walking next to you...

i was an owl:)

chloe, she was an owl too:)

and we are the same colors, so we are probably from the same parliament:)

eat lots of candy:) be safe:)

i love them. i love telling them, i love writing them, i love listening to them. the other day i posted a really neat photo as my profile photo on facebook and a friend of mine told me that i get the photo of the month award for it. Robert also suggested that i have people write up a story about that photo. his exact words:

{you win "coolest profile pic of the month" award. You should have people write in and tell a story based on this pic. 'Course you'd get the last laugh cause you were there and only you know the true story. And as they say "truth is stranger than fiction".}

SO, if you read this, look at this photo, and if you would be so kind, write a story about it. whatever comes to mind. i would love to hear from you. you can post it or email it (opris.r@gmail.com) to me or whatever. just do it. it might be a fun activity if you don't have anything to do, or it might just be fun even if you do have something to do.

off to work, yes, work doesn't end on weekends:)

today my parents celebrate being married for 32 years:) they fell in love in romania and made their way to the states and now, 32 years later, 6 kiddos later, they are still cute, joyful people. my parents are wonderful parents. i am not going to say they are the best parents on earth because everybody thinks that about their parents...but maybe i will say they are the best, because you know what? there can be more than one best:) so, from the top, my parents are the best parents on earth. they have sacrificed for us, they were and are selfless, they loved and love us completely in an unconditional way....because with 6 kids, that can be a whole lot of messy! they have brought and bring laughter and even when there have even been tears, all have been in the name of family and love.

i am a little bit sad that this is the first year of my life that i do not get to be with them to celebrate them, to celebrate their love. last night after the musical, i will write about that later, i sat down tired and ready for bed and as i laid in bed i was thinking about their anniversary and if i might be able to do something special for them since i can't be home. i started thinking about them, about love, and i started humming this tune. and while i was humming the tune i started singing actual words and well within minutes i decided i just needed to record it for them.

i put together just a sweet little tune for you, mama and tata:) i always get a little bit nervous about posting music, when i'm on it, i don't know why, i'm just self-conscious i think. we all are in one way or another. well, it is just a fun, sweet little tune and the recording is horrible...first i got out of bed to do it and second you can hear chloe stepping on the keyboard at one point:) but i like it. i know love has nothing to do with fairy tales and what not BUT i'm sure that someone out there can agree that these things exist in love. because even if it isn't a fairy tale, it is good. our Father intended it to be so. and someday, i would like to really record it for them. they deserve it a lot:)

just incase you have a hard time with the lyrics:

you are the sunshine

after the rain

you are the bright stars

in the dead of night

you-oo my love

you-oo my only one

you whisper softly

secrets in the shapes of hearts

you are the beauty

in the gloomiest

of times

so, it turns out you cannot just upload a song to a blog. this forced me to create this little number. it is cutting the photos because i wouldn't even know where to begin as far as making the thing smaller:) but if you really want to see the photos, just click on it. i just love my family:)

mama si tata, va iubesc forte mult si mi dor de voi si doresc sa avetii o ziua forte placuta:) ne vedem la cratun!!!

happy anniversary:)

ps---if you have ever wondered which parent i take after...look at my profile photo....then look at my mom in her wedding photo....nough said:D

i have a student named Tiger first of all.

Ian said to Tiger, "Tiger, if you would mate with a lion, you would make a Tigon."

he even did the math!

bahahahahaha! i seriously just about died!

like i said, my students just kill me:D

of horrors! that is the fall musical that Montverde is putting on. and it is this coming wednesday, thursday, and friday. and i have a few appearances in it! SO if you are in town, you should def stop by. the students are going to do an AMAZING job. we had our first run through last night and i was blown out of the water but how terrific they did. the props, the costumes, it is going to be so good. and oh my goodness, Jen and i just laughed the entire time because it is that funny. true story. we were NOT laughing at the students themselves but at their amazing abilities to really capture the essence of their characters. it's early. lots of work to do this week. so have a lovely week, blessings and smiles all around:)

SO, i began writing this days ago, but had no luck finishing it due to the madness of this week:) so i will sort of just combine the events of this past week.

