Good Sunday morning! I have a few minutes before I need to start getting ready for church so hopefully I can update you on my life in the time allotted. I hope that you all are doing well!

First of all I want to mention how much I love reading your blogs – even if I only catch up on them about once or month (or more!) or so. I read all of your posts and leave a comment on every one so you know I was there. I’m sure that all of you have noticed this with me and I wanted to thank you for being patient. I love each of my friends so much and of course want to know everything about his or her life so I encourage you to keep up the good work so I can be nosey and know all about you.:-)

This reminds me – Alisha – I can’t leave comments on your blog???

Some of you have asked about work. It is going well but I still feel like I am a bit, or a lot, over my head. I have so much to learn about the foster family system, state laws, etc. Once I learn everything I do think that the job will be a good fit and that I will really like it. In the meantime I am just trying to not to screw it up. I get to get out of the office when I go do court, home, or supervised visits so that is nice and helps to break up the day. The staff seems really nice and I enjoy the office atmosphere a lot. I also love the mission of Valley Teen Ranch so I am very excited about working with such a wonderful organization. Overall I know this job will teach me a lot and even though the pay leaves much to be desired I feel very blessed and grateful for the position.

Now that I have a full-time job my life is very, very busy. Here is my schedule:

Monday work 8-5 coach cheer 6:30-8:30
Tuesday work 8-5 coach cheer 6:30-8:30
Wednesday work 8-5 young life 6:30-9:00
Thursday work 8-5 coach cheer 6:30-8:30
Friday work 8-5 coach cheer 6-9:30 (at games)

I am busy, busy, busy. I have only been at this schedule for a week but so far so good. We shall see how I feel about it in two months.;-) That being said I want to try really hard to have relaxing and fun weekends where I have as much time with friends and family as possible. I am hoping to go to Washington State over Veteran’s Day and go back East this fall as well. I will have to do it over the weekend (a long weekend) but that is better then nothing so I am ok with it.

I have been really aching for “home” (the East Coast still feels like home to me) lately. I have told myself I can’t make plans to move back until I have been here in CA for a year because I still need to be open to staying here if that’s what God wants me to do. If I could choose right now though I would move back – and move in with Kristin. Does that mean I regret moving here? No, not at all. I know for sure that God wanted me to move home. I am still committed to being obedient which is why I am here. I am just home-sick. I can’t really mention missing the EC because my parents get irritated with me and nobody else seems to understand or quite get it. Therefore I hardly talk about my life there anymore. I am still young and able to move which is why I am really considering moving back this summer. I don’t want years to go by and regret not taking this chance again. But of course we shall see what God says about it this next summer.

My birthday is on Thursday. Wow, 29. My last birthday/age ever! Hehehe I truly cannot believe I am getting this old. I’m sure I will blog on this as it begins to sink in later on this week…

Gotta run – my time is up! Enjoy your holiday weekend! I know I am!

I got a job and start tomorrow! Yay! I will be a social worker for the foster family agency division of Valley Teen Ranch. I am really excited - and nervous too.;-) I will let you know how it goes.

Holli was here for a little over a week. Here is what we did in her words:

california was a blast. i had so much fun and got to see and do some pretty cool things. the best part about it was getting to see ashley. i miss her when i don't get to see her that often. i was able to do everything i had wanted and so much more and am blessed to have been able to go. here is a brief recap of the events:

San Fran: Fisherman's wharf, pier 39, west coast clam chowder in a famous sourdough bread bowl and ghirardelli's ice cream. I also got to go to my first Oakland a's game and ride the bart around town. Ashley and I also went to the movies to see becoming jane and it sucked. So if you were thinking about seeing it, don't do it.

Sausalito: got to see a lot of crabs, had an awesome raspberry mocha (like you really care), and went to an awesome store where i was able to purchase a plethora of things.

Monterey: got to go to cannery lane to all of the shops, buy a smores apple that i did not eat, and have a steak and lobster dinner. I also got to go swimming in the pacific with sea otters which was pretty cool…absolutely freezing…but nonetheless pretty cool.

Fresno/Kingsburg: got to hang out with ashley's family and meet her little niece, go to the raisin capitol of the world, eat at in-and-out, go swimming when it was like 105 degrees out, eat at a really good Mexican restaurant, and get my picture taken with a Swedish horse and Viking.

Yosemite: had a blast camping out with ashley. we got to see two bears and a lot of other random wildlife. The views were incredible and it is seriously one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. I also got to climb rocks and hike to the bottom of the only waterfall in the park that wasn't dried out.

LA: got a pretty sweet VIP tour of Warner Brothers studios from ashley's cousin who is a VP there. She took us around on a golf cart and showed us the sets of three and a half men, cold case, and ER. It was cool to see how all of that was done. I also got to see the Hollywood sign, the Chinese theatre, and went shopping on Melrose.

Pasadena: got to stay with ashley's really cool aunt and went to the cheescake factory for the first time. I got to see where the rose bowl parade takes place and hang out in old town.

Anyway, I got to do a lot of great things and am very thankful that I was able to go.

I will try to post some pics soon. Fall is right around the corner. Crazy!

My friend Jocelyn wrote this in her blog today and I loved it so much I have to repost it here. Jocelyn is one of the most amazing people I know. She continues to teach me a lot even if we live across the country from each other. Here is an excerpt:

in my mind, males can be classified under 3 main categories: boys, guys and men. i will explain how i view each as best as i know how...

boys: these are males who think life is a game. or at least they live to play... most, if not all day. they splurge their monies (if they make any) on the latest toys and gadgets, trendy clothes, entertainment, food, drinks. they are often unruly and undisciplined with no consideration or regard for others, only themselves. you wonder if and when these individuals will ever grow up...and sadly, some never do. they tend to look for strong girls who can step in as a mother figure and take charge of their share of responsibility, keep their clothes clean, make their meals, etc. frankly, i find they are the reason why femnazis exist because though they're fun to pal around with, they make poor husbands and fathers. period. woe to the girl who fools around this this male and finds herself impregnated and alone.

