Sunday, August 17, 2014

The Light Comes

Last night I was laying down, battling insomnia, and watching the fish tank from my bed. We have a beautiful fish tank. It's a 55 gallon saltwater tank, and everything in it is alive. The sand, the rock, the coral, the zoas, the candy cane mushrooms, the sponges, the...well, the everything. My husband does a great job maintaining it, it always sparkles.

                                   

The light on top of the tank simulates the sun over the ocean. With a flip of a switch, it changes to simulate moon light on the ocean for night time. Last night it had gotten left on and I was struck by how dramatic the change was.
(This photo was taken several months ago in the beginning stages of tank setup.)

Initially, I was staring at the bubbles from the filter, thinking about how they sparkled in the "moon light", and how relaxing it was. Then I started noticing other things.
There are four fish in this tank. (I will show photos of three, the "beauty coral angel" fish is a little camera shy but you can kind of see her in the bottom left corner of the first photo.)
This is a "Sailfined Tank". Her fins expand to get huge when she's startled.

This is a "Caramel Clown Fish". I named her Java.


In the middle of this rock is a "Lawnmower Blenny". He is aware of you when you are looking in the tank and he is one of the rare fish who will look back at you.
Anemone 

Anemone 
So, I was watching the tank, and moved from the bubbles over to the left hand side. I noticed that Java was swimming back and forth in almost a jerking motion, and never left the 4 inch radius that she was swimming in. I couldn't figure out why....Why wasn't she making the most of her space? Then I saw the shadow of another fish drift by and I jumped a foot in my bed.
All the sudden the tank wasn't so pretty in the moonlight.  It was dark, and it was scary. There were things lurking around that "weren't there before". Of course this is absurd. I know what is in the tank. I put much of it in there myself, with my own two hands. But as I watched the outline of a particularly large kenya tree sway in the currant, it looked sinister. And I realized, that the clown fish had no way of knowing if the tank was safe at night, in the dark. She had no way of knowing if there was a lurking predator or something that will hurt her. She just had to hang on til morning, until the light came back on.

Then it got deep folks. I couldn't help where my mind went. How many people do you know that are in the dark, just hanging on, swimming in their tiny corner, waiting for the light?  Probably more then you think. Can you be the one to encourage them? To hand them a flashlight?
Because I'm here to promise you, the light comes. It does. The light comes.

#TeamJesus
#MommyNeedsALatte
#DepressionIsReal
#JesusDidntForgetAboutYou



Friday, April 4, 2014

Hope

HOPE
hōp/
noun
1. a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen

2. a feeling of trust.

verb
1. want something to happen or be the case.
 
 
Tonight I started to cry for reasons that I couldn't explain. Other than confusing my husband, they served no purpose besides release. I think it was a frustrated cry, an overwhelmed cry, a things-aren't-working-out-the-way-I-planned-and-that's-really-hard cry.

I started feeling that familiar feeling of sadness and sinking into a desperation feeling, a no way out feeling, that I've been so used to feeling for such a long period in my life, and while I was nervously examining the emotions, I realized something was different.

So, so many time I have laid in my bed, crying tears, feeling lost, misunderstood, like there wasn't hope- and that's when it hit me. Hope. I don't feel like there's no hope.

There has been such a huge dramatic change in my life in the past year and a half, that I can't fully put it into words (which is almost frustrating for me being a writer..). I used to never see an end to the tears. I thought they were going to last forever. Honestly, I know that sounds like I'm exaggerating. But I never had hope.

And now, now I do. Now it's not even a question. Now I know that the tears will dry, that tomorrow the sun will shine, that eventually spring will come. Now I know that I never have to worry about being hopeless ever again.

See, for 16 years I struggled with a depilating depression. For 16 years I have been on medications and seen therapists, and been in hospitals. For 16 years I have let people down, made poor choices, didn't reach for anything that seemed out of my grasp. For 16 years I was a disappointment- mainly to myself.

One day I woke up, and I was ok. I woke up and didn't feel like I needed to take my medication that day. One day I woke up and I smiled, I saw a little light in the darkness. One day I didn't cry.

