My souvenir from my trip to DC is a cold. Between sleeping off this cold (you will not win cold, you hear me?!) and editing some over due friend’s wedding photos. So a post of the DC adventures will be here shortly.

Living with a couple who work in the school system, snow days means they get to stay home! Since the church job goes off what the school system calls, I also had the day off! Mike went into work for a couple of hours while Kari and I walked down to my boss’ house.

When we got there we found them outside playing.


Emily and Gracie are not as big as fans of the snow as some of us. And by some of us I mean ME. Well maybe its more of the cold they are not a fan of rather than the snow since the snow got my boss (Emily’s hubby) an extra day off.

We sat around and chatted for a bit while watching the pre-inauguration. Actually, we just watched the same clip of Michelle handing Laura (Kari’s BFF) a white box over and over. We still wonder what was inside. Does anyone know?

It was a nice little walk in my new neighborhood.

It was a great snow day…a little walk, a lot of time in front of my computer with Mike and Kari doing the same, watching the inauguration, took a little nap. Hopefully there will be no black ice tomorrow in the early AM when I have to go to ‘Bucks. Yay for snow days!

Hello new room.

This photo was taken shortly after my band of friends had all left from a freezing day of moving. My 11 friends came out into the cold to help me move, making things go so smoothly and quick! I just keep thinking something wasnt done since it did happen so quick. By 4:30pm those shelves you see in the photo were filled once again with books, photo albums and DVDs. More than half the boxes are unpacked, but Im really tired due to lack of sleep last night. I cant really say the move, even though some of it might be related to that, I really dont feel like I did a lot of heavy lifting today at all. Thats how awesome my friends are. They even made my bed for me before they left, what sweet friends.

Im on a different side of town than before. A side that I am completely unfamiliar with, besides restaurants I frequent with high schoolers since I am really close to the church now. Im just waiting for Mike and Kari’s poor house to get rolled… or forked. The kids are into forking these days. And that sounds so dirty.

Oh and guess what Im doing right now besides blogging? LAUNDRY! And you know what else? I didnt hand wash my dinner dishes tonight, they are in the DISHWASHER. Oh oh and I went to bathroom that I share with NO ONE. I feeling a little bit spoiled with myself. Can’t you tell?

It is moving eve night.

The floor is swept. Boxes packed. Few items here and there remain. Last night in this house that I have loved calling home for years. Recently events has made it easier to leave (read: landlord is rude) and Im looking forward to my new roomies. Still, it is a little say to say good bye.

I have moved all my life, as an adult, I thought I wouldnt move as often as I did as a child. Yet, here I still find myself in boxes, asking a lot of questions with a lot of “waits” as answers. As my sweet friends cleared away room for me in their home tonight, I felt loved and cared for. One more night in my first brown room in my downtown apartment. Tomorrow night it will be time for a new brown room with a new home to make mine.

Start of the day, it didnt feel like my birthday. I went to work at the ‘Bucks to make up some hours I missed from being sick a few weeks ago. It was a fine day at work. A customer said to me:
“How old are you turning, 22 or something?”
I said “27 actually.”
“Wow, 27. Oh. 27.”
“And how old are you?”

Yeah, dont give me a hard time about coming into my late 20s, sir.

After coming home I was actually alone for a bit, so I went to work on editing some wedding photos. I stopped myself half-hour into the process because, that was work. As much as I probably do need to work on them, I took the day off! So I made myself leave the house. Tired on some petite size jeans, which apparently were made for people who wear my size but have a lot of extra hip. Walked by loads of pretty sparkly dresses that if I had planned better, would of been perfect for the New Years Eve dance. Next year, when Im not moving, house/dogging sitting and playing the event at the same time. Against my better judgment I went into the pet store and spent sometime with some kitties. And then promptly wanted to take two of them home with me.

Met up with Jace for a late lunch after his interview for the new Apple store coming here soon (eeeeee!) for a birthday bowl of fruit and coke zero at Chick-fil-a. All the while sitting there, complaining about my landlord sending people up to measure and get estimates for painting and new flooring when I wanted to take a shower. One guy asked me if he could come in my room and measure and I said “Im moving out on Saturday, you can do it then.” He seemed caught a bit off guard with my tone, but really? Sir, would you like me to come to your room when you are trying to get ready for the day uninvited when the whole place will be cleared out in a few days? Oh no? Okay then. Sheesh.

Jason, being the awesome boyfriend that he is in wanting my day to be a good one, went with me shopping. I kinda have this unsaid birthday rule of a new birthday top. Heck, I still have my 21 birthday top (some of you may now hate me for saying that) and I wasnt feeling all that great from a not so good night of sleep last night. Apparently to me, a new top would make me feel better. It was nice shopping with him, he was helpful and it was fun to show him clothes I tired on. Then we went to a German restaurant and had a really great food and bought some imported candy and tea from their market area. Must take friends back there who love beer, they had loads of it.