guys: this second category is where I notice the vast majority of males past their teens fall into. Guys are good because they have matured to the point that they can and are willing to be considerate for women. But if you are a discerning girl you find that their motives are not selfless at all; guys have an agenda. That agenda might be conquering you. I have met loads of nice guys, however, they want to impress me so that I will somehow want them and therefore flatter them in return. Guys I meet are interested in girls primarily for their looks and how the girl will in turn make them look/feel. They are rather image-oriented. And thus, time tells all when you begin to realize the guy cares more about the image of having a girl that meets his perceived needs than he cares about you specifically. Guys like to date/ flirt with as many girls as possible, hoping they'll get a "catch". One a guy bags you (sexually or your attention) he tends to cool off simply because he's won. you were just a game for him and you gave in. Often guys want trophy wives... simply meaning that you provide some asset that makes him think he's better off (good looks, money, contacts, etc.). My dealings with guys have left me feeling devalued, used and manipulated. They can wear you down because what they offer initially has the appearance of genuine love/care/concern, but their words and actions can be shallow.

men: True men are modern day Boaz figures (check out the story of Ruth). They aren't flashy trying to get attention, they simply command notice by the fact that they are respectable people. Men are selfless, willing to put their life and concerns down for promoting the well-being of women that they wish to protect and provide for. Instead of simply asking women for help and walking away, they help regardless of what the woman looks like or whether she has consented because they live to meet other's needs. A true man is God-fearing, he sees and treats all women with equal concern and compassion. He is not "out to get a wife" because He knows his God will provide for his needs. A true man therefore rests assured in who he is and can simply live to his full potential uninhibited by the need to flaunt himself. He knows that charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting and he admires, respects and values women with character and holiness. You can trust a man's words because he means what he says in that he actively demonstrates his character to be true by how he treats you. A man refuses to play with womens' hearts or emotions for his own gain. Rather, he stands as their guardian and protector demonstrating true love and concern. Men leave a lasting impression on the hearts and minds of women because they stir true longings for a deeper love... a love which God Himself gives. A man will mirror Christ's love and all women commend him in his ways.

now, i am not foolish enough to insist that i can neatly fit every male into these three categories, but i will concede that in my life on occasion i have come across some of the most stellar men. their names are still on my heart to this day because of the impression they left on my life, as my dear loving brothers, i would want a husband that mirrored their own hearts. men are few and far between and people give me flak that i'm "too picky" or i "just need to settle". now i understand that many girls do cheapen themselves or make their priority their appearance rather than character because "that's what guys want". and i have to agree. that IS what GUYS want.

But I don't want to settle for a boy. Not even a guy. I want a man of God. I know it seems next to impossible, but with God ALL things ARE possible...if you just BELIEVE. And, honestly, if a man does not come for me that is ok because I am living not to get married, but I am giving my all for Jesus Christ. Giving your life over to God is a dangerous, adventurous thing because you plan to expect the unexpected. The Lord has been faithful and will be faithful to continue dealing with my heart and emotions.

...but when my day does come, I earnestly hope to be like the woman of character in Song of Solomon who was praised by the daughters of Jerusalem for her virtue as well as that of her husband. that would be my most precious wedding gift indeed... that God would be glorified by my earthly union. amen!

A little while ago I received a phone call that my great Aunt Fran passed away. Since Easter my family has lost my grandfather, my great uncle, and my great aunt - all semi-unexpectedly. It is weird to see the older generation of the family pass away. My parents and aunts and uncles are quickly becoming the matriarchs and patriarchs. It is a reminder that life moves quickly and is precious...

This is a forward I received. It is cheesy but I admit it did make me chuckle. A little Christian humor This is one of the best clean jokes I've seen in awhile! Jesus and Satan were having an on-going argument about who was better on the computer. They had been going at it for days, and frankly God was tired of hearing all the bickering. Finally fed up, God said, "THAT'S IT! I have had enough. I am going to set up a test that will run for two hours, and from those results, I will judge who does the better job." So Satan and Jesus sat down at the keyboards and typed away. They moused. They faxed. They e-mailed. They e-mailed with attachments. They downloaded. They did spreadsheets! They wrote reports. They created labels and cards. They created charts and graphs. They did some genealogy reports They did every job known to man. Jesus worked with heavenly efficiency and Satan was faster than hell. Then, ten minutes before their time was up, lightning suddenly flashed across the sky, thunder rolled, rain poured, and, of course, the power went off. Satan stared at his blank screen and screamed every curse word known in the underworld. Jesus just sighed. Finally the electricity came back on, and each of them restarted their computers. Satan started searching frantically, screaming: "It's gone! It's all GONE! "I lost everything when the power went out!" Meanwhile, Jesus quietly started printing out all of his files from the past two hours of work. Satan observed this and became irate. "Wait!" he screamed. "That's not fair! He cheated! How come he has all his work and I don't have any?" God just shrugged and said, "JESUS SAVES"

Hey Everyone!

Sorry I missed you on Monday and Tuesday. I was away at Cheer Camp. (Really!) It was a 48-hour cheer camp with a slumber party in between. I hope that the girls got a lot out of it and had a great time. I thought it was time well spent - for the most part. :-)

I am back and plan on spending today job hunting and running some errands. I hope that you have a great day as well!

<3, a.

Holli booked her tickets to come out and see me in just a couple of weeks! I am so excited.

When are you going to come and see me???

:-)

Wow...

This makes me tired just reading it!

www.duggarfamily.com

I was going through my old emails and found this. I think it is a great idea so I am passing it along...:-)


Hey, everyone!

I wanted to send a reminder to y’all about my friend’s website where you can go buy a care package for a soldier. Last time I emailed y’all, you had to go to ebay and search for the packages. Now he has his own website at istillcarepackages.com!! You can go to that website, make your purchase, and write a thank you note to the lucky soldier who gets your care package.

As I mentioned before, my friend is a Marine Reservist who spent a year in Iraq in 2004-2005 and definitely knows the effect that care packages have on overall morale over there. He makes no money from this – he just uses the money you provide to assemble and ship the packages you purchase. It is a labor of love and I’m proud of him for doing it.

