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December 22nd, 2007
02:26 pm - It's Christmas again!
Well, three days until Christmas! It's amazing to me how quickly the holiday's came this year! I picked my brother up from the airport last Saturday night, and in a few hours, I'll do the same for my grandmother. I'm so glad that some of my family is together for Christmas.
We had our Christmas party at T.A. Brown Elementary for the children enrolled in Smart Start, and the Lord showed me quite a few things through those children-the excitement, joy, and love showed on each face is how I should be every time I think of the Lord, or talk of Him, or just in my daily life. It shouldn't just be the Advent season or the Christmas season that gets me excited and joyful like that.
Those children, as poor as they are, didn't complain once, and some of them got some pretty massive toys...amazing to me! For when I think of other children I have spent time with, they would have acted spoiled and jealous. What a blessing to be able to see the love and excitement shown for their friends toys and treasures as well!
This year also has me thinking where I'll be next year! I like to think about the future, and where I'd like to be, and then think that God is probably not thinking the same thing. I love the mystery, the uncertainty, and the wonder that comes with the future. I love not knowing what will happen tomorrow, next week, next month, next year...I love looking back and thinking "Wow...never could I have imagined I'd be here! But God, in His infinite wisdom, has brought me here, and I love every second of it."
I've been learning quite a bit about being humble, joyful, and content...and it's made life much more meaningful.
Merry Christmas!
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/growf/pengies/happy.gif) chipper
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September 25th, 2007
09:04 am - So much to say
Thank you Dave Matthews for that...
So, things just keep getting busier and busier! Eventually they'll slow down a bit, well, they won't slow down, I'll just learn how to deal with this year. I do love the fact that every year is different from the last, and you have to learn to role with the punches...again, and again, and again.
I went to my first ever UT game on Saturday, and even though they played Rice and slaughtered them, it was probably the most exciting thing that has happened to me in a long time! I had so much fun, and I want to go again.
9 days and then vacation time! 6 days without checking my work email, or answering work phone calls...it'll be heaven.
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September 20th, 2007
12:58 am
Life is busy.
I can't wait for my vacation.
I wish it was tomorrow.
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/growf/pengies/sweat.gif) busy
Current Music: ceiling fan
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September 11th, 2007
09:11 am - Dancing in the rain...
Nannying cute, precious, angelic Noah has definitely gotten better. His tantrums are much less intense, and they don't last for 30 minutes. He definitely likes me a lot better. He gives me kisses, which are pretty much all slobber, and he says "doveado Dess" which means "I love you too Jess". He's strong-willed, yet obedient for the most part. He likes to go swimming at the Greenbelt which means we sit in the water and throw rocks for an hour, which I'm OK with. I'm determined to teach him to swim. Nannying has definitely made me realize I do not want children...for quite some time. I eventually do want them, but I definitely like the hand-off "Alright, well that was fun, but here's your child back." I'm still a very selfish person and not ready to give up my social life quite yet.
Noah wants to go play in the rain...here we go!
Current Location: Austin!
Current Mood: cheerful
Current Music: Noah saying "Go ousside..."
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September 9th, 2007
10:28 pm - Updates are always fun
So the year has started...
My schedule is crazy, busy, and I'm involved in about 78 different things. I love it! Being busy is a wonderful thing.
I had such a wonderful time with the youth group kids tonight. Playing volleyball, hanging out, praying, and singing worship songs. I love all of these kids, and I'm so excited to see what God is going to do this year with the youth and their families.
Smart Start has began again. I love it! I think it's going to be better then last year. Curriculum is better, I'm more focused, and I actually know what I'm doing this year...well sort of.
I've met a bunch of new people recently, and I've been loving getting to know them. New friends are always a good thing. Redeemer is starting a Young Adult/College Class called Connect. I'm super excited about it! We're watching the UT game on Saturday. Woot!
Now life...I've realized how happy and content I am. God is my rock, my joy, my all. He's showing me my sins, and He's placing amazing people in my life to help me through. David Cassidy came to our Young Adult/College lunch today and said that we need to live fearlessly-in our jobs, our friendships, our relationships. I realized that when it comes to relationships, I am very, very guarded...which is good and bad. I want so much to live fearlessly, especially in my friendships/relationships. There will be hurt and pain, but that's part of life. I need to not always shy away from the hurt and pain, but learn to expect it, grow from it, and learn from it.
