Home

I'm home! I have to say, it did take me a few days to adjust. Each time it gets a little longer to adjust really. It's strange. I'm always excited about coming home and then there's this time period where I'm ready to leave after I see everyone. But that time has passed and now I'm so happy to be here again :) I flew in on Monday the 23rd. Megan & Becky came to get me and that night I went and saw all the kids and saw Johnathan too. Tuesday I went to Kentucky to get the new puppy, Charlie. Wednesday I went to my Grandma's for dinner with family, then over to Jon's for awhile. Thursday I went to the pool with Jyll, Heidi, my mom & all the kids and that night went to Schooner's which is where I basically saw everyone else I hadn't seen yet...Friday Becky & I went to see the Lindsey Lohan movie...it was ok. Saturday I went to Jacksonville to see Holly and go to a bachelorette party. Yes, there was a stripper...and I wasn't impressed, yet thankful I wasn't the bride who got raped basically! haha Sunday my bro & sis and all the kids came over so that is always a good time...and after that Megan, Jon, & Johnathan came over to watch "Waiting." It was funny. Hmm..what else...ooh Monday I finally went to see Celeeste. And then Johnathan came over to play Nintendo, yes the original Nintendo. He sucks and I'm fabulous. Last night me, Jon, Johnathan, Jamie & Curtis all went to see "Chuck & Larry," gotta tell ya, I was unimpressed. I love Kevin James & Adam Sandler, but it just wasn't as good as I expected. Today I'm going to see my cousin & then my nephews are coming to swim. Later in the week I'm going to dinner with old co-workers, then out at Pit Row (getting sloppy then swimming, yay!), Saturday will be another sloppy night at Celeeste's with Kristen in the hot tub, and Sunday I'm having a cookout, which I am so excited about!!! I just thought it up yesterday and I'm just pumped. Next week will be dinner with the girls and then I'm flying back to AZ on Thursday. All in all, it's been a really great trip home.

I wish Ivan could be here for this stuff too, but at the same time, I probably do more when he's not here because if he is I'm just content to hang out with him you know? And I'm sure he's having more fun than he should be without me there :) Living like a slob and doing whatever he wants! Every time I talk to him he's either with or was with or will be with the neighbors. Which is great since we didn't even know our neighbors in CA, but sucks because I'm such a jealous person, so I'm mad that I'm not there too!! Ah well. He's really enjoying & excited about his new job so that's good.

Oh, Charlie. She's polar opposite of Lucy! I was worried at first because she didn't have much of a personality really. But she has warmed up to me and is really sweet. She's just not nearly as social as Lucy is though. Which could be a nice balance I guess. And she's TINY! I hope the meeting with Lucy goes well.
Alright well I gotta get ready to go see my cousin. Peace

We're here!

I ended up leaving Saturday morning around 3:30, in hopes to make it through the desert before it got too hot just in case my car had issues. Everything went great, and I got here just before 9:00. We unloaded my car & everything is pretty much settled in except we need to hang a couple things and buy some small stuff. I really like the new place. We have space, we have doors! (We lived in a studio apt. in Pasadena). We took a walk through the apt. complex and everyone said Hi, some people knowing Ivan by name already and asking if he'd be home tomorrow to help them with their IPod, or this other girl asking me how I was functioning because Ivan had talked to them about how I was driving down at like 3 a.m. I told Ivan, 'well aren't you Mr. Social' (because he had said this about me when I was making friends last weekend before he got here) and he said, "I haven't done anything! Everyone is just so friendly!" We agree that it's because he's black and everyone wants to have their one black friend, so when they see him they're like hey! because it is a mostly white area, hahahaha Really though, it's just nice to be around people who say Hi, and even actually talk to you.

