Its Beginning to Look A Lot Like CHRISTMAS!

Well, I didn't get a sub job for today so the day was spent picking up around the house, running some errands AND doing Christmas shopping and decorating! How glorious! I just love this time of year and start eagerly anticipating its arrival around my birthday (in September - go ahead and make fun). This year however, I have been instructed to scale back on Christmas decor because my parents are showing their home on a regular basis in hopes of selling it and I've had to scale back on my shopping b/c of lack of a job (there is exciting news on the horizon - I'll share more in a later post once things materialize). But I still love the spirit and buzz of activity that occurs during this time of year, so my spirits aren't dampened too much. Plus, the decor, shopping and whatever else are not really what the season is about anyways so maybe having to scale back on what I normally get caught up in will help me to focus all my attention on why there is even a Christmas season at all and for that lesson/reminder I am blessed and grateful :0)

A general update on life...

So, my updates have been a little scattered as of late as well as more about certain special events in my life as opposed whats happening overall. So I decided it was time for a general update on life.

Job/ Internship: Just 3 days left of my internship! Pretty glad about that. So ready to get a real job and get paid for it :0) They might offer me a job there and I'm thinking about taking it and working there while I work on my teacher certification. We'll see. I'm not entirely sure about that plan at this point.

Teacher certification: I have applied and am waiting for my transcripts to come in. Hopefully that will be next week and I will have everything in by December 14 (thats the deadline for me since I applied on November 14).

Ella: Took her to the vet today. She was so good. Still testing positive for Lyme Disease so they gave me some more medicine for her in hopes of clearing it up. If she still tests positive for it after that it just means she has antibodies that are producing a positive on the bloodtest. She got her immunizations today and was so good. Didn't even flinch one bit. The nurse muzzled her at first to do some things (neither Ella or I were very happy about that) but that was taken off and things went fine. Tonight she will probably get an ice cream treat for being so good at the vet. Yeah, I'm a sucker. I just feel so bad taking her there because she is so miserable and stressed out when she goes. Haha... Otherwise, she is doing great. She misses having another dog around to play with.

Church: I've decided to go back to HFBC. I think it is worth the drive. I went to their Sunday night singles class and then the church service and really loved it. I also saw my friend from Baylor, Andrew Ginakis, so it was good to see him there too. In a few weeks, the singles class is going on a camping trip and I think I might be brave and go despite not knowing anyone in the class. I guess I'll really get to know people that way! Haha..

Boys: What do you think?? Haha... I wish I had exciting news here but I don't. Someday though. I did have a dream last night that I was getting married. It was the night before and I realized I had forgotten to order the cake and get photographers and was super stressed about it. Then, at the beginning of the ceremony, the pastor called off the wedding and sent everyone home because a lightening storm was coming. I was depressed after that in my dream. Not to mention my dress was super ugly too. Weird.

Living situation: Trying to move out within the next few months. Difficult though. I need a townhome or something of the like with a backyard for Ella. She really is too big and too active of a dog to be left at home all day and then to not be able to roam around free of a leash for a while after I get home. Her breed especially is inclined to roaming so I really feel that she needs that leash-free roaming time. I'll still walk her and such but she really does need that yard. I've found a few things but they are 3 bedrooms and I don't need that. Two is a lot and I would be okay with it but I'd really just prefer 1. We'll see. Just pray that I find what I need at the time that I need it.

I think I covered everything. This week has been good. Kyle came home yesterday so I've been hanging out w/ him and the fam. Yesterday we went to WalMart and I got the Hairspray DVD and we watched it last night. So great! Today, I went to lunch with Ashley, one of my old roomates and got to catch up with her. It was so good to see her. Too bad lunch couldn't have lasted longer but we both had stuff to do. I'm excited because she is moving back to Houston sometime next summer so she can start her LSSP internship year/first year in either Katy or Fort Bend ISD. I might be teaching Special Ed in one of those districts so maybe she can be my LSSP! Haha...

Hope y'all have a happy Thanksgiving. Get excited because the radio stations start playing Christmas music around the clock tomorrow. Yay! I've been listening to the radio station I listened to while living in DFW online because they started playing Christmas music November 1. Some people are really perturbed about it but not me! I love it!

God Bless!

Ren Fest!

So this past weekend, I had the delightful and rather interesting experience of going to the Texas Renaissance Festival up near Magnolia. I have wanted to go for the past 8 1/2 years (when I moved here from Saudi) and I finally got the chance. I went with Audrey, her boyfriend, Andrew and Mina. Too much fun. And too much food! Haha... After more than 5 hours of walking around and seeing all there was to see, here are the pictures! Beware though...apparently showing a lot of cleavage and in some cases a lot of skin in other places so if you see any, don't be too alarmed. It took me a couple of hours of being there to not be so shocked by it every time I saw it. Anyways, here are the pics!

Mina enjoying a giant turkey leg

Barbarians dancing (it was Barbarian weekend @ Ren Fest)

Jousting tournament

Andrew being very talented at the stick juggling thing - he has some serious skills!

Audrey (she's sitting opposite of Andrew) and Andrew in a cool swing

Some lady's cool peacock feather dress

I love these cool hammock chairs! It felt really good to sit in after walking around that much. If I had any money, that is one thing I would have bought myself :0)

A girl doing amazing stunts. Yeah - she's only hanging onto two pieces of fabric. Pretty cool. She was a tiny girl but had amazing muscles to hold herself up like that!

