Archive for July 2010

Saturday, July 31, 2010

working with steven...

i get to do that tonight. and it is the first full shift that we are working together and well, so far...it's AWESOME!
he is so nice and if anyone was ever a jerk to him, i would totally have his back. SO i hope those individuals wouldn't be too much bigger, because i am kinda smaller:)
i snuck this photo:
he was talking to doug who uses our coffee grinds for his garden. steven told him about a garden he had once...and how his neighbor's dog used to eat his corn...ahahahaha:) i laughed so much inside, not at steven, at the story.
after that photo, we tried to take one together:
the result, steven got nervous during the countdown and i laughed and so here you have it...disaster. but i love it! we are both having a great time and he told me i am a strange girl but in a good way! what a nice compliment from steven:D we talked about wwII and if you know me, you know i love that topic...go steven! how have i never worked with the guy?!
i also noticed that we are a little different on our reading styles:
mine is on the left, steven's is on the right. he told me about his nice girlfriend krystal. she came in when i worked with him for a bit last week. i didn't really meet her but she seems really nice and steven likes her a whole lot so she must be so nice.
i poured one of these for roberto from the farm:
it isn't super, but that's ok. come visit if you are in the area! stevo and i would love it!
to seal the deal...allen came in wearing this:
ehehehe:) memories....
can it get any better?!
i sure hope so. steven, allen, everyone, thanks buddies:)

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little treats.

i got this in an email today.
my favorite part...she is playing in the rain...well, at least that is how i see it:)
as of a couple hours ago---robishka and i will visit our old friend el mex today!
my shirt, it has holes in it....silly washer...

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Friday, July 30, 2010

whaaa?

Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed?

-closed

Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotel?

-nope

Have you ever stolen a street sign before?

-no, BUT i did get one as a white elephant gift once.

Do you like to use post-it notes?

-yes, the ones that are offered to me via my computer and real ones on important, must remember occasions.

Do you cut out coupons but then never use them?

-nah, i don't cut or use...oh gosh...

Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of a bees?

-i'm pretty sure i would take the bear over the bees.

Do you have freckles?

-tons

Do you always smile for pictures?

-nope, becky called me out on it once so now i think i am better about it:)

What is your biggest pet peeve?

-one is when people chew like horses:) you know what i mean...

Do you ever count your steps when you walk?

-most of the time.

Have you ever peed in the woods?

-ahahaha:) is there anyone who hasn't?

What about pooped in the woods?

-jeez louise...

Do you ever dance even if theres no music playing?

-yes, yup, yep.

Do you chew your pens and pencils?

-nope, but that doesn't mean i never did.

What is your Song of the week?

-excuses by the morning benders please.

Is it okay for guys to wear pink?

-sure, why not?

Do you still watch cartoons?

-yes, but i miss pepper ann. they just don't make them like they used to.

Whats your least favorite movie?

-sorry...the princes bride.

Where would you bury hidden treasure if you had some?

-in the back room at augie's in one of those brick walls...no one would know to look there for sure:) maybe right next to the hole with all the notes inside...ehehehe:)

What do you drink with dinner?

-sometimes

What do you dip a chicken nugget in?

-i don't

What is your favorite food?

-mexican!

What movies could you watch over and over and still love?

-hot rod, amelie, everything is illuminated, james and the giant peach:)

Last person you kissed/kissed you?

-my mom:)

Were you ever a boy/girl scout?

-no, i think i wanted to be but i grew up in a romanian household...ahahaha!

When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper?

-i love to write letters...not too long ago.

Can you change the oil on a car?

-yes i can, and tires too:)

Ever gotten a speeding ticket?

-nope, i was pulled over once and he was nice enough to let me go!

Ran out of gas?

-it is begging to happen. i am so bad about filling up.

Favorite kind of sandwich?

-bread, cheese, tomatoes...done.

Best thing to eat for breakfast?

-ice cream...recent favorite:) ok, but really, oatmeal.

What is your usual bedtime?

-recently, it doesn't seem to exist.

Are you lazy?

- i don't think so. maybe i should try it.

When you were a kid, what did you dress up as for Halloween?

-nothing...but now that i am grown up, i do it every year:)

What is your Chinese astrological sign?

-i think it's the ox?

How many languages can you speak?

-fluently, two.

Do you have any magazine subscriptions?

-no.

Which are better legos or lincoln logs?

-lincoln logs.

Are you stubborn?

-yes.

Who is better...Leno or Letterman?

-yikes, idk.

Afraid of heights?

-YES. i am working on it though.

Sing in the car?

-always.

Dance in the shower?

-ahaha! yuppers!

Dance in the car?

-yes please.

Ever used a gun?

-nope.

Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer?

-when i got my hair cut.

Do you think musicals are cheesy?

-no i don't. i actually like them:)

Is Christmas stressful?

-no, never. i like it tons!

Ever eat a pierogi?

-yes.

Favorite type of fruit pie?

-apple

Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid?

-a nurse...that didn't go so well.

Ever have a Deja-vu feeling?

-always.

Take a vitamin daily?

-yes

Wear slippers?

-in the winter, my feet get so hot in the summer time.

