Tag you're it!!

So here is the idea- people tag you and then you follow the rules of the tag and in return you tag other people... and so its now my turn- Thanks Amy! you and Evan's list was pretty funny, i don't know if i can compete---

1. i just moved to portland, OR

2. I wore boots to work yesterday, that i have owned since high school (should tell you how often we need to wear boots in TX)

3. I live in a studio apt. with a playgroud outside my back windows

4. my church only has 25 people in it, and there is only one person over the age of 40

5. i was born and raised in Big D

6. I have fainted in a bathroom and was found by my dad

7. my favorite color is and always has been purple

and now i tag

http://www.sallypat.blogspot.com

http://thedorrohs.blogspot.com

http://www.katienorwood.blogspot.com

http://kennedyfamilynews.blogspot.com/

http://www.babyhomepages.net/babylight/pictures.php

http://scandaloussanity.blogspot.com/

Wedding Weekend preview

So here are two quick picks from Jenica and Brad's wedding this past weekend. It was a short trip to Texas but sooo much fun. I'll have more pics later but i wanted to post to say i had a GREAT time with my girls!!! and the family that i got to see for breafast on Sun. morning was just too short!!! i CAN NOT WAIT for christmas to see them a WHOLE lot!!!! counting down the moments and days... i don't think i realized i missed them as much as i do until i was home again, back in Oregon wishing i could go over for a movie or quick family dinner!! happy i have two homes again... love ya, can't wait to see ya:)

Jenica made us bridesmaid t-shirts soo cute!!

Brad putting the "G" on the cubes of fudge- the reception party gift! yummy

Tday! cold weather that you NEED scarves and sweaters:)

So thanksgiving with out the family was hard, but not unbearable... the church folks got together. there were about 20 of us who didn't go home for the holiday. we ate really well, had lots of fun, watched football, played with kiddos, and the ladies made a craft!! thanks everyone for making this thanksgiving a great one... can't wait to see the family in Big D in just a few short days.....:)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sarah, Sara, Ashley, Me, and Rochelle- Lesley is taking the picture- we had a great time... THANKS ASHLEY!!! such a creative idea.

and as the football went on Ashley, our hostess brought out the girlie crafts- we made ornaments

Lesley and I finally take a GREAT pic- we take the worst pictures- yeah for a good one:)

Football watching, hangin out, and Noah on the guitar with Billy Sieh facilitating

With nearly 20 people we did lots of dishes... this is Rochelle handing me the last of the crackers she brought for the artichoke dip i made- i forgot to get them at the store:)

kids play area- we had quite a few:)





gorgeous fall colors in front of my company- that i didn't go to for 2 whole days!

OPB

OPB (Oregon Public Broadcast) is one of my favorite channels- i only have about 10 that are worth watching- i stay away from Indian TV channels. So this weekend as I was trying to rest up and not get really sick I happened upon a program called In the footsteps of Marco Polo. It seemed interesting. About 15 or so years ago two guys read Marco Polo's accounts of the silk road and then decided to follow his writings through these modern places to see if he really went there. Travel always gets me excited- my dad has ruined me with Rick Steve's Europe shows! As I watched and lisented these two young men- late 20s i'm guessing at the time travelled through some pretty hairy and exciting places. Afganistan, Iran, India, China, etc. it took them over two years to finish the journey with visa issues, and passports, and the normal 3rd world bribery issues;) And at the end of it all they just said it was this great experience of following in the steps of a great explorer. They were surprised that so many of the strange things that Polo wrote about are still going on, but all in all it seemed they just went on this crazy adventure. It just struck me of what a waste of time. Just thinking for a few minutes of all of the wonderful things they could have done in those places, meeting with officials, or gov't leaders- or at least Unicef or the Peace Corp. But no, they just followed Polo's guide. An empty adventure that had no real impact on the world, where they went, and certainly not for eternity. All of those closed countries just recently set free from communism back then and hurting, needing to hear of Jesus. AAAAHHH it just makes me sad and mad all at the same time at them, and our world, and even more me. For not doing something more, for not going and doing the same thing in the name of JESUS. I guess it justs proves we are all made for adventure, these men just have no clue where the real adventure is- with jesus and loving him. Adventure with Him is life long and doesn't end after a trip or when you walk out of the church doors. This is a lot of rambling, I'm sorry but it just hit me the meaninglessness of their trip when they got to the end. with out jesus life is meaningless...

