Vacation's Over

Well, today it was back to work. I spent the first hour just sifting through the 42 emails in my inbox and 3 voicemail messages. But I guess it was a good first day back. I had completely forgotten what I had been working on before I left, but I soon remembered. It was a fairly easy day, but I had plenty to do. Tomorrow should be much of the same, then I get a long weekend. I thoroughly enjoyed my vacation. You can read Mom's account of it because it was pretty much the same for me (at least the parts from Wed. to Wed.) except that on Monday, Gramps & I drove down to OH to visit with the Kushnirs and I went to see Geisha on Tuesday w/ Kristie. The next things on my calendar to look forward to are my New Year's Party Sat. night, Wednesday being my 27th birthday and our choir's Epiphany Cantata (on Epiphany of course - Jan 6).

Christmas Vacation

I should be taking off on Northwest Flight #419 in just about 12 hours. The forcast is fairly clear, so I don't forsee any delays. I am so ready for a vacation! I've already put in over 20 hours this week. I've somehow managed to roll myself out of bed the past couple mornings to get here by 7am. It wasn't easy with it being so dark and cold. It's 46 degrees outside and the sun isn't up yet, but I'm at work! I will most likely be sleeping on the plane tonight. I think if I just closed my eyes for a blink, I could fall asleep. But after this I will have a whole week of much deserved rest and relaxation.

New Old Furniture

Last night I obtained a couple pieces of furniture courtesy of the American Lung Association. While helping Becky paint her offices, I noticed a couple pieces of furniture that they were just getting rid of. I got a table and a cradenza. Sure, they're not the highest of quality and they need to be cleaned up a bit, but they work and help to complete my dining area.

So Much To Do, So Little Time

Mom posted today about overbooking commitments. While I haven't double-booked anything (yet), I'm starting to think that maybe I'm taking on too many things. I'm already starting to stress about all the things I need to do in the next 2 weeks (before I skip town for the holidays). I've barely put a dent in my Christmas shopping or with making my Christmas cards. Friends have requested my time with painting and decorating. And to add to that, yesterday my boss calls our whole team into a meeting to tell us that we are getting behind and with the holidays/vacation he requested that we all put in extra time. He did give us the incentive that if we put in an extra week's work (i.e. 40 hours) between now and the end of the month, he will reward us with a nice monitary bonus (4 digits large). I am going to do my best to reach that goal, but I don't know if it is physically possible (with all the aformentioned things I have to do) to squeeze an extra 40 hours in the next 2 weeks without killing myself.

Holiday Party Weekend

I had a pretty full weekend. Saturday afternoon, I helped Becky paint her offices at the American Lung Association. It was a lot of fun. Believe it or not, but I have never painted before. After that, I got all cleaned up and went to my office Holiday Party. It was at a restaurant that was literally like 3 blocks from my apartment. I probably could have walked there (I wouldn't, but I could). I wore my bridesmaid dress from Mike & Sonia's wedding (thanks for picking out a good one). I got a lot of compliments on it. The party was fun. It was kind of strange to see everyone all dressed up. I hardly recognized a few people (especially all the new people). For entertainment, we had a couple magicians walking around doing card tricks and such. I'm still amazed at how they do it. The food was delicious. As a gift, everyone got "official" Cuhaci & Peterson jackets.

I said this was a weekend of Holiday Parties, because on Sunday I went to a special Christmas dinner for all the women of Trinity. That, too, was a lot of fun. Becky & I went together. The theme was about Snowflakes. They focused on friendships and how important it is to have close female friends. It was great to share the evening with one of my best friends.

So now the weekend is over and it's back to the working world. But I'll be home in just over 2 weeks! Yay! Of course, that also means I better get moving on my Christmas shopping and getting my cards out.

December 1

Now that it is December, I can start to get in the "Christmas Spirit" (unlike all the retailers who start right after the Fourth of July). It's a little more difficult to do so when all I see are blue skies and palm trees. So, I've changed my desktop on my computer to a picture I took of the snow while I was home for Thanksgiving.

Now, everytime I turn on my computer, I feel like I'm looking out of my bedroom window. I've also recorded all my favorite Christmas songs and put them on one CD. I have over 7 hours of listening pleasure. Now I can begin my Christmas shopping, except that I have no idea what to get anyone. If anyone has any suggestions, please email me.

I'm Dreaming Of A White Thanksgiving

On the radio this morning, they were talking about the cool temperatures (it was only 46 degrees this morning) and that it felt more like Michigan than Florida. Well, I'm glad that it's not THAT cold. I'll be watching the weather maps all day today to check that the impending snow fall will not impact my travel plans.

Breaking New Ground

Yesterday was the official Ground-Breaking Ceremony for the Cuhaci & Peterson Corporate Office in Baldwin Park. It's about time! We were originally supposed to be moved in to the office by the end of the calendar year. They're still saying we'll be in in 6 months, but I'm placing bets that it will be more like 8. I doubt we'll be in before the 4th of July, but we'll see.

I'm not much of a gambler. The first time I stepped foot in a casino (in Detroit), I placed a dollar in the slot machine (given to me by my Mom) and won 3! I quit while I was ahead, and treated to People Mover tokens. But I somehow got suckered into a wager on this weekend's UM/OSU game. It's not for money (because that's just crazy and I don't have any), but rather for dinner. If Daryl wins (OSU) we eat at Brio, but if I win (UM) we eat at Ruth's Chris. Anyone who actually knows me, knows that I'm not a huge sports fan, but I like to root for MY teams (other than that, I could care less). And basically, MY teams are any team from Michigan/Detroit. I have no allegiance to either UM or MSU. I have been spotted at a local bar on Sunday afternoons to watch the Packer games because some of my best friends are big fans, and I want to hang out with my friends. I will cheer for them as long as they're playing anyone BUT Detroit (then the gloves come off). But it's all in fun. I never invest too much into the games, because after all, it IS just a game.

Nothin' Much

Well, since hardly anyone else blogged today, I might as well. Although, I don't really have anything to say. Work has been very busy. Everyone wants their projects before the holidays begin. Other than that, I spent the weekend working on my apartment. I spent more time on decorating rather than unpacking. I think I've COMPLETELY unpacked 2 boxes since I moved in. Otherwise, I've been unpacking on a need basis. Some things are staying packed until I have a place to put them (like expanding my desk and getting shelf unit that I want from IKEA). When I eventually get my place together, I'll be sure to post pictures. But you'll have to be patient as time and money (mostly the latter) keep me from doing it all at once.

I <3 N Y

I do love New York City! Although I don't know that I'd actually want to live there, it sure is a fun place to visit.

Sunday morning, Wally & Linda dropped me off at MacArther/ Islip Airport. I took a shuttle bus to the train station and just made the 10:13 Long Island Railroad train into Manhattan. It's about an hour and a half train ride. I slept much of the way and listened to music, as well as the people around me. It's so fun to hear people talk in their New York accents. I arrived at Penn Station around quarter to noon. After exploring Penn Station a bit (and discovering that it's connected to Madison Square Garden, I took the 1 Subway to Lincoln Center. I did get a little turned around trying to make my way up to street level, but I eventually found my self in the lobby of the Metropolitan Opera House (the Met to all the locals). I took several pictures of the exterior piazza (not PIZZA - it's Italian for 'plaza'). I wandered around the complex a bit. The opera, ballet, and symphony all perform at Lincoln Center, as well as being the home for the Julliard School.

After exhausting Lincoln Center, I walked down 66th street, over to Central Park West, into Central Park, and found myself at the finish line for the New York City Marathon. I knew it was taking place that day, but I was unaware of the race route. I had to walk up to about 71st Street to get around the race festivities. I admire anyone who can run a marathon. I was exhausted after walking only 5 blocks! Running 26.2 miles would probably kill me. In my defense, I was dragging all my luggage with me (they wouldn't let me check it so far ahead of time). But still, I am VERY out of shape. I wandered around much of Central Park, making my way around all the marathon runners and such. I could have easily spent a whole day there, just relaxing and enjoying the colorful fall foliage, but I was on a tight schedule, so I pressed on.

I exited the park arounnd 71st Street and 5th Avenue, grabbed a hot dog & water from a street vendor for lunch and looked at my map (the only time I did this) to find the nearest R Train station. It was located at 59th and 5th (the SE corner of Central Park), so I walked the 12 blocks to the station, passing the Central Park Zoo along the way. It was a gorgeous day in New York. It was about 70 degrees and the sun was shining! In some ways, I wish it had been a little cooler so I wouldn't have to CARRY my coat (but I'm not complaining).

I took the R Train to 23rd Street to see the Flatiron Building (the triangular shaped building you may have seen in several movies and tv shows). I missed this on my last trip, so I made sure to make a stop this time. I was a little dissapointed when I emerged from the subway. The building was being renovated/restored and there was all kinds of scaffolding covering the "point" of the building. It was still neat to see, though. I went back down to the subway and rode uptown to 34th Street to make a stop at the Empire State Building (another missed stop on my last tour - but that was mostly due to the cloudy weather). Today was a perfect day to go up to the 86th floor observation deck. The sky was clear and I could see for miles. It was a little breezy on top of the tallest building in New York (it regained the status after 9/11). It was quite peaceful on top of the world.

By now, it was almost 4:00 and my time in Manhattan was drawing to a close. I didn't have much time to make my 4:14 train back to Long Island (before my 7:30 flight). Luckily, Penn Station was only a block away along 34th Street (the same block as Macy's Department Store). I did make my train, but it was quite crowded. I wasn't able to get a seat until after a few stops. Atleast I didn't have to stand the ENTIRE 1-1/2 hour trip.

I had no trouble making my flight (in fact it was a little delayed) I had to make a quick stop in Baltimore before continuing on to Orlando International Airport. I arrived back in Florida around midnight, and my Jen was there waiting for me.

I had a great trip, but I was thoroughly beat by the end of it. My whole body ached from all the walking and carrying of my luggage. Even though I only had a small roller bag, I still wouldn't reccomend it. I think I wore the little wheels down to practically nothing and everytime I hit a crack in the sidewalk, it would tip over. Carrying it up and down the subway stairs wasn't a whole lot of fun either (even if it was a good upper body workout).

