Late Twenties...

Yesterday (December 12), I celebrated my 28th birthday. Yes, I have officially entered my late twenties…wow! It’s amazing to see what God has done in my life throughout these past years, and I thought it would be fitting to list 28 things that I am thankful for today.

1) My Saviour. He loves me when I’m unlovable (which, lately, I have to admit has been frequently), even when I’m being a whiny baby about my job situation. I love that not only can I lift up my job search in prayer, but I can also pray for a heart makeover while I am in the midst of the “battle.” Thank you, Lord, for being faithful to complete the good work in me that you have begun.
2) My hubby Steve. 3 years ago on my birthday, he proposed and we would have never guessed that our married life would take the turns that it has to this point. I am thankful that he loves me as Christ loves me (again, even when I am unlovable) and is the foundation for our future family. He is going to be such a great daddy and I am oh, so impatient to see it
3) My wonderful extended family. I am blessed with parents that raised my brother, sister, and me to grow in our Christian faith. Grandmas, Grandpas, Aunts, and Uncles all had a part in me becoming who I am (and am still becoming). It is amazing to see how close we all still are, even as the cousins/grandkids get “all grown up” and take on busy lives. I just love my family so much.
4) My family-in-law. Actually, I have never once felt like an “in-law.” From the very beginning, they have treated me like a daughter/sister. I am honored to be able to truthfully say I love Steve’s family and enjoy them as my own (seriously! I know not everyone is as lucky). My sister-in-law is someone that I now consider one of my closest friends. How lucky am I?
5) My Norman. To some, dogs are “pets,” but our Normie is truly a part of our little family. I tell people that I am getting a glimpse of what mothers must feel for their children. Yes, Norman is THAT special.
6) Dark Chocolate
7) The B.C. Clark’s Anniversary Sale jingle. I think that might actually be one of my favorite parts of Oklahoma…for real. I just love it and sing it pretty much constantly either out loud or in my head. It makes me happy.
8) My friends. I have always (or so I thought) found it easy to make friends. I have now learned that moving to an entirely new place (aka this land called Oklahoma) with little direction other than “support family now so my honey can later” is hard. Really hard, actually. My friends (from Minnesota, California, Oklahoma, and everywhere in between) remind me that life is good and I am loved.
9) Cereal
10) My reality shows. My weeks are measured by which show is on each night. This is what passes my time and I love these shows.
11) Co-workers that enjoy the fact that I am working here, even though I do not always enjoy said fact :o)
12) Wow, I am not even halfway done! These may start to get a bit more silly, but still I am thankful for them!
13) Chips and Guacamole
14) Having a weatherman living right in my own home. It sure makes picking outfits and planning things a whole lot easier.
15) My sewing machine. Mom and Dad, that was the best graduation present ever.
16) Community Theater. Amazing that I have only in recent years developed this hobby. I was hooked from the start. Musical Theater is a part of who I am, and I love it.
17) Reduced Fat Cheez-Its
18) My piano. I love that my parents got me into piano lessons when I was 4. Playing the piano used to be a chore…now it is a stress reliever.
19) The fact that when we walk into a room and flip up the switch, light comes on. After being without power for over 30 hours earlier this week (many are still without...ugh), I appreciate having lights and heat again.
20) OU Football. I love it. I already can’t wait for next year…but first we must conquer the Fiesta Bowl. Go Sooners!
21) Golden Gopher Football. Even if my MN team does not win very much, I just love them.
22) U of MN Marching Band. They are actually the real reason that I love Golden Gopher Football.
23) The MN Vikings. Hey, this girl loves her football. Enough to have 3 of her 28 things be about it.
24) Chocolate Milk
25) My neighborhood ladies and our “crafty nights.” I look forward to this every month. I am blessed to have neighbors that actually talk to one another…something I have not really had before.
26) The University of Oklahoma, who approved our Petition for In-State Tuition. What an answer to prayer!
27) Library Books—and good friends to recommend “must-reads” that I end up loving so much that I can’t put them down (Rebecca and Meg, I still need to read “Redeeming Love”).
28) Camping Trips and Campfires with friends

There are actually several more things to add to my list. Thank God from whom all blessings flow!

Christmas Silliness

My Elf Name Is...

