just katie may.

I'm not Whit, but Jesus is still Jesus.

2012-01-25T18:51:00.001-07:00

In a far away land, there is a town in which everything works out perfectly.

In this town, there is a discovery emporium and ice-cream shop (which is adorable).

The kids there misbehave (sometimes) but a reasonable, mature adult is never too far away.

This adult always manages the children with grace and has at least three bible verses to encourage and steer the kids in the right direction.

The kids, with the exception of a few, take everything to heart and really desire to do better.

aaahhhhhhh. Sounds great, no?

Obviously, I'm talking about Whit's End in Odyssey.

The awesome adults are Whit, Connie, Eugene, Bernard, Tom, and Wooten.

But. (you knew it was coming)

In a not so far away land, there is a town where drugs, violence, single-motherhood & the alike are the norm.

In this town there is a bookstore and coffee shop (which is adorable, if i do say so myself).

The kids (with exception to a few) in this place have no respect for anything that isn't their own. They don't know how to behave in public places and get nasty when they're told to settle down. They break things, litter, scream/yell, play offensive music on their phones, tear out flowers, climb on the roof, talk back to adults, etc.

They're completely out of control, and sometimes I feel like the adults at this shop are the only ones that care.

Obviously, I'm talking about Café Sed in Magdalena.

And these stressed-out adults are Melissa, Isela, Keila, and myself.

I don't want this blog post to have a complaining tone to it, I just want to let you all know what life is really like running a missionary-type business. It's the most conflicting thing I've ever done.

On one hand, I want to have kids in the shop. Mr. Whitiker is my hero and I really want to be like him.

(I don't care how dorky that sounds - it's true!)

I would LOVE for kids to enjoy the shop, the games, the patio, the art, the books!

I would love to get to know these kids & to be someone special in their lives who can always steer them towards the One who will change them from the inside out.

Like Whit. :]

On the other, more realistic, hand...the majority of kids in Magdalena are out. of. control.

It's like we need to start from square one with them!

"Square one" being how to treat everyone besides yourself.

They all need a kick in the buttocks and be told to shape up.

They desperately need to know that they're not the center of the universe and everyone else isn't dying to please their every little wish.

30 pesos for a frappé doesn't justify your actions, kid.

So. What do I do?

Rules.

ahh. the dreaded word!

It started with simple things like...

asking for permission before you play games and no games or books on the patio.

But today, we took it to a whole new level...

No kids under 14 are allowed in the patio without being accompanied by an adult.

oh snap!

This means that if the kids want to enjoy the patio, someone's parent will have to come along.

WHICH MEANS....

I don't have to be an unpaid babysitter for jr. highers any more!!!

Yippie!

We'll see how it goes.

It really stinks that, because of some kid's actions, I have to put restrictions on everything.

But maybe this will sink in with some kids and they'll learn that we will not tolerate their disrespect.

More thoughts (this is the part of the post when my brain just kind of vomits up all the other thoughts I have regarding this topic..sorry!):

I realize that Café Sed has become a haven for people needing to put their feet up a little and enjoy quality time with their friends or with a good book.

But because it's the only place in town that encourages people to sit & stay awhile, kids come and want to spend time together too.

Like I said, in Odyssey...it would be wonderful.

But in Magdalena...it isn't.

It turns out being loud and the things I pour my love into end up getting

smashed to pieces (literally).

So what we need here is a place
MADE FOR KIDS.

Somewhere where they can go, have fun and spend time.

Some place where they have a chance to be productive.

Like a discovery emporium.

Or a bowling alley.

Or a roller rink. (...this is starting to sound like Morton...)

Or music lessons.

Or horse back riding lessons.

Or a great park.

Or a funny farm with padded walls and straight jackets.

(disregard the last suggestion. it was typed out of a sudden burst of frustration.)

Seriously though...there are 50,000 people in this town!

The closest towns have a little less people and a lot less to do.

Who better to start up valuable businesses then people that love Jesus and want to spread his gospel and pray that He would penetrate their businesses with His love & grace?!

*sigh*

So there you go.

rawr.

2012-01-24T20:54:00.001-07:00

be fierce.

that moment when...

2012-01-09T21:58:00.001-07:00

Tonight I was asked by a friend where I would be if I'd never started Café Sed...

It was weird 'cause I've been asked similar questions before I started the café

"What would you do if you didn't live in Mexico?"

"Where would you be if you had the opportunity to choose?"

...and have always come up with an answer.

One that sounded good to me & made me wish, for a moment, that I was at said place doing said thing.

So, I was surprised that, when asked "Where would you be if you weren't at Sed?", I answered...

"Out of God's will."

I mean...I could (and did!) think of things I could be doing instead of the café...things I had planned on doing...but none of those things were desirable to me.

Which is so different because, they were great things!

•Working in Illinois and/or studying at ISU

•Maybe studying design in California

•Working at a christian camp in England

...I mean, seriously! Those things sound fun & great & all...

But God didn't call me to any of those things.

He called me here.

And I'm happy with that!

I know where he wants me right now...and that's kinda a big deal, you know?

At least I feel like it is.

videos/songs that make me happy...

2012-01-07T22:48:00.004-07:00

just a bunch of videos that make me smile...and why.

first, Ry Cox's video of Brandon Heath singing one of my favorite songs. i mean..listen to that cello!!!! what a beautiful sound.

then..."Flower, Flower" by The Vespers. 'cause they're so cute...and they played this on my birthday.

ok. then there's Evan Wickham & his boys. 'cause who doesn't love the Wickhams?

SPEAKING of which...i just found THIS video & it makes me happier then pretty much everything else, 'cause i got to be a part of this BEAUTIFUL night with my darling friend, Kali.

Phil Wickham's concert in Tucson this past August was just...so wonderful.

The Spirit was present and working and loving and stirring a holy passion for His praise within us...it was beautiful and, of course, the video doesn't do the night justice. But you get a taste.

take it all down...christmas is over.

2011-12-30T10:10:00.003-07:00

HOW IN THE WORLD DID THIS YEAR GO BY SO FAST?!

...what the world. 2011 is OVER when the clock strikes 12 tomorrow night.

Christmas is over.

It was a very sickly Christmas for me...but I still enjoyed it immensely.

Like always, my family spent the 24th out at CVE with our CVE family.

What a wonderful Christmas tradition. Seriously. It's always a blast.

Starts with food, then singing, then the Christmas story, then games, then presents, then just hanging out/playing around/listening & enjoying some Christmas tunes/more food.

After wishing everyone a "feliz navidad", we all hit the hay around 12 a.m.

sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.

WAKE UP!

CHRISTMAS MORNING!

actually. The 25th is SUPER chill.

Presents in the morning & breakfast with the family.

Since this Christmas fell on a Sunday, we had a special service out at CVE...pretty much just sang the morning away, praising our Lord and Savior for his goodness & grace!

'Twas wonderful.

Then we had food at the Schick house and invited whoever wanted to come over.

The menu consisted of...tamales, beans, chili and coke-a-cola. :]

That morning my parents gave me THE BEST PRESENT EVERRRRRRRRR...

My very own ukulele! His name is Don.

Now I can spend the money I'd saved up for other things...

(like a trip to the midwest. :])

So guess what I've been doing for the past week.

Learning all of my favorite songs on the uke of course!

Yippie!

My mom is totally getting into it.

She was watching videos of The Vespers with me last night and

totally thought they were totally adorable. totally.

This post was supposed to be a wrap up of sorts for my year.

Eh. How un-original would that be!?

Besides...anyone who has read this before knows what they're getting themselves into.

it's just a bunch of rambling-nothings from yours truly.

....

yeah.

anywho's.

....

I'm going to Phoenix tomorrow! WOOHOO!

Friends!

I love friends.

'tis the season...

2011-12-24T12:14:00.006-07:00

I want to wish you a very merry//holly jolly//fabulous Christmas.

I hope you eat lots of delicious food...

and get to spend time with the people that are nearest & dearest to your heart.

I hope you're soaking up all the wonderful Christmas songs

and have plunged yourself head first into the Christmas spirit.

I hope you get the chance to serve someone this Christmas season.

But most of all...

I hope you feel blessed by the miracle of Christ's birth and can rejoice in the grace he has poured out because of his perfect birth, life, death, burial & resurrection!

Merry Christmas, dear ones!

xoxo, katie may

my prayer for this December...

2011-12-14T11:21:00.003-07:00

Lord, teach me contentment.

Lord, teach me to seek your face before any other.

Jesus, I reject Satan's lies that I desire anything but YOU...you are everything.

Be my One Desire and my deepest joy.

May I focus on you this Christmas season and celebrate the incredible sacrifice you made.

To be born to such a wretched world and in such a humble way...

I cannot worship you enough.

Thank you, Jesus.

another great one falls.

2011-11-25T12:48:00.004-07:00

In case you don't know...

my dear & darling friend,

Kali Zobrist is engaged to a señor Jonathan Sauder.

Haha...who knew, right!?

God. God knew.

...and his plan really is the best one.

I am so excited for both Kali & Jonathan...

I know that God has this perfect and awesome plan for their life together

and I'm simply ecstatic to see it.

Kali is such an incredible person & I feel blessed beyond words to have been able to spend the past three years growing with her here in Magdalena.

She's got his fire in her that usually comes out when she's banging away at the piano and singing at the top of her lungs.

I don't think they know yet where they're going to live once they're married...

but if they do end up moving away from Magdalena...

I'm gonna miss singing with her on a weekly basis...

and I'll try not to worry about who will take over leading worship.

....

Maybe I can do it with my uke!

Kali, I know you're reading this...this is what your marriage is causing -

praise singing with a ukulele!

...actually...this is gonna be fun...

Watch. Monday night prayer meeting attendance will go wayyyy down now. :]

But seriously though...

God's blessed me so much with giving me an unexpected sister and friend in Kali.

Jonathan - you got the best of the best.

Felicidades, guys!

half of november = over

2011-11-15T21:41:00.003-07:00

i've been looking forward to november for a while.

my calendar has been all marked up in november since...well...a few months.

wanna know why?

ok...lets go through my month so far..

NOVEMBER 1st: release of BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook!!!

what's so special about this book?

flip it the book open to page #84...i made skirt #7!

that's right. it's pretty much MY book.

find it for sale at barnes & noble, amazon, and other bookstores.

NOVEMBER 2nd: first anniversary of Café Sed! i have pictures posted on Facebook and wrote a little bit about how i feel about it on the Café Sed blog.

i also launched the new website on that day!

the site was design by Tyler Hoerr and it's awesome.

we kept it super simple and it's not quite completely finished, go check it out.

let me know what you think!

NOVEMBER 5th-14th: spontaneous Schick family trip to central illinois!

too many details to write on my blog...so i'll sum up.

if you don't care...then i'd skip this part. :]

friday the 5th - left magdalena at 1 a.m.

saturday - flew out of tucson early morning. picked up in st. louis by Ty & Sara. got lost. finally made it to morton and crashed.

sunday - washington church. Schick family night/baby shower(s) for Katy & Wendy.

monday - dad took us schick girls (all 8 of us!) out for lunch. shopping with sis-in-laws. thirty/thirty coffee on opening day. booya! baby shower at Jeff & Jada's for Katy.

tuesday - all 17 of us went to chicago. italian food. shedd aquarium. lil' bit of shopping. cheesecake factory. missed the train. but that's another story. next time you see me, ask & i'll tell you...it's rather entertaining.

wednesday - got home from chicago. finally! dentist appointment. lunch with Sara, Laura & Kara. roanoke for church.

thursday - breakfast with Wendi. eureka with Anna. mika's! bloomington. avanti's. ISU bible study & singing. stayed with Tessa.

friday - hung out with Tess pretty much all day. "Tangled" night at Billy & Jenny's.

saturday - shopping/hanging out with Sara & Jenny. Andy & Nichole's wedding. All Campus Worship at ISU. Pancakes at Tessa's house. Good times with friends. Late night.

sunday - peoria for church. steak n' shake with Rosie, Ross & Sophie. Hoerr's thanksgiving.

monday - gathered colorful leaves & with tears in my eyes left illinois.

i worked all day today & still haven't unpacked.

'cause unpacking is my least favorite part.

next week: Thanksgiving team! ...half the size of last year's team.

listen. pray. repeat.