Today is Aug 1. Can you believe it? Wow. In some ways this summer has flown by and in others it has dragged by. ..

I still don't have a job. I have stopped posting about it because it became too hard having to say what I was applying for and then reporting that I did not get it. So please don't feel out of the loop. When I do land a job I will let you know.:-)

I am tired and need sleep. Night all!

Blast from the past.

This is Amy and I at church camp in the 7th grade. So fun-nay!!!

I bought a mattress/box spring/and frame today. Now I just need to paint the headboard and then my spare room will be all finished. Who will come visit me?:-)

Quote of the day from my good friend Jerelyn, in summing up how cute the movie was that we saw tonight:

"You should have no reservations about seeing 'No Reservations!'"

It was definitely a chick flick and oh so good. Go out and see it with your best girl friends!

You know you live in a small town when you have this conversation with the clerk(unknown to me) at Longs...

"You are Ashley right?"

"Yes."

"Ashley Phelan?"

"Yes."

"And you go to the EV Free church right?"

"Yes, when I was much younger."

"Thought so."

This is Kingsburg, friends. Welcome to the twighlight zone. hehehe

I am soooo tired right now. I haven't been sleeping very soundly the past few nights and it is beginning to catch up with me. After this post I am going to bed.

What are some tricks that you have in order to ensure a good night's rest? I am willing to hear and try out lots of advice!

I chopped my hair off today. I have been wanting to donate to Locks of Love for a while now but every time I got close to doing it I got really nervous. I wasn't nervous about giving my hair to a wonderful organization but nervous about parting with my hair that took three years to grow out. My hair grows sooooo slowly and I LOVE having long hair. But, I told myself I just needed to do it. My hair will grow back and if I am that attached to my hair then I need to get rid of it. So I did. It is about to my chin. I am OK with it - it will just take some time getting used to I think. I'll try to post a pic soon...:-)

Night all!

So I hear that KHS c/o 96 is finally having their reunion. It will be on Sept 29 at the gun club. I haven't decided if I will be attending or not. Hmmmm. Thoughts?? Anyone want to be my hottt date?

Awwwww....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVcH4oqrgsk&mode=related&search=

I am way too tired to post but I did want to blog a bit about today to get my daily writing in...

The highlight of my day was Jerelyn's bday party. We went to Red Robin, did a bit of shopping, and went to her apt. in Selma where we enjoyed funfetti cupcakes like we were five all over again. It was great. She is the big 3-0 now. Happy birthday friend!

Now it is time for some sweet sleep...

Eleven months...

See my cute dimple?

When I grow up Auntie is going to teach me to play her piano.

I love my baby doll.

Auntie lets me borrow her sunglasses.

These pics were taken by a wonderful photographer and friend of mine, Amy. She is available to help you with any of your photography needs!

Why I love Holli...

Hard worker.
Open arms to anyone.
Loverrrrr
Loyal
Indiana accent

Very funny (I miss laughing with her!)
Actually ate and appreciated my cooking.
Nicknames (SFJ, GST)
Excellent YL leader
Threw a surprise party for me and it was sooooo fun!
Took me to hockey games! Oooooh yeah!
Excellent counselor
Nice AND beautiful

On Monday it will be two months since I saw her...

Want to know why I love you? Leave me a comment and let me know!

good things about today...

• playing with my niece
• olive garden
• finding a cute shirt for $8
• american idol concert

not so good things about today...

• still no call from samaritan women
• missing the east coast
• frustrations with life, myself
• getting rear ended (yet again) on the way to the concert
  

One of the great things about moving home is being able to be so close to my niece. This past week has been especially nice in that I have been able to spend lots of time with her. Today I had her all morning and it was wonderful. We went to the park. We played on my piano (I will give her lessons one day). We had a lot of fun.

She will be one next month. I am looking forward to her party. It is going to be a puppy theme. She definitely takes after her auntie (and papa) that she loves dogs! It is nice to know that I will be here for such a milestone. She is growing soooo quickly. She is just about ready to walk, her teeth are coming in, she just learned to dance, and she chatters away in her baby language. She is a precious, sweet, girl.

She looks just like my brother. It is really crazy. I am looking forward to being able to see her grow up and what God has in store for her.

Today I have writer's block - or should I call it blogger's block? I just don't know what to write about. I do have news about the job search, but if you don't mind I want to wait until Friday night to tell you about it. So, today I give you this survey. It's not very exciting, I know, but at least it's something, right? :-) Oh, and by the way, if you have noticed that the blogs seem off date-wise it is because my blog was still under EST. I fixed that and now it is under PST. And another thing - if you would like me to blog on a certain subject, or have a question, or just want me to tell you what I love about you, be sure to leave me a comment.

1. Where were you an hour ago?
My parents' house.

2. Who will be your next kiss?
My niece tomorrow morning!

3. What kind of deodorant do you use?
Secret.

4. Are you wearing socks right now?
Nope.

5. When was the last time you went out of the state?
May 23.

6. Have you been to the movies in the last 5 days?
No...but watched rented movies.

7.What was the last thing you had to drink?
Starbucks.

8. What are you wearing right now?
Nothing. Just kidding. Capris and a shirt.

9. What was your last purchase?
Stuff from Walgreens.

10. Last food you ate?
Lunch at Los Pepe's with Amy. I am sooo hungry but it is kinda too late to eat dinner now.

11. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
Alisa

12. Have you bought any clothing items in the last week?
No.

13. Do you have a pet?
No. But my parents have one that I consider my own.

14. What’s the last sporting event you watched?
My girls at cheer practice today. Yes, cheerleading IS a sport! They work very hard.

15. Where did you go today?
Los Pepes with Amy, Walgreens, Parents house, Starbucks to meet Alisa, cheer practice, my house.

16. If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be?
East Coast...or Ireland.

17. What is the last thing you purchased online?
I am going to buy a dresser online tonight form Ikea. Does that count?

18. One thing you hate about yourself?
Just one? Too many to list.

19.Favorite Song?
IDK.

