Well, today I had another interview. I got there feeling like a windblown fraggle who'd just spent a half hour lost in downtown LA...okay, so aside from the "fraggle" part, that's all true. Two blocks further and twenty-six stories higher, I met some of the nicest people in Los Angeles:) I managed to smooth out my hair, suit, and nerves by the time I got to the office, thank goodness. First I met with Michelle. She is the HR person for the office. She was super nice, and made me feel really comfortable - not nearly the frazzled fraggle I'd felt like minutes before, haha. She interviewed me, and seemed to like me, as a person. I'm not really experienced enough with interviews to be able to "read" my interviewers, as to what they think of me professionally, but...she seemed to like me anyway, so that was encouraging. After awhile, a woman named Dee-dee (sp?) came in, and Michelle asked her to interview me also. Dee-dee was also really nice, and very comfortable to be around. I left feeling very positive, and extremely jittery! By the time I left, I wanted the job! The position is...well, actually they're hiring for two positions. One is as a receptionist, and one is as an executive assistant. Both job descriptions sounded fine to me, though I would definitely favor the assistant position (I'm much more comfortable with being a "go-fer" than a "company face" even though I can do either). The receptionist position is pretty much a standard receptionist job, but is with a far classier company than my previous job (no offense to my former company - I enjoyed my time there). The assistant position is basically like my old job, minus the receptionist part. The assistant would be responsible for keeping track of office supplies, coffee pots, paper stock, etc and would be consistently making sure that everything that the rest of the office needs to do their jobs, is available! Hehe, when describing this position to me, Michelle asked, "How do you feel about brewing coffee?" Feeling a bit silly, I said, "Uhm, well, I enjoy it actually." She then looked down at my resume to see my job at It's-A-Grind listed under job experience. Haha:) Apparently a lot of people would feel a little bit miffed being asked to keep track of other people's coffee. Hehe, I was thinkin' "I can make 'em lattes too if they'd like!" :-D Anyway, so either position sounds great to me. I definitely prefer being the "servant" over being the "company face," but I am fine with either, and walked out of the interview really really hoping I would get either position!
After the interview I went to the AGO fraternity house to kill time until Kyle got out of class. Nobody was around, so I had nobody to take my mind off my jitters, lol. So I called my dad:) I basically recited the interview back to him, haha, and he said it sounded like it went well:) Oh, I also called Stephen, who works for the staffing firm hired to find people for these positions. He's been really helpful in finding me a job, even to the extent of helping me improve my resume, coaching me on how to be a good interview-ee, and keeping me consistently updated on what positions may interest me. Anyway, I called him to follow up after the interview, and he sounded very positive about my interview:) He told me to call JoAnn, who also works with the staffing firm, for the same client, to follow up with her. She sounded positive also. I was getting tons of positive feedback, and encouragement from all sides!:) When Kyle finally got out of class, I picked him up, and of course updated him. We both got excited and hopeful, and very curious as to how soon we might hear back about the job opportunity.
Get this: Before we even got home, less than two hours after I left their office, JoAnn called from the staffing firm to tell me that, while the client still had a couple more people to interview, they were already 90% sure they want me! We are really hoping and praying that this works out! It seems like a really neat company, and so far everyone there seems really nice. It will also probably pay more than my last job:) We don't expect they'll shoot much higher than my previous salary, but any step up would be a huge blessing:) Anyway, be praying that this works out! We sure are! lol.
Oh, and for all you people out there who have a sort of non-sexual fetish for nice offices and office supplies (maybe that's only me, but oh well), this company's office is amazing! Sitting in the conference room, I had to keep myself from drooling on the polished mahogany table and leather arm chairs, or investigating the amazing wire-hiding techniques and classy screen-hiding-doors. Seriously, this office is beautiful. I won't be carrying too-full cups of coffee around, that's for sure! lol. OH, and they're on the top floor of a high-rise overlooking Beverly Hills, which is full of trees and bordered by a country club with a pristine green golf course! The view, as city-ful as it is, is quite a lovely sight:) ANYWAY, I'll quit daydreaming about mahogany conference rooms and get back to hoping and praying that I get the job! haha.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
My 101
Inspired by Amee, who was inspired by Jocelyn, I've decided to write my own "101 in 1001". What is this "101 in 1001" thing? It's 101 things, goals if you will, that I would like to achieve within the next 1001 days. That's a bit less than 3 years, if my guess-work is correct. Anyhow...here's my 101:)
1. Actually finish a devotional book all the way through. (Apryl, I think the last one I finished was the one we did together...how sad is that? I've started at least one, but not finished!)