Long Island Wedding

This past weekend, I traveled up to Long Island, NY for my cousin Lauren's (Kushnir side of the family) wedding. It was a beautiful wedding on a beautiful day. Who would have guessed that one would have an outdoor wedding, in November, in New York? But the weather couldn't have cooperated better. It was about 70 degrees and the sun was shining. The short ceremony started around noon. Afterwards, there was a cocktail hour on the patio dock along the waterfront. There was all kinds of food in the buffet including fruit, pasta, turkey, beef, various kinds of seafood (shrimp, calmari, salmon, oysters), on and on and on. If I didn't know any better, this could have been our whole meal, but it wasn't. Afterwards, we indoors to the dining room where we had a 5-course dinner. It started with fresh mozzerella an tomatoes on a bed of arugula, appetizer followed by ceasar salad and a lemon sherbert intermezzo. For the main entree, you could choose from chateau briand with a sherry wine and mushroom sauce, roasted duck a l'orange, flounder stuffed with crabmeat, chicken cordon bleau, or a vegitarian meal. They even had chicken fingers for the kids. Each entree came with roasted potatoes and green beans. I chose the chateau briand and it was delicious. Now with dessert, they had assorted cakes, pies, cookies, a sundae bar, a chocolate fondue fountain, and of course, wedding cake. Inbetween the courses, they had a DJ to emcee all the traditional wedding events and dances. We were kicked out of the hall by 5:30 and many of us went to an after-party at the groom's parent's house. All in all, it was a beautiful wedding and I'm glad that I was able to make it. It was nice to see Uncle Greg, Aunt Mary Ellen and Lauren, for I haven't seen them in probably at least 5 years. So yes, all this was JUST Saturday. We were all in bed by 9:30. But with the time change and the sun setting before 5:00, it felt like midnight.

Stay tuned for details on the rest of my trip...

Goodbye, Archstone...Hello, Delaney Court

Well, it's official. I'm all moved out of my apartment. I just handed in the keys at lunch today. I worked all day yesterday to make the place spotless. It was a little sad when I turned off all the lights and locked the door for the last time. But change is good. I've got another nice apartment with a lot of potential and about 150 more square footage. If I haven't already sent you my new address, send me an email and I'll get it to you.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween, folks. Here's a picture from our work party on the roof last friday. I could never have gotten away with this costume back home. I can recall several a Halloween nights when I would have to wear a winter coat over my costume. The party was fun. It started around 3 with our State of the Company meeting. We had our best month ever and met our Quarter goal. You know what that means. Bonus...bonus...bonus...say it with me now. OK, so it wasn't a huge check, but I'll still take it. We had food, drinks, and music to entertain us. Hope everyone has a wonderful Halloween. If you get bored today, click HERE for a fun game

Come & Gone

Hurricane Wilma was in and out of here in a a matter of hours. It started raining late last night. I woke up this morning to dark skies, pouring rain, and howling wind. Needless to say, I did NOT want to get out of bed and go to work. But I never received the call saying that the office was closed, so I had to go. The 5 minute commute wasn't too bad since there was barely any traffic. I did have to dodge some debris here and there, mostly dead tree limbs and leaves. Winds were about 30 mph with gusts of about 50 mph. The worst part, though is that this storm collided with an unseasonal cold front. Usually when it rains, the actual rain is somewhat warm. But today, the rain was cold. Add in the wind, and it was quite unpleasant. The temperatures continued to drop through out the day. They dipped down to 59 degrees. About one o'clock this afternoon, the rain stopped and the sun came out (and raised the temp up to 68!). With this cold front, though, it's still supposed to get down into the 40s during the overnight hours! BBRRRR!!! But we'll be back up in the 80s by the weekend.

In other news...
I moved into my new apartment this weekend. It was a little sad to see my old place so empty. I think I may have shed a tear. But I am looking forward to living in my new place.

CANstruction 2005

Last night was the awards ceremony for CANstruction. I was in shock to hear Cuhaci & Peterson's "Carrying Away Hunger" named Honorable Mention. This is a national award, meaning that pictures of our design will be submitted to the national competion. I almost felt a little ashamed to take the award home with me for the night after I had been displaying such a pessimistic attitude toward the quality of our design. I thought that there would be no way that we would win a national award (even though with 6 national awards and 12 teams, the odds are pretty favorable). I thought we'd only walk away with the Best Sign Award (which we did also win). Those who did win the Structural Integrety and Juror's Favorite Awards (the top awards) definitely deserved to win and I'm not at all surprised at their outcome. I still can't believe that Honorable Mention went to our little ant who was actually quite large at 8' in length. I wquldn't want to be stung by THIS fire ant.

"WILMA!!!!!!!"

"What is it, Fred?"

Hurrican Wilma is swirling about in the Carribbean as a strong Cat 5 hurricane. The most intense on record with a central pressure of 882mb. This is extremely rare especially for this time of year as the season is winding down (although it doesn't officially end until Nov 30). No one is quite sure where it will go, but the latest forcasts have it heading to the South Florida Peninsula, just like Charley. The good news is that it is expected to weaken before it makes landfall this weekend. The bad news is that I'm supposed to move this weekend. So, I'll be keeping a close eye on the storm this week. The farther south it goes, the less impact it will have on me. It still might mess up my moving plans though.

This is the most storms on record and the season isn't over yet. But, Wilma is the last name on the list. If another storm forms, they will start to use the Greek alphabet (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, etc.). This has NEVER happened.

The Great Cool-Down

Hallelujah, it's started to cool down here in Florida. The past few mornings I have woken up to temperatures in the upper 60s/low 70s. Fall is coming! We've had a really HOT and record-breaking summer (over 50 straight days of 90+ temperatures). I hope these cooler temperature stick around next weekend while I move.

Interview

I went on a job interview today. It's not like I was really looking for a new job. But a friend of a friend requested my resume. So the interview went alright. It's for a small design firm that specializes in high-end residential, but also does some condo and office projects. They want me to come back next week and show them some of my work and they so they can see what I can do. So, we'll see.

I'm Moving

Yes, as my mom mentioned in her blog, I will be moving to a new apartment at the end of this month. I really didn't want to leave, but the raise in rent was more than I could afford. After weeks of research, driving around, and sleepless nights from all the stress, an apartment opened up in the complex where several of my friends also live. It's a much older place and it doesn't have all the amenities that my current place has (there is a pool). But it is downtown (more downtown than I was before), close to work and church, the rent is cheaper, and like I mentioned before, several of my friends also live there. While I am a little sad to leave my nice apartment, I am also looking forward to my new place. I've already started to plan how I will decorate it. When it gets closer to the move, I will send out notices of my change of address and such. I will be getting rid of my land-line phone service (to save some more $$ and since the only people who call me on it are telemarketers) and just using my cell phone. I have about two weeks between when I can move in to the new place and when I have to be out of my old place. So, I'll be taking my time moving.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Just a quick post to wish my mom a VERY happy birthday! I love you. Your gift will arrive in 5-9 business days and your card is sitting on my coffee table, half complete (I'll mail it tomorrow).

BSU Reunion Weekend

The past few days have been somewhat of a Ball State Alumni Reunion of sorts. First with jury duty last week and the judge being a Ball State grad. This weekend I had a reunion with one of my college girlfriends, Stacy Scholl. She's on vacation with her family at Disney. On sunday, I joined her at the parks. First we went to Animal Kingdom. When that closed for the day, we headed to MGM Studios. My feet and legs are still sore from all the miles and miles we walked. It was great to see her and catch up. We haven't seen each other in over 2 years (since Trisha's wedding). Last night, I met up with Amy Heck, another BSU alumnus. We were more or less aquaintances during our college years, but she is living here in Orlando and works at the Campus Crusade for Christ headquarters. It was great to see her again as well. To think that we live in the same city, but never see each other. But we are both very busy and have our own circle of friends. Although, now that we have reconnected, I hope that we will see each other more often.

Jury Duty

This week I performed my civic duty to Orange County, Florida by reporting for my very first jury duty. I was summoned to report to the 9th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida at the Orange County Courthouse in downtown Orlando. I arrived at 8am. There were 11 cases scheduled for the day. The first group was called around 10:00. At around 11, I was finally called (just as I got a seat at one of the computer stations). Thirty of us (one of the largest groups) took the elevators up to the 12th floor to Courtroom 12D. We all filed in to sit in the hard benches. I struck up a conversation with one of the potential jurors sitting next to me and found out that she is one of the DJs of my favorite radio station, Z88.3 (the Christian radio station).

Once we were all seated, the Honorable Judge Thomas W. Hunter explained the whole jury selection (voi duir) process. He introduced the lawyers and the defendant, the announced the charges "sexual battery on someone under the age of twelve." A few of the jurors were released right away because they felt they could not handle the case.

We broke for lunch around 12:30. It stopped pouring rain just in time. I took a walk to Subway (about 3 blocks), to return with blisters on my feet. I ate my sandwich in the front courtyard. After lunch, I took the elevator up to the 23rd floor (the top). The Orange County Courthouse is the tallest building in Orlando at 416 feet. From the women's restroom, you can get quite a view of Trinity Lutheran's Campus.

We were to report back at 1:45, but we didn't resume until after 2:00. When we rejourned, the lawyers then began their questioning. They asked whether or not we could convict someone only on the basis of a child's testimony. They asked the mother's if they could put aside their "motherly instinct" to protect the child. They asked if anyone has been a victom of a crime. They asked who had ever been arrested. And so on and so on. I was never asked as single direct question. I did get singled out, however, by the judge inbetween questioning because he noticed that I went to Ball State just like him (he graduated with David Letterman). After about an hour or so, they told us to go out in the hall while they made their choices. After a half-hour we returned to the courtroom. The judge called off seven names and they were to go up into the jury box and the rest were released. My name was the fifth one to be called. I was to report back to the courthouse at 9:30 on Wednesday.