What do you wear to bed?

-my summer jammies!

Nike or Adidas?

-i don't think i own either.

Cheetos Or Fritos?

-cheetos, the hot ones.

Peanuts or Sunflower seeds?

- peanuts aren't really my friends right now so i have to go with the sunflower seeds...

Ever hear of the group Tres Bien?

-no.

Can you curl your tongue?

-i think so.

Ever won a spelling bee?

-no but i think i might be able to if i tried:)

Have you ever cried because you were so happy?

-yes.

Own any record albums?

-a few.

Own a record player?

-isn't this one a given?

Regularly burn incense?

-nope, only sometimes.

Who would you like to see in concert?

-yes, jonsi. and it is happening:D

What was the last concert you saw?

-angus and julia?

Hot tea or cold tea?

-hot.

Tea or coffee?

-both.

Sugar or snickerdoodles?

-snickerdoodles!

Can you swim well?

-well enough.

Can you hold your breath without holding your nose?

-yes. this is the best question ever:) are there people that can't hold their breath without holding their noses?

Are you patient?

-sometimes.

Ever have plastic surgery?

-nope.

Which are better black or green olives?

-gross!

Can you knit or crochet?

-yes.

Best room for a fireplace?

-the living room.

Do you cry and throw a fit until you get your own way?

-no. no i don't.

Whats your favorite color?

-brown. yes, brown:)

Do you miss anyone right now?

-yes.

Did you watch, Next Great American Band on FOX?

- no.

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i just had a moment...

i was standing at the cash register at work taking a coffee order and i started to hop and giggle...because i was listening to jonsi and realized that i will be seeing him in october.
happy friday. enjoy your weekend. see jonsi if you can:) i am.

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Thursday, July 29, 2010

the unicorn dress...

it exists:)...and there are bunnies and ducks and kittens too...

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lost sleep.

i hate to say it but i had the most miserable night last night. mostly due to not being able to fall asleep and once i did, being startled awake by one of those dreams.
sometimes we all have to experience nights like that. they are not necessarily bad you know. anywho, yesterday was a day to remember. so i will write on it:) i woke up early to get ready for a day of fun with lindsey and nicole. we met, grabbed coffee and headed out to the roadium. the conversation was wonderful(america! ahahaha:) and i got to work on a project in the backseat since i didn't drive. that was so wonderful, thank you lindsey:) once we got there, we spent hour upon hour walking down the rows of stuff and more stuff. and we had such a great time doing it! we all agreed that it was nostalgic. it took me back to the markets of amsterdam, especially the waterlooplein flea market.
we found quite a few really fun things. and we ran into this really lovely lady anita. so sweet and she tried on a wig for us and it was awesome:) we were able to stop by the home of lindsey's sweet sister, megan(sp?). we met her sweet pup, got a tour of the lovely home, and went to lunch at this little mexican place. she is such a nice gal and the two of them together was nice. it reminded me of my sisters and i:)
we looked through everything when we got home and we all did so well:) and spent basically nothing! it was so nice just to spend time with lovely people. it always is.
today is the day i wear my unicorn dress:)

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Wednesday, July 28, 2010

happy wednesday.

make it one.

i just can't get enough of these guys right now.
music!
have a good one:)
i am off to the land of buttons and fabric...

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Monday, July 26, 2010

oh my gosh...

today was a so lovely. i just can't be grateful enough. my heart is in tangles to be honest but God seems to be so faithful especially in those times. when i woke up this morning, i turned over and saw my little brown bible sitting there. i read some really sweet passages and got up to get ready for the day. i was driving to my wednesday morning study when i noticed a very familiar black vehicle in front of my little mouse. it was linda amento and i wasn't sure if she too was going to the study but one way or another, i was going to say hi:) she pulled into augie's and i followed to get my hug and hello and it was totally worth it. she is such a delight.
the study was AMAZING. the book of daniel is just madness for my heart right now. the first few studies were good but i was having a hard time settling in. today i finally settled in:) today's session covered exactly something that was mentioned by last night's speaker at restoration and it just blew my mind. when those three guys were waiting to be tossed into the furnace they were just concerned with one thing and that was their Abba. they were not exactly sure if they were coming out of there but it didn't really matter. they were so willing to just suck it up and risk it because some things are just worth the risk and they knew it. how awesome is that?! i need to work on my risky...
the fires of the furnace....sometimes we are sent into the fire. refining is such a crazy process but so necessary. and He is with us in the process. He is actively pursuing us. so good. i just need to work on remembering this.
dan 2:20-23
blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; He reveals deep and hidden things He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him. to you, o God of my fathers, i give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might...
after the study, claudia and i went to lunch, indian(LINDSEY, i really hope we can go soon please:) it was and yummy indeed:) we had such a wonderful time. she is so smart, that claudia:) we talked about the study and that was so good. she shared about her life a bit and it was so encouraging.
we had cupcakes too:
i felt a bit sick afterwards honestly but it settled and i got to have a little cc time tonight at our old high school. she called me when i was on my way. i said see you in 15 minutes. she snarckled. i said time me. i won:) yucaipa to san b in 15...totally doable...don't judge:) a little weird going to the ol' alma matter because everyone there looked older and we were the old ones...not really old, cc:) ryan is heading up the band camp so i got to keep cc company for a bit and it was really nice. she kept me more company. i had bakers and she watched since she had dinner earlier. we talked and laughed and she made my heart smile. the last thing she said to me was put a smile on and keep it there:)
tonight was brilliant. the drive home was a sky filled with color and a breeze and the smells, even the smells were so lovely. i can't say the events of today were huge, they weren't but how i want to love the little things in life. because if i notice the little things and love them, i know that i will REALLY love and appreciate when the big things come.
ps...the little package from urban was the cherry on top:)

