Family Differences

I dedicate this post to Nathan's wonderful family.

We all know how families annoy each other. Especially siblings and how they love their rivalry. Now in my family, we have rivalry but it turns out not as much as my boyfriend's siblings (with him right in the middle of it!). 

I went to visit Nathan's family over the weekend, this being the second time I have visited them. It's been so few visits due to an expensive train ride that separates us, thank goodness! No I'm only kidding. I love Nathan's family as much as I love my own. They are loud and fun. My family...I thought we were loud but it turns out our volume is on the quiet end of the stereo. While my family go about our daily preparations (the morning rituals) my dad is outside on the farm feeding the animals, my sister is often found sleeping in and I go quietly about getting ready, whilst my younger sister follows suit in regards to the quietness and speed. My brother on the other hand loves to make a racket by slamming the door and throwing the dog bowls (he feeds the dogs) to the ground. He also is grumpy in the morning. My mother assists my brother as much as possible to quieten his temper and to speed him along ready for school. I regard this as a normal family going about their morning...or I did until I met Nathan's family. 

I have decided that whether or not teenagers play a part in the family is usually the deciding factor of the volume of the household. See when I was a teenager a few years ago I was rather the loud one in my family (hard to believe sometimes). Now this tradition (if I may call it that) has been passed onto my brother.

Nathan's family follow this I think, except everyone is just a bit louder than normal (normal being my family...it may not be normal to you but it is to me) and the teenager of the family (Nathan's sister) the loudest of all. You would think that by all this that I'm saying that I did not enjoy my time and I did not like Nathan's family...but in actually fact I loved every minute of it.

Families are so wonderful and should be celebrated because it is where you can be yourself and your family will still accept you for who you are...even if they give you a hard time; a favourite pass time of Nathan's family with regards to his sister. And families will always love you! So I look forward to one day being an official member of Nathan's family even though they already say I'm part of it already (even took part in their family photos). 

So look for your family's differences and celebrate them and thank God for each person in your family, because your family is part of who you are!

What makes Me me.

I was thinking yesterday: When someone thinks of me what do they think of? What stands out as something that is typically Maija?
I then went on a mind scavenger hunt to search out the things that I enjoy most that I like because I do not because someone close to me likes it and has influenced me. I came up with a sort of list but would love to hear from my followers who know me if they can add anything.

As for my musical tastes:

• JessieJ
• Jonas Brothers
• Roma Waterman
• Taylor Swift
• The musical instrument the Cello

Other:

• Ancient History
• Ireland
• Greece
• Italy
• Pinterest
• Classical clothing styles (fashions that never die)
• Waterlillies
• Tangled (the Rapunzel movie)
• Hairclips that look like this: I'm talking about the backing style piece. Doesn't matter too much about what's on the other side. 
• The number 7 and 49

Invisible

I feel invisible. I feel like this kid from Cheaper by the Dozen -->
But even if I had red hair I would not be noticed.
I feel like singing 'Mr Cellophane,' but no one would hear me.
I feel like not talking and seeing how long it takes for someone to notice me and talk to me. But it could be days and I would just break down in tears. I don't want to cry and look broken.  This is how it is for me when I become depressed.
But worst of all I feel invisible to myself. I think I've lost myself. And that is what scares me the most. That is the real reason why I won't stop talking. So I don't forget that I have a voice. That is why I write on here. Because it makes me feel like someone is listening. Even if it just God. But you know what God's message was to me this morning when I read my devotional? It was to not be selfish.
Did I get mad? no.
Did I shut the book and ignore it? no.
I listened and decided that maybe.
just maybe I am being selfish.
Maybe I should really listen to what others have to say and care more about them.
But then again I once heard that if you don't take care of yourself first than how can you care for those around you? So I come to the point in my thoughts of confusion. I don't know what to do. I don't know any more. And now I'm scared that I don't know who I am. I feel lost and I want my Heavenly Father to come and wrap his arms around me and reassure me that everything is going to be ok.





And He does. I am calm and I'm reassured. It doesn't matter any more where I am. Because I am found in Christ. He is my identity. Broken but loved! I rejoice then through tears that someone loves me for everything that I am worth. I rejoice because someone cares for me when I'm broken. He picks me up like a child. And never lets me go. Unfortunately I am the one who lets Him go sometimes. But He accepts me again and forgives me every time I do this.