Last night we were headed to Blockbuster and I was looking out the car window and saw nothing! It was great. If you haven't been to Southern California you might not understand this, but there is hardly anywhere, at least within 2.5 hours of a city where you see nothing (as it is around any big city really). It is just city after city along the freeway. Really, yesterday I'd say it took me a good 2 hours before there was just desert. I'm just like, wow, I don't feel claustrophobic. I can breathe, there is space here. Again, you don't notice the absence of something until you are around it again...I had no idea I was claustrophobic! haha

Also, who know I'd have to go to Arizona to see some freakin' rain! Honestly people, I don't know when the last time I saw rain was, I mean literally, I think it's rained maybe 2 times this entire school year in Pasadena. I swear to God, and I might be stretching it there because I don't even remember when that was. (To be fair, we lived in a cave-like aot so I might have missed a few times :) Not to mention, a thunderstorm. If it didn't storm while I was home last summer, then it truly has been 2 years since I heard thunder or saw lightning, and I MISS it!! So, guess what happened last night? I storm went by, it looked like it was going to be right here but it wasn't. But I did hear a little thunder, saw lightning, and saw the sky change to dark blue instead of this always-light blue/smog crap that I've had for the past 2 years. Didn't think someone would complain about near perfect-sunny days right? Well I am. I like some change! And, apparently this is monsoon season in AZ! So the weather forecast has a storm on there for everyday for the next like 2 weeks, but it's totally sunny & everything until it happens. Kinda like Florida, it rains and then the sun comes out & you never knew what happened. So, yesterday as the sky was getting dark & it was getting windy, I assumed it would be cooler outside because that's what happens at home.. oh no. It was still 100. haha And Ivan said the rain isn't cold, it's warm too! We don't have our cable hooked up yet, so literally I've just been looking out the windows; we had 1 window in our last apartment, and that was just the balcony door! Here we have 8 windows!! It's amazing! haha

So that's that. I will leave again tomorrow morning to come home! YAY! I'm excited for a visit. I told Ivan our neighbors are gonna be like, what the heck is up with your girlfriend? I was the first one they met, was here for 1 day, and then left for a week, I come back with more stuff, stay for 2 days, and leave again for 3 weeks! haha Oh well. I'm sure Ivan will have made us a bunch of friends by the time I get back.

Here's a link to my stuffed car & the place: share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=9IZMWbVw5Y-Y

Peace Out Californi-I-A!!

***I wrote this Friday, the night before I left, but it didn't post until today (Sunday)***

Well...last weekend we moved almost everything to AZ. Ivan's been down there all week starting his new job with University of Phoenix as an academic counselor. He likes it. In fact he's out with a co-worker right now...he used to be a Harlem Globetrotter...kinda interesting I guess :)So, today was my last day of work (THANK GOD!), I got my car checked out, packed everything--which my car is absolutely ridiculously full...if it's not in there right now it's getting tossed! I cleaned everything...and got a mani & pedi, so I am ready to roll first thing in the a,m.

What am I going to miss about CA...mostly Ryan Seacrest in the morning on KIISFM...really, that would be almost a good reason for me to stay here. I love me some Ryan in the morning and I'm trying not to think about how I won't have him anymore...I just can't wrap my head around it :) I will miss saying that I live in CA, and in the "L.A. area." haha I'll miss having access to the beach, hollywood & all the other wonderful things L.A. has to offer...even if I didn't do it all that often. I'll miss some people too...those of you here reading this going, hey, what about us?! Haha, thanks for some good times :) California has been wonderful and we got to do so many things, it was a 2 year long vacation with a little work thrown in the mix. But, oddly enough, I am ready to get back to reality!

What am I looking forward to...some space!!! Room in the new apartment, room outside the apartment that has grass, yes grass, room on the roads!!! Everything will be cheaper!!! And...so far, people are nicer/friendlier/normal! People driving regular cars, carrying regular purses, wearing regular clothes, and caring about regular stuff!!! hahaAlrighty, come visit in AZ!

AZ is a dream!

We moved almost all of our stuff to AZ over the weekend. I rented an SUV (it was a Ford Edge, it's their new thing that's bigger than an Escape but smaller than the Explorer), we actually most of the stuff into that & Ivan's car. Everything went well except Ivan blew a tire in the middle of the desert! Luckily my company provides AAA for me so they came to the rescue, although by the time they got there Ivan had fixed the problem himself.

As I was unloading my car I saw the leasing agent (Russell)who had signed us up & everything, and he's around our age, maybe even a bit younger, so I told him he should help me unpack. Well, he had like 5 friends coming over so they all unloaded my entire car in like less than 5 minutes. I was so happy! I got them a 30 pack for it. They enjoyed it, I saw him the next morning and he's like, "I'm still drunk!" So everyone won. Plus then Ivan didn't have to do much when he got there after his ordeal.