Fuzzy Snaggle Tooth

What's Your Elf Name?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

You Are Pumpkin Pie

You're the perfect combo of uniqueness and quality. You're able to relate to many types of people with many different tastes. But you're by no means generic or ordinary. In fact, you're one of the most original people around. Those who like you are looking for something (someone!) special. You tend confuse people when they first meet you. You're not as complicated as you seem. Even though you have a lot of spice and flavor to you, you're never overpowering. You are a calm and comforting force in people's lives.

What Kind of Pie Are You?

I think the part where it says "you tend to confuse people when they first meet you" is accurate! I have actually had people tell me that I'm hard to read. Interesting...

It's Over

Well, my Beginning Violin class has come to an end. The 8 weeks really did go fast! Our last lesson was probably one of my faves. We spent lots of time laughing, squeeking through a 3-part Harmony of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, more laughing, and hearing B say “No, really! It did sound good!” Followed by, of course, more laughter, because she totally had just lied.

I can’t believe how much I learned in just a short time. The sad part was having to turn in my violin at the end of class :o( No more violin for Liesl, unless I take another class and/or rent a violin. B also provided names of some private teachers, but I’m not sure that will be in my future or not. I followed my dream of learning to play the violin…now we will see where I go from here…

Tonight I will be able to rejoin my Tuesday night Ladies Bible Study, which I have been missing for quite sometime. Steve and I have been absent from HHBC the past couple Sundays, so it will be fun to see all of those girls again!

Playing With Our Eyes Closed…

Yes, you read right. We had to play a little bit with our eyes closed at last Tuesday's violin lesson! She said "muscle memory" should kick in (Ha). I think the second time we played the D Major Scale, my bow ended up in the same place it started, um, almost. I do have to say, though, that we played almost non-stop the entire lesson, and I am not nearly as sore as I used to get. I'm still deciding if this is something I want to continue, or if I want to change to learning the Cello (just like at Justin and Jessica's when I was playing my violin as a cello…hehe), or take voice lessons…or nothing :o) So many options! Unfortunately, I don't have any fun stories about our lesson on Tuesday, other than the fact that we can play a mean version of "Variations on Hot Cross Buns" now. With CD Accompaniment, too! Only one more lesson…where have 8 weeks gone?

TAGGED!

I have been tagged by Maggie and indirectly by Rebecca :o)


Jobs I've had:

1) Accountant
2) Sales Associate in the Mortgage Industry
3) Cashier at Joe's Market (I got a free muffin and coffee everyday!)
4) High School Colorguard Instructor
5) High School Synchronized Swimming Asst. Coach
6) Childcare Aide in the Infant Room (for 3 years in H.S.--my fave job so far, I think!)
7) Retail -- County Seat (remember them?). Great clothes discount, but will probably never work retail again.

Places I've Lived:

1) Moore, Oklahoma
2) Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
3) Farmington, Minnesota
4) Irvine, California
5) Bloomington, Minnesota
6) Andover, Minnesota
7) Minneapolis, Minnesota
8) Richfield, Minnesota
9) Eden Prairie, Minnesota (I think?)
10) Ewa Beach, Hawaii

Places I'd Rather Be (in no particular order):

1) Caribou Coffee
2) A Bookstore (i.e. Barnes & Noble, etc)
3) Somewhere very sunny with a beach
4) Hanging with my family/friends in MN and CA (miss you guys!)
5) On stage performing in a great musical

Foods I Love:

1) Dark Chocolate
2) Cereal (any kind…could live on it)
3) Chips and Guacamole (homemade, not the nasty mixes)
4) Buffalo Wings and Celery
5) Vegetables (especially steamed)
6) Anything my honey grills for me (he's so manly that way)

TV Shows I Love:

1) Re-Runs of the old classics (Cosby Show, Full House, Seinfield, etc)
2) Food Network
3) HGTV
4) Jon & Kate Plus 8
5) The Biggest Loser
6) Amazing Race
7) College Football (Especially my MN Gophers and OU Sooners)

Movies I Love:

1) Any Romantic Comedy (LOVE Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock, Kate Hudson, etc)
2) Drama/Suspense movies (e.g. A Time to Kill, The Interpreter, etc)
3) Pride & Prejiduce (the older version) and other movies from that era
4) Disney Movies
5) Musicals (the classics)

Books I Love (actually, Authors):

1) Lori Wick
2) Jane Austen
3) Susie Larson (not just because she's my Aunt, more because she's fabulous and relevant)
4) Dee Henderson

Ok, I tag Dawn and Jessica! Enjoy...

