam and Max). Max is a polydactyl and has extra toes. His thumbs are the biggest my vet has ever seen! It is because of these large thumbs that he lost his eye. When he was a kitten, he scratched his own eye to such an extent that is had to be removed. It hasn't slowed him down any, and he craves attention just like any other Russian Blue! Such a joy to have in my life!


This is Annabelle. She was born in May of 2008. She is hands-down my biggest troublemaker, and my greatest source of entertainment. The predicaments she gets herself in, are fantastic, and her snuggles are the best. She used to live with another girl who decided to get rid of her when she acted too much like a kitten and attacked any/all toys, hands, feet, etc. Once she grew up a little, and had some proper training, she has become a love-bug and lap-cat. I am so grateful I was gifted with this cat everyday!


My latest and last (for a while) fur-baby is Zeke. He was born ~ in September of 2009. He was dumped outside by his previous owner, so I really don't know his birthday, but have been able to get pretty close based on his size and his behavior. As you can see, he likes to sleep in strange places, and has been known to appear in a number of crazy places... the tomato planter, the top of the bookshelf, under the bathroom sink, and on the refrigerator. I love his tenacity, and his enjoyment of life. The only thing that saddens me is the stress he feels when new people come into the house or when I move furniture. It hasn't hit him yet that I will not abandon him. I'm sure this will come, but in the mean time, he gets lots of snuggles.

Day 26-Picture of your family

Dad, Roman, Stephanie, me, Mom

This was taken at Stephanie and Roman's wedding May 8, 2010. A great family photo!

Day 25-Favorite memory

Although this is not a specific memory, one of my favorite times in my life was when I studied abroad in Freiburg Germany. I was fortunate enough to spend my Junior year of college abroad, and it changed me in ways I never imagined possible. I loved the culture, the people, and the pace of life. I was home when I was in Germany, and know in my heart that I was happier then. Sure, I had my moments when I grew homesick, or when I had fights with my friends, but all in all, I was happier in Germany. It peaked my interest in different cultures, I learned to be even more adventurous than I already was, and I learned to appreciate the smaller things in life.

While in Germany, I was fortunate enough to be able to travel Europe fairly extensively. I still had classes, so I didn't get to see or do everything I would have liked, but I did see 9 other countries. Those countries are: Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, France, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Poland, and Italy. It was an awesome experience and was one made possible only because I had parents who gave me the opportunity and fortitude to study abroad.

The photo above is of me at Schauinsland, the peak of Freiburg's local mountain. It was gorgeous from the top, and on clear days (like the one in the photo), you could see the Swiss Alps. Talk about gaining a deeper understanding of your position in this world!

I look forward to the day that I get to go back to Germany, it feels like home in ways I can't even express, but I look forward to walking my old streets, eating at my favorite restaurants, and seeing the home away from home again.

Day 24-Something you’ve learned

Hmm... there are loads of things I have learned... I guess I'll pick one thing I learned the hard way:

Credit cards are extremely dangerous. I applied for and received my first credit card when I was 18. I have had them since then and I haven't always been the most responsible user of my credit cards. A couple of years ago I had wracked up over $15,000 worth of credit card debt... a huge amount for someone making $20,000 annually at the time. With alot of hard work, and a significant raise, I am making considerable progress toward getting that debt paid off. But, it just wasn't worth it. The meals I bought on my credit card, the shoes, the jewelry, and everything else, just weren't worth it.

All of you who haven't fallen into this trap, DON'T! It's much easier to budget and save for those items you need, and you'll value them more, trust me!

Day 23-Favorite vacation

I've had lots of "favorite" vacations, but I really, really enjoyed my vacation last year, so I will talk about that one here. So, my mom called me in June and asked if I could get a week off over the 4th of July to go up north to my grandparents' cottage. (FYI: up north is a small town called Big Bay, just outside of Marquette MI) My grandma passed away in 2009 and we needed to get the cottage ready to sell, so we planned to mix in some cleaning and packing with some good ol' fashioned vacationing. It was an amazing week and we had loads of fun. It was bittersweet because some of my mom's siblings thought that they would go together and purchase the cottage so that everyone could enjoy it, but instead one of my mom's brothers decided he "didn't like to share," and wouldn't agree to let it be a joint purchase. So, despite it being an amazing week, I look back and am sad because I know that it will be my last week up there. My mom spent most of her summers up there growing up, so it is especially sad that she won't be able to spend her future vacations there. Anyway, enough of the sadness, here are some fun photos of our trip up north!

Waiting for the parade to start. Every year there is a 4th of July parade in Big Bay put on by the kids at the special needs camp in Big Bay. It is so exciting for the kids, and basically all of Big Bay comes out for it (all 500 residents).

This is my lounging on my raft in Lake Independence. It was SO relaxing!!

Riding the jet ski!

Jet ski!

Me, my mom, and my sister standing on the shore of Lake Superior. It was gorgeous!

This time with my aunt Julia! Funny that my mom and her sister are wearing blue and my sister and I are wearing black!

We celebrated our last night by going out to a Cajun restaurant in Marquette. The food was great!

On the way back, we decided to go on a boat trip on Lake Superior to look at some sunken ships! We had great seats on the front of the boat on the upper deck!

Me on the front of the boat... what a beautiful day!

Good Bye, beautiful Northern Michigan!

Day 22 - My favorite city

One of my absolute favorite cities in the world is Berlin, Germany. The history and culture of the city is amazing, and I just love spending time there.

This photo of Berlin is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Day 21-Picture of yourself

Me at the pool last summer (2010)

Day 20 = Nicknames

I have a lot of nicknames, but I'll stick with the more commonly used ones...