Wednesday, the day of the trial. The deputy escorted us back to the deliberation room where I met up with the other 6 jurors. Around 10, the trial actually began. The lawyers both gave their opening statements and the prosecution called it's first witness, a detective in charge of the case. He then called two more witnesses, the mother and the child herself. We broke for lunch the came back to have the defense begin their case. The defense only called the grandmother, the defendant's wife. Yes, the child accused her step-grandfather of sexual battery. After all the questioning, cross-examination, objections, closing arguments and rebuttals we, the jury, adjourned to the deliberation room. It was about 4:30 by now. We deliberated for about an hour. We were pretty sure of our decision, but some of us wanted to sleep on it (and get the next day off of work). We decided to adjourn for the day and return in the morning. It's a good thing that church is right next to the courthouse because I was late for The Way.

We met again on Thursday morning and finished our deliberation. After about a half-hour we all agreed that we thought the defendant was "probably" guilty, but with the little and poor evidence we were given, we couldn't find enough proof to convict him. We voted on a not guilty verdict. After court adjourned, the judge met us back in the deliberation to thank us and help answer any questions we may have had. He also informed us that the defendant had been tried on a similar charge a few months ago and was found guilty. He is currently serving a life sentence without paroll. So really, it wouldn't have made much of a difference no matter which way we voted. The judge also assured us not to feel bad about our verdict. He agreed that our decision was very logical with what we were given. While he probably did commit the crime, there just wasn't enough convincing evidence.

This was a very difficult case for a first-time jury experience. In fact, all of us were first-timers. While this was a very good experience and I'm glad I was able to participate, I'm glad I won't have to do it again for a while.

A Family Affair

I just spent the evening with my friend Jen and her family, her WHOLE family: grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins - The Schumacher Clan (as their fondly referred to at Trinity). Jen's uncle grilled hot dogs and hamburgers on the back patio. Her cousin (Amy*) showed us pictures of some of the animals from the shelter she volunteers at in Gainsville. We sat around talking and laughing. It was just like being with my own family. Jen & I have become really close over the past year or so. I think of her as a sister. We email practically every day and we see each other at least 4 out of the 7 days of the week. And to think, the only contact I have with my brothers is through this blog (if they even read it). And so, Jen has unofficially adopted me as a member of her family, which is great since I don't have any "biological" family down here. But don't worry, they could NEVER replace my family. While we were all laughing and joking around, one of her aunts thought that they might be scaring me off into thinking that their crazy or something. But I responed with, "well, you haven't met MY family." And no, I'm not saying that any of YOU are crazy or anything, but we all have our own little quirks. What would family gatherings be without Dad's tidiness, Mike's humor, Dale showing off his latest gadget, Amanda andMom as the unofficial photographer's, a few bottles of wine - courtesy of Sam, Joel stealing the spotlight, a game of Peaches, Peaches. I can't wait for Thanksgiving!!! Tonight did make me a little homesick, even though I had a wonderful visit from the folks just last weekend! Mom gave me a call tonight to tell me they were on their way to Chicago to see Mike & Sonia. They're just making the rounds.

*An interesting story is that when I first started going to Trinity, people would ask my name and I would say, "Amy." Many would then reply, "Oh, Amy Schumacher." Of course I'd say, "no, Kushnir." I hadn't been officially introduced to her until tonight, but had seen her at church a few times (she's a student at UF). I guess we look somewhat similar, about the same height, same hair color. So I guess if people mistake me for being part of that family, then it's meant to be.

Asthma Walk 2005

Dear Family & Friends (and anyone else who may read this),

Until recently, I did not know that asthma is the leading chronic illness among children and the cause of more than 5,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. I'm sure there are many more people who are unaware of the devastating effects of this chronic lung disease.

Therefore, I am sending you a healthy reminder that I have signed up as a participant in the American Lung Association of Florida's 2005 Blow the Whistle on Asthma Walk, scheduled for September 10 (which is less than 2 weeks away) at Blue Jacket Park in Orlando. I have set a personal fundraising goal of $500.00 to help the Lung Association in its fight against asthma, and I would appreciate your support in helping me reach this goal. If you have already pledged your support, many thanks go out to you. Any amount, big or small, can help fight for those who wish to breath easier.

Please visit my personal web page (just click on the title of this blog) and follow the instructions to make a secure online donation. I would appreciate any contribution you decide to make.

Thanks in advance for your support.

What's In A Name?

Amy
Beloved : French
Peaceful, poised and understanding you do not let anyone or anything disturb your innate calm. You are tolerant of others no matter how their behaviours or beliefs differ from your own. Not attached to material or worldly affairs you are free to express your true self. Displaying great wisdom and serenity people are naturally drawn to you for guidance and counsel. Your courage and presence of mind see you through any adversity.

I don't know about you, but whoever decided to name me Amy did a pretty good job :)

Where Did The Weekend Go?

I can't believe it. It's already Monday again! This weekend was so full of activity, that I barely had a chance to relax (but I still managed to find a few hours on Saturday). Friday, a bunch of us celebrated Pastor Jon's 28th birthday at a bar downtown. After everyone else went home for the evening, Jen & I stayed out til 2 and watched her friend's band play at a different bar a couple blocks away. Saturday was pretty much my down day of the weekend. I did still have band practice in the morning and Jen & I (and her mom) went to see Red Eye (AWESOME movie!!) in the evening. Sunday, I spent a total of 10 hours at church! We had kick-off parties for both our middle school and high school youth groups. Since I am on the board, I was there to chaperone. By the end of the day, I was completely out of energy. I can definitely say that that is the most amount of time I have EVER spent at church. Don't get me wrong, I love my church and I love serving, but that was a bit much for me. Now, I've also got another busy week ahead of me. I have something going on nearly every night of the week, except tonight, so I am heading home to relax for the evening and watch my latest DVD - Season 1 of the Muppet Show! I know I wasn't even born yet when the show first aired, but I LOVE the muppets!

P.S. Special birthday wishes go out to my bro, Sam (27 - Is it just me or does 27 sound so much older than 26?) and my cuz Andy (21, tomorrow!!!!) Also, an anniversary wish to Scott & Trisha (friends from BSU) celebrating their 2nd wedding anniversary tomorrow. God's blessing to all of you!

Back In The Routine

Well, my schedule is in full swing once again. Tuesday bible study is still going strong (even if our numbers are not - but we did have a new person this week). The Way & Choir started back up this week. Thursdays will be for playing volleyball with work people (I play again on the weekends with Becky and other friends). Tonight, though, I'm going to see "Sixteen Candles" in Winter Park (outside in the park). On Fridays, I've often been going to dinner and a movie with Jen and her family. Mondays are my only free day (except for the first monday of the month when I have a Youth Board meeting).

Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho

Some people sure become impatient for a post from the World of Amy. Well, basically, I haven't done anything worth blogging about. I've been really busy working. I've had to put in some extra hours this week for a couple of reasons: a.) I have a lot of work to do (I'm a little behind on one of my projects), and b.) I need to earn some overtime $$. I just found out last week that they're raising my rent $100/month!!! I have a few options to remedy the situation: 1.) find a cheaper place to live, 2.) find a roommate and a 2-br apartment, 3.) find a higher paying job, or 4.) work at least 1 week of overtime per month. I'm testing this last option right now (since I haven't worked any overtime since they began the program). If my calculations are correct, I need to work at least 45 hours (only an extra hour per day and the minimum required for the OT to kick in) to earn roughly that extra $100 that I need (since I haven't done it yet, I don't know EXACTLY how much it will be). It's also to prove to myself that it won't kill me (well it hasn't yet) to go in a little earlier and stay a little later.

Peaches, Peaches, I Eat Peaches

I eat peaches every day.

OK, so that's not entirely, true. But I did eat them while I was in Georgia this past weekend. I had a really great time. I left work around 3:00 friday afternoon and started my trek to Milledgeville. It took about 7-1/2 hours to get there, including stops and rain delays. I drove in and out of several monsoons. There was one point where it was raining so hard that I couldn't see 5 feet in front of me. The highway was flooding and I started hydroplaning (I'm sure my parents are thrilled to hear about this, but no worries, I had everything under control). I pulled over at the next rest stop and sat it out for a while. It let up a little bit, so I got back on the road, drove about a half mile and the rain just completely stopped. I managed to find Uncle Ron & Aunt Diane's house, in the dark, without getting lost. I'm sure the other cars weren't too happy with my slow driving on the pitch black country roads, but oh well. It's exactly 400 miles to their house and the Florida/Georgia state line is the EXACT halfway point. I arrived around 10:30 friday night and Aunt Diane's "southern hospitality" kicked in right away by offering me anything and everything to eat or drink. After getting settled in, we introduced Phyllis (Diane's friend and coworker) to the wonderful game that is "Peaches, Peaches".

We woke up Saturday to cloudy skies and cooler weather (upper 70s/lower 80s). But I didn't complain. It felt pretty good compared to the 90s here in Florida. Now that I could actually see my surroundings, it was very beautiful and peaceful. The lake was calm. It reminded me somewhat of being Up North. Of course to me, just about everywhere is "up north" (but nothing could replace the REAL Up North of northern Michigan. We decided to go for a boat ride, but as we got down to the dock, it started to rain. We tried putting up the canopy, but as we moved forward, the rain just came underneath it. Instead, we decided to go to lunch and then drive around town. We went to lunch at this little hole-in-the-wall BBQ place called Peaches (of course). The food was good, but it was the location and atmosphere that made it really unique. It was located in this itty bitty pull barn way off the road. I love places like that: one of a kind, local treasures. Unfortunately, though, the meal didn't agree to well with Amanda's stomach. By the way, while we were at lunch, the sun decided to peek through the clouds a bit. After lunch, we stopped at a flee market, drove into Downtown Milledgeville, and made a stop at Wal-Mart. When we returned back to the house, we made a second try for a boat ride. The sun had gone away again, but at least it wasn't raining. We took a tour of a small portion of the lake. There are so many "fingers" in the lake, I would totally get lost (and I have a pretty good sense of direction). A dark cloud was looming in the distance, so we headed back and started dinner. We had marinated grilled chicken (very yummy). After dinner, we just sat in the living room and watched tv on the only channel on which we could get any reception.