2. Get off birth control (I achieved this goal before I even finished writing my list!).
3. Be in awe at the blessing of feeling normal, once the birth control affects wear off (still waiting on this one though, lol).
4. Move out of L.A.
5. Buy a furniture set.
6. Make walking and/or running a part of my daily routine, at least on weekdays.
7. Lose my birth-control weight.
8. Learn to speak Kyle's love language(s) fluently.
9. Learn how to communicate my feelings without having to stew about them or let them "simmer" for so long before being able to put them into words.
10. Go for a whole week without spending any money (aside from essentials; bills, groceries, etc).
11. Make it through a trip to the grocery store without buying anything that wasn't on the list.
12. Get a job.
13. Quit a job (cause that means we'll be moving!).
14. Make or buy some sort of gift for our grouchy apartment managers.
15. Get over my hatred for beer (though I will never get over my hatred for drunkenness, but fortunately that's not an issue).
16. Buy Kyle a cowboy hat.
17. Take Kyle somewhere that he will actually wear his cowboy hat.
18. Attend a family reunion (where Kyle can wear his cowboy hat).
19. Send a care package to all the soldiers I know (that's only two, so I think we can manage that).
20. Get started making a baby. It's okay if this one takes some time...we'll maybe start trying around Day 1001...
21. Start going back to the dentist regularly.
22. Take a pottery or wood-working or other creative sort of class with Kyle.
23. Take a Biblical Studies course.
24. Learn Greek (I suspect this one may take more than 1001 days).
25. Buy a Greek Bible.
26. Paint at least one painting for our house.
27. Dance again, at least when nobody's around.
28. Stop complaining so much.
29. Learn to ignore pregnancy symptoms until I am off birth control (shoot, now I can't ignore them).
30. Own a dishwasher (This will be glorious).
31. Get Kyle an electric drum set.
32. Get Kyle a computer upgrade.
33. Forget about a past regret.
34. Visit the east coast.
35. Go camping.
36. Go backpacking at least once.
37. Get some good quality, as-comfortable-as-possible black pumps.
38. Make vacuuming a weekly habit.
39. Learn more about sex (sorry).
40. Build up a collection of children's books, Disney classics, the original VeggieTales, and Dr. Seuss books.
41. Rid my home of particle board (this will be difficult).
42. Get pictures taken with Kyle.
43. Volunteer somewhere.
44. Read the whole Bible.
45. Clean out my makeup stash and minimize it.
46. Start an IRA.
47. Become a more dedicated FlyBaby (Don't worry if this makes no sense).
48. Try a new recipe at least once a month.
49. Finish the Harry Potter books.
50. Get back to 26".
51. Get a dog (and train it before we get the nice furniture).
52. Buy us bicycles.
53. Paint a room.
54. Eat some MooseTracks. It's been too long.
55. Wear out a pair of running shoes.
56. Play in the snow.
57. Go to a fancy restaurant with live jazz and quiet customers.
58. Learn how to change my own oil.
59. Cut my hair short again.
60. Buy a real Christmas tree for Christmas.
61. Live somewhere that my parents will really want to visit (i.e. somewhere green).
62. Become a stay-at-home-wife.
63. Get involved in a womens Bible study.
64. Be an AWANA leader again if the opportunity arises.
65. Stop calling our kids by their potential names.
66. Donate more of our stuff to the Salvation Army or Goodwill.
67. Learn to eat my vegetables with a good attitude.
68. Figure out how to ignore the occasional baby itch.
69. Stop mentally laughing at this number like a junior higher.
70. Learn to sit up straight.
71. Keep a food journal/"body book".
72. Acquire a collection of various kinds of teas.
73. Start a tea cup collection.
74. Have someone over for tea :)
75. Take Kyle to see the Bar-D Wranglers again before they all die...
76. Go horseback riding.
77. Visit a Farmers Market.
78. Scrapbook our weddings.
79. Make chocolate dipped strawberries.
80. Create my own flower arrangement.
81. Have a front and back yard.
82. Buy a houseplant and not kill it.
83. Get into the habit of taking a shower every day.
84. Get into the habit of brushing my teeth more than once a day.
85. Learn a way to prepare vegetables where I'll actually like them.
86. Start taking pictures more often.
87. Get over how easily I get grossed out by bugs, and just kill them myself.
88. Begin to understand politics more.
89. Uhm....think of 11 more goals to add to this list...
1. Actually finish a devotional book all the way through. (Apryl, I think the last one I finished was the one we did together...how sad is that? I've started at least one, but not finished!)