20. Are you missing anyone?
DEFINITELY

21. Last play you saw?
Fiddler on the Rood

22. What are your plans for the day?
Well it is 11:10 PM so pretty much sleep is all I have left on the list.

23. Ever go to camp?
LOL Um, hello, I have definitely had my fill of camp.

24. What is your biggest fear?
That I won't ever have the chance to be a wife and mom.

25. Do you have any tattoos or piercing?
Yes.

26. Last person who made you cry?
Can I plead the fifth on this one?

27. Are you wearing any perfume or cologne?
No not at the moment.

28. Where are your best friends located?
All over...:-(

29. Do you have a tan?
No. Freckles? Yes.

30. How soon do you want to have kids?
That's up to God.

31. Have you ever drank soda from a straw?
Yup.

32. Ever mixed all the sodas from the machine and drank it?
Ha ha, for sure.

33. Do you have allergies?
No.

34. Do you like hot sauce?
Ick.

35. Next time you’ll take a shower?
When I wake up.

36. Last shot you received?
Tetanus I'm assuming...

37. What is your mood?
OK

38. Are you someone’s best friend?
I hope so. =]

39. What did you do for valentine’s day?
I was snowed in that day.

40. What are you doing right now?
This survey! =]

I was watching America's Got Talent tonight and thought that I would share with you two clips of Britain's Got Talent. I cried at both of these. I'm such a girl.

Enjoy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=En0A8KGMgq8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k08yxu57NA&mode=related&search=

What a great day!

Here are some pics from my graduation day in May.

My hooding ceremony.

From reefs to high heels at the last minute. Can't take Cali out of the girl!

You can get a good view of me walking in and my hood here.

Here are me and my folks. We went to Niagara Falls the week before for my grad present. It was awesome and I really loved Ontario.

Yay for being done!

Kristin came down for the big day. So nice of her!

In passing my brother mentioned this show to me called Man vs. Wild. I had never heard of it before and didn't really think much of it. Well one day I was watching TV and while flipping through the channels I noticed that it was on. From that episode on I have been hooked. Take it from me - you need to be watching this show!

This guy, Bear Grylls, is AMAZING. Basically the show revolves around "dumping" him in the middle of nowhere and allowing him to find his way out. It usually takes him several days and on his journey he teaches the viewer how to survive should they ever find themselves in the same situation. You see him create shelter, make fire, make his way through many obstacles, and find food. If nothing else I watch this show to see what kind of disgusting food he will eat. He eats live snakes (kills them instantly with his first bite), bugs, live fish (although sometimes he does cook the meat), etc. Yesterday he ate a turtle. Of course I don't like seeing cute little bunnies beingkilled or anything like that, but he teaches that in order to get out alive one has to eat to get energy - and he kills them as humanely as possible.

The show flies by and I love it. It is really a show more for guys but I am telling you that I am a huge fan. I wish I had Tivo so I wouldn't miss out on any episodes.

But I haven't told you the best part yet. He is a Christian!! Yesterday I was watching and he started talking about God. I thought, "What? A guy who does a "nature" type show and isn't an evolutionist?" So of course I did my research and, sure enough, he loves the Lord. On his top ten reads he has "What's so amazing about grace?" and "Messy Spirituality." Of course I admire him even more now!

Yeah, he and his show are pretty awesome. It is on the Discovery Channel. Watch it and you will see why the show is so darn addicting.

A lot of people have been asking about the job hunt. Here it is in a nutshell:

Life has been challenging since I moved back to CA. In a way I feel like I am right back to where I was four years ago. Searching for a job and not understanding why it is so hard to find one. I am trying to remind myself that it all worked out for the best last time because the job I was hired for eventually turned into moving to the East Coast, which was a wonderful experience for me. Sometimes I just don’t understand what God is up to. (But who says it is my right to understand?)

Anyway…while I was still living in New Jersey I heard about the possibility of a job with Bethany Adoption agency. I was super excited and when I came out for Easter I met with the director and turned in my app. I was counting on that job even though I hadn’t signed on the dotted line. Long story short the position never became open as expected because the person who was supposed to leave changed her mind. I got that phone call two days before I moved home. I was devastated.

So, I counted on the 20 or so resumes that I sent out to churches, counseling centers, etc. to bring me some offers. Nothing. They either did not have the funds to hire on new counselors or they wanted someone who was licensed. I am not licensed (yet). That took me back to square one.

I interviewed with the Biblical Counseling and Educational Center, which is connected to the Evangelical Free Church in Visalia. They loved me and I loved them. They offered me the opportunity to be the director of a counseling center here in Kingsburg. Then they told me I would have to raise my salary. I am done raising my own salary. I have done it for five years. I am ready to not have to worry about if I will be paid this month or next month. I declined that offer, but would love to help as a volunteer.

Finally a job opportunity came along that I was sooooo excited about. It was for Hanford School District as a character coach. Basically I would be a behavioral specialist. I could combine counseling with my experience with kids – plus work for a school system. How cool is that? There were 60 people who applied for the job. I made it to the final three. I was the last of the three to be interviewed and when the second interviewee walked out as I was walking in, both she and the interviewer were laughing and said, “See you later.” My heart sank. I knew at that time the decision had already been made. Needless to say later that afternoon I got the phone call that I didn’t get the job. I was crushed. That was the first job “rejection” that I cried over for quite a while.

Last week I interviewed for a job as the children’s ministries coordinator at my church. They are doing first interviews until August 1 and then will do a round of second interviews after that. They are hoping to hire someone by the beginning of the school year. I do think that I would enjoy this job and be good at it. Plus it would allow me to go to MBBS and become licensed in counseling. I am even hoping to counsel on the side in the meantime for the church. We shall see what happens with this one. Too bad I have to wait like four more weeks…

On Tuesday I have an interview with Samaritan Women for the position of executive director. I know a little but about this ministry and think it would be a good fit. My only concern is if they will want me to raise my own salary or not…. I will let you know how it goes.

