on winking...

I feel as though I've been bombarded by lots of winks lately and I'm not sure what to make of it. Is winking trendy now? And what exactly does it mean? In the last 24 hours I've been winked at in just about every context: at the office, at a resturant, in passing, hanging out with friends, and I'm pretty sure over the phone one time. Also, it seems that winking is more popular among the male gender, is it a type of non-verbal communication? Is male to male winking acceptable? Is there an understood meaning of the wink among guys that makes them think girls know what it means too? Just questions...
Maybe it's cause I'm jealous - we all know my own winking leaves much to be desired (and interpreted probably) but, I'm just not sure when winking became a pathway to communication. Really I usually don't know what is being communicated with the subtle wink because sometimes it seems like 'I'm funny, you should laugh now.' and other times it is 'I don't have time to listen to you, see ya' or then there was the 'I'm making a joke at your expense now'. Mostly, my problem with winking is that I can't take you seriously when you are winking at me - so if you're trying to communicate something serious, don't wink- because then it seems like a joke or maybe even a tick.
For me, winking is confusing and makes me a little bit uncomfortable ... the more you know.


Besides my personal objections to winking this is also why I don't wink at people very often

Weird Things about Jeff

Jeff and I were talking about the things that are weird about me because he couldn't really think of any that I didn't put on the list. The only thing he said he would add to it is 'you put salt on everything', which is true. So, with Jeff's permission, here are the things I told him were weird about him...

1. For as long as I have known Jeff anytime he gets a drink with a lid that has those little buttons on it that tell you what kind it is he always pushes all of them down. And then he proceeds to do the same to whoever's drink he is with.

2. He has a 'dog voice' for when he is around animals, and not a voice that he uses to talk to the dogs but a voice he uses to make the dogs talk to you. He uses his dog voice to tell you what the dog is thinking, wanting, etc. It is actually kind of hilarious.

3.Jeff likes to make faces - or should I say a face. I can probably find a picture of it... hold on... wow, it appears that somehow I've never captured this face on film. I can't really describe it but it's the same face every time and to this day I'm not exactly sure what it means. I think it might be something like 'I'm excited, or I'm happy' but it is used so frequently that I just don't know.

4.Jeff has to cross everything off of his list at the store. Even if he decides he doesn't need something anymore he still has to scratch it off the list.

5. Jeff is in the dark ages a little bit when it comes to technology. He got a digital camera for Christmas this past year and before this was using disposable cameras.

6. Jeff doesn't like to use his windshield wipers. They only become a necessity to him when it is raining so hard he can't see, until that point he doesn't like to use them.

7. He loves to laugh and sometimes when he is telling stories he won't be able to finish because he is laughing so hard - lots of times at himself. I don't know many grown men who can do this - it's pretty adorable.

8. Jeff won't take his phone in the bathroom with him when he has to use the toilet and should he by accident he won't answer it if it rings. However, when he is in the shower he takes his phone with him and will answer it if it rings... in the shower.

So - this is the pre-marital list ... do I get to post one afterwards?

Weird Things About Me

The Rules:
1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.
2. Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog (about their 8 things) and post these rules.
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

Michelle tagged me, so... here goes

1.I function in a world that has what I like to call 'Erin time'. It runs a little bit slower than the rest of the world and there is not an exact translation for real time. All of my watches clocks etc. are set in Erin time and so whenever Anna Beth would ask me what time it was she knew to add about 5-8 minutes to that time.

2. I get really personal with books. I 'think aloud' in the margins, have my own notation system, and CAN'T not finish a book. It doesn't matter how bad it is, how much I am hating it, how stupid I think it is, I have to keep reading. Now - I have broken this rule about 3 times, but I'm still convinced I will go back and finish one of those books. I have been known to throw a crappy book across the room and then reread it a few years later and love it. But after I've read a book it has its own 'personality' which can make it hard to go back and reread without bias, but it is still something I have to do.

3.I love breakfast. Even when I sleep in until noon (which doesn't happen too much anymore) I will still make breakfast. There's just something a little bit magical about it for me.

4. I like to make lists - however, these lists are not so much for the purposes of accomplishing things as much as they are decorative. For example... I like to make a list before I go to the store, but I never look at it once I'm inside and I never cross anything off of it (Jeff loves this by the way). I have a 3 page list of random things that I love - just to have one. If you know me you've probably received a list of things I love about you. I also have a 2 page list of things I want in a husband - it is color coded. So... lists.

5. I like to encourage people to do stupid things. I can make anyone (just about) look ridiculous in a picture, even when they think they don't want to do that. I tend to bring out the hidden silliness within - and I love it.

6. I hate going to the grocery store. I will borderline starve myself before I go to the store. I will eat cans of beans, crackers, anything that I have before I will go to the store. The only person I can really even tolerate going to the store with is Jeff, and he is pretty wonderful and doesn't make me go with him very often. Poor home group has suffered some random Erin concoctions because I didn't have all the ingredients to make anything so I would just make something up... sorry guys.

