since sunday.

In some ways, it's hard to believe it's only Tuesday morning.  So much has taken place in the last couple of days.  We've had a steady stream of family here.  I love having them, but I am a bit tired of entertaining/doing dishes.  I'm also housesitting this week for some friends, which may turn out well because I think some company may need my bed later this week.  Most of the memorial service plans have been made (graveside for family Thursday, service on Friday).  Gramma and her 3 kids spent all afternoon and into the evening meeting with the mortuary and church making plans.  Everyone was here for dinner last night, then we jumped right back into planning.  I typed the obituary as I received the input from others, finally finishing around 10:30 last night.  I'm exhausted, as I think pretty much everyone is.  For whatever reason, I've been waking up around 7 every morning for more than a week.  Apparently I can't sleep in any longer.  I've reverted back to my days of student teaching in which caffeine helped me survive the days.  Before this week, I haven't really had caffeine (except maybe once or twice) for months.  Hopefully things will somewhat normalize by next week.

Pretty exciting plans for today: Going to go clean Gramma's house!  She isn't able to do much on her own, and it's been awhile since we've been over to help.  Other than that, pretty much just hanging out, funeral planning, and possibly getting a little work done (we'll see about that...). 

On another note, I have more sewing and crochet projects waiting for me than I can possibly do right now.  On top of that, my mom is planning to get a new sewing machine and I hope to learn quilting sometime soon! 

Ok, off to get ready.  Hope your last week of 2010 (can you even believe that?) is a good one!

december 26.

I am both happy and deeply sad to report that Papa went home to be with the Lord this morning.  We received word from the hospital around 7:30 this morning that he had passed away. 

The Lord is gracious, though.  As I laid awake much of the night thinking (I haven't slept much this week) I was extremely thankful that I had decided against taking the Interterm class.  I'm sure that this is one of the reasons I was not at peace about taking the class then. 

Please be praying for Gramma especially.  All week she's been having pain in her chest.  She attributes it to stress and sorrow, but we all are concerned that it's possible something more is happening.

merry christmas.

I wrote a summary of my day in a email to a friend, but I thought I'd share it here:

Well, Christmas was an interesting one.  We woke up and did stockings and gifts, and then had breakfast with us four, Gramma,my great aunt and uncle, and my aunt and uncle from Oregon.  We were just about finished when Mom got a call on her cell phone from the hospital saying that Papa's blood pressure was extremely low and that we should come soon.  That kicked us into gear, let me tell you!  Aunt Kathy and Uncle Dwayne left right away with Gramma, Uncle Cliff and Aunt Jerre close behind, then Lindsay and Dad were next.  Mom and I stayed about 5-10 minutes longer and got the breakfast leftovers put away and got most of the dishes off the table, rinsing a few, but really leaving a big mess.  When we arrived at the hospital we received word that Papa had stopped breathing but they have resuscitated him. The mood at the hospital was somber, where we spent most of the day.  Another aunt and uncle, along with 2 cousins arrived a couple of hours after we did.  We basically all took turns going into the room and saying our goodbyes or whatever.  Not much had changed most of the day, so Mom and I decided to come home around 3 and get dinner going, because goodness knows everyone still wanted to eat! Actually, we tried to keep things as semi-normal as we could.  Gramma said it best, "If he could see us, Papa would probably wonder why we were all sitting here just waiting..."  Anyway, Mom and I got breakfast dishes cleaned up and dinner going.  Eventually Lindsay and my great aunt and uncle came home.  We got a call from Dad shortly after that the 3 kids and Gramma had discussed what to do and decided that if something happened again that they shouldn't go to any extra measures to save his life.  I think once that decision was made, things got a little easier, if that makes any sense.  It's in God's hands now when He takes Papa.  It might seem a bit selfish, but a few of us were praying that he would just make it through Christmas.  It's not so much this year, but all the years following that we didn't need that to be the day Papa died.  Anyway, dinner was good and overall it was nice to spend the day surrounded by family, even if the circumstances weren't grand.  It will definitely be a Christmas we remember!

I truly am thankful for family here, although it was hard to have what felt like a hole at the table for dinner.  It just didn't seem quite right without Papa there...

december 24.

Well my last post took me 2 days to get finished, so hopefully this one will be a bit more brief.  Papa's still in ICU, completely sedated since Wednesday morning.  We had a scare yesterday morning with a phone call from the hospital saying he was declining quickly.  So, we all flew to the hospital from various points around town, but he had stabilized to basically where he was before by the time we arrived.  They've done dialysis twice since his kidneys are not functioning properly.  His heart is weak and his blood pressure is erratic.  As I said, he's been fully sedated since Wednesday morning when they put him on a respirator.  Yesterday they were giving him 100% oxygen (the air we breathe has about 20%), which obviously isn't good.  The biggest problem is that it seemed like he still wasn't getting enough, and, if something were to change, there was no way for them to give him more.  Today, however, they gradually decreased him from 100% to 50% over a period of time.  This morning there was also concern that his stomach was not absorbing many nutrients from the "food" he was being given. 

It's hard to see him in the state he his.  I remain hopeful for a miracle, yet realistic that these are probably his last days.  Any improvements we see are always tainted by the fact that there are just so many things wrong and that his bodily systems are failing.  I pray he's here to celebrate next Christmas with us, where we can look back and see the miracle of his life again.  But even if he isn't, I'm so grateful to know that he'll be in heaven when his time comes.

One of the hardest things has been to keep the Christmas celebrations going as usual (at least as much as possible).  We finally made plans, with the intent of being flexible if something drastically changed.  Family has arrived yesterday, more are coming tomorrow, and more are on their way after that.  No matter what the reason, I'm thankful to have them all near. 

I must go to bed now, as it's been another long day of hospital visiting, Christmas Eve dinner, and Christmas preparations.  (Despite all of those preparations, it still doesn't feel like it should be Christmas yet...) I was banned to my room about an hour ago, so I guess I'll go to bed.  Can't wait for orange rolls in the morning!

tuesday.

Well yesterday was just loads of fun! I spent the day trapped at home because FedEx was supposed to deliver a package for my dad.  But let's back up a minute so I can give you the full story.  It started last Thursday when I arrived home mid-afternoon to find a FedEx tag on the door saying they attempted delivery and the "2nd Attempt" was marked.  They never wrote who the package was for, so it took us a few minutes to realize it was my dad's new computer.  Well, we've never had a problem with packages being taken from our porch, so my mom signed the tag and stuck it back on the door to give them permission to leave it Friday.  Well, you already know Friday was a crazy day with Papa being rushed to the hospital.  We were headed to BJ's for dinner, so I came by the house to get the package and to change shoes.  Walk up the walkway and discover that there is no package and no tag on the door, which leads me to believe that the package was delivered but is no longer there.  Oh, great!  So I head to BJ's to get our name in, but the long wait time changed our plans to just picking up the food to take home.  When I got back with food in hand, Dad did some investigating online and saw that that day's entry looked the same as the previous two days, meaning they probably didn't deliver it.  So, he calls FedEx and, after a lot of conversation, finally gets the woman to have a hold placed on the package for him to pick up.  She said it would be available Monday.  So, Monday arrives, and with it another delivery attempt note on the door when I arrived home around noon.  Dad calls again, and they say they'll try to deliver it one more time on Tuesday.  Which, obviously, is the reason I stayed at home all day.  Except, as it turns out, they never delivered the package.  Instead they were holding it at the facility south of town that is open 2 hours each day (9-10 am & 4-5 pm).  Thankfully Dad was able to go and get it around 4:15.  Finally, we had the package!  Dad is now enjoying his new laptop computer...