2. Get off birth control (I achieved this goal before I even finished writing my list!).
3. Be in awe at the blessing of feeling normal, once the birth control affects wear off (still waiting on this one though, lol).
4. Move out of L.A.
5. Buy a furniture set.
6. Make walking and/or running a part of my daily routine, at least on weekdays.
7. Lose my birth-control weight.
8. Learn to speak Kyle's love language(s) fluently.
9. Learn how to communicate my feelings without having to stew about them or let them "simmer" for so long before being able to put them into words.
10. Go for a whole week without spending any money (aside from essentials; bills, groceries, etc).
11. Make it through a trip to the grocery store without buying anything that wasn't on the list.
12. Get a job.
13. Quit a job (cause that means we'll be moving!).
14. Make or buy some sort of gift for our grouchy apartment managers.
15. Get over my hatred for beer (though I will never get over my hatred for drunkenness, but fortunately that's not an issue).
16. Buy Kyle a cowboy hat.
17. Take Kyle somewhere that he will actually wear his cowboy hat.
18. Attend a family reunion (where Kyle can wear his cowboy hat).
19. Send a care package to all the soldiers I know (that's only two, so I think we can manage that).
20. Get started making a baby. It's okay if this one takes some time...we'll maybe start trying around Day 1001...
21. Start going back to the dentist regularly.
22. Take a pottery or wood-working or other creative sort of class with Kyle.
23. Take a Biblical Studies course.
24. Learn Greek (I suspect this one may take more than 1001 days).
25. Buy a Greek Bible.
26. Paint at least one painting for our house.
27. Dance again, at least when nobody's around.
28. Stop complaining so much.
29. Learn to ignore pregnancy symptoms until I am off birth control (shoot, now I can't ignore them).
30. Own a dishwasher (This will be glorious).
31. Get Kyle an electric drum set.
32. Get Kyle a computer upgrade.
33. Forget about a past regret.
34. Visit the east coast.
35. Go camping.
36. Go backpacking at least once.
37. Get some good quality, as-comfortable-as-possible black pumps.
38. Make vacuuming a weekly habit.
39. Learn more about sex (sorry).
40. Build up a collection of children's books, Disney classics, the original VeggieTales, and Dr. Seuss books.
41. Rid my home of particle board (this will be difficult).
42. Get pictures taken with Kyle.
43. Volunteer somewhere.
44. Read the whole Bible.
45. Clean out my makeup stash and minimize it.
46. Start an IRA.
47. Become a more dedicated FlyBaby (Don't worry if this makes no sense).
48. Try a new recipe at least once a month.
49. Finish the Harry Potter books.
50. Get back to 26".
51. Get a dog (and train it before we get the nice furniture).
52. Buy us bicycles.
53. Paint a room.
54. Eat some MooseTracks. It's been too long.
55. Wear out a pair of running shoes.
56. Play in the snow.
57. Go to a fancy restaurant with live jazz and quiet customers.
58. Learn how to change my own oil.
59. Cut my hair short again.
60. Buy a real Christmas tree for Christmas.
61. Live somewhere that my parents will really want to visit (i.e. somewhere green).
62. Become a stay-at-home-wife.
63. Get involved in a womens Bible study.
64. Be an AWANA leader again if the opportunity arises.
65. Stop calling our kids by their potential names.
66. Donate more of our stuff to the Salvation Army or Goodwill.
67. Learn to eat my vegetables with a good attitude.
68. Figure out how to ignore the occasional baby itch.
69. Stop mentally laughing at this number like a junior higher.
70. Learn to sit up straight.
71. Keep a food journal/"body book".
72. Acquire a collection of various kinds of teas.
73. Start a tea cup collection.
74. Have someone over for tea :)
75. Take Kyle to see the Bar-D Wranglers again before they all die...
76. Go horseback riding.
77. Visit a Farmers Market.
78. Scrapbook our weddings.
79. Make chocolate dipped strawberries.
80. Create my own flower arrangement.
81. Have a front and back yard.
82. Buy a houseplant and not kill it.
83. Get into the habit of taking a shower every day.
84. Get into the habit of brushing my teeth more than once a day.
85. Learn a way to prepare vegetables where I'll actually like them.
86. Start taking pictures more often.
87. Get over how easily I get grossed out by bugs, and just kill them myself.
88. Begin to understand politics more.
89. Uhm....think of 11 more goals to add to this list...
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Job Hunt Update
Well, today is day 7 of job hunting. So far I have had two interviews. One of them, at a temp agency, hired me on the spot, and kept me in their system even after I said I wasn't sure I wanted to actually accept the position. Apparently now if worse comes to worst, I can call them and say "assign me something" and they will. I could technically tell them to delete me from their system, but I figured a free backup job might not be a bad thing, even though I'm pretty sure I won't need it.
