Reflections

Well, tis the season the reflect and resolve. 2005 has been a pretty big year. The year began while I was asleep. Here in CO there isn't much to do on New Years so I just went to bed early. A few days later I flew back to my best friends house in So Cal and then we loaded up her car and began the drive back up to Cascade. It was a BLAST!!! Rockin out to some wicked cool music, throwing army guys attached to string out the window, and chaining up her little Golf over the pass. As soon as we got back to town I was able to celebrate Christmas/New Years/my birthday with my wonderful fiance in the snow atop Rocky Butte.
Just a few days after that I began my Student Teaching experience. It started out a little awkwardly and got progressively worse. I was finally removed from THAT school and had a week to recouperate. Then I started Student teaching with the greatest teacher I have ever met. Great teacher, great class - it was WONDERFUL, albeit VERY VERY busy. During that time I was writing my work sample (again, as I had already done one for my first school), trying to keep up with my roommates, plan a wedding, and stay sane. Well, I managed most of that list just fine. ha ha ha.
Anyway, at the end of April I walked with the rest of the graduating class of 2005 and entertained a whole bunch of family, even though it would be another three weeks before I finished student teaching. Then everyone went back home and I was left in my dorm all alone. I finally finished student teaching, officially graduated, moved into a new apartment and began to finally focus on the wedding.
A couple of months later, my best friend came back from Brazil to help plan the wedding, it happened, everyone left (including us) and life was grand. My new husband and I came back to Portland and began setting up house before he began his last year at Cascade.
We jumped feet-first into a new church, and have just been enjoying life, as busy as it may be.
For the first time ever, Shaun and I were able to spend Christmas together and it was spectacular.

In the last year, friendships have been strengthened and those same ones lost, others have been formed, and some are just beginning to grow.
God has worked miracles in my life and I am excited to see what he has in store for me in 2006.

Ciao!

Mele Keliki Maka, Part III

Oy. It was an okay day. Some funny things happened... but this is another thing I'll have to postpone due to time limitations.
We came home tonight and those two really cute lovely puppies that I want to take home with me had gotten ahold of my purse. Goodbye handmade ornament Grandpa gave me. Goodbye yummy lip stuff. Goodbye almost-brand-new phone. (They literally ATE the antenna). Sheesh.
But guess what? I still want to take them home. They have this power over me. It's scary!

Well, Goodnight and I'll do some more re-capping later.

I CAN'T forget this story: Sugar Daddy! (I need to put it in this post so I don't forget to tell you later)

G'night

Feliz Navidad, Part II

Welcome back! Christmas #2 was not as bad as anticipated! Not that I thought it would be horrid... my mom was just much less stressed than usual. Of course it took a little bit of self control on my part to stay merry. But I did it. And I'm glad. We made lots of fish! The feast of the seven fishes, to be exact. I need to go now, so I'll explain more about that later.
Well... I think I'll have to finish all of this later. I'm sleepy!
Good night and God Bless!

Merry Christmas, Part I

Hello dear friends. This is the first installment of a three part blog. As most of you who read this probably know, I'm in Colorado for the holidays. This happens to be the one little town where all of my mom's, dad's AND step-dad's family lives. So there are a LOT of people to see. Fortunately each "side" of the family has chosen a different night to celebrate Christmas. My dad's tonight (the 23rd), Mom's tomorrow, and step-dad's on Sunday. So I will try to recap each day's experience here on this glorious blog. That said, here goes:

This morning I got up and began helping my mom get the house ready for tomorrow's feast. Then we started working on the food. I also made some yummy mac and cheese caserolle to take (along with the zillions of cookies I made last night) to Dad's tonight. Shaun went with my step dad to run various errands and I spend the day mostly in the kitchen. Around 3:45 I realized that I should probably shower and get ready to be at Dad's by 5:00. So I'm in the shower by about 10 after 4...and Shaun's still not back! Noone is answering their cell phones, so I'm a little nervous. He finally showed up at 4:50. So we were a little late getting to my dad's but it was OK. We get there and it's Dad, Lisa (his live-in girlfriend), her brother and his wife and two kids, Lisa's son Ryan, my grandpa (dad's dad) and Shaun and me. So we eat and it's pretty yummy and we chat and had a pretty great time together. Then the kids begin clammoring for the bundles under the tree. so we all gather in the living room and begin opening gifts. My dad and Lisa gave us a digital camera and printer!!! SO cool!

