Hey :) I haven't written in awhile, not much to say I guess, at least not much eventful. Let's see...since I last wrote, I turned 25! Luckily I had been thinking about it long before the actual day, so I didn't really care much about it. But, a few months earlier, I really thought I was old. Anyway, for my birthday we went out to eat at Olive Garden (duh!) and we went to see Wicked. For those who don't know, Wicked is a musical about the witches of OZ, prior to Dorothy. It was so great. The acting, the singing, the story, the set, it was wonderful. I totally recommend it, in fact it is playing in Chicago as well so GO SEE IT!
Hmm...what else? Lucy's hair has grown out some so she looks a little bit normal now. Although I still much prefer her fluffy. Maybe by the time we're home this summer she'll be fluffy again...
This summer- I can't remember if I posted this or not, but I will be staying in California longer than I thought. I got talked into working summer school, so that will be done on July 20th and we'll head home that weekend. We'll only be home for 3 weeks. But that's ok.
My Aunt Deb & Uncle Stan came to visit last week. We had so much fun. They did sightseeing during the day, at night we went to dinner, I showed them where I worked, and the last night they were here we went to the Dodger-Cub game. I'm not even a baseball fan, but it was a good game, and a pretty crazy crowd. The Dodger fans were ruthless with the Cubbie fans...it definitely crossed that line of friendly competition. Security was all over the place that night. When we got home from the game we played the Wii for awhile.
The Wii--can't remember if I talked about that either...if I didn't, it's basically a virtual reality game, the new Nintendo. However you hold/move the remote is what it does on the screen--so if you are playing baseball you hold it like a bat & swing, bowling--you bowl, etc. It's really really fun. Especially for all ages. Adults can definitely enjoy it. Try it!
Hmm....not much else I guess. I just went through my closet & dresser and got rid of some clothes...5 garbage bags! Who knew. Ivan & I really don't want to move much with us to AZ. That's my contribution to lessening the load. Ivan has a TON of stuff he needs to get rid of. He has clothes that were never even unpacked, not even unpacked when we moved to Rancho!! A tub of junk that has just been traveling with him from college that needs to just be dumped. We're finally going to do it this time when we move.
Anyway, guess I'll get going.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Monday, May 14, 2007
Lucy's Hair...
So, Lucy is nearly bald right now! Her hair got matted in some places pretty bad so they had to shave her down nearly to the skin. She looks ridiculous. It's punishment for Ivan & I guess for not taking care of her hair better...I've been saying she looks like Nicole Richie or the Olson twins or something, with this giant head and tiny body, like a bobblehead!
It's working...
The Secret is working! So, in the secret book & movie they talk about just believing that things will work out, act as though you already have something and it will come to you, etc. Things like that. Well, when I found my South Africa trip and knew it was the one I wanted to take, I couldn't decide if I should put the deposit down or not since we were coming into summer and I didn't plan on working. I planned on probably baby-sitting for my friend and just kicking back. I figured that I shouldn't spend money on a deposit, what if because of that I wouldn't have enough money saved for my bills over the summer? And then I thought, I am going to trust in the secret, put the deposit down because that is what I want, and just trust that I will have the money somehow for the summer. The day after I did that, I was offered to extend my contract through summer school...could be a coincidence, could be the law of attraction...who cares? It doesn't hurt to believe that the secret is in motion. So, once I was offered summer school there were still some hang ups to get through--- the fact that my housing might not be taken care of by my company, the apartment might not even be available to extend the lease, I couldn't abandon my friend who I was going to baby-sit for... and all of those things have worked themselves out! The company decided to cover my housing even though I won't be working full time, the lease is able to be extended for those 5 weeks, and the day care I used to work at is able to take my friend's son so I don't need to worry about leaving her high & dry! Everything just fell into place. Pretty awesome. If you know anything about The Secret, choose to believe it or not, it's a classic example I think.
Ivan & I are going back to school in the fall! We met with a counselor at University of Phoenix-- the online & night school that has become pretty popular. In the fall I'll start the Bachelor's in Human Services (like sociology) and Ivan will start his Masters in Counseling. We're both so excited. It'll be my way out of O.T if I choose that someday, or I'll be ready to get my masters in O.T. if that's the route I end up going. And Ivan will be ready to get to what he wants to do-- guidance counseling. Plus, Ivan will be looking for a new job when we get to Phoenix, and there are a ton of positions for Admissions Counselors at UofP. Which would be really great experience for him for the future, he'll need a job, AND employees tuition is free! So hopefully that works out. It'd be the perfect job for him, but free tuition?? Pretty awesome icing on a really good cake! ha Hopefully that works out, we'll see. Even if it doesn't, getting back to school will be great. I always feel like I have more of a purpose when I'm going to school. I'll be that person who is going to school and changing careers forever. I'm still not even entirely sure what I want to do anyway-- but I know I want to be helping people in some way, and I think being on the social work end of it, getting people the services they need is more appealing to me than actually providing the services like I am now. I think it'd be cool at some point to help with disaster relief or something like that, with the Red Cross or the Peace Corps or something. Who knows!