Sunday was still a bit cloudy, but we went for another boat ride and toured even more of the lake. We didn't even scratch the surface of all that there is to see on Lake Sinclair. We came back and had sloppy joes for lunch and decided to go jet-skiing. By now, the sun was actually starting to come out and I could see small patches of blue sky. I had never been on a jet ski before this weekend, but they are really a lot of fun. They're not quite as easy to maneuver as I thought they would be. It would also been easier if the lake was a bit smoother. After jet-skiing and swimming, I got cleaned up and got ready to head back to O-Town. I was making really good time on the drive home. I only stopped once right before the state line to grab dinner and gas (not that I was on empty, but gas is a lot cheaper in GA). I was just cruising down I-75. I was looking forward to getting in a bit earlier than I had expected (and no, I wasn't speeding). I thought too soon, though. I was about 100 miles from home and 40 miles from my exit to the Florida Turnpike when traffic came to a near standstill. And what made it worse, it was for no apparent reason. No accident, no lane closures due to construction. Well, I ended up getting home around 10, which is what I had originally anticipated (but I could have been home earlier).

Thanks again, Ron & Diane, for letting me stay and for ALL your hospitality. I can't wait to come again and perhaps stay a little longer. You are totally worth the drive and then some.

3...2...1...Liftoff

Today was a momentous occasion for the U.S. space program as the shuttle Discovery had a smooth launch at 10:39 am for its return to flight after being grounded for over two years due to the Columbia tragety in February 2003. I attempted to watch the launch from our office rooftop, but our view was obstructed due to extensive cloud cover. All I could see was a portion of the trail through a small break in the clouds. It ws still quite exhilerating to watch the replay over an internet webcast on my computer. One of these days, I will actually go out to the Cape to see a launch. Not only will I be able to SEE it better, but I will also be able to HEAR it and FEEL it!

Life Goes On

Well, there's not real easy way to say this, so I'm just giong to come out with it. Bryan and I broke up today. But don't worry about me, I'm not asking for your pity or anything. It was actually somewhat mutual. We both wanted different things and there were some very important factors that were missing from the very beginning, one in particular is God. My faith is the most important part of my life. It is my #1 priority. I want the person with which I intend to spend the rest of my life with to share these priorities. I know that it rare, but I believe it is worth waiting for. That is one thing that I take into consideration with whom I may date. Bryan is looking for a serious relationship that may lead to a life long commitment. While I am looking for that too, I knew it wasn't with him. I was partially holding out that some things may change. I regained hope when he agreed to come to church with me, but I could tell that his heart was not in it and at this time, he had no intentions of making it a priority. This wasn't the only factor, but it was one of the bigger and more impotant factors. On the upside, we are still going to try to remain friends, if possible. While I did care for him, and still do, my feelings for him were never as strong as his feelings for me. In actuality, I feel pretty good right now. In a way, the pressure is off. Now I don't have to be so concerned about what he may be thinking or what his intentions are.

When I look around at the people I know, especially the members of my family, I see many relationships which I admire and one day hope to aspire to. In particular, I look at my parents. In my eyes, they have the perfect marriage. Sure, I've heard an arguement or two while growing up, but they work through it because they love each other. They have a great love for each other. But even greater than that, is their love for Jesus. I pray that one day I will find someone just like that. I know God has someone picked out who is perfect for me. If only I knew when and where to find him.

So it's back to the land of Singledom for me. But it's totally cool. I may be a little disappointed, but I'm not heart-broken. Life goes on...

A Lazy Weekend

Since many of you decided not to post today, I thought I would update you on my weekend. As you can see from the title, I didn't do much this weekend. I spent most of Friday & Saturday with Bryan watching tv, and movies, and movies on tv. We went to see "Fantastic 4" on Saturday. Surprisingly, it's a very good movie. I think I'm really starting to get into all these superhero movies. Go figure. After the movie, we went to Publix because I had no food in the refrigerator. I got stuff to make enchiladas for the very first time. Ok, so they partially came from a box thanks to Old El Paso (I don't cook from scratch), but I thought they turned out quite tasty (and he did, too). Sunday, I went to late service then out to lunch with friends. After lunch, I spent most of the day on the couch. Now I feel well rested and prepared for the week ahead. I have several projects that need to get out the door this week.

Bryan & Me

Here you go. Here are some long awaited pictures of Bryan and me taken this past weekend. We had a really fun day. First, we went to the Tiger game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in St. Pete. It was a great game as we won 9-4! After the game, the overcast skies from the passing hurricane miraculasly cleared up and we went to the beach to watch the sunset,which is where the pictures were taken (I knew that picture phone would come in handy one day).

Happy Anniversary!

I'm here today to wish my parents a happy anniversary. Wow! 35 years! That's amazing! I couldn't ask for a better example of a loving Christ-centered marriage that I hope to live by one day. May God continue to bless your life together.

Hurricane Watch 2005

Well, guess what? It's that time of year again. Hurricane Dennis, a major Cat 3 hurricane, is making a target of the U.S. While all the models show the projected path hitting the keys and then up in the panhandle, with every update, the path inches its way farther east. Even though this storm most likely won't make a direct hit on central Florida, it will still bring lots of rain and wind. I just hope it won't mess up my weekend plans too much. I want to go to St. Pete for the Tiger games. It's a good thing that the Devil Rays play in a dome.

My Big Secret

I guess I've left you all in suspense long enough. I won't be surprised if all of you smart people already figured it out. Or perhaps my mom has already blabbed it. I thank you in advance for respecting my privacy in this matter. I just didn't want the interrogation that would follow and I don't want to make a big deal about it, especially during the weekend of my brother's wedding. There were certain people which I had to tell this to in person before I made a public announcement. OK, here it goes...I'm dating someone. Many of you blog readers may recall my former coworker and friend Bryan. We have known each other for a little over 2 years now, but have remained "just friends", hanging out, going to the movies, etc. Well, after a 3 month hiatus of not even speaking to each other (for no particular reason), we have decided to take our relationship to the next level per say. It's nothing too serious right now. I have no idea what, if any, kind of future we may have together, but I'm trying not to think about it too much, just take it one day at a time, and enjoy the moment. So there you have it. That's my big news. That's why I only got 2 hours of sleep before my flight to Chicago. Are you happy now?

On a High Note

To make mom happy, I'm finally posting. But it has to be quick as I have work to do, especially since I'm only working 3 days this week (and then get a 5-day weekend). With that being said, all I will mention about the past weekend is that it started off pretty crappy, but ended very well. And that's all I'm going to say. I know the suspense is probably killing you, but I ask that you respect my decision and I will divulge the necessary information when I feel it is appropriate. So don't ask! Thank you :)

Batman & The Homless

Is helping the homeless always a good idea? OK, I know you must be appalled that I would say such a thing, but hear me out. Last night Jen & I went to see the new Batman movie. It was a really good movie. The best one yet in my opinion. It was hard to tell with all the added computer-generated effects and what not, but it looked like a lot of the movie was filmed in Chicago. I'm sure Mike would know for sure. There were just some buildings and landmarks which looked vaguely familiar. Anywho, after the movie, Jen & I were standing by her car talking. This homeless guy comes up to us and asks for a couple bucks for the bus. Jen, being the nice person that she is said that she had some change in her car. She opens the door, throws her keys on the seat, grabs some change then locks and closes the door, leaving her keys and everything inside. Now if she hadn't helped the homeless guy, she never would have locked herself out. But you know what, while we waited the hour or so for the AAA guy to come, we really had some nice conversation and bonding. So I guess it wasn't all that bad.

Is This Week Over Yet?

OK, I know it's only Tuesday, but this week is going by so slow! Actually, this is the first week that I've had to work ALL FIVE DAYS in the past 3 weeks! How will I ever manage?

Tonight, I'm meeting up with our Bible Study group for a sort of Goodbye Get Together for Justin. He's leaving next week to go back to school and work on his PhD in Entemology (that's the study of bugs). Good luck Justin. We'll miss you.

Wedding Weekend

This past weekend I traveled up to North Carolina for my little half-brother Paul's wedding. OK, so he's not so "little" anymore, but to me he always will be. It was a little strange to see him up at the alter, all grown up. It was a really nice wedding. It was small and simple, but at the same time beautiful. I may have just met my new half-sister-in-law this weekend, but I could plainly see the love they have for each other. Congratulations once again Paul & Melissa, and God's blessings to a long and happy life together.

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

This is supposed to be the "Sunshine State". I haven't seen the sun all week. It has rained every day since Monday night. It's raining right now as I'm trying to leave work. Unfortunately, I stupidly left my umbrella in my car. Wednesday was officially the start of the "wet" season, a.k.a. Hurricane Season. I just pray that it won't be like last year!

FMF2K5

Yes, I'm still here. I've just been really busy at work which hasn't allowed me to post. I haven't gotten the internet hooked up on my new computer which prohibits me from blogging at home. And basically, there hasn't really been anything going on in my life which is blog worthy. Well, I take that back. This weekend, I went to the Florida Music Festival - 3 days, 15 venues, and about 200 unsigned artists. I heard a lot of good music, and a lot of not so good music. I got a lot of FREE music from bands trying to promote themselves.

In other news...I'm coming home this weekend!!!!! I can't wait. I'll be home Friday night (around 10:30 pm Mom). I just realized that I haven't been home since Christmas. I'm actually kind of looking forward to some slightly cooler weather. It's already reaching 90 here and really muggy.

New Computer

I'mBlogging to you tonight from my brand new laptop! I returned from Miami to discover that my old computer had melted, literally! It had not shut down properly (one of the many problems I have been dealing with lately) and it overheated. The keypad had become warped on the left-hand side. I had been thinking about getting a new one for quite some time now, but this was the kicker which forced me to go ahead with it. I found a decently priced Dell and one of those all-in-one printer/scanners. My scanner has been broken since I moved into my apartment 2-1/2 years ago.