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jonsi...

october 17, LA, see you there jonsi.
please, please, please.

jónsi tour trailer from Jónsi on Vimeo.

lovely days ahead....


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Sunday, July 25, 2010

driving home...

i just got home a bit ago and experienced something really special. if you know just a bit about me, you know that owls are so special to me. i collect them as art, figurines, clothing, paper, jewelry, books, you name it, i am pretty sure i have it:) they are so lovely and they come in parliaments and i could just go on and on about them.
well, just as i was a couple minutes away from home, i looked ahead a few feet and saw something white-ish in the road. it was just sitting there and i could see its eyes looking at me so i slowed down just a bit and as i got closer i saw that it was the most beautiful white barn owl! i stopped and it was so close and i looked at it and it looked at me and i just couldn't believe it. it was late enough that i was just able to park my car in the middle of the road and not be bothered by anyone:) after a couple minutes, it finally decided it was ready to go so it spread its wings and flew away and that was so amazing.
it was such a beautiful way to end this night after a really nice service at restoration and a nice time with friends. i just couldn't believe how it just sat and looked at me and didn't fly away for so long! what a lovely day....

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i said you do...

i said you do, lyrics in a really sweet angus and julia stone song...it is called mango tree:) it is what i am currently listening to and i just love this specific song. i am sitting listening to music and reflecting on my weekend. this weekend was full of so much. a lot to reflect on and just be really grateful for.
friday was joe's birthday. he is the big 23 now and he is just brilliant and i am so grateful that i get to be his big sister. since he was at camp and i had work we didn't celebrate until later on. so after work, i was able to spend some time with a couple really dear people, terry and esther. terry and esther i have loved for a couple years now and getting to sit with them over frozen yogurt was so good for my heart. i pinky swore them that i would concur the zip line before this summer comes to an end...oh gosh, i really hope i can keep that promise because if there is an irrational fear that stands out to me out of all my irrational fears, it is heights, and to concur it would be so good for me. i spoke to becky and tim about it today and we have a plan...so hopefully within the next couple weeks i will be posting some footage of my success:)
friday night i wrote about...read the last post and you will learn all about joe's fun little birthday dinner. we had such a good time and he was so happy with his friends and it made me so happy.
yesterday was wonderful. i woke up and got ready to spend the morning with cc and ryan. i don't get to see them very often so i always jump at the opportunity to spend time with them...sometimes i think i invite myself over...hope that's ok cc:) i stopped by augie's to get coffee for them. it was quite busy(really) in there but brian, austin, and jessie were on top of the situation:) from there, it was off to cc and ryan's. as i was driving over, i noticed a huge yard sale at the church near by...:) when i got there, i delivered the coffee, i actually forgot it in the car so i had to go back to the car to get it and deliver it:D and ryan made crepes. we romanians, we love crepes. but the ones with yummy sweetness inside. we don't do food crepes. and he even flipped them in the air! they were so good. we sat and ate and talked and i love them so deeply. they are so good and their thoughts are so precious to me.
cc and i. she is a good lady:)

we walked over to the yard sale and i found this really lovely perfume bottle for one dollar! i love it so much. and cc bought a really old magazine rack...and we are going to strip that thing down and make it so beautiful:) after the nice morning walk, we went back and cc and i cleaned and cleaned and laughed a crazy lot. ryan was working on school planning and what not and cc and i just cleaned...sometimes there was more laughing happening but it was so good. we hung curtains and that was the best thing ever. it took forever but my heart hurt at times from all the laughter. i am glad it took so long:) ryan must have thought we were a little off our rockers but it was so good! cheese pizza was the perfect way to end my time with cc and ryan. it was so nice. next time we will paint and garden. mom will be proud of us:)
afterwards, i worked for a couple hours and from there headed out to a going away party. this going away party was for a really precious girl that i have become very close to in the past few months and i am deeply grateful for it. we sat and chatted for quite some time and had wine and chocolate cake. and the conversation was so good and my wheels are really turning right now just thinking about some of the things we spoke about...steph, i am really thinking about it:) it was so nice to meet her family and friends and there were even fireworks! left overs from the fourth of july and actually i didn't get fireworks on the 4th because i was in the mountains:) i was so SO thankful for the time i was able to spend there with her and the others. what a gift, truly, truly.
this morning i woke up feeling like i just needed to get out. to get my brain some air or something. so i got dressed and headed for the hills...literally:) i went up to oak glen for a couple hours and it was so nice. the sun was out, it was green, and just lovely. i read and listened to music and just sat and watched everything around me. it was beautiful and peaceful and so nice. i needed that time. i have been experiencing a bit these past few days/weeks and it was so nice to just sit down and process. terry and ester, if you read this, there was no geocaching:) next time!
i loved getting home to my family all there...minus aura, we miss you. we lunched and joe and cc(cc's from bec was the best thing ever...i had just spoken to her about my thoughts on something yesterday and becky read my mind or something:) opened presents and we had cake and i tried to watch 2012 but got sleepy so took a nap instead:)
i told her i would love a little niece or nephew...becky was on it:)
joe likes the lakers...a lot:)