2011-10-24T22:05:00.000-07:00

christmas pictures: best of the worst

2011-10-22T19:54:00.000-07:00

note: we're not going to use any of these as our christmas picture(s)...but we had so much fun goofing around that we wanted to share the results with the world. :]

you're so very welcome.

[comment if you want the real deal. we're gonna mail out our christmas cards towards the beginning of december. ok? ok.]

,katie may.

p.s. - i know it's not even november yet, but seriously...it is never too early to start talking about christmas. you're crazy if you think otherwhys.

s'mas

2011-10-21T22:35:00.004-07:00

so. tonight...my family was invited over for pizza and s'mores at the Rink house.

I love this 'cause my family is cool and I wanted to hang out with them anyway,

and 'cause Joel & Steph are a'right too, so that's an added bonus!

more then half way through october & i'm just now getting around to eating a s'more (Joel & Steph's kids call them "s'mas"...which is awesome) 'round a fire.

I LOVE FALL!

thanks to the Rink's for hosting us Schicks (esp. for the delicious pizza, Steph!)

tuesday's dose of encouragement..

2011-10-18T12:02:00.004-07:00

music i've been encouraged by lately...

Awesome God - Rich Millins

(such a classic, still so good. i have no idea what the dog's about...)

Blessed Be Your Name - Matt Redman

(no matter what is going on, there is ALWAYS reason to praise!)

Blessings - Laura Story

(sooo good. she hit the nail right on the head with this song. love!)

Heavenlies - Evan Wickham

(with every breath i breathe, my heart cries out for home.

it's going to be awesome. i can't wait!)

what flynn & i do for fun...

2011-10-14T17:45:00.008-07:00

maybe i should have titled this "what i do for fun" 'cause poor ol' flynn doesn't really have a choice. he's rather bored, you see. and any entertainment is good enough for him.

so he's a great sermon watching /listening buddy.

as you can see, one of his favorites is steven furtick.

[insert schick joke about cat's fur + ticks = pun]

some pastors we subscribe to have voice-only podcasts...

so they're nice to listen to while blog stalking. or crafting.

flynn always joins me on the futon to hear the wisdom, though. always. without fail.

even as i write this he's sitting on my lap (i had to push him off the keyboard 'cause he google searches things like "wahasoiahfkv flkruhqwoih4293rlnd", which is cat for something, apparently.)

CROSSED LEGS!

isn't he so cute?!

keith & marcy

2011-10-12T22:00:00.002-07:00

i want you to meet two very important people in my life..

first is Marcy, my personal trainer...

she's older then her cousin in this picture, but they're almost identical and get mistaken for each other by strangers all the time.

(aren't you proud that i'm exercising, melissa?!)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

second, and probably more importantly, is Keith.

Keith is my personal dj while exercising.

if you don't know who Keith is..well then! you need to listen to better music.

seriously though. his hair is so awesome, that alone should make you want to listen to him!

not convinced? lame-o.

'kay then. listen to this song & imagine yourself "biking" 11 miles to it & others like it...

CLICK HERE TO HEAR IT!

annnddddd now i've provided you with something to do today.

have fun watching/listening to the rest of his stuff!

...and you're welcome.

what my head does when it needs a pillow...

2011-10-08T20:38:00.002-07:00

That’s it. I’ve decided to write a book.

I have no idea what it’ll be about, but I’d like it to have the qualities I love most about

Adventures in Odyssey, and Dr. Suess & Beatrix Potter’s books.

I need it to have wit and meat.

I will use C.S. Lewis as the ultimate inspiration.

So, by what I have decided so far, this book will be about cute little animals

wearing jackets, running an icecream shop, and speaking in riddles.

There will have to be adventure, battles, sacrifice, and love.

But very little romance.

Because everyone knows that Caspian and Susan never felt that way about eachother.

And it’s become very obvious that Connie will never get married.

The story will have to take place in somewhere magical.

Or somewhere that could be magical if people would open their eyes long enough to notice.

I might base some characters off of people that I admire.

I won’t tell them. They’ll have to guess.

We’ll make a game out of it when we’re all together eating hot fudge sundaes.

The story will not have any petty drama that I find so annoying in real life.

It will be sensible and ridiculous at the same time.

I haven’t the foggiest what the story line will be...

But my deadline is May 4th, 2022.

Let it be known that before I am 30, I will write and publish a book.

grace & truth

2011-10-05T12:09:00.002-07:00

I just finished reading "The Grace and Truth Paradox" by Randy Alcorn.

Wow.

What an important little book!

I wanted to do a blog post with some of my favorite quotes from the book instead of just blabbering on & on about it.

So here goes!

Grace & Truth in a nutshell:

"People had only to look at Jesus to see what God is like.

People today should only have to look at us to see what Jesus is like."

{Page 14}

"Jesus wasn't 50 percent grace, 50 percent truth, but 100 percent grace, 100 percent truth."

{Page 16}

"When a musical intrument's strings go loose, it sounds awful. But you can also over tighten the strings, breaking them or creating discord. There's a perfect tension to grace and truth, which makes the gospel's music."

{Page 20}

"Going to hell isn't in anyone's best interests. How dare we, in the name of false grace "tolerance" withhold true grace from those Jesus came to rescue?"

{Page 42}

"'Truth is whatever you sincerely believe'...So, if we step off the roof at the same time, I'll fall because I believe in gravity, but you'll hover in the air because you don't?"

{Page 57}

"If you want a religion that makes you look good, Christianity is a poor choice. It does, however, have something wonderful going for it - it's true!"

{Page 69}

"God's grace to us is lightning. Our grace to others is thunder. Lightning comes first; thunder responds. We show grace to others because He first showed grace to us."

{Page 86}

"Truth without graces crushes people and ceases to be truth.

Grace without truth deceives people and ceases to be grace.

Truth without grace degenerates into judgmental legalism.

Grace without truth degenerates into deceitful tolerance.

Christ's heart is equally grieved by grace-suppression and truth-suppression,

by grace-twisting and truth-twisting.

Grace and truth are both necessary. Neither is sufficient."

{Page 88}

october

2011-10-01T16:41:00.004-07:00

it's raining outside & things are quiet in the café.

i'm happy to say that quiet afternoons are becoming very rare.

i feel so blessed and have been asking God why a lot lately.

...i'm still not sure of the answer,

but i know that it's for a reason and i better not waste His blessings.

i was talking with one of our regulars yesterday morning. this man has come to Christ in the past 3 months and is eager to know what God would have him do with the rest of his life.

he talked about how he lived 56 years without caring what God thought & wants to live the rest of his life doing what God really wants him to do.

i told him not to worry, 'cause when God wants something He'll make it pretty obvious.

i told him that in the mean time, just keep being eager about learning and growing about/in Him.

He will direct your paths.

i finished an awesome book yesterday...it's called

"my hands came away red."

not only was it awesome because it's so intensely well written...

but it has challenged me in ways i didn't expect a work of fiction could.

(unless you count adventures in odyssey as a "work of fiction"...that's pretty much the role model for my entire life. outside the bible of course. ;] )

through the main character, Cori, i felt myself challenged by her doubts and struggles.

...you should probably go read the book yourself to know what i really mean.

it's october 1st!

i love october.

it's like the gateway to better weather and hot chocolate.

ain't nothing wrong with that!

one thing i don't like about october, then i'll go on an

"I LOVE AUTUMN SO MUCH I COULD SCREAM!" kind of rant:

...the october fest here in magdalena.

i'll give it this much - it's interesting and i'm sure if you've got a whole lotta friends to go to the festival with, there is probably parts of it that are super fun.

but year after year, we see more trashed streets and drunkards then we care for.

eh.

anywayyy...

I LOVE AUTUMN AND CAN'T WAIT FOR THE WEATHER TO COOL DOWN SO I CAN PULL OUT MY COLLECTION OF SWEATERS, SCARVES & BERETS!

I LOVE THE ANTICIPATION OF WINTER AND THE WONDERFUL HOLIDAYS IT BRINGS.

I LOVE IT WHEN THE FIRE PLACE GETS LIT OUT AT CVE AND EVERYONE GATHERS 'ROUND ON SUNDAY AFTERNOONS/EVENINGS CHATTING OVER CHAI AND COFFEE.

*sigh*

there's even more i love about this time of year...

it all makes the unbearable heat of summer...bearable.

i'm excited for november...i feel like i'm cheating october by talking about november in this post...but there's a lot happening in november that i need to prepare for in october.

so it all makes sense.

november 1st: MARK YOUR CALENDERS 'cause the BurdaStyle Book is being released.

do to your local barnes & noble, tear that book off the shelves and flip around until you find the skirt section. then look for something blue & gray with the two words "Katie May" next to it.

exciting? yes.

november 2nd: Café Sed's first anniversary! this is the part i really need to prepare for in the weeks to come. it's gonna be a party! :D

then, of course, there's thanksgiving and all the wonderfulness that treks down from the states during that time. i'm not even gonna pretend not to be excited about seeing everyone that will be here for that week. ^_^

i just realized that i'm just typing as words come to me and this post is incredibly choppy.

and probably boring since i have no pictures to show you.

oops. sorry, guys!

ummm. my mind just stopped working.

the end.

this is the song that never ends...

2011-09-28T11:32:00.005-07:00

last...week (i don't remember the day), my dad brought me 3 lovely chairs from a thrift store in Tucson.

he must have thought they looked like something i'd like

and i could use them for something.

he was soooo right!

it took me approximately 15 minutes to know exactly what i'd do.

i'd take this:

and turn it into this:

but not before taking these:

and turning them into these:

so...a week later, i have this awesome new seat in the window.

it's perfect for people watching.

...it just goes on and on, my friends!

...it's the ever changing coffee shop!

i'm definitely going to meet my self appointed deadline of getting the café perfect for our first anniversary.

{NOVEMBER 2nd}

so that's a good thing.

here's a photo hint of my next two projects...

Cuba

2011-09-19T12:35:00.002-07:00

don't worry...Cuba still exists.

next time i draw a map, i'll try better not to leave anyone out.

{taken on my webcam...so it's flipped around. sorry.}

he's got the whole blueberry...in his hands!

2011-09-15T19:31:00.006-07:00

(before we go into this post...i thought i'd give you all a Flynn update.

'cause i know you're all just dying to know how my little kitty cat is...

..he's fine. a total food snob.

this is what i wake up to every morning...

'nough said?)

ON TO THE REAL POST!!!!

-------------------------------------------------------

you know how there just comes a time when all a space needs to make it perfect is a giant map?

well the time is now (or rather, was...about a week ago.)

i juggled a couple ideas in my mind...and ended up with painting my own on a piece of muslin.

(real + giant maps = EXPENSIVE)

anyway, because i'm katie...i took a bunch of pictures of the whole [2 day] process for you to enjoy & experience along with me.

it's not the first time i've done a map, but it's the first time i've done a 6 foot map...so it took me awhile figuring out dimensions and such.

eventually, i got bored with trying to achieve perfection & just went on the hope that no one would think about comparing the katie-map with a real map.

so perfection? no.

good enough? hopefully.
i was painting the a back corner of the café & before long remembered that i need noise around me while i'm painting other whys i go crazy.

i also need coffee. for obvious reasons.

so this is my iced latté & phil on day #1.

i had HOPED to finish in one afternoon, but had no such luck.

the reason? my paint ran out & we close early on wednesdays.

thankfully, my papa was up in the states & brought me some more black paint.

so i was up and at 'em again this morning...

with my chiapas joe, a scone & the elephant room for noise.

(which ended up being GREAT choices!)

ALMOST FINISHED! working on north/south america...making sure i got mexico right. :]

after spending a grand total of 10 hours...

I FINISHED!

(we're still playing around with some ideas about how to hang it...

but this is what we've got for now)

you like?

M.J.S.H + J.K.S.H = 10

2011-08-27T10:24:00.007-07:00

My mom always says that waiting for the final adoption papers - birth certificates - is like waiting at the hospital for someone to come out of the double doors smiling broadly and proclaiming

"It's a girl!"

maybe in the case it'd be more like...

"It's a girl! And another girl!"

Do you know how blessed I am?

Mini-me always asked for two things from God.

A horse & sister.

As wonderful as Buddy (the horse) was, having 3 sisters is even better.