first things first, if you know me, you know that i love charlie brown. i just do. there is something so nostalgic about charlie brown and i love watching the cartoons, reading the comics, all of it. well, earlier this week i received a little package in the mail...and it was from....the great pumpkin. no, i'm not joking. i know, i know, it may seem like a bunch of nonsense but my package read from the great pumpkin!

the only problem was that he/she forgot to leave a return address so i could send a thank you note:) inside were these cute little personalized fall note cards. the package was so cute too. it was the way my week began, with an interesting little package in my mailbox. and i am pretty sure my own family doesn't have my address and i don't think i have shared it with but a couple individuals. well, regardless, it was nice, so great pumpkin, thanks:) it was a nice way to begin week nine at Montverde.

tuesday overall was a nice day. i woke up feeling like i wanted to break all the fashion rules so i did...well, at least i thought so:) i had blue and white stripped shoes, a zig zaggy orange and ivory skirt, and a brown and white polka dotted blouse. too many patterns for one outfit?...nope. it was perfect:)

the only thing that was a little crummy was this flu thing. i don't get sick very often but when i do it is never just the common cold, it always has to be something like the flu. and when it hurts to swallow, well, that can really dampen anyone's mood, right? well, i decided that i was going to just have a good day. school went by pretty quickly and after there was a bit of running and off to this little sushi place in town. marlena introduced my to it and i just felt like that would make for a yum dinner, so i went. my outfit for my night out, pretty ridiculous:)

my i'm a veggie shirt(thanks cheech:), cut off shorts, sandals, and the best part, my locket:) my sisters and i each have one so i wear it always now. and it makes me think of them. love those girls so much:) i sent this photo to them that day to show them my locket, cc noticed the shirt:) i had the sweet potato rolls and a glass of plum wine and it was just perfect. my funny outfit, it not only got stares but it helped the chef at the restaurant identify me as a californian. how? i don't even know:) well, he was super nice and my dinner was a delight.

wednesday after school, i hung out with the kittens. i made dinner, put my jammers on, did work, and played with chloe and toby. they are just so fun! except for when i play to hard, their claws let me know....no bueno:)

meet chloe...

and toby:)

i won the battle. they got so sleepy that they just hopped up onto my bed and called it a day:)

thursday and friday were great. the flu thing, still kinda was making me crazy but eh. yesterday, i had parent teacher conferences. i was so amazing at how brilliant that experience was. i have heard horror stories about meeting with parents but mine were nothing like them. NOTHING. the parents i met were brilliant and i am certain the parents i didn't meet are brilliant as well because their kids are. after they were over, i went home and made a huge decision. i was going to do something outside of grading:) so i looked up movie times and after doing the dishes, i took off. what movie? life as we know it. i know, i know, BUT i am so glad that was the one i ended up picking. i love going to the movies by myself. i always have and i am pretty sure that i always will. don't get me wrong, i love going with others too but sometimes it is just nice going solo:) and last night, i am glad it happened that way. i had pizza before, only downside, burned the roof of my moth...still feeling it this morning. the movie, i liked it a whole lot. i laughed so much...most of the time, i was the only one laughing but so what:) and i'm not going to lie, i cried too. it happens:) would i recommend it. yes. guy or girl, if you are just feeling like watching a funny, ok kind of flick, sure, just watch it. why the heck not?

and there is a really good cover of guns n' roses song sweet child o' mine by these guys:

the only thing that could have added to my night happened. i always love getting picture texts, i don't know why, i just do. and last night i got two! one right after the other:) first, i got to see jac, who is the most lovely and best five year old on earth.

and after my cutie pie sister sent me a photo and it just made me smile:)

now to get started on work. saturday, here i come...