Tuesday ended with dinner and going to see Tangled with a friend...so fun! 

oh, what a difference a day makes.

Friday began as planned.  I ran a couple of errands in the morning, the most important one being taking my big paycheck to the bank.  I was just headed back home as my mom called, asking if I wanted to each lunch with her.  So, I turned the car around and headed to meet her at a sandwich place near her office.  Just as I was pulling into the parking lot, she called me again, saying that Papa was having chest pains, had been throwing up, and was home alone.  So, I picked her up and we headed over...only it was lunch time, which means lots of traffic.  I'll skip all the details, but by the time we got there, Gramma had arrived home, gotten him dressed, and we walked right back out the door with them.  Arrived at the hospital emergency room a few minutes later, Papa seemingly fine.  After a series of events, they determined that Papa was, indeed, having a heart attack and rushed him right in to the Cath Lab.  As it turns out, he had 100% blockage in the rear artery that they were able to open and place a stint.  He also has 75% blockage in another artery that they haven't addressed yet.  They moved him into ICU to monitor him, where he still is today.  They are concerned about his kidney function, heart function (which was already weak and weakened even more with the heart attack), worried that the blood thinner + aspirin they have him on will cause bleeding in the brain as it seemed to previously, and concerned about his oxygen intake.  At times he acts "normal", eating pretty well, talking to us all.  Other times he is disoriented and can barely stay awake when talking to us.  Even though he may appear "fine", he is seriously sick and could still go either way. Please pray...

december 4.

(The original title of this blog was "december 3" until I remembered what the date was...oops!)

I am in the midst of working on one of the last 5 or so assignments this semester.  It sounds like a lot, but since they are all due in the next week and a half, it really isn't that much more.  I've been typing for awhile now, and sometimes it amazes me the keystrokes that I take when trying to spell a word.  For instance, groups became "gooprss."  Really? That really wasn't even close.  I'm on the last section of this particular assignment, and I can't wait to be done.  It is the epitome of "busy work."  Also, it was apparently due this last Monday, but the professor changed the due date without informing the class.  Awesome, right?  He told us to get it in as soon as we could and he wouldn't penalize us, but still.  Dumb.

In other news, we got our "real" Christmas tree today.  Mom and I went to pick it out at the lot near our house.  The guys showed us the tree, we liked it, he gave us a good deal on it, and we drove it home.  Unfortunately the trunk was a bit wider than our stand, so we had to shave a bit off the sides so it would fit.  It's standing now, though, so that's the most important thing.  Decorating still to come...

That's a pretty good summary of the day.  I woke up at 10:15 this morning, which shocked me.  I haven't slept that late in a LONG time.  Must have needed it.  We ran a couple of other errands after the tree was unloaded from the car, but nothing too exciting to report. 

december 1.

When I got dressed this morning in Bakersfield, it was cold. Frost on the windows of my car at 10am. Definitely sweater weather. But now I'm in LA. Flip-flops on my feet,
a/c on in the car, eating frozen yogurt. Apparently they didn't get the memo that it is December.

After tonight, I have just one more class session (in 2 weeks) and the semester will be over. Still contemplating the interterm class. I'm leaning toward not taking it, but just don't know for sure. I have to decide by the end of this week so I can drop whichever one I'm not taking. I can't decide which pros outweigh which cons.

I believe that as of yesterday, all my Christmas shopping is complete. I need to double check to make sure everyone is covered, but it's a good feeling to be done already! Now I just need to find the time to wrap everything so they can sit under the tree...whenever that goes up...

I was fortunate to have the afternoon to spend with my friend, Laura, at her new home. It's still a work in progress, but the work they have done looks wonderful. We spent some time arranging her decorations on the coffee table, trying to figure out where everything fit best. Sorry I'm going to miss their Open House this weekend, but I got a great preview!

There's your quick update on my day. I have to go to class now...

thanksgiving.

 

 

Thankful for all of the many blessings in my life.  I enjoyed the day with family and we were all especially thankful for our miracle and to have Papa with us this year.

it's the most wonderful time of the year.

Now that Thanksgiving's over, it's officially Christmastime.  Today was day #1 of using the Spode Christmas Tree dishes, which make all the food taste better...even leftovers!  Mom removed most of the Fall decorations to make for the Christmas ones.  Tomorrow the snowman tree goes up, with the real one following in the next couple of weeks.  I just love Christmas!

This year we've done extremely well with shopping early.  I have all but a few gifts bought and might even wrap a couple this weekend.  My biggest problem with Christmas shopping is that I often practice the "one for you, one for me" method, which is really quite damaging to my bank account. 

We made a real effort to take pictures yesterday, so I'll post a few soon!  Hope your Black Friday was good (I worked most of the day, and no shopping for us...unless you count the online purchase I just made...)

impatient.

I was tired of looking at those fall leaves.  And, since it's almost Thanksgiving, I decided it was finally ok to switch the background to something more festive. 

second thoughts.

I'm having second thoughts about my decision to take the class during Interterm.  It would be so great to have it done, but the workload is intense.  Do I really want to be so stressed, especially since I'm leaving in the middle for a trip that I already have lots to do to prepare to go?

Or do I opt for the Spring semester class, which requires me to drive to LA every week again.  I don't mind the drive.  It's more the cost: gas & food, plus the loss of income since I don't typically work that day. 

I have to decide soon because I have to pay for the Interterm class.  Oh, what to do, what to do...


In other news, it's Thanksgiving week.  When did that happen?  Where exactly has November gone?
And only 30-something days until Christmas?  At least I have most of my Christmas shopping done already...I just need to keep working to pay for it!

Also, I bought new glasses on Friday.  I'll show them to you when I get them.  I learned that trying on glasses is a much better experience when you are already wearing contacts because you can actually see what the glasses look like on! What a concept! 

Aunt Jerre and Uncle Cliff are here for the week.  No school this week, but a big paper due next Monday, so I guess that means I'll be doing homework.  Joy.  Work, work, work, as always.  Possibly even subbing, if I get any calls.  I was poised to answer the phone and say yes today, but I didn't get any phone calls.  Probably if I do it will be at 5am tomorrow morning, which is my favorite...

change of plans. again.

