5 new reasons to give thanks

this morning at work we had a thanksgiving breakfast...the whole staff at EV FREE FULLERTON was invited to come to the Fireside room where tables were set up and adorned with flowers to enjoy a time of friendship and fellowship over pastries, fruit, yogurt, and quiche. I must admit it was absolutely delightful. after enjoying round table conversation, we enjoyed a sweet time of worship as a staff...it was overwhelming to me to be in a room filled with individuals who are absolutely in love with the Lord all praising together. it has been a long time since i have been so truly touched by the presence and spirit of the Lord in such a concrete way - it was very much like looking at Him in the faces of so many special friends and wonderful encouragers. as the morning continued, i was amazed as God reminded me of all He has provided me with this year even amidst some difficult circumstances. as i pondered 2008, i was touched by the gracious gifts of people God placed in my life. SO...here is a list of 5 new people God gave me who have truly touched me and been more of a blessing than they could possibly know! (they are not listed by importance - but rather - in the order that they came into my life)

1. RACHEL REINERT on March 30, 2008 rach and i officially became roommates. i did not know her when i moved in - and can VIVIDLY remember the day i met her...my first thought, "she is absolutely gorgeous!!!" in the months since then, rachel has been one of the biggest supporters and encouragers in my life. she brought me water when my head was about to explode, picked me up from the airport when i came home from England, had tea with me after England so that i could re-live the sweet time i spent there, bought me lunch when my identity had been stole and i didn't have any funding, and spent almost an entire day helping me move into a new house...could i ask for a better friend? She has been there for me with prayers and works of exhortation - she is a sweet and wonderful sister in Christ and one of my greatest gifts this year!

this is the very first picture Rachel and i ever took together - it was about a week after i moved in and we were at a non-profit event for our other roommate...

2. REBECCA MACKENZIE i don't remember the exact date that Rebecca became a part of my life - but i DO remember thinking almost immediately upon meeting her that she was going to be someone i really enjoyed....and i was right. Rebecca started working at the church after she graduated from Westmont and we became park lunch buddies - we packed and enjoyed the rich sunshine while eating our inexpensive food!! She and i are very like-minded and are able to talk about so many conservative things! :) she loves dark chocolate covered espresso beans and frequents starbucks - so it is a perfect match. Now Kenzie is in my stamp club - and we both have disneyland passes - we frequent Rock Harbor and thoroughly enjoy In-N-Out burger!! It is fantastic having someone to spend free time with - she makes me laugh and smile all the time - but also holds intelligent conversation. it is wonderful having a friend to walk through life with - and i sincerely pray that kenz and i will share many more years together.

this is me and kenz at disneyland for the snow!! yay!
3. MADELINE SWOPE on June 16, 2008 my sweet baby niece Madeline Mary was born. She is undoubtedly the CUTEST little baby girl this world has ever seen. She is petite and tiny and doesn't do a whole lot yet - but she captivated my heart and i am sure i will love her more than probably any other child EVER until i have one of my own. i am also so incredibly thankful for the amazing relationship i have with her parents - my brother and sister-in-law Kevin and Jamie. They are such a special part of my life - they are shining examples of character and integrity and constantly make me feel valuable and wanted. family is something i definitely treasure - and i'm SO glad to have a new person to share all the joy with!this is me sneaking some kisses of my sweet baby about a week after she was born
4. JENNIFER JACKSON is probably one of the biggest surprise blessings of the year...i wrote about her in an earlier post - i met her through Rachel but God has really done spectacular things with our friendship. i have been blessed with an opportunity to encourage and minister and maybe even mentor jen and it has been such a blessing for me. i was so actively involved in the lives of my girls throughout college and often felt that i was imparting wisdom from my personal experiences into their lives. spending time with jenny feels much the same way - as i share with her the things that the Lord has done in my heart and life, I watch as He uses that to touch and change her heart. our friendship is a joy and our times together are always highly anticipated!me and jen at Rachel's pumpkin carving party...whoah my hairs were curly that night! :)
5. MELODY MACKEAND started working in the church about a month ago now - and it has been my pleasure getting to serve alongside her. However, i actually met Mel when she joined our Bible Study early this fall. Melody and I have already started making memories! we have lunch every tuesday at Breas Best where we split a turkey club combo with an extra drink and it is undoubtedly one of my favorite lunch dates of the week. we recently had a friday night frenzy where we shopped a bit and watched a re-run of america's next top model and also had a haircut adventure - we both CHOPPED our hair off - Mel even had enough to donate! she has been a new and refreshing part of my life- she is full of joy and i relish her melodious (yeah there's a pun) laughter! she makes me care about all kinds of things - all of the sudden i really want to be on time for work (so i don't get scolded) and heaven forbid i wear a scandalous outift! :) she makes me smile endlessly and the hours at work fly by when she's around!this is me and mel the day after our haircuts - SO CUTE!