And it's so awesome to be reassured the God answers prayers...

and He does it in the most unexpected way.

When I was little (about 8 or 9), I wanted a little sister that I could drive to Lou's Drive-in (for chili dogs) and Northwood's Mall. I imagined myself jumping into the drivers seat of Ryan's bright red Beetle and making sure lil' sis was buckled in.

I was gonna be the awesome-ist big sister.

I gave up on this dream when we moved to Costa Rica and really just prayed for a horse.

Of course.

But 11 years later, God hasn't forgotten those prayers & has blessed me with THREE lil' sisses.

Last December, Uriel & Lilly picked up their birth certificates, making our family total to 8.

{including in-laws, 10 by the end of 2010....Ry & Katy got married in February,

making our total 11. John & Suzy were married in May. 12.}

Yesterday...two more girlies were added to the family!

Mariana Jazany Schick Hoerr

Julissa Korayma Schick Hoerr

(I love how their names are so culturally mixed)

They're offically ours.

This makes 10.

Praise Jesus for how quickly this adoption was finalized!

Praise God for introducing adoption into this world!

Praise Him from whom all blessings flow!

Want some pictures? Okk.

waiting....

signing....

signing...

DONE!

something really special...

2011-08-20T20:27:00.003-07:00

"Jesus, You know I'm completely incapable to make any impact on my own. Oh! Jesus, I wanna radiate with Your light. Fill me up & make me your moon on earth! God, You are the sun. True, perfect light that never fades! Make me a moon. Shine on me and make me reflect Your light in the darkest of places. Make an impact through me, even if I never learn to say the right thing."

This has been my constant prayer for the past year (maybe more...I easily lose track of time.)

Again & again I'm reminded of my nothingness and God's everythingness.

{yesss. I know I just made that word up.}

I know that Café Sed is nothing without CHRIST'S light.

I know that my life means nothing if it's not filled with the Light of the world.

Oh, Jesus. This is my desire.

There is nothing I want more for myself.

So what I am getting at?

Why am I sharing this super personal information with the world wide web?

To encourage you.

How?

I'm getting to that! Hold on.

Well. If you're my real life friend...or my real life Facebook friend, you probably know I'm a Phil Wickham fan. God has given that man so many talents & He writes song after song for the glory of his Creator. Kind of like King David.

{I'm a David fan too, in case you were wondering.}

So. Yes. I'm a fan.

And like any good fan, I bought his new CD the first week it became available anywhere.

(right now just on his website, Oct. 4th available everywhere!)

I was excitedly reading through the titles when my eyes fell on this one song...

It was perfect.

I knowwwww it wasn't written for me...but I praise Jesus it was written!

I feel so blessed by it.

Not only is it my favorite song on the new record musically...

the lyrics are spot on.

SPOT. ON.

Before you read the lyrics, please go back and read the prayer I posted at the top.

Ok? It's called the Sun and Moon.

{Told you it was perfect}

"Sun and Moon"

If You are the sun, then I want to be the moon.

I want to reflect the light that shines from You.

And if this is war, then I'm gonna draw my sword.

This time I know what i am fighting for.

God, I want to let you know...

I want everything You are.

I'm waiting for the morning light to show a fire in the dark.

Shine Your light!

I want to feel You now.

God I need a miracle!

Take my heart, make it glow.

Shine Your light from the inside out!

I want to be more like You.

If You are the sun, then I want to be the moon!

If love is a choice, then I need You to hear my voice.

I'm the one knocking on Your door making all this noise.

Whatever it takes,

I give it all away.

I wanna show my love in a thousand ways.

God, I want to let You know.

I love everything you are!

I'm waiting for the morning light to show a fire in the dark.

Shine Your light!

I want to feel You now!

God, I need a miracle!

Take my heart make it glow.

Shine Your light from the inside out!

I want to be more like You.

If You are the sun then I want to be the moon.

I can't live a single day without You

...and I don't even want to try

...and I won't take another step without Your light!

I need Your light.

Shine! I wanna feel you now!

God, I need a miracle take my heart make it glow!

Shine Your light from the inside out.

I want to be more like You.

If You are the sun,

Then I want to be the moon!

I want to be more like You.

oh! I want to be the moon.

If You are the sun, then I want to be the moon.

I want to reflect the light that shines from You!

thanks for visiting me, wenders!

2011-08-17T17:37:00.003-07:00

"oh no! i got paint on my dress!" -katie may

"oh no! let's just put another doily on it!!" -wendi jo

LOVE YOU, WENDI!!!!!!

oh summa'

2011-08-13T13:56:00.008-07:00

helllllooooooo, blog readers!

gee. i really love you guys.

knowing that you read my blog and take time out of your day to keep tabs on me is nice.

it's incredible that you keep coming back to see what pointless thing i'll say next.

so here i am. there you are.

hola.

it's been a while since i've updated this.

anyone who has ever talked to me about my blog knows that, if i let it go for more then 2 weeks, i get really really lazy about explaining things and...

usually fall back on pictures to tell their own story.

but i'm gonna try and make this a little more interesting 'cause Wendi is "getting back" at me for making fun of her blogging and is reading this out loud with her most katie-like voice.

ouch, wendi. you're cruel.

*insert sarcastic laugh*

back to you, faithful blog-stalker.

the first week of August is always VBS.

so this year was, obviously, no exception.

i was ecstatic to find out that i was teaching 8-9 year old girls with Kali & Michelle.

the theme of the whole week was the cherry on top.

"Armor of God"

i can't think of a better year to have had this theme.

every day we talked to our class of 30 girls about putting on the armor of God to

protect against the enemy!

Esther, Job, Paul, Joshua & Gideon were our examples of faith.

my, oh my, we had funn!

(even though it was boiling hot in our class room and we literally were dripping with sweat)

teaching. the girls were such good sports about the heat!

obviously, we were too.

we even made sweet armor to go with our bible stories every day...

the shield has a lion on it...can anyone guess what we're referencing here?

hint: "He's not a tame lion."

our whole class on the last day!

such a blessing!

in other news, last tuesday we had our 2nd annual "4-H" fair!

Melissa and Duane worked really hard with the animals and got some kids really excited about showing horses & sheep. man! it paid off!

it was sooo fun to see kids showing animals and definitely made the whole thing feel very

"4-H"-y.

i helped Juli made scones for one of her projects the day before.

yes. i have the cutest little sister. everrr. <3

soo cute!

sheep!

horse show! Karla did a wonderful job and won 3 trophies!

such a natural! :]

God blessed us with awesome weather and a nice breeze.

it was so nice.

that very same day, my dear darling cousin WENDI came to visit me.

"quality time", right wenders?

then. the very next day.

our dear Melissa left us.

forever.

....

......

..........

ok. that might be a little dramatic.

but she did leave.

and it's very very sad.

i had an art show at my shop last night.

it was great.

but since blogger takes so long to upload pictures, you can just go to

Café Sed's facebook page to see the pics!

ummmm.

bye!

spontaneous artsy afternoon

2011-07-30T10:24:00.008-07:00

BACK STORY: A while back...I decided that I wanted more book-related art work for the bookstore. So I went looking for book posters online. Like the kind you'd see at the public library. wellll.....no bueno. #1 'cause they were kinda expensive considering I'd have to pay $15-$25 for the poster AND buy a frame so they look nice...and #2 'cause they were just kinda lame, commercial looking, not personal, colorless, tacky, and i basically just didn't like anything i was finding. SO. For the past month, I've been making my own. I bought these great cheap-o canvas' at Michel's and started painting.

painting. painting. painting.

NOW YOU'VE BEEN CAUGHT UP!
Yesterday was a spontaneous artsy afternoon here at Sed...
I was painting Curious George in the early hours of the afternoon when in walked Melissa.
I told Melissa that, if she liked, she was welcome to join me.
She was convinced and grabbed a book (The Last Sin Eater - Francine Rivers).
(i paid her in banana bread)

We were at this for about 45 minutes when Jarrin (AKA: Rocky) waltzed in & seeing what fun we were having, went home and came back with her paint & brushes.
I gave her a canvas and she sat down with the book of her choice (Rainbow Fish).

So by now Melissa & I are at the divider between the cafe and bookstore (anyone that's been to my shop knows what I'm talking about) and Jarrin is planted at one of the tables.

I was finishing George and invited Keila to join us. After some convincing, she took my spot at the divider/window thing (with Goodnight Moon) and I went to the window to finish George.
Thankfully it was a quiet afternoon & not many people came in to see the mess we'd made.

The wonderful, perfect, colorful mess.

Melissa & I finished our books...Jarrin pretty much got mr. fishyfish done (just missing the book title)...Keila was the last to start so she still has some work to do, maybe she'll finish it this afternoon when she comes into...*ahem* work. ^_^

pict'cha time!

i love what i do.

p.s.-thanks for the pictures, Rocky! ^_^

Our Trip to Obregon [part two]

2011-07-19T12:59:00.006-07:00

Like I said...

We slept at Elsa's house and didn't get up early.

We had breakfast with Elsa, said our goodbyes & headed out around 11:30.

We made it to Guaymas around 12:30ish.

Guaymas is a shrimp fishing city...so you'd think they'd have SOME beach SOME where.

Well they did...it just took a little while figuring out how to get to it.

And even then...it was a lil' disappointing...

We couldn't find anyway to the seashore except through a hotel lobby.

So we parked the mini van & waltzed right in the hotel...

they totally thought we were guests.

HA!

Anyway.

The hotel was actually super neat...

and had like...no beach whatsoever.

But we found a good view & a little tiny pier.

So we at least got to dip our toes in the lovely water.

We stayed long enough to take some pictures, dry off our feet & talk about what we like & don't like about water.

I like looking at it...I am petrified of dark, deep water.

....

.......

...........

................

..........

.......

....

unhappy thoughts.

what was I talking about?

Oh yes.

AFTER the "beach" we all wanted ice cream.

We knew where there was a Mcdonalds close by...so we went.

SOFT SERVE!

...or so we thought. Turns out...their machine was broken & they didn't have any ice cream.

Bummer.

We decided to get on the ice cream train once in Hermosillo...and headed that way.

2:30 p.m. Hermosillo.

At this rate, we'd make it home for supper....and that would be no fun.

So we decided to linger.

"What'll be, girls? Zoo or Children's Museum?"

We decided on the children's museum.

la la la la la...happy thoughts!

WHOA! What is that building?!

WHOA! It's an ART Museum!!!!!!!!!

"Wanna go there instead, girls?"

"SURE!"

So we went.

And it was grand.

Then we went on a search for Mcdonalds.

Eh.

Sore subject.

Then we went home.

Which we got to by 7:30.

LET'S GO AGAIN!!! ^_^

Some pictures:

ALAMOS...

GUAYMAS...

HERMOSILLO...

I'll post more on Facebook eventually!

our trip to obregon [part one]

2011-07-18T19:14:00.003-07:00

Isela, Melissa & I went on a 2 day trip to visit our friend, Elsa.

We closed shop on Saturday & left magdalena at 5:30 in the morning.

Driving a mini van (we're very stylish.)

Here's how it went down:

Magdalena > Cd. Obregon

Cd. Obregon > Los Alamos

Los Alamos > Cd. Obregon

Cd. Obregon > Guaymas

Guaymas > Hermosillo

Hermosillo > Magdalena

...and it was wonderful.

Elsa was the one who suggested going to Los Alamos & I am SO glad she did...

It was perfect.

Like...soooooo perfect.

Every single street was cobble stone.

Every single street was one way.

Every single building was incredible.

Every. thing. was. beautiful.

Oh my goodness...I want to live there.

Walking around & seeing the town made me wish I had a super nice camera to capture the adorableness of everything...alas, my little cannon power shot had to do.

I couldn't say enough good things about this place.

I. will. go. back.

and it will be grand.

Obregon was nice. It was good to have someone along that knew the city & could show us around a bit. We had some awesome tacos for dinner & walked around the town lake a bit while eating raspados later on.

Theennnnnnn....we crashed at Elsa's house.

like literally...slept soo much.

I have to go to prayer meeting now...so I'll divide this into two parts to give our second day justice. and upload some pictures. :]

until tomorrow, then!

ta-ta!

pictures to fill you in on what's been happening...