Go ahead and call me crazy, because I think I just might be.  Today I received the OK to take the class I need during Interterm.  You might recall that I originally planned to do things this way: 2 classes in the Fall, 1 during Interterm, 2 in the Spring, done.  However, when I was presented with the opportunity to go to Slovenia, I emailed the professor of the class in January and he said it wasn't going to be offered then.  Ok, change of plans.  I guess I can go to Slovenia, though.  Now, as it turns out, the class is going to be offered in January.  Only problem: the class and the trip overlap by 2 days.  That's why I needed his approval for me to take the class.  Because missing 3 days of a 3 week class is kind of a big deal.  Anyway, he said no problem to finishing early.  Perfect.  Easier said than done though, I'm afraid.  He emailed me the syllabus and advised me to get started on the work as soon as I could.  No kidding.  It looks pretty intense.  So now I'll be going to school right up until the day I leave on my trip, and the Spring semester begins the day after I get back.  So much for a restful vacation...

wish list.

I want four things for Christmas:
1. New bottle of face wash.  I've been noticing that the pumps I take have been getting gradually smaller as the contents get closer to the bottom of the bottle.

2. Friends, seasons 2-6.  I've bought the rest through patrolling Amazon Marketplace, mostly New condition for a great price. 

3. Any of the clothbound Penguin Classics I don't have yet.  I can tell you which ones I don't have if you really want to know.

4. Gift cards/money.  Always appreciated.

Dream Big, right?

work. homework. meetings.

Those three words basically encapsulate my weekend.  It's thrilling, I know, so try to contain your excitement. 

Saturday morning dawned bright and early when I woke up around 7:30.  While this may be considered late for others, I work from home and rarely wake up before 8, so why I was awake so early on Saturday morning is beyond me.  Anyhow, Mom and Dad were headed to Morro Bay for the day (not as fun as it sounds: yard work and driving the grandparents back to Bakersfield), but I had opted to stay home and get some work done.  They left around 8, and that's when the party began.  I started by spending the morning giving my room and closet a much needed cleaning.  I spent about 3 hours cleaning out and cleaning up.  And, while it is by no means perfect, it is much better than when I started.  It definitely needs a few more doses and then will be presentable for others to see again.  (When time is lacking, it's all about the baby steps.) 

By now it was lunch time, so I quickly got cleaned up and drove to Chipotle for lunch.  I justified my time away by mailing 2 letters on the way to pick up food.  While I ate I finished watching Letters to Juliet, which I had started while cleaning.  (I had rented the movie and planned to watch it while working, but came to find out that my DVD player was no longer working.  This meant that I needed to use my computer, which is impossible while working...)  Movie finished. Work time.  I worked pretty much the rest of the day.  Mom and Dad arrived home around 6.  I made the mistake of not taking them up on the offer to bring me something for dinner and was hard-pressed to find something I wanted later.  Before I went to bed, I read two chapters of a school book and it was lights out a few minutes after 12.

Sunday morning, up at 7:15. Out of bed at 7:20.  Went to early church.  Had a Slovenia meeting for my teaching team during 2nd service.  Home for 15 minutes.  10 minute trip to Target.  Lunch at Panera.  Whole team Slovenia meeting at church, 12:45-3:45.  (We took the DISC test, by the way, so I know all about my personality now....)  Had a quick meeting after for crafts team.  Picked up the dry-cleaning for Mom.  Home again by 4:15. Sent a few emails.  Work.  Work.  Homework.  Work.  Homework.  Homework.  Wrote this blog.  A little bit more homework.  Read a couple more chapters in aforementioned school book.  Lights out.

Tomorrow holds exciting things: oil change in the car, work, homework, and a trip to the bank (ok, that part is good!)

Hope your weekend was as exciting as mine.

a week's worth.

This week has gone by even faster than the one's before it...and that's really saying something.  Come Monday, November is half over.  Insane.  November is a difficult month for me because, while I really love fall, I really love Christmas more.  I'm trying not to wish the time to pass quickly, mostly because I have much to accomplish, but nothing beats the Christmas season.  I already have the majority of my Christmas shopping finished, which I plan to get wrapped up before Christmas Eve this year.  (Last year I spent most of the day Christmas Eve wrapping presents...)  The days are finally getting cool, with the nights even colder, which I love!  It just needs to get a little bit colder during the day, cold enough to comfortably wear a sweater and/or scarf. 

Like I said, this week passed quickly.  I spent Monday doing the same old thing, working from home.  Tuesday I got new tires on my car (thanks Mom and Dad...and Merry Christmas to me), had Sinaloa (Mexican food) for dinner, and spent the evening with the lovely people in my Bible Study group.  Wednesday meant another day in LA for me.  I left town early to meet Mandy in Burbank for lunch.  I hadn't seen her since February, so it was wonderful to catch up.  The rest of the day was a bit of Christmas shopping and then class, of course.  Traffic home was horrific, which I attribute to people taking a 4-day weekend trip.  I did stop at Krispy Kreme for my mom, though, which delayed me further.  I didn't get home until 10:20 (normal time is 9:40).  Thursday was not really a holiday for me, as I spent the day working, working like always.  Got my homework done that was due my midnight, had dinner, and then did a bit more work.  I know, my life is fascinating.  Today, I've been to Costco twice, had a yummy lunch at the office north of Bakersfield, accidentally took a lady's shopping cart at Bed, Bath, and Beyond (not our fault she left it sitting way off by itself, empty), learned I have a job for at least a couple more weeks and then starting again in January, and learned that I have exceeded my personal goal of $2000 raised for Slovenia, although I'm sure the team is still lacking (I don't have an actual number). 

Tomorrow looks to be an exciting day, with more homework and work to accomplish than there are hours in the day.  Sunday is FULL of Slovenia meetings, so tomorrow needs to be productive.  Hope your week has been a good one, and that your weekend is even better!

check it out.

New post on my other blog.

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birthday celebrations.

In my previous post from last Friday, I mentioned that it was my sister's birthday.  What I did not mention was that my parents and I drove to LA to surprise her for dinner.  (I'm curious what we are doing this Friday for our weekly trip to LA...haha).  We went to Maggiano's in Woodland Hills, just a few blocks from her work.  Liam told her he was taking her to dinner, walked in and told them he had a reservation, and when they seated them, they led them right to where we were sitting.  Lindsay said she was surprised, I think we pulled it off and that she really was.  We didn't tell anyone except Liam that we were going so there was no chance of her finding out.  After an always yummy dinner at Maggiano's, we cut into a gorgeous Red Velvet cake from Porto's that Liam bought.

Lindsay with her cake


Fast forward now to Sunday afternoon.  Gramma and Papa came over for lunch, as did Liam.  We had a nice meal...and then it was time for cake and presents.

Happy Birt day...The H was broken, so we attempted to repair it...

Repair unsuccessful, so we propped up the broken part to make a lowercase h instead.  Also, the wick on the A in Birthday was broken, so my dad thought lighting it for a second would help it.  The wick just fell of completely instead.  So, we stuck in a regular candle behind the A so at least there was a flame there.