In other news, I'm playing in a company softball game tomorrow.

Crazy Casual Friday

Today, being Friday the 13th, work is allowing us to dress extra casual today and today only. Most people (who actually decided to partake in the event) are wearing sports related clothing. Me, I decided to go to work in my PJs. This is the most comfortable I have ever been at work. I usually freeze, but today I am warm & cozy!

What Happens In South Beach, Stays In South Beach

Ok, I'm sure you're all expecting me to dish on all the dirt that took place over the weekend in Miami, but I just can't do that. Truth is, there isn't all that much to tell. No one got too wild and crazy. You won't see us on the next version of "Girls Gone Wild." I think we all had a great time anyways. I know I did.

It's actually a really nice drive from Orlando to Miami. I took the Florida Turnpike most of the way. Sure it costs about $16 each way, but it's worth it for the lack of traffic and higher speed limit. Also, it sure beats the cost of a plane ticket. As soon as I got to the hotel, I quickly changed into my bathing suit and joined everyone at the pool. For dinner, we went to Larios on the Beach. It's a cuban restaurant owned by Gloria Estefan. After dinner we went to a club called Mansion. It is supposed to be one of the best clubs in South Beach. I think it lived up to it's reputation. The concierge at the hotel gave us half-off bracelets so the cover only cost us $20. They played good music - a little bit of everything. We stayed until about 2:30 am when our feet were killing us (the place didn't even open until 11pm).

Friday, we spent the morning at the pool then went for lunch at Jerry's Famous Deli and shopping along Lincoln Avenue (an outdoor mall of sorts). We actually decided NOT to go out Friday night. Instead, we ordered pizza, drank margaritas and daquaris in the room, and just chatted.

Saturday, we spent most of the day at the beach. The water is a much prettier color down there than at Cocoa. It's a really pretty turquoise color. The water is a bit warmer, too (although none of us actually got completely in). For dinner, we went to a seafood restaurant at Bayside. It's a restaurant/shopping place at a marina in downtown Miami. It reminded me somewhat of Fisherman's Wharf in S.F. or South Street Seaport in N.Y. After dinner and a little shopping we headed back to the hotel to figure out where to go on our last night there. We talked with the concierge and he told us that the covers for many of the clubs had skyrocketed to $100, just to get in the door. There were special events going on, it was the weekend, and I believe P. Diddy was in town. We took a cab to the area where all the clubs were located, hoping to find something. We walked around and ultimately ended up at this place which had 2 clubs in one building - Pearl and Nikki Beach. The best part was that it was FREE to get in. It was really nice. They played good music and it wasn't as nearly crowded as Mansion. It was much more layed back and there were several places to sit. There were even quiet places where you could actually hold a conversation. It was a great way to spend our last night.

On Sunday, three of the girls left in the early afternoon. The rest of us went back to Bayside to take a boat tour around Biscayne Bay and near all the celebrities' homes. Afterwards, we checked out of our hotel and I decided to make my way back to Orlando. It was about 4:30 and I had a 4-hour drive ahead of me (I didn't want to get home real late either).

All in all it was a great trip. It was very relaxing and fun. I got another layer of tan (and only a slight sunburn in a few areas). The only thing I didn't do that I wanted to do was to take a tour of the Historic Art Deco District. Oh well. I'll just have to go back (and I will).

I'm Back!!

It's a miracle! Once again, I am able to view & blog at work! I will blog later to recap what I've been up to and my trip to Miami this past weekend. I just wanted to let you know that I'm back in Blogworld.

I'm Not In The Country Anymore

Life in the city is sure different from back home. OK, so Orlando's not a HUGE city like Chicago, but compared to Waltz, Michigan, it's gigantic. On the way to work today, there were 2 police cars parked in front of a house near the corner of Mills & Virginia. There was a man standing next to one of the cars with his hands on the trunk. It looked like he was about to be arrested. Then on my way home, the cops were still there and they were wrapping the site in CAUTION tape. I tried watching the news tonight to see if they would report on what happened. Well, they didn't say anything. Instead, I heard all about how our mayor returned to work after being indicted on fraudulant election charges. I also heard about all the sex offeners that are living in the greater Orlando area. The only real "good news" was the weather forcast.

There are many advantages to urban life, though. One big one is that I'm so close to everything. I've been known to make atleast 3 trips to Target in the same day. When my family was here over Easter, mom was BBQing by the pool and realized that she needed some butter for the potatoes and garlic bread (which I didn't have). So I just said, "I'll run up to Publix and get some." I went there, got the butter (and a few other things as well) and came back all in about 20 minutes (maybe less). I am easily within walking distance of the mall, the movie theater, the grocery store and Target (if I really wanted to). In about a year, I'll be able to walk, or rollerblade, or ride a bike to work (I'm sure you're all placing bets on whether or not I'll actually do it). We'll see. It makes it a little difficult when it downpoars every afternoon/early evening during the summer months (if it's not raining, it's incredibly hot and humid - almost unbearable for a lengthly period of time, even in the early morning). I do have to say that I'll take Florida summers over Michigan winters anyday. Hooray for air conditioning :)

I'm Still Here

I knkow it's been a while since my last post. But frankly, nothing really exciting has been going on which warrented me to log on at home. I've also been busy during the evening hours. Monday I had a volleyball game (we lost). Tuesday, I had bible study. Wednesday was the Way and Choir practice. Some interesting news about that is that I'm now singing with the praise band during the Praise & Worship time. I'm really enjoying it (just don't ask me to sing a solo). Ok, moving on, today I had softball practice for the one game we're going to play in a couple of weeks. We have some pretty good players. I'm not one of them, but I still had fun. Tomorrow, I'm going to see a performace of Oklahoma! starring Bethany & Brianna Dickens. Saturday, I'm playing in a sand volleyball tournament with work people.

All Caught Up

Since my lack of access to blogs at work, I've finally caught up on everyone's blog. I can't believe how much I've missed: pictures from Georgia, food and music memories (I just might have to compile my own list), big screen tvs, and many other things.

Hi. My name is Amy, and I'm a blogaholic...

Just Call Me A Fireman

Forget the title, "architect." Just call me a fireman. Sometimes it seems that all I do at work is put out fires. Like today, I had to get about 5 jobs out the door. I do have to say, though, that it sure makes the day go by faster.

In other news...I'm sorry about the late update. It seems that I can no longer blog at the office. We've installed some new web filter software which blocks my ability to post and read blogs. Now I'm forced to only blog at home, but I rarely go online here. I guess I'll have to make an effort to do so I can help Mom and Amanda get their daily blog fix.

In other other news, I feel so blessed to have such great friends here in Orlando. This past weekend, we practically spent the whole weekend together, watching independant movies at the Florida Film Festival, watching Shakespeare's "Midsummer's Night Dream" at Lake Eola, and a Peter Frampton concert downtown.

Travelin' Gal

I've just finalized all my travel arrangements for the next 3 months! In 3 weeks, I'll be heading down to Miami for Sonia's Bachelorette Weekend Extravanza. Memorial Day weekend, I'll be heading home to Michigan for the bridal shower. In June, it's my half-brother Paul's wedding in North Carolina. And finally, to Chicago, 4th of July weekend, for Mike & Sonia's wedding. After that, my calendar is completely EMPTY (but I know it won't stay like that for too long).

Insomniac

I don't know why, but for some reason I literally got NO sleep last night. I just lied in bed, eyes closed, but no sleep. The hours just ticked away, 3am...4am..7am my alarm goes off and still no sleep. After I got up to turn off the alarm, I lied back down and finally started to drift in and out of consciousness, but now it was time to get up and go to work. I did somehow make it, but I wasn't entirely productive this morning. I felt like I was like back in college when I used to pull all those all-nighters in order to finish a project. I met Becky for lunch, but afterwards decided it best to go home and go to bed. When I got home, I immediately crashed in my bed and didn't awake until about 5 when my phone rang. I didn't get up to answer it (figuring it was probably a telemarketer anyways). While I was still a bit tired, I did get up for fear that I may not sleep tonight either. It's not like I got too much sleep over the weekend (not more than usual atleast). I was really tired. It was just that I couldn't shut my brain off. I just kept thinking about stuff. Nothing important or stressing about anything. Just random thoughts and I don't even recall exactly what.

Anywho, the rest of my weekend went well. Saturday I went to Cypress Gardens. There was a concert that I wanted to see and I also wanted to check out the place. They had added some rides, but they were kind of lame. The botanical gardens were nice, but nothing more spectacular than Leu Gardens here in town. I did see a very interesting sight on the way down, though. As I was driving down I-4, I say a momma duck and about 8 ducklings trying to cross the highway. They crossed right in front of me. Don't worry, I didn't hit them (and as far as I know, no one else hit them either) I saw them in plenty of time to slow down and stop. I sure hope they made it. On the way back from the park, I listened to the Michigan State game on the radio. When I stopped at Universal Studios to try and make the Mardi Gras concert, it was half time and we were winning. Well, I got to the park too late and couldn't get in, so I headed back home. When I got back to my car, we had lost the lead and never regained it :( Oh, well. It's just a game. It's an accomplishment just to make it that far. It is really difficult to follow basketball on the radio, especially when you're not familiar with the players and who play for who. I could hear all the MSU fans in the background which helped a little. So that was just Saturday. Sunday was much more relaxed. After church, I took a walk around Baldwin Park. I found out that it would take 20 minutes to walk the mile from my apartment door to where our new office is going to be (if we ever get around to building it). I think that with a bike, I could cut the time in half. I don't know that I will actually walk or bike to work. I know I should, but if you have any familiarity with the summers down here, you'll understand why I might not. It's just so hot and humid (and it rains nearly every afternoon (often times right around 5:00). But the place is really starting to become active. There are a few restaurants and shops open. Many are very close to opening. Later that evening, I went with Jen, her daughter Isabel, and her mom to see Ice Princess. OK, I admit it, I'm a real sucker for kid movies. Thanks to Jen's daughter, I can have an excuse to see them. The movie was cute, but there were these kids sitting in the back row who kept throwing things and something actually hit me. They were also being loud and unruly. Jen got fed up and went to tell the manager. He came in and talked to the kids and they were pretty good after that. I think I'm going to go to take a shower, turn on the basketball game and go to bed early. Hope everyone has a great week!