I do have a fun side job though. For those of you who don’t know, I am the new cheer coach at KHS. We have already begun and it has been quite the experience. I don’t think I really knew what I was getting myself in to. The kids have been great but some of the moms are PSYCHO. I have learned to screen my calls because it might be crazy cheer moms. I am already beginning to think that (unfortunately) this will be my one and only year as coach.

Hopefully this brought you up to date on my career search!! It’s not the exciting post I know, but many of you have been asking and I thought that this would be a good way of spreading the word. Be sure to check back tomorrow for another post as I promise to keep my promise of blogging every day for one month!

Hello, remember me? It’s been a looooooong time, hasn’t it? Sorry about that!

To make up for this and to get myself back in the habit of blogging again I am going to blog every day for one month. (Thanks to a great idea from Hannah.) This way I can catch you up on my life without having to write an enormous blog, and I can get myself back into the swing of things. Sound good?

So be sure to check back tomorrow…and the day after that…and the day after that…

I have so much to update you on...but won't have the time until my thesis is done. In the meantime though - here is a pic of my new WC car!

My parents found out that they got the "second" house. I will be living in this house and renting it from them. It is on Winter Street. Escrow will close just before I move at the end of May. The Lord has provided. I was able to get of my year long lease here in my apartment, and I now have a place to live when I return back to CA. Now only two more obstacles - selling my car here, and finding a job in the Valley. There is a promising lead with Bethany Adoption Agency which I would love - so maybe God has that in the works too. I'll keep you up to date! In any case...here is my new WC home!

Happy first day of Spring! It doesn’t look like it around here – with snow on the ground and temps in the 40’s…but just the thought of today being the first day of Spring makes me feel warm inside – even if it isn’t warm outside.

Here on the EC there is a place called Rita’s. It is a place where one could buy water ice, gelati, etc. (I know, the name “water ice” is a bit redundant, but that’s what its name is. It is basically shaved ice, but it is much yummier then that.) Anyway, they care only open during Spring and Summer, and on the first day of Spring they give out free regular water ices. I was pretty darn excited about that. Chad, Katie (the kids I baby-sit) and I went to get ours, and the line was ginormous when we showed up. When we hopped out of the car I was greeted by several YL kids running up to me and yelling, “Ashley’s here!” It was a good moment for me.

You see, when I came out here to interview my “tour guide” stopped at Rita’s. It was my first water ice (or wuder ice as they pronounce it here) and I remember wondering what the heck all the fuss was about – I mean, we don’t have stuff like that on the WC. Of course that was my first time in Hunterdon County so I knew absolutely nobody. Today, three years later, kids who I have come to know and love greeted me at Rita’s.

While there are many annoying things about New Jersey, there are many wonderful things as well. This is my home. I will be sad to leave it in exactly nine weeks from today.

I have been blessed to have this EC experience.

Snow Day Surveys

1. Favorite country song?
Right now? What hurts the most by Rascal Flatts.

2. Last thing you bought?
Dinner

3. Last time you got flowers?
Valentine’s Day – and they were my fave flowers too!

4. Do you share a toothbrush with your significant other?
no

5. One of your stuffed animals' names as a kid?
Anderson

6. Did you ever own at one time a Barenaked Ladies CD?
I don’t think so.

7. Favorite day of the week?
Friday or Saturday

8. Favorite Sundae topping?
Hot fudge

9. Did you take Piano lessons?
Yes – for 10 years

10. T.V. show you secretly enjoy?
The Hills

11. Date someone older or younger?
Either

12. One place you could travel to right now?
Ireland

13. Do you use umbrellas?
Rarely

14. Do you know all the words to the Canadian national anthem?
No. Only the first two…lol

15. Best job you ever had?
I loved being on work crew in high school. Does that count?

16. What is the last thing you do before you go to sleep every night?
Usually watch Dave Letterman

17. Ever been in a car accident?
Yes, several

18. How would you like to die?
In my sleep

19. When do you think you will get drunk next?
never

20. Were you ever in a school talent show?
yes

21. Allergic to?
nothing that I know of

22. Favorite fruit?
strawberries

24. Do you soap first or shampoo?
Shampoo

26. Do you scream on roller coasters?
Sometimes

27. Who was your first prom date?
Chris Johnson

28. Who was your first roommate?
Courtney

30. What was your 1st job?
For money? I guess that would be babysitting.

31. What was your first car?
Red Toyota Tercel

33. Who was your first grade teacher?
Mrs Pitts

35. Who is the first person you call when you have a bad day?
Oh that depends! I have many good friends I can call…

36. What's your favorite store?
Target

37. What's the name of the last restaurant you ate at?
McDonalds

38. What did you do yesterday?

Work, which included a WyldLife club

39.What book are you reading right now?
The Safest Place on Earth by Larry Crabb

40. Why did you fill out this survey?
Stuck in my house due to snow and I’m bored!!!

And yet another survey…

1. 4th grade teacher's name: Mrs. ?? Don’t remember but I can picture her. She wore a wig, bless her heart and everyone made fun of her. She went to my church.

2. Last words you said: “Sure. OK, bye.”

3. Last song you listened to: What hurts the most by Rascal Flatts.

4. Last person you hugged: Linda

5. Last thing you laughed at: Kids are WL club last night

6. Last time you said I love you and meant it: I don’t know…probably in some phone conversation to someone

7. Last time you cried: today while watching QEFTSG. A soldier was leaving his family for Iraq.

8. Do you have a car: Yes. But I am selling it when I move back to CA.

9. What color socks are you wearing: None – I’m wearing slippers.

10.What is under your bed: luggage mostly

11. What time did you wake up: It was a snow day so I got to sleep in!

12. What's you least favorite ice cream: pistachio

13. Current hair: down

14. Are you thinking about someone right now? No

15. Current annoyance: my procrastination habits

16. Current desktop picture? Me, Kristin, and Jerelyn skating on the pond in front of the Capitol in D.C.

18. If you could play any instrument what would it be? guitar

19. Favorite color(s): red

29. How tall are you? 5’ 41/2”

30. Current favorite word/saying: wow! Or soooo good!

31. Favorite Show: The Hills or anything news-y

32. Favorite season: Fall

36. What is your career going to be like: hopefully effective as a therapist!

37. How many kids do you want: as many as God chooses to bless me with

HAVE YOU EVER...