I've moved out, which has been great. I've got two/three amazing jobs, amazing friends, and life is just good. Granted, a relationship might make it a little better :), but until that actually happens, I'm completely good with how life is. I've decided that as nice as a relationship would be right now, it'll happen when it's time. Another thing D Cass said was to not fear the future. God knows the numbers of the hairs on our head, there is definitely no reason to fear anything. Therefore...I don't need to fear finding a spouse. I don't need to fear anything. What an amazing thing to know He takes care of everything, big and small :)
Current Location: Austin!
Current Mood: content
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June 17th, 2007
01:25 pm
Summer camp has started and with it so has the insanity of helping run it. I love it, I'm just really tired. This is job is amazing, and it comes complete with awful home lives, sad stories, lice, and business. But the kids smiles, laughter, hugs, drawings, innocence (somewhat), and their love makes it all worth it. God has used this job in so many ways to teach me so many things about my selfish attitude, and His innumerable, uncomparable goodness and mercy.
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June 3rd, 2007
09:25 pm
Summer camp starts tomorrow. I'm excited! I haven't been able to play with my kids in a long time :(
I'm moving in about a month and have packed nothing, I need to get on that. I have boxes. Plenty of them. But they are still sitting in the garage. Empty and void.
I can't wait to move...I'll be by Zilker and the Greenbelt, and nearer to Austin. I love Austin, for the most part.
It's storming again and I love it.
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May 15th, 2007
08:15 pm - It's summer!
I can't believe it's summer! Next Tuesday is my last day of teaching at my daycare job! HOORAY! I can't wait. I've already started my internship with Smart Start, and June will start summer camp. This is going to be a wonderful summer, and I can't wait for next year to begin either!
I love looking back on the year, and seeing how much God has done, how much He's changed me, and how much my life has changed. It's an amazing thing.
My brother got home today, which is always fun. I've missed him a lot.
Current Mood: excited for summer!
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April 14th, 2007
11:48 am - Beauty like a storm
I love storms, I love everything about them. The flash of the lightening, lighting up the darkest nights, the rain hitting the roof, and the windows, and the wind. I was babysitting for Bianca Vimont last night when the storm hit. At first, I was a little freaked out. There was something knocking at the front door. I realized that on the outside of their door, they have a little sign hanging. The wind, which was blowing so fiercly last night, was just making that little sign sound like someone knocking at the door.
I loved my drive home, watching the lightening. It was so beautiful. I love seeing God through those types of storms, the fierce, ferocious, a bit terrifying-yet exciting, beautiful, and amazing storms. Shows me a bit about God...ok, not just a bit, an immense amount of God.
The last couple of weeks have been so trying, yet so wonderful. God is truly working in me, showing me the many things I have to work on, and sending me trials that will mold and make me into the woman He wants. I'm not afraid of trials anymore, and I don't shy from them. I'm beginning to embrace them, get excited about them, and almost, almost welcome them. Even the storms are beautiful...
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/growf/pengies/thoughtful.gif) thoughtful
Current Music: Monk and Neagle
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March 24th, 2007
08:48 am
So I've decided I've been spending entirely too much time on AIM, when there's a million other things I could be doing. I was convicted of that a while ago, but I'm finally doing something about it. :)
I'm excited about my next three weekends-I'm going on a Women's Retreat this weekend (my dad kept asking me last night why everyone was always retreating and not coming back...) and I'm spending the night with Bianca. Next weekend, I'm going camping with my family, and I'm going try and drive back for church and college lunch. And then Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Palm Sunday, and a whole bunch of other really great sermons, fellowship time, etc. Maundy Thursday consists of free Olive Garden and wine-favorite day of the year :)
I dropped my car off at the mechanics last night, and he told me the part was going to cost about 80 bucks. Rar...oh well, at least it won't make that awful noise anymore. Afterwards, my mom and I went to go get beer and wine at the gas station, and I got carded even though I wasn't buying the beer, and I was totally ok with that. The guy was like "You really don't look 21." Well good.
I love camping, and I wish it was cooler in Texas during the summer so we could camp all summer, but alas, we have 120 degree summers, and I don't handle the heat very well.
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March 18th, 2007
10:51 pm - I am needing to read Job
I'm really super frustrated at myself right now. In fact, I'm beyond frustrated with myself. I'm not sure what's beyond that, but that's where I am.