Empty House

The last of my guests left yesterday morning. Last night was the first night in a week that I had my apartment to myself and I could sleep in my own bed. But don't get me wrong, I love having guests. Everyone made it home safe and sound. I hear that the weather up there is getting better. Sure it's not like it is here, but it's better than when you left.

A Family Affair

This year for Easter, we broke tradition. Instead of me coming home, I had my family come here. Mom, Dad, Mike, Sam, Sonia, Kristie, and Grandpa all made the trek to Orlando. Everyone arrived Friday evening after a few minor setbacks such as making wrong turns and delayed flights. Better late than never I always say. Sam & Kristie stayed with me in my apartment and everyone else stayed at the hotel. I’m not quite sure if they were the lucky or the unlucky ones. Either way, I was glad to have them.

On Saturday, we all went to the Tiger game in Lakeland. Unfortunately, they lost to the Indians, but I still had fun despite the rain and temperature changes. During the game Sam got himself and me last-minute tickets to the Maroon 5 concert in Kissimmee. We had a great time. The band was awesome! We had excellent seats for last minute – first row of the third section from the front and center.

Going to the concert the night before I had to sing in the choir probably wasn’t the best idea as I woke up with a sore throat and a rough voice. Although I don’t think the concert was entirely to blame, but it didn’t help. I still sang in both the 8:00 & 11:00 services (by the 11:00 my voice had mostly recovered). After church, we met up with the Otter clan (Jason, Nicole, and Christian as well as Jason's and Nicole's respective fathers). We swam for a bit at the hotel and then went out to dinner at Houston's Restaurant. Sam, the wine connoisseur, ordered us two bottles of wine. After dinner, we went hung out on the dock at the restaurant. Al Otter pulled out his video camera. We sat and chatted until it was time for the Michigan State/Kentucky game to start. We totally took over the lobby of the hotel to watch the tense game. Some people came in that started rooting for Kentucky. We jokingly ran them out. It was an exciting game: bouncing leads, double overtime. Mom kept pacing throughout the lobby. Dad seemed quite pessimistic throughout the game (especially when they went into overtime). But through it all, MSU came out on top and Mom celebrated with her rendition of the fight song.

I took the day off work on Monday. I got to sleep in. We went to lunch in Winter Park, did some shopping, and then relaxed at the hotel. We ordered in pizza for dinner. We ate in the lobby and hotel staff was nice enough to give us plates and silverware to use. Mike and Sonia headed back to Chicago that evening. Sam, Kristie, and I went to Pleasure Island at Downtown Disney with the Otters, while Mom reluctantly watched the baby (for those of you who don't know, I'm being incredibly sarcastic here). Dad found the hotel's guest laundry room and Sam remarked that that was his Disney World. We had a good time at Pleasure Island. We visited all the clubs and shows. At the comedy club, we made a big deal about who would sit by the phone because we didn't want to get called on (which didn't happed at all). The ironic thing is that when we saw the show at the Adventurer's Club, we all got picked on.

Tuesday morning, Sam and Grandpa flew back to Michigan and I went back to work. Mom, Dad and Kristie spent the day at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Mom fell in love with "all the flowers and the animals." We met for dinner at the All Star Cafe and then watched the Tiger game at Disney's Wide World of Sports - the Spring Training home for the Atlanta Braves. It wasn't a very good game. We lost 12-4. We had just about as many hits, but we couldn't bring 'em home. Dad & Kristie left after the 6th inning, but Mom & I stayed 'til the end. An interesting thing happened, though. On the way in to meet my family, I ran into a former coworker of mine. I just thought that was kind of cool considering that there were over 11,000 people there.

Today, everyone is just taking it easy. I went to work of course, but met my parent for lunch at this Italian restaurant across the street. I think Kristie is spending the day by the pool. I don't blame her. It's a perfect day! Tonight, I think we're going to eat in and maybe go see a movie.

Everyone heads back tomorrow morning. I had a great time while everyone was here. I hope they did, too. Come back again soon!

All That Jazz

Last night I went to see "Chicago" at the Bob Carr. Once again, there was a basketball game. But the traffic wasn't quite as bad as last time. The show started an hour after the game started so that may have helped. I made it on time this time (with a half-hour to spare). The show was good, but I have to admit that it wasn't quite the caliber of Broadway (but that was to be expected). My seats weren't near as good either (but they were cheaper and that was to be expected). I still enjoyed it.

My family is going to be here in about 12 hours or so. Woohoo! I'm so excited. I have a feeling that the day is going to go by somewhat slowly because of that. Oh well.

To Mom, Dad, Gramps, Mike, Sam, Sonia, & Kristie, see you tonight. To everyone else, have a very blessed Easter!

Weekend Forcast

Orlando Forcast:

Saturday - Scattered Thunderstorms, Low: 69, High: 87
Sunday - Scattered Thunderstorms, Low: 69, High: 85
Monday - Few Showers, Low 53, High: 72
(Rain chances 30% each day)

Michigan Forcast:

Saturday - Partly Cloudy, High: 42, Low: 29
Sunday - Rain (60%), High: 37, Low: 31
Monday - Partly Cloudy, High: 46, Low: 33

Ok, so the forcast here isn't THAT great. All I have to say is that it's better than up there. See y'all tomorrow night!

A Swimming Commute

I practically had to swim to work this morning. It was raining like a monsoon. The roads were becoming flooded. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to drive down Alden Road. Luckily, Lake Cuhaci hadn't quite formed yet. I did have a few run-ins with some large puddles, though, on my my swim from the parking lot to the office. I'm just glad that I had my umbrella.

Last night for bible study, I had made the suggestion that instead of our regularly scheduled study of the book "It's Not About Me," that we should watch the movie "The Passion of the Christ." We did watch the movie and Becky made dinner beforehand. It turned out to be a really good time. Eight people showed up. Most of us had seen the movie atleast once, but there were a couple people who were seeing it for the first time. After the movie, we had a brief discussion time about the movie and people's thoughts about it.

On side note, my family will be here in 2 DAYS!!!!!

Another Busy Week Ahead

Well, I survived my hectic week last week. Actually, it turned out to not be quite as bad as I thought it would be. I got a lot of stuff done (not everything, but a lot). This week is going to be much of the same. I have a big project due next monday (but since I'm taking that day off to spend with my family, I need to finish by Friday). I'll still be busy outside of work with all of my typical extracurricular activities - volleyball, choir, etc.

I had another great weekend, though. Saturday, I went to another Tiger game. Once again, it was a come-from-behind victory (the best kind)! Sunday afternoon, I went to see the Orlando Ballet perform "Camelot." It was very good. This is the first time I've seen our ballet company perform (I don't think it will be my last).

I can't wait until Friday when my family comes to visit! I'm just hoping that the anticipation won't distract me too much from everything else I have to do. The weather forcast is fairly decent. Temperatures will range from the mid 70s to low 80s (but there a chance for some scattered and isolated thunderstorms over the weekend). I'll be checking it everyday until the weekend (I'm sure gramps will, too).

Less Than 2 Weeks!

I am so excited to have my family come down here for Easter this year. Can you believe that in the 2-1/2 years that I've lived here, my brothers have not once come to visit me?! Kristie & Sonia have both been here, multiple times. Anywho, I'm looking forward to their visit. I know I'm throwing off our family's traditional Easter celebrations and I will miss seeing all my aunts uncles and cousins. Perhaps some year I'll be able to get you ALL to come down. I can guarantee that the weather will be a lot warmer (I can't promise that it won't rain, though).

This Is The Day The Lord Has Made...

Let us reJOYce and be glad in it!

As I read through everyone else's blogs this morning (it's part of my daily routine), I realized that I am not the first to comment on today being the anniversary of Grandma's Ultimate Homecoming. Just from what everyone else has written about her, one can easily gather just how special she was. I, too, would like to add my own thoughts and memories.

Being so far away from family is hard enough as it is, especially when it's a family that is as close knit as ours. But not being near loved ones during the last moments of there earthly lives is even harder. I remember that day, two years ago today, when it was Grandma's last day. I had spent the day at Universal Studios. It was during their Mardi Gras celebration and there was going to be a parade and a concert in the evening. I remember trying to call home all day, just to brag about the weather and such, but I found it odd that no one was home all day. I noticed that I had several voicemail messages, but I had just gotten my cell phone and wasn't quite sure how to retrieve the messages. Finally, I decided to call my mom's cell phone, she was next door and that's when I received the news. I knew this day was coming, but no matter how hard you try to prepare yourself, you're never ready. I was speechless. I didn't know what to do next. Should I stay (I had been really looking forward to seeing the Hootie and the Blowfish concert) or should I go (and start looking for a flight home ASAP). Mom, told me to stay and enjoy the concert, "that's what Grandma would have wanted," and she would look for a flight for me. As soon as I got off the phone, I broke down in tears. I knew that I should be happy because she was in heaven (I had no doubts about her faith) but I was still sad that I couldn't say goodbye and I would miss her. I don't think I ever felt so alone in a sea of people. When some people saw me crying, they asked what was wrong, and I told them that my grandmother had just passed away. I remember them responding with, "is there anything I can do?" I found this somewhat odd because, really, what could they do. But I know they were just trying to be sypathetic. The concert started and the band played all their hit songs, but only one stood out to me. I was actually thinking about leaving at the time, when they started to play "Old Man & Me." I couldn't quite understand much of the lyrics, but there was a line in the chorus which stated, "I wonder who will walk with me when I get to Heaven." It got me thinking about who Grandma was walking with. Maybe it would be her brother, who was killed during WWII. Perhaps she would be reuinted with Connie. But I know one thing for sure, she is walking side by side with her Lord and Savior.