Now before I continue, I want to add that I sound like I've had this horrible life with no one who loved me and no one that I could lean on. That's not true. I have great parents, who were praying for me every day. Helping out whenever I called, and holding my hand whenever I would let them. I have a great husband, who continually picked up the slack when I couldn't do it. Who loved me more then I probably deserved, and who never thought that maybe he made a mistake marrying me. I am so blessed to have great children who call me mom.  I don't have the ability to explain what that word does to my heart. I had a great friend, Jennifer, who never backed down or away when it got hard, or messy, or complicated.

But y'know what else I had? Deep down, under all that blackness and hopelessness, way down there, I had forgotten that I had a Jesus who loves me. Luckily for me, He hadn't forgotten. For 18 months now, I've been healed of my depression. Just like that. He took it all away and He gave me hope.
Very quickly after that, He gave me a calling. Yup. Me. The girl with tattoos, the girl with a past full of mistakes and screw ups, He wants to use me.

He called me into ministry, and I answered that call as quickly as I could. I have never been so honored in my life. I believe God allowed my fight with depression, a fight that I almost lost several times, to happen so that I can come out the other side, refined, and able to relate to other peoples circumstances. God has big plans for this girl! He wants to use me. And I know he wants to use you too.

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Decide For Yourself

As children we believe what our parents tell us. They teach us right from wrong, they instill their values into us, and most often, we believe what they believe.
But I wonder if we keep that trait as adults. If we blindly believe what other people say to us, taking their opinions as fact.

Throughout my years as an adult, I've fallen so often into the trap of believing things about another person just because a friend shares their opinion with me. Automatically siding with them, or agreeing that they are indeed the "worst" or "best", depending on how my friend thought of them.
Finding out later on that I've missed out on friendships because I was misinformed, or didn't have all the information, or was simply not willing to find out for myself, was a real metaphorical kick to the stomach.

Disappointment.

On the playground little girls (or boys) stand together in groups and whisper, and giggle, and other kids join in without any of the information just so they wont be "next".

In more adult relationships, we listen to what our friends closest to us have to say about people and make judgments, sometimes without ever having had a conversation with those people!

What opportunities have been lost! What friendships, what enriching conversations, co-family dinners, our kids being best friends, and on and on and on, have we missed out on because we didn't take the time to decide for ourselves?

I look around at people that I've held at arms length because I've made a decision about them based on what I've heard from someone else. And I'm sad. Sad because I'll never know if I'm missing out on something truly amazing.

So, from now on, I'm vowing to make my own decisions. And I'm challenging you to do the same.
Who's with me?!?!

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Loving By Choice

Hi Friends! I thought I would jump on the WORDLESS WEDNESDAY bandwagon! Check it out




The bond between a step-mother and a step-daughter is such a special and beautiful thing. When you love by choice, and not by blood.

Likewise, the bond between step-father and step-son is just as amazing.




I'm so thankful for all the blessing and gifts that God has put into my life through my family.

(Ok, so KINDA Wordless Wednesday!)
 

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Happy Happy Happy!

"I'm making this for Mommy, so it has to be extra perfect."

I'm in my "mom chair" (Coincidently, the only chair in the house that my cat thinks that she has free reign to sharpen her claws on..)  when I overhear my husband say this to our children.

The smile that spreads across my face isn't controllable. I get the very best! How awesome is this?

Earlier that day I had casually asked if it was possible to make my desk more attractive, we're moving into a new house and I really want to try to spruce things up a bit!

I got my desk second hand (well, to be fair, it looks more like I got it fifth hand...), when I was accepted into Berean School of the Bible. I *needed* a desk. It was important to me. A symbol.

So I said to Josh "Do you think it's even possible to sand it down and add a little paint?" And his response was "Yes!"!

He asked me what color I would like, (Pistachio Green) and put on a face mask and got started!

I was in complete shock, and so, so grateful! I have to be honest though, while I didn't doubt my husbands abilities in the least, I doubted this desks potential. I had no idea it could be beautiful!

And what is extra special, is while the Hubbs was at the store, he found these stencils on clearance and grabbed one for my desk.

"With God, all things are possible"

Overhearing him confiding in the children about the extra love that he was putting into the desk is something I will never forget. Unfortunately for him, now that I know the work that he's capable of doing....well, let's just say he has a list. A kinda long one.
 
Yay for International Happiness Day! My desk makes me happy happy happy!

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

30 Day Challenge

I was explaining something to my son tonight and I was just thinking about how powerful it had the ability to be to everyone. I'm going to share a little bit of what I told him.