For some reason, I can not be content. Why? Because I'm a selfish human being, who knows that God has given me innumberable blessings, yet I keep focusing on that one thing I don't have. And I need to stop. I also don't completely trust Him with every aspect of my life right now, b/c I don't "see Him moving in that direction". I mean, really? What is that? How ridiculous. He's done so much for me, and not only for me. I've got an entire book full of the amazing things He's done, the blessings He has bestowed on people, the seemingly impossible circumstances He's worked though to get His will done. I also know that I can not do anything outside of His will. Yet, I'm still focusing on what I don't have. I need to take my own advice...get over it! You are a small, small part of this world, and it is not about you. He will give you the desires of your heart, you just need to be patient and quit whining. Seriously, I need to go read some of Job.
On a much sadder note, UT lost. They lost big. I was angry. I don't know what was up with their defense, but they kept letting USC score. It was kind of ridiculous. The game was anticlimatic, and not really fun. I kept hoping it would turn out like Vanderbilt and Washington ST, with a double overtime and UT winning it. Wasn't even close to that. They were behind the whole game. But, they did beat New Mexico, and were ranked four, so I don't want to totally slander my team...
Current Mood: Upset
Current Music: out of my league by Stephen Speaks
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March 17th, 2007
11:47 pm - I wish I had a guidebook
Well, I'm back from Idaho. It was so much fun. I had a lot of time to think, and relax.
Things aren't looking quite as hot as they were a few weeks ago. I have no guarantees for a full time job with Smart Start and Community New Start. And the place that I'm possibly going to be moving into isn't quite as terrific as I thought it was going to be. I think it's still better than where I am now, but I don't know. I'm frustrated and a little confused on where to go from here. I know there is still time to be offered a full time job, but there are other things that I'm considering as well. And I can't wait forever to hear about the job. UGH, I know what the answer is...the answer is to pray, and stop worrying, and trust that God will take care of it, and show me what to do. And I know that. But I also know that God isn't going to give me a vision of what I'm to do in the clouds, or in a dream. I know that He isn't going to visibly or verbally tell me what to do. I sometimes wish life was just a bit easier, and clear.
Besides being in a state of utter frustration, confusion, and in a maze of choices and options, life is pretty good. Spring Break really was a lot of fun. I watched The Godfather, Moonstruck, and some other pretty good movies. I went swing dancing for the first time, and am determined to go again at some point in the near future. I came up with a new name for Sour Patch Kids-Kour Satch Pids. I got to cook for my brother and his roommates. In a week, I slept in 4 or 5 different places. It was fun. I enjoyed almost every minute of it.
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/growf/pengies/annoyed.gif) frustrated
Current Music: Just to See You Smile
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February 4th, 2007
12:23 am - An unimportant update
I feel like I should update, though life has been quite uneventful lately.
Competitions and solos have been going well. I found out that one of my soloists won the National Championship with a solo I choreographed, so that made me happy!
Work is wonderful.
It's cold outside.
Life is good. :)
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January 20th, 2007
10:36 pm - Solos...
I love teaching solos, I really do. The problem is when parents wait til the last moment, and expect a miracle from me. Not only that, but when they wait til the last minute, I'm crazily trying to get time at the studio, and make sure my time coincides with that. I'm so glad that competition season is almost here. I won't have to have anymore of these crazy days where I work 11-12 hours trying to do solos on top of my two other jobs. And the other thing is trying to find time to make it to the studio to choreograph so when I meet the dancer I actually have something prepared to teach them. Rar...I do love it, and I'm not complaining, more ranting than anything. I just get annoyed with parents who wait til the last minute.
Plus, I have a new hatred for "Material Girl". Try listening to that song over and over again for an hour. It's almost enough to make me break my knee, thus ending my dancing career altogether.
Anyway, I'm loving my new position at Smart Start, and of course, I don't want to leave that job, but I can't be in Idaho and in Texas at the same time. I need a "Beam me up Scotty" machine. We had a very looooong meeting today, but it was a fun meeting. It's going to be a great semester.
Current Mood: exhausted and cynical
Current Music: My typing
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January 17th, 2007
09:10 am - No work again!
The weather is quite blah today. It's wet, and not very icy, but at least it's cold, and school got cancelled, which means I don't have to go to work! Hooray!
I went sledding last night, and almost hit a fence. It was my last and best run of the night. Josh came with us, and then we played Skip-Bo with my dad when we got home. It was an entertaining night.
Today promises to be just as fun, seeing as how I have another day off. I've been reading like crazy the last three days, and I need to start studying my Latin book.
Hooray for snow/ice days!
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January 16th, 2007
03:37 pm - It snowed! Hooray!