New and Old pictures

celebrating me getting hired at work- We talked about being real friends or work friends for our picture- Darcy and I are real friends- Rachel is still thinking about it, because she's not touching:) hahaha work wouldn't be the same with out these girls!!

make a funny face OR scary- YIKES!

Lesley not wanting to be in a picture

I dressed up for costume contest at work and then got so busy i forgot to sign up! oh well it was fun to have punk hair for the day- everyone at work couldn't quit laughing...

the pumpkin patch- yes a REAL one

lots of people wanted to pick pumpkins too!

Sauvie Island is soo cute, and just 10 mins. from the city

huge cabbages too:)

soo touristy, but the pic had to be taken!

Oh my gosh! its a REAL pumpkin patch!!! you can't see it very well here, but they were there!!

we tried to pick pumpkins, but it was verry picked over

i got my face painted :)

a few visuals of where i live

McMennamins- my favorite bar

my favorite coffee shop- the dragonfly

my company

the street where i park for work

Door to the Nations update

So update on my decision to do Door to the Nations or not- the answer for now, is no. I don't have peace about doing it right now. as well the more i have thought about it, planting a church, starting a church is not really what i want to do. join and help a church yes, but beign the one starting it and coming along afterward are two different things. so i have peace about not doing it, which is good:)
i am excited about my work and the opportunities there with friends and learning a lot to advance in the corp. world- whoever thought i would care about that...
and FYI i did not get to sleep in on sunday AGAIN this week because one of my neighbors decided to have a conversation with someone in the hall- our walls are very thin, starting at like 7:30am AAAAHHHH will i ever have a Sat. AND a Sun. to sleep in?? probably not!

Sunday Morning- Lazy Morning?!

Sunday mornings. I love them now because my church doesn't start until 4:30 in the afternoon! That means that I have the option to sleep IN TWO days in a row:) LOVE IT!!! however this particular Sunday morning I had no such luck... this story should be prefaced by the fact that 90% of Portland does not have air conditioning- i am apart of this 90% and so i sleep witht the windows open. I turn over this morning, at 7:45 I find out because of some rock band having a concert in my neighborhood!! Yes! thats right 7:45 am on a SUNDAY in the Northwest! I couldn't believe it really. no one is up this early on Sunday they at least wait for the brunch hour on Sunday in the Northwest to get up and goin- around 10ish All of this to say i am thankful for my ipod because even with the windows closed i can still hear the concert and it doesn't end until about an hour ago- 11am AHHH;0)

Sleep in peace

Okay how bout blue?? i think you might read this a little better!! this is old news, but i keep forgetting to blog about it... In my family if you want to send someone something fun, nice, and inexpensive, for no good reason it is called a "sussie". i have learned other families call it a "happy"! also a cute fun name- well my mother loves to send sussies to her kids! which i love to receive... a few weeks ago she sent a cute hand towel with Ps. 4 about sleeping in safety- she knows i don't sleep well. Now the towel is cute, nothing super fantastic- just was a sussie should be, but because i haven't seen my mother in over 6 months i got a little teary eyed i won't lie. sussie's are just what a girl needs, even if she is 27 years old and fully independent, from her mommy to remind her she is missed and loved. and then she send me a sweet email about missing me- i mean really - how is a girl supposed to get through the day with out crying when you read that your mother misses you terribly!! (sp) and on top of that send it to my sister as well... and i remembered to write all of this to you because i read on my sisters blog that she had her 6 week break down and i started tearing up reading that as well!!! i mean- give a girl a break;) hahahaha all this to say i miss you and can't wait for DECEMBER!!!!

Door to the Nations, etc.