i love my family. they are so good and caring and supportive and that is so important. so important. it is so easy to miss aura come most sunday afternoons when we are all able to be together but i am so proud of her and what she is accomplishing and will see her soon enough:D
sometimes my eyes are so little when i smile:)
joe taking his nap...during our photo...
my mom and i...can you tell?...:)
joe and laura
tim, me, and bec

happy sunday to you:) enjoy being with those you love:)

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Friday, July 23, 2010

23

joe, matt, and ricardo...friends forever:)
joe and the lovely laura...really though, she is so lovely.
laura and i waiting and waiting and waiting:)

today my baby brother turned 23 years old. i just can't believe it. he was up at summer camp for a week so you can imagine how excited i was to get to see him this evening. for his birthday, a few of us went to famous dave's....ahahahaha:) the all you can eat meat place! it was actually my first time there and truly, i don't know that it will become a weekly thing for me:) BUT i can say, it wasn't horrible. and the company was so nice. that does make all the difference in the world. i had mac and cheese, fries, and really yummy cinnamon apple slices. everybody else had this platter of food---served on a trash can lid---and when they brought it out, they chanted, "feast, feast, feast..." it was so funny:) also, i am not a bbq sauce kind of girl. it is ok, but tonight i realized that i can do without:) i can eat it but i don't need it:) and i know this because i tried like five different ones tonight and they were ok but life will be ok without.
they have these funny shirts. i laughed and took a photo:
i am so grateful for the amazing young man that joe is. i am so proud of him. just my entire family. they are good people:)
cc, you read this...i am coming to paint your doors in the morning:D
love

ps...this is just a bonus---i love, love, love both. together they are just fire.

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Thursday, July 22, 2010

thankful for the little things.

we have to be. because when we are, the big things are explosively good and that is wonderful. this evening, it seemed like one thing after another to be grateful for.
it started off with something as simple as an encouraging text message. thank you lindsey. later, i got to see kim before her big weekend trip and got to hug linda a. i had lunch with linda h. five sisters at gourmet. yes please.
i got to look at an old photo album today. there is something about old photos that can just consume me. the stories behind them. sometimes, i just make them up:) the people. the black and white. just good.
paul and kristi came in. i met these two and their beautiful kids a couple months ago i believe and they are just simply lovely. they have a little boy paul and a little gal gabriella and they are here for gabriella who had a thing with her heart but is recovering so beautifully and i feel so blessed to be able to witness it. they came in tonight and were so sweet and i smiled a lot because gabriella and paul jr. are so sweet and you can't help it.
just a bit later, i looked out the window and there was ryan and brittney...with ben and chloe! they are good people and have been mia due to vacation so i was blown away happy when i saw them outside:) chloe and ben are just a hoot. especially chloe. she and i have this funny friendship where she likes me i think but she has this really pouty face which makes me think otherwise. but she is so cute!
a while after that brenda showed up! brenda was my ride to mexico and before we went our separate ways, we didn't exchange numbers or emails or anything and i was so disappointed. BUT she came into augie's tonight and we fixed that so hopefully, i will get to spend some time with her soon:)
there were a few other things that i can add to those lovely encounters that really made my day one to be grateful for and i can truly say that at the end of the night, grateful is what i am feeling in my heart. we have to be grateful.

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a little bit of this and a little bit of that.

i woke up too early this morning. you know how sometimes those sleepless nights just get ya?well, one got me last night. i feel like by the time i fell asleep, it was too late and the morning was ready to get me:)
i took this photo yesterday.
for a very specific reason. i wear my hair out of my face more often these days. honestly, it makes me ultra self-conscious. i feel like it opens my face up to scrutiny and my ears are exposed...and those two things can make anyone crazy:) the reason i am wearing my hair up is because this self-conscious thing---i need to get over it. ehehehe:) yup, i wear my hair up because it is helping me concur this weird insecurity of mine. i love that. i am so grateful that we were all created so uniquely and that our creator is such an artist. how wonderful is it that His imagination is so large that He is able to design each of us so differently and beautifully. we should be comfortable in our own skin. i like my round face and my freckles and my sometimes crooked smile. i can probably point out a billion things, but why? sometimes i think we forget that His intention was for us to be so different. and that we are to LOVE those differences because they are so good. i think we would be more comfortable in our own skins if we could just remember. so sometimes we have to wear our hair up to remember. He doesn't make mistakes.
in the war of my life, no choice but to fight it...
last night i had dinner with the lovely lindsey mcd:) if you don't know her, you are missing out, i promise. she is a brilliant individual. very unique in such a good way! we ate burritos with beans, cheese, rice, lettuce, tomatoes...and corn and carrots in the rice:) and this oh so yummy green sauce, thank you las brasas! and we talked and she fed into me and it was so good for my heart and i am so grateful...thank you lindsey:) we didn't have fried ice cream but next time we will have lots. after our night study, we chatted some more about fabric and buttons and movies. family stone is the one that stood out to me. she made me so happy when she brought it up and said she loves it because me too! if you have not viewed it, i promise you should! after, she told me about this song that i should listen to so when i got home i did. i am not the biggest john mayer fan(i know there are some dedicated fans out there, i just listen here and there:), truth be known, but this song and a few others, i quite like... seriously, this song...thanks, lindsey.
back to bed maybe?
good, good day to you.