2011-07-18T18:32:00.005-07:00

first of all...i just realized that you guys haven't formally met Flynn.

guys, meet my kitty...

Flynn Donovan.

this is what he looks like after a bath.

[i thought i'd start out with ugly & work our way to cute...]

Flynn was stuck on our roof for 3 days & nights...finally one morning, i decided to help him down. turns out, he was stuck in our gutter. after some difficulty, i got him down.

i took him to the vet & spend like...$300 (pesos) on him.

i kind of did it without thinking about it...but once i spent the money, i realized i had a new pet.

this cat was worth too much to just let him go get stuck in a gutter again!

his favorite activities include, but are not limited to:

•keeping everyone awake at night by jumping on our heads & smelling our eyelashes...

•hanging out by the fridge...saying little kitty prayers, pleading for food...

•looking out the window when no one is home [this is the cutest thing ever...which is why i posted pictures above...seriously. if you ever happen to walk past my house, just check and see if little Flynn is watching you walk by. feel free to "awwwwwwhhhhhh!!!!!!" and then continue next door to the café. ^_^]

expect pictures of Flynn to be in pretty much every post from now on.

he's just soo cute!

i think my parents were more excited about my spoiler getting fixed then i was...

[turns out, a BRIGHT YELLOW spoiler can double as a giant smile...or a moon. and yes, these pictures were taken in my shop. when i had customers. crazy americans.]

so yeah...besides that...

we had an austrian dinner with the girls.

(sound of music. a nun & a girl in a white dress with a blue satin sash)

Meli turned 21 & i decorated her cake. ha!

annnd last monday i had a lasagna dinner with

(left to right)

Melissa, Elsa & Isela..

we set up my record player in the courtyard at Sed.

it was very romantic with the little lights & delicious food!

so fun!

the other post i promised...

2011-06-09T16:41:00.002-07:00

...about Joel & Steph Rink!

oh. they're married now.

he wore a black suit [born in a cottonfield].

she wore a white dress [born in a cottonfield].

they said they're vows [both standing in a cottonfield].

oooohhh ohhhhh oohhhhh.

they met.

they were annoyed at eachother.

they were just friends.

he liked her.

she liked him eventually.

now they're married.

with 4 beloved children.

i knew Joel was up to something.

i cannot wait to see the pictures.

that's all i have to say. :]

one month & two days.

2011-06-07T16:01:00.003-07:00

it was pointed out to me recently that it has been over a month since i updated my blog.

oops.

for anyone that actually bothers to check out what i've been up to...

i apologize from the bottom of my heart.

so. what has this schick chick been up to in the past month+some?

well.

i was up in illinois for 10 whole days.

while there i...

went to my darling cousin's baptism.

frolicked through chicago with some good friends.

hung out at several coffee shops and bookstores with some good friends.

thrifted with some good friends.

visited dear mika's coffee shop in eureka. it's still as perfect as ever.

met katy's cat. [he doesn't like me.]

drove anna's saab. "we be stylin'!"

couldn't go to wednesday night church because of tornados.

exciting!

got all dressed up and went to john & suzi's wedding...*awww*

time to go on a wedding rant.

sunday morning...rainy. dreary. indoor wedding weather.

sunday afternoon...lovely. sunny. outdoor wedding weather.

which was a good thing 'cause they just happened to have an outdoor wedding.

which. was. adorable.

the ceremony might have made me tear up...just a bit.

suzi walked in to "your love is strong" by jon foreman (listen to it. love it.)

and it was perfect. breathtakingly beautiful.

the ceremony was just right.

john was as handsome as ever.

suzi was radiant.

the reception. oh! the reception.

super simple with bbq sandwiches, a glorious salad, cute cupcakes & candy.

friends were abundant.

lemonade was flowing.

it was like a glamourous picnic.

adoré!

anyway. that was my illinois trip.

thanks to everyone that hosted me and taxied me around from place to place.

my life would be depressing without you.

i got back to magdalena & back to work.

i think i just used all of my excitement about weddings typing out what i thought of john & suzi's...so i'll write again later to tell you about joel & steph's!

('cause...that'll take a while and i think my break is over. BACK TO WORK! *whip lash*)

powerful video.

2011-05-05T22:15:00.001-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrFC-et2Ul0&feature=youtu.be

2011-05-04T09:37:00.002-07:00

nineteen |nīnˈtēn; ˈnīnˌtēn|cardinal numberone more than eighteen; nine more than ten; 19 : nineteen of theinterviewees had never worked. (Roman numeral: xix or XIX.)• nineteen years old : she traveled to italy at nineteen.DERIVATIVESnineteenth |nīnˈtēnθ; ˈnīnˌtēnθ| ordinal numberORIGIN Old English nigontȳne.
Here we go! Last teenage year. Bring on the future!

Jesus is Alive! [Easter 2011]

2011-04-24T06:44:00.002-07:00

Elvis is dead, Picasso is dead
Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin are dead
Marilyn Monroe is dead- however…
Jesus is Alive

Brando is dead, James Brown is dead
Princess Di and John Lennon are dead
Biggie and Pac are dead- however
Jesus is Alive

Give praise to King Jesus, the blessed Son
Victorious, glorious resurrected One
To Him belongs the power, glory and honor
Ascended where He sits at the right hand of the Father
At the cross He made atonement- His people He saved
After three days He was raised in defeat of the grave
By faith the elect behold Him, His scepter is golden
He must have been hot or slippery because death couldn’t hold Him
The spotlight is on today’s icons
In a thousand years, nobody will care- their light’s gone
But at that time, Christ will still shine bright
He’s not in the limelight- He IS the limelight
Criminal minded, you’ve been blinded
Looking for the body of Jesus? You won’t find it
We never lack spirit, letting you cats hear it
Because His tomb is empty like most secular rap lyrics

Plato is dead, Socrates is dead
Aristotle and Immanuel Kant are dead
Neitzsche and Darwin are dead- however
Jesus is Alive

Buddha is dead, Mohammed is dead
Ghandi and Haile Selassie are dead
Elijah Mohammed is dead- however
Jesus is Alive

Throughout history there’s been mad religious leaders
Prophets, preachers, scholars, teachers
But when it came to the grave, no one could climb out
That’s where Jesus stands alone like taking a ‘timeout’
And don’t be mislead- I got a level head
No resurrection, Christianity would have never spread
The disciples weren’t stupid guys who would ruin their lives
And then choose to die for what they knew was a lie
That would be beyond ridiculous- Nah, the issue is
The risen Christ seen by 500 eye-witnesses
Imagine 500 people in a court of law
Each of them taking the stand reporting what they saw
If their stories lined up and made sense
The evidence would have to leave you convinced
But still it’s by faith that we trust and praise the Son
Who was raised for our justification

Nero is dead, Constantine is dead
Genghis Khan and Attila the Hun are dead
Alexander the Great is dead- however
Jesus is Alive

Napoleon is dead, Lao Tzu is dead
Che Guevara and Henry VIII are dead
Saddam Hussein is dead- however
Jesus is Alive

Through faith in Christ, we’ve been saved from hell
Because He’s risen, it means we’ll be raised as well
In glorified bodies fit for the new earth
For now, we participate in the new birth
The universal reality of the true church
With resurrection power, watch the Spirit do work!
United with Christ, we reside in His light
Abide in His might, keep in stride as we fight
The pride in our life, the lies and the spite
We strive to be wise as He guides through the night
He’ll chide and He’ll slice- recognize that He’s right
His brightness inside lights our eyes and it’s tight
(He) decided to die to wash white all our strife
His life was the price to delight in His wife
He told death “sike” just to rise like a kite
All eyes on the Christ- let’s prize Him tonight

Pharaoh is dead, Cyrus is dead
Darius and Sennacharib are dead
Nebuchadnezzar is dead- however
Jesus is Alive

Caesar is dead, Herod is dead
Annas, Caiaphas and Judas are dead
Pontius Pilate is dead- however
Jesus is Alive

-shai linne

Let's live today giving glory to the name of our Father & His risen Son!

Let's love the Lord our God with all of our hearts, souls & might.

Christ is risen! Atonement has been made!

te necesito.

2011-04-15T12:06:00.003-07:00

(i promise to blog in detail about my house eventually...just not right now.)

so, like i mentioned a little bit ago...we have a new schedule at Café Sed.

almost every day, i get either the morning or afternoon off.

(which is awweeeesssommeee!)

that means, being the workaholic i am...

(nice people call me an "entrepreneur")...

i'm gonna start selling on etsy again!

it's my chance to do something different...shades of grey was great...

but i'm feeling like doing something...else.

here's the dealio...my current dilemma...mi problema...

i (1) don't know what to do and (2) don't know what to call it (my new shop).

my "product"...

my "line"...

needs to come before the name.

i've got a couple of ideas...but am über curious to hear what ya'll think.

i know you're a creative type of person...

i think there's a little bit of an artist in everyone.

so.

if you're reading this (which, i knowww you are!)

tell me what you think.

if you've seen stuff i've done in the past...what was your favorite?

who liked the whole vintage rampage?

who liked the recycled stuff?

who liked the wearable stuff?

who liked the quirky "what in the world was she thinking?" stuff?

basically. i want your opinions/places of inspiration.

ok? ok.

get to it!

my new commute to work.

2011-04-02T09:46:00.002-07:00

112th

2011-04-01T20:20:00.002-07:00

Welcome to my 112th post on this blog.

I have a LOT to post about...I'll try to touch on everything & maybe go into greater detail later.

First: Café Sed has a new employee!!! Her name is Keila & she is 19. She started on Wednesday and has been coming in everyday since to learn all about coffeeeeeeeeeee. Keila leads me to 2nd Katie update....

Second: With the extra help, we changed our schedule around. Starting next week I get time off!! Woot! Woot! I'm still working the espresso every day...and being the responsible coffee shop lady I need to be. I'm still working on Sed all the time, but my scheduled hours are changing enough that I don't need to be at Sed 13 hours a day!

Who's excited & has two thumbs?! This gal.

and....Third: I'm moving out! Far far away. Over the hill & through the woods.

(Sorry Gramma...still not that close!)

But that's a boring story...so I'm not going to write any more about it.

Happy Baseball Season!

the photos promised...

2011-03-30T15:59:00.003-07:00

just in case you haven't seen them on facebook yet. :]

free dr. pepper...

free chicken...(i wish)..

free concert!

we're happy.

the man himself.

praise God for talent like his being used for His glory!!

2011-03-23T17:47:00.002-07:00

(I promise to post pictures of the Phil Wickham concert later.

Probably tomorrow.

When I have my card reader handy.)

Hello, friend!

So nice of you to pop in to read my blog.

I hope you're having a really fabulous day.

Me? I'm fine.

It's Wednesday...which means it's the slowest of slow days here at Sed.

It's also Isela's day off...which means I'm lonely.

I'm glad I've got you to talk to, Blog.

If you want to read something really profound...you'll probably have more luck on a different blog. sorry! I'm planning on just writing whatever comes to mind.

I have become something of a crazy blog stalker.

My favorite is DesignSponge*...they post the cutest things.

I get a lot of inspiration and DIY ideas from that blog.

If you appreciate anything cute...you should check it out.

SPEAKING OF CUTE!

Wanna know who just got put on my list of Cutest People?

Callie & Phoebe Cryar of The Vespers.

Seriously.

I can't stand how cute they are.

(TRANSLATION: I love how cute they are.)

So anyway...What else was I gonna say?

Oh yes.

God has been showing me a lot in the past week.

He's been teaching me a lot about....myself.

Which is kind of a weird concept.

But basically...I'm learning how hard it is to take thoughts & (even sometimes) convictions and make them reality or an action.

That probably doesn't make a whole lot of sense...maybe sometime I'll expound.

I close in exactly 30 minutes....why do days always go slower when you're not moving so fast?

Was that a dumb question?

Wanna see an incredible picture?

Go to Tyler Knochel's FB page & look at the picture he just posted of the Santa Monica Pier.

It'll change your life.

...maybe not.

(but almost.)

Ok. I guess it's time to finish this post...

my brain just stopped functioning.

Kino 300

2011-03-16T15:41:00.004-07:00

Yesterday was the 3ooth anniversary of the death of Kino.

As in...Magdalena de KINO. :]

Apparently...a big deal.