Can I just say, I was only in Surprise for about 18 hours, 8 of which I was sleeping, and I'm already happier there than I have been in 2 years of California! Now don't get me wrong, I have enjoyed Cali, but I am so ready to go.

First of all, the fact that Russell & his friends helped me, is amazing. I wouldn't even have said anything like that to our leasing agent, and if I had, I'm sure he would have been like "Well we have a cart you can use." Not even understanding I was joking, although joking around paid off huge with Russell. I still am not comfortable around our leasing office people here...the guy is all metro-sexual and I feel like a slob if I'm ever around him! They're a little snobby too. And I've always felt like I didn't belong here. Anyway, on top of that, Russell's friends were supernice. I also, within being there about 30 minutes had already met my downstairs neighbor. In 2 years here I've never known my neighbors names, and in this particular building, you don't even see them!! In fact, I am startled in the hallway if I happen to see someone!

So then, I go to the grocery store to get the guys their beer...and the cart kid says Hi How are you doing? Seems pretty simple right? Well try living in the L.A. area where people don't even look at other people, or even smile, let along actually say hello & ask how you are! Really.

The next morning Ivan & I went to the store again to get groceries. There were normal people at the store! What I mean by that is that people weren't freakin' shopping in their stilettos with a full face of makeup and some designer outfit. Again, I was like, wow, I fit in here! haha And as we're checking out the bagboy was making conversation...here they barely spit out paper or plastic. It gets better, the food is cheaper! I hadn't even thought about that fact until she rang up the total and I was like what?? Here in Pasadena it would have been at least $30 more, easy. We leave from getting our super cheap groceries to get gas...$2.68 a gallon!!!!! Can you believe it? It's like, this place is perfect.

The other big thing was how clear the roads were. It was amazing, I had space in every lane available. I loved it.

Unforunately I had to come back to Pasadena to finish work this week. I did not want to do that! Not after seeing how wonderful AZ will hopefully be. I'm sure a complaint or two will pop up, but all I can say is I was ridiculously happy with my first day there and I can't wait to go back!

Yeah it was a little warm, but not unbearable. And our steps lead straight down to the pool!! Friday can't come fast enough!

On a somewhat related note--- I was calling home last week to make appointments for a physical and with the dentist and stuff like that, and I can't tell you nice the people on the phone were. And the thing is, it was just normal I think, I'm just so used to people leaving the nice out of their voice here!! Haha. I was talking to Ivan's aunt who lives out here too and she said the same thing, there is just no people like the Midwest people!! Don't take it for granted guys!!

Yippy Skippy!

Official word today that Ivan got the job and his start date is July 16th!! We already knew it was going to be a nice increase for him, but after his initial training, there is another raise! He gets full benefits and another raise in 7-9 months (a big one!) It couldn't be better. The whole time we've been in California he's worked way too hard for way too little money, not to mention he's had to work at least 1 day of the weekend this whole time, we'll finally have a real weekend together! We'll be like the rest of the world! He'll be working normal hours too; the first year here he worked nights (BLAH!)

And, we got the apartment we wanted. And, it's available the 15th, so we can move our stuff straight into the apt. instead of moving to storage and then from storage to the apt. a few weeks later. Ivan won't have to stay in a hotel for a few weeks! Everything has worked out so wonderfully and so smoothly. It was the first job he applied for, only job he interviewed for, the job he actually wanted, a giant increase in pay, and his Masters will be F-R-E-E!

You all know that my company provides our housing right? Well, the apt. we found is under my housing allowance-- get this-- this apt. is $1150 CHEAPER a month, and double in size than where we live now!!!! Isn't that crazy?! Yes, we're living in a super-overpriced place right now, but it also shows you how ridiculously expensive it is to live in CA! And how cheap AZ is. YAY!