Anyway, after Shaun and I opened ours, it was Lisa's turn and she get a whole bunch of stuff... then my dad gave her a little box that he had been hiding. My initial thought was: It's a RING!!!! then... I considered the source - Lisa has been hinting about this for a LONG time and my dad is just turd enough to get her a stupid gift and present it to her all dramatic like in a little ring box. So I waited ... and it WAS an engagement ring!! They were standing at a weird angle, but I managed to get one kind of cool picture of him putting the ring on her finger.
So that pretty much took the cake! I'm excited... she is MUCH cooler than my last step-mom. And I'll have a step-brother, too! It's so crazy. Five months ago I was very sibling-less. Now I have a sister in law, a brother in law, and soon to be step sister in law and a soon to be step-brother!

Let's see... oh, we also got a ceramic bowl my grandpa made and filled with those little gold coin chocolates and 10 silver coins. My grandma got us a Christmas tree ornament that has "our first Christmas 2005" and Lisa got us some yummy smelling candles and candle holder and some lotion and chocolate candies.

Overall it was a VERY enjoyable evening and I am really glad that Shaun and I were able to be a part of it all... the christmas, the family, the festivities, and the ENGAGEMENT!!! My dad's getting married!!!!!

Well, Merry Christmas eve eve to everyone and I'll be back tomorrow to let you know how Christmas part II goes!

Love ya!

Jess

we made it!

My goodness! So we finally made it out of Portland around noon yesterday. Our connecting flight was scheduled to depart San Francisco at 12:45, but we were assured that all outbound flights were delayed as well, so we weren't too worried.
So we make it to SFO and get off the plane and immediately head for those little computer screens that hold all the information that any passenger could possibly want to know (well, not REALLY, but you know what I mean, right?). We finally locate our flight destination, #, and scheduled time, and then next to that were the big red letters: CANCE. Now what could that mean? I know it just COULDN'T mean what I thought it meant. I wouldn't believe it. So I called the United system and it was confirmed... our flight was cancelled. Now usually when you fly, there is a small group of people that are heading in the same direction you are. You know what I'm talking about - the loud family, the weird guy and the lady who asks like she's too good to talk to anyone - they get off the plane only to follow you to the connecting flight plane... or the baggage claim. Anyway, there were no other people looking lost - trying to make their way to Colorado Springs. So we search the airport for SOMEONE who can help us.
FINALLY we find the RIGHT line and spend 45 minutes waiting to talk to this really weird little guy. He tells us we can fly standby to Denver and then Springs. So I ask "what if we don't make it on those flights?" and he assures me we'll get on. Then, after consulting with his "sweet" (coworker who is obviously disgusted with his antics), he continues to punch buttons and then tells us we can confirm tickets for just $35 a person. This I do NOT want to do. I already PAID for tickets. So I weighed my options - what if we don't get on Standby? "you're SOL" he tells us. "but you can confirm tickets if you pay"
"Why would we have to pay for that when we've already paid for tickets to get us from Pdx to Colorado Springs?" I calmly ask.
"because you missed your flight"
WHAT?! where have you BEEN, little man? is one of many things going through my mind.
But I was kind. "Sir, our flight was cancelled - this is NOT our fault"
To which he went "oh - one moment I'll book you on the next flight"

So we got to fly in a Boeing 777 in the Economy Plus seating... with the little video screen in the chair in front of you... nice big cushy chairs. ahhhh... it was pretty great.
Of course we were pretty late getting to our destination. But we're here and so far - we're still alive.