IT SNOWED! It sure did, and I sure went outside and made a snowball, and I'm going sledding later. WOOT! I love it! It's so nice being outside. There were so many kids outside today playing.
It's so pretty, everything white, and icy. HOORAY!
I would like to apologize if I insulted you with my last entry. And I will readily admit I hate the heat, and up north if it gets hot, we complain. So pardon me.
Current Mood: Mucho excitedo
Current Music: Iron and Wine
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January 15th, 2007
09:37 pm - It may snow!
It is chilly outside! I love it!
I am thinking that Texans are really ridiculous. I mean really. The weather guy was explaining what sleet was. They're telling people to stock up, and don't drive anywhere. Well, of course you can't drive anywhere, b/c everything is closed! Plus, Texans don't know how to drive when it gets icy. When it would ice up North, they would give a short blurb about it, and move on. But here, it's big news!
I don't know why this is so amusing to me.
My dad and I are going to go over finances tomorrow, to see realistically how much school is going to cost me.
I've got this horrible cough that I've had for about a week. I want it to go away. I'm going to cough up a lung.
Current Mood: sickly
Current Music: Stars Would Fall
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January 13th, 2007
07:43 pm - Dancing!
I danced today from 9:30-3:45, and I must say that those two dances I'm choreographing are going to look amazing. Julianna helped me. Yes HELPED-there was no criticism, no meanness. It was actually, dare I say it?, fun working with her. My knee did much better than I expected. I will probably go to the studio again tomorrow to work some more. Woot...
Donny left this morning, and I already miss him. Next year, we'll be leaving together! I'm so stoked about this, I really am. I'm not bringing my car, it shall stay here. I will miss Belle and her loveliness.
I'm thinking ahead to having a job over Christmas break and over the summers. Will I be able to find one? I hope so! I pray God blesses me with a job when I come home!
I miss my friend. I miss the person who I could tell anything to, the person who was always willing to go to Starbucks with me, and listen to me cry. I miss my friend who put up with my whining, complaining, and overall immaturity. I miss my friend who would pray with me.
Life is strange, and a bit empty sometimes without her. But what can I do? I can pray for her, and be ready with open arms. That day perhaps will never happen. My friend may be gone forever. Oh, I hope not!
I'm doing this BECAUSE I love her, care for her, and it's breaking my heart. She may resent me for this, though I was not the one to make the final decision.
I will never give up. Maybe one day....
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/growf/pengies/sad.gif) sad
Current Music: Hootie and the Blowfish-Goodbye Girl
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January 11th, 2007
04:59 pm - How much can you do in 30 minutes?
My alarm went off at 6:20 this morning, b/c I set it with the intention of getting up and working out. Well, I decided I didn't care too much about working out this morning, so I set my phone to 7:15. I fall back to sleep, wake up, and roll over to check the time. 8:03. Guess what time I need to be at work? 8:30. I sprint downstairs, take the quickest shower of all time, get dressed, no contacts today, put my hair up-still soaking wet, make tea-my throat was killing me, make a peanut butter and jelly roll up thing, grab my lunch, sprint out to my car, and head to work. I get there at about 8:40ish. I set up my classroom, put on some makeup, get papers ready for my kids, and finish all of that at about the same time the first child shows up. I was pretty darn impressed with myself.
I got my brake pads replaced on my car. They no longer squeak. Hooray!
My grandmother leaves tomorrow, and my brother leaves Saturday. Life is slowly returning to normal. How boring... ;)
Current Mood: impressed with oneself
Current Music: Kenny Chesney-You Save Me
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January 10th, 2007
08:35 pm - I have my own computer-that makes me important :)
I have much to say today.
I already someone to live with next year, two people in fact.
I'm stoked about having to buy furniture and other such necessities. WOOT! I can't wait! I told my co-worker, Michelle, who I've been spending a lot of time with, that I was leaving next year. Her response cracked me up "Who can we get you married to?" What's funny about that is that my boss, Alyson, tried to hook me up with her brother.
My physical therapist did some electric current thing on my knee today. It felt really weird, and it was still tingling 30 minutes after he took it off. It's feeling much better. I've been jogging, and working out more, and it doesn't hurt near as much. Hooray!
I have my own computer and desk at work, which was really exciting! I have ITUNES on the computer, so I'm going to import songs. I have my OWN computer...do you realize how exciting that is for me?! I love my job.
Current Mood: Excited, yet sick :(
Current Music: Carrie Underwood-Before He Cheats
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