Today, as I wear her wedding ring on a chain around my neck and close to my heart, I am reminded of all the good times we've had over the 24 years we spent together. I feel so fortunate to have lived right next door so I could visit whenever I wanted. I remember the games she would teach me to play - euchre and Michigan rummy. I remember her singing "Mockingbird" and "Grandma will be your Momma, til your Momma comes home" when she would babysit me. I remeber her calling me her "little rosebud." I remember the special drawer in the pantry which was reserved especially for red licorice. I remeber helping her put all the church's offering envelopes in numerical order. I remember watching her cross-stitch and then teaching me how to do it. I remeber how she would give me a new nutcracker every Christmas to add to my collection. I remember our summer vacations at the Big Fish Inn in Ellsworth - playing euchre, going into Charlevoix and shopping at Ben Franklin's, walking on the beach at Norwood looking for Petoskey stones and watching the sunset. So many memories, but most importantly, I remember her teaching me about the love of Jesus Christ.

Today, nor any other day, is not a day to be sad. Yes, we will miss Ella Agnes (Rademacher) Cook. I admit that I shed a tear or two while writing this. But she is celebrating at the Banquet in the Sky. We, too, must celebrate with her, and wilth all of our loved ones who have passed on. For their life hasn't ended, but is just beginning and will continue forever and ever into eternity.

A Rough Week Ahead

It looks like it's going to be a rough week, this week. I'm already off to a bad start as I spilled my hot chocolate and burned my hand. But other than that, I have several projects that need to be completed within the next 2 weeks and some of them haven't even been started yet. The last thing my boss told me before I left of Friday, was to "enjoy the weekend, because next week is going to be hell." Well, I did make sure to enjoy the weekend. Friday night, I went to see "Robots." I thought that it was really cute. We saw it at the local drafthouse. I had never been there before, but there are tables and chairs and you can order food while you watch the movie. It was a very unique movie-watching experience. Saturday, I went to the Tiger game at Disney's Wide World of Sports. There ended up being four of us all together - Me, Bryan, Jen, and Jen's daughter Isabel. It was another good game. We were losing, but won it in the 9th inning. We had lawn seats in the outfield which was kind of nice. I took my beach blanket and we could just lay out and relax. I even layed down inbetween innings. We came close to catching a foul ball. It was another beautiful day - sunshine and a slight breeze. I wore sunscreen, but still added to my tan (and even a little burned in some places). I got a really nice tan line where my watch was. After the game, I went to Saturday night services and then hung out with Becky & Anna. We went out for pizza and then played a couple rounds of pool at a local bar. Afterwards, we went back to Becky's and played a couple games of Sequence. Becky won every game, but I came close a couple of times. On Sunday, we all went to the beach. It was another gorgeous day, about 80 degrees, lots of sunshine, and a nice breeze to keep us from getting too hot. It was pretty crowded because of Spring Break, but not too bad. I was surprised to see the ocean so flat. There were hardly any waves (1-2 foot at most), but there were still people trying to surf. After we "fried like Krispy Kreme" (a quote from Anna), we headed to Seafest, going on at Port Canaveral. We were a bit disappointed as it turned out not to be quite what we thought it would be. It was nothing more than a small carnival. We walked around a bit and then headed home. Becky made us dinner (baked ziti) and we played more Sequence (Becky won again).

Although this is going to be a busy week, I do have some things to look forward to. Sand volleyball starts back up and "The Incredibles" is being released to DVD on Tuesday.

Why Make Plans?

What's the point of making plans. There just going to change anyways. OK, I know that there are some things in life the do require extensive plannning, but that's not what I'm talking about. I don't typically make a whole lot of plans anyways, but recently, the plans I have made have either changed or completely fallen through. Last night was supposed to be my wallyball night. Two of our 4 players couldn't make it, so I suggested playing tennis instead. When I called to reserve a court, none were available. So much for that. After I found out about the court availability, my friend Anna called and invited me to some fundraiser/happy hour thing. So since all my other plans fell through, I went. Tonight, I had plans to have dinner with Becky & Anna and either take in an independant film or rent a movie. This morning, Jen emails me and invites me to go see "Robots." Of course I had to decline since I had already made plans with Becky & Anna. Later in the day, Becky emails me to tell me that we're rescheduling our dinner plans for tomorrow night. So, since my plans fell through, again, I replied back to Jen to say that I could make it to the movie. So far, my only "plan" for tomorrow is to go to the Tiger game. I don't know who all will come with me. I may or may not have free tickets (as it looks right now, I think I'll be buying them when I get there). I'm not making any concrete plans for tomorrow evening's entertainment. I have many options, but I am refusing to commit to anything. I'm just going to play it by ear. The same goes for the rest of the weekend.

Turn The Lights Off When You Leave A Room

I agree that this is a very good habit to form, especially when it comes to saving $$ on your electric bill. I thank my dad for ingraining it in my head many years ago. I'm still pretty good about it. Some people haven't quite learned the rule. I can always tell when someone was home at my Uncle Dale's house because every single light (and TV) would be on. Then there are those who learned the rule TOO well. At work, it fairly common practice to turn the light off in the bathroom when you leave. Thanks to dad, I do a good job about it. But it's not a good idea to follow the rule when someone is still in there (especially since there are no windows). I've lost track of how many times this has happened to me. It happened again today. I guess I must be too quiet to make my presence known.

I Wanna Be In The LIGHT

Sunday was the kick-off for Lutheran Schools Week, so church was entirely geared around it. The kids sang and the 5th Grade class presented the Children's Sermon via video. It was all about how we need to be in God's Light and not get blocked by the shadows of sin and temptation. It was really cute! I also spent most of my weekend "in the light," that is, outside in the SUNSHINE. I don't think I could have asked for a more perfect weekend. Saturday, I went to the Tiger game against the Yankees. What a GREAT game. It was awesome. I honestly thought we were done for in the 4th inning when we were down 8-1. But my Tigers never gave up. They battled back to WIN 9-8!!! After the game, I went to Trinity's annual auction. It was really neat. I had never been before. It was an island/tropical theme, so I got to get all dressed up in my island attire (which was fun in itself - I love getting dressed up). It was held at the Hyatt in the airport. It felt kind of weird to be at the airport and not picking anyone up, dropping anyone off, or flying anywhere (and to be dressed like I just returned from Hawaii). I bid on a few items, but I didn't win them. That's OK, because I couldn't really afford it anyways. I like to think that I helped raise the price so more $$ was raised for the school. I think about $13,000 was raised that evening. Sunday afternoon was spent just laying out by my pool (they finally refilled it). It was so relaxing to just lay there and have the sun beaming down on me. Don't worry Hannah, I wore SPF 30 sunblock the whole time.

I'm sorry to all you northerners that I keep bragging about the good weather here, but I can't help it! You're just going to have to come visit me (which are are welcome to do at ANY time).

Not In College Anymore

Last night, I had one of my first, "I feel old," feelings. I went with my friend Jen to the Battle of the Bands competition on the campus of UCF (that's the University of Central Florida). Her friend Alex has a band, Fairweather Friend. They did good, but they didn't win. But getting to the title of the blog, being surrounded by all these college students made me feel old. It's only been 3 years since I graduated, but it's definitely not my life anymore. As it was getting later and later, I kept thinking about how I had to get up for work in the morning. I had never been on campus before this, so trying to find my way around in the dark and in the rain was not an easy task. My goal was to try to blend in like we went there and so that Jen & I didn't look like to two Old Folks. But on our way to finding the Student Union, this young female coed asked us if we were lost. So much for blending in.

Go, Tigers, Go

Well, spring training is off and running. The Tigers had their first game this afternoon (despite the rain) and killed Philly (9-1). I should mention that my boss if from the Philidephia area and a Phillies fan. I go to my first game of the season on Saturday against the Yankees. I hope that it will be a good game.

Bills, Glorious Bills

It's the first of the month, so that means that many of my bills are due: rent, water, cell phone, internet. My water bill was a bit higher than normal this month. This is thanks to Dad who had to do 5 loads of laundry per day while he and Mom were here. I typically use about 800 gallons per month. This month, it was 1200. Even though it only adds up to an extra $3 on my bill, that's still $3 I could have saved. My cell bill was about normal. Of the 323 minutes I used last month, 156 of them were to call home, and 52 minutes were in just one call. It's a good thing that my internet is only $10 a month - that's the only reason why I still have dial-up. The good news is that I got a bonus check today for the month of January. It was only about $40 (after taxes), but I'll take it. I'll take anything.

I know, I know, this all part of being an adult in the "real world." I just kind of sucks to have most of the money you worked so hard for, go away with a quick swish of a pen on a check.

Everyone's Bloggin'

Wow! Practically the whole family has a blog now. Mom, Mike, and now Hannah. I guess we all have Amanda to thank for this. Hannah wrote in her last blog about being a loser because she had no plans for the weekend. If that's true, I must have been one, too. I rarely ever had plans, I didn't have many close friends, I never had a date to a dance (but this is a whole other story for some other time). Nowadays, I'm thrilled to have a weekend with no plans (like this past one). It was so great to sleep in late, lounge around in my p.j.'s all day and watch movies and such. The weather was kind of cloudy and rainy all weekend, so I didn't mind that I didn't have anywhere to go. My next weekend when I have absolutely NOTHING planned (not even singing in the choir on Sunday) is May 7-8. My weekend wasn't totally void of any activity. Sunday night, I did have a ticket to see Oliver! at the Bob Carr. Unfortunately, I was late and missed the first half of Act I. Traffic was terrible because someone came up with the brilliant idea of scheduling a basketball game for the EXACT same time. It wasn't just any game either. It was agaist Miami, therefore Shaq was playing (he used to play for Orlando, you know). I eventually made it. It was really good (of what I saw) and I had a great seat. My weekends will be pretty full for the next few weeks. Spring Training starts this week. I'm going to my first Tiger game of the season this Saturday (and every Saturday for the next 4 weeks). I can't wait! Also, Sat. night is Trinity's silent auction. It's island/tropical themed so we get to dress up. It should be fun. It's at the Hyatt Hotel IN the airport (for those of you familiar with Orlando Int'l Airport, you know what I'm talking about). I don't know that I will bid on anything. We'll see.