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Wednesday, July 21, 2010

days like today...

the truth is, this day has been a bit up and down for me... i am thankful for music like this.
i like music live because voices and instruments and the people, they are so real.
and even though it is just a video, his sweat is real too.

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let it all out to let it go...

we all struggle with things in life and i am not exempt. lately, to be honest, i feel like all of my life struggles are surfacing and i find myself having these out loud conversations with God asking why? i know a million people like to tell me He is in control and you know, i am fully aware of that. to be even more honest, in all the chaos, i have never known more how in control He really is and how without control I am. but that doesn't lighten my load. i feel like it started with one thing and that revealed lots more.
so, insecurities. sometimes things come around and insecurities are revealed. and i think that is ok and necessary.

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Monday, July 19, 2010

day 9.185

today was just a nice day. very unexpected, very, very, but it was SO good. i started a study on the book of daniel and it is with some really nice ladies and i like it a lot. i did the study before when i was younger so it is nice to go through it again. it is different. good. after the study, i got to see kim for a little while and well, that is just always really nice:)
joe and joni are up at camp this week with the little kids from their church and this afternoon, i made a trip up there to drop off a few necessities, like a pillow joe forgot at home:) sleeping without a pillow is so blah so i was happy to take one up. i got there and saw a couple friends which was nice. i expected to see joe there as soon as i got there because i was on time....but i didn't, which was ok:) i found this little table with one little bench and i sat and waited. there were these two little boys playing ninja and i laughed so much, they were really funny:)
as i was sitting and waiting, i heard someone call out my name so i looked around and it was little sis bec. i was not supposed to run into her today or so i thought just because she didn't know i was coming up and it just wasn't expected. i was so excited to see her and she me, which made my happy. we walked over to joe and gave him his goodies and after bec, joe, joni, and myself got to spend some nice quality time together. we don't really get to spend a whole lot of time together so it was amazing that we all ran into each other and actually got to be together! once the boys left, becky and i were invited to make wallets...out of cardboard and paper...who can say no to that?!
it was so nice just to be with becky. and the wallets actually turned out! i spent so much good time with her and it was so good for my heart and i have this neat paper wallet as a result. as soon as i got home, i had a text from an old friend. a friend from high school, college, and after and it has been so long and i changed so quick and ran out of the house to spend some time with her. her and her husband are expecting soon. a little dylan and she is glowing. we had a really pleasant time together, we chatted over ice cream...it was good:)
when i got home my mouse needed a wash so i grabbed my ipod and put on some dancey music and washed and sang loud and danced! ehehehehe, i bet my neighbors loved that:D right now, i am working on this project that is turning out pretty ok. the events of today were so simple but i guess the unplanned ways of it all just brought a great deal of joy to me and i am so grateful for it.
the wallet
i wore my new shirt today. it is the funnest(this post has a few not words in it, sorry:) shirt i own i think. it has the knock knock banana orange joke on it, in picture not word. i told that joke in front of a crowd once and my brother in law remembered and sent me the link and i bought it. it is a good memory and i like the shirt:)
lastly, i saw the trailer for the new julia roberts movie. i love her. i know it possibly makes me sound silly but i have enjoyed her from a very young age and i just still do. mystic pizza, steel magnolias, and pretty woman= just good. and it doesn't end there:) well, she has a new movie and don't judge, but i will probably go see it. i can't imagine that anyone will want to see it with me, aura may have, but she is in tennessee:) so it will be one of those me, myself, and i adventures which will be nice:) there is a pretty neat song on the trailer which made it that much better. i liked this band from the first time i was introduced to them so hearing the song made me smile.
this was scattered but it's ok. over and out, out, out:)

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Sunday, July 18, 2010

hosanna.