all this to say - wow - God is good. i definitely still have moments when i feel lonely - and i often miss my family - but God is SO faithful. i would have never guessed at the beginning of 2008 that I would have so many wonderful new friends to share life with - but what a perfect way to start thanksgiving - by reflecting and finding new people to give thanks for!!

i'm nesting...

i have decided i am officially old. at a family tea in honor of my Aunt Joy's 75th birthday on saturday afternoon, my mom presented her immediate need for my Christmas list. as i contemplated my greatest wishes and desires in hopes of formulating some semblance of order therein, the conclusion was not difficult - i am no longer hoping for barbie dolls or mini-backpacks, but rather for appropriate work attire, new earings, and a vast assortment of homey items. i want to decorate the area above the mantle at my house perhaps with a large mirror - or some fun frames from crate and barrell. i want my own set of dishes (although i couldn't explain exactly what i want them to look like...). i want a Southern Living at Home "Dress Me Up Plate" - you know, the really cute one that you can thread a ribbon through and make match any party you are throwing - and of course, using a dry erase marker you can write fun messages on it!! SO FUN! (they're discontinued now - so i better let this dream die pretty soon unless e-bay can rescue me!). i want a dustbuster because i have dark blue carpet and every little bit of lint shows on it and i just can't stand it looking so dirty even when its virtually clean. i kinda want a new wallet because the one i have currently is about to fall apart - the seams are ripping - but i really really like my current wallet - so unless the new one is really really good, i'm not sure i can part with the old one. i want all kinds of stuff for the kitchen - but only in the color red - then i can tell they are mine and not my roommates. i do want a lot of things - but as i look through the list, an obvious fact surfaces - i'm not a little girl anymore. As Meredith Grey would say, "I'm an adult - when did it happen, and how do i make it stop?"

one of God's most generous gifts...

God in His infinite goodness and overflowing love provided me with yet another sweet and wonderful gift. In March of this year I was blessed to move into a home where all of my roommates love the Lord tremendously. I thought that was a miracle –but then God gave me even more. Rachel and I became fast friends and enjoyed months of sharing our lives together…we laughed a lot, cried a little, and prayed continually. I had spent months and months praying that God would provide me with a friend after college graduation – and when I met Rachel, I saw God answer my prayers beyond all my expectations. Today as I write, Rachel and I are no longer roommates – in September she moved out of our house and although I struggled with saying goodbye, our friendship has grown and we still enjoy each other as much as we ever did (just not quite as often). Rach works at Disneyland – so I DO miss seeing her come home in all her crazy outfits – especially the blue HIGH-WAISTED pants and the menagerie of colorful vests. Ha. But I know she is happy where the Lord has her at this point in her life. I would have been perfectly content to praise the Lord for Rachel and her love in my life – but God gave me even more. Shortly after I moved in, Rachel introduced me to her friend Jennifer Jackson. Jen is a soft-spoken and quiet person with a huge heart and so much to offer. By being friends with Rach, Jen and I got to spend more and more time together. As I got to know her, I became increasingly impressed and inspired by her gentle spirit and subtle strength. Towards the end of the summer, I was informed that Jen would be an RA at Biola in the fall. I have always had and still have such a heart for college-aged girls. The transformations and growth that they experience throughout those years is pivotal and forever shapes their relationship with Christ. God immediately laid it on my heart to be an encourager for Jen – to pray for her, shower her with blessings, and share my experiences with her. It has been such a joyous journey. Jen is no longer Rachel’s friend – but rather MY friend! My heart has grown to love her and cherish our friendship in ways that I could not have imagined. Her dedication and devotion coupled with an intense desire to serve these girls astounds me. Her heart is so big and her love abounding. As I pray for her, I get increasingly excited about being a part of what God is doing through her heart and life in the lives of these girls. I know for a fact that they don’t understand the blessing they have in Jen – but I do. I know that God gave me an amazing gift in her friendship – and it is one I do not take for granted –but one I cherish more and more as the time goes by.