I thought i would change up the font color- too much pink could be bad for your eyes! I said i would give more information on a class we have at our church that right now, i take care of the kids for the parents in the class... well its more like a training school. Basically you sign up for a year commitment to learn more about church planting, misisons, Jesus, and do a lot of character development! it costs about $2,000 and meets two nights a week for 3 hrs. a pop!! I have been praying and talking to people in the class and the teachers and will talk more in depth with the teachers in the next few weeks... BUT i'm not sure it is a good fit for me. I'm not saying it is bad for me, i simply do not have a peace about doing- my friend john told me the other night that if you don't have peace don't do it. pray a lot before you make a final decision, but no peace, no dice! please pray with me and for me as i seek peace~

In other news I am going to learn to sew this weekend. My friend Darcy form work has invited me to come and help her with a sewing project! I can't wait, should be a fun time:) after my sewing house warming party i have been intrigued by this old/new pastime.

another tidbit that i am excited about is at work- I have been given resposibility to cord. and oversee a whole company wide project!! We are providing Flu Shot Clinics for our locaitons across the nation. i am collecting all the info, passing it along, answering questions from across the comany, and interfacing with HR big wigs:) I'm also the point person for the Clinic at our location! i'm really excited- this is right up my alley and the manager that gave it to me hates projects;) hahaha! i told her i am a project guru and am happy to help! please pray that i would work well and make a good impression and be christlike- to draw others to himself in the midst of this opportunity!!!

have a wonderful weekend!!

drum roll please... Oregon Coast pics

so for my birthday present to myself i took the day off and went to the coast- my fav. place so far in oregon. i love love love it!! you hear the waves crashing, feel the wind in your face, and since it is the oregon coast people wear pants over their bathingsuits, no skinny beautiful people to make you feel bad about yourself!! plus its not just pretty white beach, there is a beautiful rocky coastline something like (at least i like to pretend) you would find on the coast of ireland or the uk. you have to drive through the mountains, ravaged hillsides by logging companies (thanks dad) hehehe, sunsets so incredible with the mountains in the backdrop, what more could a girl ask for? a new friend to share it with this time topped it all of:) I am thankful for this new place to fall in love with jesus. his glorious majesty and strength proclaimed in the roaring waves, or his mystery brought to life with the huge hazy clouds rolling across the landscape of the pacific ocean. did i also mention the fun fact about the oregon coast? the movie The Goonies was filmed there and in particular when they go searching for the treasure and end up in some random cave- they are actually in these rocks, called haystacks in Cannon Beach on the coast. they are beautiful and really do look like haystacks! well that is all but i just had to share with you the place that brings so much joy to my heart!! i'll have to post the pictures in a little while- the internet at the coffee shop i'm at, their internet is being weird and not letting me upload the pics...:( you'll just have to check back often;)

Sore arms

side note my arms are sore today from holding babies all last night. I take care of kids during a class that we have at the church (more on the class soon) every tues. night. Normally a girl, Lachelle helps me, but she needed a night off so i was on my own last night. Emma, oh so cute, is teething and pretty much not happy unless you hold her. Her mom graciously gave her some Tylenol to help the teething and me last night, but I still held 15lbs of baby for about 3 hours last night. Then Hope, adventurous cutie, fell face first onto the concrete floor and was fussy the rest of the night. And of course when she is fussy she wants to be held. well instead of holding her i distracted her with toys and walking around the hallways. Did i mention that we are in the church offices and there is another business's art work on the wall that it at 1 and a 1/2 year olds level to touch with her chocolate hands?? we had a good time and Jason helped out for a little bit while both kids were crying beyond consolation. Then Rachelle held Emma the last 20 min. :) It is so funny how heavy babies can get after two hours of holding and not really able to sit down with them! i'm happy to not have kids for awhile after last night:)

Work

I'm am thankful and excited to let you know I signed my official offer letter from Con-way last night! My boss Carol asked me to come into her office and not knowing what she wanted I asked if i could take care of two things before i came in, it was the end of the day and i was trying to wrap things up:) So 10 min. later i went in and to my surprise there was my official letter and she reminded me that i have 48 hours to go and take my drug test- please pray for the drug test that it would come back negative;) hehehe! She also said several times, and she is not one to be overly mushy that they are very glad to have me join the team. I'm reminded this morning of all of the more difficult job situations i have had in the past two years. Shady bosses, Yelling bosses, and bosses that I just can't understand. It could be so much worse, but its not:)... Thankful in Portland today!! if you want to learn about my company click here

I'm Official

Its official as of October 1st I will be a regular full time employee at Con-way. I am so excited. i will now have a normal white badge, be able to order supplies- a key part of my job that i haven't been able to do as a temporary person, get a new id, and in general be able to participate in employee perks like cheaper tickets to city events, free yoga classes, a gym and showers downstairs, and other fun perks:) I'm excited and thankful that it may have taken forever, really this is the best fit for me right now! Everybody do a little dance with me!!!