The second interview, I'm pretty sure was a failure. It was for a position that I'm completely unfamiliar with, and I didn't really have any real answers to most of their questions. "How do you handle stress?" "Uhmm.......gee, I can't remember ever being truly stressed before, so I don't have a clue!" How do I make that sound good? All I could really do was speculate. "Based on my personality, I'm guessing I would do/say/be __." I've no experience with most of the challenges they brought up, and had little of value to say. I felt kind of bad because someone in their company had specifically recommended me for the job, and I basically went to the interview and quickly discovered a hundred new ways to say "I don't know". Unless they recognized the incredible quick-thinking/improv skills, I doubt they were impressed.
Anyway, I have another interview today. We'll see how that one goes. It's actually an "interview for an interview"...this company hired a staffing firm to find them a receptionist. So I have to interview with the staffing firm, and then if they like me, I'll be interviewed by the actual company. They haven't even told me what company this is for, so...who knows where this one will go...
We could still use your prayers, of course. We're doing okay financially, and we're certainly not feeling hopeless yet, but we'll be glad when we have income again. Thanks for your prayers. And thanks for the support so many people are offering:) Your encouragement is really appreciated:) We'll keep ya posted!:)
The second interview, I'm pretty sure was a failure. It was for a position that I'm completely unfamiliar with, and I didn't really have any real answers to most of their questions. "How do you handle stress?" "Uhmm.......gee, I can't remember ever being truly stressed before, so I don't have a clue!" How do I make that sound good? All I could really do was speculate. "Based on my personality, I'm guessing I would do/say/be __." I've no experience with most of the challenges they brought up, and had little of value to say. I felt kind of bad because someone in their company had specifically recommended me for the job, and I basically went to the interview and quickly discovered a hundred new ways to say "I don't know". Unless they recognized the incredible quick-thinking/improv skills, I doubt they were impressed.
Anyway, I have another interview today. We'll see how that one goes. It's actually an "interview for an interview"...this company hired a staffing firm to find them a receptionist. So I have to interview with the staffing firm, and then if they like me, I'll be interviewed by the actual company. They haven't even told me what company this is for, so...who knows where this one will go...
We could still use your prayers, of course. We're doing okay financially, and we're certainly not feeling hopeless yet, but we'll be glad when we have income again. Thanks for your prayers. And thanks for the support so many people are offering:) Your encouragement is really appreciated:) We'll keep ya posted!:)
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Job Hunt Update
Today is Day 1 of my job hunt, and God may already be workin':) My first move toward finding a new job was to try to think of people who might know of job opportunities in their own companies. During my time at Mediaedge, I met a radio sales rep (he sells ad spots on the radio, not radios, lol) named Zayne. He's a really neat guy:) He came in every few weeks at least, including bringing his family in to hand out candy for Halloween and treats for Christmas:) He's one of those people who's pretty much always up for helping people. Whether it was "Know of any good date spots?" or "What's the quickest route to Westwood?" he had answers! haha. So today I thought, "Maybe Zayne knows of some job openings..." I e-mailed him and told him my situation. He was pretty surprised that I got fired, lol. He asked me to send him my resume, and let him know what areas I'd be willing to work in, and what my salary needs are. I e-mailed him back and sent him that information. Almost immediately he e-mailed me and said that the director of sales in his office is in immediate need of an assistant, and that he has referred me to him. I am supposed to keep my phone handy, as I should be getting a call from the director of sales there! Apparently the position needs to be filled ASAP, and I need a job ASAP, haha. Needless to say, I was pretty excited to already have gotten a recommendation! Be praying that this works out!! Thanks, to everyone who has been praying for us:) And thanks Zayne!!!
