I must apologize for not posting in almost a full year. Time sure flies lately.
Well, things are going great! Since my last post, I have graduated with my Associates' Degree in photography, moved to DC with my parents, gotten a job as an orthodontic assistant, and haved dated Brad Glinkerman--the best guy in the whole world--for almost 11 months. Right now we have a full house... Carl Dixon has been living with us since September, Kaitlin and her boyfriend Paul are home for the holidays, and Brad had to spend the night because of the snow. Just one big happy family! :) We got two feet of snow Friday and yesterday. Since we couldn't get out for church, it doesn't feel like Sunday at all today.
Well, I want to know what's been going on with everyone else, so please comment!
God bless
~MJ

Time just flies, doesn't it? Things have been absolutely crazy around here lately. Last week, I had my last day at work, finished up my finals, said goodbye to my friends in Atlanta, packed, and moved up to DC. This is really a great area... it's just going to take a while to get used to. I am reworking my resume right now and trying to find a job... any job with benefits, so I can have insurance while I save up for better photo equipment.
So how was everyone's Christmas?! I just love this time of year. Ours was wonderful. We did all the usual things: watched White Christmas on Christmas Eve, got up the next morning to my mom's yummy monkey bread, opened presents, ate my mom's famous spaghetti, and played family games all the while listening to Bing Crosby, Celine Dion, Enya, Josh Groban, The Carpenters, and of course The Chipmunks!
Well, not to be mushy or anything, but I just want to thank the so many people in Atlanta that have truly helped me these past five years, but especially the past year and a half. A special thanks to the Cruttendens for being so wonderful to show so much hospitality towards me. I have been truly blessed to have so many wonderful friends. These past few years have been crucial years in my life... I have truly grown (obviously not physically haha!) so much, and a lot of that is because of you. There just aren't enough words to express how much I love and miss you all. Hope you all are having a wonderful holiday!
~M

Well, I was tagged, and I'm just now getting around to doing this. I don't know how interesting these are actually going to be to y'all, but here goes!

1) I don't like some popular foods like watermelon, cheesecake, whip cream/coolwhip, syrup on my pancakes, and probably more. And I can only eat a certain amount of sweets in one sitting. I'm not a huge cake fan, with the exception of my mom's triple chocolate cake, carrot cake and red velvet cake. But I would much rather have pasta, rice, or something starchy than chocolate and sweets.
2) I can make a funny voice that sounds like a chipmunk. Personally, I think I should have played Theodore in the new movie, but whatever!
3) I broke the same finger twice.
4) I can't cross my left leg over my right when I'm sitting in church, but I can do it the other way around. (I don't know if that's all that weird, but it's frustrating.)
5) My parents used to put a leash around my wrist whenever we went sightseeing in London. I know, cruel, huh? I can't say I blame them, though, because I was a curious kid, and who knows where I would be today if they didn't?!!
6) I was homeschooled through fifth grade and started public school in the sixth. And I'm glad my parents did it that way, too, despite my original attitude about it.
7) I love love love watching old movies, especially musicals. My favorite old-time actors/actresses are Cary Grant, Doris Day, Jimmy Stewart, Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Howard Keel, Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Katharine Hepburn, Rosemary Clooney, and Judy Garland.
8) One of my biggest pet peeves is typos. People get so lazy with their spelling and grammar. It just drives me nuts when I find spelling and grammar errors, especially on professional websites and in text books. Does no one know how to use spell check anymore?? (Now that I've said this, I bet I made a typo somewhere in here. But hey, I try!)

Well, there ya go. I hope that wasn't too disappointing.
God bless!
~Rissa Rose

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

I like the movie, but I just don't see it.
~M

Well, I had a great time this weekend up in Wisconsin. Thursday Cory picked me up from the airport and took me to the Tim and Melissa's, where I was staying the first night. We had a great time playing Settlers of Catan with John, Kelly, and, yes, Jonathan, too (who made my heart melt when he called me "Rissa"). The next morning was great, seeing as I practically missed it all due to some wonderful beauty sleep. Cory came and picked me up after his class and took me to meet Whit and then his roommates, Korey and Branden, who are an absolute hoot to hang out with. Then we all hopped in the car to go to have hamburgers and a bon fire at Dennis and Melia's (thanks for having sweet tea, by the way; it was the only time I got to have any!). We sang hymns around the fire and made smores. I got to sleep in Becca's room, which was great because it's all decked out in LOTR and Pirates stuff! Saturday we had a healthy and tasty breakfast of buckwheat pancakes and homemade juice (yummy!). I met Cory's family in Manitowoc and got to see Lake Michigan before we went to Walmart and got him Journey's Greatest Hits (oh yeah!). I had a really great talk with Melia that night, realizing just how much we have in common being PK's and fellow "Twilighters." Sunday I met even more great people at church and then went to watch the Packers game, which was great because they won, at John and Kelly's. I am still recovering from the NFL overdose I got this weekend. It's weird because college football hardly even exists up there; it's all about THE PACKERS (or Cowboys, sorry). AND, if I have to hear that NFL Monday Night Football theme song one more time, I will go crazy! Sunday night we went to Culvers with Chad and his family. Then Monday, Cory and Branden took me to the airport, and I returned to the ATL. :(
I had a truly awesome weekend getting to know more members of my Christian family. I came home so incredibly encouraged by the warm welcome I got from the people up there, and hope to go back soon! Thank you all so much! God bless you!
~Rissa Rose
P.S. Roll Tide!!!!!!!!!