ok, so seriously, my students....they are pretty amazing. i received the most beautiful homemade button bracelet today:) it is perfect and colorful and i just love it. like i said, my students are amazing. it has nothing to do with the button bracelet, the bracelet is just the absolute neatest bonus. they are just awesome:)

for now, enjoy and good night:)

i woke up feeling a lot better:) saturday night i was able to sing with ben and jason for this neat little outreach at a local church. i was not feeling too hot(actually i was feeling too hot, that was the problem) so i didn't get to finish out the night which honestly, broke my heart. i missed that so much and well, i just couldn't do it. the fever was killing me and i knew i wasn't going to last...and i was right. but sunday came:) i went to church with my family first because when i woke up, i knew i was ok. it was really nice to sit there with them, it has been a while so i felt very grateful. afterwards, i left for restoration. oh, i just was aching for that service. i missed it and miss it so and i was just looking forward to being there that morning. i had the opportunity to sing with ben and jason once again and this time we made it through and oh goodness, it was just such a wonderful thing. God was there, He is there with them. they are wonderful and He is doing such a work there. i was able to spend some time with Lindsey and the girls and what a treat, her sweet mama was in town so i got to see her too:) that Lindsey, she is so good for my heart. she is just overall, such a sweet soul:) i wish i had photos but we didn't take any, next time:) the service was so moving. moses and the burning bush. something we all need to hear not just once. it needs to seep in. it has to. it is to good not to let it captivate the heart. i was so glad to be able to be there even for a short time.

lunch with the family was wonderful and the afternoon off was so good. i needed it because i was just a little on the weaker side all weekend. later that evening, i got a really amazing treat. really, really. Jonsi with some pretty lovely people. awesome:D

we drove over in a large suv(the grays, the macdonalds, the wurzells, and yours truly:) and had such an amazing time. laughs and conversation and FACE! oh gosh, so many good laughs. i already miss it. jonsi was breathtaking. my heart was so moved. there was one point during a song where i caught myself looking up at the ceiling and i whispered, 'God, this is how my heart feels right now'. i know it sounds crazy but i almost felt like He said i know, my love, i know. and the tears just sort of came. but it was ok. it was just moving all around. the music, the art. all of it. there was such a meekness to his performance. and a sort of humility that you don't really see in a lot of musicians out there. it was beautiful. and i could not have been there with a nicer group of people.

and if you want to, you can watch the actual show here. and maybe you should. even if you were there, watch it again. you just should.

and after, it was time to head back. i got horribly sick. the worst plane experience ever. lots of benadryl. sleep. i'm here and my heart, it is good:)

to be home:) SO up and down. my flight was pretty amazing. it was smooth and there was a parks and rec. marathon so seriously, it couldn't have been better:)

i got in late friday night. it was such a funny thing because my plane actually got in quite early but there was miscommunication between the sisters and i. well, not so much as miscommunication as much as just a lack of knowledge about LAX, which in retrospect is a bit funny considering aura and i go here and there so often:) i was so cranky by the time they got there, i must admit, but looking back at it now it was just funny, how they were supposedly driving past me but i couldn't see them. But they really were not driving past me. we finally figured the situation out and home was close. the drive home was funny and good. bec, aura, me. beyonce, black eyes peas, mumford and sons...what a weird mix, right? well, it worked:)

we talked, i miss them already. it was just so good. when we got to the house, the first thing i noticed as i walked towards the front door were the bajillion festive fall decorations. i love my mom:) the family home looks so beautiful and festive this time of year, inside and out. scarecrows, leaves, all of it. my mom just knows how to decorate. for all seasons, christmas, her specialty:) my favorite decoration this year was actually inside. it is the tablecloth. beautiful fall leaves all over it. it's perfect.

i was so sleepy when i got home. we chatted for a bit, i cleaned up, and off to bed. saturday was going to be busy. i needed sleep.

Saturday i woke up and got ready for our day. our FAMILY day:) i left to pick up some coffee for our breakfast and of course augie's was the place. i was really excited about the coffee, especially since they are now roasting. i bought two blends and Tom bought me a cup so i got to try a third. that morning made me smile. i sat at a table with friends and told them about my time in Montverde thus far and we were all just excited. It was such a treat for me to be able to sit with them, especially Tom and Roberto, because they are just dear people. they were so happy for me and were so joyful and that just brought pure delight to my heart. i saw the new roaster in the back room and truly, it looks perfect. it adds so much character to that room. maybe some that was lacking before and now it is complete. it is red and just lovely. and the coffee, really yum.