7. There are 2 people in the world (and I've heard rumors of others) that look exactly like me. I look just like my mom and my twin sister. People are always coming up to my mom at church to ask her about how her trip was or how she's doing in Waco, even old high school friends will see her and start talking to her before they realize she's not me... it's weird. And then the whole twin thing adds a whole other dimension of confusion. People always stare at us when we are in public together, and I forget that it's because we look alike and think that I forgot to put on my pants or something. Sometimes I will see pictures of us and I can't figure out which one is me.... that is weird.

8. People tend to think my life is weird. I've been told on more than one occasion that "Your life scares me." I tend to like things that most people aren't interested in. I was trying to think of what other people say is weird about me, and this is what I get the most - people just think my passions are weird. I love being overseas, specifically in the Middle East, I loved living in the ghetto of Waco (most of the time), I'm interested in poverty, social justice, fair trade, oppression, and most of all learning to love like Jesus. This looks pretty weird in America but these are the things that I love the most... and I guess that's weird.

Now: I'm tagging Scott B. Jennifer W. Beth G. Chelsea P.

Drumroll please...

I'm getting married!!! Jeff and I got engaged last Friday and are getting married December 28. Here are some pics of the events...


This is the proposal location... the church playground - we spent a lot of time here growing up


This is the scrapbook he made to propose to me - isn't it beautiful?!


And this is my beautiful, non-conflict diamond ring


This is the hilarious poster that our friends made for us. We decided we would hang it in our apartment after we're married and whenever we get mad at each other we will just go stand in front of it for a few seconds until we can laugh again.

Front Porch Swing

I was sitting on the swing at the Addison's house the other night just praying and listening and this is what I wrote...


The temperature outside is perfect, there is just barely a breeze and the air smells like freshly cut grass. The gentle rumble of thunder sounds in the distance along with flashes of lightning illuminated behind the setting sun. The frogs, crickets, cicadas and the fluttering of wings form their own chorus around me. The pond ripples in the distance and the faint quacking of ducks rises above the water. And here I sit, just an audience to this perfect July evening. Only, there is a heaviness weighing around me that makes every noise seem louder and a little bit threatening. This phrase keeps orbiting around in my brain reverberating off of my heart and not finding its home in my soul … ‘To live is Christ and to die is gain.’ The weight it carries with it makes the insect chorus around me seem like a chanting to some unknown climax. I came out here to sit on this swing and find a refuge in this wilderness and now I’m wondering if we are friends or foes. Afraid – that is what I feel, grasping – like I’m reaching for something I am not sure I could hold on to even if I could touch it. I can’t be in control, I don’t get to direct the choir around me and I won’t know ultimately if we can be friends. Lord, I don’t know what else to say except it is YOURS. The Earth is your footstool and yet you count the hairs on my head. There is pain, confusion, uncertainty, some fear, and lots of faith and hope in Your Supreme goodness.
I am inspired by the lives of the Saints, saints like Paul – Paul Saxon and Paul formerly known as Saul. They both endured pain and suffering I can’t even wrap my mind around and yet there was a simple trust in Your provision for them and the ultimate goodness of Your love towards your children that spurred them onward. I am in awe of the way their lives and their deaths point toward the indescribable worth of Jesus Christ in all things.
Is there a storm coming? Is that the tension that hangs in the air? I don’t know … and that is okay because right now all that matters is joining in the chorus around me to worship the Creator of the Universe.

Babies cont.

As promised here is Hannah Whitlark... she's grown a lot since these were taken, but my computer ate these files for a while


you wouldn't guess from this picture that Jeff is actually afraid of small babies


The beautiful Whitlarks... and Jason - just kidding, much love for the beard =o)


This is Elyse and Caden, he's going to be walking soon!!! I can't believe it!

Isn't he adorable?

Jeff is heading to South Asia for a couple weeks on Monday. It is going to be a great time for him and his team of 2 other guys to do lots of male bonding as they bike through the Hindu Kush mountains for 12 days. Be praying for endurance and wisdom for them as they spend time in villages with locals and are able to share stories about Jesus with them. I'm sure he would appreciate your prayers as they are traveling and biking. Look at these funny pictures I took of Jeff recently...


This is Jeff on the 4th of July making hamburgers for everyone. They were grill-tastic ummmm.... never mind.



This is Jeff and his cookie - he loves cookie cake. In high school I used to give him a hard time about saying 'supposedly' correctly because he would always say 'supposably' so I made some kind of deal with him where if he said it right so many times I would make him a cake. And when he did I made him a big cookie cake that said 'supposedly' on it. Isn't that stupid? I was such a dork - sure glad I grew out of that... I'm sure he is too.


This adorable one is Caden my nephew. He multiplied in size since the last time I saw him a couple months ago! He's sooooooo cute!