Ivan & I are going back to school in the fall! We met with a counselor at University of Phoenix-- the online & night school that has become pretty popular. In the fall I'll start the Bachelor's in Human Services (like sociology) and Ivan will start his Masters in Counseling. We're both so excited. It'll be my way out of O.T if I choose that someday, or I'll be ready to get my masters in O.T. if that's the route I end up going. And Ivan will be ready to get to what he wants to do-- guidance counseling. Plus, Ivan will be looking for a new job when we get to Phoenix, and there are a ton of positions for Admissions Counselors at UofP. Which would be really great experience for him for the future, he'll need a job, AND employees tuition is free! So hopefully that works out. It'd be the perfect job for him, but free tuition?? Pretty awesome icing on a really good cake! ha Hopefully that works out, we'll see. Even if it doesn't, getting back to school will be great. I always feel like I have more of a purpose when I'm going to school. I'll be that person who is going to school and changing careers forever. I'm still not even entirely sure what I want to do anyway-- but I know I want to be helping people in some way, and I think being on the social work end of it, getting people the services they need is more appealing to me than actually providing the services like I am now. I think it'd be cool at some point to help with disaster relief or something like that, with the Red Cross or the Peace Corps or something. Who knows!
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
South Africa here I come!
Ok, well not right away. I will be going to South Africa for a 6 week volunteer trip in June 2008! YAHOO!
Ok, so for a few years now I have been looking into international volunteering, with my focus on South Africa. Mostly because I have a strong interest in the AIDS epidemic and all that has been affected by that. I don't know what made me interested, but especially since I gave a speech about it in December 2003, I have wanted to get over there and just have been waiting until I found the right opportunity and the money! And I finally think I have. I made the deposit!
The organization is called AVIVA. They are located in Cape Town, South Africa, and only do volunteer work in South Africa. So that was kind of nice to me, the headquarter's local, the people in charge are close by and therefore know exactly what goes on in their volunteer locations and visit them frequently. Comforting.
Plus, they're the cheapest place I found. Yes, you have to pay to volunteer. There's a lot of reasons for that-- what you pay helps with their operation costs, some goes as a donation to where you're volunteering, they provide your housing and some meals, and they include some fun tourist stuff as well.
Another thing I liked about them is that you're housing is like a dorm for all the volunteers. Some other places you stay with a host family or in a hostel-- for my first visit to a whole nother continent I'm a little bit more comfortable with having a nice little place to stay!
So, with all of that said-- where I have chosen to volunteer is called "Home of Hope." It's an orphanage, which has children from infants to 3 years old. Some kids have parents who can't take care of them, some have been abused, some have HIV/AIDS, some have lost their parents to HIV/AIDS or other reasons. Basically, my job there will be like working in a day care. Taking care of the kids, feeding, playing with them, giving their medications, all the basic stuff kids need. From what I read on the website, I think you work 3.5 days and then are off 3.5 days to do tourist stuff. And there is so much to do! I'm so excited :)
So I just wanted to share that with everyone. It's not until next June, but I will already be planning and saving up for that trip. If anyone wants to donate any money for me to take with me to give to Home of Hope, I will glady do that as well. But that's all for now. You'll hear much more about it the year ahead! Check out the website www.aviva-sa.com And if you want to come too I'm sure you won't regret it!
Ok, so for a few years now I have been looking into international volunteering, with my focus on South Africa. Mostly because I have a strong interest in the AIDS epidemic and all that has been affected by that. I don't know what made me interested, but especially since I gave a speech about it in December 2003, I have wanted to get over there and just have been waiting until I found the right opportunity and the money! And I finally think I have. I made the deposit!
The organization is called AVIVA. They are located in Cape Town, South Africa, and only do volunteer work in South Africa. So that was kind of nice to me, the headquarter's local, the people in charge are close by and therefore know exactly what goes on in their volunteer locations and visit them frequently. Comforting.
Plus, they're the cheapest place I found. Yes, you have to pay to volunteer. There's a lot of reasons for that-- what you pay helps with their operation costs, some goes as a donation to where you're volunteering, they provide your housing and some meals, and they include some fun tourist stuff as well.
Another thing I liked about them is that you're housing is like a dorm for all the volunteers. Some other places you stay with a host family or in a hostel-- for my first visit to a whole nother continent I'm a little bit more comfortable with having a nice little place to stay!
So, with all of that said-- where I have chosen to volunteer is called "Home of Hope." It's an orphanage, which has children from infants to 3 years old. Some kids have parents who can't take care of them, some have been abused, some have HIV/AIDS, some have lost their parents to HIV/AIDS or other reasons. Basically, my job there will be like working in a day care. Taking care of the kids, feeding, playing with them, giving their medications, all the basic stuff kids need. From what I read on the website, I think you work 3.5 days and then are off 3.5 days to do tourist stuff. And there is so much to do! I'm so excited :)
So I just wanted to share that with everyone. It's not until next June, but I will already be planning and saving up for that trip. If anyone wants to donate any money for me to take with me to give to Home of Hope, I will glady do that as well. But that's all for now. You'll hear much more about it the year ahead! Check out the website www.aviva-sa.com And if you want to come too I'm sure you won't regret it!
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