Moved Away

I dont know that anyone actually ever looks at this anymore, but incase anyone does, I should let you know that I no longer use this site. I am guessing you figured that out being that my last entry was from 2007, but if not.... my new blog address is http://annameiners.blogspot.com/ . If you are still interested in my life, feel free to look me up and see how life is going.

Officially, I say goodbye to Xanga.... though I cant actually figure out how to cancel my blog :)

Ciao

Currently Listening August Rush: Music From The Motion Picture By Various Artists see related

I discovered last week that my drivers licence was expired. Good thing I rented a car to go to St. Louis for thanksgiving, or else I might have never known. So, anyway, this week I had to go and not only get it renewed, but transfer to a Tenneesse licence. So I went, talked with the police officer at the front desk and told him that I needed to get a new licence. He said, "oh, you need to get a permit?" I replied, "no, I need to transfer my licence from Georgia to Tennessee", he replied "oh, you mean you need to transfer your permit". By this time my personal pride was so far out the window.... I said "no, not a permit, a licence" "a REAL licence?"  he asked. "yes.. and real licence".... "how OLD are you???" "well, 23 I explained". He looked shocked... I was shocked... I didnt have a form that I needed, but he let me through anyway. I think he felt bad. He should have felt bad.. I feel bad. Oh well, I'll appreciate it when I'm older. It was wierd to think that 15 was almost a decade ago though. I'm glad I'm not 15 anymore. What a crummy age.

I am part of this small group. It is run by my pastor and his wife and it is for young professionals. Every time we meet we do a short "get to know you" moment. Last night we had to go around say someone from  history that you admire, and some social issue in the world that really bothers you. The first person that popped into my mind for the person that I admire was my father. People said, Martin Luther King, Mother Teressa, and others. I decided thought that mine was really my father. I said that I really admired all the sacrifices that he has made in his life to serve God. His willingness to travel all over the world, and his ability and gift at working with people. I think that one reason that I chose my father is because I have been realizing more and more lately that I am so much like my dad. Our personalities are really similar in many ways and I think we share a passion for people and we relate to people in a really similar manner. I admire him because one day I would like to be just like him. Aside from the corny jokes and the inability to multitask of course :) But he really does have a heart for people and a real heart for ministry. I think he is cool.

We also had to share a social issue that really bothers us. I had a lot to choose from, but I felt like self-centered-ness is at the root of a lot of problems. I debated choosing between child abuse, AIDS, Starvation, ignorance, and many others. It was a tough choice. There are a lot of problems in the world.

On a whole other note. I went up to Thanksgiving in St. Louis. I got to see Sarah and Kirk and Joanna, and also got to spend some good quality time with Kable. It was awesome. Here are some pictures from that. Just kidding, I haven't downloaded them yet. They'll come later.

Well, I need to get back to work. Hope everyone is doing well. P.S. Go and see August Rush... I really liked it. and I bought the soundtrack and really liked that to.

I am 23 now. I can't really say that I feel much differant, however I do feel like as the years pass I am some how behind schedule. I know that I am not, but there are still so many things that I want to do as I am gaining more and more responsibility and growing closer and closer to the place I live and the relationships that I have it will be even harder for me to leave. I still want to leave one day. To fulfll my dream of living in Africa, but for now I am pretty content where I am. I could see my self here for several years. I think this is the first time I have admitted that, and it might just be a good week. But I suspect I will be in the States for at least two more years.

So, yesterday was my birthday. Last night Mom, Dad, Wil and Amy and I all went out to dinner. Outback! Pretty much amazing. We went all out. Appitizers, drinks, steaks. I felt loved. As I was sitting there I could not stop smiling, I was reminded over and over about how blessed I have been in this life. My family is more than I could ask for. Mom and Dad drove from Atlanta and Wil and Amy came from North Carolina, just to have dinner with me and to eat a little birthday cake. Mom made my favorite, Chocolate Peanut Butter. To die for.

My housemate Corinne came into my room and gave me something I treasure. Chocolate Chips. I am sitting here eating them as well speak. Brian came over and gave me a funny card and Sour Patch Kids. You know why he gave me sour patch kids? People who know me really well know that when I eat anything sour my right eye twitches. Without fail. Its pretty amazing actually. Annoying from my standpoint, but histarical to those around me. I appreciate them.

I got to talk to my whole family yesterday. Even Meg called from Tanzania. And all three of my verbal nieces called to wish me a happy birthday. They all said they loved their Aunti Anna and I almost cried.