Dad's lighting the candles.  Or trying to anyway...

This was about the time the lighter stopped working.  I think we sang Happy Birthday 3 times during this process...

Success! We actually got the candles lit, sang Happy Birthday one more time, and she blew out the candles.  And that's when we realized our substitue flame for A was really a trick candle...

It was quite the saga of events, but we made it!  Happy 26th (man you're old!) Birthday, Lindsay!

(Please notice that every picture taken for her birthday centered around a cake...haha)

phantom of the opera.

I promised to add pictures of our time at The Phantom of the Opera.  It's already been a week and a half since we went, so here they finally are: (actually, that's pretty good for me...)



We started the evening by eating dinner at Dillon's.  Delicious.



It's right on the corner of Hollywood and Vine.

We were faced with the dilemma of eating early and having time between dinner and the show to kill, or eating later and risking cutting it too close to the show.  We opted for the former and had about an hour to kill.  So we decided to walk down Hollywood to the Gap, I think about 9 blocks.  First mistake: wearing new shoes.  By the time we walked down there, my shoes had completely rubbed the skin on the side of my little toes raw, almost to the point of bleeding.  Thankfully Gap had a pair of flip-flops that we bought for the trek back to the theater.  The annoying thing was that I had 2 pairs in the car, but I knew I couldn't make it back without them.  So, yes, I went to the show dressed up, with the lovely addition of black flip-flops.  Classy, I know.  But if your feet felt like my feet, you wouldn't care either.  Today was the first day since then that I attempted to wear closed-toed shoes again.




Family.

 Probably not our best shot ever, but we had a good time!

another quick update.

First of all, the midterm went great last week...got a high A, which I was very excited about!  Only five more trips down to school this semester...it really has flown by!  The course schedule for Spring came out this last week, and it looks like I'll be headed down on Mondays next semester.  I'm especially looking forward to the first night of class, since I will get home from Slovenia the night before. 

In other news, Phantom of the Opera was amazing.  I loved it!  I'll post some pictures later...hopefully this weekend...

Today is Lindsay's birthday, which means birthday celebrations this weekend.  She is coming home tomorrow morning sometime, then celebrations are scheduled for Sunday.

Last week I received a list of names of people that have donated for Slovenia so far...thank you to you all! I've almost met my personal goal of $2000, but as a team we are only at about 45% of the needed amount.  Please keep praying that the money comes in, as we already have purchased our plane tickets...the grand total of which was more than we have currently raised!  Team prep is going well, although I feel like I haven't done much yet.  It still seems so far away...

Sunday was Halloween, which also means Ashe Bash at our church.  I helped out at the "I'm not sure what it's called, but you throw the darts at the balloons" booth.  The worst part was pulling down the balloons that had been popped that were all wet from whoever blew them up...nasty!  All in all, I had fun, and I loved getting to work with the people in my Young Adults/Bible study group. 

Ok, that is a very quick summary of my week or so...haven't been subbing, mostly due to other commitments and a lot of other work to do.  I'm thinking I'll start again next week, depending on the calls, as always.

quick update.

I just remembered another story from preschool last week.  One little boy was walking across the room after having just gone to the bathroom.  Apparently he hadn't pulled his pants all the way back up, because they started sliding down.  Instead of pulling them up right away, he broke into song, "Pants on the ground, pants on the ground, lookin like a fool with your pants on the ground."  Then he pulled them up.

Also, tomorrow's the big midterm.  Bleh!  I've been studying most of today and much of yesterday.  I would just love to fast forward through tomorrow.  Praying it's not as bad as I've made it in my mind...

let me take you on a journey.

journey [jur-nee] noun. 1. a traveling from one place to another usually taking a rather long time. 2. a period of travel. 3. passage or progress from one stage to another.

Here's the story of how I came to be in the place that I am now:

It all goes back to more than a few years ago, to my years in high school.  I felt like I could change the world.  I felt like no matter what I did, my life would make a difference to others.  What I never did admit to myself, though, was that one of my greatest fears is that my life would be a waste and that nothing I did ever really mattered.

So, I poured myself into school, because I've always been of the mind that education is truly important.  (That might just be one of the reasons I pursued teaching...)  My load of AP and Honors classes, along with the hours that piano lessons required, was just about all I could handle.  Somewhere along the way, I realized that, while what I was doing was important for my future, I wasn't really spending any time caring about others.  So, by the time my senior year of high school rolled around, I had quit piano lessons and gotten much more involved with my youth group at church.  It was also my third year of going to Mexico on a missions trip to build houses for families in need.  If you rewind back to my freshman year, I was fearful of going, of being uncomfortable, and of putting myself into a situation I just wasn't sure about.  God changed my heart and my attitude by my sophomore year and, while I was nervous about going, I was no longer paralyzed by my fears.

My senior year ended and I was headed off to Biola.  I have no doubt that that was the right move for me and the exact direction that God was leading me.  You may not know that that was the only college I applied to.  I wasn't just confident that I would be accepted, but I felt like that was exactly where I was supposed to go.  My college experience was great, filled with it's own set of ups and downs.  Again I poured myself into my studies, with social times taking second priority in my life.  I thought about going on missions trips, but never actually went.  Looking back, I'm not sure if I just was not listening, or if God really did never call me to go on a trip.  Honestly, I think it's the latter of the two, but I can't be so sure. 

I distinctly remember sitting in chapel one day, when it was, I don't know.  Who the speaker was, I'm not really sure.  But I remember what he said.  He said that Christians make all kinds of excuses to not act.  Usually the excuse is that I need to get right with God and be sinless in order for me to do His work.  How could someone as unrighteous as I am do the work that needs to be done?  So, we make excuses for our inaction.  And, at some point, we allow our fears to take over and never actually live.

So, how did it happen that I'm going to Eastern Europe this January?  Well, simply put, God changed my heart.  I knew a number of people that had gone on missions trips this past summer and I remember saying to God, "Have you really not called me? Do you really not want me to go?"  But, as I came to find out, that wasn't really the problem.  I don't think I was ever really open to going before.  My excuse for inaction, as legitimate as it was, was that I had to work. 

Well, God really does break down barriers, because as it turns out, my schedule is pretty darn flexible with the work I have substitute teaching.  And, I distinctly remember praying one night that I would be willing to go if that's what He wanted.  It wouldn't necessarily be easy for me, but I would go.  And, as it turns out, the very next day in church was the day I found out about Slovenia.  It couldn't just be a coincidence, could it?  I sure didn't think so!

But, even still, I had school to think about.  I was planning to take a course during January for three weeks.  The trip and the course were going to overlap by a couple of days, so I emailed the professor that I knew was teaching it and asked if it would be possible for him to work with me to finish up early.  His reply was that the course was no longer going to be offered during the January interterm session.  Well, I took that as a pretty clear answer that no excuses were going to get in my way this time.