wildfire weekend with a wonderful ending

this weekend was untypical to say the least....

on friday night after work, i headed to starbucks where i met Rachey Rach for a coffee break. "our" starbucks is on Imperial - its the one with all the statues and the fountain out front - they have the best patio furniture and a wonderful couch. we settled in and began the life update - we talked about Rachel's Andrew's upcoming birthday and our freakishly busy schedules -anticipated the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and times with our families - cherished moments with our sisters - and discussed our affinity for school breaks. we were in the thick of conversation when we were interrupted by one of the baristas who kindly informed us that Starbucks would be closing in 5 minutes....at 6:00pm. He then sat down and gave us a very brief explaination of the reasoning behind ANY starbucks closing before 10:00pm. Apparently there just aren't enough customers - maybe i should stop by there every night - it is by FAR my favorite starbucks....hmmmm.... upon our discovery that coffee would be much shorter but still just as sweet, Rachel and i said goodbye, hugged, and promised we would meet again soon...i don't like goodbye's - even from coffee dates. anyway, i then headed to the target on malvern - the target GREATLAND (which i suppose is comparable to a SUPER wal-mart; although we don't have those here) in hopes of finding a good pair of trouser jeans...lucky for me - i found them (in a size smaller than i usually wear - my self-esteem says thank you) AND i also found a brown cardigan - which i have been on the prowl for for weeks now. WONDERFUL! my friend and coworker Melody and I then went to my house where i warmed up some leftover padthai from lunch with erika (who lives in chicago but was in town visiting on wednesday) poured two glasses of wine (and no it was NOT two buck chuck - melody only buys the exquisite kinds...) and sat down for a wonderful evening of light conversation and a girly movie - no reservations. unfortunately, we just got AT&T U-verse with DVR and try as i might i could NOT figure out how to switch the tv into DVD mode. frustrating. i even stooped to the level of reading the manual...now that is desperation! so instead we decided we would watch America's Next Top Model re-runs...we settled...but what choice did we really have?