At Home, Thinkin' and Singin'
However long our feet have walked on this world
We've all lived long enough to know
That sometimes life will go our way
And other times it won't
But still I've got this joy inside of me
With each new dawn I do believe to
Say hey, it's a good day
Even if things aren't going my way
Jesus is Lord and I am saved
So, say hey, it's a good day
Circumstance and situations change
You know life can turn on a dime
But there's a constant hope and peace
That I have come to find
And it's all because of who God is
And that He is alive and I am His, so
Say hey, it's a good day
Even if things aren't going my way
Jesus is Lord and I am saved
So, say hey, it's a good day
We are all as happy as we make our minds up to be
I have just decided that nothing's gonna take this joy from me
Say hey, it's a good day
Even if things aren't going my way
Jesus is Lord and I am saved
So, say hey--
Say hey, it's a good day
Even if things aren't going my way
Jesus is Lord and I am saved
So, say hey--
Jesus is Lord and I am saved
So, say hey--yeah
Jesus is Lord and I am saved
So, say hey, it's a good day
--------------------------------
It's A Good Day
by: FFH aka Far From Home
We've all lived long enough to know
That sometimes life will go our way
And other times it won't
But still I've got this joy inside of me
With each new dawn I do believe to
Say hey, it's a good day
Even if things aren't going my way
Jesus is Lord and I am saved
So, say hey, it's a good day
Circumstance and situations change
You know life can turn on a dime
But there's a constant hope and peace
That I have come to find
And it's all because of who God is
And that He is alive and I am His, so
Say hey, it's a good day
Even if things aren't going my way
Jesus is Lord and I am saved
So, say hey, it's a good day
We are all as happy as we make our minds up to be
I have just decided that nothing's gonna take this joy from me
Say hey, it's a good day
Even if things aren't going my way
Jesus is Lord and I am saved
So, say hey--
Say hey, it's a good day
Even if things aren't going my way
Jesus is Lord and I am saved
So, say hey--
Jesus is Lord and I am saved
So, say hey--yeah
Jesus is Lord and I am saved
So, say hey, it's a good day
--------------------------------
It's A Good Day
by: FFH aka Far From Home
I Think God Read My Last Post
Well, like I said..."God may be gracious and merciful, but He does have a sense of humor, so...we'll see what He does with me."
Yesterday, I lost my job. I've gotten a lot of "WHAT?!?"s and "What happened!?"s already. Well, the reason given was that they're doing some reorganizing. The reality, I believe, is that they were getting the idea that maybe this receptionist thing wasn't my little 'nitch' in life, and I kind of accidently confirmed that for them. My bad. Anyway, seeing as being a receptionist isn't my little 'nitch' in life, I'm seeing this as a blessing in disguise. I have to say, aside from quitting when we move out of LA, it couldn't have gone much smoother than it did. I still think my former boss is really cool, and his boss is pretty cool. I'm glad I could go through the firing process and still think that. Most people don't care much for their boss to begin with, so I consider myself lucky. Anyway, as much as I see it as a blessing in disguise, I do get the occasional "Wait! We still have to pay bills!" and "Where am I gonna find another job??" moments. But...God has provided already. I got a decent severance pay package;) lol. And I know a few people that I met through my job at Mediaedge, whom I can at least contact to see if they have any positions available. Even if none of those work out, at least in the very beginning, I am not feeling completely lost. I at least have a 'starting block'.
That said, while we're being optimistic, we could certainly use some prayer. If you guys could keep us in your prayers, that'd be great:) Thanks everyone:)
Yesterday, I lost my job. I've gotten a lot of "WHAT?!?"s and "What happened!?"s already. Well, the reason given was that they're doing some reorganizing. The reality, I believe, is that they were getting the idea that maybe this receptionist thing wasn't my little 'nitch' in life, and I kind of accidently confirmed that for them. My bad. Anyway, seeing as being a receptionist isn't my little 'nitch' in life, I'm seeing this as a blessing in disguise. I have to say, aside from quitting when we move out of LA, it couldn't have gone much smoother than it did. I still think my former boss is really cool, and his boss is pretty cool. I'm glad I could go through the firing process and still think that. Most people don't care much for their boss to begin with, so I consider myself lucky. Anyway, as much as I see it as a blessing in disguise, I do get the occasional "Wait! We still have to pay bills!" and "Where am I gonna find another job??" moments. But...God has provided already. I got a decent severance pay package;) lol. And I know a few people that I met through my job at Mediaedge, whom I can at least contact to see if they have any positions available. Even if none of those work out, at least in the very beginning, I am not feeling completely lost. I at least have a 'starting block'.