39. Said "I love you": yes

40. Ever get into a fight with your pet: yes

41. Have you ever been to New York: City and Upstate - YES (live near it)

42. Been to Arizona: Yes

43. Been to California: Hello, um, yes

44. Been to Hawaii: no

45. Been to Mexico: Yes

46. Been to Italy: no.

47: Been to Ireland: no

48. Dreamed something really crazy and then it happened the next day? I don’t think so?

52. Do you have a crush on someone? no

53. What book are you reading now? A book for school by Larry Crabb

54. Where is it? on a chair in my living room

55. What is the first thing you think when you wake up in the morning? what time is it?

56. How many rings before you answer your phone? depends

57. Future daughter's names: I have learned that that is dangerous if I think of that because what if I don’t have them? Sad, I know, but I have had to make that rule for myself.

58. Future son's names: Read above.

59. What do you sleep with: I usually fall asleep with my TV remote next to my head

60. What do you wear to sleep: pjs of course!

61. Where are you: stuck at my house

62. Where do you wish you were? somewhere sunny and warm!

63. Piercing: 6

SOME EXTRA STUFF

67. Where are you staying tonight: Home.

70. Who is the last person that you called: My landlord

71. Where do you want to get married: Can’t allow myself to think of that – but of course in a church

72. Have you ever drank: Yes

73. Hate: bad drivers

74. Are you or have you Been In Love: yes

75. Are you timely or always late: depends!

77. Do you like being around people: Yes I do!

78. Best feeling in the world: feeling wanted and loved

80. Are you a health freak? not so much!

82. Are you lonely right now: Not really

86. Do you want kids: It’s not up to me. But if it were, yes.

LAST 48 H0UR'S HAVE Y0U

87. Cried: yes

88. Bought something: yes

89. Gotten Sick: not technically, but I am still recovering from my bronchitis

90. Sang: I don’t think so??

91. Said "I love you": I don’t think so??

92. Wanted To tell someone you loved them: Everyone knows that I love them

94. Moved On: From what?

95. Talked to someone: Yup.

96. Had a serious talk: yes

97. Missed Someone: must say yes!

98. Hugged Someone: yes

99. Kissed someone: yes

100. Yelled at Someone: Not someone, I did yell at something (My lame cell phone!)!

From sixties to snow? Yep! Winter wants to leave with a bang and we are forecasted to have up to seven inches in the next couple of days! Crazy!

I got my new CD in the mail today. My friend Holli recommended it. It is "Cities" by Anberlin. Get it. It will change your life.

Here is a blog post for you all...finally! I apologize for letting my blog go for weeks without posting anything. Unfortunately this is going to be the trend for the next ten weeks. Because, ten weeks from today, I will be moving back to CA! Crazy, huh? I don't think that that reality has sunk in at all yet. To think that I am leaving my beloved EC is very disheartening. At the same time though I am praying that this is indeed what God will have me do next - move back to Kingsburg. Don't get me wrong, there are several things I am looking forward to about CA. And, I can always come back to the EC to visit, right? And, who knows, maybe I will move back here again someday if God allows it.

Once March hit my life became even busier and crazier then normal. As mentioned, this is how my life will be from now on until the move back to the WC. Every weekend is booked, and I am more then occupied with school (a 60 page paper that I haven't even started), work (both jobs), visitors, and hanging out with my EC friends as much as possible. So, I apologize in advance for not being a good blogger in the weeks to come. But, I will try to drop in every once in a while.

I got back from WA yesterday morning. I went for a long weekend to visit Hannah in Tacoma. I had a great time hanging out with her. She seems to be very happy in her new job and new location. I'm so glad for her. We did a lot of fun things. We went to Pike's Place, the first Starbucks ever, got pedicures, went to the Glass Art Museum in Tacoma, watched movies, went to her church, spent a bit of time with her family, went on a ferry, went to Gaswork's park, went to fun WC restaurants, etc. I was sick most of the time I was there, but was able to handle it up until Sunday night when I just knew I had to see a doctor to get on some meds. I had a red-eye back to PA on Monday night and knew that I needed to be feeling better in order to do that. The doctor thought I had walking pneumonia, but after x-rays revealed I didn't (praise the Lord), I was diagnosed with viral bronchitis - which, lucky me, means no meds. However the Lord gave me strength and I felt a bit better on Monday and was able to fly back as planned, and although I am still home sick, I am improving each day. Anyway, the ER trip was quite the adventure. Let's just say that Hannah and I got to mingle with some of Federal Way's finest. And I definitely mean that in a sarcastic way.;-) Ask me for details.

The weekend before that I had a high school friend from the WC come out to visit me for a long weekend. Alena had never been to the EC before and we tried to fit the highlights into her whirlwind trip. We went to D.C. and hung out with Kristin and hit all the major monuments and memorials, and then went into NYC for a couple of days where we also were able to get a lot of "touristy" stuff in. It was good having her here.

See what I mean about being busy? (But you know I love it when it involves friends!) And this weekend Kristin is going to come and stay with me. We are considering going into NYC for the St. Patty's Day parade. Whether we do or not, it will be fun to have her here. She has not been to Jersey since early Fall.

School is good. I am counting down the weeks though! I think I might have a touch of senioritis...or whatever you call that apathetic feeling that comes over a person during her last semester of grad school. I am so ready to be done with homework!! I think I only have seven weeks left... I think I can hang in there!:-) Now on to that massive paper. Yikes!

The weather is warming up a bit and I do believe that Spring is around the corner. Everything in WA was blooming and it made me so excited for that to happen here. I miss my green trees and all the pretty scenery. I also miss my flip-flops! Isn't March 21 the first day of Spring? Yay - it's almost here! Here's to hoping we won't see any more snow!

That's enough updating for now...see ya later alligator!

My weekend in pictures...

Jerelyn came to visit and we had a great time with Kristin. She flew in on Friday morning and I picked her up and we drove down to VA. Here are some of my favorite moments...