So, I stepped out in faith, knowing that the God who has called me to go on this trip has great plans for me.  My dream to make a difference (or, if I'm being realistic, my fear of not making a difference) is being complete.  I see this trip as a significant shift in my openness to going where God has called me to go. 

I know that God has me where I am for a purpose.  It's always nice to see the confirmation, though, of knowing that I am right where I am for a reason.  If something had been different, like the class was being offered, or I had a full time teaching job, or any other number of factors, I probably would not have taken the step to go on this trip.

All I have left to say (at least this time) is that I pray you are open to see what God has in store for your own life.  It might be something small, but His purposes are far greater than we ever know.

how to be happy.

Read that title again.  It should say: a lesson in being content.  What a fine line exists between being happy and being content.  Being happy is momentary and fleeting, while being content is something that lasts much longer.  What I want is to be content. 

This is a hard time of life, in more than one way.  It's a hard time for everyone, what with the economy the way it is and the state of our nation/world.  But it's hard for me personally, as I wade through and try to figure out what comes next.  I'm happy to have an answer to the inevitable questions of what I'm doing these days.  But I'd be lying if I said I was perfectly content with where I'm at.  I'm happy a lot of the time, but not always content.  There's a fine line between being content and looking forward to the future, as well. 

Maybe I just look forward to the future, to what comes next.  I'm thankful for the job I have, but I'm tired.  I'm thankful for the chance to go back to school, but I'd rather not be putting in the hours.  I see many exciting things happening in the lives of people around me: new jobs, houses, getting engaged, getting married, having babies, settling down into a new rhythm of life.  I'm so happy for them.  Really, I am.  But a small part of me wonders when it's my turn.  When do I get that something exciting?

So, herein lies the lesson: How to be content when life doesn't seem fair.  I don't really have many answers, save one.

"...I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength..."  (Philippians 4:11-13)

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."  So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me?"  (Hebrews 13:5-6)

And finally, this:
"...But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong."  (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

My conclusion is nothing more than this:  Being content is a choice we make.  We will never be satisfied with the lives we live.  There will always be something new, something better, something greater, something more.  But when we choose to be content, to live the life we are meant to live, we can experience a far greater joy in being content. 

My prayer is that this will be true in my life and in yours.

preschool tales.

Here's a a few more stories from Pre-K...

After a number of attempts at completing a puzzle, "Man, I'm just not good at these puzzles.  I guess I'm just a quitter."

Sebastien to another boy that won't wake up from nap, "Hey there, handsome boy."

Friday afternoon I am, once again, monitoring the bathroom before nap time.  There's two stalls and any other kids waiting have to stand outside the door in line.  The last few kids were using the bathroom when Alexander showed up in line again.  I said to him: "Alexander, didn't you already go potty?"  He says to me: "I have to go poop.  I ate the meatballs." 
Probably ten minutes later, he's still in the bathroom.  By now, lights are out, all the kids are on their mats trying to fall asleep.  Then we hear Alexander start talking to himself in the bathroom.  The other teacher tells him to quiet down.  Brief pause.  Then Alexander says loudly, "Oh man, not again!"  "What's wrong?"  "I got poop on my hand again!" 

As the teacher working with me put it, kids just say the things adults are thinking.

a few things.

In regards to my last post: I realized that my day off is coming a week from tomorrow.  That is the day my family and I are going to see The Phantom of the Opera!  I'm so excited!

In regards to the last couple of days: I've spent them subbing in Pre-K, and I'm going back tomorrow afternoon, too.  It's amazing how tiring it can be!  Here's just a few gems from my days there.  If anything good happens tomorrow, I'll let you know...

There is one particular boy in the class that has been diagnosed with autism.  Sweet kid, but definitely difficult at times.  He hates to go to the bathroom so he won't ever tell anyone when he needs to go.  We were outside playing and I see the universal sign for needing to go to the bathroom. You know, the slight hunch, legs together tightly.  The other teacher saw him first (thank goodness) and took him back to the class to use the restroom.  She was gone for longer than expected, but I didn't really think much of it.  She comes back and tells me that I was lucky because the boy had pooped his pants sometime earlier and it was smeared all over to the point where he needed her help to get cleaned up.  If you know me at all, you know I don't like those things.  I probably would have puked on the poor kid. 

There's another little boy in the class named Sebastien.  He is hilarious.  He has a dry sense of humor, enunciates his words almost to a fault, knows just the right buttons to push on his classmates, and acts older than his 4 years sometimes.  Anyway, yesterday we were out playing and he looked up and saw a few clouds.  Not rain clouds, just clouds.  He pulls his hood up, looks over at me, and says with a shrug "Just in case it rains."  He has had some great one-liners...I'll try to remember some more tomorrow.

lazy no more.

"If I'm being honest, I think it's because 1) I've become a bit lazy in the lifestyle I've grown accustomed to in the past few months and 2) I look ahead into the future and see very few "lazy" days left. I'm going to be working a full-time, 9-5 job this summer, and then I intend to go back to school in the fall, as well as continue to substitute teach. So, when I think of all that, I guess I'm just basking in my last few lazy days until around the house doing "not a whole lot" (my standard answer when asked "What did you do today?")."

When I wrote those words back in May, I had no idea how true they would really be.  It's not that I was ever really lazy, it's just that I was unmotivated.  Ok, call it what you will, but it no longer exists anywhere near me.  I have not had a real day off since school started in August, minus the one weekend where I was gone and got nothing accomplished, but ended up paying for it the next week.  The last couple of days I've had an exremely difficult time focusing on the work I was supposed to be doing.  Monday's work was homework, and completely pointless at that.  Can someone please explain why I had to resummarize all of the information of the semester so far, in just enough of a different format that it forced me to practically reread all seven chapters of the book to complete the assignment?  Doesn't make sense to you either?  Oh, good, then it's not just me.  And I really was wasting my time.  All of that to say, though, the assignment took me hours longer than I thought it would, which messed up my whole schedule.  Tuesday's work was the kinds I actually get paid for, but it hard to focus on nonetheless.  I don't really know why, other than there where 9,283 things I could think of that I would rather be doing.  I think the real reason I'm having a hard time focusing is because I just need a break.  Perhaps after next week, but we'll see.  What I really need to do is get caught up on my work and to study for my midterm next week (the first I've taken since I graduated two years ago...yikes!).  Ok, off to bed for me, but not before I read a couple of chapters of my book.  Don't worry, the one I'm reading tonight is actually for "fun," although I should be reading something for school...


P.S> If that post sounded to you like a complaint, it's really not.  I'm thankful for the chance to go to school and for  my job(s).  I really just need a day off...

it must be fall.

Fall has arrived, finally...and I've got socks on my toes to prove it!  I'm just hoping that this change to cooler weather is going to stick this time...

curious.

I'm just curious if anyone is actually still reading this blog.  It probably won't change whether I write or not, but if you are reading: I don't hate comments.  :)

my request.