D Major Scale…and some squeeks

Well, I have been a bit delinquent on my Violin Lesson blogging of late. I apologize to my faithful readers. I can’t believe I only have 2 lessons left in the Beginning Violin class. Hopefully there will be enough interest in an Intermediate Class so we can have one in the spring and don’t have to wait until next fall!

At our 5th lesson, we learned 4 more notes, and we are now able to play an entire scale! This adds a few selections to our song list. The cool thing about this class is that we repeat things often, yet our teacher, B, has such variety in her teaching that we don’t even realize we’re repeating things! That is good for an impatient learner like myself…I need to repeat to get better, but don’t have the patience to get there. So this is a perfect situation for me.

Our class continues to have fun together as banter back and forth with B. I think she enjoys having adults around (since she’s used to teaching 5th grade thru High School). Oh, so there is one story from today. Sometimes our teacher forgets that people don’t know how to read music (I admit, I forget sometimes, too). So there is this one girl who has a STRONG personality (to put it nicely/mildly) and does not know how to read music. So when B forgets and rushes through something assuming people know what she’s talking about, this chick throws attitude. I tried to step in nicely to try to explain to her what the “key signature” and “F sharp” all meant and she totally bit my head off. Wow. She wanted to be sure I knew that she didn’t know what that meant because she doesn’t read music (um, hello! That’s what I was trying to explain to you…but whatever). So I decided I should refrain from that point on. Everyone else in the class is sweet and fun, though. We laugh when B tells us we sound good (because honestly, I don’t think it’s true!). Haha.

Ah well...more excitement next week…

I Now Pronounce You...

I can't believe it's been 2 years since I became Mrs. Steven Irwin. I am so blessed. I am sure I will write more blogs about how wonderful my handsome, Godly, awesome husband is, but for this post on our 2nd anniversary, I want to share a letter that I wrote to e-Harmony (the site that brought us together) back when we had only been married 7 months. Note that this was written to e-Harmony, so it may seem like a walking e-Harmony ad, but it really is amazing to look back upon the circumstances God pieced together to put Steve in my life's path.

As I sit here on the 7-month anniversary of our wedding day, I reflect on the amazing circumstances surrounding my relationship with Steve. Without a doubt, God definitely used E-harmony as the vessel to put the two of us together…I cannot believe I married the best man in the world! God is good!

You see, Steve is a lifelong resident of California, and I am from Minnesota. Not exactly the closest in proximity. At the beginning of 2004, I was young, unattached, and had the perfect opportunity to take on a 15 month project through my employer to live out in Orange County, CA. The crazy thing is that I had applied for another position within the company and been turned down just a month before I accepted “the CA project.” Then, the very day that I accepted the opportunity to go out to California, the manager that had just turned me down called to inform me that they had another opening in their department. Had that call been one day earlier, I would have never ended up in California…and the rest of my story would have been history. I thank God that He went on to create the perfect love story for me.

A few months after I went out to California, my sister and I were both home in MN for Easter and she was showing me around the E-harmony site. “It’s like guy shopping!” she said. The site had immediate appeal for me. I had been on several (12, to be exact) blind dates over the previous year, and saw the basis of E-harmony’s match system as quite interesting, more promising, and definitely worth a try. The personality profile fit me to a “tee” and I knew that any guy that would put in the time to fill out the long questionnaire would not be just any weirdo, as was my fear with other sites. And, if they were, the site is so safe with the various stages of communication, I would have pre-screened pretty extensively before even coming close to meeting them face-to-face. The thing that most attracted me to E-harmony was the Christian principles it was based upon. I hope that E-harmony never backs away from that solid foundation (regardless of any marketing audience you feel you need to reach)…it really sets your site apart from any other.