Cherry to the top of my birthday was spent going to a leadership meeting for 514. When my pastor sent out the email weeks ago that we would be having a leadership meeting on my birthday, I promptly wrote him back thanking him for getting all of my close friends together for me. My friend Melissa made me a huge cake to bring to the meeting, to which I was thanked by being sung to. I did like blowing out the candles though. I have lots of cake if you are wanting a piece, by the way. My 514 friends made me feel very loved with their many hugs and gifts. Im still overwhelmed with the amount of facebook birthday wishes I have gotten today. iPhone has been working over time to relay all those messages to me. Not to brag, but, I think the total might hit 100 by midnight. Serving in a over 200 kid youth group has its perks on your birthday.

Thank you to each one of my friends who took the time to make my birthday be good one, with a phone call, facebook message, gift or a really good hug. Thank God for each of you for being apart of celebrating my 27th birthday.

It is 5 days until my birthday.

Receiving my first birthday present:

Oh yes, those are two bags of avocados. From my Grandma. Sent all the way from California. Oh my word, how funny and awesome is my Grandma?!

I got some exciting news about a summer trip today that I can not talk about here, but is very exciting and it was a highlight of my day! Do ask me about it.

Got a letter from my Compassion child in the mail today (always love those.) And there was a newsletter about Thailand written by Brandy , thats always good.

Also in the mail, I got a $50 gift certificate to my favorite Italian place in town. I never win anything! How awesome is that?!

We got two pallets of supplies delivered from World Vision to church today for Sunday night. Students will be putting together 100 Caregiver Kits to send off to Africa! Such an exciting thing to be apart of.

I bought Jason’s birthday present today (his birthday is Sunday) and Im excited about giving it to him.

Got to have a planning meeting about one of my favorite events, Road Rules, which is basically a mini Amazing Race for the high school group. I get to plan it this year instead of racing like I did last year. Can not wait for it to come.

As much as I probably shouldnt, I bought some candles at Pier One at their after Christmas sale. My room smells a bit like boxes that sat too long in a coffee shop, so I lit one of these candles. Its the “Freshly Baked” smell which one of my high school youth leaders loved. I didnt even know they made this scent still and now Im surrounded by the lovely smell and old memories.

Had a great working lunch meeting with two of my favorite people, one of them whos birthday is this Saturday. Since I wont see her, we’ll be celebrating her birthday eve tomorrow at work.

Yep. Pretty awesome day.

I have a lot of stuff. I really do. I keep having this back and forth debate with myself wether is a good or bad thing. My churched talked last summer about simplifying our lives, getting rid of the stuff we really dont need. Of course I did not do that. I mean, Im pretty good about going through my clothes quarterlyish durning the year and get ride of clothes. But household stuff? Nope. Heres the thing, a lot of my kitchen stuff has been handed down to me by my parents who are very far away and I remember having these items growing up. How can I get rid of them when they are perfectly good? Who cares if may only use my waffle maker once a year? My dad used to make me waffles in there! See the problem? No one could get that waffle iron out of my hands if they wanted. This is why Jason will have four boxes of just kitchen stuff in his garage. Dont judge me! And household stuff? Yeah I dont know. Sure I dont need all those frames, candles or decor items. But I got them on sale, most likely. And someday I will have a home to use all these items in so why not hold on to them? Perfectly paratactical reasoning isnt it? Why not keep something instead of spending money on the very same thing later? See? I sit here thinking, I should just toss this stuff or find a good home. But then the other part puts in the box and writes it down on the index card. I just want to know if I really do have too much stuff for a single girl? And who makes that rule anyhow?

Happy New Year internet. I was in a sour mood when I last left you wasnt I? What a great note to leave 2008. 2009 is still just as stressful, but thankfully today is my first night sleeping in my own bed in a while. Clean sheets never felt so nice. Ive been busying priming and painting in between the house sitting and packing, which is why this New Year post comes 6 days late.

The New Years Eve dance I mentioned went great. I was nervous about it for number of reasons, but its the natural nervousness that comes with every event I plan – I want things to go well for these kids who worked so hard to put this event on. Some have said its their favorite NYE dance ever, but Im pretty sure they say that every year. I had fun and danced my little heart out with some girls who showed me how to dance like no one was watching. The next morning I felt a bit hung-over and sore all over. Apparently I dont use the muscles that require to dance often.

A good friend of mine got married on Saturday and I got to take her wedding photos. Last of the weddings for me for quite a while. Some asked me why I dont want to shot weddings, and as much as the stress isnt worth it to me, I really dont need a third job! Maybe if I just did youth ministry, maybe. But I really just enjoy seconding shooting weddings so much more than being the lead photographer. The wedding was quick and cute. Editing those photos between a move shall be interesting.

Ive been listening to “Saturn Feild” by Sandra McCracken, which can be found on her newest album, Red Balloon. It feels like a New Years song to me. About things be rearranged and things we cant see and things to hope for. How is that not a New Year, shall we say, new season song? So heres to being newly being rearranged in 2009.