That said, while we're being optimistic, we could certainly use some prayer. If you guys could keep us in your prayers, that'd be great:) Thanks everyone:)
Monday, January 14, 2008
Wow, It's been a whole week?
Awhile back I was thinking about the world. I don't do that very often. Unfortunately usually my thoughts are limited to my little sphere of the world. I'm kinda nearsighted like that. But occasionally I think about the rest of the world. It occured to me that it'd been awhile since I'd heard any missions updates, ministry miracles, or cool stories about what God's been doing. For a moment (God didn't let this thought linger long) I wondered, "So...where's God been? What is He up to?? Why am I not seeing Him working?"...It quickly occured to me that I'm very nearsighted. The last time I saw God working was when I was involved. My first thought was, "Gee, I need to open my eyes. I'm sure somebody out there is doing something for God." *sigh* He didn't let that thought linger long either. In fact it almost felt like He kind of flicked me on the back of the head (lovingly of course;) and said, "Don't look harder! Move closer! You're not seeing Me move because you're not moving with Me!" Ouch...but it's true...The only times I question God's plans, work, and activity in our world, is when I'm failing to be involved in it.
Our church recently sent out (local loss, grand-scheme glory) two families who were very active in our church. They're moving on to work on a church plant in Arizona (it's been planted, they're "watering"). The church is not going to die without them, but there sure are quite a few consequent bulletin notices at our church: "We need nursery workers!" "Join us for worship team practice!" etc To be honest, I haven't really found my "nitch" in ministry. I'm not sure where God wants me. So I just kind of threw myself out there and told Pastor Jan, "Put me where you (or God, rather) want me!" Now, God may be gracious and merciful, but He has a sense of humor...so we'll see what He does with me...
Our church recently sent out (local loss, grand-scheme glory) two families who were very active in our church. They're moving on to work on a church plant in Arizona (it's been planted, they're "watering"). The church is not going to die without them, but there sure are quite a few consequent bulletin notices at our church: "We need nursery workers!" "Join us for worship team practice!" etc To be honest, I haven't really found my "nitch" in ministry. I'm not sure where God wants me. So I just kind of threw myself out there and told Pastor Jan, "Put me where you (or God, rather) want me!" Now, God may be gracious and merciful, but He has a sense of humor...so we'll see what He does with me...
Monday, January 7, 2008
Our Crazy Weekend
This weekend was quite an adventure for us! The plan was: get off work Friday, drive to Lancaster, meet Tim and Danny at their house, switch to a car load of their stuff, drive it to Arizona, sleep, wake up, help them move, drive back to California. Well, by the time we got to Lancaster, it was raining quite a bit. We decided that the cars would drive to Arizona that night, but the trucks would wait till morning, hoping for better weather. With that decision made, and our bags of snacks and drinks ready, we loaded up into the cars, and headed out for Phoenix.
As we made our way out of town, we quickly realized that Tim's windshield wipers were completely useless. This made driving in pouring rain pretty interesting. We were following Danny and his dad, which helped a lot, since their wipers worked, so they could see the road, and we could at least follow their tail-lights (barely).
This system seemed to be going fine, and we made our way onto *gulp* the 138. I hate the 138, so driving it in the rain wasn't real high on my "things I want to do before I die" list. In fact, I figured there was a good chance it would be the thing I'm doing when I die! Fortunately, there wasn't a whole lot of cars on the road. Unfortunately, about halfway down the 138 stretch, Danny and his dad pulled over all of the sudden. Sure enough, they'd got a flat...they both hopped out of the car and looked at their front tire. Kyle and I watched, thinking, "Oh no..." Danny, already dripping wet from the rain, ran over to our window and motioned for us to roll it down. "We've got a flat!" he shouted over the howling wind. We hadn't realized it was so windy! Kyle got out and went to help change the tire. When he got out of the car, it looked like they were gonna get blown away! They were out there for a good 15-20 minutes, trying to fight the wind, rain, slippery nuts and bolts, and the low visibility, all to change a tire. When Kyle got back in the car, he looked like he'd just jumped in a river...and kept half the river on him! He was completely soaked. His clothes and hair were saturated, and he was dripping everywhere. He shed his outermost clothing and we cranked up the heat. I laid his jacket on the floor and draped his shirt over some heater vents, hoping they would dry faster. After a bit of debating about whether to press on or go back, we decided to keep going, and just take it easy since they were driving on the spare.