I have discovered that most frequently I write on this thing when I feel like A. it has been a rediculously long time since I last wrote. B. I have nothing better to do. or C. I really should be doing something else, but am procrastinating and justifying my procrastination using option A. Today... I am option C. I should be working on a budget for Chattanooga Sports Ministies, the organization that I work for, but budgets just aren't very much fun, and I haven't updated in a rediculously long time :)

So, life these days. Lets see. Summer is now officially over. I shed a tear about that one. I used to sleep in, go to the pool, hang out with friends, and all sorts of other stuff. Now I go to work every morning, come home from work every afternoon, and well, still go to the pool sometimes, go to soccer games, and hang out with friends, so I guess that it is not all bad. Right now my boss is on a missions trip in Peru, so I am pretty much on my own. I have been working on this yearly budget, but it just really ist much fun. I am also currently house sitting and have decided that I never want to have cable. It is soo addictive. But for this week I am accepting my addiction and letting it flourish. :)

Lets see, something really fun that I did recently was to go out on the TN River on my friend BJ's boat. BJ and his wife live on the mountain and it is really anoying to cart a boat up and down the mountain, so they have been storing it in our backyard. The other weekend BJ, his wife Jamie, Brian, Anna Steere and myself all headed down the river on the boat. It was awesome. We rode for a while and then stopped where this was this giant rope swing into the river. Super fun, and then went downtown and drove aroudn for a while. By the time we started heading back it was pitch black and Brian had to use the spotlight to try and find bouies (no idea how to spell that one) so that we didnt crash. A little on the scary side, but pretty funny.Here we are in  the boat. You must admit, my hari looks spectacular:)

 Also funny story, the other day, before school started up again, a funny thing happened. Brian called and said, hey, can I come over and hang out. Anna and Corinne and I were in their room and so we hear Brian come in the door, and he comes in and walks by the door in his bathing suit.. "Did you guys know that BJ is in the backyard, sitting in his boat, having a beer" . In writing this doesn't sound that funny, but it real life it was histarical. We proceeded to the back to find that Brian was telling the truth. There was BJ, in the back, in his boat, enjoying a beer. I thought it was histarical :) Here they are:

Janell and I have been feeling extra adventurous this summer. It has been great. it is nice to have someone who likes to do some of the same stuff as me, and it is great having the time to be able to hang out. Anyway, the other day Janell and I decided to go canooing. It was pretty great. We got on the river and started paddling, and about five minutes later it started to pour. haha. it was awesome. We were completely soaked and probobly could have died, but it was awesome. Also something to note is that the two of us were able to successfully get the canoe on and off the xterra without any problems. Here is evidence. Also worth noting, this is the Xterra that I am buying in about a month. :)

Other than our great adventures, we end up sitting around the house and chilling a lot.

Quite enjoyable.       

It is kind of sad not to be in school anymore. I had to go up to campus yesterday to get a couple signatures and it was so wierd to be back up there, but not going to classes. I went into the computer lab to try and get some of my old stuff off  the network... I can't log in anymore. It was sort of a reality check.. I am no longer a student. But I think that I like it. Right now my job is kind of hard cause I feel like there really isnt THat much to do. I mean, there is, but it is hard to be super motivated since we have all year till the summer stuff starts up again.

I made a new friend this summer. Brian and Aaron play baseball for this adult summer league. The team is run by these two twins, Travis and Trevor, their dad helps coach, and their sister keeps stats. Anyway, I ended up going to pretty much every game and so I got to know Rachel, the sister pretty well, as well as the twins. Rachel and I have started haning out more, which is fun, and yesteray we went walking together. it is nice to be around a family and I really enjoy going to their house and chatting with Mr. Harrison as he works on his flowers, and hanging out with Rachel and the boys. I am trying to reqruit their little friend Sonya to play on my soccer team.

Well, I guess this is pretty long. I am still procrastinating, but I guess I need to move on to bigger and better things :) Hope everyone is doing well.  Meg.... UPDATE YOUR BLOG!!!.

Love you all, Banana Head 

 Well, I thought I should probobly put up a picture of my new addition. So, family.... here you go. It will probobly look a lot better in person, but here is the tattoo.

Here I am right after it happened, with my witnessing parties, Janell and Brian. They both wanted to go with me. And here is closer what it looks like:

 um, ok. I have to go back to work now, but just wanted to show it to you all. Love you guys :) Hope you still love me :)