There was a parade (which, according to Jarrin, was a lil' pathetic), a 3 hour mass, and a free concert in the plaza. I don't know anything about the Sonoran Orchestra...but they sounded lovely.

They probably sounded better then they were, 'cause I get giddy whenever Magdalena decides to embrace culture.

But seriously...look as these photos.

I love Magdalena when it's like this.

I feels like a real Mexican town.

Something old & historic.

Romantic even.

Anyway...I was thankful that it was a slow night at Sed and Isela was willing to cover for me for an hour so I could sneak away and see the orchestra play.

If you wanna see something really funny...you should go see the video I'm posting on Facebook.

Magdalena has an over abundance of wacky people.

Some random lady decided that this show was gonna be about her...so we just gets up on stage and starts dancing. We couldn't stop laughing...along with about half the town.

She was so great. :] Great in a terrible way.

Anyway...you should watch it. That is...if it loads right.

I can't wait for the cultural festival in May! Excitement!

oh...He knows!

2011-03-12T16:08:00.004-07:00

Friday morning...I wake up.

ISU team has come and gone (sadness).

It's my day off.

Well....sort of.

I got ready and went down stairs to get my passport and leave.

I was planning on opening the shop for Isela then making a run for the border with Kali.

...that's hard to do when you can't find your passport.

Passport was stuck in Tucson and Katie got stuck in Mexico.

Phooey.

I called Kali and told her "Green Valley is a no go...sorry!"

We made other plans and I ran to work.

JUST KIDDING!

I drove Lionel. :]

Isela didn't have to come in early...which I'm sure she appreciated.

(you're welcome, Isela!)

I got to work, made brownie/cookie things & opened.

Carissa came in with Candi to hang out and play games...LOVE IT!

Candi ordered a chocolate smoothie. :] :] haha...I thought..."Hey! Why not?!"

So I made my first chocolate/banana smoothie...which ended up being pretty good and became the drink of the day.

Kali came in and we decided to make the day special even though we had to stay in Mexico.

I came up with the brilliant idea to ditch work and drive down to Santa Ana for lunch...

Kali had mentioned on Thursday how we haven't done a stir fry/movie night in a while...so we added that to our schedule.

Throw in an hour and a half of crafting while listening to Odyssey and we had a wonderful and all together fabulous day.

God knew that a chill day would be a million times better then spending a day thrifting in Green Valley...He knows what we want better then we do!

So yeah...He's a good God! SOOOO GOOD!

I thank Him for Kali and the friendship He's given me with her.

I also thank Kali for going along with my french fry craving.

BRAVO on being brave enough for getting the "preparadas"!!! :]

PiCtUrE tImE!

The wonderful stage & plaza in Santa Ana.

Come & visit...I'll take you there.

Dinner for two. :]

Yummmmmmmy.

"Katie...how fun would it be if we ate out of these huge bowls?!"

"Let's do it!!"

*Laughter*

EMMA TIME!!

"awwwwwwwwwww!!"

"You know I'll always love you...but I can never marry you...that's all."

(laughter from Kali & I..."nonsensical girl")

Shakespeare & Company.

2011-03-12T13:11:00.000-07:00

i wanna go.

Children of God

2011-03-10T14:03:00.002-07:00

no biggy. :]

2011-01-26T18:02:00.002-07:00

It's blogging time.

I really don't feel like it...but I should.

So. Here goes my guilt blog.

hello, world! nice day here in magdalena.

bright & sunny...unlike some other places...

that's right.

i'm so trying to rub it in.

It's Thursday. Jan. 27, 2011.

2011!!!!!! can you believe that?!

God has big plans for this year.

i can feel it.

it's already been amazing.

it could end right now and I'd be like...

"oh. 2011? yeah. that was a good year!"

but. no.

we've still got 11 months to go!

eleven. months.

so lets see...it's been...13 days since my last blogpost.

maybe i should do this tomorrow so I can say "it's been exactly a week..."

eh. i'll probably forget. better just to get it over with now. :]

so what have i done in the past 13 days?

nothing.

oh. that?

that's nothing.

that's just me and brandon heath.

so.

like i was saying...nothing has happened.

nothing exciting or fun or anything.

life is pretty normal day to day.

yupp.

no special trips to Phoenix.

no seeing my good friend, Tyler since he's been back from Japan.

no meet & greet passes at any concerts at all or anything.

no song dedicated to me or anything.

[ok. the last one really didn't happen.]

:] :] :]

lots has happened so far this year.

it's true.

and more is coming!

for example...

next saturday: Ryan & Katy's wedding!

my favorite thing about work.

2011-01-14T15:33:00.003-07:00

if you're my friend on facebook...you might have read my status update from yesterday...

i don't know his name...but please pray for this man in magdalena. God [the ONE TRUE GOD!] knows his name & is powerful enough to save even those that call themselves "proud pagans". story to follow. for now...just pray that whats-his-name will come back with more questions & the spirit will be present and give words to this crazy american.

like i said...there's a story.

The Spirit of God is present and working at Café Sed!!

my favorite thing about work? i LOVE that people come to me to talk.

i'm not going door-to-door, handing out pamphlets, or singing on christian radio.

i'm not standing behind the counter...

"Good morning! My name is Katie, I'm a Christian & want you to stand here while I tell you how great my God is....now, is that for here or to go?"

instead....people come to me.

people like to talk in coffee shops & religion is a favorite topic of many.

however, here on earth...people are confused. :\

one of our regular customers was in last night & saw that i was reading a little blue book...

he asked if it was a bible & i told him it was.

"i need to read it again."

"yeah! you should! it's a great book!"

he told me that right before coming to Sed, he had been talking with some Jehovah's Witnesses.

me, being someone who hasn't studied other religions like i probably should, asked him what they said & what they believed in.

this is a summary of what went down:

"they don't believe in hell."

"they don't? do you?"

"i don't believe that someone can live 60-80 short years and in that time..."

"so you don't believe?"

"no. i don't think God would be fair to send people to hell."

well!

i didn't think he'd like the conversation he was getting himself into.

i looked over to Isela and smiled.

she knows me well enough by now that she knows that i believe Jesus Christ to be Son of God and the bible to be 100% TRUTH inspired by God.

oh! and that i don't let people tell me differently without having a "discussion".

i prayed that the Spirit would speak through me & give me the spanish words to communicate what i could easily do in english.

and then...we discussed.

"who do you think God is?" -coffee lady

"God is...God is...God is stars. God is the moon, the sun..." -client

"wait. the stars? the moon? the sun?" -coffee lady

"yeah." -client

"ok. let me tell you what i believe...God is the Creator of the world. do you believe that?" -coffee lady

"yeah, sure." -client

"so if you believe God created the stars & the moon...how can the stars be God?" -coffee lady

"well..." -client

"the stars were created & God never was...so what was God before the stars?" -coffee lady

"God was an energy." -client

"a spirit?" -coffee lady

"yeah. a spirit. i don't want to believe in something i can't see." -client

"God is all powerful. the stars, moon & sun have no power on their own. they are not God." -coffee lady

anyway...yeah. that part of the conversation kinda dropped & i wish i could remember how we started talking about salvation...but i have a pea-sized brain that can only remember certain things...we probably started talking about heaven & hell again...then it was something like...

"i believe i'm saved, because even though i've done some bad things in life..i'm a good person." -client

"a good person?" -coffee lady

"yeah. i've done bad things...but little bad things. minor bad things. my good things outweigh the bad." -client

"i see. well! i know what kind of person i am & what i've done. most everyone would call me a "good girl", but i've done more bad then good in my life...if what you're saying is true...i'm going to hell." coffee lady looked at him in the eyes and said, "i think if everyone was honest with themselves...they've done more bad then good. then the whole world is damned."

client laughed and said that i knew how to argue. i think he avoided comment.

we talked some more about the holes in his theory of salvation.

i asked how anyone could ever be sure of getting to heaven.

he claimed to be sure that he would be there.

"do you think i'm going to hell?" -client

"i can't answer that." -coffee lady

"you're gonna hate this...but i'm a proud pagan. i like not belonging to any religion. i have friends that are Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, Christians, Catholics..." -client

"a proud pagan? i'm sorry..." -coffee lady

i started explaining something vital...and got interrupted.

client-man found a way of escape & left...looking very pensive.

it wasn't until he left that i felt the Spirit...God Himself was present!!!

i just know it.

there's no way dorky little katie could talk like that on her own.

katie searches for words...The Spirit finds them.

i wish i could remember everything we talked about...but yeah...i really can't.

so anyway. that's basically the story.

please pray for this man.

pray that wherever he goes...God is there & trying to get his attention.

oh. BTW:

this is GOD! God. Savior. Lover. Friend. CREATOR.

i'm pretty sure He's big enough to save the whole town of Magdalena...so why don't we pray for that too?

in the mean time...i'll be here.

slow days & all...waiting for God to give me opportunities to spread His love, hope and truth.

'twas the afternoon before the night before christmas...

2010-12-23T17:01:00.003-07:00

...and all through the café
children are running and picking my flowers.

stems without flowers on the ends of them look ugly.
i'm sorry...but it's true.

the child got regañar-ed for it & said he wouldn't do it again.

so yeah! it's almost christmas!
how crazy is that?! it was just christmas.
...wasn't it?

oh...nope. turns out, alot has happened since last christmas.
mucho mucho.

so another lovely christmas season is at it's peak.
people are running all around, buying last minute presents...
i'm going through my head, trying to remember if i'm forgetting someone.

remembering something you've forgotten is hard.

i think it's a terrible feeling...'cause by the time you've remembered, it's usually too late. no bueno

Billy, Jenny, Willow & Tate safely made it to magdalena on tuesday night!
i just adore them.
not that i have favorites or anything...but especially Tate. :]
he's a doll.
tommorrow, i shall take him for a ride in my bug.
he really loves my bug. :]
we used to call it the "yellow sally car"...but i think [somehow] Tate knows that my car isn't a porshe.

Lionel is so as cool as Sally though.
but Mater totally beats 'em all...

oh yeah. totally.

i wish i was feeling totally festive right now.
but i'm really not....i haven't really played christmas music much...basically 'cause i've been too cheap to get some & the stuff i have gets old.
instead, we've been listen to alot of the same ol' stuff...
brandon heath, phil wickham, alex campos, jaci velasquez, marcela gandara, jack johnson, andrew peterson...
we might throw some luis prima, owl city, and MIA in there sometimes...
maybe.

actually...oh wait. i already wrote about the "freedom" CD.
oh. oh! you haven't bought it yet?!
WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?!?!
get it!
the link in right here:

•
•
•
•
•
•••
•

a little to the right.
see it?
well...it's there.
in the next post down.
see it yet?
keep looking!
you'll find it!
merry christmas to yourself! splurge $5.
you won't regret it.

it's a lovely 68 degrees here in magdalena.
ha! and you're all freezing.
except those of you in arizona, california, costa rica & the artic circle (i heard it's lovely this time of year).
...and those of you who live here too.
HI, MOM!

i'm about ready to give Isela her christmas present. :]
i'm oober excited about it...
you know how exciting it is when you get someone something that you know they'll LOVE!?
*sigh* yuppers. yessiree.

wanna know what i got her? mmk...but keep it on the DL...
well...she's been drooling (not literally!) over a pair of white converse for weeks now.
and yup.
who's the best boss ever and has two thumbs?!

impressive. you're still reading this.
you do realize, of course, that i'm only writing this because everything is clean & no one is in the shop...riiigghtt?
so you're not really obligated to read this.

keep going? ok.

i love this song! you don't get to know what it is...but it's wonderful.
you'll just have to go buy the CD!
you know the one? i talked about it up there ^ and down there...

•
•
•
•
•
•••
•

that's the one. :]
ok. i'll tell you.
brandon has an excellent song on the FREEDOM CD.
it's called "swing low" and i have not found it on youtube...so don't bother.

ok.
i don't really have any thing else to write here...
i guess i could think of something if i really wanted to...
but if i wrote about everything on my mind...
i wouldn't have anything to write about tomorrow!
so this is really for your own good.

the end.

christmas "parties", freedom, jazz & the occasional cup of coffee.