                          Our conversation centered around this verse in the Bible.



When we focus our time, and our thoughts, our attention and our energy on things that are true, and good, lovely, pure, noble, admirable, and pariseworthy, our hearts become GOOD! They become GOOD!
Likewise, when we turn our attention to things that are negative, and icky (Remember, I'm talking to a nine year old), and evil, and unattractive to our souls, things that are wrong to us, and things that cause us to feel guilt- when we give those things our attention and our energy, our hearts turn into those things.

So when those things come into your head, into your thoughts, quickly tell them that they don't have a place in your life! Speak against it and replace those thoughts with something that is lovely, or true. Because those are the things that the Lord has for us!

Friends, I know that you're not nine year olds, but this is true for all of us. When we surround ourselves with negativity, we ooze negativity. But when we make the decision to surround ourselves with positivity and things that are pure, and true, and good- we become those things!

This is an intentional choice we have to make. I challenge you to take 30 days. Change how you think! What are you watching on tv? Listening to on the radio? Who are you hanging out with? What words are coming out of your mouth?
Are these all positive and worthy of praise? Try it! You're going to be amazed at how light and happy you feel if you make this a regular practice!

Saturday, March 15, 2014

What are YOU good at?

Growing up, and even now, I've always wanted a hobby. Something that I'm good at. Something that I can get lost in and feel confident about.
Today, watching something on television, I was watching a woman paint. She was incredible, extremely talented, and while I was watching I realized that I was starting to feel that familiar longing for some kind of talent of my own. I was becoming sad.
So, I decided to come here and whine to all of you.
But as soon as I clicked on my blog button I realized that I had no reason to be throwing a private pity party, and decided to write a different kind of blog instead.

How often do we downplay our strengths? No, really, how often? Almost every single one of us do this every single day. Why? Because! Because it's not modest to tell people that we're good at something! We wait for our spouses or our friends to tell someone else how talented we are in a certain area, and then we smile humbly, blush a little, and DOWNPLAY it!
So, this was originally going to be a sad "I can't paint my way out of a box" post, but instead I'm going to list some strengths of mine. No to brag, but because every once in awhile, we need to be reminded that we all have gifts. So, here goes!
It's me! MJ! And these are my strengths!

 
 
1. I'm good at being passionate about Jesus.                                                                                             
 It's not something that I can control, or put a lid on, this is just one of those things that bubbles up inside of me, and I get to proclaim it! What a privilege it is! I love being open to the Lord, and being able to witness the things that He does, and then give Him glory! I love it. And ask my friends, I have a hard time shutting up about His love ;) !

2. I'm good at reading.
   Sound weird? Probably a little right? I don't think I was ever "taught" to read. Probably a little, but I flew pretty immediately with this one. In 6th grade I had a 12th grade reading level. It takes me a couple hours to read a book, not a couple days, *and* I love doing it. Not to mention it gives me all these smarty -pants words to add to my vocabulary ;).

3. I'm good at being a mom.
    Ooooooohh, how many of us wont say that out loud for fear of sounding snotty or self righteous?! My children are fed, clothed, warm, listened to, played with, getting the best education I can provide for them, and most importantly, they are loved. Don't get me wrong, there are temper tantrums and times outs, and tears and pouty faces. But the laughter, and the hugs, and the smiles, and the I love you's, WAY outweigh all of that!
I love my kids no matter what. Nothing that they could do would make me stop loving them, so I think it's important to act that way towards them so that they know that. I don't mean that I don't think there shouldn't be structure, and discipline and obedience in the home, on the contrary, I think it's necessary, and an act of love towards our children to teach them how to be good adults.

4. I'm a good hula hooper.
    LOL! You don't even know! I can do tricks and stuffs! ;)

5. I'm good in school.
    This. THIS is something that I wouldn't have said a year ago. Because a year ago, I would be remembering high school, and I would remember not caring all that much, or being that interested. But I'm in school now, with the goal of attaining my credentials to become a pastor, and I'm good at it! I focus, I study, I absorb, and honestly, I love it. I love it so much.
*cough* Well...hermeneutics is a bit on the rougher side of love, but it's still in the ball park ;).

6. I'm good at being loud.
   What?? Yup, you want someone to come to your event, or party, or meeting and stir up some excitement? You got it! I will clap, and cheer, and laugh, and engage! Hold me back or I might start to sing! I embarrass my poor husband all the time! I yell out answers, and crack silly jokes. I love to see people having a good time doing whatever they're doing!