Ebeth
Zabet
Lizzie
Lizzie-lee
Sissie

I despise the names Liz and Beth, but for some reason everyone in my family insists on calling me Liz. It's rather annoying, and not my name, but they're family and they do what they want, right?

Day 19-Something you miss

Maybe this is a silly sort of thing to miss, but I really do miss my undergraduate years. Life was so carefree and I had a great group of friends who I had loads of fun with. I know it's impossible to go back, but I miss the simplicity of life then.

Day 18-Something you regret

There are loads of things I regret, but very few that I regret enough to go back and change things. I am one of those people who believes that everything happens for a reason, and all of the choices in my life have made me who I am today. That said, I do regret trusting one person as much as I did. Several years ago I had a best friend, who was also my cousin. She and I talked daily and texted all the time. Although we lived in different cities, we were really, really close. Anyway, long story short, she betrayed me and began actively trying to turn family members against me and using information I had told her in confidence as weapons against me. During this time I found out who my true family was, and who were those I was better off forgetting. It was an incredibly hard and trying time, and I still struggle with trust. I have a very hard time telling people anything deep about myself because I fear that it will be used against me at a future date. I know that her willingness to behave in the way she did says more about her than me, but it still hurt.

So, now, the positive in that situation. First, as I said above, I was able to weed the bad apples out of my life. Second, I came away with my head held high because I did not stoop to her level and begin spilling her secrets, and trust me there were a few juicy ones. But, finally, in my moments of great despair, I turned to the church. I hadn't gone in years because of a bad experience in high school, but I knew at that time something was missing and I felt in my heart it was God. In those difficult times, God whispered for me to come back to Him, and thankfully I listened. Even years after I was betrayed, I still struggled with the experience, despite having fully forgiven my cousin, and God spoke to me again. He told me to change the way I saw the situation. It wasn't the greatest moment of betrayal in my life, it was the moment I turned from my old life to one with Him. Since that moment, I have been free in my experience with this cousin. Sure, I would have loved to avoided the entire situation, especially since it affected my mom and her mom's relationship, but I am eternally (and I mean it) grateful for the experience since it led me to the cross.

So, maybe this isn't a post about regret, but that's what popped in my head when I saw the subject line...

Day 17-Something you’re looking forward to

I am SO looking forward to my vacation this year. Last year we went north to my grandma's cottage. It was bittersweet because it was the last summer we would be able to spend up there since the cabin was being sold, but was an amazing adventure, all the same. So, this year, we are heading south to Lake Cumberland. We have a cabin/house rented that sits right on the lake, and we are looking forward to spending lots of time on the water. So, here's a photo of my sister and I tubing on Lake Cumberland in 2009. It was awesome, can't wait for new adventures!

Day 16 - Dream house

This photo is from my grandparent's cottage on Lake Independence in Big Bay Michigan. While I doubt I will ever actually own their cottage, or live in Big Bay, I would LOVE to own a house on a lake. I know there are downsides to living on a lake, but gosh it would be amazing to be able to sit on my porch and watch over the lake every morning and evening. Beautiful!

Day 15 = Bible Verse

I love this verse!

Jeremiah 29:11 : "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Day 14 - A Picture I Love

These are two of my cats, Annabelle (left) and Max (right), laying in front of the fireplace last winter. They loved laying in front of a fire and their fur would get so warm!

Day 13 - Goals

1. Become a mom through adoption.
2. Earn my PhD and get a job where I can actually use it.
3. Pay off my student loans before I retire. :-)
4. Get a job that allows me to give buckets of money to the charities I love and support.
5. Live my life in a way that shines Christ so that others will want Him.

Day 12... What I believe...

There are a lot of things I believe, but I think I'll just do a list of sorts, kind of like a Top Ten of sorts! :-)

1. I believe in God. I love Jesus and wish I were a more faithful servant than I am. I have given my life to Christ, and look forward to spending my eternity in Heaven.

2. I think that people who abuse or hurt animals through neglect or physical violence deserve harsher punishments. Animals are so amazing, and when I hear of animals being treated poorly it breaks my heart, and makes me wish I was alone in a room with the perpetrator.

3. I don't believe that you need to birth a child in order for you to be a parent. In fact, the entire idea of feeling more connected to your child through DNA seems a little silly to me. Loving and caring for a child is far more important than physically birthing a child. No judgment on those who birth their own children, I just don't get the "one of our own, and one through adoption" phrase. Um, what???

4. I am an American and I think I live in the best country in the world. Sure, we have our issues, but I am so proud and happy to be an American.

5. I believe that everyone should learn to swim. Despite the safety considerations of not being able to swim, I would hate for anyone to miss the joy of swimming. When I dive in the water, I instantly become relaxed and just feel at peace. Plus, there is no greater joy than floating on a raft or tube on a hot, sunny day!

6. I believe that we all have an obligation to give back something to society, especially those of us who have experienced good fortune in our lives. I am not saying only those who have extra money need to give back, we can give of our time, energy, effort, etc. Those are just as important, and there are a lot of great organizations and charities out there who need the help.

7. I believe that people who claim not to be cat-lovers have never owned a cat. They are amazing animals and don't just sit around waiting to scratch and bite you. They are incredibly intelligent, and very aware of your emotional and physical health. They can be your best companions through anything.

8. I believe the internet is an amazing tool for connecting people, but worry that it de-sensitizes us and makes people do and say really mean things because they don't have to physically look someone in the eye or live with the results of their actions.

9. I believe that we should all strive to live outside our comfort zone. Sure, living in your bubble is easy and pleasant, but only when you go beyond that bubble can you effect actual change on the world.

10. I believe that everyone needs to take a week every year for themselves. No work, no internet, no phone... just time with family to relax. I went years without time off and was miserable. It's amazing what a week off will do for the other 51 weeks in the year.

I guess that's a start to what believe...