quick update

Hello to the person who accidentally wandered over here. It's currently about two or three in the AM. I can't sleep. My eyes are not working too well. Please forgive misspellings and weird ramblings. This will probably be more stream-of consiosness. I'm hanging out at the gracious Wagner's house this evening. My husband is off at the coast, freezing at a youth rally. I am pretty excited to be out of the house. I have been sick this last week and haven't really left the house much. Shaun's been great. I got a box of gifts every day for three days leading up to that crazy February day that people get all crazy about. It was so great - organizers for the bathroom, a brita pitcher, plants/flower/bulbs, pots, etc. Oh, and a Sudoku book! It was so great. And now that I read that, I realize that I am such an old lady. HA! Oh well.
What else? OH - my car pooped out the other day. I am not sure what's wrong with it, but I'm B.R.O.K.E!!! So I've been supressing the stress, only barely, though. I have worked SO hard not to worry about money and things and stuff. So everytime I started to think about it I would pray that something would come up. Sometimes I was able to move on to something else and not worry, but other times I would just kind of repeat the same little prayer over and over and over and over and over...
This evening I was talking to Troy and Shauna and Troy was like "hey, i think we can get you a car for free" HA!!!!!!!!!!!!! He said it's probably not good for a real long time, but it will be GREAT until I'm working more and Shaun is able to graduate and get work! WOOOOOHOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! Praise Jehovah! It's been such a wonderful lesson for me, as I'm a worry-wart.
It's been deliciously cold outside lately! I love it!
I guess i should try to sleep.
G'night!

employment

I've got a job!!!!!!!! I interviewed yesterday afternoon and got a call this morning - I'm IN!!!!!! I just need to go actually fill out an application and get scheduled for orientations and training and such. WAHOOO!!!!

that's all.
bye

NAKED and SNOGGING

Okay, so what is with parents not being aware of what their children are posting on the internet? Is it really appropriate for a 12 yr old to post photos of her in sexual positions wearing a bikini? (is it appropriate for ANYONE, really?) How is it that a parent says they "cannot" control that?!?!?!

I'm sorry - well, I guess I'm really not, but anyway- I do NOT enjoy looking at photos of scantily clad people........ I do NOT enjoy photos of people kissing..... It just isn't cool. If you want to kiss someone, that's fine. If you want to take a photo of you two snogging, that's even okay. But is that what you want to post on the internet to represent yourself? Eww.

Hm. Maybe I'm just too old fashioned.

hi

Post answer in a comment (fill out whatever you want to):
1. Name:
2. Birthday:
3. Where you live:
4. What makes you happy:
5. Currently listening/the last thing you listened to:
6. Do you read my blog regularlyl?:
7. If yes, what makes it especially good or bad?:
8. An interesting fact about you:
9. Are you in love/do you have a crush at the moment?:
10. Favourite place to spend time:
11. Favourite lyric:
12. The best time of the year:

RECOMMEND
1. A film:
2. A book:
3. A band, a song, or album:

PLUS
1. One thing you like about me:
2. Two things you like about yourself:
3. Look at my friends-list and tell what you like about one of our mutual friends:
4. Put this in your blog if you want to . . . i know it's like an email forward so you don't have to, but if you want, it could be fun . . .

questions questions questions

Three PHYSICAL Things about the Opposite Sex that Appeal to You
1. eyes
2. stomachs
3. dimples

Three of Your Favorite Hobbies
1. cooking
2. taking photos (even though i'm really no good at it)
3. reading

Three Places You Want to go
1. Civitanova del Sanio, Italy
2. Gold Coast Australia
3. New York

Three Things You Want to Do Before You Die
1. TRAVEL!!
2. run a bed and breakfast
3. grow my own food

Three Ways that you are stereotypically a Girl
1. i cry for no reason
2. i enjoy it when my nails are nice and strong and long
3. i over analyze everything

Three people that are your friends and why
1. Shaun - my dearest, closest friend who loves me even though he really knows me
2. Brian J. - been friends for a long time. He is probably the first person who really got the full brunt of my horrible jr. high years and ... has just been through a lot of my crap. Yet we're still friends.
3. Richard - my step dad who is pretty much the greatest EVER. Even though he thinks I'm an idiot, he's good at letting that go and loving me anyway. He has done so much for me and I pretty much owe him everything

Okay now I'm done

Photos

Here are some of the photos taken over break.

who's afraid of the big bad blog?

