So much to update you on…this is the “newsy” blog I promised you…
Trip to VA
Last weekend Jerelyn and I went out and surprised Kristin with a visit. We had been planning on this since mid-August and were bursting at the seams in keeping the secret for so long. We hardly told anyone we were going – we wanted to make sure our secret would be safe. We took the red-eye out on Thursday night and arrived on Friday morning. We surprised her at Panera Bread (thanks to Troy for helping us out!!) and her expression was priceless. After lunch Jerelyn and I went to Kristin’s for a nap and a shower and we spent the rest of the evening baking brownies, watching a movie, and eating Ledo’s Pizza. Saturday we slept in and attempted going to Great Falls but had to ditch the plan when it began to rain (it literally started pouring before we left the parking lot!:-(). We then went to the mall to take Jerelyn shopping for some “goodies” and then went to dinner at Sweetwater Tavern. That night we watched another movie and hung out at Kristin’s place. It was late that night that we learned that Jerelyn’s dad was in a difficult place and gravely ill…and a few short hours later, in the very early morning, that we learned he passed away (I will allow Jerelyn to touch on this subject more as it is her personal business…in the meantime keep her and her family in your prayers). As a result Jerelyn flew home on the first flight out on Sunday morning and Kristin and I spent Sunday at church (more specifically her Single’s group) and caring for our friend as she tried to make it home to CA amidst a bunch of flying obstacles. I flew back to CA on Monday. Needless to say the trip did not go as expected and while we had the best intentions in going and having a great “girls time out,” our time together will always be remembered as the weekend that Jerelyn had to say good-bye to her beloved father while she was several thousand miles away. I do hope to go back to the EC in the late winter or spring. I try to go every 6 months or so.
Ryan’s Team
CVC is doing great! From what I hear Ryan was even in the Fresno Bee this weekend as a possible pick for coach of the year if his team continues to progress in playoffs. Come out and cheer them on the day after Thanksgiving. It is a home game…and I will be there to visit with as well.J I do feel a bit guilty that I haven’t attended any (OK, I did attend the KHS/CVC game) KHS games – especially since I need to be putting in contact work hours for YL and football games are a great way to do it – but it has been just too much fun hanging out with the family and going to root Ryan and his team on. I have never been able to do this before (as last year I was the cheer coach for KHS and the three years before that I lived on the EC) so I guess it is only fair that I get to experience it this year! And I am glad that I am.
Work
I really love my job now that I have taken on 10+ adoptive cases. It is a very rewarding job and I love to see God bring forever families together. Most of the families I work with are wonderful, well deserving families – and I truly enjoy building relationships with them. I have also been able to assist in two international adoptions, which has also been great. I still oversee a few foster family cases, so that combined with adoptions (and helping to train the new social worker) and my job has become busy, busy, busy!!! I feel like I have found my niche in life career-wise. I feel blessed to be a social worker. Now only if it paid more…hehehe
Social Life
I am blessed to live so close to my family and that they include me in a lot of their outings and times together. I do enjoy spending time with them. I also enjoy time with friends, but have been bummed out that all my local single friends are now married or engaged. While I am super happy for them, I am sad that my single peer group has dwindled. This has made me seriously consider moving to a place that has more people “like me.” Obviously it is my desire to marry and have a family. In the meantime, though, I am feeling more and more pressure to create my own family of other single friends, mainly because I am freaking out about being alone in a few years (socially). As you know, I have been seriously considering moving to the NOVA area ever since I moved back to CA, but have put that idea on the back burner as I wanted to hear God’s guiding loud and clear and wanted also to have the finances to afford it. I am at the place where I simply don’t know what to do. I am content here in the Valley, but also believe I would be content on the EC. I just don’t want to stay here and regret not leaving in the future – but at the same time I don’t want to miss out on Phelan family stuff here. I have not heard God’s leading loud and clear – but I also know He will go with me wherever I go if I make Him the priority. In some ways I feel like I am back to square one. What to do?
Twilight
I zipped through this book on my flight home and LOVED it. Both Hannah and Brooke had told me how I had to read it. I wanted to but just didn’t put it at the top of my list. Well, needless to say, I finally got to it and already went out and bought and started the sequel, New Moon, yesterday. And, I admit, I already visited the “spoiler” websites. I just couldn’t wait to find out about the ending!! OK, so I know, the premise sounds kinda silly, and the book is definitely a teenie-bopper read, but it is Oh! So! Good! Anyone want to be my date for the movie?
Holidays
Yay! I love this time of year!! Can’t wait to decorate for Christmas. Yesterday it was 83, and today it is in the 70s. While I see the trees changing (and they are so bright and pretty – I have never seen the Valley trees change quite like this before) it just doesn’t feel like fall because it is so warm. Don’t get me wrong – I love this weather! For me it is perfect – mild during the day and a bit chilly at night…awesome!!