Life's A Beach

I just love the fact that I live in Florida! The weather is so perfect. Saturday, I drove down to Lakeland to get my tickets for Spring Training (just 2 more weeks!). The sun was shining and it was about 72 degrees. I drove all the way there with my windows down and the sun roof open. Traffic was pretty bad most of the way there. They're doing construction on I-4, so I spent a lot of time just sitting on the freeway. To pass the time, I pulled out my Florida map to look for a new way to head back. I didn't really mind too much because the weather was gorgeous and I wasn't in a hurry or anything. I did find a new way back along U.S. 92. It was a nice drive through all the little towns. Mom, you would have loved it. You'll see it when you come at Easter, though. It reminded me a bit of the drive between home and Muncie along U.S. 24 (except with palm trees). The drive ended up taking about the same amount of time, but it was better than sitting on the expressway (and getting honked at by truck drivers). On my way home, I made a stop off at Universal Studios for Mardi Gras. This week, the entertainment was The Temptations and The Four Tops. I'm curious as to how many of them were original members of their group. They looked pretty old, but sang great! I left a little early because I was kind of tired. When I got back to my car, the traffic getting out of the garage was all backed up. Since I wasn't in any time crunch to get home, I just climbed in my back seat and took a little nap until the traffic cleared. I'd rather sit in my car in its space rather than in traffic. When I got home and looked in the mirror, I discovered that driving with the window down to Lakeland may not have been the best idea as my entire left arm and shoulder were completely sunburned. Sunday was another perfect day, so after church, my friend Anna and I went to Cocoa Beach. It has been almost a year since I last went to the beach. It was so peaceful and relaxing to hear the waves crashing against the shore. When we got there, it had clouded up a bit (just some high thin clouds, not overcast) and when it finally cleared, the sun was so low that it wasn't very intense. It was good that I didn't have to worry about getting more sunburned. Now it's back to work for another busy week. I've got a few fires to put out just today. So that's my cue to get back to work. I hope everyone had a nice weekend as well (even if your weather wasn't as nice as mine).

What About The Weekend?

Due to my special Valentine's Day post, I completely forgot to tell about the weekend I had with my parents. They arrived late on Thursday night. So basically we all went straight to bed after we got home. A side note: I timed it so perfectly that they arrived just as I got there. I was there so short a time that we didn't have to pay for parking. On Friday, I went to work while my parents slept in and also cleaned my apartment while I was gone. I had a crazy morning. My first task was to drop off some drawings at the Orange County Building Department. This should have been a hassle-free process - just wait to be called, hand off the drawings and necessary paperwork, and get out of there. Well that's not exactly what happened. First, they wanted to know the estimated building cost for each of the tennants. I didn't know the answer, so I called my boss and he figured it out. No problem. Next, they're trying to tell me that I (the company) owe $600 for a processing fee. I was told that I didn't need to pay anything. So I call up Jim again and he talked some sense into the guy. We got everything all straightened out and I finally headed to the office. All in all, it was a good learning experience. I met my parents back at home for lunch and we went to Panera Bread. In the evening, we went to CityWalk at Universal for dinner and a movie. We went to see Hitch - excellent movie. The plan was to meet up with my friend Jen for the movie and then her & I were to go to a concert at Hard Rock. Well, Jen was a little late getting to the movie. I saved her a seat, but the ticket guy told her it was sold out. So, she didn't see the movie, but we did meet up afterwards and went to the concert. It was a local band, DManufacture. They were decent; a little loud. OK, a LOT loud. But we still had fun. On Saturday, I woke up feeling aweful. I had the worst sore throat and absolutely no voice. Some might blame it on being out late and in the cold, but I had been feeling it all week and figured I would have been sick no matter what. So I let my parents take my car and do all the things they like to do (Leu Gardens, Winter Park, etc.) while I stayed in bed all day. I felt a little better by dinner time, so we went to Winter Park Village for dinner and a movie. My parents saw "Million Dollar Baby" while I saw "Finding Neverland." My movie was pretty good, but they didn't particularily care for theirs. On Sunday, we got up and went to church. I introduced them to all my friends that were there. I was feeling a little better, but I still didn't have much of a voice. That afternoon, I drove us out to Kennedy Space Center. We got there too late to be able to go on the tour, but we still saw all the exhibits and an IMAX movie. We stayed in for the evening and watched TV. Monday morning, I went into work. At noon, my parents picked me up and we headed to the airport. We ate lunch there and said our goodbyes. Then it was back to work for me. When I got home, I picked up my mail and there was a Valentine's Day card from my parents (that they mailed while they were here). I opened the door and sitting on top of my TV was a beautiful boquet of flowers with a "Happy Valentine's Day" baloon in it. I opened up the refrigerater and inside was a slice of cheesecake - my favorite dessert. I decided not to go to my dance class (that's the 4th week that I have missed for various reasons) because I still wasn't feeling that great. So I stayed home and watched my Monday evening TV shows: 7th Heaven, Everwood, and Monster House. When I went into my bedroom to get ready for bed, sitting on my bed was a heart shaped pillow with a pocket full of all sorts of goodies - Skittles, a Hershey's bar, gum, a box of Conversation Hearts, and a bag of red liccorice. It turned out to be a pretty good Valentine's Day.

Happy Valentine's Day

OK, I admit it. Today is not my most favorite of holidays. But today is a celebration of LOVE. And while once again I don't have a significant other in my life, there are, however, several people who are in my life for whom I have a great love to share.

My parents: who raised me with love and taught me how to share it with others. Though they may sometimes get on my nerve with their constant nagging, I know it is only because they love me and what the best for me. That's what parents are for. I also admire the love that they have for each other. It gives me hope that one day I will find such a person for myself.

My brothers: who may not have always shown me a lot of love growing up (MIKE) , I still know that they love me and I love them (and not just because we have to).

My sisters-in-law: while it may not be "official" for Sonia to be a part of the family until July, she already is to me. Kristie & Sonia are two very special women. I may be a little bias here, but you are very lucky to be married into such a great family! I couldn't ask for two better sisters-in-law.

My grandparents: what better next door neighbors to have than your own grandparents. Some kids only get to see their grandparents on holidays and special occasions. I got to see mine every day! And while grandma is no longer "physically" with us on this earth, she always has and always will hold a special place of honor in my heart.

"Daddy Wally" and "The Kushnirs": I can't even begin to imagine the sacrifice it must have been to 26 years ago, after the loss of your wife, to then give up your only daughter and watch her be raised by someone else (even if it was still family). I am thankful, however, that you have remained such a strong presence in my life, even though now we may only see each other once or twice a year. How blessed am I to be loved by TWO families! It may be difficult to hear me talk of my "dad" and have it not mean you. But you are still my father and I love you with all of my heart.

My aunts, uncles, cousins, and all other family members: I love you all! Family is very important to me. Although we are farther apart by physical distance, you are all very close to me in my heart.

My friends (old and new): what would life be like without great friends? I hope I never have to find out. I love ALL of my friends. While some of us have physically gone our separate ways (like to completely different states) and have had difficulty keeping in touch, you have still remained close to me in my heart. Others are brand new relationships that are beginning to form, but are still just as important to me and I love you just as much.

Last but definitely not least, in fact, first. My ONE TRUE Valentine, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: the very essence of Love itself. I could quote several passages of Scripture here, but instead just one, "For God so LOVED the WORLD that He gave His ONE AND ONLY Son, that whoever believes in HIM will not perish but have ETERNAL LIFE." - John 3:16

I am determined not to get depressed this year as I struggle with being single (there are actually quite a few positive points - but that's for another time). I realize that I have quite a lot of love to give and I gladly share it.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY <3

Ready For The Weekend

My parents are coming to visit me this weekend. In fact, they'll be here in less than 10 hours! I'll pick them up from the airport after wallyball tonight (or tennis - depending on how many people can make it). I am really looking forward to their visit. I wish them safe travel. I also wish safe travel to Sam & Kristie as they leave for Paris (that's Paris, France not Paris, MI - just in case you were confused) on Saturday. I hope they have a great time. I wish that I could go. Oh well. Someday.

Another Weekend Come & Gone

Yep, it's monday again. Why do the weekends have to go by so fast?! I had a pretty good one, though. On friday after work, I reordered my bridesmaid's dress for Mike & Sonia's wedding. No problems! I was going to get up and go to yoga on Saturday, but as my alarm was going of at 8:00am, I decided to forget it and sleep for another 4 hours. After I finally rolled out of bed, I headed down to Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure. It had been several months since my last visit, so it was nice to walk around and ride a few rides. I rode the Mummy twice and got my highest score ever on MIB: Alien Attack (234,900 points). At 5ish, the Mardi Gras celebration began. The concert for the evening was Musicians 4 Disaster Relief. A bunch of old groups got together for a benefit type concert. All the money from t-shirt and CD sales went to the American Red Cross to help out with our hurricanes and the tsunami in Asia. I left shortly after the parade, though. It was kind of chilly that night. I did get a few more beads to add to my collection. I really don't know what I'm going to do with them and I'm open to any suggestions. I had to sing in the early service Sunday morning. I was a little late, though. Oops. After church, I met up with the Dickens for lunch. Dave & Nancy Dickens were on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ when I was at Ball State. Now they work at the headquarters here in Orlando. It was nice to remenisce with them about the good ol' days in Muncie. They're kids have grown quite a bit and Nancy is due with their 4th child in just a matter of weeks. I also learned that there were several other former Ball Staters living in the area. We need to have a reunion one of these days. Later that evening, I went over the Bryan's house to watch the Super Bowl. It was a nice party even though I wasn't all that interested in the game. I usually only watch for the commercials (but I have to say that I was a little disappointed this year). To help ease the confusion of my last blog, yes, I do know two Bryans [Brians]. Bryan is the guy that I used to work with and with whom I've been hanging out with a lot lately. Brian is a friend from church. I can't help it that most of my friends' names are Bry(i)an, Becky, or start with the letter J.