yesterday, i kept thinking of the song hosanna. it was on repeat over and over in my head which was completely ok with me because i love that song. the words mean so much to me but the reason i loved the song before i even heard it was the title. hosanna is one of my favorite words. i know, who has favorite words? i do. on that list are words like; buha(boo huh)...this one i love because it is the word owl in romanian. some are silly like that one, others like the word hosanna, not silly just meaningful.
i am not a super spiritual person but i do love the Lord and i know He deserves to be praised and He deserves for us to just trust that He knows what He is doing. He has proved Himself to me over and over again and He doesn't have to but because i am weak, He does and i love that. He is love, good, full of grace and mercy for us, and so many other things. He is so good. i know that God is who He says He is and He keeps His promises and i think He deserves all the hosannas we have a million times over.
it means things like; a cry of adoration or praise to God. there are a lot of really lovely words and hosanna is definitely one of them. yesterday i found myself thinking hosanna when i was watching the kids worship. there was a point where we were at the beach and they were singing and although i couldn't understand everything they were saying, i know they were saying hosanna to our Creator. they were crying out praises to their creator. we should cry out praises of thanksgiving and adoration to Him. but mostly we are to busy with other things to do it. those kids, they have nothing, but their joy was/is alive and they were encouraging to my heart. it was so good for me. i am so grateful.
tonight, on my way home from a pretty cool bike ride in town with some nice boys from church, i had the song hosanna on repeat. no, it wasn't making me crazy. i had the warm air coming in and i just listened and when it got to this one part i sang it. every time. church was amazing tonight and jon said a lot and it moved me and this song, these specific words, i want them to be real to me.

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me

Break my heart from what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdoms cause
As I go from earth into Eternity

that's all. i just really wanted to share a little something.
over and out. good night and good night.

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lily of the valley

i have been eating home grown cherry tomatoes all morning and they are so good. and now i think it would be fitting to share about my yesterday. i had the opportunity to do something really wonderful. and even though it was only for one day, it didn't really feel like it and it is something that i will remember and who knows, maybe even get to do again:)
on thursday when i was with robyn, she told me that her and janell were going to serve at an orphanage with their church this weekend and i had been praying for something to do this weekend, so i decided to join the group. and i am so glad that i did. friday night i drove out to spend the evening with robishka since we were going to be heading out bright and early. she is such a neat lady and i am so blessed to be able to call her...amiga:) saturday morning we met everyone at the church and it was quite a large group! i was thinking perhaps 20ish, nope, more like 60! but how super because that meant we would get a bit of work done:) we signed up for our cars and got water and prayed and hit the road.
about the car ride. robyn, janell, and i road with brenda and her daughter brianna and oh my goodness, i enjoyed that group so much! brenda is the funniest lady i think i have ever encountered. we laughed so much and the drive was just wild. i was so surprised to learn about their family's heart for africa. but so loved the stories. it was so nice just to have them share about the way the Lord had moved in their family in the time they spent overseas. brenda told us about the spiritual things the experienced and i was just covered with goosebumps. she has such a heart to serve and sees the need in such an obvious way. her family is all over the place, they go everywhere and love the Lord and love His creation so much and honestly, it was almost too much for me to listen to the stories because it was goodness overload, if there is such a thing.
when we got into mexico, we were sort of given the wrong directions so we drove a bit out of the way but we laughed and had a nice time and once we turned around, we were found and made it to the orphanage safely. it is a huge building closed off from the busy street and the people running it, kevin and his wife, they are good people. it is so amazing how much they love the 70 plus kids in the orphanage and that they are just so in love with the Lord that they are willing to give wholeheartedly to the orphanage. there was a lot to be done. cleaning, painting, crafting, playing, eating, and so on. the day was full of events and honestly, it melted my heart that the kids were all so content with such little things. they made these little paper doves and covered them with little plastic gems and they were just on cloud ten about it. i walked into one of the rooms and an older boy jumped up and showed me his dove and he was just a huge smile from check to check. i smiled but a part of me wanted to cry just a little bit because his gratitude was so clear and it just really blew my mind.
robyn and myself and a few other neat ladies got to go to the park with the younger kids for a little while. we took one or two by the hand and took a walk over to the park. the walk was so nice because we were just loving the kids and they were so sweet. there was a little boy named saul and he was my walking buddy. he noticed me and i him because we just happened to match:) he walked over to me, hugged me and pointed out our matching shirts. he spoke to me in spanish the whole time we were walking. and fast and jeez, i wasn't able to respond very well but i tried and i think he had so much mercy on me because he just smiled and kept chatting with me. he would let go of my hand and wander off at times but come running back and grab my hand when he was ready. we had moments of laughter. which made me laugh because we could hardly communicate and were still able to have funny moments!
the park was a hoot! we got there and the swings were missing! all of them:) but the kids were so good at just playing together and finding things to do. it is not very often that they get to go out so they seemed to love every moment. and we did too. robyn had this kid that just cracked me up. he stayed really close to her...he is the youngest one out of the bunch so he is quiet but funny. he kept grabbing at her sun glasses and a few times he was such a trickster. he would reach out to me and as soon as i came close enough, he would grab my face and just smother me, ahahahahaha:) so unexpected but hilarious. i watched out for him after he got me twice or so:)
while we were playing one of the older ladies decided it would be a good idea to get each child a huge thing of cotton candy....YIKES! they got so messy! the little little guy, well, somehow his whole cotton candy melted into his shirt. really, i know it sounds crazy but it did and he was trying to eat it off his shirt and it just bunched up and there was sand and oh gosh, was he a site:) they ate and enjoyed and were so dirty but they loved it and it was just good. we walked back to the orphanage and had lunch....grilled cheese! and other stuff but the grilled cheese was key:)
after lunch we played and chatted and boys kicked around soccer balls that would sometimes come straight for our faces and the older girls put ice down my shirt...they thought it was the funniest thing and after i would jump up, we would all laugh together. in the afternoon, we all packed up and headed to the beach! that was such a wonderful experience! all of us, all of them. it was just so good. we played in the water...it was cold, we built things from sand. we spent time together and it was good. i got so overwhelmed as the day went on. the fact that God is so big and we are so small and He just pours and pours into us.
i met this lady pamela. she was so tiny and sweet. she was born in england and moved to ireland as a young person and she loves the Lord a lot. she spoke to me about what the Lord is doing in her life and she is an older woman and it was so good. her words really moved me and when our conversation came to an end, i wanted to ask for a hug but i didn't want to freak her out. to my surprise, she reached up to me and gave me the sweetest hug:) i don't think i will forget her.
there was a family that came with us. it was their first ministry project together and they were so sweet. they had three younger kids and they were just loving it. well, their van was stolen while we were at the beach. their little boy was just weeping and my heart just broke. we were just there for a little while and that happened. i experienced so many emotions throughout the day just with the different events that took place and a little bit of myself mixed in and that little boy crying just broke my heart.
they were ok after a while and we had dinner and after dinner, they got the fire going and the marshmallows out and the guitars and wow, wow, wow, they sang to the Lord and it was wonderful. i cried. they were so free and unashamed and have nothing in this world and somehow the joy on their faces was unquestionable. robyn and i had a good conversation after. about humanity and God.
our drive home was just as i had hoped. we had such a fun time and brenda was just hilarious. there was a michael jackson with a neon green plastic whistle and a funny story about denny's and so many other things. this morning my drive home was the best drive i have had in a while. i talked to the Lord about my time yesterday. it was really loaded and i needed to just express my heart and He is always listening and i am grateful. i experienced joy and heaviness and so many things this weekend and God was with me when i did. He is good. those little kids were so amazing and i know God is with them. it was a wonderful, unforgettable experience.
lunch with the fam is calling and i am hungry SO...happy sunday to you, over and out.