For the rest of the drive, we had to go pretty slow. The rain and the spare tire kept us trucking along a bit slower than the semi-trucks:-\ Usually it's about a 5-6 hour drive to Phoenix. It took us 8 hours. We arrived at their new house at 6:30a.m. Now, if you remember, we'd told the trucks to wait until morning to come. It hadn't occured to us that this decision meant that we didn't have the option of unloading a mattress to sleep on, or blankets to sleep under! We arrived to an almost empty house. Sharon and Cheryl had come earlier that day with the babies, and play pens for the babies to sleep in. But that was the extent of the sleeping arrangements. Kyle and I slept in the room that would soon become Hannah's nursery. Her play mat and crib sheets served as our pillows and blankets. Thank you, Hannah;) lol. Needless to say, the floor wasn't all the comfy, but we were exhausted, so falling asleep was no challenge.
Unfortunately, we're used to mattresses, pillows, blankets and warmth, so the night didn't last long. After about three and a half hours, we woke up and couldn't deny that getting up would be more comfortable than staying on the floor for a moment longer. Sharon and Cheryl and the kids were awake, and I had to wonder how the kids had so much energy! I was ready to drop! lol. They had muffins and donuts and mini-bagels out for us to eat for breakfast, which helped in the energy department:) Thanks Sharon and Cheryl!
Soon the trucks, who had left Lancaster at about 4:00 that morning, arrived at the house, and we began unloading. I spent most of the time with the moms, watching the kids and unpacking boxes. My energy failed me a couple of times - keenly timed with the arrival of the big comfy couch - and I ended up falling asleep at least once. But the unloading got accomplished, and some of the unpacking as well. Hopefully we left them with things orderly enough to make the settling in process easier than usual:)
Around 3:30 Saturday afternoon, we piled into Danny's parents' car, and headed for California. Danny's mom drove, his dad rode shotgun, and we squeezed into the back seat. Awhile into the drive, Danny commented, "Wow mom, your car is really spacious!" I glared at him from the 8-inch-wide middle seat. The ride home wasn't too bad though. I stayed awake most of the time, because I don't think the driver should ever be the only one awake. We got back in to Lancaster at about 10:00 that night. Kyle and I hopped back into our car, and headed for my parents' house, where I immediately took advantage of the guest room bed. Ahh, the wonderfulness of a bed! *sleepy smiles*
Honestly, it'll take me awhile to recuperate from this weekend. I'd intended to use the weekend to recover from Christmas, two weddings, and New Years. I would plan on recuperating next weekend, but alas...that will be quite busy too. We'll see how long it takes me to recuperate via every day life...
As we made our way out of town, we quickly realized that Tim's windshield wipers were completely useless. This made driving in pouring rain pretty interesting. We were following Danny and his dad, which helped a lot, since their wipers worked, so they could see the road, and we could at least follow their tail-lights (barely).
This system seemed to be going fine, and we made our way onto *gulp* the 138. I hate the 138, so driving it in the rain wasn't real high on my "things I want to do before I die" list. In fact, I figured there was a good chance it would be the thing I'm doing when I die! Fortunately, there wasn't a whole lot of cars on the road. Unfortunately, about halfway down the 138 stretch, Danny and his dad pulled over all of the sudden. Sure enough, they'd got a flat...they both hopped out of the car and looked at their front tire. Kyle and I watched, thinking, "Oh no..." Danny, already dripping wet from the rain, ran over to our window and motioned for us to roll it down. "We've got a flat!" he shouted over the howling wind. We hadn't realized it was so windy! Kyle got out and went to help change the tire. When he got out of the car, it looked like they were gonna get blown away! They were out there for a good 15-20 minutes, trying to fight the wind, rain, slippery nuts and bolts, and the low visibility, all to change a tire. When Kyle got back in the car, he looked like he'd just jumped in a river...and kept half the river on him! He was completely soaked. His clothes and hair were saturated, and he was dripping everywhere. He shed his outermost clothing and we cranked up the heat. I laid his jacket on the floor and draped his shirt over some heater vents, hoping they would dry faster. After a bit of debating about whether to press on or go back, we decided to keep going, and just take it easy since they were driving on the spare.