At Uno's pizza. Then we went and saw "Music and Lyrics." Super cute!

In the car...with Starbucks of course!

We went to Mount Vernon.

George Washington was home!

Went and said "hello" to another president...

We were friggin freezing!

Washington Monument

Skating on the frozen reflection pond in front of the Capitol.

WWII Memorial

Of course Cluckers tagged along!

Jer in front of Iwo Jima.

On Sunday we went to the Naval Academy in Annapolis.

It was amazing!

Football Stadium - Go Navy!

Sadly we had to say "goodbye" to Kristin and head back to Dirty Jersey on Sunday night. Jerelyn flew out really early on Monday.

Panera = yum.
I am sitting at Panera right now with Holli and Jeremy. We all have our laptops open and are studying, studying, studying, with the occasional break to chat, go online, or eat. (Or post a new blog!) This has become a tradition of ours and I am so grateful for it. It has really helped me to not procrastinate and get stuff done. It’s awesome! I do love Panera. I hope it makes its way out to the WC!

Oh the weather outside is frightful…
They say a big snowstorm is headed our way. Hmmm…maybe the kids around here will finally get a snow day! I know that they are anxious for one.

C’mon People!
It is amazing to me how many people still have their Christmas decorations up. It is almost Valentines Day, right? Please do yourself, and me, a favor and take down your inflatable snowman and your wreaths!

Fjords – Home Sweet Home
Looks like I secured an apartment there for when I move back to Kingsburg. Praise the Lord! I was really hoping to get in there. It is in a great location and are great apartments.

Yay for a mini-vacation!
Jerelyn is coming in to Philly on Friday and I will be picking her up and then we will head down to Kristin’s. I will be there for the weekend with them, returning on Sunday evening. I am really looking forward to it. I love my friends!

YOU make my heart happy…
Speaking of love, Happy Valentine’s Day! I love each and every one of you – I really do!

Oh my goodness…

I thought January was crazy but Feb. is certainly giving it a run for its money.

*Friday I became sick with a sinus infection/sore throat. Was put on meds on Saturday. Felt much better on Sunday.

*On way home from picking up meds and running errands on Saturday, I got rear-ended.

*Monday night I thought I was having a heart attack. Chest pains that shot into my lower jaw and down left arm. I called my insurance’s 24-hour nurse help line to ask her if I should be concerned and she told me I had to call 911 immediately. So, I did, and had the police and medics in my apt. Long story short, it was “just” an anxiety attack. Scary, and weird.

*Tuesday I started getting sick again – this time I think I have a double ear infection and sore throat!

And, to top all of this off, our windchill has been below zero most days this month. Lovely.

I think I need a vacation!:-)

Ugh, and it is only Feb. 7!

One of the kids I nanny for just got his permit. (You have to be 17 here to drive so 16 or so in order to drive with an adult.) Yesterday I was greeted with him sitting in his truck waiting for me. He had received the “ok” and was able to go out practicing yesterday. So, he drove us around and was quite proud of himself. He did a great job, and it got me to thinking about when I first got my permit and how absolutely nervous I was. But he did just fine. It was the first time I had to help teach/guide someone to drive. I felt like such a parent. But that is one of the reasons why I do enjoy nannying, I take care of these kids like a parent would, and I really like that. I do hope that God allows me to have children of my own someday.

Yesterday was also our first YL club of the semester. We are back in full swing now. This is my last semester with these kids. I am beginning to let people know. I have also decided where I will be moving to at the end of May…

California

Yes, that’s right, I’m coming back to the WC. This was a very hard decision to make. I was going to give myself these last few months to decide and apply for jobs in both areas, until God spoke to me on Saturday (or at least I think it was Him) and He told me to go back to CA. I then took a couple of days and wrote out lists about the good and bad of both places (which came out even – that was of no help!), and “pretended” that I was moving to CA, and then DC, to see how I felt about each. The result was that I still feel like God is telling me CA.

But this is just hard for me because I knew for sure, without a doubt, that I was meant to come to NJ. So not having that same assurance this time around makes me question where I am to move. But I really would feel apprehensive about either decision. So, the decision has been made and unless God clearly tells me otherwise, I am going to move forward with moving “home.”

I will miss the EC though in so many ways...truly. My biggest fear is that I will move home and regret leaving here. That is just a risk that I have to take. And maybe God will eventually call me back out here. Who knows? That is one thing I have learned in life – never plan or count on anything, because my plans aren’t the ones that matter.

But speaking of plans, I also think that God is calling me to learn more about going for my doctorate. I have two phone appointments this Saturday with two different Argosy University campuses. I am considering going for my Ed.D. in Pastoral and Community Counseling or my Ed.D. in Counseling Psychology. I could use your prayers on this one. It is a distance learning school so it will work well with living in Kingsburg and my job schedule.

That’s all for now. Back to work!

Hannah’s Visit…

Hannah came back to the EC to visit a couple of weeks ago and we had a wonderful time. She is a very special friend and I love spending time with her! We had a whirlwind visit. We went into NYC for a couple of days. We tried for our usual lotteries and ended up seeing The Apple Tree with Kristin Chenoweth. It was wonderful – I highly recommend it! We also did a bit of shopping and sight seeing. A highlight was going to the new Ground Zero memorial/museum. If you come visit me I will take you there. It is a must see. We also had lots of Starbucks and ate at fun places. Then we went to D.C. for a couple of days and stayed with my friend Kristin. We showed Hannah all the sights and ate at Famous Luigi’s, our tradition. We had so much fun and the weather was phenomenal. It was in the 60’s and we actually turned on the AC for a bit. We laughed a lot and really enjoyed each other’s company. I am so thankful that I have friends who come and visit me, and Kristin, a WC friend who I get to see on a regular basis! There is just something about WC people.:-) Speaking of friends coming to visit, another WC friend, Jerelyn, is coming in 23 days to see Kristin and me. Yay!

What is it with crazy people and me?