Micah 6:8 – “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”



Dear Friends,

I’d like to invite you to be with something really special with me. About two years ago, I started sponsoring two children through Compassion International. If you aren’t familiar with the organization, I’d encourage you to check out their website (http://www.compassion.com). Over time, my sponsorship has grown from two, to four, and now, five children. I’d love to sponsor more! And, that’s where you come in.

The normal cost to sponsor a child is $38 per month. For a lot of people, that’s more than they would like to commit to on long-term basis. What I’m asking for you, however, is to join with me as a group and sponsor children together. Your provision of just $9.50 a month would be one-fourth, or $19 would pay for half. Your commitment could be as much or as little as you desire, from $5 to $38 (or even more!) each month. How many children are sponsored is up to you!

My plan is to create a private blog to provide updates, pictures, and letters that arrive from the children. Also, giving the money will be as easy as paying with PayPal. I’ll set up a special account specifically earmarked for this group and donations will only be used for the purpose of sponsorship.

Please pray about the opportunity and consider giving and sharing in the lives of some special children. I’d ask that you commit to give for a minimum of six months. Please consider being involved in something that God has laid on my heart. If you are interested in joining with me, please email me in response and we’ll talk about the details. And if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.


With love,
Whitney Friesen
Wfriesen001@gmail.com

sick days.

So last weekend I had huge plans to get a lot of things done.  I had a ton of work to do, as well as a bunch of homework.  Call me a procrastinator, but I had to read a whole book (ok, it was only 125 pages) and write a book review on it (got to love that busy work), as well as all the regular weekly assignments.  Like I said, big, exciting plans. 

I woke up on Saturday morning, though, and I was wasn't feeling well.  I thought it might be allergies, because it was mostly a sore throat and runny/stuffy nose.  By Sunday morning, I knew I was sick, though.  I woke up mid-morning, had breakfast, then decided a nap was in order.  After sleeping a couple of hours, I thought maybe a shower would help me wake up.  By the time I finished my shower, I was so exhausted I wasn't sure I was going to make it back to my bed.  Slept another couple of hours.  By the time I woke up, it was 4:15. I was feeling a little better, but I knew I had to get something done.  By the end of the day, I did get the book read and my book review written.  That's all I really cared about at that point.

Anyway, I'm feeling pretty good now.  My biggest problem is this dang cough that I have.  It won't bother me for hours and then it comes out of nowhere.  Also, it usually appears when I want to fall asleep.  This is definitely one of those weeks that I am thankful I can work from home and don't have to be miserable at work all day.  Although, I do miss those good old sick days where I got to stay home, lay in bed, and do nothing except read books and watch movies.

I'm hoping that this weekend will be much more productive than the last.

a little dream.

I just really like this picture I took way back in April so I thought I'd share.

Do you ever look at something and think "That would be a great picture."?  Not, "How beautiful," but "That would be a great picture."  Oh, you don't?  Me neither.

I love photography and would very much love taking it up as more of a hobby.  When I'll do that, I don't actually know.  But, I do know that I would love a new camera that is for "serious photographers."  I may not be ready for manual focus yet, but I think it would be fun to play around with!  It's as though I have nothing else to do with my life, right?  Although, I think when I am most busy I long for the simpler things, like enjoying a great picture or reading a good book.

I'll be accepting donations for this new camera.  And, after I get the camera, I'm going to need to take a trip to somewhere photo-worthy to test it out, as well.  (Sounds like a good plan to me!)

new design.

I thought the blog needed a fall facelift.  Check.  Back to work I go...

choo-choo trains and knock-knock jokes.

Today was my first day back subbing since last spring.  I've gotten some phone calls, especially in the last week or so, but had so many other things to do with working another 2 or 3 jobs and taking 2 classes, I really didn't have the energy to even think about substitute teaching.  This morning I got the call to sub in preschool in my preferred district (where I would love to get hired) so, having nothing else that absolutely had to be done today, I went.  I knew I would be tired tonight, and I was right.  Here a just a few highlights from my day.

I was watching the kids play outside and I was standing near the playground equipment.  Two boys were playing "train" and I watched as the train went off the tracks, was stopped by a wood chip, out of control again, stopped by the train whistle, stopped right before it went into the water, lost it's sail in the water, the train became a ship, and the ship drove across land.  Let me tell you, that was one amazing steering wheel.  I think the only thing this train didn't do is fly.  As I'm standing there I had this conversation with the boys:
Boy 1: "Look we are both train drivers!"
Boy 2: "Yeah, look! Train drivers!"
Me: "Do you know what another name for a train driver is?"
Boys: "No, what?"
Me: "An engineer."
Boy 2: "Oh cool, we're engineers!"
Boy 1: "They are also called choo-choo train men."

Oh, of course, silly me.

Right before we went outside to play, one of my worst nightmares came true.  Ok, so that might be a little dramatic, but it was definitely something I had hoped to avoid in all my teaching days.  It took me back to a couple of years ago when I was taking a class on Elementary PE in college and one day we were talking about rainy day activities.  So, our professor gave us all a squirt of shaving cream and told us to smear it all over our desks.  After we had covered our hands in it, she told us to make sure not to get any on our clothes as it might stain/bleach them. Awesome. This is exactly what I signed up for.  And, if you know me at all, I don't like having my hands covered in something gooey/dirty/whatever.  This is always the time that something itches really bad or your hair is in your face, by the way.  Anyhow, my friends in class were making fun of my reaction to this seemingly harmless activity.  Fast forward to today.  The teacher (I was subbing as the aide) tells me she was going to get the shaving cream out for them to play with.  I'm thinking: "Really, is that necessary?" But I bite my tongue and go along with things.  Next thing I know, 14 pre-K students have a huge gob of shaving cream in their hands.  I stood back while they smeared this stuff everywhere.  I still don't really know the purpose, as they played with it for about 5 minutes.  I was then charged with the task of helping them clean their hands, clothes, hair, wherever else they could have possibly gotten this stuff in 5 minutes off.  Then they all went outside and I got to wipe off all the desks.  Oh, what a dream. 

The best part about subbing in the afternoon preschool is that there is a huge break for naptime.  By the time we got all 18 kids settled down, it was quite peaceful.  Just prior to nap time was the time when everyone had to go potty before they got into bed.  I never remembered seeing this open bathroom, boys and girls using the same door-less stalls.  But apparently it happens.  Anyway, it was like directing traffic in there.  It's a good thing there's only 2 stalls, because between that and the kid lingering at the sink washing his hands, and the kid getting a paper towel longer than they are tall, not to mention the line of kids outside the door making noise, it's enough to keep you busy.  I'm just assuming that nobody likes this job and that's why I was doing it.

Overall, it was a good day subbing.  It always amazes me what kids say.  Or what they do when they think nobody can see and/or hear them.  Like sing in the bathroom.  One favorite thing of two particular boys was telling me knock-knock jokes.

Bryan: "Knock knock"
Me: "Who's there?"
Bryan "Bryan...that's me!"