For the rest of the drive, we had to go pretty slow. The rain and the spare tire kept us trucking along a bit slower than the semi-trucks:-\ Usually it's about a 5-6 hour drive to Phoenix. It took us 8 hours. We arrived at their new house at 6:30a.m. Now, if you remember, we'd told the trucks to wait until morning to come. It hadn't occured to us that this decision meant that we didn't have the option of unloading a mattress to sleep on, or blankets to sleep under! We arrived to an almost empty house. Sharon and Cheryl had come earlier that day with the babies, and play pens for the babies to sleep in. But that was the extent of the sleeping arrangements. Kyle and I slept in the room that would soon become Hannah's nursery. Her play mat and crib sheets served as our pillows and blankets. Thank you, Hannah;) lol. Needless to say, the floor wasn't all the comfy, but we were exhausted, so falling asleep was no challenge.
Unfortunately, we're used to mattresses, pillows, blankets and warmth, so the night didn't last long. After about three and a half hours, we woke up and couldn't deny that getting up would be more comfortable than staying on the floor for a moment longer. Sharon and Cheryl and the kids were awake, and I had to wonder how the kids had so much energy! I was ready to drop! lol. They had muffins and donuts and mini-bagels out for us to eat for breakfast, which helped in the energy department:) Thanks Sharon and Cheryl!
Soon the trucks, who had left Lancaster at about 4:00 that morning, arrived at the house, and we began unloading. I spent most of the time with the moms, watching the kids and unpacking boxes. My energy failed me a couple of times - keenly timed with the arrival of the big comfy couch - and I ended up falling asleep at least once. But the unloading got accomplished, and some of the unpacking as well. Hopefully we left them with things orderly enough to make the settling in process easier than usual:)
Around 3:30 Saturday afternoon, we piled into Danny's parents' car, and headed for California. Danny's mom drove, his dad rode shotgun, and we squeezed into the back seat. Awhile into the drive, Danny commented, "Wow mom, your car is really spacious!" I glared at him from the 8-inch-wide middle seat. The ride home wasn't too bad though. I stayed awake most of the time, because I don't think the driver should ever be the only one awake. We got back in to Lancaster at about 10:00 that night. Kyle and I hopped back into our car, and headed for my parents' house, where I immediately took advantage of the guest room bed. Ahh, the wonderfulness of a bed! *sleepy smiles*
Honestly, it'll take me awhile to recuperate from this weekend. I'd intended to use the weekend to recover from Christmas, two weddings, and New Years. I would plan on recuperating next weekend, but alas...that will be quite busy too. We'll see how long it takes me to recuperate via every day life...
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Sick Today
Well, yesterday as we were leaving Lancaster, I commented that I was pretty sure I was going to wake up truly fully sick. *sigh* I was right. I've had a cold coming on for a few days now, and last night I could tell it was growing steadily worse. Sooo, I kicked off the new year by calling in sick to work this morning, sleeping half the day away, and filling the corner by my side of the bed with tissues. I'm not usually one to call in sick. My job is so easy it almost seems like a sin to call in sick. What sickness could actually keep me from doing my job? Well, I guess it's hard to answer phones, with no voice, and I think my coworkers would prefer that their mail be late, than sneezed on. However, since I have been gone for a week and a half, I have lots of work to catch up on, so tomorrow I will be dragging myself in to work...and hopefully not sneezing on everyone's mail.
A Couple Pictures
Here are a few candid photos from the rehearsal and wedding:)
Rachel, the church's wedding coordinator, giving instructions.
Rachel, the church's wedding coordinator, scaring us half to death! Just kidding, Rachel! We're just glad you're okay!
Rachel, the church's wedding coordinator, giving instructions.
Rachel, the church's wedding coordinator, scaring us half to death! Just kidding, Rachel! We're just glad you're okay!
Pastor Jan and Kyle, during the ceremony.
Me and Kyle, entering the reception.
A replay of the bouquet toss.
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