**Here's the part where I plug 'the secret.' Could it be "luck"? I guess, if you believe in luck. Could it be coincidence that every single thing has worked out as we needed it to...maybe. Could it be the power of positive thinking and knowing that what we want and need will happen? We think so! Just saying...whether you believe that 'the secret' is God or the universe, the law of attraction, or just positive thinking, doesn't matter. Putting your faith in something, and being confident of the results has certainly been proving well for us...we've learned to not doubt anything and simply state what we need to happen. We try not to even say things like "what if" or make other plans. Normally you'd apply for a lot of jobs... why do that if you know you'll get the one you want? We went ahead and got the lease for the day we hoped Ivan would start...and he got that day... All I'm saying is this, in the secret it says to act as though you already have what you want, plan for it, etc, don't doubt it, and it will happen...that's what we've been doing & everything has worked exactly that way.**

Hey

Hey all :) Not much new here. The background check for Ivan is done, we got a copy in the mail, so tomorrow he'll be calling UofP just to make sure he really officially got the job, and see if they've established a start date yet. It will either be July 16th or August 6th. If it's the July date he'll have to go stay in a hotel for a couple weeks because the apartment won't be ready until July 31st. But it would be good because at least he'd be working and making money, one less plane ticket to buy, and we wouldn't have to pay for storing our cars either, they'd be at the hotel with him. But the August date is good so he can come home for a visit too. We'll see...it's out of his hands.

Only 3 weeks til I'm home! Yay! I need a break from work, and I need outta this place. I'm just so ready to leave that I'm just waiting and waiting. But it's going fast.

I started class last week. It's so weird to have 5 week long classes because it's like you don't even get a chance to get sick of it you know? Just as soon as it starts it's over. I have taken online classes before, but this is a little different than an online class at Heartland or ICC, because even your texts are online. It takes a little bit of organization you know? To think, ok yeah I saw that, but where was it, and then kinda search back through the different links. But they have everything set up really well. My academic counselor has been great, set up a time on my first day to "walk me to class." So he just went through everything and showed me how to use the library and other online services. The class itself is just an intro to human services and online education. So each week the instructor posts 3 discussion questions-- this week they were just things like why are you pursuing this degree, what are the pros & cons of online learning, what challenges do you face as an adult learner. Answering those questions are part of your class credit, and you also have to respond to I think 2-4 other posts for participation credit, and that has to occur over the course of 4 different days to count for 'attendance.' On Mondays, the last day of the class week, a written assignment is always due. This week it was just something to help you get around the website. From now on it will be papers! Ah, writing papers again! It will take some adjusting I think, I'm so used to just writing blogs and I love that, but to have to write properly will be different.

The interesting thing about the online classes is that you know the people in your class are from all over the country, could be from all over the world, and have very different circumstances. Most of the people in my class are moms, some working and some stay at home, there is a girl who is serving in Iraq right now, and a few people around my age just heading back to school. Some people you can tell have been out of school for a long time, and I'm amazed at the grammar people use!!! Seems like common sense mistakes and drives me crazy! I don't have great grammar but I know the basics...and some of these people just don't! That makes me feel a little better though! haha

Well not much else. Oh, I am contemplating whether to do another season with Team In Training this fall doing a triathlon or do the 'Hike for Discovery' program they have. Which is just like TNT, but they train for hiking trips-- to Rocky Mountain National Park, Yosemite, a place in Hawaii, and the Grand Canyon (which is the one I want to do). I figure I can do a triathlon anywhere but the hiking that I could do in AZ would be pretty cool, so if I do one I'm leaning towards the hiking trip. Plus, it's something I would have more of an interest in contiuning after the hike than running!! I just need to see how much money they ask you to raise for that. Plus since I have my Africa trip to save for I just want to make sure I'd have enough for both!

Alrighty, gotta go

Couple more things about Phoenix

The other thing I was gonna say about Phoenix-- we went downtown and had lunch before Ivan's interview. There were a bunch of kids on a field trip. You know what I noticed about the group? All black & white kids. Now, normally you wouldn't think anything of that. But the district I work in is like 65% Asian, 30% Hispanic, and the other 5% is white/black/whatever else. Which...actually I don't know if I've seen one black child ever if any of my schools. I only have 2 white kids on my caseload, and I've only seen a couple more in any of the schools I go to. And I knew my caseload was mostly Asian & Hispanic, but it's like you don't really notice the absence of white & black people until you're around them again. It was just strange, the way I was like oh wow, I haven't seen white or black kids in a long time.

Oh, and the heat. Everyone told us we were there on the hottest day this week, it was about 113. We didn't really think it was that hot, we thought maybe more like 90. Anyway, I can say, my description of the "dry" heat is this: even in total shade I felt like I was getting a sunburn!

YAY! YAY! YAY! YAY! YAY! YAY!