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Friday, July 16, 2010

weekend goodness:)

-me and robyn and some amelie...i have been wanting to watch, so lets robishka:)

-drive to mexico to lily of the valley orphanage...clean, eat, play, sing:)
write SO soon:)

love

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Thursday, July 15, 2010

a day like today...

i was a bit negative nancy like but last night lightened my load so much. i went to the wednesday night study and let me just say that the group of people that get together on wednesday nights is so amazing and hip! hip! to them:) we played charades and both guys and gals were amazing BUT the ladies took the win. i had such a nice time. i was able to chat with Lindsey for a while and jeez, if you knew this lady, you would be so wowed by her, i promise. it was just what i needed for my evening. thank you a million. at the end of the night i was grateful.
this morning, my miracle day continued. i feel so just speechless about the whole day. highs and lows, all of it was what it needed to be and i am grateful. this morning i got ready to drive out to riverside to visit robishka. on my way out, i decided to stop by augie's because i was a bit early and i wanted to say hello. when i got there, Kim handed me something that was SO NICE:) if you know Kim, you know how lovely and encouraging she is and sometimes she just does these nice things that knock socks right off. she picked up some goodies for me and wow, wow, wow, she did so well!
if you know me, you know there are not man things i enjoy more than red candy. i will sit and pick out the red candy even if it takes forever and yes, it is satisfying because i enjoy every piece of red. SO, kim bought me two boxes of yummy red candy...different shades of red! jeez, can it get any better?! beyond the yummy candy, she bought me an absolutely beautiful little vera bradley case. i wasn't very familiar with vera bradley until i saw the lovely little goodies Kim would sport to work and it is just really sweet and the patterns are so nice. and the pattern i got is paisley which is my favorite pattern and on top of that it is brown and sea foam, so Kim, you did SO well. i am so grateful for the sweet, sweet and very unexpected surprise. it really made my morning.
i ate half the mike and ikes on my way to riverside so my plan was to get a small breakfast. my tummy was feeling a bit eh from all that sugar:) robyn took me to this little diner and she said she heard good things about it so since i love breakfast, when i have it, i was excited. i was just glad to be there with her. i don't see her as often as i should but i cherish our time together. well, i ordered something that seemed pretty simple and for the price, i was sold! it was called the 'one flapjack special', and i thought that would be perfect. one flapjack(i love this word), scrambled eggs, and potatoes. sounds simple enough, right? well, when my food came out, my mouth sunk to the floor. this is what i got:
i was shocked and i laughed and luckily i had my camera so i could get a photo with it. it being the ginormous flapjack. i ate most of it and felt a bit sick after the fact but it was so good. i told robyn that the next time we go there, i will go without eating all day and get the flapjack for dinner:) we had such a good time together. the conversation was so wonderful. she encourages me so amazingly. at the end of our conversation, she brought up a trip. one to mexico to spend time at an orphanage. this weekend, i was praying about something to do and i just wasn't sure. so when i found out this trip was happening this weekend, i asked if i could go and she said yes! whoa! so an answer to prayer. i am going to go to an orphanage and we are going to spend time with the kids and clean and cook for them and take them to the beach and make hot dogs and smores and sing and i hope it is just wonderful. and robyn and janell are going:) my first ministry trip was to mexico when i was thirteen and we spent time in orphanages and it was life changing for me, i will never forget it. i feel so privileged to be going...excited too:D
when i got home, i had just enough time to do some closet cleaning and the best thing happened! i lost my winter coats a while back...i know, how? but i did. somehow they just disappeared so i had to replace some last winter. well, i found a storage bin in the garage and my coats were inside! woohoo! now i have a few too many coats...
my morning was so full and peaceful and good and God was in it. i didn't push Him out and i am so grateful for that. nothing crazy happened but that is ok because sometimes, the little things are big:)
the evening was just a great way to end my day. when i got i i saw this little pink envelop with my name on it. i asked Kim if she knew where it was from and she didn't say so i picked it up and opened it and it was the cutest little card. with a sweet little pup and some really nice words inside. it was a thank you note from a very sweet Sarah. she is one of those people who if you know her, consider yourself blessed. she is the mother of sweet Ginger who is the neatest little girl and Sarah sure knows how to be a mom to her(sarah, if you read this, i mean it lady:). seriously the past two days were filled with so many encouragements from the coolest cats. thank you ladies! i worked with austin and we cleaned and worked and laughed and it was SO darn hot. one of the air conditioners died today and wow, it was a BIG deal...because we were basically melting but andy and austin did a good job getting the new one in so hopefully tomorrow will be cooler:)... we didn't really melt by the way:)
claudia, i had a really nice miracle day today:) how i pray for more. good night, sweet friends. dream of good things.

