I 'DESERVE' IT

(I know I have a load of things to do right now, but I'm telling myself I deserve to blog right now. I can hear some sort of authority in my head saying something like I never can deserve anything in this life; I think in the context of Christ, and my eternal debt. But still, for lack of a better word, I deserve this blog therapy right now.)

We got to school around 8 tonight, with the intention of staying for a good late night of homework. The Aytch-Eff-Ay-See, as Ben likes to call it, (H-FAC to the rest of us) closes at 11, but late passes are available by endorsement of a teacher. Ben spends so much time with me there that the Security Guard girl now considers him one of the rest of the design students with late passes.

Awesome.

Tonight we sat in a room not endorsed by the late pass. So at 11, Security Guard Girl asked us to pack up and move two doors down to the BFA studio. But it was full. It turns out there were 13 other students just as dedicated to the night of homework that we were. We awkwardly walked in, then walked out; there was no room in the Inn. But really it's probably better this way, the BFA studio is probably not for married people after all. We're the only marrieds that ever really stay late. (The others must know how to be productive at home or something?)

Ben and I are trying it. We each have a little desk in our "work room". Ben was a dear and, to make my small corner more inviting (after my mumble of complaint), he lit two candles for me. Now I'm so happy and comfortable, how can I not just write about it? I was just rejected from the Inn, I deserve to write.

I'm connecting my random thoughts on a theme: Gratitude (it's November).


I'm grateful for Ben being a dear. After compiling this flora to the beauty above, Ben did me a favor of gathering my school bag, and bringing me the car in exchange for the brrrr! scooter I took to work. After a full day of work then class, I came home to a clean house and dinner on the table. Parmesan salad, spiced hamburgers, spaghetti squash, then egg nog and fruit snacks for dessert. He was so happy and hot. He made good jokes all evening, and I asked him why I loved him so much today.

I'm grateful for my passport. I know, I already told you I found it, but was it anticlimactic for you too? (Ben mentioned, two minutes after finding it, "That place was kind of anticlimactic.") I don't know if you realize the miracle. I was pushed to the very edge. I had looked everywhere for days, then I made all the calls, looked up the online info, filled out the proper forms and printed them out. I had a folder with all the prices and phone numbers and appointments and requirements. I wondered if it was silly to make the post about it. But if I hadn't, Ashley would never have known of my dilemma, so she never would have chatted me with the long list of unthinkable places, mentioning 'endtable' in passing, and I might never have thought to open the bottom drawer on my way to bed. Now, Korea's stamp will be in the same book as England, Germany, France, and the Czech and Dominican Republics. And I can buy stationeries and pens and things in Seoul. I think of the analogy that the Lord requires us to take a few steps into the dark before he'll light the way. I'm grateful He lit the way after my steps in the dark.


I'm grateful for Nu Skin. In the past 2 weeks, the Nu Skin has payed me to taste nearly every item on Communal's lunch menu, to golf for 5 hours, and to draw elves with wide faces all day long. Not to mention: they pay me to get internship credit hours at school. One day I'll show you what Nu Skin pays me to design.

Oh, and this whole time Ben deserved to look for new Christmas music with the $30 of iTunes gift cards from none other than our good friend Nu Skin.

Now we are cracking down on homework. Nothing can stop us.