Alright, so we made it home! FINALLY! Again, our flight was delayed. In Denver, this time. Something about mechanical problems. What really sucked was that Shaun was sick, and for the 24 or so hours before the we left was unable to keep any food down. So we didn't even try to eat the morning of our flight (who wants to actually have to use the airline barf bags? eww). However, by the time we got to Denver we were both starving. Then the plane is delayed. So we're sitting there quietly as our stomachs very UNquietly gnaw away at our spines. Finally we can't stand it anymore and begin scanning the airport for food. What does Shaun decide to eat? Dominoes Pizza. Oh boy. Actually, the pizza was delicious and surprisingly not so greasy. So finally we get on the plane and I am SO nervous he'll have to use the barf bag... Especially since we're sitting in the middle and window seat, making it not so easy for him to just up and run to the washroom.
But he made it all the way through the flight! And it was SO VERY good to be home.
Our visit was nice, but it was long and we missed our home.

There hasn't been much to blog of since we've been back. I had a birthday, which just made me feel old. I planted my Chia Herb Garden!!! And it's beginning to sprout! YUM!

Oh, and before we left Colorado, Shaun's boots were exchanged straight across for brand new ones and I got a brand new, cool phone - FREE!!!
But I miss the puppies!

And this was on Tab's blog and I thought it was pretty cool.

Three Parts of Your Heritage
1. Italian
2. Irish
3. Czechoslovakian

Three Things That Scare You
1. grates/holes in the ground
2. clowns
3. open windows when it's dark outside and light inside

Three of Your Everyday Essentials
1. toilet paper (i'm w/ya there, Tabs)
2. something to read
3. cooking (I love it love it love it)

Three Things You Are Wearing Right Now
1. One of Shaun's wedding bands (mine is on its way to Shane Co to get cleaned)
2. One red sock
3. One white sock with red and blue argyle

Three Things You Want in a Relationship (other than Real Love)
1. respect
2. accountability
3. humor

Hey I'll finish this later. (promise!)

OH and I want to see Hoodwinked!

Technology....

Well, at around 1:30 or 2am on the first day of our calendar year I sat in bed and blogged. I blogged my little heart out. I blogged of the three days of Christmas that I briefly mentioned, I blogged of our adventures in Colorado, of the crazy funk the New Year seemed to bring... I blogged funny anicdotes (sp?) and some serious ponderings. And it's gone. All gone. Wiped out. How? I have no clue.
But it is no more and I must not dwell on the past. cursed technology.

Sort of off topic, I have gone to see a few movies during my stay here. I have seen The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and Memoirs of a Geisha.
How do you feel about reading books v. watching movies? Let me rephrase: do you read the book first or watch the movie first?
I LOVE to read. I have always held firm to the idea that I need to read the book before I see the movie. And I have, for the most part, done so. Yet as I was sitting in the theater watching dear Harry and his pals with my husband (who has only seen the movies) I realized that he could pick up the book and be completely enthralled with a seemingly new story. Now, the movie was actually pretty good. But there is SO much more in the book - too much, in fact, to put it all in the movie. So I began to really think about how I do things... would it, in fact, be more enjoyable to see the movie, get the basic plot line, and then read the book and devour all the sub plots and depth of characters that a good book has to offer? Or would knowing the end of the story completely ruin it?
Also, there is the imagination. I LOVE reading a book and creating it all in my mind. Watching the movie first would eliminate my ability to do that....

I am still pretty far from making up my mind.
What do you think?

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!!

the ABC's of me...

A- Age of my first kiss:
15?

B- Band I am listening to right now:
no band - just football

C- Crush:
yum- grape crush is YUMMY ;o)

D- Dads name:
Richard... and Michael (no, they're not gay - one's step, one's bio)

E- Easiest person to talk to:
myself

F- Favorite ice cream:
Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia

G- Gummy bears or gummy worms:
Bears

H- Hometown:
Spanaway

I- Instruments:
B-flat and bass clarinet

J- Junior High:
Frontier Jr. High

K- Kids:
NO WAY (well... does my husband count?)