Cool swing we got to go on :0)

My feet while we are swinging :0)

I love listening to bagpipes. This guy and the other guys he was playing with were jamming.

Riding an elephant with Audrey :0) Yeah, that elephant is taking a leak. Its not just your imagination.

Belly dancing. That one lady in the middle was actually pretty good!

And this picture isn't from Ren Fest. Its a picture of the business next to where we ate dinner later that night. Read carefully what it says on the window. Anything strike you odd?

So Ren Fest was busy and fun. I highly recommend it but make sure you a) bring good walking shoes b) bring a good amount of money - its not necessarily a cheap thing to do on a weekend. But worth it.

Update on my grandma - She came out of surgery fine and came home from the hospital today. She's still weak and feeling yucky but otherwise okay and my aunt is there to help her out. She wanted to stay in the hospital longer but said the treatment by the nurses and other staff there was so horrible that she had to leave. Hopefully she'll keep getting better instead of worse. Just keep praying for her!

Anyways, I have more to say but this post has gotten long enough. Maybe tomorrow.

Hope y'all are doing well and gettin' excited for Turkey Day! God bless!

PS - I'm having formatting problems w/ this post so if it looks a little funny, I can't help it! I tried to fix it a couple times but it keeps reverting back to what it was before. So sorry!

Pray For My Grandma Please!

My sweet grandma is having surgery tomorrow (its either gastrointestinal or urological - I'm not sure which). She has been in a lot of pain the past few months, so hopefully this will help alleviate her misery. My aunt is flying out next week to take care of her once she gets out of the hospital and then my mom is flying out after Thanksgiving to stay with her for a while too. Hopefully this will be a sweet time for them despite the circumstances. They don't always get along with each other (my mom's family is kinda crazy) so hopefully they can put their differences aside and enjoy the time together. Also, my grandma isn't really saved either, so maybe some more seeds will be planted during the next few weeks. She thinks she's going to heaven because she is a good woman and doesn't do bad thins, but as far as any relationship goes, there isn't really evidence of one. Anyways, just pray that things will be already, healing will be speedy and love and warmth will surround during her time with her daughters.

I'm trying to decide whether to get certified to teach. Its a big decision and not one I need to rush into or take lightly. But I do need to make a decision soon her as the deadline to apply and register for January trainings is fast approaching. It involves a pretty significant financial commitment. I think its what I want to do, but I feel like I jump around a lot from thing to thing because I can't decide. Maybe I do and maybe I don't, but I just want to stick with something, do it and do it well. I think I would be a good special ed teacher. I was a good aide. My feelings about my internship ebb and flow so I'm not sure if I do or don't want to do it. I like the part of working with the families and like most of my coworkers, but not much else. I dunno.

Anyways, excited about this weekend. Probably going to the Renaissance Festival with Audrey (and maybe some others - let me know if you want to come - all are welcome!). I have wanted to go every year for 8 years and I think the time has come! Yay!

Hope y'all are doing well. God bless!

Sic 'em bears - Homecoming '07

So, I went to Baylor this past weekend for homecoming. So fun! I stayed with my sweet friend Kimberly and got to see nearly everyone on my list of people I wanted to see. Unfortunately, as well intentioned as I am about taking lots of pictures, I carry my camera everywhere but forget to take pictures. Here are some of the few that I did get.

Sweet Min and I at the bonfire. Unfortunately, we had this huge white light shining on us, so the picture isn't that great. I love this girl! Need to visit her in DC soon!

Fun KXA friends @ the bonfire (Min, Diane, Kim, me, Katie)

The Texas Tech double T in flames. Too bad we didn't really burn them at the football game the next day :0(

My sweet ENGAGED friend Nikki! She was KXA's homecoming nominee this year and although I didn't actually get to see her in the parade, the pictures of her were gorgeous (would you expect any different from this girl!?!) Can't wait til her wedding!

Sarah Bush! I absolutely adore this precious girl! She's one of those people who just warms your heart to be around :0)

Oh baby brother! He was so sweet and cooked all the hot dogs and hamburgers at the KXA alumni tailgate (not only is he my little brother, but he's a Big Brother for KXA too - the Stewart legacy lives on...)

Baylor not winning :0( One year, it will be the year of the Bear. Not this year though!

The Golden Wave Band performing Thriller! It was AWESOME!

The hostess w/ the mostest! Can't get enough of this sweet friend!

Sweet KXA friends at the football game (as we were leaving not too far into the 3rd quarter - it was too hot and too depressing at that point to stay). Such sweet girls :0)

So that was some of my weekend. I basically just hung out and saw sweet friends that I missed and ate a lot of food. Hehe...

Unlike last year though, I didn't come away grieving the loss of my college years. I think I am slowly becoming okay and adjusting to (out of necessity) my single adult life. I still miss Baylor, but maybe not in the same way that I did previously.

This week has been okay. Went to a teacher certification info meeting last night. Pretty good. I need to pray before I start applying and investing my money in this. I think it is what I am supposed to do, but I just want to be sure. I mean nothing is ever a sure thing, but I want to have peace about going through this process.

Hope y'all are doing well. God bless!