Alexander: "Knock knock"
Me: "Who's there?"
Alexander: "Alexander...that's me!"
(I'm thinking to myself, "You do know that's not funny, right?")

Hallie: "Knock knock"
Me: "Who's there?"
Hallie: "Banana"
Me: "Banana who?"
Hallie: "Banana Peach!"
(At least she's got the whole concept of the knock-knock joke down)

These kids are a bit of a handful, but at least their pretty cute too.  And, apparently my new name is Wicki, because Whitney is so hard to pronounce.

just a quote.

"God who is everywhere, never leaves us. Yet He seems sometimes to be present, sometimes absent. If we do not know Him well, we do not realize that He may be more present to us when He is absent than when He is present."
-Thomas Merton

september.

Well, it's officially been a whole month without me posting a single things.  So much has happened, and yet not much has changed.  Let me see if I can wrap up this month...

1) The month kicked off on a Wednesday, which was also my second week of driving to LA for class...and every week since then, of course.  I've been able to see a few friends, as well as have a little fun shopping.  Wednesdays are pretty much my only day off, so I try to make the most of it.  Of course, if I'm really being good, I work at least an hour in the morning before heading down and then do some homework while I waiting for class to begin.  Usually, though, I kill my time doing other, much more exciting, things.  School is going well.  I enjoy the class I go to (Intro to Spiritual Formation for Educators), my online class I'm just trying to get through for the grade (Philosophy and Values of Education).  That might sound terrible, but so far, not so interesting. 

2) One highlight of going down to school is getting reacquainted with places I used to go all the time.  Namely, Pick Up Stix (Chinese) and, as I've mentioned previously, Berry Cool (awesome frozen yogurt).  We definitely need a Pick Up Stix here, and at least something similar to Berry Cool.

3) I thought that after a couple weeks of school I would start to get calls for subbing.  I've had a few so far, but I haven't actually taken any of the jobs.  I'm thinking tomorrow might be my first day, but I've been wrong before.  I've been staying extremely busy (which is why I haven't posted all month), so it hasn't really been all that bad. 
4) I found out a couple of weeks ago that I am headed on a missions trip in January.  I'll share more details later.  And, if you're really lucky, you might even get a letter from me about it...
5) My parents' anniversary was on the 18th.  We basically spent all of that weekend in the car.  Or, at least it felt that way.  Drove the grandparents to Morro Bay on Saturday and helped around the house over there.  I cleaned inside while my parents tackled the front yard.  Sunday we took a somewhat impromptu trip to Tulare to exchange a few items at the outlet mall, as well as acquire a few new treasures.  I got one of the most comfortable sweatshirts ever at Gap...it just needs to get cold so I can wear the thing!
6) That Sunday night (19th) was also the first team meeting I had for my trip.  I got to meet most everyone on the team (minus a few absentees) and I'm pretty excited about it.  It still seems so far away, so the reality of going honestly hasn't set in yet.
7) The next week was much of the same old thing: work, work, work, school, work, work, work.  Yeah, it's a super exciting thing I've got going on right now.  Unfortunately the weekend away took away from time I needed to stay caught up with homework and work-work.  So I started (and ended) the week feeling behind. 

8) The level of messiness in my room is a direct correlation to the busyness I've been feeling.  I could pretty much work sun-up to sun-down and still have things to do most days.

9) The Amazing Race, Glee, Survivor...just to name a few...all started back last week.  There's a few summer gems on TV, but mostly not.  So, when I have nothing else to do (ha) , at least I have some shows to watch that I enjoy.
10) I have never considered myself a terribly clumsy person, but in the last few weeks I have spilled two full drinks in cars. The first was lemonade all over my car. The second was root beer all over a friend's. It's never water, of course...at least not for me. My mom spilled a glass of water all over the floor in my room. Also, I smacked my leg incredibly hard into the corner of my desk at work one Tuesday. Since then, I can't tell you how many things I've run into...in that exact same, sore, bruised spot, of course.  It's been 3 weeks since that happened, but I can still feel the pain.

11) The Lord has been so good to me this month.  I have more work that I can keep up with, which is a financial blessing.  I have the opportunity to go back to school to further my education.  I've been healthy, as has most of my family.  (Today my dad said he felt like he is getting sick, so I hope it doesn't begin to spread.)  I need to stay healthy in order to take the place of all the sick teachers. 

12) There it is, a whole month summed up in eleven, fairly brief, points.  I can't believe it's already October...

refuge.

Sometimes life is just downright tiresome.  We are always on the move, always trying to get something accomplished.  It's nice to stay busy or have things to do, but often we overload ourselves to a point where we can no longer relax. 

As I read through the Psalms, one word strikes me over and over.  Refuge. 

Think about what that word means.  A refuge is a place of shelter, protection, or safety.  A place of relief, escape. 

"My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.  Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge."  Psalm 62:7-8

"I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Psalm 91:2

I imagine a man, in the throes of battle.  He's been fighting as hard as he can, but soon realizes his enemies are about to overtake him.  The man turns to the one safe place he knows: "Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress." (Psalm 71:3)  He turns to the Lord, his place of safety and protection. 

May we rest in the truth that God is our refuge from the battles of life.  He will always be there, standing strong.

'God is our refuge and strength, and ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging...Come and see the works of the Lord, the desolations he has brought on the earth.  He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire.  "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.'  (Psalm 46:1-3, 8-11)

a monumental day.

Wednesday was one for the record books. And I'm not just talking about Bakersfield setting a new high temperature for the day (110...in the shade, of course).  Wednesday was an important day for two other reasons: I started my first day of going back to school and Papa came home for the first time since he left at the beginning of June! 

I got on the road to Biola right at 11 and I made it down there right around 1.  Class didn't start until 4:30, so I had a little time to kill.  I tried to hang out with a couple different friends, but it didn't work out this week, so hopefully in the coming weeks we will make that happen.  Anyway, I decided to "tour" the area, visiting some of the places and stores I had frequented not-so-long ago.  In case you're wondering, some things were different.  Most notably was the Panera put in right by my old apartment.  That would have been lovely.  And, of course, my favorite stop was at Berry Cool (awesome frozen yogurt).  I journeyed back to campus around 3:45, got a parking permit and my ID card, and had just a few minutes to waste until it was time to go to class.  Class was good, my professor is great, and I was thrilled to see some familiar faces.  We got out at 7, about 15 minutes early, and I got on the road.  I think I set a new record, at least my personal best: I made it through LA in record time, literally tapping my brakes once between La Mirada and Santa Clarita.  I'm praying this traffic was not a fluke and it will be similar each week. 