Ok.....I'm going to go back and correct all my spellcheck errors, because that's something I'm NOT good, at, spelling!

I want to know though, what are YOU good at? Tell me in the comments!

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Sometimes it's not, but sometimes it is.


Sometimes life is hard. Sometimes it's not, but sometimes it is. I know that personally, there are times that I can't understand why there is one thing after another coming down on me.

I am currently going to school to become a pastor. In the time of your training, there is a period that is known as "testing time". Not a pencil to paper test, or even on the computer, but personal trials.
Satan comes to try to tear you away from doing to work of the Lord, to make things as difficult as possible so that you will decide that it's easier to fly under the radar and not want to serve our King.

In the past 5 months, we have had two different cars blow up. (Not literally, but close enough) We have had computers crash, and kids in hospitals. We have had financial difficulty and childrens school issues. Friendships have been tested and lives have been changed.

But God can turn every single negative and bad thing in your life to be good and glorify Him. It might not be seen right away or even soon(ish), but it will happen if you trust Him. Every single one of those things that I talked about above, turned out for His glory.

I'm choosing to call this time "My refining fire". I will go through these situations, these circumstances, and I will praise Jesus. I will lean on Him for strength when it's more then I can handle and I will trust in His promises. Jesus will carry me through.

During this time, I am making it my goal to learn. Learn from these experiences that I don't have any control over and learn how to give it all to God. All of it. My reactions to emergencies, my worries about finances, my terror when my children are unwell, my love and my marriage. It's all God's anyway, and my shoulders aren't big enough. But His are.

Friends, Coffee-Beans, please know that "testing time" doesn't only come to those who are studying in pastoral ministry, I'm not part of a "special few". If this is happening to you, please trust that the Lord will pick you up and carry you.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Bed Time Again...

Welp, here we are again. It's 10:21 PM and I'm exhausted and ready for bed.
Where did today, just like every other day, go?
I have plans, and lists, and intentions! Things are going to get done, I'm going to be productive!

And then life happens.
And suddenly you're sitting in the driving isle of the grocery store parking lot with a blown up car.
Four hours after that, you're sweeping up a pound of kitty litter that somehow spilled all over the bathroom while you were cleaning up three clumps of poo that the cat decided would be fun to play with.
Outside of the (litter)box, it's not just for thinking anymore. *giant sigh*
Maybe it only *felt* this dramatic..

I was productive today though. I cleaned my closet. It's a big closet. And it was a giant mess. Really. It is. And it was.
I'm very short on the whole cash flow thing right now, due to the car in the parking lot situation, and well, life, so not only did I clean my closet, but I actually went through it. Picked out all the things that don't fit, or that I don't wear, or that I'm only kidding myself when I picked it out, and I bagged them up to resale. Every dime helps right? *giant sigh* (are you picking up on the theme here?)

 
I look around, and even though the closet and clothing thing literally took me hours to do (I'm not kidding, it's a giant walk in closet.), my night stand table is still a mess. And it's mocking me inches from my elbow as I type. I know that my stairs need vacuuming, and while I scrubbed the bathroom floor and toilet after I cleaned the kitty litter, I know that the sink could use some attention. And the laundry...and the windows... *giant sigh*

It seems that the earlier I get up, the longer my to do list gets, and the more productive I feel like I need to be. I need to figure out how to be thrilled that the closet is clean and not worry about the lack of studying that got done. Because right now it's bedtime (again) and tomorrow morning is brand new.

Monday, March 10, 2014

Breathless

  This post by Juicebox Confession left me breathless.

                                                            Celebrate


                                                                  Read it.
                                                                    Now.
                                                            *cough* Please.

Sunday, March 9, 2014

The Little Things

I have such a great story for you! I'm so excited about it, that I'm just gonna jump right in!

Last Thursday, Hubbs and I were laying in bed, lights out, nuh-night time. And like usual, the cat jumps on the bed to share her cuddles with us.

Now let me tell you something about Zelda. She purrs. A lot. Loudly. Like, the neighbors across the street can probably hear her. I know the neighbors next door can! And she isn't one of those cats who purrs for a little while and then falls asleep. Nope. Zelda purrs herself to sleep. And sleep purrs. And then walks around the bed in the middle of the night to stretch her legs. Purring.