breakfast was amazing, coffee, eggs, pumpkin waffles! now, pumpkin is not my favorite BUT those waffles were amazing and cc, i want them for Christmas too:) or maybe we can make gingerbread ones!!! and we can make them for dinner when we do our gingerbread house competition with the boys....ahahaha, and maybe they will decide to leave the solar panel out this year so that they can actually stand a chance to win;)

sisters... probably the best in the world... i am almost certain. i made little trinkets for a few people, they were three of those people:)

me and the becker:)

laura(with a romanian accent) and i:)

the girls and mama:) she really is the best mom on earth:)

robishka and i:)

afterwards, we had such a wonderful afternoon of oak glen and the pumpkin patch and food. we had apple cider doughnuts and we took pictures with pumpkins and we ate a great deal. and kim and richard and robyn came and that was just perfect. kim made a lovely button frame for me and i can't wait to fill it and hang it:) i just loved being with everyone.

apples-snowline-gotta love em:)

my family:) some of them.

apple cider doughnuts!

so yum!

at snowline:)

the brothers, two of them:)

pumpkins, love them!

yes.

look at this face:)

the girls. so lovely.

to run around all of montverde, i asked? here is the answer:

to run around all of montverde??? because i think i along with twenty students did it today:) if not all the way, pretty close...Mindy, you will have to answer this question for me because you know the area much better:) what a day. a good day. a right day. even if my ears are just killing me, eh, such a minor thing right now. i'm going to my home, my home in california:)

so i was just sitting here in my classroom and the nicest complement came walking through my door:) i did music at this nice church here in town on sunday and amy's son burned a cd for me of someone that i reminded him of. how nice is that? and it is the finches:)

it is. and i love it on campus at 6am. it is quite and all i hear are the sweet ladies that clean and the little white radio on a bucket down the hall. the mornings are so chilly now and there is always a little breeze. this morning especially, my heart feels so funny. but not in a bad way. it has felt funny in a bad way here and there over the past months but today is different.

this. will ya? jeez louise, what a day. it was packed with headaches, earaches, and a million other things but it was good regardless. i am so ready for what this week will bring. i am so ready for what the weekend will bring. i just am ready...

for a while now i have been thinking about how funny life is. through conversations i have had with some of my dearest friends, whether by phone or by skype or by email or in person, a lot is becoming clear and that is something i am grateful for. sometimes we just get into fogs and we get stupid and the Lord has to grab us by the hand and pull. sometimes we try to be too strong and forget that when we are weak, He is strongest. so He has to remind us. and He does. He is never far. actually, He is always right there it is just that sometimes, we tend to seperate ourselves from Him for one reason or another. sometimes it is bitterness or anger or hurt or whatever, the list can go on and on but it isn't worth it. the truth is He is always near, we push Him, not the other way around. and yet, He is not too far even when we push. that is one thing i have been most grateful for in these past few months. my friend kim said some very profound things to me in these past couple days. things that have only encouraged me to think even further. and to understand that God has so many beautiful things in store for me and that nothing, not even myself, can take that away. i can sometimes slow it down, and sometimes He needs to slow things down for His purpose, but God is God, and He is bigger than my shortcomings, my inabilities, all of it. HE and He alone is capable of making all things new, beautiful, good.

church was so nice. i was invited to lead worship at the church of a lovely lady from work and that was just great. i played with this younger fellow and well, you know when you meet someone who is clearly a natural at music? he was that. it was such a pleasure to play/sing with him and the others. i had a couple goodies to pick up on my way home so i did and afterwards, i went home to play with the little ones. and I WON! i wore them out and well, i wore myself out actually:) so we all took a little nap and they were so cute:)

i woke up and started on some work and my phone buzzed! it was Mindy and she and Hunter and Haylee were out riding bikes and wanted to come visit the kittens! that made me so happy and of course i said yes:) so they came by and played and laughed and Mindy and i got to chat and her friendship is so good for my heart:) (thanks:)

i went over to their home a little later and the plan was apple sauce AND Hunter and Haylee saved the last apple for me! the thing that made my heart so happy was the seconds after ringing the doorbell. i heard Haylee coming to the door with excitement in her voice about my arrival and i just stood waiting and smiling, literally from ear to ear. well, what happened shortly after was nothing short of amazing. Haylee and i sat down for a game of tic tac toe. and well, simply put, she beat me:) BUT we did have a couple cats rounds...here is where the question of cats come in:) do you know what cats means in a game of tic tac toe? i have had a few crazy glares in the past from calling cats in a game but that is so normal for me and for Mindy because Haylee knew exactly what i was talking about:) do you???

