In the Light of Eternity

Change

2011-10-05T11:35:00.000-07:00

I was talking with a friend today who is beginning a blog. It inspired me to add an entry to my pitiful little piece of cyberspace! So I log on and realize it's been almost 2 years since writing. Sadly I'm not surprised. But the conversation inspired me to write at least an update, and we'll see if that turns into more regular posts. Not sure anyone reads this anyways!

I no longer live in PA, but am a New Englander. The home of the NE Patriots football team is also my home...Foxboro, MA. I was warned before coming that New England residents tend to be cold and hard to befriend. Thankfully that has not been my experience at all! I was welcomed with open arms to my new job as Children's Ministry Director and have begun getting to know some of the women at the church. Everyone has been very friendly, encouraging and very gracious as I attempt to learn the ropes. It helps that I lived with a family for my first 5 weeks here. Their house key is still on my keyring and I'm not giving it back!

I do have my own place now and it's nearly all furnished. A comfy brown couch will finish off the living room this weekend, just in time for my first visitors. Phew! Still need quite a few decorating touches, but I might put the girls to work with that when they get here on Saturday since decorating is definitely not a forte of mine.

I guess that will be all for now. I don't plan on waiting another 2 years to write again. I can change. I can try at least. It's Fall. Change is in the air. It's all around.

Beginnings and Endings

2009-12-06T16:19:00.000-08:00

Well, I can't believe it's here, but tomorrow is my last day of student teaching. It has been a busy three months, and a bit overwhelming at times (especially the weekend I moved), but overall a great experience. I am all set with little gift bags for each kiddo, stuffed with a pencil, bookmark, stretchy worm, candy, and a candy-cane reindeer. I am almost done writing each one a little note too. Tomorrow will be bittersweet as I am so excited to be done and able to finish my certification and yet sad to say goodbye to the kiddos I've helped teach for the last few months.
I sent out three resumes already and will be sending more this week. Pray with me that the perfect placement for me is available and that I can find a job quickly! :)

Thanksgiving at home was fun this year. We missed Jennine and Josh, but Miah, Jalit, Brian, Jordan, Rachel and I all joined Mom for dinner at home. It was pretty relaxing and we enjoyed just talking, playing a few games and competing with mom's new Wii.
I'll have to update that pic after Christmas if we convinced Jennine to make it home. There's a spot for her on the other side of my head!

Summer of the 5K

2009-07-10T13:27:00.000-07:00

One of my New Year's Resolutions this year was to run a 5k. Well, I've run 3 so far and have at least one more to do before the summer is over! I wasn't sure if I would actually do it, since that has been a resolution for a couple of years now! But this year I did it! And the best thing is that each time my finish time got just a little quicker. Now, I'm not a fast runner by any means. In fact, some of you could probably speed walk at my running pace! But at least I did it!

This first picture is from the Race Against Racism. My cousin Jeremy and his son ran, as well as about 3,000 other people. I just happened to be right behind them when his wife, Jodie, took the picture. This picture isn't the greatest, but I'm in it!

The second race was the Turkey Hill run and I ran with my friend, Marlene and a bunch of women from my Bible Study/weight loss group. (So far I'm down 33 pounds!!)

The third race was with some of my cousins on the morning of July 4th! It was by far the flattest course of the three, which might have helped with my faster time! Again, the picture is not so great...that is what I get from stealing them off other people's facebook!

Funny story

2008-10-09T19:18:00.000-07:00

Well, it's kind of sad, or maybe embarrasing.

So every month my youth group serves a meal downtown Lancaster at a youth drop in center. I was the first one there last Wednesday and walked out to the street when one of our youth was getting dropped off. I was standing across the street from their mini-van when the dad asked if I had been painting. I laughed and said, "Nope, that's just my gray hair!"

Yep. I was a week too late and my salt and pepper crown was starting to show at the roots. I was embarrased, but what can ya do. My hair money last month was spent on a massage/reflexology/body alignment appointment. I say it was a good switch.

The problem is solved, though, because my housemate just colored my hair tonight. Yay!

A sheep family, a painter and the tv show 20/20

2008-09-27T07:43:00.000-07:00

What do they all have in common??? I'll tell you at the end. See if you can figure it out! The category is Riddles and Word Play.

That's what I was doing in the middle of the night last night. We had our first game night/party at the new house! Only most of the night was spent playing bowling, tennis and boxing on the Wii. Have you ever watched people playing on a Wii?? It's quite entertaining. Especially the girls who tried boxing!