L-Love:
God

M- Moms name:
Beverly

N- Nickname:
Jess

O- One wish:
unconditional acceptance

P- Phobia(s):
grates/manholes/other holes in the ground

Q- Quote:
Never play leapfrog with a unicorn

R- Reason to smile:
forgiveness

S- Song I sang last:
I will do anything for love... but i won't do that

T- Time I woke up today:
9am -ish

U- Unknown fact about me:
i don't know... if it's unknown, it's that way for a reason

V- Vegetable:
mmm.. greens are SO yummy!

W- Worst habit:
paranoia that everyone hates me

X- Xrays:
the only non-dental xrays i can remember was my soph. year of college when they thought I had pneumonia (it was only bronchitis)

Y- Years since ive been to church:
i was there a few days ago!

Z- Zodiac Sign:
capricorn

Let's take a moment

I have to wonder why silences are always so awkward. Why is it so hard for a group of people to stop talking for a few moments without someone saying something just to end the silence? It has occured to me that we are a society viod of silence - nearly void of thought. Think about your day? If you're not working, going to school, taking care of your home, then what are you doing? Going to the movies, or shopping or out to eat or watching TV or listening to the radio. How much time do you spending THINKING? About anything, really? There are so many things to keep our mind busy that I notice I rarely take time to be silent with my thoughts. Am I the only one? Who knows? It's just a thought....

Welll... that's it, I guess.

Ciao!

HOORAY!!!!!!

I FINALLY found the BEST BOOK EVER!!!! Okay...l let me explain. When I was younger, despite being an only child, I was not very spoiled. The only place I got really really spoiled was at my Great Grandma P's house. As soon as I would get there, she would start shoving candy in my face... usually it began with black licorice chewing gum, then some random sweets until dinner (usually her yummy spaghetti) followed by ice cream. Then we'd do some gardening before the sun set. As soon as it got dark enough we would sit out on the front porch and eat dreamcicles (spelling?) while looking at the stars and talking about anything and everything. Then we'd play a game or something and then got ready for bed. And then we'd crawl into bed and drink a can of 7-up with a bendy straw while she read to me. I had two favorite books - one was about a little cereal character that threw a b-day party for a kid (i'm so sad i have NO idea what the name of the book is), and the other was Cookie Monster and the Cookie Tree. Well, I don't know where it went, but I wanted another copy of that book SO bad and I looked everywhere... for a long time. Finallly last night I found it! For $3.10 even!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited! It's been seventeen years since Grandma P passed and I am just happier than happy to have that book again! Let me see if I can find a picture:
http://muppets.scarecroe.com/images/book_cookietree.jpg

So... what are your favorite childhood memories?

Ciao!

what is beautiful?

I was listening to the radio this morning and one of the hosts of a morning show said something about it being a beautiful Thursday morning when he was immediately interrupted and told that it was, in fact, NOT a beautiful day - "do you see any sun out there?" was her scold. My thought was this: what makes a day beautiful? Because to me, today - with all it's rain and clouds - has a calming, serene, cleansing quality about it. It makes me happy - and I think it's beautiful. So many people see this as gloom. I am the person who wakes up on a late June morning and wants to cry because instead of the cloudy rainy sky I see bright sunshine and know that I will spend the next three months fighting the relentless heat of the sun.
So, what makes a day beautiful? Well, you know the perfect little Sunday-school answer to that. But REALLY - what makes a day beautiful? Is it the weather? Perhaps a good friend? A bonus on your paycheck? A short work day? No homework? A relaxing day in the city? A refreshing adventure in nature?
For me, a nice crisp Autumn day...meeting a good friend for breakfast, then taking a trip downtown by myself. Roaming the expanse of Central library searching for some elusive knowledge, then relaxing with yummy coffee and maybe a bread bowl full of steaming deliciousness and of course a couple of good books. Watching people scurry by the window braced against the biting wind. Listening to the conversations at table nearby and imagining the lifes of others. Enjoying the art on the walls... Ah... just thinking about that makes me very.... content.
But what if I am never again able to experience that? Would there be any hope of a beautiful day then? Is there any way for me to make those horridly HOT summer days "beautiful?" Or for the normal person to make gloomy winter days beautiful? Perhaps it's not the weather we need to look to, but ourselves. Yeah, that's it. Am I going to make today a beautiful day? I think so.