We went to Phoenix/Surprise yesterday because Ivan had a job interview and to check out the area. Well, his interview went really well. They said they'd email last night to let him know if he went on to the second round or not. He DID! So, the second round was this: they sent all this info about UofP policy, and then there were 6 example questions of what students might sometimes ask. Ivan then had to type a response as if he was talking directly to that person. So we didn't get back home from Phoenix until like 10:30, Ivan sent in his repsonses around 12:30. Poor guy then had to get up for work at like 4:30! Anyway, they called him today and said he did well and now they're going to complete the background check...so once that's done we're pretty sure it's all systems G-O! YAY! So send Ivan some love and congratulate him (nicholsi@ic.edu) It's a big step for him career-wise. It's a big raise, not to mention now his going back for his Masters will be FREE!! And, its' what he actually wants to do in life. No downsides here :) It's also the first job he applied and interview for in Phoenix. No sweat really! I'm so happy for him, and us of course. Maybe I should back up a little. You know we're both going back to school at University of Phoenix (UofP)? Ivan's job will be an Academic Counselor with UofP! So that's that.

Ok, so before & after the interview we checked out some apartment complexes. And one of them we really liked, it had a great layout, a couple pools, a basketball court, and the guy showing us around said it's a good mix of people-- families & non-families. The pool is open 24/7 (yay) and he said people are always out drinking there (he was a young guy & knew what we were wanting to know!) haha It had a very Rancho (where we lived last year) feel to it and that's exactly what we were looking for. We really enjoyed Rancho and the apt. complex we lived in, so that was all good. Plus, they were offering a killer special with 2 months free...what's not to love right?

We also drove by some houses I had looked at on the internet and kinda checked out the neighborhoods. It seems like Surprise was built yesterday (just like Rancho!) and there's not really a bad area so to speak. All the houses pretty much look the same. Unfortunately we didn't get to see inside any of them because the leasing people have been a pain to get in touch with, but I think we were happy with the general feel of Surprise-- secluded from the business of Phoenix, nice, new, safe, yet Phoenix is just a freeway away. We're happy.

Hmm...what else? I guess that's about it. Just really happy everything is falling into place so nicely. The only hangup will be Ivan's start date, might be sooner than my company would like to give us a place to live. We'll cross that bridge when we get there :)

Send Ivan a congrats!! I'm so proud!!

Hello!

Hey!! We'll be home in 5 weeks! YAY! I'm so excited to come home. It's been 7 months since I was home, and I miss everyone. I'm ready to just hang out with everyone, not to mention be done with work, this contract, and this city. Yes, Pasadena is a great city, but I am not a city person. Suburb, yeah, city, no. More of the problem I think is the building we live in. Yes, the building I begged to live in. It's become a little prison cell :) But, like I said from the get-go, good or bad I just want the experience. It's one more thing I know is not for me.

Anyway, today we went to the Dodger-Angel game. They have these bleacher seats that are all you can eat for $35. It's a pretty neat concept, but hot, and crowded. Nobody sits in the right seats, which is fine, I'll sit wherever, but then you'll get some stupid ass who walks up & wants to sit in their exact seat. So then it's all this drama & comotion. So we were like literally sitting on top of each other in this one row. I got burnt (yay). I really did mean to wear sunblock but I forgot it. It's ok because I haven't seen sunlight in like a year, so it's all good. Oh the food, we get there, load up our trays with 2 Dodger dogs each, nacho's, a bottle of water, and some pop. We hardly ate it. We drank a ton of water & soda though.

After the game, we came home & the mall here was hosting this art festival where local artists compete for the best sidewalk chalk drawings. They were amazing!! So we took pictures of a lot them which I'm gonna post the link so you can see them. It was pretty cool.

So I guess that's about it. I'm off this week until summer school starts next week. Thursday we're going to Phoenix to just check out the area and Ivan has an interview!! Keep your fingers crossed. Oh yeah, I start classes on Tuesday, they're online. So we'll be home in 5 weeks (around July 21st or 22nd) and then I'll go get the new puppy (who's name is undetermined!) and we'll just chill for about 3 weeks. Probably going back on August 9th or 10th.

See you soon!