If you are a reader of my blog, or if I talk to you on a semi-regular basis, you will remember my stalker story from last winter/spring. Well, I had another scare while at Kristin’s. All three of us had gone upstairs for the night. This was probably around 1 AM. Hannah was in the spare bathroom and Kristin was in her bathroom – both getting ready for bed. I was in Kristin’s spare room lying on the air mattress with the door open. I was fully awake. Then, I heard Kristin’s front door open. Remember, we were all upstairs and I was a little confused. How could it open if we were there? Was I hearing things? Was it her neighbors? Was it Kristin and Hannah upstairs and I just confused the noise? But, I knew it was her front door. I recognized the distinct sound her front door makes. And, I hear it “whoosh” open and I could hear the outside noises when it opened. But, I didn’t hear it close. So then I thought that maybe the wind had pushed it open. Anyway, Hannah came out of the bathroom and I asked her if Kristin was upstairs. She told me that she was and then I told her that I had heard the front door open. Hannah went and got Kristin and I asked her if she could normally hear her neighbors…that maybe it was her neighbors’ door I had heard. But by this time we were all concerned and knew that we had to go check it out. Kristin was brave and the first one downstairs. She discovered that her door was unlocked, but it was closed. I had not heard the door close, but I knew what I heard, and I was positive I heard that door open. Hannah called 911 and soon a sheriff was at the house searching around. Thankfully he found no one. So, the mystery remains. Did someone come in and sneak out when they heard we were still up? Was that God’s way of pointing out to us we needed to lock the door? Was I just imagining things? Who knows!

Last semester…finally!

I finished my Acts winter class (praise the Lord!) and I am in my last semester of grad school. I graduate May 5 and I am counting down the days. I know in a previous blog I mentioned that I was considering going for my licensure. I have now decided against it…at least for now. If I were to get licensed here I would have to make up for the difference with the insane CA requirements (if I move back) and that would just mean more work for me. I only want to get licensed in the state where I will be working, if I do decide to get licensed, and so I will wait and pray for God’s direction in that. For now I will enjoy my last few months at PBU. It really has been a wonderful experience, and God has blessed and grown me so much in it.

Next chapter of my life…

Speaking of school wrapping up, I have an announcement to make. I am leaving Young Life staff. I gave my key committee people and boss my notice. I think I am going to be leaving at the end of May. I have also given my nanny boss notice, since this means that I will be leaving Dirty Jersey, or I mean, New Jersey. I have been thinking about leaving for a while now and really feel confident in my decision. I believe that the Lord has given me peace about it. I have come to love counseling and plan on pursuing a career in that, while volunteering with Young Life. This means that I have two major decisions to make this semester. One is where I will be working. Two is where I will be living. I have narrowed down my list to two places. One is back in the valley on the WC. The other is with/near Kristin in the DC area. A part of me wants to give the EC another chance, while the other half wants to go home. I have no idea how I will choose, so I am planning on applying to both places and simply taking the best job offer. Please pray with me that I will be able to discern God’s call on my life. These next few months are huge for me.

Winter is here…now let’s get it over with!

Our wonderful spring-like weather is gone and has been replaced with freezing weather and snow. But, this winter has been very mild compared to my last two here. I am so glad about that! I do enjoy looking at the snow, just not shoveling or driving in it. Thank goodness we have heaters and electric blankets!

Who to believe?

I took my car in to the Saturn dealership last week for an oil change and 72k tune up. When I was leaving the car mechanic told me that he noticed that my water pump was leaking and that I needed new tires. He quoted me $470 for the water pump and $580 for the tires. I almost started crying then and there. And this is just after I paid $110 for that day’s service. Well, I called my dad and he advised me to get a second opinion. I took my car into a friend’s mechanic and he told me that my tires have a good 3k more miles on them and that my water pump, after running my car for an hour, did not show any signs of leakage. Of course this was wonderful news, but whom do I believe? I certainly don’t want to be stranded somewhere because my water pump went out…but at the same time I don’t want to pay all that money needlessly. Maybe I need a third opinion?

I saw this online…I can’t believe what kind of world our children are growing up in. Check it out.

http://www.truthtellers.org/hatelawsflyermailer.pdf

Sullivan, 4.5. months, wearing the hat Auntie bought her for Christmas.

Hey Everyone!

It has been a while since I wrote a decent blog. I’m sorry about that! So much to catch you up on… I’ll try to do a recap in a nutshell.

I finished my fall semester and got straight A’s. This is my first time I have received straight A’s in my graduate career. I am very proud of myself and hope to keep it up...but we’ll see!

My visit home to CA was great…for the most part. I got to go to a hockey game, shopping, out to eat at some of my favorite places, relax, see movies, visit with lots of family and friends, etc. The time was very nice. Even though there are many things I strongly dislike about the valley, there are many things I love about it too. It will always be home!!

I took the red-eye home on New Years Eve and jumped into my winter course on Acts the very next day. The class just ended yesterday. I am glad to have the lecture part of it done. I have two more assignments for the class and then all my Bible requirements will be met. One Jan. 22 I begin my last semester of grad school. I only have three courses left, and I am so excited about each of them as I think I will be learning a lot! Graduation is less then four months away!

Tomorrow I am going away for a work conference to Ocean City, NJ. This wonderful weather that we have been having will ensure a great time “down the shore.” Here’s hoping the meetings are short and free time plentiful.

On Thursday evening my good friend and former roommate Hannah will be in town to visit. We are planning a short trip to NYC and DC over the weekend. In DC we will of course be hanging out with another good friend, Kristin. I am really looking forward to this time together with these awesome girls!

This semester is going to be a big one for me. I need to discern where God is calling me next…to which job and to which location. It is exciting and scary at the same time. I am also considering, where I had formerly been so adamantly against it, getting licensed as a counselor. I am hoping to talk to my counselor at school to get her opinion. So who knows where I will be this time next year. Please pray for me!

Tonight I am going to Holli’s for dinner and whatever else we decide to do. Should be fun, and I am off to pick up my house a bit before I leave.

Happy 2007 – and here’s hoping for the best year yet!

My kind of winter...I can't believe this! I'm loving it!

high of 66 tomorrow! No snow in sight...