after, we had a lovely dinner together and the highlight, the applesauce. it was amazing. we went for a walk when we finished and saw some lovely things:) first is the house next door. over 100 years old and a true beaut. it is just down the street from my home so i can't wait to pay it a visit again. Mindy said the owners love giving tours when they are home...so i just need to catch them:)

there are docks all around because here, we are surrounded by lakes. the most beautiful ones. we walked out and there were dragon flies EVERYWHERE. it was such a vision as the sun was setting and they were just flying around, swarms of them. i don't know what you call tons of them:) when we got to the water, there was a something floating...and of course that something turned out to be an alligator! there may have been one on the other side, we were not sure but kinda we were pretty sure:) but the one that we were 100 percent certain of, we knew because he was actually moving around. he was a little guy so i wasn't too freaked out...'too' being the key word:) those guys are a bit scary.

the last thing was just one more special thing to close out the evening. these three beautiful antique chairs that are now around my little table that had no chairs:) it was the most lovely night.

a wonderful way to start off the week. the week that will lead to my trip home. home, see you soon:)

happy sunday:)

and if you know me, you know i love them:

noapte buna:)

the other night, my sisters got me so excited about my coming trip that i packed. normally, i am a little ocd about packing but not a week and a half early. oh well, what can you do?... :) three dresses, leggings, tights, boots, and flats. a couple other necessities and ready to go! yesterday, ian came up with this one. i was/am so impressed. these guys, they are just so creative. they def use the creative box in their brains. some people don't know how to, the guys that come up with these names, they KNOW!
the only problem with that birthday statement up there and in the above photos??? it is NOT my birthday! one of my period three students wrote that her birthday is on tuesday. when period four came in and saw that they immediately happy birthdayed me! i corrected that so quickly but somehow it stuck and they celebrated me! they sang and wrote birthday notes all over my boards and i just about died of laughter!!! i laughed so much. lena, the cheeck biting thing did not work this time. we laughed so much and my heart was so joyful, even if it isn't really my birthday! the last thing, one of the taller students in my class, jp, decided he was going to leave me a birthday note WAY up high on the board so that i couldn't possibly erase it! i caught him when he had nearly finished. and when the group walked out the door, i found little messages on the other board...i didn't see that happen because there was a large group of students in front of me. this was probably one of the nicest fridays i have had in so long and i am just all smiles. the students here, they are so brilliant. friends, i so hope you believe me because it is so true. AND not only are they smart, they are the funniest ever!
happy weekend to you! do something fun and fally. carve a pumpkin or drink some cider or something. the students are going to halloween horror nights...i will NOT be going:)
ps...tomorrow, chloe is coming home. she is toby's little sister and i know, i know, another cat? but she is so lovely and she really needed a home and toby needs a sister! i will post a photo soon.

today was one of those days. you know, where at the end of the day you just can't help but look up and say thank you and thank you. last night was such a disasted but it is in the past and today helped me really put it there. i don' know if i can stress enough how great of a place this is...not the place necessarily as much as the people. they are life changing.

today was just beautiful. fall is here and there is good music all around and just goodness in general flowing out of people. something wonderful happened. my students wanted a photo taken with me today and ah! that just was wonderful. so of course, we took one:

meet from left to right, my sweet and wonderful friend and fellow teacher, cheneille, and students nicole, audrey, and nick. and me! sporting my super duper monteverde tie! which i, mentioned earlier, tied all by myself with the help of mr. englishman on youtube:) thank you sir.
just before lunch i received the most wonderful gift. it was their good morning and they wished me one as well(lindsey, this seriously made my day...and just a bit later, you made it EVEN better:) this photo:

dear jessica,
i found your stash of paste magazines and truly, this morning, that is EXACTLY what i needed. i hope you don't mind that i am going to borrow them! thank you my friend,
roxi

part of this was written yesterday, part today, just try to keep up:)