Saturday i woke up early and got ready for a tea in honor of my Aunt Joy who turned 75. I left my house at 10:30am and headed for Gavilan Hills (which is past Riverside). as i went up the hill from my house, a thick haze of smoke became increasingly evident and i had to turn my airconditioner onto recycle mode so that it would only filter the air from inside the car... i knew immediately a fire was somewhere and it was pretty close by. i prayed but continued on - these fires have become somewhat familiar and far less intimidating than they probably should be. On the 91 freeway going East towards Riverside, I drove right through by the flames...people were outside of their cars taking pictures and the traffic was heavy. Nevertheless, i arrived at Marilyn's in good time and enjoyed the tea and luncheon with family - spent some time chatting with my cousins, aunts, and my mom! what a blessing! the time went quickly and all too soon, i was ready to get on the road and head home. unfortunately, it was at that point that i was told literally all the interstates running from Gavilan Hills to my house in Fullerton were closed, and an alternative route would have to be developed. I ended up driving on dirt roads to the 74 highway which runs through lake elsinore and perris and then connects to Ortega Highway which winds around and around and around a mountain until you end up on the other side in San Juan Capistrano. i then hopped on the 5North and headed towards orange county. as i got closer, the dark cloud loomed and i drove into what has been described as one of the worst fires since 1961. Rachel and I had been texting with trepidation as we discovered we were being evacuted and that Andrew and his family were in imminent danger as their entire backyard was on fire. everything felt very heavy. i could tell in my roommates' voices that they were scared and that the news would be on continuously throughout the evning keeping all of us up to date on the latest advances of the flames. it took me several hours longer to get home than it should have and it was quite an unpleasant journey. the intense smoky smell made me naseaus and the winding roads along the mountain with so many altitude changes hurt my head tremendously. nevertheless, by the grace of God, i got home safely. with the encouragement of Lindsey and Adri-Anne (my roommates) i went ahead and packed up some of my most valuable possessions... the box of things i've saved from college - notes from friends and the special postcards from world changers around the world...my painting from danny...the New York ring I got with Emily...my new red Christmas jacket...the scrapbook my mom made of pictures from my childhood years...my children's book collection...my favorite Bible and all my Max Lucado books...my big green pillow...my rainbow flip flops...my chi iron...and my world changers blanket. I put all of that along with my laptop and phone charger and the file including all of my important information by the front door, filled up a water bottle, and considered myself ready to go. For the next several hours we all sat together in the living room and watched as so much of our community was devoured by the flames. We could smell the smoke and see the ashes falling like rain from the sky. Prayers resounded throughout the evening and we waiting somewhat anxiously praying and hoping that we would not hear the sound of police knocking on our doors and asking us to leave our home. Finally, knowing there was absolutely nothing we could do, we retreated to our bedrooms and attempted to sleep. The fires raged throughout the night and we could see flames and smoke from our bedroom windows - nevertheless, the Lord protected us. Sunday morning came and although the air was still thick with smoke and ash, the fires had started to dwindle and the weather was finally working FOR the firemen rather than against them. Sunday was a day of productivity for me. I cleaned up the living room and did the dishes, vacuumed, did all my laundry, and worked diligently on the EV Free Fullerton staff christmas celebration invitations. in the evening, i picked up my blessed friend Jennifer Jackson and we went to dinner (at pat & oscars - one of my absolutely favorites) and to Rock Harbor. it was a beautiful time of praise and adoration for the Father and a special time for our friendship. It was a wonderful ending to wildfire weekend - and one that i will consider richly blessed in times to come. Jenn is an incredible person and our friendship is one that can only be described as God-orchestrated...but that is a post for another time altogether. However, at the conclusion of this weekend i have no words but to say "thank you Lord for protecting so many and graciously revealing Your power and glory even in the midst of the raging flames - You are God alone and i'm so blessed to trust You."

My friend Andrew Smith and his family are only one example of God's amazing hands at work through this fire. They were evacuated on Saturday and i received a text message from Rachel (Andrew's girlfriend) saturday evening stating that the palm trees in their backyard were on fire which obviously indicated immediate and imminent danger for his home. I immediately texted back, "I am praying that God holds the flames and protects their home! He is incredibly powerful and nothing is too big for Him!" Well, come Sunday morning, Andrew's house is one of only two standing on the block. His parents have been having the neighbors over for to watch church (online because their favorite pastor speaks in Colorado) and it gives me goosebumps to think that God saved the church building and protected the family that was actively sharing His name with the neighborhood. He is still answering prayers and actively making an impact here on earth...what a gift to be a part of His family and to have the faith that He is in control. God is not far from us here on earth - He is just intentional and selective. He is still bringing glory to His name - He is still at work!