There were just a couple die-hard gamers that stayed late so we could play a "real" game. One that none of us had played... TriBond. Three words or phrases, all with something in common. I surprised even myself when I came up with the associates of Sherlock Holmes and characters in To Kill a Mockingbird! That English degree came in quite handy last night! I must say, though, that my brain doesn't work as good after midnight! But it's a good game and I look forward to playing again.

So did you think of the answer?? I didn't last night either.

Here it is: They all have hues, Hugh (Downs), ewes...

Ridiculous, right??

Quick overview

2008-09-14T19:53:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a whole summer since I've written a blog. So here's a quick overview.

After the excitement of getting a firepit, I then spent the month of July studying for and taking my five Praxis exams for teacher certification...and I passed. Also in July I went to New York for a missions trip with my youth group. It was fun and tiring and stretching, which I wasn't expecting. Then at the beginning of August I found out my cousins were not returning to Ecuador and that meant I had to move. But God is good and I quickly found a new place to live. So the rest of the month was spent packing and preparing to move. The beginning of September I moved into Lancaster city and am living in community with a couple and another guy, well, he has his own living area on the third story, but I share the rest of the house with the couple. It's going really well so far. I love the new place and am now working on the finishing touches of finding homes for the little random things.

Here's some pics from the summer...

That's my twin cousin, Rebecca and her daughter Ella at our family's 4th of July gathering at my Uncle Joel's house. What a fun day!

Two days a week I had the joy of helping out my friend from church with her beautiful boys!

This pic was taken at Six Flags Great Adventure...where I was escorted out of the park! Yep, you read right. I took a video on one of the rides with my camera...apparently that's not allowed, so they made me leave...escorted by security! And I'm not allowed to return until 2009!! Crazy!

I almost forgot! Also in July I had my 10 year college reunion at Houghton. We had a picnic at Letchworth State Park, one of my favorite places! So beautiful. It was a lot of fun to reconnect with some old friends. None of "my girls" were there though, that was kind of sad.

Well, I guess that does it for the update. I'll try not to wait 3 months before writing again. I need to take some pics of my new home to put on here!

Finally a fire

2008-06-13T18:30:00.000-07:00

My patience has been tested this spring, yet again. I thought I would get my economic stimulus from the government by way of direct deposit. Don't know why I thought that, but I did. However, I had to wait and wait for the paper check. I was just so excited for it to come and made list after list of different ways I could spend this bonus money!

First thing on my list was the PRAXIS exams. They are the Pennsylvania state teaching exams and a must for anyone seeking certification - as I am. Other things on my list were a trip to the dentist, minor car repairs and a pedicure.

But the thing I was most anxiously awaiting my check to buy was a fire pit of some sort for my back yard! My favorite thing about camping is most definitely sitting around the fires at night. I loooooove it! So I couldn't wait to have a pit so I can light fires whenever I want to and not wait for the rare camping trip! While I waited I started storing up branches that fell from the trees in my yard and keeping them dry in a big plastic bin on the back patio. I'm also drying out branches I've pruned as well.

Well, the check came last weekend and yesterday I bought my much beloved fire pit! So last night I finally sat out back and enjoyed a fire!

I must admit though that the wood was so dry I spent the whole time adding more on! I went through more than half of my stash in the 20 minutes I was out there! haha. I now know I need some logs, maybe those fireplace logs that burn for a long time.

Oh, but I can't wait for cool summer and fall evenings by the fire...friends coming over and making smores or pies...I'm loving it!

It's time

2008-06-11T06:32:00.000-07:00

Well, I thought it was about time I joined the blogging craze. Not because I have loads of exciting stories, or pearls of wisdom to share. Just because it's a good place to share my randomness with the world!

So I'll just jump in...

School ended last week. The hope is that by next fall I'll be teaching in my own classroom, but realistically I don't think it will happen. I did sign up for the first Praxis (PA state teaching exams) though, that's a start. Before I can even look for a job I need to pass both of the Praxis tests and get my intern certification through Eastern. I will still run over to School District of Lancaster though to see what positions are open and if they will consider emergency certifying me. I'll continue to take the steps I can from my end and see what doors God opens and closes. So that is exciting.

In the meantime I will enjoy summer. I spent the last two days with Sherry and the boys and love it! (A family from my church who had twins last April, born two months premature. Last summer I was a "mother's helper" for her.) They have grown so much since last summer. I'm glad to be going over there one or two days a week. What a fantastic summer job! Today we're taking the boys swimming in a pool for the first time! Here's what they looked like last summer.

Ben is the one waving. Brad is the other twin and Adam is their big brother. They are much bigger now and I will try to get some updated pictures on here before long. I love these boys!

I look forward to posting random stories, like my fall down the basement stairs on Monday or the drive through a crazy storm last night. Little insights into my life and thoughts and things I'm learning along this road. So read on...