Oh! And my parents adopted two little dogs that had been stranded from Hurricane Katrina and they are ADORABLE!!! I'm not a fan of little dogs, but these guys... they're Italian Greyhound and Terrier mix... and so sweet, too!!! Hang on, I'll see if I can get a pic off the net. They look like a cross between these two dogs:


Now that I look at them... they look more like the second dog... they're great.
I want a dog.
oh well.

Merry Christmas everyone!

airport musings

La la la la la ti da. Here I am. Sitting at pdx. waiting. waiting. waiting. It's almost 10:30. our flight was supposed to leave about 30 minutes ago. It will probably be another hour or two. Then who knows how long after we get to San Fransisco we'll have to wait to get to Colorado. Maybe we'll get stuck in San Fran for a bit. That would be fun.
I really don't have TOO much to blog about. I'm just sleepy. It's interesting to watch people here, though. That's what I love about the Portland airport.
Okay I'm done now, I guess.

Anyone have a funny story to tell me? I like stories!

Cheesy TV sparks new movement!

How's that for a cheesy headline? Ha! Anyway, the other night I am a little ashamed to admit that my perpetual channel surfing came to rest on the show "7th Heaven." It was a Christmas episode (GASP!).... and I watched it (shame). However, I even became a little emotional as every member of the Camden family spend Christmas day not with each other, but helping out at various charities, hospitals, etc. This was in leiu (sp) of gifts. Instead of spending money to buy each other presents that weren't necessary, they donated their money and their time to help people that weren't as fortunate on Christmas day. They passed out gifts at childrens' hospitals, among other things. Their church had even been setting aside money after collections and fundraisers in order to be able to financially assist one family for the ENTIRE upcoming year. So there were a lot of corny scenes in the course of the hour long episode, but it made me really think. I have been pretty upset this season because I am NOT in any place, financially, to be giving gifts. I have been really trying to come up with some meaningful gifts, but everything I want to get costs money. But what I DO have is time.. and especiallly on Christmas, when everyone takes time off ... there is a real need for people to help. So this christmas I am going to do what I can on Christmas to help someone else. And then try to follow that up by giving more of my time for the rest of the year... and the following year...
so... here's to using what we've got! (CHEERS!)

Ciao

God Bless us, every one!!

Okay, so after a rocky beginning of the season, CHRISTMAS is finally in my heart! To stay, even! See, 'round about October I was SO ready for Christmas... singing the songs, dreaming of decorating and cooking and baking... cold days and warm cider and cocoa. Then something happened. I am not sure what it was, but suddenly I just wasn't feeling it anymore. It's been creeping up lately, but this afternoon my lovely husband and I hopped on the MAX and headed downtown (making the necessary stop @ Borders' Seattle Best Cafe for some YUMMY carmel apple cider) to Pioneer Square to listen to 200+ TUBAS!!! It was SO amazing! It took quite a while to find a place to stand, even, it was so crowded. But we finally found a nice place and listened to the 88 year old conducter tell his funny stories and some tuba history between lovely Christmas caroles. It was nice, but it (the Christmas spirit, if you will) didn't really hit me until we were singing Hark! The Harold Angels Sing.
There we were: thousands of complete strangers from all walks of life singing "God and sinner reconciled... Christ is born in Bethlehem..." And it wasn't a big deal. Now, I know that a lot of those people really couldn't care less about the "religious" aspect of Christmas, but it was just SO encouraging to see so many different people smiling and singing and... I don't know. It just touched my heart.
I am not sure too many people read this - or even know I'm here, but in case you ARE reading and if you DO care, I'll be flying to CO soon and might not be on here for a while. So I pray that YOU will enjoy the magic of this season and not get caught up in the "stuff."
Merry Christmas!!!
And, in the timeless words of the profound little cripple: God bless us, every one!!