Anyway, it's hard to fall asleep when there is a rumble strip going off nonstop and literally making your bed shake. Hubbs has been working over time a lot lately and really needed his sleep. He was trying to be a good sport about it because Zelda was getting spayed in the morning and we both wanted to give her some extra love, but I could tell he was getting a little frustrated. So, after about 15 minutes of this I put my arm around Zelda and prayed

"Jesus, please keep our cat happy and content, but please, please make her stop purring so that Josh can get some sleep!"


I kid you not, the second I stopped praying the cat stopped purring. Not even a second in-between prayer end and silence. And friends, it stayed that way. For the entire night.
There is not a doubt in my mind that God heard my prayer and answered it! I had been going through something a little more complicated and had been crying out to the Lord, and I feel like this was his way of showing me

"My daughter, I hear you. I hear you, and I am with you. I care about all of it. The big things, and the little things."

How awesome is that?

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Bleh.

So...hm...you're probably wondering what took this blog so long and how come I haven't come up with something amazing.
I signed up for this incredible deal! I went to Artscow to order a custom mouse pad that I had spent an hour creating the photo for. When I pressed the "proceed to checkout" button, it said that I was getting it for free! WOOHOO! And there was a TON (like 50 more items) more stuff that I could get for free! I was ALL over it!

I made messenger bags and cosmetic bags with MNAL's logo and website on it,


I made a backpack with this beaut on it,

I made cosmetic bags for my friends over at Faith & Works Family, Just a Minute My Cape Is In The Dryer, Juicebox Confession, and Outmanned. (These are four of my best friends in the world, check them out.)

I made 8 mouse pads with my group of friends faces schmeared all over them (which I wont show you because of privacy and all that...)

I made tote bags...

It was all in the free categories! I was rockin it!

I proceeded to checkout.

Subtotal was $120. All for shipping.

Ok....that backpack and messenger bag...maybe.. I took those off.

$110. WHAT??! For cosmetic bags??

*sigh*

I ended up getting frustrated and mad and deleting everything.

So, that's why I don't have a really incredible blog to share with you. Because of the cost of shipping.
I'm going to sit and glare at my computer for awhile....

Friday, March 7, 2014

A Girl Can Dream...

I have fantastic news! A genie has granted me the most incredible wish! I get to design and pick out my dream writing room!
*cough*
Okay, not really, but what a beautiful dream... I'm going to pretend that it's true though, and design away. Who's with me!?


Ok...dream space...
I would need a decent sized room, one of those gigantic living room sized rooms.

One wall would be entirely made up of a beautiful salt water reef aquarium,

 I would (of course) have an elaborate coffee station,
and a deep, deep sofa to dream up blog ideas on.

Ooohh, and maybe over by that beautiful sofa, bunches and bunches of books and a fireplace!

 A beautiful antique 1920's French drafting table!! *gasp* I can't tell you how much I adore that style!

Windows. So many windows...stained glass on the top so that gorgeous patterns showed up on the carpeting when the sun shone through them! Ooh, speaking of carpet! That amazing deep and soft plush carpet? Yup, let's add that!
And the view out the windows...lush greens with a glimpse of water would be perfect!



I LOVE how this is coming together! It's not perfect yet, and probably will change according to my moods and wants and desires...but that's why it's a dream!
Dream big or go home right?

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Thankful

My girl over at Juicebox Confession wrote a post today about what she was thankful for. Reading her post has either inspired me or made me a copy cat, I'm not sure which. Either way, she's one of my best friends so I know she wont mind!
I'm gonna make a list! A thankful list. And in the comments section I would love if you could share something that you're thankful for, with the rest of us.

1. I'm thankful for my personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I can't fathom anyone else dying for my sins, and it's a debt that He has never asked for payment for. What a gift.

2. I'm thankful for my husband. I have never, ever laughed so much with anyone in my life. Ever. He works his tail off for our family and loves us more then he's able to express. It's on his face. I can see it. And I love him right back.

3. I'm thankful for my beautiful children. Wow. I don't have words. Literally. I'm a writer, and I don't have the ability to express how grateful I am that I have the children that I have. Hunter, Arianna, and Hayden, you're incredible and I love you with every breath that I have.