side note---> i started writing this yesterday afternoon and after leaving the school quite a bit happened which is why this didn't get finished. let me pick up where i left off and we shall see where that will take us:)
the above and below come courtesy of ian. he knew this some of the students would have a hard time with this one, that some perhaps would not understand...but a few already got it and the laughter that came as a result was the proof! and it also looks like this:this one, i think, was a personal favorite for many...it was up there for like two weeks:) i think it is totally safe to say that my time here is being well spent:) i have been adjusting and the thing that has made the process such a smooth one are the people. those whom i work with, the students, and those outside of the school environment. a combination of the three is making my time here so pleasant and i am utterly grateful. monday night was a really neat night for me. marlena asked me to help out at the burning and of course i said yes. i always love it when i get the opportunity to music with her because she is absolutely brilliant. the service was so wonderful and just towards the end, shawn shared a story and it just nearly would have knocked me off my feet had i been standing. he talked about baseball when he was younger and how he just couldn't understand the importance of being in the out field just waiting...and waiting...and waiting. he thought about being in other places but no, he was stuck out there watching kids hit balls, run, and so on. and he just stod and waited. UNTIL finally a kid hit the ball and it disappeared. and he looked around for it and didn't see it anywhere. well, that is, unit he looked at his glove and noticed that the ball was tucked away in him glove! he had served such a purpose and was not able to see it until he caught that ball and realized how important his position was! how lovely is that! well, while i was sitting there, shawn began to pray and the words, 'ask and i'll give the nations to you' flooded my mind. that is a song by shane and shane and i heard it for the first time years and years ago but when i heard it for the first time i sort of felt like it was my anthem because for as long as i could remember, that was the deepest and is the deepest burning of my heart. to be among the nations. i remember from a very young age talking to my mom about these things. i remember my firs time out of the country and how important that was to me and how it changed my life. well, monday night, that all came flooding in. and i just wept. i was reminded of my heart and it hit me. i work at Montverde Academy. the Creater of the Universe made it that i would be SURROUNDED by the nations. we finished and i was able to talk to marlena about what i experienced and my heart was so full that night. yesterday, i was able to share it with a new friend mindy. mindy is one of the sweetest gals. she is a teacher here but she also oversees the bible club here and ccc, the service i get to sing for every once i a while. i sang on sunday night and there was a little crack in there and it made me feel so insecure but mindy just encourage and encouraged me. yesterday, after i told her my story from monday night, she paused just for a bit and said something that sent a shiver up my back. she told me that the Lord opened a door for me to be able to sing to the nations...41 to be exact. 41 nations are represented here at Montverde. it doesn't matter how many cracks or whatever come out of my mouth, they don't care! i shouldn't care! this is such a neat thing! just a while later, i remembered that i had noticed something a week ago and kept meaning to ask about it but kept forgetting. as i drove up the street, i noticed this little sign that read YWAM oralndo. well, being that i know a number of people who have been involved in the program, i was interested in finding out about that little sign so i finally asked mindy about it! and she knew as much as i did. BUT she also told me that students at the school were asked her about possible missions opportunities! and YWAM would be perfect for these guys! so she gave me homework---call YWAM! so i did and they were so excited and i was so excited and we will be meeting soon to discuss a partenership AND that sign, that is their new training center! five minutes up the road from Montverde! hello!
i sort of skipped around school the rest of the day, just marveling in how the Lord works. how He is so faithful to provide. and i decided to go for a drive to lena's to tell her about it, and it happened. i heard this horrible sound, my car swirved, i pulled over, and flat tire. really flat. i had to move a little bit up the road because i was in a very tight spot. i had a few nice people stop to assist but i let them know lena and shawn were on their way. one nice sir, ato, and his sons got out and help and between ato and shawn, we were good to go to the tire shop. well, long story short, it kinda was a disaster. my car is at the shop currently, there is a very bent rim. and last night was srt of rough. and i was so mad at myself because i knew it was just an attack and i think that i parially failed. i tried so hard to smile it off but by the end of the night, there were tears involved. HOWEVER, i woke up with a smile on my face this morning. God is faithful. it is ok if you are reading and don't really buy into that, but i do and i hae experienced that faithfulness too many times to doubt it:)

anywho, i have my tie on this morning....YOUTUBE is magical. this english man taught me how to tie a tie thins morning:)

happy wednesday:)