an admirable legacy

Today is my Grandmother Ellen Bush Cochran's 91st birthday! She is an absolutely remarkable woman of poise and stature - so classy and has always been something of a fashionista. I have countless memories of her since I was a very little girl. Every christmas and birthday, piano recital, church program, and graduation - she was there. Christmas at Grandma's is a classic memory...I remember the year I got my barbie travel case and the year I just KNEW she got me a mini-backpack...my penguin sweats and my teaset. I remember the spontaneous shopping sprees where she would help me pick out all kinds of things and then ask me to separate them into three piles: yes, no, and maybe (the maybe was NOT because they weren't cute - but because they were too expensive or I just couldn't want EVERYTHING). I would always think she was only going to buy me the yes pile - and then when I wasn't looking - she grabbed my maybe's too. I still laugh when I think about the day that I was helping her clean her house and I found all of her diamond jewelry from Grandpa hidden in a jar full of marbles - she thought it was lost forever - I think that was the biggest hug I've ever gotten! She was a marveling beauty as she walked down the aisle at my brother Kevin's wedding and I don't think there is anything more tender than watching her gingerly hold her sweet great-granddaughter Madeline (my brother's daughter). In her 91 years of life she has experienced SO much. She lived through the Great-Depression and shares stories often of having nothing reminding us to be SO thankful for the tremendous blessings we have...she survived World War II and the horrific events of the Holocaust...she lived through the turn of the century and has seen the world shift dramatically from being people oriented to being money oriented. I am convinced she can do anything - from sewing to baking to managing money and decorating a house. I can only pray that I will live my life to the fullest as she has - that I will be vivacious and full of energy - that I'll have joy and happiness through all the stages of life - and that I'll care for and about the people that matter the most. At 91-years-old, my grandma still lives on her own, drives, goes dancing, plays bridge, treats her family to lunch often, enjoys shopping, and can almost always spring for a good movie. She is the YOUNGEST old woman I've ever met and I am tremendously blessed to call her MY family. She is a beacon in my life and a woman I admire beyond words. I do not know how much longer I will have the gift of her presence in my life - but I pray that she will be here to walk down the aisle on my wedding day and that she'll get to hold my babies...I pray that she'll come to know the Lord as her Savior and that I'll be there to share in the sweet moments of her life that remain. She has touched my heart deeply and forever changed my life. So this is a tribute to you Grandma - for loving me every single moment of my life and being there for me through everything - ILOVEYOU beyond measure for always.

a richly blessed day of HARD work...

on Sunday I moved from my home in Stanton, CA to a new house in Fullerton, CA. it was a seriously intense day full of loading and cleaning and driving and unloading and unpacking and cleaning again. it was a tremendous amount of work and the exhaustion was very prevalent. however i have a dear sweet friend who made the move a terrific blessing rather than an overwhelming chore. as soon as we arrived at the new house with a truckload and numerous carloads of stuff, Rachel was there to help with absolutely anything she could. she was up in that truck unloading boxes and carrying them inside, unpacking the kitchen, helping in my room by putting away the scads of clothing i own and carefully arranging all my belongings in their respective locations. her helpful spirit and joy radiated and encouraged me to keep going with a positive attitude. after a seriously long day that included two full truck loads, probably somewhere between 8-10 carloads, and a goodwill run, my parents took Rach and i to Panda Express for a deluctable dinner. after dinner momsie and popsicle needed to get on the road toward San Diego and all i wanted to do was sit down...so i kissed my parents goodbye and prayed them on their way. then Rachey and i headed back to her house for a few minutes of total relaxation in the jacuzzi with wine. nothing sounded better. unfortunately, upon our arrival we came to find that the jacuzzi closes at 9 and that unless we were willing to hop the rod iron fence while a whole group of college boys watched, we weren't gonna get in. bummer. so we dejectedly headed back to Rachel's house where we enjoyed a fantastic hour soaking our feet in the bathtub full of shower gel suds and drinking wine from plastic cups! the wonderful conversation and sweet time with a dear friend made the entire day seem so bearable. So to you Rachel, I say thank you - for being my friend and caring always - and making even the hardest days seem so blessed. i love you friend!

ps i will post pictures of the new house soon...it still needs a little help! :)

a richly blessed morning...