4. I'm thankful for my parents and the examples of selflessness and love and parenting and friendship that they have brought to my life. I have learned so much from them and my life would be drastically different without them in it.

5. My Keurig machine. What? I love coffee! ;) (You can read more about my obsession with lattes and entertaining "life moments" here. )

6. I'm thankful for a virtual coffee shop that I'm a part of, with some incredibly close friends that I know always have my back.

7. I'm thankful that even after this cold and hard winter, I was able to look outside at the snow that was blowing around like glitter and still be able to see the beauty.

8. I'm thankful for Calvin and Hobbs. My dad, my brother, and I used to get the newest book every year for Christmas from my mom when we were little. I still have one of those books. I love that memory.

9. I'm thankful for the home I live in, the electricity, heat, and running water that we have. We are fortunate.

10. I'm thankful for my bread machine. It helps me daily keep my husband thinking that I'm incredible in the kitchen.

11. I'm thankful that God blessed me with an ability to write. I love to write. I've been told that I'm good at it (sarcasm or not, I'm taking it ;) ), and I'm unbelievably thankful that you are here to read what I come up with. Whether I end up writing for five of you or fifty thousand of you, you all matter and I appreciate all of the support.

I'm going to stop at eleven because Juicebox Confession did ten and nine just didn't seem like enough :). And because my adorable cat is laying in the sunshine, looking very content, and I might just have to take a cue from her!

Tell me what you're thankful for!


Wednesday, March 5, 2014

The Girl Behind the Keyboard

I run a facebook page called (what else) Mommy Needs a Latte, and I decided that it was high time that I did the obligatory "All about MJ" post. So, I asked my Coffee Beans on my page for some questions that that would like to know, and I'm picking a few of them to answer. Here goes!

1.Q: What does MJ stand for, and since I am new to your page, I would also like basic stats: age, location, hubby (?), kids ages and are you working?

   A: MJ is my initials, M is for Maria, and J is for my last name which we'll keep semi-private :). I am a 32 year old mother of three beautiful children, Hunter (9), Arianna (8), and Hayden (6). I'm married to an incredible, hard working, man named Josh and I am so so blessed to have this amazing family. We live in a teeny tiny town in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I don't work outside the home, but I am currently in school. I'm working on obtaining my credentials to become a Pastor.
The Hubbs and me, snowshoeing

Hunter-man!


Arianna (Pooh-bear)
Hayden-pants!
          

2. Q: What is your favorite restaurant?
    A: Ok. I've only been here once (we don't have one where I live.) with my father in Ohio, but it made such a huge impression on me that I made up a song about it as we left. Chipotle! I heart me some Chipotle!

3. Q: How often do you drink coffee and what is your favorite brand?
    A: *cough* It is rare to see me without a coffee cup in my hand! I am currently really enjoying Dunkin Donuts brand coffee. :)

4. Q: Zombies just destroyed all the coffee on Earth. What now?
    A: Umm... um... well for starters, I'll bet a lot more people would find my blog with a google search! HA HA! Um. Huh. I don't know. I'd be really mad at the zombies. And then I would probably throw a temper tantrum (3 year old style), and then I would probably start a revolution. Against the zombies. Walking Dead style ;).

5. Q: How is your owl collection, still growing?
    A: Yes!! But I have now added a love for squirrels :).

6. Q: What is your favorite place to buy a latte and what kind of fancy coffee maker do you have?
    A: Starbucks in Target!! The yummy smells, the yummy coffee....all while looking across the store at the yummy purses... *happy sigh*
I've only had this baby for a few months... Angels sang when I plugged it in..


7. Q: If you could have dinner with one person, living, or dead....who would it be, and why?
    A: Jesus. Not to ask the meaning of life, or really to find out anything. Just to sit and bask in His glory and light. What a beautiful thought.

8. Q: Are you a cat or a dog person?
    A: Nuff said ;)
So here I am, sitting down after finishing a chapter in my course work, and there's a sudden purring behind me. I look over my shoulder to see a very entitled looking Zelda.
 
 9. Q: Do you have a group of friends that you couldn't live without?
     A: Yes. Yes, yes, yes. We live in the coffee house and go by undercover squirrel names. They're some of my favorite people in the world.

 So that's all the questions that I received in the short time that I had it out there!! I enjoyed writing it, I hope you enjoyed learning a little about the girl behind the keyboard!
*Mwah!*