2010-12-17T17:15:00.002-07:00

oh man. the first annual Café Sed christmas party has been...haha...such a joke.
ok. techically...it's an open house sort of deal....and it's totally my fault that we haven't had many people this afternoon 'cause i did next to no advertising.

yeah. good job, katie.

the morning seriously started out amazing. i stayed busy until like...11.

i made cupcakes.
i ruined cupcakes.
i managed to save some cupcakes.
i put little candy cane sprinkles on my festive little cupcakes.

i made like...32 cupcakes.

annnd i've sold...
...
...
...
...
zero.

what can i say?! i'm an optimist!

i made a few lattes. sold some scones. made some tea & did dishes.

i made a sign that lists all the things we have here that would make great christmas presents.

...it's really cute.

at one point this afternoon...3 little boys (about 8-9 y/o) waltzed in the door & asked me how much my candy canes cost.

"they're free today!"
"no way! can we like...have one?"

sure, kids.

so they got their free candy, told me they might come back later for a hot chocolate "or coffee! *giggle*", and left.
two minutes didn't pass when one of the kids came back with a few new friends.
asking for some free candy.
i told them to come in and get it if they wanted.
so they came in & i started handing out the canes...i asked the kid that had just been in if he already got one...
after realizing that i was giving him a chance to lie about it...

"n-n-no! i didn't get one yet!" -boy
i bent down and looked at him square in the eye (like any good & mean person would)...
"liar." *insert smirk* "it's no good to lie. -mean coffee lady

he still smiled at me & left with his friends.

well. "left".

i sat down to cancel an order of chocolate from one of my suppliers...and the boys passed by the window.
in like...a train.
one after the other.
oldest (the liar) first...the others following like pollitos following the mother hen.
their eyes were exageratedly sad.
they would walk past...look at me...walk past again...look at me...walk past again...look a - eh. you get it.
a couple times they actually looked in the window before bothering walking past again...just to make sure i was still sitting here.
i was...so they went ahead with their little parade.

haha. ohhhhhh little boys!
gotta love 'em.

after that...a friend came in and we sat talking for a while.
we talked about her new job...my new job...her kids...
it was really nice to just chat with someone about life.

theennnnnnnnn....it was quiet again.
just isela & i.

i got sick of christmas music & decided to instead turn on my new "FREEDOM" CD.
oh! you don't know what the FREEDOM CD is?!
oh man...friend, you must go to Family Christian Store and get it!
for $5 you get 2 CDs and a bonus DVD.
the money you spend goes to IJM & the CD is really great!
FOR 5 BUCKS!!!!
do it.
you know you want to.

mmk. so...music is on & i decided i wanted to read 'cause isela was reading and she's cool. :]
right now i'm reading "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller.
i'm not giving my opinion on it yet 'cause i haven't finished it...
but! i will say that i love reading this book...
mainly 'cause of the way it's written...
it's crazy entertaining.
like...read this:

"Writers don't make any money at all. We make about a dollar. It is terrible. But then again we don't work either. We sit around until noon then do downstairs and make coffee, fry some eggs, read the paper, read part of a book, smell the book, wonder if perhaps we ourselves should work on our book, smell the book again, throw the book across the room because we are quite jealous then any other person wrote a book, feel terribly guilty about throwing the schmuck's book across the room because we secretly wonder if God in heaven noticed our evil jealousy, or worse, our laziness. We then lie across the couch facedown and mimble to God to forgive us because we are secretly afraid He is going to dry up all our words because we envied another man's stupid words. And for this, as I said before, we are paid a dollar. We are worth so much more."

haha...i think i know just enough (but not really) what that's like to think it's halarious.

thank you for getting to the end of this pointless blog post.
you really didn't have to.

the end.

a stranger.

2010-12-14T12:54:00.003-07:00

it becomes painfully clear everyday...i'm a stranger in my own town.
magdalena is more my home then probably any other place on this earth...yet...i'm different.
i'm american.
anyone can see that.

i don't understand how people can treat people differently just because of their birth place.
i get looked down upon alot.
obviously, all americans are snobs...so we must snob them.

now...this isn't true for a good 70% of magdalenians.
only some people talk about me right in front of me.
only some people make jokes about me with their friends.
only some don't consider that i MIGHT know what they're saying.

most everyone is polite and respectful.
most everyone is willing to be welcoming & kind.

the other day (friday i think)...i let myself get really worked up about this.
i was super annoyed & wanted to stay annoyed.
i wished i was quick & witty so i could cleaverly come up with some smart remark that would make people realize that it's NOT ok to shove me to take my place in line at the store.

i was told that if i just gave them the finger...they'd lay off.
i told them that Jesus wouldn't do that.

it was right about then that i realized what a blessing it is to feel uncomfortable.
this world is NOT my home.

magdalena is not my true home.

rio bravo is not my true home.

costa rica is not my true home.

washington is not my true home

that's right...not even good 'ol central illinois.

i've actually never been home. but i know it's awesome.
i know it's huge & marvelous.
i know that i will never be forgotten or forsaken there.
i know that i have a wonderful Bridegroom preparing everything ahead of time so i will be FLOORED when he takes the veil off my eyes.
when i see everything clearly.

love is a beautiful contradiction.

2010-12-10T13:21:00.001-07:00

It knocked me down, it dragged me out, it left me there for dead. It took all the freedom I wanted and gave me something else instead. It blew my mind, it bled me dry, it hit me like a long goodbye, and nobody here knows better than I that it's a good thing.
Love is a good thing. It'll fall like rain on your parade, laugh at the plans that you tried to make, It'll wear you down till your heart just breaks and it's a good thing. Love is a good thing.

It'll wake you up in the middle of the night, it'll take just a little too much. It'll burn you like a cinder till you're tender to the touch. It'll chase you down, swallow you whole, it'll make your blood run hot and cold. Like a thief in the night it'll steal your soul, and that's a good thing. Love is a good thing. It'll follow you down to the ruin of your great divide, and open the wounds that you tried to hide. And there in the rubble of the heart that died you'll find a good thing. Love is a good thing.

Take cover, the end is near. Take cover, but do not fear. It'll break your will, it'll change your mind, it'll loose all the chains of the ties that bind. If you're lucky you'll never make it out alive, and that's a good thing. Love is a good thing. It can hurt like a blast from a hand grenade when all that used to matter is blown away. There in the middle of the mess it made you'll find a good thing. Yes, it's worth every penny of the price you pay. It's a good thing.

Love is a good thing. Do not fear.

-Andrew Peterson

vivid dreams...

2010-12-08T08:31:00.002-07:00

i had a dream last night...one of those incredibly vivid dreams.

in it, i was walking around magdalena when i came across a little shop that looked interesting.
i walked in and suddenly the shop became HUGE (think barnes & noble size).
i was shocked that in 6 years i'd never seen this place.
the place was filled with all kinds of lovely books.
it smelled like books...looked like books. books! books! books!

"oh shoot!" i thought "Sed is soooo gonna lose business because of this."
even in light of that...i couldn't help but fall in love with this shop.

people were everywhere. some were reading...some were talking...there were a couple of kids banging board books against each other's heads...

the shop wasn't mexican at all...but i loved it.

anyway.
i woke up & thought what a lovely dream.

now i wanna buy hundreds of books & fill every nook and cranny of the café with hardback, spanish copies of my favorites.

what a day off looks like...

2010-11-15T17:52:00.002-07:00

*BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!*
...this was the sound i didn't hear at 4:30 a.m. monday morning.
i was off in la-la land dreaming about cobblestone streets in ancient places.

something (i'm calling it my built-in alarm clock) woke me up 5:00...i felt rested enough and decided to start my day.

because of the bitter cold morning, i decided to keep on about half of my pj's.
pj's are warm.

so out of the house i go. 5:23 a.m.
beret (bad hair morning), shirt, sweater, sweatshirt, jeans, fluffy socks & moccasins.

i say a little prayer & start my 1.5 hour drive to green valley, AZ.
the curvy road to nogales seemed to stretch out farther then normal this morning...but i finally made it. safe, sound & warm.
i laugh at the mere mortals waiting in line as i fly past them in the SENTRI lane.
i crossed in a minute.

hello, USA!
6:30 a.m.

i suddenly got very tired and decided that my first matter of business in green valley would be getting some caffeine in my body.

7:02 a.m. = Serinos coffee & ice cream shop

hazelnut white chocolate mocha.
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

my laptop wouldn't work with the WI-FI at the coffee shop...so i only stuck around long enough to drink my mocha.

i was lovin' time alone...there's something really fun about being somewhere where no one knows you. and there isn't really a chance of running into a conocido in green valley.

next on my list...white elephant thrift store to find a book shelf.

ok. allow me to rant a little about white elephant.
there are very VERY VERY few thrift stores in the world that i would ever completely diss.
but this place...ugh.
it probably wouldn't be so bad if people weren't so mad over it...but it seems that white elephant is the only thing to do in green valley.

i got to the store at 8:55 a.m. (i had stopped to fill up the sub with gas)...and the whole front of the store was jam packed with ill-tempered locals waiting to get inside.
there really wasn't a nice person in the bunch.
at least...none of the nice people were looking, staring, talking or shouting.

i got so fed up with their attitudes that i almost left.
but i really needed to look at the furniture selection inside, so i decided to put on a smile (and another layer of burt's bees) and deal with it.

ugh.

no. i actually ended up leaving the store with audrey hepburn, a tip jar, 12 creepy miniature cardinals, sinatra & other musical talent [on vinyl].
still. i was so glad to leave that store.

next on my list was to check out a place that has peaked my interest for some time.
second look books.

as you can probably tell from the title...it's a used book store.
i looked around and walked out cradling a tiny little nancy drew book.
for 75 cents i can now have a mystery in my pocket for whenever i want one.

next was the more boring & not so exciting parts of my little day away...
big lots & walmart.
except for a couple of bean bags...those trips were routine & uneventful.

i stopped by the local 50's diner for some waffle fries & a chocolate milkshake.
don't judge! it was my day off!

off i went, back to nogales.

basically...nogales went something like...
mail. mail. free bibles. coffee. awesome thrift store. mcdonalds sweet tea (shout out to rosie nelson!). and then it was back to mexico.

ahh. sweet mexico. i missed you and your lack of speed limits, traffic rules & over abundance of giant speed bumps in the middle of the international highway.

bring on café sed...week #3!

family arriving in 3 days!!

saturday morning.

2010-11-06T10:00:00.002-07:00

Just like every morning...God is present & He is good.

Just like every morning...I wasn't planning on blogging.

But during my little devotions this morning...I got really excited about something and had to tell the world!

We are dirty rotten liars who deserve nothing better then eternal damnation.

God knows that.

BUT! (and it's the "BUT!" that's important)

He loves us.

WAIT! There's more! Not just that "oh honey...I really love you" kind of love.

The "Lover, come with me." pleading & hopeless kind of love.

I read some where recently "there is nothing you could do [good or bad] that would make God love you more or less."

That is no simple statment.

Understand this: God knows who we are & what we've done. He understands it far better then we do...yet...*sigh*.

It's not like I never knew this before. There wasn't anything that happened in my devotions that was like...

"WOW! I never thought of that before!"

it was more like...

"Oh! Oh God...You're lovely. Oh Jesus...You're beautiful."

Here's why I reacted in the way I did...

Malachi.

Almost the entire book is the Lord telling His people to offer sincere sacrifices.

To return to the wife of their youth.

Not to make promises you don't intend to keep.

He tells His people that they are lost. They are liars.

They rob Him of His glory.

Basically good-for-nothings.

(sound familiar?)

Then. THEN! In verse 4 He says something CrAzY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And really...it's making me a little crazy right now.

I just remembered that my cookies are burning in the oven.

oops.

back.

ok... are you READY to hear...errr...read what He says?!?!!??!!??!?!

"Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded..."

- Malachi 4

"REMEMBER OUR MARRIAGE VOWS!"

"I LOVE YOU SOOOOOO MUCH!"

"You are dirty. You are dark. I am Pure. I am Light. We're opposites, you & I...and I love you so much. I'm going to send you Elijah & he's going to prepare my pathway...please listen to him, lover. Please fall in love with Me."

Thank you, Jesus.

