Changed my mind-don't bring on the finals!!

Life's been busy around here with everything, but I know it'll get a whole lot worse soon enough. This weekend I've got to go to the Farmer's Market, to work to stamp hundreds of boxes for exam treats, to the band concert, finish my duties as birthday decorating person, homework, and hopefully find some time to start studying for my exams. AHHHH!! Matt turned 21 with ease and an extra 12 hours to celebrate due to the 6 hour time difference on either end of the day. Me, on the other hand, I have no idea what's going to happen on my birthday. I know I may have to work Mother's Day though after my final. Not a big deal because I hope to see moogie on my birthday or the day before that. We'll see, like always.

Lots of love to you all from Oscar and Me -- our 6 month "anniversary" is on May 8th :-D

Term Paper is done, bring on the finals!

Only two weeks until finals start. 7:45AM next Sunday, May 8th, to be precise. The term paper was a pain, mainly because the library we must use was only open until 9PM on the weeknights and 4 or 5PM on the weekends. I didn't even hold it off until the last minute, but was writing it last Monday for this Monday. I had a very long draft prepared by Friday morning to discuss with my TA. Then I cut, cut, and cut some more. Still, I was down to the wire today. I had to research one little part. I made it there by 2:30PM. I had e-mailed myself my copy. Wouldn't take too long, and I could still make it to work on time, right?? Wrong. The silly library doesn't have MICROSOFT WORD on its computers!! I had to run over to Union South a couple of blocks away. I had to find an open computer (luckily I did) then had to figure out how to use an Apple comptuer (some of the commands are different, like changing the margins). Then I had print and run back. I had already called in saying I was going to be late....good thing to because I was about 45 mins late. Grrrrr..... The paper was handed in 5 minutes before the due time. Then I ran to work, worked 3 hours, went to dinner at Ed's, and went to Vet Med for Erin's lab. She waited for the professor. I read history. Back to Liz where I'm about ready to go to bed. Why are Mondays so hard??

Perhaps it was because of the awesome weekend I had. I went home at about 4PM on Friday afternoon to a happy Buddy and Daisy. On Saturday morning, Mom, Daisy, and I went garage sale-ing. I found some great stuff, like a $15 cd player (by and far the most expensive find of the day) with a 5in black and white TV. I have yet to figure out how to get better reception.....I guess I'll read the manuel. I also got a box of vases for $.50. I really only wanted two or three of them, so Mom's thinking of either giving them away or selling them to a florist-friend of hers. I also bought a dream catcher to keep away all my nightmares -- I was going to buy a kit online and make it myself, but a $1 pre-made one seemed a much better deal. I was also interested in an electric guitar and some speakers but both were out of the budget. Afterward we had dinner with Grandpa and Gloria at the truck-stop. All and all I had a great day. Sunday was even better because after I got my 100% on my test, we went to visit Linda and the cousins for a nice dinner and chat. Missed a bit of "Desperate Housewives" but totally worth it. I hope to repeat the experience some day.

Well, time for bed. Oscar hasn't gotten much attention lately and he doesn't like it. Soon...very soon all of this homework/finals craziness will be over. Then a new craziness will begin -- work full-time!

Love, Christi and Oscar

Dream Catchers

Long ago when the world was young, an old Lakota spiritual leader was on a high mountain and had a vision.

In his vision, Iktomi, the great trickster and teacher of wisdom, appeared in the form of a spider.

Iktomi spoke to him in a sacred language that only the spiritual leaders of the Lakota could understand.

As he spoke Iktomi, the spider, took the elder's willow hoop which had feathers, horse hair, beads and offerings on it and began to spin a web.

He spoke to the elder about the cycles of life ... and how we begin our lives as infants and we move on to childhood, and then to adulthood. Finally, we go to old age where we must be taken care of as infants, completing the cycle.

"But," Iktomi said as he continued to spin his web, "in each time of life there are many forces -- some good and some bad. If you listen to the good forces, they will steer you in the right direction. But if you listen to the bad forces, they will hurt you and steer you in the wrong direction."

He continued, "There are many forces and different directions that can help or interfere with the harmony of nature, and also with the great spirit and-all of his wonderful teachings."

All the while the spider spoke, he continued to weave his web starting from the outside and working toward the center.

When Iktomi finished speaking, he gave the Lakota elder the web and said..."See, the web is a perfect circle but there is a hole in the center of the circle."

He said, "Use the web to help yourself and your people to reach your goals and make good use of your people's ideas, dreams and visions.

"If you believe in the great spirit, the web will catch your good ideas -- and the bad ones will go through the hole."

The Lakota elder passed on his vision to his people and now the Sioux Indians use the dream catcher as the web of their life.

It is hung above their beds or in their home to sift their dreams and visions.

The good in their dreams are captured in the web of life and carried with them...but the evil in their dreams escapes through the hole in the center of the web and are no longer a part of them.

They believe that the dream catcher holds the destiny of their future.
http://www.cia-g.com/~gathplac/dreamcatcher_legend.htm