Thoughts on thoughts

Do you ever find yourself daydreaming and then you realise that you are just thinking about something? And then you think to yourself how amazing and awe-inspiring thoughts are? And then you start thinking about thoughts and then you realise that you are talking to someone and that someone is you...and then you decide that talking to yourself isn't so bad and certainly isn't a sign of craziness because the only person in the world who understands you better than anyone else is... yourself! So you continue to talk to yourself in your own silent world...and then someone rudely interrupts as if they didn't see that you were having a conversation with yourself and asks; "What are you thinking?" and then you foolishly smile to yourself and reply, "nothing." When in fact you were thinking about something but you aren't going to respond with "I was just talking to myself about my thoughts" because then of course that person is going to think you are crazy! See! There it is...that's why people think that talking to yourself is a sign of craziness...but honestly it isn't! How can it be? You were just talking about things with someone who understands you!  Who cares if that someone was you?
Honestly, I talk to myself quite regularly but if I didn't talk to myself and had these conversations with other people there would be quite a few absurd conversations going on...That's why I keep them to myself and act normal...hmmm perhaps I am crazy after all. Or just a tad crazy...but don't worry everyone...I'm perfectly harmless. Or am I?

Puzzles and Frozen (I wish) Yoghurt

Does the title puzzle you? lol well luckily I'm the sort who links the title into their post. The reason why I mentioned puzzles is because on Wednesday was Nathan and my first anniversary of being together as boyfriend and girlfriend! And as his present to me I recieved a puzzle. Along with Scrabble, Scattergories, Bananagrams and other intellectually challenging games I love puzzles. And if you wanted to buy me a puzzle you would have to know me real well or either read this post and dually note the kind of puzzles I like, because I'm picky when it comes to puzzles. This is part of the reason why Nathan took me to the store to buy the puzzle instead of choosing one out by himself. You see, I like puzzles that ensure that every piece of the puzzle will be different, so that means no large expanses of blue sky or sea or grass or any other monotonous picture. The puzzle that Nathan and I chose in the end is an Ancient map of the mythical lands; hence it's called Atlantis. I love this puzzle because each piece has a unique clue on it as to where it is to be placed. However, it also gives that bit of a challenge that I enjoy too. The next best thing is a puzzle depicting one of my favourite places (Italy, Greece or Ireland). But then again...I can also like anything that just pleases my eye...*sigh* I now understand why it is so difficult for Nathan to choose my gifts.
Now about the Frozen yoghurt...or at least I wish I had frozen yoghurt. Mum bought mini tubs of yoghurt (a rarity in our house) and we got two each. I love...no... I LOVE YOGHURT...even better if it is frozen! But because I'm so impatient I had to eat my tubs of yoghurt and not wait the extra hours of freezing for a better treat. So I'm disappointed in myself for being impatient and not waiting for my favourite treat. But at least I had yummy yoghurt eh? So the moral of this post is: If you don't know what to get me as a gift, especially if you can't decide on a puzzle that I will like just buy me frozen yoghurt!

The tale of Two cities...or six country towns...

Last week I got the opportunity to travel out west to visit some country towns, in order for 20 or so pre-service teachers to get a taste of what it is like to teach in such places.I had a great week except I came back sick. Because I don't know what to say really I'll just share the best of my photos from the week...which isn't many cause I kept forgetting to take photos. Although it looks like I didn't go to any schools...I did go to quite a few...I just chose not to share those photos. I think perhaps my favourite school was at Miles.

Where we stayed. They stole my wooly socks. :(

 While driving to somewhere we came across a house on the road...it took up the entire road so people coming in the opposite direction had to pull over and wait until it had passed.

 This is my favourite photo I took...can you believe I took it while on the bus and moving?

 Loved the little churches out west and also love the bottle trees...this combines both! This was at Wallumbilla.

Practised photography skills while out there...another of my favourites that I took.

AFLness part two

I got to go to my first AFL live game recently. I have chosen my team and the game was between my team (Goldcoast Suns) and my boyfriend's team (Sucky Sydney Swans)....however they weren't so sucky in the game...cough cough thewon. Bu altogether it was a fantastic experience and I can easily see myself becoming a huge fan! I even bought my first piece of paraphernalia...a Sun's scarf...mostly cause I was cold...but I also wanted one!

Me and Nathan at the football...you can tell who is the most interested in the game...it hadn't even started yet...the players were just running and exercising!

Apparently this is the moment when Gary Ablett (the suns) did his knee in the game.

This guy was probably the loudest and most obnoxious Swans supporter at the game...he got quite annoying.