5-11-2010

2010-11-05T10:48:00.002-07:00

I'm sitting here at one of my tables, cutting out coupon hand-outs for later on today.
I just put on my new Danilo Montero CD...it's nice. :]

You, my faithful prayer warriors, deserve an update.
I was going to do this yesterday...but then I remembered that I'm Katie and this post is probably expected to be late. :]

God is so so so good!
My daily prayer is that HIS name be glorified through Café Sed & I might shine HIS light brightly in this dark town.

Everyday brings its trials, but God is faithful to answer prayers.
I've felt an amazing kind of peace in the past few days.
Let me go into more detail...

DAY #1 (Tuesday): If you press "Shift" then "1" on your keyboard..it shows up as "!".
That was my day.
I felt anxious...but calm. If that makes any sense then you didn't read it right.
I felt BOTH. Yeah...weird, I know.
The morning (like all mornings) started at 5:30...I got ready & went to the shop. Opening was slow...I honestly don't remember much about the day. It all happened in a blur. When I closed at 7, my whole body ached. I'm not gonna lie...there were times when I thought...
really, God?! I'm gonna die! This is crazy! No one does this!
...but thankfully, those thoughts were few & far between.

I have a great helper. Her name is Isela & she has had experience in coffee shops for the past 5 years or so.
It was totally God that made her available right before my shop opened! She's a fun girl, raised in a Christian home & knows how to work all the equipment! YAY GOD!!!

I felt like it had been my birthday by the end of the day. So many of my friends in Magdalena & away sent me surprises & well wishes. (THANKS, FRIENDS!)

We were busy all day. It was a busy busy day...

Day #2 (Wednesday): ...wasn't near as busy. Which was so great. I needed a day like that. I actually got to sit down at certain times during the day! Wednesday was when it actually started being fun.

Day #3 (Thursday): ...was soo quiet! People didn't start coming until early afternoon. That was OK though, 'cause Isela & I got a lot of little jobs done during the morning. I SOLD A BOOK TO A COMPLETE STRANGER! :] It was a good day.

Day #4 (Today. Friday): ...has been a good day so far. we've been busier then the past 2 days...but still calm enough for me to get some blogging done & make my own white chocolate raspberry latte (which is now cold).

A couple middle aged men came in earlier...they were so funny. They got a coffee, amaretto latte & 2 empanadas. :]

It's one of my goals is to know all the regulars by name & know what they like.
Like...Tom at Mika's always got a beef & cheese wrap & iced tea. :]

...I miss Tom.

Linda, if you're reading this...Thank you SOOOO much for being the one willing to teach me things that I'm applying here everyday. Feel free to come down whenever you want...my espresso grind isn't perfect!!

To God be the glory! Great things He has done!

2010-10-27T15:50:00.002-07:00

so yesterday...i was just sitting here. thinking about photography & book prices...when this light skinned, green eyed 50 year old not mexican man walked in.

i figured he wanted to talk to someone about a job...or had some offical business to attend to.

so i said "buenas dias".

and he said "bon joir...."

i sat thinking *how many times do you see a french man in magdalena? NEVER!*

he figured out that i had no idea what he was saying & am not cool and french.

he thought i was mexican (ha!).

anyway...long story short...he wanted money.

his story was elaborate & involved robbery, hitchhiking & late night hanging-outings at the police station. you know...the kind of story that either MUST be true...or the man has a wicked imagination.

we (duane, enrique & i) came the latter conclusion. saying "we" might be a tad inacurate since all i was thinking was...

haha! i can't believe he's french.

this never happens to me!

i wish i was tess plattner to i could understand him.

oh! what was that word for sorry?

shoot.

i should get back on my whole french learning idea.

for such a time as this.

would it be weird if i asked him to teach me some french? yes. katie...that's a dumb idea.

oh! coke guy is here.

i must be off.

goodbye blog.

katie may.

p.s.-he left without money & life went on.

not always as planned.

2010-09-01T21:52:00.002-07:00

nope. not everything happens exactly as you want it to.

oh! and sometimes....you end up falling back on something you kinda forgot you had...

like this blog.

hello, blog.

back to what i was saying though.

today...i learned that sometimes...paint is darker then you wanted it to be.

or sometimes...people don't listen to instructions like they should have and you end up with an ugly awning. oops. that one hurt.

i knew all of these things.

but not to the extent i know them now.

i'm sure at some point in my life...i'll re-learn them again, but that time even in a deeper way.

honestly...i'm not looking forward to that.

nope. not at all.

but that's OK.

God is in control! YEEEAAAHHHH!!!!

no. really! He's got it all in His big ol' planner.

"now let's look on todays schedule. ah! yes. today is the day that Katie Schick will not like certain things...get overwhelmed...then crawl into my arms, begging for help. she'll learn something new, let go of a few things, and I'll be glorified through it. "

sounds like a plan, God.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

"God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God."

1 Corinthians 1:28-29

I KNOW!

2010-01-28T21:20:00.004-07:00

...I know I never update this anymore.

It's been since November & last time I checked...

November was last year.

I'm not deleting this blog, but don't expect a whole lot to come out of it.

I'm starting a new blog esp. for Café Sed updates.

http://www.cafesed.blogspot.com

So what's been happening with me lately?

WELLLLLLLL...

I'm about ready to BE DONE WITH HIGHSCHOOL!

That alone is very exciting.

Another exciting thing is that Café Sed is coming along.

It still looks pretty rough but it's better then it used to be.

Shades of grey. is doing OK right now.

I've been making bags & such lately, but for now the shop is mostly vintage.

vintage vintage vintage vintage.

Sometimes I wish it all fit me so I could just keep it.

God is good. That's nothing new but something I'm re-learning every day.

I bought a book..."A Year With C.S. Lewis".

It's basically a daily reading. Every page is marked with a different day & every page has a different reference from his writings.

He was a brilliant man that God has used in awesome ways.

I keep a highlighter with me whenever I read & nearly every page has color on it.

So what did I read today? What did I highlight today?

Today...I read a bit from the "Screwtape Letters".

Would you like to read what is now pink on the page?

OK.

[the Tempter Screwtape is writing to his nephew Wormwood about spiritual dryness]

"...Talk to him about 'moderation in all things'. If you can once get him to the point of thinking that 'religion is all very well up to a point', you can feel quite happy about his soul. A moderated religion is as good for us as no religion at all."

Deep stuff. Thought provoking. Action provoking.

One more quote before I "Publish Post".

I've been listening to a song lately, my dad has is in his truck...

It's Andrew Peterson & the song is...

"After The Last Tear Falls"

Read the lyrics & think about them.

Really think about them.

After the last tear falls
After the last secret's told
After the last bullet tears through flesh and bone
After the last child starves
And the last girl walks the boulevard
After the last year that's just too hard

There is love
Love, love, love
There is love
Love, love, love
There is love

After the last disgrace
After the last lie to save some face
After the last brutal jab from a poison tongue
After the last dirty politician
After the last meal down at the mission
After the last lonely night in prison

There is love
Love, love, love
There is love
Love, love, love
There is love

And in the end, the end is
Oceans and oceans
Of love and love again
We'll see how the tears that have fallen
Were caught in the palms
Of the Giver of love and the Lover of all
And we'll look back on these tears as old tales

'Cause after the last plan fails
After the last siren wails
After the last young husband sails off to join the war
After the last 'this marriage is over'
After the last young girl's innocence is stolen
After the last years of silence that won't let a heart open

There is love
Love, love, love
There is love

And in the end, the end is
Oceans and oceans
Of love and love again
We'll see how the tears that have fallen
Were caught in the palms
Of the Giver of love and the Lover of all
And we'll look back on these tears as old tales

'Cause after the last tear falls
There is love

Last week...

2009-11-30T09:06:00.002-07:00

Last week was a good week.

The Thanksgiving Group (AKA: Denver/Altadena) was around.

There was a lot of construction, Thanksgiving food preparation, and relationship building.

It was a great week with great people and great fun.

There was a constant stream of laughter and good conversation.

It felt like half of my best friends were there & it was awesome.

Thanksgiving dinner was huge.

A bunch of people showed up from town & with that plus the CVE family and team we had around 250 mouths to feed.

Thank God the food lasted through it all & there were leftovers!

[5 loaves & 2 fishes, anyone?]

All in all...the week was fantastic. unforgettable.

Issac

2009-11-21T14:57:00.002-07:00

Isaac is the newest addition to the CVE family.

He's around 3 months old & gets no shortage of attention. :]

Art class update.

2009-11-07T14:10:00.005-07:00

'ello faithful blog stalkers!

It is I, Katie...the part time art teacher here at this beautiful establishment.

I just wanted to give you all an update about what has been happening in our class.

[Ok, I'll be normal...although it's not near as fun]

I think I already wrote this in a previous post, but I'm helping out with art class once a week at the school at CVE.

Our first project was to make & paint a bag or pillow.

We've been working on everyone's projects for about 3 weeks & we finally finished!

Here are some pictures of the process...

ANNNDDD THE RESULT!

I loved how everyone (for the most part) used the creative side of their brain on this project!

I think they did a pretty good job!

(p.s.-Candi was at the right place at the right time & got an extra pillow that hadn't been finished...She helped me stuff it & carried it around all day...it was SOO cute!)

meet.......EMMA!

2009-11-07T14:05:00.002-07:00

This is Emma.

She's small, adorable, cute, adorable, brown & white, annnnnddd....adorable.

We got her from a rescue thing in Tucson.

She's like...12 weeks old or something.

annnnddddd...

adorable.

(did i say that already?)

the rest of my cali pictures!

2009-11-03T15:11:00.002-07:00

the trip was totally fantastic. :]

california! (part 1)

2009-11-02T19:50:00.008-07:00

part one.

these pictures are not in order.

'cause blogger is dumb like that.

I just decided that I'm going to list alot of pictures & no explanations...

'cause typing takes too long.

goodbye party for the LOBOS

2009-10-23T08:10:00.003-07:00

"Lobo's" meaning "Wulf's"

The Wulf family is off to study Spanish for a month or two (or three or four...).

So, to send them off well, the Zobrists hosted our normal "game night" (every wednesday).

They gave us food. Beautiful, chocolatey food.

After food...

...we stayed true to the "game night" name & played Catch Phrase. :]

it was oh so fun

art, coffee, and steak.

2009-10-10T00:40:00.003-07:00

So yesterday [friday] was a big day.

It started off with a Chemistry lesson...

Then got happy after that.

10:15-1:00

art class.

yupp. Katie Schick [thats me] is a art teacher.

Friday was my first day, and it involved a bit of drawing...a bit of ironing...and some painting.

I'm teaching the class every Friday.

Our first project can either be a total bag or pillow.

Here's my example:

What Lilly & Uriel accomplished...

Fede's funny creation...

2:30-4:30

town with Kali & Cassidy.

We've been wanting to go to this new coffee shop for a while.

And we finally went!

We also walked around town & went to a couple second hand stores [segundas].

i forgot my camera!

5:30-1:30

cookout with Ben's friends

After waiting for more then an hour on one of Ben's friends...we finally ate the steak.

It was good.

I ate 5 s'mores.

and laughed alot. :]

delightful.

2009-10-06T15:15:00.002-07:00

so, occasionally i search for a short story to read in my english class...if i don't know exactly what i'm looking for...the process can take a long time.
but every once in a while, i find wonderful classics that are just...delightful.

The Princess and the Pea

Once upon a time there was a prince who wanted to marry a princess; but she would have to be a real princess. He travelled all over the world to find one, but nowhere could he get what he wanted. There were princesses enough, but it was difficult to find out whether they were real ones. There was always something about them that was not as it should be. So he came home again and was sad, for he would have liked very much to have a real princess.
One evening a terrible storm came on; there was thunder and lightning, and the rain poured down in torrents. Suddenly a knocking was heard at the city gate, and the old king went to open it.
It was a princess standing out there in front of the gate. But, good gracious! what a sight the rain and the wind had made her look. The water ran down from her hair and clothes; it ran down into the toes of her shoes and out again at the heels. And yet she said that she was a real princess.
Well, we'll soon find that out, thought the old queen. But she said nothing, went into the bed-room, took all the bedding off the bedstead, and laid a pea on the bottom; then she took twenty mattresses and laid them on the pea, and then twenty eider-down beds on top of the mattresses.
On this the princess had to lie all night. In the morning she was asked how she had slept.
"Oh, very badly!" said she. "I have scarcely closed my eyes all night. Heaven only knows what was in the bed, but I was lying on something hard, so that I am black and blue all over my body. It's horrible!"
Now they knew that she was a real princess because she had felt the pea right through the twenty mattresses and the twenty eider-down beds.
Nobody but a real princess could be as sensitive as that.
So the prince took her for his wife, for now he knew that he had a real princess; and the pea was put in the museum, where it may still be seen, if no one has stolen it.
There, that is a true story.