WOW! it is only 11:00 in the morning and already today has been so inspirational and encouraging. this morning i ran into the blog of an old friend, Autumn Talcott who is now Autumn Gossett, and was overjoyed to spend a bit of time reading about God's incredibly powerful movement and presence in her life. She and her husband Brian are vigorously seeking the kingdom and making a dynamic impact there through pursuing an international adoption. they are only weeks away (prayerfully) from bringing their son home from Etheopia. From what i read, it has been a long process of prayer, disappointment, overwhelming joy, and unparalleled excitement. it was such a precious blessing to see the pictures of the nursery painted in love and adorned with artifacts both from Africa - their son's birthplace - and here in the states revealing the rare and special nature of this new family. I am so thankful that i can now join them in prayer as they endure this long journey to bring home their little boy. wow.
i am in no way certain of what God is doing in my heart and life through all of this, but i am incredibly aware that He has put several people in my life that have made these kinds of drastic decisions and i respect them tremendously. i have a sweet friend whose parents have been heavily involved with the foster care system for years and she now has a three siblings that were adopted into her family and are now being tenderly loved and cared for. i also have a friend that works daily in a daycare center where she is feeling more and more pulled to adopt in hopes of caring for these children that appear to have no one and are being raised in such an unhealthy environment that will forever stunt their growth and ability to lead life by any definition of normalicy. i know and trust that the Lord will reveal His perfect plan and path for my life - but in the meantime I am inspired and moved to tears as I hear the stories of people in my life that are choosing to walk the road the Lord has chosen for them. Thank you for the example you all are in my life. I am truly blessed.

"But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, be patient! For it will surely take place. It will not be late by a single day." -Habakkuk 2:3

the bane of my masters education...

one of the highlights of my life is Wednesday Nights with Megan. every week we meet at 5:15 at Daphne's on the corner of Brea and Birch to enjoy a deluctable meal of greek cuisine. we talk about our weeks - our jobs - our crazy friendships - try to plan trips to Disneyland - and contemplate the latest movie releases. sometimes dinner is followed by an activity and sometimes dinner is the activity in itself. when we first started "date night" we were on an M. Knight Shyamalan kick and we watched one of his movies every week after dinner. now, we both have jobs and end up really tired after dinner - so we've taken a sabatical from our late night fun. not to worry though, we still have plenty of adventures and with Erika coming in only a few weeks, i'm sure we'll kick back into HIGH GEAR for some ANTM (america's next top model) Grey's Anatomy, the Bachelor, and Project Runway. WHOAH we watched a lot of TV in college. i miss that! ha!
so...back to wednesday nights with megan. last night was a particularly short evening for us - i am moving this weekend and due to a variety of situations far beyond my control, there is a lot of work yet to do and i'm feeling the pressure. however, even though our time together was significantly reduced, the laughter and memories were at an all time high. i think i can honestly say that megan had tears of laughter at one point in conversation. you see, last night megan and i realized that we had similar feelings in relation to a particular person: the bane of my masters education. about halfway through my program, a new batch of students joined my co-hort. one student, we'll change his name to protect his reputation, Ricardo, was a particular nuisance. He would ride into class late on his skateboard looking absolutely haagard like he had just awoken from a nap and interrupt literally everything occuring within the classroom. he would work on his homework (that was already due for submission) during class thus continuing that annoying tappity tap tap tap of his laptop throughout the entire session. he calls everyone friend or buddy but doesn't really know anoyone. he is TERRIBLE. he doesn't ever have anything insightful to say and literally degrades the entirety of my educational program. a few weeks ago, he was giving a presentation in our quantitative business modeling course and decided to use a youtube video to display the concept of "waiting in line" just in case any of us were unsure of what that looked like. megan has incredibly similar situations of riducularity (and yes i know that isn't a real word - i made it up to use in this context!) apparently he sat next to her at graduation and from under his gown he pulled out a footlong subway sandwich that he then proceeded to eat during the processional. During the ceremony he took it even one step farther and brought out a full-sized bag of pretzels and began offering them to all his "friends" also known as the strangers sitting in his general area. seriously if he can graduate and get a masters degree, ANYONE CAN. what a joke. megan and i have made an ultimate decision that there is truly only one way to describe Ricky: he is an absolute FOOL.