As I mentioned, Papa made his first trip home to Bakersfield since leaving at the beginning of June.  He and Gramma were looking forward to a few days of doing their own thing, running a few errands, and just being home.  After arriving home with my aunt, they dropped off their bags, turned down the a/c, and went to grab some dinner, giving the house a chance to cool off.  When they got home, my aunt left and they decided they should run to the grocery store to get a few items for the long weekend home.  When they returned home after that, they discovered the house was hot and the a/c was no longer working.  Please bear in mind that Wednesday was the hottest day of the year, at least here in Bakersfield.  Anyway, my grandma calls my dad, he goes over to check to see if he can replace the fuses, hoping that would be the fix, even if only temporary.  After an unsuccessful attempt, Gramma and Papa loaded their bags into my dad's car and headed over to our house for the night.  It really wouldn't have seemed so bad, except for them wanting to be home so badly.  At least they were in Bakersfield, right? ;)  Our neighbor across the street, Matthew, who was our saving grace a few weeks back when our own a/c went out, went out to their house Thursday morning, fixing it temporarily, and then went back on Saturday morning to fix what needed to be fixed.  It was good to see them, though, so at least it provided us that opportunity.  (By the way, Papa is doing much better.  However, last week, or maybe two weeks ago now, a brain scan revealed a small blood clot, which, if not better on another scan that will take place tomorrow morning, will require surgery this week.)

the transformation: final product.

Finally, the room is complete with finishing touches. The following pictures are taken from the doorway of my room and scanning around to the left:

You may notice that I love pillows. Also, the new dresser is on the right.

Moving to the left, please notice the curtains that, after much comparison, are almost perfect.

Again moving to the left, the new bookcase. One of my favorite parts of the room are the pitcher, vase, plant, and books sitting on top.

This painting is one of my absolute favorites.  It worked out nicely that it is hanging next to my favorites on top of the bookcase!

For the final shot, I stepped back next to my bed to get a better view of the desk and wall above it.

Well, there it is. I love my new room. This is the first time in my life I've had all coordinating furniture, which makes me feel so grown-up. Hope you enjoyed the tour!

Next projects: Continuing the closet saga, as well as redecorating Lindsay's room...eventually...

the transformation: it's a process.

Saturday was the big day, full of cleaning, moving furniture, putting up new blinds, rearranging, organizing, and reorganizing.  As an added bonus, I got two new pieces of furniture, both of which needed to be assembled.  It was a long day, but worth it for the results.

This picture was taken 8:15 on Saturday night. As you can see, we are in the midst of putting together the new dresser and my bed is covered in drawers.

Fast forward about a week. My room is nearing completion with all of the finishing touches. I bought new curtains, as you can see hanging. As you can also see in this picture, the pattern runs horizontally, but the four panels I bought didn't match up. Call me anal, but I knew this would drive me crazy, especially since the two windows are so close to one another. So, I pretty much bought every panel in existence, at least in Bakersfield, and began matching the pattern until I successfully found four panels that line up almost exactly.

Stay tuned for the finished product.

the transformation: before.

Awhile back I promised to show you pictures of my room since I've rearranged and somewhat redecorated. This has been a long time coming, I know, but I finally remembered where my camera cord was. I'm having a hard time uploading all of the pictures in one post, so I'm going to have to do separate posts.  Here are the before photos:

This was Wednesday, July 28. This was pretty much Day 1 of the process, although some stuff was already moved out at this point.

This was Friday, July 30. As you can see, most of the excess junk has been removed from the room to prepare for moving day tomorrow.

Also Friday. Same day, slightly different view of the "Before" room.

The transformation continues in my next post.

mixed up.

I try to be content, I really do.  But there's part of me that can't stand it.  I need to go somewhere new, do something different.  I wish I could be irresponsible for a week or two and just go.  I'm happy where I am.  I really am.  I just need to shake things up, do something different.  Or something.

Maybe I'm just anxious for the changes about to take place in a little over two weeks.  That's when I become a student again.  I'll also become a teacher again (substitute, of course) as soon as my begins to ring again.  My mom recently observed that my life is going to be so busy as I go to school as both a student and a teacher again, as well as continue to work for her.  Maybe that's what I need for awhile. 

I have only a couple of friends here, and I'm anxious to see the ones down in LA again.  Sorry to the friends here, as I've been MIA this summer as life took over.  It happens to the best of us, you know.  I need to get out and be more intentionally social.  Maybe then I won't feel so discontent.

a weekend of changes.

Saturday was the big day...rearranging the furniture in my room, that is.  What started out sounding like merely a chore turned into a huge, all-day event.  Since Wednesday I had been taking stuff out of my room, moving the items to various locations around the house, mostly to my sister's room (thank goodness she's not here!), or stashing them into an ever-growing pile inside my closet.  Which, by the way, looks like I never even touched it back in June.  Oh well, round 2 will see better results, I'm sure.  Anyway, by Saturday morning, I pretty much had the clutter cleared out and was on to the things I used everyday.  When I had everything out I could move myself, I called in the troops, better known as my parents, and got things moving.  We took out the furniture that was being replaced and cleaned everything.  My dad hung the new blinds we've had sitting in the box for awhile now.  New curtains were hung, the cable I need for my TV was run around the perimeter of the room, and we were in business.  My bed and chair were set in place.  Now it was time for the real fun to begin!  We exchanged the tall dresser/shelving unit I had previously for the dresser I had in my apartment...it's been sitting in the garage waiting for this day to arrive.  I also decided to switch the desk I had in my room already for the desk that matched the dresser (also from the apartment).  By the time we had that in place, it was decided that the other long, old oak dresser I had in my room needed to leave.  My mom and I took a break, got cleaned up, and went furniture shopping.  My preference was for one of those lingerie chests...tall and not too wide.  We found the perfect one at World Market and got a really good deal on it, too! We brought it home for my dad and I to assemble later that evening.  We started on it just before dinner.  At 8:30, I still had pieces strewn about my room.  I was wondering if I was going to be able to sleep in there!  After my dad finished up some work he needed to get done, we started working again, this time moving fairly quickly through the second half of assembly.  We got everything screwed in (much more difficult than it sounds) and turned it over to put the back on.  It was then that we realized that my dad had put one of the pieces in backward earlier.  Which meant that the small cut-out groove the back was supposed to rest inside was not there.  Seeing no other way to resolve the issue, we then got to unscrew all of our hard work enough to pull that piece out and turn it around.  Then we screwed everything in...again.  We finally finished assembly a few minutes after 11.  Oh, and I should mention that earlier when assembling the drawers, one of the pieces was manufactured incorrectly, so we only could put 4 drawers together.  (I was thankfully able to get the piece I needed at World Market Sunday and all is right now!)  After a long, exhausting day, we were all worn out.  But my room looks good and I'm slowly getting things put away in their new homes.  I got a new bookcase on Sunday, as well, which was assembled last night.  I was going to post pictures of the transformation, but I currently cannot locate my camera cord.  It's been moved with the rest of my belongings, so I'll post the pictures as soon as things are more put together.  I still have to take all my pictures down off the wall and move them around to better suit the new arrangement.  I'm not holding my breath for that to get done too quickly.  Hopefully soon, though, and pictures will follow shortly thereafter.

P.S. Feel free to leave a comment or two.  I love to hear/see/know people are reading...