After I had been involved with the site for a few months, I decided to take a break. I was realizing that I could just enjoy the “single life” God was blessing me with to that point and enjoy who I was, independent for a time. I closed all of my matches except one. I honestly do not know why I kept Steve open. We had just started the stages of communication and he seemed to be a pretty cool guy. I decided to see about this one. Again, an awesome thing to look back on now.

Now, about Steve…he is truly my perfect match. The first thing I noticed about him was his eyes. What a genuine snapshot it was right into his heart! I know now that behind those gorgeous eyes is a heart full of grace and truth…and quite a sense of humor (another huge perk)! We have received so many compliments on our relationship from people that have been married for years! E-harmony’s compatibility matching system proved to be right on for us. We are each other’s perfect complement. Steve reads me so well (and, even better, he is trying everyday to learn how to make me even happier…if that is even possible). I have not only come to love him like crazy, but I have developed such a deep respect for him and who he is. Random people will come up to us in a grocery store and tell us what a cute couple we are. We are not simply settling into the married life, it’s getting better and better with every day, as we learn even more about one another!

Our first date was so relaxed…it felt as if we already knew each other so well. Cliché, I know, but so true…and after being on 12 blind dates with the “he’s great and I don’t know why I’m not attracted to him, but I’m just not”…it was a refreshing change! I honestly did not think I would find someone that I had such deep chemistry with. And, of course, it helped that we ended the date with great conversation while eating ice cream! When we were engaged about 4 months after our first date, it did not feel rushed at all. The thing with E-harmony’s compatibility matching and various stages of communication is that we knew more about one another before we even met than many couples spend 3-6 months learning about through the dating process. We were able to immediately dig deep into values, beliefs, and other tough issues before even meeting (after all, at that point there was nothing to lose, so we could just be ourselves!). I cannot say enough about how thankful I am to God for using E-harmony to guide me to my true love. I enjoy telling the world our story, and recommend your site as THE best one out there for people seriously looking to find their perfect match.

Blessed and in love,
Liesl Irwin

I truly got the best one. I love you honey...Happy 2nd Anniversary.

I AM Smarter than a 5th Grader!

At our violin lesson on Tuesday, the teacher informed us that we were "way ahead" of her 5th graders. We were all pretty pumped about that. They haven't even started using their bows yet...they are still plucking. We are SO past just plucking. Ha.

We learned one new note...however, before you get too excited, it's just another way to play a note we ALREADY KNOW. Really, are you kidding me? How is that going to help me expand my repertoire? Well, I am still unfortunately limited to a few songs: "Merrily We Roll Along" (which also happens to have the same tune as "Mary Had a Little Lamb"--voila! 2 songs in one!), "Hot Cross Buns," and...um...that might be all. I know, I should play at parties.

This last lesson marks the halfway point of my 8 week violin lesson stint. It was by far my favorite lesson so far. We are getting to know each other better, and our class has a great time with our teacher. We all know we are pathetic compared to the child geniuses that play symphonies when they are 3 1/2...and we're ok with that. :o)

I really do need to start playing at home...I will be so sad when I have to turn my violin back in!

Our Little BumbleBee!

Yes, we are THOSE doggie parents...the kind that buy a halloween costume for our Norman :o) But seriously, could YOU have passed this up???

He even has wings!!

It was so comfy, he even started falling asleep :o)

I Love Fall!

You Belong in Fall

Intelligent, introspective, and quite expressive at times... You appreciate the changes in color, climate, and mood that fall brings Whether you're carving wacky pumpkins or taking long drives, autumn is a favorite time of year for you

What Season Are You?

Getting better...

We actually didn't learn anything new yesterday in our violin lessons, but all the review was very helpful! I have never been a "practice at home" kind of person (just ask my parents...they were always on my case about practicing piano and oboe when I was younger), so it was good for me to actually keep working on the things we learned while in class. But, since my violin is a rental, I need to take advantage of the time that I have it and play at home, too! Not sure how Norman will feel about that.

I did feel like a real violin player yesterday because we were continuing to bow, and on different strings! And we learned how to move from string to string silently (ok I lied, we did learn something new). B really is a great teacher. I feel like I am forming correct habits right from the start. I am enjoying myself a lot. But I always get so sore (my shoulders and neck get such a workout), so I'd better start playing more!