Girl's Day Out

2009-10-05T22:04:00.003-07:00

What happens when a craft show comes to Tucson...

and Katie finds out about it?!

Katie plans a mother-daughter trip. :]

Yes, and Katie also types blogs about it in third person.

'Cause Katie's cool like that.

My mom & I, Suzy & Kali, and Ann & Cassidy all went up to Tucson last friday for the

Quilt, Craft & Sewing Festival.

La.La.La.La.La.

It kinda turned out to be a quilting show for *a-hem* older women.

There was one booth...that was pretty awesome. :]

It was a lady that also did Etsy, she sells vintage & handmade stuff.

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6323360

That's where I spent my money. :]

After the show, we went to Olive Garden...then to a couple thrift stores (where I spent more money) thennnnnnnnnnnn we went to Starbucks.

Then we went to Walmart, Mcdonalds..then home.

It was oh so fun. :]

These are Me & Kali's cute feet. :]

Thanks mom.

Everyone was trying to look very intrigued while a lady showed us very interesting pieces of clothing...that none of us would wear...

This is Kali & our super cool waiter.

He was basically a blur.

I like to call him "speedy gondolas" :]

[italian...get it?]

The moms.

This was my tiramisu after about 30 seconds :]

it was a sublime day.

katie's animal kingdom: Cats.

2009-10-01T09:35:00.005-07:00

Welcome to another pointless blog post.

My name is Katie & i'll be your host today.

What I have to show you will introduce you to another part of my life.

a part over run with...

animals.

If you'll step over here, I will show you the first class of animals often seen around the Schick home...CATS.

Ah yes, we Schicks have a plethora of these furry creatures around the home...

despite the fact that our dog is a vicious cat eater [hold for laughter].

First up, to

our left is Lucky.

Lucky has been around the longest.

While he is ungrateful & selfish...

he still likes to snuggle on occasion.

That occasion normally happens right before

there's a mystery scratch on my hand.

I'm convinced that violence is his love language.

Next, on our right is Gus.

Now, Gus is one of the newer members.

The reason Gus is named Gus is...

#1: His eyes are too close together.

#2: He is a total suck-up

#3: His whole aura breathes Gus

(as the picture clearly explains)

To our left again is the youngest member.

I do not know if it is a boy or girl.

you see...it is a bit of a scared-y cat.

[if you'll pardon my pun] and I haven't

even touched it, much less check to see the

gender. It is adorable, however & frequently

occupies our yard & even comes into our house.

I know what your thinking...and no.

It will not steal our coffee maker.

It's too young anyway to drink anyway.

I NEED YOUR VOTE! ...win something yourself!

2009-09-24T23:32:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone! So there is a contest going on over at BURDASTYLE...Basically, they told us to make a certain kind of dress & people vote on their favorite...the winner wins a BRAND NEW BERNINA sewing machine. [in case you don't know...Bernina's are aweeeesommeeee] So I have 2 dresses that you can vote on, click the links & below the description there is a little "VOTE" box. click on that, please. Here are the links: Dress #1 Dress #2 So...after you've voted, tell me! If I win, I'm gonna draw the names of 3 of you [out of a hat or something] to win a little box full of Sogrey. goodies!!! SO GET VOTING! VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE! much love, katie.

katie's 120 second update.

2009-09-22T17:25:00.004-07:00

[disclaimer: depending on how slow or fast of a reader you are...this might take longer then 120 seconds to read.]

Hello again.

I have not posted anything in longer then a week.

I am ashamed.

so here's whats been happening:

*September 16th was the Mexican Independence day. Since it was on a Wednesday, and we couldn't have a special dinner ('cause of church + all), we had a special lunch.

It was very mexican, let me tell you.

Classic Mexican music (think "AY, YA YA YA....").

Red, White, and Green everywhere.

"Sopes", which are like thick corn tortillas. We put chicken & all kinds of spicy stuff on it.

yummmm!

*I'm in my second month of my last year of high school. OH! how the time has gone by.

It's funny...growing up you always think that you'll be "grown up" in senior year...

*I'm still teaching the wonderful language of English.

It's a challenge at times but it can be fun.

*Sogrey. is doing fabulously.

I actually just introduced a new vest: Fay.

Fay is the first custom made vest I have to offer.

I'm pretty stoked about her...but no one else seems to be...

give it time.

Well...thats all the "updates" I can think of right now.

Have a blessed day...where ever/who ever you are.

xo.

this is why i <3 burda...

2009-09-10T17:04:00.003-07:00

My awesome "cyber friends" over on BurdaStyle.com* are awesome.

I don't know if you had heard me talk about it at all...but at the beginning of this year, I got an email from the lady that runs BurdaStyle asking if I would be willing to ship a couple of the dresses I have made to New York.

The reason was that Burda was putting together a fashion show to be shown in Germany and aired on televison. Well...of COURSE I agreed and nervously put the 2 dresses they were asking for in a box shipping to Nueva York. :]

Time passed. and passed. and passed.

FINALLY I got an email from the same ladies saying that the sponsor of the show backed out...but since they had all the clothes with them anyway, they did a professional photoshoot with models. The photos were to be put in a little "Project Book" for the BurdaStyle community.

Just as well. Thought I.

This way...I would be able to see my dresses on the models. :]

anyway...time passed. and passed. and passed.

I got my dresses back.

passing time. passing time.

FINALLY I got an email (sound familiar?). The book was complete and they planned to ship them soon.

so i waited. and waited. and waited.

zoom forward to monday afternoon.

ZOOM!

good job zooming.

My parents get home from Illinois with a bunch of mail.

In it was...you guessed it...a yellow envolope addressed to "Katie Schick" from "BurdaStyle" in New York.

I let out a slight scream. or yell (which one is it if your happy?).

I might have jumped up and down a bit.

Anyway...opening the envolope...I noticed something peculiar on the front...

[there might have been another scream]...

MY DRESS WAS ON THE FRONT COVER!

happy as I was...I proceeded to show & tell my family + post things on Facebook.

and now I'm telling you, faithful blog stalker.

Is this a big deal? Probably not.

But I'm excited none the less.

*BurdaStyle is a website that's a dream-come-true for those like me (addicted sewers). It provides the world with free [and some $$] printable patterns for all your sewing needs. There is also a blog & a place to post your own projects.

People from all over the world can see your projects & comment + share their own ideas & get advice.

Basically...It's wonderful.

Renée

2009-08-31T13:12:00.004-07:00

Her name is Renée.

In case you want to know...Renée was the 128th most popular name in the year of 1950.

Renée has new pedals, handle grippers, a bell, a lock-up, a screw for her seat,

and today, I got her tires filled up.

She's missing a basket + a new seat cover.

But other-why's, she's doing fabulously.

Thanks for asking. <3

blog.blog.blog.blog.blog.

2009-08-29T21:54:00.003-07:00

Sogrey. has a blog. which is wonderful.

Katie [the mastermind] has created it and she would like you to see it.

Katie [the journalist] interviews people with creative minds and lets you read the conversation.

Katie [the seamstress] updates you on new things that are occurring on her Etsy shop.

Katie [the ramble-er] scribbles things on notes then types them into the computer.

She tries to make it entertaining for you.

Katie [it's me this time] wants you to check it out.

CLICK ME!

Hilda's birthday

2009-08-29T21:37:00.003-07:00

Today (Saturday) was Hilda's 19th birthday.

We took her out to eat for lunch at seafood place.

My mom made one of her famous cookies (although it wasn't round).

yuummm.

This is my father & Keyla.

They share a common love for chocolate.

Keyla is a candle artist.

One of the shirts I gave her (Goodwill was good to me!).

This is Angel. He is a picky eater.

Angel would rather sit and watch...

Dora, Thomas the Train, or Clifford, then do just about anything else.

Angel also calls olives "Popped tires".

(girls-he's mine.)

This is Hilda's daughter, Alexa.

Alexa is often found in this position.

The smile stays as long as she has her way.

The crying leaves if my mom has her way.

We all get along wonderfully. :]

finally! i've got wheels!

2009-08-26T16:17:00.004-07:00

...granted. there are only two of them...

i got a bike!!!!

thats right folks. i've been keeping my eye on this awesome vintage bike for a while!

a lady in town was selling it...but her original price was (i thought) too much...

she lowered it about $10. so i told her i would think it over.

my mom & i went there today to see if she still had it...and she did!!!

AND she lowered the price another $10!!

YEAHHHHHH!

we're going to Tucson tomorrow...which is where i'll buy her a basket, a chain (so no one steals her) annnddd possibly a new petal & seat cover [we'll see].

so, i need to name her. 'cause what's a bike without a name??? anyone got any ideas??

anyway, without further ado, here she is:

The update all about the un-updated

2009-08-23T22:06:00.003-07:00

so, part of the reason i haven't updated much in....forever...

is that the more i wait, the more happens, and the less enthusiastic i get about blogging.

but here i am! blogging...but without pictures. sorry.

i will keep the details to a minimum, so i can get the "has happened" officially in the past and move on to the new and exciting things coming in the future! :]

HAS HAPPENED:

-VBS: it went good. hot hot hot.

-Rancho Betañia: it was good. hot hot hot. [lots of swimming]

-My Sewing "Class": could have been a whole lot better. hot hot hot.

-School Prep: i ordered my books [they haven't arrived yet], i've got 5 kids signed up for english class & have at least the first week totally planned out. [i'll keep you updated with that!!!]

so yeah. :]

not too interesting...but one of these days, i promise, i will give you a entertaining blog to...blog...about...

2009-08-16T23:14:00.003-07:00

I wrote this while sitting with Gramma Schick...about a week or two before she died.

It's not supposed to be anything amazing.

It's just what I was thinking then

Beautiful life

It's time to go.

Beautiful life.

We'll miss you so.

Beautiful life as a girl

Small town with endless possibilities

Beautiful life has touched us

You, Beautiful life, have left your mark.

You've left it on all our hearts.

Beautiful life as a women

With kids of her own

Beautiful life loved us so

Tea parties with the little girls.

Beautiful life now so weak,

She sometimes forgets our own names,

Beautiful life it's time to go.

Beautiful life, we'll miss you so.

back in mexico!!

2009-08-08T15:48:00.001-07:00

hey everyone! i'm back!

things have been super busy so far...and i haven't taken the time to blog...

but i will! i promise!

it was a beautiful life.

2009-07-30T20:20:00.002-07:00

My Gramma Schick passed away today at 4:45 P.M.
It's such a bitter-sweet...totally crazy time in our lives right now.
Gramma was SUCH an amazing person, STRONG in her physical body & strong in her faith.

She has been sick for over a year. Last June she had a operation to try to take away the cancer growing inside of her. After the operation she went down hill-fast.
None of us really thought she would make it then...But God had other plans.

Her health hasn't ever been good since then, But has been going inbetween the bad & really bad scales.

She'd been really bad for over a month now.
Yes, She was suffering. When I would visit her, I would often ask her how she was feeling...
"Rotten." would always be her answer.

But her faith held strong though all the "rotten" times.
She was such an amazing women in my life...always taking the time to make us granddaughters feel special. Tea parties, sleepovers, and makeovers where a usual occation.

I'm in Illinois now. Selfishly, I would love to be in Magdalena.
When I get back I'll do a post of pictures/memories of Gramma.
Till then...her visitation is Sunday afternoon in Morton & Her funeral is Monday morning.

Buenas noches. Les Quiero MUCHO.

Girls Camp 2009

2009-07-21T20:42:00.004-07:00

So, like I said before...Girls camp was good!

There seemed to be a repeating message about the problems in the world that we tend to forget about, or might not even know they exist. Such as, Child soldiers, Slavery, Sex Trafficking, etc.

Our "official" theme for the weekend was "REFLECT THE SON"...

Anyway, it was a good time!

I just added some of my favorite pictures below...