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flapjack!

i can't wait to tell you about my day! however, it will have to wait until tonight, i work in a bit. but it will be worth it, i have more photos, so check back:).... claudia, you were SO right about my miracle day. hope you are enjoying this much TOO hot day:)

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Monday, July 12, 2010

holy wowzers!

today was just good. in every way it could have been, it was. i think everything i needed for today was provided and i am so grateful. this morning i woke up not too early like i normally do:) i woke up at a normal person's time on a day off... almost 8. is that normal wake up time for an off day?...lets just say it is:) i took a quick drive up to forest falls and came back down for the best play date. lindsey, jac, buggie, and sarah. the lincoln shrine and the redlands bowl. one stuffed snake and one little stuffed toy mouse. i love that jac picked out a stuffed snake from the toy store! they had these fun hats and they ran and played together and were so amazing and free and sweet and i just loved that. it was so nice sitting with lindsey, what a sweet spirit she is(lindsey, if you read this, you really are a gem). it was so nice chatting with sarah as well, she is just lovely and good and i am proud of her.
we decided to take a little walk to augie's. jac held my hand and we talked about swimming and so many things and jeez, she is brilliant. she and buggie are both the smartest little gals. when we got there we got goodies and kim was there and bri and austin and it was nice. i had a nice walk and chat with kim and went home. and when i got home i did something nice.
before that something nice, i took care of some business. bills and stuff like that. i wrote birthday cards...july is filled with birthdays! i made a couple important phone calls. once i did all of that, i did something nice. i grabbed a bag of gummy bears:D if you know me, you know i love gummy bears...but mostly only the red ones. i just don't enjoy the other flavors. so i sat and started picking out the red ones....ehehehehe. i did some online shopping, i made some fine itunes purchases, if i may say so myself, one being the weppies' new single, BE MY THRILL. another thing you should know about me, if you don't, is that i adore the weepies. they are so simple and sweet and i think they probably give hugs. they just seem so nice. watch and listen to these. the first is a watch and listen, the second is mostly a listen:

once i finished making good buys, and browsing for potentially good buys, i continued picking out the red gummies and i pulled out this project i am working on. it is a really nice little project that is turning out quite nicely. i won't say too much about it right now but maybe once i have finished it, i will post a photo:) maybe. i will say this, it is a bit minty in color which is really nice. eating gummies and making things, well, it is a nice combination....along with good music and a break for writing aura in french and romanian. i love her. she is such a nice big sister and i can't wait for a long awaited chat come wednesday. i played with penny a bit, she is a sweetheart. i was telling my mom today that i really needed a penny at this point in my life. she is good for me. i even cried a bit today when i left her this morning. i know how silly it sounds but sometimes we all need a little something and sometimes that something is a sweet pup and it is ok to be grateful. i liked today even if there were some rough spots here and there. it was just simple and full and nice. back to creating...

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Sunday, July 11, 2010

just a little something...

i have been really enjoying these lovelies lately. bed time. indeed. excited for a play date with lindsey, jac, buggie, and sarah. enjoy too. over and out.

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aura meet penny...

meet penelope, aka penny. she is the newest addition to our family and we love her so much. she is so playful and she loves mufasa and aura, you are going to love her when you come to visit for christmas:) she bites like crazy but with a face like hers, you can't be angry. she is so tiny and sweet. she came to me at a really good time.
aura, do you know how much i miss you??? i hope tennessee is bomb:)

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