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure- Portland

I'm walking for LIFE

Imagine the impact…
Seventy-five percent of the dollars you donate will fund vital services across Oregon and SW Washington, while twenty-five percent will be combined with other Affiliates’ funds to fuel national breast cancer research at an unprecedented level.
$10 funds ten support booklets for newly diagnosed breast cancer patients.
$25 pays for a gas card for a low-income woman driving over 75 miles one way to get a mammogram.
$77 can fund a free screening mammogram for one uninsured woman
Please go to my Donation Page to help me reach my goal!! Portland's Race for the Cure is the largest fundraising event for the Cure on the west Coast:) I'm walking with two friends from work, Darcy and Rachel! Should be fun;)

Birthday Cake

So my church here, The Door, Community of Faith rallied together to give me a birthday party! Rachelle and Lesley did a wonderful job to put it all together- thank you everyone who came and the presents were great- especially the new "blackberry"! Here the picks to "prove" i do have friends and a Church who care for me, and I am learning to care for them more and more as the days go by:)

BIRTHDAY!

I am celebrating my 27th birthday and it is the FIRST that i have not in some way celebrated with family. I will be celebrating with friends from church, but it won't be the same. Thank you my family for showing your love with calls and cards and gifts to come;) I really appreciate it. it brings it all a little too close for comfort that i have moved FAR away and can't drive over for homemade fried chicken and homemade mashed potatoes (no cheese) just the way i like it... and of course Sweet Temptations Cake of my choice!! but the most i'll miss is laughs and good stories and a chance among few to get the whole family together for one whole evening! I'm excited over all to turn 27- just 3 short years more and i'll be 30! WOW!!! 27 is not that bad and i think i'll really start to feel it when i'm 29;) Hopin that this year more than any other is full of changes, growth, joy, love, peace, and wisdom- oh and of course FUN:) so Happy Birthday to Me! and many more to come!!!!

McCain's uphill battle!

Ladies and Gentlemen thank you for reading my blog- i am going to say a few words on the Republican N.C. now... So far I have only heard what McCain has done, for our country, and as a senator. I have yet to hear what he will do in detail. Again why, do we have to listen to other people and not the actual canidate talk all week. Again i would like McCain to be at the convention all week answering questions from his peers about what makes him a good canidate and what he plans to do for the American people, again i'm out voted! We heard from some good people last night, but all noted what HAS been done by McCain- and it is a lot, very impressive and I comend him- but the past doesn't totally concern us does it, also the present and the future. His present battle is to stop the media blitz of McCain, Bush montra. the future holds difficulty as an older canidate and how he is going to impact American life- I haven't really heard any of that!! i look forward to hearing Palin tonight and then McCain tomorrow!!! hopefully i'll get some answers, but i doubt it...

Obama's Running 4 Pres.

Well Barack is running and gave a very nice speech. After hearing Barack's speech tonight I can only say that he is a powerful speaker, his speech writers worked hard and came up with a slam dunk! However as far as ideas or plans for change, or statements that gave me hope for a better future realized, I did not hear any of that. Barack gave a great POLITICAL speech, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Nothing really seems to change though every four years some other Pres. nominee tells me he is going to be diff. I am not interested in politics, I am interested in change, freedom, truth, and helping our Nation fulfill its purpose as God leads us forward. Ending side note, I think it is a little presumptive of Obama to compare himself to MLK or think he could even touch the shoes he wore. And when he uses MLK's cadence it is just annoying.

Portland Weather

So the weather here is a little different from Texas. okay a lot different. Even if it is rainy, which it is about 90% of the year it feels great, there's little to no humidity. ITS GREAT! and in the summer there is about 2 weeks of HOT weather where it gets up to about 95. And the wonderfulness that you get in return is my last month's electricity bill. In July- the dead of Summer, my bill is only $18. THAT IS AWESOME!! I think I picked the right place to live. You may be asking how I did that- well no one in Portland actually has air conditioning, well if they do they have paid dearly for it and they live in a newer house. However, I live in an apt. building built in the 20s with some of the original hardware- so no airconditioning for me. And on top of that I didn't get a window unit because I live up on a hill with lots of trees!! Come and visit to enjoy the cool weather:)

Michelle Obama running for President??