3 More Notes and a Bow

After much anticipation, and a request from my faithful reader (you know who you are), I am here with an update on Violin Lesson #2 :o) I was almost late, because I miscalculated the time it took to get there (and my co-worker was telling me a story as I was packing up to leave...I do love stories!), but I slipped in just as the teacher (I'll call her "B") was walking around tuning everyone's violins. After that, we went right into some warm-ups and we plucked our way through our first accompaniment (as B played along with her Violin and Bow). Then...drum roll...it was time for the finger calluses. By that I mean you have to press down hard on those strings to change notes! I had little lines at the tips of my fingers on my left hand by the end of class. No pain, no gain. I was starting to feel impatient (hey, I have played piano for 23 years...I know the notes, just show me how to play them on the violin!), but remembered that learning correctly and being patient is key to my experience (can you tell I was never good at "group work" in school?).

I was starting to get nervous, as the clock neared 7:00 (the end of the lesson) and we still had yet to take out the bow. Then, the moment came. She told us to get out the pencils she had given us last week to practice our "bow hold." I knew what was coming. After a quick lesson on what was what on the bow, and where to hold it (along with B going around to each person to see that they were holding it correctly...again, lessons in patience AND violin), we got to make our first sound. It was beautiful. Except that I was going cross-eyed looking at the bow on the strings and couldn't tell which string I was "bow-ing." I wonder if all violin players have that problem? I totally thought I was bowing a different string than I was...maybe I'll just have to close one eye while I play...haha.

By the time 7:00 rolled around, I felt confident that I took enough away from the lesson to practice at home. Oh, and with the notes we now know (7 total!), I can play Hot Cross Buns. Who could ask for anything more?

I am TOTALLY a violin player now

Well, sorta. I started violin lessons yesterday with the OKC Philharmonic “Be the Orchestra” program. I've wanted to play the violin since I was about 4, so I am really excited to finally be learning! We haven’t even gotten the bow out yet, but I can sure pluck strings with the best of ‘em. Only 4 notes (the notes where you don’t have to push down any strings), but I’m sure I can make a beautiful song out of those 4 notes!

I think Norman will enjoy my at-home practicing immensely. Especially once we start using the bow (next week!) and I am squeeking out note after note. He howls when I play the piano (actually, I prefer to call it “singing,” thank you) so I know he will enjoy accompanying me on the violin as well.

Stay tuned for next week’s recap of “the first lesson with the bow”…insert music of frightening anticipation here…

One Year in Oklahoma!

July 31, 2006, we arrived in Oklahoma City to begin the adventure of a lifetime. What a perfect time in our marriage to venture out on our own and learn to depend on one another as our new family. Our move down here did not start out so glamorous, as we were in a little apartment filled with boxes, using camping chairs as living room furniture...Hehe. Can you tell that we were only there temporarily?

September 15, 2006, we purchased our first home together. I had a townhouse in MN, which Steve moved into (and I moved back into after we got married) but it was so nice to go through the process of buying a house together. We still think of our house now as “Our First Place.” Here is a picture we took last winter (snow in OK? I thought we moved away from that!). We are blessed, for sure.

We even have a pond view from our backyard, and when the fountains run, it sounds like a spa! We don’t spend nearly enough time out there, though, and we need to…it’s so beautiful.

In some ways, it seems like it’s been forever since we moved here, but in others, it has gone so fast. As Steve starts his 2nd year of school, I am given the perspective that it will only get faster, as life tends to do. I hope that I can enjoy this time, rather than simply looking to “the next thing” which I am famous for! God has truly blessed us and I am not sure I always remember that.

Well, that’s my post for now…more to come! Happy Wednesday!!

I did it!

I have caved. I created a blog. I am so addicted to reading everyone else's blogs, and know the therapeutic value of journaling (but I so would rather type than hand-write...it's faster), I figured--what the hay, I'll get one, too! Now when I sign other blogs, I can ix-nay the "Anonymous" post :o)

Not sure how often I'll post, because honestly, my life isn't all that interesting right now...but I do love to tell stories, so I'll keep your interest simply by telling stories of Steve, Norman, and me here in OooooK-lahoma where the wind comes sweeping down the plains!

Happy Reading, friends!