my life is now complete...

on Sunday i had my very first pumpkin carving experience. at the home of my wonderful friend Rachel (who used to be my sweet roommate) a pumpkin extravaganza was effectively imparted upon my life. it started with enough pumpkin food to satisfy my personal pumpkin needs for a great deal of time! there were pumpkin cookies, muffins, pies, cornbread, ice-cream along with "witches fingers" (also known as chicken fingers) and pasta salad, kettle corn, and a cheese and cracker tray - it was INTENSE! following the feast, the pumpkin carving party began! Rachel who is incredibly artistic and skilled far beyond my giftedness (which is very close to nothing as far as drawing or painting is concerned) crafted a cute little face for my pumpkin friend.

with her eyes and smile drawn on, i began my work with nothing more than a little plastic knife (and it wasn't too sturdy either - if i ever find a really good one i will follow the example of my friend, Rachel's Andrew, and write my name prominently on the handle to ensure that it stays with me for all future carving experiences). i must admit it was quite enjoyable cutting off her stem and taking out all her ooey gooey insides. I then gave her batty eyelashes and a terrific smile! she is my very first pumpkin friend and although i'm not entirely compelled to make any more, i am fairly certain a day will come in my future in which i will excitedly cut into another pumpkin! it was an enjoyable evening to say the least and pumpkin carving is now a skill i can add to my list - perhaps even to my resume - i am sure at some job that would be prioritized on the top of the list of requirements for employment. pumpkin carving was something i never did as a child but i'm surely glad that i have done it now. as Rachel said, "my life is now complete."

the week at a glance

this week is going to be absolutely insane. i am already anticipating the hideodious amount of work i have to accomplish and the associated level of grumpy that i am soon to experience...

i currently live in Stanton, CA - a little city (that really isn't even a city but rather a sub-city that doesn't even have its own police department and is safe although entirely unattractive) just west of Anaheim. however, this time next week, i will be living in Fullerton, CA in a cute 3-bedroom house with a HUGE backyard and a driveway all its own. it sounds lovely. however, the process of getting four girls and all their belongings into the new place is daunting especially considering the events of late. this morning one of my roommates left for New York and although i'm not entirely sure when she is coming home, i'm fairly certain that her being in a different state on the complete other side of the country leaves her relatively unavailable for packing purposes. then there is Lindsay, my dear sweet roommate who somehow managed to trip over the lights that so delicately hung over her window sill and lodged her elbow between a box and her bed in a most precarious position which ultimately led to a trip to the emergency room and potential surgery this morning. i'm pretty sure she's out of commission. so we're down to me and Adri-Anne - and well let's be completely honest, our schedules aren't exactly AVAILABLE. ahhhh. tonight i am dedicated to packing. i have almost finished all of my laundry and only have a few more belongings to box up....then i plan to start on the kitchen...and move forward from there. tomorrow is Bible Study so i won't be home until approximately 10:30pm which pretty much means i will accomplish NOTHING at the house. Wednesday is dinner with Megan after which i will either be packing more, or doing homework since i do have a case study with associated questionairre as well as a paper to finish by Saturday. Thursday is my study group with Louie - hopefully we'll finish a lot in a short amount of time - we'll see though - we have to use solver (an excel add-on) so one can only pray! Friday is Christi and Kate's "Mad for Plaid" halloween party - which by the looks of my schedule will be little more than a drive-by for me and then Saturday is class from 8-4 in Riverside. Sunday my parents will be here and they'll be ready to move so i absolutely HAVE to be ready. whew. i'm not sure when sleeping is going to fit in this schedule between work, school, bible study, doctors appointment, packing, eating, and just plain ol' remembering to breathe - but if i can make it through this week, i can probably do ANYTHING. so...here I go!