I know I have done a lot of writing since starting this all just two days ago, but it is really fun to just write and type and get things out of your head and out into the world at large. Mrs. Obama spoke tonight at the DNC and from what I can see she is very well spoken, educated, passionate, and loves her husband. She even got into a good MLK cadence at one point. And proceeded to remind us that this week celebrates women earning the right to vote and MLK I have a dream speech. But it was a bit much to introduce her with a 10 min. video of who she is, a little overboard if you ask me. Which obviously they didn't. Now I hate to be harsh, but I kind of don't care what she has to say. I'm not REALLY voting for HER, I'm voting for her husband. (or trying to decide if i'm going to vote for him or not) I could care less about what she has done or brings to the table. Sure she had a great family and worked hard to go to Princeton and Harvard- can I get an Amen for- will we ever have a Presidential nominee who went to a normal school??- now as soon as I have typed that there is an example, but really in our modern time, have we elected a Pres. that didn't go to an IVY League school or something just as elite and expensive?? but i got distracted. really I wanted to say that I am sure that Michelle Obama is a very nice lady and one that has earned the places that she has been and triumphed but at the end of the day she is not the one to sign on the dotted line. She does not decide to fix the budget, get gas prices to go down, cut taxes, fund our schools and either send or bring home our troops from around the globe, her HUSBAND will (or won't depending on the election). So as nice at is to hear from a presidential nominee's wife, and I'm glad to see that he at least picked a good wife, so he has good judgement there, I really could care less. I could care less how much his wife believes in him... i'd rather hear him speaking on issues this WHOLE week. I would like a forum of questions asked back to back with the same people asking different questions, in the same arena, even giving him the advantage of questions from his party peers and just see how he does. That would be a good, time well spent, should be broadcasted on every station DNC. Otherwise can we get back to our previously scheduled broadcasting or whatever it is they say;)

House Warming

After I found my wonderful little apartment- aka my own space:) with a real bed, a closet to hang my clothes and my own set of keys. About a month later I had the ladies I know in Portland over for a little get together. We went to this cute cloth store called Cool Cottons. The ladies that run it are like Mom and Melissa who own a cloth store;) They are very fun and welcoming. The Plan- come pick out a few of your favorite patterns, then I'll pick the final one for each person, next back to my apt to make pillows i.e. my friend Rachelle sews up the sides and we stuff:), add some good food and laughs, my house warming party.. here are a few picks... oh girls from my work and church came! so fun!!! i felt really loved and special

The Journey to NOW

The Robys
My "room" at the Robys aka the living room
Soo...

If you are catching up on me, let me fill you on the journey to Portland (PDX). I have come to Portland at least once a year for the past 6 years. Various friends for lots of different reasons have lived or moved here. So of course being a GREAT friend I have visited them, and over the years fallen in love with PDX and the Northwest. If you've never been then you just don't understand. It is different, in a good way from the South, Texas, Dallas, etc. Free and easy people, no "boxes" to fit in, beautiful mountains, 75 degree weather, etc. So after much discussion and urging from friends I finally made the decision for the big move last Fall. After telling family I planned on moving in Sept. '08 (this obviously did not happen). Now Jesus had a different time table and with job situations and my apt. I moved at the end of March. I lived with Daniel and Lesley Roby and their cute son Noah for a little over a month and various other houses of people that go to our church (more on the Church later). At the Roby's I stayed on there couch and lived out of suitcases:) It took me about 3 weeks to find a job. To keep me busy and not totally bored, I volunteered with Habitat PDX. A family friend works with them and it was a great welcome to the city. Now I have a job with Con-way Enterprises, a large trucking company in their Benefits Dept. I'm an Admin. Asst. and LOVE the people that I work with. I am lucky to live just 7 blocks from work and walk as often as I can. It is a cute little studio apt., a little quirky but a nice place to call my own:)

Welcome!

Hello All!!

A quick welcome to my page. I am starting this whole blog thing because 1. I have moved half way across the country AWAY from most of my family and friends 2. To join the blogging nation 3. Because my sister started one and it seems a good and quick way to get news out there instead of repeating the same story about 10 times:) 4. maybe a place to muse on theological, political, or out and out wierd things i see or find

Hope you have a splendid day and I'll have some pics up for your enjoyment/ amusement soon