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=9IZMWbVw5Y8Q (pics of sidewalk chalk)

July Vanity Fair

Ivan got me the July issue of Vanity Fair-- Bono was the guest editor and it was all completely & totally about Africa. You know I have a thing for Africa. Well anyway, maybe I'm stupid, but apparently I missed this in history class, or at least just never really thought about it, history isn't my strong interest, but anyway, did you know that all of us came from Africa? Ok, well I know I've thought to myself, we all really came from the same people if you go back far enough, I just never even thought about where that actually is. It's Africa. Yeah I'm sure if you're reading this you're going, duh. Well it was news to me.

So, anyway, you can participate in a DNA study which will tell you what part of Africa you come from! How cool is that?? As I was reading the article I thought to myself, I want to do this, but I bet it's super expensive. It's not. You can buy the kit for $99.95. You get some info, do a cheek swab, and in about 8 weeks you get the results. I'm gonna do it, not right at the moment since it isn't exactly pocket change, but I do want to know. I mean, how interesting. For girls it goes back through your maternal line and for guys they go through your paternal line. Anyway, here's the website, check it out: https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/genographic/

Interactive Johari Window

Go to this website & do what it says. You pick 5-6 words that you feel best describe me and it compares with the words I chose for myself. Do it. It's fun to see how you see yourself and how other people really see you...

http://kevan.org/johari?name=Chelsbels_2000

New Addition to the family....

So it's official...our little family is growing! Lucy will have a little sister...

She was born April 30th, and I will get her when I go home in late July. She is a Shitzu Poodle mix. We're 90% sure her name will be Molly :)

Funeral Songs...

Ok, maybe a strange thing to think or write about. But you know at some point you've thought about it, if you were to pick your own song for your funeral, what would it be?? Ivan refuses to partake in this conversation because he doesn't want to think about it, but it's just for conversation...This came about because we were just letting iTunes play and The Beatles "Let it Be" came on and I said, I might like that at my funeral. For some reason I did some searching on the internet and a lot of other people think about this too...
Anyway, so the couple songs I had were:

-Let It Be (The Beatles)

-Only Time (Enya)

In the searching there were a lot of people who play James Blunt--which I love his songs, but it seems a little too pop & new for a funeral you know? To each their own I guess. And then there were the standard Amazing Graces, and Go Rest High on That Mountain, which was my Grandpa's, and I do really love. I dunno...
What would you want?

Crazy Dream...

I have some crazy dreams but last night just might take the cake. First I was at either a graduation or sports event, I don't really remember. Well, I went to use the restroom and everyone left while I was in there, so I ended up staying at this house with these people who apparently I knew, but I actually have no idea who they were or who they were supposed to be. Well I'm laying in bed and I see this opening above the bed open up...kinda like a skylight, and something leans its head in! (something being NOT human!) This goes on for a little awhile and I keep saying No No no! And I can hear myself saying it outloud too, woke me up a little, but I kept dreaming. So I run down the hall to this other person's bed, whom I guess that I know, and I ask if I can sleep with them because I'm scared outta my damn mind. Then this is crazy...the person I'm in bed with and the other person sharing the room both start looking at ME with scared looks on their faces...and I'm all what? what? I look down at myself and I'm turning into something! But guess what I was turning into......crunchy peanut butter?!!!!!!!! What the heck?

Knocked Up

1. Go see it :)

2. When you do, pay attention to the mall when they are looking at baby clothes & stuff-- the store they're in is Jacadi Paris. Then they're walking down the mall and you can see Macy's in the background, then they are in this book store looking at baby books, and P.F Chang's is in the background...That's my mall!! The one I live in!! I can see that baby store from my balcony!! Just very fun for me to see that stuff in a movie since it's where I live :) That doesn't happen much in the midwest!

AND, while in line for the movie, a designer from HGTV was in line next to me and sat a few rows behind me. I just looked on their website to find out her name & what show she's on but I can't find it. But I do know I've watched it, I recognized her voice behind me and turned & thought...where do I know her from?? Then I realized I don't...she's on TV. haha

Hey all

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.

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!

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!

Signed, sealed, delivered, I'm Yours!

Signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours...school district in Phoenix. Yes, I signed the contract, signed my life away from August 13th to May 22nd, to a school district in El Mirage, AZ...which is just the outskirts of Phoenix. I think it's like 45 minutes to downtown Phoenix. I'm very excited because now I don't have to think about it anymore. I know exactly where I'll be in the fall and I can concentrate on finding a place to live, AND having an awesome summer. Yahoo!